Hope

“You?” said Magus Dante when he saw me.

“Magus Dante…” Even as I sat with my sword in hand. “I made the gesture, lowered my head for a moment, then raised it. I want to get up and greet you properly, but I’m right on the limit.”

“What happened here?” asked Rubeum Gulielmus. “Where are the other enemies?”

“Only she remains, Magus Gulielmus,” I said, looking at Mother Ludlam.

“Did you capture her?” asked Magus Dante, making a gesture for the soldiers to approach her with their weapons ready.

“Yes!” I said. “I thought she could give us more information.”

“Why did you risk so much coming here alone?” asked Magus Dante.

“I got lost, sir… In the midst of chaos, I ended up moving forward without realizing it.”

“Did you do all this with the woman turned into a tree and the other soldiers?” asked Magus Rubeum Gulielmus.

“Yes, sir, they were not so powerful, and the woman with the power of a Magus turned into a tree was already at her limit because of the battle. I spent all my Numen, but I managed to beat her.”

“She was not completely defeated. We just found her at her limit,” said Rubeum Gulielmus.

“Well, what a pity. I lost the opportunity to be responsible for ending her,” I replied.

“You did it just because of what you said... after you found this place. Or did you do it because of your ego, in search of glory for yourself?” asked Commander Valerius angrily.

I smiled, and I replied, “And who does not want the glory? If I succeeded or failed, could I go to the city of the immortals as the legends say, no?”

“And those people, that girl and the two women who were with you, where are they?” asked Flames Flaminius.

“I don’t know, sir. When I came here, there was only this woman and these fruits that release Numen into the environment.”

“Woman!” said Magus Dante. “These are the fruits of Numen, right? What does it mean that they are releasing Numen and those different colorations?”

“The colors of the fruits represent the type of energy that Numen concentrates, namely abilities. Those that were cut were left so that they could not be recovered and used by the Mora Empire as Numen’s bombs,” said Mother Ludlam.

“Damn!” said Magus Dante. “Call out the engineers and scientists. We must act soon. These fruits of Numen may be very important to the Empire!”

I stood up and began to approach the Numen fruit of the Air type that I had cut. Facing Mother Ludlam.

“Sir, I ask that you keep this man locked up. I don’t trust him!” said Flames Flaminius.

Then I stopped and watched.

“What are you talking about?” said Magus Dante. “I know he didn’t follow our orders, and that getting lost might just be an excuse, but he did excellent work for the Empire here. Besides, he got rid of all the traitors, right?”

“He is right, first mate Flaminius,” said Commander Valerius. “I understand your irritation, because he has brought trouble to us. It makes him personally disliked, but that does not mean he is a problem for Mora.”

“I know… It’s just…” said Flames Flaminius. “I don’t trust him. In addition, those other women who were with him, including the girl who possesses the Ability of Imitation, disappeared.”

“And what are you insinuating? That I saved them?” I said with irony, walking to the Numen fruit of the Air type.

“Yes. We saw a whirlwind similar to what happened on the ship. I think it was you!” he replied.

“I also saw it, however, was it the same energy as my Numen? Do any of the users of sensitive Numen here think I’ve used my energy?”

Magus Dante, attentive to the conversation, being a user of the sensory type, shook his head in response and said, “No, the energy used does not correspond to his, nor to the fruit of Numen that is leaking this kind of energy from the Ability of Air. That was the first thing I noticed.”

“If it wasn’t him, who was it? Who else could it be?” questioned Flames Flaminius.

“You gave the answer yourself,” I replied. “The user of the Imitation could copy the Ability of the Air of this fruit and use it. Am I correct, Magus Dante?”

The Magus Dante confirmed, “Probably. It is very possible.”

“Why did she spend her energy instead of just using that Air fruit's energy?” Flames Flaminius questioned.

“So that questioners like you waste time arguing about this... Rather than focusing on what’s important,” I said, touching the Air Numen and feeling its energy. “Which is to fix these fruits of Numen.”

“Well, I guess that explains it. Anyway, we’ll question him as standard procedure on these questions later with some user of the Connection Ability. Is that okay for you?” Said Magus Dante.

“Yes, Mr. Magus!” said Flames Flaminius.

“Right, Sir Magus!” I said.

Then we started to hear laughter… It was Mother Ludlam.

“You’re all a bunch of scum!” said Mother Ludlam, freeing herself from the ropes that bound her. “I’m glad you’re all going to die here!”

She then created several energy swords from Creation, using Telekinesis throughout her surrounding area, all aimed at her enemies. And they hurled them towards everyone who was nearby immediately.

“Telekinesis + Creation! Attack style! Telepathic Swords!”

She struck some soldiers, but others… The Magus Dante, Flames Flaminius, Valerius, and a few more dodged and prepared for the counter-attack, everyone activating their abilities, several of Mora’s army going from all directions with weapons to hit her body.

She then spoke, pointing forward with her arms, “Telekinesis + Creation Defense style! Ultra-gravity Armor!”

"Vital Force + Sensory + Destruction! Vital punishment of the divine sacramentum!" said Magus Dante.

This was the technique of trialism that deactivated abilities and techniques used in the environment.

Soon, without being able to use powers, all the users with physical attacks wounded her with their swords and spears immediately, giving no chance of reaction. She was in agony. All that kept her standing were the weapons that crossed her body.

Magus Dante, with his fists pointed at her, said, “Did you really hope that you could do more than a surprise attack with me here?”

She smiled at the brink of death.

However, in her second technique, her hands were not focused on herself, but on me. Now I wore a golden armor of Telekinesis + Creation dualism to buy more time to execute.

“Her final hope was not in herself…” I said, sheathing the sword. “And yes, in me!”