Zelrun was a planet full of dangerous places be it due to harmful atmosphere, dangerous animals or mythical entities. Janmini was one such big country that lacked no types of dangers. It was a country that had a toxic environment due to poisonous beasts and potion makers experimenting their wildest ideas. Not only that, it was covered in most places by a smog that was detrimental to sorcerers coming from an unknown source. The sun never rose in the place making it forever night in Janmini. The three moons however strangely worked as they usually did everywhere and were used to distinguish between night and day.
It was also a place where magic progressed the most. The place was one without law where devilish people ran amok conducting inhumane acts pushing their knowledge to the limit allowing advancement in the study of magic. A place where most variety of magic could be found. Blood Mages, Devil Mages, Seers, Lichs, Unique beasts and more. It was a harsh place that was extremely dangerous. It however had some 'safe points' free of corruption.
Nier was listening about Janmini while traveling in such safe point.
"Blood Mages? Devil Mages? Seeas? Liks?"
Nier muttered as he listened to everything.
"Don't fret over over it. Umm.. Don't worry about it. Its better to understand what you have learnt already before trying to get something more. But what I wanted to say was that we are in one of the most dangerous place's safe point."
Currently on a dark, presenceless road that was broken with holes in places surrounded by broken stone houses, two figures were running. Each carrying a child.
"I said I should try running on my own..." Kyber tiredly muttered. Tired by repeating the said line over and over again.
"We have been running for an hour now and we still have half an hour journey left. Unless you wished that we stayed waiting for you trying to run fast without falling. This is the best we can do." Len replied
"But-"
"Renl-...zy here is holding back using his wind so that I can keep up. You shou-"
"Why don't you get carried?" Nier who usually remained quiet suddenly asked facing Len showing genuine curiosity.
The trio was stunned.
"That makes...sens-"
"NO IT DOESN'T!" Len shut Renzy's remark and before they could get in a debate about the pride of a grown adult, and the combined weight of two individually heavy children and an adult, An orange light came into view.
By now they were on road surrounded by piles of junk, a wasteland. The bright orange flames were accompanied with the sound of talking...no- chanting?
"I can't recognise the language..." Len said still running.
"It's probably some ritual. What should we do?" Renzy asked.
"Hmm... I'd say we continue. We'll see what's going on there after finding the last base." Len replied after some thought.
The group passed by the sorcerers performing their ritual quickly leaving the junkyard. They were at quite a distance from each other but the ritual performers had been loud so the voices reached the group anyways.
"But isn't it your job to enforce law? What if they are doing something crazy? Something that would harm everyone? Shouldn't you stop it." Kyber said teasingly looking at the running masked men.
"Haaa...Well, that's true but you can't just tackle trouble without thinking about the repercussions and what is important..." Renzy said with a smile behind his mask.
"First of all. With you two here, we can't really focus on the battle as you have seen. If not for Nier sensing the worm. He'd probably not be here. Second...We don't have too much time. The attack on the lab was supposed to be a surprise attack but someone had invaded the place before us. It is possible that the information has reached their base and they could be evacuating as we speak."
Len said calmly.
"And...our friend Len here has a special mana property...you see. He has fate mana as he named it...His mana points him towards the correct decisions that benefit him. He is like a Seer without having the ability to divine" Renzy said with a smile glancing at Nier.
*Sigh
"It's not that simple...Or maybe it is. Regardless, we have our reasons."
"That's fun but his mana is so comfortable, I just want to sleep in a pool of Len's mana" Kyber suddenly said with a grin.
Len didn't say anything to the comment. He had been using his mana to cover Kyber from the extreme winds even though Kyber could have used his own. He saw Nier keeping silence from the corner of his eyes but he could see that Nier wanted to try it. Really badly.
*Sigh.
Len sighed but aside from the kid's wish, something told him that it would really help in the future.
Nier felt a calming wave of mana wash over him causing a relaxed moan to leak out.
That was good. Now he too wanted to bath.
"Heh" Renzy just chuckled with a smile. In the two of them, Len was definitely a more stoic figure who was only cracked by Renzy but he had no less love for children than Renzy himself.
"What do you mean by lab? And what is happening here?" Nier suddenly asked.
