Saturday October 8th, 2018.

  The next day starts in a relaxing manner for everyone inside the Twin Heiress Mansion. They stayed up late watching the second-year students finish their challenges. In the end and to Alli and Hinata’s joy, it was Layla that was the obvious winner. She beat level 95 with her party.

  A big reason for her victory was the final member of her party. The Mau cat. In ancient Egypt the cats were known for protection, fertility and divine power. Now the cat was over four-thousand levels from becoming a god. But their species can bring about awe inspiring burst of power.

  It isn’t something that can be done repeatedly. But whoever is the person hiding within the form of the Egyptian Mau house cat, that person is a true powerhouse. The closest to reaching Layla’s level was Dino, followed by his sister Camilla and Dorimer.

  With the new day starting. The third-year students will start their challenges. Then once they are done. The rest of the day will be the fourth-year students and anyone that is remaining on campus.

  There are some students that have been at the school for over five years, a select few for even ten. The School of Awakening can be a hard place to leave. It is a microcosm to the world’s macro. Leaving can be scary, especially for those without any backing. The best of the third-year students are expected to make it to tier 3 in the challenge. This is what makes Layla so impressive. She made it to tier 3 even though she is only a second-year student.

  The best of the school’s students will all be battling to try and beat the first monster within tier 3. Going from tier 1 to tier 2 is impressive. But going from tier 2 to tier 3 is an even bigger beast. This means battling a monster that can wield an aura. The only student at the school with a direct counter is Helo. But at the same time, during their battles with the tier 3 monster is when most of them will make progress in grasping their own aura.

  Alli’s uncle was able to get close to realizing his aura while facing a similar challenge. But still, even for a genius like him, it took a few more years to finally do it.

  Rising from his bed is a slow affair for Helo. He isn’t sure when it started, normally he is pretty quick to rise. It was something that Ms. Accleas trained into him as a young child. It is also something that became ingrained into him while living alone.

  But lately he has been sleeping in more, while also having a desire to take more naps throughout the day. He can easily power through, ignoring his unconscious inclination and continue with training or school. But that doesn’t mean that he wants to.

  Finally, making it down the hall and to the central living area. Helo is surprised to see Rohan, Maria, and her party. They are not sitting on the half-circle sofa in the middle of the room. Instead, everyone is having a nice breakfast at the dining table that is near the back of the room.

  Looking at the extended table, he is a little surprised. I didn’t know it could do that. But… being at a magical school, with a magical illuminati family, an extending table is easy to accept. Not paying them any mind he takes his normal place between Alli and Hinata.

  “So… you said that Layla agreed to stop by?” Comes a quiet voice from across the table. The question isn’t directed at him, but he looks up to see who is asking.

  “Mhm?” Alli hums with a mouth full of food. Looking up she sees Ana, she is one of Maria’s close friends. She also happens to be the shiest of the Brazilian girls. Swallowing her bite, Alli nods. “Yep. She agreed to stop by for a bit. She has a party she is expected to attend. But she mentioned wanting to see a few of the fourth-year students take their challenge without having to deal with acting all fancy.” She says the last word like it is an affront to what is right.

  Helo lightly chuckles to himself at Alli’s antics. Knowing her as well as he does, he can see why she would say the word fancy like that. She is much too outgoing and outspoken to act like a demure noble lady.

  Breakfast is a peaceful and friendly affair. The room is clean, Helo assumes that someone, probably Kristen, stopped by to clean in the night. At the same time, it is well lit due to the large windows that overlook the front yard of the mansion grounds.

  By the time everyone has had their fill, notification can be heard from all their devices. As soon as the sound of different chimes and vibrations sound out, Alli is happily messing around with the controls for the wall of the room.

  Their clan tablets can connect to the enchantments that run the lights and TV’s. It was nifty for Helo to learn. They all have phones, but they are built on earth and made to be sold to the populus. While their tablets are artifacts from outside earth and made with much higher tier skills, runes, and materials.

  It took Alli a few seconds which Helo was impressed by. He is fairly deft at using his tablet to read books, something that he has enjoyed ever since he arrived at Hanwi Valley. But using it for anything more involved than sending messages or answering a call is mostly beyond him. Which is something that Rocco has joked about, Helo is their enchanter and the tablets are made from enchantments.

  As the TV starts to display the stadium and the four different Spacecaller groups, everyone in the room stops to watch. At the moment the screen is focusing on the podium. It looks exactly the same as it was the day before. A square of raised stone with the generic stone floor beneath it.

