Sarah stood amidst the group of bandits, observing her body. She was in a bit of shock and surprise as she did not even know how she had gotten herself here.

The funny part was that she hadn't realized the perverted gazes that steadily stared at her. She was totally lost in her trail of thoughts.

Now, seeing Sarah ignore their presence, the bandit leader grew increasingly incensed by her nonchalant demeanor. He felt disrespected and underestimated, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

(Humph! This bitch! Who the fuck does she think she is, huh? Ignoring us like we're invisible? She's only at the mid-stage of the saint realm's hierarchy, and that's no different from us. Yet, she has the right to pose superior?)

BANDIT LEADER: "Hey, Yali Whore! How dare you look down on me, huh? What rights do you have to ignore your predicament? Are you tired of living? You are just an extreme at the saint realm's rank and yet, you feign arrogance before us?"

SARAH: "[Checks her surroundings.] Huh? What is this place? How did I get here?" Sarah muttered to herself, her shock palpable as she realized that she was somewhere else entirely.

BANDIT LEADER: "Humph! Have you just realized your predicament? You are dumber than I anticipated. Look, you snobbish bitch! This is the Outlands and you are just about to get real fucked!" The bandit leader retorted to Sarah's question, his gaze perverted.

SARAH: "The Outlands? The land of the renegades?" she voiced out, looking even more confused.

BANDIT LEADER: "Hehehe! Are you scared all of a sudden? Young lady, I like those looks of despair. Just relax and surrender yourself peacefully. I assure you, it will be a memorable experience once I'm done fucking you. Hehehe!"

SARAH: "[Casts the bandit leader a disgusted look.] Watch your tone, you perverted bastard, or I'll ensure you get pulverized in no time!" Sarah threatened, her hands brandished with the cyan sky flame.

Angered by her threat, the bandit leader ground his teeth, balling his fists in fury. Without skipping a beat, he barked orders at his gang to capture Sarah and bring her to him.

He intended give her a taste of their hospitality, demanding that they break her legs before delivering her to him.

Following their leader's command, the bandits charged toward Sarah from all directions, their gaze twisted with uncontrollable lust.

Each of them activated their powers, unleashing a barrage of projectiles that rained down upon her. Fireballs, bursts of wind, and thunderbolts were just some of the weapons they used in their assault.

But to their astonishment, Sarah's instincts kicked into overdrive as she effortlessly dodged and weaved between their onslaught, her movements blurred and graceful. With a surge of resolve, she tapped into the depths of her fiery power, unleashing a torrent of cyan energy that erupted from her very being.

The explosive burst of flame engulfed the approaching bandits in a maelstrom of heat, blasting them backward with incredible, yet harmless force. In the wake of the inferno, a profound stillness settled over the scene, as if time itself had been frozen in a moment of suspended animation.

The bandits remained sluggishly suspended in their movements, their attacks frozen in mid-air.

Sarah moved with grace amidst the chaos, marveling at the sheer magnitude of her power. With each step, she relished the surreal sensation of living out a fantasy amidst the helpless adversaries who now found themselves trapped within the confines of their own frozen reality.

As Sarah mused herself in the slowed movements of her opponents, her attention was abruptly drawn to the approach of unanticipated figures. These were: Fiona, John, and the Deity family's matriarch, Athena.

Startled by their sudden appearance, she halted in her tracks, momentarily forgetting the surreal scene unfolding around her.

She beheld John's countenance, which bore a furrow of concern, his gaze steadily fixed upon her. Fiona, on the other hand, exhaled a sigh of relief at the sight of her, the brawler's expression softening with a wave of reassurance.

Meanwhile, Athena regarded Sarah with a gaze that seemed to penetrate to the very core of her being, her eyes alight with a blend of curiosity and awe. It was as though the matriarch had just stumbled upon a rare and precious gem.

Fiona and the others were unaffected by the time-lapse, leaving Sarah fairly surprised by the spectacle.

However, Fiona sprang into action, her Sonic Flame on display as she deftly repositioned the stunned bodies of some bandits toward their own onslaught, as if they were nothing more than pawns on a game board.

Meanwhile, Athena unleashed a display of raw power and precision, her fists moving with blinding speed as she punched through the rest of the petrified bandits. Eventually, she settled upon the unaware, stunned bandit leader, ruthlessly launching him skyward with a devastating uppercut.

As the time-lapse came to an end, chaos began to erupt like a burst piñata at a children's party.

