Imagination is Key

"Hey!! Look over here, turn around, and face me! If you want human meat so badly, then come and get some! I bet I'm a whole lot tastier than she would ever be!"

The Wraith continued to gurgle and laugh under its voice, squeezing Guinevere even tighter.

"Ghhh… aaaaaghhh!" The wizard screeched in pain, bones heard crunching, "What the fuck are you doing, kid? Take your little sister and get the hell out of here!"

"No, I'm not leaving you to die!"

She was trying to buy me time, I could tell. If Guinevere and her Mental Figment or whatever couldn't take care of some weak Wraith, then the others must be in another league of their own.

But what does that make me?

Absceline said I was chosen for a purpose.

She said I was chosen to defeat these things.

I couldn't just run away. That's contradictory.

I have to stand my ground.

"If my power truly relies on my imagination, then I wanna see for myself." The Wraith was ignoring me, so this was my chance to test my capabilities.

I closed my eyes and imagined. Sinking deep into my mind, I was imagining the comic books, and manga I read through the course of my lifetime.

I could see it… I could manifest it!

The power I wanted, became true.

"Aaah??" My arms were both glowing in a blue bulky flame. This was the power I wanted; to have incredible super strength. Clenching my fists, I glanced at the Wraith with a confident grin, "With power like this… I can take this guy down with ease!"

"It's called Battle Replica." Said Apotheosis.

"Battle replica?" I asked, confused.

"My ability allows me to examine any and all phenomenon, and replicate it into reality. The comic books you read, and the TV shows you watched; with superheroes, villains, and powerful fictional characters, can all be replicated and used by you. The key to being powerful is having a vast imagination, Emmeline, and you fit that criteria."

"Any… and all phenomenon?"

Was being a nerd finally paying off? I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Why did you doubt me, Apotheosis? If I have an ability like this, then there's no way I can lose."

"Child, I have lost many in my life who believed they were unstoppable with me in their grasp. I didn't want the same to happen to you. But, with the circumstance at hand, you refuse to flee. I have no choice but to aid you in your battle."

I smiled. It was a genuine smile, realizing all of this was because Apotheosis cared for me, and feared for my safety. It wasn't because she was scared.

I got the wrong idea. I could see why she was acting this way now.

It all made sense.

"Don't you worry, I read plenty of comic books with some crazy overpowered superheroes! Just like the ability I'm using now!" I lifted my arm into the air and smashed it against the ground, shouting, "Precarious Quake!" The entire ground started shaking violently, so much so that the Wraith lost its footing, dropping Guinevere to the side.

"I'll call this transformation Brawn Mode!"

I was using the strength and abilities of one of my favorite superheroes in comics, known as Brawn Man. So why not give his capabilities a test run?

"Gigigirrr!" The Wraith regained balance, turning around to face me on its belly.

In a flash, it dashed toward me at the speed of a third cosmic velocity. Was it faster than before??

"Haaaaahhh!"

It didn't matter. I could perceive it by focusing my Ether into my eyes, slowing down my perception of time. I clashed my hands with its body, halting its movements. My strength was unreal. Not only was my physical strength enhanced, but so was my durability.

"Let me show you what real pain feels like!" Cocking my arm backward, I thrust it forward, smashing my fists through its grotesque body.

The creature wailed in pain as it was launched back at the speed it came, smashing through multiple buildings in Wonderland.

"Did I… kill it?"

"No, the battle is far from over!" Proclaimed apotheosis.

"Even from a punch like that??"

Before I knew it, the Wraith started running towards me on all fours like some animal. It was fast, moving in unpredictable motions.

"Eek! That's creepy, creepy creepy creepy!!" I got chills from seeing it move like some feline.

But I had to continue fighting it.

"Disgusting!" It eventually reached me in an unforeseeable motion, growing a mouth on its stomach, and chomping at me.

"Demolition Fist!"

But I responded with violence. Slamming my fist against its body, the Wraith was imploded by a powerful explosion.

"Greeeeeeyaaaaa!" A large chunk of its body was missing as it stepped backward, huffing.

