I am standing in a fork road of my life. Escape and surely get captured by this monster of a woman? Or to hold my ground and fight which I am sure will end with my ass getting handed to me. Either way I will get captured and I am not confident that it will be good for my wellbeing once they deliver me to their hideout.

"So what would it be, pet? Fight, escape or come with us peacefully? I hope it was the first. I would like to experience your style of fighting which thoroughly humiliated my subordinates." Mariam smiled in a seductive manner. As if she is coaxing me to attack. "Better yet, show me your Void abilities. I might treat you well if you do."

What a crazy woman. "Is there any chance that you would, you know. Just leave us alone? As you can see we are far outnumbered by you and your lackeys and I can't use mana or any of that Void energy you are talking about. So it is quite apparent that this isn't a fair fight for us." I said. "Could we just do it from the top once our companions come back and fight fairly? Or are you afraid that you will lose against an equal number of opponent?" I hope she bites. I can see that she is prideful. The way she talks to her subordinates clearly shows it.

She just laughed mockingly at my statements as if she finds it funny. "Ha ha ha ha. That was a good joke." She wiped a tear of laughter from her eyes and continued. "You really think that I am afraid of your party? Even if they add up all of their power, they are still nothing to me." She smiled in a condescending way. "If I had my way, I could've captured you weeks ago. If only those old fogeys have the balls to enter this flea infested forest a week before, you would already be tied up, carried back to our camp and our wish would already be granted."

Mariam began to release her enormous mana as she speak. As her energy wash over me, I fight the urge to vomit. Damn it. Even if you combine all the mana of all her lackeys they will not even match a quarter of her energy. The energy she emits is equal if not more than the energy of the mana drained Kaizer I met in the Void.

"Oh!" Her surprise evident in her face. "You're still conscious even after getting hit by my aura while unprotected. What a pleasant surprise since you have a high sensitivity to mana. That is how you were able to discover us while we're hiding no?" She placed her finger on her lips and smiled in a predatory way. "Which only makes me more curious."

I fight to remain conscious as she began to walk circles around me. Inspecting me like I am a lab animal.

"Oh my. My aura should have more effect on you due to your high mana sensitivity. But look at you. Not only you're conscious, but you are still on your feet. How fascinating!" She then frowned and gazed towards her minions who were kneeling in all fours as they try to endure their crazy mistress's aura. "Unlike some useless people I know. You guys are really an embarrassment. Can't even defend against my aura when a manaless person cou---"

I didn't let her finish her words as I took advantage of her taking her eyes off of me. I dropped kick her but an invisible force threw me aside as I was send sprawling in the ground. What the hell?! What did she do? She's not even looking at me and it is surely not a mana shield. I didn't feel my foot hitting an invisible protective shield. Instead it was as if something swatted me away when I got too close.

"Tut tut. Attacking a lady while her back is turned away. Have you no pride?" She said in a mocking tone.

"As long as I win. Why not?" I replied as I lean on a tree staggered to get back on my feet.

"Indeed." She smiled in amusement. "Well. Even if you try everything it won't change anything. You will still be helpless in before my power. I bet you won't even be able to dirty my clothes." She chuckled as if she said something funny.

Mocking me eh? Well I guess if our situation are reversed, I would also be arrogant. Just look at her energy. It's like an ant fighting an elephant.

Shiver run up my spine as her energy rise up once more. Do I try and escape? No… Even if I try she would catch me. Should at least try and fight like a man.

I ran towards her and with a wordless shout I threw a punch. Just like before, my punch was pushed aside by an unseen force. I threw another, but with a flick of her finger my punch was swatted away once more. Like a conductor of an Opera, she swatted away my attacks with the invisible force as she wags her finger.

"I told you it is useless. But do go on. I will enjoy watching you fall to despair as you realize that everything you do is useless." She declared.

Damn it. That invisible barrier of hers is deflecting all of my attacks. I noticed the grass and leaves beneath her feet move in a swirling motion. I know now what her shield is.

"So. You're using air the revolving around your body to deflect all of my attacks." I stated.

She was surprised for a moment but quickly returns to her playful smile. "I am surprised you knew. Only a handful of people knows about this spell of mine. What tipped you off?"

I pointed at the leaves and grass beneath her feet. "The grass and leaves beneath your feet swirls around you. Now that I know your trick. Prepare to eat your words from earlier."

"My… Discovering a single spell and he thinks that he could take me on. What arrogance. What ignorance." She shakes her head disapprovingly. "As I said, you wo---" Her words were once more interrupted as I charged forward once more.

I threw a heavy punch in which she doesn't move a finger. But it was still pushed aside by my wrist. I threw a kick and she swings her finger to the left and my kick was also deflected to the left. The way her finger moves, the energy seem to follow. I tried to tackle her but just resulted to me tumbling about the dirt.

"Sigh… Why do I even bother? I was hoping you would use your Void energy if I goad you but it looks like it's no use." She looks disappointed. "I guess I should just capture you now and send you to the Elders. Gods know they will chew my ear out if I don't. Come now. Lets go."

