《Pathless: Outcast》


 Chapter 1 – Prologue I

    Cintra, 16th of Suncrest, year 300 UC


    It was the first blood moon in five decades.


    The red moon shone brightly as if it wanted to outshine the numerous stars in the night sky.


    The citizens of Cintra knew what this meant, heck, the continent knew what a blood moon signaled.


    It was a tale passed down from generation to generation. A tale widely believed.


    A god had been slain.


    Their blood soaked the moon crimson red for an entire night.


    That same night the world was silent.


    Animals slept until it was over, sensing the changing tides.


    No one wanted to disrespect the god that was slain in fear of angering the deity''s family, causing them to bring their divine wrath down on anyone who dared to make a peep.


    On the continent of Milthur, The Holy Empire, and the three kingdoms forbid their citizens from traveling during a blood moon.


    If word got out that someone went against the word of the numerous kings and the empress they would be executed, no questions asked.


    This was a divine law that no one could break.


    That did not stop criminals from making deals in the dead of the night.


    A blood moon meant the streets would be clear, and the guards would be holed up in their barracks.


    Making it prime time for business.


    They had to be careful, instead of taking any streets that would normally be bustling with people they stuck to the alleys.


    Some used the underground tunnels to travel the city.


    No matter what, they could not be seen. If they were and some brave citizen told the guards the next morning, an investigation would not even take place.


    For any noble that ruled over the commoners, a blood moon brought about a lot of headaches.


    Neighbors told on one another, rivals accused each other of leaving, and petty disputes would be settled by whoever told the guards first.


    A god may have died, but many people did as well.


    No one was safe.


    Yet if you gazed out your window you''d find a figure clad in black.


    They were difficult to make out, almost as if they were one with the darkness.


    Except, they were walking out in the open, where anyone could see.


    Cintra was known for a lot of things, and they had their fair share of mysterious figures popping up every so often.


    But no one was so brazen to defy the law out in the open.


    The figure was carrying something in their arms, cradling it like a newborn baby that had to be cared for with the gentlest touch.


    Slowly they made their way down the streets, passing corner after corner until they stopped in front of a building.


    The building was wide with with a flight of stairs that led to a brown wooden door. Light could be seen shining inside from the multiple glass windows, and above the doorframe was a wooden eagle with its wings spread wide.


    Kneeling they laid the black-wrapped item they were carrying on the front step.


    Getting up, the figure knocked on the door.


    Not gently either, the knocking sound was loud enough to wake anyone sleeping within the vicinity.


    Loud enough that the object on the ground began to move and make sounds.


    Turning the figure fled the scene.


    There was turning to look back to see what would happen next, they simply vanished behind a corner.


    A young woman in her early twenties opened the door slowly.


    The door creaked as it opened and the light from the inside showed off the features of her face. Blue eyes that seemed to glisten in the night with long brown hair that flowed gently down her back.


    She wore a white gown that reached her ankles, nothing noteworthy of its design. It was as plain as could be, yet it couldn¡¯t hide her stunning beauty.


    Gazing left then right, she saw no one.


    ¡®Strange.¡¯


    She thought.


    ¡®I could have sworn there was someone at the door.¡¯


    The crying coming from below grew louder and alerted her until she saw the pale face of a newborn baby.


    Deathly pale at that.


    "My goodness! What in the... come here."


    She said as she picked up the baby.


    The baby was wrapped in a black cloth protecting it from the cold wind.


    She shushed the child calming them down as best she could and rocking them in a soothing motion.


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    "Who would leave you out here? Where did your parents go?"


    She asked but knew she''d receive no response.


    The baby couldn''t have been more than a month or two old at most. They couldn''t speak.


    "Kelly, who''s at the door?"


    A voice asked from inside.


    Kelly, the woman who picked up the baby turned and headed back in.


    "A baby, a newborn baby."


    Kelly replied as she closed the door behind her.


    The baby after being rocked slowly stopped crying and closed their eyes.


    Their eye color was a bit odd, being red instead of the normal brown, blue, or even green.


    The child did seem sickly from its skin, so maybe it had some sort of aliment that she didn''t know about.


    "A baby?"


    A woman appeared coming from around a corner. She was holding a candle in her hand and wore the same kind of gown as Kelly.


    Her hair was beginning to gray and she was a bit on the rounder side.


    Kelly nodded her head as she lowered the baby''s cloth from around their head.


    The two women gasped.


    "What kind of sorcery is this?"


    The woman asked.


    "I''ve never seen this before. White hair, is that even possible?"


    Kelly asked as she was just as confused.


    The baby had snow-white hair, something that''s never been seen before in either of their lives.


    Even old people had gray hair, but never white. Add in the baby''s deathly pale skin and red eyes, must mean the child was sick.


    Gazing out the window, the older larger woman shivered.


    The moon was red tonight, and now this. Thinking about it made the hairs on the back of her neck stand.


    Her stomach twisted at the sight of the child. She knew it was a warning.


    "Get rid of it! This child is cursed, cursed I tell you!"


    "What? We can''t, we have to take them in. It''s our job."


    Kelly said fighting back against the woman''s words.


    They were caretakers of the orphanage and it was their duty to accept any child seeking or needing shelter.


    The older woman wasn''t having any of it. She pointed at the window.


    "Look outside, this is an omen. Why do you think they dropped the child here? Because they knew! They knew this... this thing would bring nothing but bad luck. Get rid of it before you damn us all!"


    "Bertha! You can''t be serious."


    Bertha was, she was dead serious.


    She''s heard too much, and seen too much to know otherwise.


    This baby was anything but a bundle of joy. Only misery would await those close to them.


    Even now, she was refusing to even consider the child as a baby, referring to them as it instead.


    Bertha''s heart pounded as she stared at the baby''s unnerving features.


    The blood moon''s eerie glow cast a sinister light through the window, deepening her sense of dread.


    Her breath quickened, and she could feel a cold sweat forming on her brow.


    "I am serious, Kelly."


    She hissed.


    Her fingers tightened around the hem of her gown, knuckles white with tension.


    "Do you think I want to throw a baby out? But this... this isn''t natural. It¡¯s a warning."


    Her gaze flicked to the window, the moon''s crimson hue reflecting in her wide eyes. She shivered again, her superstitions gnawing at her.


    "We can''t risk it."


    Bertha continued, her voice softer now, almost pleading.


    "You¡¯ve seen the signs. We both have. This child will bring nothing but misfortune. We have to protect the others."


    Kelly''s heart ached as she looked at Bertha, seeing the fear etched into every line of her face. Her own blue eyes softened with compassion, and she took a tentative step closer, reaching out a hand gently.


    "I know you''re scared."


    Kelly said in a soothing tone.


    "But we can''t let fear dictate our actions, especially not here. These children depend on us for love and protection."


    Her mind raced as she tried to find the right words.


    She understood Bertha''s fear, the superstitions that had been ingrained in them both from a young age. But she couldn''t bear the thought of abandoning a helpless child, no matter what ominous signs seemed to surround them.


    Bertha clenched her jaw.


    She glanced again at the baby, then back at Kelly, whose calm demeanor only seemed to heighten her own anxiety. Her hands trembled slightly as she crossed her arms over her chest, trying to steady herself.


    "Listen to me Kelly, if you don''t get rid of that thing then you''ll be cursed. Keep it if you want, but don''t expect me or any of the others to look out for it. We''ll keep our distance."


    Kelly glanced over at the child, the tiny baby swaddled in a blanket, their small face scrunched up in sleep. The thought of leaving them to fend for themself was unbearable.


    Kelly reached out again, placing a hand on Bertha''s shoulder, squeezing it gently.


    "I won¡¯t force you to help if you''re uncomfortable, but I can''t turn my back on a child. I¡¯ll care for them myself if I have to, but I hope you''ll see that they''re just a baby and deserve a chance."


    Bertha felt the gentle squeeze on her shoulder, but it did little to ease the gnawing anxiety in her chest.


    She looked down at Kelly¡¯s hand, then back into her earnest eyes. The room seemed to grow colder, the shadows cast by the blood moon dancing ominously on the walls.


    "Kelly, you don''t understand what you''re inviting into our lives. The moon, the baby''s appearance, it''s all too much of a coincidence."


    Bertha said, her voice strained and filled with a deep, lingering fear.


    Her hands clutched at her gown, fingers digging into the fabric as if to anchor herself to some semblance of control.


    She had nothing but doubts, yet, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Kelly might be right.


    A child that would bring them nothing but misfortune?


    It sounded crazy, even to her. But that feeling in her stomach, the one she desperatelty tried to ignore told her otherwise.


    ¡®Let¡¯s wait it out, see if that thing is merely sick, or if it¡¯s truly the bringer of our downfall.¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    "Fine."


    Bertha muttered as she stepped back, away from the baby and Kelly.


    She couldn¡¯t bear the weight of abandoning a child based on her feelings alone. Kelly¡¯s look was also starting to get to her, and she knew if she stayed any longer she would begin to falter.


    "But don¡¯t expect me to help. This is on you. And if anything happens... if any of the children get sick or worse... it¡¯ll be on your conscience."


    She turned to leave, but her steps were hesitant.


    Each footfall was heavy with doubt and fear.


    As she reached the door, she glanced back, a mixture of pity and apprehension in her eyes. She saw Kelly¡¯s determination, and a part of her envied it, but her own fear was too strong to overcome.


    "May Pater protect us all."


    Bertha whispered, making a quick prayer as she exited the room.


    Kelly watched Bertha''s retreating form with a hint of sadness in her eyes. The room felt colder now, the shadows cast by the blood moon seeming to deepen as Bertha''s presence faded.


    She took a deep breath, trying to steady her own nerves, and turned her attention back to the baby.


    She walked over to the baby, her movements slow.


    Bending down, she picked up the tiny bundle, cradling it against her chest. The baby''s warmth and the soft, rhythmic rise and fall of their breath provided a strange sense of calm.


    Eyeing the baby sleeping soundlessly Kelly smiled softly. They were so cute, she wished she could have one of her own. But she couldn''t no matter how much she wanted to.


    "Ahh, let''s see if you''re a boy or a girl."


    Kelly said excitedly as she began to check.


    Seconds later she looked at the baby and tilted her head slightly.


    "Bryan. Your name will be Bryan."

 Chapter 2 – Prologue II

    Cintra, 1st of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    He wanted to be just like everyone else.


    He wanted to be normal.


    That word seemed so distant to him, almost foreign.


    He knew deep down inside that he could never be like them, but that did not stop him from wanting to be accepted by them. Yet, acceptance came at a price¡ªa painful one at that.


    On the cold hard ground, he lay, with bruises all over his fragile body.


    From afar one might believe him to be dead by his deathly pale skin.


    Except, he wasn¡¯t.


    His body was still full of vigor, his pale skin was just something he was born with.


    It was also one of his curses, something that caused him to be shunned by his fellow peers.


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    Voices shouted from around the deathly pale-skinned young boy.


    Those voices were all too familiar to him.


    Zeke, Millie, Brittney, John, and Dave. The five troublemakers who seemed never to stop having fun.


    They were normal children, all of whom were under the age of ten. Just like him. Except they were normal, unlike him.


    There was that word again.


    Normal.


    He wondered what it felt to be...


    ¡°We¡¯ve finally slain the demon.¡±


    Zeke exclaimed with a grin on his face.


    That smug look held a meaning behind it, just like the words he spoke.


    Demon.


    Something he was often called by them.


    Standing over him, Zeke looked as if he had won a major duel over a great evil.


    "Look at him, guys. We finally got rid of the demon."


    ¡®I¡¯m not a demon.¡¯


    He thought to himself as he laid there.


    Millie shifted uncomfortably as her eyes darted between the deathly pale-skinned boy and the rest of the group.


    They were all grins, just like her but she wasn¡¯t like them.


    Her long dirty-blonde hair fell in front of her face as she looked down at the ground.


    ¡®This¡­ this feels wrong.¡¯


    She thought.


    It was a feeling she wasn¡¯t used to and one that has been growing these last few weeks.


    But she doesn¡¯t speak on those feelings, instead, she keeps them inside. Thinking that the others were the same like her, to some degree.


    Even if she wanted to stop, she couldn¡¯t say it out loud. Dave was bigger than her, and Zeke took pleasure in beating up Bryan, the deathly pale-skinned boy.


    No way was she getting in between them, or else¡­ she might be on the ground with him.


    Glancing to the side she looked at Brittney, hoping she would understand.


    Brittney stood further back, almost like she wanted to escape. Their eyes didn¡¯t meet, but Millie noticed she was nibbling on her thumb¡¯s fingernail.


    ¡°I do not bite my nails!¡±


    Brittney told her months ago, but she was doing exactly that.


    ¡®Are we the same?¡¯


    Millie couldn¡¯t help but wonder as she stared at Brittney.


    Was she too, just going with the motions? Fitting in to be normal?


    If so then¡­


    ¡®No.¡¯


    She tossed that idea out of her head.


    Her eyes locked onto John, the ever-silent one in their group. He scared her more than Dave and Zeke, there was no emotion, no life in his eyes.


    It was as if he was a doll.


    Especially the way he was gazing at Bryan. Would he do the same to her?


    John never once participated in any of the beatings, but he watched.


    Everyone thought he was a bit of an oddball, but no one ever messed with him.


    He rarely even talked to them, so, why was he here?


    Dave moved forward catching her attention with that dumb smirk on his face.


    ¡®Ugh, why?¡¯


    He was older than her by five years, and the oldest out of their group.


    Dave was always fun to be around, except when he saw Bryan. For some reason, he just didn¡¯t like the red-eyed boy.


    She didn¡¯t know why, he never told anyone.


    But, she thought it might be due to the fact that Bryan received more love from Ms. Kelly than him.


    "You see, Bryan," Dave started.


    "This is what happens when you don¡¯t fit in. When you¡¯re not... normal."


    He emphasized the word.


    It felt good to him too, seeing Bryan beneath him.


    On the ground, Bryan''s ears twitched as he heard hurried footsteps.


    ¡°You five! What do you think you are doing?¡±


    The voice belonged to a woman, clearly older than all five children. From the tone in her voice, it was easy to see how worried she was.


    Zeke''s heart skipped a beat, the confident facade faltering for a split second.


    The others were just as startled as he was. But, he remembered his conversation with Dave. He just had to pretend like this wasn¡¯t a big deal, problem solved.


    ¡®I can do this.¡¯


    Zeke thought to himself.


    Quickly he put on a defiant look, his eyes meeting the woman''s.


    "We were just playing."


    He said, trying to sound nonchalant, but the worry in his voice betrayed him.


    He noticed Millie¡¯s face turn pale as she took a step back, trying to hide.


    Now was not the time to fail, he had to be brave. This was his time to impress her.


    "We were just having some fun," Dave said, backing him up.


    ¡®Thanks!¡¯


    With Dave¡¯s support, nothing could go wrong. All that was left was to get the others on board.


    "Yeah, we were just playing a game. Right, guys?"


    He looks around at the others, trying to rally them to back him up.


    Millie spoke softly, and she didn¡¯t look at the woman.


    ¡°It was just a game¡­¡±


    The words barely came out.


    Zeke liked that about her, she had a nice voice.


    And, she was pretty! Very pretty.


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    Brittney was the next one to speak up, although it was mostly her mumbling.


    "Yeah, just playing."


    ¡®What¡¯s wrong with you?¡¯


    Zeke asked himself as she just kept looking at the ground.


    This was so unlike her, and she was always doing this or that.


    He didn¡¯t know why Millie was friends with her. But he wasn¡¯t going to say anything, because he had to look good in front of her.


    Dave stepped forward slightly, trying to regain control of the situation.


    "We didn¡¯t mean any harm, Ms. Kelly. Bryan''s just really good at playing the monster. It¡¯s all pretend."


    Zeke knew that smile he was giving her. It was the one he gave people when he didn¡¯t truly mean it and just wanted to get rid of you.


    He had to learn how to do that, because people could tell his was fake.


    ¡°Playing? You think harming someone is a game? Look at what you¡¯ve done! Look at him!¡±


    Rage filled Ms. Kelly¡¯s voice as she shouted louder than she usually would.


    ¡®Ugh oh.¡¯


    Zeke didn¡¯t know what was going on.


    She sounded upset, very upset.


    This wasn¡¯t what Dave told him would happen.


    Ms. Kelly stepped forward, her blue eyes blazing with fury, her long brown hair catching in the wind. She knelt beside Bryan, her white gown brushing against the dirt as she gently touched his cheek.


    "Bryan, can you hear me?"


    She asked, her voice softening.


    Bryan''s eyes fluttered open, and he managed a small nod, wincing as he tried to sit up.


    Kelly''s heart ached at the sight of his pain.


    "It''s okay, Bryan. I''m here. You''re safe now."


    The way she was showing him affection, she never did that for them. Not in the same way.


    Looking at Dave, Zeke hoped he had a plan.


    But, Dave looked more upset than anything else.


    ¡°What are we doing?¡±


    Zeke whispered as quietly as he could.


    Dave didn¡¯t even flinch at his question and instead continued to observe Ms. Kelly.


    Ms. Kelly¡¯s heart broke as she saw Bryan¡¯s pain up close.


    She gently helped him to sit up, her touch light and careful.


    She turned her head slightly, addressing the group of children with a voice that¡¯s now more controlled, but still filled with a stern, unyielding anger.


    ¡°Harming someone is never a game. You¡¯ve crossed a line, all of you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry Ms. Kelly! Really, we are. It won¡¯t happen again.¡±


    Dave was the oldest of the five so he took the lead and spoke for the group.


    ¡°You best believe it won¡¯t happen again,¡± She snapped.


    ¡±If it does, all of you will be kicked out of the orphanage! Do you understand!?¡±


    Ms. Kelly was still furious at the children for their behavior.


    She had never come across anything like it in all ten years of her running this place. This truly was the first time she had witnessed bullying to this extent.


    Bullying was not foreign to her, she knew it happened.


    She knew it was happening to the pale-skinned young boy on the ground and even talked to him about it. She tried, she really did.


    However, it seems that she needed to try harder.


    Hearing those harsh words, the five children were frozen solid, just like a statue.


    Kicked out? If that happened they would have nowhere to go.


    The streets were dangerous.


    Thugs filled them at night time, and scavenging for food would be difficult. In their city, homeless people could be found all over, but no one cared anything about them.


    Here though, at the orphanage things were different.


    They were given food, clothes, a roof over their head, and taught basic education. This was more than they could ever ask for, so why did they almost mess it up?


    They all had the same thought appear in their head.


    Him.


    It was his fault things escalated to this point.


    He just had to be different, he just had to approach them. He just had to¡­ he just had to exist!


    The realization of the severity of their actions and Ms. Kelly''s threat hit Zeke like a punch in the gut.


    He felt sick in the stomach.


    He glared at Bryan, his eyes burning with anger.


    ¡®You!¡¯


    Why did Bryan have to be so different? If it weren¡¯t for him, they wouldn¡¯t be in this mess.


    "We understand, Ms. Kelly. We¡¯re really sorry. We promise it won¡¯t happen again."


    Dave spoke once more.


    ¡°You five shall clean the halls, prepare the meals, and clean the dishes all by yourselves. This is strike two, and you don¡¯t want to know what happens if you dare do something like this again.¡±


    Ms. Kelly told the children before she turned her back towards them.


    Seeing this, the children just stayed there. Silent. Should they leave or should they stay?


    Ms. Kelly answered this for them as she turned her head towards them.


    ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? You know where the rags are!¡±


    Without missing a beat, the five kids rushed off to the old wooden building.


    Her slim hands reached down as she caressed Bryan¡¯s white hair. It was soft to the touch and looked beautiful whenever she saw it. Now, it was covered in dirt and blood.


    She could not believe this.


    What caused them to act this way?


    ¡°Let our sorrows be washed away.¡±


    A light blue aura wrapped itself around her hand as she gently touched his wounds. While they would not close and heal themselves, he would at least be numb to the pain.


    It was moments like these that she wished she were a better mage.


    Or at least knew higher-tier magic.


    Still, it did the trick and the young boy slowly opened his eyes as his face relaxed.


    That¡¯s when she saw them, his red eyes. His third curse, the second being his white hair.


    Whilst she did not fear him, nor think badly of him, the same could not be said for the others.


    His looks alone caused them to be afraid.


    Why?


    Because he was abnormal.


    No one had white hair. No one had deathly pale skin. No one had red eyes.


    So why. Why was he born this way?


    He was different. Someone who would never be considered normal in the eyes of others.


    There was a word for people like him.


    An outcast.


    Someone who is cast aside and rejected by their own kind. That was him, and all he would ever be.


    Once. Twice. His eyes blinked as he gazed into Ms. Kelly''s blue eyes.


    "Why? Why did you make them leave?"


    Pain could be heard from his voice as he asked his question.


    One that caused Ms. Kelly''s heart to tighten.


    "Bryan," She spoke as she brushed his white hair back while examining his face.


    "What do you mean why? I am helping you, trying to save you from harm. Why did you want them to stay? They do not enjoy your company, you know this don''t you?"


    "B-but they are my friends¡­ we were just playing a game."


    He told her as he cast his gaze toward the ground.


