The Wish Game

The Crowned and Uncrowned Champion

I woke up from sleep under a roof. “Where am I?” I thought as I looked around. There were green curtains on both my left and right and nothing was clear. The front side of me had a white curtain while behind me, I felt like a wall.

I remembered the last thing that happened in the match, that last desperate attempt to defy death and win. I broke both my legs and my right arm in the attempted strike of glory. “My arm and legs…” I noticed that I was able to move my fingers and toes but yet didn’t feel any pain.

I refrained from moving my right arm and used my left one instead to get into a sitting position. I looked around again and noticed that I wasn’t wearing my battle suit but a strange light pink colored gown that terminated just above my knees.

My legs were wrapped in bandages and some cloud-like tubes went inside them. I used my left arm to lift the right one and found that one in the same condition. The cloudlike tubes went above and formed some floating device.

I touched the tube of my right arm and found that to be very soft and cushiony, just like one imagines clouds to be. I finally sighed in relief, “I am alive at least but does that mean he died?” I waited for some time but then my curiosity took better hold of me.

I got off the bed and stood on my feet; I was expecting some pain but got nothing except an eerie feeling running off my shoulder. “Why am I getting this creepy feeling again?” I wondered and walked towards the white curtain. I peeped out of it to find that there was no one around.

I got out and found myself in an alley with similar white curtains on both sides. I walked along the alley and thought, ‘What is happening? Where am I?’ I noticed that the clouds moved along with me. I walked the entirety of the alley to reach a door.

I reached out for the doorknob and turned it to open the door. I stood for a moment as a strange sensation traveled my arm but later decided to ignore it and moved out.

I came out of the building after wandering for what seemed like half an hour. It was dark outside with the moon overhead; it must’ve been at least midnight. “Where am I?” I looked around but found nothing even resembling a human.

The area was completely deserted and wasn’t even a bit familiar. I walked on the stone pathway and reached what essentially looked like a gate. I stopped short of going out thinking, ‘I don’t what lies outside. In my current state, it’s better to be here.’ But there was something due to which, I felt insecure to go back in.

I suddenly realized that I still had Destiny’s Trap on me. “I should remove it. But…” I used all my magic in that final leap and I might not have recovered enough to dispel it on my own magic. “I need to perform a dispelling ritual to get it out.” I sighed.

I gathered all the materials and reagents for the ritual by dawn. I was really lucky that everything was available in that really large garden. “So, now I just need a calm place to conduct this ritual,” I remembered that there was a lake towards the back of the facility.

I reached the lake and felt the place surprisingly rich in magical energy. I stood near the lake and began the incantation. Usually, spells can be cast directly but because I might be deficient in magic, I’d have to use a ritual.

I continued the incantation, though I realized that there was quite a commotion around. I heard some faint voices,

“Hey, where did she go?”

“I searched the entire building. She’s not here.”

“How was she able to move in her condition?”

“That’s not important, find her.”

“She didn’t cross the boundary barrier. She’s ought to be inside. Hurry up!!!”

I felt someone approach me and he shouted, “I got her over the lake.” The person slowly came towards me and I stood up. I felt through magic detection that more people joined him. “What are you doing here? You should rest.” One of them said.

I crushed the reagents in my hand and held them in front of me as I spelled the last lines of the incantation. I could sense the people approaching me cautiously. Another said, “Listen, we…” I interrupted her by showing a palm and stopped their advance.

The nectar of the reagents was squeezed and as it fell on the ground, a magic circle was built around me. The people backed off and one of them tried to communicate as they surrounded me just outside the magic circle.

I said, “True Counter Magic – Dispel!!!” Multiple magic circles began to appear on me and as the spell began its processing, they lifted off my body and began to vanish one by one. Due to the advanced nature of Destiny’s Trap, the process was really slow.

Many more people joined the crowd but refrained from interfering in the spell. Within minutes, the crowd grew from half a dozen people to more than twenty. Some of them looked like healers, others like guards while many were looking like normal people.

The spell finally removed all of the magic circles and vanished. I turned around as one of the healers caught me with the perfect intent of lecturing me but seeing my confused look went only for a glare. “You shouldn’t be out here.” He said as we began walking back.

