The Trial to Be the Wizard

Kairo, Genie, and Jan entered a preparation room, which was a circular stone chamber. It had plush red carpet, comfy leather stools and sofas, and a low round table spread with various platters of treats.

Kairo's eyes widened with excitement as he closely examined a brown cube morsel.

"Elderberg fruit sweets. It has an interesting taste," Genie offhandedly commented.

Kairo shoved it in his mouth and took hearty chews. The taste was sweet and juicy like a fresh plum. His cheeks flushed red and eyes watered when the sweetness transitioned into a nasty chili bite.

Genie chuckled at Kairo's flailing near the jug of water to pour a glass. It was cute. His heart pounded quickly when he watched the man swallow hearty gulps. His Adam's apple bobbing up and down was provocative. He swiftly refreshed his expression and thoughts toward matters at hand.

"Why would anyone eat these?" Kairo let out a blergh and splutter.

"They're beastkind favorites. Actually, Lady Bluesteed's." Genie gave his shoulder a sympathy pat and handed him a boiled lolly.

"Hard candy?" Kairo felt nostalgic by the site of the glistening round treat.

Genie nodded. Kairo didn't hesitate and sucked on it, tasting a pleasant orangery flavor.

"Kairo, Genie, I apologize for affirming your bet." Jan sincerely apologized to the men.

Genie smiled and shook his head. "You didn't have much choice. The countess put us on the spot."

Jan rubbed his chin with his thoughts on the matter. "Yes, she did, didn't she?"

Kairo gasped when a conclusion came to him. "We were set up?"

Jan sighed, "A strong possibility. I found it odd that our Valide Sultan would order her daughter to partake in your trails. Especially the strategy tests. She's not academic material."

Genie smacked his forehead, feeling both stupid and worried for Kairo. "It's all my fault then. I should've seen what that old limegoat was up to. If Kairo didn't challenge her..."

"Our Demon Prince would've had no choice but implicate you as an accessory to fraud. For a Wizard Trial, the punishment would call for the harshest penalty for you, and instant death for Kairo." Jan gave Kairo a respectful bow. "But thanks to your challenge, Kairo, Genie has a chance to defend his good name. And you can continue toward being a wizard."

"I'd need to win."

"You've survived this far." Jan patted his reassurance to Kairo's shoulder.

Kairo nodded. No choice but to win this. Once I'm a wizard maybe I can figure out how to get home.

He then asked the question of what purpose he would serve once he passed the trials.

"You'll be declared the Palace House Wizard. I'll explain more once the trials are over." Jan handed him some mage armor to wear. "Put this on and let's see you win this."

A short while later, Kairo re-entered the pitch wearing a billowing full-length white cloak trimmed in silver. His jeans were held with layered belts holding pouches, vials, pills and pocket-scrolls. A weaponized silver hockey stick was hooked to his back.

Lady Bluesteed and Henka-guard were waiting for him near the center. The stadium had been cleared for his training.

"Here." She approached him with an item: a woven fine gold thread band in her hands.

"Do you mind if I place this on your head?" She politely asked, which stirred a blush to his cheeks.

He turned so she could fit the band across his forehead. It held back some of his floppy fringe from his eyes. Magic flowed from the band, giving him a feeling of clarity he hadn't felt in a long time.

"This is a grounding band. It'll help you channel and focus magic, so it doesn't go out of control."

"Thank you. This is the second time I owe," he said, which stirred a coy response from her.

Genie felt a disturbing feeling in his heart at seeing the two all chummy, but brushed it aside. Everyone was doing their best to ensure Kairo was a wizard.

"Our Demon Prince gave us one hour." Henka-guard soberly reminded them of the time limit.

"Let's go." Kairo unhooked his hockey stick weapon and began his combat training.

The hour passed, and the crowds returned to the stadium, along with Lyon and the Valide Sultan to the throne booth.

At midfield, Kairo and Leela faced each other with a 25 yard distance in between.

"Best say your prayers to Kretos. I'll honor you with a slow and painful death." She whipped out her dual daggers, licking the flat of one of them for that maniacal effect.

Kairo shook his head, unhooking his hockey stick and holding it toward her.

Leela rushed in first with confidence. "I'll end this within a few ticks!"

"Not even you're that good." Kairo countered her dagger blows to his face and stomach with his stick.

He used brute strength to push her back.

She tumbled backward to form a distance.

Kairo fished through his belt pouch for a strength enhancing pill Henka-guard gave him, shoving it in his mouth. Energy boosted his adrenaline.

His Holy Ama Cross glowed with a brilliant white light, pumping up his power as he rushed for her with a swinging attack.

She huffed and laced magic into her daggers with a finger.

"I need to use magic, right." She swung her daggers to cast various energy line attacks.

Lines of magic sped for Kairo.

He swiftly countered the blows with his stick, gripping it tight to still tingles on his skin from the impact, heat and sparks. The stench of iron and sulfur was overpowering, but he wasn't going to back down.

"If she can do it, so can I." He repeated the same lacing process for his weapon.

The stadium crowds roared with excitement when he used magic for the first time. Their charged energy added to Kairo's morale.

Lyon smiled as he watched Kairo's continued demonstration of value. It was the right decision to use the trials as observation of his honor rather than interrogate him.

Genie, Jan, Lady Bluesteed and Henka-guard sat on the pitch's sideline benches to cheer Kairo on.

Kairo felt empowered by the support, as he continued countering Leela's dagger attacks.

"You call that magic? You're just making your daggers fly around." He shouted to stir Leela's rage, hoping that her unstable emotions could lead to a weakness he could exploit.

He recalled the freeze-space spell Jan had taught him, but it had to be precisely cast to hit a target. The man had him practice repeatedly until Kairo excitedly got it right. He had used magic!

