*Nyima*

[Meanwhile, north of the lake]

While the triplets and Hota defended the south, Yuzuki and I waited in a spacious meadow for Sarah to arrive.

"Say, what do you like about Lei?" I asked, turning my eyes toward Yuzuki.

Yuzuki chuckled. "Isn't it obvious?"

I scratched the side of my face. "Uhh, not exactly. He is kind of annoying half the time. Not to mention rude, and childish. He's also the worst at apologizing. When he bumped into me on the way to the exam, he offered me a piece of gum!"

Yuzuki chuckled. "That guy really could learn how to apologize better, but his heart is in the right place, most of the time."

"Hmm? Most of the time?"

The red-haired girl sighed. "Well, sometimes the rage in his heart takes him astray."

I lowered my head. Right, back when we were in Wynaga, I could see he was being haunted by something. There was pain in his heart caused by those who for years looked down on him. That pain, it manifested in unexpected ways.

"Xià yǔ liánhuā!" a voice yelled. Suddenly, cyan lotuses rained down from above. I formed a water barrier over us but the water flowers exploded, sending ripples throughout the domed water shield.

"Hold it a bit longer," Yuzuki said as she scanned the area. "Her voice didn't sound very far off." She gasped as something sliced though my dome.

I spun around and delivered a kick to Sarah's sword wielding arm.

"Tsk. You got me," Sarah said, grinning as she raised her silver rapier. I pulled my leg back as she swiped down. She twirled and jabbed the rapier forward, unleashing a straight line of water.

I stopped the water before it could hit me.

"Not bad!" another female voice called out. Walking out of the forest with a wand in hand was Vermeil.

I wasn't sure what Vermeil's abilities were apart from the fact that she used metal magic in addition to crystal. I had barely seen her fight. In fact, despite her looks and demeanor, she tended to fade into the background most of the time.

The blond girl smiled as her white and gold wand transformed into a golden knife. She waved her knife, unleashing a barrage of golden colored crystals at us.

"Let's see how you deal with both of us!" Vermeil said, giggling.

"Don't forget I'm here," Yuzuki said, slicing the gems with a barrage of black shuriken.

"Of course not. How can I forget my senior?" Vermeil said as she raised her knife. "Electri!"

Resin bubbled out of the cut-down crystals. Tendrils of liquid amber jolted toward Yuzuki and me.

I deflected Sarah's rapier by casting a water barrier as she came in for a hit on my side. I needed to focus on my own battle.

Sarah smiled at the miniature water barrier near my left side. The water twitched and began to change shape.

I jumped away as it formed into needles.

"Trying to use my own water against me?" I asked.

Sarah smiled. "Yeah. Though I can now see why you had a hard time against Same. Your control over your own water is lacking." She drew the water toward her. "It's rather easy to take over."

I grumbled. "Lucis Draco!" I yelled. The sunlight raining down on us weaved itself into a dragon shimmering in the colors of the rainbow.

"So you've resorted to using your light powers again. A shame, I expected you would try to one-up me as to who is the best water mage."

I chuckled. "I am not stupid. Your clan specializes in water. Those who use only a single magic are said to sharpen it as much as they can to make up for the lack of having another."

She smiled. "You're well versed in such matters, Nyima. Let's make this an exciting fight." She turned to look at Vermeil who was trying to dodge Yuzuki's warping, four-sided stars.

"Seems she's busy. I doubt she'll interrupt us," I said.

Sarah chuckled. "True." She extended her hand outward and covered her rapier in water. "The real fight begins now. Defeat me and you might obtain our white stone."

White stone? So Lei's hypothesis was correct, they did switch stones.

I gasped and turned to look a Vermeil again. Her country original had a yellow stone. Assuming she didn't also change hers, then all of this could soon be over...

I summoned my wand and transformed it into its qiang form. I twirled the spear couple of times before pointing it at Sarah.

"It ends here, princess of Sera!"

"Right back at you, Keeper of the Tower," Sarah said before charging at me.

I blocked her rapier and had my light dragon strike her but water wrapped around Sarah.

"A rather cheap shot."

I laughed as I recalled my spell. "There's no such thing as cheap shots for this event. Blind her!"

My dragon unleashed a great radiance, blinding the princess. I broke away from her and spun my weapon around, striking blinded Sarah with the pole.

Sarah grimaced and raised her hand, unleashing a blizzard of water petals at me.

I backflipped away from them and had my dragon destroy them, but as soon it touched one, it exploded.

