Chapter 5: The Hero and the Ruler

Merlin's Magical Tower

A week has gone by since I started training with Merlin, and we found out Kirby has magic abilities too. He was given a staff by Henry shortly after. He's been taught Owanimo by Ichi while I was tested for hybrid abilities. Throughout the first 4 days both of us had, he learned about copy magic, and I learned to combine air and water to create steam. On day 5 of training, smokescreen was another ability I learned by combining air and fire. Kirby learned a stamina steal magic by day 6, and I ended up learning to summon a small twister. It was more dangerous than what I learned before as it could easily go out of control and destroy anything in the path of it. By the end of the first week, there wasn't much going on, but the abilities both of us had so far were focused on. On day 9, both of us learned to use barriers to block incoming magic, and Arle started to learn new abilities too. By the end of the second week, Kirby and I were competing against each other on new abilities with him learning to cast slowness, fire blast, freeze, and weakness, and me learning to control the twister and learning boost, bayoen, thunder aura, burst, and sandstorm. Arle had learned the most dangerous ability mind blast, revive to help fallen allies, the powerful but low accurate ability judgement, and one of the same abilities I had learned bayoen.

With the second week of training finished, Kirby and I feel more confident to save our friends, but before we can, we must face each other in a Puyo Puyo battle. The problem is neither of us know what spells we can use, so we both practice with the boards we summoned, and after 30 minutes, we find out what we can use. Kirby's spells go "There, copy, slowness, fire blast, freeze" while mine was "Go, boost, thunder aura, sandstorm, burst". This isn't exactly how I would use these spells, but anything works. As both of us dispel our boards, we get interrupted by a mummy.

"You'll be wrapped up once I defeat you," said the mummy.

"You're right on time. Kirby and I can test our abilities with you" I said.

"You're going to beg and plead for mercy once I'm finished, but the problem is the bandages won't fit either body."

"I won't let anyone get wrapped up. Besides, we don't have time for this."

"Once I defeat you, Satan can find out what you are."

"You'll be destroyed before that happens. Kirby, let's see if you can handle this."

"Okay Ace!"

Kirby summons his board again and faces off against the mummy with Merlin watching. The first attack is sent by Kirby with slowness. The mummy responds with a 2-chain and bandages. Before the garbage fell, Kirby sent a 5-chain freeze that devastated the mummy and ended the battle within 20 seconds. I used a wind blast to send the mummy far away.

"Quite impressive lad," said Merlin.

"It was something" I said.

"I was going to have both of you battle, but that works too."

"I'll still battle. Kirby, let's test our abilities out with a Puyo battle."

"It's on! Watch and see Ace."

I summon my board while Kirby was clearing his. This won't be easy, but if I can outsmart him, I can prove I have potential too. The match begins with both of us building chains as fast as possible, and Kirby strikes first with a 3-chain. I send a 4-chain before getting hit by garbage Puyos while Kirby gets hit with more than I have. Both of us clear the garbage while setting up the next set of chains dropping fewer garbage on each other's boards. While building for the next chain, the big Puyo appears, and both of us clear the two middle columns. Neither of us can send garbage Puyo with the big one, so both of us build larger chains. Both of us send constant 1 to 2-chains that slow building larger chains and drop our stamina. Unfortunately, my stamina is running out faster than Kirby's, and if I can't send out a large chain fast, I'll collapse. By the looks of it, he'll send out a much larger chain if he gets double blue Puyos. Unfortunately, Kirby gets the color he needs and sends a 7-chain, but if I can't get what I want fast, it'll be the end. Fortune is on my side as I get the green Puyo and send a 9-chain back before getting bombarded by garbage Puyo. Kirby has it worse, and within a matter of seconds, the battle is over with me coming out victorious, well barely. As I dispel my board, I help Kirby with a new ability I didn't know I would be learning. Apparently, I learned healing during the battle, so Kirby was able to recover quick. The downside of this is it doesn't work on me.

"Good battle Ace," said Kirby.

"It was close, and it was a challenge."

"That battle lasted for a few minutes, and neither of us gave up."

"In the end, I came victorious, but it was a test from Merlin."

"Using 5 colors is quite hard to master, but with what I've seen, both of you have succeeded my expectations," said Merlin. "Both of you have skills I couldn't have dreamt of long ago."

"It was something, but I want to know if both of us are ready for the long journey" I said.

"The two weeks I've trained both of you were your most important steps to become great sorcerers, and with the skills both of you have, I was impressed. Ace, you possess the rarest ability and have learned the sub-abilities. Kirby, while you haven't learned as many skills as Ace, the skills I've seen are more than impressive. I have seen growth from these skills, and I am happy about it. I decided both of you have passed the basics and are ready for the adventures ahead. It will be dangerous, but with both of you together, you'll be able to find your friends."

"Thanks Merlin!"

