We followed the peasant knight across the overgrown forest. The ground though was surprisingly clear of debris like fallen branches.

Light poured down through the canopy as we continued to go deeper into it. It seemed like a nice place. Very reminiscent of home actually. Home, I was there not too long ago, yet I'm already missing it. Ha, who would've thought that the day would come in which I would miss that boring old place.

"Poor Rosa" Koukyuu whispered as she walked behind me. The scent of jasmine perfume tickled my nostrils. 

I nodded. It was sad what happened to the princess. Would she ever recover from the traumatic experience? 

Koukyuu glanced up and watched as Sonata held Zydeco's arm like a fawning fan.

"You're jealous?" I asked as pine needles cracked below our feet.

Koukyuu snickered as she closed her eyes. "No way. Why would I be jealous?"

"You like him, don't you? That Zydeco guy."

Her face flushed bright red. "No. I don't! In fact, it's the opposite!"

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Uh huh, sure."

She turned her head away from me. "What would a kid like you know about love anyway?"

My left eye twitched. "I already told you, I'm the same age as you, if not older! And..." I sighed. "No, you're right, I don't know a thing about love. I haven't really been in love."

She stared at me, puzzled. "Should you really be sharing this with a stranger?"

My face heated up, so I sped up my pace. "Let's go! We're being left behind by the peasant and the others!"

Koukyuu chuckled and chased after me.

***

We came out of the forest and arrived at a meadow on a hill. Standing on top of the hill were Saya and Anis who had gone on ahead of us. In addition, Tekeshi, Eiji, Eiko, Miyuki, and King Osamu accompanied them.

Kohri's friend froze in place. Her brown eyes were focused on the peasant's father. "Y-you... No... I shouldn't be surprised... Uncle told me..." She hugged herself. "Yet I..."

"Sis," Yuko said, frowning. She took her older sister's shaking hand.

Kohri grabbed her shoulders. "Don't worry. You're safe. He won't hurt you. I'll make sure of it," he whispered into her ear.

Tetsuya narrowed his eyes, not at his father, but at the king himself. "What are you doing here?"

"Dad," Rosa said, eyes wide.

"What are you doing here, father?" Setsuko asked, stepping forward.

"I came to oversee your training of course," he said, putting a hand on his hips. He stared at his youngest. His eyes draped down. "Rosa. Are you alright?"

"I... I need to ask you something," she said, her eyes on her pink shoes. "Uh, but later."

The king smiled slightly. "Alright," he said in an unusually soft voice.

Saya smiled. "Anyway, I had you split up into groups for this event. Though, it seems that some of you were more popular than others."

"Yeah, Hyosetsu and Eiichi each have two," I said, snickering. "Sure, sucks to have the shoe on the other foot, eh?"

"Shut it, fly," Eiichi said, scoffing. He glared at Tetsuya's pack. "Not sure why they chose to side with the one accused of rape."

"Enough," the Celestial Queen said, glaring at him. "We must push aside the divisions with our group for the time being. Now, as I was saying, I'll like you to split up and train with your groups. Your teammates will serve as your sparring partners. Those with bigger teams will have more options, of course. But before you go, allow me to give you these." The Queen of the Skies snapped her fingers, causing a white cross to appear in everyone's hands. "That's your sparring gear. You five knights will be able to fight with them too as they aren't exactly angel tools."

"Sweet!" peasant boy said, grinning at his cross.

"Not only that, it also transforms into whatever weapon you choose it to be. But choose wisely, you will have to stick with that form."

I raised my cross into the clear blue sky and had it transform into a bamboo yumi. The new weapon stood a few inches taller than me.

"Interesting, a yumi," Queen Saya said, grinning. "If you want, I can teach you a few skills."

Right, her angel tool can transform into one.

"Another long distance weapon?" the peasant asked. "Wouldn't it be better to have a short distance one?"

I snickered and raised my new yumi toward the sky. "I wanted to have one of these ever since I saw that kid wield one back in Xeleria."

"Kid?" Eri asked. "You don't mean Lei, do you?"

"Yeah," peasant answered for me. "He transformed that necklace you gave him into a green yumi."

"It looked like something out of a video game," I said, lowering my new bow. "Anyway, that's not the only reason I chose a yumi. I also excel at using long distance weapons. I used to own a bow angel tool which I would often use back home to hunt with my father and... Dan a few times..." I lowered my head.

The peasant whistled. "I take it that you also used guns prior to getting Donato?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Though a sniping rifle is different than a hunting one, well mostly in terms of range, accuracy, and weight. Though, my rifle here weights less than even most hunting varieties which are typically lighter." I looked back at the forest below. "I could hunt us some deer for dinner."

"I'll pass," Ryonoko said. "I am not too fond of game meat."

