Number of participants from Earth: 3

Information inside of the festival was locked down by Aria’s magic, but still everyone else could check some small details on what was going on.

With the death of the witch, everyone in the room had mixed feelings. Apparently the one who saved billions of people from Shira City was the witch, and with the immortals killing a general, most of them were against them.

"Do they even care about the rules of society?" An angry voice asked the small group; all nine generals plus Marian and Iri’s son were in the room.

"Raol, I understand your loss... But..."

"He’s right." Marian was cut short by her own apprentice: "We should have a way to counter immortals if necessary." 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

A punch hit the table; General Armstrong’s usual calm manner was gone; he had known Iri for two centuries. "That artifact that Iri had found in the hand of judges. Retrieving it will be all units’ first priority."

"This is madness." Marian stood up from her seat. "Yes, we kill one of them; there is more to come than just one."

Alexanderia snapped back at her, "Then we just sit and take them like good kids?"

"I’m just saying that’s the way that the earth has maintained its peace for ages." Her eyes observed other generals; all were angry or frustrated, and she understood them well, but trying to fight against immortals was pure madness.

"I can’t believe this shit. How should we know that you are not even working with Blood Angel? You were the one who introduced him to me." Alexanderia’s anger had taken control of her, and with the things she had seen, she had reached her limits.

Raol yelled too, "You were the closest to him too; how the hell has he survived too?" Those immortals knew you too!"

One by one, all eyes moved on her figure; no one but Armstrong knew her past on Mars.

General Hank said with a tired sound, "There are some serious accusations you are facing, Lady Marian. You got anything to put up with it?"

"Fine, you want a way to deal with immortals? Get strong." Blood rushed to her face. "The sole reason all of you here are so bitter like bitches is because you are weak."

She burst out to leave the room as a katana’s blade came on her neck. "General Armstrong, this woman here had betrayed us. The signs are all over the place, and we can’t trust that she wouldn’t leak the information about the artifact."

"Put her in the ocean dungeon until we find the artifact." General Armstrong’s face showed the struggle with his decision: "She has spent too much time with immortals; we might need her information."

The sound of laughter filled the room, and Marian’s voice became dangerously low: "When the war started, I will remember this time for picking sides. And put the stupid blade away; I will go to the dungeon myself."

Dark ropes tied her hands and legs, with Alexandria guiding her out of the room. The voices inside faded away as the only sound remaining was their footsteps.

"Alexandria, are you sure about your decision?"

"I won’t be a failure like you."

With an emotionless face, Marian let her body be guided throughout the way; a feeling deep within her told her that someone would come to save her soon enough.

"Is this about Ray? I warned you about him."

"Shut up, this is about the future of humanity; this planet is nothing but a playground for those stronger than us. We have to change that." She chuckled, "I have to change that."

Marian didn’t look back to face her; she stopped and gave her the last warning before forgetting that she ever was her apprentice: "To face a demon, you have to become a demon. Do you have that in you?"

"Yes. If not, I wouldn’t get this magic." Her voice seemed dead from inside.

"You have fallen low."

________________________________

A cold breeze touched her skin, moving her robe with it on her body; however, she was too tired to move from her place.

"Just a few more hours of sleep is not going to hurt anyone." She whispered to herself; the world thought that as a wanted person she spent most of her time doing illegal stuff, but her biggest job was sleeping.

Her eyes suddenly opened wide; the memories of the events flooded in her mind. At some point while protecting herself against Aria’s attack, she had run out of power.

"Where is Ray? Where am I?" She finally looked around; the scenery had changed from the area in the festival to a desert; sand had taken the world as long as she could see.

Her magic was fully replenished, and she started to scan the desert; nothing about it stood out; it was just a normal desert, and the planet was Earth, surely.

As her consciousness returned fully, a message came through her system, opening it with a hurry; she was faced with a short letter:

Live

Ray

She traced back the message to the one who had sent it.

All access is blocked.

Once more she tried, and the same message showed itself, over and over. Tears started to fall from her eyes; not knowing what to do, her hands picked up sand, and she started punching the ground.

"He traded my safety for his own life..." The truth went behind her expectations of Ray; at first she thought that Ray wanted in the festival to help him find a way with immortals; never in her wildest dreams would she have thought his plan was to save her.

"Don’t die..." Her legs started to carry her, to where she didn’t know, but she knew she had to walk.

The last memory she had of Ray was the massage; for the first time in her life, she wondered about her own future. No longer did she want to survive and pass days.

"If I see you in this life or the next life, I will tell you tales of my wonderful life..."

With teary eyes, she continued to walk.

A new journey awaited her...