Elaine had gone to the Winchester Manor's guest bedroom after dinner. She had refused to go into her old room, opting to stay as far away from her father as she could. Darius could only watch as his mother stormed off after she finished eating.

Count Winchester awkwardly laughed as he watched his daughter leave the room.

"Would you like to practice a little magic with this old man, Darius?"

"Ok, gramps." Darius smiled as he took the opportunity to spend some time with his grandfather.

***

"Why don't you show me what kind of spells you can cast?" Grandpa Winchester stood in the center of the training room near his knight's training ground.

"Alright!"

Standing nearly twenty feet from his grandfather, Darius lowered his center of gravity as he prepared his spells. His grandfather only responded with a warm smile.

"Fire Ball! Chains of Earth!"

Darius immediately sprinted forward, casting two 3rd Circle spells verbally; while secretly casting over a dozen 2nd Circle spells chantlessly.

His grandfather looked surprised as he cast a water wall surrounding himself. Ice Armor quickly covered his grandfather from head to toe as Darius' 2nd Circle spells managed to hit his body.

"Woah there, son!" Instead of fear or discomfort, Ellis Winchester; was filled with excitement. Seeing his grandson perform a magical display rare in some advanced court mages made him very interested in Darius's future.

"Raawrrr!" Darius roared. Flames covered his body as he dashed through his grandfather's water shield while two flaming short swords extended from both of his hands.

"Flight." His grandfather shot up into the air outside of Darius' range.

Wind covered Darius' body, lightening his weight and pushing him forward as he ran toward the training room's wall. He barely reacted to his grandfather's flight spell as he leaped into the air.

"HAH! No way!" The count took on a face of exasperation as his grandson ran up the room's wall like a jungle cat sprinting forward.

Count Winchester smiled. His grandson rapidly closed the distance between them and leaped through the air, far surpassing the speed of an ordinary arrow. Many spells flew at the count from every direction imaginable. There was no warning as to where they would strike.

Suddenly as Darius stabbed toward his grandfather with a spear made of flames, the count cast a familiar spell.

"Flight!"

Darius's frowned as his body instantly became weightless, stopping in midair. He felt his stomach shoot up toward his throat as he fell to the ground. He tried to dispel the spell cast on him but had never encountered flight magic before. Not like this, at least. A moment before hitting the granite floor, his body stopped in place.

"Awesome! Darius, your magic is incredible! Chantless at your age!" The count's smile was beaming as he looked at his grandson. "Raw unnatural talent! Amazing!"

Darius tried to process what had happened but didn't get the chance as his grandfather swept him up and onto his shoulders right from the air.

"Dozens of 2nd Circle spells without an incantation while casting 3rd Circle spells! What are you, little dragon? Hahaha! Incredible! Absolutely fantastic!" Pure unadulterated joy radiated from grandpa Winchester which snapped Darius out of his thoughts. He could always analyze his magic duel later. Right now, he could get to know his grandfather a little better.

"That was crazy, gramps! Casting, flight magic on me mid-fight! How do you even counter something like that!" Darius wondered what other magical effects mages could force onto someone.

"Well, we can talk about that later. It's time for you and your little entourage to go to bed. We will be leaving for Avia bright and early."

**********

It was early in the morning when Darius and his squires; were awoken by the ever-tedious and punctual maid, Rhea. Groggy from a night of cultivation, Darius sleepily got dressed and ready under Rhea's supervision. He hated getting dressed by a servant or parent and was adamant about doing it himself.

The new squires, however, did not have that luxury as Rhea cleaned each of them like stray dogs in a bathtub.

"Why! I've always cleaned myself! I can wash my own underparts!" Daniel seemed to be crying as Darius left the room. He was snickering as he felt schadenfreude for his young attendants.

"Hehe. Feel the pain I felt for years, little ones." Darius bumped into his mother as he left the room.

"What were you saying, Darius?" He fought to keep his expression under control as his mother gave him a raised eyebrow.

"Ah, nothing! I just feel a little bit of pain from having to wake up so early."

"Stop fooling around. It's time to go. Help the knights load up the carriages while your squires are getting ready instead of messing around."

"Yes, mom!"

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Darius ran through the nearest hallway and leaped out of an open window. His mother seemed like she was still in an icy mood, so he thought it would be a good idea to give her some space.

It didn't take long for the carriages to be loaded and for everyone to get ready. Before leaving for Avia: the count made sure everyone had a late breakfast and was well-fed. Only Elaine was too busy to join them as they ate. She waited inside a carriage until it was time to leave for the capital.

