Age of Adepts
chapter-380

What would your reaction be if a cluster of magical crystals as large as a mountain appeared before you?

Greem, at least, was completely tongue-tied. His eyes opened wide as he stuttered for several minutes, trying to find the words to express his feelings.

The entire block of crystals was like a massive cactus growing without a particular pattern. The gigantic clusters of crystal started from the energy pools and gradually extended outwards, with numerous smaller, derivative crystals growing out of the giant block. Their crystalline structures shined with a magical light.

It looked like most of the energy room's space had been taken up by these crystal clusters. If one looked throughout the room, they would find crystals everywhere, along with the prismatic light they reflected. There were even giggling magic fairies flying all around the room.

Magic fairies were not creatures born of nature; they weren't magical creatures in the ordinary sense. Instead, they were elementium spirits that manifested once the magic elementium in the air reached a certain density. They looked no different from regular elementium fairies, but the level of their existence origins was far superior to elementium fairies.

If elementium fairies were analogous to the beasts of the wild, then magic fairies would be the powerful magical creatures that ruled over them all. They were few in numbers, but their soul origin was several levels above your ordinary magical being.

When the four adepts walked into the hall, they saw a total of six or seven magic fairies.

A slightly larger magic fairy flapped her wings and flew to the four of them while they were still mesmerized by the sight of the crystal mountain.

"You outsiders, why are you trespassing in our home? Get out, or we will attack you!"

The one who was speaking to them was a beautiful magic fairy. She was only the size of a palm, but she had a slim figure and looked just like a tiny elf. She had a pair of transparent wings on her back and waved a magic wand in her hand. The wand was so thin that it looked like a matchstick. Glimmering magic dust would remain in the air wherever she went, painting bright starry paths in the air.

The other magic fairies also surrounded the adepts after the first one had threatened them. They beat their wings and scattered stardust in the air as they flew. All of them pointed their magic wands at Alice and the rest.

"Big guys, get out of our home."

"Leave quickly, or I'll turn you into honking pigs."

"No, it's better to turn them into little snakes."

These magic fairies were quite talkative. They surrounded the adepts, but after issuing one or two threats, they started arguing among themselves over the smallest of matters. Greem was amazed at the sight of these magic fairies, even as they waved their fists and tried to look intimidating. He communicated with the chip.

"Chip, can you scan for the base model of these lifeforms?"

"Beep. Project has been constructed. Scanning commencing. Beep. Beep. Beep. Warning. Target lifeform has an unknown forcefield around their body. Ordinary detection rays are unable to penetrate said forcefield. Recommending use of elementium analysis rays. However, this will be active probing. There is a certain probability that the target will detect the probing. Requesting instructions from host. Commence operation?"

"Can't their race be deduced from their appearance and their behavioral traits?"

"Beep. No similarities found within the 1,397,941 lifeform traits within the data library. Initial estimates suggest lifeform to be a legendary lifeform. Passive probing abilities have indicated that the target is most likely a nature spirit that manifested once magic elementium density passed a certain threshold. Lifeform does not belong within the category of natural lifeforms and magical creatures."

"Nature spirits?" Greem brooded in silence.

Meanwhile, Sofia, who only believed in absolute strength, marched forward.

"You uninvited midgets, this is our land. How dare you be so arrogant in our place. Do you want me to punch you?" Sofia raised her massive fist and waved it at the fairies while she spoke.

With how big her fists were, it was probably more than enough to crush two fairies in a single grasp.

However, her threats didn't work. In fact, the fairies treated her reckless actions as an attack against them.

The next moment, four magic wands pointed at her.

Crisp and sweet yells rang out in the air as four green beams shot towards Sofia and hit her on her broad chest.

The beams were very thin, and the magical energy they radiated was pitiful. Yet, strangely enough, they ultimately passed through Sofia's defensive forcefield without any resistance and made contact with her body.

Pu. A soft sound echoed in the room.

The green mist dispersed and Sofia vanished. A cute pink pig with a red bowtie and a curly tail stood in her place.

Alice, Greem, and Snowlotus felt uncomfortable shivers run through their bodies when they saw what happened to Sofia. The pink pig even raised her snout at the three of them, sneezed, and wagged her little tail.

