Halmil swung hard and low, the blade howling through the air like it was a creature possessed and then stopped, the blade bouncing like it had hit a stone boulder. What it had actually hit was Leon’s blade made of flame, and the force of the blow had literally done nothing to him. No muscles quivered, hell his arm had not even moved. He leaned down over the blade, his elongated muzzle in Halmil’s face and growled.

Aaron could fill it in his gut, and he was a good five feet away, it was no wonder Halmil was shaking, with a quick movement made all the more effective with the fear he was undoubtedly feeling he pushed the monstrosity that was Leon, though it had no real effect on him, simply pushing Halmil back and out of reach for a second. The shining blue sword swept out and was once again stopped as though it had hit a stone wall.

Leon could have ended this all within seconds, but he was toying with them, Aaron knew it, and decided to press his luck, if they were going to get out of this situation he would need every advantage he could get. He pulled the small glass vial from a belt pouch, his arm cocked and ready to throw it when he felt the air move as something, or rather someone approached him. Aaron ducked just in time to feel the wind as a powerful leg swiped past his head. “Fuck!” he shouted out as he bodily threw himself backward and mentally called down his Familiar, who served as the perfect distraction as she flew directly into Lira’s face, Talons raised for a fight.

He ran for the forest, the rod in his hand pulsing slightly and as he looked back he watched as Leon continued to play with Halmil. The man was not even looking at him, but rather at Aaron, even while he was deflecting every blow Halmil was throwing at him, and Halmil was no pushover when it came to swordsmanship. “Fucking ridiculous,” he growled as he looked at the two of them. And even though the smile was on a face that was neigh on unrecognizable, Aaron still felt he recognized it as Leon’s, there was a little condescension, a little bit of a superiority complex, and a whole lot of humor in it. “Fucking ridiculous,” he laughed before throwing himself into the woods.

“Shoo!” Lira swatted at the bird in a half-hearted attempt to chase it away, Leon couldn't help it he laughed out loud at the site. “What?” Lira demanded, putting her hands on her hips and a reprimanding look on her face. Leon shrugged and dashed forward, with a bare hand he disarmed Halmil and gave him a light blow to the side of his head, knocking him out cold, he caught him before he even hit the ground and laid him there softly. “Don't give me that shit,” Lira said, and he chuckled as she narrowed her eyes at him, “What pray tell was so funny Leon?”

“You looked like a kitten playing with a bird,” he laughed and as he did so she launched herself at him, tackling him and using the power in her legs to lay him out on the ground with herself on top. He looked at her, a single eyebrow raised at her action, a slight smile on his lips as she pinned him down and leaned down to growl by his ear in a playful manner. “While I think this would be a fun diversion, don't you think you should go chase down your prey?” he laughed, and with a single hand and a movement that bespoke of the ease he could move her off of him he extricated himself from the ground and her grasp.

“Fine,” she sighed, and swiped absentmindedly at her clothing, brushing off some stray leaves. “Then we shall hunt,” she smiled as she stalked off, making sure to sway her hips in a most enticing way…

***

“Uhhhhhh,” The headmistress slumped in her chair, breathing a sigh of relief. She wiped the sweat away from the brow of her forehead and closed her eyes for a second, thanking the gods and whoever else would listen that those two had not done what she feared they were about to do. Honestly, they were being monitored, she didn't know what she would have done if they had started to get more, erm, intimate.

It's not like she could have shut the scrying down, it was a process that required four people to operate due to the size of the mirror and the complex nature of the spell woven on it. And the worst part of it was that she was sure they would not have cared at all, or at least Leon would not have cared, he didn't seem to care at all what anyone thought about him good or bad.

Leon just did not care.

“Aww,” Eva slumped in her mother’s lap, crossing her arms across her chest and pouting, “I thought they were going to do that adult thing, you know where they-” the headmistress's hand shot out so fast it was a blur as she clapped it over her daughter’s mouth with such a force there was an audible clap, Evangeline's eyes widened as she looked up at her mother’s face which was now burning red.

“I am going to have to have a talk with Moina about what can and can't be taught to you at such a young age,” she snapped to herself, before removing her hand from her daughter’s mouth. “Shush, we will talk about it later, suffice it to say that is not a good topic.”

“But Mommy it is natural, I've seen animals and people, and dryads and everyone seem so happy af-” once again Caitlyn’s hand clapped over her daughter’s mouth.