Fifteen minutes later, Mineva joined me in the same compartment in which I woke up. The healer cut his sermon short and left as she entered. She took a seat beside me and for a while, none of us spoke anything.

As I was about to speak, four more men came in. “Congratulations on being the joint winner of the national tournament.” “Joint Winner? Who are you?” I asked the man who added, “Sorry, I forgot to introduce myself. I am Shivam Surya, the national head of the Wish Games Committee. And these are…”

The men began to introduce themselves one by one, “Mohan Jodhha, Head of the selection committee.” “Arya Ghanpat, Head of Training Bureau.” “You know me, Krishna Silvia your sponsor.” Mr. Shivam continued as soon as Mr. Krishna finished, “Now if you don’t mind, I’ll like to ask you a question?”

I nodded and he asked, “Did you go easy on Paras?” I gave a surprised look and asked, “What do you mean?” He added, “The last devastating blow was made to the platform while you had a clear way of striking him directly. So did you go easy on him?”

I knew he’d ask this. I lied with a straight face, “I don’t know what you’re talking about but can you answer my question, please. How am I alive?” The four men and Mineva’s face flushed white with surprise.

“What do you mean?” He asked and I responded, “Well, the last thing I remember before passing out was going down the cliff when he threw me down.” The five of them were surprised and Mr. Arya showed me the last part of the tournament.

I had him pause the record at the moment when the full extent of true self-enhancement magic was released. “I clearly don’t think anyone in their right mind would use that spell knowing that they won’t be able to harness it. It’s worse than suicide.”

Mr. Krishna added, “But you did…” I yelled, “No, I didn’t…” A moment of silence prevailed after which I apologized, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to shout but the truth is I can barely manage 20% output. Even that felt like my whole body was pushed apart from the inside. A full release is leagues beyond me…”

The men discussed the matter and said, “We’ll have the healer examine you thoroughly for any internal injuries. Take rest.” Mr. Shivam left the crystal containing the record with Mineva and left. She waited for the men to leave the room entirely and asked, “Why’d you lie?”

I gave a little smile and she added, “I know that you made the leap fully knowing about it. So why’d you lie?” There was no one other than the two of us, “I lied, to call off their questions. I killed the entire controversy that I might’ve gone easy on Paras with that act.”

Mineva tilted her head and said, “Did you…” I interrupted and pointed to the crystal she held, “You saw the entire battle. Do you think I held back?” Mineva nodded and kept the crystal on the side table, “No, you went all out. By going out, what happened here? Why did you try to escape?”

“No, I wasn’t. Actually, I woke up in the middle of the night and found myself here without any clue of what happened.” I puffed my cheek as I complained, “Jeez, and you guys are nuts as well. How’d they expect for someone to wake up in such a strange place without any explanation to remain here till they’re noticed?”

Mineva giggled and said, “No one had the slightest clue that you’d wake up today. You’d been asleep for over a month now.” I shrieked, “What?” Mineva smiled and told me, “Today is 20th February 1999. 41 days have passed since the competition.”

Mineva rose to leave and let me rest when I said, “There’s something I need to tell you…” She turned towards me and smiled, “We’ll get a lot of time to talk but for now rest.” I wanted to ask her about Paras, but it seemed that had to wait.

Over the next three days, I was ravaged by a fever that refused to subside. The healers tried all their treatments but failed to get it under control. Mineva stayed by my side and as everything else failed, she resorted to classic ice water therapy to force the temperature down.

I tried to speak something but Mineva stopped me saying, “Keep quiet and rest. Or I’ll have to use a sleep-inducing spell.” I caught her arm and said, “Please listen. Please…” I panted as Mineva thought for a moment and nodded, “Go on.”

I began, “Thank you…I think this fever is because of magic deficiency…” “What? I think you should take a rest, you’re just saying non-sense.” “No…” I pressurized her and added, “That last one, it consumed all of my stockpiled magic. I think that left me completely devoid of magic.”

I reached for the crystal and showed her the last part of the battle. In particular, I showed her a distant view of me flying up. “See that…” I said and she nodded, “Hmm…That has to be considered then. That aura is no doubt due to huge amounts of magic surrounding you.”

