Somewhere in an open forest, a giant blue ogre walks, leaving large footprints the size of a bear in it's path. It stops and looks forward toward the ground to a see a man standing there with a smirk on his face.
Ogre: Fallore...
Fallore: Lets cut to the chase shall we? I have some connections to your group of self proclaimed assassins.. And well lets just say you aren't very useful to them.
Ogre: You plan to be rid of me? An old mage like you couldn't dare mess with anyone in the corp...
The giant lifts his foot and just as he tries to stomp on Fallore, a large beam of blue light slashes through, instantly burning away half the giant's body, and revealing a normal sized old man hiding inside of it. That light fades away in the shape of a sword made of flames, and Fallore brushes his robe off.
Fallore: A neat but unoriginal magic style you have.. That body was no more than a large mound of putty. I knew this of course...
The old man falls to the ground and looks in fear at Fallore.
Old Man: How can a simple mortal like you be so strong!?
Fallore: Way too many of you self proclaimed assassins who couldn't even beat me if you banded together, use cowardly magic styles that hide your true form. If you would simply just ascend, you wouldn't need a false body to protect you.
Fallore points upward and a small golden bolt of lightning begins floating at the point of his finger.
Old Man: Don't tell me, is that...
Fallore: Indeed, tis a spark I collected in a battle against the heaven kingdom's queen's daughter. Sadly as strong as I am, I had to back down before I could harvest any more of this. She is a tough girl, but that's expected of the protector of the sky. Anyway enough idle chatter...
Old Man: W-wait please!!
Fallore: Here you can keep it as a souvenir...
Fallore gently tosses the bolt of lightning down to the fragile creature, and in an instant, a loud bang rings out and that open area is destroyed, while holes made from stray electricity are smoking in the trees nearby.
Fallore: Just like that, he was banished to the dark realm.. She was a powerful creature huh.. How did I escape that girl? No matter, I'll have to be on my way now, and I have no means of reaching her to rematch, nor do I have a reason to fight her at this time.
He shrugs and starts walking away slowly. While Fallore was doing this, Crimson and his crew were making their way upward toward the forest Marigold and him first met.
Marigold: Something isn't right.. Was this path always this dark?
Fritz: Definitely not, my memory never fails me no matter what...
Crimson: Could it be the time of day getting to us?
Fuuten: It is still morning...
Fritz: Its definitely morning.. The grass has significantly less life in it than it did when we first set out for the kingdom of relief..
Crimson: It seems to be getting even less alive...
They trek through the forest and eventually end up at Marigold's house which is surrounded completely by grayish blue grass and trees.
Crimson: I've never seen anything like this.. We were only gone for a day or two right?
Marigold: This forest has never once been like this since I've grown up here after running from home...
Fuuten: I believe I may have an explanation..
They all look toward Fuuten's direction to see him knelt down inspecting a blue flower that seems to have recently bloomed. It has a streak of blue light that seems to be from the sun shining through the gray leaves.
Fuuten: Firstly, please tell me what this plant looks like..
Fritz: Blue almost like a cornflower, and a white puff in the middle..
Fuuten: Just as I thought.. There is a woman who travels the lands in search of something important. No one knows what she's looking for, not even her.. I've met her myself, and she is a very intelligent woman who seems to have no bounds to her knowledge.
Fritz: Ah...
Fuuten: You remembered something?
Fritz: My memory is.. Perfect I thought... The man that spoke with us in the labyrinth said we should head west after we find our way out, so we can find a woman that seems to meet that description of having no limits to her knowledge..
Crimson: He did say that.. Marigold just needed to grab some things though right?
Marigold: Yeah, that's why we're here. We haven't eaten you know.. And I forgot to pack stuff when we first left. I'll be back.
She walks into her house which now looks like the life has been drained out of it, and Crimson sits next to Fuuten, inspecting the flower with him.
Fritz: I.. Had a lapse in memory...? I have a lot to speak with Maila about...
Fuuten: Who do you think that person in the black cloak was back at the kingdom of relief?
Crimson: It was a person who wanted to attack me and Marigold for a curse we have.. Apparently the curse gives magical abilities to those who have no magic.. I worked hard for my strength and battle strategies, but then that day I...
???: A living doll!? I've never seen one before!
Fuuten and Crimson look back and see Fritz pointing a sharp blade protruding from the tips of her fingers at what looks to be a child.
Fuuten: Crimson is that a kid?
Fritz: Who are you..?
Crimson: (She's small, and has white hair.. Those big floppy ears look like those of a bear or some animal similar..)
Child: I'm Lilca, a teacher at the defense station of the west! I was just exploring this way because we detected a change in the forest, and since I'm the animal expert, they sent me.
Fritz: Teacher?
With a confused expression, Fritz finally puts away her weapon and Lilca puts her hands on her hips before inspecting Fuuten and Crimson with a confident smile on her face.
Lilca: Since I'm inspecting this forest to find the root cause of why it changed, you four are my biggest suspects!
Crimson: Ah you're sharp.. Maybe you were spying on us beforehand, but if not then your senses are greater than I initially thought.
Fuuten: She knew there were four of us even though Marigold is gathering things in her house, fairly quietly. Is that your reason for saying that Crimson?
Crimson: Yeah basically..
Lilca: Hehe.. I am just great, but you can admire me later! Tell me if you caused this!!
Crimson: On second thought.. Maybe she was just spying on us earlier...
Fritz: Indeed, she would have known we didn't cause it if she just simply looked at the way you two were inspecting everything. So she was probably watching from a distance where she couldn't hear us.
Lilca: You're reading too far into it!!!
The front door to Marigold's house opens up and she comes out with a medium sized bag over her shoulder. She pauses and looks on at the scene unfolding before her.
Crimson: Well we're off to find Lilium in the west. Lets go guys..
Fritz: No objections here.
Lilca: Hey wait you can't just leave me!
Crimson: You're searching for the cause of this right? Well we have a different mission..
Fuuten: I just wish we had an easier way to travel honestly... Not to be a complainer..
Lilca: W-wait..
Lilca hops onto Fuuten's back and flashes Crimson a confident smile again.
Lilca: Well you're their leader right Crimson? I have a proposal to make, so hear me out for a second!
Crimson: What could you possibly want...?
*End Of Chapter 6*