A trail of smoke rose from the end of the lit cigarette, drifting lazily on the whispers of the wind until it was no longer visible to the naked eye. The familiar burning drag of his lungs was a comforting presence as he looked for the source of the chaos.

It was an easy enough task, given the trail of prominent scorch marks and flaming piles of trash that could be followed much like breadcrumbs scattered on a forest floor. Hell, he could even choose to utilise his ability to sense Ki in order to weasel out the delinquent responsible for all this destruction. However, on this occasion, he preferred the old-fashioned method of simply using his eyes.

The tall dark-haired male eased along the road with his hands buried deep in his pockets, he was the epitome of relaxed despite being on a mission to resolve the hell-raising antics of some teenage brat that was clearly in need of a hearty spank on the butt. He had nothing to worry about, he could and did, eat punks like these for breakfast.

He wasn't entirely sure what had driven him to volunteer for this job. He had been perfectly content to allow another squad or one of his little underlings to tackle this low-ranking mission, but as the details had flowed out from the scroll, his perception had shifted. It sounded all too familiar, a troublesome brat out to cause destruction as a form of entertainment.

Perhaps he simply needs a focus?

Regardless of the reason that brought him here on this chilly starless night, he was intent on wrapping things up as quickly and efficiently as possible. His ride would be back in thirty minutes, so he really had no time to waste on idling within his own thoughts.

As he approached the centre of Sosshi, he noticed the presence of residents peeking out from the tiniest of cracks in their doors. Fearful eyes of the young and old alike appeared to beseech him for help, and in honesty, he found it humbling. Considering he was not native to these lands and was often referred to as merely 'the foreigner', it was always refreshing to feel wanted. Would it be different if they didn't need his help as a Magic Knight? He wouldn't dwell on it; people would always hold their prejudices and he was long accustomed to the hateful stares and whispered words behind raised hands.

The black cape bearing his squad's insignia fluttered in the wind, a reminder of the band of misfits he had only recently started to string together. He was not the only one within the Clover Kingdom that thought their self to be an outsider, and he had made it his mission to give these outcasts a place to call home, a family of strays where each held the power to surpass their limits and achieve great things. All they needed was the proper motivation, he might not be the most gentle-natured person, but he prided himself on coaxing out latent potential.

Rounding the corner, the Magic Knight Captain dragged the cigarette from between his lips and let his gaze roam freely around the central square he found himself in. Petty destruction littered every corner, the dregs of charred remains of stall coverings smouldered and he found himself stopping in his tracks at the sight of a truly hideous-looking broom.

Could it even be classed as a magic broom with the alterations that had been made to the poor thing?

It had been changed to appear like a bull skeleton with a grandiose skull mounted at the head. The gleaming white bone curved into impressive horns that appeared sharp enough to successfully gore a person. He couldn't halt the faint flicker of a smile that ran across his lips as he noted the black sunglasses perched upon the skull, this kid clearly had a sense of humour.

He continued to stare at the monstrous contraption; the saddle along the length of the broom handle with ribs attached, the plume of thick bristles at the end and weirdly, the large purple fluffy balls attached at either side. Questions, he had many of them. This thing made no sense, but it would have to wait for now. He wondered if he would get the chance for a civilised conversation with the brat, he hoped they would as he was genuinely curious as to what lunacy had laced his brain when concocting this crazy hybrid vehicle.

The sound of cackling laughter drew his attention back to the task at hand. He let loose a sigh and turned to locate the source. A figure lurked not far from where he was standing, hunched over something upon the ground and sparks flickering between his cupped palms.

"Hey kid, need a word," he half yelled at the crouched boy.

He got his first look at the punk that had brought Sosshi to its knees on more occasions than he could count on one hand, enough to have resulted in the village elders calling upon the assistance of the Magic Knights, and he was less than impressed with what he saw.

The boy that came stumbling forward, his grimoire already afloat by his side, could barely be sixteen.

He was short and scrawny in stature but wore a mean expression on what would have been a youthful face had it not been for the snarl. His hair was a mixture of black and silver, cropped close to his head except for the black mohawk that stood up along the centre. A pair of tinted blue sunglasses obscured the true colour of his eyes, but it was hard to miss the flames of mischief that sparked within their depths.

