Acacia POV

  "They've already broken into a brawl. Barely arrived, and they're at each other's throats." Edwin pointed towards the beast men surging into the traders' market.

  "You know how much they hate each other." Kel added as he stared up at the large sky craft. The whitish barrier that seemed to cover the sky but not quite.

  "Um Kel, when you used to be at Flow. Did you um..did you see Elric by any chance?" Bella turned her attention to Kel and asked in a soft voice.

  Acacia cancelled her link with the butterfly and turned her head towards Kel.

  "Elric? At Flow? He doesn't seem like the kind. Flow's got its own hierarchy, you know. Guards, elites like me, captains, commanders. Elric wouldn't be caught dead in a place like that, let alone working there. Why would you even ask?" Kel stared at her in confusion.

  "I was just curious...since he is also a magic user." Bella's expression seemed to soften at Kel's disagreement.

  '....Kel might not know him, maybe he used a fake appearance? Or joined after Kel left. I don't believe he is innocent but could I be wrong?' Acacia thought while staring at Bella's hopeful expression. 'I will think about that later. Now, Zephyra, Poppy and Henry are in danger. I can't just wait around.'

  'If you go and save them, you risk having people know about your abilities.' Daemonis said in a warning tone.

  'I am aware but I'm not letting anyone close to me die again.' Acacia replied.

  'There are a lot of people there, you will have to kill more than one person. Are you ready for that?' Daemonis questioned.

  'I can handle it.' Acacia thought to herself before she turned her attention to Kel.

  "Kel, do you want to blow up some machines?" Acacia asked with a determined gaze.

  "A grin, wide and knowing, stretched Kel's lips. "Sky crafts," he corrected, a spark in his eyes. "And yes, I like where this is going."

  "Are you two nuts? That is Flow we are talking about." Edwin stared at the two of them like they were crazy.

  "We fight monsters almost everyday, we will be fine." Kel shrugged and cracked his knuckles.

  "And Zephyra needs our help." Acacia added.

  "You've all lost any instinct for self-preservation, but I know we can't ignore this. The Flow Society will find us. I can't fight. It's not in me but I can still observe, strategize how I can assist. I'll be on the perimeter."Jahir shook his head, a weariness settling into his temples.

  "Unbelievable," Edwin muttered, the soft click of his hand-fans betraying the hidden blades nestled within their delicate tips as he unfurled them.

  "Ah I need to get my sword!" Kel quickly rushed towards the house to get his sword.

  "You coming?" Acacia asked Bella, studying her expression.

  "....yes." Bella hesitated for a moment before she reluctantly replied. Kel came back with his sword in his hand and reached for her side.

  "Alright, I'm ready!" Kel came back with his sword and Acacia nodded.

  "Aren't you the least bit awkward about going to fight? You used to be part of them once." Edwin asked as he watched at Kel.

  "When I left, I left my past behind as well. It doesn't bother me anymore." Kel didn't hesitate to reply.

  "...I envy you for being able to detach yourself from your past that easily." Edwin was silent for a few moments before he replied.

  'Daemonis, I need something practical to wear. Now.' Acacia said in her head.

  'Giving me orders already, little butterfly?' Daemonis's amusement was a low rumble in her mind. 'Such impatience.'

  'l'm not going to beg,' Acacia retorted, her jaw set.

  'No, you wouldn't,' Daemonis conceded, a hint of something like respect in his tone. 'The things I endure for this... demanding vessel.'

  'Stop being dramatic,' Acacia rolled her eyes, her mood was eased up a bit. 'Just give me the clothes.'

  Acacia braced herself as the strange, sticky substance coated her skin, an uncomfortable but familiar sensation. Once it had fully adhered, she efficiently stripped off her outer layers, revealing a streamlined black jumpsuit with a striking back cut-out. The jumpsuit hugged her figure, ready for action.

  "You have clothes under your clothes?" Jahir asked, his confusion evident.

  "It's winter," Acacia said, her focus already shifting to their next objective, the discarded clothing tossed aside. "I'm going up in the air."

