I mark possibly triggering scenes with "***".

"Watch out!" Dean jumped in front of Gilliana to cover her with his tower shield.

"Ice Wall!" Snow rose a wall to shield herself the backfire of the spell was huge.

The bang echoed throughout the forest. Their ears were ringing.

"Ahhh, shit, so close…right?" Misery looked to Blade.

Alex from Team A shook his head, "Close to obliterating yourself…" He scratched his forehead.

"I could have protected myself…" Gilliana growled annoyed that Dean had to save her there.

"I know, but being a gentleman is in my blood," Dean smiled kindly at her and offered a hand.

Gilliana blushed shortly she hadn't expected that answer, "Well, then next time don't get in my way…" She puffed. "Why are we not converging? It can't be that hard. I mean we did it with the thunderstorm…and we weren't even trying."

"Yeah," Snow dropped the ice wall. "And with water and ice, I thought for sure it would work…"

Blade shook her head, "Light and dark convergence isn't so easy. I can do both and yet I can't even mix my own spells and they are the same."

"Mix your spells? You mean like a light and dark sword?" Alex looked at her a bit scared.

"Well, I can't even layer it. It already would be majorly helpful to have a dark sword and use a light magic sickle but nope," Blade complained. "We are missing something…"

"It's… I don't know, it feels like that we can and cannot agree on what we want to do," Snow sighed.

"We wanted a sickle with an ice edge to cut further. What did you visualise!?" Gilliana threw her hands into the air annoyed. "No wonder that ain't working."

"That's not what I mean. I did focus on that. It's more …Have you felt nothing?" Snow was so confused.

Gilliana frowned, "Feel what? It's aim, manifest and shoot."

"Shhh," Dean hushed them all.

"I swear, who is blasting the forest to pieces? We just had it reforested…" Wizgiz's voice could be heard, he wasn't so happy.

Everyone went a bit pale, "HIDE!" Blade whisper-hissed and all scrambled into different directions.

Okay, people, I did the first overall check of our results we currently have uncovered 20% of biased or corrupt Officers. Tendencies are rising, at least in my estimate. Even if it will slow down now that we have proven the obvious candidates. We still have lots to check. So, keep it up. Good work so far! Two-thirds to go! And a bit more than a month! ~#AAdmin

What 20%!? So many? ~Tasu

Yeah… that's frightening I thought maybe around 10% ~Birdy

Scarry… ~Snow

What 10%? Ahahaha foolish Fairy ~Alyssa

I thought it be more by now…weird… ~Misery

Right? ~Dusk

Hmm…interesting ~BladeMaster

What? ~MichaelShotTheSheriff

It's a disgrace, that would never pass in our Order ~?Elf5

?Elf5 Got to agree with you ~SleptALongTime

MichaelShotTheSheriff Well, Fairies think it's too much and Sorceresses too less ~BladeMaster

Wasn't that to be expected? ~LostCrown

What's that nickname actually about? ~?Elf3

You mean Seth's? Oh, that…it's just… ~Roar

A homage to all who were lost on Desertia… I miss her, too, Seth… ~BladeMaster

Yeah, me too… Jewels deserved better… ~Nebula

I know…let's talk sometime, okay? ~LostCrown

Ahhh, where are you? I come cuddle you! ~Snow

"Blade, everything alright?" Avalon asked the short break was nearly over and her aura had shifted to a deep blue all of a sudden.

"Yeah, sure…" Blade swiped away a tear and closed the chat on her bracelet, "Let's try again."

Palladium looked to Avalon confused as unexpectedly Snow and Nebula stormed around the corner.

"BLADE!" Snow threw her to the ground and hugged her tightly and Nebula jumped on top which made Blade grunt under the pressure.

'What are we missing?' Palladium rose an eyebrow and looked for answers from Avalon, who was equally puzzled.

The girls pulled Blade up to her feet. Out of the blue, a water sickle rushed at them from the tree lines. Quickly Blade blocked with a Light magic sickle of her own from her sword and the water splashed all other the place, "HEY! What was that for!? Gilliana!"

The Professors were super mystified now. "Come out! Are you crazy to attack our students out of nowhere!?" Palladium was pissed the next second.

Gilliana chuckled as she dashed into the air and stuck her tongue out, "Now that's the Blade I know, always ready for action." She grinned. "See ya. City is waiting for me."

"Young Lady come back here!" Palladium was ready to pull her from the air. But Avalon placed his hand on his shoulder and simply shook his head and nodded to Blade who seemed in much higher spirits now. Palladium sighed, "Well since you two were so nice to join us… you'll be our stand-ins." He addressed Snow and Nebula. 'Should cheer her up a bit more to train with them. I wonder what triggered her…'

*** (remember the trigger warnings)

"LET-" A jarring scream resounded and stopped as fast as it had begun.