The city itself; was gorgeous, filled with wondrous architecture and clean granite buildings and roads. They weren't traveling through the slums after all.

Avia's beauty came from its cleanliness and organization. Each and every building fit together like separate pieces to a single work of art.

White marble and golden paint seemed to streak through the city as towering manors and a large castle left a lasting impression.

"Wow."

His squires could only gape in awe as they passed through the city. Darius had seen far greater wonders at a different time, but he still looked on at Avia with eyes of appreciation. Even Aaron seemed interested in the city, as he couldn't hide his excitement. Avia was vastly different from Renee. If Avia was a well-organized city that looked as though it came out of a painting: then Renee was its chaotic counterpart.

Renee was built by settlers one by one: creating a mess of disorganized houses and businesses. Roads were built after the houses, connecting the city into a cohesive unholy mesh. If you weren't a local or good with directions it was a difficult city to navigate through.

Avia was easy to navigate and had more than one landmark to help with directions. The tall white castle with golden filigree being the greatest landmark in the city.

It was designed and made during a certain dark time in Elion's history. Under a devilish king that could be considered a tyrant.

A castle made from the blood, bones, and souls of peasants and working folk centuries prior. Despite the dark history behind its construction, the castle's sheer magnitude made up for it in grandness. Each of the great powers of the continent had its specialties and castles, and Avia's was on the prettier side.

"It's huge!" Talia couldn't help but gape in wonder. It didn't matter if she had been told about it beforehand. Nothing could prepare her little mind or any of the squire's minds for the sites before them.

"Just remember to mind your manners. If you aren't sure what you are supposed to say or do just stay quiet and..."

"Bow. We get it, miss Rhea. We'll behave." Roderick barely held back his excitement as they stopped in front of the castle gates. After a minute or two the castle's gates finally opened. Everyone that would be attending the ball left the carriages and slowly walked through the towering metallic doorway. The Red Tower Master wheeled his way in first, and Elaine held Ella while walking by his side. Darius caught up with them and followed right behind them, and his squires were instructed to stand behind Darius in a proper manner while matching each other's steps.

They soon reached the entrance to the castle's audience hall where hundreds of nobles, knights, and mages all stood about watching a magic performance on a stage. The mage made small flames travel through hoops of fire while balancing on one arm.

"A circus magician?" Darius was shocked that someone could learn magic and end up as an act of entertainment. Suddenly the man flipped onto his legs while dodging a few of the small fireballs and somersaulted through a large hoop of fire.

"Incredible!"

"Marvelous!"

The crowd erupted into cheers as people watched the man bow.

Darius poked his mother's side as he asked, "Mom?"

"Yes, son?"

"What kind of magic demonstration is this?" The circus mage left the stage as musicians soon took his place. Nobles even whistled as he walked past them.

"What do you mean?" Elaine smirked as she looked at her son. She understood what he was asking, but waited for him to form his thoughts on the matter first.

"Well, it's a show for entertainment. The magic demonstration I saw before was combat."

"All magic demonstrations are meant for entertainment," Darien spoke from his wheeled chair. "Only the crown has the wealth to show off a mage who works as a clown." Darien's lips cracked into a small smile as he looked at his son, "I know you'd prefer to see something a bit more interesting. Like a sword fight?"

"I won't lie, father. That would be more fun."

"Hahaha!" Both of his parents and Linda broke into a fit of laughing. Several nobles looked at them with snobby looks before seeing the Tower Master in his chair. His eyes pierced through the nobles like an apex predator looking at a bunch of field mice. Like cockroaches escaping a fire, they looked away and back toward the stage.

"Let's go and say our greetings. Dinner and dancing won't start until later in the evening." Both of Darius' parents made it through the crowd and greeted everyone they passed. Darius copied them as he did the same, and his nervous squires did their best to follow. Talia's face, however, cramped up into an expression of ice and steel as she took Rhea's advice literally.

"Let's go. We can meet up with the kids our age and get the talking over with. Let's find a nice place to rest and enjoy ourselves." Darius boldly walked through the crowd with his squires close behind. Soon he found a young group of children who were in the same age group and made his way toward them. It seemed that the young girl in the center of the crowd and the others were surrounded by dozens of partygoers at the ball, making them the most densely populated group. "Must be the Princess. Just show the proper etiquette that Rhea showed you, and you'll be fine."

