Numerous students gather in the courtyard. Some of them are trying to calm each other down after escaping the flames. Others have run over to help the injured or to check out the situation out of sheer curiosity. While the worried students look after each other and exchange information, the building of the magic faculty continues to burn brightly.

“When will the fire department finally arrive?” shouts a student.

"What does it matter! We have to take care of the injured first! Do we have paramedics here?" replies another one.

There is a huge confusion. Despite the great solidarity among those present, nobody really knows how to deal with this situation. They expect professional help to arrive very soon, but exactly how long will they have to wait?

"What about the people in the building? Is everyone safe?" a voice calls out again.

Of course, no one knows whether there still are any other students and professors in the flames - or even alive.

It's unbelievable!

Shock is written all over Semis Bazma's face when he sees the bright flames. Their fiery arms seem to reach for the sky and turn it an eerie red-orange color.

Semi's mind is racing.

A fire in the magic faculty?

But how?

An attack?

Is this what Zenith had warned us about?

Is this Penumbra's work?

Despite the deep shock and the confusion in his head, he tries to appear cool and calm on the outside. How would the students react if they saw the Peacemaker of Willows in a state of panic? It's the duty of the student council at the academy to ensure peace and order. Even in such an extreme situation, they must remain calm and lead the students out of this difficult situation. And with composure.

"Give first aid! The doctors will be here soon!" Semis shouts these words, but he himself does not know whether the fire department and emergency services have even been informed and will arrive.

Shit! Nothing is organized!

It is the responsibility of the Student Council to call the emergency services. Who should take the initiative if not the Council?

Semis feels overwhelmed and helpless. It seems that behind the façade of the mighty peacemaker lies a weakling. It's like last night, when Zenith met Arthur and neither of them paid any attention to Semis.

“Hey, there are still survivors here!”

Hearing this, Semis already sees the two students coming out of the lecture hall. A young woman dragging a blond man with her. He appears to be unconscious and... he looks familiar to Semis...

“Declan?!”

Semis runs towards the girl and Declan.

"Declan! Hey, are you okay?!"

In that moment, Semis can't help but drop his mask for a brief moment. With his heart racing like crazy and his face sweating from the heat of the fire and pure panic, he shakes Declan by the shoulders.

Please don't let him be dead!

Declan may be a subordinate of sorts to Semis, but he's also a friend to the peacemaker - and compared to Arthur, the friendship is mutual. The thought that he may have just lost an important friend fills Semis with deep dread. A fear he has never felt before.

“U-uhm, Lord Bazma...” The girl tries to reassure Semis, "Declan is alive. But he really needs to be treated now..."

“Huh?”

Only now does he notice Declan breathing softly.

“Y-yes, of course... Hey! Somebody get him taken care of as soon as possible!”

Semis waves to the paramedics who have just entered the grounds of the faculty building.

What luck. The paramedics really have arrived!

While Semis and the girl are trying to talk to Declan, a large shadow suddenly emerges from the building.

The students present immediately notice the new presence and go into an uproar.

“Wh-who is that?”

“Look! A masked person!”

A masked woman in a witch's hat appears. Semis recognizes her immediately:

Zenith, the Warlady of Rivers!

The witch is carrying a total of three students in both arms. It's hard to believe that a woman of such meagre stature is able to carry three grown men - but she also seems to have reached her limits.

“Whew, whew...”

Zenith gasps exhaustedly. She seems to be very battered. The warlady must have given her all to save these students...

“Uff, uff, T-that...”

She tries to carefully lay the unconscious students on the floor, but their arms seem to have given up and they are carried downwards quite uncomfortably.

“Not so rough!” a paramedic shouts reproachfully and kneels down in front of the students to initiate the treatments.

“Whew, that's all of them...”

Zenith has finally managed to utter a complete, if short, sentence.

“Zenith!” Semis approaches the witch with quick steps. Savior or not, she is a warlord! She belongs to Penumbra and they are behind this attack! Semis doesn't know what Zenith wants to achieve with this rescue, but he won't let anyone from Penumbra escape. His pride as a peacemaker won't let him!

“Thank you!”

The girl who was with Declan walks past Semis and is already standing in front of Zenith. She bows her thanks.

"I may not know your name, but I am deeply grateful. You saved us all!"

Semis stops.

She thanks her?! Doesn't she realize the danger this woman poses?!

Zenith, who is still breathing heavily, strains to form a wry grin of relief. She pats the girl's head.

“Not at all, Emma.”

"Huh? How do you know my-“

”I've got to get going, love!"

Zenith waves goodbye.

"No wait!!!"

But before Semis can stop the warlady, she has instantly disappeared into nothingness. It's like last night.

A teleportation tool? Or maybe a Lacrima?

Whether magic or Lacrima: Zenith has disappeared and Semis doesn't know when he'll meet her again.

"Bloody Penumbra! First they carry out a deadly attack and then they want to be celebrated like heroes?! Next time, none of these warlords will escape me!"

“Hng...” Declan makes unintelligible noises.

“Declan!” Semis puts his anger aside and turns back to his friend, looking at him with concern.

The girl named Emma said that Zenith saved all the students. Does that include her and Declan? Can it really be that Zenith saved Declan's life?