Disclaimer: I do not own Mobile Legends. Mobile Legends: Bang Bang belongs to Moonton.

Note: Again, I'm so sorry for being so slow. I keep forgetting what I was supposed to write, and that led me to procrastinate. I really need to stop being lazy. Anyway, I hope you will enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 13:

Tired

It had been a few days since the break in incident, and Harley was recovering steadily from his weakened state. He had been eating and sleeping a lot, and he could feel himself getting better as the days pass by. Rafaela had been keeping track of his condition, and she was starting to allow him to use his magic again. As long as he doesn't strain himself, he should be fine with using his magic.

Lesley had told him about Sir Fortis being the betrayer, and Harley was shocked to find out the man being Alice's ally. Sir Fortis had been such a good teacher. The man was the one who taught him Deadly Magic. But now, Harley lost all his respect towards the man. He found out that, because of the Leader, Alice was able to find out about him being able to create a space portal. If it wasn't for that man, a lot of things could have been prevented. He had no idea why Sir Fortis would do it, but he couldn't help but feel worried for what was going to happen next.

Since Sir Fortis was no longer teaching the mages at the academy, Aurora had taken over to teach the mages here. She had a lot of experience with magic, and the Leaders agreed that she would be a good teacher for now. Though, Nana and Cyclops wished it was Sir Fortis, because it turned out that Aurora was quite strict. They were smart enough to keep that part to themselves, of course.

Harley, on the other hand, didn't mind with Aurora teaching him. He found the woman's teachings to be interesting, and he was willing to learn more from her. Even though it was hard to satisfy her, but at least he knew that he would improve.

"Your Deadly Magic and Poker Trick combination is very powerful," Aurora said, her arms crossed and her face solemn. "However, if you don't land all your cards towards your target, you won't be able to get the maximum output. Now, I know it's difficult when the target is moving, but you need to work on it if you want to improve."

Harley nodded his head and forced himself to focus. It had been a few minutes since he started practicing in the training room. He could hear Cyclops and Nana cheering for him at the corner of the room. The both of them were waiting for their turn to train, and they both were happy that he was the one currently training with the North Queen. He couldn't help but smile at his friends' support, and he waited for the holograms to appear. Once they do, he teleported to one of the nearest holograms, created a fire ring around it, and threw his cards.

"Aw, you missed some!" Nana said, throwing some popcorn she had bought into her mouth. She was chewing it when she said, "I know you can do it, Harley!"

"Nana, would you like to have a turn?" Aurora said, glaring at the cat elf. Nana shrieked and quickly shook her head. The mage sighed before looking at him. "Focus, Harley."

Harley clenched his fist and proceeded to attack the next hologram. The hologram started running around, making it complicated for him to land his cards. Nonetheless, he still made a fire ring and threw his poker cards at it. He glanced at the screen and found his damage being higher than the last one. He couldn't help but beam to himself when he could feel his aiming getting better.

He heard Aurora humming in approval, and he found the mage's face propped in her hand as she nodded. "Very good."

Harley attacked a few more holograms with the same combination. Each time he lands his attack, his damage seemed to be getting higher. Though, he knew that he still missed some of his cards. He finished the last hologram off, and he watched as the screen displayed the scores he obtained from attacking the holograms. Aurora took a while to look at it, and the nod she gave to him was enough for him to know that he was getting a lot better with his aiming.

"Good work," Aurora said, her lips twitching slightly upwards. It wasn't fully a smile, but it was better than a frown. "I hope to see you get better with your aiming in a few days time. Then, we can work on with your teleportation ability."

"All right," Harley said, giving her a grateful nod. "Thanks for teaching me, Aurora."

With a wave of her hand, Harley knew that he was dismissed. He could hear Nana whining that she doesn't want to train, and it followed with Aurora telling her that she needs to be stronger. Harley chuckled at the cat elf's reluctance, and he decided to head back home.

Lesley's training would end in a few more hours, so it seemed he would have to wait for her. She had promised to bring him somewhere to eat in the city, and he was excited to have lunch with her. Gusion would be joining them, unfortunately. But after he had saved his life, Harley felt like he should thank him when they have lunch later.

He reached home and found the place empty. He let out an exhausted sigh and slumped on the couch. Suddenly, he felt so tired. It wasn't like he used a lot of his magic just now, but it felt like he had been spending his Mana for hours. Maybe he hadn't fully healed yet. He could feel his eyes drooping, and he started yawning. He looked at the clock and realised that he could take a short nap. He laid on his side, threw his hat on the floor, and closed his eyes.

Just a few minutes.

"Lesley, you don't have to treat me for lunch. I should be the one doing that."

Lesley laughed at Gusion's refusal to allow her to pay for lunch. She had invited him to eat with her and her brother this afternoon at the city. The mage assassin wasn't too happy that her brother would be tagging along, but that doesn't mean he wasn't excited to have lunch. That was, until she mentioned that she would be paying. He immediately told her that she didn't have to pay for his food, but she insisted that she would. What was the point of inviting him if he was going to end up being the one to pay?