"Who're you callin' a kid, pops?" the boy retorted, his fist tightened, and the groan of his leather fingerless gloves filled the dead space in their conversation if you could call it as such.

The Captain's aura visibly darkened, tendrils of power leaking from his very presence whilst his grimoire flared to life. Hues of majestic purples encased the book, the pressure of his mana enough to make the boy take a faltering step backwards, and his complexion paled in the face of the impressive magic.

"Pops?" he growled the question, daring to take one step forward.

At only twenty-five, to say that he was irritated was an understatement. He was barely holding on to his temper and he had only been in this punk's presence for less than a minute. Despite it all, something told him to pull back. The boy was surely a delinquent but there was no true malice in his actions, for all intents and purposes he seemed like a kid that was sick of listening to adults telling him what to do, and he could understand that.

"W-who are you, man?"

He only stared at the lad, assessing him before deciding on his answer.

There were several avenues open to him at this moment and honestly, he wasn't sure what would work out for the best. His menacing glare cut down his figure, taking in the leather jacket and fingerless gloves. Even from this brief encounter, it was obvious that he was lacking in mana, and he wondered whether it would ever increase enough to be considered special within a world of the extraordinary. Would it be cruel to give him hope for more than he could likely attain?

It was obvious that the boy wanted to back up further, but instead of doing so, he grit his teeth and stepped forward. His arm trembled from how tightly his fist was clenched and the fiery orange ripples around his grimoire intensified as if they wished to bolster his confidence. Dust kicked up from the ground as he stood defiantly in the face of a person quite clearly capable of annihilating him with one well-aimed strike with his katana.

He was impressed, there was no other way to describe it. There were not many amongst the highest ranks of Magic Knights that would dare to take a step closer to him, even without his mana flowing around him like a spectral cape. A smirk played across his mouth as a fresh plume of smoke rose into the air. He was going to take a chance on this kid; he could already tell that he would work harder than most to achieve his dreams and he wanted to be a part of wherever his destiny took him.

"Yami," he drawled, the end of his cigarette illuminated the features of his face that had fallen into darkness, "Yami Sukehiro, Captain of the Black Bulls and your newest nightmare."

~.~

Magna was in agony.

Pain tore through every muscle, each ligament and joint, it burned his flesh and forced the oxygen from his lungs. Sweat ran like endless torrents down his face, his hair soaked to the point that he looked like he had just stepped out of a shower. His glasses lay a few feet away, half-buried under the dirt, and he did not recall the moment they had been dislodged from his face.

Yami had been more than true to his word, he was Magna's personal nightmare. Looking up at the man in question, his neck screaming at the movement needed to give him that sight, he found the male casually puffing on his ever-present cigarette in between chuckles that sounded entirely ominous.

To look at Yami in comparison to Magna, you would be remiss to believe that they had both been engaged in a brawl. The runty-looking boy certainly gave the impression that he had been knocked around, kicked and shoved like an overzealous child might play with a ball – but the elder male? He was pristine, or as pristine as Yami ever was.

The Magic Knight Captain wasn't even out of breath. With his katana resting atop his shoulder, he cocked his head at the prone Magna as if to say, ready for more? To which the answer would be a resounding, NO!

"Aargh!" the boy roared his fury into the night.

How many nights like this had passed since the Captain of the Black Bulls had made it his personal mission to spar with Magna? It had to be reaching double digits, and yet he didn't seem to be improving. To say he was frustrated would be a severe understatement. Magna was burning with rage, the flicker of his unwavering fire goading his anger, provoking it further.

"Not bad kid," Yami rasped, wiping his palms on his pants and turning his back on the younger male that looked ready to bawl his eyes out.

"The hell it was!"

Yami sighed, turning back around to crouch down on his haunches. This part never came easy to him, more accustomed to issuing death threats than words of encouragement, but the boy needed a moment of solace rather than intimidation. He offered a hand which Magna took begrudgingly, pulling his with ease into a seated position so they were more face to face.

He knew how much the kid was pouring into these sparring sessions and despite his refusals, he really was improving. Magna would have to pull something completely spectacular and unexpected out of the bag to land a solid strike upon him but the times he had come close to it, increased with each meeting.

