Chapter 100: Stars Of The Festival

Disclaimer:

Hi guys! We have finally reached the promised land - Chapter 100, wow! Thank you all for reading this fic, reviewing it, sending me messages about it, sharing it, pretty much everything! It was so fun writing this, and it still is! I have plenty more ideas to write, go through, and develop. Hopefully it all goes well!

Talking about writing and ideas, I thought it would be a good idea to list all the different plot points/story lines I have going on, right here in Chapter 100 so that it can just be a reminder of what's happened/will happen etc.

[Lucas] - Hybrid past/Angels Devils/Love Interest/Dream Sequences/Abuse/Family/Amnesia Before 8-Years-Old/Shadow/Mystery Girl

[Daisy] - Family/Abuse/Father/Fenrir/Depression/Impostor Syndrome/Cyrus/Love Interest Who's Gone

[Mimosa] - Ultimate Goal/Strength/Support/Love

[Cyrus] - Abuse/Family/Aqua Deer/Daisy/Alchemy

[Melody] - Personality Shift/AttackSupport/Octavia(?)/Twin/Hamon

[Hamon] - David/Eleanor/Goal/Melody/Love

[Shiren] - Rose/Goal/Friendship

[Richard] - Family/Abuse/Rachel/Disown/Mystery Group

[Rachel] - Family/Abuse/Richard/Squad

[Draien] - Max/Abuse/Past/Interest In Lucas

[Overarching plot/story lines] - Elves/EOTMS/Vampires/Angels/Devils/Druids/Souls/Personalities/Love Interests/Clover Kingdom/Diamond Kingdom

I believe that's all or most of the important things I have set up so far. Of course, there will be more added/developed as the chapters go on, so stay tuned!

There are references to events in past chapters to help with foreshadowing and whatnot. Here they are:

Chapter 6, 91-99.

With that said, I hope you enjoy this insanely long chapter! (Take breaks so it doesn't overwhelm you too much, sorry!)

There were plenty of people rushing ahead, brushing through the very few walkers, hoping to reach the exact same place.

The trio of Lucas, Asta, and Daisy were straggling behind as the crowd were pushing up close to them. The Black Bull eventually got separated from the other two but they could hear his shouts from a distance.

"G-Guys, I think I'll find my own way to the Award Ceremony!" He waved, his arm barely reaching above the crowd.

"What?" Lucas tried to shout but the voice of everyone around him drowned him out. "What did you say?"

There was no response and the crowd started to separate him from Daisy. Lucas looked at the Ice mage who was getting further away but before there were too many people in between them, she reached out and grabbed his hand.

"Do I have to do everything for you?" She rolled her eyes into a sly wink. "Asta will find us, let's make our own way ahead!" She pushed on ahead, Lucas in tow as her hand firmly grasped his.

"There she goes again, always acting on impulse. I can't say that it's not useful since that thinking has helped me in a lot of my missions", he smiled as he followed his friend. He looked at the back of her bouncing, orange hair with her black ribbon waving as she weaved between the spaces in the crowd. "Sometimes, it's like I can't even keep up with her!"

The duo only had to move forward for a few minutes before the rest of the crowd started to thin out. Lucas and Daisy reached a relatively open space, still with plenty of people but not nearly as suffocating.

"We can take our time now", she put her hand to her forehead and swiped some sweat away. Daisy then put her hand on her hips as she looked in the direction of the Royal Castle. "A crowd like that - they must be really excited for the end of the festival!"

Hearing no response from the one she dragged with her, Daisy turned around to face him. "You're awfully quiet, Lucas, what's going on?" She asked, walking up close until their faces were mere inches apart.

Lucas's eyes widened as she came into full view. He took a step back as he was startled but he quickly composed himself again. "Ah, it's nothing, I was just wondering how you were after, you know… what happened earlier", he replied back, scratching the back of his head.

"Oh, right", she sighed. "I think I'll be fine, Lucas, really. I have a habit of letting things build up inside and not let them out until, well, it's too late, haha. Becks was quite the hero, she has her own siblings to take care of and she still helped me out with mine", she smiled half-heartedly.

Lucas looked at her blue and violet eyes and had to decide how he'd respond. He could either carry on the conversation and ask more about it, or he could just do what he knew Daisy would prefer him to do. Judging by her tired look and the fact that she couldn't keep eye contact since he asked the question, he knew what to do.

"That's good. I wouldn't want to see you crying again, I mean, I'm pretty sure your bucket load of tears stained my clothes right here…", he pointed at the middle of his shirt, eyeing Daisy every second or two to see if she'd react.

And react she did as she started pouting. "Oh, you!" She raised her fists and repeatedly hit him on his chest. "I can't wait until the day you cry in front of me, believe me, I will never let you live it down!"

"That cheered her up. She looks… brighter, all of a sudden". Lucas smiled. "I'll make sure I remember that".

Without notice, Daisy abruptly put her hand on Lucas's shoulder. At first, her face was looking towards the floor but she slowly lifted it up and the Dual mage saw that it was rather close to a taunting smile.

"If you want to tease me, the master of said teases, then I'll get you right back!" Daisy lightly coughed with her fist covering her mouth before posing a question to her friend. "Soooo, how did your date with Mimosa end up? Was there… a confession of looooove?" The Ice mage put her hands together and formed the shape of a heart with her fingers. She focused in on Lucas's blue eyes and she saw what she expected to see - a blush of nervousness emanating from his red cheeks.

Lucas darted his eyes all around the area but all he could focus on was Daisy as she moved into view every time he looked away. He eventually sighed and shook his head. "There was nothing like a confession. I'm not sure, but…", he gulped before continuing. "I think I'm starting t-to like her… i-i-in a different w-way".

Daisy blinked a few seconds after Lucas replied and she slowly broke the heart shape she was making. Her mouth started to open wide and then a huge gasp came out right before she grabbed the side of his shoulders.

"WHAT?! WAIT, IT ACTUALLY HAPPENED?!"

"Wh-Wh-What?"

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT?! YOU FOUND OUT YOU LIKE MIMOS-!"

Lucas, without even thinking for a second, put his hand over Daisy's mouth, stopping her from letting everyone in the Royal Capital hear about Mimosa and himself. He already saw some faces turn to the two with the commotion the Blue Rose Knight was making and realised he made the right decision.

He looked at her still-wide eyes and used his other hand and put a finger to his lips, urging her to lower the volume, hoping that it'd calm her actions as well. Slowly, lifting his hand from her mouth, he sighed as he realised she had quietened down.

"SORR-", she coughed before readjusting her volume. "S-Sorry, it's just that… I'm shocked, yet happy for you!"

"Y-You are?"

"Um, duh?" Daisy put on a confused expression, furrowing her brow and pouting. "Of course, I am! Who wouldn't want to be in looooove?" She giggled, playfully punching him in the arm. "Looks like the plan Kahono, Kiato, and I was a success, hehe".

"You make it sound so simple…", Lucas murmured. "I have to ask, though, since you seem to understand all of this way more than me. In your opinion, how do you know if what you're feeling is love?"

Daisy looked at Lucas and then into the air. "You can't just describe love. It's like… you'll definitely know if you feel it. Although, if I had to at least try to explain it from my point of view, I'd say that it's not a simple feeling of just getting butterflies in your stomach or getting nervous around them that determines it, but more like… you want to spend time with them, want to know about them, want to help them, want them to be happy, want them to… only look at you, only think about you, only be with you".

Lucas was taken aback slightly with how in depth she went into her description. "Wow, that… actually helps quite a bit. Despite you saying you can't just describe it, you… well, you described it well!"

She turned around and looked in the direction of the Award Ceremony, raising her arms up high to stretch. "What can I say? I have to do my best to help your relationship with Mimosa". She giggled. "We should probably move on, though, the crowd starts to get rowdy around this time!"

The two started moving towards the centre once again. Daisy was in front whilst Lucas was following closely. The only thing that was on the Dual mage's mind was the description he just got about love, but then there was another. A single question popped into his mind.

Lucas had never thought about it before until now. Despite knowing Daisy and spending quite a lot of time with her, nothing she did ever made him think about it.

"She does seem to know a lot about this stuff. I never thought about it before, but when she gets all cheeky and teases me, the way she's so confident when it comes to relationships and everything like that makes me wonder… hm, I guess I could ask".

Lucas reached out but just missed her hand. Instead, he spoke up and his sudden voice made her turn around to face him. "Just now, I was thinking, and I never really thought to ask before, but… do you have anyone like that - someone you like, or even love?"

The Ice mage just smiled. "Hm, wouldn't you like to know…", she said softly before turning around once again to walk in the same direction as before. She took a deep breath, her shoulders rising closer to her ears, and then exhaled, relaxing her body.

"Maybe I did once, but that person… is gone".

Quickly, giving Lucas no time to understand what she said, started running off ahead without him as if she was a storm. She looked back and waved at the mage with her hand, inciting him to follow.

"If we don't make it in time, we'll be all the way at the back. Hurry up!"

"Where is everyone?"

Yuno stood in a dark hallway, just behind the summit of the castle where the Award Ceremony would start momentarily. Bell was with him, sitting on his shoulder, kicking her feet up and down.

"They'll be here, I think", Bell replied, not looking too confident in what she said.

"Captain Vangeance told us to be here 20 minutes before the ceremony starts, yet I don't see Lucas, Mimosa, or even Klaus", he shook his head. "I know he only asked for a few of us to be standing here, but to think that I'd be the only one…".

