Chapter 19: The Third Trial

"You're not having second thoughts, are you?" Aisha asks as she leads me toward the location of the final trial – the one that will shape public opinions forever. It's not an event with an outcome I'm interested in one bit, which is a detail Aisha seems to have missed in her strategizing. All I care about is that Snow, Raksha and Yukiji survive. If those three make it out alive, I'll be good.

That said, I think Aisha is close to fitting into the same category as them. I don't gain anything by trying my hardest, but I don't lose anything, either. It doesn't matter which of the three is going to become the chosen one in the eyes of this country's mostly blind population. While I do think using the big name of such a person could be useful in preventing a war or two, I don't see how it could ever work out as a long-term solution. Unless the Child is actually seen doing something extraordinary, other mages are just going to assume they're another powerful mage, and that'll be that. Luck must be playing a longer game. I wish I could wrap my head around him. What was his real name again? Whatever. I'll stick with Luck for now.

"None," I reply as we enter the square where the second trial was announced. Sammael and Azazel are already there, but none of the other contestants are. "Weren't we running late?"

"If they make me wait a minute longer, there'll be hell to pay," Azazel grumbles. I suppose it would have been too much to ask for him to be among the casualties of my latest fight.

"You seem in better spirits all of a sudden," Aisha notes. "Why is that? Did something happen?"

"No," I reply. "I'm pretty good at managing my emotions. They do get the better of me in extreme situations, but I jump back pretty quickly – at controlling them, that is. I'm still a mess, mind you, but I'll be doing this with a clear head. We're not laying a hand on Raksha otherwise."

She gives me a small smile, and I notice a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I do like that bod of his. Just look over there!" I turn toward the direction in which she points her finger, but see no one standing there. I don't understand what's happening until I hear the woman's laughter. "Ah, so I did read you right, after all. Vexed by that which vexes all men, are you?"

I probably turn red, but I do my best to hide it, and approach the two Apostles instead of replying.

"You don't have to be such a grump about it. I was just teasing."

"I'm merely making sure we get as much information as possible. If I'm to win with an anchor like you chained to my ankle, I'll need as much help as possible."

I can practically see Azazel's eyes being rolled behind the bandages covering his face. "Those fools may still be keen on keeping you alive, little fairy, but take one more step out of line and I'll consider it my duty to put an end to you." He gives me a humourless, cruel smile, raising the volume of his voice as he continues. "You are the one responsible for the recent catastrophy, after all. The people deserve to be safe from monsters like you."

I look around and realize the crowd is looking at me strangely. Some look away when my eyes fall upon them, while others just glare back. Ah, I see; They're afraid of me. That used to be how my parents would look at any magic knight who happened to pass by our house. We always had to be afraid they'd demand compensation for guarding that part of the city – not that they did this very often. We didn't matter back then, and it didn't matter that we didn't matter. They were above us, and so we were inconsequential. These people – every single one of them is beneath me. I could spread my wings and start unleashing death at a moment's notice, and none of them, bar the two Apostles, would have the power to stop me. As such, they don't matter, and neither do the looks they give me.

"You handled that more maturely than I thought you would," Aisha comments as I overhear the people use big words, such as monster, demon or devil. If only they knew what a real devil looked like. Hell, one is infecting them with a virus even now, but they remain none the wiser. Pathetic. They can't do anything but hurl words. What could people like that be worth?

"Now, now," Sammael says, uneasily glancing at the other Apostle. "There is no need for hostilities. This is a joyous occasion after all, for the Child of Light and Shadow shall be discovered by the end of the day!" Some people around us cheer as he raises his fist. Talk about a mood swing. He went and released so much tension just by uttering a sentence. Is this why the others keep him around? "Young Aisha, you are the first to arrive, and will be the first to start."

She tenses up immediately, clutching her right upper arm with the hand of the other. "Already? Here?"

"No, not here," Azazel answers, holding a box out toward her. "Touch this and you will be sent inside, shrunken down to fit. It is a compressed arena full of obstacles, where the six contestants will be fighting in a battle royale."

Sammael nods proudly as the old fart speaks. "As the first to arrive, you receive the prize of being allowed to prepare. You may start whenever you like, and lay whatever traps you desire. I bid you-"

Without letting him finish, Aisha taps the box, and her body fades away into golden particles, which get smaller and smaller as they flow into the object. Sammael smiles awkwardly at the empty space before him, not knowing what to do.

"She respects the trial too much to waste time," I tell him, and a bit of his pride returns. He opens his mouth again, but I repeat Aisha's actions, and enter the arena. Sorry, Sammy. No time.

Very briefly, my thoughts get jumbled together, and I become light as a feather. My body, or rather, my whole existence, moves swiftly – without my control – and then all returns to normal as my body reassembles himself inside the arena. Right off the bat, I turn around and puke.

"Sheesh," I hear Aisha say. "And Raksha's been telling me you hardly eat anything anymore."

Still bent over, I give her a look. "You've been talking?"

"Calm down, tiger. I'm not making a move on your man. He just happens to be the only one I'd opt to be friends with, given the other choices I've got." Obi is definitely out, and I guess the same goes for Marcus. The only other two who'd be around her age are Dex and Patrick. Yeah, I can see why she went with the djinn, despite his uptight attitude.

"I'm not jealous," I tell her. "Nothing ruins a plot more than having the characters behave like children. Jealousy is not romantic, and it never will be."

The woman seems taken aback by those words. "That seems to be directed at someone particular."

"Skip it," I reply, waving her off. "We should prepare. How do you wanna proceed?"

Nodding, she looks around the area we're currently at, and I follow along. There's an ocean next to us, but we're standing on rocks rather than sand. The other side of the beach ends where a mountain begins. It's humid and hot, but it doesn't quite feel real. "Do you imagine all of us will start off here?"

I shake my head. "If that were the trial, the first person to arrive would be almost guaranteed to win. All you'd have to do was set the spot where we arrived on fire, and they others would die as soon as they entered. I think it's a safe bet to say they'll be somewhere else."

She starts looking around, and I join her. "If Marcus spots us before we spot him, we'll be in trouble. Those illusions aren't much in terms of offensive power, but he'll definitely be able to get the jump on us. Yukiji is with him, too. What's she made of?"

I shrug, not being entirely sure myself. "You can't sense her."

"Yeah, I noticed that, oh wise council."

"Did you notice her turning invisible?"

Aisha stops walking when she hears that, then releases a tired sigh. "Of course she can. Also, if I were to notice her doing it, then it wouldn't be much of an invisibility spell, now, would it?" The beach we're walking on slowly starts to circle around as the mountain bends, and we finally reach a way to move forward. There, between two huge boulders, is a staircase leading up the mountain.

"Think we'll know when they arrive?" I ask, ready to go up.