My fingers burrow on the forest soil as I clench my fist. "I am not done yet." I stood up once more.

"Sigh… You don't give up do you? Oh well. Come. I will let you go at me one final time. After this I will send you back to our camp either willingly or while tied up. Your choice." She stated boringly. "Well? What are you waiting for? An invitation?"

I dashed towards her one final time and with my full strength, threw a punch which was expectedly deflected. But as the invisible force deflect my punch by the wrist, I threw the dirt I was holding in my hand.

"Gah!" She shouted as she shields her face from the flying dirt.

An opening! I threw another punch to exploit the moment she have his eyes closed. Oh how wrong am I. With a wave of her hand, a strong gust of wind sent me flying with enormous force and hit a tree.

"Blergh!" I felt blood rise up my throat and I coughed out blood

"Y-y-you!" She shouted. "How dare you!" With a swing of her hand another gust of wind sent me crashing against another tree.

With a couple of swings more, I felt like I was a broken toy being thrown about. I could barely feel any strength in my limbs and even a small movement is enough to cause so much pain due to multiple broken bones that I wish I could just lose consciousness.

Damn it crazy woman! I thought you were supposed to capture me? I am dying here!

"Uhmm… Mistress Mariam… I think you should stop." I heard a voice of a girl call out to this crazy lady as I try to lean on a tree for support while I sit. "He looks like he's had enough punishment already. The Elders would be angry if the Chosen would perish." As she finish her sentence she was suddenly hit by the strong gust of air and was sent sprawling in the ground.

"You dare order me?" She tossed the girl against a tree once more. "I don't care if he's about to die. You can use Restoration can't you? Then you can just heal him back up so I can beat him up to the brink of death once more!" She slammed the girl against the ground. "If he dies it will be on your head. For you didn't heal him fast enough!" With a final hit, she sent the girl flying towards her other minions. "What are you looking at?" She then snapped on the other minions which sent them looking down to avoid her gaze.

"Cough… Cough… Gee lady. Why go full crazy? You challenged me to dirty your clothes so I did. What did I win?" Shit. Since I would get beaten up anyway, might as well throw in a few low blows.

"What a sharp tongue you have. Good thing you won't need it. Let me cut it out for you." She snarled.

She started walking towards me before we both felt mana approaching at high speed. "The Crazy Lady" Mariam quickly jumped away as a high speed bolt of mana zipped past her and deflected another two which followed. The power behind those bolt was evident as it pierced multiple trees and created a deep hole in the ground where it was deflected.

"Who dares?!" She shouted but before she could say more, a figure came charging like a rocket towards her. She raised her hand and summoned a strong gust of wind blowing away and destroying the trees toward the figure. But it didn't stop the mysterious figure. Appearing in front of Mariam, the figure became clear.

"Kurt! Argh.." I shouted which resulted a pained groan from me.

Kurt didn't answer and with a serious look in his face, he continued to attack Mariam as she can't push him back with wind like he did to me.

"I see. You're using Ki huh? How about this?" A large amount of mana pool under the ground in front of her. The amount of mana was far greater than what she is using before.

"Kurt look out!" I shouted once more.

Kurt stopped right on time as a large tornado appeared but the strength of the gust from the spell was enough to throw him against a tree.

"Hmmm… Your presence here must only mean that Zachary and Malthus has failed. One job is all I ask, to defeat two people with weak mana and they still unable to do their job." She sighed in frustration. "By the Gods, I am surrounded by idiots."

She then prepares another spell without chanting as she points her finger at Kurt. "Haahhh. I guess it's time to clean up the mess." She was alarmed once more and blocked multiple bolts of mana from an unseen perpetrator.

Enraged, she sent a large gust of wind that cuts through trees towards the origin of the mana bolts. As the dust settles, a figure appeared hiding behind a cracked shield made of mana that is coming out of a device in his arm. It was Ortho.

"Damn this woman! A single strike and already depleted the mananite crystal in my shield." He exclaimed as he dived to the side to avoid another cutting wind from Mariam. "Kurt! Quit slacking off ye bastard!"

"On it." Kurt answered. "I was careless and dropped my guard down. It won't happen again." He started sticking near Mariam to stop her from attacking Ortho who is changing the crystal in his gauntlet.

"Just careless I see? How arrogant. You haven't even seen my true power!" She flew above the trees and lightning started to gather in her finger. "Now witness my strength!"

But before she could unleash her spell another series of mana bolt assaults her. She blocked the attacks with her free hand. "You're getting on my nerves! Die!" She pointed her spell towards Ortho instead.

"Don't forget I am here." Kurt jump towards her and swatted away her hand as she launch her spell causing a large stream of lightning in the shape of dragon was launched towards the sky.

Before Kurt could follow up, he was pushed away by a strong gust of wind and he landed on his feet. "Despicable! You dare lay your filthy hands on me? Unacceptable!"

"Mistress should we help?" The man named Marlon called out to her.

