The Day Before

Xin Wuyeng, the top participant, raised his hands and a streak of water slowly enveloped his hands. A Water Mage.

Water mages were able to use their magic as either in defense or offense. In terms of versatility, Water Mage topped the other elements. But their cast was slow almost the same as Terra Magic.

While Water Mages are versatile, Terra's magic was sturdy and strong. At higher levels, they are able to form a magic that could coat their whole body with dirt. Able to block most physical and magical attacks.

With both hands enveloped by their own Magic. Jason and Xin Wuyeng clashed. Clashed to show whose pride would excel the most.

Water dissolves dirt, dirt absorbs water. Both are at a stale, the only way to win was the use of skills and experience.

Both are fighters with different elements and different fighting styles. Jason uses his fists to attack, not once he used his feet.

While Xin used both his hands and feet. While maneuvering with his body, he moved like he had a spring in his feet. Swift. Which was the weakness of Terra magic users, since they are slow.

With an odd style of Martial arts, Xin was now winning. A clash of fist and magic, Jason was slower, he needed time to cast his healing spell to recover his wounds.

And Xin was smart, he does not wait for Jason to finish his healing spell before attacking. This shows how advanced and experienced Xin than Jason.

Jason bent backward to evade a kick from Xin.

But Xin was fast, that after he kicks an air, he swirled 360 and kicked Jason's waist.

Jason was thrown off the wall and blood flowed at the back of his head. There was a reason why Xin was the top Participant, and the fight shows it all.

His aim was Jason's neck, trying to prove to everybody whose number one. The aim will sure to put Jason in the infirmary for quite a while.

Xin leaped forward, wearing a grin to his face and water magic in his hands. He was ready to humiliate Jason, the only Real healer passing the selection.

His water fist hit a sword. Slowly, his Mana was being absorbed. Although not naked to the eyes, Xin felt the loss of Mana running out his veins.

It was the Butterfly, and it was too late for the naked eyes to perceive how Ned went from the exit door to the other side of the room. "That's enough," Ned told Xin.

"It's not enough until I hoard all your Tokens or you're on your knees, Hollow!" Xin cried. His breathy voice ran throughout the wreath of the room. His pale skin turned blue under the light of the lamp. "How about you give me yours?" He gazed at Ned.

Not far from them was Allaina, from time to time she arched a smile. But she couldn't hold it any longer that she almost laughed seeing Ned and Xin clashed. She walked in the long table, grabbed a juice, drank, while some spilled off her armor. But it doesn't matter, for the show was about to start. She cried. "Now this is getting interesting,

"Any of you two who can take each other's Token will be under my House and be protected all your academy life. Just so you know, anyone whose under my House will have all the resources they want to advance."

"No," Ned could never be swayed by all those charming talks and resources.

"You hear that? All resources," Xin Wuyeng's eyes gleamed with excitement. He cracked his fingers and cast another spell. This time, the stale Water Magic on his hands started to ripple, waves of water spun around, resembling those of blades. Xin knew that the only Hollow in this selection wasn't just a Hollow, his goal from the start was Ned. In his mind, he needed to uncover the Hollow's secret.

In terms of secret, Ned had it all. Who he was, where he came from, his abilities, his knowledge of things, and his System. But no one, aside from him, knew who he really was. Well, aside from Gazul who was long gone.

But Ned must play a little while on Allaina's game. Last time, in the Hoglob cave, he doesn't have the chance to fully examine the Mana Stone the Hybrid used to cast his spell. But Ned looked at the stone, now that Allaina showed it a couple of times, the one the Hybrid used wasn't polished - rough edges and crude stone. But Ned was sure that it was a Mana stone, on its raw form. Ned thought, maybe if he could get a hold of the stone, he might learn how to cast a spell.

With a goal in mind, Ned waved the Butterfly but not to clash Xin, but to rest his sword back to its scabbard. It was only fair to fight a free hand with a free hand as well. Ned thought.

The onlookers thought that Ned was crazy, not even Jordan, with his sturdy Terra Magic won against Xin. But for him, a Hollow, sheathing his sword just to be fair against a mage? He who wanted to fight a Mage without an ounce of Mana running through his veins? "How preposterous!" One of the Participants cried.

Xin who was almost two swords apart raised his hands. "You're mocking me, I'll show you how weak you are, you're a Hollow!" He bellowed. His feet blurred and he dashed!

Xin attacked Ned with the proper execution of his Martial arts. Not all Martial artists could be as fast as Xin with his age. Only with tough training, a determined will to achieve this kind of strength.

Both leaped to meet in the middle. Air whistled while exiting their fist.

"Enough!" A voice so loud the room trembled in a flash. It was none other than Sir Edwin Tulor Godefroy. "This is a Gathering, not a pit! Allaina!" He cried once more.

Allaina was taken by surprise, he thought Sir Edwin was busy with something else like he always does. She looked at the floor, embarrassed. She paced to Sir Edwin who was at the iron door near the long table.

The Participants, heard a murmur, from time to time sir Edwin's voice was soft then heavy. The onlookers saw Allaina was being scolded. Her face shows a person being scolded for being naughty. She was now like a child than a lady.

Moments passed, Sir Edwin announced that all participants will get their hands with a Mana stone. It was one of the rewards from winning the Selection, but it was only kept to a secret. Cause if outsiders knew, the Town Hall would be overrun by bandits and pirates. And Maker only knows what could have happened with the participants. Surely, sir Edwin will lose its reputation in the Capital.

With that, the Participants were satisfied, since each of them will receive Mana stones. The Gathering was called to a halt when Jason was sent to the infirmary and Sir Edwin left while throwing a gaze at Ned, which the latter didn't notice at all. He left together with Allaina, her back was hunched, her lips pouted, and eyes rolled, she was scolded at her limits.

Seconds after they left, the hinges of the exit door creaked open. It was Naa'ri with Coco in the middle of something. "Did I missed something?"

Ned and Toni turned to gaze Naa'ri, throwing a friendly smile.

The rest of the night was called. Naa'ri and Toni planned to visit Xi in the morning after they left the island. Naa'ri decided to stay with Toni in the orphanage, she left her clan member, Greg, with hatred in her eyes.

While Ned visited Xi before going off back to his place. In Granny's cabin, Xi hasn't awoken yet, but with the help of his Mana, he was far from danger. While Granny thanked Ned for the book and bolster him with praises, "this book is marvelous, great, genius, if only my daughter was here, she would love this! How did you come up with this kid? May I pry open your brain? Oh, by the way, I tried to experiment with your friend using the book, the result was the same as how you wrote it," Granny was full of enthusiasm like she was back in her twenties. But Ned was surprised as to what she did on Xi, most of the wounds were completely healed, some hidden ailments were healed. Ned bet that if Xi woke up, he would forget who he was.

Ned left Granny after he made sure that Xi was completely fine.

He reached their home without his Master. It was normal with Master Will of not going home. Sometimes it was days, the longest was a week that he hasn't gone back home. But he knew, this time was the only night left for Ned to be with his Master. For tomorrow was the day, he leaves the island. Ned laid in his comfortable straw bed. Thinking as to what the outside would look and feel like, closing his eyes, he fell to slumber with a though that when he woke up, Master Will would be there to greet him.

Or so he thought.