One more month passed, and at the back of the mansion on the training field, Ariadne, Alya, Edmund, Ethan, and Alon stood on the shooting range where soldiers practiced. Edmund was holding in his arms the new weapon he had promised Ariadne. It looked like a larger rifle with a longer and larger barrel.

  Ethan looked at it curiously but couldn't believe how they would carry that thing. Edmund held it with just one hand but judging by his force, it would have taken at least two people to carry it.

  ‘Welcome everyone to the test of our new weapon.’ Edmund was surprised by Ariadne’s fan close to his face.

  ‘I have no time for this peasant; go straight to the point.’ She fanned herself.

  ‘Well… alright.’ He put the weapon on a tripod.

  He adjusted it to face the targets at a distance, looked to the side on the ground, and saw a blue crystalized case; it even shone a little. On one of its sides, there was a broad t-shaped form. He unlocked the top of the weapon, opened a lid, moved to the side of the weapon, and saw the exact shape also in the vertical on its side. He put it in place, fitting it?. He closed the lid and locked it in place.

  ‘How are we supposed to carry this thing around?’ Ethan looked at Edmund, puzzled.

  ‘No, this is for the trucks; the crystals we got on that fortress raid were only enough for three and the ammunition.’ He stepped back and gestured for Ethan to go forward.

  Ethan looked at Alon, who gave him a nod and stood behind the weapon. Strangely, it didn’t have a trigger like a rifle, so he looked around for it.

  ‘I’m sorry. Here at the back, use your two hands to aim like this.’ Edmund held the two vertical handles.

  ‘But how do I fire it?’ Ethan looked confused.

  ‘Now, with your two thumbs, press it this here on the top; give it a light touch first.’ Again, he stepped back and gestured to Ethan to go forward.

  Ethan followed Edmund’s instructions and positioned himself to fire the new weapon. He was curious but nervous about its power. In the distance, a helmet and, to its side, a vest, the same ones every soldier in the duchess army used.

  He gave it a light press, and it fired once. The sound was loud but similar to the rifle's; it was more potent. The shot didn’t hit the target, but a tree behind it was shattered on its side. Ethan looked around him and everyone but Edmund. The reaction was the same. Alya covered her ears but maintained her position by the duchess's side.

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  ‘Now aim for the targets.’ Edmund patted Ethan’s shoulder.

  Ethan aimed at the helmet and fired; it took four shots before he could hit it. The fault wasn’t with him but rather his unfamiliarity with the weapon. They didn’t see the magic barrier break because the bullet simply passed through it, and the helmet fell to the ground.

  It was easier to hit the vest. It took him only three shots to hit the center of the vest, and the result was the same: The bullet simply passed through it with no resistance whatsoever. After that, Edmond patted Ethan on the shoulder again, letting his hands off the weapon.

  The white-haired young man ran to the objects and retrieved them so the others could expect them. Just by the sound alone, he could see their expressions of complete disbelief.

  ‘Look, it just passed through it with no effort whatsoever; it will kill a soldier in one shot, no problem.’ Edmund showed the objects to them.

  ‘If it does this to our soldier's armor, the Lavan soldiers might as well fight naked.’ Ariadne opens a wide grin.

  ‘Is powerful but slow; even our normal rifles can do more damage if we have the numbers.’ Alon crossed his arms.

  ‘What? It will be on top of the trucks, and Ethan here was misusing it.’ He again pats the soldier's shoulder.

  ‘How come? I did like you told me to.’ Ethan looked at him, confused.

  ‘Try to hold the trigger and move it left to right.' Edmund smiled.

  Ethan looked at the weapon and positioned himself again, but instead of pressing it, he held the trigger. The continuous sound of the shots coming from the weapon took everyone by surprise, but Ethan was exasperated, as if he had all the power in the world in his hand. As he held it, he moved as Edmund asked from left to right.

  They could see the continuous stream of blue beams cutting the air. The sound was like a rhythm of death, accompanied by the whistles of the projectiles, which sounded like rifles.

  Everyone was in complete shock by what had just happened. Ariadne put her free hand on her forehead, looked at the sky, and laughed aloud. This took Alya aback, but what she had just seen hadn’t passed as reality yet; she had never seen such a display of magic. Alon instantly started to think about the possibilities of using such a thing as attack or defense.

  ‘I think you didn’t see what is capable of; just look at the tree line in the back.’ Edmund pointed at trees.

  Edmund patted Ethan again and gestured for everyone to follow him. He then walked to the tree line with everyone close behind him. As they came closer, the destruction became more visible. The trees were in awful shape, and some almost fell over.

  ‘Peasant, you have outdone yourself.’ Ariadne came closer to a tree and looked at the damage.

  ‘Ho, this is the first time you said something positive about me.’ Edmund smiled.

  ‘Don’t get full of yourself.’ She looked at him from the corner of her eye.

  ‘Ok… Ok…’ He took a step back.

  ‘Your Highness, we can start preparing for the dungeon incursion, but we lack information about it. I don’t want to send my men into the darkness.’ Alon put his hand on Ethan's shoulders.

  Ethan smiled at his captain, feeling how he cared for him and everyone under his command; he was everyone's father in a way to everyone, and ?now that he was going to have a child, going on a suicide mission was terrible luck.

  ‘Ethan here will have a child, so think before doing anything. I hope Edmund has information about it as he talks so much about this dungeon.’ He pats Ethan’s back.

  ‘What? I thought I was your best friend; why didn’t you tell me about this, Ethan?’ Edmund looked disappointed.

  ‘We barely talk to one another.’ Ethan looked at Edmund, confused.

  'Congratulations, corporal; you will be a great father. I know that your wife loves you very much.’ Ariadne gave a sweet smile.

  He felt strangely calm as he looked at the duchess. It was as if everything was going to be okay. Suddenly, he smiled at her, and a sentiment of gratitude sparked within him. He had never felt like this before.