I've changed the title of the book to 'the spirit of devfronds', and you'll know why soon enough.

"...I'm so pissed at old movies. I mean, if a girl says no, accept it and get over her. But noooo the movies show the guy being persistent and annoying and harrasing the girl and it is seen as cute." Calvin ranted to Susan as they waited on the first day of school for the second year. 

Usually, he would be with all his three friends together, but the first day required the nobles and the 'locals' as they called them, to stand separately. So, Claire and Alex had to go stand in the opposite side of the crowd.

Lady Kato came to the stage and started in the her overly cheerful voice, "Good morning, students. Another year of school for the older kids, and welcome to the newer kids." 

Calvin rolled his eyes. He has came to respect principal Kato over the year, but sometimes she can be so...

She said the speech for the new year and started her segregation explanation, Calvin whispered to Susan, "Aren't supposed to get out time tables by now and get going?" 

She whispered back, "We are, but I dunno. You can never tell with potato." 

After principal sent the first years to segregation, she turned to second and third years. Funny, how they fit all their curriculum in three years. Her voice turned less fake cheery and turned serious, "Now, I am sure you're all wondering why are here, and that too only the demon slayer." 

Calvin looked where Alex and Claire were. Sure enough, only Alex and a girl from third year were left. Weird.

"The three elemental kingdoms are hosting..." she gave a pause for dramatic effect, "the inter elemental tournament."

Whispers broke out among the kids. Susan asked him, "What's that? Have you read anything about it?"

Calvin shook his head. He had not heard of anything like that. 

"I know, I know you've probably not heard of it. It's only the second time it will be hosted. The first time, it was sixteen years ago, when the late king and queen were newly married. May God give them peace." Calvin remembered reading somewhere that if some royal died, it's honorary to say that they rest in peace whenever one mentions them. 

"It was to create better relationships between the three kingdoms. The rules of the tournament are yet not given, and the participants from all the kingdoms, two from each year, and four in total will be given more information about it. Now, third years, off you go to arena 1, and second years, to arena 2." 

The students started walking to their respective arenas, talking all the time. "What do you think it is going to be like?" Susan asked, her eyebrows scrunched. She could never bear a mystery, and so Calvin made a point of showing her mystery movies every weekend. It usually ends up with her beating him, and he giving away spoilers.

"Don't know? I am hoping it's like the Triwizard tournament." 

"From that movie you showed me? That would be absolutely lit."

Calvin regretted introducing Susan to vines. Alex shrugged, "Well, at least with the tournament, they will get off my back. They would be too busy training you guys about the tournaments." 

They entered the arena. It was consisted of a large room with small circles of sand, where they took demon slayer classes. Liza was standing in front of a large rack of weapons. She instructed them to take their respective weapons and sit on the racks. 

They did so, noisily at first and after a bunch of glares, a lot less quieter. 

Calvin, Susan and Alex managed to get on the top most rack, which was shaped like stairs. After everyone was settled, Liza said, "Now, usually, in second year, we would be teaching you fighting with the help of your wings, and in third year, it would consist of mostly sparring and improving. But because of the tournament, Principal Kato already told you about it, I'm sure, today, we're going to have a tournament of sorts.

All of you will be sparring against one anther, and the archers will have an accuracy contest. The best archer and the best swordsman will be registered for the tournament. Archers, get down and shoot an arrow in the board. You'll get one shot, so be careful." 

Susan and Alex stood up and Calvin gave them a thumbs up. They all knew Susan was going to win this one. No one but her could hit the bulls eyes. 

"Now, swords... pair up. We're going to spar." Everyone quickly paired up, and Calvin was left behind. They were odd numbers, so Calvin had to sit this one out. He knew how this was going to end up. He and Alberta were almost neck to neck in this, sometimes she comes out as winner and sometimes it was he. 

But he had to win this, for Susan's sake. If Alberta won, she and Susan would not be able to participate as a team, at all. They were like similar poles of a magnet.

The first round ended, and five of them remained. Calvin jumped down, making them six. Calvin paired up with a girl called Xena, and defeated her easily. That left Calvin, Alberta and a girl whose name he didn't know. Alberta sat this one out and Calvin defeated the girl. Defeating this girl was harder than Xena, and it left him out of breath. 