It had been a trade-off. Yami promised not to kill him if Magna swore never to raise hell in Sosshi, or any other village for that matter. The deal hadn't ended there, and the Captain well remembered the look of shock on the delinquent's face as he told him that he expected Magna to try out in the next Magic Knight entrance exams.

"Look here," he gestured to his white tank top.

The left side had the smallest singe mark, it was only noticeable when pointed out but it was there nonetheless. He watched the widening of the boy's grey eyes, for someone that claimed to be in absolute agony only a moment ago, he sure could move fast as he scrambled closer to look at the burn mark.

A mark that he had caused. Magna Swing, a lowly peasant from the arse end of nowhere had actually sullied a Magic Knight's clothing. Not any Magic Knight either, a goddamn Captain – an especially terrifying one too.

Tears surged from the backs of his eyes, flooding his lash line and threatened to pour forth at any second as an emotion he was unfamiliar with swept inside. It danced with his fire, a joyous melding that roiled like the bubbles of a hot spring.

Pride.

Throwing an arm over his face so Yami could not see, Magna sobbed. It was raw and so real, the boy that had been destined to amount to nothing more than being a common criminal was going to try out as a Magic Knight.

"Stop yer wailing or I'll kill ya!" Yami growled, yet there was no threat in his tone.

~.~

Why had he agreed to this? It had to be a grave mistake to think this would be a good idea. Clearly, he'd been hoodwinked by the notion that he could be more than what society had dictated. Having Captain Yami put even an ounce of his faith into a mere brat from the Forsaken Realm, it served in painting a vivid fantasy of a future Magna had only dared to dream of.

As he walked forward into the intimidating Coliseum, trying with all his might not to wobble even though his legs felt like jelly, his facade of rebellious indifference failed to mask his nerves. One look at him was enough to note the bead of sweat that rolled down from his hairline and the strain in his temples.

All he could see, no matter which way he turned, was a sea of nobles and even a few royals huddled together. Their chins tilted upwards with that arrogant air that they wore at all times, smug sneers painting their features and open disdain blazing in their eyes. Magna rolled his shoulders, a low growl rumbled within the depths of his chest and an overwhelming sense of injustice served to further warp him into the incarnation of the delinquent he was viewed as. How he hated these 'people', these bigots that refused to acknowledge others simply based on where they were born or what family they belonged to. Didn't they know that a family name did not make a person?

They need only to look at their 'King' to witness a perfect example of someone born into a status that they had no right to own. The man was an imbecile who valued the appearance of power and control above all else. The Clover Kingdom might have crumbled by this point had it not been for the Wizard King that ruled alongside the idiot in a crown. Now, he was a man that had earned the respect given to him.

His thoughts continued to swirl as he waited for his turn to approach the booth ahead, he felt entirely out of his depths and yet he was determined to at least ruffle some feathers whilst he was here. The idea of wiping the smirking smiles from a few of the nobility present was tantalising, his inner flame sparked with mischief and his grimoire felt hot in his hands.

"Magna Swing from Rayaka," he declared loudly.

The mage seated in the window slid his eyes up in apparent boredom. There was certainly no enthusiastic welcome as he placed a hand upon Magna's grimoire, mana enveloped the book for a second before withdrawing, but at least there had been no scorn either.

"Number 86, next!"

Magna made to move aside, confused as he had never bothered to learn how this process worked, considering that he would never find himself in this position. Yami had told him very little about the events ahead of him, every time Magna gathered the courage to question the hulking and frankly, intimidating male, he had waived him off with a dismissive hand.

"You'll see on the day," he had said time and again.

He forced his legs forward and entered what he assumed to be the main arena, had his nerves not been reaching fever pitch he might have been vaguely impressed with the sight. The circular building was regal in appearance, and the tall columns that braced the upper level were intricate in design, but he could not appreciate any of it, not when two birds swooped in endless circles around his head.

"Shoo! Get outta here!"

It was no use, the chasing continued until they seemingly ran out of puff. The two swallow-like birds chose to perch on either shoulder, roosting rather cutely into their chests, content in trusting Magna with their safety. He was amazed as well as confused, that was until he noticed the other birds that darted here and there. It seemed that some were not as friendly as the two that adopted him; beaks that nipped at people that tried to bat them away, sharp little talons tearing into the skin and leaving behind nasty-looking scratch marks.

