The Final Stand

As the sun rose over the horizon, Tsumugi went about her everyday tasks in the small village of Miden. She tended to the garden, cooked breakfast for her children, and cleaned up the house. It was a simple life, but it meant everything to her.

However, as the day wore on, Tsumugi became aware of a sense of unease. She overheard a group of peasants discussing a noble from Antochitoria who was searching for something in the village. Tsumugi couldn't discern exactly what the noble was seeking, but she had a feeling it was connected to her children's actions against the passing nobles from last week.

Without a second thought, Tsumugi gathered Akari and Hikari and secreted them away in their dwelling. She pressed her back against the wall of the hut, listening intently for any sign of the noble's approach. She hoped the situation would resolve itself and the noble would depart the village.

But it was too late. As the minutes ticked by, Tsumugi could hear the footsteps of the noble drawing nearer and nearer. She could feel the compass vibrating, guiding him towards the source of the potent mana. And then, there was a knock on the door.

"Hello?" a voice called out, polite and refined. "Is anyone home?"

Tsumugi remained silent, her heart pounding with fear. She could sense Akari's powers beginning to stir, and she knew that if she didn't act swiftly, the situation could turn violent.

"I know the little girl is here," he sneered, his voice dripping with disdain. "Where is she?"

But before she could do anything, the noble let out a sigh and fell silent. Tsumugi let out a sigh of relief, the crisis had passed. As she relaxed, Akari told her she was feeling cold. Suddenly, Tsumugi felt a sharp, icy pain in her legs. She looked down to see a series of ice arrows impaling her skin, and she let out a cry of agony.

Akari, who had been witnessing the scene with horror, saw the blood seeping through her mother's garments. She lost control of her powers and began to scream. Hikari tried to comfort her, but it was too late. The hut was filled with the sound of Akari's wind magic, and Tsumugi watched in shock as the walls of the hut were blown away by the force of the blast.

The noble, Alfred, was taken aback by the display of power. He let out a hysterical laugh as he gazed upon Tsumugi's white hair, the mark of nobility. "Now everything makes sense," he said with a sly grin.

As the dust settled, Tsumugi lay on the ground, her legs throbbing with pain. She looked up at Alfred, her heart filled with fear and uncertainty about what was to come.

Hikari rose to his feet, catching his sister as she collapsed, and fixed Alfred with a fierce gaze. "You think everything makes sense now? None of this made any sense to begin with. You nobles just come here to ruin our lives for your own amusement. Leave our village."

"Poor little swine," Alfred sneered. "Did you not find it peculiar that your hair is the same color as your mother's? You could have had the finest life imaginable if your mother had-"

"Please, stop," Tsumugi begged, tears streaming down her face.

"Mother... what is he talking about?" Hikari asked.

"Don't you get it, you imbecile? Do you know why she was once called the Moon Princess? Because she is only beautiful? She is a true princess who gave up everything to marry a hunter your father from this dirty village. And he is not even here to defend his own children"

Tsumugi turned her head in horror to see Hikari's reaction to the truth.

"Is that all? Are you finished?" Hikari asked, his voice steady.

"Does that not bother you?" Alfred asked, surprised.

"I mean... I knew we had some noble heritage because of the color of my hair, obviously. But I did not expect to find out that my mother was a true princess from the royal family. I am grateful for her, even though I did not inherit any powers. I would not exist at all if she had married someone else," Hikari said calmly.

"Hikari... you..." Tsumugi smiled through her tears.

"Splendid," Alfred sneered. "Powerless white hair. Now I must deal with two anomalies that threaten the balance between the commoners and the nobles. I will offer you a deal. Since I loathe dealing with this and wish to avoid conflict as much as you do, if you both come with me to Antochitoria, I will pretend this never happened and that you came obediently without resistance. Who knows, the king might treat you kindly since you are his offspring."

"No thank you," Tsumugi said firmly, standing with determination. "I know my father better than anyone, which is why I left. No one is going anywhere the only one leaving here is you and my children are going to have dinner here."

The air was thick with tension as Tsumugi and Alfred faced off, each determined to come out on top. Both were skilled in the art of aima, the ancient practice of using one's own blood to wield powerful magic. As they prepared to engage in battle, Alfred called upon his innate abilities with ice magic, while Tsumugi summoned her water magic.