"Demolition fist. Whenever I punch someone, I explode the body and soul, leaving my enemies to die, slowly, and that's what's gonna happen to you, freak show!"

Man, I felt badass. That was a quote from the comic book, Brawn Man.

"Gigigigi!" Despite me exploding a chunk of its body, the creature slowly started to regenerate, elongating one of its tentacles at me.

"That gives me another idea," I said, smiling in courage as I held my ground.

"Augment Technique: Sabotage!"

A familiar voice was heard next to me… it was Guinevere.

She was standing up, fist surrounded in a yellow glow. How could she even stand after getting squeezed like a sponge?

But maybe that was a question for another time. She was using some weird technique, punching at the ground.

"Geeeeyaaa!" The Wraith wailed in pain once more.

Guinevere didn't even hit it, so why was it in agony?

Wait…

"An illusion?" I muttered, realizing the tentacle charging at me was some illusion, and the real one was coming around my body to attack me from behind.

How stupid could I be?

"Hey, kid."

I looked at Guinevere with a drooping jaw, stuttering, "Y-Yes?!"

"I heard your conversation a second ago. So you can bring anything into reality by imagining it, right?"

"O-Oh… yes, that's correct!"

Guinevere huffed a sigh of relief, chuckling as she said, "Phew, so this is what a miracle feels like, huh? Do me a favor, can you think up another pack of smokes?

"Another… pack of smokes?"

"Cigarettes. Ever heard of em? I need a smoke, this is starting to be a pain in my ass."

"Oh… uhm, sure?"

What the hell… why was she thinking of cigarettes at a time like this?

But, she did save me, so it's wrong to refuse her desire.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I couldn't believe I was doing something like this in the middle of a life-or-death situation, just what the hell?!

But, before I knew it, a pack of cigarettes had materialized from thin air, plopping right next to the wizard.

"Ho-hooo! Bellensworth Brand, one of the fancy cigarettes! Man, I thought these bad boys went out of stock a few years back." She picked up the pack of smokes, taking one of them out.

"It was the only brand my dad smoked, so it's the only one I could remember."

"Well," Guinevere stuck the rolled tobacco inside her mouth, lighting the end with her lighter, "Your dad got taste, kid. Back where I come from, people would kill for a pack of these. Hell, even the cartel members would choose these over some marijuana."

"Oh… well, I'm glad you like it."

"Well, that's enough of that." Guinevere walked next to me, summoning her mental figment again. "How about a little team-up?"

"A… team up?"

"Darn right. Count yourself lucky, I'm one of the Grand Wizards in the Magus Association. Teaming up has always been my strong suit."

"What's a Grand Wizard?"

One of the tentacles extended towards us again, but Guinevere nonchalantly slapped it away.

"It's the wizards that rank above level 3 in the magus association."

"Level… 3?"

"Yeah. There are five levels in the Magus Association that decide the rank of wizards and phantasms. Level 1 wizards could fight E-Class, and D-Class Phantasms, and level 2 wizards could fight C-Class Phantasms. Level 3 could fight B-Class phantasms, level 4 could fight A-Class phantasms, and level 5 could fight S-Class phantasms."

"Ehh… then where do you stand in the hierarchy?" I asked, curious to know.

"Oh, I'm a level 4 wizard."

"L-Level 4 Wizard, and we're struggling against one of the weakest Wraiths?!"

She took a puff of her cigarette, staring at me in bewilderment.

"One of the weakest wraiths? Seriously?" Guinevere crossed her arm around her waist, resting her other elbow on top of it, "Well ain't that something."

"S-So, what should we do? How are we gonna work together to kill that thing!"

If we needed to cause some damage then I was fine with that, considering Matilda was far away from here. She ran away to safety, but I wondered where Mom and Dad were.

I haven't heard them or seen them. Could they be hurt?

No… I have to focus on this right now. If I worry about them, I'll end up being taken off guard.

"I have an idea. Just follow straight behind me, kid."

"Oh… alright!"