'What are they talking about? Az, are you hiding something from us?' Chloey thought to herself.
"No. Yukimaru you wouldn't. Challe told us what would happen if he changes too soon." Kazuki spoke to himself. He looks over at Chloey as she stares at Azure in worry. 'The only ones that know about Azure's hidden power are the royal family, the two of us, and Challe. What's more, from what he told us, Azure and Rubina are similar to Challe and Yukimaru, but with him still being young he can't control this power he carries. Only Challe and Yukimaru can help him with it.' He thought.
"Show me what you've got, kid." Yukimaru said as he took off his hat, his hair and wing changing into a glowing rainbow hue. His sword became a white light, appearing as claws on his fingers.
"WHAT'S THIS FOLKS! IT LOOKS LIKE THIS SAMURAI HAS BEEN HIDING SOMETHING POWERFUL UNTIL NOW! WILL THE PRINCELY REIN BE ABLE TO WITHSTAND THIS NEW POWERFUL FORM OF YUKIMARU!" The announcer said in surprisement.
Azure closed his eyes and took a deep breath. 'Remember what Master Challe said, Azure. Stay calm and concentrate. Think about the people I want to protect most. I can't lose control again. I won't allow my family to get hurt by me again. Never again.' He thought. He opened his now, glowing blue eyes as his snow white hair and both of his now visible wings started to glow a royal blue hue. His sword starts to glow the same blue hue before splitting into two. He grabs a sword in each hand but the left one changes into a shield of pure blue light. 'I've only got about five minutes before I lose control of this form. I'll have to win this quickly. I'm sorry you have to find out this way, Milady.'
Chloey's eyes widened. 'Since when has he been able to change form like this?!' She thought.
'I hope you know what you're doing, Yukimaru. For all of our sake.' Kazuki thought.
"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! IT SEEMS OUR PRINCELY REIN HAS BEEN KEEPING SECRETS FROM US AS WELL! NOT ONLY CAN HE CHANGE FORM BUT HE'S A FREE FAIRY AS WELL! IF THIS WAS AN OFFICIAL TOURNAMENT THEY BOTH WOULD BE DISQUALIFIED! BUT THIS IS A FREE FOR ALL SO LET'S SEE WHAT THEY CAN DO!" The announcer explained.
The match continued as they both attacked each other. This time, instead of blocking every attack, some attacks hit dead on with Azure, being the stronger fairy. 'I can't let this power control me. I have to stop the glow in my eyes before time runs out.' He thought to himself in a worried tone.
"You are much stronger in this form as expected, Rein. but this power of yours is still unstable. You must calm yourself." Yukimaru explained as he just barely dodged an attack.
It took a little while before Azure finally calmed down enough for the glow in his eyes to disappear. He opens his eyes and blocks an attack. "I don't want to hurt you anymore, Yukimaru. Please, let me loose." He said quietly.
"I can't do that, kid. You are the only one that can complete this mission. And fight the fairy who started all this." He replied quietly. He smiled before he let Azure attack him once more, knocking him out.
"MATCH OVER. VICTORY GOES TO REIN! HE WILL BE MOVING ON TO THE FINAL ROUND, FOLKS. BUT WITH HIS NEW FORM, WILL HE BE ABLE TO DEFEAT OUR UNDEFEATED CHAMPION FOUR YEARS IN A ROW, PETITE NOIR?!" The announcer said.
Azure closed his eyes and took a deep breath to try and calm down and change back to normal. When he opened his eyes again, he was now calm and he was back to normal. He sighed in relief. He picked up Yukimaru and helped him out of the ring. 'Petite Noir, huh. I wonder if his master is the one behind this whole fighting operation. Question is, who is his master?' He thought to himself. When he helped Yukimaru into a bed in the infirmary, he noticed that Gregory and Chloey were looking at him with surprise in their eyes. Chloey walked over to him. 'Damn. I'm in trouble, aren't I'
"What was that just now, Az? Why didn't you tell any of us that you were able to change forms like Gruncle Lafalle did? How long have you been able to change forms? Why didn't you tell ME about this, Azure?" She asked as she examined his wounds.
'Yup! I'm definitely in trouble.' He thought. "M-milady, please calm down, one question at a time, please. I didn't tell anyone because I didn't want any of you to worry. Once I change into that form, I can't control it for long. I didn't want the two of you to find out about it this way. I promised Master Challe that I wouldn't let anyone else know until I'm able to fully control this form. As far as I know, the only ones that know about this are Master Challe and his majesty." He explained.
"The Lieutenant and I knew about it as well." Said the Captain.
"It was necessary for this mission and it was a part of Yukimaru's job to make you fight with your full strength should you have had to fight him. That's why Yukimaru changed as well." The Lieutenant said.
