Oberon and Raymed were fighting against Belial, who was possessing Mikoto's body. The battle changed into an aerial battle tactically as Oberon preferred not to create more damage than what already was.
"Hero, I don't know if you noticed. But it seems Belial is buying time. Yet on the other hand, we can't finish him too crazily as it would make a lot of mess to our dear friend Mikoto's land."
"That's true. It is really bothersome." Raymed said as he landed a punch on Mikoto (Belial) pushing him away for a few meters.
"Can't you do one of those 'Alterity'? Like your friend?"
"I mean, I can. But not like Thalamik. Mine doesn't have a barrier hence I can't encapsulate the enemy. To do that kind of feat, you kind of have to have mana control on Thalamik's level."
Oberon looked annoyed. "Did you just assume I am not on his level?"
"Uhmm..." Raymed put on a confused face. "Well can you do it? Make an Alterity?"
A noticeable vein reflecting his annoyance appeared on Oberon's face. "Bothersome. I may have only seen it on records and not learned how to use it. But I bet if I try I can."
"Well will you do it?"
"Give me 30 seconds."
Oberon closed his eyes. His mana began to fluctuate around the environment. His fairy wings were coated with so much magical energy that it seemed as if they were expanding. Oberon was concentrating on making mana veins around the environment.
Raymed charged at Belial with his fists.
BUK!
Landing a hit on Belial's face, he followed up with a quick roundhouse kick.
"You are so slow in Mikoto's body, Belial." Raymed said.
"Heh. I haven't gotten used to it."
"That so huh?"
"But this is odd. Why haven't you pulled out your Artifact yet?"
Raymed smiled for the first time in a while. Overwhelming confidence painted on his face as the next words flew out of his mouth in a condescending tone.
"Why would I? If you are this weak?" He said.
"Hahaha. Asshole."
Just then a barrier was closing upon them.
The Alterity of Oberon had been finished.
"Alterity: Midsummer Forest"
***
"HOW! HOW ARE YOU ABLE TO DO IT?" Raymed looked at Oberon in confusion.
"I am gifted."
"THAT'S NOT EXPLAINING ANYTHING!"
"I am one of four persons in the Fey that can see and analyze magical spells to the point of replicating them."
"Who are the other three?"
"That would be Titania and Lizwell. And unfortunately Zuatha—"
Belial charged and landed a punch on Oberon sending him flying and crashing onto a tree. "YOU BRUTE. I WILL KILL YOU FOR THAT!"
Raymed counterattacked with a kick.
"Too predictable." Belial blocked it and followed up with a swing of his hammer filled with corrupted mana. Not evading, Raymed held out his bare hand and tanked the attack. Slowly Raymed absorbed the corrupted mana coating the hammer.
"What the?" Belial said.
Raymed went for another punch on Belial's face sending him flying and crashing into numerous trees.
"You okay, Lord Oberon?"
"Yeah."
"Let's finish this before..."
Ezel, The Golden Sword, suddenly ruptured through the barrier entering the Alterity.
"Ezel? That would mean Kourin is—!" Raymed said before seeing that there was no Kourin.
"AA!! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE, I NEED TO MAINTAIN MY BARRIER!" Oberon said.
***
Kohime's eyes showed an expression filled with fear and regret. She shook her head before managing her breathing. After a few seconds of calming herself down, she looked towards Puck and instantly asked, "Puck, can you teleport me to where the memory restoration device is?"
"Eh! Even I don't really know where it is!" Puck said scratching his head in confusion, before jumping around all of a sudden. "Oh~ Oh~ Perhaps the creator, that is Lizwell Von Wistik of the dark elves, might have one!"
"That's my first guess. But I don't suppose there are others?"
Puck levitated before spinning his entire body so that his head was now closest to the ground. "Perhaps. Not."
Kohime took one look at the battle currently happening. Raymed and Oberon were fighting against Mikoto, her past fiancé, controlled by the Demon Lord Envoy Belial. Memories of their conversation replayed in her mind.
-~
"You don't even know me," she said shakily. "My past. My true self."
"I don't care." Raymed said. His face came closer as if declaring his next words.