In the distant view, I looked like a blue spear traveling upwards with similar lightning surrounding me. She got up and called the healer. The healer came in and looked at the record. Mineva asked, “Because she emitted so much magic here, maybe she’s magic deficient.”

He rubbed his chin and said, “Um… I’ll have to get it checked then. We never considered magic deficiency; I’ll inform the others and have her tested.” He left us and Mineva had me sleep with the sleep-inducing magic.

I woke up after some time and found four healers and Mineva talking. I was still having a fever and my movement attracted their attention. Mineva came to me and asked, “Are you sure that attack would’ve drained all your magic?”

I nodded in agreement, “When I woke up that day and had to use True Counter Magic to dispel True Trap Magic as a ritual instead of a spell because I was unable to summon enough magic to do so.” The healer asked, “I saw your whole fight, you specialize in True Magic and Trap Magic, right?”

“Yes, I do,” I replied and he showed me another crystal that showed the magic activity in my body. I was totally surprised by what it showed, “It can’t be…” I mumbled and he said, “No, it is. Despite, that emission your body is not a magic deficit but rather overflowing with magic.”

The record was real-time and I saw the magic (represented by orange color) swell across my body. “The fever you’re facing is because your body is unable to contain that magic.” He explained and another healer came forward to explain the treatment they suggest.

“We think that sealing off that magic is the best course of action. We’ll perform a ritual after putting you to sleep, that’ll seal off the entire magic that’s rampaging inside you.” “But…” I began and looked at them before continuing, “Can I use that magic after I can control it?”

Mineva and the healers were surprised and asked me the reason. “If this magic is rampaging inside me, then it must be very powerful. So, I am thinking of using it as a trump card in the finale.” They looked at each other, then at Mineva, and finally towards me, “Okay. We’ll make it that way but make sure that you can control it before unleashing it.”

I smiled and nodded in agreement. The head healer came forward and cast another sleep-inducing spell. I gave a weak smile to Mineva as I passed away in sleep.

I woke up in another room; it wasn’t a compartment based like the previous one and instead was a small room for myself. I looked out of the window to find that it was almost sunset. Mineva was resting in a chair beside me.

I quietly got up and went to the window. I looked outside the facility for the first time in light and the sight was marvelous. It was all greenery around the facility and Solaris was just near the horizon. “It’s so beautiful. I don’t know when I enjoyed nature so much last time.”

I turned around and looked at the room. It was a small one and almost like my room at the mansion in Choire. It had a bed near the window with three visitors’ chairs, a table and chair opposite to the bed, and a mirror opposite to the window.

As I looked into the mirror, a scream came out of my throat. Mineva was startled by the scream and almost fell from the chair. “What happened?” Mineva asked startled completely. I touched my face all over and looked into the mirror completely terrified of my reflection.

“What’s wrong with my face?” I asked as I saw the giant red marks on my face in the reflection. Mineva looked at me and smiled, tapping my head “They are the seals, seven in total.” She helped me back to the bed when I asked, “Why are they on my face?” “Um…” She pointed down to my un-bandaged hand.

I flipped my hand to see the red marks there as well. Troubled, I pulled up the sleeve of my gown as high as it could and saw that those marks were actually lines that continued higher as well. I asked Mineva, “Are they over my whole body?”

She nodded in agreement, “These lines are the seals that contain that berserk magic inside you.” I looked in the mirror for a while and asked, “Would it stay this way?” She opened her mouth to answer but before that the door opened.

It was the healer who performed the sealing ritual on me. “So, I see you’re awake. But…” He paused as he looked at me and faced Mineva, “So, you didn’t tell her?” Mineva sighed and stretched, “I was about to when you came in.”

“Tell me what?” I enquired and he replied pointing towards the seals, “You can make those seals disappear through your will.” I looked back and forth between my arm and the healer. He added, “It’s just like your magic resistance. But a bit easier, once you hide them you won’t run a risk of accidentally exposing them if your concentration is broken.”

“So the effect’s permanent?” I asked and the healer responded, “Yes, unless you decide to show it to someone or release a seal. But again that’s completely on your choice.” I thanked him and looked in the mirror. ‘I must imagine myself without those seals. Disappear…Disappear…’

I thought hard looking into the mirror and to my surprise, the seal marks began to disappear. I continued it for some time and soon all the seals disappeared. “Whoa…they’re gone without a trace!!!” I exclaimed in excitement.

