Well, I just took my midterm -.- It was a bummer. Like completely a bummer. But hopefully I will get over it with this -w-

Let's give thanks to

-LightandDarkHeart: Yeah, Derek and all the others have a very unique way of fighting x3

For now let's get moving on to the next chater :D

Chapter Thirty-Five

Request of Alliance

Three down, two to go.

"Who's next?"

"That would be me," Arbel called walking up to me. "Hope you don't mind my imprudence, though."

"Everybody's got their bad days. So don't sweat it," she confessed and pulled the saber to hold it with her left hand.

"Begin!"

"I've got to admit," Arbel said while placing his hands inside his pockets. "Defeating three out of five of us. Impressive."

"Guess Break didn't waste his efforts on training me."

"They've trained you well, that's for sure." His body suddenly became pale and he disappeared completely from her sight. "Perhaps not well enough though." At hearing his voice behind her, Claire react by sweeping the blade behind her.

But instead of hitting a human form the blade went through something else. Something liquid and wet.

"Water?!" she exclaimed feeling the liquid roll down her arm. But something didn't feel right. Her blade felt heavy and so did her arm. The water...it was so thick.

"It's water," Arbel talked through his watery form. "This liquid comes from my body. It's thicker than actual water. I control it. Let's me do many nifty things too. Like this!" He dissipates his form, falling down into the ground and disappearing from her sight.

Water...

How the hell was she suppose to fight something that she couldn't touch?! Her fists and weapons would be useless. Out of the blue, ribbons of water began moving out from underground and stroke her from all angles. Claire had to jump out of the way to keep thinking about what to do with him.

It's water...Claire understood that simple fact. But she couldn't do anything about it. She had no elemental powers. She couldn't just vaporize him with fire or electrocute him. What the hell was she supposed to do, freeze the guy!?

Freeze...?

"That's it!" she exclaimed and avoided some of his attacks before giving herself enough space to work with. She concentrated her power and noticed how the space of the whole arena was getting cooler. Her breath showing off in a white puff. Arbel saw an opportunity and went to strike at her. But just when he was a few inches away from her, his spiked arm froze in place. His whole water body had been frozen.

Claire opened her eyes barely to see the end of his arm pointing at her nose. It worked.

The barrier broke off. One left. Letting her powers dissipate, the arena lost it's coldness and Arbel slowly began to melt. Soon he was able to move and once he was mobile enough his body regained the human features that he had before. He grinned widely at Claire, "How'd you do that?"

"I turned the space around us so it would mimic the atmosphere in the moon. During a lunar night it gets as cold as -153 °C. Since your body was water, I was hoping you would freeze almost instantly. Well that was the plan at least and it worked. And since I didn't die in the process all the better. Guess knowledge does come in handy in battle."

"You think quite fast on your feet. I like that!" he complimented and high-fived her. Claire was starting to think that she would get along with him just fine.

"Well, last but certainly not least—" Claire turned to face Angele. The last of the five. "The old geezer."

Angele walked into the arena and made the barrier appear once he was inside. "You've done well so far. Now it is only I who stands in your way of victory."

"And I will beat you like I've done the others before you."

He chuckled before facing me again. "Say, Claire. Have you ever been scared of the dark?"

Was he serious? "Not that I remember. There's nothing to be scared of. It's just the dark."

"In that you may be wrong," he called and spread his hands out. "It isn't the darkness that you should be scared of." Opening his hands, a dark mist spreads from his palms and oozes out enveloping everything around them. What was a sunny afternoon became the darkest night in a matter of seconds. Claire turned towards the stands but couldn't make out Oz or any of them.

She turned back to Angele and saw that she had to wait a few seconds for her eyes to make out his silhouette from the darkness. This was getting harder by the second. Then again she was going against the strongest and oldest of the Lords. Truthfully, she had expected as much.

"Claire...?" His voice sounded distant, as if he was there but not really. Her eyes followed the faint outline of his body that was faintly illuminated. Even then, the darkness seem to be swallowing that light that made him visible. "Do you know what is man's worst enemy?"