"I think he's always known about this form of yours. He is Challe's younger brother after all." The Captain said.
"The sword and shield came from a far away land, correct? Do you know if the obsidians were already on them when they came to this country?" Azure asked.
"Don't change the subject, Azure Sid Ian. Why didn't you tell papa and I about this?" She asked.
"I promised Master I wouldn't tell anyone and I didn't want to worry you." He said as he looked at her. When he looked at her, he noticed that her eyes were tearing up. 'Oh no. I upset her again.' He thought as he looked away in sadness. "I'm sorry, milady. We both thought it was for the best, considering what happened that day." He explained with a sad tone in his voice.
"What are you talking about, Azure? What is it that you aren't telling us?" Gregory asked.
"A few months after Rubina and I were welcomed into your home, she and I were training with Master Challe…That was the first time I changed into that form…and the first time I had ever hurt anyone. If it weren't for Master stopping me, I…I would have killed Lady Chloey and Allen and not even know it." He began sadly. He turns towards Chloey. "Those scars that the two of you have on your left side and his right side of your necks…are because of me from back then. Ever since, Master has been helping me train to control this new form with his own. But even now, fifteen years later, I can only control this new form for only five minutes max. That's why I didn't want to use it against Yukimaru in the match." He concluded.
"And Dad never told me about any of this! Does Mom know?" Gregory asked. Azure nodded his head yes.
"She and Rubina were the ones that helped Allen and Lady Chloey with their wounds. Once I had changed back, I was asleep for two weeks, so I was told." He said sadly.
"I remember Grandpa being in a really bad mood the day he told me that you were going away for a while. Where did you go?" Chloey asked.
"I remember waking up in the palace dungeons. The guard that was down there told me that I had been asleep for two weeks. He had orders to notify the king of my awakening so that he would notify Master Challe." He said.
"So, all this time, it was you who hurt the twins?!" Gregory said as he looked at him in anger. "You were the one that hurt my children! I knew you were strong, but I didn't think you would-."
"That's enough, father!" Chloey said as she stood in front of Azure. "I forbid you to speak so cruelly to him. I'm sure that grandpa Challe knew it was an accident and I'm sure he was punished accordingly for it. Not only that but I can tell that he regrets what he did, even now. I told grandpa long ago that I forgave the one responsible for hurting us and so did Allen."
There was an awkward silence between them before a referee came into the infirmary. "The final match will be starting in five minutes, Rein. I hope you're ready for it." He said.
"Yeah. Thanks. I'll be out in a second." He said as he looked at the ref.
"We'll continue this conversation at home. Right now all you need to do is win this match and let the captain and I handle your opponents master. Alright?" She said as she looked at him and smiled.
He smiled sadly. "Of course, milady." He said.
As Chloey, the captain, and the lieutenant were sitting in their seats to watch the final match, she saw one of the bandits that attacked them at the fort shelter. He sat down across from them. Her eyes widen as she hides behind the captain. "Is something wrong, Miss Chloey?" The lieutenant asked.
She started to shake in fear as she pointed to him. Rosette followed her gaze and her face went pale. "M-My master is here.H-How is that possible?" She said with fear in her voice.
"I've seen him before. He was once a skilled fairy hunter about twenty years ago. I heard he had entered the competition, but I didn't think his fairy would be Azure's opponent." The captain said.
They see him whispering something to the bartender fairy's master. "I'll bet he's the one behind all this." Said the lieutenant.
Chloey looked down at Azure as he looked up at her with a worried expression on his face. 'He senses that I'm afraid. He's always protected me ever since I was a child. Even from himself.' She takes a deep breath and smiles at him reassuringly. She lips, "I'm alright. I'll tell you later." to him.
He nods his head then looks towards the fairy that starts to enter the ring. A girl, about the age of thirteen, with skin so pale, long black hair, braided into a long ponytail. Her left eye is a purple black and the right a deep gray with a scar over it. She wore a long, black dress, where the sleeves went down to her elbows. She wore black pants under her dress that went down to her knees. She wore an ear bud in her left ear, which was half cut off from the tip down. Lastly, she wore a long black trench coat that went down to her ankles. "I am thankful that you have made it this far…Azure Sid Ian. It will be an honor to fight you. Sadly though, I wished we had met under better circumstances." She said quietly with a sad tone in her voice. His eyes widened.
'How does she know my true name? No one here but my group should know my true name!' He asked himself. "What do you mean?" He asked.
"If my master will allow it, after the match. I will explain everything. All I can tell you now is that you and I were born from the same sword, though from different countries." She said.
'The same sword?! But how?!' He thought.
'From the same sword? If that's true then that must mean that this fairy and Az are siblings.' Chloey thought.