Oblivious to the reasoning behind the presence of these birds, he turned his focus to the balcony above. The decadent archways were empty, but he could spy chairs lined along the edge, and he wondered who the judges for this exam would be. Magna wondered if there were perhaps a committee that oversaw these matters, but his wondering was brought to a swift halt when he heard the snide voices from a little way off.

"I don't know why they continue to allow such riffraff to participate in the exams. There is simply no way that a peasant could show more potential than any of the royals or nobles present."

His head snapped to the source of the voices and found three boys of a similar age to himself deep in conversation. The one that had spoken let his eyes trail towards Magna, they widened slightly as he noticed he had been overheard but instead of looking contrite, a wide grin spread out.

"Look boys, seem one of the trash was listening in," the boy teased.

Magna had yet to realise that this was not simply a noble that was taunting him, but a royal. The boy swept aside his silver hair, which should have been the biggest hint to his identity, yet it flew entirely over his head, too enraged by the barbs thrown so casually at him.

He had half a mind to blast this pig-headed snob into the dirt and his inner flame surely agreed with how it twisted and writhed for release. Only a few months ago and he would have acted upon those reckless impulses, but now he had the image of an enraged Yami Sukehiro emblazoned into the back of his skull. Fear for his own life kept him rooted to the spot though his entire body was tightly coiled and ready to strike in an instant. He would not hesitate to defend himself, but he would not be the first to lash out either.

It looked as if the boy was going to continue his taunting, even taking a step closer to Magna's position but at moment, a silence fell over the masses and every head snapped towards the balcony as shadowy figures emerged from the dark recesses.

The Magic Knight Captains made their way to the edge, some strolling with no care in the world whilst others strutted like pompous peacocks, parading their superior mana to the hopeful applicants below. Magna was late to give his attention to the Captains, wishing to ensure the silver-haired toff did not use the moment of distraction to launch a sneak attack. However, the royal in question had been pointedly ignoring his presence since the Captains appeared.

At long last, he gazed upwards and immediately found the figure of Yami. The man in question leant heavily against the column beside him, puffing on his ever-present cigarette and appearing extremely bored by the proceedings. A young-looking male stood further back from Yami but wore the same Black Bulls cape, he wasn't sure if it was the same boy that Yami often referred to as his 'ride'. Magna had met him only enough to raise a hand in greeting but the chestnut-haired boy had always seemed friendly and genuine on the times he had arrived to retrieve the Captain and they had still been in full flow of a sparring match.

Magna surveyed the rest of the assembled Captains, some he recognised for their various services to the Kingdom but there were a few that did not even know the names of. The Captain in the centre took a further step forward, gasps of admiration floated to Magna's ears, and he was inclined to agree with them. William Vangeance of the Golden Dawn was an impressive sight, his gilded helmet caught a glint of the overhead sun and only served to deepen the mystery behind the mask.

"Welcome to the Magic Knights Entrance Examinations, I am Captain William Vangeance…" his voice trailed off as movement pulled Magna's focus away from the opening ceremony. He followed the slow movements of a figure to his right, turning to keep it in sight and daring to press a little closer to determine what he was observing.

There, half-hidden in the shadows of the pillars stood a girl.

This was no ordinary girl – heavens no. She looked panicked from what little he could determine from her face. Her gaze was trained upon the balcony, but he sensed that it was not fixed upon the man addressing the masses, she seemed to be searching for another, but he had no idea who would cause her such distress.

She moved again, flitting to the next column and this time he could see more of her face. Magna felt his cheeks grow hot, she was pretty – no – that word did not serve her any justice, but he was unable to conjure a word befitting what he felt.

Her hair was the colour of especially milky coffee and the few strands that fell around her round face shimmered with golden highlights when they caught the light. It was worn swept into a messy-looking side ponytail as if her fingers either often fiddled with it or she had not long hastily scraped it together. Magna could not discern the colour of her eyes, too far back in the darkness to allow him the sight and he took another half step forward.