"A brothel, alcohol, and poor life choices?" she joked.

"Himself. His inner demons." He completely ignored her mocking remark and continued with his speech. Suddenly from the ground that had began swallowing him conjoined before his feet and began surfacing into a small form that only grew taller and taller by the minute. "Man is a prideful being. It denies it's fears and neglects it's sorrows." As he talked the big blob of black began taking form. "It is man's greatest, most feared obstacle of all. One not many overcome."

Was that...her? It was a shadow. Claire's shadow.

"This will be your final opponent Claire. Can you defeat your own demons—" he began sinking back into the shadows almost disappearing completely from her sight. "And get out of this living abyss alive?"

He left her completely alone with the shadow. She cussed under her breath but was determined to finish what she started. She unsheathed her saber once more and saw that her shadow did the same. Curious, Claire stepped a bit to the left and the shadow mimicked her like a mirror.

But then it charged and it took Claire greatly by surprise. The shadow cut deep into her torso with its saber. She stepped by and gave herself some space from the doppelganger. "Not just a puppet after all."

"Nah, something else drives me," it spoke with her voice but it was mixed in with another's. It was a much deeper voice that sent chills down her spine. "Your fears, sorrows, insecurities, and weaknesses. They all keep me alive."

"Well then, let's see what turns you off!"

Oz and the others watched from afar as Claire clashed with her shadow over and over again. Oz turned towards Angele who had left the arena and was now with the rest of them on the sidelines.

"Is it really possible? To defeat our own demons..."

"It's a matter of will, Oz-kun," Angele admitted. "And that is my test."

"Say—" they all turned towards the shadow that begin speaking after their little sparring attempt. The clashing had left Claire with some other injuries besides the one on her torso but the shadow remained unscathed and that really worried her. Then all of a sudden it stopped attacking her and spoke. "Do you know why it's difficult to tame one's own demons?"

"Because it'd be mental suicide?" It was surprising to Claire herself that she still had the humor to joke around when she clearly didn't have the upper hand of the situation.

"No. It's because people can't accept their faults. The vanity in their nature denies them the ability to accept their weaknesses. You are no different."

"Joke's on you. I'm a pretty open book!"

"Oh really?" It's form suddenly started changing, morphing into someone else. When it finally picked its form it took Claire breath away at how uncanny the resemblance was. It was just so remarkably similar that it took her focus for a second before the dark tones and hues made her realize it wasn't him. "How about the death of your little brother?"

It's not Cloude...

"You're a low piece of shit," Claire cussed under her breath and was glaring daggers at the shadow.

"It's your fault that he died. You couldn't help yourself and because of that he died helping you. He saved your worthless life."

"Shut up!" She charged for the shadow but it saw through her attack. It feinted giving itself opening to attack her once again.

Claire stopped after the attack and tried to calm herself down. She wasn't going to get anywhere by attacking in a rage. It would be a sure loss if she continued that way. "Yeah, I understand that Cloude died for me. But I'm taking responsibility for his sacrifice."

"Oh yeah, how!?" it asked morphing out of itself a shadow figure of Christ.

"Doing what he sacrificed himself for. I'm living!" Before Claire can loose sight of it, she charges with Radiant Dawn and barely catches him by his cheek. The crack that came from the wound was minor but instead of blood what came oozing out a little was a white, incandescent liquid.

It scowled and changed forms before her eyes again. The shape it had turned into was of a taller woman, one that Claire knew. "Then what about your mother!? You both were responsible for her death. Your whole existence burdened and destroyed hers! Don't you feel responsible for that too!?"

"Of course I do!" Claire exclaimed with the might that she held in her heart.

"Then are you going to take her place as the White Sage?"

"Never..." she said in a quiet mutter. "I could never replace her. She may have acted rashly in regards to her actions but the love and wisdom that she bestowed on others could never be replicated by me. No matter how much I try I will never be able to take her place."

"Got that right," Envier murmured at hearing Claire say that. "No one's ever going to take that place again."

"Why are you so against her winning this?" Oz inquired from her.

