*Dai-Huan*

After the battle between Sarah and Aida, Sarah's friends, my sister, and I rushed to Viento Hospital.

"Princess," Fai-Jie said, staring at the unconscious princess from behind a glass wall as the medics attempted to heal her.

"How is my sister doing?" his highness asked as he rushed over. His eyes widened as soon as he saw her. The princess' face and body was covered in thick scars and blood. She was barely recognizable.

"Auntie!" Ecelaph yelled as he ran through the hall. His mother frantically chased after the five-year-old.

"Ecelaph! Wait!" the queen yelled.

"Ecelaph, why are you here?" the king asked, turning to look at his son.

The boy's eyes began to turn watery as he looked into his dad's sea-blue eyes. "Papa, why are you crying? I-is auntie okay?"

He turned to his left. A piercing scream filled echoed across the entire building.

"N-no. Auntie Sarah! Auntie..." He fell to his knees. "W-what did they do to you auntie..." Tears dripped down his face. "Auntie..."

"Ecelaph," his mother said, hugging him tightly. "She'll be fine." She glanced up at her husband. "Right, Qing?"

The king closed his eyes. He knew that her pulse was weak. She could depart from this world at any moment.

"She..." His majesty closed his eyes tightly as he placed his hands against the glass wall.

"Sarah," the queen said, glancing over at her. She turned away and let out a choked cry.

"Auntie," Ecelaph said, continued to stare at his dying aunt. "Auntie... please don't die. Y-you promised me that you would teach me water magic. Auntie..."

"There's nothing we can do but pray," my sister said. "May Shuilong protect her."

"Shuilong," the king said, closing his eyes. "Why did this happen? First my parents and now Sarah... have you forsaken us?"

"Curses," Kun said, punched a hole in the wall.

"Calm down, Kun," Lei said, touching his shoulder.

"How do you expect me to calm down that girl nearly killed Sarah! To make it worse, the officials didn't stop it until it got to this point!" Kun yelled at them.

Lei backed away. He seemed to shrink in front of his older brother's fury.

"Kun, don't yell at Lei!" Yen said.

Kun gasped and averted his eyes. "Sorry, Lei."

"It's fine," Lei said, looking down as well. "I know how you feel." He clenched his hands into fists.

"Her life force, is still weak," Arima said.

Nahimana nodded. "Yeah."

"No!" Ecelaph screamed. "Auntie! Please don't die! You're stronger than this!"

"Ecelaph, please don't scream," the queen said as she continued to hug him. Tears stained her face. "Your aunt will be fine. You'll see."

Adela stood in the edge of the hall frantically working on something.

"W-what's that?" Lei asked, walking over to her.

"I'm going to save Sarah," Adela said, her eyes in deep focus. "Everyone, please keep quiet."

Ecelaph stopped crying.

The king walked over to him and took him from his wife. "Come, Ece."

Lei ran over to the king and prince. "Don't worry, Sarah will be fine. We got some of the finest doctors here, plus Adela." He patted the kid's head. "So don't worry, kiddo!"

Ecelaph sniffed. "R-really?"

Lei punched his chest as if he were a knight. "Of course, I bet on it. If your sister dies than I'll give up on my dream of being Magus Maximus."

"Lei..." Kun said.

Yen walked over and smiled. "No worries. It goes to show how much he believes in their capabilities."

Kun grinned. "True! Lei would never give up his dream."

Ecelaph smiled.

The king stared at Lei. "So you're the one Koukyuu and Hideo mentioned."

Lei tilted his head. "They mentioned me?"

He nodded. "Yes. You're the one with the abysmal being. Sarah and they theorize that H.E.H. will attack you."

"If they attack my brother than I will show them no mercy," Kun said, walking over to them. "They've already hurt Sarah... if they dare to hurt Lei too then they'll face a fury greater than any other."

The king smiled slightly. "Protect him with your life."

Kun glanced over at Lei. "I will."

"I already said that I can protect myself. If I have to then I'll bring out the power they seek and use it myself."

"That's dangerous," Nyima said.

Lei nodded. "I know, but I'll push back against its control. I only needs its power."

"Controlling the power of those beings isn't easy, not even for those with biological ties," the king said, turning around. "Dai-Huan, the next match will be starting soon. I want you to destroy your opponent like how that girl destroyed my sister..."

"Your majesty..." I said. I knew it was tough to be in this position, but he was allowing hatred to penetrate deep into his heart.

"If you don't want to then you sister can," he said, continuing to walk away with the prince in his arms.

I bowed my head. "I will do as you command, Your Majesty."

"Brother, be careful," my sister said. Her eyes were red from all her crying.

"Yeah, those H.E.H. folks don't play nice," Alto said, staring down his hands. Sparks crackled in his palm but something was off about them.

"I am aware. By the way, you should get that checked while you're here. It could turn into something bad if left untreated."

Alto nodded.

***

I returned to the swamp battle field in the center of the stadium. Standing there waiting for me was Aida's partner from the obstacle course.