"Gusion, this is for saving my brother," Lesley said, smiling at the man. The mage assassin opened his mouth to protest, but she placed her index finger over his lips, silencing him. "Now, not another word from you. I'll be paying and that's final. So, eat whatever you want when we get there."

"Fine," Gusion said, letting out a huff. Then, he grinned. "But the next time we eat together, I'm paying."

"We'll see," Lesley said. She finally reached her doorstep and knocked on the door. Harley should be home by now. When there was no response, she decided to just unlock the door. "That's funny. I thought Harley's training is–"

She was surprised to find her brother all curled up on the couch, asleep. She looked at Gusion in confusion, and he merely gave her a shrug. She motioned towards her brother and knelt in front of him. Gently, she started shaking his shoulder, and she watched as he started stirring.

"Lesley?" he called, blinking a few times as he looked at her. He moved into a sitting position. "What time is it?"

"One thirty," Lesley answered, and she took a moment to inspect her brother. It had been a while since he had napped. It wasn't supposed to be odd, since he just recently recovered from his Mana loss, but she couldn't help but feel worried. Maybe he wasn't as better as she thought he was. She noticed that his face was slightly pale, and she placed a hand over his forehead. "Harley, are you okay? Do you want to see Rafaela?"

Harley shook his head and grabbed for his hat. He stood up, and she notice how he swayed a little when he started walking. He yawned and waved a hand in the air. "I'm okay, Lesley. Just a little tired." He looked at her and gave her a small smile. "Now, where are we eating? I'm hungry."

Lesley couldn't help but grin at her brother. Maybe she was just worrying about nothing. She gave a knowing look at Gusion. "Well, Gusion suggested us to eat at this one restaurant, and I think you'll like it. It sells pasta and all."

With a nod from Harley, all three of them headed out to the city. Gusion started talking about the food he usually orders, but Lesley was only half-listening. She gave her brother a side-glance, and she found him eerily quiet at her side. She watched as his eyes constantly drooped, and he seemed to jerk his head whenever he realises that he was going to fall asleep.

"Gusion, wait," Lesley interrupted, lifting a hand in front of the mage assassin's face. Gusion paused and looked at where she was looking. He frowned when he found Harley with his eyes drooped. Lesley stopped walking and placed a hand over her brother's shoulder. "Harley, are you okay?"

Harley slowly lifted his head, and he stared blankly at her. His eyes were half-lidded, and he covered his mouth when he yawned. Slowly, he started leaning forward. "Yeah... just a little tired..."

Lesley was quick to catch him before he could collapse. She pulled away and found her brother unconscious. "Harley?" She shook his body a little, but there was no response. He just laid there in her arms, unmoving. If it wasn't for the fact that he was still breathing, she would be screaming hysterically by now. She turned her head to the side to look at Gusion. "Gusion, I think there's something wrong with him!"

"I know," he said, his voice even. Though, his expression told her that he was just as worried. He extended his arms in front of him. "Come on, let me carry him. We'll bring him to Rafaela."

The two of them ran back to the academy in less than an hour. The moment they entered the academy, everybody started asking what was wrong with Harley. They have no time to answer. They needed to know what happened to him. They headed towards the infirmary and found Rafaela currently reading a book. The support was startled when they entered, but she was quick to instruct them to place Harley onto the bed the moment she saw him.

Lesley waited anxiously as Rafaela waved her staff around Harley. She watched as the support had her eyes closed, her face fully concentrating on whatever she was doing. Abruptly, her eyes flew open, and Lesley knew that something bad had happened to her brother now that the angel was giving her that look.

"This is bad. Really, really, bad," Rafaela said, chanting something in a foreign language. She waved her staff around and tapped the tip of it onto Harley's forehead. All of a sudden, a weird looking symbol appeared on his head. Rafaela cursed under her breath before saying, "I knew it."

"What's wrong?" Lesley said, exchanging glances between Rafaela and her brother. "Why is that on top of my brother's forehead? What is it?"

"This is that Necromancer's doing," Rafaela said, her lips thinned. Her face grew serious, and Lesley immediately understood the weight of the current situation. The angel looked at her and Gusion. "Have you heard about Vexana, the Necromancer?"

Lesley shook her head, but Gusion nodded. He crossed his arms over his chest before saying, "I heard that Vexana can create puppets of her target."

"Exactly," Rafaela said, and her eyes landed onto Lesley. "Lesley, it seems Vexana has cast a spell onto your brother. And, right now, she is currently draining your brother's strength for that puppet."

Lesley's eyes widened. "What?!"

"But I don't get it," Gusion said all of a sudden. He ran a hand through his hair before looking at Harley. "I heard that Vexana can create puppets of their targets and that it's going to be painful, but I've never heard of them draining someone's energy."