Peasant boy snickered. "You really know your stuff. I guess you aren't just some noble who stays indoors most of the time."

I puffed up my chest. "I only stay indoors when there's little to do. In the summer, like now, I do go out. Though it seems that there aren't many more days of good weather left. This summer has been cloudier than usual."

"Yeah, that's true," Tetsu said, glancing up at the partially cloudy sky.

Saya smiled. "Nice to see you two chatting. I heard that the five of you weren't all that close."

"We're not," I said. "Though, I guess that peasant boy here is more bearable than the others."

Tetsuya frowned. "Uh, thanks?"

"He sure is," Setsuko said, nodding.

"I hate to admit it, but he is," Eiichi said, ruffling his long blond hair.

"Personally, Setsuko is the more bearable one," Hyosetsu said, looking away.

Tetsuya smiled brightly, a smile that I hadn't seen for a while.

How did the one with only two members become Mr. Popular?

The peasant looked at his cross and transformed it into a bronze axe.

"An axe?" I asked. "Why not a sword?"

"I wanted something that I'm used to using. I've used an axe more than a sword throughout my life. Plus, I already got the sword that Rosa had Tekeshi make for me."

I crossed my arms over my chest and sighed. "You're going to be hacking enemies, not wood."

Tetsuya shrugged. "There are other ways of using it. Actually, in times of war axes have outnumbered swords due to their practicality in other fields and widespread availability. Swords are only popular due to how they're perceived to be 'cool', which I admit, they are."

"Suit yourself," I said.

Eiichi transformed his cross into a silver chain with an iron ball hanging at the end. It was smaller than typical frails, though.

"Is that a street weapon?" I asked.

The spear knight smiled. "It suits me."

It does? How? Well, not like I cared much about his choices. He barely fought in the front lines.

Hyosetsu transformed his into a silver version of his angelic weapon.

"Two swords?"

Hyosetsu grinned. "Now this is more like it." He turned around and swung both swords, slicing a tree several feet away into four with the sheer air.

I stepped away from him. "Uh..."

"Impressive as always," Setsuko said, grinning.

"You specialize in dual swords?" Saya asked.

"Yeah. Well, I did. But with this, I'll be able to fight using something resembling my old style."

"That's good," Setsuko said, staring at hers. She transformed her cross into a set of platinum knives. "There. That rounds us five out."

Saya smiled as the others transformed their crosses too. "Now, that you're ready, spread out! Gather here by midday for lunch!"

The other groups ran off into different directions, leaving mine with the hill.

"I'll be taking my leave now, good luck!" Saya said with a smile as she waved goodbye. A pillar of blinding light fell over her and she was gone.

"Take care! We'll be observing you from afar," Tekeshi said, waving before vanishing with the king and the others into a dark portal.

I walked to the spot where they had stood and turned around to look at my teammates. Looking at them, I remembered my old team members such as Borasco and Kiara. Kiara had stayed back home to watch over Etsuo and Roa, but I had no idea as to why the others weren't here when none of them had quit.

Had Osamu delegated them to guarding the palace alongside Naoru? While that jerk might be strong, he was still only one person.

I smiled and pointed my bow at my new team members. "Now, who is first?"

Zydeco grinned and stepped forward. "I will!" Cold air danced around his hands.

I stepped back. Ice... Satoru. I probably would never see that power in a positive light ever again thanks to him.

"You can do it, Zydeco!" Sonata yelled, well more like squealed.

"Then how about we battle?" Koukyuu asked, turning to look at her.

Sonata chuckled. "Sure. I'll beat you this time."

"How about we make this a tag battle?" I suggested. "Sonata can join Zydeco, and Koukyuu me."

Koukyuu frowned. "I guess we could do that." She walked right up next to me and pointed her new katana at Sonata. "Let's win this, Knight of the Rifle!"

"Yeah, Lady Kasai no Ki!" I yelled as I pointed my yumi at Zydeco.

The cold air around Zydeco's hands expanded outward until it covered the entire hill and surrounding rim of the forest. Soon the air turned into mist.

"This is going to be fun!" he yelled, vanishing into his surroundings.

"Where did he go?" I asked, glancing around. I might've had the 'hunter's eye', but mist, fog, and haze were one of the few ways to render it useless.

"I will help you find him," Koukyuu said calmly as she pressed her back against mine. "Meanwhile, guard against Sonata. She could attack at any moment."

"Got it!" I said, nodding.

Sonata snickered and slashed my face at the speed of sound. "Come on, knight! You got to do better than that!"

I wiped the blood away and shot an arrow into the mist, blowing it away. I smirked as the air hit its target.

"Gah," Zydeco yelled as he staggered out of the thick mist. "What... I thought that you said that you couldn't see."

I grinned. "Yeah, but I can feel the air and ground. My senses are second to none!"

