Nine years ago...

The region of Risine was mostly desert. Towns and cities usually flourished around water holes, oasis and riverbanks. Although Risine faced the Western Sea, there were no natural harbors, and steep cliffs lined the region's land near the sea. The common mode of transportation in the Risine region was through air balloons. Horses died of thirst in the vast and arid desert, and Gorge had yet to begin installing train tracks for its fast trains in the desert region. Gorge's technicians had yet to create a metal that would not melt and bend from the dual effects of the hot sun and desert.

Jaejoong had regained his skills in flying an air balloon, but he gave that task today to Junsu to gauge the young man's skill. The young fighter had proven himself to be good at learning new things. All instructors from all three schools of learning had praised Junsu. In two months, Junsu would be graduating among the top of the first batch of the League. Jaejoong had finally decided to call the special force as the League.

"If my memory serves me, each unit of the League has three members," said Yoochun who stood beside Jaejoong as they watched the Risine landscape below them, "and it should be composed of a warrior, a man of science and a mage."

"You remembered the lectures," Jaejoong teased his friend.

Yoochun frowned. It was obvious how he hated those lectures since he already knew everything he needed to know about the rules of science and magic even before Jaejoong forced him to go through the trainings for the League's recruits.

"Then this League of ours is not right. We have one man of science, two warriors and a mage!"

"Technically, Cloud is not a member, and he has yet to show signs that he's a mage since all he could produce are thunderbolts which according to science are normal when it comes to dark storm clouds. Cloud is our historian. And since this is the sixth league, it is special. So, it can have three or more members depending on the mission." "

You just made up that rule!" accused Yoochun. "This is like the time when you forcibly recruited me and took me away from my thriving business!"

"For someone forced, you were not protesting too much. In fact, you looked relieved when I invited you to join the League. And since you joined the League, all the stress lines on your face brought by the responsibility to your family and demanding costumers are gone."

Yoochun was temporarily struck dumb. It took several seconds before he could speak again.

"Cloud! Don't you dare tell anyone, specially my wife about this conversation!" he warned. "If you do that, I will dedicate my life into inventing a cage that would hold you in one place."

"Is that even possible?" retorted the black cloud.

"I am an inventor! And once I get an idea inside my head, I could turn it into reality," Yoochun said with confidence.

"I will try not to talk to your wife when I meet her," was the only promise Cloud made.

Jaejoong clapped his hand on the back of his friend's shoulders.

"You're too stiff, Yoochun. There's nothing wrong with being afraid."

"I am not afraid! Just concerned about our mission in Risine. This mage is a necromancer! And she has killed everyone who tried to stop her or capture her. And with every life she takes, her powers would increased! We should have brought the whole League with us!"

"That's not a good idea, Yoochun. She could kill us all. While if only three of us would get killed, Cloud could bring all the data he has gathered to Donghae and the League and they would be able to form a much better plan of attack."

"You...!" Yoochun spluttered. "You took me to a suicide mission! I am only thirty-one years old! It is not yet time for me to die!" he wailed. "We clearly need a mage, a powerful one for this mission!"

"You worry too much. I am just joking. I took the best people for this mission. And if my hunch is correct, we won't need a mage. Our group could easily solve this problem."

"What are you talking about?" blurted Yoochun. "A deadly necromancer is down there killing people all around her!"

Jaejoong smiled and turned his attention to their destination.

"Trust me, my friend. We would finish this mission without any more deaths."

It was easy to track down the necromancer. She had left her own bloodstains on the path to one of the underground caverns in the Risine desert. But a wounded mage was much more dangerous since pain would affect her mind, and she would immediately lash out to anyone coming after her without thinking. This mage's sole purpose was to survive.

"It's dangerous for us to follow her inside th