"Wait… how are we going to leave with the cellar door locked shut like this?" William asked.
The Wildflower Mage waved his hand dismissively and prepared something.
He took out a blank talisman from his pocket and also a vial of an iridescent, murky substance, and he drew on the talisman using that liquid. He stuck the talisman on the door, and just a moment later, the rusted metal door was cast with mysterious energy and folded inwards on itself like paper.
"…This is the brilliant power of my special brews, made using the most unique, flowery ingredients." He said, grinning. All the while, William and Sarah just stood there, mouths agape.
"Heh. As you can guess, your combined strength is currently aeons away from mine. But, if you come with me, perhaps I can give you two some special advice, you know, to help you two "mundanites" survive in this new world."
The both of them nodded, and, without hesitation, they followed after the Wildflower Mage, through the cellar dungeon below the destroyed streets of Vatein.
"…Uh… excuse me, but aren't we gonna free the other people?" Sarah asked, staring at the other cellar doors with an expression of pity.
The Wildflower Mage shrugged.
"Hm… Should I?"
Sarah stared at him from behind, like she wasn't able to decipher what exactly he meant by that.
He didn't particularly care about the other prisoners, but it wasn't like freeing them was that much of an effort anyway, and so, by using another few more of his potent talismans, he decided to free them, and did so as quickly as it would take him to make a cup of tea.
"Isn't that so cool…!?" William whispered to Sarah right next to him.
"And, someone like him is going to give us advice! Imagine if he even decides to train us!"
Sarah shook her head.
"William… you know you're a bit naive at times, you realise? It was more dangerous deciding to go along with him than staying in the cellar. The only reason why I wasn't either hesitant or didn't pull you back was because I had no idea what he could do next, especially with those freakish magician powers of his."
William's eyes widened in realisation, and he wondered why he didn't think of that before her, especially with the vast amount of novels he liked to read.
"Damn… so we have no choice but to follow this dude, huh? If he can crumple metal doors like nothing with just a slip of paper, I'm half-sure he'll be capable of causing greater destruction than that Chief General…"
"Compared to the two of them, my abilities are fickle and confusing. I'm sure the only thing I'm fully able to do in that form is fly with my feathered wings."
"…Don't worry too much about that. You've already made enough progress by learning how to manipulate Mana. Slowly but surely, I think you'll even reach a level that could rival them in a real battle someday."
William nodded.
"The same goes for you too, Sarah. As far as I can tell, you've helped me far more than I've helped you." William said, before holding her hand.
Sarah looked shocked for a moment before her face blushed red. She giggled, though she internally believed that they had helped each other an equal amount of times.
"Huh… you two seem like you're having fun behind my back." The Wildflower Mage said, "Anyway, these stairs lead to the exit. Let's follow through."
William and Sarah nodded. Up the stairs they went, and they returned to the basking warmth of the blueish sunlight, under the gaze of the new sun, which had many names, such as the "Daylight Moon", but now most simply just referred to it as a new sun. No buildings around them were left standing, and the ground was almost entirely grey sand, the crushed remains of bricks and broken metal.
The Wildflower Mage could easily walk on the ground even if he had no shoes since the remnant stone shards wouldn't be able to pierce his feet. Sarah could also walk on it since she still had her shoes on. Meanwhile, William's shoes, at this point, were ruined beyond comparison, to the point that he discarded them as they walked out of the cellar.
"This will, one hundred per cent, mess up my feet, so…"
William had a great idea. Using the circulation of Mana he was taught by Sarah, he carefully and precisely pulled out the exact amount of Mana he needed from his body, and turned it into special ink in real time.
This was his first attempt at doing so, and although most of the Mana he used went to waste, he conjured enough of the special ink to protect the soles of his feet.
Sarah and the Wildflower Mage admired this from slightly further away, and the mage seemed particularly interested in his power, which was unlike anything he had ever seen before.
"I see… that Crucible Mark I noticed by his chest must be the real deal then. Then, that girl with him must also have what I suspected of her… what a special couple." He muttered, before chuckling.