As if someone was listening to every word he said, the footsteps belonging to another squad mate of Yuno's started tapping on the floor as they got closer to the Wind mage. He remained in the dark but he turned to face him.

"You were waiting for the others but you seem to have forgotten about me", the familiar voice said in a snarky tone.

Yuno didn't even need to turn to see who it was, he recognised the snarky tone of voice and knew who was speaking to him. Still, because of who he was, he faced the brown-haired Magic Knight.

"Vice-Captain, Langris", Yuno nodded.

"That's all you have to say, hm? Did you enjoy your first Star Festival, Yuno? Peasants from the Forsaken Realm don't have knowledge about things like this, do they?" Langris presented Yuno with a set of questions, all said in the same exact way - with malice.

The Wind mage just closed his eyes and turned around, opting to face the summit where the captains will stand soon. "It was a great festival, thanks. You're right, we didn't know about something like this, but maybe in the future a lot more people who are like me will be able to enjoy it as well".

Bell looked smug after hearing what her host said. Through her link, she spoke to him; "Good job, Yuno, you didn't react angrily or anything. If I were you, I'd have probably slapped him real good!"

"Yeah, something tells me slapping the Vice-Captain wouldn't do me any good. It's best to just ignore him and prove that his disdain towards peasants is wrong", Yuno responded.

Langris shrugged, leaning against the opposite wall to where Yuno was. "Since you're aiming to be the Wizard King, I'll let you in on a little secret", he leaned his face forwards, still with his back on the wall. "This ceremony is to celebrate the achievements of Magic Knights. Watch and see who you'll have to surpass", he smirked.

Then, only adding to the displeasure Yuno felt around Langris, was another nobleman who managed to appear right behind him.

"You know, it's not nice to ignore a noble like Vice-Captain Langris. I guess the people who raised you didn't do so properly".

That comment is what set Yuno off. His gold eyes flared up right before he turned around, only to look calm again once he met the eyes of the one who insulted his family.

"Alecdora, I haven't seen you in a while. I hope you've been good", he said with no hint of annoyance to his voice despite him definitely feeling some. Yuno was able to suppress his emotions quite well as he needed to when dealing with people like him.

"Oh, I've been fine, thanks. Have you still been doing your little training exercises every day?" The Sand mage pointed, almost close to laughing for some reason.

Yuno didn't even need to reply as the Wind Spirit was quicker than him. She flew all the way towards the noble and folded her arms.

"He and I have been doing our best, levelling up and learning new things. There are a few techniques that we'd love to show someone of a high level like you. Maybe we can fight one day?" She asked, raising an eyebrow and smiling.

"No matter the amount of training, you'll never surpass me. A peasant can't simply hope to level with a noble, but I'll entertain you whenever that day arrives", Alecdora rolled his eyes.

"Great, now you've essentially booked a training session with him, Bell", Yuno moaned through his link.

"I don't know why you're complaining, you can sit this bastard on his ass in front of everyone!" Bell put her thumbs up in response.

"I'd love to put them in their place, that's true", he admitted before looking around the nearby area once again. "Leaving all that business behind, I think I see someone walking towards us".

From where Langris and Alecdora appeared, so did Mimosa and Klaus who were side-by-side. The two looked happy and were in smiles before they spotted Yuno at the front. After a wave from both of them, they caught up.

"Yuno, how was the festival for you?" Klaus was the first to ask, putting a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah, it was good. What about you, Glasses?"

"I can't get over that nickname… but, yeah, I enjoyed my time, too", he nodded. "What about you, Mimosa?"

The Plant mage was about to reply but her cheeks started to get red as all her mind was filled with was the moments she had with Lucas this evening. From spending time in all the activities they did, to the part where they bonded in a deeper sense after Kiato sent them away.

"Mimosa?" Bell flew over, poking at her nose.

"Oh, y-yeah! It was good, hehe…", she giggled.

"Lucas asked me about how you'd know if someone likes you back. He tried to say it wasn't about him, but…", Klaus corrected his glasses and directed his next question to the royal. "How'd things go with Lucas?"

Yuno's ears perked up, homing in on the mention of Lucas. "Right, you had a date or something, didn't you?"

Bell squealed and grabbed Mimosa's index fingers with her hand. "Ah, yes! Please tell me all the details!"

Mimosa, realising that she could not hide how she truly felt anymore decided to drop the act she had on this whole time. With a heavy sigh, yet a light expression of glee, she put her thumbs up.

"The date went really well. I'm now 100% sure that my feelings for him are the real deal", she said calmly before raising her hands towards her red-hot cheeks.

Yuno, Bell, and Klaus all smiled before the latter turned around to check something out. He then addressed the two beside him. "Guys, the captains are all here now. Let's stand in line".

Outside, on a raised platform just above the summit of Clover Castle, the Wizard King, Julius Novachrono appeared. He was wearing his usual attire but in his right hand was some Yami-grilled squid with a sizable chunk bitten out from it.

His adviser, Marx, was right beside him and snatched the purple food out of his hand, hiding it behind his person.

"I know you had some time off tonight, but you can't just address the people with some greasy fast food in your hand! Appearances, Master Julius!" Marx looked up at the Wizard King and shook his head before presenting him with a green magic item.

Julius leaned in close to the blue-haired mage. "How many times do I have to tell you, just call me Julius only, we're friends! And… fine", he pouted before accepting the floating magic item. "Okay, here goes…".

He walked forward until he was visible to all of the people who had gathered below. He saw hundreds of faces all bunched together and making as much noise as possible, cheering for him.

"It's the Wizard King!"

"It's my first time seeing him, wow, he's so cool!"

Julius was smiling and let the cheers and commotion carry on for the next few seconds before raising both of his arms towards the crowd, settling their noise down so that he could talk. He set the magic item in front of himself and his voice travelled through it, increasing the volume so every single person could hear him.

"Everyone, thank you for gathering here. It truly is a wonderful night to have fun with your friends and family at the Star Festival this year! This time, I'll be announcing the achievements of the Magic Knights myself so I hope you can bear with me!" The floating magic item came closer to Julius's mouth and he lowered his tone a little bit. "Now, then… as you all know, the Clover Kingdom has been battling invasion attempts from an enemy, the terrorist organisation known as the Eye of the Midnight Sun. They attacked the Royal Capital - this very place - and I was close to cancelling this year's festival, but then I thought about it and understood that the only reason we're still standing here is because of our amazing and fearless Magic Knights!" He lifted his arms once again and the floating lanterns and candles that were stationed around the large area brightened, illuminating the summit of the castle even more.

"Those Magic Knights… this ceremony is for you! Let us welcome them - the ones we are indebted to!"

On cue, the captains walked out from the darkness of the hallway and into the light of the summit. They were all standing in a line, most with smiles, some with determined looks.

"Woohoo, it's the captains! They're looking as cool as ever!"

"I'd love to be with Captain Nozel for one day, just to see how he does his job!"

"Captain Charlotte is the one for me! W-Wait, hang on a second… she's missing!"

"I'm pretty sure two of them aren't even there!"

The two captains who didn't show up were actually right by each other. Yami was standing, looking towards the summit whereas Charlotte was face-down on a wooden table, her cheeks flushed red and drool falling down from her mouth.

The Dark mage heard the Time mage's voice from afar and looked in the direction it was in. Some other Black Bulls who were nearby gasped as they realised they were late.

"I kept telling you the ceremony was starting, Captain Yami!" Asta shouted, frustrated. "I got separated from Lucas and Daisy, found you, and thought 'hey, I should let him know', but you just grabbed me and told me to pour some beer!"

Yami, not liking his squad member's tone, grabbed him by the head with his left hand. In his right was a jug of beer that he drank and finished. "Ah, that hits the spot. Now, as for your tone, brat…", he burped.

"He's right, you know…", another voice called out and burped right after. Sitting next to Charlotte, also face-down, was her cosplay competitor who just finished another drink. "Maybe another drink will help out…". Vanessa tried to raise her head but she fell again, slamming the table underneath.

"I could portal you through, Captain", Finral waved, getting his hands ready.

"You think showing up there in this outfit is the best idea?" Yami growled. He extended his arms out wide and looked at himself. "I'll just skip this year, Julius will be fine with it".

"Everyone's used to you not showing up, but what about Sis?!" A different voice called out. Next to the sleeping Charlotte, was Sol who grabbed the drunk's shoulders, propping her up. "She's never late to anything, what now…?"

Yami shrugged his shoulders, choosing to open up another packet of cigarettes. "Hey, don't blame me. Your captain agreed whole-heartedly about drinking with Vanessa. Didn't she remember how much of a lightweight she was?"

Sol rubbed the top of her head and then sighed. "I hope the Wizard King isn't too annoyed…".

Back at the summit, Julius was taking in all of the voices and after the questions regarding two of his captains floated about, sweat started to fall from his forehead. He didn't even look at the row before knowing who else didn't show up.

"I had a feeling that Yami wouldn't be here, but I didn't think Charlotte would be missing either! I told them both to leave plenty of time so that they'd be with the rest of the captains, but… oh well, at least they're enjoying the festival", he thought to himself. Before even more questions could be asked, Julius quickly carried on with the announcements as he spoke through the microphone again.

"From left to right, here goes - the captain of the Golden Dawn, William Vangeance!"