"Amazing, you were bluffing," Koukyuu said, turning to look at me.

I snickered. "No worries."

"Zy, are you alright?" Sonata yelled as she appeared next to him.

"You shouldn't turn your back on the enemy!" Koukyuu yelled, sending blue flames at them.

Sonata raised her head and quelled the flames by drawing the water droplets making up the mist inward. A veil of the liquid spun around the two like a barrier. "Nice try, but that won't work!" She turned her attention back at Zydeco.

The young man raised as hand and stood up. He smiled warmly through the pain. "I'm fine." He stared at his left pectoral, the fabric on his shirt had been blown away. There was no arrow there. He snickered. "No wonder the mist was blown away by that arrow, it was made out of concentrated wind."

I grinned. "Did you think that I was like the main branch? My branch has wind!" I rushed at them as gusts spun around me. As soon as I was within a few feet of them, the gales tore through the water barrier. The two stared in awe at the emerald wings which seemed to be made out of wind on my back. "Standing before you is Hideo Makkuroyama, the soon to be savior of the multi-verse!"

"A wannabe hero, eh?" someone called out.

I gasped at the sound of the familiar voice. I spun around and saw none other than the next Magus Maximus, Zyuuni no Mikoto. The raven-haired boy snickered as he summoned forth a shadowy scythe like the one he had used in his battle against Eri.

Accompanying him was a red-haired girl dressed in a tight-fitting red shirt that looked as if it had been part of a robe. Underneath her shirt was a black mesh shirt. Meanwhile she wore a purple skirt and black leggings.

"I prefer anti-heroes over heroes, but be my guest," Zyuuni said, grinning as he spun his scythe.

I chuckled. "You know that the true hero always beats the ambiguous ones."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? To me you radiate the aura of an ambiguous hero, more so than me." He pointed the black weapon at me. "Ayumi, how about we take on these two groups together?"

The red-haired girl stepped forward. "I am not too fond of the idea of being in the same group as you, but sure."

"Uh, who are you?" I asked, scratching my head. "Don't think we met back in Xeleria."

"I'm Ayumi Hoshi," she said as she held her white cross out. The cross morphed into a black hilted katana with a crimson blade. "Now, shall we begin?"

Koukyuu grinned and said, "Ayumi, daughter of Supreme Magic Council Judge Kane Hoshi. As well as the current Queen of Tora."

Ayumi grinned back. "Koukyuu Kasai no Ki, sister-in-law of Kyuu Seishin's Queen, Katsura Zettai. I heard that Magus Maximus Daisuke is considering making your sister-in-law take up a position in the council alongside the Queen of Mina."

"Yeah, he is. Seems that he's quickly moving to replace the two who died during the games."

"Wait, she's the queen of Tora?" Zydeco said, wide-eyed. "You mean that we're in the presence of the sovereign of the strongest nation in all of Tozan Hoshi, if not all of the realm of Xeleria?"

The Toran Queen chuckled and stepped forward. "Pretty much."

Zyunni scoffed and said, "Hey! I'm the next Magus Maximus!"

"Yeah, but you lost against that Eri guy," Sonata said, giving him a skeptical look.

"True," I said, nodding.

Zyuuni grunted. "I've been training for these past few days!" He smirked and spread out his hands. "Prepare yourselves!"

Suddenly the entire hill turned into a swirling mass of darkness reminiscent of the depths of the Abyss. "I won't ever allow myself to lose again. Now, let us begin!"

"How did he... this is an illusion, right?" I asked, gazing around. "He couldn't possibly have called the Abyss forth."

"Yeah, it is!" Zyuuni shouted as he came at me with his scythe. I jumped back as a wave of darkness was flung toward me. "Tendrils of the deep darkness!" Beams of darkness shot out of the raging black vortex around and grabbed all four of us.

"Nice job," Ayumi said, snickering as she stood by the future Magus Maximus.

"Thanks for the compliment," Zyuuni said, bowing. He grinned at us four. "Though, I am disappointed that it was this easy to defeat them. I was sure they would give me a better fight. At least, Zydeco and Koukyuu."

"Who said anything about you defeating us?" Sonata said, slashing the tendrils with invisible waves. "Seems that we're going to have to put aside our battle and take this guy down."

Koukyuu nodded. "Right. These two aren't to be looked down upon."

"Right you are!" Zyuuni screamed as a mass of darkness rose from below and gripped all four of us.

"Wah!" I screamed, spinning into the vortex that mimicked the Abyss.

Suddenly I felt a hand grab mine. "It's an illusion," a voice called out to me.

"Koukyuu?" I asked as I struggled to see anything other than darkness. Not even Zyuuni or Ayumi.

"They may be realistic and even hurt like real, but they are still illusions!"

