Punitive Legion: PANTHEA, #1

By MAREK TARNOWICZ

Panthea, a magically gifted teenage girl from a famous family of magicians, also trained in martial arts by one of the perfect assassins and also a bodyguard, falls into conflict with the law. He violates the edict of the Council of Mages, prohibiting entry to the temple where magic adepts acquire the Star, a magical gem that allows them to develop conventional magician abilities. After entering a forbidden place, she is caught, tried and sentenced to exile by the Council. Brutally deprived of her powers, she finds herself in a world discovered by her grandfather and father several years earlier. Conscripted into the Penal Legion, she goes on a suicide mission with him on the orders of the Council. The legionnaires, caught in an ambush, turn into the service of the Triumvirate and sorcerers from another world. They are transferred to the place where the Triumvirate rules, with which her compatriots have been fighting in the place of exile for several years. The rebels are trying to take advantage of their presence and offer cooperation to Maradox, the Legion's commander. Panthea, looking for a way to return home, becomes a link between the Legion and the rebels. Entangled in various intrigues, she is pursued by the Triumvirate Special Services, and at the same time supported by a mysterious ally who effectively hides her identity. In the fight to return to her home world, she must overcome unknown places and eliminate ruthless opponents.

• Language: English
• Publisher: MAREK TARNOWICZ
• Release date: Jun 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9788366192225

Book preview

I thank God for perseverance

DEDICATED TO MY WIFE Danuta

‘‘YOU CAN'T DO THAT, Looranix protested ‘‘they will kill you if something goes wrong.

His sword flashed towards her, cutting diagonally through the air. She made a sharp three hundred and sixty degree turn, striking the speeding blade with hers until it clanged loudly.

‘‘They will kill you, are you kidding the twenty-year-old girl laughed ‘‘they are afraid. They are the ones who live thanks to the protection that the star gives to each of them.

‘‘You will be banished to this newly discovered world as a legionnaire, persisted the man several years older than her, ‘‘which is equivalent.

‘‘Then I will come back she said with conviction ‘‘I owe it to my family.

This time she attacked, with the other sword in her left hand, aiming for the carotid artery. He made a cover and jumped behind the table, saying:

‘‘But you're crazy" he already knew how to help her, but he tried to postpone it.

‘‘Maybe I am she jumped on the table and renewed her attack ‘‘but this thought and faith help me survive. The council denied me the right to get my own star. Why, she asked.

‘‘It is common knowledge that this is deadly dangerous, since the balance was lost" he barely had time with another cover.

‘‘Do you believe in it" she stopped for a moment.

‘‘You're getting better at direct combat" he praised to avoid this sensitive topic.

‘‘I'm also a very good magician, and more."

‘‘I know."

‘‘So why?"

She jumped down to the floor. She charged vigorously, forcing him to jump back. Blocking her slashes, he tried to kick her in the chest with his leg. She deftly wriggled out and tried to trip him, making a sweeping arc with her leg from the kneeling position she had dropped to.

‘‘Because you could be injured, or worse, die" he finally replied.

‘‘I'm also a healer, I can handle it."

‘‘Several mages died before they figured out why this was happening."

‘‘They're hiding something, and I want to know what?"

She stood up with a twinkle in her eyes. She whispered a spell to distract him. For nothing. Such simple spells don't work on them. A stronger spell would have been neutralized by the security of her home. She attacked by slashing her swords in opposite directions. Looranix did a backflip, out of their reach.

‘‘What good will it do for you?"

‘‘My grandfather was also a healer and knew the human body very well she seemingly changed the topic ‘‘he was able to work with it at the cellular and even molecular level.

‘‘And the results of this is?"

‘‘It may seem nothing, but I found my father's notes from their joint expedition to Sol. They found a laboratory there. It was hidden deep underground. They brought back what they called a pure genetic matrix. They did several experiments with this find and were horrified by what came out of it."

‘‘Sounds interesting, but I didn't know anything about it."

The next blow went over his head as this time he crouched down, the sword ending its path against the back of the chair.

‘‘Damn! she cursed, snatching it away with energy. ‘‘Nobody talked about it in detail. The council left this knowledge to itself. Especially since when they told my grandfather to hand over the results of the work and the matrix along with a description of how to use it, he destroyed everything. But before that, his laboratory was broken into and the embryos of several beings they had designed were stolen. All trace of the thieves has disappeared. Even they couldn't track them down. Someone prepared and executed it all well. They both had many enemies. The matter went quiet because grandfather was the chief magician and had enormous influence. After his death, they tried to force my father to join the expedition. Of course, he refused, but began to keep records of the pressure put on him and those who were behind it.

‘‘And they finally got him, as you said."

‘‘Yes. However, as you know, despite my enormous knowledge and magical skills, when that moment came, I was considered unworthy of receiving the honor of entering the ninth circle and gaining a star."

‘‘If you went through all the trials and rituals successfully. And here we go back to the beginning of our conversation."

She stood up straight for a moment.

‘‘I would. They know this well, and they are disturbing because they are afraid. Having my own star would be too dangerous for them. Because of my father and grandfather."

‘‘Think again" he asked.

‘‘I'll go there, maybe I'll even reach the ninth circle, who knows."

‘‘After all, you only wanted to get your father's star back he slashed low at the knees with his sword ‘‘although, as you said, you will have little, if any, power over it anyway.

She deflected the blow.