"Yes, young master." All four responded.

Confidence marking his every step, Darius walked through a crowd of adults and children.

"Hey, watch it."

"Rude!"

He stopped in front of the Princess. Whose name he had already forgotten and said, "I am Darius Northwood. It's nice to meet you."

The Princess stared at him for a few seconds without saying a word as her new squires stood in front of her and blocked Darius from getting closer.

"What kind of disrespect is this? You should be bowing on the ground before the Princess!" One of her squires, a snobby child with blond hair and green eyes, yelled. His hair was set at a spike with so much grease: Darius was afraid he'd catch on fire.

"Walking up to the Princess without any forms of etiquette whatsoever? Have you no manners?" A girl with sharp brown eyes and amber hair spoke while crossing her arms.

Darius looked at the Princess through the gap in between her squire's heads and said, "Well, I've said my peace. It's been a pleasure, and congratulations on your squire ceremony." Barely holding back an expression of displeasure, Darius walked away with his entourage in tow.

"I can not let this disrespect go! For the honor of my lady, I challenge you to a trial by combat!" Blue hair and blue eyes, the squire standing to the Princess's right called out to Darius. As the other children took a step back, it became clear that he was the leader of the little children's gang.

Darius was shocked. A child challenging him to a duel for no reason? After wishing someone a happy birthday or whatever this ball was supposed to be. Were all noble brats this stupid?

"I'd rather not. I meant no disrespect and don't think a trial by combat declared due to me wishing her a happy bir-celebration is a noble idea." Darius looked the squire in the eyes before turning around and trying to walk away again.

The blue-haired squire started chanting a spell as he turned his back, "I call upon the spirit of wind..."

"That's enough! This a celebration! We are surrounded by friends and family and you wish to cast a spell on a guest for no reason!" The Princess finally spoke as she pulled her squire back. "Not to mention to strike someone from behind! I thought the Erendale family was one of honor and wisdom. Stand down, Lindon!"

"Princess Helen, I simply wish to protect your honor!" All four of her squires dropped to one knee in tandem with one another. With their heads bowed, the four squires crossed their right arms in front of their bodies.

"My honor is well defended! Please stop making a scene."

Darius was dumbfounded. Even if they were five years old, they couldn't be this stupid and prideful, could they? He looked at Aaron for a split second before looking at the squires again. "Must be something in the water?"

"Young master?" Aaron frowned.

"Never mind." The Princess approached him and bowed her head before apologizing, "I'm sorry about them. My squires are a bit overprotective. This ball is celebrating their positions, so they are a bit passionate today. Please forgive our rudeness!"

'What was with the vocabulary of all these kids?' Darius shook his head.

"Don't worry about it, Lady Helen. I wish you and your squires a great rest of your party." Darius slowly inched away before making some distance. Dueling small children was not on his list of things to accomplish with his new life.

***Helen Aviary POV****

Proper. Prim and proper. Father said I could run around swinging a sword, for all he cared, but mother... I shuddered just thinking about it.

I had to make sure everything goes well. There was so much flattery and empty words spoken over the last few hours that I was having trouble: even holding my smile in place. I have no idea how mother and father can hold smiles forever. Waves upon waves of new faces came into view, and I continued repeating the same lines over and over, "Welcome to the Royal Ball! Thank you for coming!"

If only my big sister were here. I wouldn't have to be so nervous and afraid.

"Welco..."

The crowd suddenly shifted when I saw him. Red eyes like a beast and dark red hair like a... I'm not sure. I've never seen something so red before. He looks like father's tiger, but sc-scarier. His expression tore through me like paper. Not even mother had such a scary look when she was mad.

My heart won't stop beating in my chest! I feel kind of woozy looking at him.

He looks so cool!

Before I could stop myself from staring, Bryce stepped in front of me and shouted, "What kind of disrespect is this? You should be bowing on the ground before the Princess!"

My new squires were a bit jumpy and arrogant. It was annoying. I wanted to fix the situation when Lindon got involved, "I can not let this disrespect go! For the honor of my lady, I challenge you to a trial by combat!"

Then the idiot tried to cast a spell!

I stopped my squires and calmed them down, but the red-haired boy was already walking away. "Wait."

Hopefully, I get a chance to talk to him later. To apologize that is. That's the reason. It would be shameful if I could not fix this after all.

I placed my right hand on my heart, and it wouldn't stop pounding. The food must not agree with me.