"Her mother caused havoc on all our lives. Took away so much...Grand Pabbie's death is on her. And like hell am I going to let that woman's daughter have a second round at killing us all of."

"However..." Claire's words caught their attention back to the fight. "I want to amend for all that happened. I want to create a place in their hearts where they will accept me for me and not because they're obligated to. It's their decision that matters to me. And all I ever want for them is the freedom they deserve. And to gain a place I rightfully deserve."

When she finished speaking the crack on its cheek cracked even more running along the back of her head and down her neck. It stumbled back while holding onto its neck. She scowled before it started morphing again.

"T-Then what about him!" When the form finally took shape Claire gaped baffled at who she saw before her. No...

Oz grimaced and jumped out of his sit before anybody could ask why. He tried running into the arena but forgot completely about the barrier that surrounded it. Oz began to punch over and over the invisible wall that kept them separated. He turned towards Angele with a sullen face and exclaimed at him. "Make that thing stop!"

"I'm sorry, Oz-kun," Angele apologized with the same expression knowing what Claire must be going through seeing what the shadow transformed into. "The shade acts as a mirror; it lurks into the depths of a heart and uses the fears in it. I cannot control it. This is what I meant if she could get out alive. It wasn't her life but her heart to which I heeded the warning to."

"What can we do...?" he asked more concerned than ever, simply standing there and watching the best he could.

"Wait...and hope for the best."

Elliot.

I was fearing the worst. This was beyond worse.

"How tragic," it mocked. Damn, even his voice sounded the same. It was eating away at me. It took all I had to hold myself standing. "After years of having him, you only figure your love for each other moments before his tragic end. How pathetic really."

"Shut up..."

"What? Can't bare to see him!"

"I said shut the fuck up!" The intensity that my emotions carry make the gravity around me triple.

I want to kill it. I want to burry it so deep so I never have to see it again. I thought I had left this regret behind me. Why...I don't want this anymore!

You're strong...I believe in you.

Those words bring a faint smile to my face. Thank you. For those kind words when I needed them most, thank you Elly.

"It's not going to work on me..." I felt the atmosphere around me lighten more, the pressure around me lifting, leaving me more free to move. "This is a trick...I won't fall for."

The shadow retreated suddenly loosing focus of its shape. It began morphing into several figures trying to see into me and figuring out which one would hurt me most. Thing was, there isn't anything else I'm afraid of that I haven't faced. "You can't defeat me! I am you!"

I smile now understanding everything. "And I am you." Walking up to it as it continued to morph, I came up to it once it took my solid shape once again. "And you won't hurt me if I'm not afraid."

"But I'm still here! Your fears still exist!"

"And they will always," I reply and come closer only to lay my hand upon its cracked cheek. "But they are the reason that I am strong. And they will only keep making me stronger. These fears will be what helps me forth. You made me realize that and for that I'm eternally grateful." The crack became more prominent on its face and shoulder. Before I could help myself I threw my arms around the shade and held it tightly. "Thanks for everything." The soft, porcelain body suddenly burst into a cloud of black shiny dust that evaporated into the air.

I heard the barrier break and all the particles of black diamond that fell from its body around me blossomed into white lilies.

"Claire?"

At hearing my name I turned to see Oz, Gilbert, and Alice a few paces away from me with a clear face of concern on them.

I simply smile feeling a small sting that quickly went away in my eyes. "I did it!" I proclaimed and they all came running my way, jumping and celebrating with me.

"How...?" Eniver called in disbelief watching as those four celebrated stupidly. "How did you she beat a test made by us?"

Suddenly she felt a gentle hand upon her shoulder. She turned up to see Angele slightly smiling her way. "She's strong, Envier, but also kind. Don't you think that she might be a good change for all of us?"

"She's going to make one hell of a Sage, that's for sure," Derek called with a whistle.

"About that—" All five lords turned towards Claire who had walked up and inadvertently overheard the whole conversion. "I...kind of resigned to my post as White Sage last night."

"You what?!" the ones unaware of the situation called. They all turned to Angele who was the only one not surprise by the news.

"She's very convincing when she wants to be."

