My response to those words? "Please stab me."

Did I hear him right? That Claude has allowed me to join The Magician Games? Okay, I knew that I had improved in the past three years, but I didn't know that I had improved that much...

"No, this is not a dream." Claude answered, probably to make sure that I don't stab myself to make sure that I wasn't dreaming. "I'm really impressed by your performance back then, you did improve a lot over the last four years. Do you remember the first time you started? You were so horrible at almost everything, but today... You climbed the ladder man." He pated my shoulder, "That's already enough for someone to participate in the Magician Games."

I slammed my hands at the dinner table, and I started to scream at the top of my lungs, "Oh yeah!" I cheered, " I can finally, in my whole life, get to participate in the Magician Games! Thank you brother! For giving me such an opportunity." I'm on the verge of shedding happy tears, all those intense trainings, had paid off! Wait... but there's one thing I need to ask about The Magician Games.

"Claude, what events are in The Magician Games?" I asked, "I'm sorry, but the events change every year and every time." Claude replied. "But, are they dangerous? Or lethal?" "Um... I won't answer that to make you even nervous..." Oh joy, I thought. "So, in conclusion, I'm just participating in a tournament, which I don't even know what it's about?" "It's the rules, sorry brother."

Now, I don't know that should I be excited or nervous by the fact that I will be participating in The Magician Games.

"But, don't worry." Claude said, "It's going to be alright." "I looked at him, "Is only knowing three positions enough?" I asked again. "It depends on the situation." Claude replied. So okay, maybe it won't be that bad. "And it's going to start in about a week." He added, "Don't get nervous, you'll pass." Well, that's comforting. On the bright side, maybe I can pass... But, what if I don't? All of the hard work, all my blood, sweat, tears and other body fluids, would be for nothing...

But Claude's right, don't overthink it.

I asked Claude do I still need to train to prepare, and he answered that of course I need to as it would be a challenge. In the next few days, I had repeated the same things over and over again; running through the trap-filled track, practicing my three Ice positions, teaching Chris the Indian Quarterback some new vocabularies.

The newspapers have some really chilling news these days, there's one incident that all the people in a really popular Chinese restaurant went missing, and there were piles of ashes all over the floor, and the police department had confirmed that those ashes were human... "What or who could have done this?" I whispered to Claude as we were reading the paper. "It's probably some dark magicians, or an aggressive creature." Claude replied, "I think I need to inform one of the Twelve Guardians about this incident." He mumbled.

I fell off my chair after Claude had finished. "Wait, Claude. Did you just mentioned, The Twelve Guardians?" I asked as I struggled to get back on my feet. "Yes, I did." I gasped for air, I felt the same excitement when Claude had revealed that I will be participating in the Magician Games.

For your information, THE Twelve Guardians. They are a group of very powerful magicians, dedicated to protect the innocents, and to defeat any evildoers who poses a threat to society. Those guys are the heroes of the magician world, everyone (including me, of course) loves them, and I loved them even more when I realized that Claude, not some random Claude fellow, but my older brother Claude, is one of the Twelve Guardians.

"Anyways, Edward. I'll be heading over to the Chinese restaurant to investigate the incident with another member of the Twelve Guardians." Claude stood up, and collected his staff. "Good luck, brother." I said, Claude nodded and gave me a 'I got this' smile, and began to walk out from the room.

And these days were really wild and weird, as if all the Gods were toying around with this week as my time to enter The Magician Games is getting closer. Fascinating and weird news were going on lately; A prince of a French kingdom had succeeded the throne of his mother, someone has created the world's largest jelly (why would they want to do that?), and there was a woman who was sent to the hospital because she fell out from her house's window. Why? Because she was startled by a gecko while she was wiping the window. (she's fine, don't worry readers)

Time passed so quickly and eventually, it is already time for the Magician Games before I could say the word bummer.

I should put on a fancy outfit for the event, I got my trusty top hat, wore my white jacket (but bigger), light blue jeans (but bigger) and a green T-shirt (guess what? it's bigger). I took my staff, and I did something that I always wanted to do: to spin my staff and hammer it to the floor. I spun it, and I had failed it miserably, I got an injured leg as a consequence from that.

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I took a deep breath, and stepped out from my palace. Claude agreed to follow me on my way there. He too, wears a top hat, and I can't see his clothes because he was wearing a clear white cape, which was covering his entire body. "Nice cape." I told him, "That's a cool jacket." Claude replied, "Trying to impress someone?" I grinned as I walked around a circle around my brother, as if I were doing a catwalk in a fashion show. "My friends, Felix and Aisha, of course." I replied, Claude narrowed his eyes, "You sure it's just them? Don't you have someone special to impress with that outfit?"

