PART 1

 

Chapter 1

Lisa hasn’t left Earth all summer. She is starting high school and meets a new friend named Mary. A star-shaped origami letter (a blynk) taps on her window that night. It says to go to the forest at dawn.

 

Chapter 2

Inna is waiting for her, and they evanesce to Haim Gana. They head to the Golden Meeting Room. The Guardians are there and Gaius. Two old siblings are arguing with Dayasheel in the center. They are the Time Keepers. They are upset a child from Earth was using their magic. Lady Ariela arrives and tells them about Lisa, and they apologize. They also fix her doppelganger rings since they nullified her rings for summer.

 

Chapter 3

Gaius evanesces Lisa away to Boolavogue. The King and Queen want to meet with Lisa. During the walk, Gaius says Lisa will be his Charmer (a Mage or Mystic that helps gather ingredients for Mixtitians and Menders). In the Throne Room, the King and Queen thank Lisa for saving their Kingdom and wish to grant her the title of Hero. Lisa wants to say yes but Gaius says, “No.” Lisa ultimately agrees that she’s too young to be a Hero and declines, knowing she can never be offered that title by King Bolthor again. Lisa meets Maven Aurum, Cal’s Fysiks teacher, Celine, and Cal again. The Queen asks Gaius to let Cal be a Charmer, too, and Gaius can’t say no.

Because Gaius told Bolthor to invite all cities to the Wishing Star migration last year, word got out and more people wanted to be Hunters. Ekron is starting a guild recruiting team, and Cal and Lisa are joining with other Hunters.

 

Chapter 4

The next morning, Gaius evanesces him and Lisa to a cliffside. He has Lisa test out her flying. He gives her his first Charmer request: collect the mataalilytes (glimmer bortz). Lisa collects the rocks with the fizzy Mataalixer (if two people share the liquid, their magic can’t hurt the other. She joins Gaius back to the top. Both drink the magical liquid and spar. 

 

Chapter 5

They sell the glimmer borts and eat. Back home, Gaius tells Lisa she could’ve said “yes” to being a Hero, even though he believes she isn’t ready. He tells her not to show off her magic either. It ends with him giving Lisa an MC Chip with 800 credits.

 

Chapter 6

Gaius, Lisa, and Inna go to EverWake to watch the Hero’s Games. This is where Zephan, the Game Keeper works. They watch the magical games, and Lisa is fascinated by Reno Otyamu and his gravity magic. When it’s over, they go to see Zephan. It’s obvious Gaius doesn’t like him, and when they are talking, he mentions how he can sense Lisa’s heart and that she is strong. Gaius gives Zephan some of the mataalytes, and they leave.

 

Chapter 7

During Hunter training in Boolavogue, a Hero, Gladius Snow, visits. Lisa and Sana (the blonde huntress who is a part of Ekron’s guild recruitment) sit atop a tent and watch the Hero. Lisa begins to doubt if she could ever be a Hero like him. Sana tells Lisa how Gladius won the Paragon Games a few years ago, and that’s how he became famous. The Paragon Games happen once a year when a random planet is picked and the Game Keeper uses his magic to select the planet’s most powerful, undiscovered Mages and Mystics to compete for first place. Sana also mentions how Lionheart is the most prestigious title of all, better than Hero, and that King Bolthor denied the title to marry Queen Leonora. They soon rejoin Ekron’s troop, and Ekron says they will have their first guild recruitment mission to Nuolja soon.

 

Chapter 8

Ekron’s guild recruitment team leaves Boolavogue and boards the Kingdom’s flying ships, the emership. 

 

Chapter 9

Lisa sits with Cal and the Hunters on the ship deck. A blynk from Gaius breaks through the magic mantle. He asks Lisa to retrieve edurplume from the waves of fyrnuhaura. They start talking about Lisa’s magic, and Cal says she has five and that she can fly. The Hunters want to see her outfly the emership. With permission from the emership Captain and Ekron, Lisa shows off her magic and jumps into the sky.

 

Chapter 10

They land in Nuolja. It’s very small, in the center of an icy lake, and covered with snow. Lisa quickly notices that half the residents have black hair and the other half have pure white. They all have striking blue eyes. Lisa joins Kelm, Kite, Brightbeard, Amos, Erin, and Sana while Cal leaves with Ekron. The group visits the frozen beach when they hear a scream in the lake’s center. A little girl is on top of ice that’s cracking. Gaius told Lisa not to show people she has more than one type of magic, so she only uses water. She skates across the lake and saves the girl. Her two friends, Klay and Deyter, rejoin, too. Lisa makes an ice bridge to shore when a huge fin breaks it. The boys fall in. Lisa is about to save them when a little ghost-like creature stabs the fin and scares the fish. Back on shore, a teenager admits it was his magic that saved Lisa; she thinks he is very handsome with his white hair and blue eyes. He thanks her for saving his brother and their friends. He wants to treat the Hunters to lunch at his family’s eatery.

 

Chapter 11

The teenage boy’s name is Ayker Rovonami, and he and his mom serve the Hunters food. Erin and Kelm participate in the Swelter Plum Popper Challenger, making it official Men’s versus Women’s Troop business. Kelm wins, and Lisa enjoys having fun with the Hunters

 

Chapter 12

Lisa goes around town, asking about Gaius’ request with the kids she rescued and their friends. No one knows what edurplume or fyrnuhaura is. Akyer helps and says it's called winterdaze. That night, the kids take Lisa to the best spot where the winterdaze shows up in the sky. Ayker makes a surprise visit. He sits next to Lisa. He shows her his magic called fawna magic. He can summon magical creatures called widmoos at his will. He summons the bubble ghosts, and they play with Tuff. The kids join, leaving Lisa alone with Ayker. Ayker tells Lisa about their town. People in Nuolja are bound to each other with magic. The white-haired are called Vits, and they have to have omrivim to leave. Omrivim is found in the blood of the black-haired Nuoljians. Vits are blessed with double amounts of magic, the power determined by the white inkings called signets etched onto their bodies from birth. The black-haired have no magic besides omrivim, so in exchange for their magical blood, the Vits give them their magic through glintz.