  The recording device starts to tilt up and the stadium seats are all filled with students cheering and yelling. It is just past eight am, but the stadium is already filled. “Huh. Glad we ain’t there. That place looks like a over stocked deli.” Rurgrim grumbles.

  Everyone is in the process of moving from the table to the couch in the center of the room. But a few stop and stair at Rurgrim for his odd phrasing.

  “What.” He says. “All that meat cut up and placed in a line.” Most of the others are still giving him an odd look. “Bahhh. Whatever. Uncultured.” The dwarf scoffs and finds a seat on the couch. He is forced to hop slightly to reach the couch. By the time he has scooted back and made himself comfortable his feet are sticking out over the edge without being able to bend down.

  Just as everyone returns their focus to the TV, there is movement. On the screen Ryan is walking toward the middle of the podium with a bland expression that practically screams his lack of interest in being there.

  He grumbles under his breath without realizing, or maybe not caring, that everyone can hear him. “Stupid Grandmother.” In a high mocking tone he says. “Oh sweetie, you want to become mayor of the city, well I have a great idea.” His tone goes back to normal, and he almost reaches the center of the stage. “It was a stupid idea. Stupid Hal. Why is he making me do this.”

  Just as he stops talking, he also stops walking. Looking around he starts to speak in a comepltly bored tone. “Mhmmhem. Welcome. Today is the second day of the first challenge.” Ryan stops talking and looks like he has more to say but is fighting to get it out.

  Seeing to have made up his mind he starts to talk again. Instead of introducing anyone, rehashing the rules, or saying anything more, he just turns and walks away. “Anyway. Let’s begin.”

  “Hah!” Gabi laughs loudly as Ryan starts to head to his place off to the side, where they expect him to blandly commentate like he did the day before. “I love that guy!” She loudly, there are a few people in the group chuckling along with her, but it is mostly her that finds Ryan to be hilarious.

  The screen splits into four different sections. Each one displays a set of Spacecallers and a group of up to six that is slowly making their way onto the podium. One at a time the screens flash and the challenges begin.

  The next few hours are fairly normal for Helo and his friends. Rohan calms down, becoming less jumping and starting to realize that nothing terrible is about to happen. At the same time Maria and her group make themselves at home with Alli and Hinata’s party. In some way a bit to at home.

  “Come on! I am an Amazonian! Descendant of the great Diana! My sword is far sharper than your own!” Helena leans forward in her chair and yells at across the couch to Rocco.

  Rocco, acting far out of his normal stoic attitude yells back. “Bah! I have trained just as long as you, probably more.”

  Staring at Rocco with a heated gaze Helena points at him. “I bet your sword is nothing but a wet noodle. But its okay, they have medication for that!”

  Rocco stares at her in confusion. All around him his party starts clacking and smacking the coffee table in front of them. “OHHHH!” Luna yells out.

  “She got you!” Aiko laughs as she walks up to the couches carrying drinks.

  Rocco is still staring in confusion as Rurgrim smacks him on the back hard enough to almost send him off the couch. “Bahahahahh! She is talking about your cock, you daft fox! Hahahahah!” Rurgrim holds his chest as he continues to laugh.

  Helena looks smug, while at the same time Maria is sitting next to her with her face covered and a high-pitched whine coming from between her fingers. Inbetween her whining Helo can hear her mutter, “You don’t even use a sword.”

  Rocco slowly recovers from Rurgrim’s smack, and he stares at Helena in shock. This is the first time he has gotten into a heated argument like this. He has been into playground fights back home, due to his advanced affinity for Foxfire his childhood wasn’t easy, but nobody has gotten him this riled up before.

  Standing up Rocco points down at Helena. “We will settle this. With a duel! My sword, against yours, if you’re not scared.”

  Gabi, Aiko, Alli and Rurgrim start chanting, “Fight! Fight! Fight!” After realizing that nobody is upset about what Helena said, her own team members start to chant as well.

  The eighteen students quickly find themselves heading toward the back of the house. The house is shaped like an upside down ‘T’. Where they connect is the large central room. The right side has different crafting areas, storage and guest quarters, while the left side has the living area for the party and any servant’s quarters. The top of the upside down ‘T’ isn’t very long. But it does stick out into the center of the backyard by almost a hundred feet. It has the master bedrooms and Helo’s own room in it.

  On either side of Alli and Hinata’s wing of the mansion there is a large garden with an assortment of paths, streams and a gazebo. Then once you come level with the back of the mansion, there is an open space with well-manicured grass and an area for training and sparring.

  Further past is the cliff on the back and left side of the property. It overlooks the ocean and creates a beautiful view looking out into the vast expanse that is the ocean.