    "They aren''t your friends. Friends do not harm other friends, those five are using you for their own amusement. You should leave them be and make other friends."


    She told him as she raised his head so that she could speak directly to him while looking at his red eyes.


    She meant what she said, and she wanted Bryan to understand that.


    "But they are the only ones who¡¯ll talk to me. Who want me¡­"


    "That is not true¡­"


    "But it is!"


    Bryan interrupted her with a shout.


    "Even my own parents abandoned me."


    "We don''t know that for sure. They could have had a reason, you never know."


    Ms. Kelly tried to sound optimistic about his situation, but she could not relate to him.


    After all, Bryan has been here since he was a baby.


    He''s never known his father or mother, and due to his physical traits, he was always alone.


    "Then why haven''t they shown up huh? Why?"


    Bryan started to shed tears, not because of the physical pain but due to the emotional ones.


    "It''s okay Bryan. Everything will be okay. Things will get better, you just have to keep believing."


    Ms. Kelly told him as she held him in her arms.


    He was nothing more than a young boy, only five years old.


    Yet he was lonely and without love.


    She hated this.


    This helplessness she was feeling.


    Ms. Kelly could do nothing for him, and had to watch him suffer.


    Whenever she set up an appointment with prospective parents they dodged Bryan as if he were some kind of plague.


    No one wanted him because he was different.


    Kelly gently stroked his hair, feeling the softness despite the dirt and blood.


    "You are special, Bryan. Your uniqueness is what makes you wonderful, even if others can''t see it yet. I see it, and I believe in you."


    Bryan sniffled, his small body trembling against her.


    "But why does it hurt so much?"


    "Because people fear what they don''t understand."


    Kelly explained, her voice full of tenderness.


    "But that doesn''t mean you aren''t worthy of love and friendship. It just means we need to find the right people who can see past appearances and appreciate you for who you are."


    She pulled back slightly to look into his red eyes, her own blue ones full of warmth.


    "I promise you, Bryan, I will always be here for you. You will never be alone as long as I am around."


    Bryan''s tiny hands clutched the fabric of Ms. Kelly''s dress, his tears soaking into it. He tried to take comfort in her words, but the pain in his heart was overwhelming.


    The two sat there on the cold hard ground for ten minutes. It took that long for Bryan to finally settle down and get ready to head back inside the orphanage.


    Before they went in, however, Ms. Kelly squatted down to Bryan''s eye level.


    "Promise me, Bryan. Promise me that you''ll never lower yourself to fit someone else''s standards. You are better than that and if they can''t accept you for who you are then they are not worth your time."


    Holding out her hand, Ms. Kelly raised her pinky.


    Bryan did not fully comprehend what she was saying, after all, he was only five years old. Still, he nodded his head as he wrapped his pinky around hers.


    Kelly smiled and kissed the top of his head.


    "It''s a promise. Now, let''s get you cleaned up and maybe... maybe we can read a story together. Would you like that?"


    A small, hesitant smile tugged at Bryan''s lips.


    "Yes, please. I like stories."


    **********


    The orphanage was old and needed to be fixed up, but they did not have the funds for that. They barely had the funds to feed all the children here. Times were hard and it seems like as more time went on, people began to care less and less about this place.


    The wooden walls had holes in them, there was water leaking from the ceiling and a slightly cold draft of wind kept blowing in. The building was not small, but couldn''t be considered large either. With ten bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a kitchen they made it work.


    Ms. Kelly parted ways with Bryan as she still had some work to do. However, she made a mental note to check up on him once more before the day ended.


    As she walked down the hall she entered her office, which used to be a bedroom but she transformed it into an office.


    Inside sat a lady with long black hair, clear milky skin, and light blue eyes.


    Locking eyes with Ms. Kelly, she smiled.


    "How is he?"


    Swiftly Ms. Kelly shut the door and sighed.


    "How is he? Is that really what you ask me as soon as I see you?"


    She wanted to wait for a reply, but from the look on her visitor¡¯s face, she already knew the answer.


    "Damaged. Broken. What more do you want me to say? Things would be easier if you just met him yourself."


    "You know I can''t do that. Not yet¡­"


    The woman replied.


    "I''m still not ready¡­ I just need a bit more time."


    "You make more excuses than anyone I know. He''s just like you, isn''t that why you picked him? All you have to do is talk to him. Don''t tell me you are afraid of a little boy?"

 Chapter 3 – Prologue III

    Cintra, 5th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    "Sorry."


    The words came so suddenly and unexpectedly that Bryan had a difficult time understanding what she said for a moment.


    He looked confused and tilted his head slightly. Did she just apologize to him? Bryan wasn''t sure, not in the least bit.


    "Er, what?"


    Bryan had to ask.


    Millie, the girl who hardly ever spoke to him, was the source of the apology.


    She fiddled nervously with the hem of her dress, her gaze locked on the wooden floorboards. Her voice, when it came again, was a whisper lost in the shuffle of feet and distant laughter.


    "Sorry.¡±


    She repeated, her cheeks a blossoming rose.


    "Sorry," Millie said once more refusing to look at Bryan.


    Bryan has never once heard anyone tell him sorry. Not once, in his entire life.


    Was he dreaming?


    Surely he had to be. He pinched himself on the thigh where Millie couldn''t see just to be certain.


    He was sitting at a desk by himself drawing on paper. What he had in mind was to draw himself with a lot of friends or family. It was still just one stick figure right now that depicted himself.


    He grimaced a little as the pinch hurt. Nope, he wasn''t dreaming. He was wide awake.


    ¡®Is she ok?¡¯


    He asked himself, wondering if she hit her head or something.


    Glancing to the left, he looked out the window to see the light was still bright. The world wasn¡¯t falling apart.


    "Oh, ok."


    Bryan replied.


    He was not sure what to say, it''s been a few days since he talked to them and they haven''t spoken to him either. Not after Ms. Kelly told them off.


    Their group had pretended as if Bryan never existed, so why was she here? That''s what Bryan was curious about.


    Millie hesitated, her fingers still clutching her dress.


    Bryan watched her, his curiosity piqued by her unexpected approach.


    The silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant hum of other children playing.


    Finally, Millie lifted her gaze, meeting his eyes with a hint of nervousness.


    "I wanted to ask you something," she said, her voice stronger now, but still trembling.


    Bryan raised an eyebrow, unsure of what to expect.


    "Yeah? What is it?"


    Millie took a deep breath as if gathering her courage.


    "I was wondering... would you like to go to town with us this weekend? We''re planning on going shopping, mostly looking at the items from the window or on the stalls. You know, talking about what we plan on doing once we leave here. The others are sorry too, so... they''d be happy if you join in as well."


    Bryan blinked, taken aback.


    The invitation was the last thing he expected, especially from Millie.


    He hesitated, unsure of how to respond.


    Was this the same girl that was beating on him a few days ago with the others?


    No, that couldn''t be the case. If it were, she''d never apologize to him.


    As for inviting him out, he was eager but didn''t show it. This was the first time anyone had invited him anywhere!


    ¡®Stay calm.¡¯


    He told himself as his grip tightened on the pencil he was holding.


    He''d have to beg them to play games with them before, but now one of them was in front of him. This time asking him to join them!


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    He had to be dreaming, there''s just no way any of this was real.


    Pinching his thigh one more time, it still hurt. He wasn''t dreaming, this was real.


    A smile started to creep up on his face and he quickly tried to hold it back. It was too late as Millie noticed and started to give him a smile of her own.


    "I don''t know," Bryan finally muttered.


    "I''m not sure if that''s a good idea."


    Millie''s expression faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered.


    "Please, Bryan. I think it would be good for all of us. We need a fresh start, you know?"


    He looked at the solitary stick figure on the paper, imagining it surrounded by others.


    Could this be real? Could they really want him around?


    Bryan looked into Millie''s eyes and felt that she changed somehow.


    Did the punishment do it? Or... what?


    He wanted to go, he really did. Truly, but he also wanted to listen to Ms. Kelly.


    She''s always been there for him, and he made her a promise.


    This could be a chance for him to make friends, real friends, and not be an outsider anymore. He didn''t want to be alone here in the orphanage, and he did not want to be looked at like some freak. All he wanted was to be normal, to have friends and talk with them like all the other children here.


    "Okay."


    He managed to squeeze the words out.


    "I''ll go. But only if everyone else really wants me there too."


    Millie''s face lit up.


    "They do, Bryan. I promise."


    Bryan gave a small nod, still feeling a bit of hope.


    "Okay then. I''ll go."


    "Great! I''ll let everyone know. We''ll meet tomorrow morning, okay?"


    Bryan nodded, feeling a strange mix of excitement and nervousness. As Millie turned to leave, he called out to her.


    "Hey, Millie?"


    She paused and looked back.


    "Yes?"


    "Thanks."


    Millie''s smile softened.


    "You''re welcome, Bryan. See you tomorrow."


    She turned and walked away heading back to her group, leaving Bryan to sit with his thoughts.


    As she approached, Dave noticed her expression and immediately understood. He patted her on the back, offering a reassuring smile.


    "Don''t worry about it, Millie. You did the right thing."


    Dave said, trying to ease her discomfort.


    Millie bit her lip, looking around at the group. Zeke, John, and Brittney were all there.


    "I just... I feel bad about this."


    She confessed.


    "Look, it''s not your fault. Bryan is the one who''s different. He should know better than to believe everything. Once we''re out of here, we can make sure he gets into enough trouble that Ms. Kelly won¡¯t want to look after him anymore."


    Dave told her.


    ¡®But¡­ it¡¯s been good these last few days.¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    Zeke and the others nodded in agreement.


    The thought of causing more harm to Bryan, especially after seeing the genuine happiness in his eyes, made her stomach churn.


    Millie couldn''t shake the image of Bryan''s face. She had seen the spark of joy in his eyes when he agreed to join them, and it made her heart ache.


    Was this really what she wanted? To hurt someone who had done nothing wrong?


    She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.


    "I don¡¯t think I can do this."


    She said it.


    She said what was on her mind.


    Her voice trembled a bit, but she spoke up.


    All that was left was to hope he agreed with her.


    "I saw how happy he was when I invited him. Maybe we should just... give him a chance?"


    Dave looked at her with disappointment in his eyes.


    She felt her mouth go dry, fearing that something would happen.


    Maybe she should have just kept quiet.


    "Millie, don¡¯t get soft now. We''ve got a plan, and we need to stick to it. Bryan''s different, and that makes him a problem. We need to make sure he doesn''t get too comfortable here."


    Dave assured her.


    Her stomach twisted further as she listened to him speak.


    This wasn¡¯t right.


    She was tired of it, and if they got caught once more¡­


    No.


    No more.


    She glanced at Zeke, John, and Brittney, hoping one of them would stand by her.


    They all looked uneasy, but none of them spoke up. She felt a surge of frustration.


    "Why do we always have to hurt him? Why can''t we just leave him alone?"


    Dave''s eyes narrowed.


    "Because he doesn''t belong, Millie. And if you can''t see that, then maybe you''re the one who''s different."


    He said as if it was the most obvious answer.


    "But what if we''re wrong?"


    She asked.


    "Maybe being different isn''t so bad," she said quietly.


    "Maybe we should all try being a little kinder."


    Dave shrugged as if she was becoming an annoyance to him.


    "We''re not wrong. It''s for the best. He needs to learn his place."


    Millie looked at her feet.


    She wanted to belong, to be part of the group.


    The other children were much older than her, or too young.


    Dave and the others were the ones she liked to hang out with, especially when they played all sorts of games. Glancing out the corner of her eye, she noticed some other kids sitting in front of Ms. Bertha as she read them a story. One that she told many times and Millie found boring now.


    The memory of Bryan''s smile, tentative and hopeful, haunted her. She couldn¡¯t shake the image of him, how his eyes had lit up. It made her chest tighten with guilt.


    "I still feel terrible."


    She muttered, more to herself than to the group.


    "We''re doing him a favor."


    Dave insisted.


    "He needs to understand that he can''t just... fit in."


    Millie bit her lip, feeling torn.


    Was that truly the case?


    She didn¡¯t want to stop hanging out with them, but the idea of being like Bryan scared her.


    Standing next to Dave, Zeke crossed his arms and nodded.


    "Yeah, we need to show him his place, Millie."


    Brittney bit her lip, her eyes darting between Millie and Dave.


    "Maybe Dave¡¯s right. Maybe we shouldn''t give Bryan a chance."


    Millie felt betrayed, Brittney was similar to her and now she was agreeing with Dave.


    She knew that Brittney didn''t want to mess with Bryan anymore, she said it wasn''t fun. So, why agree?


    After a slight pause, Brittney continued as she mustered up the courage to finish speaking.


    "But, we don''t have to bother him either. We don''t have to hurt him anymore. Let''s just leave him alone."


    John who was normally silent took the chance to speak.


    His voice caught them by surprise.


    "Maybe Brittney¡¯s right. We don¡¯t have to be friends with Bryan, but we don¡¯t have to hurt him either. We can still be a group without that."


    Dave sighed, running a hand through his hair in frustration.


    "Okay, fine. But remember, Millie already invited Bryan to join us this weekend. So what do we do now? Do we just leave him be like you want?"


    "We can include him without being mean. Maybe he''ll see that we¡¯re not so bad and things will get better."


    Millie said.


    Brittney nodded.


    "I agree. We should give him a chance. It doesn¡¯t mean we have to be best friends, but we can try to be nicer."


    Zeke crossed his arms tighter, his face conflicted.


    He didn¡¯t like the idea, but he wanted to support Millie.


    "I guess we can give it a shot."

 Chapter 4 – Prologue IV

    Cintra, 6th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Bryan stood by the orphanage gate, feeling a bit nervous. He still couldn¡¯t quite believe Millie had invited him. As the group approached, he straightened up, trying to hide his anxiety.


    Millie smiling at Bryan waved.


    "Hey, Bryan! Ready to go?"


    Zeke gave a small nod, his arms still crossed.


    "Yeah, let¡¯s go."


    The morning sun cast a warm glow over the town as Bryan stepped out with Millie and the others.


    His heart was racing with anticipation as this was the first time he''d leave the orphanage. He''s always been there, the only time he went outside was out back where the other kids played.


    But today, things were different.


    The town, with its cobblestone streets and brown brick buildings, was bustling with activity.


    Everywhere he looked there were wooden stalls with vendors calling out their wares.


    They were doing a good job too because Bryan couldn''t take his eyes off some of the items he saw. From fresh fruit to baked goods, there were stalls for everything imaginable.


    "Where are we going?"


    He asked as he looked around.


    "We''re going to the bakery, it''s not that far. Besides, we can''t be gone for too long."


    Zeke replied as he took the lead.


    Dave slung an arm around Bryan, a gesture that felt oddly comforting.


    "You''ve never been?"


    Bryan shook his head. Dave should know he hasn''t been outside the orphanage, everyone knew. It was not some secret.


    Dave nodded his head.


    "Well, there''s a first for everything. Marlow''s bread is the best! Trust me!"


    Dave said before he let Bryan go.


    He gave him a friendly smile, one that eased the tension Bryan was feeling unknowingly.


    Bryan didn''t reply but it felt nice being part of a group.


    As they made their way through the streets, weaving past stalls and vendors Bryan''s gaze was drawn to the people sitting along the road. Woolen blankets underneath them, various jewelry glinting in the sunlight. Each one was a marvel, he wondered how much those pieces cost. He had never seen anyone in the orphanage wearing one.


    The woman on the blanket gave Bryan a soft smile.


    Her old face was full of wrinkles but her blue eyes were comforting. He smiled back and saw her mouth something but he couldn''t make out what she was saying. With everyone shouting to bring people to their stalls he could barely hear Dave and the others.


    Walking beside Bryan, Millie noticed the way his eyes lit up as he took in the sights and sounds of the bustling town.


    She felt a pang of guilt again, remembering their previous plans to hurt him. But now, seeing him so excited, she was determined to make this day a good one for him.


    "It¡¯s pretty amazing, right?"


    She said, smiling at Bryan.


    Nodding enthusiastically, he felt his nervousness slowly being replaced by excitement.


    It felt nice being out and seeing the larger world.


    Ms. Kelly always said she¡¯d take him out on a trip around the city, but that never happened. She was too busy helping others, so they never got around to it.


    "Yeah, it¡¯s incredible. I never knew there was so much out here."


    "Sometimes you get to see Magitech, and it''s so cool!"


    Millie said excitedly.


    "Really?"


    Bryan asked.


    He couldn¡¯t believe it.


    Magitech, here? He saw pictures of them in some books, but to see one in person? That was another story.


    If he could, he felt he might even encounter a mage.


    Millie nodded with a smile on her face.


    "Yeah! Last week we saw this mage tossing fireballs like this."


    Millie started moving her hands around as if she were juggling something.


    "He was selling a huge staff. There were so many people wanting to buy."


    Brittney added as she walked close to Millie. She glanced at Bryan feeling a bit better now that they decided to leave him be.


    "Wait, are you into Magitech?"


    Brittney asked Bryan as she was unsure.


    "I am! But, mages are better."


    Bryan said proudly.


    He wasn¡¯t keeping it a secret, and often times he dreamed of being of a mage or wielding some sort of Magitech.


    Being able to use spells was the coolest thing in the world.


    Zeke who was leading the way next to Dave started laughing with his hands behind his head. Turning around he looked at Bryan.


    "You''re so dumb. Mages use Magitech!"


    Bryan felt his cheeks burn as he looked down at the floor.


    ¡®Not all of them¡­¡¯


    He thought to himself.


    Millie and Brittney both glared at Zeke, but the young boy didn''t stop laughing.


    Millie bumped Bryan with her shoulder.


    "Not all mages use Magitech."


    "Yeah, the really good ones don''t. Why need it when you can go pow, pow, pow. Or boom, bam, zap!"


    Zeke started pretending like he was casting spells at them as he walked backward.


    "You plan on being a mage?"


    John asked, his voice a bit soft.


    There was a glint in his eyes that was unmistakable.


    "Me?"


    Bryan asked as he looked up.


    John nodded.


    "I¡­ don''t know."


    Bryan said.


    Truth was, he did know, but he didn''t want to tell them. It was best for him not to say he wanted to become one in case Zeke made fun of him again.


    "Oh, ok."


    John said before going back silent.


    "Why not be one? You''ll be super famous!"


    Zeke said with a grin.


    "Also, the spells!"


    He started casting fake spells once more.


    "You guys want to be one?"


    Bryan asked.


    "Yeah, but there''s only a chance we will."


    Brittney replied.


    Bryan understood what she meant.


    The number of people capable of becoming a mage was pretty low. But, he still hoped he would become one.


    Because then, he¡¯d be able to fit in.


    He¡¯d have many friends and he wouldn¡¯t be alone anymore.


    As the conversation died down a bit, he took a moment to observe his surroundings. To take it all in.


    Many of the people on the road were wearing clean clothes, there were just as many who were clearly less fortunate.


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    They had dirt on their face, thin arms to where you could make out their bones, and tattered clothing. All of them were begging for food, any kind of food, they''d even take scraps if they could. A couple were asking for tales, even a bronze tale would do.


    From the little knowledge he knew, Bryan knew that tales were the currency that was used.


    It took a few bronze tales to buy a loaf of bread, and the most expensive tale was platinum if he recalled correctly.


    Ms. Bertha taught them a bit of history, and long ago obsidian tales were used instead of platinum. However, obsidian was a limited resource and was used for crafting armor and weapons, thus the Scott family introduced a new currency. Replacing obsidian with platinum.


    Bryan remembered that clearly because he was interested in that part of history.


    The Scott family was the wealthiest family on the continent and created many inventions that made life easier for everyone.


    He wondered what it was like to be born into a family like that.


    They were essentially royalty.


    The founder was a man named Richard who revolutionized the marketplace and created a trade empire.


    While his feats were amazing, Bryan was more interested in his daughter Anitta who invented various medical techniques. She was also one of the first known mages in the world.


    Bryan felt something touch his head.


    Touching his white hair he didn''t feel anything, then he felt it once more. Again and again. Holding his hand out small water droplets continued to fall into his outstretched hand.


    ¡®Rain?¡¯


    It was raining, but it was still sunny out.


    The others seemed to notice this as well, but it didn''t seem to bother them as much.


    "Let''s hurry before it gets dark."


    Britteny said as she overtook Zeke.


    "Hey!"


    Zeke said as he darted after her.


    Bryan hurried behind them trying his best to keep up.


    Millie was beside him, her height was similar to his and neither one of them were fast like the others.


    Nearing the bakery, Bryan saw a sign above the door that read Marlow''s.


    Dave, Millie, and the others entered giving him a moment to himself.


    This was it, and the smell coming from the shop was to die for. He couldn''t wait to taste one, as the bread they ate was usually stale at the orphanage.


    The sky that was clear of clouds was now full of them, and the pitter-patter of raindrops continued.


    At this rate it would begin to pour, meaning their adventure outside would be cut short. Thinking about that made him sad. He did not want the day to end, he wanted to see what else the town had to offer.


    Bryan didn''t waste any more time, he entered the bakery following after the others.


    A large man with a friendly smile was carrying a large silver tray full of bread. He could see steam rising from it.


