Above the forest foliage a group of people wearing varying robes are moving at a fast pace, as they controlled the flying broom they were standing on.
Leading the pack was Randall, and a bandage-laden Hans as his passenger on the flying broom.
"Hans, can you tell if we are close yet?" Randall asked, while maintaining their top speed. Hans shook his head, "I can't tell for sure, but I can confirm this is the direction Marco went. I also recognized some markings around, so let's keep going."
"Alright... I just hope we can make it in time." Although his expression was serious, the tone of his voice was filled with worry. After the brief exchange of Hans and Randall, a vermillion figure and a fellow Crimson Lion Knight approached them.
"How goes it, Sir Randall?" He asked, scanning Randall then Hans. Randall's solemn face suddenly changed into a respectful one, "Reporting to your highness, according to my companion, Hans, we must keep true and we will arrive soon." Randall concisely reported, while Hans bowed his head as he had been briefed by Randall that the one they are speaking to is royal noble.
The vermillion noble nodded his head and looked at Randall's figure "Alright, Randall you can keep off the etiquette with me. You know me and my sister don't mind our status. Besides, we have been through a lot now have we?". Randall looked back as he chuckled in response, "Yes, yes we have Sir Fuegoleon. But as you know I still have to uphold your royal lineage, specially now since we have a lot of people.".
Fuegoleon sighed in response, as he evidently didn't care for his status at all but still acknowledged it. "Well, it's much appreciated Randall. So its Mister Hans right? You are still injured, so why didn't you stay behind and leave the rest to us?" Fuegoleon said with the air of a leader. Randall couldn't speak up as he understood Hans' rationale for tagging along but agrees with Fuegoleon's point.
"Oh, your highness, I just want to see my friends as soon as possible. I just survived from those Diamond Kingdom bastards, so... I don't want them to worry any further." Hans said as he eyed Fuegoleon's face without hesitance.
"I understand, Mister Hans , and I never did thank you for that did I? Don't worry I assure you, there will be rewards for disrupting the scouts of Diamond Kingdom." Fuegoleon didn't mind Hans' open disregard for their status, as he waved his hands promising a reward for Hans' contributions.
In the moments they conversed, another Crimson Lion member interrupted. "Reporting! A sensor from Purple Orca detected movement ahead. We suspect the movement to be from Diamond Kingdom forces, as they are moving in formation.".
After digesting the information, Fuegoleon quickly ordered the group to speed up. They soon arrived at the location and sensed a skirmish below in the forest.
"Down there! Let's move!"
Descending down from the air, they quickly saw Mage Warriors engaging with another group. Hans saw them and quickly recognized Marco, and Marshall fighting.
"Magic Knights are here! Retreat!" As soon as the Mage Warriors saw the cavalry they quickly escaped quickly as if this was second-nature for them.
"Oh no you don't!" A Magic Knight wearing Gray Deer robes suddenly casted his Spell
"Light Magic: Seven-layered Flare!"
Suddenly seven beams made of light pierced the bodies of the escaping Mage Warriors. Screams and the sound of flesh pulverizing was soon heard.
"Morgen you fucker! Leave some for me!" Another Gray Deer knight reinforced their legs with mana, and moved with great speed as he lunged at a Mage Warrior.
"Dark Magic: Dark Cloaked Black Blade!"
Gripping the katana with a longer-than-normal dark blade, Yami sliced down, and blood spurted from a Mage Warrior. Then the next, and the next. The sight Mage Warriors falling down, and screaming for their lives continued on.
"Haah.. You are too brutal Yami." Morgen said as he approached Yami who has resting.
Yami had reminiscing look emerged on his face with a cold glint in his eyes. He then turned his attention to Morgen as he wiped the remaining blood off his katana.
"Come on Yami, let's go check up on those people over there. Fuegoleon said we have to escort them back." Morgen pointed at Marco and the group who was currently talking with Randall and Hans.
"What? Why? Let's follow Fuegoleon, the others said they were heading for the outpost." Yami raised his brows at Morgen, since he thought they were going to have some "fun".
"Heh, you still haven't changed huh? Morgen." Yami gave a knowing smile to his friend, knowing that he cared more on saving lives rather than taking it. Even the seven shots earlier were only to immobilize the enemy.
Morgen sheepishly smiled back, "Well, don't mistake me for my brother Yami. You guys just run around town and keep ruining stuff."
Yami just shrugged off Morgen's statement, "Come on, this works fine for me. I wanted to go back anyways." Yami and Morgen then approached Marco and the group who was conversing with Randall.