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  Unfortunately, they are not there to enjoy the beautiful view of the garden or even stare out into the ocean. Everyone lines up on back side of the sparring field. There might be protection from stopping people from going off the cliff and into the ocean. But a line of peers to stop them from testing those protections isn’t a bad thing.

  Gabi is still happily leading the cheer as Helena and Rocco line up on either side of the field. While they find their place she also steps up in the middle of the ring.

  Raising her hands in the air the outgoing girl starts to yell. “In the red corner! We have the snarling foxy, the blue fire streaker!” She starts to get increasingly outlandish. Everyone is laughing but Rocco switches his glare from Helena to her. “The furry eared, soft pawed, pouting… Rocco!”

  “In the blue…” She starts to yell but she is interrupted by Aiko.

  Aiko steps up next to Gabi as she is about to start introducing Helena like they are at some kind of professional wrestling match. “One moment please.” She turns to Hinata. “Hinata, some more guest has arrived.”

  Hinata has a joyful smile on her face. She isn’t outright laughing like Alli, but she does find this entire event entertaining. “Can you go invite them in, maybe bring them back here.”

  Aiko bows and quickly takes off toward the front of the house. Instead of waiting at the front door she heads directly to the gate.

  It is only a minute later that she returns with two people in tow. Da Chen and Bo Haoran. Hier Chen was considering bringing his cousin Wei. But he already felt blessed that he didn’t start a fight the evening before. Bringing him again would just be testing his luck.

  Da and Bo both stop and stare with some shock. Aiko told them that everyone was out back, not what they were doing. So, exiting the door to the back and seeing everyone surrounding a training field like they are watching a schoolyard brawl surprised them.

  Both are used to trying to make as little waves as possible. Da due to his unfavorable position within his sect. Being the child of a branch family and having the sect leader offer him one of the potential heir positions but a target on his back.

  All his extended family that wants to become the next sect leader stopped squabbling to harass the new guy. Bo is in a similar position. Being friends with Da is not a good place to be. Which makes his continued friendship and loyalty much more important to Da.

  Still, both teenagers aren’t used to this kind of companionship. Living life trying to avoid conflict will do that to a person.

  They stand off toward the side awkwardly as Gabi walks back to the center of the training field. “Ahem.” She shakes out her body like she is about to do something vitally important and taxing. “In the REEED Corner! The angry wittle fox! Ahh!” Gabi yells as she dives to the side.

  Where she was just standing a ball of blue flame splashes on the ground. The attack was nowhere near Rocco’s full power or speed, so Gabi is easily able to dodge. Rolling back to her feet she glares at Rocco. “Ahem. Anyway. Begin!”

  Rocco and Helena make eye contact and stay completely still. A few minutes have gone by since they got into their argument so both parties have calmed down considerably. Well Helena has, in Rocco’s case he has turned his ire toward Gabi.

  Both stand about twenty feet from one another and wait to make their moves. Either are looking for an opening or waiting to counter. Rocco is standing with his katana in defensive lower guard with his blade in front. He is waiting to defend or counter. Helena on the other hand is wielding a Greek Xiphos in a high attack stance.

  After almost fifteen seconds of staring Da slowly makes his way over to the teenagers that are lined up along the training field. The first person in the line is Arisah. Leaning in close he asks, “What is going on?”

  Arisah being the sweetheart that she is answers honestly. “Well Helena claimed that Rocco had erectile dysfunction.”

  Before she can say more Rocco shouts. “Ha!” Leaping forward he moves at a quick speed. He kicks up dirt and grass from the field. He makes it before Helena in a single quick leap. He slashes up and across his body. At the same time Helana steps back and slashes down. Both swords meet in the middle with a “CLANG!”

  Rocco stumbles back as Helana knocks his sword to the side. Her superior strength and with the help of gravity she easily came out on top. She steps forward and wielding her blade in both hands thrusts forward.

  That isn’t enough to get one over on Rocco. Using his trained instincts he simply drops down and rolls back. The thrust goes high and Rocco is back on his feet with his blade back in a low guard.

  With the fight starting Helena’s more aggressive nature starts to show as she leaps forward and attacks with a wide swing. Rocco almost takes the hit due to surprise. He stares for a moment too long as Helena shows off very little skill in wielding a sword.

  Stepping back again he easily parries her next thrust. The blades ring against one another and Rocco steps into her guard. With deft movements and incredible skill, he spins his own blade along Helena’s and with a flick of his wrist her sword flies away.

  This short bout isn’t enough for either to be out of breath, but Rocco still sighs. “You are in no way a swordswoman.”