"I came here to obtain some new ingredients, but I found, not just one, but two mundanites with the potential to serve as my legacy,"
"I guess this means I'll have to teach my two new students with much more than their minds can handle, to temper such immense talent."
Just then, as he rambled almost maniacally to himself, the Wildflower Mage felt a gust of wind blow by. Usually, he would have dismissed it, but since they were smack in the middle of a hostile faction's base, it would be stupid to do that.
"Hah..."
"To think the Wildflower Mage would come crawling right back to us, after stealing our king's Emerald Scepter!" A voice clamoured.
Approaching William, Sarah and the Wildflower Mage was a tall, tanned man with long, pale-white hair and two golden horns protruding from his head. He wore silk robes, and his black, beady eyes reflected a fierce desire to kill.
"…A general?" The Wildflower Mage asked.
The horned man nodded and flashed a menacing grin. On the back of his hand was a red jewel embedded into his skin, that glinted under the light of the sun. And, small bolts of blood-red lightning zapped from this odd gemstone as he clenched and unclenched his fist.
"I don't think we've met personally before, mage, so let me introduce myself." He said with a smirk.
"I am the Stormwalker Specter, the 23rd General under the Chief General. He noticed your presence the second you left the cellar dungeon and sent me alone to deal with you three."
"So, what do you think that implies, if the Chief General, who knows of your true capabilities, sent me alone to deal with you?"
The Wildflower Mage rubbed his chin.
"That implies… that bastard is nothing but a fool!"
He exclaimed those words as loudly as he could, gaining the full attention of the Chief General who stood on one of the tallest wooden watchtowers built by the knights. And then, he spread his arms open widely, letting his talismans be carried by the wind and onto every surface imaginable.
"Hm… a trick of yours, eh? I'm gonna enjoy this hunt!" Specter yelled.
However, before he did anything, all the talismans blew up simultaneously, completely reversing the work of the Knights of Conquest.
Meanwhile, William and Sarah watched this spectacle with awe smacked across their faces. But, they had no time to stare and followed the Wildflower Mage's tracks, who had disappeared and yet seemed to trust their improvisation upon an unexpected situation greatly.
But, because of the great disruption caused by the numerous explosions, the Knights of Conquest were enraged. Their task to conquer as much land as possible, which the Crimson-Bladed King himself told them to focus on, could not fail miserably like this.
They needed to get rid of the obstacles in their path, and in turn, this meant William and Sarah now also needed to avoid the wrathful blades of the warriors blocking their path.
They ran in a straight direction, turning left or right occasionally when there were too many black-armoured knights gathered in one place and saw caught of the battle unfolding ahead. The Wildflower Mage and the Stormwalker Specter were locked in fierce hand-to-hand combat, however, the Specter had the upper hand with his more muscular body.
"I see! You trick your opponents into thinking that you're stronger than them, when, in reality, you're nothing when you can't access your concoctions!" The Specter roared, laughing maniacally, as he struck the mage.
"No wonder the Chief doesn't bother with you! With your cheap tricks, you would cost more to take down than what you're worth! At this point, even the weakest among us generals can deal with you!"
"—Shut up and fight properly!" The Wildflower Mage exclaimed, sending a punch in return, "You, the other generals with you, and even that Chief General himself. You've all inherited the lunacy and bloodthirst of your damned king! I'm making sure I end all of you today, to put even the smallest dent in that crazed king's forces!"
The Specter glanced back at him and wiped a bloodstain from his cheek.
"How typical of you mages, once your self-esteem has shattered, you start spouting all sorts of nonsense! I'll shut that rambling nonsensical mouth for good!"
The Wildflower Mage chuckled and burst into full-on laughter.
"You fool. All people should know by now, that fighting mages that rely on trickery is the worst type of torture you could subject yourself to!"
The Stormwalker Specter stared at him, confused, before he realised and looked around for traces of any talismans or concoctions nearby. But, for some odd reason, he couldn't even move, nor lift a finger. He glanced around and yet couldn't find a cause for this.
"What… what did you do to ME?!"
"…Heh. Watch your back."