And Alberta would take full advantage of it. 

Thankfully, Liza saved him. She told him to sit down for a while, and watch the archers. Susan had already hit the bulls eyes, and was sitting at the rack. Alex was sitting in the racks too, his arrow had hit the third rings. The others were still aiming.

One by one, all of them were done. Brian came really close to the bulls eyes, but didn't quite hit it. Liza shut down his request for a reshot. 

"Alright, everyone, settle down. McKay, Stellar, get down." Calvin got up and hopped down. He and Alberta faced each other in the arena and drew their swords. After a few failed attempts at making friends with him, because he was a McKay, she had settled on archenemy. 

She sent a (really unimpressive) glare at him. Calvin was cleverer. He wanted to infuriate her, and he knew just how to do it. He looked lazily at her, as if defeating her was the easiest thing ever.

They started sparring. For a few moments, they were even. She swiped a wing at his ankles, he jumped at aimed at her throat. He would not normally do it, but he knew Alberta could dodge, and she did.

And then his angel senses started acting up. He could anticipate her next move, and it gave him and edge over her. She was an angel too, and apparently, her senses were acting up too. 

To the outside eye, they were engaged in a very lethal and a very graceful dance. With one sharp move, he faked a move at the back part of her knee, and when she twisted to dodge, he turned the move and hacked at her wrist, making her drop her sword, and hence defeating her. 

The class erupted into applaud, and Calvin turned to Liza watching him with rapt attention. He could never tell what she was thinking, but the corners of her mouth were turned up subtly. 

"McKay, Knight, go to arena 103. I'll be there in a while." They nodded and went to the said arena. He was surprised, arena 103 was not for student use. They've never been there, and had been strictly forbidden to go anywhere near it.

They knocked and when no one replied opened the door. They found two other kids sitting there. They were probably the the selected third years.

They were sitting on the racks, and were talking in low voices. Susan and Calvin sat in the opposite racks, "What do you think we're going to do here?" Calvin asked.

"Probably something advanced, I guess. Did potato say when is the tournament?"

"It's Principal Kato, and no, she didn't." 

They chatted (Read: teased each other) for a little while before Liza came into the arena. 

"Good morning, come over here." She called them to three desks put in a U. She sat down in the middle one, Susan and Calvin sat on her right, and the other two students sat on her left.

"Now, introductions." She said. 

Calvin introduced himself, "Calvin McKay." 

"Susan Knight."

"Lily Parson."

"James Heims." Ironic, isn't it? 

"Alright, if it were someone else, I would've seperatly coached you guys because of the the year difference. But, since you two are already ahead of your year, and more in level with Heims and Parson, we'll just hop right in. Am I right in assuming that you know how to fight in air?"

Susan and Calvin nodded. 

"Good. I'll be training all four of you extensively for the tournament, which in a month, McKay's parents would know more. The training will be in all sorts of things. It will be basic information in demon biology, some defensive and offensive magic, knowledge about the other elementals, etc." 

"Any questions?"

"What would be the tournament be like?" Lily asked. Calvin pushed down the urge to correct her grammar.

"Last time the tournament was held, I was about 10, so I wouldn't know. But I remember it was about contestants from various kingdoms taking parts in tasks for the first three rounds, and the fourth round was a survival, all out round."

'So, like a mixture of Hunger games and Triwizard tournament, then.' Calvin thought. 

They spent the next whole day learning about demons, where to aim, what to do, etc. Calvin was honest to goodness tired, Liza had not went easy on any of them. 

He went home and plopped facedown into his bed. Alex plopped down beside him, "Liza tired you out, huh?"

"Hmmm."

"Why? What did you guys do?"

"Learnt about demons."

"So, you were just sitting and still you're so tired?"

"Braining can be tiring Alex."

"Sure, sure. Whatever sails your ship."

"Alex! Why do you use human terms, when you don't know what they mean? Besides, my ship has not yet sailed, and probably never going to."

"What?"

"Wolfstar."

"Okaaay, I'm going to get out of here. Lunch's ready."

"Hmm."

Little did he know, if he was going to be tired today, Liza was going to absolutely kill him with her training. Little did he know...