  Helena looks sheepish and she scratches her neck with a laugh. “Ahhah my bad. I kind of forgot.” Grabbing the blade that is now covered in dirt she looks toward Ana. “Sorry, I got your sword all dirty.”

  Rocco stares in a slight daze. Everyone else is just laughing. Rocco might have been distracted but Maria and her party all knew that Helena didn’t wield a sword. They told the others before the fight started.

  “Still!” Helena turns and shouts. “You’re still a limp noodle!” She reaches behind her into her spatial storage and pulls out a comparatively massive spear. Massive compared to Rocco that is. Helena has a good few inches on the Kitsune. She also has considerably more muscle mass.

  Before another fight can start Alli steps into the ring. Feeling slightly bored and wanting to participate she jumps in front of Rocco with her staff in hand. “I shall defend your honor!” She declares in an extremely ridiculous voice. “Don’t worry fair maiden. I shall best this foe.”

  When she finishes speaking, she slightly turns her head to look toward her own personal knight Carl. Getting a discreet thumbs up for her chivalry. Rocco doesn’t argue and steps aside. He is far to respectful to stop the heiress form entertaining herself.

  Helena looks between Alli’s staff and her own great spear. Her spear has almost three feet on Alli’s staff. Looking back at her own Heiress she raises her eyebrow in question. Maria just shrugs, she is thinking. Alli asked for it.

  Holding her spear off to the side like it is some kind of club Alli runs forward and attacks with a wild swing. Helena holds up her own spear to defend. Her movement with the spear in hand looks far more natural, than her own wild swing with the sword.

  But in the middle of Alli’s swing white light starts to coalesce on the edge of her staff. In just moments her light staff gains considerable weight on the end. At the same time her reach extends almost a foot.

  By the time the massive hammer head lands on Helena’s spear shaft, it falls like a boulder. “Uff!” Helena takes the blow and stumbles back a step. Still in range she strikes down with the tip of her spear.

  Alli holds up her hammer head and catches the spear tip. In the same movement she steps forward and spins. This brings her too close for Helana to attack with her spear point and inside her guard.

  But Alli is far slower than Rocco’s dexterous and agile self. Helena takes the extra second and steps back. With a “Woosh!” The hammer head swings past her own head. Over the next few minutes Helena and Alli traded a series of aggressive and heavy blows. Both women prefer to use strength over agility. It can be seen in the way that they fight.

  As the spar continues it is easy to tell that Helena has more skill than Alli. Using a spear is her main weapon, while for Alli she is a mage. After the first dozen or so exchanges Helena could have won using her superior skill.

  Instead, she is smiling wide as she and Alli slam their weapons against one another over and over again.

  But it can’t last forever. Alli gets slowly pushed back as Helena starts to use some more skill along with her brute force. Before she can truly overwhelm Alli, Maria steps up to stop them. “Well that is enough.” Both fighters stop. They are breathing heavily, but only barely. For people like them, late into tier 1, sparing without using skills is just a warmup.

  Hinata, agreeing with what Maria is doing steps up beside her fellow heiress. “Yep.” With a friendly smile she looks toward the newcomers. “It looked like Mr. Haoran wanted to have a friendly spar with Rurgrim.”

  Bo looks surprised as Hinata calls her out. But he can tell from her friendly smile that she doesn’t have malicious intent. Looking toward Da he gets a helpful nod. Stepping into the field as Alli and Helena stop out, Bo feels slightly awkward. He is used to fighting in his armor. Wearing casual clothing to spar makes him feel slightly awkward. But gathering his mental strength he pulls out a kite shield and short sword. Performing a cutous bow, Bo prepares to fight. On the other side of the field Rurgrim steps up with a similar shield and hammer.

  Both fighters hunker behind their shields. The only real difference between the two of them is that Bo has more than a foot of height on Rurgrim. But Rurgrim pays it no mind. Stepping forward he starts to walk, then runs. Moving surprisingly fast for a tank Rurgrim is before Bo before he can fully get into the right headspace.

  With a metallic ringing “BANG!” The two shields collide. With Rurgrim’s momentum and surprisingly heavy frame he sends Bo stumbling. Unfortunately for Rurgrom, Bo might be socially awkward due to his upbringing, but he is still a skilled tank.

  In a move that is far more dexterous than the short and burly dwarf could pull off. Bo flows with the momentum that Rurgrim hit him with. As his shield lifts into the air, he plants his feet and bends back. Before he can fall, he plants his shield, and jumps. Using his shield, he does a back handspring and lands back on his feet.

  Everyone is silent as they stare at Bo with some shock. He flushes slightly at their gazes. “I… I have always wanted to try that, but my armor is to heavy.”

