Chapter 76: The Rogue
"We have Fransiska's team first?" Lars exclaimed, cursing under his breath.
The brackets for the tournament had been revealed, and Lars saw that Team M, his team containing Cara, Zoe and Cade, were going up against Team N.
THe first threat he immediately assessed was Fransiska. Her Hair Magic had the highest defensive potential out of anyone in this tournament bar Anastacia and Frida, and she'd become a lot more confident in recent times - though her display at the Star Awards Festival spoke volumes otherwise. A confident Fani was #3 of Lars's list of things he was scared of.
Then there was Lilian, who was a seasoned support mage, a powerful attacker, and since suppressing Bellatrix, had taken control of a lot of the spells that she normally used. Her competitive spirit was probably flaring to the roof right now, and she would definitely be playing to win. Lars was confident that her Prismatic Flare could destroy the crystal in one hit.
Nebra, despite her slightly entitled behaviour, was still quite capable, and could use her Mist Magic very deceptively, which would certainly fool Cara if not the rest of them.
And then there was Florian Halcourt. Someone who Lars knew a lot about, having spoken to him often at the Halcourt balls. Everytime, however, he came off as a bit of a dickhead, overly confident in his own ability, condescending, or just plain rude. However, he wasn't called the "Tactician of the Golden Dawn" for no reason. He was a brilliant mind, Lars had to admit, and his Blueprint Magic allowed him to construct elaborate devices by tracing them on the air with mana, store them for later use, or use them immediately.
It all depended on how Lars played his moves, or else, Florian's elaborate plans would swallow him up.
"Hey, I think Lucia's team is going first. Besides we're in the tail end of the bracket," Zoe said. "That gives us a lot of time to figure out how to beat that idiot brother of mine."
"You're right, let's focus on cheering for Lucia. And who are they against?" Lars asked, turning his eyes to the board once again.
Team A
Soren
Theresa Day
Madeleine Davis
Forte Gris
"Are you kidding me?" Lars exclaimed. "You can't ask me to choose between my girlfriend and my pseudo-sister!"
"Pseudo-sister?" Cade exclaimed. Lars simply waved him off.
"Apparently he and that "Theresa" girl are very close," Zoe said.
"Guys, guys! Their match is starting!" Cara exclaimed, drawing everyone's attention to the battlefield.
Suddenly, Iskra's voice echoed in Lars's head. Lars Mertens. I am glad that I get to fight along other celestial hosts.
"It's been a hot minute, Iskra," Lars muttered. "I haven't heard your voice in ages."
I thought it wiser to keep myself concealed, Iskra replied. Valros was hovering around the Coral Peacocks base and the Yultim Volcano.
"The Willpower Celestial? Why?" Lars asked, a look of confusion clouding his face as he watched Theresa gather her team.
Valros is a simple man. He is drawn to people with two things - individuals with strong willpower, and individuals with less latent potential than others but the drive to grow. My indecisive younger brother will choose anyone, Iskra sighed in Lars's head.
On the battlefield, Theresa, Maddy, Soren and Forte were focusing on their plan.
"Soren will limit their range of movement using Lava Magic, while Maddy overwhelms them with Anubises," Theresa said. "I'll focus on defense. Forte, I'll create a platform for you and Maddy to do that rock crossbow thingy."
"And you?" Madeleine asked, crossing her muscular arms.
"Plant Magic: Sensitive Verdant Roots!" Theresa said, and verdant growths began to erupt at her feet, quickly covering the battlefield in a matter of seconds.
"With this," she explained, "I can feel out their location. I also have another spell that will allow me to communicate with you, so I can actually relay the information."
"You're pretty organised, shortstuff," Soren said, clearly impressed.
"I try," Theresa replied, her eyes never wavering from Team B, who were having some… problems.
"Is he asleep?" Lucia murmured, her face pale.
"I think he's asleep," Mimosa replied, her face getting redder with frustration by the minute.
"IS HE SERIOUSLY ASLEEP RIGHT NOW?!" Asta yelled, veins popping out of his forehead.
"I was so busy tonight," Xerx yawned. "I haven't had a wink of sleep, so be good children and hush hush."