"That's true," Rafaela said, frowning. She tapped her index finger over her chin. "It seems that this is some kind of spell that we are not aware of. I mean, it's the same spell that creates a puppet of her targets, but this one is slightly different. I'm afraid to say that this one is more powerful than the ones I've seen before."

"How do we get rid of it?" Lesley asked.

Rafaela opened her mouth before closing it. The angel averted her gaze and slowly shook her head. "Lesley, I don't think there's a way to remove it. Once the spell is on him, it's going to stay like that until she's done with him."

"What?! There must be a way!"

"If there is, it is beyond my knowledge," Rafaela said, sending her an apologetic look. Her eyes then flickered to Harley. "The only thing I can advice you to do is prepare lots of nutritious food for him. With his Mana constantly draining, he's going to be very weak when he wakes up. If not, he'll return back to the state when he first returned here."

Lesley gazed at her brother. When will all of this end? Every time she thought he was safe, life would prove to her that he wasn't out of the woods yet. Selfish as this sounds, why can't Alice search for someone else? Why must it be her brother?

But now that she thought about this, what was going to happen next? Rafaela said that Vexana was most likely creating a puppet of Harley, which meant, the space portal Harley was supposed to create for Alice must be incomplete. Well, the break in incident proved that they still needed him. But if they could make a puppet of Harley, why do they still need to get him back?

For what other purpose do they still need Harley for?

Alice was in awe as she watched the puppet version of Harley create a space portal. She motioned closer towards the puppet and poked the puppet's face. It didn't even flinch. Interesting. She pulled her face away and examined the puppet from head to toe. The puppet looked just like that brat, but his eyes were like a dead fish. Those green eyes it had were dull, unresponsive. She had to say, maybe she preferred the noisy one better. At least his protests were amusing to see.

"So, how does this affect the boy?" Alice said, tempted to touch the puppet again. She did, and the skin felt cold like a corpse. Very interesting indeed. She looked at Vexana. "Or will Harley not feel anything at all?"

Vexana was sitting back with her legs crossed, her back leaned against the chair. She had a brow raised now as she looked at her. "Well, the boy will feel tired because this puppet is linked to him. So whatever magic this puppet uses will use up his Mana."

"Can it kill him?"

"Chill, Alice, I won't let him die," Vexana said, leaning forward and placing her elbows onto the table. She interlocked her fingers and propped her chin onto her hands. "As long as he eats enough, he won't die. And, since he's back at the academy, I'm sure they're going to give him lots of food."

Alice hummed and nodded her head. "True."

They both observed as the puppet continued creating the space portal. It was probably more than halfway done. Unlike putting Harley into that machine, this method was way faster. It was as if Harley was making it himself, and Alice couldn't help but feel excited that she was going to reunite with her wings soon.

She would ramble to Valerie about her wings, but said woman was out at the moment, buying them something to eat. Even though Alice loved drinking people's blood, but fast food from those human restaurants sounded good too. It seemed she would have to tell the woman about their good progress later. Once she was able to get her wings again, they would go and get Harley. Alice still had no idea what the woman wanted to do with the brat, but a deal is a deal, and Alice wasn't one to take a bargain lightly.

Just a little more.

Lesley was busy setting the table, when she heard her brother's voice calling for her. Quickly, she motioned towards the couch and found her brother rubbing his eye. He blinked a few times before looking around. Abruptly, his brows furrowed, and he seemed to be confused on how he ended up here.

"What happened?" Harley asked, pushing the blankets she had placed off from him. He shifted himself so that his legs dangled above the floor. "I thought we were heading out to eat."

Lesley bit her lip. It seemed that her brother had no idea what happened. "Harley, you passed out while we were on our way to that restaurant."

Harley's eyes widened. "Wait, really?"

"Yeah," Lesley said, frowning. She glanced at her brother's face, and she was somewhat glad that the symbol on his forehead was gone. Whether it was gone entirely or temporarily, she wasn't sure. But at least it doesn't look like the spell was activated now. All of a sudden, she heard her brother's stomach growl, and she knew what that sign meant. "Are you hungry?"

Harley's cheeks were flushed, and he nodded his head. He stood up to head over to the kitchen, but he instantly sat back down. He placed a hand over his forehead and sighed. "Why does it feel like I've been using up all my magic?"

Lesley wanted to explain what was going on, but she was interrupted when she heard a knock coming from the door. She opened the door, and Gusion was standing there with food in his hands. Earlier, the mage assassin had offered to take away the food from the restaurant they were supposed to go. Lesley just ordered whatever she could eat. For her brother, she ordered some pasta. Gusion almost declined the money she gave for him to buy his own food, but she insisted that he accept it, and she was glad when he finally did.

"Bought your brother some macaroni and cheese," Gusion said, placing the food onto the dining table. Lesley helped him take them out. The mage assassin added, "For you, I bought what I usually ordered."