Amber stopped and made a hard landing on the rooftop in front of her. "Shit, from where!?" She had flown straight from the teleporter station to meet her team in one of the smaller towns of Magix. And now there was nothing but silence in the night air. "Fuck." She had heard the fear in that voice. "Call, Ararel," She activated the voice call on her own new bracelet as she hopped into the air again.

"Yes, Eques Ararel here, you are early, Am-" her team leader for the night resounded.

"Voice of nature!" Amber ignored him for now, "Come on, where!?" Since these past weeks, it was really easy to distinguish kids playing pranks or happy playful screaming from that of someone in trouble.

Ararel checked instantly her location with his own bracelet, "There, let's go." He, Sarlen and Eroan took flight. They as always had scouted the targets out to get their locations before the student teams arrived. "Amber, what's the situation?"

"Someone-" Amber heard a muffled squeak below in the back allies. In the smaller towns, those got even smaller and more secluded than she was used to from the capital city. "HEY! LEAVE HER ALONE!"

"Wait for backup," But Ararel could already hear arguing ensue on the other side of the line.

"Oh, what's it to you Fairy…" A half-drunken guy stumbled towards Amber. The other had a girl pinned who was cuffed with green jade manacles.

"Bastards," Amber growled. 'Aren't they too young to be Officers?' She stood her ground, "Last warning! Let her go! Fox flames!" her tiny flames lit up around her. Shift. Cold metal hit the back of her head. 'What, another?! But how?'

"Ah, ah, ah," a satisfied dark voice came from behind her. In an instant, the man clicked the first cuff around Amber's wrist. "I couldn't believe when I saw it yesterday, Specialists and FAIRIES working with Witches. That scum… do you know what happens when rotten fruit touches fresh fruit? IT ROTS. Worthless," he kicked her into the back of her knee. "You always should bring backup, noob mistake."

Amber lost control of the flames they grew weaker through the cuffs. The intensity they were now she barely could light a candle with them, 'Shit it's like in the prison area…' She looked up ahead to where they still held that young Witch, she wasn't even old enough to attend Cloud Tower. "You'll regret this! I'm a noble-" But Amber gasped as a shot hit her in the hip. Her muscles gave in instantly.

"Hey girly, we let you go, and you have seen nothing. How about it? Favour for a favour, right," the oldest of the three men glared at the kid.

The young girl eagerly nodded, her face already snotty. She was scared to death.

"Then run," The guy who held her down by the throat breathed into her face as he unlocked her cuffs and threw her to the side into the garbage bags.

The girl scrambled to her feet and ran as fast as she could.

"See, they touch you, and leave you to rot, Missy, you are picking the wrong side," The guy behind Amber had already holstered his gun and now clicked the other cuff around Amber's second wrist. He pulled her up and threw her against the wall.

Amber slumped to the ground as her legs were not following her commands, "Fool, I know your faces!"

"Ahhh, and who says you are seeing our faces and not someone else's? You're not the only one with magic," one of the other two younger men grinned diabolically as he flared up his hand in light magic."

Wide-eyed Amber stared at them as they closed in around her. 'Shit, Ararel…I screwed up!' She already watched as one of them raised his foot. "Only rotten one here is YOU!" She shouted at them, but her anger couldn't hide her fear.

"Useless pooch of Witches'," The third guy grinned.

"HEDERA!"; "Pladicus Ventus!"; "Barrier of Light!"

A shield was erected around Amber suddenly and a Council guard stood in front of her. The wind blew the three guys off their feet and the vines sprouted from the ground and grew all over the attackers to pin them down that they were unable to move a muscle. "Thank the Great Dragon…" Amber mumbled relieved.

"The Council?!" The men were so confused.

"Why would you be here?" The guy got muffled by the vines.

"I rather take rotten than callous," Eroan pulled out some dust from a pouch and blew it into the air as he waved with his hand it flared up and settled on the three men. "Done, they won't remember until we lift the spell for the hearings," Eroan smiled satisfied.

"Lady Amber, may I carry you, we can't stay here," Sarlen had just uncuffed her and put the cuffs back into the guy's belt.

Ararel checked the faces with the list it wasn't hard at all for him to see through their glamours, "Bingo. Gotcha. Another Officer… those seem to be family members, recruits for the police academies this summer. Guess they get denied and can attend prison instead, Happy family reunion."