Ayker says his signet is huge, spanning across his back. He can produce tons of magic through glintz. He’s the reason his parents’ restaurant does so well because he sells his magic. Lisa is shocked. She says it's not normal. Ayker believes people shouldn’t “hoard” their magic, and Lisa says that’s a lie. “Magic is a part of your soul,” and that Ayker shouldn’t be selling his soul. He could be using his magic to save lives. Ayker thinks about it and says Lisa is pretty weird but in a good way. The night ends with Lisa flying and getting the winterdaze for Gaius.

 

Chapter 13

Lisa and Cal stroll through the streets, and Lisa tells Cal about the town’s weird magic. That evening, Nuolja’s partisans invite the Hunters to dinner. Lisa meets the nine partisans. One named Setzyr makes an impression on her. 

 

Chapter 14 

That night, while Lisa is at the back of the emership, Ekron comes storming aboard, asking where Lisa is. When he sees she’s alright, he tells everyone they are leaving and not making a guild alliance. Ekron tells Lisa and Cal that Nuolja’s main exports are glintz made by the people, forcing their citizens to drain themselves of magic so the city could prosper. This is immoral, and Ekron refuses to work with them. Lisa is saddened and thinks about Ayker and how he must go through each day so tired and exhausted. She wishes she could help, but Ekron says there's nothing they can do.

 

Chapter 15

Lisa returns to Gaius’ home around 3 a.m. He scares her half to death from the abrupt return. She gives him the winterdaze and lets her keep some.

 

Chapter 16

Cal and Lisa finish a Charmer quest in Hyldavan. As they leave a shop, they both fall unconscious. Lisa wakes up in a dark room on a table with her wrists and ankles bound, and Tuff is gone. A man is at this weird computer and there’s a floating stone next to it. When the man leaves, Lisa tries to use her magic to escape but she’s powerless. Some cloaked goons come in, and purple flames burst out of Lisa’s hands, burning the chains. She throws the fire at the goons and knocks them out. The flames don’t hurt her. She grabs the stone and leaves the room to find Caelum. Fire blows through the halls from her will, and she finds a room where Caelum is. He’s not moving atop a bed where a figure stands. She burns the cloaked figure’s legs, grabs Caelum, and is about to evanesce when she is struck in the back. She escapes and lands on top of the Veradome’s hilltop entrance. Caelum isn’t moving. After a few seconds, he flinches, and Captain Arond and the guards come to the rescue. Lisa passes out from exhaustion.

 

Chapter 17

Lisa and Cal are awake with the King and Queen in the Medic wing. Gaius comes in later with Tuff, and Tuff’s memories link with Lisa’s to show everyone what happened. Bolthor says the figures are the Dark Sages, and they are a vile group of people who kidnap those with lots of magic and steal their power. That stone Lisa took was a magiblood stone, and they are all shocked Lisa could still wield magic. She should’ve been powerless. People never escape the Sages, and Bolthor thanks Lisa for saving Caelum. Lisa tells Gaius her magic is gone. She hands Gaius the stone, and he says it’s not gone but inside there. He says it’s strange because the stone is full of her magic, yet she has produced phantasmal flames. Gaius and Lisa leave to see Lady Ariela.

Lady Ariela says all of Lisa’s magic is inside the stone, but the Agapéd stayed in her heart. She believes the phantasmal flames were defense, the Agapéd trying to protect itself. Magiblood stones can only be broken by dark magic and Light. Lady Ariela uses the Onsen water to pierce the stone. It shatters, and Lisa’s magic returns to her. She thanks her, and as Lisa is walking with Gaius, she worries they will come for her again. He assures her there’s nothing to worry about and apologizes. Lisa tells him it’s not his fault she was kidnapped.

 

Chapter 18

Lisa has a nightmare on Earth about the Dark Sages. Her mom also wakes up, having a nightmare, too. They talk, and Lisa feels bad that her Mom knew nothing about the true nightmare that happened with the Dark Sages. Before Lisa goes back to bed, she gets a sharp pain in her back. It slowly fades away after a few seconds.

 

Chapter 19

Gaius is being really protective of Lisa now and joins her and Caelum on all his Charmer quests. Lisa’s flames have also not returned, and Lisa is upset about it. Gaius has Caelum and Lisa talk with a Mender and a Mixtitian in Rudlin. He wants them to sell Piperfreeze seeds to the medics. Lisa talks with Mender Roo, a gripy old doctor. Lisa talks with the old man, fascinated by his wall of remedies. She tells him she can collect Enkurious algae for him if he buys her Piperfreeze seeds. They have a deal… though Gaius wasn’t happy Lisa sold her hunting abilities to get it. 

They stop by Rudlin’s Luca’s (Lisa is excited that Luca’s is a chain restaurant). They sit at the bar when the television broadcast is announcing the Paragon Game contestants. Planet Kalm is chosen. They announce the contestants by oldest to youngest, and there are twelve. Lisa recognizes two of them: partisan Setzyer Tzelem and Ayker Rovonami from Boolavogue. They announce the twelve contestant… and it’s Lisa Rae Robbie. Gaius is furious and he sends Caelum home and evanesces himself and Lisa away to Zephan.

