(After a few days at the castle Lucy and Legion haven't had any seeing time. Legion once again with the extensive training and Lucy with getting her new life together. While's in town she would be escorted without her consent by the guards as if she was member or even the princess of the castle. Several times she has outlashed over at Rose. Rose could calm her down and later converse with the Guards over about her privacy. So, Veronika grants her desire, no guards. But that would be the other strange outcome; Veronika would be acting oddly nice to Lucy. Treats her to any wish she wants and even when she doesn't ask for anything she would offer. Lucy had always heard of her as the malevolent sister of the Queens. As the times went, she gains her heart for her as well.)

(Lucy wonders in her old favorite spot of the castle, the garden.)

Lucy: Finally, some fresh air!! Just been in town to the castle and back to town and ... Uuuh. Don't know where Dad is... Don't know where Arabella is or what she is doing... Can't talk to Legion... Lucas isn't here it seems. But yet, I'm alone here...

(Manifest solidifies in front of her)

Mary: UUUM EXCUSE ME!!? Remember that I'm in you!! Like, I'm an all strong and mighty entity but we can talk, you know.

(Lucy gets startled and then shamed)

Lucy: I'm sorry Mary... It's just I feel like I would just bother you, bore you and just straight up annoy you with my nonsense...

Mary: Trust me... I can read your mind if I feel like it and at times I do because well just like you, I'm alone as well. I'm still alive you know even though I'm in spirit form.

Lucy: Sorry... So, what would you do right now? If you could do whatever.

Mary: Well... My life was all about studying, practicing and ... Well enchanting. But this...

(She looks at the garden and all the wonderful, shaped bushes.)

Mary: This is beautiful... So, this is where you would always escape too.

Lucy: You looked through my memories?

Mary: No, you said multiple times in your head on your way here.

Lucy: Oh... Right... Sorry.

Mary: Well it's sure a great place to practice. I've been feeling a strong magical potency in you. And yet you've only used up about 5% ... So, let's go darling.

Lucy: ..... Uuum ok but don't I need a robe or something? Glasses?

(Manifest creates a pentagram on the ground and a barrier surrounds them. She traps a few bushes inside and she stands away from Lucy. Mary places her hand on her heart, her hand glows red and then she snaps her finger, and several dark and bloody creatures arise from around her)

Mary: We start ... Now

(She smirks)

(After several hours of endless waves of creatures from Manifest they are almost done.)

Mary: Final round, sweetheart. Now 25 of them. Use all that I showed you.

(Lucy sweating, exhausted, her face reddish and her hair a mess. She sees the 25 creatures emerge at the same time. She gets shocked)

Lucy: AT ... THE SAME... TIME!!?? FUCK

Mary: How else do you intend to protect yourself. I won't be there with you forever in action... I can only do magic that will boost or affect you. Can't really HARM anyone else... But I can help you harm them... In various of ways.

Lucy: And what about these creatures!!? You can just make them....

Mary: So can you.

(The 25 creatures rampage to Lucy. She goes into stance and several symbols appear around her hand. She thrust her hands and several roots spike out and kill 4 creatures, she summons more tendrils that swing and cut 5 of them in half and then drill another 5 into the ground. The creatures begin to circle her, and she releases a dark blast aura from her body and pushes them from her. She slams both hands onto the ground and roots begin to merge with the corpse and form a stronger version of them. She commands them to fight for her. Her face goes dark and her hair flows in the wind gracefully, her eyes slowly from the pupil begin to blacken like a shark. Manifest smiles and snaps her fingers and more creatures arise, 15 of them. Lucy doesn't notice and just simple waves her hand in front of 6 of them and they get vaporized into dust. Mary gets surprised by that exact feat. Lucy then hovers into the air and crashes down releases a red pulse that paralyzes the creatures and her spawn just maul them down. More creatures come out, 30 now. Mary is smiling as if a teacher seeing her pupil excel.)

Mary: I could stop!!!

Lucy: NO!!... MORE POWER!!

(Mary expands the dome a few feet more and then the field gets expanded to the whole garden. Mary turns her head to Lucy and notices that Lucy expanded the field.)

Mary: You ... You ... Overcame my Level!!?

(The creature's horde into Lucy and a dark cloud emerges and then gets cleared out by skeletal sword and shield warriors whom pierced the frontline of creatures. Lucy's creatures leap over her defense and strike down the second frontline. Lucy condemns the bushes that had animal shapes and turned them into living creatures and commands them to attack. Mary spawn more creatures and they leap onto the bushes but get taken down by huge spikes and thorns. Lucy's arms start turning green and her veins start looking like roots and her nails loke thorns.)

Mary's mind: She's mixing... She's... I made her too strong... She is ... Acting like a great wizard...she's going to burn herself out.

(Lucy summons a pentagram under her and dust, black smoke and what seems like energy begins to circle her like a tornado. From the balcony Veronika was observing the whole time and besides her Wizard Champion.)