"I wouldn't bet on it. The less positive assumptions we have, the better prepared we will be. Now, spread your wings."

I stop, my foot on the first of the steps. "Why?"

"You're not gonna tell me you're scared of them now, are you? Yes, people saw them. Pitch as the night, they say, with two moons on each one." Eyes, really, if I recall correctly.

"What if they make me lose control?"

"What if they don't?"

"I could kill you, Aisha."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, a pressure I've never felt from her before starts bearing down on me, making me sweat right away. My skin starts to feel like I'm near a forge, and all my senses go on high alert. "I appreciate the sentiment, Jonah, but don't treat me like a child. Don't presume I'm a hapless civilian who can't defend herself. If you lose control and attack, I will defend myself. Now spread your wings and fly." As her mana returns to normal, I tug on my shirt a bit, spreading the two holes on the back. That was impressive. She's not as strong as an Apostle, and nowhere near the demons, but that was a lot of magic power all the same. That used to be her weakest point, and the training with the talisman has let her conquer it. Does that make her more likely to be a dangerous enemy or a more trustworthy friend? Time will tell, but my eyes will have to be upon her until then.

"What do you want me to do?"

She points upward, above the sea. "I wanna know if we're on an island or not. The curve of the beach suggested so, but I'd rather be sure."

"Why does that matter?"

"Because it changes our escape routes. It would be easy to leave if we were on land, leaving Marcus and Snow to beat each other down. I'd then swoop in and pummel the victor. However, if we're on an island, there will be no escape, and the arena will be far more limited, increasing the odds of a fight happening. It will also decide whether the trial will be a long or short battle. Now fly."

I nod, then feel the two wings form inside my lower back. Slowly, I push one of them out, and flinch a bit when I manage to tear something in the process. Okay, that didn't work, and now my wing hurts. Quickly with the other one...

And done! It pops out without a hassle, and I start flapping them, taking off. The further up I go, the colder it gets, and the less air I'm able to take into my lungs. Glancing down, I see that we are on an island after all. It's not too big, either, and there isn't much surrounding the mountain, which by itself has many different areas, from sandy, to snowy, to rocky-

Suddenly, I slam into something, pressing my wings up against my back. Ouch. They're too damn sensitive. Guess I won't be using them during fights, after all.

I turn around to see what it was I hit, but there's nothing there. Immediately, I'm put on guard. Raksha's spell? If he was subtle enough, I bet he could hit me without my noticing it. Wind isn't exactly flashy. But no... I don't think this is it. Reaching out, I press up my palm against something there, but I can't make out what it is. I explore the invisible wall with my hands, and there seems to be no end to it. Flying sideways with my palm pressed up against it, I feel the wall curving slightly, just as the island curves. Ah, so that's it.

I fly back down slowly, and realize Aisha is drawing something on the ground, using ash she's created with her magic. "We're in a big room," I tell her, but she doesn't look up, focusing on her drawing. "I can't fly for an eternity if I try to leave the island. There's a wall we can't see around it. It's wide enough to not be a problem."

"But we are, in fact, on an island?"

I nod, finding it odd she's making me repeat myself. She should be smarter than that.

"Good," she tells me, standing up and pushing her hair back across her shoulders. "That means this fight will be about hitting first, and hitting hard. We're gonna have to take Raksha out first, then." She turns toward me, giving me a cocky smirk. "Unless you think you can handle him by other means?"

"We're not taking that route," I reply, walking back to the set of stairs. "What's the drawing for?"

"Try and change the topic all you like, but it is an effective strategy. Hell, it'll probably be used on you."

I audibly snort at that. Raksha, lowering himself to that level? Inconceivable. "He'd sooner grow wings and chase me across the sky."

"Agree to disagree on that one, but that isn't quite what I meant."

I sigh, then lean on one of the rocky walls. "What do you mean, then?"

"Yukiji, of course, Snow, too. Are you capable of attacking them?"

I summon up as much mana as possible in that moment, but with her level of power, Aisha is capable of meeting the intimidation attempt head-on. "If you try to burn either of them, I'll turn on you. I will be the one to knock them out of the fight, and I'll do it my way. No harm will come to them. Am I clear?"

She glares right back at me, unflinching and unbending. "Don't threaten me, Jonah. I have a lot riding on this. I'm not going to kill anyone, but if I have to hurt them to win, then that's what will happen."

"Don't make me mad, Aisha."

"Don't talk down to me, Jonah."

Ever so briefly, I think I see sparks flying off the tips of her fingers, and I think she might attack. The tension between us gets so thick, it becomes as hard to breathe as being above the island did. Would I be able to reach her before fire came pouring out? Will I still be able to make things while not in the dream world? More importantly, what's her belief regarding these things? Will she back down if I keep applying pressure, or will she bite back? Small beads of sweat start appearing on my neck, and I start to rethink the threat I almost made. Can I beat her?

"You are both quite arrogant," a new arrival says, and both Aisha and I look up, shocked to see Raksha levitating above us, wind swirling beneath his feet. Shit. When did he get here? "Do you believe you will be able to hurt Snow, with me on his team?"

Aisha strikes at him first, forming a whip of fire long enough to circle around the djinn. The attempt to squeeze him with it fails, because the wind moves up and around his body, pushing the flames away. "I could say the same to you," she grunts at him. "You could've attacked us without announcing yourself."

"That is the human way of doing things, and I refuse to lower myself to that level."

"And you're calling us arrogant?" She throws another whip at him, using her other hand. This time, it goes directly at him, and has enough power to push through the wind. Raksha's eyes widen, letting me know he wasn't expecting that. However, he still manages to dodge it, as he jumps down from the wind carrying him, and lands on the rock above me. This time, I don't bother contemplating my own strength, and I start moving my legs, running up the stairs. I can't fight him directly. He'll demolish me with ease. The only thing I'm actually good at with magic is healing. Everything else either costs me my health, or was taught to me by him. He'll see the few things I'm actually capable of coming, and he's more than capable of countering them.

Feeling him behind me, I sprout my wings again, then jump backwards, flipping through the air until I pass over him. Aisha fires a few balls of flame at his back, but Raksha shoots upward at a speed far superior to my own, away from harm.

"You asked me to teach you magic, yes?" he asks, giving me a very guarded, yet undeniably cocky smirk. "How about a lesson in combat?"

I gulp. "Maybe we should stick with the basics instead?" I raise my hand, ready to throw an explosion his way.

"You know, I was quite worried." The words stop me momentarily, and I realize he's no longer smirking. "I cannot believe you did not come to us as soon as you were free."

"I couldn't," I answer, with more desperation than I'm comfortable with. "I'm only free for the remainder of this trial, and then if the chosen Child declares my actions unpunishable."

