For a long time, Elaim kept feeling the wind hitting her body. On her way to what she presumed to be on the road to hell, she thought,
‘What will my parents do if I die? Will they be sad? Even though I wanted to learn magic, in the end I couldn’t even take a peek at a magic book. Does falling to death hurt? I hope it’s not. That strawberry cake that I hid, I wish I could have eaten it…’
By the way, was falling supposed to be this long?
For some reason, the wind had abated when she was deep in her thoughts. And there’s no pain whatsoever from hitting the ground. She mustered her courage to open her eyes and lifted her head.
“Huh?”
What she saw surprised her; a gigantic castle, a really really gigantic castle, entered her eyes. Its towers shone brilliantly in five colors and numerous spires scattering a subtle magical field in various colors.
It’s definitely the first time she’d seen such a place in her entire life, but for some reason, the place didn’t feel extremely unfamiliar. It’s due to the fact that she’d read countless times about this place; the very place where Archmage Aracelli Rinekal sealed everything about her.
“Rinekal… Rigatuma…?”
“Yeah.” Yoo Seodam put Elaim down from his arms and nodded his head at her question. As he had expected, flying boat number 12 passed right above Rinekal Rigatuma. The reason was simple. These days, the Rinekal Rigatuma has become a must-see tourist attraction, unlike in the past where the place was regarded as a mysterious and mythical place.
During the battle with the second batch of android, when Yoo Seodam confirmed that Rinekal Rigatuma was right below him, he grabbed Elaim without hesitation and jumped off the ship. And, as he expected, Aracelli’s barrier did not reject him.
“We really… entered Rinekal Rigatuma, the legacy of the Archmage…….”
“Isn’t that what I told you what we are going to do?”
Elaim saw Yoo Seodam with a different gaze from before. She to some extent knew that he was a great and mysterious person, but…
“…are you really acquainted with Archmage Aracelli?”
“She wasn’t an acquaintance, she is an acquaintance.”
“Pardon? But I heard that the Archmage disappeared 100 years ago…”
“She’d been with me ever since that day.”
“Ah…”
Crackle-!! Crackle-!!
Elaim, who was taken aback by Yoo Seodam’s words, looked up at the sky at the sudden sound of the explosion. She could see in the sky that androids were firing missiles and lasers in order to break through the blue curtain that stretched endlessly.
“Their number seems to have increased…?”
“Yeah.”
The army of androids now numbered in almost 50. However, with their current ability, they will never be able to break through the barrier erected by a 9th Circle Archmage.
However, since they were coming from the future where they had developed a weapon system to hunt wizards, nothing would be impossible. Even now, the number of androids keeps increasing. Perhaps, as time passes, the barrier will also be broken.
Even though he knew that, Yoo Seodam couldn’t do anything as of now. He just has to wait and trust Aracelli. Once she finished her job, all of the androids flying in the sky would return to the future.
Once that happens, only the development of Elaim awaits. She would grow stronger and will be the beacon of humanity later down the line.
*
[Month 9 Day 1 Year 709]
When science starts to decimate the magic civilization of Vivienda Empire, the survivors hide and send a certain signal to call their hero, Archmage Aracelli Rinekal who had disappeared 200 years ago.
Although Aracelli did not receive the signal, the signal that the wizards fired with hope contained the power to transcend time and space.
And currently,
Aracelli put her mana into the signal, amplifying its power more and more. The reason was simply to fully activate the Nine Circles in her heart.
Empress Sahar looked at Aracelli with worry.
“Your nine circles will be restored within a week even without you doing this. What will you do if the circle breaks?”
“The ‘time tunnel’ they created is connected to Month 3 day 27 of year 609.” Aracelli replied. “If it was just a normal time travel, I wouldn’t have been in such a hurry. Whether it’s months or decades, if you travel through different times and return to your original time, for everyone except yourself, it would only amount to less than 5 minutes. But they are different.”
However, the technique the android used wasn’t time travel but time tunnel. Literally, two times were connected and flow at the same speed.
“If one day passes in 609, one day also passes in 709. If I waste my time waiting for my circle to return naturally, more and more androids would go to the past.”
That’s why Aracelli was pushing herself. She had to move quicker or her professor would be in danger. As she slowly defrost her nine circles, Aracelli’s blue-sky eyes become even bluer.
“A single magic will be enough.”
A battle between high-level wizards does not require a lot of magic to conclude. As the power of their every spell was out of this world, a battle between high-level magicians would end with just three to ten spells.
Does science have a weapon as powerful as herself?
Every wizard was already a weapon themself. It’s just that they hadn’t been able to shine until now because of the overwhelming number of androids. However, if it was a 9 circle magic, which had the power that went beyond even the limits of science, barely touching godhood even…
Empress Sahar swallowed her dry saliva and stepped back slightly.
Woooong-!!!!
A huge storm of mana spread from Aracelli’s body. Although Sahar was not a wizard, she was well aware just how great the power of a 9th circle magician is. However, as it was her very first time experiencing the power directly, she came to a realization.
