Criminal Acts

The two Adventurers left the town of Dalvan, traveling on foot through the wilderness of Britana. Traveling South, they made minor stops at villages, and their shops, for food and supplies.

Hermfry was mysterious, and quiet, giving vague replies to Brunhilda's responses. He obviously didn't like to talk very much, and would rather keep his personal life a secret.

After so many stops, they managed to come across a group of travelers. They looked to be traveling entertainers. A man dressed in a jester costume, with a woman wearing revealing clothing, and an orc wearing human clothes. It was an odd sight.

"Greetings, Adventurers. My name is Druic, the Jester behind me is named Thomas, and the girl back there is named Maggie. Are you two willing to see a Grand show?! We are known as the three jesters of Britana!" The Orc spoke in an elegant tone, placing his hand against his chest to bow.

"Hmm. Three Jesters of Britana? I believe I've never heard of you." Said Brunhilda.

"What??" They all gasped at her response before the orc said, "We are the jesters who entertained King Arthur himself! Surely you have heard of us come through the lands of Britana?!"

"I'm afraid not." Proclaimed Brunhilda before approaching them with her staff in hand. "Show me what you're capable of, I'm interested." Mana gathered in her palm. "Correspondence, that is the connection of life. I call unto thee, open forth a tear into space, and grant me relation." Stretching her hand to the side, it would tear open a rift in space, pulling out a bag of coins.

"So you can use Rivonza, huh?" Announced the impressed Hermfry, crossing his arms.

"A simple spell, nothing more." Proclaimed Brunhilda.

"If it's that's simple to you, then I'm wondering what you would qualify as 'difficult' when it comes to magic."

"Correlation Magic is useful when it comes to certain mechanics of magic. Like all Wheels of Magic, known as; Element, Life, Death, Matter, and Time. Correlation Magic is magic that connects with everything. Those of the Gaia Realm learned to harvest it and use it to their liking. It isn't impossible to study this Magic and gain knowledge of how to use it. It only takes time and dedication."

Hermfry lifted his brow, asking, "Are you saying you know how to use all Wheels of Magic?"

"Ufufu, and what if I am?"

"Well, for starters, that's impossible. Using more than one wheel of magic corrupts the soul and drives the magic caster insane. There's only been a few recorded cases of two-wheel users, but that's it."

"Oh well, what a shame for them."

Hermfry grumbled under his voice before sighing to himself.

"Sorry, I got no time for this. You can watch these dumbasses by yourself, I have undead to kill."

"What a waste of good coin." Brunhilda sighed out loud, glancing at the three jesters, saying, "I'm afraid your tricks will have to wait another day. Keep the coin for wasting your time." She offered the bag, having the orc take it.

"O-Oh... how generous of you! You have my eternal gratitude." The orc bowed before the others did the same.

Brunhilda walked away, accepting their gratitude... at least that's how it seemed at first, until she halted in her tracks, and turned her head to the side, muttering, "You three are lucky. That so-called performance of yours was nothing more than a simple robbery, isn't that right?"

They all widened their eyes, shocked at her words until one of them grinned.

"Heheheh, well look at you, not as dumb as you look." It was the woman. Her tone of voice was vexatious, along with her smile.

"Well ain't that sumthin—you managed to find out our identity in the snap of a finger. You must be special. It's that magic of yer's, isn't it?" The man in the Jester costume grinned, pulling out a dagger from his belt, and licking its blunt side.

"It's not magic, it's experience." Brunhilda turned around, glaring at the three bandits. "I've been around long enough to know the important people of this country, and so far, I never heard of the three Jesters of Britana. If you want to want to rob people, at least create believable lies, instead of half-assed claims."

"Big talk for a small lady like you. We've dealt with our fair share of mages over time. If you think you have what it takes to beat three of us, then get real, you Alchehead." The Bandit woman stepped forward, pulling out her dagger, and an incantation stone. "Grofla!" By rubbing the stone across the dagger, flames would engulf her weapon, enchanting its exterior.

"An Alchehead? I haven't heard that offensive term in quite some time. But I'm sorry, I'm no alchemist, just a simple mage."

"It'll be wise to give us everything you have, rather than dying, little lady." The Orc reached inside his wagon, pulling out a massive broadsword, five feet in length.

"Heheheh." The two bandits looked at the orc, laughing in unison. From the looks of things, the orc was their boss.