She snapped at him in anger. "You think I will lose to these worms? Just shut up and watch me destroy them." She gathered clouds cackling with lightning.

"Ortho! She's too high. I can't reach her." Kurt told him.

"On it! If bolts are not enough how about a higher output?" He turned a dial on his rifle to max and an immense amount of mana gathers at the tip of his rifle. The crystal in his rifle cracks as he released a large blast of mana travels towards Mariam who stopped her spell to raise multiple walls of earth. It does nothing blast continues to obliterates everything in its path.

Mariam then flew to the side to avoid the blast which continued to travel towards the horizon, only to be met by a kick from Kurt who jumped from a tree to reach her. I can hear a sound of glass shattering as she was sent to the ground unharmed due to her mana shield. She moves to the side just in time to avoid an earth shattering kick from the bald monk. She tries to make space between her and Kurt but the bald monk won't let her.

"You're annoying! Be gone!" Mariam declared as she raised earth spikes to stop Kurt's charge. He jumped to dodge the attack but was smashed aside by the wind while he is in mid-air.

"Die!" She started to gather lightning in his finger but was interrupted when Ortho threw something at her. The device was running rampant with mana and explodes forcing Mariam to protect herself with another mana shield. Before she could cast a spell towards Ortho, Kurt was already in front of her.

I am amazed by the level of team work between these people. Kurt stops Mariam from casting spells by putting a lot of pressure in short range. Whenever she tries to put distance between her and the monk, Ortho uses his gadgets to keep her from going too far. Ortho is no longer holding his rifle. Instead he is using the crystals in his bandoliers as explosives and even throwing a shield platform cutting her escape resulting to Kurt breaking her shield and hitting her for the first time.

But before Kurt could deliver the finishing blow, he was thrown back by a large explosion of mana released from Mariam's body.

"This is unacceptable! How can I? The favored of the Gods. Blessed with a vast amount of mana and talent for magic allowed myself to be pressured by trash? A monk and a dwarf, beings who are cursed to not be able to use mana and magic. How can this be?!" She shouted in exasperation.

"Your immense strength caused you to be arrogant that it made you blind from your weakness." Kurt declared.

"Stop wasting time with your sermons and attack her!" Ortho told Kurt as he readies another gadget in his hands.

"Weakness?" Mariam whispered. "I don't have any weakness! I'll show you! I'll show you all!" She screamed as the wind blows stronger by the second.

"Mistress! Please calm down! You will destroy the area along with all of us!" April tried to call out to her.

"Shut up! The humiliation I feel right now will only be washed away by the blood of these two." Mariam snarled.

"You are not thinking straight and it will be your downfall. Release our friends and we will let you go." Kurt told her.

"You dare lecture me? Die!" She shouted. A large gust of destructive wind blew away everything at its path travels towards Kurt and he dodges out of the way.

Ortho fires a couple of mana bolts not with his rifle, but with short pistols. The mana bolts from his pistols are much weaker than his rifle and wasn't able to pierce through the wind surrounding Mariam.

"Damn it. If I only have my bag!" Ortho curses as he tries his best to break through Mariam's defense. He throws multiple devices in the ground before retreating with Kurt.

"Fools! Did you think I would let you escape? Do you see now the difference between us?!" She exclaimed as she gathers the wind in her hands. "Now die!"

What the hell! That amount of mana! Is she trying to kill us all?!

An arrow zipped towards her and she was a bit late to react and was able to graze her face.

"Who dare?!" She gazed towards the origin of the arrow.

Before she could react Philip was already within range. He swung his sword but quickly get swatted away by the wind. Without even flinching, he quickly charged once more. He continuously get thrown around but as if unaffected he unrelentingly chased after her. Kurt quickly joined him and she flew up to escape being overwhelmed by the two melee fighters. As she rises up, mana bolts and arrows intercepted her.

"Pests keeps on increasing. But even if you call more of you, you are still nothing!" She declared as she swatted away both Philip and Kurt when they tried to jump at her at the same time deflecting bolts of mana and arrows.

"Mistress! Look!" April called out to her and pointed towards the elf Alora.

When Mariam saw Alora, I can feel the uneasiness in her heart. "Grab the One and the Fire Mage. We are falling back!" She ordered her subordinates as she pushed back both Philip and Kurt with a strong gust of wind.

What? All of that bravado and suddenly they are falling back? What is happening?

"You think we will let you?!" Philip exclaimed as he was able to cut the arm of Marlon when he tried to grab me.

Kurt and Ortho tried to get to Mark but they were met by the other mages firing spells.

Mariam is floating in the air, her eyes fixed on Alora. "This is not the last time you will see us. You will be the ones who are going to look for us and once we do, I will have my revenge. This I promise."

After she said those words she flew towards the other mages. She casted a spell that created a dust cloud and when it settled, they are nowhere to be found.

They party then congregated in the camp and started conversing with each other. No doubt trying to find a way to get back Mark.

But guys.

You forgot about someone.

I am here. Please heal me.