His squad is regarded as the best in the kingdom so when all eyes fell to him, a monumental amount of cheers erupted. There were screams from both men and women at the sight of the masked captain appearing in front of them.

"What kind of captain is he?" Daisy nudged Lucas.

"He's amazing! Before Kiten, we were on a mission as a squad and he saved me against one of the Third Eye", Lucas praised. "Other than that, he's accepting of everyone which is great, not to mention how strong he is. Remember that huge tree spell in Kiten?"

"Woah, that was him?!" Daisy gasped. "My captain is amazing as well and I want everyone to see how capable she is, but…", she dropped her shoulders. "I just wish she was up there!" She started tapping her foot on the floor. "Out of everyone there, I thought the captain would be the most punctual… Where did she go after the cosplay contest?"

The two found a big enough space for them both but it was quite far back from the summit. Still, they had a good enough view of everything in front and the two were waiting in anticipation for the ceremony to continue.

"The one next to him is the captain of the Silver Eagles, Nozel Silva!"

Elsewhere in the crowd, the trio of Noelle, Kiato, and Kahono stood together. The Silva was in awe, her pink eyes glistening as the reflection of her eldest sibling came by. She felt proud, seeing Nozel up on the summit, but there was another part of her that felt almost… upset.

Kahono noticed this and put a hand on her head. "One day, you'll be up there, Noelle! What do you think of that? Imagine surpassing your brother!"

Noelle was shocked to hear something like that. "M-Me, a c-captain?" She pointed at herself, her mouth wide as she gasped.

She looked up at Nozel again and she thought about what the Song mage just said to her. However, replacing that thought was one of her own as she calmed down thanks to her friend allowing her to think of something else. "Before I can even think of anything that far-fetched, proving myself - my strength - to him, and the rest of my family is what I have to do first!"

"The captain of the Green Praying Mantises, Jack the Ripper! Then, after him is the captain of the Coral Peacocks, Dorothy Unsworth! Next is the captain of the Aqua Deer, Rill Boismortier!"

One by one, focus shifted onto each captain as they were announced, all earning cheers and shouts from the massive crowd. They all looked at the Magic Knights in line but before any other questions could be raised, Julius answered them.

"You may be wondering about the status of some of the other squads. Well, I am here to introduce to you two new captains that will be joining us!" Julius turned around and raised his hand once more.

"Replacing Gueldre Poizot, is the new captain of the Purple Orcas, Kaiser Granvorka! And finally, replacing the injured Fuegoleon Vermillion, the new captain of the Crimson Lion Kings, Mereoleona Vermillion!"

A tall, older man walked out, joining his fellow captains. He had pale, green hair that was combed back into several curls, and eyes that were a purple colour, ironically enough. He had a handlebar moustache which he fiddled with his white-gloved hands. Underneath his squad robe, he wore a long, dark-purple robe with silver buttons going down the middle, and dark-brown shoes at the bottom. At the back, there was a flowing, purple cape which fell all the way down near his ankles.

Then, following Kaiser, was a woman with long, wavy hair that was like fire. Her blue eyes pierced right through the crowd but she had no smile on her face. The only thing that was notable around her mouth was a single, pronounced, sharp canine tooth. Underneath her squad robe, she wore a white tunic which was covered by a long, dark-blue shirt with long sleeves and a high collar. There was a purple sash across her waist with white trousers and black shoes. Around her neck, there was a long, flowing red cape that reached all the way down towards her ankles.

Below the summit, looking up at the new arrivals, were two Purple Orcas.

"We finally have a new captain!" Rose jumped up and down, cheering.

Daimon crossed his arms over his chest. "With this man, can we finally… be a true squad again? Can we really… save and repair our reputation?"

All of a sudden, the two Magic Knights felt an arm on each of their shoulders - Rose's right and Daimon's left. They turned their heads and had very mixed reactions to the one that arrived by them.

His soft, brown eyes looked at his fellow squad mates and a smile started to form on his face. His slick, black hair waved as the light wind blew through the air. He lifted one of his hands and waved at the two.

"Ah, Aiden!" Rose squealed, practically jumping on the Flame mage. "I missed you so much!"

Daimon was way more relaxed. He just waved back at his friend and nodded. "Man, where were you? I had to deal with this pain in the ass the whole night", he rolled his eyes.

The petite 20-year-old pouted, slamming her fist into Daimon's chest which did absolutely nothing to him. "Hey, what's with the insult? You weren't even with me the whole time. I actually made a friend!"

Aiden looked down at Rose, raising an eyebrow as his wide eyes were seen through his glasses. "Wait, you… actually made a friend?" He was surprised and an exchange of looks with Daimon made him realise that he wasn't alone in his reaction.

"Hey, I was as shocked as you. I didn't think our Rose had it in her. Driving away people is your specialty as well! This Shiren guy must have some major tolerance!" Daimon teased, holding his arm across his stomach as he struggled to prevent himself from laughing.

"I'm not… that bad", she lowered her head and stared at the floor.

Aiden put a hand to her head which made her look at him in the eyes. "Don't mind Daimon, you know that he's always like that. As for me, well, I'm happy for you", he smiled sincerely.

The Water mage started blushing as she accepted the friendly headpat from her crush. "Anyway… what do you think of our new captain?"

Aiden put a finger to his chin as he stared at the man on stage. "I'm optimistic. I mean, if he's not a traitor then I think we have a good chance of finally moving forward as a squad".

Daimon blew air out of his mouth. "Yeah, not being a traitor is like the first thing that we should be looking at judging by our track record".

The Wizard King then spoke up again. "Even though two of our captains aren't present, as well as the fact that you might not know too much about our new ones, we'll have to move forward and get to the part that you all have been waiting for - the announcement of the rankings!"

A white screen appeared next to Julius's body which displayed a name. A lot of the people didn't even need to look at it to know which squad was written, but Julius read it out anyway.

"First place is… the Golden Dawn!" He cheered, the crowd all joining in.

"I've heard that we place first every year, but actually hearing it from the Wizard King's mouth… I dunno, it just feels special!" Lucas smiled, stars in his eyes.

Daisy clapped her hands together and cheered as loud as she could. "Yeah, go on, Golden Dawn! Lucas, I'm sure you did the most in the squad!"

Lucas waved his hands, dismissing what she said. "I did well since joining but Yuno did so much more. He's just… so strong and set at what he does".

The perspective shifted back to Julius and William. The former raised his hand and pointed at the dark hallway where a few of the squad members were standing. "Now, the member who contributed the most stars to the squad. He's a rookie but he managed to become the top performer in only six months. Please welcome, Yuno!"

The Wind mage started walking, excited smiles from Mimosa and Klaus right behind him. Bell floated next to him and she flapped her wings, leaving shining sparkles in their wake. Yuno entered the light and stood in full view.

"That guy is so handsome!"

"Forget about that, isn't that the Wind Spirit?!"

"Good job, Yuno!"

His golden eyes shifted across the rowdy crowd which put a little smile on his face. He saw a few familiar faces but he zoomed in on Lucas who was waving and jumping up and down.

"So that's where he is. But… where's Asta?"

From where he just walked out from, there were two faces that didn't quite share the same happiness that Mimosa and Klaus had on theirs. The two noblemen, Langris and Alecdora, both had differing looks but also a similar feeling.

"That peasant! How did he manage to worm his way to the top like that?!" The Sand mage couldn't believe it. His right hand was covering his face and his other was rolled into a shaking fist by his side. "I cannot stand for this!"

The Vice-Captain, however, was much calmer but thought a lot of the same things as the one next to him. "He made me eat my words, oh well, it's no problem". He had a simple expression but his eyes became covered in shadows as his anger started to grow. He looked at Yuno in the light and remembered what he said in Kiten.

"What's the problem with our goal? To become the Wizard King, one of us needs to become the Captain of the Golden Dawn first. Is that why you're worried?"

"Ha, as if I'd be worried about someone like you. If you so much as believe you can surpass me, I just have to assert my strength in full! I'll prove I'm better than you, I have to be the best…".

Julius was about to carry on with the rankings but a small, yet loud voice interrupted him. It came from Yuno, or someone very close to him. The wings of the small fairy were flapping and her arms were in the air.

"Bell, what are you thinking?" Yuno asked the spirit but she didn't respond. Instead, she flew over to Julius on the raised platform and took the microphone, answering her host through it.

Her little lips were almost touching the magic item. "There's another top performer, right? You need to be up here as well!"

There was silence for a few seconds before the crowd started to question what Bell said. All eyes fell below towards the Wind mage at the summit who shook his head. Although he did that, he still nodded before Bell pushed the magic item towards him.

"Excuse her screaming, but… she's right. There is another person that should be up here, alongside me", he said in his usual tone.

This still didn't help alleviate any of the confusion for the crowd though. They were exchanging confused looks.

"Who else could be the top performer?"

"They have to be someone from a powerful noble family, surely?

"Well, are they going to show up?"

Most of the Golden Dawn members were sure of who it could be as their minds had a certain mage pop into it. Klaus looked at Mimosa who had the same, familiar blush that she's come to recognise her with when it came to this specific person.

"It has to be, don't you think?" Klaus asked.

"Hehehe, who else?" Mimosa cheerfully nodded.

"Surely not…". Even Alecdora began to realise the person who everyone else was thinking about. He didn't even need to look at Langris's face as just the atmosphere around him shifted even moreso.