  “Nice!” Aiko yells. At the same time Cody gives Bo a half-giant-sized thumbs up.

  “Ha. With moves like that you should be throwing daggers, not holding a shield.” Rurgrim grumbles as he sets his stance.

  Bo turns his gaze away from the audience. Speaking in a quite tone he says. “I am the shield that defends my friend.”

  Most can’t hear him. Only those with enhanced hearing like Luna and Helo, but Rurgrim could. With an appreciative nod, his eyes hold more respect. Like that the two tanks battle. Their spar only lasts five minutes before someone calls for it to stop. But in that time both men gained a healthy respect for one another.

  Like this people continue to spar with one another through the morning. The next spar is Arisah versus Maria. Being two mages, they were booed off the stage from Helena, Alli and Gabi as they tried to have magic spar. Instead, both girls were given a foam helmet and practice swords and shields.

  The spar that ensued is one that has Da blushing and looking away as the two extremely beautiful woman, in very thin clothing attempted to sword fight. While they spared Hinata leaned to Helo and Alli. “I’m just happy that we got rid of that perv. If he were here, it wouldn’t be a lot more uncomfortable.”

  They both nod in agreement. Neither mention that it was Kenneth that left them. They all wanted him to be gone anyway.

  The next spar is between Hinata and Ana. The two women displayed impressive levels of skill with their chosen weapons. Hinata with her katana and Ana with her shorter but heavier double-sided Xiphos.

  After they finished Carl stepped in with Laura. As an archer, Laura was almost booed away by the bloodthirsty crowd of Helena, Gabi and Alli. Instead, Carl did the honorable thing and stood up for her.

  Their spar was an impressive display of skill as Carl went about deflecting Laura’s shots. At the same time Laura showed impressive skills in evasion and deflection. Using her hardwood bow, and a dagger on her hip she was able to make space on a few instances, even if Carl was going easy on the fair lady.

  After an hour of spar, the only person that had yet to fight was Helo. Even the support mages Jorden, Aiko, and Luna entered the ring. He enjoyed sitting on the ground watching with Inka in his lap and Lelai beside him.

  As everyone was getting ready to head back inside, a few people turned to Helo with hands on hips. Rocco, who has been trating Helo much more like a friend then when they first met says. “Well…”

  Helo holds up his hands to Inka’s annoyance. She was enjoying his scratchs and is sprawled in his lap like a nonnewtonian liquid. “Hey, Bibbin hasn’t sparred either.” Helo points to the side where Bibbin is sitting within the shade of a tree.

  Everyone forgot about him, which is exactly what the Halfling wanted. He has gotten in the habit of using his skill ‘Outa Sight, Outa Mind’ to avoid attention. But Helo’s own dark aligned spirit is great at defending mental skills like Bibbin’s.

  As their glares don’t lessen Helo sighs. “Fine.” Everyone looks a little excited as he stands up. It is well known, at least within the Twin Heiress party and even with Maria’s party that Helo is the strongest fighter. Even if he doesn’t have as much technical skill as someone like Rocco.

  “Inka and Lelai have yet to fight.” Helo says with a smirk as he sets Inka down. Using a mix of his aura, which the shadow aligned cat likes to feel, and his words he says to Inka. “Get Lelai’s tail and I’ll scratch you with my Dark energy.”

  Helo waves his fingers and they radiate a dark light. Inka isn’t as intelligent as Lelai was at her age, but she can still understand the meaning between his wiggling dark fingers and the phrase ‘Lelai’s Tail’.

  “Merow!” With a happy meow. Inka leaps toward Lelai with all the skill of a baby cat. The fox easily dances away and Inka hits the ground. She falls bonelessly to the ground and a “Ahhhh!” sweeps the clearing.

  Helo smirks as he successfully diverted attention away from him. Everyone turns to watch as Inka chases Lalai around the training field. The pervious spars left the field with all kinds of divots and mounds that the cat and fox use to dodge and attack.

  Lalai is a deft hand at playing with Inka. Letting the cat get close enough to be engaged she waves her tail in taunt. Inka slowly creeps onto a mound next to the fox. Lowering her body, she leaves her butt in the air and wiggles. Her tail goes wild and she… LEAPS!

  The tail is just within the range of her claws. So close to getting her prize. “MEEEEOOOOO!” She starts to roar while in the air. The foxes soft and fine hair is touching her claws. Then before she can latch on, the fox is gone.

  Another wave of cute appreciation noises sweeps the training area. As Helo stands smugly off to the side Rocco steps up beside him. “Touche, you won this round.”