City in the East

"Come you three I want to welcome you to Zellar," Johanna says proudly as we take steps forward.

"What about Mom and Vincent and Lady Elise? They're going to kill me for this. I couldn't do anything I dread the things I could've done differently"

I looked back and I didnt realize we were in a room. I was too focused on the conversation with Johanna. She leads the three of us from the dimly lighted room our arms shackled as we cannot use our magic.

I lift my head up slightly as we are going to approach these clear translucent walkways with light shining from the outside. 

We finally reach the light. My eyes squint as I raise my forearm to cover it. My eyes soon adjusted as I looked around me.

Tall buildings surround the clear translucent tube we will through as I looked outside busy streets filled with people walking and taking a tram that wrapped around the whole city. Giant billboards, a giant intersection, I didnt realize how lively this place was. 

"How is Aiz so far back in technology?" I questioned myself. 

The buildings and structure remind me of New York back home without the major tourist attractions. As I observed closer the people below were all wearing suits and ties, and women wore nice dresses. "This must be an upper-class social structure," I said to myself as there was no person in every area I looked that wasn't wearing a suit and tie.

I took a glance at both Edward and Owen who just looked like they had seen the most amazing thing in the world. "That must be a given because I think Falos is even more technologically dated than us back in Aiz. And this guy Owen I feel for him. I wonder how long he was working for that Phantom Order member?"

Zellar is a cool city however, the one thing that I noticed was the lack of magic. Why is that? Whenever I read about them in class it sounded like a place of politicians, business workers, and entrepreneurs but I didnt know there was little to no magic. Compared to Aiz where magic was used daily this place relied on technological advancement. 

"Magnificent isn't it" Johanna comments. "These structures were made many years ago simple and clean.

The man who founded this land was the Overlord of Understanding Gabriel. 

"Gabriel the smartest of all the Overlords," I thought. 

"You'll see his memorials, statues, and his teaching throughout Zellar. Hence the reason for this successful and peaceful lifestyle. No wars, no violence, well up until now" as she stares at me. "Your involvement in this Valerus Marina is intriguing. Usually, mages who are sent to me and the Court are in there for small crimes like stealing, alcohol intoxication, public disturbance, resisting arrest, etc. There have not been any major cases for a moment in time. Until earlier today when I received an alert that there was a large collection of Mana within Aiz. I run over to Aiz and come to find you, Mr. Ridgeway, and Owen here."

She puts her right hand up moving it around as she talks with her left hand behind her. 

She looks back at the three of us. "With you three well let's see how this trial runs. Although we are all working together to fight the Phantom Order your involvement with them needs to be questioned thus that is why we are having this trial."

"How about we change up your stupid routine and go get a lead then!?"

"There's no need to worry about that. The Federation has a lead and is sending their Captains as we speak. Meanwhile, Aurora Saint Academy has also begun the search for the missing students who got teleported elsewhere."

"Where are they okay?" 

"That is classified information"

"Dammit"

We head to another building made of white marble from the looks of the outside it looked to be a courthouse surrounded by a dozen guards.

Two by the entrance, two guards watching where we enter. And the others spread across , the outside lawn of the courtroom. They dawned a majority all-black attire, with white pants, orange armbands, and an imperial hat very similar-looking hat to what Faith wears, they then realize that the guards that stand on the watch are holding muskets. "The hell they have guns here?" As I look past the guards there seem to be 3 three pillars on both sides of the courthouse.

We continue to walk until we reach the side of the courthouse.

"Now you're entering the Court of Mages behave yourselves your trial will begin tomorrow"

Before we walked through the door there was an arch-like structure that just went over the door. I walked through.

DING

A sound came from it like it was a notification from a phone.

"Valerus Marina

Gender:Male

Age:16

Home: Kubridge 

Type: Dyad Mage

I look up as a projection of my face appears above me. "How?" 

"Move it" A guard pushes me forward with a musket-like weapon. I give it a closer look near the center of the weapon there's just a white hue to it. 