    "Hey, you kids up for some fresh bread? This just came out of the oven, not even one minute ago."


    He said as he sat the silver tray down on the stone counter.


    Bryan''s eyes lit up, and he instinctively moved forward, but Dave''s hand on his shoulder held him back.


    With a subtle shake of his head, Dave gestured towards Millie, Zeke, and Brittney.


    "Keep him busy."


    He whispered, nodding towards the baker.


    "Bryan and I will handle the bread."


    ¡®We will?¡¯


    This sudden plan caught Bryan off guard.


    He noticed a flicker of something - hesitation, perhaps guilt - cross Millie''s face, but it disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.


    "Come on, Bryan."


    Dave urged, slipping behind a shelf, out of the baker''s line of sight.


    Bryan lingered, a knot of uncertainty forming in his stomach.


    Dave glanced back, a challenging edge to his voice.


    "What''s the matter? You''re not scared, are you? Don''t you want to be one of us?"


    ¡®I do.¡¯


    He didn''t want to be the outsider anymore. He would be one of them.


    "All you need to do is grab as much bread as you can and make a run for it. Head down the alley; we''ll catch up with you."


    Bryan hesitated.


    "I don''t know... This feels wrong."


    Was this what they were supposed to do?


    Didn¡¯t they have to pay for this?


    It just didn¡¯t sit well with him, but as Dave gave him a look, Bryan knew he had to act or else he¡¯d be back to playing the demon.


    "It''s not wrong, Bryan. Just a bit of fun. Nothing will happen. The others will distract the baker. We grab the bread and get out. Easy."


    Despite his misgivings, Bryan found himself following Dave¡¯s lead.


    They moved stealthily, reaching for the bread on the shelves taking as much as they could.


    Dave had a brown sack with him that he gave to Bryan to use. Bryan wasn''t sure why he had it, but then it dawned on him that this was Dave''s plan the entire time.


    As they were stuffing the bread into their sack, the bell above the bakery door jingled. An older woman stepped in, her eyes scanning the shop. Spotting Bryan and Dave, her expression shifted from mild interest to shock.


    "Thief!"


    She cried out, her voice echoing throughout the bakery.


    ¡®Thief? Who? Me?¡¯


    Bryan''s heart lurched. The word hung in the air, a damning accusation. He saw the baker¡¯s face turn towards them, morphing from warm welcome to shock and anger.


    This was wrong, he knew it, he could feel it.


    Stealing was bad, and they shouldn¡¯t be doing this. He shouldn¡¯t be doing this.


    Panic surged through him, and he bolted, the door slamming behind him. The laughter of the group was gone, replaced by the pounding of his own heart and the splashing of his feet against the rain-soaked streets.


    Turning the first corner he saw Bryan ran with all his might, fearing what would happen if he was caught. He didn''t glance back over his shoulder to see if the others were there. There was no time, he had to escape.


    He had a bad feeling about what would happen if Ms. Kelly found out what he just did.


    He collided with a figure. Tall, and well-built wearing a blue coat with golden embroidery.


    Too fancy for a lowborn like him, and his heart sank even further. His brown eyes bore into Bryan as if he was trying to burn him where he fell.


    ¡°What is this filth?¡±


    The noble spat, his eyes raking over Bryan¡¯s tattered clothes and the stolen bread now tumbling from his hand.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, sir.¡±


    Bryan stammered, the words tasting like ash in his mouth.


    ¡°Sorry? Your kind knows nothing of sorry.¡±


    The noble sneered.


    ¡°Guards! Teach this street rat a lesson he won¡¯t forget.¡±


    At his command, three men advanced, each clad in leather vests and brandishing weapons that looked menacingly.


    Bryan cursed his luck and couldn''t help but think of Ms. Kelly. He wished she were here to save him like she always did.


    **********


    Ms. Kelly spotted Dave and his little group rushing back to the orphanage with smiles and laughter. She wanted to ask them if they saw Bryan, but of course they did. Right?


    One of the other kids said that Bryan left with them, but she only found out about it after they left. She''s been searching for him since.


    Knowing that nothing Dave and the others were up to was good news. She''d reprimand them later on if Bryan was hurt.


    ¡®I¡¯ll give them a piece of my mind later, guess that punishment wasn¡¯t enough for them to learn.¡¯


    ¡®Why can¡¯t you just stay away from them Bryan? Are they that important to you?¡¯


    Her thoughts churned with worry, particularly about Bryan''s naive approach to friendships. His social cues often misfired, leaving him vulnerable.


    In her haste, the idea of simply asking the returning group about Bryan''s whereabouts slipped her mind entirely.


    As she rounded a corner, a disturbing scene unfolded before her. A group of men stood in a circle, their movements harsh and rhythmic, as if stomping on something¡ªor someone.


    At first, Ms. Kelly thought they were assaulting a local beggar, a common sight.


    She was about to continue on when a flash of white caught her eye.


    It was hair. White hair.


    Her heart leaped into her throat.


    ¡®It couldn''t be¡­ there¡¯s just no way.¡¯


    But as she inched closer, the dreadful truth dawned on her. There, amidst the circle of brutality, was a small, crumpled figure with unmistakably white hair.


    Bryan.


    ¡®No. Bryan!¡¯


    Ms. Kelly charged forward, her focus solely on the crumpled form of Bryan.


    He was on the ground, defenselessly curled into a ball, enduring relentless kicks.


    As she shoved a guard aside, she shouted in a desperate plea.


    "Stop it! Move!"


    But her efforts to reach Bryan were futile against the overpowering guards.


    The nobleman, observing her struggle, sneered contemptuously.


    Thinking that someone was trying to be a hero, to interrupt his fun.


    He swiftly raised his cane, striking her with such unexpected speed that she barely registered the blow.


    Her head whipped to the right, her balance faltering.


    Her face which was unblemished now had a gash across it. She raised her hand to the side of her face as her eyes went wide.


    Someone struck her, she couldn''t believe it.


    "You foolish woman, do you realize what you''ve done?"


    The nobleman hissed, his gaze cutting through her like knives. His brown eyes showed no hint of remorse or regret.


    "You dare defy House Victor?"


    He bellowed, pointing at a guard who was brutally stomping on Bryan.


    "Kill her."


    ¡®Kill me?¡¯


    This wasn¡¯t what she pictured happening, she would just save Bryan as she had always done. But, he wouldn¡¯t really kill her would he?


    Trying to stop him from beating a child to death warranted such an act?


    Without hesitation, the guard unsheathed his sword, advancing towards Ms. Kelly.


    She had seen swords before, but never had one been directed at her with such lethal intent.


    Before she could utter a word, or put her hands up they already acted.


    With a quick slash, her brown shirt was cut down the middle revealing more than just skin.


    "No!"


    Bryan screamed tore as he witnessed Ms. Kelly collapse, her shirt stained crimson.


    ¡®B-bryan¡­¡¯


    She reached towards him, her hand trembling, as her strength was fading. Blood bubbled from her lips as her hand fell limply to the ground.


    The nobleman coldly stepped on her arm, his smug grin unwavering.


    To him, this was the natural order ¨C the powerless at the mercy of the powerful.


    He was confident that his status would ensure the incident was dismissed, perhaps at the cost of a trivial fine.


    "Kill the boy."


    He ordered emotionlessly.


    This wasn''t how his day was supposed to go. He was going out to be with the other children, that¡¯s all.


    Was it too much to ask for?


    Why him? Why? What did he do that caused people to hate him?


    Was being born a little different so wrong?


    Bryan clenched his teeth and bawled his fist. His nails dug into his skin.


    The rain slid down his face mixing in with the blood leaking from his nose.


    His body hurt, he was in pain, and he was alone.


    No one was around, no one was here to help him. Ms. Kelly tried, he should have listened to her. He should have listened.


    This was his fault, he caused this. If only he had stayed back at the orphanage and ignored Millie''s offer.


    If only¡­


    He hated them, this wasn''t his fault.


    Why was he at fault? What did he do wrong? Everyone picked on him.


    "Don''t cry, it''ll be over soon."


    The nobleman mocked, signaling his guards to close in on Bryan.


    Something swelled inside of Bryan as he pictured Dave and the other''s faces before they ran off. Laughing at him.


    This man, this noble in front of him was laughing too.


    Unbeknownst to them all, beneath Bryan, something started to happen. Blood began to pool and rise, forming shapes that went unnoticed by Bryan, the guards, and the nobleman alike.

 Chapter 5 – Prologue V

    Cintra, 6th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Why?


    Why did that man do that?


    Bryan was upset, angry even.


    Was it so wrong that he just wanted to be happy? To live a life like everyone else around him? Was it honestly, that bad for him to live at all?


    He hated it. He hated them, all of them. They should go away, not him!


    ¡®Ms. Kelly¡­ No. No! Ms. Kelly!¡¯


    Anger seethed within him, an inferno of rage and pain that felt as though it would consume him from the inside out. His blood felt like it was boiling, coursing through his veins with an intensity he never experienced before.


    ¡®Die, die, die.¡¯


    The blood pooling beneath him began to shift, rising from the ground and forming into the shape of a crescent moon.


    ¡®Die!¡¯


    Six crescent moon-shaped blades of blood shot out toward the four men surrounding him.


    The guards'' faces twisted from smug satisfaction to shock and terror.


    The first guard barely had time to register the threat before a crescent blade sliced through his chest, leaving a deep, gaping wound.


    He stumbled back, clutching at the gash, blood pouring through his fingers as he fell to the ground.


    ¡®Die.¡¯


    The second guard tried to raise his weapon in defense, but the blade was too fast.


    It struck him across the face, the sharp edge cutting through flesh and bone.


    He let out a gurgling scream, collapsing to his knees as blood streamed down his face, his eyes wide with agony. Another of the crimson blades pierced him through his forehead.


    ¡®Die.¡¯


    The crescent moon-shaped blade targeted the third guard''s legs, severing tendons and muscles in a swift, brutal arc.


    He crumpled to the ground, unable to stand, his cries of pain echoing in the rain-soaked alleyway. A second blade ran across his back like a saw blade.


    ¡®Die!¡¯


    The final blade struck the nobleman¡¯s throat with unerring precision, cutting deep into the flesh.


    His eyes widened in shock and horror as he clutched at the wound, trying in vain to stop the blood that poured from his neck.


    ¡®How is this possible? How can a child this young use magic? Why could I not sense the attack coming?¡¯


    He fell to his knees, the life draining from his eyes, as he continued to clutch his throat.


    ¡®How? A mere child¡­¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t comprehend how any of this was possible.


    All of this in less than two seconds.


    Bryan''s veins bulged out, turning an angry red, and he screamed in pain.


    His body was wracked with agony, and he didn''t understand why.


    The veins stood out prominently against his pale skin, pulsating with each beat of his heart. He clutched his chest, tears streaming down his face as he cried out for the pain to stop.


    "Why? Why did I do that?"


    Bryan sobbed.


    "I was upset, angry. Was it so wrong that I just wanted to be happy? To live a life like everyone else around me? Was it honestly that bad for me to live at all?"


    He hated it. He hated them, all of them. They should go away, not him!


    The pain continued to intensify, as his body convulsed with each wave of agony. He felt like he was being torn apart from the inside, and he screamed again.


    Desperate for help.


    ¡®It hurts¡­¡¯


    ¡®It hurts so bad.¡¯


    He didn''t want to die. He didn''t want this.


    He just wanted to be normal, to be accepted. But now, he was alone, and the pain was unbearable.


    Crying and screaming, his voice echoing through the empty streets as he clutched his chest, the veins standing out like angry, red snakes beneath his skin.


    In the distance, faintly through his haze of pain, he heard footsteps approaching.


    A woman with long black hair, clear milky skin, and light blue eyes emerged from the shadows.


    She wore a dark cloak that billowed slightly in the wind.


    Underneath, she had on a fitted black tunic with intricate silver embroidery that glinted in the dim light.


    Her eyes scanned the area, taking in the carnage without showing a hint of emotion.


    Her black leather boots, polished and sturdy, made no sound on the cobblestone street, and a belt cinched at her waist held various pouches and a sheathed longsword.


    As she moved closer, Bryan could see the intensity in her gaze.


    She muttered words that he couldn''t quite make out, and suddenly, flames erupted around him. The fire licked at the bodies of the men he had attacked, consuming them in an inferno.


    The smell of burning flesh filled the air.


    ¡®Help me.¡¯


    Reaching out his small hand he tried to grab hold of the woman as everything started to blur in his vision.


    "Help."


    He whispered.


    "Please..."


    The woman knelt beside him, her expression unreadable as she looked at Ms. Kelly''s lifeless body.


    She shook her head, sorrow flashing briefly in her eyes.


    Gently, she closed Ms. Kelly''s eyes and murmured a few words, a quiet prayer or a farewell, before turning her attention to Bryan.


    Placing two fingers on his forehead, she began to chant softly. Bryan could barely hear her over the pounding of his own heartbeat, which seemed like it was going to explode from his chest.


    His vision started to fade, darkness creeping in from the edges.


    A shock ran through his body, and the pain, began to recede.


    The last thing he saw was the woman''s calm face before everything went black.


    The woman sighed, lifting Bryan''s unconscious form with ease.


    She carried him under her arm, his small body limp and unresponsive. As she turned to leave the street, she glanced back at Ms. Kelly one last time.


    "Ignite."


    She commanded.


    ¡°And thank you.¡±


    The woman muttered.


    Flames erupted once more, engulfing Ms. Kelly''s body in a fiery embrace. The woman watched for a moment, before turning and disappearing into the night with Bryan.


    **********


    From the rooftop of a nearby building, the woman¡¯s figure appeared once again, silhouetted against the night sky.


    Her long black hair fluttered gently in the breeze, and her cloak fluttered.


    Glancing over her shoulder, her light blue eyes reflected the flames still burning in the distance. The fire roared, and she could see curious townsfolk opening their windows, peering out to see what was happening.


    ¡®Tsk. Where were you all before?¡¯


    She asked herself as none of them dared to open their windows before people died.


    ¡®Cowards.¡¯


    Herself included.


    The blaze would soon draw more attention, and she had to move quickly. With a final glance at the burning scene, she vanished from the rooftop, her form dissolving into the shadows as if she were never there.


    The rooftops provided her a hidden path, away from prying eyes.


    All of this is too soon, she thought, a pang of guilt stabbing at her heart. She should have done something sooner.


    Leaving the city behind, the walls and streets giving way to the open landscape beyond. Her pace did not falter.


    She had to hurry.


    She should have moved before, but she didn¡¯t.


    Now a good woman was dead because of her.


    Ms. Kelly had always been kind and compassionate, and her death was a loss that would stay with her.


    The child in her arms, Bryan, was still unconscious, his small body limp.


    He might die if he doesn''t get help. The power he had unleashed was extraordinary, and without guidance, it could consume him.


    She traveled through the night.


    As dawn approached, she finally slowed her pace, the towering spires of a grand city rising before her.


    The spires pulsated with green light, feeding into a magical shield that protected the city. Black walls with formidable turrets lined the perimeter, capable of repelling even the deadliest beasts.


    Her footsteps were almost silent on the cobblestone streets as she approached the gate. Guards stood at attention, their armor gleaming in the first light of dawn. They were vigilant, their eyes scanning the small but steady stream of people entering the city.


    Merchants, travelers, and early risers made their way through, the hum of activity already beginning to stir.


    As she passed through the gate, the sound of a train echoed in the distance. Its black metallic body gleamed under the faint light, red lights glowing ominously along its length. The train sped by with a low, rumbling roar, a testament to the city¡¯s technological advancement and efficiency.


    Navigating through the bustling streets, her presence went largely unnoticed.


    The early morning crowds were focused on their own routines, allowing her to move swiftly towards her destination.


    Her estate soon came into view, an imposing mansion surrounded by high walls and lush gardens. The entrance was framed by ornate obsidian steel gates, which opened silently as she approached.


    Entering the estate, she was immediately greeted by her butler, Edward.


    His tall, stately figure and calm demeanor were a welcome sight.


    Edward was an older man, in his sixties, with neatly combed gray hair that framed his dignified face.


    His blue eyes, sharp and attentive, quickly took in the situation as he noticed Bryan. His white skin contrasted with the dark, tailored suit he wore, which was impeccably clean and pressed.


    "Welcome back, Lady Emilia."


    He said respectfully.


    Emilia gently tossed Bryan to him.


    "Heal him."


    She commanded.


    "He has ether poisoning."


    Edward''s eyes widened slightly as he noticed the red and purplish veins on Bryan''s body, but he nodded without hesitation. Before he could leave, Emilia spoke again.


    "Do you know what this means?"


    Edward paused, looking at her with understanding.


    "No one will find out he is here."


    He answered.


    Emilia shook her head.


    "No one will find out that he awakened."


    Edward raised an eyebrow, glancing down at Bryan''s unconscious form.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    ¡®Awakened? Him?¡¯


    "Understood, my lady."


    He said, bowing slightly before carrying Bryan to the infirmary.


    **********


    Cintra, 10th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Bryan woke up slowly, his mind groggy and his body aching. As he tried to move, pain coursed through his limbs, sharp and unrelenting.


    "Don''t strain yourself."


    A voice said.


    "You have not fully recovered."


    Turning his head to he saw the woman who had rescued him. Her long black hair framed her serene face, and her light blue eyes watched him intently.


    "Who are you?"


    Bryan asked, his voice weak.


    "Emilia."


    She replied.


    "Thank you."


    Bryan said, his gratitude genuine despite his exhaustion.


    "Don''t thank me yet."


    Emilia told him.


    ¡®What¡¯s that mean?¡¯


    He thought but quickly glanced around the room. It was just him and her, no one else.


    "What about Ms. Kelly?"


    He asked.


    "The woman? She''s dead."


    She said plainly, thinking the kid probably didn''t fully grasp what that meant but preferring to keep things simple.


    Bryan''s mouth opened to speak, but Emilia raised a hand to stop him.


    "Just listen."


    She instructed.


    Bryan bit his lip and gave a slow nod.


    "The reason for your pain is due to Ether poisoning."


    Emilia began.


    "Your next question would be asking what that is, so I''ll explain. Ether poisoning happens when mages strain their core of its ether and try to use something they don''t have."


    Emilia picked up a glass of water from the bedside table.


    "This is you."


    She said, holding the glass up to the light.


    It didn¡¯t look like him in the least bit. But he felt like anything he said now wouldn¡¯t matter.


    Emilia did not look like the kind of person who¡¯d care what he had to say. Her eyes were cold.


    "Your body contains this water, and when you used magic..."


    She turned the cup, allowing the water to spill out onto the floor.


    "It emptied. But you kept trying to use magic without any water. Which is impossible, and instead of stopping, you continued, which not only strained your core but also caused you to try to refill the glass with water."


    Bryan watched the water trickle onto the floor, his eyes following the droplets.


    "The water you used was dangerous and it started poisoning you from the inside."


    "But how?"


    Bryan asked, his voice trembling.


    "I''m not a mage."


    He had always dreamed of being one, but never truly believed it would be possible.


    Emilia smiled softly.


    "You are a mage. What you went through was an awakening, a phenomenon that gifts a person with the ability to use spells."


    Bryan looked at her in disbelief.


    ¡®I can¡¯t be a mage¡­ can I?¡¯


    "I''m the youngest person in history to awaken?"


    Emilia nodded.


    "Yes, the youngest. The youngest person on record to awaken their magical talents was Cintria, and she was ten years old."


    Bryan laughed, but then doubled over, coughing as the pain surged through his body.


    "I''m a mage."


    He said, tears streaming down his face.


    "You are, but you also aren''t."


    She told him as she didn¡¯t want him to go running off in some fantasy he imagined.


    "You can''t be a mage, nor can your awakening be recorded."


    "Why?"


    Bryan asked.


    ¡®Is she¡­¡¯


    Emilia sighed.


    "Do you recall what happened?"


    Bryan''s hand tightened into a fist as the memories flooded back¡ªpain, anger, and the faces of the men he had killed.


    "That is the reason you can''t become a mage."


    Emilia said, standing.


    "You killed a noble, and if people were to find out, you''d be killed along with everyone in the orphanage. Not only that, but your body is not normal. If it were, you''d never have managed what you did."


    Bryan looked up at her, bewildered.


    That man was a noble? He didn¡¯t act like one.


    From the books he read, nobles were people who looked out for people like him.


    They helped others, not beat them.


    While what she said was important, his mind was focused more on two words. Not normal.


    ¡®My body isn¡¯t normal?¡¯


    "What do you mean?"


    "When mages cast spells, other mages can tell. While they can''t discern the specific spell, they know you''re casting one, especially the closer they are to the source. The noble you killed should have been able to sense it and react, but he didn''t. Even I, with my skills, barely detected your magic."


    Bryan''s eyes widened in shock.


    "So, I''m different?"


    "Yes."


    Emilia admitted.


    "If you were a normal mage, the noble would have reacted and you would be dead. But you''re not, and I don''t know why. When I sensed your magic, it felt... off."


    Bryan lay back, absorbing Emilia¡¯s words.


    ¡®I¡¯m still a freak, even when it comes to magic.¡¯


    ¡°What happens now?¡±


    He asked weakly.


    ¡°Nothing for now. You just need to recover.¡±


    Emilia replied.