 

Chapter 20

Gaius storms in Zephan’s office and pins the golden-haired Game Keeper against the wall. Lisa is shocked; she’s never seen Gaius act like this. Gaius is upset that Zephan put her name in the pot. Vilmad and Emunah show up. Vilmad is upset that Zephan is using the Agapéd in his games. Zephan says Lisa can back out. Vilmad wants her to, but Gaius says no. His reason is because Zephan announced to all galaxies that powerful magic exists inside Lisa, and if she backs out, she looks like a weak easy target. Lisa knows Gaius is thinking about the Dark Sages. Gaius says she has to compete to show the worlds she’s not weak. He makes Zephna get Lisa a Hero’s Game trainer so she doesn’t look like a fool on stage. Lisa picks Reno Otyamu. As they leave, Gaius tells Lisa he never wanted this for her. The games are cruel, and she’ll be up against contestants who aren’t players but magic-hungry Mages and Mystics. He and Reno will train her well… but she can’t be a Charmer anymore and needs to take a break from her Hunter training. Her last Charmer mission is to get that algae for Mender Roo.

Cal helps Lisa collect the algae by killing the swamp mites. Caelum says Ekron’s training won't be the same without her. He also says we are “one-for-one in our saving-life game.” Lisa is comfortable with Caelum and admits she’s nervous about the games. Cal says Lisa has nothing to worry about because he believes in her. She blushes.

 

Chapter 21

Lisa is making origami with Mary back home (Lisa wants to make blynks but sucks at origami art). Lisa gets advice from Mary and her mom about the games—keeping it all hidden by asking what they would do if given the chance to win a prize by doing something risky. Mary wouldn’t take the risk, staying in the comfort zone. Odette Robbie says she’d do it because she’d regret it if she didn’t.

 

Chapter 22

Lisa meets Gaius in EverWake. Today is her first day of training with Reno, and they are heading to Tuukweald on planet Bruin. They take the citiship for the first time. Gaius says Lisa’s magic will be drained after training so much and she should know how to use human transportation even though Gaius hates it. On the citiship, Lisa can’t believe Gaius is doing all this for her, acting more like a parental guardian than teacher. She is also concerned that she is causing him so much worry. Lisa thinks, “I already took time out of his day, and now, I just inflicted distress into the Keeper’s heart. Gaius… He didn’t need that. He didn’t want worry in his life—no person does. And I was the cause of it because I wasn’t just his student. I wasn’t going to let him worry about me anymore.” She smiles like she isn’t nervous about the day.

They ride at lightspeed on the nebulane and land on a Stellarlegion planet where they take another citiship to planet Bruin. Reno approaches them when they land by the avelift terminals. He is handsome, smiley, and wearing a cloak to conceal his appearance.

Lisa takes the avelift with Reno. She is shy, but he is not. He asks Lisa why she picked him. Lisa says, “I thought that if a guy like you with smaller muscles could win a battle, then maybe I could, too.” He laughs and they bond. He says he will train Lisa well and teach her a family-honed tactic called dúlaman.

 

Chapter 23

They go to a secret entrance where two guards speak a different language. Reno hands Lisa a cluin (a blue magical translator that sticks behind the ear). They enter Sky Valley, and it’s a giant forest of homes built in trees. When they get to Reno’s home, his wife (Talanah) and toddler (Naku) hug him. Lisa has never seen such love from a family before, and she begins to want a family of three if it means her mom would be treated like that.

 

Chapter 24

Lisa and Reno spar. He teaches her different techniques and builds her confidence. That night, Reno’s entire family comes for dinner. Everyone has missed him, and Talanah is glad he’s home for a while. She says because of Reno’s winnings, he’s made Sky Valley a better place to live. That night, Gaius sends a blynk to Lisa, asking if she’s staying. She writes a letter back (she can only create a frog origami) and says yes.

 

Chapter 25

Lisa has trained for a month in Sky Valley. She loves how much the town likes the Guardians and does its best to dispose of dark magic. It makes her sad that Nuolja wasn’t like them: loving magic and using it to better their lives. When Lisa and Reno take a break from training to watch the sunset at his home, Lisa asks why Reno isn’t a Hero. He was never offered the title but wouldn’t take it if someone presented it to him. Heroes travel to save the world, and Sky Valley is his world—his home. He wants to protect it because his family is here. Lisa is shocked because she thought everyone wanted to be a Hero, but Reno was content where he was. Lisa begins to question if she is meant to be a Hero now. Reno says “You’ll know when saying ‘yes’ comes as easily as your next breath.” They are about to go inside to eat dinner when Lisa’s back hurts. She checks her spine in the mirror but sees nothing.

 

Chapter 26

There’s only 30 days until the Paragon Games. Lisa spars with Gaius, sharing a Mataalixer. As Lisa is fighting, her back starts to hurt. She ignores it the best she can. When Gaius is about to throw a tree at her, he stops. He asks her what’s wrong. She is honest, says she doesn’t know, and thinks it’s just soreness. When she returns home to Earth, her mom is on the phone with Grandma. They both have to drive down to Virginia for Christmas this year. Lisa is upset because she already has the games to worry about and her back problems.

