Nick and Leon together in one place at the same time was the double trouble combo wombo I never saw coming.

On one side, the desirable, the magnetic, the frenetic Elf-fanatic. The Hero of the people with his magnificent red cape fluttering with the slightest breeze

Then on the other, there's the big man that needed no introduction. Good thing too, dude keeps changing identities like a very angry giant chameleon.

One hated my guts, the other barely even acknowledged my existence, let alone my guts. Two drastically different characters with two drastically different outlooks… yet there was one common ground they shared that weaved their fates into my own.

Love.

Simple, romantic, unrequited love.

And I was their tinkling, ringing obstacle that prevented it from being any more than so. In their eyes, I was the bad guy.

Forget good and evil, forget world-ending cataclysms and the struggle to foil them, those matters are but simple child play when compared to this.

This here was the true battle to end all battles… and somehow I feel I ended up being the Demon Lord to it. Funny how that happens…

"Okay so," The Witch spoke out, commanding silence and attention with the strike of her staff. "To the uninitiated… the way to play is quite simple. The game is played with three teams of two. Leon, you and your partner over there is team Intelligence. Jester, you and that lovely Vampire form Team Wisdom. And you girls here, hey - pay attention, listen! You two will take the honor of being Team Wit. All in understanding so far?"

Everyone gave a single nod in unison.

"Moving along, then. Now each team starts off with ten points each. To earn more points, you'll have to answer questions, and these questions can only be answered by the first team who have their hand raised after the count of three. Once chosen, you'll be given three choices from your scholar - in this case, Nick here - he'll have three trivia questions about the world of Asteria, each ranging in difficulty. Answering the easy one right will net you only one point, however, answering the medium-level question will net you three points, but you'll lose two shall you answer wrongly… and finally the hard question, shall you answer right, will reward you with five points, but in turn, you'll looking at a minus three if you get it wrong. So it's all about risk and reward management here, are you all still following?"

Again, all was explained loud and clear… everyone understood well enough, or so I think at least, Team Wit kinda looked a bit preoccupied leering and giggling at Team Intelligence. All the same though, everybody gave their nods.

Beaming proud from ear to ear, the Witch struck her staff to the ground once more. "Very well, then what are we waiting for? You have a period of ten minutes allotted to you, the team with the most points win themselves first prize!"

She raised that stick of hers up high, nudging the front-end at the three plaques that hung above her head, particularly at the one that glimmered in the middle. "An Awestone from Asteria sculpted and made out of genuine ruby. Actually… alright, here's a bonus free two points right here - ahem, can anyone tell me which species values this particular ore the highest among all and why?"

At that, I shot my hand up so fast, and with so much exerted effort, I actually heard a snap in my shoulder joints. Ow.

"Vampires," I answered, raising my arm back down, not as fast, hiding my winces. "Especially Matriarchs. The ore has unique properties in that Vampires find it difficult to resist its allure. Got to one of their dens, you'd probably be tripping all over these things."

The Witch applauded may attempt, glee in her widening smile, and the others promptly followed along after, albeit, not as enthused or energetically… meanwhile Adalia herself was giving me soft, barely audible, claps with her hands, nodding quietly at me in cheer.

Cute.

"Well, well, the Fool indeed has Wisdom in abundance… who would have thought so?" She said, her smile so amused. "Team Wisdom starts with Twelve points. Let us see how many more you have to spare, hm?"

A final proclamation, a final bout of glances exchanged, and a final hefty strike to the floorboards finally gave way to the start of the battle of wits. It's time to prove to them that the costume doesn't make the man.

"First round," boomed the hooded-giant man, clutching open a book tightly with his beefy, meaty fingers. "Raise your hand in three… two… one… now…"

I swear I saw my own before any others, I heard a shoot up like a crack of a whip, and just like a whip I was lashed with pain… and even if it wasn't me, then surely Adalia was the closest second there was. By all accounts, we were the team that took first, and there was no way you could convince me otherwise.

But then Nick, through veiled eyes, slowly stared, slowly scoured... slowly spoke, "Team Intelligence. Easy, Normal or Hard?"

Leon inhaled a puff of air that swelled his chest tenfold, then boldly proclaimed. "Hard, my good man. Ask away."

I knew better than to call bullshit, I knew better than to slam the desk and scream out in objection, I let it happen, despite knowing and seeing his hand get caught in his own cape… despite it, I let Leon have it. But in my heart of hearts, I was already bracing myself because I knew this wouldn't just be a one-time occurrence.

With a snap that echoed, Nick firmly closed the book shut. "In the Age of Calamity against the forces of the Demon Queen Terestra, what was the name of the Hero that held the duty of driving her back?"

Are you fucking…

"Leonardo The Hero," Leon answered at once, satisfaction a curved line across his face.

"Correct," Nick flipped open the book again, leaning forward. "Five points to Team Intelligence, with a total of fifteen."

We were supposed to applaud after every correct answer as a show of good sportsmanship, and indeed, Team Wit was clapping their hands red raw with their display of it… but I myself was finding it a tincy-wincy difficult to put my own hands together because, well - what the hell was that?!

That was the hard question? That was worth five points?! A two-year-old who doesn't know their fingers from their toes could easily answer that! I… okay let's not get stuck on this, clap clap, good for you Leon, moving on.

"Next round, everyone. Ready? In three, two, one… go."

Once again, with a shoulder on the verge of dislocation, I had my hand up high faster than any other. Hell, I was actually beaten out by Adalia this time, hers was like a blur in motion the way she moved. No way we weren't first, only closely followed by Team Wit, with Team Intelligence coming in last.

We had this, right? There was no way, right?

"Team Wit," Nick muttered huskily, turning dreary eyes to the gaggle of giggling girls. "Easy, Medium, or Hard?"

Apparently, Team Wisdom's raised hands just kinda existed in Nick's blindspot. Maybe we should adjust our seats a little.

"Hard, please!" piped up one of the girls, before promptly going back to giggling again.

Nick begrudgingly complied. "What is the three-step process that students of magic use to hone their skills?"

It's practically one plus one at this point. What kind of hard questions are these? Is this a joke?

"Um, Focus… determination… uhh…" She trailed away, stumped and mystified, only for her partner to pick up after her. "Intent! Right?"

"Well done," spoke Nick, his applause only brief. "Five points to Team Wit for a total of Fifteen. Team Wisdom placing third at just Twelve points."

What a play-by-play… don't think there was any reason to remind us of that. But alright, Nick, just say away.

"Next question," He said, flipping a page, and scouring around once. "In three, two, one… now."

This time I made extra-sure it was unfeasible that he didn't see me, for not only was my hand rocketing upwards, I was too - lunging out of my seat and onto my feet with enough force to send it toppling back with a crash.

Team Intelligence, Team Wit… I made sure he couldn't see them. I made sure he could only see me. Me! Okay, Nick?! See me! You little game-rigging piece of shi -

"Team Wisdom," He said quietly.

"Augh, finally!" I exclaimed, nearly falling to the floor myself not noticing my seat saying its hello to the ground. I promptly picked it up, sat myself… and leaned forward with ears wide open.

"Easy, Normal, or Hard?"

We're running third at the moment, I rather we be leading the pack instead of straying behind… so I too, went all in.

"Hard."

"Very well," He slammed the book shut, stared at me. "In the Age Of Calamity of Terestra's growing rise to power, name in order the first group of heroes she slew during the Crisis of Hetlzer Islands."

Uh. Huh.

Okay.

I see how it is.

I think we're going to lose this like this.