"That's fine with me," Lesley said, approaching her brother to help lead him to the table. She then sent Gusion a sincere smile. "Thank you for buying us food. It's a shame that we couldn't eat there."

Harley stared down at his food for a while. Then, he frowned. "What happened earlier exactly?"

Lesley sat on her chair, with Gusion sitting at the opposite end. She was taking her food out, but now that Harley was questioning her, she paused midway. She gave her brother an apologetic look. "Harley, there's this person called Vexana. She cast some kind of spell onto you and created a puppet of you. Because of that, she'll constantly drain your Mana. It was the reason why you suddenly passed out."

"No wonder I'm so hungry," Harley muttered, poking at his food. He then started feeding himself his macaroni and cheese. He chewed the food for a while before swallowing. "And here I thought I finally got away from them."

Lesley couldn't help but frown.

She had hoped that too. If only this was all over for her brother.

All of a sudden, the three of them found themselves eating in awkward silence. Lesley wanted to say something to break it, but now that this mage called Vexana was on her mind, she couldn't help but keep quiet instead. Talking about the Necromancer would only make her mood sour, and she didn't want to ruin this lunch with topics about the mage. It was the reason why it led to this silence.

Thankfully, Harley was the one who broke the silence when he cleared his throat. Both, Lesley and Gusion, looked at him, and Lesley noticed how her brother's cheeks were suddenly red. Reluctantly, he spoke, "Gusion, I just wanna say... thanks."

Lesley expected the mage assassin to tease her brother, but, instead, she found him genuinely confused. He raised a brow at Harley. "For what?"

"For helping me out back then," Harley mumbled, almost inaudibly. When Gusion continued to stare at him, he added, "You know... from those people."

"Oh," Gusion said, finally aware of what Harley was talking about. Abruptly, a smirk made its way to his face, and he waved a hand in the air nonchalantly. "Well, couldn't just leave your sorry ass like that–"

"Gusion," Lesley hissed, sending a light kick to his foot.

Gusion winced when she did that. Then, he scratched the back of his head with his face bewildered. "What?"

"No cursing at the table, and especially not in front of my brother."

"What? But 'ass' isn't a curse–"

She sent him another light kick, and she watched as he bent down to rub his shin. She narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm serious, Gusion."

"All right, all right," Gusion said, raising both hands as a sign of surrender. He then glanced at Harley, who met his gaze with a questioning look. "See? This is another reason why I saved you. Imagine the dirty look she would send me if she finds out something bad happened to you and I couldn't prevent it."

Lesley rolled her eyes. She would never blame Gusion for the bad things that happens to her brother. If anything bad happens to Harley, she would definitely blame herself. It was her job to protect him, so, if she wasn't able to do that, then she was the one who failed.

She was so busy focusing on Gusion, she failed to notice the wide grin her brother had on his face.

Lesley helped rearrange the pillows on Harley's bed. She knew that her brother hated it when she does it—since he wasn't a baby, he had claimed—but she loved doing it before he goes to bed. She remembered how he used to tell her not to do it whenever he catches her setting his bed. But, at one point, he gave up with it and just allowed her to do whatever she wanted. To be honest, she was so glad she was able to do this again. When her brother got captured, she always wondered whether she would ever set his bed before he sleeps again.

"Okay, you can climb on the bed now," Lesley said the moment she heard her brother's footsteps. Just as she had predicted, Harley was now standing at the door, his hand covering his mouth when he yawned. He was all ready for bed, and she invited him to sleep by patting the mattress. "Come, Harley. The bed's ready for you."

Harley gave her an appreciative smile before climbing onto the bed. He shifted into a more comfortable position, and she pulled the blankets over his body when he laid down. Just as she was about to turn off the lamp, Harley said, "Lesley, can I ask you something?"

Her hand lingered over the switch off the lamp. She then looked at her brother. "What is it?"

"Are you going to marry Gusion some day?"

Lesley could feel her cheeks heating up, and if it wasn't the dim light coming from the lamp, Harley would surely have seen how red her face had turned. "W-Why are you suddenly asking me this?"

"I just want to know," Harley said, sleepily. He yawned again, and Lesley watched as his eyes started drooping. "You really like him, right?"

Lesley was quiet for a while. It was pretty obvious already that she has feelings for Gusion, but admitting it to her brother was somewhat embarrassing. Nonetheless, she decided to say, "Yes, I do like him."

Suddenly, a small smile spread across his face. He then tilted his face up to stare at the ceiling. "You know, the first time I saw him, I don't really like him. He's annoying, a jerk sometimes—and I guess you could say I was afraid that you would leave me for him."

"Harley, I would never–"

"I know," Harley said, turning his body so that he could lay on his side to face her. "But, after a while, I realise that he's actually a good guy. I mean, he makes you happy, so I guess that reason is good enough. But, seeing how he treats you, I don't really mind if you end up marrying him. Sure, I have to brace myself with seeing his annoying face every time I see you, but I support with the idea of you being with him."