 

Chapter 27

Odette and Lisa arrive at the grandparents’ house. They see Odette’s older sister Genevieve and her two sons Aiden and Titus (who are a few years younger than Lisa). Lisa recounts how Aunt Genn is the favorite because she did everything right by marrying a rich man, getting married, and not having to overwork herself. Lisa believes Grandma’s “perfect” life doesn’t make happiness because she and Odette are happy and don’t have any of those things. Inside is Grandpa, Uncle Leo (Aunt Genn’s husband), and Uncle Jed (Grandpa’s brother). They watch Lisa and the boys open gifts. Odette gives Lisa an iPod and an M-rated game, and Grandma scolds Odette briefly about the video game. As Lisa is scrolling through her iPod, her back is the worst it has ever been. The cousins tease Lisa, and Aiden takes her iPod. Lisa gets mad, and dúlaman punches him. He falls, and the whole family sees it, including Grandma. As Lisa is trudging upstairs, she overhears Grandma tells Odette she needs to raise Lisa better and give her proper vacations and for Odette to marry so it would “fix her problems.” Odette gets upset and leaves.

Lisa goes to the bathroom and looks at her back. Nothing is there. Tuff reminds her of the Eternling bands around her wrist, concealing all dark magic marks. She removes it, and a blotchy black rash is all over her back. Tuff touches it, confirming its dark magic. Lisa knows if she goes to Gaius for help, he’ll take her out of the games. Lisa has another idea in mind.

 

Chapter 28

Lisa visits Mender Roo in Rudlin. He confirms she’s been infected with dark magic rot. She should be dead. The only way to remove it is by magiblood extraction. With how bad it is, it may have already reached Lisa’s heart. The magiblood removes all magic from the body, good and bad, leaving the victim really weak. Lisa could possibly lose her magic if the rot is too far gone. Lisa freaks out. The games are happening soon, and she can’t afford to be weak from the extraction, and she can’t leave the games or else she’d be an “easy target” to criminals all across the galaxy. The only issue is the pain. Lisa makes a deal with Mender Roo. She will collect tons of Enkurious algae for him if he makes her the Enkurious potions. He reluctantly agrees and gives Lisa one jar. She takes a sip, and the pain is gone.

 

Chapter 29

Lisa starts the second semester of ninth grade. She is surprised when Lily wants Lisa to sit with her and the popular kids in close. Lisa knows she’s not as “pretty” as her friends nor as envied over, so it surprises Lisa. It makes Lisa feel wanted. In class, she chooses Lily over Mary, and she feels guilty, though she did nothing wrong. After class, Mary doesn’t seem upset and invites Lisa to the movies next week.

Lisa visits Kamari. The old Keeper of Stars is putting in a TV to watch Lisa in the games. Lisa didn’t know it was galaxy-wide. She thinks she won’t be good enough to be in the games. Kamari has confidence in Lisa and tells her she should, too.

 

PART II

 

Chapter 30

The games start tomorrow. On the overhead TVs at the EverWake citiship terminals, broadcasters are talking about the games, excited to see the magic. They talk about Lisa. Gaius assures Lisa not to be nervous as Reno arrives. She and Reno leave for the Gallant area. He tells Lisa to not let anyone else know she has two types of magic, sticking to water until she makes it past the first round. He also mentions that all the contestants will not like her or think she’s a joke. She needs to beat round one to prove it to them. Then, she doesn’t have to win the whole thing, just the first match. He tells her to be flashy and clever so the crowd will like her, too.

The arena is grand, and many people are already in the parking lots even though the games don’t start until the next day. Reno leads Lisa into the cavaedium. The room is packed with reporters, Reno’s friends, and sponsors. The fighters are there, too. None looked happy to see her. She sits by Ayker, and he is just as nervous as her. Zephan steps onto the stage and greets everyone. He has the fighters introduce themselves. He mentions the first match will be a race. Lisa freaks out because she didn’t train to run. Rongo—the female, red-headed fighter—asks what the grand prize is. Zephan says it’s one worth fighting for and dismisses the fighters to their living quarters for the night.

 

Chapter 31

All the fighters eat dinner in the living room of their shared space. Setzyer convinces all of them to share what types of magic they have. When it gets to Lisa, she says Water Manipulation. The contestants think the games are a joke because her magic is very basic. Setzyr attests to her abilities, telling everyone she’s a Hunter from Boolavogue. Impa—the oldest contestant—makes fun of Bolthor, and two other contestants say these games are just a charity case since Lisa is involved. Lisa is about to cry because Reno was right: everyone doesn’t like her. Ayker leads Lisa to the balcony where they both sit, comforting her. Ayker’s kindness leads Lisa to tell him she’s the Agapéd. She is proof that powerful magic isn’t always meant for evil. She’s meant for good, and that Ayker could use his magic for good, too. He wants to be more like Lisa and help his home when the games are over. Lisa leaves to go to her room when she overhears Impa, Rongo, and Setzyr talking. Setzyr says he’s not going easy on Lisa and will squash her like a bug. Lisa runs to her room and cries. Tuff joins her, telling her she is strong. Lisa vows to prove it to all of them tomorrow during the first match.

 

Chapter 32

Zephan announces that the race will be separated into four groups of three. The loser of each group is eliminated from the games until only eight are left. Zephan says to the audience and everyone in the viewing room that the grand prize is a wysh… and Lisa has no clue what that is. The television shows the groups for the mazes, and Lisa is against Varl and Lotto—Group 4. The races aren’t racetracks but are on different plants with absurd and deadly terrain. When it’s Group 4’s turn, Joolee (a game worker) evanesces them to a sea stack in the middle of a raging storm. There was nothing but the sea beyond them. Lisa knows she can fly, but she listens’ to Reno’s advice. Lisa gets a late start thanks to Varl’s laser beam. She makes up for it by summoning the waters to speed across the choppy waves. She buries Varl under the ice, and Lisa and Lotto win the race.

