*Lei*

"Lei," Adela said, squatting down to my level and touching my face.

I winced from the painful wounds inflicted upon me by Eien. Her hands let out a gentle glow, healing some of the bruises.

"You're amazing," Adela said, staring at me with endearing eyes. She rose to her full height and walked over to Eien. Her eyes were even angrier than when we first met him. "And you! What do you think you're doing beating him like that?"

Eien took his seat on the front bench and grinned. "This case will depend on my actions, so just sit down and watch."

"It shouldn't be about you!" She grabbed him from the collar of his white shirt, pulling him up from his seat. "You were supposed to defend him!"

"Calm down Adela," Wanikiya warned, wringing his hands in the air.

Eien slapped her hand away, causing her to drop him on the floor. She glared at her as he leapt to his feet. "Listen here, woman, don't you dare grab me like that again."

"Arg! I can't wait for the Mahoulympics to crush that smug smile from your face, you-"

Seven pillars of multicolored light filled the seats. "Silence!" the red veiled woman yelled. "We have made our decision."

"Lei Lan, you are to live," the blue veiled man said, leaning back against his throne.

Adela and Wanikiya's mouths drew agape and the two quickly hugged me.

"Yes, you're not going to be burned at stake," Wanikiya yelled.

I couldn't help but break out laughing from joy. "I'm... I'm going to live!"

"There is one condition though," the white-veiled judge said. "Eien or someone he delegates the authority to, is to watch over you over the course of the next few months to make sure you don't turn into an out of control monster. You are to only use that power in emergencies to defend your school and comrades. That is, once you have learned how to master it."

"It can't be used in tournaments such as the upcoming Mahoulympics," said an orange-veiled male judge. "Also, he must train you for said games in order to make sure that you have adequate control when the time comes."

All seven judges raised their hammers and pounded them against their podiums. "That is all. This case is dismissed," they said as if they were one.

"Why must it be this guy?" Adela said, glaring at Eien.

"I'm the only one from our class who can slay him, should he lose control," Eien said. "Well Iah and you might be able to but you're too kind on him, such hesitation would mean your death in such a case."

"Well I better get ready to return back to Wahkan," Wanikiya said as we left the court. "I wish you could come home for summer break with us."

"Me too," I said.

"I'll actually be handing over the authority to Yen," Eien said. "She might not be able to kill you if the occasion comes down to it, but I can see her knocking some sense into you."

The trust this guy has in me... If he has this little trust in me, then why the heck did he beat me to a pulp? That plan could've backfired!

I took a deep breath and smiled. "That's good. I want to return home. Hey, Adela."

"Yes?"

"Do you know how many people died?"

She lowered her head. "In total there were two-thousand deaths, two hundred from students and one-thousand-eight-hundred from civilians. There's also the three hundred wounded students and four thousand civilians," Adela said.

"So many?" I asked, tears streaming from my eyes. "Those hateful things."

"I know," Eien said. He glanced back at his brother who was sitting at the back of the court room. "He lost Lucette to the darkness."

Boukayou stood up and walked towards us. "Lei, you hate the darkness as much as I do, don't you?"

"Yes," I said, nodding.

He smiled strangely and held his hand out as the red veiled judge appeared behind me to remove the cuffs. "Join me, Lei. Together we'll change this world. We will make sure such a thing never happens again, let's defeat the darkness, and eradicate it. Never again should a portal like that be opened by those who seek to control such power."

I took his hand. "Lets."

Boukayou and Eien smiled.

Once we are outside, I pull Eien away from the rest. I grinned at him. "It's time for me get some revenge." I punched him but he blocked.

"Stop this Lei, now isn't the time to fight."

I sent a spark of lightning out of my fist, causing him to let go of my hand.

He gasped and stared at my fist. "Your hand!"

I looked down and saw that my nails had turned into claws while my hand become covered in dark fur. "What's happening?"

"It seems you couldn't hold it back after all, you're transforming into a demon."

I glared at him. It was all his fault for angering me. "How do I turn back?"

"I don't know. If it were a creature of this realm then I would be able to help you but this is a monster of the abyss we're talking about."

"Lei!" Adela yelled.

I covered my hand, putting it into my coat pocket.

"Is everything alright? I figured you two would be fighting. I'm impressed by your control."

I lowered my head and ran away from her. I couldn't let her see what was happening to me. She's already worried enough about me, she should focus on the games.

Adela leapt over me and appeared in front of me. She grabbed my arm and pulled my monstrous hand from under my sleeve. "I thought so... Don't hide something this important from me."

I shook my head, hot tears threatening to spill over. "I'm turning into a monster."

She grabbed me and embraced me tightly. "Calm down, Lei."

I pressed my head against her chest. "Adela... I don't want to be killed by Eien. If I do ever lose control over my body, please be the one to kill me."

Her eyes widen. "Don't say speak of such things. I will never allow you to be turned into a monster, even if you did I would go ahead and save you." Her embrace tightened. "I promised your siblings that I would take care of you and I plan to complete that promise."

I looked up. "What happened to my sister and brother?"

Adela smiled. "Nothing bad. Those two just fainted. They haven't woken up. They fainted around the same time that you did. I assume that they must be awake now."

I put my hands into the pockets of my coat and glanced up at the sky. "That's good. I'm glad not nothing bad happened to them."