I blinked and saw Koukyuu holding my hand. We were back in the hill... at least for a moment before we returned to the fake Abyss.

"Tsk. If only I had my young nephew's skill with illusions," Koukyuu said, glaring at the Magus Maximus heir.

Zyuuni clapped his hands. "Very good you two, especially you, Koukyuu," he said, grinning.

"Guess that it's my turn to face our wannabe hero," Ayumi said, spreading her hands out. "Astral Ruin!" Small flaming rocks fell through the ceiling of the false Abyss.

Koukyuu pulled me away.

"What's wrong? Aren't they just illusions?" I asked as we ran through the dark-scape.

"These aren't illusions. Ayumi is a real space mage. And even if they were, you shouldn't allow yourself to be hit by those coming from Zyuuni. You saw how realistic they are."

I nodded. "True."

"Grr, they really are," Sonata said, getting up from the 'floating' hill we stood on.

Zydeco touched his forehead and nodded. "Yeah, my head hurts simply from being within one."

"There you are! What happened to you?" I called out.

"We were under the effects of the illusion," Zydeco said, rubbing his head.

"Everyone, gather around me!" Koukyuu yelled, forming a spherical fire barrier around herself and me. Sonata and Zydeco ran over and the flames bent to allow them in.

"You think that a barrier can stop me?" Ayumi asked. The meteors struck the dome shield, sending flames in all directions.

"Hold on," Zydeco said, putting his hands on Koukyuu's shoulders. He closed his eyes. Blue energy started to pour from him and pour into Koukyuu.

Koukyuu took a deep breath and changed over to using an ice barrier.

Sonata puffed out her cheeks and crossed her arms over her small chest.

"Are you jealous? At a time like this?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at her.

Sonata flashed Koukyuu a murderous glare. "Hmph!" She turned her attention back at Zyuuni and Ayumi. A film of water covered her body and she stepped out of the ice barrier which bent around her just like how the fire one had.

A water spear formed in the white-haired girl's hand. In an instant she vanished.

Zyuuni gasped as blood trickled down one of his cheeks. "She's fast!"

That girl is crazier than me! Wait, this buys me some time...

I strapped my yumi over my shoulder and transformed Donato into its rifle form.

"What are you planning?" Zydeco asked as he turned to look at me.

"I'm going to gather energy for a few rounds," I said, grinning. Let's see if I can get a hit in on at least one of those two mages.

Zyuuni turned his blue eyes toward me and grinned. He held out a hand and grasped the hilt of Sonata's weapon.

The white haired peasant girl gasped and let go of the weapon. The weapon dissolved and its waters crawled up his hand.

Zyuuni shook his hand but the water wouldn't let go. Instead it continued to expand and cover his body.

"Good job!" Zydeco yelled, his hands cupped around the rim of his mouth. He chuckled and summoned a blue wand. Cold air covered the wand as it transformed into its katana form. He took a step forward and swung his weapon.

Zyuuni held out his water covered in front of himself in anticipation. He gasped seconds before the freezing air stuck him. His arm was instantly encased in a thick layer of ice.

"Not bad," Zyunni said before vanishing.

"Hmm, why isn't Ayumi making a move?" Koukyuu asked as she stared at the Queen of Tora.

Ayumi smiled as Sonata and Zydeco turned their attention toward her. She held out her hands and faded as well.

"You cowards! Come back here!" Sonata yelled. Suddenly, the illusion faded.

"Huh?" Zydeco said, coming to a halt. "Is it over? Did they give up?"

Koukyuu covered herself with her nine white tails. "No, they're plotting something. This is surely a ploy to let our guards down. Those two are toying with us."

I clenched Donato tightly. Playing around... just like that monkey boy's dad and the abyssmals.

"You're weak, that's why they're not taking you two seriously," a voice called out. "How pitiful, you haven't grown a bit since I last saw you."

My body froze. That voice... I spun around and saw a gray cloaked figure with nine fox-like tails swarming around him.

"It's you!" Koukyuu said, stepping back. "But how? Weren't you supposedly swallowed into the pit?"

The new arrival chuckled as he pulled back his hood. "Long time no see, princess. I came to finish off the job I failed to do at the palace."

"Satoru!" I yelled before pressing Donato's trigger.

He held out a hand. A wall of ice appeared in front of him and deflected the bullets back at me.

No... this can't be...

The fox snickered. "Like I said, pitiful. No wonder your precious brother died. You were too weak to save him to begin with. Even if I hadn't finished him off, he would've died at the hands of one of the others."

I stumbled forward as I clenched my bloodied chest. I glanced up, shooting him a death glare. "You..." I said while raising Donato with one hand. "You murderer! I'll make you pay for what you did to Dan!"

Boom!

**Solar Note: Hope that you enjoyed the chapter :3. Thoughts? Theories? Predictions?**