    Bryan shook his head slightly.


    ¡°What happens to me? Am I going back to the orphanage?¡±


    No. You¡¯re not going back.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    Bryan asked, searching her face for any sign of deception.


    ¡°It¡¯s true.¡±


    ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡±


    He asked.


    No one was nice to him, except Ms. Kelly. But, she wasn¡¯t Ms. Kelly.


    Emilia paused for a moment before answering.


    ¡°I have my reasons. But if you want, you can live here with me. If not, I can help you find a new family and get adopted.¡±


    Bryan looked at her, trying to understand.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±


    Emilia asked, thinking to herself that she shouldn¡¯t be putting this decision on a five-year-old. He wouldn''t know what he wants, but she couldn''t force him to stay with her.


    Bryan hesitated.


    ¡°Are you my mom?¡±


    He asked, his question catching Emilia off guard.


    She was stunned for a moment, then laughed softly.


    It was the first time she smiled, and he thought she looked nice. It was friendly, better than the look she was giving him so far.


    ¡°No, Bryan. I¡¯m not your mom, and I can never be your mom.¡±


    She lifted her shirt slightly, revealing a long scar that ran up her abdomen.


    ¡°I¡¯m unable to have children.¡±


    He had no idea why she was showing him that, but it looked cool. To have a scar that long and wide.


    But, she wasn¡¯t his mom.


    It would have been nice if she were, then he could ask her why she left him there.


    Going back was out of the question, he couldn¡¯t. Not after what happened.


    Ms. Kelly wouldn¡¯t be there, and all the others hated him. If he returned¡­ once they learned what he did¡­ they¡¯d toss him out.


    He had to stay here.


    Away from them. That was for the better.


    ¡°What do I have to do to live here?¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°Whatever you want. But if you want to live a normal life, you have to heal first. Then you can decide what you want.¡±


    ¡°I just want a life like everyone else. I just want a family.¡±


    Bryan said quietly almost embarrassed to even say it out loud.


    ¡°Alright. Is that all?¡±


    She wasn¡¯t laughing at him. Emilia didn¡¯t look at him funny. She was responding to him just like he wanted.


    Maybe he could tell her.


    ¡°I want to be a mage. I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll work, but I want to try.¡±


    ¡°Why do you want to become a mage?¡±


    Bryan thought for a moment before speaking.


    ¡°I want to be able to protect the people I care about. I don¡¯t want to feel helpless anymore.¡±


    That was partly true, but he didn¡¯t dare say what he truly wanted. Which was that if he became a mage, he¡¯d be able to make friends and be accepted.


    Emilia shook her head gently.


    "You can do those things without being a mage. Do you even know what a mage truly is?"


    His eyes lit up. Of course, he knew, he read so much about them.


    "Mages are people who can use magic. They explore and fight demons. They protect everyone."


    It was cute, his understanding of what being a mage was. A child¡¯s fantasy that was told to them in story books or their own imagination.


    Being a mage wasn¡¯t so simple. She wished it were, but it wasn¡¯t.


    He might not even be capable of being a mage, a true mage that is. There would be nothing but hardships ahead if he went down that path.


    Hopefully, he¡¯d understand that if she explained it a bit more to him.


    "That''s what everyone assumes, and you''re not to be blamed for thinking like that. But mages are weapons. The mages you''re thinking of were from years ago."


    She paused, considering her next words.


    "Who''s your favorite mage?"


    "Anitta."


    Bryan replied without hesitation.


    He liked her, and read tons of stories about how she helped people. If she wasn¡¯t his favorite then he had no clue who was.


    Everyone should strive to be like her.


    "Anitta is a good choice. She lived over a hundred years ago and did a lot for the people. She introduced advanced medical techniques and potions. The Scott family has produced remarkable individuals, not just mages."


    Emilia glanced at a photo on the wall, a wistful look in her eyes.


    "Anitta was one of the first mages to exist. Back then, mages were still discovering how to use magic and had more freedom. Today, that is not the case. Mages are weapons used in wars, and all mages are bound to the kingdom they serve. Unless you are a rogue mage, but there are many disadvantages to being one."


    She turned her gaze back to Bryan.


    "Do you know what war is?"


    Bryan shook his head, his eyes filled with curiosity.


    "It''s when a large group of people fight for their kingdoms, their cities, to change the perspective of another, be it good or bad. When that happens, people die¡ªmages, soldiers, and the innocent who have nothing to do with the war."


    Bryan looked shaken by this revelation, his small frame trembling slightly.


    "Is that what you want?"


    Emilia asked.


    "To be a weapon for someone else to use?"


    Bryan shook his head vehemently.


    "No, I don''t want that."


    Emilia sighed, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.


    "Being a mage isn''t the romantic idea you have in your head. It''s dangerous and comes with heavy responsibilities. If you truly want to protect the people you care about, there are other ways to do it."


    Bryan looked up at her, his eyes filled with uncertainty.


    "Then what should I do?"


    Before Emilia could respond, Bryan''s stomach growled loudly. His face turned red with embarrassment, and he looked away.


    Emilia couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little.


    He was cute, and she could see a bit of her in him.


    "We''ll talk more later, but for now, you should get something to eat. I''ll have Edward bring you some food, and you should rest up."


    Bryan nodded, still looking a bit embarrassed.


    "What''s going to happen now that I''m not going back to the orphanage?"


    "You don''t have to worry."


    Emilia reassured him.


    "I''ll take care of you."


    "Is that true?"


    Bryan asked, his voice small and hopeful.


    "Yes."


    She stood up and walked to the door, giving Bryan one last reassuring look before closing it behind her.


    Outside, Emilia leaned against the door and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Edward appeared silently, his calm demeanor a steadying presence.


    "What do you plan on doing with the child?"


    He asked.


    "His name is Bryan."


    Emilia corrected.


    "He''ll live here with us."


    Edward raised an eyebrow.


    "Is that a good idea?"


    Emilia shook her head.


    "I have no choice. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."


    Edward nodded.


    He was glad she was going to keep whatever promise she made. It was the one thing he wanted her to take away from his guidance, and she seemed to have.


    It made him proud.


    "I understand. But remember, you still have the appointment with your family tomorrow."


    "I haven''t forgotten. You know they don''t treat me like family."


    She said, already dreading the day to come.


    "I know, but we don¡¯t want to get on his bad side¡­ My lady."


    Emilia felt like he added that last part just to tease him.


    She disliked being called my lady, it was weird and made her skin crawl.


    Edward normally just called her by her name and did so for the longest time. So, why was he acting differently today?


    She¡¯d let it slide for now, but hopefully, this wasn¡¯t something he would continue doing.


    Her gaze drifted towards the closed door.


    "Aren''t you going to ask?"


    She asked, motioning towards Bryan''s room.


    "About him and why he''s here?"


    Edward shook his head slightly.


    "Were you going to tell me?"


    Emilia remained silent for a moment, and Edward took her silence as confirmation.


    "That''s why I didn''t ask. A child as young as him awakening is big news."


    "It is."


    Emilia admitted.


    "But I never wanted him to be a mage."


    "No one chooses this path."


    Edward said, making a mental note that she knew this child longer than he assumed.


    "It just happens."


    "I know. But now that it''s happened, we have to deal with it."


    She sighed feeling a bit tired.


    "Edward, please bring Bryan some food and make sure he rests."


    Edward nodded.


    "Of course, my lady. Is there anything else?"


    "How long before he recovers?"


    "Bryan should be fine in three days."


    Emilia nodded and walked away.


    As she made her way down the corridor, she wondered why Bryan had awakened and why his ether felt so off.


    It didn''t feel corrupted, but it didn''t behave like normal ether either. There was something strange about his ether core, something that set him apart from other mages.


    **********


    Cintra, 14th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Three days had passed, and Bryan had made a full recovery.


    Emilia led him down a dimly lit hallway, the scent of old books and parchment filling the air. She opened a door to a small room, revealing shelves lined with books.


    There was one window that let in a stream of natural light, casting a soft glow over the room''s centerpiece: a human anatomical model showing all the veins in a person''s body.


    Where the heart should be, there was nothing, just an empty void.


    Bryan''s eyes widened as he took in the strange and fascinating room.


    "What is all of this?"


    "This is where you will learn about magic cores, magic attributes, and how Ether works. But before you can use any spells, you need to understand how the process works."


    "Sit."


    Emilia instructed, pointing to a chair at a small wooden table.


    She walked over to one of the shelves and selected a thick book, placing it in front of Bryan.


    "You probably don''t know how to read and write yet, so you''ll learn that first."


    A knock on the door interrupted them.


    "Enter."


    Emilia called out.


    Edward stepped into the room, a warm smile on his face.


    "Good morning, Lady Emilia. Bryan."


    Emilia looked at Bryan.


    "Edward will be in charge of your general studies. He''ll help you learn to read and write."


    Bryan nodded, glancing at the book in front of him.


    Before leaving the room, Emilia paused.


    "Bryan, what is your magical attribute? Is it wind?"


    She figured it was wind due to the sharp cuts inflicted upon those men. However, it could also be water which was known to hold a sharpness to it as well.


    Bryan scratched his head, clearly confused.


    "What do you mean?"


    "What kind of spell did you use on those men? Do you remember?"


    Bryan furrowed his brow, trying to recall the event. Suddenly he heard the screams of those men and stopped.


    He couldn¡¯t do it, he couldn¡¯t remember.


    He didn¡¯t want to remember.


    "I was so angry and upset. I don''t remember it that well. Everything happened so fast."


    "Think."


    Emilia urged.


    Bryan closed his eyes, pretending to think. The memory was unpleasnt to him, so he¡¯d just make something up.


    ¡®It was blood¡­ wasn¡¯t it?¡¯


    He asked himself.


    "Blood."


    He said slowly, unsure.


    "Blood?"


    Emilia repeated, shaking her head.


    "It was raining, and you were injured. It must be water."


    She dismissed his answer, thinking he must have been confused.


    It had to be wind or water, there was no such thing as blood magic.

 Chapter 6 – Prologue VI

    Cirrugur, 20th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Bryan sat at the wooden table staring at the open book in front of him. It wasn''t a thick book, it was fairly thin compared to the rest of them that were in the room.


    The cover was the letters ABC, and it contained all the alphabet that he would need to learn along with a few basic words.


    Memories of Ms. Kelly teaching him to read and write flooded back, bringing a smile to his face. But the memory quickly turned bittersweet, and his pencil paused.


    Edward, who had been watching quietly, noticed the change in Bryan''s demeanor.


    "Bryan, do you need any help?"


    Bryan shook his head and looked up.


    "No, I have it."


    He said with a small smile.


    His pencil began to move as he returned to tracing the letters on the paper.


    For a moment, it was fun, like a game he used to play. But the joy was short-lived, replaced by a heavy sadness.


    He missed Ms. Kelly.


    The smile on her face, the one she showed all the time was replaced by a bloodied image of her lying on the cold hard ground. And he could do nothing to prevent it from happening.


    That warmth she radiated would never touch him again. All because of him.


    ¡®It¡¯s all my fault.¡¯


    ¡®I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m so sorry.¡¯


    He could feel himself starting to cry but tried to hold it back.


    Edward noticed his hesitation again.


    "Why did you stop?"


    Bryan looked up, eyes glistening.


    "Can I do something else?"


    Edward nodded.


    The tear that slowly fell down Bryan¡¯s cheek was easy to see. The boy was feeling down, but he wasn¡¯t sure why.


    He had to move on, and keep his mind busy. Edward knew that and thought that studying would do just that.


    Guess it was time for him to try something else.


    "Do you think you''re ready to move on?"


    Bryan pondered this.


    ¡®I need to get stronger. I can¡¯t be weak no more.¡¯


    He couldn''t afford to stay the same.


    "I''m ready."


    Edward smiled and placed a piece of paper in front of Bryan.


    "Read this."


    He instructed.


    The paper was small, with ten words neatly written across it.


    Bryan took a deep breath and began to read aloud.


    His voice was steady, though there was a hint of uncertainty as he moved from one word to the next.


    Edward''s eyes widened in astonishment.


    ¡®Was this too easy? I thought he¡¯d stumble over a few, but he didn¡¯t.¡¯


    Edward thought to himself as he found it amusing that Bryan was able to read those words with ease.


    When Bryan finished, he looked up at Edward, who was still staring at him.


    "Did I get it wrong?"


    He asked with a bit of worry hidden in his voice.


    ¡®Wrong? No boy, you got it all right. That¡¯s the problem.¡¯


    Edward shook his head slowly.


    "No, that''s correct. Here, try this one instead."


    Edward placed another sheet of paper in front of Bryan. This one, while still simple, included ten more words.


    For someone of Bryan¡¯s age, it should prove to be difficult. Unless Bryan came from a well-established family then he shouldn¡¯t be able to read all the words.


    "It''s fine if you can''t read it."


    Edward reassured him.


    Bryan nodded and looked down at the new piece of paper.


    He took a deep breath and began to read the words.


    At first, it was hard and he had to sound the word out. But, it didn¡¯t take long before he nailed each word.


    Edward rubbed his grey-bearded chin thoughtfully as he listened, his eyes focused intently on Bryan.


    ¡®Who are you?¡¯


    When Bryan finished, Edward crossed his arms and gave a small nod of approval.


    "Did you learn to read before?"


    He asked.


    If not, then this was truly a special circumstance.


    Bryan shrugged slightly.


    "A little, but nothing like this."


    Edward''s eyebrows furrowed as he considered this.


    "Interesting."


    He said, nodding slowly.


    Picking up a pencil on the table, he flipped over a piece of paper. Writing a few complex words on it, he handed the paper to Bryan.


    ¡°Can you read this?¡±


    It would be a miracle if he could, but he simply wanted to test the boy.


    Children his age would normally be dying to leave the room, to go outside and play. Yet, Bryan was here without complaining.


    The perfect pupil for any tutor.


    Bryan stared at the paper. The words were more challenging, but he was determined.


    He stumbled over a few, hesitating and sounding out the letters carefully. After a moment, he managed to read them all, albeit with some difficulty.


    Edward watched him intently, arms still crossed. When Bryan finished, he nodded approvingly.


    "Not bad, you''re doing well. Better than I expected."


    Bryan felt a swell of pride at Edward''s praise. No one ever praised him before, but it felt good.


    "Thanks."


    He said, a shy smile breaking across his face.


    Edward leaned back, a thoughtful look on his face.


    "Let''s take a short break."


    He said.


    After that, Edward didn''t say much more. He hurried out of the room, leaving Bryan by himself as he rushed to see Emilia.


    The boy, Bryan, wasn''t normal.


    Edward couldn''t hide the grin plastered on his face as countless possibilities rushed through his mind. He had to make sure, but what he''d seen so far was already good enough.


    As he approached the stairwell, Edward took a deep breath. Descending the stairs, he felt a slight chill in the air.


    The stairwell led him to the basement, a large open area with dull gray floors and walls. The space was vast, with bright lighting hanging from the ceiling. The lights were arcs of electric energy, pulsing rhythmically and illuminating the room as brightly as daylight.


    In the center of the basement, Emilia was training.


    She wore a skin-tight suit that accentuated her agility and strength. She moved fluidly, her body a blur as she fought against six mechanical dummies.


    Edward watched as she flipped over one of the dummies, her palm landing on its shoulder leaving a red imprint before she gracefully landed on the ground. A second later, the dummy exploded.


    Emilia noticed Edward then, raising an eyebrow as she flipped her hair out of her face.


    She walked towards him.


    As she stepped away from the other mechanical dummies they stopped moving, as if all the energy that was powering them was sapped.


    "What brings you here?"


    Edward crossed his arms.


    "It''s Bryan. He''s progressing faster than I anticipated. His reading skills are advanced, more than I thought."


    Emilia nodded, her eyes narrowing slightly. Not understanding how this was a problem worth telling her about.


    "That''s good news. It means he has potential."


    Edward leaned against the wall, rubbing his grey-bearded chin.


    "More than potential, Emilia. He might be exceptional. I gave him more complex words, and he managed to read them with some difficulty. It''s only been a week since we''ve begun."


    Emilia''s eyebrows furrowed.


    ¡®So, he is your son after all, huh.¡¯


    She suddenly burst out laughing showing a row of perfect white teeth.


    "Given his background, I''d expect nothing less. If he''s finding it too easy, push him harder."


    **********


    Cirrugur, 10th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    "Done."


    Bryan said as he put his pencil down.


    He just finished writing down all the answers to some simple math problems.


    After learning how to read and write, Edward began teaching him mathematics. Which he said was fundamental to becoming a mage.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    Bryan didn''t think he had to put this much effort into becoming a mage, but he kept trying his hardest.


    With Edwards''s continued praise, it felt as if he was doing something right.


    He didn''t want to fail Edward or let him down.


    If that happened, then Bryan wasn''t sure what would happen to him. That''s why he practiced and practiced, even late into the night.


    Edward glanced over at the sheet of paper Bryan wrote on and nodded.


    "Yes... that''s right."


    Edward paused for a second before he shook his head.


    This clearly wasn¡¯t working. Not the way he envisioned.


    "You up for trying something different?"


    Bryan looked up.


    "Sure."


    Edward smiled.


    "Are you enjoying this?"


    He asked.


    "Yeah, it''s fun."


    Bryan replied.


    It was keeping him busy, especially the math. That was also why he liked to study at night.


    Sleeping was hard.


    That day kept replaying when he closed his eyes. He hated it.


    If he tried to go to sleep on his own, then he¡¯d wake himself up.


    It didn¡¯t take long before he realized if he studied hard enough, then he could exhaust himself to the point he wouldn¡¯t wake up.


    On those nights he didn¡¯t dream. He just slept.


    Edward''s eyebrows raised in surprise. This was a first; he had never heard anyone say that studying was fun.


    He opened his palm, and six blue orbs of light appeared, hovering just above his hand.


    Bryan''s eyes widened.


    "Whoa!"


    This was his first time seeing magic, and it was so cool. Once he got done learning this stuff, he could finally be a mage.


    Maybe then he could do what Edward just did.


    He could already picture it now. Going around town showing other kids his magic.


    ¡®Oh¡­ I can¡¯t. Emilia said I couldn¡¯t.¡¯


    Bryan thought to himself as he remembered what she said.


    "How many orbs do you see?"


    Edward asked.


    "Six."


    Bryan replied quickly as he refocused on the orbs.


    Edward nodded.


    The orbs floated into a vertical column.


    "This is one column with six orbs. One times six is six."


    Edward explained.


    "One times six is six."


    Bryan repeated, his eyes fixed on the glowing orbs.


    The orbs then rearranged themselves into a horizontal row.


    "This is six columns with one orb in each. Six times one is six.¡±


    Edward continued.


    Bryan nodded and repeated after him.


    Edward began to use the orbs for a brief lesson on multiplication, showing different configurations and explaining the concepts as he went along. Bryan watched intently, nodding and repeating the equations after Edward.


    "It''s a bit difficult to understand at first, but I just want to show you how it works."


    Edward told him.


    "I understand."


    Bryan said.


    It was fairly easy to remember, especially with a visual.


    He hoped that Edward would increase the difficulty because it was too simple right now.


    Edward couldn''t help but grin at the boy''s determination.


    He added six more orbs, forming two columns with six orbs in each.


    "What is this?"


    Bryan thought for a moment, then replied.


    "Two columns with six in each. Two times six is twelve."


    Edward''s eyes lit up.


    "Exactly! Two times six is twelve. Let''s keep going."


    He flicked his wrist, and the orbs rearranged themselves once more. This time, there were three columns with four orbs in each.


    "Now, how about this?"


    Bryan hesitated for just a moment before answering.


    "Three columns with four in each. Three times four is twelve."


    Edward nodded, pleased.


    "Good. Now, let''s try something different."


    He formed five columns with two orbs in each. "What do you see here?"


    Bryan''s brow furrowed slightly as he thought.


    "Five columns with two in each. Five times two is ten."


    "Correct You¡¯re doing wonderfully, Bryan. Let''s try a few more."


    He waved his hand, and now there were six columns with five orbs in each.


    ¡®Come, solve this one. Do it. Show me what you¡¯re capable of.¡¯


    Edward couldn¡¯t help himself. He had to know, how far could the boy go.


    Bryan''s eyes followed the movement of the orbs closely.


    "Six columns with five in each. Six times five is thirty."


    Edward smiled broadly.


    "Well done. And now, for the last one."


    He got rid of a few and created a grid of four columns with six orbs in each.


    "What about this?"


    "Four columns with six in each. Four times six is twenty-four."


    Bryan answered, feeling satisfied with himself.


    If he was wrong, Edward would have told him. But so far, the old man hasn¡¯t said he was wrong.


    It made him feel good.


    "You¡¯ve got a knack for this. I¡¯m impressed with your learning speed. Have you studied math before?"


    Bryan shook his head.


    "No, not really. I''ve counted numbers before, but that¡¯s all."


    Edward rubbed his chin thoughtfully.


    "You¡¯re a natural.¡±


    Bryan''s eyes widened.


    "Really?"


    "Yes, and if you keep up this pace, we¡¯ll have to adjust your schedule. Do you know why this is important?"


