Disclaimer: The characters featured in this story obviously do not belong to me. They belong to their rightful owners which includes Yoshiyuki Nishi.

Notes/Comment: I've noticed there's quite a few stories on here that focus on when Enchu became a Betrayer/Traitor of Magic Law, and I guess this sort of fits into that section; although, this is an "aftermath" story which sticks to Yoichi, Biko, and Muhyo.

Warning: Possible inaccuracies (would've helped if the light novels were translated so we could know more about pre-Betrayer Enchu, Viz *kidding*), blood, descriptions of bodily injuries, mentions of death. It's not over-the-top, but I want to make sure.

Chapter 1: Aftermath and Yu Abiko

If someone from the outside "world" came and saw what the mountain town looked like, they would wonder if the poor place was destroyed by a storm because of how trees, plants, and parts of various houses and buildings could be found strewn about the cobble pavement. The top of streetlights were now amiss, for they had blown up less than a day ago. Windows were shattered, cars remained smashed on, under, and against places — none of these cars were able to be "rescued".

Even though it wasn't gloomy in weather, the mood in the town definitely was; after all, wouldn't any place which was nearly at peace became the target for an attack out of nowhere share a similar atmosphere like that?

For example, there was a bakery which served as a special treat for the students of Magic Law School once classes were finished for the day. The bakery, owned by a sweet elderly woman, was now in shambles. Thankfully, the owner wasn't inside during the attack.

Although only eight people were confirmed dead, the Magic Law Association was well aware that more deaths could have occurred and could be announced soon; furthermore, there were still a few cases of missing people which included practitioners of Magic Law who were trying to protect civilians as the Association was torn apart yesterday morning.

One of the most damaged places was the Magic Law School. As it name obviously suggested, this was where young ones came and studied Magic Law with their destiny being up to their capabilities. Reconstruction had all ready began on the windows, brick surrounding of the first floor, and a section of the school which served as the auditorium and where the reception for a coronation was to be held.

Students of this school of Magic Law were either picked up by their parents or guardians, or the children were given a temporary room at one of the hotels until further notice. Classes were also delayed. Now, while every child had been scared by what happened yesterday, three former students of the school were personally affected by it all. It wasn't due to a family member getting hurt or killed — goodness, no — but rather because the person who initiated the attack was their friend, Enchu.

...

Enchu — whose actual name was Soratsugu Madoka — was a former student and shining star of the Magic Law School and its association; in fact, he was in consideration to becoming the youngest Executioner at the ripe age of thirteen. His personality was that of a gentle-spoken, hard-working perfectionist who loved his mama and friends very dearly. He was so full of determination, but he didn't gloat and never played around.

Not known to many, but the major reason why he kept his young self on track when it came to his Magic Law studies was because of his mama. You see, his mama had been sick for quite some time, and Enchu wanted to do everything he could in order to help her. Apparently, he thought becoming an Executor of Magic Law may assist on getting rid of whatever was causing his mother's illness. He loved his mama so much and was willing to push himself further than ever.

He would stay up late into the night hours, eat and drink rarely, and soon he skipped more basic essentials the further he dove into the school year…this increased even more when he found out about his consideration to becoming Executor. Enchu had never been so happy, but he soon felt his own health deteriorating; though he paid no attention to it.

There was only one other student in this "Executor consideration": Toru Muhyo, a rather lazy kid, but Enchu considered him a close friend regardless of his activeness or lack thereof. Speaking of Toru — or "Muhyo" as everyone referred him to instead — it was a shock how he was full of potential, even though he was hardly "ecstatic" about academics and Magic Law. Enchu was, at first, shocked when he witnessed Muhyo seal a spirit which almost attacked fellow friend — Yoichi Himukai — and another child with casual ease.

Enchu soon paid no mind to him, for he knew if he got caught up too much in the smaller boy, it could ruin his concentration upon preparing himself for the "tests" which determined how much Magic Law a student could perform.

To make this story brief…Enchu was called home for an emergency one day. His mother was in the hospital, and Enchu was needed as soon as possible. He had missed the earliest train and had to wait for the next. During the last minutes of his mama's life, the boy refused to leave her side and held her icy hand in his, tears stinging his crystal blue eyes.