"You and Yuno, both on the summit together… go get them!" David praised, sitting at a table with a glass of water in hand.

"Hohoho, to think I got surpassed by those two this year. Next year, it'll be me up there!" Hamon motivated himself.

"Good job", Shiren closed his eyes, nodding his head.

"If anyone deserves it, it's you", Melody said to herself. She was towards the side, away from the majority of the crowd. Her half-smile turned into a full one as she thought about her squad mate.

"It has to be!" Letoile's fists were by her face, shaking in anticipation. She turned to her parents who were cheering alongside her.

"You have quite the respect for this person, hm?" Paul asked. "Well, it was you both when you came to apprehend those bandits".

"Since that's the case, we'll cheer for them as well!" Candice celebrated.

The only member of the Golden Dawn who had no idea who it was had his hand on his chin. Lucas thought about it but reached no conclusion by himself.

"Could it be Melody? She is quite strong and a lot of her missions involve the nobility. If not, then it could be Hamon, right? His Glass Magic can even help in day-to-day activities, but so can Compass Magic which Letoile has been practising quite hard with lately. To be fair, it could be anyone in the squad!"

The one next to him just tapped him across the head. "C'mon Lucas, really?" She asked, trying to hold her laughter in.

The Ice mage didn't have the chance to burst as the next voice that was heard was of the captain, William Vangeance. The magic item went towards him and he smiled, his purple eyes scanning the crowd for the person in question.

"It's true, there is another who should be up there. Yuno is the top performer but another person needs to be recognised. Everyone, you should all cheer on… Lucas!"

A lot of the onlookers had no idea who this 'Lucas' was in particular but since William said it himself, they all cheered and clapped. Noise erupted for a few seconds and in that time, the Dual mage froze.

"M-Me?" He pointed to himself.

"Don't waste any time! You have to get up there, future Wizard King!" Daisy pushed him forward and he started walking, albeit quite slowly at first.

Once the orange-haired teen locked eyes with Yuno on the summit, his nervousness was gone and the feeling of confidence replaced it. With a determined smile, he reached the designated area and jumped up with his mana, standing alongside his teammate.

"Nice to finally see you up here. Took your time, didn't you?"

"To be honest, I was surprised. But… I'm here!"

The supportive Sylph came by and poked his cheek. "What about a thanks for me?"

Seeing her cheeky smile, Lucas nodded. He lightly rubbed her green hair with his index finger. "Thanks a bunch!"

Julius grinned from ear to ear at the two rookies in front of him before carrying on with the announcements. "Now, the squad who ranked in second place is…".

Before the result appeared, people were debating who it could be. There wasn't much argument as the general consensus was between three teams.

"If I had to guess, it'd be the Silver Eagles!"

"But don't you think the Crimson Lion Kings could be up there?"

"Nah, after Captain Fuegoleon got injured and entered a coma, I'd think they dropped a place or two. Perhaps the Blue Rose Knights?"

However, subverting everyone's expectations, the name of the squad that appeared on the white screen shocked the entire capital. Julius read the name out and his eyes sparkled with glee.

"The Black Bulls!"

"The Black Bulls…", the people read.

"WAIT, the Black Bulls?!" The people repeated again.

Lucas and Yuno looked at each other, shock on their faces but it was quickly replaced by a look of support as they knew what that meant.

The only captains that visibly displayed their shocks were Nozel and Jack by saying the exact same thing.

"What the… The foreigner just beat us?!"

All the Black Bulls that were around the area were gobsmacked. Magna and Luck paused a shooter game that they were playing, mouths dropping to the floor.

Noelle's head started to spin but Kahono grabbed her shoulders and started jumping. Kiato put his thumbs up and performed a few dance moves in celebration.

Vanessa was still drunk out of her mind but she clicked her fingers to order another drink. "Another drink… t-to celebrate!"

Finral fell to the floor, butt-first. His hands started to shake as he couldn't believe it and then his mind went to something that he told Langris back in Kiten.

"The Black Bulls are here to take your spot as the number one squad in the kingdom and we'll definitely achieve it! My magic may not be comparable to yours but it will definitely make my squad the strongest!"

With a pump of his fist, he looked towards his captain. "We may not be first just yet, but this means… we're getting there!"

"We… We came second!" Asta jumped, sending his fist through the air. He looked at Yami who took another hit of his cigarette.

"Good job, you idiots", he praised.

The pack of festival-goers weren't as responsive, though. A lot of them didn't believe it and they voiced the same exact concerns through a bunch of murmurs.

"You mean those ruffians?"

"They must have threatened someone!"

"Haven't you seen their captain, yuck!"

A few of the Bulls looked downcast as they heard the disappointed voices around them. Noelle blew air out of her mouth as she tried to compose herself but her sadness was clear to see.

However, two voices nearby snapped her out of her thinking. Looking for the source, Noelle spotted the sibling-duo, Kiato and Kahono shouting and making their feelings known.

"You're all wrong!" Kahono argued. Around herself and her brother, she generated some of her Song Magic which amplified their voices.

"The Black Bulls risked their lives fighting against the terrorists that the Wizard King mentioned! They saved our home, made us feel safe, and let us believe in them!"

"They may be crazy and hard to control, but that doesn't waver their strength and determination to succeed!"

"Oh, and if you think Captain Yami is someone ordinary then think again! There'll come a time when you see his power, alongside the rest of the Black Bulls!"

"Now, now, everyone calm down", Julius spoke up, his voice louder than it usually was. He raised a single hand and then put it down by his side when everyone focused their attention on him.

"Although the Black Bulls have gained a certain reputation over the years, their achievements this year are nothing to scoff at. They did so through hard work, focus, and the will to carry on when things looked tough". Julius then lowered his tone but kept his purple eyes wide, staring at the crowd who didn't believe. "You say they must have threatened someone to become second, so tell me - do you think they threatened me?"

The disapproving murmurs slowly came to a halt. Despite the inviting smile that the Wizard King had on his face, everyone realised how serious he was even though he didn't show any irritation. Through this, the minds of everyone who doubted the Black Bulls started to change.

"Now that that's done, can the top performer of the Black Bulls come forward, please?"

"That was quite the display, Master Julius", Marx gulped as he looked at his friend.

Yami looked around his immediate area. "Vanessa's out of commission, Magna and Luck are probably messing around, Charmy must be busy, Noelle is elsewhere, I don't even know where Grey and Gauche are, Gordon is… hm, maybe he's still at the base? Finral is well, Finral - I need him here since I'll need the shitter soon, the only person who I can send up is you, kid".

He grabbed Asta and went to launch him towards the summit. Right before he did, Vanessa started moving her wand around which conjured up some threads. The squad robe formed around the teen's neck and the Dark mage threw him in the appropriate direction.

Seeing him soar off, Yami looked proud. "Even if the rest of the squad were available, this would still be your moment".

"Everything happened so quickly! We came second, the Wizard King asked for the top performer, and then I found myself in the air for the third time! The good thing is that… I'm prepared for this!" Asta pulled out the Demon-Slayer and lodged it into the hard, brick floor as he landed. He looked around and the first person he saw was Yuno who he walked towards.

"So, we meet again, huh?" He smiled, leaning against the handle of his broadsword.

"I never thought I'd see you here. Perhaps you've gotten stronger?" Yuno shrugged.

"Hehe, you'll be surprised". Asta then turned to Lucas. "Seeing you here as well makes me sure that I can never let up around you either!"

"Same for me. You and Yuno should be careful… if you get complacent, then I'll surpass you even before you know it!"

"That was quite the entrance from the Black Bull", Julius praised. "These three rookies are the top performers. Two of them are childhood friends but all three have known each other since the start of their journey as Magic Knights. In just six months Yuno, Asta, and Lucas have come this far. Just how far can they go in the future?"

Interrupting the Wizard King, a voice called out from the side which a few people recognised. With a hand up in the centre of the crowd, Sekke shouted out.

"Those three are all peasants! They have no status and they're from the boonies, not to mention that Asta can't even use magic!"

What he said started off another chain of doubts that started to float about. He had a smug smile on his face in reaction to what he did.

"Wait, from the Forsaken Realm?"

"I mean, I can understand that their squads came first and second with what the Wizard King said, but surely someone else must have earned those stars".

"Yeah, maybe the rightful Magic Knights dropped out or something?"

"That's what you get, Asta! You beat us in the food competition earlier and Captain Jack almost killed me! Besides, seeing you get knocked down a peg or two is worth it. Sorry you got caught in the crossfire, Lucas and Yuno!"

Bell started pouting, her voice clearly showing frustration. "Ugh, what is it with all these people?!"

With a calm tone and a straight face, Yuno ordered the Wind Spirit. "Bell, full power".

"I wouldn't have it any other way!" She thought, a smirk forming on her face.

Suddenly, a burst of green mana and flowing wind came forth from Yuno and Bell. The power surrounded the top rookie and stunned the crowd into silence. The captains didn't react much but the Wizard King was excited to see what would happen.

"Asta, Lucas, let's show them a thing or two!" Yuno formed a bow made out of wind and pulled the bowstring back. Using Bell's power, the two put force behind the arrow and released the string, sending the projectile at the two.

Lucas used his right hand to slow the spell down, giving a blue aura around Yuno's body which then transferred onto the arrow. He moved the spell with his Time Magic and then used the reverse. "Now I'll use Alter Accel to speed it up!" Turning his hand clockwise, he shot the sped-up projectile at Asta. "Watch out", he smiled.

