Solene Rose one hand.

  "Chronos Astra Orbis!"

  A clock-like energy radiated from Solene, forming a circular pattern of symbols in the air.

  From this celestial array, four swirling cosmic orbs materialized, each resembling a miniature planet with its own unique color and energy. They revolved around Solene like celestial bodies in the vast expanse of the cosmos.

  "This magic is a rare affinity because it requires an understanding of the cosmos and the ability to harness the energies that flow through it. Mastery of cosmic energy allows one to manipulate the fundamental forces of the universe, creating unique and powerful spells."

  Kintovar adjusted her sunglasses, observing the cosmic display with mild intrigue. The four celestial orbs swirled around Solene, each radiating a distinct, otherworldly energy.

  "Cosmos Magic, huh?" Kintovar mused. "Gotta admit, it’s visually impressive." She leaned slightly to the side. "But…It’s clear you haven’t mastered this power."

  Solene’s face twitched ever so slightly.

  Kintovar continued with amusement. "If you had, you wouldn’t still be here—trapped on this island like the rest of these fools. No, if you truly grasped the full extent of this Magic, you could’ve removed yourself and everyone else from this forsaken place a long time ago."

  She tapped the side of her head. "So, what does that tell me?"

  Sybil looked between Kintovar and Solene, sensing an underlying tension in the air.

  Kintovar snapped her fingers. "Ah! I’ve got it. That’s why the Headmaster never made you an Elite Mage, isn’t it?"

  Solene’s jaw tightened.

  Kintovar grinned. "She knew, didn’t she? That you’re a half-finished masterpiece. You are a force that still—" she gestured lazily at the orbs, "—doesn’t know how to fully wield itself."

  The celestial bodies orbiting Solene flared in response to her rising agitation.

  Kintovar’s smirk never wavered. "And here I thought you were special."

  For a brief second, Solene’s fingers tensed.Then, she exhaled slowly. Her glowing silver eyes locked onto Kintovar’s.

  "You're going to regret saying those words, “she said in a dangerously low tone.

  Kintovar stepped forward fearlessly. "Oh, Solene," she cooed. "I never regret being right. Becky, Sybil. Let’s take her dow--"

  A sudden barrage of magic beams came from behind the group, interrupting Kintover and striking her with enough force to pierce through her body. "What!? No way! I don’t….believe this!"

  She collapsed to the ground, unconscious. Becky and Sybil’s jaws dropped in shock.

  “D-Dr.K-Kintovar?!”

  A sharp laugh rang through the battlefield. Solene stood tall, watching Kintovar’s collapsed body with a satisfied smirk.

  "You didn’t think I’d come here unprepared, did you?" she taunted while folding her arms. "I took precautions."

  Becky and Sybil remained frozen. Dr.Kintovar—taken down? Just like that?!

  Solene continued."I had a feeling you’d show up here rather than one of your creations. You should have stayed in your lab hiding because unlike you, Kintovar…"

  Her silver eyes gleamed with condescension.

  "I understand one simple truth."

  She gestured to Kintovar and spoke mockingly. "This is what separates scientists from mages."

  Becky clenched her fists. "Shut up!"

  Solene merely chuckled. "Oh, Becky. You don’t get it, do you?" She extended a hands with her fingers spread apart.

  "Mages—people like me—people like you-- are built for battle. Our very bodies are strengthened by magic, reinforced over time to endure things like this."

  Her gaze darkened.

  "But a scientist?"

  She motioned toward Kintovar again.

  "One stray bullet. That’s all it takes to put them down."

  Becky and Sybil felt the weight of those words sink in.

  Their untouchable mastermind, Dr. Kintovar was reduced to nothing in a single ambush.

  The reality of it hit like a sledgehammer.

  From the depths of the forest shadows, figures emerged—one after another.

  Mages.

  A dozen, maybe more stepping out with staffs and hands brimming with magic.

  Becky’s grip tightened on her hammer. “Shit. The doc is down…”

  Sybil edged close to becky and gripped her sword so tightly that her arms trembled. "B-Becky…"

  Solene tilted her head and announced, "If you surrender now, I’ll make sure they don’t execute you immediately."

  Her silver eyes narrowed.

  "You’ll get a fair trial to explain yourselves."

  Becky scoffed. “Right. A ‘trial. ‘You mean the kind where we’re already guilty before we even open our mouths."