"Are you kidding me?!" Lucia yelled, her frustration suddenly increasing exponentially at the Purple Orca's unbotheredness. Lars suddenly got chills down his spine, and gulped, making a mental note not to be lazy around Lucia. The Blue Rose suddenly breathed inwards, trying to stay calm.
"I think I have a plan," she said. "Anti magic boy, can you-"
They were interrupted by a fast and precise lava burst, which cascaded from a crack in the ground. Asta reacted immediately, using the Demon-Dweller Sword to slice it open in a graceful black arc.
"Mimosa! Grab the crystal!" Asta yelled. "We need to move quickly!"
Before they could advance, however, a fireball careened towards the crystal, just grazing it, though not enough to pierce a hole through it.
"Plant Magic: Magic Flower Guidepost!" Mimosa said, creating the mana projection in front of her hands. It currently showed them, the three team members, around the crystal, and a duo of Magic Knights right in front of them, one magic knight who had crystal magic emanating next to them somewhere to the west, and another Magic Knight…
"Lava Magic: Molten Gauntlets!" Soren yelled, specifically aiming for Asta. His hands became surrounded with lava, and he brought his fists down in a sledgehammering motion at the Black Bull, who blocked with the Demon-Slayer Sword.
"Your teammate's disrespect of the Wizard King will not be tolerated!" he yelled, the burly man flipping acrobatically and taking a fighting stance. Suddenly, a flower popped up on his shoulder, somehow managing to survive the smelting heat coming from him.
"Soren," Theresa's voice echoed from the flower. "I understand your frustration, but it's not currently wise to take a full-on offensive. Lead them "away" from the crystal."
"Like they'd fall for that, Theresa! I trust you, but is that really the wisest decision?" Soren replied, his voice taking on a more annoyed tone.
"I'm banking on it," Theresa said, the flower crumbling into specks of mana. Soren sighed, deactivated his Molten Gauntlets, and began to run in the west direction.
"They're baiting us?" Lucia muttered, clearly confused, summoning Card Magic: Tarot Deck, and taking out the Empress, wrapping the crystal in vines around Mimosa's waist. "No matter. Mimosa, where does your magic say the crystal is?"
"Straight ahead," the Vermillion girl replied, her eyes scanning.
Lucia took out her bow from her back and nocked a Strength card from the circular deck full of them now floating around her. "Let's go," she said. The three ran towards the crystal where Theresa was.
Speaking of Theresa, she was perched next to a tree, using Artemis Cage to shield the crystal. Soren, who had just finished tactically retreating from Team B, came up to her.
"Your plan worked, they're heading here," he breathed, still a bit breathless from the mad dash he had made to get here.
"Then you can start the area control," Theresa said. Her gaze drifted to the flower she had put on her shoulder. "That goes for you too, Maddy."
"Finally!" Madeleine yelled in relief. "Sandstone Creation Magic: Anubis Multi!"
Multiple sandstone guardians emerged from the ground, this time a lot shorter and faster than the usual her-sized Anubis she used to make. She whispered some instructions to the one closest to her in proximity, before the sandstone creations leaped down from the ledge where her and Forte were stationed.
"They will not get away with disrespecting Lord Julius!" Forte hissed, loading another fireball onto the sandstone crossbow Maddy had made. Maddy pulled her hand back, and the crossbow (now loaded with multiple fireballs) drew its string. The Blue Rose pushed her hand forward, and now the fireballs launched one after another, each heading to the approximate location that Team B would soon arrive.
The battlefield was alive with chaos. Forte's fireballs streaked through the air like fiery meteors, their radiant glow illuminating the dust-choked arena. Lucia's hands moved swiftly, summoning The Tower. A glowing barrier, shimmering with the images of a robed figure, expanded before her, intercepting the first volley of fireballs. Sparks and embers cascaded in all directions as the flames struck the shield, leaving scorch marks on the ground.
"Stay sharp, Asta!" Lucia called, her voice firm despite the heat in the air. She nocked a Judgement card into her magical bow, the edges of the card glowing with golden light.
Asta grinned, gripping the Demon-Slayer Sword tightly. His eyes burned with determination. "You handle the magic—I'll handle the muscle!" With a powerful leap, he closed the distance between himself and the charging sandstone Anubises, their jagged claws tearing through the earth as they approached. With a wide, powerful arc, Asta swung his massive sword, black mana rippling outward. Two of the Anubises disintegrated mid-strike, their sandy forms collapsing into harmless piles.
