After the unexpected conversation with Akari, James hurried to catch up with his friends as classes ended for the day. He found Nathan, Alex and Mia chatting by their lockers, finalizing plans for celebrating at Alex's house.

"There you are, man!" Nathan said, clapping James on the back. "We're just about to head over to Alex's. You still good to come?"

James nodded, pushing his interaction with Akari out of his mind for now. "Yeah, definitely. I can't wait to give Alex the gift I found."

Alex gave a small smile. "You guys didn't have to get me anything, really. Just hanging out is enough."

"Oh shush, you know we love spoiling you on your birthday," Mia said, playfully nudging Alex with her elbow. He ducked his head, looking pleased.

Together, the group made their way to Alex's modest suburban home. They joked and chatted lightly along the way, keeping the conversation free of any supernatural elements for now. James found himself relaxing, the easy camaraderie with his friends sweeping away his earlier worries.

Once they arrived at Alex's, he gave them a brief tour of the tidy home while his parents were still out. James was touched to see Alex had set up a table with snacks, drinks and party hats, making an effort to celebrate despite his reserved nature.

After settling in the living room, the friends presented Alex with their gifts. Nathan got him a pair of expensive headphones "for listening to that stuff you're into." Mia gifted him a stylish jacket that she assured would look perfect on Alex.

Finally, it was James' turn. He handed Alex a flat square package wrapped in shiny blue paper. Alex carefully undid the paper to reveal a rare, limited print of his favourite sci-fi novel.

"Whoa, no way!" Alex exclaimed, turning the print over reverently. "This must have been impossible to find. Thank you!"

James grinned, thrilled he had managed to get such an enthusiastic reaction from the usually stoic Alex. "Of course, buddy. I saw it at a used bookshop here and knew it would be perfect."

The friends spent the next couple hours laughing, snacking and reminiscing over fond memories together through the years. For a moment, it was as if nothing had changed, and they were four ordinary teens enjoying a fun gathering.

When Alex's parents arrived home, they brought out a cake and sang happy birthday. After enjoying the cake, the friends decided to conclude the night with watching one of Alex's favourite movies that they often poked fun at him for liking.

"That was fun guys, thanks again for celebrating with me," he said, a content smile on his face.

His friends voiced their agreement, chiming in about how they'd had a great time. They began gathering their things and getting ready to head home for the night. Alex walked them to the door, exchanging goodbyes and last birthday wishes.

"See you at school tomorrow," James said. "Happy birthday again, Alex!"

Alex waved as his friends set off down the street together, their laughter and chatter fading into the night. He closed the door and went to help his parents clean up the remains of the little party.

As the trio of friends walked to the bus stop after Alex's birthday party, they chatted and joked, their spirits buoyed by the fun evening. James smiled as he listened to Nathan animatedly recount a humorous tale to Mia, who laughed and shook her head in amusement.

Their cheerful banter was abruptly interrupted by a group of scruffy-looking men emerging from an alley ahead. James tensed, noticing their bloodshot eyes and wobbling gait—clear indicators of intoxication. One of the men whistled lewdly at Mia.

"Check out the hot chick, boys," he slurred. "Why don't you come party with us, sweetheart?"

Mia retreated behind James and Nathan as the group of would-be muggers advanced.

"Just keep walking; we don't want any trouble," James said calmly, attempting to guide his friends around the men.

But the leader stepped in front of them, blocking their path. "Not so fast. You gotta pay the toll for passing through our territory," he said, grinning nastily while his buddies snickered.

"Yeah, hand over your wallets," another thug demanded, sparking electricity between his fingers. James noted a couple of others exhibiting minor powers—likely low-level supers. Still dangerous, given their numbers.

Reluctant to risk his friends' safety, James reached for his wallet. Nathan and Mia did the same. But as the muggers took their belongings, the leader made the grave mistake of grabbing Mia's arm.

"Why don't you stick around and have some fun with us, sweet cheeks?" he leered.

In a flash, Nathan struck the man across the face, sending him reeling. "Keep your filthy hands off her!" Nathan shouted, his voice seething with fury.

The mugger leader spat blood, his face twisting with rage. "You'll pay for that, punk! Let's teach these kids a lesson, boys!"

As the thugs closed in, James exchanged a subtle nod with Mia. It was time to stop holding back. He swiftly traced a blazing rune, while Mia gestured, condensing moisture from the air into swirling orbs of water.

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Before the muggers could react, James and Mia unleashed a barrage of magic. The muggers cried out, taken aback and pained by the sudden magical assault.

"What the hell?! They've got powers too?" one thug exclaimed before James floored him with a energy bolt to the chest.

Amidst the chaos, Nathan could only stare in astonishment as his friends wielded their arcane abilities. He knew of James's magical prowess, but Mia's talents were a revelation!

Despite being outnumbered, James and Mia's combined spells swiftly subdued the muggers, who now lay groaning on the ground. James coolly retrieved their wallets, while Mia secured the men with bands of frozen water.

"We should call the police to deal with this mess," Mia suggested. Nathan could only nod, his mind racing to catch up with the night's events.

After anonymously notifying the authorities, the trio resumed their journey to the bus stop, while Alistair observed the defeated muggers being carted away, amused by their folly.

Nathan finally regained his voice. "Okay, what the hell was that guys? Since when Mia can do magic?"

Mia scratched her head, a touch sheepish. "Yeah, I've been studying magic with James for a while now," she admitted with a wry smile. "Turns out I have a knack for it."