  Becky exhaled sharply through her nose with a grin appearing despite the dire situation.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  “Well, let me tell you something about your trial, Solene.”

  She adjusted her stance and held the hammer with both hands like a battle-worn executioner.

  Her green eyes blazed.

  “You can go and shove it up your ass!”

  With a roar, Becky swung her hammer down and slammed it into the earth with tremendous force, causing a massive shockwave to erupt outward. She sent chunks of stone and twisting roots flying. The sheer impact rattled the air, forcing several mages to stagger back—some outright losing their footing.

  Before they could recover, Becky charged forward.

  A mage thrust his staff forward and send a fireball at her. The flames hit her and burned her arms, but Becky pushed through. Her hammer swung, catching the mage mid-incantation and sending him crashing into two others.

  Another came at her with a blade of crackling lightning—she dodged, then retaliated with a brutal upward swing, shattering his ribs like brittle glass.

  She was taking hits—blades grazing her sides, fire scorching her skin, wind slashing her legs.

  But Becky didn’t care.

  If she fell, she was taking as many of them down with her as possible.

  Meanwhile, Sybil moved. The sword in her hand felt… natural. Like it was meant to be there. That realization scared her—but there was no time to question it.

  A mage lunged with lightning crackling around his fingers. Sybil twisted her body and avoided the strike by mere inches before driving her sword through their stomach.

  Blood sprayed. She wrenched the blade free just in time to parry another attacker, then sliced clean through their torso.

  She could hear her own sharp breaths. Feel the warmth of blood against her skin.

  ‘Stay alive.’

  That was the only thought running through her head while cutting down another mage before they could finish their spell.

  Solene watched, unfazed. If anything… she looked almost amused.

  The battlefield was littered with bodies—the mages who once surrounded Solene now lay scattered, some motionless, others barely clinging to life.

  Becky and Sybil stood at the center of it all, their bodies bruised and bloodied.

  Solene stood calmly with her cosmic orbs still circling her.

  Becky wiped blood from her lip, grinned at Sybil, then gave a small nod.

  Sybil nodded back.

  Together, they charged.

  Becky swung her hammer. Sybil’s blade blurred. Both of them aimed for an opening in Solene’s defenses.

  Solene didn’t move, but her orbs did. A single orb pulsed outward towards Becky before she could even react. The orb slammed into her and sent her soaring through the sky. She crashed into the dirt hard from above, skidding across the battlefield before finally coming to a halt.

  Becky groaned.

  “D-damn…” she muttered while spitting blood.

  “Becky!” Sybil cried out.

  Solene didn’t even look at Becky. Instead, she simply tilted her head toward Sybil.

  “You should be more worried about yourself.”

  With a flick of her wrist, two orbs shot forward. Sybil barely had time to react before they converged on her. She swung her sword desperately, but the moment her blade made contact, an explosion of force surged through her arms.

  Sybil’s was sent hurtling back. She landed on the ground next to Becky. Both of the young girls struggled back to their feet.

  Solene sighed. “I already made my point earlier.” She gestured to Becky, then Sybil. “Those weapons of yours? Trash. Compared to what the Academy offers, they’re nothing but primitive sticks.”

  Solene flicked a strand of silver hair back and let out a small, amused sigh.

  "Let me guess," she said with mockery. "Your 'savior' Kintovar was the one who gave you those weapons?" She gestured lazily toward Becky’s hammer and Sybil’s sword.

  "I’ll admit," she continued, "they might have had some use. With your pitifully low magic, you would never have taken out those mages otherwise." She tapped a finger against her chin. "But in the end? You’ve only worn yourselves out. You’re weak. And Kintovar?"

  She smirked.

  "She’s dead. So why are you still fighting?"

  Becky exhaled sharply, still struggling to stand upright. Blood dripped from her temple, her arms ached but she grinned.

  "Heh."

  Solene arched an eyebrow.

  "You expect us to just roll over after all that?" Becky asked, speaking hoarse but defiant.

  She slammed the base of her hammer into the ground to steady herself.

  "We don’t go back on our words."

  Sybil wiped her mouth once she got to her feet and lifted her sword again.

  "We're not done yet."

  Solene sighed. "Then I suppose I’ll have to break you completely." Her orbs spun faster, glowing with overwhelming power.