"Why would you do that, though?" Oz asked a bit perplexed as well.

"Because I wanted to take this test with no strings attached. I didn't want to get it simply because I was my mother's daughter. That's not how I do things." She grimaced a bit while scratching the back of her neck. "I supposed I should have told you about that. But anyway, I resigned as I said before and took my position as the sixth lord, the Lord of Life. And now that I have gotten at least your attention, I would like to take a vote."

"A vote?" Derek inquired.

Claire only nodded and smiled. "To see who we choose as our leader."

"A White Sage hasn't existed for more than a century now. Perhaps it's too outdated of a title." Arbel chuckled at his own joke. "How about we come in the century with a new leader; a King."

"The King of the Court of Miracles..." Angele said aloud as if in thought and smiled before nodding. "Sounds quite nice."

"Then let's have a vote~" Arbel called out with a cheerful demeanor that really told off his laidback attitude. "I choose...Clarice Luna Florence!"

"What?!" Claire blinked once before shaking her head. "But wouldn't a better choice be—"

"Clarice Luna Florence! Yay, Claire Ou-sama!" Talis cheered out while jumping up and down.

"—Angele. I don't think your best bet is—"

"Clarice Luna Florence," Derek called with a flirtatious wink.

"—me. Would you let me finish a single—"

"Miss Clarice Luna Florence," Angele proclaimed with a calm, joyous smile.

"Sentence..." That was four...

Claire turned towards Envier who was averting her eyes and keeping them on the floor. A bit flustered, she raised her eyes to face Claire. "Well..." she mumbled barely audible by them all. "I suppose, y-you're not half bad. Y-You wouldn't make that bad of a King...C-Clarice-sama..." Claire suddenly burst out laughing making Envier curse under her breath and scowl. "What's so damn funny?!"

"N-Nothing," she cried out still laughing and wiping tears from her eyes. "It's amusing and sort of cute but there's no need for the honorifics; I'm saying this for all of you. You're my comrades now, my friends. Call me Claire."

"Then so be it," Angele announced. "As of now, Claire Florence is the first King of the Court of Miracles." At doing so he bowed and crossed his arm over his chest. All followed suit, lords and attendants.

A bit embarrassed, I scratched the back of my neck. "There's no need for that." They stood back up and started chatting away at each other.

"Claire." Claire, Oz and Alice turned at hearing Gilbert's voice. He had stepped out just after the test ended to do something, Oz didn't quite understand what. But when he came back, Claire stared wide-eyed at the person that stood next to Gilbert but then quickly grinned.

"Damn. When you're well groomed and nicely dressed you don't look half-bad, old man," she called with a cocky grin on her face while she leaned on her saber that stuck out from the ground.

"You're a pretentious little brat, πιτσιρίκι." Before the four stood Skiá or whom Claire had come to know as Galen of Arcadios. But after she had brought him out of the asylum he did look quite different. The snarky remark of calling her a small fry was what barely made him recognizable.

His long hair was gone and was now barely reaching the bottom of his nape and was styled so that it spiked towards the sides. He was well shaven and because of that Claire could see the scars that mangled his chin and cheeks plus some that she had seen on his forehead. He wore a long sleeve white shirt left with three open buttons with a black vest over it. Black slacks and nice footwear covered him as well and the loose neck ribbon he had showed him as quite charismatic. All in all, that man didn't appear to be any older than his late-thirties or early-forties.

"Come on now, is that anyway to speak to your savior?" she joked around coming up to him and smacking him on the back.

A vein popped on his forehead but he restrained from hitting the girl. "There aren't any bodyguards here anymore holding me down, kid. Don't tempt me."

Claire laughed at his demeanor and turned to Angele who had already caught a glimpse of the old man. She then turned to Galen and smiled. "Well, as promised I think there's someone you should meet." She left his side and walked over to the group of lords and picked out one in particular by the hand. Dragging her along in a midst of curses, Claire pulled out Envier and placed her before Galen, who stared wide-eyed at the girl, while Claire stood a little away from them but still in between with a grand smile. "Envier Arcadia, I would like for you to meet Galen of Arcadios."