  Acacia’s wings unfurled, catching the air as she launched herself skyward, a restrained ascent due to the barrier. Below, the crackle of ignited air announced Kel’s arrival, flames licking from his feet like miniature rockets.

  "Hey! Show-offs!" Edwin’s voice, laced with mock indignation, echoed from the ground. He clicked his tongue, watching Acacia and Kel gain an unfair advantage. Turning to Bella, his gaze lingered on her bandaged leg. "Are you sure you’re up for this?"

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  “I’m a better fighter than you’ll ever be. Worry about yourself,” she retorted, tossing aside her blanket and striding towards the traders market.

  "That little…!" Edwin’s jaw tightened, and he surged forward, following Bella’s determined path. Jahir, with a quiet sigh, simply shook his head and followed at a steady, unhurried pace.

  Acacia flew towards the traders market at a fast pace but paused in the air as she noticed another white barrier. Far different from the barrier of the traders market. 'They don't want anyone passing through then how did Zephyra and Maximus get through?'

  "Kel, can you blow this up?"

  "Let's try it out." Kel's sword, wreathed in a raging inferno, twisted in his grip. He unleashed a searing downward slash against the barrier. The white surface hissed and bubbled, a momentary breach appearing before the shimmering wall snapped shut. "It's mana resistant."

  Acacia frowned for a moment and stared at the fight happening at the other side. "Slash it again."

  Kel's fiery blade descended, slicing a momentary rift in the barrier. As the opening flickered, Acacia plunged her hands into the crack. The barrier shrieked, its energy boiling under the strain of her mana. Teeth gritted, she wrestled against the closing force, pushing back until the shimmering wall shattered.

  Kel was a bit stunned but the moment the barrier disintegrated, he flew down on a sky craft and the machine burnt into flames in an instant. Acacia flew inside towards where Barcello was. She saw the pink haired girl that killed her butterflies and attempted to kill Poppy and Henry. She gently landed on the snow and saw the flame that erupted.

  "Kel! Be careful, some of those sky crafts have beast-men in them." Acacia yelled out, she turned her attention to the two but already caught them staring at her. The butterfly that landed on her shoulder disappeared into thin air.

  "Are you the controller—" Kerensa didn't finish her sentence when a punch connected to her jaw, knocked her down to the ground.

  "Get out of here." Acacia pointed to Barcello and he immediately got up on his feet. Chausse sighed in relief and quickly assisted Barcello, scolding him as he dragged him away.

  Kerensa surged to her feet, her glare a venomous promise. Before Acacia could react, the staff blurred, a brutal thrust that impaled her stomach. Acacia gasped, a wave of agony washing over her. She seized the staff, wrenching it free, a hiss of steam as her wound rapidly knit itself closed.

  "Regeneration...hah." Kerensa got back up to her feet and snapped her fingers, her staff forcefully pulled itself from Acacia's grasp and back to the girl's hand. "I know the weakness of people like you, once I cut off your head or heart, you die."

  'Would I really die from that?'Acacia stepped out of the way when the staff suddenly flew towards her, the staff stabbed a wall at their sheer force of the throw. 'She is controlling it with her mana like how Kel uses his sword for his flames.'

  "Healing arts: Mental purification." Kerensa murmured and Acacia's body was covered in a strange pink light. Everything suddenly felt simple, her mind was strangely quiet but in a peaceful way. She couldn't move her body because it was completely eerily relaxed.

  "Now to finish this." She snapped her fingers and the staff removed itself from the wall and turned around towards Acacia's dazed form.

  'Why this paralysis? Where… where am I? Why am I fighting? I fight to… to destroy my brother, yes, but also… to protect. Protect those I love.' Acacia’s breath hitched. A spear hurtled towards her, and with a gasp, she snatched it from the air, inches from her face. Kerensa’s frown deepened. She snapped her fingers, but Acacia’s grip on the spear remained unyielding.