Sarlen had Amber already piggybacked, "Let's retreat." The three nodded and raced to some rooftops further away. Where he put her down again, "You are safe Amber…"

Ararel came closer and laid a hand on Amber's shoulder for a moment, "Virgo dividet," He let some light magic flow through her so she could move again and the burns from the shot got healed. "You don't ever do that again. I said wait. Is that clear?" He sternly warned her.

"Yes…" Amber still was shaken up.

Ararel sighed, 'If she'd been any further away…' He laid a hand on her shoulder, this time to comfort her as she wasn't calming down.

Amber couldn't hold her tears in, "Why would anyone? … is that how Blade…" She rested her head on his shoulder. Although she was safe and they had more than enough proof for those three now, it still didn't feel like enough.

"I can't tell you that, with Black magic that's simple, it makes you go nuts. But with sane people…" Ararel merely shook his head, 'If Blade felt like that?... probably even worse…all alone.' He was boiling inside with anger but Amber would never pick up on that he made sure of that. "You are out for today, Eroan I'll take your squad till you are back, escort her back to Alfea."

"Alright," Eroan smiled kindly towards Amber to soothe her, "My Lady, if you would be so kind as to follow me."

"So, they lied?" Marble frowned as she was eating her supper with the others in Magix across the library. "No wonder I couldn't find anything on a teacher transformation in the magicWeb…"

"Yes, and we can use that!" Blade was super proud to have found out the truth after their little digging on the side.

Rise scratched her neck, "And how is that?" She hid a yawn behind her hand. "That you even put more time into this…I am way too tired…Nerrocean is working us double as hard as the others, I swear… though, come to think of it, was it Palladium with a morphing spell or his little brother?"

"Who cares. Either way, it will work," Kitty grinned wide. "We are all still tired although we dialled down the library excuse. Shanna's explanation won't work for much longer. Even Griffin is confused why the grades have dropped Tower wide."

"Yeah, Iolas said, such spells most likely would be Black magic, because of time magic. Sooo," Nebula rubbed her eyes she had just had a night shift today.

Julius nodded, "So, we prepare some spells or rituals to counter 'the spell'. Or whatever Palladium did that the other Professors wouldn't recognise it. It even works for all schools. Nice, should work as a cover-up. But how much extra work will it cost us? Cloud Tower grades might be plummeting throughout the years. But at Red Fountain or Alfea for that matter… it's much more obvious. Codatorta is so pissed, he even let us run more laps, he thinks we went out partying or something..." He let his head sink on the table and moaned.

"That's the thing we'll just split the extra work into smaller parts so we have it prepared for all. This is what we'll do…" Blade elaborated on the plan she, Amal and Nebula had come up with.

Blade flew through the night air in the city. She had just finished some missions for William. There were lots to do and they had added more tasks for Sorceresses this week, more complicated things, like finding lost kids, spotting graffiti taggers, catching thieves, or even surveillance. They wanted to broaden the spectrum and not simply sent the Sorceresses to find lost things. "Ahhh, fresh air," Blade breathed in deeply as a shot echoed through the air. Blade spooked turned around mid-flight. A blue energy bolt raced at her with high speed only a few meters till the impact. "Now?!"

"There you go…" Iolas put Blade down on the couch in Nerrocean's office.

"Chehehehe, you have pointy ears…" Blade giggled as she reached out to grab one.

Iolas grumbled and stopped the hand, "No touching…for crying out loud…"

Blade snorted, "Are they precious like the hair? Really why not cut the hair? How do you protect them from split ends if you don't cut it?" With her free hand, she tried to grab the hair as she continued to giggle.

'Seriously…' Iolas caught the other hand, "Stop. This isn't funny…" He sighed deeply, 'This went out of hands…great. I can't send her back to Alfea like that.'

Blade turned and twisted in his hold and nearly shoved herself off the sofa her speech slurred. "Chehehehehe, you look so much bigger from down here." A hiccup followed.

"Ahhhh," Iolas heaved her properly onto the couch again. "Hold still…" He was about to heal her with the potion set when the console blinked up.

"Team 234, leader to Headquarters we need back-up, asap. I have a gang battle in the black market, and the kids are on an active raid. We are at- Barrier of light! Shit! The one at east end, come quick! Where are the runts...? What the?! Ahhh… of course they are in the middle of it…"

"Sit still; don't move," hurriedly Iolas turned to go to the console to answer the request.

Blade smirked and chuckled as she saw the Elf walk away, "Uuuuh, shiny bottle…" Enthralled Blade grabbed the air as she tried to seize the bottle and landed face forward on the floor with a deep thud.

"No, don't, Blade! Ahhhh…" Iolas glared up from the console where he was checking which team could help out on such short notice.

"Yes?" Another Council guard resounded on the intercom.

"We need backup in the black-market east end," Iolas stated quickly. "Hey! Stop touching that!" He reached out and levitated the stuff further away and concentrated back on the discussion.

