“What is it that you want?” Kintovar questioned. She remained cool and posed.

  The other hooded mage spoke up. “We want to make a deal, Dr. Kintovar,” she said. “We have information and resources that could be of great be to you in your mission. In exge, we seek your assistan dismantling the Magic Academy’s power structure.”

  “What kind of information and resources do you possess?” she inquired, her e hair casg down her back as she maintained her posed demeanor. “And why would you choose to offer them to me?”

  The first hooded mage, the one who had initially spoken, stepped forward, her posture revealing a hint of nervousness. “We’ve been monit the activities of the Magic Academy for some time,” she expined. “We’ve uncovered secrets and vulnerabilities that could prove invaluable to your mission. As for why we’re our assistance, let’s just say we have our reasons.”

  The sed hooded mage nodded in agreement. “We have a on enemy, Dr. Kintovar,” she added. “The Magic Academy’s oppressive rule affects us all, and we believe that together, we bring about its downfall.”

  Dr. Kintovar listened carefully to the hooded mages’ words. She took out and twirled a small gun in her hand with practiced ease.

  After a moment of silence, she finally spoke.

  “You cim to have information and resources that could be of use to me, but trust is a precious odity, and I don’t give it freely.”

  The first hooded mage, still shrouded in mystery, nodded.

  “We get the need for caution, Dr. Kintovar,” she replied. “rovide you with evidence of our cims, and you decide if our offer is worth sidering.”

  The sed hooded mage chimed in.“We’ve also takeo ehat our identities remain hidden. If you choose to dee our offer, we won’t pose a threat to your mission. You have my word.”

  “Very well. Show me this ‘evidence’ of yours. If it proves pelling, we discuss the terms of our potential colboration.”

  The hooded mages nodded in agreement, and the first one reached into her cloak, produg a small device. She ha to Kintovar, who exami carefully.

  “What you hold is a list of high-ranking members within the Magic Academy,” the first hooded mage expined. “It includes their names, positions, a dealings. This information could prove invaluable in your efforts to dismahe academy’s power structure.”

  Kintovar tio study the device, her mind rag with possibilities. The sed hooded mage added, “We’ve also gathered intelligen the locations of several Maractors. With this information, you could disable them more effitly and cripple the academy’s resources.”

  The first hooded mage spoke once more

  “Dr. Kintovar, we seek to free the world from the tyranny of the Magic Academy. We believe that your leadership and expertise make that possible. Will you join us in ht?”

  Dr. Kintovar listeo the hooded mages’ proposal with a hint of intrigue. As they id out their offer and the potential bes of their colboration, she found herself sidering the possibilities.

  “I appreciate your offer and your desire t down the Magic Academy,” Kintan,” But my goals are very specific. I io steal the Mana that the academy has been gathering for their project—a creation that fly. It will require all the energy from the Mystical Forest, and I won’t let anyone or anything stand in my way.”

  The first hooded mage nodded. “We respect your objectives, Dr. Kintovar,” she said. “And we believe that our information aid you in achieving them. If you choose to accept our assistance, you won’t be alone in your mission.”

  As she sidered their offer, Dr. Kintovar finally spoke calmly.

  “Assuming I accept your assistand succeed in my mission to steal the Mana, what are your pns for the future? What will you do when I leave this isnd and make my way to the city with the stolen energy? This isnd will lose all of it’s power, and without any power, you won’t be able to survive.”

  “We’ve sidered the sequences of our as,” the first hooded mage replied. “Ohe Mana is stolen, we pn to leave this isnd as well. Our work extends beyond this pce, and we have allies who share oal of dismantling the Magic Academy’s power structure.”

  The hooded mages exged a ghen the sed oepped forward. “Dr. Kintovar, we ask that you to take us with you to the city,” she said, her words filled with vi. “We may not have the same objectives, but our on enemy is the Magic Academy. With your help, we tinue ht against them.”

  The first hooded mage added, her tone equally resolute, “We know the risks and sequences. We are willing to face those challenges alongside you. ”

  Dr. Kintovar listeo their proposal and their itment to the cause carefully. As she sidered their offer, her mind raced with the potential bes and risks of colboration.

  After a moment of ption, she finally spoke with a measured tone. “Very well,” she began while shiftiweewo of them. After a moment, she raised one finger. “I accept your offer of assistance, under one dition.”

  The hooded mages leaned in with anticipation.

  Kintovar tinued, her tone firm. “You must agree to a decration, a statement that aowledges the importance of teology in this world. I want to hear you say that teology deserves a p this world and that it deserves to rule.”

  The hooded mages exged a gheir hoods cealing their faces. The first one spoke after a moment cautiously, “Dr. Kintovar, we uand the significe of your dition, and we’re willing to make that decration for the sake of our on goal. Teology deserves its pce alongside magid it deserves to rule over the world.”

  The sed hooded mage nodded in agreement, but had some hesitation now pced in her speech “We…may have been born into a world dominated by magic, but we reize the potential of teology t about ge. We’re ready to embrace it.”

  Dr. Kintovar raised her small gun “That couldn’t have been an easy decision for you,” she ented, “But it shows your level of itment.”

  The mages exged uneasy ghe first one spoke cautiously, “Dr. Kintovar, there’s no need for violence. We’re here to iate. We’re willing to pledge our allegiao your cause.”