‘‘My father conditioned it, right after I was born, on me as well. You're right, I won't

she ruled it completely, but even a small power of the Absolute is better than just pure magic,

technical, so to speak. Now that they're planning an expedition to get their hands on the genetic matrix, I have to try and get my own. Otherwise, bad things will happen when these people influence genetic manipulation."

She entered a pirouette and at the end of the second turn, she parried his blow. Using its strength, she slashed straight at the approaching arm. An experienced warrior made a curtain with his second sword and the blade of her sword slid straight onto the carved sapphire jug.

‘‘Oh no, she moaned, hearing the clink of the pot breaking, ‘‘grandpa would turn me into a toad if he saw this, she gasped.

‘‘I know you've made your decision, but think again. Maybe you'll find another way?"

‘‘There is no other way to stop them. In three days, it will be the best time for this. When night comes, I'm off."

‘‘What?! In three days? Slow down a bit."

She took advantage of his surprise and, doing a split on the floor, struck the sword held in her left hand from the bottom up, between his legs. The one on the right, however, cut into his left hip. And this time he made it on time. After quickly crossing both of them at the floor, he turned on his right foot to the left and, with his armed right hand, deflected the attacking blade upwards. Panthea rolled to her right, getting to her feet and into a crouch.

‘‘Nothing of that. Those who could support me are not willing to do so. I will do as I decided. We're finishing. Conversation too. I still need to prepare a few things. Go back to your place, maybe we'll meet again. I am sufficiently prepared and trained by you. See you when you get back."

‘‘Take care of yourself" he looked at her sadly, but also satisfied with the results of the training.

Now there are few who can face it and come out alive. He placed both swords in their place and, for the first time since she was a little older and could hold weapons, he hugged her to him.

‘‘Your grandfather would turn me into a bug if something happened to you," he joked, speaking with a serious face.

He went to wait for the Council's judgment, which would be the direction of his further actions.