 

Chapter 33

Lisa goes to the cavaedium with the other winners to talk with the reporters. Lisa waits in line with Ayker. Ayker tells Lisa that a wysh can grant you anything you want as long as it doesn’t break Magic Law. Ayker says he will wish away the magic hurting his people so they don’t have to be bound to omrivim anymore. Lisa hopes he wins because of his noble wish. Setzyr joins Lisa’s side and congratulates her. When Lisa goes to talk with the reporter, she notices Setzyr leaving with Ayker. Neither of them looked happy or headed to the exit. Gaius meets Lisa after the interview. She asks if she can see Cal afterward but doesn’t tell him why.

Lisa gets Cal to help collect more Enkurious algae for Mender Roo. Cal mentions that this time next year, he’ll be starting his Dawning to become an official Hunter. When she doubts she’ll win the Paragon Games, Cal boosts her confidence again, stating all the heroic things she has done in the past two years. He even mentions that his dad and Ekron watched Lisa in the games and that everyone is rooting for her to win.

 

Chapter 34

On Earth, Lily invites Lisa to a basketball game with her popular friends. Lisa is excited and nervous because this has never happened to her before. She gets all dressed up, but then receives a text from Mary asking about the movie they’re going to see. Lisa forgot about the movie night because of the Paragon Games. Mary pulls up to the house, and Lisa gets her mom to lie to Mary. Lisa feels awful but chooses Lily over Mary. When Lisa goes to the games with Lily and her friends, everything is fine… until more popular kids show up. Then, more and more. Soon, Lisa is sitting by herself, and no one is talking to her. Even Lily isn’t talking with her. She feels ridiculous. She calls her mom to pick her up.

Later that night, Odette comes into Lisa’s bedroom and Lisa admits to what happened. Lisa just wanted to have a group of friends like in the movies. She just wanted to be wanted. Odette cheers Lisa up, telling her how great she is and that she should hang out with people who want to be with her. It ends with Lisa telling her mom she wouldn’t mind having a stepdad someday. Odette says she’ll think about it.

The next day at school, Lisa changes seats in class to sit next to Mary. Surprisingly, Lily changes seats, too, and Lisa feels silly for thinking Mary and Lily wouldn’t like each other since one was popular and one was not.

 

Chapter 35

Zephan says the next challenge will be a two-versus-two battle, so everyone should get along because they won’t know who they're partnered with until the next morning. The eight Paragon Game fighters are back in the room, eating dinner. They start talking about what they’d wish for with the wysh. Lisa is stunned when Ayker says he’d wish for money and not to save his people. Setzyr says they are all aiming too low. He says he’s wishing for the most powerful magic in the universe: the Agapéd Magic. They tease him and say he can’t wish for something that doesn’t exist. He proves them wrong and says the Agapéd is real, and it’s inside Lisa. Setzyr says powerful magic is meant for the powerful, and taking away Lisa’s burden would only benefit her. All the players begin to change their desires to wishing for the Agapéd Magic, too. Lisa wonders how Setzyr found out… until she sees Ayker. She knew he told him, and she has never felt so betrayed before. She runs to her room and cries.

 

Chapter 36

It’s brutally hot that next morning and most of the men are shirtless. Ayker included, and his whole back is visible. She sees the signet he mentioned, it spanning from his shoulders to his hips. Zephan says whichever team knocks the other out of the ring first wins. He reveals that in each team of two, one will be blind and the other can’t leave their position on the field. The teams are announced, and Lisa is with Ayker. Lisa is angry with him but pushes aside her bitterness because she has to win now to save the Agapéd from being stolen. Ayker and Lisa are up against O.N. and Barraline—the duplication Mage and Mystic. Lisa is blinded while Ayker stays stationary, and O.N. is blinded while Barraline stays stationary. O.N. can transform into the contestant's biggest fear, but when he gets to Lisa… her biggest fear is losing her magic. O.N. is powerless, and Lisa uses water to toss him out. Barraline summons a Muck Man (Lisa has no idea what that is and she can’t see it). Ayker uses his widmoos to cocoon Lisa’s body and guides her where to fight. After battling for a while, Lisa uses dúlaman on the Muck Man and Ayker flies her over to Barraline where Lisa tosses her over. 

 

Chapter 37

Lisa and Ayker move on. Workers are leading Lisa down a hall when she sees Setzyr pull Ayker aside. Lisa commands Tuff to spy on them while she’s being healed. Gaius, Inna, and Reno are waiting for Lisa. The nurses say Lisa should be in pain and are surprised she’s not because Muck Man burns sting. Lisa realizes it’s because of the Enkurious potion.

When Gaius takes Lisa back to his house to rest, Tuff shows Lisa his memories. Setzyr pushes Ayker away, angry with him. Ayker says he refuses to do what Setzyr says and that wishing away Lisa’s magic is wrong. Setzyr is no leader to him anymore and vows to win the games to save his people from the Nuoljian curse. Setzyr laughs and says it’s impossible to wish away a curse. He tells Ayker to win against Lisa next week and lose against him. If Ayker doesn’t obey, his family won’t receive any more omrivim—killing them. The memory ends… and Lisa wants nothing more than to win the games to save Ayker. She is going to use the wysh to stop the Nuoljian curse. She knows nothing about curses but knows someone who does.

