But in a few seconds, all of that would be over. If only he could take control, then he could fix the mistakes he'd made in the previous timeline as well as atone for the one he was currently making. 

Shana, Angelina, and her maid watched in horror as Mancer quite literally sucked the life out of Baron Baltimore. Power flooded his veins, filling him up with the sensation of omnipotence. He felt truly alive for the first time in almost thirteen years. And yet, it was a strangely empty feeling. 

A peculiar pricking sensation lanced through his body, as if the Baron's life force was fighting against him. Rejecting him. The pricking turned to pain, stabbing his mind and his heart, viciously tearing apart the fragile connection between body and soul. In his half mad state, Mancer's mana lashed out like a whip, slamming into Angelina's face and slicing open the soft flesh of her cheek. He cried out in anguish as his mana force tore up cobblestones around him, sending them flying through the air. 

Baron Baltimore's wonderment immediately turned to outrage at the sight of his daughter's pain. With an empowering yell, he burst the chains holding him in place and stepped between the boy and his daughter. A cobblestone catapulted towards him, but he caught it easily. With a clench of his fist, it crumbled to dust in his hand. The Baron drew his shortsword and pointed it at Mancer. 

“Stop this at once!” he yelled. 

But Mancer could do nothing of the sort. In his heart, his mana was pulsing wildly, unable to handle the sudden violent rush that had freed his power. They clashed together, and through all the pain and terror that his magic caused, he felt his eighth circle breaking. 

Baltimore began to raise his sword, but a sudden force held him back. He looked down to find his very own Angelina clinging to his arm with all of her might. She looked up at him with her wide, round eyes and pleaded desperately with him. 

“Don't hurt him, Daddy,” she cried, “I'm okay, really. So don't hurt him. Please?” 

The Baron couldn't resist his daughter's adorable face, and so he lowered his sword slowly, still watching the boy carefully. “I'll make you pay for this,” he grumbled. 

Shana, who had been staring slack jawed this entire encounter, finally closed her mouth and regained her composure. Indignation burned inside her as she saw how dirty and messy the boy's clothes and face were. “Pericles Mancer Allison!” she yelled, “you stop right this minute!” 

Mancer's mana faltered for the briefest of instants, and he struggled to take control once more. Just then, he felt a familiar tingle on his cheek. Tiny hands hugged his face as Rixi's effusive kiss spread throughout his entire body, calming his mana and slowing his pulse. She pulled away only when she was certain that he'd regained control. She folded her arms and glared at him sternly, daring him to explain himself, but he couldn't. He stared at the ground, ashamed of his violent outburst. 

Seiche peeked out from behind Shana, where she'd hidden when she first felt his fluctuating mana. She healed her skinned knee and floated over to take care of Angelina. The Baron moved to block her way, but she just giggled and darted around him. 

Shana ran to Mancer and shook his shoulders lightly. “Are you alright?” she asked. 

The six year old spiritualist mumbled quietly to himself. He was suddenly very dizzy after his explosive expenditure of mana. He started to fall backwards, but Shana caught him and shook him awake. “Just let me sleep," he grumbled, and he collapsed into his babysitter's arms. 

Lord Baltimore approached them with a murderous look in his eyes, and Shana instinctively shielded him in her arms. Rixi stood between them in the air, glaring back at the Baron, while Seiche positioned herself behind him. Faced with two contract spirits, a self-sacrificing servant, and his daughter's pleading gaze, Baltimore reluctantly backed down. Instead, he brushed past Rixi and carried Mancer into the mansion himself. 

The rest of them trailed along, Angelina's head maid fussing with her lady's appearance. Her dress was still wet, and her hair was speckled with twigs and leaves. 

“Are you a wind spirit?!” the cheerful girl asked. Rixi chuckled at her enthusiasm. Instead of answering, she zipped around her. A stiff breeze blew, and in an instant, Angelina's clothes were dry, her hair neatly braided. 

“I am indeed,” she said mirthfully. 

Baron Baltimore handed the boy off to a servant, who took him to an empty room and laid him on a bed. Rixi landed on his chest and stretched out, wishing she could hold him in her arms. 

“Why do you always leave me out of things?" she mumbled, “why can't you rely on me?”

Seiche sat on the nightstand, forming a table out of ice. “Come over here,” she said, and Rixi reluctantly joined her. The water spirit poured some tea and floated the cup over to Rixi. She leaned gracefully on the table with her hand against her cheek, contemplating the enigma that was Rixi. “What's troubling you?” she asked softly. 

Rixi raised an eyebrow. “You of all people should know,” she said contemptuously. 

Seiche smiled faintly. “And what is it that I am supposed to know?” 

The wind sprite rolled her eyes. “I'm not saying it again,” she said bitterly. She sipped the hot tea from her cup made of ice. 

“Maybe that's the problem,” Seiche replied, swirling her own teacup idly. “You're not willing to say how you're feeling. You've got all these emotions bottled up with nowhere to go and nothing to do with them, so they just sit and ferment. Turn sour.” She crossed her legs professionally and gazed at the embarrassed Rixi. “When was the last time you told him how you were feeling?”

Rixi shrunk lower in her chair. “It's… been awhile,” she admitted. 

“So don't you think it's about time you had a real conversation?" 

“I suppose…" she replied reluctantly. 

Seiche just smiled intelligently and sipped her tea. 

*** 

Mancer awoke with a major headache. He no longer felt childish, though he was still only six years old. The urges and curiosities he'd been subject to previously had all but disappeared, leaving his adult mind with free rein and full control. He groaned at his pounding skull and checked his mana circles. All were in pristine condition except the eighth, which boasted a significant crack. 

Mancer stared at Rixi's contract symbol, which seemed to him to have faded slightly. He mumbled her name and kissed his ring finger. “I'm sorry,” he whispered, “can you forgive me?” 

Rixi sat down on his head, startling him. “I don't know…” she said thoughtfully, “what's in it for me?” 

He smiled faintly at her familiar statement. “Is that a yes?” he asked playfully. 

Rixi scowled, though he couldn't have known. She'd purposely chosen a spot where he couldn't see her. “It means I'll think about it,” she declared. 

“Are you still mad at me?” 

Rixi was silent for a long moment, then she spoke quietly, her voice barely above a whisper. “I was never angry with you,” she said, “just disappointed. I was your first, after all. I've been with you since you were born. But then, it felt like you just threw me away. Do you know what that's like?” 

Mancer couldn't think of anything to say, so he just kept his mouth shut. 

"And then when you called Seiche instead of me, that hurt.” 

"You weren't responding,” was his mumbled excuse. 

"I've been with you for over thirty years!” she yelled, “did you really think I would let a child get hurt because of some… some…” 

“Lover's spat?” Seiche suggested. 

Rixi turned bright red. “N-No! I wouldn't even dream of such a thing! I'm sure Mancer doesn't even see me that way! Right?” 

“Of course not!” He replied perhaps a beat too quickly, with no thought whatsoever as to her feelings. He could only think about Jyna. 

Rixi fought back her tears and darted back into her contract symbol. Her sudden escape puzzled Mancer, but he didn't give it much thought. Seiche shook her head disapprovingly, sipping her tea while gazing critically at her master. 

“You really are clueless," she said. 

“About what?" Mancer asked. 

“Look around once in a while," she replied, "maybe then you'll find your answer.” 

With that, she disappeared into her contract symbol, leaving a very confused Mancer to puzzle out her meaning on his own. But he didn't have long to think about it, because in the next moment, the door burst open, and Lord Baltimore strolled leisurely into the room.