The two clashed in an epic display of power, the sound of their magic crashing against one another echoing through the air. Alfred was surprised by the extreme power of Tsumugi's water magic, which she was able to conjure using only a tiny amount of blood. But Tsumugi was equally surprised by Alfred's ability to freeze all of her water in an instant.

The battle raged on, each trying to gain the upper hand. But it quickly became clear that Alfred was the stronger fighter, able to easily counter Tsumugi's attacks and keep her on the defensive. As he stood over her, panting from the exertion of the fight, he called out to her.

"You have a formidable amount of mana, Tsumugi. But you are not a fighter. You cannot defeat me." he said, a smug grin on his face.

But Tsumugi was not ready to give up yet. As Alfred spoke, a frozen droplet of his blood behind her suddenly unfroze, summoning an ice spike that penetrated her body, leaving holes in her legs, arms, and stomach. Tsumugi cried out in pain, but she refused to let Alfred see her suffer.

"You see, I have mastered the art of aima to such a degree that I can control my blood at will. I simply froze a droplet and pushed it on each attack directing it to be placed behind you, waiting for the right moment to unleash its power. It was a simple trick, but it was enough to defeat you," alfred said, his voice dripping with arrogant pride.

Hikari let out a scream at the sight of his mother, his heart filled with fear and despair. He cursed himself for not having the ability to move an inch, to do something to help Tsumugi. Akari lay unconscious on the ground

Tsumugi looked at her children with a pained expression, her heart heavy with the knowledge that she was putting them in danger by continuing to fight. But she couldn't let Alfred win, not when so much was at stake. She gritted her teeth and drew upon all of her remaining strength, breaking the ice spikes one by one with a fierce determination.

As Tsumugi summoned all of her energy, she was amazed to discover that she could tap into a power she had never before accessed. She was able to freeze her injuries, sealing them with a layer of ice that allowed her to continue fighting. And as she did, she found that she was able to wield ice magic, just like Alfred.

Alfred was astounded by Tsumugi's ability to surpass her limits and expand her magical abilities. "However, I must warn you," he said, "you won't be able to maintain this for long. Using an unfamiliar type of magic will consume a copious amount of blood. While you may be able to hold your own against me for a time, you will eventually grow weaker as the battle drags on. I am the master of ice magic, and I will be able to outlast you in a battle of attrition."

Tsumugi and Alfred locked in a fierce duel, their magics clashing in elaborate and creative ways as they sought to defeat one another. Tsumugi summoned a massive tidal wave, hoping to overwhelm Alfred, but he countered with a crushing ice hammer, smashing her attack to pieces.

The battle raged on, each combatant seeking to gain the upper hand. But as time passed, it became clear that Tsumugi was struggling. Her injuries were taking a heavy toll on her body, and she was losing a great amount of blood. Still, she refused to give up, determined to protect her children and her village.

But eventually, she could no longer continue. She let out a pained cry as she collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Hikari rushed to her side, tears streaming down his face as he saw his mother's prone form.

"No, no, Mom. Wake up. This can't be happening. Please, no," he begged, desperation and despair in his voice.

As Hikari sat by his mother's side, tears streaming down his face, Alfred approached him with an arrogant smirk on his face. "Don't worry, boy. A white-haired noble like your mother won't die easily. It will take weeks for her to remain in this state in order to die. And by then, she'll be long gone."

Hikari glared up at Alfred, his fists clenched in anger. But before he could do anything, Alfred approached Akari and made to pick her up. Hikari moved to intervene, but Alfred sent him flying with a single, powerful kick.

As Alfred reached for Akari, a figure appeared out of nowhere, swinging a heavy sword with all his might. The blade cut through the air, sending Alfred flying backwards even as he summoned an ice shield to protect himself.

It was Hirohito, Tsumugi's husband and the father of Hikari and Akari. He was a rugged, rough-looking man, with a tattered cape and clothes. He appeared to have endured much, but there was a fierce determination in his eyes as he protected his children from Alfred. He stood tall and proud, He glared at Alfred, his eyes burning with the determination to safeguard his family.