Tale 16
White Foxes

“Everyone in town knew about your identity as a Wind Mage.” Primrose

“Yes, so the bandits must have heard about it and they came prepared to take me down and take the kids.” Drustan

“The bandits are probably worried that there are some hidden soldiers in town so they took some hostages to play it safe.” Titus

“They are also using the kids as hostages to get everyone to surrender all of their belongings willingly while most of the bandits are ransacking the warehouses and shops.” Drustan

“No wonder they are called White Foxes.” Primrose

“So what’s the plan?” Drustan

“We will take them down.” Primrose

“Without any plan of how to attack?” Drustan

“That’s the plan, attack!” Titus

Drustan was speechless. Aren’t you two being too reckless?

***

The White Foxes are a group of notorious bandits who hailed from the North.

They abandoned their territory after the young Duke, Indigo Crimson, almost wiped them out.

They became rogues who travel to different places, spreading the name White Foxes far and wide.

During their last raid last month on a small town, they almost died because it turns out there are a few travelling mages and soldiers resting on an inn in that town. They learnt from their mistake, so now they decided to hold some hostages while ransacking this town.

“Boss, this town seems good. There are pretty ladies and there’s good money since there’s a lot of shops.” Said one of the goons

“Should we stay here for a while longer? Although this place is close to the boarder, it’s far to the outpost of soldiers patrolling the boarder so it’s safe for us.” Said Randel, the leader of the White Foxes, and a powerful Wind Mage.

“What should we do with the hostages, boss?”

“Have fun with them of course.” Randel

“How about the kids?”

“After we take all of the valuables here, we will leave and we will take the kids to raise them as bandits.” Randel

“Good idea, Boss!”

“Claud, they will take us away and make us bandits too.”

“Mommy w-will get mad if we become baddies like t-them.”

“Don’t worry. Mommy will come and save us for sure.”

Just then, Randel heard two small voices whispering loudly to each other. The two looks calm which was a contrast to all the other crying kids.

The children’s crying and wailing sounds really annoying. He really hates kids.

He was thinking of ways on how to shut them up when a loud explosion startled everyone.

“What was that?” Randel asked

“Boss, we’re under attack!” one of his goons came running to report. Fear is written all over his face.

Just how fearsome are the enemies?

“Tsk. So there are hidden soldiers here too? How many are they? Twenty? Thirty?” Randel

They can take on even a hundred normal soldiers. So there’s nothing to be afraid of.

“Well... T-there’s three of them boss.”

“How many enemies?” Randel asked in disbelief

“T-three.”

“.........” Randel

Just three and everyone is already panicking?

“You’re all useless.” Randel shouted to everyone

Randel went to the balcony of the building. This place is a four storey apartment building. And they’re currently at the fourth floor, holding some women and children as hostages.

Two of their Earth Mages worked together to build a solid wall to surround the building so Randel is not worried about their safety.

However, what Randel suddenly saw surprised him.

Not just him, everyone in town, bandits and townsfolks alike, were shocked silly.

The dozen meter high wall that was created by two Earth Mages was destroyed.

Everyone gaped in shock as they stare at the demolished wall in front of them.

And it was a gentle-looking woman who destroyed it!

Primrose just took down a solid wall that was about a dozen meter high and at least five meters thick!

Primrose calmly retracted her foot that demolished a solid wall and said, “Let’s go.”

Only Titus have a calm expression right now. He knew what Primrose is capable of.

Drustan followed them while in a daze.

So this is what she meant when she said she will take everyone down. It includes taking down a massive wall.

Not long after, they reached the building, but it’s door was closed.

“That door is protected by Earth Magic. It will be as heavy as a mountain. We need to find the switch to open the doo—” before Drustan could finish his sentence, the wall of the building in front of them suddenly vanished!

Who needs a door when Primrose can just create a hole in the wall?

Inside the building, a bandit stared at them in shock. He was surprised that the unbreakable wall, is now broken?!

“You’re in the way.” said Primrose before waving her hand casually, a strong current of water sent the bandit flying away.

“I’m just curious, are you using Earth Magic?” Asked Titus as he throw some fireball to the bandits

“No, it’s still Water Magic. But I did study the principles of the other three elements and I discovered a way to incorporate them in my own magic. Earth Magic focuses on weight. It can make a sword as heavy as a mountain. So I applied the same concept to my magic. My kicks and punches is as heavy as the ocean, so a wall that is only as heavy as a mountain can’t stand on my way.” Primrose explained casually as she freeze people with her Ice Magic.