"You did not mean to do that," he whispers, bangs falling over his eyes, "did you?"

"Of course not! You didn't even have to ask-"

"We'll talk later," he cuts me off, moving his hands to block some more of Aisha's fiery attacks. "I am glad you are alright."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Then I am glad you are safe."

I raise my hand, giving him the so-so sign.

"Glad you're alive?"

"That works," I say, then turn around and fly away. I screwed our lead by getting into that pissing contest with Aisha. Because of that, we're stuck fighting him, and Snow can't be far behind, either. Have Marcus and Yukiji arrived yet? It will be hard to tell if they did, so I shouldn't land just yet. What can I do, though? I can't get close enough to burn him, and the dream world is out of the question during non-life-threatening situations. What can I do?

"Aisha, now!" I yell, glancing over my shoulder. Raksha, surprised, turns to look at her, so I use the chance to fly directly at him. Aisha herself does nothing, instead looking at me in confusion. The djinn catches on quickly, and a barrier made of wind starts blowing around him, preventing me from reaching him.

"You still rely on tricks more than magic," he says to be, holding his hand as if there's something in it. "You will not improve that way, Jonah."

"I'll worry about improving when I've got time for it. Not sure if you've noticed, but my life's been pretty hectic lately."

"Are you referring to the demons?"

"No, Raksha. I'm worried green will go out of style."

He strikes at me, slashing with his hand as if there's a weapon in it. Knowing I can't dodge or block it, I instead fold my wings, and allow myself to fall. Whatever his attack was going to be, it flies overhead, and I land on one of the rocks next to the steps, rolling down from it as soon as I do. A gust of wind hits the spot where I landed just a second ago, reminding me to keep running as more and more spells rain down on me. Shit. He's got me beat in speed, attack power and defensive abilities. He's a lot more versatile, too, and knows the full extent of my capabilities. How do I beat him? More importantly, how do I beat him without causing him too much damage? I don't see how this is winnable.

Another gust of wind hits the ground behind me, and I finally find a weakness in his fighting style; He can't predict what I'm going to do. He keeps hitting the places he sees me at, but by the time his attack actually reaches that place, I'm already gone. He can't hit a moving target, which means my best bet is...

Spreading my wings yet again, I take flight, hearing fire blaze behind me. Flying sideways to make sure I don't get hit, I slowly start to turn around, and see Raksha's gust of wind facing Aisha's continuous stream of fire. No way. Is she matching him? How is his attack not pushing it back?

I look down, and see that she's struggling to keep the attack going. Though she's stronger than before, she's still not all-powerful. Then I glance at Raksha, and I'm surprised to see his face twisted in a struggle as well. Incredible. She's able to match his power completely, even if it is just for this one moment. How? Did the talisman training really affect her so profoundly? It can't have. I hardly feel any difference. I don't feel any stronger at all.

My eyes widen, and I nearly slap myself. Of course you don't feel stronger, you dolt! Your talisman was there to help you control your mana, not increase it the way Aisha's did for her!

Holding my hand out, I use the power Raksha taught me, and a fully-formed ball of fire flies from my palm, heading straight for the djinn. Yes! I did it! I cast an actual attack spell without having to half-ass it!

Raksha blocks it without even looking at me. Bummer. Let's see what more I can try. How did he say ice magic went again? Harden your mana, and force it out instead of letting it flow. I do just that, but all I manage to send at him is a hail of snow. Damn, guess I'll need more mana than that. I repeat what I just did, but do it with as much mana as possible. The air gets colder immediately, and I succeed in making myself shiver as a blizzard starts picking up around me. Wait, why a blizzard? It's an ice spell I'm trying to do, not a snow-attributed one.

SHIT.

I'm too slow to turn around, and the blizzard sweeps me away, sending me spiralling through the air. God damn it, Snow. I can't believe you'd sneak-attack me like that. During my powering-up moment, too. I guess he's grown harsher from all the things he went through recently.

"I'm sorry about that!"

Never mind.

"I have to hit you, but I'm sorry!"

That idiot.

Still, I can't help but smile as more snow starts to fall, and I look down, seeing him standing on the stairs, a few feet below Aisha. "Why didn't you just hit her?!" I yell, and he raises his hand next to his mouth.

"Two-on-one is unfair!"

Oh, Snow, you precious, adorable little moron.

The struggle between Aisha and Raksha stops, and both of them take a second to take in a deep breath. It doesn't last long, and they're both on the move soon after. Aisha starts running up the stairs, while Raksha flies down to stand near Snow. He doesn't trust him to defend himself, then. Does he know something I don't? As long as he keeps himself safe, they should be able to win the fight.

Unless... Unless the only opponent we have to take out is the candidate? That would make sense. There'd be little point in electing someone who spent half the fight knocked out as the savior of the kingdom. Did Raksha come to that conclusion by himself? He's not really big on strategic thinking, though. Does that mean they got a different clue about the fight than we did? Did they not know it would go like this? Is the choice of companions perhaps what they weren't aware of?

I get so lost in thought, I once again neglect to dodge Snow's attack, and he makes me fall to the ground, a layer of frost now covering my wings. Instead of landing on my feet, I mimic what Raksha does, and control the wind around me. I'm a fairy. I should be a prodigy with all forms of magic. Let's see how this levitation thing works!

I release as much mana as I can, but instead of making the wind swirl, I blast it at the ground, and push myself even further up, then start to fall again.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I hear Aisha yell, sounding as desperate as she did in the Labyrinth. "Stop screwing around!"

I try to flap my wings, but the ice on them makes it impossible. I try to turn around, but it's impossible to do in the air. Shit. I can't do anything to stop this. I'm about to fall, and it'll hurt like a bitch. Am I gonna be able to heal it afterwards? Will there be permanent damage?

I close my arms, preparing for the pain. Shit. Here it goes...

Instead of hitting the ground, someone grabs me from beneath, then keeps moving instead of setting me down. From the feel of it, I know exactly who it is.

"You're meant to be fighting me," I tell the djinn, smiling up at him.

"That would have hurt you more than necessary." He states it like a simple fact. What does that mean? Would he have done the same for anybody?

"How long do you plan on carrying me around, exactly?"

"Until I can throw you into the ocean, where Snow can freeze you and end the fight."

Part of me thinks he's making a joke, but I'm honestly not sure.

"Why are you fighting for that woman, anyway?"

"She said she'll pardon my crimes if she wins."

"Do you not believe Snow will do the same? You can just throw the fight."

I fake a gasp. "Why, Raksha, are you suggesting I use an underhanded technique to allow a friend to win?"

He looks down at me with more shame than I would've thought possible. "What have I become?"

"H-Hey now, it's not that big of a-"

"I am the lowest of the low."