 

Chapter 38

Lisa visits Micah in Haim Gana and asks him about curses. He says there’s a magical vow called a myrddin. It’s split into Twynklings (good magic vows) and Maalisons (dark magic curses). Unlike charms, myrddins are most powerful depending on the price paid. They can’t fade over time but can be broken by the loophole (where the magic seethes out). Lisa asks about Nuolja, too, and Micah hands her a book. It’s a dead end. Lisa asks about magical tattoos or signets. Micha says people can’t be born with them unless they have been cursed by birth. He gives her a book about emblems and leaves. Lisa finds one that matches Ayker’s back, and it’s the mark of a vaene (a dark specter that tricks humans into forming maalisons to obtain magic). Lisa does more digging and believes that a vaene curses Nuolja. She just needs to find out where the vaene is in Nuolja… and how to defeat a vaene. There’s an old map in the book and Lisa figures she could ask Maven Aurum about the map (Tuff recalls a memory where Caelum says his teacher used to be a Treasure Hunter). She runs into Rayna in the Onsen. The Guardian is cleansing her body of dark magic. Rayna tells Lisa that vaenes will tell you how to break their curse if they believe you are an easy target to get magic from. When Rayna leaves the hot spring, Lisa thinks about the water. She splashes a bit on the dark magic rot on her back. Pain surges through her the moment the Onsen water touches her skin. Lisa takes some of the water with her before evanescing away. 

 

Chapter 39

Lisa goes to the Kingdom and gets Caelum to help and talk with Maven Aurum. Maven Aurum shows Lisa a current map of Nuolja and what all the markings mean. Lisa believes the vaene is inside the large mountain that rests behind the capital. Gone from the Maven, Caelum tells Lisa she’s insane to go after the vaene. Lisa tells him that after she defeated Ecuras, Lady Ariela said she is alive on purpose. Lisa is the only Mage she knows who can fly and move water to find the underwater entrance. Caelume doesn’t want her to go alone, so he joins, too.

 

Chapter 40

Lisa and Caelum evanesce to Nuolja. Once they get to the glacieresque mountain, Caelum steps on his fysiks shields floating like platforms, and Lisa flies as she pushes all the water away from them. They descend below the icy waters, encased in a bubble of air while Tuff lights their way. As time passes, Caelum gets too weak and begins to fall. At that moment, two inarimars attack. Caelum uses his last bit of strength to hit one on the fin. When he falls, Lisa catches him on her back. Lisa kills the second inarimar with an ice spear. Cal and Lisa find an opening to the glacier mountain. 

 

Chapter 41

As Lisa suspected, a vaene awaited them. She is a black misty apparition with red eyes and a red mouth. Her name is Yeulavon. Lisa and Cal say they are dark magic enthusiasts and want to know about the thousand-year-old vaene. She tells them about Nuolja’s history. Nuolja was discovered by two brothers, Nilj and Vitol. Nilj and Vitol both wanted magic, and Yeulavon offered them a deal. The brothers formed a Maalison that would curse their people: All those with white hair would have double the amount of magic (the size of the signet proves how powerful they are) but are bound to the black-haired citizens because they possess omrivim (and the white-haired can’t live without omrivim). She only required magic in return, so the brothers would take the magic from the white-haireds and give it to Yeulavon through the glintz. The brothers also received her power in return. Time passed, and the brothers ventured out in search of more magic to give to Yeulavvon. Soon, Vit wanted to break the Maalison but Nilj didn’t. Vit kills Nilj, but Nilj reveals that the Maalison already has a new holder: Vit’s son. As centuries passed, the price to break the Maalison increased. Instead of fifty omrivim magic pulses, the toll was 1,000, and no heir could ever give her that many because that would kill 1,000 people in return. Lisa wants to know who the current Maalison holder is, but the vaene says they will come back in exactly a week. She lets them go.

Lisa evanesces herself and Cal back to shore when she falls to the ground from her back pain. She drinks some Enkurious. Cal wants her to tell the King or Gaius, but Lisa says no. They need to find who the current holder is and arrest them.

 

Chapter 42

Lisa notices that Ayker looks very tired as they stand in the viewing room to hear who each other is sparring against. They are doing a binding spar, so whoever can pin their opponent down for seven seconds for two out of the three rounds wins. Setzyr is against Ayker, and he wins. Lisa knows she has to win now, and her opponent is Rongo. Rongo tells Lisa she’s going to win and beat Setzyr and wish for the Agapéd magic. They start the fight, and Rongo easily wins the first round. Rongo says Lisa is pathetic. Lisa is about to lose again but changes tactics, acting more chaotic. As she’s pinned down by Rongo, Lisa spits a salvi-sweat-mixed icicle into Rongo’s eye. Lisa then uses her terrain magic for the first time in teh games. The crowd goes wild, and Rongo is so discombobulated from gauging out her eye that Lisa easily wins round two. As round three begins, Rongo rips her skirt and ties a bandage around her eye. Then, she smiles, excited for the battle she’s been hoping for. They go back and forth for a while, but Lisa pins Rongo down using the dirt and ice. Lisa wins round 3. As Lisa stands up, she suddenly feels super weak, and her stomach hurts. She knees and throws up… and her vomit is pure dark magic. She then collapses.

 

Chapter 43

Lisa wakes up in the medic room where two nurses look at her. She is very cold and weak. She looks over and sees Gaius standing there. Her blood is on his sleeves, and she realizes he’s the one who carried her all the way here. They say she threw up dark magic grot and there should be a rot wound on her. Gaius then takes off Lisa’s Eternling bracelet. Everyone sees Lisa’s back, and the wound has spread badly. They are all shocked. Lisa says she’s sorry to Gaius. Zephan comes in. Gaius is angry he let Lisa fight, but Lisa whimpers and says he didn’t know. Gaius cradles Lisa and takes her to Lady Ariela

 

Chapter 44

All the Guardians are in the Onsen with Gaius, Lady Ariela, and Lisa. Lady Ariela is confused as to why Lisa isn’t in pain. She tells them she’s been taking two bottles of Enkurious a day. Vilmad is furious at Gaius. Lisa says he didn’t know about it. Ariela can heal Lisa but because of the magnitude of the rot, it could take up to a month for her to cleanse her pulse and she’d be very weak for a while. Lisa refuses because she wants to stay in the games. Rayna suggests they could try the Onsen. Lisa is nervous but Gaius says he will go with her. Gaius carries Lisa to the hotspring. When the water touches her back, it’s beyond painful. Lisa cries and can’t go through with it. She still wants to do the games but can’t tell them why (telling them she could lose the Agapéd would make Zephan shut down the games and Lisa will never get that wysh to wish away the Nuolja curse). Lady Ariela gives Lisa a potion that will stop the spreading of the grot. She warns Lisa that if she comes in contact with dark magic again, she is at risk of losing her life.