The appointed time came and the girl left her house. She walked briskly through the several streets separating her from the temple circle. After a dozen or so minutes, she reached the low embankment surrounding the temple itself. She was located directly in front of the first circle, which was an invisible barrier that separated the uninitiated from the light surrounding the walls of the temple itself. She whispered a spell and started climbing to cross the embankment. She felt a slight tingling sensation. She stretched out both her hands, and each one separately, made signs in front of her. The tingling disappeared and she took a few more steps and heat flooded her. It flashed yellow for a split second. Despite the mask on her face, she felt a hot breeze. She concentrated her senses so that the heat pressing against her did not reach her body. She quickly created a bubble of protective field and the heat disappeared. There was a storm of fire outside. She walked slowly and carefully, feeling the force of the element wanting to burn her in a moment of inattention. Beads of sweat appeared on her forehead and were irritating under the scarf tied around her head, under her helmet. She patiently endured the momentary discomfort, not allowing herself to lose concentration. A few more steps and she was on the other side of the protective embankment. Now she saw the sight her father had described when he trained her. The yard was flooded with a mosaic of colors, slowly spinning. A passage awaited her, through moving colors. She just had to choose the right one. If she fails, after the first step she will lose the opportunity to enter today. She reached into the pouch at her waist and took out a dot, the size of a fingernail, shimmering in the same colors as the yard. She placed it on her hand, in front of her mouth. She closed her eyes. She whispered a spell and breathed on it. After a second, in her mind's eye she saw the same yard, dotted with a few sapphire-colored islands. That was it. Without opening her eyes, she took a step towards the first island. She stood on it confidently. She waited a moment and took another. After a while, there was another one, this time to the side. And so, step by step, she reached the misty glow around the temple walls. She opened her eyes, an amber halo shimmering before her. She completed the second circle. Now all that remains is to find a passage through the amber fog. Which, contrary to appearances, would not be easy, as she knew. She took a ruby ​​whistle from another bag. Holding it with two fingers in her left hand, she uttered a complex spell while making signs in the air with her right hand. The lines drawn by the hand glowed with fiery light and disappeared with the last letter. She put the whistle in her mouth and whistled a lively tune as she froze in anticipation. The fog began to thicken before her eyes. Twinkling points appeared inside it. Without stopping whistling, she made another sign, this time with her hands together, as if in prayer. The number of flashing points began to increase rapidly. After a few seconds, they formed something like a glowing circle. Inside him, the amber glow disappeared and he began to grow, getting closer to her. The circle reached about two meters in diameter and began to pulsate. She continued whistling, but this time, she moved slowly forward. She walked at a steady pace, despite the tingling sensation on her skin and the small discharges that ran between her and the tunnel. At one point, her hair stood on end. Of course, those that were not hidden under a scarf. And this time, she succeeded. She successfully made it to the other side. She made another complicated sign and stopped whistling. She breathed a sigh of relief. She realized that if she did something wrong, these tiny discharges would turn into real lightning bolts and she would instantly be burned to ashes. She was beyond the third circle. Now she could expect material surprises related to magical power. After the third circle, everything looked different. Built on layers of magical gems called stars by magicians, the temple was a monumental structure. She expected something unusual, but it exceeded her expectations. A huge tower, conical in shape, rose to the clouds. Its base was over a kilometer in diameter. It was surrounded by a ribbon of road, winding from the base to the peak, invisible from here. Its walls were decorated with huge paintings, scenes about the builders and the worlds they visited. Everything was made by embedding precious stones and metals directly into the wall. Three fireballs swirled around it, illuminating all its splendor. Finally, the girl shook her head, controlling her astonishment. Colorful reflections of light reflected by the gems twinkled across it. She remembered her father's words that the visible path did not lead to the peak, but to a place from which no one had ever returned. She knew a spell that showed the correct path, which started several hundred meters above her head. She took a thin rope loosely coiled from the pouch behind her back and placed it under her feet. She took a few steps back and chanted the spell in a whisper. The line has changed its length and thickness. Now it lay at her feet, a coil of thick rope. At one end of it, there were several knots. Satisfied with the effect, she began to hum another spell in a sing-song voice. The entire coil vibrated and the end on top rose two meters vertically. Humming a melody, she approached him and, grabbing the knot with her left hand, she jumped with both legs onto the one below. Lina didn't move. She turned her right hand towards the center of the scroll and started drawing small circles. There was a tug on the rope and she slowly began to rise up, lifting the attached girl. The pace was slow, so she had time to watch the moving images. Giant birds, strange animals and gigantic reptiles, and among them creatures unlike humans. From the flickering reflections, she felt dizzy. She closed her eyes without stopping what she was doing. The symptoms disappeared immediately. She opened her eyes again. This time she closed her eyes slightly, reducing the amount of light reaching them. The rope twitched, which meant it had reached the required height. She stopped humming and blew a high-pitched whistle three times. The magic rope was stretched like a string, motionless. She stopped making circles with her hand and hugged her with her whole body. She held both hands out in front of her, focusing her attention on the tips of her fingers. She reached for greater resources of power surrounding her on all sides. Streams of purple energy flowed from individual fingers and after covering a dozen or so meters, they reached the wall and spread over it. The free space between the two scenes was filled with swirling signs of an unknown script. However, she knew what the visible text was talking about. She uttered another spell and the signs stopped spinning and glowed with a strong orange light. Reacting to the words, after a few seconds they moved to the sides. A tunnel in the shape of an isosceles triangle appeared between them. Five meters high, it was dizzying to think of the creatures that roamed it. An emerald mist crept out from within him. Whirling around, she moved straight towards the girl until she was surrounded on all sides. She took out the whistle she had used before and put it into her mouth. Whistling a tune, she touched the wall of the tunnel she found herself in. Under the touch of her hand, the wall hardened and sparkled. The surface has been smoothed. It looked like a solid stone. This was the moment. She removed one leg from the knot and placed it on the floor. She took off the second one and also placed it next to the first one, holding on to the rope with her left hand for security. The ground didn't move. She finally let go of the rope and stood firmly on her feet. She took the first step forward. Nothing happened. She moved briskly forward, towards the interior of the temple. The path was open