"Raksha-"

"I do not deserve to have my freedom. Happiness is wasted on me."

Oh good grief. "Would you stop-"

"The dungeons are the only place filth like me belongs to."

I raise my hand, ready to smack him, but he suddenly trips, and we both go tumbling down, falling into the sand beneath us. I manage to pull my wings in just before I hit the ground, so I'm at least lucky enough not to break them just after learning to fly properly. We roll across the sand together, sending it flying everywhere in a murky cloud.

"Smooth move," I tell him after I land on my back. "How'd you even trip, anyway? You were levi-"

I realize what happened before I finish the sentence, and start looking through the sand cloud. I may not be able to see her directly, but the sand still moves where she goes.

"Nice one, Yukiji. Real smooth." I blow a gust of wind in her direction, but the force of it pushes me back as well, and it fails to hit her hard. It still exposes her, as the impact seems to reverse her invisibility.

She doesn't look hostile at all. In fact, she looks downright unprepared to fight. Taking a step forward, she hesitantly looks around, as if someone is watching. Of course she was scared.

"I'm sorry I was gone," I tell her, standing up and dusting myself off. "I know you must've been worried-"

Letting go of her inhibitions, the girl runs toward me, then throws her arms around ne and holds me firmly. "Idiot."

I gently put my hand on her head. "Yeah. Big time. It won't happen again." I hope.

I hear shifting behind me, but I doubt Raksha will attack us right now. Indeed, a glance is enough to affirm his refusal to do so, as he just stands there, trying to look anywhere but at us.

"I won't laugh if you smile," I tell him, but he just crosses his arms. Yeah, figured as much. I pat Yukiji's head again, and she pulls away from me. "You ready to do this?"

She shakes her head.

"Yeah, me neither. What do we do?"

"We fight," Raksha states simply, and we both look at him in shock. He merely scoffs at us. "It is our duty. We do not have to enjoy it, but we have to go through with it. That is what we agreed to when we chose to participate."

Yukiji raises her hand, as if she needs permission to speak. Damn. I've been gone for only so long and she's already starting to regress. "Marcus said this was how I'd get to see Jonah again. I don't want to fight."

"Then you should not have agreed."

I smack his arm after he says that. "If she doesn't want to fight, she doesn't have to fight."

"Oh, yes the hell she does," Marcus says, appearing before us. I don't trust that to be the real him for a minute. He's probably trying to distract us from his real body, so that he can take out two threats at once. "She agreed to be my partner. I'm not letting her screw me out of the win just because her dad told her to."

"I am not-"

"Yeah, yeah. You're more like her mother." He points to Raksha next. "He's the dad."

Raksha responds by blasting him away. The illusion fades as soon as it's about to hit the sand, so I start turning around, looking for the real deal. If he's smart, he'll aim for Raksha first. Otherwise, he's just gonna be taken out by the wind as soon as he hits me.

A pained gasp next to me spooks me enough to make me jump away. When I turn around, I see Yukiji standing there, her dagger stuck in Raksha's stomach as she grips the hilt. He's looking down at her, surprise all over his face as a bit of blood spills past his lips. "Yukiji..?" I ask, then realize what just happened, and my mana darkens. The illusion around him fades, and Marcus' real form is revealed to me, showing him to be the one holding the knife. Yukiji was never at this spot. Marcus' illusions allowed him to turn invisible, and then he pretended to lift his magic, changing his appearance to fool us. He's smarter than I gave him credit for.

And dumber. Does he think he's gonna survive after that?

End him, the voice from before calls to me, and I reach forward. Very briefly, I see a snake in place of my arm, and Marcus sees it as well, pulling back in surprise. Before he can get far, the snake lashes out, biting into his forearm. "You're scared of them, aren't you?" I ask, feeling more and more like this is a dream. "Crawlies, too." I concentrate on Marcus' body, and suddenly find bugs crawling all over his legs. Gasping, he falls on his ass, trying to pry the snake from his arm.

That's it. Keep going. Show him his nightmares.

"Jonah," I hear Yukiji whisper, then turn my head sideways. She approaches me slowly and cautiously, then hesitantly reaches out and puts her hand on my shoulder. "Jonah, stop. You'll get arrested again."

I look down at her wide, teary eyes, and the darkness fades away, taking the nightmares with it. My arm becomes a snake again, and the insects disappear.

"Got'cha," Marcus then says, and Yukiji disappears. FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!

I hold my arms up to defend myself, but Marcus kicks beneath them, planting his foot deep into my stomach, and sends me flying back. Fuck, I can't believe I fell for that shit twice.

Wincing, I try to get up. "Dick move."

"Yeah, I know," the asshole admits, looking surprisingly solemn for a guy like him. "Not really any other way for me to win, though, right? Compared to the competition, I'm not much."

"Boohoo. Want me to play you a sad song on a lyre?"

"You play the lyre?"

Oh, God. I can't believe this idiot tricked me twice. "The tambourine, too, since you're asking."

Realization dawns on him, and his neck turns a bit red. "Yeah, yeah. Make fun of the stupid, useless Marcus. Not like his feelings matter!"

"You're throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of a fight?"

Taking a deep breath, he manages to calm himself down. "Yeah, good point. Anyway, sorry about this, but I gotta knock you two out."

As he raises his fist, I throw my hands up. "Wait!"

"Nuh-uh."

"He's bleeding," I continue, nodding toward Raksha. "It's bad, and I'm the only one here who has healing magic. Please. Knock him out first if you want to, but let me heal him. He could die if I don't."

My words make him uncertain. Good. At least it shows he's not a monster. Snow and Aisha are in the same boat, so the kingdom should be fine regardless of the victor.

Just when I think he's about to agree, a loud blast takes his attention off of me. I follow his gaze, and my eyes land on the battle between Snow and Aisha. His horns are as long as they were in the Labyrinth now, and he's waving around the same scythe the demon from back then used. Aisha is throwing whips, currents and swirls of fire at him, and he's countering them with walls and weapons of ice, the attacks cancelling each other out as they meet. Steam rises all around us as a result of their battle, and I seize my moment, jumping on Marcus. I manage to get him to the ground, and put a knee on the arm which has the dagger in it, then bring my fist up and prepare to swing it.

But then a new power appears on the island, freezing me in place. A cold pressure starts crawling all over my body, sending shivers down my spine – making sweat appear on my forehead. Slowly, I will my body to turn around, and I see Snow and Aisha looking at the same person as me. It's that small, hooded thing from behind the throne room, and there is no longer any doubt about its heritage. The small figure raises its head slightly, and I notice a huge grin – too wide to ever belong to a human – spread across its mostly hidden face. Then, in a childlike voice, the thing speaks.

