Syzygy Aces

Chapter 16

Master Rami requested each team to present their gems. Team Seven presents their gem first since they were the ones to arrive first and as soon as Prince Marve took it from his pocket, the gem shone brightly and the audience started to be amazed.

"You've got an incredible gem Team Seven. Now, I must unfold a part of the mystery of this quest. It was a task that the Aces cannot do." The crowd was intrigued by what the Master had said. It was impossible that the Aces cannot be trusted by a task. They began to make noise, chattering around. "Ahem..." The master cleared his throat to cut the buzzing sound. "For the task to be done, it was not the skill of the Aces that are necessary. It was a test of the pureness of one's soul. The Aces already exposed to of darkness when our realm was opened last decade ago. I didn't expect that you can actually done it quite well for you all are new to this level of competition. One of you got the purest heart and some could tell that this task is very important to this Realm. I'm proud of you!"

Maybe the Aces at the woods were there for the task and failed. Or they just see to it that we could make it there to fulfill it. My own thoughts filled me again.

"This gem will be a simple token for the your efforts. This gem holds power depending on what kind and it will be given to each member of the team. It will upgrade your powers and skills. The cave is the source of the power of the whole Realm and it was only invisible to those who seek power for evil....Dear, if you do the honor..." He glanced at his back. Ace Chinitah was already there with Ace Ronin at her side. We hadn't even notice that they were present at the moment. They must have teleported. She looked so serious and her glare was dangerously sharp giving the usual unnerving feelings to all of us. She took the gem out of Master Rami's hand and with her magic; she released it up to the air. The gem began to grow brighter and its rays hit each member of Team Seven. Their body absorbed the energy coming from the gem and as soon as the spectacular event ended the gem shattered in the air and vanished. Wow!

We felt the boast of energy coming from them. They stood with pride and came back to their post as the second team moved forward for their turn. We became excited as well for we were about to get our rewards too. We didn't only qualify for the next level but the quest also gave us something so exquisite that could enhance our abilities. I felt uneasy for I caught Ace Ronin staring at me intensely. What wrong with him? As I pretend to look at him unintentionally, he avoided my eyes. He was really weird!

It was about our turn to accept our gift and I gave our gem towards Master Rami. It wasn't shining brightly as same as the gems of the other teams but the old man was astonished by just looking at it in his hand. The delight in the eye of Ace Chinitah was also evident that our gem was not just an ordinary. As she took our gem from the Master, it glowed so bright that it actually hurt our eyes. The light from it struck us like lightning, electrifying us as we stood trying to absorb the magnitude of its energy. The last thing I remembered before I fainted was a face of a fair lady with a brilliant light purple eyes smiling at me.

:)

I found myself lying in a bed surrounded by hanging twigs and an aroma of mixed herbs lingered throughout the place. My head hurts as I managed to think about what happened to me.

Reyn entered the room. "How are you Sissy?"

"Sissy?" I tried to smile at her for the new nickname she gave me but I immediately frowned coz' my head still hurts a lot. The other member of my team began to enter too. Concern was all over their faces. "How are you?", Shane asked. "Are you alright?", Maxi added.

"I'm quite fine even my head still hurts.... What happened?", I asked them.

"Master Rami said that you absorbed more energy from the crystal than us but your body is not strong enough to take all of it that is why you fainted. When you fainted your body glowed and we felt a power that we never felt before. You're special Krish and we know it.... Well, we were powered up as well too!" Jaxmi explained. He let his energy flew to me for me to felt it. He was really a show off!

I began to think who I was. I didn't even saw my mother. The story that my father told me was like a tale. Was it all real? I felt so empty.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Reyn asked me again. My expression was so lost. "Master also told us that you chose the most powerful gem of all. You could have died! The gem chose you as its vessel." Reyn said with a teary eye. "Don't worry about me, Reyn. I'm truly fine. Maybe I just fell when I fainted that's why my head hurts a little till now". I embraced her to calm her down. She was truly so "emo" if it involved me and the people she cared about.

Shane and Reyn looked at each other meaningfully and smirked at me. "Hmmmm.. You didn't fall. Actually, it was weird since Ace Ronin caught you before it happened and he was also the one that brought you here." They giggled. "Huh?" I couldn't even think of it. He was kind after all. Maybe I could thank him after I can go out from here.

"Thank you guys for all your concerns. I never felt so happy in my entire life. Whenever I'm with you all, I'm home. You are all my family now and I'm glad that I was a part of this team." They all patted me in the head and messed my hair. We laughed as they told me stories about how their abilities upgraded and the schedule of the tournament was been postponed due to the incident. I had been lying unconsciously for almost a week now!

As we blabbed about everything, Master Rami entered the room with an old serene-faced lady. We became still and behaved as he they approached my bed. "So how do you feel now?", the old lady asked. "Never been better, Madam!" I answered with a smile. "Good. Call me Arasshi, I'm the head healer of this tournament." She smiled timidly at me. She prepared a tea with a strong aroma that made me like to vomit and told me that it could help me restore myself.

"If you're good to go, then we could continue the tournament tomorrow." Master Rami said to me. "What?!" Maxi exclaimed. "Will you give Krish some time to rest since she still had this headache?" Maxi insisted. I gave Maxi an "it's okay" look and faced the master. "I'll manage to be at the tournament tomorrow Master Rami. I'm all good!"

:)