Chapter 13

October 29, 11 AF – 7th Residential District – Crash Site – 0300 – Hours after the incident

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"Now this is quite the spectacle, wouldn't you agree so officer?" said a police officer in a trench coat. He had just arrived on scene after he caught wind of the incident. It was still raining but the area had been surrounded by law enforcement, enclosing the scene in a perimeter. Mass media swarmed just outside the perimeter and some kept trying to jump over. At the center was a black carrier jet held in place over the police's heads by earth and steel.

"Though I may agree that this isn't something you see on a daily basis, this isn't just a spectacle," replied the officer, "This is something a step less towards disaster, Inspector Chase."

"What exactly happened here?" he asked.

"The storm pretty much messed up their plane and they were bound for a crash course, but someone "caught" the craft and placed it like this. That's their story though." The officer then pointed to a tent with a medic logo on it, "We found a few severely injured and several dead, one unconscious and the three that could talk are under interrogation… however…"

"However what?" Inspector Chase asked.

"The girl claims to be Laura Silenus, and judging by this plane and looking inside it, as well as a lot of suits breathing down our necks, she's saying the truth," said an old man in complete police uniform.

"Chief!" the inspector exclaimed as he did a salute.

"At ease, Inspector Chase." He motioned Chase to come with him towards the medical tent. "We are to treat this case with the utmost care and to not step on any toes."

"Understood, Chief. But what exactly happened?"

"We still don't know exactly. But with just looking at it, I'd say at least several S-class magicians were at work here."

October 28, 11 AF – Near the 7th Residential District – 2010 hours

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"Allen, I need you to take the wheel." Ethan said as he opened the driver seat window. Harsh wind and rain blew on them and the thunder made their voices barely audible.

"Ethan, what the hell are you trying to do?!" Allen shouted. Ethan jumped out of the vehicle and casted force spells on his feet and fortification magic in his body and legs to support the recoil. In a burst, Ethan seemingly flew through the air like a bullet from a sniper rifle, pushing the vehicle a little. "ETHAN!!!" Allen shouted again. Seeing that Ethan was already too far away, he cursed under his breath and closed the window.

"I'm going after him." Moon said as she took her bag and opened Anne's side window.

"Wait, wait, wait! What do you think you're doing?!" Anne exclaimed.

"HUH?! Are you crazy?! Sure you might be good too but Ethan is in another level! He's S-ranked!" Allen reacted as well but Moon jumped out. "Argh! Suit yourselves, you crazy elites!" was the only thing Allen could say.

"Lily! Assist!" Ethan shouted as he was bolting through the wind.

"Gotcha! Though what exactly are we going to do?" Lily asked keeping up with Ethan's speed.

"I don't know but we have to make sure it doesn't fall on anyone, is there a park or construction area nearby?" Lily flew fast up into the air to look for a location. Detect, Ultrasense!

"There's a big vacant lot several blocks southwest of the estimated crash area." Lily said through telepathy. "There's also some construction tools and a lot of steel beams there, seems like the place is being prepped for construction. No life signs!"

"Then we make it fall there!" Rushing towards the location Lily designated, Ethan noticed that the people in the residential area hasn't noticed what was happening due to the storm which meant that he could let loose without being identified. Using magic or any abilities without legal permission can be subject to close investigation, much like carrying and using an unregistered firearm or weapon in public. All of which was part of the magic restriction laws passed by the International Council of Magic managed by the Monarch themselves. He drew out his NWI-issued Media, manipulated the wind listing it sideways to where he wanted it to fall.

"Blake-san, don't let it crash!" said a familiar girl's voice.

This voice… that glasses girl?

"Yuzuriha, right?" Ethan asked. "That's some powerful telepathy you have, you live nearby?"

"Yes, this is Yuzuriha. No, I live in the 9th residential district, in the Lotus Gardens. I can't maintain this any longer so you need to know." Mika said. "They plan to use that plane as a weapon of mass destruction."

October 28, 11 AF – Silenus Jet – 2010 hours

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She vanished? That magic, it can't be… space manipulation? She teleported?!

The plane started listing sideways and Laura was merely hanging on to Baros as he materialized.

"My lady, the core is unstable. Heavy physical damage will cause it to implode and then eradicate all matter in a 30-kilometer radius." said Baros.

A hybrid energy generator, made with recent and advanced anti-matter technology. Technology that was only able to exist due to the existence of magic, gravity magic to be exact. Creating black holes and separating the contact between matter and anti-matter had become an easier reality thanks to magic-application technology. The hybrid energy generator provided energy condensed anti-matter held by the pure energy of amions, but in the current situation, it's too weak due to being siphoned. The device was only running on backup energy as a safety but once struck with enough physical stimuli, the matter will breach the anti-matter cell's safety area and there will be a large-scale disintegration event. Just a single drop's equivalent of anti-matter can destroy several city blocks. They had a pitcher's worth of anti-matter which could very well scorch the entire most important international region. The damage would be catastrophic and it could mean war, which would be blamed on the Silenus family. "So they were waiting for an opportunity, huh? Must be old enemies but this was too damn big a move." Laura cursed. Well, in the first place, we already have too many enemies…

"Baros, disconnect the generator from the system. We're going to see if my pocket can be a good pillow."