Envier stared a bit confused at the man before him but something about her just froze Galen in place making him only capable of staring at her. "Um..." the girl said with a unassured gesture. "Nice to meet you?"

There was an awkward silence that no one dared to break. Until Galen did.

"Arnáki mou?"

Envier's brow furrowed at hearing an endearment none but her belated father had used; my little lamb. "Who are you...?"

Out of the blue, the tears that had welled up in Galen's eyes poured out along with a grand smile. He had only seen her in the crib once. Days after being born but scared for what the Elders were doing, he had ran away. Yet even centuries couldn't erase the image of the little bundle that he had seen that day and the joy that he had felt in his heart when he saw her. That little sugarplum with a bright, fire-red crop of hair and...

"You have my Zephyr's eyes. You look so much like him."

Envier's brow couldn't have furrowed more. How did the man know his father's name? Unless... Her eyes suddenly widened. She had only seen him in pictures. Her father had said that his own had left after the factions and lords were established, shortly after she had been born. That he had died because of Edea's actions. But the more she looked at the man the more she found a resemblance to her father. The same squared face, the same hair, the same voice...

"Grand...Pabbie...?"

Before anyone could figure what he meant to do, Galen had already thrown himself at Envier and hoisted Envier in his large arms, holding her tightly yet oh so gently as if he thought she might disappear if he let go for a second. "I can't believe it... I thought I was alone. I thought that without my son and the others I was completely deserted in this wretched time. And yet..." he held on tighter to Envier. "I'll never leave you again arnáki mou. Never again."

Envier's eyes, that had been welling up with tears, suddenly burst out while she cried and held tightly to Galen, calling him over and over again. The Lords and Oz, Gilbert and Alice left quietly, leaving the two alone while Claire simply leaned back watching with endearing eyes at the humble reunion.

She, herself, had lost all her family. She had no one. But seeing them united after years of not seeing each other made Claire's heart warm inside. She scratched her cheek a bit embarrassed that she had to interrupt the sweet reunion.

She placed her hand gently on Galen's arm bringing his attention briefly to her. Claire simply whispered what she wanted to say, "You two should go to your room. I'm sure that you've got plenty to catch up on."

Galen nodded and held onto Envier, who was still crying out tears of happiness. He turned towards Claire and for once directed a smile her way while the tears glistened in his eyes. "Thank you. You have no idea how much. Just...thank you. How could I ever repay you?"

"Love her. Protect her. And never let her go again." Her words only made him nod vigorously and hold even tighter to his dear granddaughter.

"How was the show?"

Cheryl, Rufus, and Oscar turned to face Angele who had somehow crept behind them. Oscar was the first to answer. "It was quite something all right."

"Very heart-warming," Cheryl said referring to two different things that they had seen.

"It was amusing at best," Rufus admitted still watching while Claire led Galen and Envier towards a room for more privacy. "Surprising that the lords will be under leash after so long. Has freedom been such a bore?"

Angele simply chuckled. "We were never really free. Besides..." His gaze went to what held Rufus' attention as well. "She looks to be the perfect person to take such a position." He drew his attention towards his pockets as he began to rummage through them. "My King asked me deliver this beforehand saying that if she were to pass our test that this be given to you, the Four Dukes of Pandora." He passed the envelope to Cheryl who accepted it. He smiled at them all before bowing down. "Now if you'll excuse me." He left while being accompanied by his two little attendants.

"What might that be, Lady Rainsworth?" Oscar inquired while he watched as Cheryl opened the envelope and read the single paper letter that it contained. Her eyes widened slightly before she passed it on to Rufus.

The latter read it quickly and grimaced. "This is—"

"A request," she finished for him while Rufus returned the letter which Cheryl passed to Oscar.

"A request?" he repeated while quickly skimming the letter.

Rufus glared towards the brat that had given them such bold letter. "To meet with the Four Dukes to discuss a matter of alliance with the Court of Miracles."

Well, that certainly was a heartwarming chapter cx Hoped you guys liked it. I'll have another up tomorrow or tonight. So stayed tuned for the next one! :D