Asta smirked before picking up the Demon-Slayer once again. He held the sword up vertically before slashing it in a downwards motion, striking the boosted Wind Magic and dispersing the spell.

The antics of the three from the Forsaken Realm stunned the people in the Royal Capital. The dispersed wind flew outwards, away from Asta, sending shivers down the doubters' spines.

"S-Such powerful magic from those two…".

"Speeding up that spell like that…".

"But then that kid just stopped it so easily!"

The Time mage, the one standing on the platform, smiled before speaking. "Now that you've seen these three demonstrate a little bit of what they can do, I hope their doubters are put to rest. They've worked harder than anyone to get here, despite the discrimination they've suffered. Perhaps now is the time to understand and accept that those who differ in status, peasants, commoners, nobles, and royals can all achieve greatness together! Now, a round of applause for these three rookies!"

"The Wizard King is right! Who cares where you're from as long as you work towards a common goal!"

"Perhaps doing something like that… is the reason the Magic Knights seem stronger this year?"

"Now's not the time to worry about status!"

Lucas, Yuno, and Asta all looked at the vast crowd, the colourful lights and all the happy faces down below staring back at them. There were cheers and laughter, all because of what they saw. Asta gulped before his wide, green eyes took it all in.

"Yuno, we actually… made it this far".

"That's right. Compared to how we were at the start, this… is something extraordinary".

The two turned to Lucas.

"Sometimes I wish that you were from Hage".

"Perhaps we could've been even bigger rivals than we are now!"

"It doesn't matter what village we're from, what's important is that we all work towards our common goal together!" Lucas celebrated.

"The Wizard King title… is mine!"

"No, it'll be mine!"

"I think you mean that it'll be mine!"

Back to Julius, he seemed even more excited after hearing what the three rookies were talking about. Still, he had to continue with the ceremony and so he did.

"Now that you're all fired up, here are the rest of the rankings!" The magic projection next to him flicked through all the squads and the Time mage announced them. "In third place was the Blue Rose Knights! Ranking in fourth was the Silver Eagles! Coming in fifth was the Crimson Lion Kings! Sixth place belongs to the Aqua Deer! In seventh place was the Green Praying Mantises. Eighth place is reserved for the Coral Peacocks! That means our ninth and final place is for the Purple Orcas!"

"Woah, we came third!" Daisy thought to herself, surprised with what she saw. "Maybe next year we can do even better", she hoped.

"Sis, look at the rankings - we came third!" Sol tried nudging the Briar mage and she finally managed to wake up. Still drowsy and incapable of talking, she stared at the projection screen before dozing off again.

"Third, wow… A lot of our stars came from Daisy so I'll be sure to treat her well…", she thought before slamming her face down on the table once more.

"To all the squads, some of you may be happy and some of you may be upset with where you placed. Make sure you work even harder next year - I'm hoping for some surprises!" Julius said before turning to the side, looking to the left where someone was waiting in the dark. "Now, moving on to the next matter of the night, I'd like you all to give a round of applause for the next speaker. Welcome, our brilliant king, Augustus Kira Clover XIII!"

Suddenly, there was silence at the mention of the king. Through that, his footsteps were heard all around and a figure slowly emerged from the darkness. The king stood next to Julius but made sure to take another, dramatic step forward and raised his arms out wide.

The king had short, golden-brown hair, handlebar moustache and a pointed goatee which both curled at the ends. On top of his head, was a dark-green crown with red and silver beads along the seams. He wore a striped doublet with dark and purple sections along with a pair of trunk hoses. White tights and dark purple shoes at the bottom and his overall outfit was finished by a fur-lined green mantle and cape.

"Yay", the people said with little to no emotion.

Aiden's brown eyes somewhat widened when the king came into view. He pictured Richard Kira in his head and then nodded as if he understood something. "I can see the resemblance. They both look…", he stopped his train of thought.

Augustus noticed the lack of commotion as he appeared and grew angry. With a cough, he shouted through the microphone. "Revere me, everyone! I am your beloved king, am I not?!"

The crowd then put some life in their cheers. Their 'yays' were now slightly powered up and they even lifted their hands to make some movement.

"That's better. However, I believe that Julius is too close to me", he thought before turning to the Time mage. "Can you move a few steps away, you're clouding my spotlight".

"Ah, yes, sorry". Julius moved away.

"Something tells me you all are missing a spectacle this night so I'll humbly grant you one", he said, curling his moustache. His grimoire came up next to him, glowing in a strong, yellow light before quickly closing its pages and falling back down to his side. "Actually, I think I'll leave that for now", he smiled almost eerily. "Ha, now they'll be itching to see what I had planned. I'll leave them thinking about it and show them my power when the time's right, that'll prove to them that I am superior to everyone!"

Lucas stared up at the royal. "I sensed Light Magic just now, but… it's much different to mine or even Licht's! With me, my magic is slow compared to other kinds of Light Magic. It's gotten quicker but there's much more to do. Licht's is on another level in both power and speed, but the king's…? It's like there was nothing there, just a bunch of mana even though it was off the charts, it didn't really do anything. Hm, perhaps he just wanted to show it off without doing much", he shrugged.

To the side, Julius coughed ever so slightly which was enough to grab Augustus's attention. With a shake of his head, he turned around to face the crowd once more and banged his sceptre on the ground. "Moving on… my loyal citizens, I have an important announcement to make. The Eye of the Midnight Sun's hideout has been located".

This riled up the crowd as some loud gasps could be heard.

"Wait, really?" Asta said.

"Those terrorists have attacked us many times and have had the upper hand on us for far too long, but this time, things will be different", Augustus carried on. "An all-out attack will be launched on the enemy, but it won't be with the Magic Knights squads that we have here. No! A select group will be chosen from those squads through a special exam which will be held in a week's time to form the ultimate squad which will be known as the Royal Knights!"

"Royal Knights?" Everyone shared the same thought.

"Those who pass this exam will be allowed to join my Royal Knights and we will destroy the Eye of the Midnight Sun!" The king clover-saluted with his right hand. "Magic Knights, you will offer up your grimoires in the kingdom's service, and the people of the kingdom will support you as always!"

"Good luck, future Royal Knights! We'll be right there to support you!" The people cheered. A lot of them were excited to see just what this new makeup of mages will look like.

Augustus smirked, a chuckle escaping his mouth as he slyly looked towards the Wizard King. "He was the one that had this idea but I got the credit since I announced it. Serves you right, Julius!" He looked over towards the people and shouted once more. "As king, I will be the one deciding who passes".

Then, a familiar voice spoke up. His hand was raised and his other was on his chin, tilting his head as he was confused. "Why are you the one to choose, Your Majesty?"

All eyes and ears fell on Asta, still on the summit alongside the two other rookies. The microphone travelled down to him and captured his voice.

"Shouldn't the Wizard King or the captains choose who passes the special exam? They're the ones who organise and lead the nine squads", he carried on.

Behind him, Lucas and Yuno merely nodded. Asta turned around to face them, arms folded.

"Don't you two agree? I've heard about the king before but he hasn't really done anything too amazing, unlike the Wizard King and the captains".

"Yeah, I guess he hasn't. I'm not a noble or anything so I'm not 100% sure but people don't really mention him at all", Yuno rolled his eyes.

"That's true. I've noticed that his mana was insane, but he hasn't exactly done anything good with it, has he?" Lucas added on.

Asta raised his head, looking directly at Augustus. "Hm, I don't have magic so I can't tell, but I have a feeling you two are right about him".

"Even though his mana is like that, I feel like it wouldn't trouble me too much if we fought", Yuno theorised.

"He's the king of the entire kingdom, so he should be stronger than someone like… the Shining Generals from the Diamond Kingdom for example, but I feel like they could beat him easily", Lucas scratched his cheek.

There were a few in the crowd who could barely hold in their laughter, whereas some others were smiling in response to what they heard.

"Hearing those three say all that, shouldn't the Wizard King just be the king? It would make things much better, I say".

"Right, the king doesn't really have a presence".

A few of the captains were smiling as well. Nozel closed his eyes and nodded approvingly.

"This is hilarious", Jack laughed.

The only one in the capital who didn't share the same expression as anyone else was the king. His face was sweating and his head was hot as he looked at the rookies in disgust. The microphone returned and he raised his sceptre, using his other hand to point at them. "Execute all three of them!"

Yuno shook his head. "Well, that's how our journey ends".

"Sorry about that", Asta replied.

"You two are way too calm!" Lucas protested.

The crowd were quite displeased with the order the king gave. "They just told the truth, didn't they?"

Inside the dark hallway where some of the other Magic Knights were, Mimosa was terrified. "Oh, no, the three of them can't die!"

Daisy face-palmed. "You and your big mouths…".

"Now, now, now! Kill them all, right now!" The king persisted, spitting every time he repeated himself.

Julius walked over and whispered in Augustus's ear. "Please, in consideration of me, pardon those three. They said some unacceptable things but they will learn in due time, and perhaps one day they will become the shield that protects you".

The king tried his best to think of a rebuttal but nothing came to him. He curled his moustache once again before physically grabbing the microphone that was nearby. "You seem to have a mind of your own, huh?!" He shook his head a few seconds after and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "I'll pardon those three because of my compassion".

With heavy sighs all around, the festival came to a close.