The healer said, “There are some people who want to meet you. I am sending them in.” He went to the door and opened it. The three organizers came in and Paras followed them in. “So, I see you’re alive.”

Paras gave a broad grin, “Yeah, but I won’t give any credits to you.” Usually, his presence was enough to annoy me into try killing him. But that day, it wasn’t the case. Everyone took a seat and Mr. Shivam began, “Actually, this is a serious exception. Usually, nationals have only one survivor and that’s the winner.”

Mr. Mohan added, “But this time, we are making an exception for the two of you to be joint winners because of your exceptional performance.” The three of them nodded and Paras, “We’re very grateful for this.”

Everyone looked at me as I stared right into Mr. Mohan’s eye. “You know I have three busted limbs and healers have advised me not to put any strain on them. So, take my advice and tell the truth.” The trio was surprised and looked at me.

Mineva however, seemed to understand what I meant and said, “Is there something you want to add?” The organizers trembled for a moment and said, “Why would we lie or provide half-baked information?” I listened patiently for a while and sighed.

“Then I guess I have no choice left. I simply wanted the truth so…” I began and paused pointing a finger towards Mr. Mohan. I channeled my magic energy into the finger and waited, “You saw what my magic is capable of doing, didn’t you?”

Without warning, I released the magic in the form of a harmless air blast. The blast did no damage except for a loud bang and some rustling clothes. “Are you crazy?” He shouted and I nodded, “I thought you might’ve guessed that so far.”

I repeated the procedure and threatened, “That was less than one percent of True Self Enhancement Magic and moreover just a blank. Ask him if you want to know some higher percentage experiences.” I pointed towards Paras who faced the full brunt of my magic.

Mr. Shivam gave a considerable look to Mr. Mohan and said, “Okay, that’s the plot which is known by the general populace. The real reason behind the selection of two winners is something else. After that fight, our healers examined both of you for your injuries to know who had a better chance of survival.”

Mr. Arya added, “They told us that both of you have grave injuries and very slim chances of survival. So, actually, it was decided that both of you’ll be treated for your injuries and the one to survive will be the winner.”

I asked, “But both of us survived, so we’re the joint winners?” Mr. Shivam responded, “Yes, that’s the only choice we have. You are perhaps more powerful than all the personnel of the facility combined.”

Mineva sighed, “It would’ve been so easier if you told that from the beginning.” Mr. Arya said, “But we can only send one representative in group battles so we are still in a fix on who to send.” Mr. Shivam added, “We have your background sorted and you two have had quite a rivalry since the beginning.”

Mineva suggested, “There are two candidates, both are equally powerful. So, it’s true that this is a very peculiar position to be in.” Mr. Shivam added, “Actually, we were thinking of making Paras the one to proceed as we were told that Aadhya’s majority of magic has been sealed off because of it going berserk. But this demonstration, has us rethink our decisions.”

I asked, “Why is that so? I might be limiting our chances if I can’t unleash my full potential, so it’s logical to go with him.” This question was answered by Mr. Arya, “I am the head of training, after your mentor that is. Though I am not as much skilled as her, I could easily see what you can do in this sealed state as well. And when you release everything, that; can help us win.”

I looked towards Paras, who gave a weak and sorry smile. “Now, officially to break this tie we’ll go by the number of kills. Aadhya having 12 kills is the winner while Paras fell behind by just one with 11 kills.” The trio left leaving me, Paras, Mineva, and the healer there.

The healer changed the bandages I had and took his leave. “So, you broke your limbs in that attack?” Paras asked and I nodded in affirmative. “Tell me, why weren’t you trying to kill me?” He asked and I replied, “There wasn’t anything like that. You were just a step ahead of me that’s all.”

I went to the window as he giggled, “I fought you thrice if we include the nationals. And compared to the previous two times you were going easy with me, relatively speaking.” I got a bit irritated and said, “I hit you with six months worth of stockpiled magic power. Do you even know how much it is, six months' worth of stockpiled magic gone in a blink and you say that I held back.”