only to her. If someone wanted to follow her or in front of her, they would be surprised that she falls to the ground. The emerald mist is just a mist. She crossed the threshold and turned to the mouth of the tunnel. She took the whistle out of her mouth, stopping the melody, and whispered another prepared spell. The fog disappeared. She saw the rope fall to the ground, changing size as it did so. She concentrated and used her power to reach for it. The loose coil rose into the air and floated to her hand. She took a few steps with her back to the center. The wall first became transparent, and after a while it took on the color of malachite, from which it was made. She reached behind her back and placed the rope in the appropriate pouch and the whistle in another. Now she had to cross another circle. She slowly moved forward through the tunnel, emerging after fifty meters into a vast square. She took a silver ball from her bag and rubbed it between her fingers, whispering the words of the spell. She blew on its surface and threw it into the air in front of her. The ball shot like a firework, with thousands of colorful sparks. These, in turn, turned into fireflies and surrounded the girl from all sides. Satisfied with the effect achieved, she started walking towards the center of the square. Navy blue vines were slowly descending from the ceiling of the cave she was in, with mobile tendrils of the same color growing out of them. They were squirming in all directions, trying to catch on something or grab something. From time to time, the moving vines brought their ends closer to her, but quickly dodged when they hit the swirling swarm. She had a few dozen meters left, but the plants did not give up. Their tips have sprouted buds. These bloomed quickly and liquid flowed from the open flower cups, dripping onto the floor. The girl started running towards her goal, jumping over the growing puddles. The hanging shoots ran out of her way, escaping to the sides. She breathed a sigh of relief as she stood just at the edge of the opening leading to the fifth circle. She drew power from the surroundings and summoned several shoots to herself, forcing them to obey using magic. She mentally ordered them to intertwine over the opening and begin to grow. At first they were resistant, but her indomitable will gave them no choice and did not allow them to rebel. Eventually they obediently grew, weaving into a thick rope. It was high time for this, because the liquid began to flow into her shoes. The live rope disappeared into the hole, and Panthea immediately jumped into the air and grabbed it with her outstretched hands. The plants lengthened and fell towards the next ground, along with her. As her figure crossed the floor, light flooded her. Below was another circle, a floor made of solid stone. In the room she reached, twelve figures surrounded her instead of six. From the weapons and armor, she recognized them as Tervikan warriors. But why twelve. She suspected it was someone's trick. They were fast and ruthless murderers or guards, depending on the function they performed. She snapped her fingers twice. The swarm surrounding her moved away from her and attacked them before disappearing. At the same time, the spell that had covered her figure was broken and she appeared to them in all the glory of the warrior she was. She also knew this craft very well. She had one sword strapped to her back and the other at her side. With her right hand, she reached for the one on her back. She stretched her left hand out in front of her, the palm of her hand, and rotated around her own axis. After this move, she discovered that there were only four real warriors, the rest were phantoms. Somewhere nearby, their creator must have been, a magician skilled enough to create such an illusion. The apparitions were not as dangerous as their real representatives. She moved towards the first ghostly pair. The magician was good at manipulating ghosts. Her opponents met her. Thanks to the magical sign, she jumped high into the air while turning one hundred and eighty degrees around her own axis. Dropping down behind them, she slashed one of them in the neck. Even though it was covered with chain mail, the blade of her magical sword passed through it without any obstacles. The figure dissolved, and the armor and swords fell to the floor with a clatter. She crouched as she landed and, turning, struck again, cutting another one below the knees. The armor clanged on the floor. Now a pair of real warriors have gone at it. She cast a spell on one of them, which immobilized him for a few seconds. She exchanged a series of lightning-fast blows with the other one. They closed for a moment and jumped away from each other. She took advantage of the fact that the former was regaining control of his body. She didn't want to kill him, so she damaged his Achilles tendons with a lightning strike. He was eliminated from the game, but two phantoms joined him. So there were three in total. She drew her second sword just in time to make some quick covers against the incoming blades. She forced her body into another somersault, this time backwards. Landing on her feet, she thrust her right arm forward, jamming the blade between the overlapping plates of armor. It fit easily into the small gap. The falling pieces of equipment clanged for the third time. The other two turned to face her, covered by steel visors, and attacked simultaneously. One hit from above, the other from below. With a quick counterattack, she deflected the blade attacking from above, while jumping over the sword attacking her from below. She fell between them and, without missing a beat, she hit a real warrior in the head with her right foot in a roundhouse. Using the momentum, she completed her turn and slashed with the sword in her left hand, at the exposed neck. The specter from inside the armor disappeared and the noise of falling weapons echoed into the hall. The impact of his foot was strong, but the helmet cushioned the blow. The warrior regained his balance, but not quickly enough to fend off another slash, which hit him between the ruff of his armor under his neck and his helmet. The tip of the sword caught an artery. Blood splattered around, reaching her as well. There are only seven opponents left and the mage. Time to speed up a bit, she decided. She reached the end of the sword in her left hand into the sheath and slipped it there. Then she put the same hand into the pouch at her belt, taking out a half-meter long chain. It was thickly bristled with thorns. She whispered the spell and spun it above her head. On the third turn, she released it from her hand towards the last two living warriors. The flying chain increased in size on its way to them. They tried to shield themselves with their swords, but the spell also increased his speed and strength. Now it was five meters long, a massive and heavy anchor chain. He grabbed the two she threw him at, catching one phantom on the way. Several centimeter long spikes pierced his neck and he disappeared. The warriors wrapped in it resisted its magical powers with all their strength. However, after a dozen or so seconds, they fell to the floor, tightly bound by it. Both were seriously injured. There are four phantoms left standing still. She took off and ran towards them with her sword held in both hands, with the blade raised vertically to her body at the side. But her opponents got out of her way. She stopped abruptly in her tracks. She slowly spun around, trying to guess where the attack would come from. It was quiet and peaceful. She decided to move on. First step, nothing. The second one, nothing either. She sped up when something behind her started to alarm her. She crouched vigorously, simultaneously turning and covering with her sword. Thorny death passed over her head. A split second ago, her back was there. The missile exploded when it failed to reach its target. Five meters away from her, a two-meter tall figure stood, so he was more than a head taller than her.