Blade's hand searched the table and finally found something to pull down from it nonetheless, "Uuuh, gooey…chehehe," she turned the thing in her hands. "How does it taste? Looks yummy…" Her stomach rumbled.

"I said -" Iolas was getting a bit annoyed and snipped and the bottle vanished from her hands.

Wide-eyed the drunk girl stared at her empty hand, "Woah… fast food, that's how it works…amazing…"

"East end? We currently have all teams out… much is going on. We had to help out in Linphea because of the Red Crystal monsters that appeared there out of nowhere," The Council guard answered slightly worried.

"Red Crystals monsters in Linphea? Right now?" Iolas was bewildered, he was so out of the loop in that regard.

"Yeah, it's been a bit crazy lately. You're in the building just grab one or two hall guards or some of your task force and go yourself. Would be faster if you ask me," The guard answered him.

"Wonderful…" Iolas hung up and quickly sent out the requests to the off-duty guards in the barracks. He looked up to Blade who had managed to open yet another bottle. "No, don't eat that!" He jumped over the desk and corked the bottle in question. "I don't have the time to heal her now…" Quickly he hit some pressure points with magic infused and Blade slumped together unconscious again. He let the potions and herbs vanish and pulled her back on the couch and threw the next best blanket over her.

His bracelet rang, "Hey, we really need that back-up, here. Get down!" The guard from before could be heard as an explosion went off in the background.

"On my way," Iolas simply rushed out of the office and locked it up, 'What a horror day… at least she can't escape that office…has to suffice, she'll just have to sleep it off.'

"And that's a royal flush, pot is mine," Eaden smirked victoriously.

"Ahh, it's so much easier at Alfea…" Faragonda sighed and threw her straight flush on the table.

"Close though…" Nerrocean chuckled as his bracelet blinked.

"Close is still a loss," Aithlin grinned. "You should learn when to give up, Faragonda."

"Our esteemed Godmother Fairy giving up? Don't see that happening any time soon," Votzaak laughed out loud.

Gadiel snorted, "You always get away with minimal losses, Aithlin…" He eyed him closely.

"Ahhh, not today…again…" Nerrocean sighed, "Got to go out for a bit. A thing came up."

"Oh?" Votzaak eyed him closely, "There are a lot of things lately."

"Yeah, yeah, not everyone can have a secretary…" Nerrocean rolled his eyes and stood up.

"I thought Iolas is your secretary," Aithlin laughed amused, "Need help?" Aithlin sobered.

The merman opened the door, "No, I'll handle it myself. I am more than enough, I assure you."

Faragonda checked the time, "So late… I am sorry gentlemen. I should leave as well. Grizzly won't be happy I am this late already." She gave a slight nod to everyone and snuck out the door Nerrocean held open for her, just to stop again as she was addressed once more.

"Ahhh, stay I'd love to lighten your wallet some more," Eaden grinned wide as he took another sip of his wineglass.

"Oh, I am sure of that. But you never poke a bear, Councillor," Faragonda chuckled and left Votzaak's office, where they had set up the game.

The door opened Nerrocean didn't even bother to switch the lights on, "Damn, more Red Crystals… should take two squads from the Hunter division." He walked to his console and made a quick call. Just as he finished and was ready to leave he heard the snoring sound. "What?" There between the couch and the table, someone was rolled up in a blanket. "Can I help you?" he growled as he let a magic ripple rush through the room to wake the person up. 'Who the heck sleeps in my office!? Iolas is already at the black market.'

"Mmmmhhh," The magic had woken Blade. She smashed her hand on the couch table and pulled herself half up the blanket still over her head, "Hello, there." She smooth-talked randomly.

The Councillor's eyebrow twitched, "You? What are you doing here, Blade? Go home." He relaxed again. "I said come any time, but this is not some hostel."

"Ohhh, your no fun," Blade rolled herself off the table and slammed on the floor which she robbed along.

"Are you drunk?" Nerrocean tilted his head.

"Tchhhh, drunk, now way," her voice peaked and her movements were obviously uncoordinated, she waved her hand dismissingly, "I'm not allowed…psshhh. School rules, psshhhhh," She giggled some more.

"Right…" Nerrocean rubbed his nose bridge as he bowed down and pulled her on her feet her robbing over the floor was just too weird to watch. He stared into her eyes sternly and tried to gain an estimate of how drunk she was, "If you break them, maybe not come here. Do you know how much trouble you can get in-"

Blade suddenly jumped his arm like a monkey, "How does one get such big arms? Is it spinach? Must be, your scales are green after all," amazed gently she stroked along his biceps.