"Wait up!" Eien yelled. The two of us turned around to see the prince holding his phone. "I got a message. You have a mission."

"A mission?"

Eien nodded. "You're now a Magus Novus Secundus. Once you enter that rank, you can accept tasks. Our school isn't like the others where you just study and train. There's field work involved too."

"What kind?" Adela asked.

"I'll tell you on the way back to Tozan Hoshi. It's from someone important, though. So we can't really say no. If you don't wish to take it then we could ask Alto"

I felt a mix of emotions swirl within me. For one, it was great to hear that I had passed the exam, but it was also sad that I couldn't see my family right away.

"Okay, I accept the task. But can I borrow your phone to call home?"

"Uh, sure," Eien said, touching his phone to close whatever message he had gotten.

I took the phone and glanced around the silver city. Its buildings shimmered blue, a reflection of the various waterways cutting through the city. In fact, riding a boat was faster than riding on a vehicle, including a bullet train.

"Lei," a voice called out. I glanced up before I could finish dialing home and saw my mother. With her and father were all of my siblings. In addition, they were accompanied by a man wearing a silver crown encrusted in sapphire. He floated over the air, making sure that his blue silk robes didn't touch the ground.

"Mom, everyone!" I yelled, running over them.

The kingly figure looked at me with interest. "This... is Lei?"

"Yeah," Yen said, nodding. "Can't you see the resemblance?"

The man snickered. "Yeah, but it's not only you two he resembles..." His sapphire blue eyes darted to Adela. He bit his lip. "She's..."

"Grandpa?" I asked, staring at the man.

The kingly figure smiled. "Yes, that's me. You sure have grown. I heard from you mother and siblings that you dream of one day being the Magus Maximus one day."

I put my now normal hands behind my head. "Yeah, that's my goal," I said with a toothy grin. "And one day I'll make it. Even if it takes me a thousand years."

My grandfather slid his arms into the opposite sleeve. A smile wider than mine covered his face. "That's good. Though it seems that you could still use some training. I can personally train you and provide you with the necessary materials to achieve that goal quicker."

"Really?" I said, jumping back.

"Father," Ocarina said.

Grandfather smiled at his eldest daughter. "Lei becoming the Magus Maximus would only be a return to what would've been. You are the eldest of my children. Had I won against Daisuke then I would've been Magus Maximus."

I recalled the video which I had seen in the hospital years ago following an asthma attack. Ironic how it had been Daisuke himself who had inspired me to become Magus Maximus.

"He's your brother in law, though," Ocarina said. "Zyuuni is the oldest child of your sister. So either way he would've taken the crown."

"That's assuming that Zyuuni would've been in the first place. I would be fine with him as king if it weren't for his personality and who his father is. Plus, you were the eldest of Ventus' grandchildren. You truly lack ambition. It's good to see that you four children here do not have the same view on life."

Mother sighed. "I simply have no desire to rule. Also, if you think of it, Adela's other brother would've been next in line. As he's the oldest of the eldest child of your oldest sister."

"That's a tongue twister," Kun said, snickering. "And even if it had fallen to us. Yen here would be the next one up. And if not her than me. I mean, we are all older than lil Lei. Not to mention stronger."

I narrowed my eyes at them. "I don't recall either of you making it as far as I did in the tournament among us Nine Petal Academy exchange students," I mumbled.

Yen and Kun adverted their gazes.

"Hmph, thought so!"

Kun leaped at me and came a few inches from my neck. "You still got a long way to go, little brother. How can you allow your guard to drop?"

I grab and push his hand away. "I... You're right."

"You shouldn't go proud or you'll eventually find yourself in dire straits," Yen said with a smug grin.

"That's true," Adela said, stepping forward. "Mr. Rios, I thank you for offering Lei your help, but he can't accept it."

I smiled shyly. She was right. Relying on my grandfather would certain help, but it wouldn't build that sense of achievement that I wanted. Though perhaps rejecting his help would be prideful.

"Actually, I do want some help. At least in learning stronger wind magic. I want to climb up on my own, but I realize that perhaps I can't do it all alone."

Grandfather smiled. "Certainly."

"Me too!" Kun and Yen said.

"Sure. One of you three will grow up to be the next Magus Maximus, or Maxima in the case of Yen."

"Uh, you're forgetting about the mission?" Adela asked. "I'm fine with your grandfather training you, but we've already agreed to go with Eien on this mission."

I gasped. "Oh, right!"

Eien covered his mouth. "Idiot."

"Who are you calling an idiot? You want to fight? Bring it! I've been itching to fight you for months now!"

"You'll get the chance to in a few months," Adela said, pulling me away. She narrowed her red eyes on the prince. "As will I."

Grandfather nodded. "The High Priestess of Xian is right, in a few weeks all of us will gather here again."

I glanced around at the various cranes suspended in the sky, putting the finishing touches on Rios' soon to be biggest stadium.

I couldn't allow what happened a week ago to discourage me. I was now a Novus Magus Secundus. Becoming Magus Maximus was one step closer. Wallowing on what I had become would be detrimental to achieving that goal.

**Solar Note: Next chapter is the start of the next Arc :3. What were your thoughts on this arc? Did you enjoy it? Or was it 'meh'?**