Lucia took aim, releasing her arrow. It struck true, piercing through another Anubis and pinning it to a nearby tree. The magical construct flailed momentarily before crumbling into dust.
Above them, Soren unleashed a barrage of molten rock from his elevated position. "Lava Magic: Gaping Chasm!" he roared, summoning a wave of searing magma that surged toward the crystal's protected zone. Asta darted forward, raising the Demon-Dweller Sword. With a decisive swing, he absorbed the magical attack into the blade's anti-magic aura, dispersing it into harmless sparks.
"We're not letting you near that crystal," Asta declared, planting his feet firmly as he faced Soren.
From her vantage point, Theresa surveyed the chaos, her sharp eyes glinting with strategy. She whispered under her breath, vines slithering around her arms in preparation. "Split up! Keep them guessing where the crystal is!" she commanded.
Obeying her orders, Soren darted westward while Theresa herself moved east, each carrying decoys wrapped in Plant Magic. The glimmering bundles appeared identical to the real crystal, their aura faintly pulsating with magical energy.
Lucia's brow furrowed as she assessed the situation. "They're trying to confuse us," she muttered. "Mimosa, can you confirm the real one?"
Mimosa clutched her Magic Flower Guidepost, its ethereal petals vibrating faintly. "Both paths are radiating energy! It's impossible to tell which is the real one from here!"
"Then we split up too," Lucia decided. "Asta, go after Soren. I'll take Theresa."
Asta nodded and bolted after Soren, his anti-magic blade ready to strike. Lucia darted in the opposite direction, her bow shimmering as she prepared another card.
But just as Asta closed the distance, the ground beneath him erupted in a burst of light. Intricate runes appeared, glowing ominously. Before he could react, the magic circle activated, releasing a surge of energy that froze him in place. His muscles seized, and he crashed to the ground, his sword skidding out of reach.
"Asta!" Lucia's shout echoed across the battlefield as she sprinted toward him. But another trap activated beneath her feet, catching her mid-stride. She summoned The Emperor, projecting a radiant aura that deflected the brunt of the attack. Still, the paralysis crept up her legs, and she staggered, gritting her teeth.
From her hidden perch, Theresa smirked. "Perfect. Let's finish this."
Team A emerged from the shadows, closing in on Team B's crystal. Theresa's vines writhed like snakes, forming a dense barrier around the area. "Plant Magic: Kalosian Wrath!" she declared, sending her magic surging toward the crystal.
"Sandstone Magic: Dune Spear!" Maddy said, forming a large sandstone spear and hurling it towards the crystal with the force of someone who did this every day.
"Fire Magic: Inferno Blast!" Forte roared, launching a massive fireball toward the same target.
Soren added his might, calling forth a tidal wave of molten rock. "Lava Magic: Molten Wave!" The combined assaults converged, a maelstrom of elemental destruction bearing down on the crystal.
Mimosa froze, panic gripping her. "I can't block all of this at once!" she cried, her guidepost pulsing weakly in her trembling hands.
Before the attacks could connect, a quartet of ash-gray magic circles materialized in front of the crystal. The air around them shimmered, and the circles absorbed the incoming attacks with a resonant hum. Elemental energy spiraled within the circles, crackling ominously.
A slow clap echoed across the battlefield. "About time I stepped in," Xerx muttered, stepping out of the shadows. A smug grin played on his lips.
The ash circles began to spin faster, releasing the absorbed energy back toward Team A with devastating precision. The redirected attacks exploded in a fiery maelstrom, engulfing the battlefield in chaos. Madeleine's sandstone spear shattered into jagged fragments, the shards scattering across the arena. Forte was sent sprawling by the impact of his own fireball, his Mana Skin barely preventing severe burns. Soren's molten wave reversed direction violently, slamming into him with enough force to carve a trench in the earth. Only his quick reflexes and natural heat resistance saved him from grievous harm, though he was left singed and gasping for breath.
Theresa managed to shield herself within the protective dome of her Artemis Cage, the ethereal vines shimmering as they absorbed the brunt of the backlash. Even so, she staggered under the force, her knees nearly buckling. Sweat dripped from her brow as she gritted her teeth, determination burning in her eyes.
