Magus Association

"Retreat, retreat!! Run away, run for your lives! Our weapons aren't doing shit to these things!"

Oakwood was slipping into the crevice of annihilation. Soldiers ran for their lives, tripping from the loss of balance as adrenaline boosted their actions.

Screaming in horror, grotesque, uncanny creatures with pale faces and multiple limbs had chased down the brave military. Screams of unadulterated terror filled the edges of Oakwood, alerting other squadrons who ran into the sounds of hell.

"We can't see anything! It's fog everywhere."

One of the soldiers shouted as he led his squadron towards the hellish screams.

"Lieutenant, on your left!"

One of the soldiers started firing their auto rifle towards the uncanny creature, causing no harm. Their bullets bounced off of their bodies, leaving no scratch marks, or injury. It was a futile attempt.

"Damnit, bullets aren't working-! Aghhhh!!!"

The soldier who fired to save his lieutenant was pounced on by the unfathomable creature, feeling his arms and legs being plucked off his body like feathers.

"Help me!! Help meeeee!! Aaaaughhh!!"

The others watched in terror as the lieutenant fired his weapon.

"Kill that damn thing!!"

On command, the soldiers began firing to save their comrade, but each bullet left no damage. They ricocheted off its skin, colliding into nearby buildings around the neighborhood.

"It's no use… we can't kill these things, we have to run!"

One soldier began fleeing before the others followed behind him.

"You fools, we have a duty we must follow!"

They ignored their lieutenant, making a run for it.

Some of them couldn't even think straight, but that ended up being their downfall. Creatures appeared from the fog around them, pouncing on their bodies and dismantling their limbs like legos.

A horrific and gory sight that the lieutenant had to witness.

"Damnit, we're surrounded."

Having no choice, the lieutenant reached for a grenade stuck to his vest, grasping the pin.

"I'm not gonna let you sons of bitches kill me. I rather die than go down by your hands!"

Creatures started charging at him from all directions. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate.

About to pull the pin on the grenade, he took his last breath… so he thought.

"Impressive, so the military can see Phantasms as well, huh? Color me impressed. Maybe I underestimated you guys."

A girl was in front of the lieutenant, hand on her hip as she smiled in confidence.

"Sorry for showing up late, I'm a busy girl, with a life, and school. Dealing with phantasms isn't exactly on my bucket list."

The creatures got closer as the lieutenant stared at the girl in utter confusion. His lip could only quiver, as his eyes widened in disbelief.

He couldn't believe what he was seeing.

A young girl, around the age of seventeen, was here.

"W-Who are you?! What are you doing in a place like this?!"

"My name is Sawada Mukuto, Level 3 Wizard of the Magus Association."

"M-Magus Association? You people are real?!"

Sawada frowned, puffing her cheek as she pouted, "Of course we're! Who the hell do you think is keeping the public safe?!"

"U-Us… the military!"

"Eh, I guess you have a point. And by the way, my Ether class is Augment-type, so I'm a bit handsy. If I were you, I would duck!"

"Ether?" Questioned the lieutenant.

Before he could get an answer, the creatures sprung towards them, stretching out their multiple limbs, riddled with razor-sharp claws.

In a swift motion, Sawada jabbed one of the creatures in the face, knocking them back with an unrelenting force that broke the sound barrier.

"That's one."

She jumped into the air, surrounding her leg in yellowish energy before axe-kicking another Phantasm into the head.

"Two!"

The lieutenant was unable to keep up with her speed. Scared shitless, he crouched down and ducked for cover.

"Let's make it ten!" Sawada smiled, confident in her abilities. She bumped her fists together, surrounding them with Ether, which gave them a fiery glow.

Stretching both arms to the side, she clapped her hands together with all her strength, fabricating a mighty shockwave that stretched on for dozens of meters.

The Phantasms were caught in her attack, releasing their ghoulish screams as they were disintegrated into nothingness.

"That's ten!"

Landing on her feet, she smirked as wide as ever.

The fog around them started fading away, but it wasn't her clap that did it.

"Oh, goody! The spectral is fading away." Dusting off her hands, she turned around, facing the baffled lieutenant.

"Are you alright?"

"What the hell were those things!? Phantasms? The Spectral? I want answers, immediately!"