"Hi.""You're not having second thoughts, are you?" Aisha asks as she leads me toward the location of the final trial – the one that will shape public opinions forever. It's not an event with an outcome I'm interested in one bit, which is a detail Aisha seems to have missed in her strategizing. All I care about is that Snow, Raksha and Yukiji survive. If those three make it out alive, I'll be good.

That said, I think Aisha is close to fitting into the same category as them. I don't gain anything by trying my hardest, but I don't lose anything, either. It doesn't matter which of the three is going to become the chosen one in the eyes of this country's mostly blind population. While I do think using the big name of such a person could be useful in preventing a war or two, I don't see how it could ever work out as a long-term solution. Unless the Child is actually seen doing something extraordinary, other mages are just going to assume they're another powerful mage, and that'll be that. Luck must be playing a longer game. I wish I could wrap my head around him. What was his real name again? Whatever. I'll stick with Luck for now.

"None," I reply as we enter the square where the second trial was announced. Sammael and Azazel are already there, but none of the other contestants are. "Weren't we running late?"

"If they make me wait a minute longer, there'll be hell to pay," Azazel grumbles. I suppose it would have been too much to ask for him to be among the casualties of my latest fight.

"You seem in better spirits all of a sudden," Aisha notes. "Why is that? Did something happen?"

"No," I reply. "I'm pretty good at managing my emotions. They do get the better of me in extreme situations, but I jump back pretty quickly – at controlling them, that is. I'm still a mess, mind you, but I'll be doing this with a clear head. We're not laying a hand on Raksha otherwise."

She gives me a small smile, and I notice a glint of mischief in her eyes. "I do like that bod of his. Just look over there!" I turn toward the direction in which she points her finger, but see no one standing there. I don't understand what's happening until I hear the woman's laughter. "Ah, so I did read you right, after all. Vexed by that which vexes all men, are you?"

I probably turn red, but I do my best to hide it, and approach the two Apostles instead of replying.

"You don't have to be such a grump about it. I was just teasing."

"I'm merely making sure we get as much information as possible. If I'm to win with an anchor like you chained to my ankle, I'll need as much help as possible."

I can practically see Azazel's eyes being rolled behind the bandages covering his face. "Those fools may still be keen on keeping you alive, little fairy, but take one more step out of line and I'll consider it my duty to put an end to you." He gives me a humourless, cruel smile, raising the volume of his voice as he continues. "You are the one responsible for the recent catastrophy, after all. The people deserve to be safe from monsters like you."

I look around and realize the crowd is looking at me strangely. Some look away when my eyes fall upon them, while others just glare back. Ah, I see; They're afraid of me. That used to be how my parents would look at any magic knight who happened to pass by our house. We always had to be afraid they'd demand compensation for guarding that part of the city – not that they did this very often. We didn't matter back then, and it didn't matter that we didn't matter. They were above us, and so we were inconsequential. These people – every single one of them is beneath me. I could spread my wings and start unleashing death at a moment's notice, and none of them, bar the two Apostles, would have the power to stop me. As such, they don't matter, and neither do the looks they give me.

"You handled that more maturely than I thought you would," Aisha comments as I overhear the people use big words, such as monster, demon or devil. If only they knew what a real devil looked like. Hell, one is infecting them with a virus even now, but they remain none the wiser. Pathetic. They can't do anything but hurl words. What could people like that be worth?

"Now, now," Sammael says, uneasily glancing at the other Apostle. "There is no need for hostilities. This is a joyous occasion after all, for the Child of Light and Shadow shall be discovered by the end of the day!" Some people around us cheer as he raises his fist. Talk about a mood swing. He went and released so much tension just by uttering a sentence. Is this why the others keep him around? "Young Aisha, you are the first to arrive, and will be the first to start."

She tenses up immediately, clutching her right upper arm with the hand of the other. "Already? Here?"

"No, not here," Azazel answers, holding a box out toward her. "Touch this and you will be sent inside, shrunken down to fit. It is a compressed arena full of obstacles, where the six contestants will be fighting in a battle royale."

Sammael nods proudly as the old fart speaks. "As the first to arrive, you receive the prize of being allowed to prepare. You may start whenever you like, and lay whatever traps you desire. I bid you-"

Without letting him finish, Aisha taps the box, and her body fades away into golden particles, which get smaller and smaller as they flow into the object. Sammael smiles awkwardly at the empty space before him, not knowing what to do.

"She respects the trial too much to waste time," I tell him, and a bit of his pride returns. He opens his mouth again, but I repeat Aisha's actions, and enter the arena. Sorry, Sammy. No time.

Very briefly, my thoughts get jumbled together, and I become light as a feather. My body, or rather, my whole existence, moves swiftly – without my control – and then all returns to normal as my body reassembles himself inside the arena. Right off the bat, I turn around and puke.

"Sheesh," I hear Aisha say. "And Raksha's been telling me you hardly eat anything anymore."

Still bent over, I give her a look. "You've been talking?"

"Calm down, tiger. I'm not making a move on your man. He just happens to be the only one I'd opt to be friends with, given the other choices I've got." Obi is definitely out, and I guess the same goes for Marcus. The only other two who'd be around her age are Dex and Patrick. Yeah, I can see why she went with the djinn, despite his uptight attitude.

"I'm not jealous," I tell her. "Nothing ruins a plot more than having the characters behave like children. Jealousy is not romantic, and it never will be."

The woman seems taken aback by those words. "That seems to be directed at someone particular."

"Skip it," I reply, waving her off. "We should prepare. How do you wanna proceed?"

Nodding, she looks around the area we're currently at, and I follow along. There's an ocean next to us, but we're standing on rocks rather than sand. The other side of the beach ends where a mountain begins. It's humid and hot, but it doesn't quite feel real. "Do you imagine all of us will start off here?"

I shake my head. "If that were the trial, the first person to arrive would be almost guaranteed to win. All you'd have to do was set the spot where we arrived on fire, and they others would die as soon as they entered. I think it's a safe bet to say they'll be somewhere else."

She starts looking around, and I join her. "If Marcus spots us before we spot him, we'll be in trouble. Those illusions aren't much in terms of offensive power, but he'll definitely be able to get the jump on us. Yukiji is with him, too. What's she made of?"

I shrug, not being entirely sure myself. "You can't sense her."

"Yeah, I noticed that, oh wise council."

"Did you notice her turning invisible?"

Aisha stops walking when she hears that, then releases a tired sigh. "Of course she can. Also, if I were to notice her doing it, then it wouldn't be much of an invisibility spell, now, would it?" The beach we're walking on slowly starts to circle around as the mountain bends, and we finally reach a way to move forward. There, between two huge boulders, is a staircase leading up the mountain.

"Think we'll know when they arrive?" I ask, ready to go up.