Or did it?

"Ahem", the king coughed. "I have one last announcement to make". Despite hearing the groans from everyone, he raised his tone. "There is a new addition to one of the nine squads that will be finalised in the coming days".

"Huh, someone new?"

"Who could it be?" Lucas thought.

Augustus raised his sceptre and pointed it at the edge of the raised platform, where he stood before Julius introduced him. There was a figure with her arms folded and feet slightly crossed over each other, leaning against the wall. She finished yawning before noticing that Augustus pointed at her. She slowly walked out, hands in the pockets of her dark-grey hoodie which also hid her red hair. Eventually, she came into the light, standing a few feet away from the king.

"Rachel?!" A few of the Magic Knights around thought to themselves, shocked. Lucas was one as he wasn't expecting to see her but another had the same reaction, from right in the dark hallway near the summit.

"Urgh, it had to be her…", Mimosa rolled her eyes, trying not to show visible frustration but failed as Klaus next to her noticed her reaction.

"Do you know her?" He wondered.

The Vermillion shook her head. "Don't ask…".

The king continued. "This is Rachel Kira, and uhh…", he coughed before reaching into the inside of his mantle, pulling out a piece of paper. He carefully placed it in front and below the stone railing so that the people down below couldn't see him read off it. "I wrote this myself just in case. I could do without it but I might as well read it word-for-word so that nothing gets left out. The Kira family's reputation has been diminishing because of that idiot Richard's loss as well as the stupid incident at the last Star Festival! Being the amazing king that I am, I have to right this wrong in the best way possible!"

Augustus looked up from the piece of paper and at the waiting crowd. Quickly, he looked back at the paper that he was hiding and read it.

"You may have heard the rumours about what happened last Star Festival regarding two members of the true royal family, the Kiras…", he started. "I am here to admit to you that yes, what happened was a mistake and the ones responsible for it had been reprimanded. However… one of those involved wanted to prove themselves to the kingdom as an additional way of apologising and that person is here".

On cue, Rachel took another step closer to her uncle and waved with her right hand. With this, most of the crowd recognised and even remembered her from last year. Still, they kept listening to what the king would say next.

Rachel closed her eyes as she waited for the announcement. "Well, I know the squad anyway since we discussed it before…".

FLASHBACK - TWO WEEKS AGO:

"A royal like you doesn't need to be a Magic Knight", a proud voice said from above.

"I believe I've earned the right to decide what I want to be", a voice replied in the same exact tone.

In the throne room of the royal castle, the king, Augustus, was laying sideways across his large, red-velvet throne, outlined by solid gold along the sides. There were three women around him all wearing extravagant, rich clothing symbolising their status as the king's wives. Two of them were sitting on either armrest and his head and feet were being massaged by them. The third wife was kneeling at the foot of the throne, massaging his arms and chest.

Below the throne was a set of red-brick stairs with smooth, brown railings across on each side lined with gold and silver candle ornaments. At the foot of the staircase, Rachel was kneeling on one knee as she stared up at her king-uncle.

"I don't think you've earned anything", he replied, seemingly disinterested in what she had to say. "All you do is escape the castle with that useless magic of yours and cause problems everywhere you go. Your absence at the spring ball was only the latest of a whole bunch of incidents centred around you".

Rachel shook her head. "My absence that night saved the three royal families from being blown up. You should be thanking me because if I didn't unearth that bomb plot you wouldn't be able to enjoy doing nothing like you usually do, Uncle". She shrugged.

A vein popped out on the side of the king's head and he turned around, choosing to sit properly on his chair and face the rude Spatial mage. He put one leg over the other and rested the side of his head on his right arm which was leaning on the armrest.

"I'll ignore the rudeness that you've shown me, once again, because of the fact that you're my older brother's granddaughter, though I doubt that means much to you because of what you did to your own family", he added but then his voice slowly went into a whisper. "Your habit of calling me 'Uncle' when I'm anything but is another thing that you refuse to correct. If only my older brother's family had their kids at a good time then there would be no confusion…".

Rachel didn't really care for the clear distaste that he had for her, but still refuted. "If your older brother never cared for his family, he'd have been king and you'd be answering to him so I guess things work in a weird way in this world", she rolled her eyes.

"Enough!" Augustus stood up and slammed his sceptre on the floor. This sudden action even made the Spatial mage flinch as she raised her head and looked at the king. "To be honest, I am sick of your side of the family. Your half-idiot brother, Richard, and you just cause headaches upon headaches for me", he shook his head and sighed. "If I admit you to a Magic Knights squad, then you will have to leave the castle permanently".

"You're… kicking me out?" Rachel asked, shocked. "Don't you think that a royal being banished will tarnish the Kira family name even more. Richard already put a dent in its reputation".

The king was indifferent. "If I can get rid of one reject, I can do it to another. Besides, it's not as if you're my child".

"This… is not the best outcome but if I can become a Magic Knight and be free from his shackles, then I'll take it. Anyway, it's not as if I have anyone close to me in this godforsaken place", she thought before nodding.

The Light mage smirked. "Even though you won't be here, you'll still represent the Kira family and that gives you only one option - the Golden Dawn. The Silva Eagles and Crimson Lion Kings are led by other royals who would constantly upstage you".

Rachel didn't argue with this. In fact, it was the only squad she had in mind. "I'm surprised he and I agree with something. The Golden Dawn would be the best for me…", she thought and pictured a certain Dual mage in her head.

"Magic Knights help people without the promise of getting anything in return! You help people first, that's the main thing!"

"Lucas's words have been in my head since that day. We don't agree on much, but he seems to know what he's doing. I'd never tell him this but learning from him and the ones around him would be a good move, and Captain Vangeance seems to be the best captain out of the nine", she admitted to herself.

Augustus carried on seeing as there was no reaction from Rachel. He put his hand to his chin as he sat back down on the throne and then pointed his finger up as if he had an idea.

"As I mentioned earlier- due to the lowering opinion of the Kira family, your admission to the Magic Knights will be made public through an announcement at the Star Festival. Perhaps it will show the lowly citizens that you're making an effort to right your wrong".

At this point, the red-haired teen stood up and looked troubled. Her hands were clenched by her sides and her black eyes were wide. "Is th-that really the best course of action - making it public? Wouldn't it be better if it wasn't announced?"

"No", he said plainly before continuing on. "I am sick and tired of officials, nobles, and even other royals questioning me about you and Richard. I've managed to stave off concerns regarding your brother but yours seem to cling to me like a bad smell. Announcing it in this manner will tell everyone, all at once, what is happening with you. That is final".

She knelt back down, closing her eyes. She didn't agree with the method but she accepted it. "Hmph, at least I'll be gone from here".

The king smiled seeing as how his grand-niece retreated into her shell.

"So, the Golden Dawn it shall be".

FLASHBACK - END

Right before Augustus was about to announce the squad for Rachel, the two only had one thought in both of their minds. The king was calm as he was about to read through and the teenager beside him was just waiting for the name of the squad.

"To ensure that Rachel is in the best environment to perform her Magic Knight duties to the utmost of her abilities, the squad that she will be joining is…".

"The Golden Dawn…", the two thought in unison before it was said aloud.

Augustus's eyes scanned the paper to make sure everything was okay before the big moment. He put more emphasis on his voice, making sure it travelled throughout the area so that everyone who was listening wouldn't mistake it for anything else. With a deep breath, the squad was revealed to all.

"The Crimson Lion Kings!"

"The Crimson Lion Kings…", Rachel and Augustus both repeated in their heads as the latter's voice was heard.

"WHAT?! The Crimson Lion Kings?!"

Augustus picked up the piece of paper in his hands and lifted it into the air, close to his eyes as they scanned the words, letter-by-letter. Rachel leaned in to do the same and the two came to one realisation.

"It DOES say the Crimson Lion Kings!"

The king panicked as sweat fell from his head whereas Rachel face-palmed and turned away from the eyes of the crowd. Most of the citizens that were listening didn't really care either way and the way they reacted was of complete disinterest.

"Y-Yay…".

"That's great. Can we move on now?"

"I didn't think the king would read his announcement off a piece of paper".

Lucas tilted his head as he remembered something Rachel said to him earlier.

"The King asked me to be there since there's an important announcement. I… have a feeling you won't like it but I can't spoil it right now".

"What did she mean by that? I don't have a problem with her joining the Crimson Lion Kings", he thought to himself.

The only one in that entire area who had some kind of knowledge of what just happened was a certain captain standing on the summit. A fang protruded out of Mereoleona's mouth as she smirked whilst staring fiercely above her, focusing on the Spatial mage.

"Ha, this will be interesting!"

The king's eyes were pulsating and he lifted his free hand to cover his mouth. He tried to look at Rachel but saw that she already retreated back into the darkness where she came from, shaking her head as she disappeared.

"I c-c-c-can't even take back the announcement since I said it so proudly. Besides, if I retract what I said, what will the people think?!" The king thought, clenching his fists. "Why… did the paper say something else anyway?! I should not have used it!"

Julius raised his hand all of a sudden as the magic item flew back to him, amplifying his voice.

"That's all, everyone! That marks the end of the Awards Ceremony and the main portion of the Star Festival. Thank you all for coming and make sure you all lend your support to the Magic Knights in the future!"

The Time mage raised his other hand and he slowly brought his palms close to each other right above his head to clap. As soon as he did, the entire summit and raised platform turned black with darkness.