He came back, one day after his mother's funeral.

There were banners hanging from buildings for Muhyo's Executioner coronation which was today.

That tore it.

His mother, his poor mother, was stolen from him, and now something he had worked so far for her and himself became a reward for someone else — someone who didn't even deserve it! Muhyo didn't deserve such a title when he was such a…such a lazy student who didn't care for anything at all! Why should he get it?! Why?! Why when he was trying to achieve that title to help his mother?!

Now completely shattered, drained by his mother's passing and this disgusting coronation which was happening further down the town, Enchu was confronted by a being that had been watching him for quite some time. Teeki the Fallen was what the "being" was known as, and he acknowledged it. After a few words, words which successfully dug deep into Enchu's pain, Teeki managed to bring Enchu to his side and converted him into a Betrayer of Magic Law.

...

As two men in white jumpers with helmets on their heads continued sweeping and picking up garbage around the town, one of them paused.

"Hey," he spoke up, catching his partner's attention, "is this safe to sweep up?"

The man joined where the other one stood, pointing down at something with his push-broom. When he looked down he cocked a brow at the pale coloured confetti; however, he remembered that was the item which that "Enchu" kid used as a trap before…

"W—well, yeah, it is."
"But it's like the confetti that—"
"They look burnt at the edges, they're no good anymore."
"But—"
"Just sweep it up. Don't be a baby."

He sighed. "Fine, fine…but if I get hurt, you owe me."

...

Yu Abiko was now being trained underneath the Rio Kurotori, but the day of training was put on hold temporarily, for today, the little blonde was still recovering from her injuries due to the events of yesterday. The preteen sat in Rio's bed as she had her knees pulled to her chest, her eyes staying focused at the window. She had a perfect view of parts of the town which had been under attack.

She let out a small "ow" when she rested her left cheek onto her palm. Biko — the name she was known as instead of her actual one — removed her hand from the bandaged cheek with a tiny frown. The tools maker was going to try resting her uninjured cheek in the opposite hand, but she paused, remembering that hand suffered from minor burns. Probably not the best to mess with that hand…

She sighed.

Biko was still weary, wondering if what happened yesterday was a mistake somehow. There was no way that boy who attacked the Association was Enchu, no way at all. Enchu was such a nice person…

What could have caused him to turn this leaf?

"Biko, are you awake?" Rio's gentle voice called through the closed door.

She nodded, replying, "Uh-huh…"

Biko wasn't fazed when she heard the door opening whilst her eyes remained to the window, her head turned to view it better. She didn't jump as Rio's soft hand slid underneath her fringe in order to feel her forehead in case she caught a fever overtime.

She didn't know what to do with her feelings, for she slowly realized Enchu ran off with a letter in his hand. There was a chance that…that something could have happened to Mama Madoka. Nobody knew exactly, but Rio told her that Page was going to check on what Enchu was doing prior to…to doing this.

"How's your leg?"
"A little sore, but that's it."
"Your cheek?"
"Still stings…"

"And," Rio asked with a frown, "your hand? If it's still like that, we'll have to either get to a hospital or I'll make something for it…"

She turned to finally look at her teacher and held out the wrapped hand to her. "Well, it hurts and feels dry inside the wraps."

Biko's tiny hand suffered from second degree burns, leaving it covered in nasty blisters and shades of yellow. Cringe-worthy scars were present when Rio unwrapped the hand to check it. Rio felt a twinge at her hear from the sight…it also reminded her of how the duo became injured together due to Biko's carelessness during class. Another scar became a decoration on the girl; however, this was caused by someone else who meant harm.

"Teach," Biko spoke up, snapping the purple-haired woman out of her thought, "are you gonna be okay?"

Self-consciously, Rio lifted a hand to cover the cut on her forehead with a faltering smile. "I'll be fine, it's nothing serious. Your hand is what I'm concerned for, Biko. It'll take a while for it to heal entirely."

As Rio reached to the first aid kit on the dresser while keeping careful hold on Biko's wrist, the blonde blinked. "How long…?"

"Eight weeks maximum."
"Oh."