Like a skittish colt, she was on the move once more, forcing the boy to swing around to follow her trajectory. The skirts of her lavender dress fluttered around her legs as she moved but not a sound was made upon the stone floor. A part of him wanted to approach, to ensure that she was okay yet as he swallowed, resolving to keep moving this time, loud cheering ripped through the mist of his concentration.

He looked up to find all the Captains taking their seats as the throng of applicants began to herd into separate areas. Magna cursed under his breath. He had become so distracted by a girl – damn, the girl – he looked for her but found the space she had last occupied to be empty. He had missed the entire explanation as to what was to come, and he could kick himself for his foolishness. Glancing towards Yami as he felt the piercing stare on the back of his neck, he bowed his gaze as he looked toward the man that had dared to take a shot on him.

Magna wasn't about to let him down, and if he were to soul search just a little deeper, he might have recognised the desire to perform well in order to impress a certain other person that might be watching.

Let's tear this place up!

~.~

Alina could barely contain her heart within her chest, it beat to a thunderous rhythm born of sheer panic and anxiety. It was as if all her nightmares were coming together to make this the worst day of her life.

She still remembered the casual, almost off-the-cuff manner in which her father had announced that Langris would be in attendance for today's examination.

Why him of all people? Sure, he was climbing the ranks within the Golden Dawn with gusto, much to the delight of his parents, but did he have to bear witness to her own attempt to gain entrance into a Magic Knight squad? It wasn't as if she wanted to join the Golden Dawn, the pressure would be too great and anyway, she would never be chosen by the number one ranking squad.

Her father had been oblivious to his daughter's plight, not even looking up from the text he had been reading at the breakfast table. She wondered if he even noticed when she flew from the table, ascending the stairs two at a time until she had hurtled into her bedroom in a breathless mess.

Would Finral be there also?

She had gnawed at her fingernails as that worry bloomed in her chest, knowing all too well of the tensions between the brothers. It pained her how Finral had been so casually swept aside as if he had never even existed within this family but at only fifteen, what could she even dream to do about it?

Alina was certainly far luckier than her cousins; as the younger brother in the Vaude house, her father was not under any pressure to ensure a suitable heir was to take over as the head of the family. It was probably for the best given how scatter-brained her dear dad was, but she had witnessed the pressure and often cruelty that was aimed towards Finral and Langris from the safety of the sidelines.

Her focus renewed on the situation at hand, there was no point in dwelling on the events of the past when she was currently doing her damnedest to remain undetected by Langris. Alina could see him searching for her, aquamarine eyes that blazed in irritation as she continued to evade his sight.

Placing a hand on her chest, she tried valiantly to calm her breathing as the other hand came up to twirl a strand of hair between her fingers. She would only be able to keep this up until it was her turn to perform the first task that was asked of them. At that point, the game would be over but engaging in this meaningless battle gave her a sense of confidence over her older cousin. As spatial magic users, the three Vaude children had played endless hours of hide and seek and there was no surprise as to who the reigning champion of the game was – the very man she was managing to outmanoeuvre at this moment.

The cheering subsided as Captain Vangeance and the other Captains took their seats. She watched almost lazily as groups formed, nobles choosing to turn their backs on the few commoners and even fewer considered peasants that lingered in the open space. Her eye was caught by a prominent streak of silver hair, and she couldn't catch the squeak of surprise before it passed through her lips.

Her steps took her as far as she could manage, away from the royal that was well known for his merciless cruelty. She prayed for anyone that would end up opposing him in these trials, or indeed anyone that ended up in the same squad.

It was time that she make her presence known.

The sight of magic brooms descending from the skies signalled the start of the first test. Alina smoothed down her lavender skirts and took a terrifying step into the circle of light. A few people cast their gazes towards her, curious as to who the newcomer was as they had not been aware of her presence until this point. She could feel her cheeks heating from the unwanted attention, but she forced her head upward, lifting her gaze to meet those icy eyes and the furrowed brow that spoke volumes of his displeasure. Every inch of her diminutive stature trembled like the last leaf on an autumn tree, but her eyes remained determined.

She was entirely unaware of the extra set of eyes that watched her closely, her attention far too invested in not looking a fool in front of her two cousins as she had indeed noted the warm smile of Finral from the balcony. His hand lifted shyly in greeting, fingers waggling as he used to do when she was much younger and for a moment she wanted to cry. It had been a long time since she had last seen Finral, and it was a relief to see that he appeared happy and healthy.