"Aww," Lesley cooed. She extended her hand and pinched her brother's cheek. "You're so sweet, Harley. I guess that means you approve him being my husband?"

Harley averted her gaze, and Lesley could see his cheeks blushing a little under the dim light. She held herself back from chuckling at his reaction. He then nodded his head. "Yeah, I approve him—but only because all the other guys you've met so far aren't good enough for you."

Lesley laughed. "If he gets your approval, I guess that means he's very good."

Harley let out a faint scoff before mumbling, "Not really."

Lesley smiled at her brother. He had no idea how much his support means a lot to her. She knew it was too early to think about marrying Gusion, because there could be a chance he ended up loving someone else, but she couldn't help herself. The thought of her ending up with him just makes her happy.

All of a sudden, she remembered something, and she decided to reveal it to Harley. "Harley, can I tell you something?"

He hummed. "What is it?"

"Don't ever tell Gusion this, but–"

There was a sneaky smile on her brother's face, and she lightly hit his arm. He laughed before giving her a reassuring smile, "I won't tell him, Lesley. Trust me. Now, what is it that you want to tell me?"

Lesley hesitated for a few seconds, afraid that her brother might end up telling Gusion. But this was Harley, and she knew that he keeps his word. At least, most of the time. His mischievous nature is just unpredictable. Nonetheless, she continued, "Every day, I always imagine how our wedding would be like," she said, her voice in a whisper. Her cheeks felt hot, but she forced herself to continue. This was only Harley, after all. If there is one person who she would reveal her secrets to, it's him. "I always imagine Mother, Father and you cheering for me after I'm declared married to Gusion. I know this sounds silly, but–"

"No, it's not," Harley said, smiling. "It sounds great, Lesley, and I can't wait when it really happens."

Lesley had a wide grin on her face now, and she moved closer to give her brother a tight hug. She could hear Harley humming as she embraced him, and she pulled away, only to find him with his eyes closed. She brushed his hair aside and kissed his forehead. "Goodnight, Harley."

"Goodnight, sis."

If Lesley's grin wasn't wide already, it was wider now. She gave a gentle pat on her brother's shoulder before turning the lamp off. Before she left the room, she stole one last glance behind her and found her brother already asleep. Face softening, she exited his room and closed the door.

She remembered her argument with her brother a few days ago. Eventually, they were able to talk about it. She had explained to him that her intention was to keep him safe until all of this was over, but he was determined to stay by her side and fight along. She didn't like that her brother would be exposed to danger when that happens, but if her brother wants to stay with her, then she would have to protect him with everything she could.

It doesn't matter if she ends up losing her life during the battle. As long her brother was safe, she would sacrifice her life anytime. Sure, the thought of her marrying Gusion was still on her mind–

But her brother comes first.

Gusion was busy walking towards the restroom, when he heard Harley's voice. Quickly, he hid behind a wall and focused to hear what the mage was saying. If someone passed him right now, they were going to question what in the world was he doing. But, right now, he had to confirm something. Secretly, he had been eyeing Harley from afar, and he noticed that his behaviour was slightly odd these past few days. So, in order to find an explanation, he had to take this opportunity.

"You guys can go without me. I just remembered that Lesley wants me home so that I can have lunch with her," Gusion heard Harley say.

It was a lie. Lesley's training doesn't end until three. Now, Gusion felt more suspicious. What was the kid planning to do?

"Aww," Nana said, and Gusion could only guess that the cat elf was pouting at the moment. "Come on, Harley, are you sure you don't want to join us? I'm sure she doesn't mind."

"Sorry, I'm feeling a little tired. I don't want to end up sleeping while watching the movie." So it seemed that his friends had invited him to watch a movie.

"Nana, let him rest. You know that he's under some kind of spell and his Mana is draining," Cyclops commented.

Gusion heard Nana sigh. There was a pause, before the cat elf said, "All right. See you later then."

They exchanged goodbyes, and Gusion could hear Nana and Cyclops' footsteps fading away. He waited for a few seconds before peering from behind the wall. Just as he expected, Harley was not heading towards the residential area of the academy. Instead, he was motioning towards rarely-used rooms, and Gusion wondered where he was going. Without the mage noticing, he started following him. It was a good thing he was a mage assassin. Otherwise. tailing someone like this would've been a fail.

The reason why he was doing this was because he noticed that Harley was behaving differently after they found out there was that Mana-draining spell on him. He was okay on the first day, but, after that, Gusion caught how Harley would sometimes distance himself from everyone—including Lesley. He knew that maybe the mage wasn't in a good mood because he was constantly tired, and that he just wanted to be alone. But distancing himself away from Lesley? Now that was a sign that something was wrong.