"Thank you for giving us a chance."

With training over, both of us start preparing for the long journey ahead. At the same time, Arle had learned to control her abilities and learned Owanimo for her final test. While Kirby and I were ready to go, there was one problem. Merlin can't come with us, and Ichi must stay with Arle until she is ready too. If there was someone who could guide us, that would be great.

Somewhere in the Underworld, Satan's Point of View

I am known by many as the ruler of the Underworld, Satan the Dark Prince. I've got this idea of putting everyone through Puyo battles. It's not for personal gain. It's for entertainment purposes. I was close to getting the boy when that woman stepped in and took him with her. Luckily, I've got other plans if this one should fail. I shall lay traps for him to find out what power he has, and if he has potential, he could be one of my servants. This place hasn't seen chaos for quite a long time, and it's thanks to me. After all, I am the best ruler unlike someone else.

There was a time when someone else ruled the Underworld. That someone was my father. I can't remember his name as he was defeated long ago by a trio of people with the most powerful magic I've seen. They vanished long ago and have been forgotten, but I still remember what they did. I remember a war that happened before I became ruler, and my father's stubborn ways almost ruined the land. When he was defeated and dispelled from this world, I was responsible for withdrawing and ending the war with peace.

"Satan, you won't believe what I've seen!"

This is Draco Centaur, one of my most loyal servants who's stood at my side since before I became ruler. "What is it Draco?"

"I was flying as usual, and I saw something unbelievable. You've always talked about a time when there used to be air magic and how it is gone now."

Before my father started the war, there were people and creatures who could use air magic. It was a special ability that wasn't common back then, but when the war ended, there was no trace of anyone possessing that ability except one, one of the three heroes of Magic Village. When he disappeared, that ability ceased to exist.

"I've always said the ability to use it was somewhat rare, and since that ability is gone, no one knows anyone who's still alive with it."

"There was something I have never seen before. It felt like there was a change in the air. A tree had all its leaves blown off."

"Weather patterns aren't as predictable as some beings think. It's probably a dying tree."

"If it was, it would be dead, but it didn't look dead."

"Hmm. A tree with its leaves gone and not dead. It's unusual for it when the others have leaves."

"Is it possible that there's a being that has the ability to use air magic?"

"Highly unlikely. They were wiped out a long time ago."

"There was a beam of light too, and it looked like it came from something powerful."

"It's possible that came from Merlin. That old thing can't use air magic, so he likely has seen it happen. If he's still around, he might be able to tell us what it was. I'll have to investigate this for the truth."

It's been a long time since I visited Merlin. He used to aid the three heroes on their quests. Since they disappeared, he retired from his work and left Magic Village. I heard it was due to failure to protect the so called 'chosen one' from an unfortunate fate, but I doubt that was the reason.

"Draco, tell me more about this tree once we go there."

"As you wish, my lord."

If what she's saying is true, there may be evidence of a being with air magic, but I keep my doubts as I start heading towards the leafless tree. If it is true, this could put my plan in motion.

Outside Merlin's Magical Tower, Ace's Point of View

As Arle finishes with her Puyo Puyo practice, I start to wonder if I can save my missing friends. If I can't find them, Kirby and I won't be able to go back home. Hopefully, they're okay out there safe from any danger they might not know about. As I stare off into the sunset, Kirby comes over.

"Ace, we should look in the morning." said Kirby. "It's getting dark out, and I don't believe it would be a good idea to search for them in the dark."

"Kirby, remember when the two of us would sit on that tree branch on the hill and talk about the possibility of other worlds."

"I do. That branch was weird but sturdy."

"It almost feels like that, but there was no darkness to separate us."

"That game where the three friends talk about other worlds while on an island that was taken over by darkness?"

"It's exactly like that, but it feels empty without the others."

Kirby sits down by me. "I know, but we'll have a better chance in the morning when we have enough energy. I wouldn't want the others to worry about us being gone."

"I guess you're right. I almost didn't think about what's out there."

"It's almost like when you get fevers, and I carried you back to your house. You should be more careful about what's to come."

"I suppose. I never stop to think about if it was a good idea. Let's go back Kirby."

Kirby and I get up from the ground and start heading towards the tower. When we returned, I start to feel exhausted and walk slower until I couldn't walk anymore. I collapse on the ground and fell unconscious unexpectedly.

"Ace, no! Merlin, Ichi, something's wrong with Ace!"

Author's Note: Honestly, I'm not a fan of cliffhangers, and the way this chapter ends puts it in a cliffhanger. Next chapter will take less time to make and might be shorter than usual, but I won't tell. I wanted this chapter to focus on Ace and Satan since the next chapter will focus on their backstories. One thing I have decided is to publish both this chapter and chapter 6 at the same time, so hopefully, you won't be too upset of a lack of updates. I'm also fixing up the previous chapters of any errors, so there's that too.