Primrose can use Water Magic. And she also invented Ice Magic. And now, Titus discovered that Primrose Grace can even combine the concept of the other elements to her own magic. Isn’t she a genius? ‘As expected of my Primrose!’

On the other hand, Randel kept on receiving reports of the casualties on their side.

“Boss, those three are mages! Our men on the first floor are completely wiped out!”

Randel was speechless.

Even if they are mages, wasn’t there only three enemies?

So how is this happening?

“Where’s our mages? What are they doing right now?!” Randel asked his men

“Boss, our Earth Mages were wiped out on the First floor.”

“.......” Randel was speechless

How is that possible?

“What are we going to do now, Boss?”

“Don’t worry, our fire mages on the second floor will surely stop them.” Randel reassured his men

“Boss is right!”

“Our fire mages are ruthless and fierce! No one will get pass them!”

“That’s right! Those people will surely be dead by now—”

“Oh nooo! Boss! The fire mages were wiped out too!”

“Boss! Even the men on the second floor didn’t stood a chance!”

“........” Randel

“Boss, what are we going to do?”

“Don’t worry, this time the Wind Mages on the third floor will surely stop them.” Randel reassured them

“He’s right! Our Wind Mages will definitely stop th—”

“Boss! The Wind Mages were wiped out!”

“Boss, they’re coming! What should we do?”

“......” Randel

He still can’t believe what’s happening.

The White Foxes have around three hundred members. Among those, one is a water mage, five are Earth Mages, four are fire mages and seven are Wind Mages. Aside from the their water mahe that serves as their healer, their mages are the core members of White Foxes and deemed as the most dangerous criminals by the kingdom.

But all of the mages were wiped out except for him. And their water mage who was with the fire mages earlier is probably gone too by now.

Just how powerful are those three?

“We have to escape.” Randel said seriously.

If they don’t escape now, the White Foxes will be done for!

“You want to escape? Too late.” A chillingly cold voice echoed on the fourth floor.

“S-she’s here boss!” the goons said in a panic

“W-who are you?!” Randel shouted amidst his fear. He doesn’t want to die without even knowing who killed him.

“You’re not worthy of her name.” A man’s voice interjected and a scorching fire ball flew to their direction.

Three of the bandits were reduced to ashes because of the heat of that single fireball!

Randel cursed in his head. The people attacking them are way too powerful.

He deeply regretted attacking this town now! If he could turn back time he will never set foot on this blasted town. Not even in his dreams.

“I told you, Mommy will come to save us.” Nikola said confidently

“I.. I k-know that Mommy w-will come for us.” Niclaud

“Even Daddy is here!” Nikola

“And t-teacher Drustan too.” Niclaud

“But the bandits must be stupid.” Nikola

“I agree. T-they took h-hostages but they don’t know how to use them.” Niclaud

“Let’s not be like them when we grew up.” Nikola

Hearing what the two children said, Randel saw a silver lining!

He ignore how the two children insulted them, there’s something more important than that!

It seems that the children of these attacking mages are here as hostages!

If he can use the children as his shield, he might be able to survive!

But before he can move, Primrose’s cold voice echoed on his ears.

“Giant Ice Sword- Gigantomachia.” Primrose chanted and a massive sword two storey big, suddenly materialized. It destroyed the roof of the building as if slicing soft tofu.

The giant sword is glistening under the sunlight.

It’s a giant sword made of ice!

Everyone stared in shock with their mouths hanging open.

Upon seeing the giant sword, Randel’s heart almost burst out of his chest.

Isn’t that the legendary Ice Magic of the strongest Water Mage, Lady Primrose Grace?

The bandits trembled in fear. Even Randel, the boss and leader of the bandits, felt his knees turning as soft as jelly right now.

They left the Northern Mountain because of their fear towards Duke Indigo Crimson.

But there is a famous story about someone stronger than that monstrous duke. The strongest Water Mage who invented a new type of magic, the one who suddenly vanished years ago, Lady Primrose Grace!

Primrose swing the giant sword with ease, and everything in it’s path were destroyed with a BANG!

And that’s how the White Foxes cease to exist.

~~~~~~~~~