"That's insane! My friends are like wizard warriors!" Nathan exclaimed, punching James playfully on the shoulder. "And here I thought you had to transform or something!"

James chuckled, relieved by Nathan's good-natured reaction. "I've learned a few tricks while training with Mia. Actually, we were thinking of inviting you and Alex to join us."

Mia nodded in agreement, though a pang of sadness touched her heart at the thought of sharing her one-on-one time with James.

"Hell yeah, count me in," Nathan promised, his eagerness undiminished by the night's close call. The prospect of learning magic himself was exhilarating.

Their bus arrived, ready to whisk them away from the eventful night. James was grateful no real harm had come to his friends, but the encounter was a stark reminder of the need to grow stronger, both physically and magically. Danger lurked around every corner, and he had to be prepared.

Tristan hummed absently to himself as he packed up various gadgets and equipment. He let out a weary sigh as he taped up another box in preparation for moving their hideout. It had been a stroke of luck securing the posh apartment temporarily, but they couldn't risk staying in one place for too long.

"Hey Tina, how's it coming along with packing up the tech?" he called out.

The perpetually youthful girl bounced into the room, "Yup, just finished! Man, I can't believe we've accumulated so much gear already," she said, plopping down on the couch next to Tristan. "Oh, I also wiped the security footage and set up a spoof to make it seem like we moved out days ago."

"Excellent work," Tristan said, ruffling her hair affectionately. As frustrating as her occasional cheekiness could be, he was endlessly grateful for Tina's brilliance on the team.

Tina giggled and swatted his hand away playfully. "Come on, you know I hate when you do that; it makes me feel like a little kid," she pouted. "I may not have aged a day since the Wraith Incident, but I'm way older than you, gramps!"

Tristan held up his hands in mock surrender. "My apologies, ma'am, I forget how youthful you appear."

Despite her childlike exterior, Tina's knowledge and skills were invaluable, a perk of her stalled aging. Her power of regeneration made her nearly unkillable, allowing them to take greater risks when needed. Tristan couldn't imagine the team without her.

"Tina, what was your impression of our visitor earlier?" he asked. "Think there's any chance she might join us someday?"

Tina yawned, blinking sleepily behind her glasses. "I dunno. She seemed really intense and scary. Kind of arrogant, too. But I guess she must be strong if you're interested in recruiting her."

Tristan chuckled. "She certainly has presence; I'll give her that. He shook his head ruefully. "Ah, but you're probably right that she's not eager to join a band of vagabonds like us just yet."

"How come you gave back that creepy sword anyway?" Tina asked curiously. "You went through all that trouble to steal it from her at the mansion."

Tristan considered the question. In truth, even he wasn't entirely certain why he had returned the Blade of War so readily. After claiming it from Lilia initially, an ominous chill had overcome him, warning that the relic did not take kindly to his theft. His instincts had screamed to return it to its rightful owner.

"Let's just say I had a hunch our mysterious friend has a greater claim to those Blades than we do," Tristan replied after a moment. "They seem drawn to her in a way I can't fully explain. I thought it wise not to stand in the way of fate."

Tina shrugged, not fully convinced. "Well, either way, that's one less super-blade we have to worry about destroying. We haven't had much success with the other."

She had a point, Tristan mused. The blade they had previously recovered had not yielded to any attempts at destruction or nullification. In the end, they'd been forced to throw the indestructible blade into the ocean and hope it remained secure there.

"Perhaps Lilia may hold some answers," Tristan said thoughtfully. "Clearly, these weapons share a connection to her in some manner."

Tina let out a derisive snort. "You really think a demon is going to help humans? She's probably just using you to get her hands on the blades."

"Now, let's not be too quick to judge," Tristan chided. "I sensed no deceit in her, merely wariness toward our intentions." He stacked another box by the door. "With time, she may come to see the value in an alliance."

Tina made a face, unconvinced by his cryptic response but too tired to pry further. "You and your weird hunches. Anyway, I bet 20 unidollars that ice queen doesn't join us. She's clearly got her own agenda."

Tristan laughed. "Is that so? Then I wager 30 unidollars that she comes around eventually. My readings of her character have yet to steer me wrong."

Tina rolled her eyes. "Uh huh, sure. Just try not to let it get too personal, Romeo." She gave him a knowing look. "I saw the way you were ogling her; you're not as subtle as you think."

Tristan cleared his throat, a touch embarrassed she had noticed his admiring glances. "Now, now, I maintain full objectivity on recruitment prospects," he adopted a lofty tone. "My tastes may run towards the exotic, but the mission always comes first."

"Yeah, yeah, just make sure you're thinking with your big head, not the little one," Tina teased, punctuating her joke with a cheeky grin.

Tristan aimed a playful swat at her, but Tina danced out of reach, sticking out her tongue. "Watch it, or I'll tell the others how you eye every hot girl we come across."

"You wound me, Tina," Tristan protested dramatically. "I'll have you know, I am the very model of chivalry towards women." Seeing she was unconvinced, he relented with a chuckle. "But your point is taken. With matters of the heart, caution is advisable."

Satisfied her barb had hit home, Tina flopped back onto the couch with a yawn. "Wake me up when it's time to move out, 'kay?" She soon snored softly.

Tristan gazed out the wide windows overlooking the sparkling cityscape. Somewhere out there, Lilia was likely plotting her next move, blithely unaware of his concerns. He wondered if their paths would cross again and what new surprises she might have in store.

Shaking his head, Tristan turned his focus back to the task at hand. The night was advancing, and there was still much to do before morning. Thoughts of enigmatic demonesses would have to wait.