Champion: Grand Wizard... From that little body. She won't last anymore of that power.

Veronika: It seems that she is able to do more than you can.

(She laughs)

Champion: Is that a challenge? Nobody has defied me and please... I've been a champion for 30 years... And she is just unleashing this excess of power now... I was youn---

Veronika: Lies. I was there for you at all times and you have never presented such feat. So, silence. Plus, she has her Master... Seems like they are bonded... Whoever her bond is, she's powerful and she knows it.

(The champion stays quiet and pissed off. While back at the fight, Mary thinks that Lucy won't be able to hold back and might do more damage then what she intends. Mary phases back into Lucy and does a calming spell. In a matter of seconds, the tornado vanishes and drops everything, her body turns back to normal and Lucy closes he...

(Two days have passed back at the Capitol from Lucy's intensive training session. Manifest and Lucy have created a bond other than the spiritual, they bonded as if sisters. Nothing going between them, nothing to interrupt them, until an early morning. Guards stand at her door, knocking respectively on her door. She walks up to them in her pajamas)

Lucy: Whaaaat?.... What do you want?

(The knights bow)

Knight: Morning, young Lucy. We have orders from her Highness to bring you down to the arena.

(Lucy wipes her sleepy eyes and places on a stupefied face)

Lucy: Uuumm? Arena? Like ... Games Arena? Arena as in ... Sand? The town Arena circle?

Knight: The battle Arena, Young Lucy. You have been challenged.

Lucy: By who?! Why me?

Knight: By Miss Kaneharth, the Queens champion Mage.

(Lucy slams the door in their face and locks then slowly backs away from the door slowly. Mary comes out of her and just floats there idle.)

Lucy: Mary? What do I do? I can't fight anyone... I ... I

(Mary laughs maniacally)

Lucy: What's so---

Mary: You can kill her.

Lucy: Whaaaat?!! Kill ... I don't want to kill anyone.

Mary: But you're strong enough to do it.

Lucy: No way!! I'm just me... She is a Champion.

Mary: Don't think small of yourself darling. Do you really think for a second that this low-grade champion could overcome my power?

Lucy: Well ... No.

Mary: Exactly.

(They proceed to the arena, once there to their surprise it's empty. No crowds, no music. Only the Queen who stands in the center of the arena waiting for Lucy.)

Veronika: And your teacher?

(Walks with her hair covering her eyes, not wanting to stare at the Queen, nervous)

Lucy: What? What teacher?

Veronika: The women who was with you two days ago in your training.

(Lucy raises her gaze onto her and sighs. Manifest comes out of her)

Mary: Hello, Queen Veronika. Good Morrow.

Veronika: Good morrow to you too. What is your name Arcane warrior?

Mary: I have no name of your concern and that is High mage.

(Veronika places her hand on her chest in a sassy way)

Veronika: Well ... Excuse me indeed. Figure that you are bonded to each other?

Lucy: Yes.

Veronika: Hhmp... Well I'm not to be here all day sooo. Quick.

(She claps and a frost puddle is form besides her and then a blue pentagram. Slowly out comes the Champion Kaneharth. Veronika makes a frost pillar and watches from above.)

Kaneharth: If there is to be a more powerful mage in this kingdom, then such mage shall be the Queens champion.... And there is no one stronger than I

(She smirks and Mary smirks and goes back into Lucy)

Mary: You can do this with ease. Just as I taught you, let ...it .... Out... Scarlet Terror.

(Once said Lucy's eyes turn into blood thirsty shark eyes. Her hair turns red and her hands into strong plant vines and branch thorns. She hovers into the air and makes two pentagrams around her hands.)

Kaneharth: Is that supposed to scare me. I am your and will forever be your ...

Veronika: BEGIN!!

Kaneharth: ... your Nightmare!!

(While she gloats, Lucy pops out several giant root tendrils and one swings behind Kane. Kane out of reflex makes a weak ice shield and gets shoved back a bit. Lucy calls upon bloodling creatures out of the ground and they all attack at once. Kane defends by sending a strong freezing spell that takes over the entire ground and freezes her minions immediately, but the cold goes around Lucy because of her dark aura.)

Kane: Whaaat!!?

Lucy: Nothing is colder... Then death.

(Lucy summons deformed skeleton hands to reach up to Kane's arms, legs, and neck. Several grab onto her and Kane begins making a frost tornado. It begins to freeze the arms and they start cracking.)

Lucy: You only control one element? What a pity.

(Lucy draws out Vines from underneath Kane and it starts wrapping around her like snakes, tightening more and more. Lucy's blood minion melt into the ice and Then use the ice as armor and come back to life. They grab onto each other and break the cyclones gust. The vines wrap around Kane's neck.)

Kane: SANKUS FOS!!

(Kane explodes into dust, leaving everything frozen around her. She recollects herself behind Lucy without her noticing.)