"So that's what happened-" Just as Marco finished explaining everything to Randall, Yami called out to them. "Oii! Randall you know them?"
"You're... Yami from Gray Deer? And yes, they help me out in guarding my assigned village, and I'm so lucky to know these skilled men." Randall said as he stood up to talk with the Gray Deer Knights. Meanwhile, Marco tacitly left the forming conversation.
"Aww, am I that forgettable? Anyways you're not following Fuegoleon?" Yami continued on, "Isn't he the de facto leader of Crimson Lions?"
Randall flinched at the question, "Well the Captain still fulfills her duties... so... well you know how Lady Mereoleona is, so shut up. And Sir Fuegoleon ordered me to escort them back." Randall said as he snorted at Yami.
"Ohh, is that so..." Yami looked around as he noticed the lacking personnel, and said as he pointed at them, "So it's just us escorting them back?"
Upon hearing that, Randall let out an exasperated sigh. "Yeah... you know these nobles. They didn't even finish healing the injured and just left halfway."
Morgen frowned at this, since he was an esteemed noble himself. "Where are they? The injured? I will personally take them back and treat them. Although I don't have a healing spell, I can refer a physician for them."
Yami nodded in agreement, "Yeah, if you use your movement spell you can go back to the capital in a jiffy."
Randall gave Morgen an inquisitive gaze, "Please do. I don't want them to suffer any further."
Morgen quickly responded, "You can count on me."
Randall then turned around and scanned looking for Marco. His eyes then paused at Marco talking with Lolopechka and Gadjah.
"Marco!" Hearing Randall call his name, Marco then excused himself from the Heart Kingdom duo and approached the Magic Knights. "What is it Sir Randall?".
"Marco, let me introduce Sir Morgen, a magic knight from Grey Deer. He can take care of Chris and Ali. His movement spell can take him to the capital in short notice, and treat them to a physician." Randall briefed Marco on the plan, since his impression of Marco went up a notch after knowing of his exploits.
"Sure, whatever gets them treated fast. Tsk! Those nobles were a piece of work!" Marco commented as he continued on, "Anyways I will tell Marshall the plan and let's get started, I'm sure he will also agree.".
Soon, everyone got acquainted, and Morgen proceeded to bring Chris and Ali back to the capital to treat their injuries.
"Now that Chris and Ali are going to be treated, let's head back home as well." Randall said to everyone remaining. He then requested more magic brooms for them to ride on with his communicator.
"Wait what about Marco's injuries?" Marshall interjected, not forgetting about the battered state of Marco.
But just as Randall turned to Marshall, a voice suddenly interrupted them. "It's fine, I can recover on my own." Marco said as he waved his arms around. Due to his current proficiency of his mana breathing technique he now has recovered the energy to do this.
This earned the astonished look of Marshall, and the Heart Kingdom duo, the ones who truly knew how hard Marco fought.
"...Alright, but you still deserve a healer to tend you. Don't worry I can pull some strings for you Marco." Randall said.
Yami who was observing Marco had an amused expression, "Interesting...". From his enhanced senses he could perceive how mana moved around Marco.
Yami then remembered something, "Wait Randall, no need to wait for your request I have some extra brooms here. Captain Julius made bring them, just in case he said."
Hearing that made Randall's face brighten up. "That's great! His foresight as a leader is truly amazing-" he then paused as a look of realization emerged on his face. "Wait do you guys know how to ride a magic broom?"
Marshall shook his head, while Marco said, "Well you didn't get to teach us in past year. But how hard could it be?"
Randall sighed in exasperation as he overlooked teaching a basic skill needed by mages.
"Heh, kid a typical mage would need a week to learn it. And we can't wait a week for you all." Yami interjected.
Marco then had look of confidence on his face–bordering on arrogance, "Nah, I can do it." From the earlier arrival of their reinforcements and the Mage Warriors that were following them, he already inferred and deduced how a magic broom functions. Now all he needed to do is put in some practice.
Yami then chuckled to himself, "This brat is quite arrogant huh? Alright then play with it." He then tossed one broom toward Marco who skillfully caught it.
Everyone then witnessed Marco... fail. The broom didn't budge, but just as Yami said something he then shut up and opened his jaw. From the second try Marco already made the broom float, and in the next moment the broom began to move around him.
A chuckle then escaped Yami, "I'll be damned, this kid actually did it. His control is really good."
Randall then said to him "Really good, is an understatement", they then saw Marco put his foot on the broom and began riding it. "From his own words; he is just built different."