Once the announcer had called to begin the match, the lieutenant and a now healed up Yukimaru had snuck away to begin their ambush on the ex-fairy hunter. They had all the proof in place, including Rosette. Now all they had to do was arrest the man and take him back to Lewiston. Everything was going all according to the captain's plan. The plan was to ambush the ex-fairy hunter during the match while everyone was preoccupied, so as not to cause a scene. The best time was when the announcer would call out who had knocked down who. "AND SHE'S DOWN FOLKS! WILL SHE GET BACK UP AGAIN OR IS SHE DOWN FOR THE COUNT?!" The announcer called out.
As the announcer spoke, Yukimaru and the lieutenant had successfully ambushed and arrested the ex-fairy hunter. Azure had won the match without the need to change form. "You fought well, kid. But you still need more training to control your other form. I take it that despite learning to control it, your eyes still glow when you are feeling a strong emotion. Am I wrong?" She explained.
"H-How'd you know?" He asked as he helped her up.
"Sorry I can't answer that unless my master says it's okay." She said sadly.
He helped her out of the ring. On his way to taking her to the infirmary, they saw Shiza and Yukimaru walking past them with the ex fairy hunter tied up. Her eyes widened with fear and tried to hide behind Azure before he noticed her. Unfortunately, he did. "Well, if it isn't Noir. I see you have failed to become the new King. What happened? Were you finally bested by someone more powerful than you?" He laughs.
"Get a move on, Hunter." Shiza said as he pushed him.
"I take it everything is settled?" Azure asked.
"Almost, Miss. Chloey and the Captain are talking to the Bar owner and his master now. We're going to meet them back at the inn. We'll be leaving for Lewiston tomorrow." He said.
"What's going to happen to Noir and the other fairies that he commands?" He asked.
"We're taking them to Lewiston with us." The lieutenant said.
"And what of our wings?" Noir asked.
"We will give them back to you. Don't worry." He said as he smiled.
"NOIR!" They heard Rosette's voice from behind them. Azure turns around to see her jump onto Noir's shoulder, hugging her neck as she cries. "You're okay I was so worried about you"
"R-Rosette, What are you doing here? I thought you disappeared during the attack on the travelers at the last fort shelter." She asked.
"I've been with those travelers since then. I told them everything about Master Hunter. It turns out that they had a mission to arrest him because he's the one behind the whole tournament, his true goal was to make you the new Fairy King. The fairy that owns the bar above nor his master knew anything about the whole Fairy King goal. We're free from him now." She explained.
"We also know about the horrible things he's done to you and Rosette. It was his Idea to attack us and forced you two to go along with it. Your other fairy friend is safe and sound as well." Azure said as he smiled. He set her down on a bed as the ninja fairy, from the first round of the prelims, walked over to them with a couple of sugar confections.
"Miss. Chloey made these for the two of you. Mr. Gregory told me to tell you to get your strength up. And that they don't blame us for attacking them." He said.
"I've felt bad about the attack ever since. We scared the poor girl really badly. I'd like to apologize to her. But I don't think she'll forgive us." She said.
The ninja fairy looked away with sadness in his eyes. "Knowing milady, I'm sure she's already forgiven the two of you, afterall the three of you were forced to do it." Azure said.
"I overheard that you once attacked Miss. Chloey when she was really little, when you changed form for the first time." Rosette said.
"Your powers awakened that early?! That's impossible! It shouldn't have awakened until you were at LEAST ten human years old!" Noir said surprisingly.
"I want to be able to fully control my power within three years, but in order to do that, I'll have to leave Lady Chloey for a while. I don't want to leave her side, but I also don't want her to get hurt by this power again." He said as he looked at the three fairies then looked down in sadness. "Never again." He said quietly, almost a whisper.
"She and Allen will be eighteen here in a few days, Azure. While you're gone I'm sure that Rubi can watch over her in your place." Gregory said as he walked into the door. He looked at Azure with a serious look on his face "Change of plans, Az. Once our new fairy friends have healed up enough, we're heading to Lewiston as soon as possible. I just got a letter from Allen." He hands him a letter. "A lot of humans aren't happy that Rubina is taking part in the exhibition this year. So we have to go defend her."
Azure sighs. "Solve one problem and another one shows up." He said.
"I know, right? But it can't be helped." He said.
"Let's get her healed up so that we can hurry to Lewiston. Your cousin is waiting for us. Right, Azure Sid Ian?" Rosette asked. Azure nodded his head.
'Azure Sid Ian, the fairy prince born from the blue obsidian on the sword that once belonged to our kingdom's majesty, Queen Diancia Silv Diamarie' Noir thought to herself. Once she was completely healed, they gathered their things, loaded up the wagons and headed towards Lewiston.