  Becky braced herself. Sybil raised her sword again. They were ready—if this was their last stand, so be it.

  Then, without warning—

  "Ohoho… I really couldn't have asked for better allies."

  The voice came from behind them.

  Becky and Sybil stiffened. Solene’s jaw dropped.

  Kintovar was standing.

  Her body, once slumped motionless on the ground wasnow upright—casually adjusting her glasses, completely unbothered by the blood that had previously painted her lab coat.

  Becky blinked in disbelief.

  “Doc?!”

  Solene’s face contorted into pure outrage. With a furious stomp that cracked the earth beneath her, she pointed directly at Kintovar.

  “HOW?! You should be DEAD AND GONE!”

  Kintovar smirked. "Oh, Solene, Solene, Solene… how predictably shortsighted. Do you really think I’d step into a battlefield willingly if I weren’t prepared?”

  Solene’s fists clenched, but Kintovar continued."This coat? Tailored with material designed specifically to combat magic I've encountered before. Every thread in this outfit disperses the impact of magical attacks, reducing their damage significantly."

  She pulled at the sleeve with a smug grin.

  "And even if I haven't personally seen a magic before, it still follows the fundamental properties of magic. That’s something Artificial Magic can counteract just as well."

  Solene’s eyes burned with fury.

  Kintovar reached into her coat pocket, pressing a small switch.

  With a sharp metallic click, a storage device dropped into her open palm and unfolded into a sleek black exoskeleton that clamped onto her limbs with a hiss of pressurized gas. Mechanical joints locked into place, reinforcing her stance.

  Then, a second storage device released a weapon so massive it seemed physically impossible for someone her size to carry.

  Yet—

  Kintovar hoisted it effortlessly.

  The BG-356.

  Its polished black metal frame was laced with glowing blue veins of energy that pulsed rhythmically.

  Solene’s face darkened at the sight of it.

  Kintovar swiftly took the weapon and fired the BG-356 at Solene. The energy shot left a trail of crackling energy in its wake. However, Solene dodged the incoming blast.

  Solene’s mind reeled back.

  A flashback.

  A report.

  A very broken Elite Mage, Aliana escorted by her ever-loyal messenger, Gaiza.

  Aliana’s face had been pale, her once-pristine robes tattered. Her body bore scars from battle, but it was her eyes that struck fear into those who saw her.

  Like she had stared into something she could never unsee.

  "T-The scientist…" she had croaked out. "Dr. Kintovar’s weapon... It's absorbing particles—everywhere. The forest, the magic, the energy released in battle… It's adapting. Growing stronger."

  Solene had dismissed it then.

  But now—

  Seeing the BG-356 in action—feeling the unnatural pull in the air as Kintovar fired—

  It all clicked.

  "Temporal Shift!"

  Solene heightened her speed as time itself bent around her.She moved with inhuman swiftness. Each shot from Kintovar’s weapon missed—not because of poor aim, but because Solene was no longer where she had been a moment ago.

  Kintovar adjusted instantly.

  The BG-356 vanished.

  In one fluid motion, she pressed a switch on her wrist—her storage device activated, and a different weapon materialized in her grip:

  A sleek silver blaster, streamlined for precision. It was fire lighter than her main weapon; however,

  But before she could fire, Solene raised one hand with a dark smile on her face. She whispered, “Time Reversal.”

  The BG-356—Kintovar’s weapon—began to flicker and warp in mid-air. It’s essence was pulled back, re-aligning itself to a moment long past. The storage device reset with the silver blaster now long forgotten. The massive black frame of the BG-356 materialized back into her hand.

  “Now, to destroy that Bg-whatever of yours.” Solene spoke with certainty.

  She summoned an orb from the air—a celestial sphere of swirling energy with it’s surface shifting between light and dark. It expanded rapidly and grew until it resembled a miniature planet, hovering ominously as it powered toward Kintovar.

  Kintovar’s had no time to react, no time to switch to another weapon—no time at all.

  The orb was coming for her faster than her calculations could keep up.

  Her hand tightened around the BG-356. There was only one choice.

  She fired.

  The weapon roared to life and it’s energy clashed with the orb in a violent explosion of force. The shockwave sent debris scattering through the area.

  Will Kintovar’s technology stand against the relentless force of time?

  Or will Solene’s cosmic might break her once and for all?

  Project Mage