With a fading voice, the last thing the Wizard King said was heard all around.

"I'm sure you all know what's coming now, so enjoy the closing performance by none other than… Shooting Star!"

The darkness was lifted and light came back to the Royal Capital but there were some differences. The summit was more like a stage with shapes and symbols of stars lined along the edges, all in different colours which differed from each other. The backdrop was completely black with shining, white dots all around illuminating the area. Above the stage, there were floating lanterns and candles that would act like spotlights.

Another thing was that the captains and the three rookies that were on the summit weren't there anymore, instead being transported back to where the rest of the crowd were. Golden curtains drew together from each side and audible gasps from the entire crowd were heard.

The spotlights dimmed, creating a dark yet solemn atmosphere. Then, a set of repeating footsteps were heard as if multiple people were tapping their heels on the floor. After a few seconds of that, the silence resumed but only for another second or two before three voices were heard through the floating, green speakers as they spoke to the gathered crowd.

"Are you guys ready?!"

"Yes!"

"I don't think they're ready!"

"Yes, we are!"

"Are you sure?!"

"WE ARE READY!"

The curtains separated, revealing three individuals standing on stage, all either standing or holding different instruments, with floating microphones near their mouths. The two at the back were a drummer and a guitarist whereas the one at the front was holding a harp.

The crowd's energy was rising, people were jumping up and down, and waving their glow sticks all around even before the concert even properly started.

"Who are they?" Lucas asked. "Wait, where did these glow sticks come from?"

The mage had been put back into the crowd and was standing next to a few of his squad mates. Klaus was on the right whilst Mimosa on the left.

"Those three are members of Shooting Star!" The Vermillion waved her green glow stick. "Right, so, at the back you have Kitara and Cecilia. They mainly focus on the instrumental parts of the songs but their singing voices are great as well!"

Kitara was holding a guitar which was black and had a red border to it. Attached to it was a cord that was connected to the same colour of mana as the floating speakers all around. She had short, purple hair that was combed over her right eye, only letting her other yellow eye out. The clothes she was wearing mimicked the theme of the band with a dark-blue, buttoned shirt which had a few pictures of planets along the diagonal. She was also wearing some black trousers and black shoes.

The one sitting next to her was Cecilia and she was spinning her two drumsticks in between her fingers. Her eyes were closed yet she knew where each of her drums were and where to hit them as she did some practice. The drummer had long, black hair with a pink beanie on top. She wore a red bomber jacket which was open over her cream t-shirt that was hardly buttoned up towards the top. She also wore a white skirt with white and pink-striped socks, as well as some black shoes.

"They're quite… extravagant-looking, I guess. Maybe that's how bands are?" Lucas then asked about the one at the front and Klaus took the lead on this one.

"Ah, that's Harp and, ironically enough, the instrument that she's holding is a harp. She's Lyra's favourite…", he turned around but then focused on Lucas again. "Hm, she said she'd find me after the ceremony".

Harp was graciously moving her fingers in and out of the harp's strings, creating a sweet, but calm sound that excited the crowd even further. Her instrument was held onto her neck with a string at the top so that she had some freedom with her arms. She had black and white hair, with both colours being exactly half. They were put into two buns at each side with two, long strands of hair flowing towards her hips, one black and one white. She had turquoise eyes that scanned everyone around, gifting them all with a toothy smile and a wink. She was wearing a loose, pink hoodie with a picture of a blue shooting star on the front and a music note at the back. She also wore a white skirt with knee-length pink socks and pink shoes.

Conveniently, once Klaus and Mimosa introduced the three, they started speaking through their floating microphones.

"We can see that you're ready, so let's start the night off with a classic - Eternal Harmony!"

Starting with a guitar solo that went on for five seconds before the beat of the drums kicked in, Harp physically grabbed the floating microphone with one hand and used the other to strum the instrument's strings.

The song was fast-paced but every lyric was felt through the way they sang. Her voice was pronouncing each and every word as best as she could.

"In the shimmering light of dawn, we stand together as one

Our spirits are entwined, through every trial our bond will shine"

Then, the beat on the drums grew quicker.

"With every beat of the drum, in this song of love we hum

The echoes of our souls resound, together we are forever bound"

Harp then jumped in the air, grabbing her instrument with her left hand and swinging it backwards. She bent her knees, tucking her legs in whilst she was in the air. She looked at the crowd and winked, directing a kiss at them all. Her right hand cupped her mouth and a heart made out of pink mana shot out, sending the audience into a craze.

All three came together for the chorus;

"Bonds that tie us, strong and true

United by the music, me and you

In every beat and every rhyme

Our hearts aligned, for all of time"

Whilst Shooting Star were singing their first song, Lucas and co were already jumping in rhythm with every beat and every drop in the song. The mage from Hoffvol was already accustomed to the popular band and the ones next to him were impressed.

"Woah, look at you go, Lucas! Are you a fan already?" Mimosa asked, wiping some sweat from her forehead.

"I think I might be! The song is catchy and the lyrics are quite good as well", he replied back, waving his glow stick.

"I was the same when I first heard them a few years back. Lyra talks highly of Harp and that meant I just focused on her a lot, and well… I became a fan", Klaus explained.

Elsewhere in the crowd, Asta and Yuno stood together. The former was in the mood to sing and jump whereas the latter simply enjoyed himself by nodding to the song. Bell was floating next to him and she was having the time of her life as she danced in the air.

"So, this is the band that I was hearing so much about", Yuno said.

"Yeah, a lot of people were hyping them up but it wasn't for nothing. They're really good!" Bell replied.

"Are you kidding me? They're not just good, they're great!" Asta added on, making his seventh jump.

Harp continued with the song;

"Through laughter and tears, we will sing

Within our hearts, the memories ring

Our relationship a symphony, a bond that will always be"

Eternal Harmony came to an end and everyone was enjoying the music as much as they could. Well, all except for one person in the crowd.

Although she was a huge fan of the band, the lyrics that Shooting Star were singing hit home for Melody who found herself near the edge of the crowd. Her mind was fixated on the chorus but was also focused on the twins that she saw in the corner of her eye.

"Big Sis said this band was awesome! She was right, wasn't she, Grace?"

"She's never wrong! This song is so cool, Sonia!"

In addition to the twins, Alice and Chloe were nearby, accompanied by Rebecca who was enjoying herself along with her own siblings.

Despite not knowing who these twins were, Melody stared at them with her arms folded. The chorus of the song played out in her head once again and, when she blinked, she saw that the twins had vanished, instead being replaced by a different set of twins.

One of the girls had purple hair with two pigtails that sat on each shoulder, whereas the other had purple hair with two pigtails that sat on only one shoulder. One of the twins had orange eyes and the other had green eyes.

"Hey, Melody, are you sure you want to be a musician when you're older?" The one with green eyes asked.

"I sure do! Think about it - we'll get to perform with our friends!" Melody replied, pumping her fists.

"Fine. Then I'll be a musician as well, right alongside you!"

Melody reached her hand out towards the new pair of twins but, one blink later, and the two Calor siblings returned. The Sound mage's outstretched hand slowly retracted and she sighed, staring at the floor.

"This always happens. Listening to this song always reminds me of you…", she said to herself, touching the sapphire ring on her right index finger.

"WE WANT MORE, WE WANT MORE!"

The crowd were pushing for another song from Shooting Star and they were using their glow sticks in the best way possible - by spinning them around as fast as they could.

Harp turned to Cecilia and Kitara, smiled, and then turned back to wink at the crowd.

"Well, we can play one more and it has to be that one, am I right?" She sent the microphone to the crowd, getting a few of their voices to come through the speakers.

The magic item floated around and the crowd made sure their ideas came through.

"Play our favourite!"

"The song that you're known for!"

"It's the best one!"

The main singer spun in a circle and showed her back to the crowd. She looked at her drummer and guitarist and they both nodded. Harp turned around with a jump and used gun-fingers at different parts of the crowd, sending mana in the shape of stars out all around.

"Get ready for our first song ever - Shooting Star!"

The stage dimmed once again. The white dots on the black backdrop turned grey, as well as the star shapes on the edges of the stage, both letting a faded darkness enter the area. Harp, Cecilia, and Kitara raised their right arms and pointed their index fingers towards the sky and then slowly at the crowd, making gun-fingers again. With a wink from each of the three, they send mana in the shape of a large, blue star at the crowd, signalling the start of the song.

"In the darkness of the night, I gazed up at the sky

Looking at the stars made me feel so alone

I wanted a connection but I didn't really try…

I was afraid to be lied to, so I never got close

I buried away the loneliness deep down inside

And I just kept on singing my heavy heart out…"

Kiato and Kahono were amazed with what they were hearing and seeing. Their eyes were wide with anticipation. The floating spotlights above the band were dark and only illuminated the three at their respective areas. The Song mage had something to ask whilst the first verse was being sung.

"This song is quite slow, huh?" The sea-dweller asked Noelle who was next to the two.

"Yeah, they got famous for this song a few years ago when they were starting out. It's more of a love song than anything, but… it is quite nice, and it does get quicker", the Water mage smiled.

The darkness then lifted. The white spots on the backdrop shone once again, the spotlights grew brighter in intensity and the stage lit up with the shapes of multicoloured stars everywhere.

