Let's Train Heroine

In the quiet dawn hours, Maris stood at the heart of the Saint's Region, surrounded by the lush landscapes and rolling hills, as she prepared to cast a barrier that would protect their region. Around her stood the others—Lucan, Meri, Nyx, Kerum, and Virnda—all ready.

Maris closed her eyes, taking in a slow, steady breath as she centered herself. The weight of the mana she would need was immense; creating a barrier to encompass the entire Saint's Region required a level of power that only a she could wield. But even then, she knew the mana expenditure would leave her drained. Her hands lifted, and she began to chant, channeling all her energy outward.

A shimmering light spread from her fingertips, slowly expanding into a dome of translucent energy. The barrier began to take shape, glowing with a faint, pure light. With each word she whispered, the barrier grew taller, stronger, spreading outward until it curved over the entire region. Sweat beaded on Maris's brow, and her breathing became labored, but she continued, pouring every last reserve of her mana into the barrier.

Finally, as the barrier solidified into a radiant sphere that completely surrounded the Saint's Region, Maris's legs buckled beneath her, and she collapsed to the ground. Her vision swam, and her entire body felt weak, as if the energy had been drained from her very bones.

Lucan hurried forward, as he watched her struggle to stay conscious. "Maris, are you alright?"

Maris gave a weak nod, forcing a reassuring smile. "I… I'll be fine. Just… just give me a moment to recover."

Nyx stepped forward, her gaze intense as she studied the barrier. "My turn, then." She took a deep breath, her dark skin luminous in the faint light of dawn. Holding out her hands, Nyx summoned the mana necessary for her spatial manipulation ability. The air around her began to ripple, warping slightly as her power activated.

"By infusing space magic into the barrier, I'll ensure that anyone attempting to force their way through is simply… relocated," Nyx explained, a sly smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "They'll find themselves far, far away before they even realize what's happened."

She concentrated, channeling the last of her mana reserves as her ability merged with the barrier. The effect was subtle at first, a faint shimmer in the air that hinted at the latent power she had embedded within it. Nyx staggered slightly, catching her breath as the last of her strength faded.

"Well," she said with a wry chuckle, "that was exhausting."

Virnda glanced at her, "You did well, Nyx."

Five minutes later, Maris pushed herself to her feet, still slightly unsteady but visibly more stable. She turned to Meri and nodded, signaling the next step. Meri didn't hesitate; she closed her eyes, summoning a tremendous amount of mana given to her by the spirits of previous Saints. This mana pulsed around her, swirling in a radiant aura that shimmered like a river of starlight.

"Maris, here," Meri said softly, allowing the mana to flow toward Maris, who reached out, focusing intensely as she absorbed it.

Maris's hands glowed with a soft, celestial light as she carefully directed this powerful energy into the barrier, reinforcing it, making it denser, stronger, and nearly impenetrable. "With this," she murmured, voice filled with conviction, "no one, not even those with immense strength, will break through without facing the consequences."

Kerum watched with awe, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as the barrier solidified. "This level of power… even thousands with Region-class strength couldn't break it," he murmured.

As the final waves of mana melded into the barrier, Nyx had regained enough of her strength to step forward again. "Now, I'll add something a bit more… lasting." She summoned her time magic, allowing its influence to seep into the barrier, causing it to glow faintly with a deep, purple hue.

"This time magic will ensure the barrier remains, indefinitely," she explained, her voice firm. "Unless someone with magic stronger than mine appears, this barrier will hold. Additionally," she continued with a sly grin, "any intruder near the barrier will find themselves aging much faster than they expected."

Kerum then stepped forward, drawing the sacred sword that held a piece of the Goddess's essence. The blade hummed with power, and as he lifted it, the air around him vibrated with divine energy.

"With the Goddess's mana," Kerum declared, "we can make this barrier indistinguishable from the original. It will blend perfectly, a seamless extension of the one that has caged us for so long."

He raised the sword, and as he channeled its divine energy, a pulse of golden light spread from the blade, infusing itself into the barrier. The once-translucent dome took on a faintly ethereal quality, shimmering with a brilliance that was both beautiful and formidable.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

The others watched in silent as the barrier resonated with the Goddess's power, its presence almost otherworldly. Virnda stepped forward next, her gaze thoughtful as she studied the barrier, now fully formed and humming with layers of power.

"I was going to hide the barrier entirely," she mused, "but I think a better approach is to conceal the time and space magic within it. Let any would-be intruders discover the consequences only when they try to force their way in."

Virnda raised her hands, weaving a complex spell that masked the presence of Nyx's enhancements, effectively hiding the dangerous time and space effects. The barrier now appeared unassuming, its true dangers only revealed to those who dared to test it.

Finally, Lucan stepped forward. He closed his eyes, focusing on his ability. He took a deep breath, and then words formed in the air, simple but powerful.

"This barrier will recognize only the inhabitants of the Saint's Region. No one else may pass."

As the words faded, they left a residual glow that shimmered and then disappeared, sealing the barrier's final layer. Only those from the Saint's Region could freely enter or exit, while all others would be denied passage.

Lucan exhaled. "It's done," he said simply.

Nyx looked at barrier and thought that for the first time, she did something that would protect instead of destroying.