Nerrocean growled deeply as he angered by this display activated his runes, "That's enough. I don't have time for this shit."

"Ouch!" Blade let promptly go, "So hot…hot, heh, tch, chehehehe, oooooh, you're glowing," with sparkling eyes she stared at the red glowing tattoos in the dark that just a second ago had slightly burned her.

"You can't come in here drunk and… if someone sees you, us… I'm a Councillor!" He admonished her and grabbed her by the clothing on the back of her neck like some puppy. And threw her over his shoulder like some bagpack and covered her with the blanket. "– Shit, they need me at the market… can't leave her here though. If someone comes in and finds a drunk student…"

"Hey, Councillor Votzaak," Nerrocean barged through the door again to the surprise of all, "She's from your kingdom, so, she's your mess to sort out. I have more important stuff to do right now." He dropped Blade right before his Grandmasters heightened chair and instantly left again and nearly smashed the door as he was in a real hurry now.

"Say what?" Votzaak looked irritated at the young Fairy trying to get the blanket off her head. "Do I look like a babysitter to you?! Get back here!" He complained strongly to no avail.

"Pff, noooooo, you're too small… you could be my kid sister," Blade snorted amused. Eaden nearly choked on his wine. Gadiel stared in disbelief at his business partner's niece and Aithlin was ready to shield her from Votzaak's wrath.

Votzaak's eyebrows drew together foreboding nothing good, "Come again?" He glared at her.

Blade barely stood straight and stumbled into the Councillor's heightened chair and caught herself just to lift up a strand of Votzaak's long sliver white hair inspecting it closely, "I bet pick tales would flush out your feminine side, quite well." And ignored the bared teeth of the Leprechaun completely as she somehow toppled over her own feet backwards. The world was a bit shaky and spinning. "Wow, you have a Merry-go-round in your office…" She blinked disoriented.

Votzaak held her in a tight grip at her sweater jacket so she wouldn't smack her head open to anyone else this looked like he was ready to pound her into the ground, "You got some nerve," he pulled her in.

"Now, now, Councillor," Aithlin raised his hands as he noticed him sniffing her. "What are you…?"

"Drunk," Eaden simply stated, her surface thoughts were so random and jumpy, that was the only explanation. He still tried to hide his smirk on the pick-tale comment though.

"No, I'm not," Blade swallowed up, "drunk, psshhhhh, that's against school rules…chehehehe," She giggled. Her eyes fell on the porker table, "Uhhh, card game, I know that one…Card E4 to attack mode."

Gadiel just shook his head, "She's not just drunk… She drunk herself silly…my word, if Basil gets wind of that…How did she even get into the Council building in that state?" He looked to Aithlin.

The Elf only shrugged mystified himself. "Basil? You should worry about Griselda…I call a healer," Aithlin looked to Eaden for help.

"Please, I can heal a bit of alcohol poisoning myself," Votzaak hissed a bit insulted as he let her go to jump down from his chair.

Blade shook her head, "Silly Elf, that's not a healer, that's a trap card," Blade now free, leaned on the table and tipped on the ace out in the open in the middle of the table, "It turns your attack power from eleven to one. It's Black magic... but pshhhhh, don't tell Grandcouncillor Votzaak, he doesn't like black magic he'll burn the card or imprison it forrrrr- EVER!" She elaborated in an ominous voice. "Avalon to C1. Bingo, what did he win?" Enthusiastically Blade took the jack of spades and pressed it against Votzaak's hand as he reached out to enchant her.

"That chip," Votzaak smirked as he suddenly had a better idea, "Come, have a seat." He grinned devilishly. "You can play for Master Nerrocean in his absence."

"Votzaak…" Aithlin admonished him. The old Elf couldn't believe it.

But Blade skipped happily to the free seat although she bumped into some furniture along the way. And awkwardly climbed the armed chair it was way too big for her size, "There you go." She chucked Votzaak a brown chip.

"You can't be serious…" Eaden looked at Votzaak who snatched the chip out of the air.

"Well, he said to sort it out. Not how. Nerrocean basically left a substitute behind. My King would be very displeased if that," he pointed at Blade who smirked like a little child on a sugar rush eager to play. "Would get out into the public. She says she knows the game. Who am I to stop Nerrocean's master plan. Besides he just won quite a sum...with his new special edition card…" He ground his teeth, "He won't even notice some losses and her sobering on her own is the better choice. We shouldn't overdo the magic healing after all..." Yet he didn't elaborate on it at all although he was hit by very confused glances. After all not everyone knew about the raid gone wrong. Or the extent of her injuries she had suffered physically and mentally. He swapped his approach, "Unless you, rather want an official infirmary report of her being drunk in the Council Headquarters, such things have to be reported after all. I am sure that looks great in her school records," Everyone grimaced. Indeed, Blade had enough remarks in her record as it was. Votzaak waved his hand in some magic flared up, "Yeah, not to worry. She'll sober eventually."