"Until that very starlight finally shined on me, and touched that heavy heart

It was the day that I met you, my shooting star

Love's flames burned deep within, a fire that I couldn't control was near not far

If anyone ever seeks to hurt you I'll start a war

You're the one that saved me, you guide me through the dark"

Klaus looked to the right and saw his two squad mates having a blast. He nodded and then directed his attention to Harp but found that she was staring straight at him as she sang the lyrics.

"That's… odd", the Steel mage thought before shaking his head. He re-focused but found that nothing changed as the black and white-haired singer was staring at him with her wide, turquoise eyes.

As Harp sang; "It was the day that I met you, my shooting star", she winked and puckered her lips. She took a quick break that was a millisecond to shape her fingers into a heart, shooting it out with her mana to make a bigger heart that floated about, landing on Klaus.

It seemed like the entire crowd gave Klaus the evil eyes with the affection he received from Harp. He had no choice but to ignore the gesture but that only served to anger those who were jealous as they thought he was being rude to the main singer.

"You didn't accept it?" Mimosa asked, confused.

"H-How could I? What would… Lyra think?" Klaus gulped.

"So, you really do like her then?" Lucas said.

"Y-Yeah, we've been through a lot even though…", he shook his head before lowering his voice. "I don't like to admit it…".

The band started to get quicker with their singing and the way they were playing. Cecilia was making sure that the drums were quieter but being hit at a faster pace, and Kitara changed the tune of her guitar into a higher-pitched tone, both matching the upbeat nature the song turned into.

"You found me at my worst

Shooting star, you guide me through the dark

Your smile gives me hope, I'm not afraid of anything anymore

My loneliness has faded under the very same light"

Shiren was to the side, a few paces away from the majority of the crowd but he was definitely having fun judging by the way he was nodding his head in tune with the song.

"Loneliness has faded…", he thought to himself, intrigued as the verse stuck in his head.

Hamon was right next to him and lightly tapped the Stone mage. "Looks like you're enjoying the show! Where did you run off to after David left to go with his date?"

Shiren somewhat jumped as he wasn't expecting the Glass mage to show up so suddenly. He looked at him and then saw David right beside him.

"I made a friend. She's from the Purple Orcas", he said plainly.

"Wow, good going, Shiren! Is she cute, is she?" David leaned in, hoping to get some answers.

"You should ask her yourself. I'm pretty sure she's somewhere in the crowd, though", the 23-year-old moved his head to see if he could see her.

David slouched and sighed. "Nevermind…".

The band then slowed the pace down. Cecilia only hit a few of the drums at a deeper tone whereas Kitara only plucked the strings of her guitar three more times before giving Harp the chance to close the song off.

"Your smile fills my heart with joy

Shooting star, you guide me through the dark"

Once the song ended, the three performers all bowed and waved. Cheers erupted once again, much like they had been even at the start of the announcements beforehand, however this one was as loud as it had been this entire time.

Harp took the microphone and spoke through it;

"Thank you for all your constant support, everyone! Unfortunately, we only had time for two songs tonight! I know you wanted more but you'll have to wait for our next concert in a few months time, sorry everyone!"

"What, only two songs?!"

"I bet we'd have had more time if it wasn't for the King and his stupid announcements!"

"Forget all that, who did Harp send a kiss to?!"

The Shooting Star trio bowed once again before turning around. The golden curtains drew together and the concert came to a close.

Just beside the stage, most of the Golden Dawn stood around talking to one another. Lucas, Yuno, Mimosa, and Klaus were beside a wall with the former leaning against it with his back.

"So, that marks the end of your first Star Festival, Lucas and Yuno! What did you think of it, did it meet your expectations?" Klaus asked.

"I'm pretty sure it exceeded them!" Lucas pumped his fists. "I had a lot of fun going around the festival doing all the activities, but then the concert just blew me away!"

Yuno added onto the Dual mage's enthusiasm. "I agree, but I never really had any expectations since I had nothing to compare this festival to. For the first ever festival, I had a lot of fun".

"AND you two are the top performers for the squad!" Mimosa added, putting her hands into fists. "Just don't get too complacent, haha".

"Yuno won't, I can't say the same for Lucas, though". Bell flew by and landed on the royal's hair, choosing to tease the ginger.

"We'll see about that", Lucas smirked.

"Oh, we will", Yuno nodded.

Mimosa then remembered something as she looked at Klaus. "By the way, does Harp have a thing for you or something?! She sent you a kiss and a heart and I'm pretty sure she winked and smiled at you as well!"

"You guys noticed it as well?" Klaus asked, embarrassed as his face turned red.

"I mean… she did it in front of the entire crowd to see, Glasses. I'm pretty sure I heard talk about getting pitchforks from a few men…", Yuno replied.

"I honestly don't know why", the Steel mage shrugged. I haven't even spoken to her before".

"Where is Lyra, by the way? She told me that she'd be here", Lucas looked around but found no one matching the 18-year-old's description.

"Beats me. She always seems to disappear…", Klaus shook his head.

"Lyra?" Yuno and Mimosa repeated.

"Yeah, she's Klaus's fiancée", Lucas said. He then jumped as he remembered something. "Ooh, we don't want to be late, Yuno. The Wizard King asked us to meet him with Asta after the concert finished. We should hurry", he said.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot", Yuno replied.

The two top performers turned around before heading out. "See you, guys".

Eventually, more of the squad started to head back to the base and only Klaus was left remaining. Mimosa was the latest to go so he just sat down with his chin resting on the palm of his hand.

"Yoohoo, Klaussy!"

The familiar voice called out from behind Klaus, however, before he could turn around, his eyes were covered by the source of the voice.

"Guess who?"

"Lyra, that is definitely you", Klaus replied immediately. The darkness was lifted from his eyes and he saw the familiar noble pouting, her arms folded and her pink shoes repeatedly tapping the floor. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"Well, you could've kept the guessing going. You didn't need to be a spoil sport…", she rolled her eyes.

Klaus sighed. "Sorry… W-Wait, hang on! Where were you during the concert? I thought you said we'd meet in the crowd but I didn't see you anywhere!"

Lyra tilted her head in confusion. "H-Huh? I was right here, silly!"

"Is there another Klaus that you were with or something? What are you talking about?" He asked but kept on going. "It was so awkward when Harp sent me a flying kiss and a mana heart as well… Oh, I didn't accept it, though!"

The 18-year-old scrunched her face. "Yeah, why didn't you accept it?!"

"What? Cuz, well, we're… a th-thing, you know? We're engaged…".

"Yeah, so you should've accepted it!"

"Lyra, that would be cheating, right?"

"No!"

"No?"

There was clearly some confusion going on between the pair and neither of them knew what or even why it was happening. That was until Klaus repeated his question once more.

With a sigh, he asked again. "Lyra, where were you?"

"I'm telling you, I was here, on stage!" She pointed right at the stage beside them.

The noble was starting to get annoyed at his fiancée's antics but that all changed once she pulled something out of her pink cardigan's pocket.

She lifted the object and had Klaus look at it. His magenta eyes widened with shock and this even caused his glasses to crack at the sides. He took them off before putting them back on, trying to make sense of what Lyra was showing him.

"Is that…?"

Lyra scratched her chin with her free hand. "What's got you all confused? It's my wig".

In front of Klaus's eyes was the main singer of Shooting Star's hair. It belonged to Harp as it was quite distinctive with it being half black and half white. However, either she was now bald or always had a wig on with it being presented right in front of him, or it could be a completely different reason. Either way, Klaus almost fell to the floor when she showed it to him.

"L-Lyra… wh-when you told me that you were going to perform… d-did you mean… with Sh-Shooting S-S-Star?"

Lyra put her hands to her hips. "Um, duh!"

Slowly, she put the wig on her head and Klaus finally put the pieces together. The reason why Lyra wasn't with him during the concert, the reason why Harp was sending him kisses and hearts, the reason why she was so confused with Klaus's questions… it was all because…

"Oh, Klaussy, I'm pretty sure I told you this…

I perform as 'Harp' for Shooting Star!"

NOTES:

Omg, omg, I'm so happy that I've reached Chapter 100, finally! I've had so much fun with this and I hope you have enjoyed this fic so far!

Did you enjoy this extra, extra-long chapter?

The awards were the main thing for the first half of the chapter. I had the thought of not including Lucas as one of the top performers but I quickly thought against it. Having three rookies up on the summit wasn't a bad idea at all.

I also changed the rankings a bit with the Blue Roses being the third-placed squad. We can thank Daisy for that as Charlotte said. Sixth and eighth place changed as well, thanks to Cyrus and Gueldre (We'll see more of the alchemist soon enough).

We also get the Royal Knights announcement but also about Rachel who (somehow) joins the Crimson Lion Kings! Hehe…

THEN, Shooting Star came last. I tried something completely different with this through adding songs and lyrics. I'm not sure if I pulled it off well but it seems good to me and I had fun with it.

The idea for the band actually came from a few things. One was me watching Oshi no Ko with the whole idol theme, and another came from one of my favourite game series of all time - MegaMan Star Force! The story, the music, the characters, the gameplay… just wow.

I'm not sure if I can put links in so I'll just mention it; try reading the 'Shooting Star' song whilst [MegaMan Star Force 3 OST - T01: Shooting Star (Ver. SF3) is playing on YouTube.

You can also just listen to any other music with the Star Force series as it's all so good. It was a game before it was anime (the anime is eh, not adapted properly at all). The openings are good, though!