Kairo grinned as he felt the success of his first magic spell empower him. He was like Merlin right now! The feeling boosted his spirits to make his attacks harder and more reckless.

"Then I'll give you magic." Leela roared, raising her arms to call upon a mighty spell.

The skies sparked with lightning and became inflamed, stirring worries and looks of concern from the crowd.

Fire struck beams and front benches, making patches of the grounds smoke.

Jan rose to cast a barrier field around the pitch to protect the audience and put out fires. Sighed relief was audible around the stadium. He resumed his observations of Kairo and Leela's fight. Both were putting on a good show.

Kairo closed his eyes and performed the instant meditation skill he learned from Genie, which allowed his mind and body to access his internal energies. The headband absorbed the excess of his magic, so he was capable of using the freeze spell without backlash.

Magic energy flowed into his Holy Ama Cross pendant, making it glow with an intense blue light. The cross's energy was transferred into his skin and blood stream at a controlled rate, allowing him to cast the spell.

"I know time has been short. But I understood them. I could keep up. I can save my life by doing magic!"

He opened his eyes and swallowed a blue pill from his vial.

"Take this." Leela cackled as she drew down a fireball from the sky and tossed it to Kairo.

The crowds nearby yelped and whimpered at the sight of the approaching giant flame ball. But Jan's barrier made sure they were safe.

Lady Bluesteed clasped her hands before her in a prayer, as she watched, worryingly, at the ball of devastation roaring toward Kairo.

Kairo's focus was toward countering the ball's turn at the right time. Ignoring the uncomfortable heat drying his skin.

"This is it!" He raised his hockey stick weapon high and let go so it hovered midair with his magic.

He cast the spell Jan taught him.

Instead of freezing the fireball for him to strike it with his empowered hockey stick. Tendrils of wispy white magic struck his weapon and sent it spinning to stir whitish rays, which pierced through the fireball.

One ray struck Leela on her forehead. Other rays pierced the ball, making it swell like it was about to go supernova.

At the peak of the fireball's pending explosion, the Holy Ama Cross shone with an intense cosmic power: a mass congestion of lights and swirls of star dust. It empowered Kairo's aura to make it glow white and blue. He felt immense magic power rushing through his body from his pendant.

An urge took control of his body.

"Time Lag: stasis." His voice was a whisper when he said the spell.

Movements around the stadium paused. Smells became dull to the senses. The only one who could move was Kairo.

"Time Lag: reverse," he whispered again, causing time to resume in a backward motion and at a rapid pace.

The ball flew backward and receded to nothing.

Leela's spell casting was negated. She huffed for breath, and with disbelief at the alien's power.

She screamed and crudely tumbled about the ground from Kairo's counter blows. Instead of cockily deflecting it as she had done before.

His power was draining her magic and neutralizing her attacks. She was weakened to a pitiful state of uselessness.

The Holy Ama Cross gradually dulled. Kairo panted for breath as he felt his energy suddenly drained from him, but he was still able to stand over Leela and look down at her with contempt.

"You lose."

He used the last of his power to raise his stick high to land a blow on her head.

Leela's eyes swelled with fear for the first time: she cowered behind her arm.

Jan negated the blow with his magic, knocking the stick out of Kairo's arm. He rose to judge the conclusion of the match. His eyes narrowed when he saw the countess unable to move off the ground. She was in no shape to fight. Kairo was still standing, making him the winner. The boy gave them another surprise showing. He's a true wizard.

"Countess Leela's magic is exhausted, her body is unable to continue the fight. Kairo is still standing. The trial is in his favor."

"The heck I'm not. I'll not give in to this alien brute!" Leela growled as struggled to her feet, but dropped back down when her body was far too weak to stand.

Lyon's eyes narrowed. He rose from his sofa to stand majestically before his people. The midair view screen showed his face and powerful countenance.

"You are not fit to fight?" His eyes glowed a bright green, which had many people in the stands cowering with fear.

Leela yelped and screamed when she felt the prince's magic probing her mind and body like millions of tiny bugs crawling under her skin. The sensation was quick to pass.

"Court Advisor Jan's assessment is correct. Kairo is still standing. He passed the trial." Lyon resumed his relaxed state on his sofa.

He cast a sideward glance to the Valerr lounging on the other sofa. "Nice try."

Valerr faked a smile and innocent look. "She did her best."

They resumed their watch over Kairo's trials.

"You legend!" Genie roared with glee as he rushed to Kairo and slammed a bro's hug into him.

Lady Bluesteed did an excited clap, happy for his win.

Henka-guard stood next to the countess with his arms folded over his chest, calmly saying, "Underestimating your enemy was your sin. Seeing a comrade's power is my win."

Leela glared at Jan's royal guard. "You're a nobody guard. I'll have you sent to the Grain Mines and tortured."

Henka-guard huffed with a smirk and joined Kairo's winning side.

Leela swallowed a healing pill, and managed to peel herself off the ground. As she began to hobble away, Genie stopped her exit. Kairo and the others surrounded her.

"Your apology to Genie." Kairo soberly reminded the countess.

Leela gritted her teeth, her hands curled into tight fists. All eyes were upon her to make good on the bet.

It took all her will to lower herself on all fours at Genie's feet.

"Sorry." She grumbled.

"I didn't hear you. Louder!"

"I'M SORRY FOR FALSELY ACCUSING YOU. I WAS A S-SORE LOSER." She panted and wheezed for breath with her head still bowed low: too angry to lift it.

Genie waved away his feelings, satisfied by the defeat. Leela wobbled to her feet and hurried out of the grounds.

The Valide Sultan called a close on the trials. People gradually filed out.

Feeling all was safe, Kairo passed out.