Gaius takes Lisa back to his home to rest. He sets Lisa down in her room. There is silence for a while… and then Gaius asks, “Why didn’t you tell me?” and it’s the most disappointed he has ever sounded. Lisa tells him how she watched Tuff’s memories of the battles with Ecuras. She saw Gaius cry with her in his arms. She didn’t think he cared so much about her until then, and she didn’t want to worry him. She cause him worry about the Dark Sages and the Games, so she said nothing about the rot. She says she’s a burden to him. Gaius assures her that she is not. He admits he was scared about her being in the games, but she’s proven herself. But he never wants her to believe she’s not worth his time. He says he wants Lisa in his life and for her to be happy—and for her to tell him when she’s hurt. Gaius tells Lisa to rest before he leaves. Lisa doesn’t listen and jumps out of bed, sending a blynk to Cal.

 

Chapter 45

Cal and Lisa visit the vaene one day earlier. The vaene doesn’t like that but tells them the rest of the story. She says the current holder of the Maalison stretched her power among multiple pulses. They go around collecting tons of magic pulses for her. She reveals them to be the Dark Sages, and her magic allows them to Shadow instead of evanesce. She says the current holder is the strongest one, and her power runs through his blood. She says that if the holder is killed, all her magic will be cut off, and the curse is broken. He is known as Senko, but his real name is Setzyr Tzelem. At the realization, Lisa and Cal turn wide-eyed. Yeulavon notices. She says having his power is nice but she wants Lisa’s pulse instead. She can sense Lisa’s power but sees she’s much weaker today. She asks for Lisa to kill Setzyr so she can have the vaene’s power, too. Lisa refuses, and Yeulavon gets angry. An inarimar crashes through the ice below, and Lisa is too weak to fly or evanesce. She falls through the ice. She’s about to be eaten when Cal jumps in and evanesces them on the frozen beach. Lisa coughs up water, and Cal puts a dry coat over her. Cal says they need to tell everyone about Setzyr. Lisa says no. They would throw Setzyr in jail while the vaene still lives. If they took Setzyr’s power, the vaene would die but so would the Nuoljians because she’d draw the magic from the Vits. Lisa says she will win the games, get the wysh, and then tell everyone what Setzyr did.

 

Chapter 46

Lisa is stopped on planet Zena by Kamari. A blynk was sent to Lisa, but didn’t have enough magic to get to Earth, so it stopped at her space home. It’s a blynk from the Balthiers. They encourage Lisa and say how proud they are of her and that she always has a home with them. It makes Lisa cry of happiness. Kamari tells Lisa not to worry about the games. Gaius and Lady Ariela told Lisa she is strong, and Kamari tells Lisa to believe them.

 

Chapter 47

Lisa is on the avelift to the stadium. The broadcast in the monorail is playing, and the hosts are talking about the final battle happening tomorrow. They are nervous for Lisa. When they arrive in the cavaedium, many people are there including all the previous players. Lisa sees Rongo, and she has a glass eye. She thanks Lisa for the battle and tells her to beat Setzyr. Joolee tells Lisa and Setzyr to wait outside and decide what they want their wysh to be and to have two versions: their real wysh and the televised one. It’s just Lisa and Setzyr in the hallway alone. Setzyr tells Lisa he knows she went to the vaene and wants to know why she is standing next to him and playing a game tomorrow. She says it’s for the wysh and wonders why he’s just telling her everything. Setzyr says it doesn’t matter what he says because if Lisa reveals his identity, he’ll just kill Ayker and his family. After talking, Lisa realizes Setzyr doesn’t know that Lisa knows how to break the Maalison and that the vaene didn’t tell him everything. Setzyr then admits Ayker never told him about Lisa having the Agapéd. He knew all along… because he was the one who captured her and the Prince back in Rudlin… and he was the one in the room with Caelum (the one Lisa hit with flames). And he was the one who put the dark magic grot on her back. He then threatens Lisa again, saying the “rot” will kill her if she tells anyone about what they’ve spoken of. He doesn’t care to kill a kid for she has meddled in his province—far beyond what a child should do.

It’s time to announce what they will wish for. The room of people are the witnesses, and an Embassy worker takes note of what they will wish for. Setzyr says his broadcasted wish is for Nuolja to prosper, and the real wish is to have the Agapéd. Gaius stirs, but Lisa stares at him with a “don’t you dare speak” stare. Lisa’s broadcasted wish is to free Nuolja from their chains of Darkness, and her real wish is for the wysh to become 1,000 pulses of omrivim and to be absorbed by Vaene Yeulavon immediately.

 

Chapter 48

It’s the day of the battle. Lisa joins Setzyr on stage as Zephan stands before them. Zephan thanks the Chairman for coming (the first time Lisa has ever seen the Embassy leader) and his guests. Zephan says he wants fate to decide the final match. He uses his magic and has Lisa draw out the match. Surprisingly, it’s a Traditional Spar.

