Asteria Cole had been imprisoned, again. A Magic Council guard came in, unlocked the cage, and freed her sister from her arcanium hand-cuffs, designed to inhibit magic.
“You’re free to go.” He said gruffly. “And stay outta’ trouble next time, ya hear?” He added, with a hint of annoyance.
“Yeah yeah, I’ll try.” She said, mimicking his exasperation. “And would you look at that, if it isn’t good ole’ Elly.” She said, concealing a silent snigger.
“It’s Seargent Ellsworth Cole to you, scum.” The guard said, spitting at her, which Asteria dodged expertly. Sargent Ellsworth, or “The Bear” as she was sometimes called by her underlings, was a beautiful lady whose face had been marred from countless fights, and she had the strength to match her appearance. The guard saluted her as she walked in.
“I’ve just freed the prisoner, ma’am.” He said nervously.
“I would hope she hasn’t been giving you any trouble?” Ellsworth said, coldly.
“No, no trouble at all.” Asteria replied jokingly.
“So, where do you wanna go after-.” before being interrupted. “I said be quiet you insolent little-!” The guard said raising his weapon before Ellsworth had a magic circle sprout from her left hand, aimed at the both of them.
“Now then, guard, attacking prisoners isn’t exactly proper, is it? My sister will be my problem after this.”
“Your sister!?” the guard exclaimed. “I mean, of course, sergeant.” he said, unlocking Asteria’s restraints, before returning to his post. Ellsworth took her sister up roughly by the arm and walked out of the cell with a brisk pace. “He was right you know, it would do you some good to stay out of trouble for a while,” Ellsworth said. She walked out of the Silent Tower and began heading south, towards Summerport. “But where’s the fun in that though?” her sister replied in a joking manner following her.
“Anyways, I hope no one touched the dagger I had on me, you know its the only thing I have of my father before he, y’know…” She trailed off, looking away. Ellsworth gave a rare smile and handed her sister her prized dagger.
“Don’t worry, I made sure no one but me even touched it.” She said, lovingly.
Elsewhere, the masked menace Abiel Cole, the eldest of the three Cole sisters, was prowling the forests around Summerport. She was wearing all magenta wizarding robes, and while not the most practical battle attire, it struck fear into the hearts of many. She had heard from some of the townsfolk some bandits were extorting some of the merchants inside the city, and was determined to snuff them out. She had silently followed a bandit back to his camp. She could have just went in and captured them, but Abiel decided that she would be putting on a show, again.
She drew up near the entrance, before blasting the woman on guard duty with a huge ball of magma. “Magnum Balls” Abiel shouted, instantly drawing the attention of the other bandits, and knocking the one she had just blasted unconscious. “One down, three to go.” She thought to herself, smiling. With the guard dispatched, the rest would easy, drowsily waking from their slumbers. She slipped on her signature pink mask and purple cape before yelling.
“Fear me, evildoers of the night, for I am the Magenta Menace” She shouted at the drowsy bandits, before sending a volley of magma blasts at one of the bandits, instantaneously melting them. That got their attention, as the remaining bandits began pulling out their weapons. Abiel had expected this, so when they reached for their weapons, there was nothing there. She quickly gunned down the bandit on her left, turning him into ash, before pouncing on the fourth and last bandit.
“Please. Don’t hurt me! I’ll give you everything!” He cried out.
“Unfortunately, I do not tolerate evil.” Abiel replied coldly, before annihilating him in a pillar of magma, reducing him to nothing. Abiel proceeded to tie up the remaining bandit, before dropping her off at the nearest Magic Council camp, and collected the reward.
Afterwards, she returned back to her home, and rested, waiting for her sisters, unknowing of who’s men she had just killed…
Ellsworth and Asteria had finally returned after the arduous trek from the Tower to Summerhold. She gave her report to King David, and as the fourth-highest-ranking officer at Summerhold, just below the three captains that resided there, she had a lot of work to do. Asteria, on the other hand, did not, and was obliged to go back to her house and was reprimanded by her parents. Asteria knew that they loved her, but she also had her own goals and aspirations, which was why she had decided to abandon the family at her 21st birthday, which was next year, as to not be a burden anymore. She walked into the living room of her house, finding Abiel lounging there.
“Well, how was your day?” She asked her sister, uncomfortable since the argument she had with her parents.
“Not bad, nothing very interesting really happened,” Abiel said, sounding bored. “I earned some more money, that’s all.” Abiel herself had her own dreams and aspirations. As she was the eldest and heir of the Cole family, she had much less freedom, but she had more in common with her sister than she thought, for Abiel was restless, and wanted to explore the mysterious wilderness of the unexplored continent.
At that moment, Ellsworth came rushing in. “Bandit attack! Here, now!” She yelled. “Pack your things, you have to evacuate!” She yelled again, louder this time.
“Evacuate! For just some bandits?” Abiel asked, not really very concerned.
“This is no time to jokes, and this is no regular bandit raid! There are more of them than we thought even existed in this entire area!” Ellsworth yelled, almost screeching now. “The Magic Council and I will do our best, but I’m not even sure if, if…” She trailed off, looking out the window.
“They’ve broken through. Ellsworth whispered. “They’re in the city.”