‘‘I was waiting for you" the magician boomed in a low voice.

‘‘Great, I wanted to meet you too, coward."

‘‘Ha, ha, ha" he laughed ugly.

He made a gesture with his hand and already held a huge double-sided ax in it.

‘‘We'll see if you'll be so happy and fighting when I chop your head off with it" he spoke again.

‘‘It remains to be seen, you stinker, who will deprive whom of it" she wanted to anger him.

In response, he just waved it in front of him as if he was holding a twig in his hand. She rose to a standing position, waiting for his first steps. He didn't bother to attack her though, he had seen her in action. She reached out with power to the chain that wrapped around the wounded warriors. There is little chance that help could come from there. However, she decided to try. She said the spell, making a movement with her hand. The magician was sure of the attack, so he put his left hand out with the outside in front of him. There was an energy dissipation gem on it. It was all unnecessary, because he was surprised to realize that the spell had passed him by. The chain twitched silently and one end crawled out from under the victim. That's it, it wasn't enough. It's time for the first fight. She moved forward, moving slightly to the side. Her opponent stood still and followed her with his eyes. Just as she was about to disappear from his sight, he turned his head. Then she started running in the other direction, shortening the distance. She hit at waist level, straight into the hands holding the axe. He reacted quickly, lowering the blade. However, the blade was not there. She dragged it down towards his knees. The ax dropped even lower, blocking access. Before she changed tactics, he launched a counterattack. From the position where he held his weapon, he slashed it upwards diagonally, aiming for her stomach. The girl jumped back and spun in a pirouette. The blade of her sword flickered with every turn of her body. This forced him to react faster. He lunged forward and slashed again. However, it hit the air. She was already one turn away and without stopping, she struck a blow under his knees as he stood sideways to her. However, he managed to twist his body and block her weapon. She spun one more time, and once again her blade shot towards his spine. This time it was she who whistled through the air. The mage jumped back just in time and smoothly launched a magical attack. He cast a spell, making a sign with his free hand. The girl quickly raised her left hand, with the wrist towards him. The gem placed there glowed for a split second, absorbing the energy generated and eliminating the spell. She took two quick steps and struck again with her sword. He blocked again. She jumped back. She reached out forcefully towards the chain and made a sign, jerking it towards her. This time, also thinking it was him, he protected himself with the gem, but it missed, which made him a little surprised. Thorny death crawled out from under the bodies of warriors who died from loss of blood. To cover up her manipulations, she shimmered in a pirouette and, after exiting it, crouched down, slashing at his ankles. He waited for it and parried the blow again, sending sparks flying. I guess this dance finally annoyed him, because he moved decisively towards her. From a crouch, she jumped into the air and, with the help of magic, somersaulted and landed a few meters away from him. He followed her and whispered a spell. The ax transformed into an even more terrifying mace. A large ball, studded with very long spikes, swirled above his head and flew towards it, extending its flight by the length of his arm. She dodged with difficulty. He stretched his lips into a nasty smile, as if he had her already on his fork. He was convinced he would get her. He withdrew his hand and swirled it above his head again. She didn't wait for a new attempt. She darted towards him. A mace is not an axe, maybe she can do it now. She struck a blow, right side to left, diagonally. The opponent dodged his body to get out of the way of the approaching blade. He lowered his hand at the same time. The shaft pulled a chain with a ball behind it. It whizzed past his head, but away from the girl. Sparks flew again. Panthea jumped back. She took a few steps beyond the range of his gun. She was walking to the right. She didn't expect that she would surprise him again with the same maneuver as before. It's probably time to lie down, she decided. She was afraid that something would accidentally touch her. She was starting to get tired. She feigned an attack, but at the last moment, she tripped and lost her rhythm. He took advantage of it quickly. He swung his weapon and wrapped the chain around her sword. He jerked towards himself, but she held him tightly. The rasp of a blade escaping from a chain echoed off the walls. He used the force of the jerk and turned it into a ball spinning above his head. The thorns covering the ball grew in her eyes. She extended her left hand in front of her, making a sign and shouting a spell. But he had his own way about it. He made another sign with his left hand and the energy emanating from it was deflected. A bit of it touched the ball anyway, because it strayed a little off track and only brushed against the black pauldron that protected her left arm. The magician cursed fiercely and shouted the spell himself in a raised voice. He had the ax in his hand again and raised it to strike a decisive blow. This moment of exchange was enough for her. She made one last attempt, extracting the chain completely from beneath the bodies. She caught him in the claws of power and whispered a spell quietly, giving him enormous speed. At the last moment he realized what was happening to him. He turned one hundred and eighty degrees to get into a defensive position. He didn't have time to do anything else but finish cutting. He did this by splitting her chain into two pieces. Losing its magical power, the chain fell, returning to its previous form. With triumph in his eyes, he returned to his previous position and was stunned with fear. A sword blade was whizzing towards his head. Nothing short of teleportation was out of the question. Which he almost did. He sent a mental signal to his star around his neck. However, the blade of the sword struck him from above, cutting off his ear and piercing his shoulder. With these wounds, he disappeared from her sight. She breathed a sigh of relief. He will need some time to heal and will remember this fight well. Tired, she headed towards the cloisters, a dozen or so meters away. Behind them began the stairs to the sixth circle. If it weren't for the fierce enemy of her grandfather and father, she wouldn't have such problems. She looked at the arm with the dented pauldron. It was a close call, she thought. She evened her breathing as she ran down the spiral staircase. This time she will have to go from the edge of the circle to its center. The steps blended into the wall. She recalled the appropriate spell. She put both her hands together, palms facing each other, and pressed her fingers together. She said the formula. A light seeped between the hands. Its golden glow was getting stronger with every second. She spread her hands without taking her fingers off each other. A strong beam of light shot out from between them and hit the wall. The substance of the wall absorbed energy without reacting to its constant supply. From what her father and her teacher told her, she knew that patience was needed. The amount of power it transformed doubled, and after a while it exceeded three times its value. The hands, slightly heated, began to vibrate imperceptibly. She chanted another spell loudly. Golden lines appeared on the wall surface. Irregular at first, but eventually they began to take the shape of a gate. It continued to emit a golden stream of light towards her. However, what was visible disappeared. She did not give up, her enemy cast an additional spell on the passage, which did not want to submit to her will. She continued in her stance and finally heard what sounded like glass breaking. She broke through an additional blockade. Satisfied, she uttered the previous spell again and the gate shone in all its glory. Within its outline, the wall ceased to exist. She breathed a sigh of relief. She could enter the next circle. She took the first step towards him. She became more courageous, her father's star was only one more pass away, and she was gaining strength. The wall was about five meters thick. Inside, small sparks flashed on its surface. They provided just enough light for her to walk calmly ahead. She got to the other side and froze in surprise and terror. Well, maybe she wasn't completely terrified, but still. Ten meters from the gate, a figure stood. It was a guard, but his father didn't mention anything about him. Even from this distance, she could perceive the power emanating from him. He was huge. She approached him as she became more bold. About two and a half meters tall, he rested his powerfully muscled arms on a large sword. Its blade was covered with writing and symbols unknown to her. The torso is covered with armor, giving the impression that it is part of his body. This made her wonder. She came even closer. Now she had no doubt, it was silver-colored metal, and what was most interesting, it covered his entire body, like skin. His head was the same, but it also had hanging strands hanging on it, reaching down to his shoulders. It was not hair, but probably some kind of feathers, flexible and elastic, white in color. The down on the shoulders was also tiny feathers. There was something growing out of his back. She stood in front of him, beyond the reach of his hands and sword. She looked calmly at him.

‘‘You are amazed by my presence here, granddaughter of Ihr Or Aura" he whispered in her head.