Her observer made no attempt to conceal his stare, often turning his head to admire whatever she was currently tasked with doing. She certainly sensed that she was being watched but of course she was, this was an exam after all, and every Captain was hungrily observing the participants in the hopes of snapping up this year's cream of the crop.

The time for the dreaded final round approached, and lead was quick to fill her stomach as she leant against the nearest pillar. Fighting was not her forte, in a similar vein to her eldest cousin, Alina preferred to be strategic with her magical abilities. Spatial magic was rare and highly valued, she knew that unless she made a complete pig's ear of the situation that she would likely get at least one offer of placement. It didn't make the thought any less grim as she wiped her sweaty palms on her bare thighs, bending at the waist to wipe away the dust that had kicked up on her legs.

Alina's turn was not for some time and although it might have been wise for her to dutifully pay attention to the matches before her own, it was hard to concentrate when her mind wandered so freely. The daughter of two equally scatter-brained parents, it would have been a great shock if she had not picked up at least some of their traits and a vivid imagination was certainly something she owned.

She quickly became lost in a fantasy where she was welcomed into a squad that felt like a family, with nothing but warm smiles and encouraging words. The squad itself did not appear to be any that she recognised as actually existing, born from her mind alone, but it was true to say that this was what she wished for the most.

A warm tingle brushed against the back of her hand, Alina frowned and cast her eyes down to find the hairs raised but there was nothing obvious to have caused the warmth. The sensation continued to caress against her skin, a light dance of almost intrigue and wonder. It vanished as quickly as it had appeared and left her missing the mysterious presence.

Bursts of blazing heat enveloped her surroundings; Alina squealed and took a further step back into the shadows before turning to stare at the source of the heat. A boy stood with a fireball floating atop his open palm, his fingers wiggled almost as if he caressed the burning orb and a wicked smile blazed across his lightly tanned face.

He was the epitome of what she had been warned against all her life; the leather jacket, fingerless gloves and chain that wrapped around the side of his right hip screamed bad boy. A rebellious-looking youth that would likely cause her nothing but trouble and yet, she could not deny that he was intriguing. The mixture of black and silver hair forced her head to cock to the side and watching him fight was absolutely mesmerising.

His flame magic was impressive, the heat of the fireballs that he hurled like baseballs was searing even at this distance, but it was the speed that captivated her the most. Alina could barely tear her eyes away from the spectacle, his opponent was struggling to strike back, the vines of his plant magic being burned away as quickly as he could manifest them. A glint of mischief reflected from the blue-tinted glasses that served to obscure his eyes, he was boxing his opponent in and cutting off each attempt at retaliation at an alarming rate.

It was over in a flash; the intriguing boy was the well-deserved victor in the bout. He wore an expression of pride, and it was refreshing to note that there was no boastful edge to the emotion. Alina noted how his gaze flickered to the balcony along with the slight incline of his head. She mused as to who he could be acknowledging, her own eyes trailing upwards and passing over each of the Captains in turn. When she turned back, eyes of swirling mercury met her own and the warmth returned to the back of her hand.

He clutched his glasses in his fist as the other hand wiped the beads of sweat from his brow. His expression was that of hesitant curiosity, the pair continued to stare at one another for what felt like an eternity but was in fact barely a few seconds.

A lazy smile slid across his lips, drawing an almost silent gasp from her parted lips. All she could think of at that moment was how cute he looked, his brow quirked slightly and radiating energy she was entirely unfamiliar with. The warmth spread to her arm, and he took a step towards where she stood but before he could approach further, a bolt of lightning speared the ground behind him and sent everyone scattering for safety.

Alina retreated, panting quickly as adrenaline coursed through her veins. Two fingers rose to her left, the only part of her that did not shake with trepidation, ready to create a portal to safety should it be needed as she assessed the situation. She had been ripped away from the approaching boy, who had been sent tumbling to the ground and he rounded on the arena with anger tightening his features.

The next round was about to begin and the crazed-looking blonde kid that sent the lightning bolt was clearly out for blood.