"Ha, ha! I win, you have no monsters on your field," Blade pulled out a random card from her belt pocket, very obviously, and smashed it on the table. "What a glorious victory!" She exclaimed and pulled in all the chips. Just to split them up equally into five pots. "There you go." She pushed one towards each of them.

Gadiel puffed so loud he couldn't stop laughing, "Thank you…" They had played her blank like twenty times already not to mention that she had bribed players to lose or win. Had made checkmate seven times already and apparently the bingo had run out of prizes so the old ones got redistributed.

"People…" Aithlin just received his portion of the hall, "We should just put her under…" As fascinating as this was the Elf urged Votzaak to finally stop enjoying Blade's own foolishness.

"And out of her misery…" Eaden rubbed his nose bridge, "Her thoughts, just…no," he breathed out slightly annoyed.

"Uh, you need some more juice your throat is dry," Blade snatched the wine bottle.

"Oh no," Votzaak snapped with his fingers and the bottle vanished.

"It vanished! Evil is afoot!" Blade looked at everyone and jumped up and bounced slightly on the cushioned armed chair. "To arm's the Black mage of Alfea struck again!"

Votzaak laughed, "Got to love her. Black mage of Alfea…" He chuckled, while Gadiel reached out with his techno-gauntlet to keep her safe on top of the chair with his psi.

"Yes, it took us a week, but now we know who it is. He enchanted even Faragonda and Griffin AND Salad. Truly powerful. Even Iolas is powerless against him," Blade whispered.

"Oh, and who is that?" Eaden raised his eyebrow. 'Does she ever stop talking? And I don't just mean her thoughts…' He asked everyone in their psi-link.

Blade waved them in close, "It's Pallagis."

"Pallagis?" Gadiel shook his head, 'Doesn't she mean Palladium? You sure she is alright? She should at least get the name right.'

"Yes, Pallagis," Blade revealed her grand finding, "Pallakar cloned himself and used a Black magic ageing spell to make Pallagis young to send him to work in his stead in Alfea after he noticed he was needed somewhere else. After all he is the general of the evil one's army and there are lots of babies to kill. We summoned the great protector, but he got eaten. Next time we won't fail. And we WILL get Palladium back!"

"Black magic ageing-spell?" Votzaak tilted his head. He knew she was out of it, still even from a drunk he would take such things at least into consideration. The centuries had taught him that much.

"How in Magix do you know Palladium's brothers' names?" Aithlin was befuddled.

Edean nearly choked on his wine again, 'Wait, they are real?'

Iolas opened the door to Nerrocean's office, 'Ahh, what a mess, how in Magix did those Red Crystal birds get into the black market of all things? We put up such a tight net to protect Magix from that hassle...' He stepped towards the couch, "Well, better get her healed and…where the heck did she go!?"

"Pallakar IS DAKAR! IT'S IN THE NAME!" Blade scattered her cards into the air and turned to Votzaak, "We got to stop him now! Quick, Alfea is in danger!" She was ready to go.

'Make her stop already…just heal her…' Councillor Eaden had such a headache. Her mind was racing and open like a garage sale and so were the quality and sense of her thoughts. And even his spell, which he had used at one point, didn't help since her thoughts were like a flashboard.

"Blade, you're missing a D in Pallakar he can't be Darkar," Gadiel simply joked to calm the girl down.

'That's never going to-'Aithlin stared at Blade who suddenly was a void of enthusiasm.

Saddened she sat down, "…and I thought we finally had it figured out…oh man, what is it with those teacher transformations…not fair," She slumped her head on the table and played with some poker chips dissatisfied.

"Guys, how can you not notice a drunk girl running around in the Council Headquarters?" Iolas checked in with the main security centre.

The other Eques crossed his arms, "How did you manage to lose her?"

"I locked her safely into my, I mean, Councillor's Nerrocean's office. You did hear about the Red Crystals in east end, did you not?"

The elf rolled his eyes, "Of course we did. Not to mention Linphea."

"Unless she somehow managed to become so smart that she can destroy Council runes without you noticing she should have been there," Iolas rubbed his forehead, 'That girl I swear…'

"Check the feed, I think Nerrocean stopped by? Maybe ask him?" The Eques nodded to a free console.

Blade snored slightly the empty wine bottle from Edean enwrapped in her arms like a plush. She finally had calmed down after that Dakar damper.

A knock at the door.

"Yes?" Votzaak answered leisurely, he already could sense who it was through his magic.

