A Lull in the War

[ There's nothing about a buried city underneath Midseer on the MagiNet. At least not yet, ] Rie's voice rang throughout the Hivemind. [ The closest mention I can find is in the History of the Interstellar Trinity. ]

"Then..." Blaze choked on her words.

"There's no saving one of us from death." Magnus finished the thought, clutching his chest and turning ethereal. Blood was just moments away from seeping out. He then glanced at Blaze.

Seeing his gaze, Blaze vehemently shook her head, "Please, no."

Magnus laughed. He gave Blaze a sly look and blocked off his thoughts. Blaze suddenly felt isolated for a moment.

She panicked.

Being separated from the Hivemind was a scarier event than she initially realised.

"M-Magnus..?" She called out, once more locking gazes with the teenager beside her.

But Magnus simply smiled. He disappeared into thin air with a flash of light.

"Magnus!" Blaze screamed as she grasped at the light.

Her heart leapt inside her chest. She felt her stomach lurch as an immense pressure wafted over her.

The darkness shifted as it did previously when Magnus first muttered the words, "The monster is about to strike."

Fwhip!

It was an instant.

And Blaze felt something pierce into her chest.

She looked down and found six slender fingers embedded between the bones of her ribcage. The same thing that happened to Magnus when they blinked now happened to her too.

The only difference was that she had no governance over Undeath.

Blaze coughed up blood. Crimson spit dripped out of the corners of her lips as she felt her body turn limp. Some poison or venom was flowing through her body.

And then,

She collapsed.

—Dead.

To a monster that hadn't been recorded yet. To a monster unknown to the MagiNet and the general populace of Thare.

The last thing Blaze saw was two pairs of lifeless eyes on a human-shaped face. The monster looked zombified. Clearly, its soul had been devoured by the ghost horde.

Nonetheless, it still had abilities way beyond Blaze's and Magnus' threat levels. And it was acting on pure instinct.

No trace of what might have been intelligence could be seen in its expression.

The weapons at its waist were left unused.

Magnus was on the verge of death with six holes in his chest. He had avoided dying instantly simply because of his own abilities of Undeath.

Now, the fruits from Tyrm would be able to help him once he returns to Rie's side.

As for Blaze, she was allowed to reconnect to the Hivemind.

[ I... I died...? ] She asked, scanning herself mentally.

She felt uncomfortable being without form. Currently existing as a cloud of thoughts, Blaze tried adapting to this new feeling.

[ Vexing, isn't it? ] Klaris spoke to her. [ Being without a body. ]

[ It is... But why didn't I feel any pain from dying? ] Blaze asked.

[ It's a Hivemind thing for our senses. We can use Spirit Energy to block certain nerve signals. ] Magnus explained. [ How is it? Is death less terrifying to you now? ]

Blaze blinked. She did not know how to feel. A part of her knew that she should've been more or less annoyed at Magnus now, but she couldn't bring herself to feel it.

She was aware of her own personality.

That smile of his and the way he left her to die without considering her feelings... Magnus was definitely not someone she would've gotten along with.

But with the Hivemind, Blaze could only resign herself to fate. Magnus could do whatever he wished, and she could only obey. Subconsciously and consciously.

They were one, after all.

If Magnus willed it, her mind would be assimilated into his, and her body would be nothing more than a puppet. Like Rie and Restiel.

At least she knew that death was nothing to her now.

[ It's a lot less terrifying, yes... But I don't feel like experiencing the moment before death again. Is it alright if you keep my bodies from dying in the same way you abuse yours? ] Blaze asked.

[ Sure. ] Magnus smiled, [ Only when there is no way out will you have to face death. Is this fair? ]

[ Yes. ]

[ Great! ] Magnus clapped his hands, [ Then, what are we going to do with that humanoid monster? You were the one curious about what might have created the caves in that buried city. Are we still going to pursue your desire? ]

Blaze sighed, [ Perhaps now is not the time. Let's complete that Trial first. ]

[ Excellent. Though I am quite fond of courting death a little further... ]

[ As long as I'm not the one dying, do as you wish. ] Blaze shook her head in exasperation. She then looked at Klaris, [ By the way, Klaris, you blanked out just now. What did you do? ]

[ Ah, ] Klaris came to, [ I made a few changes to the contract with Hughe. The guy we sell Tyrm fruits to. We can make more frequent deliveries now with our growth, so I've set it to a bi-weekly thing. Now we have a more reliable stream of money despite its small amount… Only when compared to Elodia's auctioning of Illuminite, of course. ]

[ Does it make up for our daily expenses? ] Blaze asked, slightly worried.

[ Just barely. Magnus likes to spend lavishly, after all. ] Klaris chuckled wryly, [ Though, I can't complain. The buffets I've had recently are to die for. ]

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.