'He is not just asking the meaning but his general situation...huh.." Renzy thought as he replied.
"Well. We are from the Golden League. It is a worldwide powerhouse association that comprises of most courts and law enforcers. We recieved news that a group of magicist named Unworldly- were conducting horrible experiments that violated human rights a little too much.
Magicists are those who research magic by the way. According to the report- they were doing these experiments accross three different bases. All these bases were in one of Janmini' safe point...of course it had to be Janmini. Anyways- The first base- we raided in and found only the magicists...no one else- alive.
We then soon got to the other base and found that the security system had...rusted? Something like that and that only some magicists were left frantically running around. Then we found you...Nier. And now we are moving to their main base.
From what I've gathered. They don't conducts their experiments in that base but only use it for meetings and keeping records." Renzy answered
"I see...bad guys huh. What will happen to me?" Nier suddenly asked looking at Renzy's mask.
This took Renzy aback but he got focused again quickly.
"That... We'll see for that when we understand what happened to you...but-
Renzy looked at the little boy in silence. Eyes full of innocence and hope for the future.
"I'll make sure that you aren't
compromised" Renzy said.
The group was in a dense forrest that while still a part of the safe zone had dangers here there. While the said 'danger' wouldn't be too much to handle for the duo, Len used his mana to avoid
road blocks saving time.
*Woosh
As the group passed by the trees. Nier kept an eye on the scenery which looked to be moving in the the direction he faced. The ground was clear without any grass and most trees had di-coloured leaves. The colours being blue and purple. Some rare ones had tri coloured leaves, those being blue, purple and small amount of grey. He suddenly realised that they were the same as the three moons as the moon trio was hanging right above them, easily in view.
The shadows of the towering trees contrasted with the bright shining moons forming a picture that Nier found to a little spooky but beautiful as well.
"Why do they have those different colours?"
"Without sunlight in Janmini, trees here absorb moon light. Just that...Wait. Are you able to per- see the leaves at our speed?" Renley asked in shock.
"Eh? Yes"
"This is getting blown out of proportions now.."
'Just what are you?' Renley thought with his eyes narrowed. They had been moving extremely fast and for him to be able to determine the colours of the leaves- Did he also realise that some were grey?
"Why are only some of them grey?
'Damn-'
It was at that moment that Len suddenly crouched right as Renzy swiped his hands to his right. Where Len's head previously was- slicing a vine that had suddenly pounced on them.
"Ruffle
The leaves suddenly shook as the sight of a figure descending upon them with the purple moon behind entered Nier's eyes the moment he looked up. The figure had a spear in hand that it smashed down with its fall.
"Boom
The ground shattered like webs as the rubble flung up. Renzy and Len had jumped away to opposite directions with Nier and Kyber respectively avoiding the attack when tree vines suddenly erupted from the ground behind them and reached out to grab them. Renzy condensed his mana and swung it slashing the vines through wind bending.
While Len materialized a knife and slashed the vines.
At the same time- the figure that had dropped. A man wearing a baggy white robe. No, bathrobe- and a blask mask that covered his lower face and had pointy teeths- spun his spear hitting the debris in the air flinging them at the white masked duo.
Both Renzy and Len used telekinesis to stop the debris while avoiding the vines which were relentlessly persuing them.
• The House of Madness
A deep calm voice reverberated through the surroundings entailing with it a transparent dome trapping the enforcer's group.
Suddenly, the forrest was filled with fog as Renzy struggled to find Len. The same case was for everyone and soon they noticed that even mana could not be sensed.
No... that's Renzy?
"Renzy?"
Len sensed his friend as he immediately turned to move but he stopped as he got a bad feeling.
'A trap? This dome can create illusions?"
Len frowned and looked around. Kyber who hanging on his back frowned for a moment but suddenly smiled-
"I left a mark on Renzy using my technique, I can sense him."
"Heh, good job...still. Renzy! Do not believe my aura"
___________
"What the heck? " Renzy muttered with a frown...
The fog had instantly drowned them and now
"Kyber? Len?" Renzy shouted but found no response- suddenly
"Len?" He turned towards the aura diagonally behind him when a voice suddenly entered his ears.
"Renzy! follow my aura!"