Amidst the wreckage, Xerx strode forward leisurely, his hands still tucked casually into his pockets. The faint glow of his ash circles framed him like a mocking halo. "A Magic Knight should consider all possibilities," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Charging in like that without a plan? Amateurs."
Theresa's grip tightened on her grimoire, her knuckles white. "We had a plan!" she shot back, her voice trembling with both anger and desperation. She flipped the pages of her grimoire, summoning a massive surge of thorny vines. "Plant Magic: Omni Vine!" The vines erupted from the ground, writhing toward Xerx with unrelenting force, their barbed tips gleaming menacingly.
Xerx sighed, barely sparing the attack a glance. With a flick of his wrist, another ash circle materialized in the air. The vines disintegrated upon contact, reduced to harmless motes of dust. "Nice try," he said with a smirk. "But you're out of your league."
Theresa's eyes widened as her strongest spell was effortlessly neutralized. Before she could react, Xerx's ash surged forward in a pulsing wave, crashing against the hidden crystal. The illusory layers masking its location shattered, revealing the real crystal.
Theresa gasped and lunged toward the crystal, but she was too late. Xerx's ash had already formed a razor-sharp edge, hovering just inches from the crystal's surface. He glanced at her, his expression a mixture of boredom and condescension. "A Magic Knight needs more than brute force and blind confidence. Didn't anyone teach you that?"
She pushed herself to her feet, trembling with the effort. "I won't let you win that easily!" she shouted, summoning her last reserves of strength.
Xerx's smirk widened as he raised his foot and placed it firmly on her shoulder, pinning her down. "Don't embarrass yourself," he said coldly. "You've already lost. But don't take it too hard—losing to me is practically a rite of passage."
Theresa growled, struggling against his weight, but her mana reserves were nearly depleted.
"What's the matter?" Xerx taunted, leaning down slightly. "You thought your little squad had a chance? That's adorable. Let me show you how it's done."
He stepped away, letting Theresa collapse to the ground. Her desperate gaze followed him as he approached the crystal. She reached out, her voice breaking. "No! Stop!"
Xerx paused, glancing over his shoulder with a devilish grin. "Changed my mind," he said. "I came here for a different reason, after all."
Theresa's expression flickered with confusion, hope briefly lighting her features. "You mean… you're not…?"
Xerx chuckled darkly. "Nah. Just kidding." With a swift motion, his ash magic surged forward, shattering the crystal in an explosion of light.
The Capital Mage's voice rang out over the battlefield, clear and decisive. "The winner is Team B!"
Theresa collapsed fully to the ground, her breath coming in ragged gasps. As the dust settled, Xerx turned to her one last time, his expression unreadable. "Next time, think a few steps ahead. That's what it takes to be a real Magic Knight."
With that, he walked away, leaving the battlefield in stunned silence.
As Theresa sank to her knees, exhausted, Mimosa stared at Xerx, realization dawning in her wide eyes. "It was you. You set those traps."
Xerx smirked, tipping his imaginary hat. "Good guess, Little Miss Royal. Don't forget it."
Up in the stands, Lars watched with a mixture of apprehension and a burning desire to know more. How were those magic circles constructed? When did he have time to set up those traps?
"When did he have time to set up those traps?" Mimosa asked back on the battlefield, her Princess-Healing Flower Robe already in action as she healed Asta. The members of Team A were also being carried away on stretchers as Xerx turned to face Mimosa, his cold eyes piercing into her skull.
"That was some good teamwork!" he said sarcastically, just as Asta was beginning to struggle his way back into consciousness. "Your role as the bait was just brilliant, mundane, of course, but well played! Gold stars for you."
"Thanks for healing me, Mimosa," Asta said, getting up and turning to face Xerx. "And you! What the hell are you playing-"
"What the actual FUCK was that?!" Lucia yelled, storming over to Xerx. The Blue Rose redhead had multiple veins popping out of her head, and her face was beet red with anger as she grabbed Xerx by the Purple Orcas robe. "Why would you do that?! We had a plan!"
"I had a plan," Xerx replied, removing the girl's hands from his robe as he dusted himself off. "And you were the bait. Good teamwork, right?"
"L-Lucia, please stay calm," Mimosa said, her eyes darting nervously to the spectators. "This is being broadcasted all across the kingdom."