Lisa goes to talk with Setzyr before the match begins. She wants to make him a deal. She knows the rot could kill her if she’s hit with it even once from him. Lisa asks if Setzyr will use a magiblood stone on her during the battle. It would take away her rot—giving her a chance at living again—and he will get the Agapéd magic. He just has to promise to use Lisa’s wysh to break the Maalison. Lisa says she wants to live more than she wants magic. Setzyr is impressed with Lisa, though he thinks she is dumb for making the deal. Setzyr accepts.

 

Chapter 49

Lisa has the blue neckband, and Setzyr has the red. Whoever grabs their opponent’s sweatband two out of the three rounds wins. Before she heads to the arena, she latches her water on her belt. Lisa surprises Setzyr by beating him in the first round. On the second, Lisa lets Setzyr catch him. Setzyr makes red smoke with his magic, concealing them from the crowd. He drains some of her magic with the stone, and it’s unbearable pain. Setzyr tells her to not stay down too long or the medics will come. He takes her neckband and wins the second round. In the third round, Setzyr takes all of Lisa’s rot and magic with the stone but he doesn’t take her headband. He kicks her across the stadium and throws attacks at her just for fun, aiming to kill her because he knows Lisa will reveal his identity once the games are over. When Setzyr clasps the magiblood stone, about to break it, pink flames shoot toward his hand. Like before, the Agapéd stayed with Lisa when the magiblood stone absorbed her magic—which was a risk—and gave her flames. Setzyr drops the stone, and Lisa runs and grabs it. During the first match, Lisa created icicles and ensured that one was created with the water from her belt—Onsen water. She had cast it aside for this moment. She takes the light-infused icicle and stabs the stone. All the magic goes back inside her, including her flames. Setzyr asks, “How?” Lisa states out loud that she is the Agapéd and that the Light isn’t finished with her heart just yet. Setzyr gets angry and allows the vaene’s power to full strengthen him. His attacks are embedded with dark magic rot now. They have an epic final battle and Lisa uses water, terrain, phantasmal flames, and flight. When Setzyr throws Lisa in the sky, Lisa punches his chest, sending him to the rink below. She then dives into his rot-infected clouds back down into the stadium. When the dust clears, Lisa is seen holding a red bandana in her hand, and Setzyr is unconscious. She has won the Paragon Games and saved the Agapéd.

 

Chapter 50

Lisa and Setzyr (now awake) are being led to the medics when Gaius storms through the halls. He is beyond livid for Setzyr trying to kill Lisa and punches Setzyr so hard in the mouth that a tooth falls out. Lisa tells Gaius to stop and reveals that Setzyr was the one who kidnapped them, is terrorizing the people of Nuolja, and put the dark rot on her back. Setzyr says she doesn’t have proof. Tuff then reveals himself, proving Lisa has all the proof she could ever need.

In the medic wing, Zephan and Gaius watch Tuff’s memories about what Setzyr told Lisa yesterday. When she’s healed, she is led to the room with the wysh. Lisa doesn’t even say a word when she opens the magical box. The wysh read her mind, and she hopes it worked. Lisa goes back to the viewing room where the three broadcasters are. They give Lisa a medal, and Lisa tells them her broadcasted wish. Rhiner asks if what Lisa said was true about her being the fabled Agapéd Bearer. Lisa tells them, the crowd, and the television crew that she is the Agapéd. As Lisa is leaving, Ayker runs down the hall and crashes into a warming hug. He is crying, telling her his signet is gone and that she saved his people. Lisa is still infected with more dark magic rot from Setzyr’s attacks, so Gaius takes Lisa to see Ariela.

 

Chapter 51

Ariela heals Lisa of the rot, and when Gaius and her evanesce back to Boolavogue, they are greeted by Captain Arond. Lisa is requested to join the King and his Court in Nuolja. When they arrive in the snowy land, Caelum walks ahead to talk with Ekron… leaving Lisa with King Bolthor. The King says Caelum told him everything after Lisa won, and though what Lisa did was illegal (trespassing into a foreign land and concealing the identity of a criminal), he is still glad she did it because Nuolja is saved. He tells Lisa that “there are times when doing what is right may not always be what is easy or what makes sense to others around them,” and he thanks Lisa for representing Boolavogue well in the Games.

They all meet with the partisans, and only four remain (five were Setzyr followers). They made the day a national holiday, The Day of the Wysh (Lisa is excited she made a holiday), and they ask if Boolavogue will accept them as a part of their nation. The King accepts the offer. They also want to grant Lisa the title of Hero. Lisa thinks about what Reno said… and she declines. She would rather be a Hunter for the nation that has become a second home to her. They dismiss the meeting, and Ayker hugs Lisa one last time. Lisa sees Cal spying and sees he’s jealous. Lisa says she doesn’t like Ayker, and Cal asks who she does like, then. Lisa can’t answer honestly due to the one who asked the question.

They return to Boolavogue, and Lisa finds Gaius talking with Mender Roo and Lila (the castle’s head nurse). Turns out, the two old medics are related, and Lila is upset Mender Roo gave Lisa all those Enkurious potions. Gaius is leading Lisa away when the Balthiers arrive to treat Lisa to a meal.

Lisa returns to Gaius’ home where he is whittling a weapon outside on the stone bench. Lisa  tells Gaius what happened at the meeting in Nuolja. He tells her that she’s resting a whole month when she returns to Earth. He will also be looking for a phantasmal flame teacher for her. When Lisa gets back home on Earth, she and Odette enjoy pizza and TV, and Lisa is finally able to relax being rot-free and without the Games stressing her out.