Gusion was aware by how close Harley and Lesley were. They had this inseparable bond that showed everyone how much they wouldn't be the same without the other. So, seeing how Harley was pushing Lesley away, it was concerning. If he was distancing himself from Lesley, that meant, he was going through something that he didn't want Lesley to find out.

Which was more worrisome.

Gusion might just be overthinking things, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He just needed to make sure the kid was fine. As much as he wouldn't admit it directly to the mage's face, he would get worried if something bad happens to him. He was only a child after all. Though, he wished that Lesley was the one who noticed this. But, since Harley was such a great actor, the sniper failed to notice the signs of her brother's different behaviour.

Gusion quickly hid behind a corner the moment he saw Harley stop walking. He forced himself to keep quiet, and he waited a few seconds for the sound of Harley walking again. But, instead, he heard a thud, and he looked over to see what the mage was doing. He was confused when he found Harley with his knees drawn to his chest and his head resting on top of them. What was going on?

Harley, who didn't realise he was spying on him, sighed before mumbling. "When will all of this end?"

Gusion's face softened, and he suddenly felt sorry for the kid. He must be tired with all of this—literally. He would've told the mage that this would be over soon, but that was so unlike him. Maybe it would be better if he told Lesley that Harley needed some comfort. Thinking about it, Gusion gave himself a pat on the shoulder.

Wow, I'm so smart.

He was about to search for Lesley, when he heard the mage sniffle before saying, "It hurts so much."

Gusion froze.

What?

He focused onto his hearing for Harley to say anything else, but there was nothing. He waited for a few minutes, hoping that he would get more information out of the mage, but there was only silence. What was going on? Was Harley in pain? He was about to glance at the mage, when his eyes landed onto the person standing next to him. It seemed that Harley had decided to head back, but now that he found out he had been standing there, the two of them ended up staring at each other in shock.

Harley's brows instantly furrowed, and his lips twitched into a frown. He crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at him. "Are you stalking me, Gusion?"

"What– no." It took Gusion only seconds to examine Harley's facial expression. There wasn't a single sign that he was in pain, and Gusion would've thought that he was fine, if it wasn't for the statement Harley had said earlier. He decided to say, "What are you doing here anyway? These are nothing but unused rooms."

Harley seemed to relax his body—probably thinking that he hadn't heard—and raised a brow. He gave Gusion a skeptical look. "I could ask you the same thing. What are you doing here?"

He was such a great actor, Gusion would give credit for that.

Unfortunately, he heard everything.

"Listen, I followed you just now after you talked with Cyclops and Nana," Gusion spoke, his face serious, and he watched as the mage visibly blanched. Within seconds, Harley's cool facade was gone. "What's going on with you? Are you hurt?"

Aburptly, Harley took a step back. He let out a scoff, before his eyes narrowed. "Since when are you so caring?"

"Hey, you know that I don't want you hurt as much as Lesley does," Gusion said, taking a step forward. "I know we argue a lot, but, come on, I can tell something's wrong with you. In fact, I heard you say that you're hurt."

"I'm fine," Harley snapped, spinning over his heel. "You're just worrying about nothing. Now, leave me alone."

Gusion was not going to let the mage go that easily. On instinct, he reached out his hand to grab Harley's arm. The reaction he got was not expected at all. The mage suddenly cried out in pain, and Gusion immediately released his arm because he thought his hold might hurting him. Harley took a few steps back and leaned against his wall, his body trembling. He was now clutching his arm, and Gusion wondered whether his grip was a little too firm on him.

"Don't do that," Harley said, his teeth gritted. He sucked in a deep breath and let out a shuddering sigh. "Just leave me alone."

"What's going on?" Gusion asked, the worry evident in his voice. He couldn't see any wounds, but it looked like Harley was in pain. "Harley, you have to tell me. I can't help you if you don't speak up."

Harley refused to tell him and was about to run away, but Gusion quickly extended his hand to grab him again. Noticing this, Harley immediately had his eyes widened, and Gusion watched as he shrinked away. "Don't!"

Gusion's hand lingered in the air, and it fell limp by his side when he realised that Harley didn't want his hand anywhere near him. He ended up staring at the mage, his face demanding for some explanation.

"I'll tell you, but... don't touch me, okay?" Harley said, his voice soft. Gusion was surprised at his request, nonetheless, he nodded. Harley continued, "So it happened a day after we found out that there was this spell on me. I was at home when, all of a sudden, it felt like my skin was burning."

Gusion's eyes widened. "What?"

Harley lowered his head and fidgeted a little. "The first time it happened was when Lesley was training, so I couldn't immediately tell her. I was confused on why it was suddenly painful. I even checked to see if I had gotten a cut or something. But, when I did, nothing was there. Then I realised that this must be that spell's doing. The pain doesn't come all the time, but, when it does, it hurts so much."

Gusion could tell that Harley was struggling to keep a straight face, but the look in his eyes told him how much anguish he was in right now. He decided to ask, "Does Lesley know about this?"

