Disclaimer: This is a nonprofit fictional story, a FanFiction based on Ken Akamatsu's Negima. I do not own Negima, or most of the other characters included in this work, excepting where it is stated in the author's notes. It is not intended or presented for any commercial profit or personal gain; it is simply a story written for personal fulfillment and presented for public enjoyment, and as an honest homage to the fine story conceived and written by Ken Akamatsu, as well as all the other (innumerable) works that find place herein (and their authors).

Prologue

Jynx sipped his coffee. "Well...seems like you've had a rough time of it. My condolences."

Artoria chuckled in reply. "I really should be saying that to you...I am not of the illusion that your idleness was any less troublesome than my duties as a monarch were. For one as active and outgoing as you are to be cooped up in that cell permanently, as nice as it was...it truly must have been torture for you. Still, after all this time...it is good to see you again. A little later than I wished. I really was hoping you'd reappear before Etrigan retired. It would have made my choice of Court Archmage so much easier. Riviera is a fine girl, talented, and with plenty of potential...but this last crisis was just a bit much for her, although, like young Wein, she weathered it well and presented herself finely. But having you around would have...smoothed so many things out..."

Jynx chuckled. "Yeah...sorry about that. I would have flown to you if I could have. Maybe I should have bowed out a bit earlier...but if I had missed that whole adventure..." He sighed. "Nothing's turning out like we thought it would after we finally rescued Aeli and let the tale of the 'Queen of Calamity' resolve. Since then...Kalan and Aeli...me...Gato...and especially Kain...nothing has been right. Even now...it's finally all over, and he couldn't see his father for more than a few moments. He still has never met his mother...for 'the good of the world', they've passed once more beyond his reach. I wonder...do you think we'll ever see them again...?"

Artoria sent an obscure smile Jynx' way. "I don't know. You're the wizard here. What do you think?"

Jynx was silent for a long moment, and then sighed, fifteen years of suppressed sadness coming out in a small expression, but Artoria felt that full weight within the breath. "I think...that I wouldn't wish what Kain still has to go through…what he's going through now...on anyone. Even back when he was training with me, just that short time, I really saw. I could hardly believe it, hardly could conceive the irony in it all, but there it was. I'm not sure if he even knows yet—if, in that too-dutiful heart of his, he's acknowledged and accepted it—but he's snared completely. And now...going forward...the fate of the world is in his hands. But, more than that...he has to choose between those shadows he's chased all his life, his strongest wish and his greatest dream—and what has to be the most important feeling he's ever had before. He's never had family of any sort, closeness of any sort, no real friends or companions...not like he really needed to have. And now, he has everything he could ever want within his grasp...but he can't take what's on the left and what's on the right at the same time. The most cruel, terrible choice of all."

"I know," Artoria finally agreed after a long pause of her own. "Yes...I know. I saw it, too...I discussed it with him, in fact. He wouldn't tell me all the details, but I'm sure that even then he foresaw the choice. Well...it's his to make, even if he, and she, and they all know that there is only one answer that is even possible for them. As terrible as it is for all four of them...they, all four, will take the personal tragedy over the tragedy that will befall the world if they choose wrong. Even Kain."

Jynx nodded. "Yeah. All we can do...is be here for him if and when he comes to us."

F I N

Author's Note: Back to School

Some serious foreshadowing here. The Obsidian Star is vanquished and the world is saved, but not entirely...we've already made mention about how the worlds have been set out of balance, and even without the villains are already hurtling towards disaster. Kalan—and Aeli—are, within the world-binding cocoon the Obsidian Star prepared, doing their part to keep it together, but it won't be enough...something more is required, something Kalan wouldn't let Mai do just then, at that moment. We're only hinting at what may be required, but somehow, it will rock poor Kain's world worse than anything else he's thus endured...

Well, that's enough depressing, tragic teasing and trolling. Kain can put those worries aside for a while as he tries to get his class back into gear for the new school term...