Undertakers

"About that... I can't"

"WHAT?!"

Almost all of them exclaimed at the same time "B-But why?!" Anastasia asked in confusion "Did someone break your magic armament?" Ivan asked as Hoshi nodded "Ah, I forgot about that..." they all looked at Callista when she uttered those words.

"What do you mean by that?" Ivan asked "Well, I did summon Wendy earlier and she may have been searching for his magic armament and devoured it?" she said in a questioning tone and avoided their glares.

"And you didn't even tell us anything?!"

"Are you stupid?!"

Ivan and Anastasia almost said at the same time as she was violently shaken by the two by her shoulders "And I apologize for that" she said and pushed them away "But I have a solution" she huffed.

"What is it?" Denovan asked "You have to hurry. They're getting near" Hoshi warned "Did you get the thing I asked you to?" Callista asked and turned to Ivan "Yes, I got it personally from Professor Wilford" he said and began rummaging in his bag and took out a jar filled with thick fog.

"Isn't that mystic fog? Why are you carrying something like that?" Anastasia asked with wide eyes "I had a feeling that something might happen today, so I asked Ivan to get it just in case" she answered before turning to Hoshi.

"You" she called "You can use any magic armament right?" she asked so Hoshi confusingly nodded not knowing why she was asking.

Callista suddenly reached out her hand, a yellow magic circle appeared in her palm as a bladed fan went out of it.

She held it firmly in her hand before handing it to Hoshi "How are you able to make a magic armament? That shouldn't be possible" Hoshi had a bewildered expression as he glanced at the weapon in his hands.

"I didn't make it. A friend gave it to me. I'm not a wizard and I never knew how to use it so might as well just give it to someone who can" she said and looked up at the valleys in alert "Can you teleport us out of here Ivan?" she asked so the man shook his head.

"I can't. Something's blocking me from doing so" he shook his head "Then we don't have a choice then" she said and stared as shadows began coming down from the steep rocks "Ana, summon Balzac" Ignis suddenly said.

"W-What? B-But you know that I can't summon her regularly..." Anastasia was stunned at his words "Balzac? Who's that?" Callista asked with eyebrows furrowed "Lady Ana's familiar." Denovan answered "Are you sure it's okay to summon it here?" Ivan also asked in hesitation.

"Rather than getting stuck here" Ignis pointed out "We don't have time. Summon your familiar in the count of three" Anastasia panicked with Callista's sudden words.

"I—What..?" she stuttered before gulping "Damn it! Fine." she uttered "Great" Callista said as she saw shadows coming closer. She opened the lid of the jar as the fog slowly started covering their feet.

"1.."

Callista counted while her eyes focused on the enemies. Hoshi also started fanning the fan as it let out strong gusts of wind and made the mystic fog expand.

"2.."

Everybody's breathing hitched as they stood in their spot "Callista! They are coming near!" Ivan warned that Callista didn't answer. Once the fog covered all of them Callista took a deep breath.

"Now!"

Anastasia didn't waste any minute and called upon her familiar, blinding all of them by a bright light.

Across the thick fog, a white dragon went out between the fog as it soared high into the sky. Its yellow eyes pierced into anything it had its eyes on. The wind hit their bodies as Callista looked down at the valley and sighed in relief when she saw no one following them.

She glanced at Ivan who avoided looking up, you can see his whole body shaking "I'm sorry, Ivan, just wait a little more" Anastasia worriedly said "I-Its okay" he stuttered "Why is he scared of heights in the first place?" Callista asked to Denovan who was beside her.

"We all have something that makes us stronger, Callista. Like how Ana was the only one on the Empress's deathbed, Ignis's continuous assassination since childhood, and I was scared of failing to protect the royal family. Ivan lost someone here before and the sky was the only witness." he smiled.

"Oh, I forgot he told me that before..." she muttered when she suddenly realized something "Wait, but wasn't he able to fly a couple of days ago?" she whispered to Denovan who showed a complicated expression on his face "Well..." they glanced at Ivan who was trembling from afar.

Denovan leaned in to whisper on her ear "Don't tell anyone but his not aware whenever he does it..." that information didn't just confuse Callista but also surprised her "What? How is that even possible?" she asked in complete confusion making Denovan laugh.

