The grim destiny of a princess and a formerly tormented soul had just begun to weave together, unfolding against the backdrop of a fantastical realm and a merciless reality. Maze had embraced her battles with newfound strength, and Reinhart, equally puzzled and excited regarding his newfound powers, stood by to lend her whatever assistance he could.
Naked, disoriented, and somewhat excited to see if he could actually help, Reinhart eyed the guards. This wasn't a construction site. The ill-faced men didn't hold crude hardware tools. Instead, they wielded swords and presumably had access to magic. He couldn't ignore the dread pooling at the base of his stomach, but he also couldn't overlook the power coursing through his veins.
The arrogance of the guards knew no bounds. "You should have just stayed in the castle, princess. Now you're out here, with no one to protect you," the lead guard sneered, hoisting his sword menacingly.
Queen Maze moved before Reinhart could. Swift and graceful as a zephyr, she attacked, her hand balled into a fist, and the wind pushed it forward. It hit the head guard square in the jaw, flinging him backward into the air. Even as he hit the ground twigs cracking underneath his weight, the eerie silence prevailed, underlining the stunned and fearful faces of the remaining guards.
Reinhart, despite being busy concealing his privates with a piece of cardboard, couldn't ignore the brewing grin adorning his face. His packet of magic had indeed changed the dynamics. Just as Maze began to prep for her next move, something caught Reinhart's eye.
A discarded cloak lying some distance away seemed like his only possible help. It wasn't decent, but it was better than nothing. He sprinted towards it.
Meanwhile, Maze found herself facing the other guards, their faces a mirror of stupefaction and fear. But if she thought they would give up, she was wrong. Shaking their heads, they regained their stances, steely expressions replacing their shocked ones.
"You little," the stockiest of the guards began, stepping forward. His rage was reflected in the intensity of his summons as fire sprung alive from his hands, illuminating the shaded streets in flickers of deadly romance.
Maze's heart pounded against her ribcage. Fire was a dangerous element to face, even more so when she could only manifest wind. And wind fed the fire. She swallowed hard but masked her dread.
"I am a Princess of Grammel, and you will show me the respect I am due, or else," she threatened, emitting an omniscient aura of a true queen. The guard twitched, but his resolve didn't falter.
Just as Reinhart managed to cover his privates with the abandoned cloak, he noticed the scene unfolding. From his vantage point, the danger Maze was in became more pronounced. "What's happening over there?" He wondered aloud, worried.
The guard, fire crackling in his grip, snarled at Maze, "Or else what? Your Mana doesn't even stand a chance against mine, Princess."
His harsh reminder sent a pang of worry through her. He wasn't wrong. Still, there had to be a way. She couldn't rely on the guards' human decency, especially not now. Defeat wasn't an option.
Neither was death, a thought that struck Reinhart once again. Having seen construction accidents and nearly falling victim to one, he knew the telltale signs. If he didn't do something, Maze was in danger. "I have to help her!"
Determined, Reinhart looked at his clothes-free hands. However, in this new form, they were much more than just a mismatched set of fingers and thumbs. His magical abilities, albeit unknown, held more power than he could fathom.
He forced himself to concentrate on his reservoir of magical energy, taking cues from Maze. Reinhart focused on his energy, calling it forth as he'd observed her doing moments back. To his surprise, something stirred, responding to his silent plea. Hope sprang alive. "Okay, magic would've been way more fun than Legos," he muttered to himself.
As things were heating up, literally, Maze was running out of ideas. And then, a thought struck her. Air wasn't merely wind. If she could manipulate it well enough, maybe, just maybe, she could remove the oxygen around the flame and stifle it.
Emboldened by her idea, she began gathering her Mana. The mention of air took Reinhart's attention back to his days on the construction site, where they often worked with burners. He didn't know much about Magic, but he did know fire - fire needed air to survive. How to use that knowledge was a puzzle he didn't have much time to solve.
Taking a deep breath, Maze focused on the space around the guard, pouring all her concentration on the air surrounding his fire. The wind in the vicinity slowed, swirling around the guard in a strange vortex. Each rotation sucked the available oxygen, causing the fire to flicker.
"Hmm, interesting..." The awed tone of another guard was quietly swallowed in the whirlwind. "Look at that, fireboy." He jabbed an elbow subtly into his companion's ribs - a silent mockery that didn't sit well with the fiery guard.
The guard snarled, his grip tightening on his waning fire. But nothing he did seemed to help. The flames flickered, struggling for oxygen, growing weaker with each attempt to stay alight.
That was exactly what Maze was counting on. Heart pounding in her chest, she pushed more power into the vortex. Just as she hoped, the fire eventually gave out in a puff of smoke, leaving the guard swatting at empty air.
Maze's triumphant smirk didn't last long when the other guard decided to act, electricity sparking dangerously around him. A new panic sparked in her chest. That was the last obstacle she needed.
Reinhart, watching the scene unfold, was at a loss. What in the world could he do with his magical abilities that'd turn the tide in their favor? His mind raced, fumbling for an idea when suddenly, it struck him.
"Electricity!" he exclaimed, realization flooding him. His past experiences came flooding back - waterpipes and faulty wires, injuries, and a few near fatalities. His mind pulsated with a newfound idea.
If magic could provide power, he reasoned, then maybe it could cut it off, too. His hypothesis was a shot in the dark, but it was the best that he could do short of throwing himself in front of Maze. Void. That was the key.
A void of mana, of power. If he could create that, then the guard's electrical attacks would be meaningless. As Maze scampered back, trying to dodge each electric bolt hurled at her, she was also trying to come up with a plan. ''Water,'' she thought, refusing to let her imminent defeat affect her focus. ''If I could create a diversion…''
Driven by a fresh surge of determination, Maze willed her Mana into taking on another form. But the effort was exhausting her. In the end, she couldn't get past the feeling of their impending doom.
Just when she thought she had used up all her options, something incredible happened. The incoming bolts of electricity seemed to lose their path, fizzling out before they reached her. Maze blinked, unable to believe her eyes.
The electric guard was similarly shocked. His mana-controlled electricity had always worked to his advantage, but it was malfunctioning now. He sent a steady stream of mana-fueled electrical bolts her way, each dissipating before causing her harm. A thin veil of energy was splitting them apart. Struggling to make sense of the surreal scene, Maze instinctively followed the opaque shield.
Her eyes widened as she saw Reinhart in the distance. A magical being until a few moments ago, Reinhart was now the personification of a plot twist she hadn't seen coming. Against all the odds, he was wielding mana, a feat much too incredible to believe.
Several things began unraveling inside her - panic, shock, disbelief, and relief simultaneously wreaking havoc on her emotions. Maze's gaze connected with Reinhart's across the field. She could see his concentration-furrowed brow, sweat streaming down his face. His focus, his desperate resolve—it blew her mind. Something warmed inside her, bringing a smile to her lips.
Amid the escalating chaos, Reinhart flashed her a grin. It wasn't the best timing, he knew, but he was fresh out of options. "Now, this is a twist. Isn't it, Maze?"
Different worlds, separate lives, and yet their trials had met on an unforeseen battlefield. For Reinhart, his transmigration had taken a different turn, and he had Maze to thank. She was his new chance at life, their fates now locked in an intricate dance of destiny and adversity. The question of victory was barely a whisper in the wind now. The war had just begun, and it was them against the world.