    Bryan shook his head again, curiosity in his eyes.


    Edward leaned forward.


    "If you want to be a mage, then math is highly important. It will be part of your foundation. The faster you are able to calculate after seeing something, the faster you''ll be able to react."


    "Imagine you¡¯re a mage in the midst of battle. Suddenly, you encounter seven enemies. You have to judge the distance between each of them, understand the range of your spells, and recognize what kind of weapons they have. You need to see if there''s anything in the environment that can give you an advantage. You must calculate how much Ether you''ll need to use for your spells. If you realize you can''t win, you have to quickly plan a route to escape, while tracking the enemies'' spells or weapons. It¡¯s a lot, but a mage has to be able to do all of that, if not more."


    Bryan''s eyes were wide with realization.


    "Wow, that''s a lot to think about."


    "It is, but with practice, it becomes second nature. That¡¯s why we start with the basics, like multiplication. It trains your mind to think quickly and accurately."


    Bryan nodded.


    "I understand. I¡¯ll keep practicing."


    He¡¯d keep going until he didn¡¯t even have to think about the orbs. As soon as he saw them, he wanted to know the answer.


    Wouldn¡¯t that be cool?


    Maybe he¡¯d even get some sort of reward if he did that.


    Thinking about it just made him happy.


    Edward clapped him on the shoulder.


    "Good. You¡¯ve earned a break for now."


    Edward let Bryan be as he left the room.


    He couldn''t help but gulp as he felt his fingers tingle.


    This was beyond mere talent, Bryan was special.


    If he continued on this pace, without any bumps...


    Edward shuddered at that thought.


    A monster.


    The boy would become a monster, far beyond what anyone has ever encountered. The thought sent a shiver down his spine.


    Sixty-eight, that''s how old he was.


    He needed to last a bit longer until he saw what Bryan would become. Then, and only then could he die in peace.


    ¡®Emilia, where exactly did you find him?¡¯


    Edward found himself asking that question with a grin on his face. Shaking his head he put that thought to the back of his mind as he wanted to hurry up and see Bryan learn how to use magic.


    But, he had to keep in mind that this was still early on and he shouldn''t be too greedy.


    Push Bryan too much and the boy could break. He had to be delicate and foster his talent.


    But, it was hard not to be greedy after seeing the boy at work.


    Edward arrived at a sturdy wooden door down a dimly lit hallway. He raised his hand to knock, but before he could, Emilia''s voice called out.


    "Enter."


    Edward opened the door to find Emilia sitting behind her desk, a translucent orb floating in front of her. The room was filled with the soft glow of the orb, casting shadows on the shelves filled with books.


    "Anything interesting happen?"


    Edward asked, closing the door behind him.


    Emilia sighed and looked up from the orb.


    "The Inquisition has started to move."


    Edward raised an eyebrow.


    "Why is that a problem?"


    She¡¯s never taken an interest in their activities before.


    Emilia leaned back in her chair, with a troubled look on her face.


    "Because it has to do with Bryan."


    Edward was surprised.


    ¡®The boy? What does he have to do with them?¡¯


    "Bryan? What do you mean?"


    ¡°I was going to adopt Bryan, but before I could, he killed a noble after awakening his magical aptitude."


    Edward opened his mouth to speak, but Emilia cut him off.


    "I burned the bodies, and there weren''t any witnesses. But that won''t stop the Inquisition from doing their job."


    Edward frowned, rubbing his chin.


    He was glad she told him, but she burned the bodies? It was a good idea, but couldn¡¯t she have just tossed them in the sewer or something?


    By the time they were found¡­


    No. Burning them was the right move after all.


    They¡¯d be unrecognizable. It¡¯d take longer to ID them.


    Still, this was the Inquisition after all. They¡¯d find a way.


    "We can''t handle the Inquisition."


    "I know."


    Emilia replied, frustration evident in her voice.


    "I wasn''t seen, and that''s the reason we can''t have people know Bryan managed to awaken. If the news spreads, then someone, probably within the area of the orphanage, will connect the dots. Maybe not intentionally, but they''ll open their mouth, and it won''t take long before the Inquisition does."


    Edward nodded slowly.


    ¡®Then you should have burned the entire block. No witnesses, no case.¡¯


    Edward thought to himself but knew he shouldn¡¯t voice his opinion.


    "So, what do we do?"


    Emilia leaned forward.


    "We should be fine for now, but we need to be careful. I''m invested in what happens going forward with Bryan. He''s too important."


    Ever since he''s been watching over Emilia, he never questioned her. Not after she came of age.


    But this, this was beyond any power Emilia could ever wield.


    She was remarkable by herself but against an army? That was another story, especially one that was trained to hunt down mages exclusively.


    It went without being said that the person Bryan killed was someone important. That, or his family was important.


    The Inquisition never moved unless ordered, and there were only a few people who could order them around.


    He always wondered what the story was with Bryan, but now he found out.


    Emilia sighed once more before looking at Edward.


    "So, what is it you wanted?"


    Edward cleared his throat, shifting his stance slightly.


    "I have two things to discuss. First, Bryan is progressing quicker than I previously assumed. When we first started on simple addition and subtraction, he was struggling, but after a few days, he could solve those problems with ease. Today, I added in some multiplication just to see if he could keep up, and he did."


    Emilia''s eyes lit up with interest.


    "I''ll have to test him myself."


    "It''s not just that, I made the problems more complex as we went on, and Bryan had no problem answering them. In fact, it was like he was answering them faster than before. The kid''s a monster."


    Emilia smiled at that.


    "I really want to see this for myself. If he''s as good as you''re saying, then him becoming a mage won''t be much of an issue."


    Edward nodded.


    "Exactly. But putting Bryan aside, there was another thing I wanted to mention."


    Emilia leaned back in her chair, her expression shifting to one of mild curiosity.


    "What is it?"


    "Have you forgotten that your husband is coming home in two weeks?"


    Edward asked, raising an eyebrow.


    Emilia sighed deeply and leaned back further, rubbing her temples.


    "I honestly forgot. But you know we aren''t actually ''married''."


    Edward nodded.


    "Yes, just married in name only. But don''t you see the problem with this?"


    "Bryan."


    Emilia replied, her eyes narrowing in thought.


    "Exactly, you''ll have to explain his presence here and the fact that he''s awakened. It complicates things."


    Emilia shook her head, frustration evident in her voice.


    "I just can''t catch a break, can I?"


    Edward offered a sympathetic smile.


    Her husband was a man of few words and agreed to marry her due to his own circumstances. It was a marriage of convenience, nothing more.


    Emilia got the public and romantic pursuers out of the way, so she could live her life in relative peace. She''d also maintain her noble titles and property, things that others craved.


    As for Lucas, her husband, he liked to engulf himself in endless pleasure and wander the world.


    He always had a curious mind, and seeking greater knowledge drove him.


    Marrying Emilia was just as good for her as it was for him since he need not be bound by the same status as the common folk and could indulge himself in his hedonist behavior.


    Best of all, Lucas did not want children, which was one of the reasons Emilia proposed to him.


    "I fear he will have questions about the boy. It won''t be hard for one mage to sense another, so hiding it is out of the question."


    Edward told her.


    Emilia nodded, her fingers tapping lightly on the desk as she thought.


    "It might be best to have Bryan leave for a couple of days since Lucas never stays long. But then again, the ideal play would be for him to meet Bryan."


    Edward frowned.


    "What''s the point of doing that?"


    Emilia leaned forward.


    "He''d be able to check Bryan out. The last time I looked over his pathways, they were deteriorated and ruptured."


    "Ahh, the Ether poisoning."


    Edward said, realization dawning.


    "Yup. How Bryan managed to absorb the stuff is beyond me, but it did some damage. If it stays like that, he won''t be able to use magic at all. And if he does manage to, it''ll only be painful every time he does, and the corruption would spread."


    Edward shook his head, it was difficult to imagine that Lucas was capable of doing much for Bryan. Considering his past behavior, it was more likely the man would want to dissect Bryan instead.


    "Lucas may be smart, but he isn''t an expert in Ether poisoning."


    Emilia smiled faintly.


    "He''s not, but he''s dabbled in almost every field there is. If anyone can figure out a way to help Bryan, it''s Lucas."


    "I''m just worried that when he sees Bryan''s talent, he won''t want to hide it. Or, he''ll be greedy and pray on the boy''s talent, pushing him far beyond what we intend."


    Edward replied.


    Emilia twirled the ends of her hair as she spoke.


    "The true essence of power lies in the mastery of knowledge, for it illuminates the path to infinite possibilities."


    Emilia looked over at Edward and smiled.


    "It''s what Lucas always says. If he thinks he can push Bryan to his limit, then let him."

 Chapter 7 – Prologue VII

    Cirrugur, 16th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Lucas wandered the winding paths of Milthur, every step he took was full of restless energy.


    He muttered to himself, a habit that had grown more pronounced over the years.


    "Just need to break the seal. Break the seal, find the truth. The truth is in the book. The book holds the key."


    His voice was a constant whisper in the otherwise quiet city streets.


    He wore old, worn clothing, layers of patched trousers, and a threadbare shirt that had seen better days.


    His wool cloak, frayed at the edges and long out of fashion, wrapped around him like a protective shroud. The cloak had once been a deep blue but had faded to a murky gray over the decades.


    It was a relic from a time long past, much like himself.


    The few people who passed by him in the city eyed him with curiosity.


    His appearance and muttering set him apart, as if he were a man touched by the whims of madness.


    Children whispered and pointed, while their parents hurried them along, avoiding his gaze.


    A loud rumble from his stomach echoed through the street, reminding him that he hadn''t eaten in days.


    "Food later. Research first. The seal won''t break itself."


    He had been too engrossed in his latest discovery to think of mundane needs like eating or sleeping.


    Months of exploration had led him deep into the caverns beneath Milthur, investigating a forgotten ruin.


    He hadn''t been alone in this venture. A small group of like-minded researchers accompanied him.


    Together, they had navigated the treacherous tunnels.


    The architecture was unlike anything they had seen before.


    Smooth, almost seamless stonework that seemed to repel the grime of ages, intricate carvings depicting scenes and symbols none of them recognized.


    It was different compared to the rough-hewn structures of dwarves, the elegant curves of elven design, or the brutal simplicity of orcish architecture.


    "This isn''t any of the known races."


    Lucas had whispered to himself at the time.


    "Something older. Something... different."


    The group''s collective excitement grew as they delved deeper.


    They found inscriptions in a language that defied all known linguistic patterns. The symbols were intricate, flowing, and seemed to shift when looked at from different angles.


    The discovery was monumental.


    If their suspicions were correct, they had stumbled upon evidence of a lost civilization, one that predated all known history.


    "What happened to them?"


    Lucas had wondered aloud.


    "Where did they go? And why did they leave no trace but this?"


    In the heart of the ruins, Lucas had found an ancient book.


    It wasn''t made of any material he recognized; the pages were neither paper nor parchment, but something smooth and cool to the touch, almost like metal.


    The book was locked, sealed with a glyph that pulsed with a faint, otherworldly light. The seal was a magical construct, one that resisted all his attempts to decipher it.


    "The book holds the key."


    Lucas repeated to himself now as he hurried through the city.


    "The seal must be broken."


    He had returned home, to isolate himself and immerse in research.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    As he approached the estate, a sense of unease settled over him.


    He could feel the presence of those within.


    Emilia was in the training room in the basement, her presence a bright orange, burning with energy and chaos.


    Edward was on the floor above, his presence a dull blue, steady and calm.


    But there was another presence, one he wasn''t familiar with. It was faint, barely noticeable, and when he tried to peer at it, there was resistance.


    "Interesting."


    Lucas muttered, quickening his pace.


    "Very interesting."


    He reached the gates of the estate, which swung open silently at his approach.


    He crossed the threshold, eager to unravel the mystery of the new presence and to delve into the secrets of the ancient book that had consumed his thoughts.


    He took a moment to orient himself.


    Emilia¡¯s presence burned brightly below, while Edward¡¯s steady calmness was a comforting anchor.


    But it was the faint presence that drew his attention.


    It was closer now, just a floor above.


    With swift, silent steps, Lucas ascended the staircase.


    The presence of the few maids was low and unimportant to him; they did not paint the world in any color in his eyes.


    ¡®Boring.¡¯


    He thought.


    He hurried to find that splash of crimson that had kept him from peeking any further.


    His senses were good, exceptionally so. For someone to resist him from fully seeing who they were meant, they had somehow shielded themselves against him.


    Lucas knew it was possible to hide one''s presence; Emilia had done it plenty of times.


    But there was always a trace, a lingering presence that held on.


    There was something he could grab hold of and pry open until all the secrets of that person were revealed to him.


    His Ether sensitivity was the greatest in his small circle of friends, and it was something he prided himself on, which made the question of who this person was even more interesting to him.


    Mostly because the way the resistance felt was similar to that of the book he held. Both guarding their secrets against him, yet very different from how he knew Ether worked, from how everyone regarded it.


    If he could find out how that person was doing it, then maybe he could apply the same concept, if not a similar one, to the book.


    As he appeared in the hallway and spotted Edward, he could see the dull blue energy coming from him. His eyes scanned the area, searching for that crimson, and then they landed on the boy.


    Lucas had seen thousands of people and interacted with them.


    Yet, as he gazed into the boy¡¯s red eyes, Lucas could sense it¡ªthat faint crimson energy that resisted him.


    ¡®Found it!¡¯


    He thought to himself as his heart pounded in excitement.


    As he rushed to the boy, his movements blurred. Scooping the child up and raising him to eye level, he squinted fearing his senses were playing tricks on him.


    "You¡¯re awakened."


    He whispered to himself.


    ¡®An awakened at such an age... impossible.¡¯


    Children who weren¡¯t experiencing the changes of puberty were unlikely to awaken before then. There were only a few known exceptions to that.


    But, he could count them on two hands.


    ¡®He has to be what, five or six?¡¯


    "How are you doing that?"


    Lucas asked, curious how he was shielding himself.


    The boy was doing so in such a way that bewildered him.


    "Doing what? Who are you?"


    The boy stammered, trying to free himself from Lucas¡¯s grip.


    Edward coughed politely, drawing Lucas¡¯s attention.


    "Lucas, please put Bryan down. You¡¯re being quite rude right now."


    Lucas blinked.


    ¡®Oh, right. Manners.¡¯


    He gently lowered Bryan to the ground, still staring at him.


    "Sorry, sorry. I just... I need to understand."


    Lucas told Edward as he rubbed his temple.


    "Lucas, I know you can be intense, but there must be a reason for this. Explain."


    Edward told him.


    Lucas¡¯s eyes darted back to Bryan.


    ¡®Does he not know?¡¯


    "I can¡¯t sense the boy. Bryan... it''s like he¡¯s there and not there at the same time. His total existence is here and not at the same time."


    "You¡¯re not mistaken, are you? For something to be there and not at the same time? It¡¯s a contradiction."


    Edward asked, feeling that Lucas had taken some sort of drug before arriving.


    It happened before, and the man kept mumbling about the end of the world.


    He even stripped naked and wrote on the walls, driving Emilia insane.


    Edward really hoped it wasn¡¯t going to be a rerun of that.


    Lucas nodded vigorously.


    "Exactly! It''s a contradiction. His presence is faint, almost non-existent, yet he¡¯s right in front of us. It¡¯s like he¡¯s shielded against being sensed, but in a way I¡¯ve never encountered before."


    ¡®I need to dissect him. Experiment, and see what makes him special.¡¯


    "Who is he? Where did he come from, and how did he awaken? Why have I never heard of him?"


    "He¡¯s a bit special, Lucas. And I must say, you¡¯re back earlier than expected."


    Unsure of what was going on, Bryan looked at the two men. They were talking about him.


    Why?


    "What are you talking about?"


    He asked.


    Lucas dismissed the boy¡¯s question with a wave of his hand.


    "No time to explain."


    He felt Emilia¡¯s presence approaching, a burning brightness drawing closer.


    When Emilia arrived, she stood drenched in sweat with her hair tied in a ponytail.


    "Lucas, what are you doing here?"


    "I found something, Emilia. Something that will turn our world on its head."


    He started laughing, a wild, unhinged sound.


    "Everything we know will be q-questioned."


    ¡®Great. He is on something.¡¯


    Edward shook his head and inwardly sighed as he watched Lucas start to spiral.


    It was nice to see that Emilia wasn¡¯t being entertained by his antics.


    "Get to the point. What does this have to do with Bryan?"


    Lucas grinned like a maniac.


    "D-did you hear and s-s-see what happened?"


    Emilia nodded.


    "Naturally, I can sense everything around us."


    "Yeah? Yeah?"


    Lucas pointed at Bryan.


    "What about him?"


    "What point are you trying to make, Lucas?"


    Lucas''s voice dropped to a whisper.


    "B-bryan¡¯s existence breaks all logic. Everyone, whether they have awakened or not, can be sensed in the world. They might not have a vibrant presence like you or Edward, but they can be sensed. Bryan... h-h-he can barely be felt, and if you did not focus on his presence, you would overlook it."


    Emilia¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "What are you implying?"


    "It¡¯s just as I thought."


    Lucas said, rubbing his hands together as if he was on the cusp of a breakthrough.


    ¡®She knows. She knows!¡¯


    ¡®The boy¡¯s not human, he¡¯s different. Different, something¡­ new.¡¯


    "What is he, Emilia? Clearly, he''s not human, is he?"

 Chapter 8 – Prologue VIII

    Cirrugur, 16th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Before Emilia could respond, a small flame appeared on Lucas¡¯s wool cloak.


    He patted it out quickly, but another, larger flame erupted moments later.


    Again, Lucas patted it out, his movements becoming frantic.


    He laughed maniacally, unable to contain his excitement.


    "A lost civilization, and something not human... they have to be connected, have to be."


    He was talking to himself more than anyone else there.


    Lucas glared at Emilia.


    "You know, don¡¯t you? You know, or else you would never have brought him here."


    ¡®Of course, she knows. Don¡¯t hide it from me, tell me I''m right. Tell me!¡¯


    Emilia took a deep breath, smoke drifting from her nostrils as if she had just extinguished a raging fire.


    "Lucas, you¡¯re treading on a dangerous path."


    Lucas shook his head, his voice a frenzied stutter.


    "Y-you can¡¯t hide it from me, Emilia. I¡¯ve wandered too far, seen too much. Nothing about Bryan resembles any of the beings I¡¯ve encountered."


    She felt that this would get out of hand fast if she didn¡¯t act.


    Also, Bryan was here and she didn¡¯t want him to hear anything they¡¯d say next.


    The boy was already terrified by the way Lucas was talking, and hearing him say not human.


    She could only imagine what was going on in his head.


    "Come with me. We need to talk."


    She at Edward.


    An unspoken understanding passed between them.


    Lucas followed Emilia down the hall, his steps quick and uneven.


    They entered a secluded room at the far end, a space filled with old books and magitech from his various expeditions.


    Emilia closed the door behind them and locked it with a swift turn of the key.


    "Why did you return so soon?"


    She asked.


    Lucas reached under his cloak and brought out the book he had obtained in the ruins.


    "This."


    He said as he trembled with excitement.


    ¡®My greatest discovery.¡¯


    "My group discovered some ruins, hidden deep within the deep caverns. It was well hidden, and we found it by mere luck."


    The book was unlike any other that Emilia had ever seen.


    Intricate patterns, almost fractal, were etched into the surface, giving the impression that the book itself was alive, pulsing with a subtle energy.


    In the center of the cover, there was a large, glowing glyph.


    The glyph was composed of twisting lines and symbols that seemed to shift and change when viewed from different angles, creating an optical illusion of movement.


    Emilia''s eyes narrowed.


    "Go on."


    "Down below, the monsters are still an ever-present threat. Nothing''s changed. And as you know, the deeper you go, the stronger they become. My group was fighting some monsters, and one of my companions got hit, knocked into the cavern wall. He hit so hard he actually broke through the cavern wall and... died."


    "I''m sorry, Lucas."


    She told him, although, knowing how he was, the man wouldn¡¯t care who died.


    As long as it wasn¡¯t him.


    "The cavern wall hid a different pathway, one that hasn''t been mapped. So we went exploring. We found what I believe to be the site of an ancient civilization."


    Emilia shook her head.


    ¡®An ancient civilization? That¡¯s insane, even for him.¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t believe the words coming out of his mouth.


    There was a slight worry for his well-being, but it was slight.


    As long as he didn¡¯t go batshit crazy and try to cause an explosion here at the estate, then all was well.


    After all, she still needed him to appear sane in some way.


    At times like this, it was best to go along with him until he returned to normal.


    "That''s impossible. If it were, people would have sensed these ''hidden'' pathways long ago."


    Lucas laughed, a high-pitched, almost hysterical sound.


    "That''s the magic of it all. Even when we were there, we couldn''t sense anything. A person on the other side of the broken wall couldn''t sense us, even if they were looking right at us. As if there was some barrier separating the two."


    "A barrier?"


    She felt her mouth go dry at that.


    Maybe he wasn¡¯t crazy.


    Because she knew of something just like that.


    "Yes, a barrier. But that''s beside the point."


    Lucas said, waving his hand dismissively.


    "This question has nothing to do with Bryan."