A lot of catastrophic events began to take place starting from Fiona's rearrangement of her victims to Athena's brutal blows at the enemies.

The frozen bandits snapped back to reality, the harsh truth of their situation dawning upon them with brutal clarity. They were now catching up to the chaos unfolding around them, and it wasn't looking good for them.

Their onslaught turned out to be their undoing as they ended up meeting their demise by either their own projectiles or other misguided attacks. It was like a game of hot potato gone wrong, with everyone getting burned and busted.

And as for the unlucky ones who fell prey to Athena's punches, their dental bills were going to be astronomical. Missing teeths, shifted jaws, twisted necks, and damaged ribs were just the beginning of their predicaments. With each fatal impact, the victims found themselves confronted with the harsh reality of their mortality, their bodies twisted and crushed beneath the dreadful onslaught.

As for the bandit leader himself, he was no longer on this earthly plane of existence. His body already skyrocketed so high into the heavens that he ended up lost in space, somewhere between Mars and the Milky Way.

It was a sight so surreal that even NASA couldn't explain.

Sarah was awed by the fighting performance of everyone, especially Athena. Not only was the matriarch beautiful, but she was also fiercely strong compared to any other Crestivenian from the Land of Flames.

<<Athena stood as a formidable pillar within the Deity family's lineage, revered as both the matriarch and a beacon of strength. As the wife of the patriarch and the nurturing mother to Bernard and Aurora, she wielded her influence with grace and authority. She was currently at the beta stage of the saint realm's echelon, and controlled the azure beta flame.
Despite her mature age, Athena exuded an otherworldly beauty and possessed curves that were the envy of many. She had silvery eyes that were exactly as Aurora's, her white hair strands cascading down her back waist.
Though her appearance bore a striking resemblance to her daughter, she possessed a raw, unbridled strength and vitality uniquely her own.
She was feared throughout the Land of Flames as the 'Earth Wrecker,' her reputation preceding her. And most importantly, her unmatched brute strength rendered her second to none.>>

Sarah couldn't help but feel intimidated whenever she crossed paths with Athena. The sheer power and ferocity that the matriarch displayed in battle left Sarah wondering if she was witnessing a true monster. It was impossible not to feel a sense of awe and even fear in the presence of such an indomitable force.

The fight was over and thanks to Sarah and everyone's intervention, the merchant and his guards were safe. Grateful for their valiant efforts, the merchant expressed his heartfelt appreciation before leading his retinue toward their intended destination.

Now left alone with Fiona, John, and Athena - Sarah timidly walked toward Athena and lowered her head as a gesture of utmost respect.

SARAH: "Greetings, Matriarch! Please forgive my act of misconduct and lack of self-control," She apologized.

ATHENA: "Do not apologize, child. You did remarkably well. You are an important member of this family. And know that as you wield the Deity family's gene within you, you are naturally one of us. You can consider me as your mother if that's okay with you," Athena replied Sarah with a warm smile.

As the matriarch's kind words reached her ears, Sarah's heart swelled with overwhelming gratitude and joy. Without hesitation, she rushed toward Athena and wrapped her arms warmly around her, clinging to her as though she were a lifeline.

Athena, taken aback by the sudden display of affection, soon reciprocated Sarah's embrace with a gentle and compassionate hug. After a few moment, they slowly separated from their embrace, with Sarah's eyes brimming with tears of happiness and relief. Moved by the emotional moment, Athena turned to Fiona and firmly instructed her to apologize to Sarah for her earlier rude behavior.

ATHENA: "Hey dear! Don't you think you owe Sarah an apology? Your tone earlier wasn't right."

FIONA: "I was merely trying to motivate her!" Fiona assertively replied bluntly.

ATHENA: "Fiona?..." Athena's voice trailed in, gesturing to Fiona with a demanding look to do as she was told.

FIONA: "[Sighs.] Ugh! Okay - fine! I'll do it.
[Faces Sarah.] Ahem! I was wrong to mouth-bully you without considering the frailty of your emotional state of being. Such an act would not repeat itself!" Fiona apologized bluntly with her customary stoic expression.

A hush fell over the group as her words rang out like a sudden clap of thunder on a clear day. Everyone including Sarah looked at Fiona with bewildered expressions on their faces as they struggled to make sense of her statement.

Was it a genuine apology, or another sly insult disguised in sweet words? The tension in the air was palpable as they exchanged glances, unsure of how to react. However, they ultimately decided to accept Fiona's apology that way and move on.

***