CHAPTER 1, THE BEGINNING OF THE GAMES

It's been a month since we returned from the Aerial Isles, me, the fiancees, Tetsuya and Yuri have moved into the mansion owned by my family in the Aerial Isles. We've connected it to the living room in my shop via a mirror gate we got from Himari-san. She seems to be doing well, everyone else is too. The Duke and Earl were happy to know their daughters were alive and were shedding tears of joy. I also spoke to the Duke about starting a diplomatic relationship with the Aerial Isles, and he told me he'd talk to the King, his older brother about it first before making a decision.

I returned home after that, Capricorn has a great ability too. He can open portals between places you've been to so I can teleport from the Royal Capital back to my home in the Aerial Isles in a snap. I sat down on the chair by the balcony which shows you the view of open skies and a beautiful garden below. I saw Tetsuya playing with a pet dog he got from Tsubaki-san. I'm glad that the distance between us didn't grow while I wasn't around.

I was called to the guild and when I got there, everyone was gathered as Master was standing on the stage at the guild hall's center. She spoke in a loud voice and so everyone could hear. "As you know, a week from now, it will be time for the Magic Tournament, be ready to set off, we leave at dusk!" She ordered with a proud voice.

"Master, where will it be held?" I asked her.

"The Grand Arena at the Royal Capital." Camilla answered me.

"Then why don't we all just rest, we'll leave the day of the tournament instead." I offered her and some of the members had a dumbfounded expression.

"Is it fine?" Storm asked me.

"Yeah, I have better control over it now, it'll be fine. This way, we won't exhaust ourselves." I said with a smile. "I can open it now too if you want, we can go now or whenever you feel like it."

"We'll depart today, it'll be better to be there and socialize before the matches." Master said with a smile.

"Okay then, everyone, please get your things ready, we won't need the usual travelers gear, just the things we'll need at the tournament, right Master?" I asked her.

"Yes." She answered with a cheery smile.

"Then should we depart now?" I asked her.

"Yes." She answered.

"I'll wait with the girls at the front of the guild later, please meet me there." I said with a smile.

After getting ready we all got together at the good entrance, most of the members had already gotten there. Tetsuya and Asami have joined the guild but we've built an independent team with them. That said, Asami and Tetsuya don't want to join the games, same to Yue and Ella, they're watching with the rest of the members. We all waited till all the members had gathered and were sure that we were ready. "Gate." I casted the Gate spell, a traveling spell used by Capricorn to travel between places we'd already been at.

We all looked around and we saw that the place we teleported to was the area close to the Grand Arena. We all went to the place Master had ordered us to go and it was an inn.

We spent the next couple days biting time away. And finally the Festival was about to begin. The Magic Tournament is part of the Gem Festival held every year. We all gathered at the king's lobby as Master announced the names of the ones that would represent the guild. "Storm, Aria, Haru, Neph, Jade, Dia nd Rose will compose team Ruby, meanwhile Bort, Alexi, Emerald, Rogue and Camellia will compose team Sapphire, Lily, Aqua, Selene, Sirius and Alpha will be subbed in case of injuries." She announced.

"I see, two teams this year?" Storm asked Master.

"Yes for the first game at least. It was arranged by the game's organizer." She answered. "The contestants for this year are Shooting Stars, Silver Silhouette, Wild Fang, Clear Sky, Happy Phantasy, Phantom Gem and Secret Blade."

"Phantom Gem, a new guild?" Aria asked.

"Yes, it seems to have been created by my father, however, I don't trust him so please be careful." Master said.

"Understood!" We all said as we departed for the Arena.

There was one major thing today, everyone who was competing wore a shoulder band with the Azure Gem emblem on it. We all were excited to see what kind of game would be held. "To all the spectators of today's game, I'm Geo Spark and I'll be your announcer for this year. Now then, to tell you what kind of game will be played for the opening day!" An announcer said with a hyped voice.

"Better be ready." Another voice said, it had a women's tone to it. "I'm Amethyst Anthems, and here we go! The game is, Direct Combat!"

"Only one per guild team may enter." Geo-san announced.