  Dr. Kintovar leveled her gun at them. “And how do I know I trust you?” she tered, “Words are cheap, but as speak volumes.”

  The sed hooded mage stepped forward. ” Look! We get it, Dr. Kintovar, but we are sincere in our iions. We are willing to prove our loyalty to you. Just give us a ce.”

  Dr. Kintovar Slowly, she lowered her gun.

  “You say you’re willing to fight for my cause, then you must be willing to die for my cause as well” she mused.

  “W-Wait, what,” both mages shouted at the same time.

  “But as speak louder than words.”

  Without warning, Kintovar pulled the trigger....

  BANG !

  A small, harmless bullet struck each of the hooded mages. Their cloaks absorbed the impact, leaving them unharmed but bewildered.

  The first hooded mage blinked in surprise. “What was the purpose of that?”

  Dr. Kintovar lowered her gun. “sider it a test of your faith and itment. I o be certain that you are truly willing to embrace the cause and endure whatever challenges may e.”

  The sed hooded mage nodded.“We will respect your wishes, Dr. Kintovar.”

  Dr. Kintovar looked at the hooded mages, her e hair framing her face as she addressed them with a faint smile. “Becky and Sybil,” she said, using their names for the first time.

  The hooded mages exged surprised gheir faces still cealed by their cloaks. Becky spoke up. “Hey! How do you know our names, Dr. Kintovar?”

  Kintovar leaned in slightly. “During my time imprisoned by the Magic Academy,” she began, “I wasn’t idle. I gathered information aabs on various individuals, including those who might be sympathetic to our cause. Your names came up in my research, and I made sure to remember them.”

  Sybil shook her head.

  “So, you were preparing for this moment even while you were imprisoned,” she mused. “That’s impressive fht, Dr. Kintovar.”

  Dr. Kintovar’s smile widened slightly as she replied, “I believe in being prepared for all possibilities. Now, let’s move forward. We have much to discuss and pn if we are to succeed in our mission.”

  As Dr. Kintovar tinued her versation with Becky and Sybil, her mind was abuzz with a sense of satisfa. ‘Everything is going acc to pn. With their help and the resources they provide, nothing will stand in my way. The Magic Academy’s reign of power will crumble, and teology will rise.’

  Meanwhile, Roselle, Risebelle, and Runebelle moved swiftly through the Mystic Forest, their senses on high alert as they approached the arget—a Maractor in another forest clearing. The dense foliage and t trees surrouhem, casting dappled shadows on the forest floor.

  As they drew closer to the clearing, the sight of the Maractor came into view. It stood tall, its magical energy radiating like a bea in the forest. This time, they didn’t spot any mages guarding it, which gave them a momentary sense of relief.

  Roselle noticed the absenages guarding the Maractor. She turo her sisters with a hopeful smile. “It looks like we might have an easier time with this one,” she said. “I take it out from here with my on.”

  However, before she could make a move, Risebelle quickly stepped in, pg a hand on Roselle’s shoulder to stop her. She gave a serious shake of her head. “Wait, Roselle,” Risebelle cautioned, “Don’t be too hasty. This could be a trap. Let’s approach it cautiously and assess the situation first.”

  “What should we do then?” Roselle asked fused. “Should we scout the area first, or do you have a different pn in mind?”

  Risebelle and Runebelle exged gnces, silently unig their thoughts. Finally, Risebelle spoke up.

  “I think we should approach the Maractor cautiously, keeping a for any signs of a trap or hidden guards,” Risebelle suggested. “But we’ll stay hidden in the shadows, ready to react if anything goes wrong. We ’t afford to take any ces.”

  Runebelle, always with a sad look, nodded in agreement. With their pn decided, the sisters proceeded with caution, ing closer to the Maractor while remaining cealed in the cover of the forest’s shadows.

  Risebelle cautiously approached the Maractor, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss. The absence of any guards or defensive barriers around the device raised suspi. She carefully examihe surroundings, her keen eyes sing for any hidden threats ns of a trap.

  The forest remained eerily quiet, and there were no visible signs of mages lurking nearby. The sisters had mao get close to the Maractor without any immediate rea.

  Risebelle leaned in closer to the device, her gloved hand reag out to touch its surface. She could feel the hum of magical energy emanating from it. It appeared to be operational.

  However, despite the apparent ck of danger, Risebelle maintained her vigince. She whispered to her sisters, “Stay alert. It’s strahat there are no guards. Roselle, be ready with your on in case something ued happens. Runebelle, keep an eye on our surroundings.”

  Risebelle aimed her on at the Maractor, her finger poised origger. With a fierce look in her eyes, she pulled the trigger, expeg a powerful bst that would destroy the device.

  However, to her surprise, there was no explosion. Instead, a faint shimmer surrouhe Maractor, revealing that it was nothing more than an illusion, a fake. Risebelle’s shot had passed right through it.

  She stepped ba fusion and frustration. “It’s a fake!” she excimed.

  Suddenly, a barrage of light energy attack caught Risebelle by surprise. They struck her in the back, sendiumbling to the forest floor. She let out a pained cry as she hit the ground.

  Roselle and Runebelle turned in arm, their eyes widening at the sight of their sister being attacked.