"I wouldn't bet on it. The less positive assumptions we have, the better prepared we will be. Now, spread your wings."

I stop, my foot on the first of the steps. "Why?"

"You're not gonna tell me you're scared of them now, are you? Yes, people saw them. Pitch as the night, they say, with two moons on each one." Eyes, really, if I recall correctly.

"What if they make me lose control?"

"What if they don't?"

"I could kill you, Aisha."

As soon as the words leave my mouth, a pressure I've never felt from her before starts bearing down on me, making me sweat right away. My skin starts to feel like I'm near a forge, and all my senses go on high alert. "I appreciate the sentiment, Jonah, but don't treat me like a child. Don't presume I'm a hapless civilian who can't defend herself. If you lose control and attack, I will defend myself. Now spread your wings and fly." As her mana returns to normal, I tug on my shirt a bit, spreading the two holes on the back. That was impressive. She's not as strong as an Apostle, and nowhere near the demons, but that was a lot of magic power all the same. That used to be her weakest point, and the training with the talisman has let her conquer it. Does that make her more likely to be a dangerous enemy or a more trustworthy friend? Time will tell, but my eyes will have to be upon her until then.

"What do you want me to do?"

She points upward, above the sea. "I wanna know if we're on an island or not. The curve of the beach suggested so, but I'd rather be sure."

"Why does that matter?"

"Because it changes our escape routes. It would be easy to leave if we were on land, leaving Marcus and Snow to beat each other down. I'd then swoop in and pummel the victor. However, if we're on an island, there will be no escape, and the arena will be far more limited, increasing the odds of a fight happening. It will also decide whether the trial will be a long or short battle. Now fly."

I nod, then feel the two wings form inside my lower back. Slowly, I push one of them out, and flinch a bit when I manage to tear something in the process. Okay, that didn't work, and now my wing hurts. Quickly with the other one...

And done! It pops out without a hassle, and I start flapping them, taking off. The further up I go, the colder it gets, and the less air I'm able to take into my lungs. Glancing down, I see that we are on an island after all. It's not too big, either, and there isn't much surrounding the mountain, which by itself has many different areas, from sandy, to snowy, to rocky-

Suddenly, I slam into something, pressing my wings up against my back. Ouch. They're too damn sensitive. Guess I won't be using them during fights, after all.

I turn around to see what it was I hit, but there's nothing there. Immediately, I'm put on guard. Raksha's spell? If he was subtle enough, I bet he could hit me without my noticing it. Wind isn't exactly flashy. But no... I don't think this is it. Reaching out, I press up my palm against something there, but I can't make out what it is. I explore the invisible wall with my hands, and there seems to be no end to it. Flying sideways with my palm pressed up against it, I feel the wall curving slightly, just as the island curves. Ah, so that's it.

I fly back down slowly, and realize Aisha is drawing something on the ground, using ash she's created with her magic. "We're in a big room," I tell her, but she doesn't look up, focusing on her drawing. "I can't fly for an eternity if I try to leave the island. There's a wall we can't see around it. It's wide enough to not be a problem."

"But we are, in fact, on an island?"

I nod, finding it odd she's making me repeat myself. She should be smarter than that.

"Good," she tells me, standing up and pushing her hair back across her shoulders. "That means this fight will be about hitting first, and hitting hard. We're gonna have to take Raksha out first, then." She turns toward me, giving me a cocky smirk. "Unless you think you can handle him by other means?"

"We're not taking that route," I reply, walking back to the set of stairs. "What's the drawing for?"

"Try and change the topic all you like, but it is an effective strategy. Hell, it'll probably be used on you."

I audibly snort at that. Raksha, lowering himself to that level? Inconceivable. "He'd sooner grow wings and chase me across the sky."

"Agree to disagree on that one, but that isn't quite what I meant."

I sigh, then lean on one of the rocky walls. "What do you mean, then?"

"Yukiji, of course, Snow, too. Are you capable of attacking them?"

I summon up as much mana as possible in that moment, but with her level of power, Aisha is capable of meeting the intimidation attempt head-on. "If you try to burn either of them, I'll turn on you. I will be the one to knock them out of the fight, and I'll do it my way. No harm will come to them. Am I clear?"

She glares right back at me, unflinching and unbending. "Don't threaten me, Jonah. I have a lot riding on this. I'm not going to kill anyone, but if I have to hurt them to win, then that's what will happen."

"Don't make me mad, Aisha."

"Don't talk down to me, Jonah."

Ever so briefly, I think I see sparks flying off the tips of her fingers, and I think she might attack. The tension between us gets so thick, it becomes as hard to breathe as being above the island did. Would I be able to reach her before fire came pouring out? Will I still be able to make things while not in the dream world? More importantly, what's her belief regarding these things? Will she back down if I keep applying pressure, or will she bite back? Small beads of sweat start appearing on my neck, and I start to rethink the threat I almost made. Can I beat her?

"You are both quite arrogant," a new arrival says, and both Aisha and I look up, shocked to see Raksha levitating above us, wind swirling beneath his feet. Shit. When did he get here? "Do you believe you will be able to hurt Snow, with me on his team?"

Aisha strikes at him first, forming a whip of fire long enough to circle around the djinn. The attempt to squeeze him with it fails, because the wind moves up and around his body, pushing the flames away. "I could say the same to you," she grunts at him. "You could've attacked us without announcing yourself."

"That is the human way of doing things, and I refuse to lower myself to that level."

"And you're calling us arrogant?" She throws another whip at him, using her other hand. This time, it goes directly at him, and has enough power to push through the wind. Raksha's eyes widen, letting me know he wasn't expecting that. However, he still manages to dodge it, as he jumps down from the wind carrying him, and lands on the rock above me. This time, I don't bother contemplating my own strength, and I start moving my legs, running up the stairs. I can't fight him directly. He'll demolish me with ease. The only thing I'm actually good at with magic is healing. Everything else either costs me my health, or was taught to me by him. He'll see the few things I'm actually capable of coming, and he's more than capable of countering them.

Feeling him behind me, I sprout my wings again, then jump backwards, flipping through the air until I pass over him. Aisha fires a few balls of flame at his back, but Raksha shoots upward at a speed far superior to my own, away from harm.

"You asked me to teach you magic, yes?" he asks, giving me a very guarded, yet undeniably cocky smirk. "How about a lesson in combat?"

I gulp. "Maybe we should stick with the basics instead?" I raise my hand, ready to throw an explosion his way.

"You know, I was quite worried." The words stop me momentarily, and I realize he's no longer smirking. "I cannot believe you did not come to us as soon as you were free."

"I couldn't," I answer, with more desperation than I'm comfortable with. "I'm only free for the remainder of this trial, and then if the chosen Child declares my actions unpunishable."