.

Magnus floated in the chilly skies above Midseer.

He watched as the three city Protectors barely held on to dear life. The Ghost Union Kraken proved to be a greater foe than everyone realised.

"Damn," Magnus couldn't help but gasp, "If only I caused this... My red points would've soared towards ten thousand in the blink of an eye."

From his vantage point, he then noticed something.

"The Zone of Undead... Has stopped spreading?" Magnus muttered.

He totally thought that the ghost horde would storm the entire city of Midseer, but alas, reality proved to differ.

The ghosts could only extend a hundred or so metres away from the surfacing Undead Energy. They could not stray too far away from the Zone of Undead lest they burn under the blazing sunlight. Moreover, the Ghost Union Kraken couldn't leave the Zone of Undead.

It was a mystery as to why, but it was a good sign for the citizens of Midseer.

"Though... that should be a circle with a two-kilometre radius..." Magnus squinted as he observed the new and improved Zone of Undead.

The original 1km radius had doubled, encompassing quite a blotch in the city. Though, it wasn't big enough to stain the view too much.

"It looks like a drop of ink..."

Magnus then watched as the three city Protectors retreated from the Ghost Union Kraken in unison. He did not actually see them clearly, but he felt their gigantic auras swiftly back off.

"Have they realised that their powers are incompatible or not so effective against the kraken?" Magnus thought out loud. "Or is there an underlying threat… Oh—"

There was a sudden eruption of Undead Energy flowing from the kraken. It spread throughout the area and soared into the sky, looking like a pillar of black light.

The pillar nearly made it to the height that Magnus was currently floating at.

WOOOOONG WOOOONG WOOOOONG!

The Ghost Union Kraken seemed to cry out a certain set of words. It was incomprehensible to humans, but the emotions in them were clear for all to feel.

A rabid desire to consume.

Magnus shuddered where he floated. He thought that something big was about to happen when the Ghost Union Kraken recalled its tentacles.

It then wrapped itself with its own tentacles and dove into the earth.

It left Magnus baffled by the sudden change in events.

.

.

.

"Hah, hah, hah,"

Ariel's heavy breaths were apparent to anyone who stood beside her.

She had only stayed alive through regenerative potions created through alchemical Blessings. The same could be said for Farlier and Repoire.

Luckily, they seemed to have beaten the Ghost Union Kraken into fleeing.

The most imminent problem had been solved.

But their Spirit Energy reserves were at rock bottom. They could do nothing against the ghost horde except to flee and save their own skin for now.

"At least," Ariel looked around as she massacred the ghosts that dared approach her without batting an eye. The difference between 2-stars and 6-stars was clear to see. "The Zone of Undead has stopped spreading."

She then made for the southern area once more, paving a path for herself with what remained of her Spirit Energy.

Shockwaves and fists of pure force were flying out beside her. Farlier and Repoire seemed to be making their way toward her.

Farlier was the first to appear.

His Demon Ignition had been forcefully dissipated, changing him back into a regular human. The wounds on his body were slowly regenerating as he moved.

The potions he drank seemed to be of high grade.

"You're alive." Farlier nodded to Ariel as he vanquished a dozen more ghosts before leaping to her side. A ghost dragon roared in defiance but was swiftly melted down.

"Of course I am," Ariel rolled her eyes. She gulped down a potion that rejuvenated her body's strength. She continued to run.

"Why, were you hoping I died?" She asked, playfully. Regaining her sunny expression.

Farlier scoffed, "Hah! Of course not. Just imagining the problems your death would lead to gives me shivers."

"I agree." Repoire landed beside the two of them. "The papers, the interviews, the search for a successor, the pressure from Peak City, and even the feelings of the populace. I want nothing to do with that again."

The three continued to chat as they killed their way through the horde of ghosts. They silently mended their wounds as they fought.

Thus, when they appeared before the worried eyes of the people, their bodies looked pristine.

Of course, that was ignoring their tattered clothing.

Though, instead of making them look shabby, their tattered clothes instead made them look like heroes who had just gone through hell unharmed. Only their clothes, made of "weaker material" were affected.

Ariel smiled at the cameras aimed at her, soothing the dreary hearts of many.

"Please do not worry, everyone. Things are still under control. The Zone of Undead has stopped spreading and the monster leader has been beaten back."

Ariel took a glance at her two companions before continuing,

"Although my colleagues have to return to guard their cities, I am still capable of fighting. I just need the help of anyone capable of killing the undead once again. The rewards posted from before will be doubled."

Ariel then waved her hand. She summoned a disc of light to appear underneath her and her companions's feet and then flew away.

She said what she wanted to say. It was unfortunate that her more eloquent subordinates had been de-souled by the ghosts but there was nothing she could do. She could only try out public speaking despite it not being one of her strengths.