Mineva sensed my irritation and most probably guessed that something was wrong. She came to me and asked, “Did you go easy on him? Tell me the truth.” I refrained from answering for some time but Mineva’s aura finally compelled me to tell her the truth.

“Yes, I did go easy on him,” I answered with tears from my eyes. “In that last attack, I knowingly hit the platform to maximize collateral damage while decreasing the impact on him. If that one hit him directly, he wouldn’t be alive right now.”

Paras was about to ask something but Mineva stopped him with a gesture, “I won’t go into details. This chapter ends here and you gentleman, won’t tell anyone about that.” I wiped my tears as I heard Paras saying, “She saved me twice in that match, I won’t ever forget that debt. I promise this secret shall remain a secret forever.”

“Wait? Twice?” I asked and he nodded, “When you played that illusion of open challenge from the castle. I was stuck in an ambush, my partner dead. I thought it was the end when that illusion came up. Your words enraged the ambush leader to the extent that he left me there and went to the castle to finish you.”

“I wasn’t aware of that.” I said and added, “Actually the last one, I did it for two purposes. First, it was as thanks that you eliminated me in the first and second intra-class competitions with relatively fewer injuries than what others might have. I thought about that when someone hit me with the spear during my ambush.”

“And what’s the second reason?” Paras asked and I pointed towards Mineva, “She asked me not to do anything that’ll make me regret my decisions. Frankly, I already had my fair share of traumatic experiences; so I decided not to add your death in that. I knew that your armor was capable of absorbing physical impact, so I hit you where it was the strongest.”

Paras gave a confused look, “You went for the most protected part of the body, with less impact…” I nodded in agreement and asked, “What’s so surprising about that?” Paras replied by waving his hands frantically, “No, no, no…I was just thinking that so much holding back and still you shattered my breast bone completely.”

Mineva and I were shocked to hear that. Paras added, “The healer said that my breast bone was completely shattered to the extent that regenerating it with magic was doubtful. Apart from that my ribs were fractured, had the impact been a little more powerful my heart would’ve stopped beating.”

We talked for a bit more and Paras soon left, leaving a weak smile on my face. Mineva asked me as I lay on the bed, “Do you like him?” I smiled and gave a little giggle, “Not the way you think. He’s a good guy and kinda reminds of my brother, like how he treated me when we were younger.”

“Now, go to sleep. Tomorrow is the official ceremony and I’ll have to select a dress for you. The whole nation will watch you as the victorious queen taking another step forward.” She lay me down and kissed my forehead before leaving, “Good night.”

The next day, Mineva brought in the outfit she selected. It was a white shirt over navy blue pants and a navy blue overcoat. She also did my hair and let them flow freely, though I favored tied hair. I looked at my hip-length hair in the mirror and exclaimed. “Whoa…I didn’t realize that I had so much long hair.”

“Well tying them in a bun doesn’t help much does it?” Mineva teased me and I responded, “No, I didn’t always tie them as a bun, I also prefer a single pony.” “Yeah, yeah…one is suitable for indoor keeping while the other one for combat.” She teased me further but I smiled.

My combat hairstyle preference was a single pony as it often helped me use my hair for distractions, while the bun was mainly for indoors. “Now, that I see it, it isn’t that bad to keep my hair open for any event or something.” Mineva nodded as I got up from the chair, “Now, let’s get going shall we.”

A grand procession was held to carry us to Solaris where Mr. Krishna Silvia, the administrator, and my sponsor, greeted us and became the host till the conference’s start. The conference was to be held in the administrator’s office.

About three hours later, the conference began. There were a lot of people, almost the whole city, and a lot of high profile people from other cities. Mr. Shivam, Mr. Krishna, Mr. Mohan, Mr. Arya, Mineva, Paras and I shared the center of attraction.

Mr. Shivam began the announcement, “As you all know that Miss Aadhya and Mr. Paras, fought to a deadly draw in the nationals. But they were unable to get the finishing blow, therefore it has been unanimously decided by the committee that they are the joint winners of this national championship.”

He paused for a while and resumed, “But as are the rules laid out, we can only send one representative for further battles. So the committee has decided to send Miss Aadhya as the nation’s representative in the Wish Games. Mr. Paras shall stay back and is now free to do whatever we might see fit.”