One ... two … three ... they started appearing one by one. Now, they were a total of six people.
One of them raised its arms and flicked its fingers.
And with that one flick, suddenly, the wind blew hard inside the room and blasted away all the smoke and dust in the air leaving the bewildered people a clear view of what they were looking at.
Six strangers could be seen through the pile of rubbles. Two of them looked like a woman and four were men with tall and overly masculine bodies.
The two women were both exceptionally beautiful from head to toe. One of them had bright green hair that extended to her shoulders, a tall stature, and a pair of dark green eyes. She looked fierce yet pretty - just like a model in a magazine. Her eyes rolled from right to left as if scanning everything she was seeing at that very moment.
The other looked rather cute like a doll, but mysterious and silent. She had long, straight bluish-white hair, and a pair of light blue eyes. She, in contrast, did not dare meet anyone's eyes but shut them closed instead, as if trying to listen to her surroundings.
The four remaining bulky men with dark eyes, were very big for a normal-sized person, around seven to eight feet tall. They were all wearing tight shirts, differently colored with signs in the middle that somehow looked like numbers in a different language. But if you looked closely, they were rather lifeless. They all stood still and surrounded the green-haired woman and the doll-like woman as if guarding them from all directions.
The green-haired woman flicked her fingers once more and a small ball of yellow light suddenly appeared out of thin air.
Everyone was shocked. They could not believe their eyes.
Was that a trick of the light? But most importantly, how did these women and men come from the rooftops? Destroying the ceiling all by themselves without incurring a single scratch? Just what on earth happened? Was this a trick? A prank? Were they somehow watching a three-dimensional movie or a holographic scenery that's why it all seemed so real.
Were they ... dreaming? Was this all real?
There was a moment of silence afterward. It only stopped when the green-haired woman spoke. Her cold voice echoed through the whole place there was no way you couldn't have heard her.
"We are Magi," she began. "I am using your race's language for you to understand what I'm about to say."
Fear could be seen on everyone's faces.
The woman continued, "We are conquering your world!"
The fearful faces a moment ago now reflected confusion, dismay, and reluctance, while some other, anger and hatred. Who wouldn't be? Some unknown woman who's a possible terrorist speaking gibberish about conquering the world? But then again, with the weird things they were experiencing … for what they know, it could be.
"You can try to fight us but I assure you, none of you is a match even to the weakest of us.
You can try to combine your efforts, but a million of you, or even a billion for that matter, can easily be defeated by only ONE of us.
So I suggest you surrender peacefully and not a single drop of blood will be spilled.
We only want one thing, and that … is this planet."
"Huuuhhh?!" one man from the crowd smirked at the woman's remarks. "As if a single woman can defeat a million men! You're talking nonse-"
Before he got to finish what he was about to say, the man was killed on the spot.
"Aaaaaaaaarghhhhh!!!!" shouted desperately the wife of the man who suddenly collapsed to the floor and rivers of blood came gushing out of his chest. He was shot by a piercing beam of light fired by the speaking Magi.
Finally realizing that what was happening was all real and not just a dream, or a trick of the light, everyone began to panic.
Zeid tightly held Rania's hand as he pulled her towards him, guiding her steps further away from the dangerous "Magi" as they called themselves. Walking very fast they fought their way to the doors wanting to escape from that place.
In a matter of seconds, the place became chaotic. Everyone was freaking out and some started crying for their lives, trying desperately to escape.
"So you do not wish to surrender but want to escape instead?
You can try to run with all your might but there's no escaping us!" she said as she smiled devilishly, "Go! Run! Run as fast as you can! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Then, the green-haired woman began to float in the air preparing herself for an attack with the look of bloodlust in her eyes. "Here I come~".
Zooooom!
She dashed around the room like a typhoon, killing everyone she passed through. Blood splattered everywhere. Loud cries could be heard all around. Everyone was horrified and devastated while the Magus continued her merciless killing. Trembling on their feet, they tried to escape … but all was naught. From one, then five, now twelve, then twenty ... She continued like a maniac, enjoying herself.
Rania's heart was crushed into pieces as she witnessed people around her dying every second. And not just people … they were people she knew - friends, colleagues, relatives. They were all very important in her life. They were her family. Somewhere in her heart, she wished for all of this to be a dream - a nightmare. But when the horrendous truth splattered on her dress and face ... she couldn't deny it any longer.
"Babe, No!" Zeid blurted when he noticed her, walking toward the enemy. "Please! Don't expose yourself!" He desperately whispered to Rania, taking her by the hand, trying to stop her.
But he was too late.