"Oh… you really don't know, huh?"

"Of course I don't." The lieutenant stood up from the ground, panting hard as ever. "My men died back there fighting these Phantasms you speak of. We were sent on a suicide mission to cleanse Oakwood! We couldn't do anything… even bullets were futile. So how?! How did you harm them?"

"Woah, too many questions at once. Let's settle down… I know it must've been rough, and I'm sorry." Sawada's cocky grin went away, taking the matter seriously, "I'll answer your questions, and keep it simple."

The lieutenant took a deep breath, gazing at the ground in regret.

"…Go ahead."

"The Phantasms are creatures formed from the collective consciousness of humanity. They are formed from fears, rumors, urban legends, and myths. We of the Magus Association hunt them down, preventing their constant onslaught. Though, some Phantasms are good, while others are bad. We let the good ones roam free."

"You expect me to believe that?" Asked the puzzled lieutenant.

"Why wouldn't you? You just seen them with your own eyes."

"Tsk… then how the do you kill those things?!

"With Ether." Sawada lifted her hand, surrounding it in energy.

"Ether?" Asked the soldier.

"Yeah. Ether is an energy that exists deep within the brain. It's actually the energy that creates Phantasms. Think of it as 'Consciousness energy' or maybe 'Thinking energy' works."

"I don't understand."

"When humans think, we naturally produce abstract thoughts that we can imagine. Those thoughts and imaginations are formed from the energy known as Ether."

"Oh… I see."

"But do you know what happens when too many people have the same thoughts, fears, and beliefs? Well, it creates Phantasms. For example; if enough people feared fire, the amount of Ether that they produce will create a Phantasm that embodies the fear of fire."

The lieutenant hummed to himself in question, but nodded his head, believing her words.

"So bullets are useless?"

"Yup. Phantasms are immune to all physical damage. Only Ether can kill them. So you guys pretty much died for no reason…"

Bowing his head from Sawada's harsh truth, the lieutenant gritted his teeth and balled his fists. "Damnit… Damnit all! My men had families, friends, and wives they were gonna marry. Why did the government send us to our deaths when people like you exist?"

"I'm unsure…" Sawada gazed at the heartbroken man with a melancholy expression, unable to fix this cause, "The government knows we exist. Wizards like me hunt down the Phantasms because we're the only ones who can do it. Sending you guys to handle this situation sounds like it was ignorance to me."

"Those rotten bastards!! They don't know a damn thing about what's going on outside of businesses and money. Their ignorance caused the deaths of good men!"

"Lieutenant…" Sawada glanced at his name badge planted on his vest, "Connor, right?"

"Yes, that is my name."

"To the men who have died in this operation, I'll have my supervisor pay for their funerals. Their families need no more suffering. I know how it is with funeral expenses and other payments, so this is the best I could do."

The soldier widened his eyes, staring at the girl in oddity, saying, "Do you truly mean that?"

Sawada nodded her head, as serious as she could be.

"I do. I'll make sure they receive a proper burial and the proper treatment, Lieutenant Connor."

"Thank you… I have no words for your kindness, little one."

"Little one? I'm almost an adult, hahaha. But sure thing, I'm glad I can help."

Tears swelled up in the soldier's eyes as they began rolling down his cheeks.

He wanted to show no sadness, but the overwhelming mix of emotions had him stagnated. He stood there, crying.

Tears rolled down his face in sadness, but he also smiled slightly in joy.

Sawada closed her eyes and turned around, leaving him be.

She knew that he needed alone time.

"This is always the hardest part of my job, watching people cry. Despite the bloodshed and gore, crying is always the thing I hate to see the most."

As Sawada walked away gazing toward the ground, she could hear footsteps approaching her from the front.

Glancing up, her brown eyes stared at a woman wearing a black formal suit just like her, but with a black coat hanging to their calf.

("M-My Supervisor is here? Oh boy… how am I gonna explain the funeral thing to her? I was only lying to comfort the lieutenant! I don't even know if my supervisor is gonna pay for the funerals, despite her being extremely rich!")

"Sawada, how did the mission go?" Asked the tall blonde lady.

"Uhm… it went fine, Lady Guinevere."

"I want everything that happened. Leave no details out, understood?!"

"Y-Yes mam!"