Edward is then next to go. 

"Edward Ridgeway 

Gender: Male

Age:16

Home: Falos

Type: Weapon Enhancer 

DING

"What the heck is that? How do you have all my information?"

"Hurry it up. Next"

Owen is next am curious to see his stats.

DING

?

Age:?

Home:?

Type:?

"Unknown what the" my body is then pushed forward. "You'll now be escorted to your temporary rooms"

We head down a hallway made yet of again of that white marble from the outside. The most impressive thing I could say about this is how well they kept it clean. We stop at a door. 

"In here"

Am guided into a spacious room sort of clear translucent barrier in the middle separating the two parts. I was guided to the top left section of the room being placed there.

"Stay here dont move," a guard says. "Okay okay. Hmm," I take a glance at his armband it's now a different color blue.

Soon after the barrier shifted where it coned off the area to touch the other two as Edward was placed across from me and Owen was left on the bottom right. At the bottom left corner of the room was the door where the guards took us in and left us. 

"So these guards have different ranks it seems. Orange and blue armbands I wonder what that means"

-------------------------------

Headmasters Room Aurora Saint Academy

"With the situation dire I want you and the rest of the student council to be in attendance for the trial tomorrow," Kayneth says.

"But sir are you going to be okay"

"With?"

"Well," Luna wears an uneasy look as she stares outside the window.

Many students are leaving the academy.

"Ah yes, that is fine. If they feel like the academy isn't a safe place anymore they are free to live. I would too but since this title was bestowed to me I will try my best to do something about it. That is why I sent the Trifecta Three to find Axel."

SIGH

Luna lets out a big sigh.

"I know I shouldn't tell you this but the Federation is currently having a meeting to have a rescue party to search for the others who got kidnapped"

"Really"

"Yes, so Luna just worry about the task in hand everyone else around got it. If anything comes up please let me know and I will do the same for you"

"OK thank you Headmaster also one more thing-"

BANG BANG 

"Oh, more parents. Am sorry Luna this is going to have to wait." He points at the teleportation circle in the corner of the room. 

"Okay thank you again"

------------------------------------

Boundera 

Riding the sands with the scorpions. 

"So Ashe how you doing?"

"Are you really asking the person who you left behind"

"Hey hey I said 3 o'clock"

"You didnt specifically say what time of day"

"Well, I couldn't make it in time for the orientation besides having you would be too much distraction. How would you hide that on your neck? Plus you wouldn't blend in with their style"

"Wha." 

SMACK

"What is that supposed to mean"

"OW" Jonathan rubs at his face "You didnt have to go and hit me"

"Anyways having you along wouldn't work too cause our cover would've been blown since these two detectives" as he points at Jericho and Axel.

"At least my fellow Twelve Star seems to be more of the carefree type" she giggles to herself.

"Dont judge a book by its cover he can and will pack a punch"

"Alright."

The two take a moment to look at the horizon.

"Were the two of them mad?" Jonathan asks.

"Well Samson was"

"Of course he would be"

"Although Eliza took it differently she was of course mad but she was concerned about your safety since you are going to be alone."

"Well here I am"

"Well what happened"

"Uhh lemme just sum it up for you. I was going to be the Magus Exam winner. Then I noticed some suspicious activity. Placed a barrier spell on two of my trusty classmates. Then I fell into a trap. Then I faced off against all the Phantom Orders members and literally kicked all their asses. Then did some quick thinking not allowing them to take Ezekiel there and now we're here"

"Woah impressive maybe it was a good idea"

A scorpion pulls up next to them.

"Majority of that is true but him kicking their asses he did not. Sure he took on most of them but got schooled by their leader."

"Oh"

"Hey, at least I was the only one fighting them. What were you doing Dragon Boy waiting for the perfect time to strike? And when you did strike it was after when I created an opening"

"Hey, at least I helped you. You would've died if I didnt intervene"

"Oh yeah!"

"Yeah!"

Ashe laughs to herself.

"Oh were here"