Harley was reluctant when he shook his head.

"Why haven't you told her?" Gusion asked, his eyes narrowed. "This is serious, Harley. She deserves to know that you're feeling like this."

"No!" Harley exclaimed, and Gusion was taken aback by the sudden raise in his voice. "Lesley doesn't deserve to know about this. If she does, it'll only make her worried. She has too much on her mind right now, and I don't want to end up bothering her."

"Harley, you have to tell her," Gusion said, a frown on his face now. "I know that she doesn't say anything about this, but what if she gets the wrong message when she realises you're pushing her away?"

"That's..." Harley looked down thoughtfully and sighed. He clenched his hands into fists. "I won't let her think like that."

Gusion just stared at the kid in front of him for a while. As much as he hated making Lesley worried, Harley was hurting right now. Sure, they couldn't do much since all they had to do was wait for the spell to be over, but at least Harley would feel better if his sister gets to comfort him. Right now, Lesley was only aware that Harley keeps feeling tired. Gusion noticed that she would look sad whenever she sees her brother sleeping, but she thinks nothing was harming him right now.

If only she knew.

Noticing how he had fallen silent, Harley said, "You're not going to tell her, right?"

"I don't know," Gusion said, his face solemn. He didn't know which one was better; letting Harley suffer alone or making Lesley worried. Both were horrible choices. "I won't say anything for now. But, if it's that bad, I'm going to tell her."

"That's good enough, I guess," Harley said, taking a deep breath. Gusion watched as his face slowly start to relax, and his body doesn't seem as tensed as before. "Finally, the pain's going away."

Gusion just stood there as he waited for whatever pain Harley felt to subside. Slowly, Harley sat on the ground and leaned his back against the wall. Gusion wasn't sure whether it was a sign that the pain was gone or not. To cease his curiosity, he decided to poke the mage's arm. Surprisingly, Harley's reaction was not the same as before. Instead, the mage was now giving him a dirty look instead.

"Are you trying to hurt me?" Harley asked, his arms crossed.

"Of course not," Gusion quickly said, his hands raised defensively. He added jokingly, "I would never try to hurt you."

"Ha ha," Harley replied sarcastically with his eyes rolled. He then seemed to be lost in his thoughts, before he spoke, "You know, it's very unlike you to feel concern for me. You should stop it, it's creeping me out."

A nerve popped through Gusion's temple, and he could feel his fist curling into a ball. "You really are an annoying brat, you know that?"

Harley chuckled, and Gusion couldn't help but smile a little. He probably had told Lesley this many times, but he preferred this Harley more than the one that just got back at the academy. Lesley would laugh whenever he says this, but, it was true that quiet Harley was creepier than the one he was facing now.

"Thank you," Harley suddenly said, and Gusion was surprised. The mage's words weren't insincere or spoken in a mocking way, but it sounded genuine. Harley continued, "You know, for asking if I was okay and all."

Gusion could feel his cheeks becoming warmer, and he had to look away before the brat notices. He then raised his chin and rubbed his nose in arrogance. "Well, I had to make sure you were okay. I mean, how am I supposed to marry your sister if I don't get your blessing?"

Harley had an amused expression, before a mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Oh? I think you should be more worried about having my parents' blessing. They're quite picky, you know. Oh, and they're not the nicest of people."

Gusion scoffed. That had to be a lie. Lesley had told him many times about her parents, and she made them sound like angels. But when he looked at Harley, all the kid had was that sneaky look, and Gusion suddenly felt unsure whether or not he was lying or telling the truth.

"You're joking, right?" Gusion asked, but Harley merely hummed and started walking away. He quickly followed the kid to walk next to him. "You're joking."

Harley looked up thoughtfully and tapped on his cheek. "You'll find out soon."

Gusion could feel the anxiety building inside him at the mage's words. This must be some kind of joke just to get him afraid. But what if it wasn't? What if Lesley's parents weren't as good with other people? What if they don't accept him?

Sure, it was too early to think about marriage—calm down, Gusion—but the idea of it was just so appealing, it won't get out of his mind. He had been imagining the day where he would declare Lesley as his wife, and he could finally have a smug look at Harley's face to show him that he could have Lesley.

But what if Harley wasn't kidding about his parents being strict? What if they were the kind who would say no to a commoner? Yeah, he was originally from a noble family, but he was banished from it. Which meant, he no longer held the Paxley title. What if they only accept nobles?

Ah, but then again, Harley could be lying. He had to be.

Right?

Right?!

Alice groaned. It had only been three days, but she was becoming more and more impatient. How much longer does she have to wait? She wanted her wings now. She turned around and found Vexana staring at the puppet, her face impassive. Whether she was deep in thought or was just bored, Alice wasn't sure. All she could think of was reuniting with her beautiful wings.