"Dammit! It's magic penetration!"

The three of them immediately understood the nature of the magic fairies' powers.

If spells were an ability the adepts had gained through the accumulation of knowledge, then magic fairies would be natural spellcasters.

They were nature spirits born of magical energies. Their control over magical energies wasn't like an adept's. It wasn't a means of manipulating and borrowing the strength of magical power. Instead, it was second nature and intuition carved right into their soul. They needed absolutely no chants or handsigns when they used magic. The fairies only had to will it to happen, and magic would move as they wanted it.

Moreover, what was even more terrifying about them was the fact that each one of their spells possessed magic penetration. Magic like this was too much to endure, even for Sofia, who had a basic magic resistance. Their spells had instantly struck her.

Sofia, who had as much muscle as the most muscular of human men, had been turned into a pink honking pig without any ability to resist. The humiliation of being reduced to livestock made the three other adepts gulp. They couldn't help but slowly back away.

If even Sofia couldn't defend against the spell, the rest of them probably couldn't as well. No amount of magical defenses could block that frightening magic penetration effect. It was better to play it safe to avoid being reduced to a joke!

"Scared now?" A magic fairy proudly beat her wings and flew about in the air. She waved her hands in delight, "It was me. Me. It was my magic that worked!"

The other three fairies immediately became dejected. Even their wings started drooping.

All four magic beams had hit Sofia at the same time. Yet, in the end, the spell that took effect was this fairy's who had cast Polymorph: Pig.

In truth, the magic fairies looked almost identical to each other. When they flew in unison, even Greem couldn't distinguish them with his mundane sight alone.

"Okay, outsiders. We won't be pursuing your offense of trespassing into our home any longer," The slightly more mature magic fairy once again flew before them, "Now please leave and return peace to our home!"

Greem and Alice looked at each other. Alice then smiled and walked forward.

"As my companion said, this is our place, not your home. As the outsiders, shouldn't you people be the ones to leave?"

"Liar."

"This big one is lying."

"Big guy is so mean. Let's turn her into a green frog."

The magic fairies immediately started scolding Alice. They pouted and put their hands on their hips. Some even raised their wands and charged at her.

"Hmph! Little people still want to be stubborn even after taking advantage of my tower for such a long time. Let me show you who's the real owner of this place!" Alice might have returned to her original body, but her habits from her child-form were hard to change quickly. She also placed her hand on her hips like the fairies were doing and snapped her fingers.

A rune flashed on the control crystal floating in front of her. The unique flux of a magical array change came from deep within the crystal cluster.

A short moment later, a magic fairy anxiously flew out from within it. She yelled as she flew, "This isn't good... it's bad. The magic fountain source has been cut."

The magic fairies immediately started panicking. They couldn't care less about Alice and the rest. All of them dashed back into the depths of the crystal mountain.

"Talk to them!" Greem nodded at Alice, "They seem innocent. If discussions go well, you might find yourself with some useful helpers!"

Alice smiled sweetly back at Greem.

Snowlotus looked at the two of them in confusion. She really couldn't quite understand their real relationship.

A short while later, the magic fairies once again flew out in a rage. They surrounded Alice.

"Speak, evil bad guy!" The leader of the magic fairies waved her fist and threatened, "What evil magic did you use to cut off the magic fountain source. Quick, cancel it."

"Little fellows, you stay here, and you don't know where this is? This place is the energy room of my adept's tower. It's my home and my territory. If you want to stay here, you will have to get my permission. And if you don't agree, don't blame me for forcefully evicting you!" Alice seemed to be even better than them at being an unreasonable kid.

The magic fairies gathered together and started a discussion.

As powerful nature spirits, their intelligence wasn't low. It was only the isolationist lifestyle they had led that caused them to be a little too innocent. They could tell the truth behind Alice's words.

Thus, an intense debate happened before the eyes of the three adepts. Meanwhile, Sofia was still sadly walking in circles on the ground. Even though she was trying her best to roar and intimidate the fairies, it just wasn't working. Greem had to force himself to stay calm to not laugh at the pig's small body and its cute face.

The magic fairies were pragmatic beings as well. They soon pushed their dejected leader forward and started a careful negotiation with Alice.