Chapter 3: Mages' Combo

Alice licked her lips, wanting to suck the life out of Lesley. She smirked triumphantly, not until Lesley threw her tactical granade. Alice was knocked back, shocking the demon. Lesley had her gun ready and activated her lethal shot. She was able to hit Alice on her arm, blood starts to flow down her slender hand. She was about to shoot again but she was distracted by the purple, energy orb that flew right to Alice.

Alice was slowed down but she ain't stupid enough to wait for Guinevere's next attack. She casted her 'blood stream' towards the direction of Gusion while Guinevere thumped right towards her but the demon teleported near Gusion with the help of her blood stream.

Gusion jumped back to keep their distance, then threw six daggers at the same time, hitting Alice right at her upper chest. Alice activated her 'blood awe' and sucked the life of the plants around her, gaining back her energy. She bit her lower lip in enjoyment. Guinevere thumped towards her for the second time but the demon was fast enough and teleported back to her original location.

"What a lovely and delicious food you are!" Alice said in ecstasy.

Granger and Lesley was about to help the two but another terrifying demon came to their sight. Her eyes are like that of a gold, her head was crowned by somewhat like a thorny stem of a rose. Her dress was bloody red like a red rose. Her blond hair compliments the color of her eyes.

"Ain't this a good place for lunch?" she said. Vexana raised her hand towards Lesley and Granger, she unleashes her phantom power but the two marksmen immediately dodged it and shot her at the same time. But their bullets were of no use, the demon seems to be not hurt by it at all.

Vexana saw Alice and the three daggers on her chest.

"What a pity," she commented. "Getting hurt by daggers?"

"Shut up, ugly witch," Alice replied. She was about to take the daggers off but Gusion had his daggers recalled. Alice screams in pain which was an entertaining part for Vexana.

Granger, who has been wanting to join the fight, shot Alice on both of her legs and arms, one shot on her chest and the sixth bullet hits her forehead which dealt greater damage than the first five bullets.

Vexana laughed once more but unknown to her, Lesley had shot her six times as well. She only felt the bullets when her green blood starts to flow from her arm. Her mood suddenly changed and unleashes her phantom power once more and it hit Lesley. The pink-haired lady suddenly felt weak, Granger blinks towards his teammate and activated Rhapsody. He fired all of his bullets at the same time, causing more damage to the demon.

Alice released another blood stream towards the two marksmen, Lesley regained her strength and they both dodged it. They both raised their guns and are ready to shoot but Guinevere thumped towards the two. The two demons were knocked up, giving Gusion the chance to throw his six daggers, hitting them both. Granger and Lesley spotted their weakness, thus, they both shot their enemies' neck, making them lose consciousness.

"I guess we're almost done?" Guinevere said as she dusts off her clothes.

Just then, they saw a white dove and it slowly turned into a young lady with her eyes both covered.

"I apologize for my delay," she said as she raised her wand and opened the portal going to the underworld.

Granger and Gusion carried the two demons back to the place where they belong, trying their best not to stare too long at their big chests. Guinevere noticed it and teased the two upon returning.

"Enjoying the big view, eh," she sneered which made the two guys blush.

"Let's go back," Lesley said as she held her gun back as if it was just an umbrella. Upon turning her back from her teammates, she was shot at her left chest, not just once but twice. She dropped her rifle for she felt weak, and she starts to lose consciousness. Before she totally blacked out, she clearly saw herself right in front of her, glowing blue, with her rifle pointed at her. She knew it ain't a hallucination, but she saw herself shotting her to death.

With the sudden attack of another Lesley, Gusion threw a dagger towards her and it her shoulder, he immediately moved behind her and slit her throat with another dagger, causing the impostor to lose herself and disappear with no any trace left.

"What was that?" Guinevere asked for she had not seen such event before. Granger was not really interested for he is tending to Lesley's wounds.

"That is one of Vexana's powers. Lesley must have been hit by her phantom power so she was able to create an exact copy of her," Pharsa explained.

Guinevere suddenly came to realize that the pink-haired lady was shot at the chest so she immediately pushed Granger away from her and held the cloth at the wound.

"You perverted guy," she said as she looks at him sharply.

"I was just tending to her wounds, I've got no other intention," Granger defended himself.

"Hey, you two," Gusion said with an annoyed tone of voice. He was pertaining to Granger and Guinevere. "You two were not hit by the phantom power of that Vexana, right?"

The two nodded in response.

Gusion turned his back and started walking.

"Then, let us hurry back to the palace," he said.

Guinevere tied the cloth tightly at Lesley's chest to stop the bleeding. Granger, then, carried her like a bride for it will be dangerous if he carried her on his back.

"Hey, Gusion," Guinevere called out. Gusion didn't stop walking but Guinevere ran towards him and matched his pace.

"The fight a while ago was not bad, right?" she asked. "Let us pair up and win the Conquest of Dawn."

"Like I said, I don't want to," Gusion straightforwardly rejected her offer.

Guinevere was annoyed for she does not understand why he doesn't want to pair up with her despite showing her skills back there. She simply shut her mouth and never spoke a word until they reached the palace of King Estes. Miya was waiting for them at the entrance and saw that someone was injured.

"Call the medics," she instructed one of the elves but King Estes shook his head.

"I shall heal her myself," he said as he motioned the three to come inside the palace.

Granger left Lesley at the queen-sized bed as the others watch him.

"What happened?" Miya asked.

King Estes sat at the edge of the bed and placed his hand above Lesley's chest. While he was healing her, he is also listening to Guinevere who was recalling the events that had happened in their fight with the two demons.

"Lesley's wounds are quite deep. It would be too dangerous if I force my healing on her," King Estes said after a moment. "She needs time to heal."

"Does that mean she won't be able to participate at the competition?" a young boy's voice caught everyone's attention. He was wearing a hat and has blond hair. By the way he is dressed, everyone guessed that he is a mage. His green eyes stares at the lady lying down on the bed.

"Why did you let her get hurt?" Harley asked to no one specifically.

"She got hurt for being weak," Gusion replied which seems to be the obvious thing, just in his perspective.

Harley didn't like his response. He summoned one of his cards and threw it towards the brown-haired guy. Gusion was left dumbfounded for he did not expect such thing to happen.

He felt a warm liquid on his neck and held it. It was blood, the card has made a cut on him. Harley looked at him with his green eyes.

"We won't ever be in good terms, you brat," he said.

"Stop the fuss, Harley," King Estes said. "Your sister will be okay as long as she takes her time to rest. And as for your question, I am sorry to say but she won't be able to join."