"What do you mean, use it like a weapon?" Ethan asked.

"I heard them saying it. The plane has an anti-matter cell in its generator. They plan to make it crash so that the anti-matter implodes." Mika said.

Physical stimulus, huh? It should have a safety in the system, but that depends entirely on the magic cell. They couldn't have damaged the cell or something?

"Blake-san, please hurry! You can't let it-" Mika's transmission was cut off.

Two dark figures were in the sky ahead of him. He knew immediately that the two were most likely the people Mika had meant. He manipulated air around his hands and created pressurized air bullets. The enemies had noticed too late as their bodies were crushed by several varying instances of impact, or so he thought.

There was no resistance. Suddenly, two figures had appeared right above him and struck him at the same time. Ethan bolstered against it but was forced down to the ground.

Lying there he had noticed that his media had been broken in half. With no safe escape as well as a means, he remained there motionless as the two descended by him.

"Tough luck, kid." Said one of the assailants. In that instant, a farther voice chanted a spell and struck the two away from Ethan.

"Envelop me, spirit of lightning!" Moon shouted as she arrived at the scene.

"Thanks for that." Ethan remarked as he got up. "Careful, they have a spatial-type. Took me off guard."

"No wonder," she replied.

The two enemies prepared themselves for combat but suddenly retreated backwards and disappeared. "Where'd they go?" was what Ethan thought thinking they might have teleported to attack but nothing happened.

Debris from the plane fell near them and their attention was driven towards it once more.

With no time to lose and his media broken, Ethan resolved himself for what he was about to do.

"No way around it then, huh?" Putting his hands in the air, he focused his surroundings and took in the amions in the air. "Lily! I need you to regulate me!"

His guardian, Lily, materialized in a swirl of light above him. "I don't like this but seems like we don't have a choice!" A magic circle appeared below Ethan and streaks of light appeared throughout his body. As he took in the amions in the air, he grit his teeth. "Now! Release my limiter!" Pain surged throughout his body and his pulse rose beyond what a human can normally endure. More amions flowed through him and around him. The aircraft was only several kilometers before falling and he was screaming in pain.

Bend the metal, bend physics…

Slow down

Soft hands, hard arms…

Envelop the craft

Ethan visualized slowing and catching the plane in softened earth then using steel to reinforce holding it. As he focused, the earth around him started shaking and forming and the steel beams started reforming as well. As the plane got close enough, he manipulated the wing flaps and pushed it using strong wind to slow its descent. Gigantic earthen hands sprouted out of the ground and surrounded the craft and solidified as it reached a slow halt. The wings and tail of the craft had been bent but it was still intact. There, the jet-black aircraft was held in place by the earth with the sight being unbelievable even for the most seasoned mages. A feat that would take an entire elite force of mages, for a price.

"Heh… I did it, huh?" Ethan muttered then lost consciousness. He fell on the muddy ground with all his strength lost.

Watching from a distance, Moon could not believe her eyes. Magic of that level was something far more than what any single S-ranked magician could do. The amount of amion required for that would have killed a human being just for the attempt alone and yet, there he was having performed the impossible. Awestruck, she only noticed the warmth at her side after a few moments. It was the satchel. She took it out of her bag and took the item inside it, the book the scholar had left behind. A rune appeared on it, glowing red. "It… reacted?" To Ethan?

The plane had been held above ground by the earth and Ethan was below it unconscious. Moon quickly went down to Ethan, but his body suddenly floated on its own. Yellow shimmering light covered him and he proceeded to fly away. "Wait! Guardian!"

A yellow light form appeared in front of her. Moon assumed it to be Lily, Ethan's Guardian. In some cases, familiars and guardians can only be perceived vaguely. Usually during the first time a new person sees them. More exposure, however, leads to being able to see them clearly.

"I have to take him away sooner than later. Don't worry, I'm more than enough to tend to him." Lily said. "Ethan doesn't want to be bugged by authorities, that's why…"

"I'll help you." Moon said.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Because I want to." Moon said as she carried the unconscious and floating Ethan in her arms and flew off.

Same Night - Neo-Tech Bio-engineering Lab

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Around him were piles of paper and test specimen in large containers filled with green liquid. He had been digging through a lot of research data when he received a message on his terminal. "These results are astounding! The highest rate of compatibility we've had was only ever at 61% and that was at controlled environments. THIS. THIS IS A TRUE GEM! THE BEST SPECIMEN HIDDEN CLEVERLY BEHIND OUR BRIGHTEST MIND. But why… why would you hide this… what or who is this Specimen B?"