Lucy: Was that it?

(Lucy laughs and then feels her breath cold, laughing becomes painful. Kane slowly freezes her back.)

Kane: But...You're not dead sweetheart. That aura couldn't save you for long.

Lucy: ... Wa... Watch... Your.... Ba... Ba..back.

(A huge vine spike impales Kane and then slams her into the ground away from Lucy. Lucy falls to the ground and tries to regain her breath. The vine leaves the body and a huge hole is left in Kane. She cries and groans in pain but freezes the wound and slowly recuperates her missing flesh.)

Kane: You ... Cheeky little bitch. You almost had me ya know. Now, imma kill you.

(Kane rises and chants a spell that covered the entire arena with a dark cloud. The floor began to crack with the ice. Lucy hovers herself after getting frost bitten on her hands. Lucy looks up at Kane and sees a gigantic frost beast behind Kane. The beast uses the arena walls to lift itself up and lets out a terrorizing roar.)

Mary: You're not letting go... Either she dies, or we do. Use it!!

(Lucy still in scarlet form, she makes two symbols in the air one plant element and the other death. Her aura changes faintly between the colors of green and red depending where her hand was. She lets out a tear)

Mary: Don't worry... I will help you contain it.

(As the beast lifts its arm and goes to drop it onto of her, she places her hands on the death symbol and then a huge shockwave is release. The icy floor around her shatters and the ground of the arena turns rot black. Her hands turn dark and her body turns dry and slim. She lets out a painful scream almost to the sound of the screams of the damned. As the first of the beast comes close to her it breaks apart the closer it gets. The beast howls in pain and as it retreats its hand it builds it up again. Lucy stops screaming and gives a sharp stare at Kane.)

Lucy:......

Kane: If that's all you got. Hmmp it seems that all you do is try to scare.

Lucy:......

Kane: I'm ending this, little girl... You had the chance but... You don't have my Malice.

(The beast shatters and turns into thousand icy spikes. Lucy's gaze unfazed, Kane releases all the spikes at Lucy.)

Mary: .... End her.

Lucy:..... Death

(Lucy said just before the spikes reach her, they stop in front of her. Kane's body is motionless.)

Kane: Wh... Wha... Wha...

Lucy: Sssshh....

(Kane starts crying as her tears turn into blood. Blood comes out of her ears as she hears a loud ringing, her nose bleeds, and blood comes out of her mouth. She begins to choke on her own red liquid.)

Mary: ... Now ... Release.

(Lucy releases a pulse out of her body and all is quiet, and the spikes melt. After a few seconds Kane's eyes roll back and then her body explodes.)

Lucy: .... Done.

(Veronika face remains emotionless. She claps and then drops herself to the ground with grace.)

Veronika: That... Was impressive, Lucy. That was truly marvelous... You and I are so much alike. Not afraid to go all out. Not afraid to spread a little bloodshed. To cause pain and agony.

(Mary helps her turn back to her normal self. Once completed, Lucy falls to her knees and pours out tears. Her body shaking of pain, her nose bleeds, and her ears as well. Mary comes out of her body and begins to suck out all the pain essence from her body.)

Veronika: Mmmm I see now. That's why you didn't want to use it. But you knew that you had too. In war, there are always sacrifices in other to achieve victory. You will be a Great Champ...

Lucy: NO!!!

Veronika: .. Excuse me?

(Lucy stands up slowly and turns towards Veronika)

Lucy: Your fault...

Veronika: My fault of what?

Lucy: You forced me... And now... You have no Champion. I will not be your Champion!

Veronika: And that wasn't a question, you do not have that decision!!

Lucy: My body, my rules ... MY DECISION!!

(Veronika aura starts to build off of anger and Rose comes flying into the scene)

Rose: MY QUEEN ... MY QUEEN! Please ... Not her... Please I beg of you. She is not a warrior and does not deserve to be punished... We can speak to Rachell over at Ilydium. We can get Kane back.... I promise... I'll send troops down to her immediately. But please not Lucy.

(Veronika calms herself down and turns around in anger)

Veronika: FINE!! You are loyal to the crown and have done many for us... I will grant you that and make haste on my champion.

Rose: Thank you my Queen and will do.

Veronika: But!!... She must leave my Castle.

Lucy: WHY FOR!!??

Veronika: Because I DEMAND it. You didn't follow my orders .. And so, you must be punished for it.

Lucy: Rose!!?

Rose: .... I ... I .. I'm sorry... I can't make any more demands... My dear... At least you live.

Mary: It's fine to us.

Lucy: HUH??

Mary: We will leave the castle. No problem... Lucy let's go.

(Mary gives Lucy a demanding stare and she leaves. After a few hours they pack up and head out. Rose gave Lucy thousands of runes to start her life and they say their goodbyes. As they reach the center of town Lucy bumps into an unknown figure.)