"You did not mean to do that," he whispers, bangs falling over his eyes, "did you?"

"Of course not! You didn't even have to ask-"

"We'll talk later," he cuts me off, moving his hands to block some more of Aisha's fiery attacks. "I am glad you are alright."

"I wouldn't go that far."

"Then I am glad you are safe."

I raise my hand, giving him the so-so sign.

"Glad you're alive?"

"That works," I say, then turn around and fly away. I screwed our lead by getting into that pissing contest with Aisha. Because of that, we're stuck fighting him, and Snow can't be far behind, either. Have Marcus and Yukiji arrived yet? It will be hard to tell if they did, so I shouldn't land just yet. What can I do, though? I can't get close enough to burn him, and the dream world is out of the question during non-life-threatening situations. What can I do?

"Aisha, now!" I yell, glancing over my shoulder. Raksha, surprised, turns to look at her, so I use the chance to fly directly at him. Aisha herself does nothing, instead looking at me in confusion. The djinn catches on quickly, and a barrier made of wind starts blowing around him, preventing me from reaching him.

"You still rely on tricks more than magic," he says to be, holding his hand as if there's something in it. "You will not improve that way, Jonah."

"I'll worry about improving when I've got time for it. Not sure if you've noticed, but my life's been pretty hectic lately."

"Are you referring to the demons?"

"No, Raksha. I'm worried green will go out of style."

He strikes at me, slashing with his hand as if there's a weapon in it. Knowing I can't dodge or block it, I instead fold my wings, and allow myself to fall. Whatever his attack was going to be, it flies overhead, and I land on one of the rocks next to the steps, rolling down from it as soon as I do. A gust of wind hits the spot where I landed just a second ago, reminding me to keep running as more and more spells rain down on me. Shit. He's got me beat in speed, attack power and defensive abilities. He's a lot more versatile, too, and knows the full extent of my capabilities. How do I beat him? More importantly, how do I beat him without causing him too much damage? I don't see how this is winnable.

Another gust of wind hits the ground behind me, and I finally find a weakness in his fighting style; He can't predict what I'm going to do. He keeps hitting the places he sees me at, but by the time his attack actually reaches that place, I'm already gone. He can't hit a moving target, which means my best bet is...

Spreading my wings yet again, I take flight, hearing fire blaze behind me. Flying sideways to make sure I don't get hit, I slowly start to turn around, and see Raksha's gust of wind facing Aisha's continuous stream of fire. No way. Is she matching him? How is his attack not pushing it back?

I look down, and see that she's struggling to keep the attack going. Though she's stronger than before, she's still not all-powerful. Then I glance at Raksha, and I'm surprised to see his face twisted in a struggle as well. Incredible. She's able to match his power completely, even if it is just for this one moment. How? Did the talisman training really affect her so profoundly? It can't have. I hardly feel any difference. I don't feel any stronger at all.

My eyes widen, and I nearly slap myself. Of course you don't feel stronger, you dolt! Your talisman was there to help you control your mana, not increase it the way Aisha's did for her!

Holding my hand out, I use the power Raksha taught me, and a fully-formed ball of fire flies from my palm, heading straight for the djinn. Yes! I did it! I cast an actual attack spell without having to half-ass it!

Raksha blocks it without even looking at me. Bummer. Let's see what more I can try. How did he say ice magic went again? Harden your mana, and force it out instead of letting it flow. I do just that, but all I manage to send at him is a hail of snow. Damn, guess I'll need more mana than that. I repeat what I just did, but do it with as much mana as possible. The air gets colder immediately, and I succeed in making myself shiver as a blizzard starts picking up around me. Wait, why a blizzard? It's an ice spell I'm trying to do, not a snow-attributed one.

SHIT.

I'm too slow to turn around, and the blizzard sweeps me away, sending me spiralling through the air. God damn it, Snow. I can't believe you'd sneak-attack me like that. During my powering-up moment, too. I guess he's grown harsher from all the things he went through recently.

"I'm sorry about that!"

Never mind.

"I have to hit you, but I'm sorry!"

That idiot.

Still, I can't help but smile as more snow starts to fall, and I look down, seeing him standing on the stairs, a few feet below Aisha. "Why didn't you just hit her?!" I yell, and he raises his hand next to his mouth.

"Two-on-one is unfair!"

Oh, Snow, you precious, adorable little moron.

The struggle between Aisha and Raksha stops, and both of them take a second to take in a deep breath. It doesn't last long, and they're both on the move soon after. Aisha starts running up the stairs, while Raksha flies down to stand near Snow. He doesn't trust him to defend himself, then. Does he know something I don't? As long as he keeps himself safe, they should be able to win the fight.

Unless... Unless the only opponent we have to take out is the candidate? That would make sense. There'd be little point in electing someone who spent half the fight knocked out as the savior of the kingdom. Did Raksha come to that conclusion by himself? He's not really big on strategic thinking, though. Does that mean they got a different clue about the fight than we did? Did they not know it would go like this? Is the choice of companions perhaps what they weren't aware of?

I get so lost in thought, I once again neglect to dodge Snow's attack, and he makes me fall to the ground, a layer of frost now covering my wings. Instead of landing on my feet, I mimic what Raksha does, and control the wind around me. I'm a fairy. I should be a prodigy with all forms of magic. Let's see how this levitation thing works!

I release as much mana as I can, but instead of making the wind swirl, I blast it at the ground, and push myself even further up, then start to fall again.

"What the hell are you doing!?" I hear Aisha yell, sounding as desperate as she did in the Labyrinth. "Stop screwing around!"

I try to flap my wings, but the ice on them makes it impossible. I try to turn around, but it's impossible to do in the air. Shit. I can't do anything to stop this. I'm about to fall, and it'll hurt like a bitch. Am I gonna be able to heal it afterwards? Will there be permanent damage?

I close my arms, preparing for the pain. Shit. Here it goes...

Instead of hitting the ground, someone grabs me from beneath, then keeps moving instead of setting me down. From the feel of it, I know exactly who it is.

"You're meant to be fighting me," I tell the djinn, smiling up at him.

"That would have hurt you more than necessary." He states it like a simple fact. What does that mean? Would he have done the same for anybody?

"How long do you plan on carrying me around, exactly?"

"Until I can throw you into the ocean, where Snow can freeze you and end the fight."

Part of me thinks he's making a joke, but I'm honestly not sure.

"Why are you fighting for that woman, anyway?"

"She said she'll pardon my crimes if she wins."

"Do you not believe Snow will do the same? You can just throw the fight."

I fake a gasp. "Why, Raksha, are you suggesting I use an underhanded technique to allow a friend to win?"

He looks down at me with more shame than I would've thought possible. "What have I become?"

"H-Hey now, it's not that big of a-"

"I am the lowest of the low."