"I'm sorry, but I have something I must attend to, you clowns are wasting my time."

"Grofla." The Orc had the same incantation stone, rubbing it across his blade, and engulfing it in flames. "This here is a magic sword, crafted from Orichalcum, it not only has the power to cut through bodies, but the soul as well. Nobody has ever survived its assault. If you wanna live, I suggest you give up yer shit right now."

"And I suggest you start running for the hills."

"And why should we do that?" Asked the woman.

"If you can make a suggestion, then it is only fair I do the same. You won't last a second against me."

"Tsk." The Orc frowned, approaching the small wizard, towering six feet above her. "I gave you a chance and you ruined it. And here I thought being merciless had its qualities."

"Try your luck." Proclaimed the cocky wizard, grinning at his confident expression.

"You!!" He frowned, gritting his teeth. "I'll cut you in half, fucking Wizard!!" As if his pride had been torn to shreds, the orc lifted the massive blade above his head, slashing vertically at the mage.

An average orc's strength was equal to that of twenty human males, so the collision of his blade would naturally produce a shockwave.

But that's not what happened.

The bandits all stared in awe, witnessing the impossible.

"N-No fucking way! Yer kidding me, right?"

"Unreal..."

"W-What?!" The orc gasped, seeing his blade stop in midair as if hitting an invisible Forcefield. His flames also dispersed.

"I never read about a spell like this in the six wheels of magic... just what the hell is she?" Proclaimed the bandit woman.

"She's not normal, that's for damn sure. She stopped the boss's strike, and nullified his spell like it was nothing!"

"I-I can't move..."

"Huh??"

"Whaddya mean you can't move, boss?!" Asked the jester bandit.

"I didn't hit anything you dumbass, I'm paralyzed!"

"What?!"

"It's a normal reaction of the body. Going up against someone with an overwhelming magic power naturally causes fear and paralysis. Your soul has recognized my strength, but your mind hasn't."

"M-My soul?!"

Brunhilda stretched out her small hand, placing it against his chest. "Now, begone from my sight. Flez Dona." A magic circle appeared on his chest before he was ignited in flames. He screamed in agony, dropping his blade before falling to his knees.

The orc wasn't recognizable anymore. He looked like charcoal.

"N-No fucking way... did she use Flez Dona without an incantation ritual?! One of the high-ranking Fire Magic known across Gaia!?" The jester bandit was shaking in his knees, disarming himself as he peed his pants. "S-Spare me! H-Honestly, I don't even want this life anyway. I'm sorry, you gotta believe me, I'm sorry for coming at you that way!"

Brunhilda, unreadable in her expression, gained a mischievous smile, saying, "Get on your knees."

"W-What?!"

"You heard me correctly. Do you want to die?"

"No, no! I heard you. Okay, I'll do it!" He slowly got to his knees, having a stream of piss soak his pants.

"Now crawl to me like a dog."

With no hesitation, the bandit followed orders, crawling towards the Wizard.

"Are you seriously gonna let her talk to you that way!?" Shouted the bandit woman.

"Flez Dona." Without any remorse, Brunhilda fabricated a magic circle from her palm, launching a miniature sun at the bandit.

"Shit!" She stood there, extending both hands with incantation stones. "Runivid!" Magic power gathered in the stones as she created a spatial barrier in front of her, blocking the miniature sun.

"Oh? So you managed to come across Runivid stones, one of the mid-tier spells in Correlation Magic. I'm impressed. Considering you're so weak."

"Heh..." She smiled at Brunhilda's claim, visibly nervous in her expression. "You sure do know a lot about magic, but I guess you're a wizard... so there's that."

"If you believe your barrier is strong enough, then you're sorely mistaken."

"Huh?"

Cracks ran through the spatial barrier like a spiderweb as heat poured inside of it, burning her skin. "Ghhh... aaaghh!" She applied more magic power to the spell, but it wasn't enough. "How can someone... overpower Correlation magic with fire?! That's impossible-!" Her barrier finally shattered, submerging her in the intense flames. "Guwaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

"Our magic output is worlds apart, you were no match from the beginning." Brunhilda scoffed at her, watching the bandit crumble away into dust.

"Now then." She looked down upon the jester bandit who quivered in his lips, visibly shaken up at his comrade's defeat. "Let's put you to good use."