"By the way, what we saw in that illusion doesn't change what we see in you" he said that making her look at him as if he was an octopus "What? I would rather you do not, and besides weren't you always suspicious of me?" she said.

"Well, that can't be helped. I'm a knight." he replied making her roll her eyes "Callista?" she turned beside her when Ignis called her name "What magic did you put on me?" he asked with a raised brow "I don't know what you're saying" she feigned innocence so Ignis squinted his eyes at her.

"I didn't do anything okay?" she said in defeat and crossed her arms with a pout "It's not like I have complete control over it" she muttered. Seeing that Callista wouldn't answer his questions he decided to not ask again as he sighed. He doesn't have a choice but to trust in her 'love', I guess?

When their group was able to get together with the entire class, they were welcomed with Dan's scolding.

"You..! What is wrong with you?! Every time I schedule an activity you always get out of my radar" he scolded as Callista's eyebrow twitched in irritation

"That's some shameful words coming from you. Maybe you forgot that you're the reason why we got lost in the first place?" Callista's smile sent glares toward Dan who was flinched back.

"Now that you mention it, why don't we pay back?" Ivan said with a pissed grin as he conjured up an arcane circle and faced it directly at the Professor. Ignis and Denovan also took out their swords while Anastasia didn't have any plans of stopping them. Dan took step-backs.

"W-Wait..! How dare you threaten your Professor?!" Dan argued as he got cold sweat "How dare you to put your students in danger" Callista retorted as she took dangerous steps forward.

Dan was completely scared that they were pissed but noticed the man behind them "Wait! Why is that man here?!" he exclaimed and pointed at Hoshi who waved at him in return "Thank goodness you remember him. You're the reason why his territory was taken away" Anastasia said.

"Wha— What? What happened?" Dan asked "Undertakers attacked the area. They were large in number for us to handle so we escaped. All thanks to you." Ivan sarcastically replied "W-Wait, they did it again?!" Dan asked in surprise. "By the way, why did you even take us there in the first place?" Callista asked with a raised brow.

"I'm also curious about this but I did find something interesting" Hoshi nodded in satisfaction "Fine" Dan sighed before looking at them seriously, all the traces of playfulness from earlier disappeared.

"I've always been wondering how you were able to survive the Hunting Grounds without any injuries. I didn't mean to let you face danger like that but I didn't have a choice, I had to answer my curiosity" he shrugged.

Anastasia couldn't help but think that rumors about the new Professor were true, he may look stupid but he was the sharpest of them all. It was no wonder he graduated at the top of his class, he is someone who deserves his arrogance.

"Don't worry. I was watching earlier before the undertakers attacked, but I must say that this is a matter to investigate again..." he said before turning to Callista, his smile disappearing.

"Who are you, Callista Alberts?" they stared at each other in silence, neither of them wanting to back out when somebody suddenly smacked Dan's head.

"Ow..! What the? Who dares—"

"Shut it Dan"

They turned to the newcomer with widened eyes "Lance? What brings you here?" Anastasia asked in surprise "I greet the Empire's star and moon" he bowed, referring to Anastasia and Ignis.

"I also greet the Young Miss, Sir Denovan, and Sir Ivan" he greeted the rest before turning back to Anastasia.

"To answer your question, Your Highness, the Headquarters felt a trace of black magic in this area from the Tower of Lucis so we came here to investigate" he said "Lance, you bastard!" Dan glared at him.

"You were always a bully Dan, huh?" Lance said "What do you care? These are my students!" Dan argued back "Maybe you forgot that all of them are in a higher position" he said.

"Callista is not" he immediately retorted so Lance covered his mouth as Dan struggled out of his grip "Shut up" Lance said "Do you know each other?" Callista asked and tilted her head "Oh, yes. We attended the same Academy at the same time so we grew up together" he smiled before kicking Dan away.

You could hear Dan's continuous curses and Lance acted as if it was normal. "Anyways, the traces of Dark Magic must be from the Undertakers earlier..." Anastasia commented. "They led an attack again?" Lance asked in shock.

"What is it with you people getting attacked by Undertakers?" Lance wondered. "Lance, I guess you should immediately report this to the headquarters" Professor Dan suggested to get rid of him.

"You're right. Then I'll take my leave now" Lance bowed as he slapped Professor Dan's head before turning his back with his Platoon following behind. All of them looked at each other before laughing.

'Now you don't see that every day' they thought.