‘‘How do you know me" she replied, surprised.

‘‘I'm his child. Of course, not literally, like your granddaughter, but still."

She thought for a moment before taking up the topic.

‘‘This means that you are a being created in the genetic matrix" she guessed, or maybe she knew from the beginning.

‘‘Yes, you're right" to confirm these words, he spread his powerful wings, previously hidden behind his broad shoulders. They were woven from white feathers. At the very top they are covered with the same leather.

‘‘Oh," she sighed in delight.

Admiring its majesty and beauty, as well as the strength it emanated with power, she asked a question:

‘‘How did you know who I was?"

‘‘The blood of your ancestors and others flows in me. I feel a kindred essence in you."

‘‘I believe you, but it doesn't prove anything. We have to cross swords anyway so I can move on."

‘‘Are you sure?"

‘‘Of course. I have to get something from the seventh circle, and you won't let me through."

‘‘It's a fact. I was put here to guard the passage. Especially for you and for your own good. But if you listen to me, you can stand at his gate to take back what you came for."

She didn't sense any falsehood in what he said. She decided to listen to what he wanted to tell her. At most, he will give up his own star if he regains, as he says, his father's jewel. Then she will have access to the power of the Absolute anyway.

‘‘Agreement. Speak."

‘‘In the seventh circle, there are evil creatures that you cannot defeat on your own. Moreover, it is too early for you to go beyond the ninth circle, to reach your own star. You have tasks to complete beforehand. The power of your father's gem, Ahr Or Aura, will be enough for what lies before you. The jewel used in your case will be destroyed. However, I will not reveal the future to you. It would be bad if this happened to your star. Don't you think so?"

‘‘What you say sounds reasonable. But if everyone knows about it, what good is this knowledge?"

‘‘Only we both know about it. The other people, your grandfather and father, took the secret with them."

‘‘Then I have a chance. I agree to your terms. What will happen to you if you let me do all this?"

‘‘I'm in no danger."

‘‘You will betray them."

‘‘I am faithful only to the temple and to the one who called me. From it I draw strength and power. I am safe here and no one or nothing will threaten me."

‘‘Well, I'm going," Panthea decided.

He didn't answer anything, he didn't even flinch as she slowly walked around him from his right. When she passed him, he didn't even turn his head. After a few steps, she reached a barrier beyond which was impenetrable blackness. The darkness frightened her with its depth. It looked as if once you entered it, you could drown in it and lose your soul.

‘‘Brrr," she shook herself.

She gathered her strength and strained her senses, probing the sticky and pitch-thick space. She had to focus her will so that it wouldn't get into her. She strained her senses even more and caught a faint emanation of the aura of one, then another, and then another being. Just touching them filled her with disgust. Whoever introduced these atrocities into the seventh circle should be executed. Could this be what the figure with wings meant?

‘‘My name is Am Noor" she received his message.

She took out another instrument made of ruby ​​from her bag, it was a small flute. Before she began to play, she whispered a spell that allowed the melody to pass through the barrier. She started with a sad part and moved on to one that made me longing. At the end, she played cheerful and lively. Such rhythms accompany the meeting of people who have seen each other for years and have just come across each other unexpectedly. Almost immediately, she answered the attempt to contact her. Suppressed by the darkness and the monsters within.

‘‘Hurry up, redhead. They know you've made it," she heard the warning.

‘‘Then help me" she called.

He did what she asked him to do. He created a channel through which she heard the gem singing. Emanation blocking access, turned into compelling anger and rage. Despite this, she finally reconnected with the star, a bond that had been broken long ago. She imagined a teleportation sign and summoned a star. Its glow surprised her as it appeared before her. She quickly took out a medallion on a chain from her bag, with a socket inside. The gem filled the void and she placed it around her neck, ignoring the sounds coming from behind the wall.

‘‘Thank you, Am Noor."

‘‘Go away, redhead, your pursuers are on their way inside. I stopped them from teleporting directly here, so they're following the same path as you.

‘‘Thank you again. I will remember you."

‘‘It would be better if you remember my image and take one feather. It will be very useful to you in the future."

She walked over and reached for the gift, touching his enormous hand. She felt a slight tingling on her skin. For a moment, tiny sparks of energy discharges appeared between their hands. She tilted her head up and gave him a smile. She took out her pen and withdrew her hand. He looked at her seriously. She lowered her head, straight onto the huge, metallic chest. She saw some marks on it. She had seen them somewhere before, probably in her father's notes. He will come back to them one day, if he survives, of course. She closed her eyes, enjoying his concentrated aura. He actually drew power from the temple, and it was unlimited.

‘‘Maybe we'll meet again someday" she said and contacted her star.

‘‘I think so."

This was the last thought from him. Immediately afterwards, she disappeared and reappeared among the hills surrounding the huge fortress. She sat down on the ground due to sudden dizziness. It occurred to her that the last time she had used a star in this way had been when she was a little girl and had done so under the guidance of her father as he introduced her to the arcane arts of magic. She rested, contemplating the gate beyond the walls, leading to another world. In the middle of it was a teleportation fractal, built by her grandfather and father many years ago. The building was adapted to resist attack from both outside and inside. If, as a result of betrayal, someone could use fractals to get inside it from another world to which the road led. She knew every corner of it. Two thick walls, external and internal, full of loopholes covered with heavy steel shutters. There are dozens of rooms between them, connected by corridors and stairs. Everything designed so that you can defend yourself in any situation. And the dome. A huge canopy that serves as a roof and at the same time a barrier for those who would like to use teleportation to get outside. Impenetrable. Made of metal studded with jewels. She had one on her wrist in a bracelet. They reflected and scattered every type of known energy and spell cast. Access to the fortress from outside was also almost impossible. The hills surrounding it were steep and practically impassable. Perpendicular walls. The outside was also polished almost to a shine, making it impossible to climb unless stairs were cut into it. One access road is blocked by a wall several meters high and several meters thick. A low and massive gate, opened using a system of gears. Driven by a water wheel adapted to its weight. Installed on an underground river.