Silence.

Biko's eyes drifted to her lap as she tried hard not to flinch from Rio treating her reddened hand and let her mind think back on yesterday.

Yesterday. - Biko

Sunny day with a few white clouds — this was a perfect day to be celebrating the coronation of Muhyo, for Executioner was a very important role within the Magic Law community. Within the front of the crowd as Headmistress Yukimora Towako knelt down to talk to Muhyo, Biko glanced around blankly. Something wasn't quite right.

"Hey," Biko spoke, catching the attention of Yoichi who stood beside her, "where's Enchu?"

"Not sure," Yoichi frowned with a scrunched brow to accompany it. "I saw him run off a few days ago and haven't seen him since. He's missing Muhyo's coronation…!" When he saw the Headmistress stand, leaving Muhyo alone for now, a grin came to his face.

Muhyo, in the meantime, let out a yawn. "Is this over—?" Before he could finish his question, Yoichi's hand shot down and pinched his left cheek, instantly annoying the preteen.

"You did it, Muhyo~!" Yoichi's voice run above him.

Biko sure wished she could shrug it off like Yoichi was capable of doing. She decided to join her friends even deeper in the circle of people, stepping to the other side of Muhyo as the Executioner smacked Yoichi's hand away. She grabbed the hem of her hat and lifted the accessory a little. "Congrats, Muhyo," she said to her friend with a small smile.

Muhyo was quiet for a second, but then he asked the two, "Where's Enchu?"

Biko and Yoichi were both going to answer his questions; however the sound of people chattering over each other slowly died, and then something colourful began to flutter into view. The trio looked ahead in unison as the multi-coloured confetti continued fluttering in the breeze as a figure — about Yoichi's height — stood before them, his hands cupped and head bowed, making his straight fringe shade his face.

"Enchu?" Biko blinked; though, she wasn't entirely fazed by his appearance.

"Hey there, Enchu! Where've you been?" Yoichi chimed as he burst into another smile. "We were wondering where you went all of a sudden! You totally missed Muhyo's inauguration!"

A chuckle, a soft one, slipped through Enchu's lips, but it sounded as though it was oozing with a warning attached to it. Biko, Yoichi, and Muhyo stared quietly at their friend who chuckled a little louder.

"Congratulations, Muhyo."

The rest seemed like flashes of images which varied from running to protecting Muhyo when he was about to get attacked by Enchu, her hand becoming the target instead of the Executor. Through bleary eyes, perhaps stinging with tears as well, Biko watched a swarm of blue butterflies surround Enchu until he vanished with a creature in a mask standing behind him. Although she wasn't as injured as she could've been, Biko experienced another type of hurt.

'Enchu…'

And now...

She was bothered that she didn't know what could have caused the sweet boy to be led astray and turn into a Traitor of Magic Law, for no one seemed to know where he ran off to days prior. What could have riled him up? Was Enchu brainwashed?

If she had to point out one thing about what happened yesterday, Biko was obviously aware that Enchu especially wanted Muhyo. Once in a while, Enchu would talk directly to him, claiming Muhyo had taken everything from him and deserved what was coming next.

…

At the moment, Muhyo was recovering from his own injuries, his the worst of her's and Yoichi's. The entire time they were at the hospital, Muhyo remained silent and avoided looking at anybody. Muhyo was still in the hospital with Yoichi whilst Page stayed with the two boys as much as he could as he also dealt with personal issues involving Enchu.

"There, all done…!" Rio's attempt at sounding cheerful and motherly caused Biko to look over to her. Her burnt hand was wrapped with a fresh set of bandages and the woman — now sitting on the edge of the bed — smiling sadly at her. "I'm planning on making lunch soon. It's your favourite…"

She simply nodded as her hand was released by Rio. "Okay…"

After she gently ruffled the adorable curls on top of Biko's head, the Star Magic Tools Maker rose from the bed and left the room with a wave. Once Biko knew Rio was down the hallway and back to the living room, she let out a soundless sigh then looked out the window again.

She wondered how Muhyo and Yoichi were holding while they — and everyone else who knew him — waited for Enchu's last moments before showing up in the manner he did.

to be concluded