Oh yes, she and Moina were going to have a very long talk…

***

So this was what it felt like to be hunted.

It was not the best feeling he had ever felt, but he had to admit, it was making his heart race a little. Aaron knew he was outclassed, had known it from the start, but if anyone thought he was going to give up because of that, well then they didn't know him.

Didn't know him in the slightest.

Dodging around a tree he pulled the pack off of his back, honestly, it was too bad that his opponent for this challenge was Leon and his women if it had been anyone else he was sure he would have won. Being an enchanter he had an innate advantage in a situation where magic couldn't be used by a mage. This challenge was to test how well mages could adapt to situations where magic couldn't or wouldn't work. Therefore the rules stated that no one could cast spells, familiar abilities notwithstanding.

They said nothing about using magic items that were previously enchanted. With a smile, he brought out a small round ball made out of blue metal that seemed to shine and reflect in the dim forest light. Lines of runic symbols crisscrossed across its smooth surface, but he didn't even glance at it, with a whistle he called his familiar back to his side, it appeared with a puff of smoke and the familiar feeling of talons on his shoulder. “Be my eyes,” he huffed, and she obediently turned her head to look behind him. She would warn him if Leon and Lira got to close. He ran his finger over the priming rune and watched as it lit up, and feeling the squeeze of her talons on his shoulder he dropped it at his feet and kept running.

A blinding blue light flared up and the sound of the device assaulted his senses, he never knew what it reminded him of, simply that it did remind him of something. Aaron skidded to a halt and looked behind him, smirking when he saw both Leon and Lira trapped in the blue stasis light, completely unable to move. “I didn't think that was going to work-” he breathed out a sigh and rested his hands on his knees bent over panting from his run through the forest.

“It's a good trick,” Leon nodded begrudgingly, his eyes flicking around examining the light that held him in place.

“Orb of immobilization,” Aaron said proudly, “Invented by yours truly, you know, just in case I ever need to freeze Tilly in place to escape her beatings.” he laughed.

“I'm pretty sure this would simply make her want to beat you more,” Leon laughed with him.

“Yeah, well it only lasts for around 20 minutes, and it uses your own force against you, the more you struggle the more it restricts,” Aaron laughed, “quite the perfect trap if I do say so myself.”

“Well it's not bad,” Leon gave him, his lion-faced smile fierce, “But do you really think this will hold me?”

“Yes,” Aaron put his hands on his hips, “yes I do.”

“Then you are sadly mistaken,” Leon laughed, and to Aaron’s horror and interest, the light that held him started to glow as it absorbed energy. “You see the issue with the design is the fact that it is not the motion it feeds off of, it instead feeds off the energy the motion creates, meaning it is a kinetic barrier,” he was speaking as though it was a simple conversation between friends or colleges. “The thing about energy is, well all energy is at its base, the same, ” flames lept up around his body, only to be whisked away by the light. “The biggest issue in the design is that you didn't build in some way for the field to purge itself of excess energy.”

“Oh shit,” Aaron turned around and fled as he realized what Leon was about to do.

“Oh shit indeed,” Leon half laughed half growled.

The blast threw Aaron almost ten feet away, causing him to land much to his surprise not painfully at all against a tree, as he looked up he caught the site of a beautiful woman with green skin and deer antlers.

“Thanks, Akura,” Lira said as she kneeled down in front of Aaron, Leon standing over her with his arms crossed and a wide grin on his face, which now was no longer beastial, but rather the face that Aaron knew to be his friend’s.

“You two are fucking ridiculous,” Aaron said, his lips twitching in a smile, he took the hand offered to him by Leon and allowed the man to pull him to his feet.

“I'll take that as a compliment,” and as he was speaking trumpets sounded, it was the signal that one team had lost and the game was over.

“Once again, fucking ridiculous,” Aaron said with a laugh as he shook his head, “I need a drink, care to join me?” he asked. Leon was about to answer when Akura walked around Aaron and put her hand on his cheek, and before he could move she leaned in and placed her lips on his. As she pulled away she trailed her hands across his chin as she walked away disappearing into the woods. “Oh god,” Aaron said in horror.

“Well, sure, I'll take you up on that drink, in fact, we better take Lira with us, I have a feeling you are going to need her after Tilly gets done with you.”

“I- I'm fucked-” he choked out in a horrified voice.

“Yes you are my friend,” Leon said laying his hand on Aaron’s shoulder, “Yes you are.”