Lucia's cheeks were flushed, but she relented heer verbal assault and stepped back, slowly regaining her composure. Asta, meanwhile, was not put off by Mimosa's revelation.
"What's actually wrong with you?" he asked, his voice lower than it had been before, but not any less angry. "The other team was also impressive! Why'd you have to slander them like that?"
"Have I not answered this question already? It was teamwork, tiny boy. And losing is still losing, so how "good" they were doesn't matter one bit," Xerx replied, picking his teeth.
"That wasn't teamwork! The magic I was trapped in was your doing!" Asta retorted.
"To fool your enemies, you need to fool your allies as well. Keeps everyone on their toes," Xerx replied indifferently. "Hey, my collar has magic in it too."
Asta tentatively touched said collar… and was met with a spray of ash to the eyes.
"Owowowowow, that hurts!" he wailed, clutching his eyes. Mimosa rushed to his side worriedly.
Xerx now turned to Lucia, who had one burning question hanging over her lips.
"Those magic circles… they're like the ones I use to fuse arcana. Eerily similar, in fact," the card mage replied, her green eyes fully focused on Xerx. "They have almost the same composition."
"The world is a small place, y'know," Xerx said, walking towards the spatial portal that had been made for them to get off the battlefield. "Is it too hard to think someone had exactly the same idea as you?"
With those words, Xerx stepped into the spatial portal, leaving a very confused Lucia behind.
"There's something weird about all this," Lucia muttered, heading into the spatial portal behind him. Asta and Mimosa followed closely behind, the former still clutching his eyes.
"Such an unbeautiful way to fight," Kirsch remarked, tossing his hair, "but at least now, my younger sister can be fully embraced by my beauty."
"You go, Vice-Captain," Lars muttered, his mind still deeply engrossed in thought.
"I'm up as well," Sharya said, getting up from her seat and stretching. "Wish me luck, Lars."
"You're an assassin," Lars said matter-of-factly, turning to face Sharya, the blue haired girl's cheeky grin never faltering from her face. "Do you really need luck?"
"Oh Lars, you sweet summer child," Sharya smiled, giving him a light punch on the shoulder. "Most of our job as Magic Knights is luck - that translates to assassination as well."
"In that case, bon courage," Lars smirked, the Hansen girl's infectious energy finally having caught up to him.
Sharya headed towards where the members of her team were stationed, flashing Lars a confident smile before running over to Quinn.
Team D
Cesc
Quinn Bevel
Adrian
Sharya Hansen
"An Aqua Deer, A Purple Orca, a Green Mantis, and a Coral Peacock, huh?" Sharya mused. "Odd, but we'll work around it."
"Kirsch Vermillion, your vice captain," Adrian said, the Purple Orca's voice deadly serious, "is the one we should be wary of. Despite his vanity, he is a greater strategist than he lets on, correct."
"You're right about that," Sharya said. "But he has flaws, and those flaws of his are hamartial, and very easy to exploit. Kirsch isn't invincible. For one, that vanity of his you talked about? It's gonna make it very hard for him and his teammates to get along."
"You're right about that one, Sharya," Quinn said, pointing in the cherry blossom mage's direction. "They're already having a spat over there."
Team C
Kirsch Vermillion
Magna Swing
Sol Marron
Vivianne Voss
"Why was I born so beautiful?" Kirsch sighed dramatically. "And yet, why were all the people around me born so ugly?"
"Stop doing that!" Vivianne yelled, this close to tearing her hair out. "It's creepy as shit!"
"Please, do not use such unbeautiful words in my presence," Kirsch said, glaring down at the small girl with his gold eyes, piercing her skull. "My ears do not deserve to be defiled by your profanity, and neither do yours. If you could just grow a few inches taller, and fix your rough attitude, maybe you might become beautiful."
"It's the genetics, ya creep!" Vivianne said, clutching her shoulders. "Hey! Where are you going? I wasn't finished!"
But Kirsch wasn't listening. Having spotted his teammates, he skipped towards them with his usual grace, greeting her with a vain smirk and a confident (albeit zesty) pose. Vivianne followed, her demeanour stormier than her magic.
A/N: The Royal Knights Selection Exam finally begins! And although this chapter was kinda short compared to my other ones, I hope you enjoyed it! (at least)