    "It might so go on."


    At this point, she was invested to find out more.


    Besides, she knew he just couldn¡¯t wait to tell her everything anyway.


    "I found this book, it''s made of a material I don''t recognize, and it''s locked with a glyph. A magical seal I''ve never seen before. The seal resists all my attempts to break it."


    "And you think Bryan is connected to this?"


    She found the idea baffling at most.


    The book was clearly ancient, but Bryan was only five.


    The probability of them being connected somehow was slim, but knowing Lucas he¡¯d find a way to make a connection even if there wasn¡¯t one.


    Lucas nodded fervently.


    "Yes. The way his presence is hidden, it¡¯s similar to the barrier we encountered in the ruins. If I can understand how he¡¯s doing it, I might be able to apply the same concept to the book. It would speed up my research drastically. So, what is he?"


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Lucas asked.


    ¡®He¡¯s just not going to let this go, is he?¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    He was bound to keep pushing her until he got an answer.


    It was better to give him one than kill him.


    Then she wouldn¡¯t have a husband, and if she didn¡¯t have one¡­


    She didn¡¯t even want to think about all the headaches that would eventually come her way.


    ¡°Nothing leaves this room, Lucas. And I mean, nothing.¡±


    Emilia told him in a tone he was all too familiar with.


    ¡°Yes, yes, of course.¡±


    He said in the most casual of tones.


    That was the best answer she¡¯d get from him, so she would make it work.


    She motioned for him to sit at the desk, and he did right next to her.


    Tracing the scar that ended at her collarbone Emilia glanced at him.


    "Do you recall when you asked me about this scar?"


    Lucas nodded.


    "Yes, you told me you got it from a fight."


    Emilia''s eyes darkened.


    ¡®I did tell him that, didn¡¯t I?¡¯


    ¡®A pity really, I could have told a lie. Damn it.¡¯


    "That''s true. I did get it from a fight, and it nearly cost me everything. Six years ago, I was traveling with my sister, Rashaka, to explore a part of the deep caverns. A part that was closed."


    Lucas''s brow furrowed.


    "What do you mean, closed?"


    "Exactly that. There was a door, pitch black, taller than any mountain. My family discovered it long ago and had been searching for a way to enter it, thinking it would house a vast amount of hidden treasure. But the door never opened for anyone, and there were words written on it, similar to those on this book."


    She could still remember the day as if it were yesterday.


    It was the day everything went to shit.


    ¡®We should have never went inside.¡¯


    "Unlike me, Rashaka was a genius, truly talented beyond anyone else her age. She could have become the greatest mage Milthur had ever seen. When she touched the door, it opened. Not exactly opened, but she could phase through it as if it didn''t exist. Anyone connected to her by physical touch could do the same. So, like anyone else would have done, we let our curiosity get the best of us and entered."


    Lucas leaned forward.


    "What did you find?"


    It was cute how interested he was in this story.


    She could even see the glint in his eyes, like that of a child.


    Emilia laughed a little, a bitter sound.


    "Some secrets, some knowledge just isn''t meant to be known."


    Lucas frowned.


    She was toying with him, he could tell.


    She wasn¡¯t taking this seriously, and it annoyed him.


    "Be serious, Emilia."


    "I am serious. You need to be careful, Lucas. That book you''re holding... it could hold dangers you can''t imagine."


    He¡¯d be able to take care of himself.


    It was touching that she seemed to care for him, even a little bit.


    But, he wasn¡¯t moved by that.


    So, he pressed on.


    "What did you find?"


    "Death itself. I''m not sure what it was, we couldn''t tell. All we saw were those crimson eyes and pale white skin. It looked human enough, but we sensed it wasn''t. It was far more powerful than all of us, even stronger than my father."


    She paused, her fingers digging into her biceps as she clenched tight.


    Thinking about the day already caused her to have nightmares.


    This wasn¡¯t a story she liked to tell, which is why she kept it to herself for all these years.


    Even now, she didn¡¯t know why she was telling him.


    ¡®Maybe¡­ just maybe he can help.¡¯


    "We knew, instinctively knew, that the being could kill us all with a single touch if it wanted, and it did. My entire squad was killed. I... I don''t know why I managed to live. It must have kept me alive for a reason."


    "And Rashaka?"


    Lucas asked, assuming this was the incident where she died.


    Emilia shuddered.


    "That thing did something worse to her. When I woke up, she was bleeding, and the life in her eyes was extinguished. It was like she was a walking corpse. We got help and managed to make it home and heal up.¡±


    Gritting her teeth, she still recalled that moment.


    The man she looked up to. The person she sought approval from.


    He didn¡¯t care about them.


    They were nothing but tools.


    And that was saying something if he thought of his favorite child as disposable.


    ¡°Our father tried to send us back with more soldiers, but Rashaka was different, very different. It wasn''t until months later that I finally understood why."


    She looked Lucas straight in the eye.


    "Rashaka was pregnant."


    Lucas''s jaw dropped.


    "Pregnant? With..."


    ¡®That¡¯s just it, isn¡¯t it.¡¯


    Emilia thought as she leaned back slightly.


    ¡®It¡¯s why her fate was worse than what I¡¯ve suffered.¡¯


    "Rashaka and I were close, very close. She was engaged to Ryan Scott."


    Lucas raised an eyebrow, not minding that she dodged what he was thinking.


    "That''s something."


    ¡®But that¡¯s not even half of it.¡¯


    She thought to herself.


    "It is."


    Emilia agreed in a bitter tone.


    "But Rashaka and Ryan only met twice, and that was when they were children. She was a virgin, yet pregnant. The doctors checked her out and everything was still intact, but pregnant still. It went without saying that the engagement was broken off, our father was furious, and great shame was brought to our family. Our name was stained, and no matter how much talent Rashaka had, she could never recover what was lost¡ªour family''s honor. So our father did what he thought was best and disowned her, stripped her of our family name, and cast her out."


    The man didn¡¯t even care.


    Their family''s name was ruined.


    That was more important to him than the implication of what happened to his daughters.


    Herself she could understand. As she was his bastard child.


    But Rashaka?


    She was his favorite, out of all his children.


    He should have treated her better.


    "I didn¡¯t fare much better. I was already a bastard child to begin with, and being with Rashaka when those events took place caused me to lose everything. Still, for whatever reason, Rashaka never got rid of the child. She kept it. She never told me why, but she did. And before she gave birth, she made me promise that I would look after the child no matter what. I agreed."


    ¡®Why did I agree to that stupid request?¡¯


    ¡®I should have left, or better yet forced her to get rid of it.¡¯


    ¡®Then¡­ maybe then¡­¡¯


    That was the one part she hated about her sister.


    Rashaka could do no wrong.


    Getting rid of her unborn child, she would never do that.


    ¡®They did nothing wrong. They didn¡¯t ask to be born, so who am I to murder them before they get to enjoy life?¡¯


    Even now, she could still hear Rashaka tell her those words.


    "And then?"


    Lucas¡¯s question brought her back to reality.


    She was telling him her story, wasn¡¯t she?


    Her shoulders slumped.


    "I didn''t know having the child would kill Rashaka. At first, everything seemed normal, but as the days went on, she got weaker and weaker, as if her life force itself was being drained. Until she could go on no longer."


    Emilia paused, her eyes were distant.


    Those final days with Rashaka were some of the best and worst.


    So much Emilia could get off her chest, so much she could finally understand.


    She thought she hated her sister, for always being the one in the spotlight.


    Always the one to take their father''s attention.


    But, she didn¡¯t hate her.


    She envied her.


    "The child was abnormal. It resembled the being we saw in the deep caverns, but I knew it wasn''t the same. Still, it frightened me. With the death of my sister, I did what I thought was best. I dropped the child off at an orphanage. The child with white hair, deathly pale skin, and red eyes."


    Lucas looked down at the book in his hands, then back at Emilia.


    "The child... Bryan. It''s him, isn''t it?"


    Emilia nodded slowly.


    "Yes. I thought leaving him at the orphanage would keep him safe, keep him away from the dangers that took his mother. But honestly, I was scared of him, of if that thing would come for him. Yet, the guilt of leaving him there and the promise I made drove me insane, I had to keep it. It was the last thing she asked of me, I had to do it. I just wish I got the courage to a little faster."


    Lucas grabbed Emilia''s shoulders.


    "Take me there, Emilia. I need to see it for myself."


    Emilia removed his hands.


    "Are you insane? I just told you what happened, and you want to go there anyway?"


    She couldn¡¯t believe him.


    All of this, and he was only thinking about himself?


    How could he¡­ how could she¡­


    ¡®Ugh!¡¯


    She never wanted to punch someone more than right now.


    "The essence of power lies in the mastery of knowledge, for it illuminates the path of infinite possibilities."


    Lucas said, with a stupid grin plastered on his face.


    "What''s behind that door, what it holds, might be what I''m searching for. And better yet, what you saw could have been the very existence that created those ruins."


    Emilia shook her head, frustration etched on her face.


    "You''re insane. You''re trying to get yourself killed."


    "I have to go there, Emilia."


    Lucas insisted.


    "I need answers. You can''t tell me this story and not expect me to react this way."


    Yup, what did she expect?


    For a moment, for a mere second, she thought he might understand.


    But nope.


    Still the same old Lucas.


    The same crazy self-centered madman.


    "I can''t, even if I wanted to."


    Emilia told him.


    He frowned.


    "What do you mean?"


    "The passage we took... I can''t find it."


    Emilia admitted.


    "I thought I did once when I went looking for it again, but it was blocked by piles of rock. Even with magic, I couldn''t break through them, and I can''t ask my family if it''s the right location."


    "Then what about the boy, Bryan?"


    Lucas asked.


    "What do you mean?"


    Emilia asked, her eyes narrowing.


    "How did he awaken?"


    Lucas asked.


    The question was one she kept asking herself.


    Even Rashaka for all her talent only managed to awaken at the age of twelve.


    So Bryan had it in him to awaken early on, just¡­ she didn¡¯t expect him to do so this soon.


    "I''m not sure, but he did, and it almost killed him in the process."


    Emilia replied.


    The scene was pure chaos.


    She arrived after everything had already taken place, but what she saw was impressive.


    For a child to be able to cause so much destruction upon awakening was unheard of.


    She was almost caught up in the moment too, but knew she had to move before someone else did.


    "Explain."


    Lucas demanded.


    "It was because of Ether poisoning, pure Ether is highly potent, and you know this."


    She explained.


    Lucas nodded in understanding.


    "If he managed to truly absorb the stuff and use it to fuel his spell, then he should have died. Especially for someone so young, his body would have deteriorated from the inside out."


    "But he didn''t."


    Emilia said.


    "What''s his magical attribute?"


    Lucas asked.


    "I don''t know, but I figure it''s water or air. Rashaka was able to use water, and I believe Bryan inherited that from her."


    Children normally take on the attribute of one of their parents.


    Families even sought out people with specific attributes in hopes of having a child that was more special.


    There were chances of a mutation occurring, but in most cases, the child always had one of the parent''s attributes.


    Which is why she assumed Bryan was able to use water.


    It was raining that day, so his awakening could have been empowered somehow.


    "Why haven''t you tested him?"


    Lucas asked, his impatience growing.


    "His awakening almost killed him, Lucas."


    Emilia reminded him.


    Already seeing that Lucas was caring more for his own interest than Bryan¡¯s well-being.


    "Aren''t you curious? To find out what he can do?"


    Lucas asked.

 Chapter 9 – Prologue IX

    Cirrugur, 16th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Emilia stared out the window, her mind fluttered with thoughts.


    Ever since Bryan had mentioned his suspicions about his magical attribute, she wanted to see it for herself.


    She had always been inquisitive, a trait that had only intensified with age. But now, with Bryan''s words lingering in her mind, she found herself reflecting on a moment from her past.


    She remembered standing in the courtyard, her heart pounding as she faced her older cousin. Three years her age, and already unlocked his third spell.


    Her uncles, aunts, and cousins stood around the arena murmuring in anticipation.


    No one believed she would put up much of a fight, nor that she could win.


    But, she had been determined to prove herself, to show everyone ¨C especially her father ¨C that she was worthy of his recognition. She had trained relentlessly, pushing herself to the brink, hoping for a single word of praise.


    The duel had been intense, nearly costing her, her arm.


    Luckily, the week prior she managed to obtain her second spell, a feat worthy in the eyes of her instructors.


    After all, she had only been awakened for five months, and it normally took a year or two years for mages to unlock their second spell.


    No one was expecting it, and in the heat of the moment, she felt superior as she beat her cousin who by all rights should have won.


    But as she looked over to her father, her elation had quickly turned to ash.


    His eyes were cold, and he clicked his tongue in disapproval before turning away to Rashaka, his favored child, with a faint smile.


    The memory was as sharp as ever, the sting of rejection cutting deep.


    She had yearned for his approval, but it never came.


    Snapping back to the present, Emilia shook her head, trying to dispel the bitter memory.


    She turned to Lucas, who had been watching her.


    "I''m not."


    She said, hoping to end the conversation before it could begin.


    Under the table, she held her trembling hand steady as best she could.


    Bryan had to grow up as normal as he could, that would be best for him.


    Going through what she went through¡­ she couldn¡¯t put him through that.


    ¡®Never.¡¯


    Lucas, however, was not so easily deterred.


    "But Emilia, wouldn''t it be better to know now? We could¡ª"


    "Enough!"


    She snapped, her voice louder than she intended.


    Her memories were still affecting her.


    Lucas was just being himself, she knew that.


    It was the way she was treated in her past that got to her.


    She took a deep breath, willing herself to remain calm.


    ¡®One. Two. Three¡­¡¯


    She counted to five letting the fire within her die down.


    "Lucas, he''s just a boy. He will already have a difficult enough childhood, confined to this estate. We can find out his magical attribute later. There''s no need to rush."


    Lucas opened his mouth to argue but paused, collecting his thoughts. After a moment, he nodded slowly.


    "If that''s what you wish, Emilia."


    It bothered him that she was speaking this way.


    The Emilia he knew wasn''t the type to be cautious, or back away from a challenge.


    She did what she wanted when she wanted, consequences be damned.


    The fact that she was letting this chance go irked him because she was never this protective. Even worse, she would only harm the boy by acting this way.


    ¡°I understand your worries, but ignoring Bryan¡¯s potential won¡¯t protect him from the world. If anything, it might leave him more vulnerable.¡±


    He had to say it, even if she didn¡¯t want him to.


    She had to know.


    ¡®Damn it, Lucas! You just couldn¡¯t drop it, could you?¡¯


    Emilia bit the inside of her lip.


    His words stung more than any wound she received because she knew he was right.


    Even if she did keep him here for the rest of his life, it wouldn''t matter because eventually she''d die and he''d be alone.


    She couldn''t do that to Bryan.


    He had to be strong, far stronger than a child his age should ever be. However, that would be more for his own protection than her greed to see him grow.


    The fact that Edward was excited about his potential already spoke volumes of how talented Bryan truly was.


    She wanted to push him to the brink and have him work overtime to learn everything.


    But thinking back on it, was it that she wanted it due to her father''s influence, or because she wanted to maximize his potential?


    Emilia sighed, her shoulders slumping as she finally allowed herself to speak.


    ¡°In time, I will let Bryan use magic. But right now, it¡¯s a terrible idea.¡±


    Lucas¡¯s brow furrowed.


    ¡°Why is that?¡±


    "Bryan''s awakening wasn''t normal, I told you it almost killed him due to Ether Poisoning. So, even if I wanted him to use magic right now, he wouldn''t be able to¡ªor he¡¯d die in the process.¡±


    Every time he used a spell, he would be in pain and the corruption would spread eventually eroding him from the inside.


    Death was the only thing that awaited him if he were to become a mage, it was just going to be a matter of how long until it did.


    Lucas rubbed his chin, muttering to himself.


    ¡°Ether poisoning... that¡¯s incredibly rare. How could he have managed that? What kind of spell did he use to need more than what he had?"


    "Lucas!"


    Emilia snapped her fingers as he was forgetting pieces of information she already told him not even an hour ago.


    Lucas was forgetful yes, but not to this extent.


    His brain worked in mysterious ways, but he could always stay focused on his task.


    "Hmm? Yes?"


    Lucas asked as he stopped muttering to himself.


    "What is going on with you?"


    "Nothing, why? Is there something wrong?"


    ¡®He¡¯s lying. Isn¡¯t he?¡¯


    Emilia didn''t know what to say, she knew there was something off about him but couldn''t pinpoint what it was.


    This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    Maybe it''s just been too long and she was that tired and this was how Lucas usually behaved.


    Yet, her gut was telling her otherwise.


    "You... nothing. Do you have a way to fix Bryan? He wants to be a mage, and unless his pathways are repaired then there''s no way he can."


    She meant to ask him this eventually, but now was as good a time as any.


    Lucas shook his head.


    ¡°No, I can¡¯t fix something like that.¡±


    Emilia¡¯s shoulders slumped further, and she let out a sarcastic huff.


    ¡°That¡¯s just great.¡±


    Lucas resumed his muttering.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to examine Bryan.¡±


    Emilia arched an eyebrow.


    He had already said he couldn¡¯t fix him, so she didn¡¯t see the point in an examination.


    Then again, this was Lucas so he might have something up his sleeve.


    ¡°Sure. Go ahead, but you already said you couldn¡¯t fix him.¡±


    His right eye twitched at that remark.


    It was as if Emilia was stabbing him where it hurt most.


    While he might not be the most talented mage, there was rarely anything he couldn''t do. If he couldn''t, then he''d research and try until he eventually succeeded.


    ¡°I can¡¯t fix him, but I can see where the corruption is and seal off those pathways.¡±


    ¡°Seal them off?¡±


    Emilia asked.


    ¡®Can you even do that? The natural flow of his ether would be interrupted, so could he even use magic?¡¯


    She couldn¡¯t help but ask herself.


    ¡°Can you do that? Wouldn¡¯t it be dangerous?¡±


    Lucas nodded slowly.


    ¡°It¡¯s definitely risky, but it might be his only chance. Because he is young and is still developing, he can alter the way his ether flows. For someone more experienced it would be near impossible, but for Bryan who is basically a blank canvas then... it might allow him to use magic safely in the future.¡±


    Emilia sighed.


    "We should go with that, but if you¡¯re not sure, Lucas, then don¡¯t do it. I don¡¯t want Bryan to die.¡±


    It was just one child.


    If they died, then they died.


    Even if Bryan was related to her, Lucas did not like the way she was behaving right now.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t like you, Emilia, to be so worried.¡±


    She normally had a hard shell and refused to show any emotion, to her friends or enemies.


    Smiling at others was not her forte, and she always kept up a certain appearance.


    For the first time since he''d known her, Lucas felt like he was beginning to see a glimpse of the real her.


    And he disliked it.


    ¡°Bryan is the only family I have left, I can''t lose him too."


    It took a lot for her to say that not because she was embarrassed or anything. Simply she was not one to show her emotions.


    All these emotions she was showing him caused him to shudder.


    Where did his Emilia go that was the cold-hearted bitch that¡¯d murder people and have dinner afterward go?


    He wanted her back.


    "However, you''ll simply examine him for now. Don''t go doing anything or making him one of your experiments. If I find out otherwise, you''ll be wishing you never returned."


    After a few moments passed Lucas nodded.


    ¡®Ah¡­ it is around that time isn¡¯t it.¡¯


    Lucas came to a realization after thinking about it for a second.


    It was around that time of the month for her, and having Bryan around wasn''t helping at all. He felt sorry for whoever she''d end up dating in the future.


    *********


    Bryan stood behind Edward trying to hide from ''that'' man.


    The crazy man who picked him up before was mumbling some words as he kept staring at him.


    It made him feel weird, and he tried to hide from the man''s sight but out in the hallway there was nowhere to go. Even worse, Edward was chatting with Emilia as if the man didn''t exist.


    Were they not worried about him?


    ¡®Am I going to be sold?¡¯


    Bryan asked as he observed the adults.


    Emilia did mention he could stay here, but she also offered to find him a place to go. When she said that, Bryan knew she didn''t want him around, even when she told him otherwise.


    No one wanted him.


    ¡®She wants me gone.¡¯


    This was just a facade she was putting on, nothing more.


    Once he lowered his guard, they¡¯d strike.


    Laugh at him as he was carried away.


    ¡®Just like her.¡¯


    Before that happened he had to learn as much as he could in order to make himself valuable.


    "Bryan."


    Edward said, placing a hand on his back.


    "I''d like you to meet Lucas."


    He looked up at Lucas, who smiled¡ªa smile that sent chills down his spine.


    ¡®No!¡¯


    He wasn''t a good man, he was weird.


    Bryan clutched the pants leg of Edward as if it would keep him safe.


    That smile of his felt like Lucas was not looking at him like a person, but more like a toy.


    It was just a feeling, but Bryan was sure of it.


    Emilia was slightly bewildered by Bryan''s act. Why was he so close to Edward?


    She knew they spent a lot of time together, but when she did speak to him he seemed more open.


    Did Lucas'' previous actions cause this?


    Sure, he was a little odd, but he wouldn''t hurt a child. Most children liked his strange behavior.