  Acacia rushed towards Kerensa in a blink of an eye and forced the staff to twist, using it to stab Kerensa's leg. She screamed but was shut by Acacia grabbed her face and slammed her head to the ground, lifting her face up and slammed it down against the ground again.

  "Healing...arts: Sanctification!" Kerensa groaned out and a huge burst of pink light pushed Acacia away. Kerensa coughed on the ground and struggled to get up. "I...will kill you."

  Acacia snarled but someone suddenly hugged her from behind in a tight crushing grip. She wriggled in the air and noticed the white armored person. "Now Captain!"

  'Dammit! Wait...I don't need to dodge... but if she stabs by heart, would I really die?' No, I won't die.' Acacia stopped struggling.

  "Hah!" Kerensa grinned and forced her staff out of her leg, her leg healed up immediately and she threw the staff with great force, the staff stabbed her directly at her heart.

  The elite hero kept a strong grip on her and waited for the signs of death but saw nothing changed. Acacia groaned at the pain, her body trembled but she it didn't feel like death. She concentrated on her mana to stop the regeneration.

  The elite hero was confused when she didn't fall limp. He suddenly saw three butterflies formed from her blood and flew into the elite guard's armor. He screamed and dropped Acacia's to the ground, Acacia removed the staff from her chest but didn't regenerate the torn flesh.

  "How the hell? You are supposed to die and how can you control butterflies when you are a beast-man?" Kerensa backed away for a moment. Acacia didn't answer but the sounds of the screaming man slowly ceased. The butterflies came out of the armor and landed on Acacia's hair.

  Acacia noticed some stares she was getting but didn't bother to react. She saw Kel land right behind Kerensa and immediately set her body on fire.

  "Healing arts: Purification!" She gasped as the fire burnt her skin but the fire slowly burnt out and her body healed. She turned around to see Kel smiling down at her.

  "Traitor!" Kerensa recoiled, fury twisting her features. Seizing the moment, Acacia pressed a hand to her bleeding heart, summoning her whip with a surge of will. The weapon snapped into existence, lashing out to coil around Kerensa, binding her tightly. 'Controlling both the butterflies and the whip is draining my mana.'

  "Acacia, you have a lot of explaining to do after this." Kel yelled out and lifted up his sword, Kerensa was about to summon another spell when the sword was thrust into her mouth and her whole body burnt up in flames. Kel didn't stop until she was nothing but ashes.

  "I will explain later." Acacia dragged her whip back to her side and waved her hands at the butterflies, they disappeared in an instant. 'I need to manage my mana.'

  Acacia walked towards Kel and they both rushed towards Zephyra's side. She stopped when she saw Ringeisen and a black haired woman fighting. Zephyra and Maximus were equally busy with some elite heroes. Some elite guards charged at them but Acacia wrapped her whip around their necks, dragged the whip back by force and their heads came off.

  Kel's sword arced, unleashing a storm of flames that erupted across the battlefield. Before Acacia could reach Zephyra, Ringeisen slammed into her path, his limbs contorted in grotesque angles. Cerais emerged from the inferno, blood trailing from a gash on her forehead, her armor mangled, and her yellow cape shredded.

  Acacia stared at his unconscious body and looked down at his chest. 'He is alive.'

  Cerais stopped in her tracks and looked at Acacia with confusion, eyeing her from head to toe.

  "Why do you look like...no, why are you with Kerensa's staff?" Cerais furrowed her brows but she changed the topic as she noticed the staff in Acacia's hands.

  "Is that the name of the pink haired girl?" Acacia asked Kel.

  "Yup." Kel replied with a nod.

  "I asked a question." Cerais said with venom in her tone. A huge gust of wind suddenly suspended Acacia and Kel to the air and crashed them back down against the snow.

  Acacia groaned and stared at the colossal sky craft that dominated the night, a dark silhouette against the stars. Acacia closed her eyes, drawing a deep, steadying breath. Then, she rose, wings unfurling with a snap. Discarding the staff, she tightened her grip on the whip, her knuckles white. Cerais met her gaze, her own eyes hard and unwavering.