Iolas sighed relieved as he entered, "My apologies…" He spotted Blade instantly. "Master Nerrocean dropped something I am here to retrieve."

"Something, ey?" Gadiel shook his head. "How in Magix did she end up like that? She's underaged…"

"That's need to know, I'm afraid," Iolas simply stated and earned a scorning gaze from his Order Master.

"Do I need to check up on that little task force of yours?" Aithlin stood up to face his Eques as much fun it had been to listen to Blade, he still was concerned about the Fairy's wellbeing. "So, far I have been very generous. But that's," he pointed at Blade behind him, "Yet another etiquette blunder of grand scale. Eques…"

'No, that's actually a successful mission…' Iolas thought to himself trying to figure out how to circumvent Nerrocean's order he had given him for the retrieval. 'Why did he bring her here…ahhhh…'

"Successful?" Edean squinted his eyes. Even if Iolas was trained to resist PSI or hide thoughts generally. This was Eaden, no one could beat Eaden.

'I'm so doomed…' Iolas cleared his throat as he uttered the words, "Please, Councillors you will be informed when it is the right time. I assure you she was safe and well-guarded. Now unless you want some rumours to spread, that you had an underaged kid drunk and gambling at your little get-together…" Iolas very slowly pushed past and around his Order Master to reach Blade, 'I'll kill Nerrocean one of these days. Why didn't he go and get her?! Argh, never again I make such a deal with him! Stupid orders of his,' He already treated the consequences but Nerrocean had ordered him to say that since he had dared to scold his esteemed Master for dropping her off at a poker night without warning and he was watching this from somewhere, somehow, Iolas was certain of that.

Suddenly Votzaak was floating eye to eye with the Council Guard, "Are you THREATENING -MY- reputation?" The Leprechaun cracked his neck. 'Gutsy to follow that order…' He knew the games of his Order Master all too well.

"Of course, not…that was just the message I was supposed to deliver," Iolas gulped, he knew that grin of the gremlin. "Please, I just came here in Nerrocean's stead, he had something better to do, he said..."

"Oh, well, did he now? So. Did. I. Yet he graciously dumped her on me," Votzaak brushed over Iolas's shoulder plates as if he was dusting something off.

"I-"

Blade rubbed her eyes as she woke she felt her magic was gone, "Shit!" She flung herself up her feet ready to fight for her life. She was in an anti-magic cell but not alone. "You...?" She wasn't quite sure which Elf sat on the floor with his back to her and no magic, 'They truly look alike.'

"Good morning, Blade," Iolas answered somewhat relieved. "Feel better? Does anything still hurt?"

"No…wait, wasn't I shot out of the sky? Wait, why are you in here? Did it work? What happened?" Blade tried to remember but couldn't all was a blank.

"Officer Russell as anticipated had made his move, we got him, all your lone flights paid off," Iolas stated firmly. 'That's the only good thing about this…'

"Wait, he shot me out of the sky? But what then?" Blade had a hard time piecing anything together.

Iolas sighed, "He chucked a whole bottle of magically induced alcohol down your throat and sent you on your way. The personal bodyguard we set up for you, brought you in. Nothing else happened, seems like this was his version of a scare tactic. You know a, we can get to you anywhere thing. IF we had been unprepared it would have been hard to trace or prove. They are crafty," he sighed deeply, but Blade seemed back to her old self. "You nearly blew it when you turned around so fast, you know, you easily could have blocked that." He debriefed her shortly.

Blade grimaced, "I know… but I know how to restrain myself. Did I do anything… well…"

Kai moaned, "Please keep it down…" He barely could hold his head up he was so tired yet he had to write the report of their last Specialist mission.

Breeze growled, "Well then, why don't you find those stupid recipes."

"Hey, I am working as fast as I can…" Alyssa skipped through the book with utter haste. They weren't even nearly done with their homework.

"Stop bickering that won't make anyone faster…" Snow sighed as she kept staring at the rune script. "I don't get it…"

Amber ruffled through her red hair, "How am I supposed to write ten stupid poems about trees for our whole class? What is that crap… I swear Dufour is going nuts."

"At least you can pick the best one for yourself, sis," Kai chuckled. "I'll be glad even to get this done. I, we, what the heck did we do? I slept on that supply round… wait… report zero zero four one… dang I am writing the wrong one all this time!" Kai exclaimed and directly got a wave of hushes from everywhere in the big library. "Sorry…" he whispered.

The girls shook their heads and stared equally enthusiastically at their homework. "Urgh, we already are splitting it up…and still we are too slow…" Snow bang her head on the book. "I don't get this at all…want to swap, Amber?"