‘If she becomes a little more stronger, I’m sure she can claim the title of a goddess.’
Flash-!!
Aracelli opened her eyes. At the same time, a huge golden cog manifested around her and began to spin. In front of that spectacle, Empress Sahar could immediately recognize its identity.
It was destiny or fate itself that bound Aracelli. Every human being has a certain destiny. For example, ‘I will stumble down in 39 seconds’ or ‘I will sneeze in 3 seconds’ etc. All events that happen to that person and every action of that person were determined by fate.
However, unlike other people, Aracelli could rule over her own destiny and fate. Perhaps, she could even see something few tens of seconds or as long as a minute to the future. Moreover, she seemed to have reached a point where she could change her fate, or at least a part of it if she ever wanted to.
In simpler terms, Aracelli has reached a level that makes even ‘reality manipulation’ possible with magic.
‘How…’
Sahar was stunned. However, it wasn’t due to the fact her true power was better than she thought. Rather, it was because of what Aracelli had decided to do.
If she was as powerful as her, would she be able to do something like her?
Leaving all of her power, wealth, and achievements behind, just so that she can be with someone?
Empress Sahar doubted that she could do so. Because if she did that, she was afraid that she would become a nuisance to the person she likes. Or even died without being able to do anything for him.
‘It seems like I also need to be more decisive.’
When Empress Sahar saw Aracelli opening her eyes, the space had already been turned upside down. Sahar almost inadvertently tripped her foot because of it, but she was able to remain calm.
“Just when…?”
Without warning, they had already been transported to the Valley of Sleeping Heart in a blink of an eye.
Aracelli said to Sahar.
“Can you buy me some time while I prepare my spell?”
“That should be no problem. I will do my best.”
“Please…”
Having said that, Aracelli soared high to the clouds and put her palms together. As golden cogs spun violently behind her, she began to slowly correct her fate.
In the ground, Empress Sahar could vividly feel Aracelli’s power moving beyond the sky and reaching the universe. Her magic power was ginormous and terrifying to the point even anyone could feel it even if they didn’t have a detection ability or even mana.
Wheeing! Wheeing! Wheeing!
Moments later, alarms blared through the entirety of the valley where the heart slept. It signaled that a crisis had come to the heart of Stellar Horizon, the headquarters of science.
Just 30 seconds after the alarm sounded, the sky parted and dozens of missiles started pouring down at both Empress Sahar and Aracelli. If it hits them or the ground, they will be erased without a trace.
Even after knowing that fact, Empress Sahar only laughed.
“I don’t know why you believed in me and left your back to me but…”
She will return as much as the trust she received.
“Hu….” As she exhaled a hot breath, steam formed in the air. Aracelli was a wizard who had reached the pinnacle of spatial magic. No human should be able to compete with her.
Meanwhile Empress Sahar was someone who had an unparalleled understanding of time. Unlike their science, which travels between time by artificially drilling holes in time to make paths, she travels by using the flow of time itself. Although it is slower than science’s way, and she couldn’t go as far as theirs… To deal with the flow means that it was possible to even reverse the flow and manipulate it.
The difference in understanding quickly became apparent.
When Empress Sahar clenched her fists and moved it counterclockwise, the missiles which were flying into her started to run in the opposite direction!
Boom-!!
The missiles soon returned to the missile launcher and exploded. Beautiful fireworks embroidered the night sky. However, Empress Sahar smirked, as if she wouldn’t let the constellation shine brighter than herself.
-An unobservable level of magic wave was detected.
-Finding the cause and eliminating it.
-The enemy has unrecorded technical skills.
But missiles were not the only weapon the androids had. More than 100 android troops were descending from the sky. At the same time, they raised their right arms and fired small missiles at empress Sahar from all sides, without leaving even a single gap.
Sahar quickly raised his arms high into the sky, but it was impossible to turn back all time just like what she did earlier. It was due to the fact there’s a limited amount of something she could reverse in time. And as they sent a lot at once, her power couldn’t cover all of them.
“…”
But she also had a way to deal with it.
‘If it’s impossible to turn back time, I just need to freeze time.’
The name of the technique was Time Lock On. After freezing all the missiles, she time-regressed them one by one. It was her way to deal with the limitation the time reversal has.
The sight was one of a kind. Missiles that were launched, missiles that stopped in mid-air, and missiles that returned to the direction they were coming from. The androids fired lasers and missiles while dodging the missiles returning at them, but none of them hit Empress Sahar.
– Identifying the enemy’s attack trajectory.
Since they had computers, Sahar was also expecting her attacks to be read. However, she just smirked at their attempt.
“You are trying to identify it? I don’t think you’ll be able to..”
Click-!!
When Sahar snapped her finger, another 12 androids suddenly appeared in the air, fired a laser at their ally, and then disappeared again.
The twelve lasers accurately hit the enemy android, and when the 12 were destroyed, the other android fell into confusion.