‘‘Beautiful," she whispered.

She liked this view very much. It was breathtaking and fascinating. She came to her senses and thought about what she was doing here. With a speed that anyone would envy, she removed her weapons and armor. She placed everything on a thin but strong sheet and wrapped it, tying it with straps. She picked up the medallion lying on the ground. She whispered a spell. The star had muted its power, now she could barely feel its pulsation. She placed it inside the bundle and made mental contact with it. She imagined the place she wanted her to go. Without thinking further about what she was planning, she gave her order. The package disappeared. The community on the planet believed that in order to move to a neighboring world, you had to stand on a fractal, inside a structure. This only applied to living beings. The teleport's emanation was so powerful that it pierced walls. Any truly skilled magician could move objects back and forth without entering the interior. After that, if her persecutors allow her to live, she will have a gap in her memory about the last dozen or so minutes. No one will know where she sent the parcel. She will also forget about him. Only under favorable circumstances will this change. She sat down on the ground again. She looked around. For a moment, she had doubts whether what she had done would be the opening of a new path that would help her change this world. It was too late to consider, she decided. This is the right thing to do. Her father and grandfather taught her this. She closed her eyes. She was waiting for the inevitable. She heard a rustle. Involuntarily, she froze at the sword blow. Nothing.

‘‘Get up," a threatening voice reached her.

She opened her eyes. She saw two people in front of her. Behind her, she felt the auras of three more figures. She boldly did what was asked of her. She recognized one of them, he was her father's old friend. That's why she was still alive. It turns out that some members of the Council blocked the actions of its opponents and enemies. Thanks to this, she will have a chance to implement her plans. As long as he survives on Sol. However, this is not the time for such worries. Especially since the same voice reported:

‘‘You are kept at the disposal of the Council. Until the verdict is passed, for arbitrary entry into the Temple."

She didn't say anything to that, nor did she lower her head. She stood proudly erect. The coward didn't say anything, she thought about the mage she had hurt. He also acted illegally, wanting to kill her. They looked her over from head to toe. The group leader didn't say anything. However, there was a smile on his lips, understanding why he didn't have anything special with him. Not to mention the star locket. He didn't share this thought with anyone else. Do I have another ally, a thought crossed her mind.

‘‘Now you will be placed in custody. Get ready."

They increased their distance from her to avoid the effects of the teleportation spell. They chanted an incantation together. The temperature around her rose a little from the energy being stored. The world spun and she found herself in a cave. She fell to the floor. There is always a difference when you do it yourself than when you are teleported. The small space was illuminated by the light of phosphorescent heather crystals. She heard about this place. You can't escape from here using magic, she heard that too. The crystals neutralized the energy needed for this process. She walked around her cell. She discovered a passage. She immediately checked what was there. In the glow, this time of pale green crystals, stood a bed, a table and a cabinet. This was her entire living space for the next several dozen hours. They won't keep her here any longer. Because she believed the rumors, she didn't try to do anything. She sat on the bed, waiting for him to continue. After several minutes, she said that probably nothing would come out of the meeting with the Council today. That's good, too. She sat back and reminded herself of the defense she was about to take. Thinking about this, she lay there for a while. And after a dozen or so more, she fell into a peaceful sleep. She sensed subtle changes in the environment. She lifted her eyelids without moving. Nothing. She turned her head towards the table. She saw a jug and a plate with food on it. Due to the constant glow coming from the crystals, she couldn't tell how much time had passed since she got here. It must be time to eat something, she said. She sat up briskly and lowered her legs to the floor of the cave. The smell whetted her appetite. She ate the hot dish with relish. She put down the plate. She went to the cave nearby. She was surprised to see a splashing spring inside. She dipped her hand into the pooling water. Her temperature was just right for a bath. She took off her clothes and descended naked, wading through the water to a lower spot filled with more water. Satisfied, she sat down and poured water on her head. The bath refreshed her and gave her strength. A bit lazy, she got up. She gathered her things. She returned to the smaller cave and placed them on the bed. The table has been cleared. The jug and platter were replaced by clean underwear, a tunic and tight trousers made of well-dressed leather. She looked at them, happy that someone had taken care of them. She put it all on herself, taking a lot of pleasure from it. She had barely finished dressing when she heard some noises in the next room. She carefully moved towards the wall and, moving towards the passage, listened. It was quiet. Could it be an illusion in this dead silence? It's impossible, she hasn't had auditory hallucinations before. So there's someone there. She thought about the guards and relaxed and walked confidently in that direction. She forgot to take the ring from the pocket of her previous pants. She stood right at the entrance to the cave next door and that saved her. At the same moment she stood, a hand armed with a dagger cut through the air, at the level of her carotid artery. The rush of air alerted her and forced her to act reflexively. She gave up the attack, not knowing what the attacker was armed with. She took a few quick steps backwards towards the table, keeping an eye on the passageway. The hand disappeared and in the meantime she reached her leather pants. She picked them up and wrapped them thickly around her left forearm. The killer entered a mixture of both glows. When he appeared in front of her, she instinctively reached for the power to create a protective shield in front of herself. She said the spell while making a sign. It turned out worse than bad. Instead of a field protecting her from the murderer, she heard a long poof. And that's it.