    Edward was just giving him a soft smile but didn''t seem to push him forward to act.


    She recalled the question she asked him a month ago.


    She asked him why he wanted to become a mage.


    Bryan''s answer was one of the replies other people would say.


    Protection, fame, respect, and strength.


    But, if he wanted to become the person he envisioned himself he had to take the first step forward.


    Stepping forward, her eyes locked onto Bryan''s.


    "Lucas is here to help you. He''ll try to fix the damage done by the mana poisoning."


    ''Fix me?'' Bryan thought.


    Emilia already fixed him, didn''t she?


    When he woke up here and had to heal.


    Didn''t that already ''fix'' him?


    He wasn''t in any pain, and he felt fine.


    ¡®She''s trying to get rid of me.¡¯


    ¡®Don¡¯t throw me away.¡¯


    "Hello, Bryan. I hear you''re quite special."


    Lucas said as he crouched down to Bryan''s level while keeping a friendly smile on his face.


    "I want to make sure you''ll continue to be special."


    Bryan took a step back, pressing closer to Edward.


    "I... I don''t need fixing. I''m fine."


    He felt better than he did before, all the pain was gone.


    Edward kept praising his progress, and he worked hard.


    He was fine, better even.


    Was it not enough?


    Was Edward just being nice to him?


    Was he actually progressing slower than Edward said?


    "Lucas."


    Emilia said as she glared at him.


    "What? I didn''t do anything."


    Lucas replied as he glanced over his shoulder.


    "You always say that. For someone who is good with children, you''re scaring him."


    "I never said I was, I merely stated that they love me. That does not mean I''m good with them. Pretty sure they just like my..."


    Lucas tried to think of the word.


    "Eccentric behavior?"


    Edward filled in the missing word for him.


    Lucas snapped his fingers.


    "You could say that."


    Emilia clicked her tongue.


    She couldn''t believe he wasn''t taking this seriously.


    "Bryan, I know Lucas is a bit... unusual, but he''s very good at what he does. You want to be a mage, don''t you? In order for that to happen, Lucas will have to heal you."


    She tried to reach out to him, but Bryan pulled away.


    "No! I don''t want him to. I don''t need any fixing, I''m fine! I''m fine, I''m really fine."


    Staring at her outstretched hand, Emilia felt something in her chest.


    It was a feeling she wasn''t used to, and it hurt.


    Dropping her hand to her side, she looked at Edward. What should she do in this situation? That is what her eyes were asking him.


    Edward knelt down beside Bryan, gently placing a hand on the boy''s shoulder.


    "Bryan, take a deep breath, there''s no need to panic."


    Edward waited until Bryan began to calm down and the hand that was gripping his leg loosened up a bit.


    "Lucas might be a bit strange, but he knows what he''s doing. I promise nothing bad will happen to you."


    ¡®Promise?¡¯


    He could hear Ms. Kelly tell him that, to promise her.


    He did too.


    Edward was like her, wasn¡¯t he?


    Bryan looked up at Edward.


    "But I don''t want to be fixed. I''m not broken."


    He insisted as his voice trembled.


    Edward nodded, maintaining eye contact.


    "If you say you''re fine, then you''re fine, but there''s nothing wrong with letting him take a quick peek is there?"


    Bryan hesitated, his grip on Edward''s pants leg tightening.


    He glanced at Lucas, who was still crouched down, giving him a smile.


    It still weirded him out, and he was afraid of him.


    Lucas reminded Brayn of that noble, the one who beat him and he couldn''t do anything about it.


    He was powerless and hurt.


    When Lucas picked him up with such ease, he couldn''t help but recall those moments thinking it was going to happen all over again.


    Emilia watched, saw how scared he was, but she didn''t know how to reach out to him.


    Comforting others wasn''t something she was used to doing, she wasn''t taught how.


    Showing affection even to her own family was not something she did.


    Emilia was a mage, and she learned how to toss aside her emotions in order to get the admiration of her father.


    She wanted to say something, anything really but it felt like the words were stuck in her throat unable to come out.


    Lucas observed the kid, there was definitely something going on with him.


    He might be awakened, sure, but he was not stable.


    Whatever he was currently doing was the wrong approach, he had to switch gears and try something else.


    Lucas needed the kid to trust him, so he could find out what made him different, and hopefully find a way to open the book.


    That, and he was also curious about what would happen to Bryan later on.


    A child this young, learning magic?


    Unstable as he currently was, if things didn''t shift... Lucas couldn''t help but laugh internally at that prospect.


    It would be a sight to see, and he wanted to see it upfront.


    "Sorry. I must have scared you when we first met, I let my... nature get the best of me at times but I meant no harm."


    Both Edward and Emilia were stunned by Lucas'' behavior at the moment.


    The man hardly ever apologized for anything.


    The way he said it, they both knew he truly meant his words.


    This was not just something he''d say to get the other person to back down, it had meaning behind it.


    Bryan heard this trick before, Millie pulled it on him.


    Apologize, then take him somewhere and betray him.


    Lucas didn''t mean anything by his words, he didn''t really care about him.


    The man simply wanted him to let his guard down, but that wasn''t happening.


    Not again.


    He wouldn''t fall for it!


    "I don''t know what to do for you to trust me, so I won''t do anything. Ask me what you want, about myself, magic, Emilia, or anything really. If you don''t want to be checked out, that''s fine with me, but can''t you at least say something?"


    Lucas asked.


    Hesitating for a moment, Bryan clutched the pants leg of Edward.


    "Why do you want to fix me?"


    "That''s a good question. Mostly to see what damage has been done, but also to find out how you''re doing whatever it is you are doing. See Bryan, I have this book."


    Lucas showed the sealed book to Bryan.


    "It''s sealed at the moment, but I''m hoping to open it and reveal its secrets. You give off a similar vibe to this book, so I''m hoping that by learning about you, I will discover a way to open it. That''s it."


    Lucas could feel the glare he was receiving from Emilia without even glancing in her direction.


    "Also, I heard you wanted to become a mage. Although you might feel fine, the ether poisoning has damaged your ether pathways, and whenever you use magic in the future, it will spread and cause you pain. Until eventually they break and cause you unbearable pain in the future, so much pain you won''t be able to move a single finger."


    ¡®Pain?¡¯


    Bryan recalled the pain he felt at the multiple beatings he took.


    The pain of his body feeling like it would explode.


    He didn¡¯t want to feel that pain.


    He hated it.


    But¡­


    ¡®Can I trust him?¡¯


    "I... I don''t want that. But I don''t trust you."


    He looked at Edward for a moment.


    "Can Edward do it?"


    Edward smiled at him.


    "If I could, I would. I don''t know what to look for, or where to start. I can, however, stand by your side while Lucas examines you to make sure nothing happens. Would you allow that?"


    Bryan thought it over for a moment and nodded slowly.


    "Okay..."


    Emilia felt a wave of relief wash over her for some reason.


    "Let''s not do this in the hallway, how about we head to the study so you can be a bit more comfortable? Okay?"

 Chapter 10 - Prologue X

    Cirrugur, 16th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    As Lucas began his examination of Bryan''s ether pathways.


    Suddenly, Lucas''s eyes widened, and he stepped back, a look of disbelief crossing his face.


    His hands trembled slightly, and for a moment, he seemed at a loss for words.


    ¡®This... this can''t be right.¡¯


    He thought as he ran his hand through his hair.


    ¡®Did they get it wrong?¡¯


    Emilia stepped forward.


    "What is it, Lucas?"


    No, she just didn¡¯t know. That was all.


    "See for yourself."


    He replied, gesturing towards Bryan.


    Emilia approached, her blue eyes glowing as she focused her magical senses on Bryan''s ether pathways.


    A gasp escaped her lips as she realized what Lucas had discovered.


    "How is this possible?"


    She said softly.


    Edward, who had been standing near Bryan, looked between the two.


    He didn¡¯t like being in the dark when he didn¡¯t have to.


    This was about Bryan, so he wanted to know.


    "What''s going on?"


    Lucas turned to him.


    "The damage... it''s not nearly as severe as you both thought. In fact, it seems to be healing."


    "Healing?"


    Edward repeated, incredulous.


    He checked when Emilia brought the boy here.


    The damage was severe, enough to cause him to wince just thinking about how much pain Bryan was in.


    Now, Lucas told him it was healing.


    On its own?


    "But that''s..."


    "Nearly impossible."


    Emilia finished.


    "Edward, you examined Bryan when he first arrived, right?"


    She asked but knew he wasn¡¯t one to cut corners when given a task.


    He was the most diligent man she knew.


    Edward nodded.


    "I did. The damage was extensive then. If it''s healing now, it wasn''t anything I did."


    ¡®What are they talking about?¡¯


    ¡®What¡¯s healing?¡¯


    Bryan wondered what they were talking about.


    Was he truly special?


    They said he was, but they could have just been saying it without meaning anything by it.


    But how they were talking, it made him feel that way.


    Because, if he was special, then they wouldn¡¯t get rid of him.


    Right?


    "We need to study this further. I propose we take a blood sample from Bryan. It might give us the answers we seek."


    Lucas suggested, although his true thoughts were leaning more towards opening the boy up.


    Then he could get an extensive view of his insides.


    Eventually, he¡¯d find a proper answer.


    But, he knew Emilia would never go for that.


    Especially now, when she was being all in touch with her emotions.


    Emilia''s head snapped up.


    "Absolutely not! Given Bryan''s recent behavior and his discomfort, I don''t think that''s appropriate."


    "But Emilia, think of the potential-"


    "I said no."


    Emilia cut him off firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.


    He knew that¡¯d be her reply, but it was worth a shot.


    The two of them glared at one another for a few seconds that felt like eternity.


    Emilia wanted to know, the curiosity gnawing at the back of her head kept pushing her to find out.


    But the idea of harming Bryan, she couldn''t do it.


    She couldn¡¯t be like him.


    Then again, Lucas was right and she couldn''t protect him forever.


    She looked at his pathways, they were basically clear and clean of corruption.


    He could use magic, and it wouldn''t harm him.


    ¡®He¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s better this way, right? For him¡­ for us.¡¯


    Emilia turned to Bryan.


    "Bryan, I need you to try using your magic now."


    She gave in.


    If anything happened then she''d react, stop him before he caused any irreparable damage to himself.


    Bryan looked at her and tilted his head slightly.


    "I... I don''t know how."


    He admitted quietly.


    Emilia felt slightly embarrassed by this, forgetting that they never taught him how.


    It was for his own good, and normally children his age wouldn''t be able to use magic.


    At least that is what she kept telling herself.


    Edward knelt beside him.


    "To use magic, you need to remember the first time you awakened it. Try to recall what you were feeling then."


    ¡®Remember?¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t.


    He didn¡¯t want to.


    So much has happened since then, and he felt like he was finally getting past it.


    Finally moving on.


    But, he had to remember?


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    He shook his head.


    No, he didn¡¯t want to.


    Lucas, impatient, stepped forward.


    "You have to try, boy. If you want to be a mage someday, this is necessary."


    A mage.


    Yeah, he wanted to be a mage.


    He needed to be a mage.


    Then, everyone would accept him.


    Everyone would want him.


    While Lucas¡¯s tone was a bit harsh, Emilia didn¡¯t say anything.


    He was right.


    Bryan had to do this, if not today then sometime in the future.


    Seeing that all eyes were on him, Bryan tried to recall.


    To go back to that moment.


    He concentrated as the scenes began to play out.


    Rain kept falling on him, drenching his clothes as he ran.


    He crashed into the noble, the man¡¯s words cruel.


    ¡®Rat¡¯s like you should just die.¡¯


    ¡®You dare think you can steal from me and lie about it?¡¯


    ¡®Who gave birth to you, you disgusting piece of trash.¡¯


    Before he knew it he was on the ground curled up into a ball as they kicked him over and over, relishing the moment.


    Children''s laughter as they ran past.


    It was Dave and the others.


    He could tell.


    Why him?


    Why was he always the one being hit?


    Why was he the one always in pain?


    Then, Ms. Kelly appeared.


    Why did she come save him?


    Why?


    Why did she care so much for him?


    Did he deserve it?


    If she didn''t come, if she never cares about him, then maybe... maybe she''d still be alive.


    She died because of him.


    They were right, everyone in the orphanage was right about him.


    He was a monster, a demon, the cursed child!


    After a moment, he winced.


    "It hurts."


    He whimpered.


    "I can''t do it."


    The adults exchanged puzzled glances.


    They hadn''t sensed any magical energy.


    Emilia approached Bryan, placing a hand on his back.


    "Let''s try once more. I''ll monitor your ether flow this time."


    Bryan nodded, but he didn''t want to.


    It was too painful, watching Ms. Kelly die.


    Being beaten.


    If this is what he had to do to use magic, then did he really want to become a mage?


    Yet the look Emilia was giving him made him change his mind.


    She''d toss him away if he didn''t do what she asked. He didn''t want that, he had to try again.


    So, he did.


    Emilia monitored the flow of his ether, and watched how it went from his core through his pathways.


    He was going to do it, he was going to use his spell.


    But, nothing happened.


    "I can see his ether moving, he''s definitely doing something."


    Edward stroked his chin.


    "Could it be conditional magic?"


    Lucas scoffed.


    "That''s extremely rare. Bryan, do you remember anything specific about when you first used magic?"


    Bryan''s voice trembled as he spoke.


    "The noble... he hurt me. I wanted it all to stop."


    Lucas had a thought cross his mind at that moment.


    A manic gleam entered Lucas''s eyes. Without warning, he struck Bryan, causing the boy''s lip to split and bleed.


    Emilia reacted instantly, her fist connecting with Lucas''s face. As he stumbled back, she followed up with a vicious stomp.


    "How dare you!"


    She snarled.


    She couldn¡¯t believe he actually hit the boy.


    What was going on through his head?


    Did he finally lose it?


    Bryan''s tears mixed with the blood on his face.


    Weren¡¯t they supposed to keep him safe?


    Why was he hit?


    What did he do wrong?


    His emotions started to swell as his blood began to hover and take shape into a crescent moon.


    They watched the small crescent blades of blood form and hover around Bryan.


    It was a sight none of them expected.


    Except, for Lucas.


    Lucas, despite the throbbing pain in his face, couldn''t contain his excitement.


    "Fascinating! It''s just as I suspected."


    He sounded proud of himself.


    It disgusted Emilia.


    Lucas took a step closer to Bryan, his gaze fixed on the floating blood.


    "Bryan''s blood acts as a catalyst for his magic. That''s why I had to... provoke him."


    He toned down the word he was going to use, for the other''s sake.


    Shouldn¡¯t they be proud of him for that?


    If they knew what he really wanted to do¡­


    He couldn¡¯t help but smirk in satisfaction, oblivious to the faces Emilia and Edward were making.


    Emilia, still standing in front of Bryan, turned to Lucas with a look of utter disgust.


    "You''re insane."


    She spat.


    "How could you justify hurting a child?"


    Despite her anger, Emilia couldn''t help but observe the floating blood.


    "But you''re right about one thing, Bryan''s magic does seem to be conditional. This is... unprecedented. There''s never been a mage capable of using blood before."


    Lucas nodded eagerly.


    "Exactly! Do you realize the implications of this? There have been theories and studies on water mages, attempting to control a person''s blood using the water within, but never with any success. This... this changes everything!"


    Edward''s eyes were cold as he addressed Lucas.


    Emilia hit him, but she should have done more.


    He¡¯d never settle at stopping with only a few hits.


    No.


    He¡¯d need to take both of Lucas¡¯s arms to be satisfied.


    Only then would he know it wouldn¡¯t happen again.


    "You should consider yourself fortunate, Lucas, if Emilia hadn''t beaten you, I would have done far worse."


    Lucas shrugged, for him this pain was worth the results.


    Sometimes you had to be the villain in order to get the results you wanted.


    Bryan wept wiping the tears from his eyes trying to be strong.


    Glancing at the crimson crescent moon-shaped blades hovering in the air, he couldn¡¯t believe he was doing this.


    He was using magic!


    However, as excited as he was about the idea the three small blades fell to the ground.


    He willed them to rise once more, to take shape but nothing happened.


    What was wrong with him?


    ¡®Come on! Do it again! Come back!¡¯


    If he couldn''t use magic¡­ if he couldn''t keep their attention then what would happen to him?


    Edward''s eyes caught the shift in Bryan''s expression as he stared dejectedly at the ground.


    Realization dawned on him as he noticed his spell faded.


    "Don''t worry, Bryan."


    Edward said gently, kneeling beside the boy.


    "The blood falling simply means your ether has run out. It''s perfectly normal."


    Bryan nodded slowly, but his eyes remained downcast.


    ¡®Ether? What¡¯s that?¡¯


    ¡®How do I get more?¡¯


    He wondered to himself.


    More was better. The more ether he had, the more he could keep his magic going.


    Right?


    Yeah, that had to be the case.


    He¡¯d do whatever he needed to get more.


    Then, he¡¯d be a real mage.


    Then, they¡¯d love him.


    Lucas grinned widely upon noticing Bryan¡¯s spell dissipate.


    "I didn''t even notice it."


    Lucas exclaimed.


    "None of us did!"


    Emilia frowned, uncomfortable with Lucas''s enthusiasm.


    "He''s right."


    She felt like she was saying that about Lucas too much in one day.


    If she said it one more time, it¡¯d feed his ego.


    That was not something she¡¯d let happen.


    But still, what Bryan did was something unique.


    "I couldn''t sense you using magic, Bryan. I knew you were, but the activation was silent."


    Lucas let out a manic laugh.


    "There''s so much to explore here, so much to learn!"


    He couldn¡¯t wait to give the boy a real examination.


    He¡¯d take so much blood.


    Not enough to kill him, but enough.


    While Lucas was picturing what he could get away with, without having Emilia or Lucas come after him. Edward had one question on his mind.


    "If Bryan''s condition requires him to bleed in order to use magic, with his blood acting as a catalyst, what happens if he runs out of blood?"


    Lucas paused, giving it some thought.


    "Given my current understanding of events Bryan''s body might have a safeguard against such a thing. If the blood wasn''t enough to fuel his spell or keep it going, then instead of drawing upon more blood, his body might seek out an alternative source."


    His eyes narrowed as he connected the dots.


    "Which, in his case, led to ether poisoning."


    Emilia thought over his words carefully, considering the theory.


    It made a disturbing amount of sense, given the state in which she had found Bryan.


    The idea that his magic could have driven him to such extremes was both fascinating and terrifying.


    Edward, however, shook his head.


    "That doesn''t seem possible. Pure ether cannot create blood. It can fuel magic, yes, but even then, it''s incredibly dangerous. To create blood to sustain a spell? That''s beyond anything we''ve ever encountered."


    Lucas''s eyes gleamed with excitement, as a manic grin spread across his face.


    "Ah, but Edward, anything is within the realm of creation when you truly understand how magic works."


    He countered.


    "From my understanding, all life is made up of ether in some shape or form. So why can''t blood be created from it? After all, blood is what gives us life!"


    His excitement growing, Lucas began to pace the room, gesticulating wildly.


    "We need to conduct some tests, considering these extraordinary circumstances."


    Emilia''s eyes flashed with anger.


    "Absolutely not, Lucas!"


    "Bryan is a child, not some experiment for you to toy with!"


    Lucas stopped pacing and looked extremely disappointed.


    Like a child who just got their toy taken away.


    "What? Of course, he is... of course he isn''t! I''d never experiment on him."


    Lucas muttered something else under his breath before giving them a reassuring smile.

 Chapter 11 - Prologue XI

    Cirrugur, 16th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Emilia led the way into her private study.


    Edward followed close behind, closing the door with a soft click.


    Leaning against her desk, Emilia crossed her arms and let out a deep sigh. Her usual composure faltered.


    Edward''s brow furrowed.


    He could tell something was wrong.


    She wouldn¡¯t have asked to meet him here, so late at night, unless something was really bothering her.


    "What''s on your mind?"


    She shook her head.


    "I''m not cut out for this, Edward. I knew it before, but seeing his reaction... it''s another story entirely.¡±


    "You mean what happened with Bryan?"


    Emilia nodded.


    "Exactly. I''m not good with children. I never have been, and I won''t be. It''s just not in me."


    She was sharing with him, not news but emotion. He wasn¡¯t expecting that.


    He barely stopped his lips from curving into a smile as this was progress on her part.


    Something changed with her, and he had an idea of what it was.


    "It''s a skill that takes time and effort to learn. You can''t expect much when he''s barely been here."


    "I know, but still..."


    She trailed off, her hand unconsciously clenching into a fist as she recalled the moment.


    The pain in her chest had been unexpected, a sharp ache that caught her off guard. It was a feeling she wasn''t accustomed to, one that left her unsettled and questioning her own capabilities.


    Emilia let out a dry laugh, her eyes fixed on a point in the distance.


    "I was raised to be a mage, Edward, not a caretaker. I can''t be his mother. That''s what he needs, and I''m... not that."


    "You don''t have to be his mother. But a promise made is-"


    She cut him off with a wave of her hand.


    "I know, I know. You say it often enough."


    "Because it''s true, and you did promise Rashaka, did you not?"


    Emilia sighed, her shoulders sagging slightly. Sadly, that was the case, but if she knew what it entailed, she wouldn''t have done it.


