The Tricksters Way Book 1: The Mortal Universe

Chapter 102 - Trial By Fire

(Hello everyone, just wanted to let you all know I'm not dead.
I was just ill one after another and then the snowstorms came to scotland, they were called the Beast from the East and the Pest from the West.
But long story short, I am back.
Now this chapter is bigger than all the rest, I put a lot of effort in to try and make up for being incommunicado for a while.
6300 words-ish.
Please enjoy!)

Lux woke from his dreams and saw that Suki had gotten up already, so he got dressed in a white Butter-Cotton Suit with black shoes.

He then exited his bedroom by activating his Room Key and walked out of the Hotel, He then slowly floated into the air by manipulating his body's gravity.

Once He could see the entire city, He scanned it for the largest crowd of people, after a few minutes He finally finds what He was looking for.

Near the center of the city was a large floating platform which was filled with people, in the center were the 'Elemental' Aspects, all of them were standing on a small raised platform.

They were lined up in this order, Fire, Water, Earth, Air, Light, Darkness, Time, Space and Speed.

Strength was standing in the center of them and speaking to the crowd with a cheeky grin on his tanned face.

Lux grimaced as he realised that he was late for the Battle of the Aspect's tournament, so he quickly flew towards the stage while creating a skin-tight Order Energy barrier to make himself look seem like a Mortal.
He quickly arrived above the stage with a loud BANG and effortlessly landed next to Speed with a grin on his face.

The crowd gasped as Lux tapped his fist against Speed's arm and whispered, "Sorry I'm late, slept in, hahaha.", the crowd were stunned by Lux's audacity, to hit an Aspect was unthinkable, but to do it while laughing was insane.

Strength was so shocked that He stopped speaking, causing silence to fill the air as the shocked atmosphere descended on to everyone present.

Lux looked around and then said to the shocked Strength, "I think you've lost them man...
You should maybe try flexing your muscles to get their attention back, maybe break a pillar or something?
... Seriously, why are you all just staring at me?
Is there something on my face?"

He then quickly wiped his mouth with his forearm and then asked the embarrassed Speed, "Did I get it?"

Speed quickly but gently pushed Lux to the side and then quickly explained Lux to Strength and the crowd.
"(Cough), Allow me to introduce Billy Sticks, a man who beat me in a duel of speed.
He is also quite mad, so please try to be understanding of his quirks. Hahaha!"

The crowd awkwardly laughed along with Speed, who waved at Strength to carry on with his speech.

Strength nodded his head and continued his speech, "Right, where was I?
Oh yeah, This time, a Mortal will take part in the Battle of the Aspects.
The reason for this is because Speed demanded it, so we, the other Aspects, agreed...
(muttering "Though he ruined my speech by arriving late and interrupting." (sigh)
"Allow me to introduce you to Billy Sticks!"

Strength leaned towards Lux, grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pushed forward while quietly say, "Talk."

Lux looked over his shoulder at Strength and brushed invisible lint from his shoulder and then turned back to the crowd while smiling.

Earth, Air, Light and Darkness all grabbed Strength and held him back as he tried to punch Lux in the back of the head.

Lux ignored the scuffling behind his back and quickly spoke to the crowd.