"When will it be done?" Alice said, crossing her arms over her chest. She glowered at the puppet making the portal. "Don't tell me it takes another day or something."

Valerie chuckled. She was now eating some potato chips while reading a book. "Are you that excited to see your wings again?"

"Of course I am," Alice said, snapping her fingers. She then turned her head to face Vexana. "How much longer must I wait? This is getting boring."

Vexana looked up thoughtfully. "Well... I can speed up the process, but it's going to harm the boy even more."

"Will he die because of it?"

"I'll just make sure it doesn't kill him."

Alice waved her hand before pointing at the puppet. "Then speed up the process. I'm so done waiting. I want it now."

"You're so impatient, Alice," Vexana said, rolling her eyes. She waved her hands around, and Alice watched as they started glowing. "But if that's what you want, then, sure."

Alice focused back onto the puppet, and she noticed how the puppet looked livelier than before. The puppet's magic seemed to grow stronger, and its eyes seem to have more colour. Curious, she headed over to the puppet and poked its cheek.

It felt slightly warm.

"Wait, is this spell life-draining?" Alice asked. She didn't care if that brat dies because of it, but since she had made a deal with Valerie, she had to make sure he was alive. "You can't kill him, you know. Valerie wants him."

"I know," Vexana answered, coolly. She then wave a hand nonchalantly in the air. "Do not fear, Alice. Like I said, it's not going to kill the child. Compared to what you did to him, I'd say he recover within a day. It'll just be slightly painful for him for a while."

Alice gave the Necromancer an offended look. "What do you mean? I didn't hurt him that bad."

"I know it's not your fault, but asking a mage to use their magic continuously without giving them food to replenish their Mana is much worse than this. But, trust me, he will live. You wanted your wings as soon as possible, right?"

Alice gave Valerie a side-glance, and she noticed that the mage doesn't look bothered the slightest. Well, if Valerie doesn't mind this way, then it seemed Vexana could just continue with what she was doing. She had no idea how bad this will affect the brat this time, but, hopefully, Vexana is true to her word. If Harley dies, she had no idea where to get another mage who could create a space portal.

"Oh, prepare yourself, Alice." Alice was snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Vexana's voice. She looked at the mage and found her smiling. The Necromancer continued, "The portal is almost done."

"What? Already?" Alice asked. She knew that she had requested Vexana to speed up the process, but she didn't know it would be that fast. This was why she trusted the Necromancer. "You never fail to amaze me, Vexana. I owe you one for this."

But Vexana just shook her head. "Consider it a thanks for all the meals you had been paying. That hamburger you gave me was really nice. I'm glad you bought me five of those."

When Vexana said 'paid', she meant the money Alice had stolen from families and children. Alice could always just suck their blood and get the food for free, but she didn't want to cause a commotion yet. For now, stealing was way easier than killing all the workers in that fast food restaurant. However, she was glad that they were even. She didn't mind having a debt with Vexana, but since the mage said that, she guessed that all was good.

Alice waited in anticipation for the portal to be done. She watched as the portal slowly grew into a size that would allow her to enter it.

The moment she saw Vexana leaned back at her seat with a satisfied smile on her face, she knew it was ready.

"Go and get your wings, Alice."

I don't really have much to say except for the fact that this story is going to end soon. I'm going to miss writing this story when that times comes. But that doesn't mean I'm not going to continue writing Mobile Legends fics.

Also, somebody asked me where Selena and Moskov is since Karina appeared in this fic. Some heroes may not appear here because they're not suitable in this story or because I don't really have a role for them. But that doesn't mean it's not possible for them to come out. We'll just have to wait and see soon. :)

Anon Replies

RiS: Hehe, thanks for reading! I hope you'll enjoy the future chapters. :)

Guest: You have no idea how much distractions I had when writing this chapter. It's not helping that writer's block hit me too. I'm sorry you had to wait for so long! And obviously you can tell that things aren't getting any better for him. xD

Woah, five hundred matches?! You're an experienced Fanny then! And I'm sure you can do cables. You just need to have more faith in yourself. Oh and I'm actually using the app too to write stories. Will you be writing Mobile Legends fics? I wanna follow you! And it's okay omg I love reading long reviews. If I had posted this chapter earlier, I could've wished you a Happy Chinese New Year to you too. Sorry for taking so long! Also, yes! I think you should get his epic skin. I love it when I see someone uses if. xD He looks so adorable! Who cares if you're wasting money for a game? It's your money. Do whatever you want with it!

VenussProdigy: Ahh I'm so glad you're enjoying this story so far! I'm so happy to know that some people re-reads it, because I have some regrets with the older chapters. xD And I'm sorry for the cliffhanger! I really love writing them... hehehe...

Oh, yes, Lesley is going to kill me for all the things I've put him through. And they're my favourite siblings in game, which is the reason why I wrote this story about them hahaha.

I'll make sure I won't stop until I finish this. Thank you for reading!