‘Time loading.’
Until now, only time stop and reverse were used, but this time Sahar used a technique that brings the past event to the present. As it was a technology that brings history itself to the present, the burden was considerable for Sahar, but what if it happened only a few seconds ago?
She could do it all day long.
However… There was something empress Sahar could not have imagined.
-Enemy can summon past attacks.
-Prepare for counterattack by loading all attack data so far.
Androids were to record every move they made in a database.
“This…”
All of her technique was countered. Therefore, she had no choice but to take out a sword and wield it while using time acceleration and cognitive acceleration on her own body. But even with those boosts, it was still impossible to deal with all of them alone.
-Additional reinforcement arrives.
-B type android team-1009 12 units, confirm participation in battle.
Android reinforcements continued to come, and ‘Stellar Horizon’ also appeared in the sky.
Empress Sahar wiped her bleeding nose and devoted herself to defending against any attack. Even when an attack landed on herself. She tried as much as she could to not let any attack land on Aracelli.
A missile stopped in front of Aracelli’s nose and fell to the ground. A laser breeze past Aracelli’s hair, and waves of her rays shook the air around her, but nothing could harm her.
Thanks to this, Aracelli was able to concentrate solely on her magic without thinking about anything else, and by the time Empress Sahar finally reached her limits…
Flash-!!
Energy exploded from Aracelli’s body as her blue eyes took over the world.
Whiiing-!! Whiiing-!!! Whiiing-!!!
Hundreds of androids explode into flames. Even though Aracelli had yet to unleash her spell, the waves of magic leaking from the spell alone had enough destructive power.
-Danger, danger, danger
-Preparing for enemy attacks.
It seemed that an urgent order was coming from Stellar Horizon, which sensed the danger from the existence named Aracelli. However, it was already too late.
‘Ah…’ Kneeling on the ground while grabbing her pulsating head, Sahar looked at the sky. There, something akin to pure white sun was falling down. It was ginormous, bright, and hot. Science obviously couldn’t conjure something like that.
It was clear that it was real magic.
-Energy waveform analysis… Unable to defend. All facilities will be shut down and enter emergency evacuation mode-
The Stellar Horizon quickly ascended to the other side of the sky, but the generator fixed on the ground would never be able to avoid it.
With a deafening roar, a dazzling flash of light covered the area. The time it took for Stella Horizon’s heart to die was really fleeting. As the heart was destroyed, they will no longer be able to time travel.
‘Haha, this is it, this is it.’
Not even having the strength to float his body anymore, Aracellli, who fell to the ground, smirked. However, at that moment, a part of Stellar Horizon was once again showing its gigantic form in the sky. On top of it, hundreds of androids which had not been seen before, were covering the night sky.
They deployed that much android for one purpose: Fighting Aracelli Rinekal.
But it was already too late because Araceli had accomplished her mission.
‘Now I can die in peace.’ In the first place, she was prepared to die here. However, when she thought of someone who would be sad after she disappeared, her heart ached.
‘Even if I’m not there… I’m sure Professor will still be able to live on…’
Though, she would like it if she could just see his face one last time.
‘Huh?’
However, suddenly, an unknown feeling washed over her body.
She mustered all of her remaining power to open her eyes. Once her blue eyes were opened, she could see some kind of creature that she couldn’t explain other than that it was magnificent.
It had demon-like wings on its back, golden horns which challenged the sky, beautiful white stripes all over its body, golden eyes, a lizard body, and a dragon’s head.
It wasn’t as huge as Stella Horizon, but its presence even made the sun pale in comparison.
Dragon.
Aracelli didn’t doubt that the figure she saw was a dragon; The legendary being who was said to suddenly appears in a world in crisis, saves them, and then disappears again
It circled around the sky before making eye contact with Aracelli.
-I came here because the rescue signal was very intense… But it’s over already?
‘Huh?’
The vivid voice that resonated in her head was really nice and beautiful. She couldn’t tell if it was a boy’s or a girl’s.
-The world line is changing. I don’t know what you guys did, but someone who can travel through time has successfully changed the past.
The dragon’s expression could not be distinguished, but somehow it seemed to be smiling.
-Congratulation. You have succeeded in protecting your world. In return for giving me a good spectacle, I’ll give you a present.
Aracelli stared blankly at the blue cube-like object that had fallen into her arms. When she lifted her head again, several other figures appeared beyond the sky.
At the appearance of the unicorns, human-like creatures, angels, and a figure which looks like a snake, the dragon hurriedly spoke.
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-Oh my… My friends are waiting for me, so I need to go. Then, I wish you good luck.
At its last words, Aracelli closed her eyes. And the world slowly changed in the meantime.
Woong-!! Woong-!! Woong-!!
Even amidst the loud noise of the world itself opening up, Aracelli was able to have a sweet dream after a long while. Though, it was just an extremely ordinary dream of traveling the world with someone she cherished a lot.