"Raksha-"

"I do not deserve to have my freedom. Happiness is wasted on me."

Oh good grief. "Would you stop-"

"The dungeons are the only place filth like me belongs to."

I raise my hand, ready to smack him, but he suddenly trips, and we both go tumbling down, falling into the sand beneath us. I manage to pull my wings in just before I hit the ground, so I'm at least lucky enough not to break them just after learning to fly properly. We roll across the sand together, sending it flying everywhere in a murky cloud.

"Smooth move," I tell him after I land on my back. "How'd you even trip, anyway? You were levi-"

I realize what happened before I finish the sentence, and start looking through the sand cloud. I may not be able to see her directly, but the sand still moves where she goes.

"Nice one, Yukiji. Real smooth." I blow a gust of wind in her direction, but the force of it pushes me back as well, and it fails to hit her hard. It still exposes her, as the impact seems to reverse her invisibility.

She doesn't look hostile at all. In fact, she looks downright unprepared to fight. Taking a step forward, she hesitantly looks around, as if someone is watching. Of course she was scared.

"I'm sorry I was gone," I tell her, standing up and dusting myself off. "I know you must've been worried-"

Letting go of her inhibitions, the girl runs toward me, then throws her arms around ne and holds me firmly. "Idiot."

I gently put my hand on her head. "Yeah. Big time. It won't happen again." I hope.

I hear shifting behind me, but I doubt Raksha will attack us right now. Indeed, a glance is enough to affirm his refusal to do so, as he just stands there, trying to look anywhere but at us.

"I won't laugh if you smile," I tell him, but he just crosses his arms. Yeah, figured as much. I pat Yukiji's head again, and she pulls away from me. "You ready to do this?"

She shakes her head.

"Yeah, me neither. What do we do?"

"We fight," Raksha states simply, and we both look at him in shock. He merely scoffs at us. "It is our duty. We do not have to enjoy it, but we have to go through with it. That is what we agreed to when we chose to participate."

Yukiji raises her hand, as if she needs permission to speak. Damn. I've been gone for only so long and she's already starting to regress. "Marcus said this was how I'd get to see Jonah again. I don't want to fight."

"Then you should not have agreed."

I smack his arm after he says that. "If she doesn't want to fight, she doesn't have to fight."

"Oh, yes the hell she does," Marcus says, appearing before us. I don't trust that to be the real him for a minute. He's probably trying to distract us from his real body, so that he can take out two threats at once. "She agreed to be my partner. I'm not letting her screw me out of the win just because her dad told her to."

"I am not-"

"Yeah, yeah. You're more like her mother." He points to Raksha next. "He's the dad."

Raksha responds by blasting him away. The illusion fades as soon as it's about to hit the sand, so I start turning around, looking for the real deal. If he's smart, he'll aim for Raksha first. Otherwise, he's just gonna be taken out by the wind as soon as he hits me.

A pained gasp next to me spooks me enough to make me jump away. When I turn around, I see Yukiji standing there, her dagger stuck in Raksha's stomach as she grips the hilt. He's looking down at her, surprise all over his face as a bit of blood spills past his lips. "Yukiji..?" I ask, then realize what just happened, and my mana darkens. The illusion around him fades, and Marcus' real form is revealed to me, showing him to be the one holding the knife. Yukiji was never at this spot. Marcus' illusions allowed him to turn invisible, and then he pretended to lift his magic, changing his appearance to fool us. He's smarter than I gave him credit for.

And dumber. Does he think he's gonna survive after that?

End him, the voice from before calls to me, and I reach forward. Very briefly, I see a snake in place of my arm, and Marcus sees it as well, pulling back in surprise. Before he can get far, the snake lashes out, biting into his forearm. "You're scared of them, aren't you?" I ask, feeling more and more like this is a dream. "Crawlies, too." I concentrate on Marcus' body, and suddenly find bugs crawling all over his legs. Gasping, he falls on his ass, trying to pry the snake from his arm.

That's it. Keep going. Show him his nightmares.

"Jonah," I hear Yukiji whisper, then turn my head sideways. She approaches me slowly and cautiously, then hesitantly reaches out and puts her hand on my shoulder. "Jonah, stop. You'll get arrested again."

I look down at her wide, teary eyes, and the darkness fades away, taking the nightmares with it. My arm becomes a snake again, and the insects disappear.

"Got'cha," Marcus then says, and Yukiji disappears. FUCK! FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!

I hold my arms up to defend myself, but Marcus kicks beneath them, planting his foot deep into my stomach, and sends me flying back. Fuck, I can't believe I fell for that shit twice.

Wincing, I try to get up. "Dick move."

"Yeah, I know," the asshole admits, looking surprisingly solemn for a guy like him. "Not really any other way for me to win, though, right? Compared to the competition, I'm not much."

"Boohoo. Want me to play you a sad song on a lyre?"

"You play the lyre?"

Oh, God. I can't believe this idiot tricked me twice. "The tambourine, too, since you're asking."

Realization dawns on him, and his neck turns a bit red. "Yeah, yeah. Make fun of the stupid, useless Marcus. Not like his feelings matter!"

"You're throwing a temper tantrum in the middle of a fight?"

Taking a deep breath, he manages to calm himself down. "Yeah, good point. Anyway, sorry about this, but I gotta knock you two out."

As he raises his fist, I throw my hands up. "Wait!"

"Nuh-uh."

"He's bleeding," I continue, nodding toward Raksha. "It's bad, and I'm the only one here who has healing magic. Please. Knock him out first if you want to, but let me heal him. He could die if I don't."

My words make him uncertain. Good. At least it shows he's not a monster. Snow and Aisha are in the same boat, so the kingdom should be fine regardless of the victor.

Just when I think he's about to agree, a loud blast takes his attention off of me. I follow his gaze, and my eyes land on the battle between Snow and Aisha. His horns are as long as they were in the Labyrinth now, and he's waving around the same scythe the demon from back then used. Aisha is throwing whips, currents and swirls of fire at him, and he's countering them with walls and weapons of ice, the attacks cancelling each other out as they meet. Steam rises all around us as a result of their battle, and I seize my moment, jumping on Marcus. I manage to get him to the ground, and put a knee on the arm which has the dagger in it, then bring my fist up and prepare to swing it.

But then a new power appears on the island, freezing me in place. A cold pressure starts crawling all over my body, sending shivers down my spine – making sweat appear on my forehead. Slowly, I will my body to turn around, and I see Snow and Aisha looking at the same person as me. It's that small, hooded thing from behind the throne room, and there is no longer any doubt about its heritage. The small figure raises its head slightly, and I notice a huge grin – too wide to ever belong to a human – spread across its mostly hidden face. Then, in a childlike voice, the thing speaks.

"Hi."