The Duchess of Flynn

Alice's anxiety grew more and more as she watched the rocks fly by them, it would make a loud boom whenever the rocks hit something meaning if she got it by it, the impact would be dangerous.

"We have to time this correctly," said Ellie.

"I know, I'm not that stupid, just let me focus," Alice replied.

With a deep breath, her eyes watched the rocks intensely, they would need to perfectly evade the rocks quickly while they were concealed since there was a short time limit.

"Now!"

They both instantly dashed across the road while evading the rocks shooting past them. Halfway across, they both could see the human figures projecting magic at the rocks and making them fly towards them. Luckily, the concealment still hasn't worn off so they were able to make it through undetected.

"They're human, that's for sure," said Ellie.

"I think so too, their figures don't seem similar to the mutants at all. But there's another thing since they're able to hurl the rocks at us from that far at a high speed, wouldn't that mean they're strong?"

"I guess so, we don't have much knowledge about them too. Let's get closer to them and try to find any information we can before we head back. Ena is probably waiting for us to come back and scold us."

"In a situation like this, I don't know how you're able to make jokes, but I agree with you."

"Haha! I guess I'm just like this, better to die while laughing than die with a sad expression. Though I do want to see how Ena would react if I die "

"Alright, enough jokes you scum, let's focus back on our mission."

"What...what did you just call me?'

"I didn't call you anything, I said to focus back on what we were here for."

Meanwhile inside Alice's head was filled with thoughts of cursing Ellie for talking about her sister so casually. But this wasn't time to think about her lovely sister, she needed to finish this mission and return to her sister.

As for Ellie, she could care less about her.

When the concealment wore off, they both lowered their mana magnitude as low as possible so they wouldn't be detected as easily.

Peeking from a wall, the appearances of the human figures came to sight, both of them were shocked, but Ellie was the most shocked out of the two.

The figures they saw weren't just any figures, they were members of the 12 ranking families. They didn't look normal either, the color of their pupils was different than what it used to be, it was white, just white. There was only one conclusion that came to their mind.

"They're influenced by manipulation magic aren't they?" asked Alice.

"You're correct, there isn't much we could do about it since we don't have Ena here with us to break it," Ellie replied.

There was it again, the way Ellie said her sister's name ticked her off.

"Shall we go back now? We already have enough information, should we leave now?"

"I guess we should-"

Before Ellie could finish her sentence, her instincts went off and detected a huge amount of mana coming her way, Alice felt it too.

"Move!"

They both jumped away from their spot as the wall they were behind was blown up to pieces by a huge fireball. As the smoke started to dissipate, 2 figures of the royal family could be seen with fire and ice magic hovering above their palms.

"It seems like the nuisances were here."

"Shall we kill them or shall we alert the master?"

"It's best if we kill them now, that way, no information will be leaked."

The two figures spoke to each other in a monotone voice, there were no emotions in their tone either, they were truly being manipulated with their being taken away.

Without any warning at all, a huge pillar of ice and a fireball the size of a fireball came at them. There was no way they could dodge this one, there was only one choice.

"Alice! Use fire magic to counter both of them! I'll do the same!" Ellie yelled over to Alice.

"You don't have to tell me, I already know!" Alice yelled back.

Syncing their attacks together, they both shot at the incoming attack. It didn't matter if their magic was weaker than their magic, it would create a bigger shockwave at the enemy while a breeze would come at them.

However, the impact from the 2 attacks crashing into each other was more than just a breeze. Both parties were sent back flying from the shockwave as black smoke started to appear from where the attacks met.

"Ellie! Should we attack or should we escape?" asked Alice.

"Considering the situation we're in, it's best if we escape. They probably have an outline of where we are in their heads unlike us, we only know how to get back, plus, we don't know how strong they are compared to them. Compared to them, we're at too much of a disadvantage." said Ellie.

"So how do we escape? With their capabilities, they probably know where we are right now and they're coming up with a plan to get us."

"That's easy, you make a distraction, I'll take care of everything else."

"Somehow, I get the feeling you're going to do something I won't like."

"Kuh...it feels like you're always cruel to me, but anyway, just trust me this once. It'll get us out of here easily if you're able to distract them for at least 30 seconds."

"Fine, so when should I go distract them?"

"Now! They're coming nearer!"

Immediately, Alice rolled to the side and hid behind the wall. She focused on her surroundings and detected the faint mana coming towards them slowly. There were also swirls of mana circling them meaning they had wind magic prepared.

Once the 2 figures were close enough, Alice leaped out from her spot and appeared before them. Immediately projecting ice magic from her hands, sharp ice spikes appeared in the ground.

The two figures leaped away in opposite directions, Alice could see a small part of their face from the moonlight, they seemed strangely familiar, but it wasn't someone she knew.

"Alice! Get ready!"

It seems the 30 seconds were up, but it felt like it was too easy, as if they wanted them to escape.

Thunder flashed in the sky as electricity surrounded her and felt an arm around their face. That was when everything became a blur in Alice's eyes, it felt like she was going at light speed.

When another thunder flashed through the sky, Alice's keen eyesight locked eyes with one of the figures.

'It can't be...' thought Alice.

It was none other than the duchess of the Flynn family, Runa Flynn.