"Tsk. It's those exploding lotuses again," I said, coming to a halt. "Light barrier!" The petal exploded in quick succession as they struck my yellow sphere of light.

The princess of Sera laughed. "You almost had me there, Nyima. I have to repay you for that dirty shot."

I raised my hands out. "Chains of Light!" I yelled. Golden chains emerged from my barrier and struck the area between Sarah and me.

I gasped as my barrier began to fade. My chains of light were also sliced. Metal feathers had sliced through them. Flying overhead was a metal angel.

"Vermeil..." I mumbled.

Vermeil smiled from her part of the forest meadow.

"You know, normally I would be mad at you for interfering, but I'll excuse it this one time!" Sarah yelled. She rushed at me as water covered her legs. "It's over, Nyima Taiyang!"

I smiled as a portal appeared in front of her. The girl was warped away right in front of me.

"Move out of the way!" Sarah yelled as she appeared behind Vermeil. The blond only managed to turn around in time to see the princess slam in her.

Yuzuki chuckled as she appeared next to me. "Yeah, Lei's plan worked!" she yelled, fist bumping me.

"Yeah, that guy does come up with good ideas every once in awhile."

Sarah and Vermeil grumbled as they pushed themselves up from the ground.

"It's too early to celebrate," Sarah said, glaring at me.

"Is it?" I asked. Suddenly, crystals covered Sarah.

"Vermeil, your spell!" she yelled.

"You sliced though my crystals!" Vermeil yelled. She snapped her fingers, freeing her.

"Ugh... I won't forget this humiliation..."

"Well, it was that clown who came up with it," I said, shrugging. "He's known for humiliating his opponents."

"Well then, I'll be sure to get back at him once we're done with you," she said as the remaining resin vanished.

Vermeil turned around and saw Yuzuki appear behind them. "Ha, your antics are becoming predictable. Just like that kid," she said, blocking my teammate's karate chop.

"Hmm, not sure if Lei is predictable or not," I said as I walked over to them. I raised my hands up. Golden chains emerged from the ground and grabbed all three of them before they could make another move.

Yuzuki warped back next to me. "Why did you grab me too?"

"Sorry, you were too close."

Vermeil snickered. Her metal angel rained down feathers on us.

"Oh no, you don't!" Yuzuki yelled, sending the feathers back at Vermeil and Sarah. The chains were sliced though.

"Ha, you idiots fell for it!" Vermeil yelled as she moved her arms and feet. "You freed us!"

"Hey, you might be fine, but I'm not!" Sarah yelled as she formed a water barrier to shield against the falling feathers. A couple of them had cut her in the arms.

"Sorry," Vermeil said. "Sorta forgot about you."

"You did not! You mentioned 'us' earlier!" she yelled, stomping her foot on the ground.

"Hey, at least you're free now."

"Ugh. I should've gone with Wahkan rather than you," Sarah said, glaring at her.

"What? So you're going to turn on us?"

"Wow, those two argue more than I thought," Yuzuki whispered.

"Yeah..." I smiled and raised more golden chains around the two. This time, I had them slam against the back of their necks, effectively knocking them out.

I narrowed my eyes at them and ran a beam of light like that of a scanner through both of them.

"Do they have the stones?" Yuzuki asked.

"N-no. They don't. Both of them were smart enough to give it to the stronger members of their groups."

"I see... In that case, go help the others nearby," Yuzuki said as she opened a portal.

"Wait, what about you?" I asked.

"I'm going to go help the triplets and Hota. Hota told us that Yanyu was a barrier mage. My space magic would likely come in handy, assuming I can open portals within the protected space."

"I see, then let me come with you. With my light magic, I can perhaps temporary blind her."

"You two won't be going anywhere," a voice called out. Making their way toward us were a boy and girl dressed in leather armor reminiscent of An's.

"You're from Aief, aren't you?" Yuzuki asked.

"Yes," the guy said as he covered his sword in a silver aura.

"But you should've been fighting Lei and his siblings!" I said, taking a step back.

The guy grinned. "Lei, right. I remember him."

Yuzuki narrowed her eyes at them. "Lei, what happened to him and the others?"

"Well, Yanyu took down that old acquaintance of hers. As for the three brats, they should be unconscious right about now."

The two of us gasped. No...

"Hey, you two would be wise to pay attention!" the guy said as he stood beside me.

W-when did he get here?

I looked down at my left side and noticed blood trickling out. I turned right and saw that Yuzuki had also been struck on her right side by the girl...

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter :3. Thoughts? Predictions for what is to come?**