‘‘Oh, come on," she muttered under her breath.

He located her position and moved his left hand behind her head. She knew their fighting tactics, so she was prepared for the next attack. At the moment when he quickly straightened his arm, releasing a deadly weapon towards her. She had already lifted the table on one side, covering her body with it. The poisonous spike of a volcanic lizard stuck into the boards with great force. A second later, the poisonous substance began to digest the inside of the wood. A thin trail of vapor lazily moved upwards. They both stood facing each other. They weighed their chances. Panthea decided to keep her distance as long as possible, while her opponent did the opposite. He decided to complete the task as quickly as possible, which was essentially suicidal. Well, unless he had an ace up his sleeve, in the form of outside help, and therefore attacked directly. Prepared for the obstacle of a table, he jumped over it as she knocked him down onto him as he moved. He landed where she was standing. However, she jumped to the opposite end of the bedroom and, step by step, moved towards the larger cave to have more room to maneuver. However, he preferred tight spaces and did not allow her to escape. He attacked again, with a dagger from the air. Jumping to shorten the distance, she blocked the slash of the razor-sharp blade with her wrapped forearm. The rustle of cutting skin reached her consciousness, along with the counterattack of her right hand. It shot forward, hitting his left shoulder with its base. She was strong and in good shape. The force of the blow turned him sideways towards her. She turned around her axis to the right and the elbow of her right hand, with all her strength, multiplied by her mass, drove into his ribs on his back. He staggered, but was not hurt. The armor scales absorbed the dynamics of the blow. She took advantage of his lack of balance and used her full body weight to push him against the wall. It worked. This way she moved him out of the way and, avoiding him, ran into a larger room. She reached the opposite wall and stopped, waiting for his next move. He dashed right behind her. He was a little incensed, and his cold eyes fell on her figure. She was still vulnerable, so a hint of a smile dilated his pupils and crinkled the corners of his eyes. He deftly transferred the dagger to his left hand, reaching behind his head with his right to the sword hilt. The weapon hissed briefly as it lowered its sheath. He approached her in small steps, waiting for her reaction. And she took one step towards him. He took a sparing swing of the sword from his left shoulder and accelerated, releasing it flat in front of him, the blade in the direction of the cut, a meter above the floor. Panthea quickly flipped forward and a deadly weapon whizzed over her head. She completed her risky roll right in front of him. The tip of the sword went towards the floor. The hand that held it turned at the wrist and the weapon began its return journey, this time just above the ground. With the intention of biting diagonally into her exposed ribs. She was prepared for this. Both of her curled legs shot out in the direction she had given. The left towards the inexorably approaching blade, sharp as a razor, and the right towards the groin of his left leg. The heel of her left shoe luckily hit the target. The steel dug into the thick and hard heel, which jammed the weapon for a second. At this time, the right foot also hit a certain spot with its heel, partially crushing his genitals. Even though each of them was resistant to pain, the warrior groaned dully as the signal reached his brain. The girl rolled onto her left side, tucking her right leg again. Once she was on top of him, she shot out like a spring, hitting him in the hip that had just landed at that height. The man, weakened by suffering, fell to the floor, trying to reach her with the dagger held in his left hand. She herself did a backflip over her left shoulder and stood on her feet. She approached the would-be assassin, raising her sword.

‘‘Now I think it's time for some answers. Don't you think so?" she asked.

Before this conversation could take place, the wall behind her broke silently and a strong white light flooded them both.

‘‘Don't do it" she heard from behind.

‘‘Why not" she replied with a question.

‘‘The council will question him."

„And what's next?"

‘‘We will find the initiator of this attack."

‘‘About? Don't you know him?" Leaning over the defeated man, she used the tip of her sword to pry the face shield and cut the strap.

‘‘Leave him. Don't make your situation worse with an additional offense."

‘‘What are you talking about" she straightened up and turned towards the voice, without letting go of the gun in her hand.

There were three people standing there. A male magician, with a star on a chain, and two temple guards on either side of him.

‘‘Don't do it" that's all he added.

She looked along the blade of the sword in her hand as a groan reached them. The magician quickly entered the interior and knelt over the graying prisoner. He gestured above him, speaking the words.

‘‘Nothing will come of it Panthea interjected, seeing his actions. ‘‘It was programmed.

‘‘I know."

He grabbed his wrists and dragged him into the hall. The girl followed him.

‘‘Don't go out and drop your weapon," he ordered.

‘‘I can help you. I know about treatment, if anything comes of it."

‘‘Wait inside."

She stopped and dropped the sword next to her leg. She unwrapped her pants, took out the ring that saved her life and sat down, putting it on her finger. From outside, there were sounds of magical reanimation, interspersed with the wheezing of a dying man. A loud cry, half a sigh, ended the magician's actions. There was silence. The prisoner did not react. She waited.

‘‘Get up. Let's go" the command was given.

She rose to her feet calmly and without haste. There were guards standing on both sides of the aisle, watching her closely. She walked between them into a tunnel, illuminated by the natural glow of crystals growing in groups every few meters on the navy blue walls. The arch of the ceiling was covered with growths of crystals with an intense green glow, as if in a cave. Another anti-magic