"I know who you are right now. And the you standing in front of me is strong, kind, and painfully selfless. That's the person I fell in love with."
-~
Kohime crouched before summoning her blade, Ezel.
She closed her eyes before whispering to her sword.
Med...
Please forgive me...
I know you won't forgive me for trying to solve this by myself.
But I want to do everything I can to help you and keep you safe.
So please, don't be mad.
"Ezel. Please tell it to him. I must entrust you to him. I believe with you, he will be the safest."
Ezel started emitting energy as if it were arguing back at her.
"Don't be like that. Trust me." Kohime smiled before putting on a serious face.
"Puck, cast a teleportation magic at once to Lizwell Von Wistik."
"Eh?" Puck was making a goofy confused face, both of his eyes looking in different directions.
"Why are you making that face?" Kohime said, a bit irritated looking at Puck's face.
"It's just that casting too many Teleportation Spells will make me nauseous. Not to mention, I can only cast 2 more spells! 1 to teleport King Oberon back and one for emergency."
"Then use the spare and do as instructed."
"Your request is a bit..."
"I don't know if you noticed. But if you refuse to act this instant, Oberon might lose in the long term. I will guarantee that we win the final war against the Demonfolk. Optimistically, I will make sure the Demonfolk won't even have the chance to teleport here."
"Here? As in?"
"I don't have time to explain, Puck!" Kohime grabbed Puck by the collar dragging him closer as fear began to show on Puck's face. "Sorry Sorry Sorry! Yes Yes I will do as you ask."
Kohime released her grasp as Puck began chanting.
Each of the Demon Lord Envoys possesses an ability I called 'Black Rings' — the ability to make portals to the place of your choosing. It can be used to transport armies and many other things. We have seen this more than once already. How do I know about this? Turns out I already researched this way before 2012.
Cross-referencing my knowledge with what I got from Morgwyn, the most probable course of action by The Demon King is to make a gigantic Black Ring where the most magical energy is located — that being in the United Front where magical energy from all races is practiced.
The problem is, to make a Black Ring, one must already be there. Not to mention, it isn't something easy to do. Therefore, an agent of the Demonfolk must be there to do it, to harvest magical energy and repurpose it to make the Black Ring.
"It is done, Lady Kourin!" Puck said, presenting the portal to her.
"I'll see you, Ezel." She threw the sword in the direction of where Raymed was. She moved to where the portal was. "Thank you, I owe you one." Kohime stepped into the portal hurriedly as she heard Puck's reply.
"No... it should be me thanking you, Kourin." Puck smiled, looking at her with an eerie gaze before she finally stepped through into Dark Elf Territory where Lizwell was standing in front of the guest house she used to live in.
"Konohana Sakuyahime, what a surprise!" Lizwell Von Wistik said as she arrived through Puck's portal.
Kohime was surprised to see her. More than that, what was Puck about? Why did he—?
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Bullets pierced Kohime's right arm, right leg, and diaphragm.
"What the?" She retaliated by raising her magical energy levels. However, it did not respond. Her magical energy was supposed to emit around her but there was none. As if it had been sucked in by something.
She had never even thought about it before. The bullets that pierced her were still inside her body. Could it be those objects were draining her magical energy?
"I know I could never win against you in terms of combat. It was luck that made me able to replicate such technology. Your comrade Thalamik had made bracelets that would drain magical energy. Upon looking at them once when The Hero visited my domain, I managed to understand the concept. So I replicated it into a bullet. Quite useful, is it not?"
"Why are you doing this, Lizwell Von Wistik!"
"Oh~ Wouldn't you like to know? The thing is, Kourin, Zuatha isn't the only one who has been playing naughty. I will take pleasure in extracting your Hi-cells."
So that's how it is...
Hi-cells. That's what she is after...
How careless of me.
How could I let this happen...
Kohime, badly injured from the gunshots, went prostrate as her vision became blurry. What she last saw was Lizwell Von Wistik's pleased smile — a devilish smile that rivaled Zuatha Il Zikmel's.
***
"This can't be." Morgwyn said at her throne.
"Kourin, Suiko, Recca, where have you three gone to?"
She rose from her throne and walked towards a secret room behind it.
"I won't lose this time, Ars."