"PLEASE STOP!!!" Rania shouted with all her might. She could not stand by watching anymore. "Please stop this. We surrender! What do you want from us?" Tears began to fall from her eyes.
The green-haired magus stopped, looked in Rania's direction, and approached her … slowly. Her eyes were that of a merciless demon - just by looking at her, all of your courage would disappear.
Closer and closer she came. Zeid pulled Rania close to him and hugged her tightly trying to protect her from whatever may happen.
Smiling creepily, the magus spoke, "Clever girl ... that's what you should have done in the first place".
Scoffing, she continued.
"But it's too late now. I have already decided to kill each and every one in this room! Hahahahahaha!"
And there it was again, the sinister laughter. As she laughed, she raised her arms once more gathering a growing ball of light on her hands.
Zeid dragged Rania away from the crazy Magus. As fast as they could, they ran away. But the woman's ball of light was only getting bigger and bigger, taking over the whole room. After growing as big and as high as the ceiling, the Magus aimed at Rania.
When she was about to throw the ball of light in her direction, the other doll-like woman opened her eyes and spoke a single verse.
"Stop," she said. Her voice was the only calm thing in that place.
The moment she spoke, the crazy Magus stopped, and her ball of light vanished through thin air. She now floated in the midst of the air paralyzed in her position, as if time had stopped in her space.
"What are you doing you brainless dimwit?!" she shouted.
"The Judges have given an order," she said. Her face, expressionless.
"Those lazy rascals! What do they want now?"
"They ordered us to bring back beautiful virgins to serve the king's harem."
"Humans? Beautiful?" she ridiculed. "As if they can satisfy his highness! They're a bunch of lowly, good-for-nothing creatures".
"But a perfect vessel to produce pure-blooded offspring."
"But - "
"Silence," she said coolly. Then, she began to look around eyeing for possible candidates.
"I doubt we can find any of that here," the mad Magus assured her, "Humans these days are carnal and liberated. Only children would be virgins. And there's definitely no children here, so we better kill them all quickly and look somewhere else."
"There is one," replied the doll-like girl. Her fingers pointing at none other than ...
Rania.
"No! You can't take her!" Zeid exclaimed and hurriedly covered Rania in his back. "Babe, run! Now!"
"No! They'll kill you!"
"Please! This is no time for arguing! Just go!"
"I - no … I ... I won't leave you! If we die, then we die together! So be it!" Rania intensely disagreed. Tears could be seen running from the corner of her eyes. Continuously, she shook her head in opposition.
The doll-like girl commanded the four lifeless giants to take her.
Zeid and Rania struggled as they refused to let go of each other.
Crying, she stretched out her hand toward Zeid.
As if time was moving very slowly at that moment, Rania, realized their struggle was pointless because the enemy was too strong ...
And that there's nothing they could do to stop them nor escape them at the least ...
And that if they continue to struggle more, blood may spill again ...
Losing hope, she shook her head once more speaking to Zeid through her eyes ...
"Let go."
Tears fell from both of their eyes. Accepting the fact that they needed to back off and surrender for this time but never losing hope of a chance to see each other once more ... when they're more prepared, more ready, and perhaps, could put up a fight to these kinds of enemies.
Finally letting go of each other's hand, they drew further and further away from each other as the giants pulled them apart.
Alas, they took her and brought her to the doll-like woman, who by then, began creating a dark hole through thin air. This hole served as their kind's transportation gate from one place to another.
Zeid clenched his fists and gritted his lips so hard they bled. His heart was very much broken, his confidence shattered into pieces. He couldn't even protect the one he loved. While the others lamented for their dead.
Rania stared at Zeid for the last time as she entered the gate, savoring every second for she knows not of when she could see him again.
Just as the gate was about to close, the crazy green-haired Magus got freed from her paralysis.
She stretched out her body, looked at Rania, and grunted disapprovingly.
Then, as if a brilliant idea crossed her mind, she smiled devilishly once more as she stared at Rania.
Pwoooshkkkk!
Rania's eyes widened. Big drops of her tears scattered all around her. She struggled to free herself once more from the giants - kicking them away from her - begging to let go.
"NOOOOO!" a wild cry overcame her. With every last bit of her strength, she fought but was still unable to run toward Zeid.
Rania's surroundings seemed to blur. Losing strength on her knees, she knelt on the floor staring at Zeid … devastated at the sight.
Zeid who was now lying on the floor ...
with an ice spear thrust into his stomach ...
and deep red blood gushing out of his body.
With his last breath, he whispered ...
"I love you...
Now… and...
Forever…"