I immediately understood what he meant, my own brother seriously think that I have a, person that I like? Well, it's not the 'family and friends' like, but the 'have the desire to kiss and marry' like. Ugh! The idea of that is making me cringe! "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Claude. I reassure you, that I don't have a crush on someone." Claude snickered, "Yet." He teasingly added.

I choked at that word, why won't Claude believe me? I'm literally telling the truth right now. "Okay, this is getting weird. We, should be going. It's best that we should be there before it gets crowded." I immediately began to scurry ahead, with Claude following behind me.

This may be the longest journey in my life as well.

Not only we have to take a subway; we have to take more than one subway! We would have to stop at another station, and get onto another train. But not only that, we would have head to the surface, and stop at a bus station to board a bus. I'm still not as used to be cramped up with lots of people, so Claude decided that we sit at the back seats, a.k.a. the empty seats.

"Don't worry, we're almost there." Claude said. "Alright." I replied. I had lost time about this journey, I remembered we went out at least seven in the morning, now it looks like it's nine. And I had also forgotten about how many subway stations do we have to board for this.

And finally, this hell is over when we had arrived.

There's something worse, there's even more people here, and I bet most of them are the participants since most of them are bringing their magic staffs with them. "Whoa. It's like a night market here, except for the fact that there were no stalls." I clenched onto my staff, "Brother, w-what if I lose in the Magician Games?" I asked, "If I did lose, my trainings will all be for nothing... I'm getting nervous brother." "It's okay." Claude said, and he pated my shoulder. "It's totally normal to feel nervous in competitions. You'll do fine." After he said that, it made me calm down a bit. "Thanks man, you're right, I'll be fine."

Overhead, there's a huge flight of stairs that goes straight up to... I just realized what I had just saw... Oh, crap. Stairs... Why does it have to be stairs? The bad memories! NO! Everyone just kept on walking, do they even feel exhausted from all that? Claude doesn't seem to break a sweat from climbing all those stairs, and plus, he has to assist me up due to my fear of stairs that is overwhelming my desire to walk.

But still, are these guys that athletic? They aren't even complaining about how many flights are there... are they fine with this? Do they have lots of stairs in their homes as well? How high is the this place anyways?

"Oh my god! Edward! You alright?" Oh, that voice...

I dropped myself to the ground, I turned back, and saw two familiar faces. "Are you injured?" Felix asked, he seemed to be very worried about me. "Oh! Um, yeah!" I got up to my feet right away. "I'm good! I'm just, um, I have a phobia of... stairs." My two friends paused, and blinked. "P-p-phobia of stairs?" Felix repeated. "Is that even a thing? How did you get that anyways?" Aisha asked curiously. "Long story," I answered, not wanting to remember the horrors of climbing those stairs to my palace's library.

Felix wore the identical clothes to the ones that when I had last saw him, except that he doesn't wear that orange scarf. Aisha too looks almost similar as well, but her green shirt is now a buttoned-type. "You guys are here to participate too?" I asked, "What else do you expect us to be here for?" Felix replied, "Our master was impressed by our improvements in the past three years." Aisha added. "So... Is this the 'Felix' and 'Aisha' that you told me about?" I was so focused on my pals I had almost forgotten that Claude had existed.

"Yeah! Hey guys, this is my older brother, Claude."

"Wow," Felix squeaked, "So, you really rule this kingdom Paxsalam? As well a member of the Twelve Guardians?" Claude nodded as an answer. Both of them gasped, and started to shake his hand, saying things like "I'm a huge fan." and "Can you sign my autograph?" To be honest, I would do the same thing if I realised that my friends' parents were billionaires who were developers of some cool mobile game.

I cleared my throat to get their attention, "You guys ready for The Magician Games?" Aisha scoffed, "We got this in the bag." "All three of us are going to nail this tournament." Felix said, "I hope they have some battle-related rounds there!" "Wait, we have to fight each other?"

All three of us stood there in a moment of silence, ignoring everything and the people around us (including you, Claude, sorry). "Well, possibly?" "Wait! Wait! Wait! I don't want to hurt you guys! I only know three positions for now!" I exclaimed, "Oh that's fine." Felix replied, "You're at least better than me, I only know two, and Aisha only has mastered the first one only!" "Zip it!" Aisha hissed. "You know, I can still create a crossbow and shoot arrows at you guys!"

"And, she has an aim that rivals that of the Star Wars Stormtroopers." Felix added teasingly. Aisha looked like she had been shot by an arrow, she growled and mumbled inaudible words and stomped as she admits defeat.

Felix and I, on the other hand, giggled like five-year-old kids at her reaction, it actually feels good to laugh like this with my friends.