"No way, I was half asleep in that lesson," Amber declined promptly.

"That's wrong," Haldir spooked the group, they had not paid attention whatsoever to their surroundings. He tipped on the rune three lines up Snow had already translated.

"Ehhhhh," Snow squeaked muffled as Haldir pressed his hand on her mouth so she wouldn't scream out loud. "Shhhhhh…" he singed her to be silent. "I see, why you are late to our mission…"

"Late but we? Oh, crap…" Alyssa checked her bracelet she hadn't even noticed the missed messages.

"Well then let's get this done, so we can get a move on," Haldir picked up the exercise book from Snow.

"Hold it right there, street control," The Officer addressed three hooded gangsters and mumbled barely hearable, "Do you have it? The special stuff as well?"

"Of course, we do," The guy in his mid-thirties answered a bit on edge.

The scruffy one next to him growled, "You better got the money. All of it."

"HEY, STOP RIGHT THERE!" Keith hollered and sprinted after Misery, who raced around the corner.

"Ahaha sucks to be you," She grinned super amused as she bypassed the four guys very closely to get a good look at the goods in the briefcase. As she chucked Keith's pike into the air to draw their eyes away from her to the weapon, just to catch it again.

"THEIF!" Keith gave it his all to race after her. Yet to his surprise, the Officer in question didn't even react. "Stop her! Oh, come on!" Keith annoyed had stopped for a second next to the Officer and gangsters just to get some scorning stares.

"Do we look like snobby Specialists to you, piss off," one of the Gangsters yelled at him aggressively and promptly the boy in blue and white rushed on to get his weapon back.

The task squad reconvened a few blocks away, "That Officer didn't even flinch to help. I thought he was on the list of…"

"He had better stuff to do, that was some deal, I bet drugs," Misery sighed. "And it was such a good set-up."

Nebula frowned, "Drugs?"

"What kind of drugs?" Sienna asked.

Alex sighed, "It was a fly-by you don't really expect her to…"

"Well, drugs to get highly aroused and I'd say some muscle enhancers," Misery listed her findings.

"Oh?" Keryth crossed his arms, "And how do you know those so well?" He eyed her closely, 'She isn't wrong there…' He had used his magic to enhance his sight and had checked them out as well.

"I'm a Sorceress, we do see stuff on regular bases, glow worms like you wouldn't even consider to exist," she stared at the Fairies. "But Crimson Nettle is a rare find…" She rubbed her chin.

Keryth tilted his head, "You shouldn't touch that stuff…at all." He sounded a bit scolding.

"Of course not, I'm not stupid," Misery gave him a look.

"Why what does it do?" Alex asked a bit weirded out.

Keryth took the word to explain, "It's a very strong aphrodisiac. It has magical properties so you don't get addicted, but, well, how to put this… In the old wars it was used to extract information from spies or prisoners, why scare when you can make them very talkative and without a care in the world? Today it's processed differently. Take it, and you loosen up and well, spent the night with some extra excitement. But quite frankly if you ask me, if you need that to have a good night with your partner you have bigger problems. Some realms have it banned like Magix, while others allow it. So good news, we nailed that guy nonetheless. We'll get a Guard team to swipe some evidence from him at home."

"Yeah, but by the colour of those pills and the sheer size, one is worth a whole bottle you may get officially on another planet," Misery shook her head, "Who in their right mind would want to take that? Hmm, maybe they brake it down or powder it…"

"And that is the habitat of the Cardinal Shrimp. Yet it is an invasive species that often spreads through tourism. Yet once on a different planet without their natural enemies, they grow exponentially in their numbers. Yet it's not inherently a bad thing, some food shortages were solved by-" Zyron stopped as a loud thud echoed through the class.

"Ouch…" Rise rubbed her forehead. Her head had hit the table hard luckily, she had hit the softer book.

"Am I boring you?" Professor Zyron stepped towards her and crossed his arms dissatisfied.

Rise looked up, she was so tired, "No, no, cocktails are fine. I mean fish, eh, shrimps." She had tried to understand the charade games everyone behind the Professor was making to help her out.

"Cocktails, ey?" Zyron shook his head, 'That conference was so needed.' He cleared his throat. "Well since you seem so interested in partying, how about you all write an essay till next class about this topic. All factors, climate, region, natural enemies, nutrition…history. Make it two thousand words."

"Awwww," Everyone complained. The teachers were really at it with that extra-long homework. No one of the students was angry with Rise they all were dosing off here and there. But in general, their homework had gotten more or longer, a countermeasure from their Professors as they suspected they went partying after their study group in Magix City or in their home planets since they didn't come back to the school in time for the dome after all and Griffin had not seen them in the Tower either.