The youth had changed into a dark blue uniform with the emblem of an 'x' formed by two overlapping double-helices on his right pectoral.

I had to be careful around him. He was the same guy who had pushed Alto out of the track and later deflected his spell back at him.

Though in that race Aban's wall of earth had gotten him. So the best strategy was to catch him by surprise.

The white haired youth suddenly held out his hand. "Hello, I'm Hew. Let's have a good match."

I glared at his hand. "Drop the phony friendliness. It doesn't fit you."

The guy lowered his head and pulled his hand back. "Sorry..." he whispered.

I summoned my wand and transformed it into a blue broad sword. "Oh you will be sorry once I'm done with you."

He stepped forward and launched a water covered punch at me. I dodged out of the way and slashed my sword down at him. He blocked it with his bare arm.

I gasped. What was he?

He held his hand, reaching for my neck. I kicked his hand away and jumped away. This guy was going to be a tough nut to crack even without his magic.

Wait, how come he wasn't using his barriers? Did they only counter magic?

I smiled. If that was the case then I had made the right decision by going all out.

I snapped my fingers. Blue armor covered my body from head to toe. I dashed him but he side stepped out of my way. Coming to a stop, I swung my sword behind me as he came at me with another punch.

"Is that all you got?" I asked, grinning.

"So you truly are one of the elite knights of Sera. I had my doubts after having watched your defeat at the hand of those Wahkan twins."

My face reddened. My sister and I had badly underestimated those two. However, with this guy it was different. H.E.H. wasn't one to be underestimated.

I jumped on top of some large nearby mangrove branches and stirred the water.

"Water magic doesn't affect me," Hew said as he emerged from the water.

"At least not the tangible kind, but this water magic isn't mean for you!" I held my sword out which absorbed the reddish waters.

Princess Sarah, I will win here. I will show that Sera still has life. That will we rise once more!

Hew grinned. "So you think that'll work."

I jumped into the air and brought my sword down at him but a force pushed me back. Chunks of metal were blown off my armor.

"What?" I snapped.

"No matter if it's direct magic or a magically enhanced weapon, I am unaffected." He held his hands out, forming tendrils of water beneath me.

I smiled. "That's not true. You got hurt by Aban's earth wall."

Hew gasped but a smile quickly appeared on his lips. "That's quite observant of you. But that was because I had let my guard down. So what makes you think that I'll do so in a one-on-one magic duel?"

I snapped my fingers. The white haired young man's eyes widened. On his back was a sword identical to the one I was holding.

I undid the magic ward on my plain sword and dash forth. My sword struck his chest, but it didn't go through him, but it went in deep enough.

"This is for my princess," I whispered into his ear. "My king told me to treat you like Aida treated Sarah, but I'll go ahead and show you mercy. After all, we aren't monsters like you."

I pulled away my sword and turned around.

Hew laughed. "Thanks for the warning." Tendrils of water rose all around me. "But you haven't won this yet!"

I swung my sword, slicing through the tendrils. "Water is my domain," I said, glaring at him. "You won't defeat me with it."

The youth smiled. "I see. So it was me who was checkmated. Good going, but by winning this, you might've doomed your sister." He tried to pushed himself off the shallow murky waters. "Ben is nearly as ruthless as Aida."

I clenched my hands around my sword. "Fai will defeat him just like I've defeated you. Her will is as strong as the princess and mine."

He coughed up blood. "But... the princess' will wasn't enough. One needs power. Ben has the power necessary to defeat her. He's far stronger than either Aida or I."

I eyes widen. What have I done? No, Fai can defeat him. I'm sure of it...

I bit my lip. "Attack me."

"What?"

"You heard me..." I said as I sliced the remaining water tendril.

Hew smiled. "You're a nice brother." He held out his hand and attacked me with more tendrils of water.

I screamed as them slammed me to the reddish water below.

Sorry, your majesty. I can't put my sister in harm's way. Not against someone stronger yet as sadistic as the monster who nearly killed the princess.

I stood up from the water.

Hew gave me a confused look.

I covered my sword in another ward and dashed at him. The impact with his barrier caused my armor and sword to shatter.

"There, that's convincing enough...," I whispered.

The swords around Hew vanished as I fell back. He dashed forward and caught me before I could slam against the barrier.

"In an unexpected turn of events, the winner is Hew! As such H.E.H. advances to the next round!"

"You really are an insane person," Hew whispered.

"Hew!" a silver haired guy yelled.

The youth trembled as he turned around and looked into the golden eyes of a silver haired guy his age. "Ben."

"Why are you showing mercy?" his voice echoed even though it didn't seem like he was yelling. Instead it was like the voice one uses when for a ventriloquist dummy.

Hew lowered his eyes. "Because..."

"And that performance. You nearly lost to that guy! If he hadn't forgotten about your anti-magic barrier then you would've lost! You do know what would've happened to you if you had lost to him, correct?"

He put me down. "I know..."

I watched as he made his way to his teammate. Perhaps there was some light in the darkness of H.E.H. after all. But said light's voice was shallowed up by the dark void...

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter :)**