We all huddled together and talked about it and we all played rock-paper-scissors to see who would compete and Storm won so he would go for our group.

Author's Note: Storm's P.O.V.

I took to the field while everyone else left the field, ut seems Wolf will be participating for their group, meanwhile for Shooting Star, Clover. The Phantom Gem seems to have sent out a man with a muscular build, he seemed short and looked like he's from the dwarven race. I carefully watched my surroundings and just then, the man from Phantom Gem charged at me without restraint. I tried to dodge his attack but his swift movements were something even I couldn't keep up with. "Heaven Wings, Cyclone!" I casted the spell when he got too close with that knife. He has black hair behind his mask with brown skin, he is creeping me out.

"Lightning Fangs of the Thunder Lion." Volt from Wild Fang attacked me, he and I have been sort of like rivals, he has black eyes with brown skin and golden hair.

I dodge the attack and notice a man from Secret Blade, is using some sort of summoning magic. I better be careful about that guy, he seems dangerous. Just then, I hear a bell and I see that Zen from Silver Silhouette has been taken out. He is lying on the ground, his long silver hair and white skin standout a lot. "Oh! And our first out is Zen Quill from Silver Silhouette who was taken out with a beautiful swordplay by Clover from Shooting Stars!" Geo announced.

I better watch out for Clover or so but it's only five more minutes till the game ends. "That's that, the remaining players are from, Azure Gems, Phantom Gem, Shotting Stars and Secret Sword. They will receive five points, the others will each gain three points." Amethyst announced.

I was returning to entrance when the man from Phantom Gem, I think his teammates called him Night whispered something in my ear. "You're weak, you're not good enough to be an adventurer." He said with an air of superiority and I could have sworn the one from Secret Sword had a mocking expression.

I entered the entrance and saw Haru waiting for me, I really don't want to see him right now. Because I know, he'll be the only one to reach the depths of my heart. I feel rather weak so when he comes in for a congratulatory hug my knees lose strength. "Sorry, I couldn't take first place." I said to him.

"Why are you apologizing, smile, everyone's proud of you." He said and I smiled. "I'll go next so thanks for the hard work and get some rest."

"I will." I answered him.

Author Note: Haru's P.O.V.

I took to the field but I saw that Storm had a sad expression on his face. I took to the stage and saw that my only opponent was a man who had black hair that was long waist length, he wore a black long-sleeved polo shirt, with a white coat and pants tucked into his boots. "The next match will be fought between members from each of the winning guilds!" Amethyst said over the speakers.

"Same rules, same time limit, now begin!" Geo shouted over the speaker.

"Nice to meet you, I'm Haru Morganite, before I fight I like to introduce myself first." I said to the man with a smile.

"I'm Free Zenith." He answered with a smile. "This is boring, why don't we spice it up?"

"How to?" I asked him.

"When I win you give me something and if you win I give you something." He said and everyone in the crowd went wild.

"Give it your all, Haru-sama!" I heard Yue cheering fro me so I gave her a smile and nodded my head.

"I don't mind." I said and braced myself, I won't lose.

With a loud gong the match began, he looked at me and carefully probed my movements. Just then, he took out a green strip of cloth and tied his hair with in. "Come, the Archer Familiar, Sagittarius." He said with a proud voice and I was surprised to see him summon a Familiar, Sagittarius appeared, he had long black hair tied in a single tail down his back, with brown eyes and white skin he wore a white kimono with a hakama, on the hakama the insignia of the Sagittarius constellation hanged.

"And there it is, the famous summoner who can summon Zodiac Familiars, Phantom Gem's one and only, Free Zenith!" Amethyst announced. "I wonder what Mr. Morganite, who has only just become a magician recently do!"

"Sagittarius shoot him." He ordered but Sagittarius was a bit hesitant, I see he knows who I am. "You... this is an order, now attack him."

"I don't mind, please don't hold back." I said with a smile.

"Understood." Sagittarius answered and pulled back the string and an arrow appeared, he aimed it at the sky and a volley of arrows fell from the sky, there's no dodging that one.

"I'll beat you to a pulp." Free said with an evil grin.

There is something unsettling about their guild, and about hin entirely.