    "I did. I just... I didn''t realize what I was getting myself into at the time."


    She leaned forward suddenly, an idea suddenly coming to mind.


    "Why can''t you just take care of him? Bryan seems fond enough of you."


    ¡®No, you¡¯re not getting off that easy.¡¯


    Edward shook his head slowly.


    "If that''s what you wish, I can. But I shouldn''t."


    "Why not?"


    The two of them spent enough time together, and Edward was great with children.


    He even helped raise her, and truthfully speaking he was like a father. More so than the actual father she had.


    "Bryan is talented, and I fear my greed might corrupt him."


    Edward admitted.


    Even now, he couldn¡¯t help but recall the lessons he had with Bryan.


    Watching over Emilia, and seeing the growth of her siblings, alongside the other members of her family, Edward knew how talented a potential mage could be.


    Rashaka was a once-in-a-lifetime genius when it came to manipulating ether, but Bryan could outclass her. He felt it, and in time the entire world would as well.


    "But that''s not the main reason. There''s something going on with Bryan, something I just noticed today."


    Emilia raised an eyebrow.


    "Is this about his behavior?"


    Edward nodded glad that she managed to catch that as well.


    "I''m not sure what happened or why you brought him here, but even without knowing, I can tell it was bad. For a child so young to distrust, to fear... something terrible must have been done to him.¡±


    Emilia took a deep breath, her eyes meeting Edward''s. She never did explain anything to him about that day, but today is as good a day as any.


    "Where should I begin?"


    She shook her head, a rueful smile playing on her lips.


    "No, the story''s too long. Maybe another night."


    She couldn¡¯t do it again, not after all that she told Lucas.


    Once was enough, but twice in one day?


    Even with all the bits she left out, it was still too much.


    She¡¯d have to drink herself to sleep after this.


    "The short version. Bryan was bullied often at the orphanage. They considered him a cursed child, a demon even."


    "That could have done it, but... there has to be more to the story."


    He could picture that.


    The boy had a unique look, one that he hadn¡¯t seen before.


    But knowing Emilia, there was more to the story. There always was.


    Emilia looked away.


    "I left him in the care of Ms. Kelly, a caretaker at the orphanage. She was really good with Bryan. I even met her on occasion."


    ¡®So, that¡¯s who you¡¯ve been visiting when you said you were out meeting a friend.¡¯


    "Is that where you''ve been going when you mentioned heading out?"


    Emilia nodded once, her gaze still averted.


    "It''s my fault all of this happened."


    She said.


    A day sooner, an hour before, and none of this would have happened. She was used to people suffering, dying even. But this was different.


    Edward shook his head.


    "That''s surely not the case."


    She waved off his comment.


    "It is, Edward. You''re merely saying that because you don''t know."


    Emilia''s grip tightened on her forearms as she shivered slightly.


    "I fear my father''s shadow looms over me, and in trying to protect Bryan, I might become the very monster I despise."


    "You aren''t your father, Emilia. And you won''t ever be.¡±


    Emilia''s eyes flashed with sudden anger. She whirled to face Edward, her voice rising to a shout.


    "You don''t know that!"


    Her gaze held his for what felt like an eternity, before she leaned her head back, staring at the ceiling. The fight seemed to drain from her as quickly as it had come.


    "I knew."


    She said.


    "I knew what Bryan was going through at the orphanage, but I didn''t stop it."


    "Bryan only wanted to make friends, but those ''friends'' he made hurt him every time they played together. If you could even call it playing."


    Her voice started to crack a little.


    "And the worst part was that Bryan accepted that, because it was the only way he could have people talk to him, to be around him. Yet, knowing all of this, I didn''t do anything."


    Edward opened his mouth to speak, but closed it, sensing she needed to continue.


    He could already picture the scene, Bryan seeking friendship but being denied.


    Often times people feared what they had no knowledge of, or lacked control of.


    Children were no exception to this.


    But this wasn¡¯t her fault.


    Even if she had taken him away, the same thing would have still happened.


    He wouldn¡¯t tell her that, but she had to know it on some level.


    "Power has a way of corrupting the soul."


    Emilia murmured, flicking her hand. A flame ignited above her palm, dancing in the air.


    "And I can''t help but wonder if it''s already too late for me. I couldn''t even protect one child."


    Her eyes met Edward''s.


    "If that isn''t like my father, then what do you call it?"


    ¡®Being human.¡¯


    That¡¯s all she was guilty of.


    Was just being human.


    She always sought him out for advice on tough subjects, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Being this ¡®perfect¡¯ figure in her eyes.


    He had his flaws too, and he¡¯d never be perfect.


    Because he was only human.


    "We''re all running from our demons. But eventually, we''ll have to stop running and face them."


    He didn''t tell her it wasn''t her fault; he knew it wouldn''t help.


    Instead, he opted for a different approach.


    "If you don''t want to be like your father, if you want to make up for what you''ve done, then you should start with Bryan."


    Emilia slammed her fist against the desk, her voice rising.


    "What do you think I''ve been doing?"


    ¡®Good. Get angry.¡¯


    Edward thought as Emilia always showed her true self when she was angry.


    "What you''ve always done."


    Edward replied calmly.


    "Run from the problem."


    Emilia''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    "You dare-"


    Edward shrugged, unfazed by her anger.


    "We both know you wanted me to say this, or else you wouldn''t be acting the way you are now.¡±


    Emilia''s shoulders sagged as she let out a heavy sigh.


    "You''re right, as usual."


    She ran a hand through her black hair.


    "How can I be the person I need to be for Bryan?"


    It wasn''t often that she asked for help, and her doing so now spoke volumes about her personal growth. He pondered for a moment before responding.


    "Bryan needs you, just as much as you need him."


    Edward told her.


    He would give her the one thing she needed more than anything else.


    And, in turn, she would give him what he needed.


    She just had to see that.


    "You could start by opening up a bit more, try to be more approachable."


    Emilia scoffed, her eyes narrowing.


    "Are you saying I''m not approachable?"


    Edward remained silent. They both knew there were only a few people that would approach her.


    "Do you remember what you did the day you returned with Bryan?"


    Edward asked, changing the subject.


    Emilia furrowed her brow, thinking back.


    "You tossed him to me like a rag doll."


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    Edward answered for her.


    Rolling her eyes, Emilia retorted.


    "You caught him, didn''t you?"


    "That''s not the point, if you want to be closer to the boy, treat him like a person. Better yet, treat him like a child."


    ¡®Because that¡¯s all he is.¡¯


    It was easy to forget that. To get swept up in the motions, but they had to remember, Bryan was only a child.


    He was awakened, sure.


    But before that, he was a child, first and foremost.


    "I''d love to do that, but he wants to be a mage. Who am I to trample on his dreams?"


    "Going against what a child wants because you know what''s best for them is hard at times, but it has to be done. What would be the point of him having all this talent if it''ll merely corrupt him in the future? Bryan needs to learn, yes, but he also has to heal from the events that brought him here."


    Bryan''s scars were emotional, and those were harder to heal than any physical wound.


    They couldn¡¯t simply move past them without addressing the underlying pain. Emilia needed to understand that.


    "I''m stuck, Edward. He has to be strong to survive, especially if the Inquisition finds out what he''s done. But he also has to be a child, one that has to be raised in secret. How can I accomplish such a task without pushing him away?"


    Edward''s expression was sympathetic. It was a question he was unsure of himself. After all, he still never had a connection to his own son.


    "I can''t give you the answer to that, Emilia. But you can start by telling him the truth.¡±


    Her eyes widened in disbelief.


    "Are you insane? You want me to tell Bryan about Rashaka?"


    If he wasn''t broken already, then that would surely break him.


    It was a secret she was willing to take to her grave. He''d have more questions than answers, and Emilia wouldn''t know how to give them to him.


    Edward shook his head.


    "That''s up to you, but it''s not what I was referring to."


    "Wait, is that really true? Rashaka is his mother?"


    She inferred that before, but never directly stated it to him. Being under her mother for so long, he knew a lot about their family.


    Rashaka''s fall was a moment that shocked them all. For the patriarch to disown her like that, despite the achievements she accomplished¡­ no one saw it coming.


    "Yes, he is her child."


    Emilia confirmed it for him.


    Edward let out a low whistle.


    "Well, I can''t wait to hear that tale. But that''s for another day."


    He steered the conversation back on track.


    "What I meant was, you should tell Bryan what you just told me. Maybe even a bit about your own past."


    Emilia recoiled at the suggestion.


    That was the worst idea Edward had ever given her.


    "I can''t do that. He''d despise me."


    "You can''t be sure of that."


    Edward countered.


    His gaze drifted to the wall.


    "From what you''ve told me, Bryan is an outcast. We all are, in our own ways. He might recognize that, if not now, then in time."


    A wry smile played on Edward''s lips.


    "If you think about it, this has to be fate at work."


    Emilia''s laughter was dry.


    "Fate wouldn''t be so cruel as to make a child suffer like that."


    ¡®You¡¯d be surprised what fate can do.¡¯


    Edward thought for a second.


    "What are your plans for the boy now that we know his magical attribute?"


    "I need to think on it, but nothing should change. He''ll learn the basics to build a strong foundation, then focus on physical combat. I don¡¯t want him using spells or learning magic right now."


    She told him.


    ¡°Maybe in a few years, he can learn techniques to work on his magic. But for now, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s good for him.¡±


    He was glad she was thinking this through and wasn¡¯t rushing into it.


    That was something that made her different from her father.


    He¡¯d have isolated Bryan in a mountain somewhere and fed him a bunch of nonsense. Just to see how much of a monster he¡¯d be once he finally left that mountain.


    That¡¯s just who he was, and Edward couldn¡¯t fault him for it.


    It was just a good thing that Emilia wasn¡¯t as corrupt as she thought she was.


    "If that''s the case, we should be careful. Unless you want him unlocking more spells prematurely."


    Emilia waved off his concern.


    "We''ll be careful. But remember, it took me months to unlock my second spell and years for my third. Bryan might be talented, but he''s young. It''ll take him a while to unlock any spells, even if my father were training him personally."


    "That may be true, but imagine a fifteen-year-old with multiple spells at the age when most are just awakening their abilities.¡±


    Emilia shook her head.


    "That would be difficult no matter what, Edward, considering the age at which he awakened. Even if he was untalented, by the time he was of age, he''d have one or two spells unlocked anyway. There''s nothing we can do about it."


    They both knew this truth, and there was no way to stop it.


    Even if they halted his training, Bryan would still unlock some kind of spell. The only thing they could do was not train him at all.


    "Mages that weren''t trained didn''t know the methods to unlock more spells. Some of them got lucky, but most never gained more than the basic spell they awakened with, or one new spell they unlocked ten or twenty years down the line."


    Edward nodded in agreement.


    Having proper training methods was key to raising a mage.


    A true mage at least.


    Those without proper training or knowledge would forever be stuck at the bottom.


    "You did right by Bryan, not pushing him to learn magic at the moment. Because he''d have to relive his awakening over and over in order to do so, and if the experience was that bad, then..."


    He gazed at Emilia, his voice trailing off.


    "What do you think would happen to his mind?"


    Emilia''s lips curved into a wry smile.


    "Tell that to Lucas. He''s never one to stop progress once he starts."


    They both knew this all too well. Lucas stopped at nothing to prove his methods right, doing whatever it took to achieve the slightest result.


    Emilia chuckled, recalling a particularly memorable incident.


    "Remember that time Lucas made a bomb out of a magic core? Capable of destroying everything within two miles? The entire city wanted to toss him out."


    It was difficult to forget, considering the man was always up to something. Even now, people asked him to make sure nothing like that happens again.


    Not that there was anything he could do to stop the madman, Lucas was being true to himself. Which meant he was being a menace to everyone else.


    Which was fine by Edward. As long as it wasn¡¯t him, Lucas could do whatever he wanted.


    "Emilia, do you trust Lucas around Bryan?"


    Emilia''s laughter faded.


    "I have a hard time trusting anyone, Edward. But if Lucas does anything that''ll harm Bryan..."


    She paused, clenching her fist.


    "I''ll kill him.¡±


    "That''s good to hear. Especially considering you once said you wanted to push Bryan until he broke, or came close to it. If we leave that to Lucas... well, that might truly be the case."


    Emilia''s eyes widened, a flicker of shame crossing her face.


    She looked away.


    "I... I did say that, didn''t I? But I wasn''t thinking straight then. Those words, that mindset... it''s more in line with what my father would say."


    The man who¡¯d do anything for power and influence. The one who drove her to despair.


    Everyone loved him, but now that she thought back on it.


    Was he even worth her love?


    She shook her head, her black hair swaying with the motion.


    "That''s not who I want to be, Edward. Not anymore."


    He felt bad for Emilia, she was long out of her father''s grasp, yet he still managed to influence her. Would there ever come a time when she''d realize she no longer had to seek his approval?


    "As long as you remain true to your goal and yourself, that''s all that matters. The path ahead won''t be easy, but your intentions are what count."


    As he spoke, Edward''s mind wandered.


    He knew all too well how easy it was to lose oneself along your original path.


    The road to hell, after all, was paved with good intentions.


    There were no safeguards, no fail-safe mechanisms to stop one from going too far down that treacherous road. It was a constant struggle, a battle against one''s own nature and the circumstances that shaped them.


    Glancing at Emilia, he saw not just the woman she was now, but the child she had been, the mage she had become, and the guardian she was striving to be.


    "Enough of this."


    She said as she stretched.


    "Too many emotions for one day. It''s not good for me."


    "If that is what you wish."


    Edward replied, bowing slightly.


    He turned to leave, his footsteps echoing in the quiet study.


    As Edward reached the door, Emilia''s voice stopped him.


    "Thanks."


    She said, the word hanging in the air between them.


    Edward smiled, though he didn''t turn around.


    "Anytime."


    The door closed behind him with a soft click, leaving Emilia alone with her thoughts.


    Left in solitude, Emilia made her way to her seat.


    The walk was short, as she had already been leaning against the desk. She sank into the chair with a heavy sigh, her body slumping.


    Her head fell back, auburn hair cascading over the chair''s backrest. Emilia''s eyes fixed on the ceiling, unseeing, as her mind whirled with the day''s events and revelations.


    "I pray I can be what you see in me."


    She whispered to the empty room.


    Her eyes fluttered closed, shutting out the world as she allowed herself a moment of in the privacy of her study.


    *********


    Bryan wandered through the estate''s hallways, his small form dwarfed by the surroundings.


    He tried to sleep, but he couldn¡¯t.


    Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her.


    She died over and over, nonstop. It just never stopped.


    He wanted it to stop but didn¡¯t know how.


    Walking might help, or so he hoped.


    His eyes darted from one ornate decoration to another, taking in the lavish paintings and weapons adorning the walls.


    They were nice, pretty even.


    But, his eyes settled on a cane that hung on the wall.


    Suddenly, images of Ms. Kelly''s death flash before his eyes.


    The nobleman''s cruel face, the guards'' weapons, and the pool of blood beneath her lifeless body. His breath caught in his throat as his chest tightened with each painful memory.


    "I''m sorry, Ms. Kelly."


    He whispered as his voice shook.


    "I''m so sorry."


    The words became a mantra, repeated over and over as he stumbled down the corridor.


    There was no one out here in the halls this late at night.


    He was all alone.


    ¡®It¡¯s all my fault.¡¯


    ¡®Everything¡¯s my fault.¡¯


    He couldn¡¯t help but think.


    Ms. Bertha always said he was a cursed child. That those around him would end up suffering.


    She never told him directly, but he heard her talking to the other caretakers at the orphanage.


    And, she was right.


    ¡®Should I stay here?¡¯


    He asked himself.


    Could he put Emilia and the others in danger?


    Did they think of him as a cursed child or a demon? Was he a monster?


    His legs gave way, and he slid down the wall, curling into himself.


    Tears streamed down his pale cheeks, and he frantically wiped them away.


    "No crying."


    He mumbled.


    "They will hate me if I cry."


    Dave and the other children disliked it when he cried.


    Calling him a crybaby.


    He wasn¡¯t a baby.


    All the names and teasing.


    He remembered it all.


    If he cried, they only teased him more, hit him more.


    It''s why he held back his tears no matter what happened.


    He had to show them he was able to take their jokes and teases.


    He had to take whatever he could for them to accept him.


    They would have, eventually.


    It was just that he messed up somewhere.


    ¡®It¡¯s all my fault.¡¯


    They laughed at him, played him for a fool.


    It was all his fault, he shouldn''t have run.


    He should have stayed, stuck to Dave.


    Hugging his knees to his chest, his white hair fell over his face.


    "Why did I say I wanted to be a mage?"


    "Everyone said it was so great, but they never told me about the pain."


    Trying to suppress his sobs, his body shook.


    "I can''t be a mage. I just can''t. I can''t watch Ms. Kelly die again."


    "But... I don''t want to disappoint Emilia."


    ¡®I don''t want to be alone.¡¯


    He thought.


    Laughter echoed from nearby, causing him to look up in surprise.


    ¡®What was that?¡¯


    There was a door slightly ajar, just to his left.


    ¡°Is someone there?¡±


    No one replied, just more laughter.


    He hesitated for a moment as he looked around the empty hallway.


    Who was laughing?


    Was it¡­ a ghost?


    Fear gripped him, causing him to be deathly silent.


    Yet, the more he heard the more curious he got.


    ¡®Is it really a ghost?¡¯


    He should have been afraid of ghosts, but he wasn¡¯t.


    They were like him, stuck between both realms and accepted by neither.


    Because of that, he could understand that they were lonely. So, maybe if he talked to them, neither of them would be alone anymore.


    Slowly he uncurled himself, inching towards the door.


    His small hand trembled as he pushed the door open a fraction wider, peering into the room.


    Inside, Lucas paced back and forth, his hair even more disheveled than usual.


    "Think, think, think harder."


    Lucas muttered to himself as his fingers tapped against his temples.


    Suddenly, Lucas snapped his head toward the door.


    His blue eyes lock onto Bryan, and a smile spread across his face.


    It didn¡¯t feel warm, but instead sent a chill down Bryan''s spine. Quickly he backed away, his heart racing.


    ¡®Crazy.¡¯


    Bryan thought.


    "He''s completely crazy."


    Despite his fear, he couldn¡¯t help but look once more.


    There was something about the crazy man that made Bryan feel sad.


    But why?


    Leaning forward once more he peeked through the crack in the door.


    A fluttering of wings drew Lucas''s attention upward.


    A black bird with startling purple eyes descended from an open window high above.


    "Shush, Zoltan."


    Lucas scolded the bird.


    "You don''t know anything."


    The raven landed on a cluttered desk, cocking its head to the side and letting out a sharp caw.


    Lucas rolled his eyes.


    "If you know the answer, then by all means, tell me."


    A moment of silence followed, and Lucas scoffed.


    "That''s what I thought."


    Zoltan hopped across the desk, landing on a piece of paper. Snatching it up, Lucas scanned the contents.


    "This?"


    He asked, studying what appeared to be an old design for an invention.


    "I''ll finish it eventually. The ring is merely a side project, not worth my time."


    He tossed the paper aside.


    The raven immediately hopped over to the discarded sheet, pecking at it insistently.


    "I can''t waste time on that, I have to unlock the book."


    "They all called me crazy, said my ideas were baseless."


    Reaching his hand out, he caressed the sealed book on his desk.


    "Well, not anymore. After I unlock this book, after I prove to them all how I''ve been right this entire time... then no one will look down on me again."


    Zoltan picked up the paper in its beak, and Lucas waved a dismissive hand.


    "Don''t eat that, you silly bird."


    As Zoltan flew away with the paper clutched in its beak, Lucas''s eyes widened in disbelief.


    He lunged forward, his long coat flapping behind him as he chased after the mischievous bird.


    "Stop your antics right now!"


    Lucas demanded.


    Pointing his finger towards the cluttered desk.


    "Land there this instant!"


    Zoltan let out a defiant caw, circling just above his head.


    Lucas''s face twisted in frustration.


    "I am not behaving like a child."


    He protested.


    "You''re the one acting childish. Grow up, you feathered menace!"


    The raven flapped its wings in response, letting out another sharp cry.


    Lucas''s eyes widen, his mouth dropping open in shock.


    "Take that back!"


    Zoltan taunted Lucas further, wagging its tail feathers.


    "That''s it!"


    Lucas roared.


    "I''m having fried chicken tonight!"


    Electricity crackled around his fingertips. With a swift motion, he sent a bolt arcing towards Zoltan. The bird, however, proved too quick, dodging the attack.


    Lucas unable to catch the bird, pulled at his hair.


    "Ahh! I am not doing this again!"


    Turning away he looks down at the sealed book.


    "Eat it for all I care, I have more important work."


    Seeing Lucas no longer paying him any attention, Zoltan landed on his head letting go of the paper. The paper floated down in front of Lucas landing on the desk.


    "Tsk, why do you insist on having me finish this?"


    Lucas asked.


    Zoltan cawed.


    "Fine, fine you crazy beast. I''ll finish it, will that make you happy?"


    Zoltan seemed to do a dance as it moved on top of Lucas''s head.


    Lucas smiled and shook his head. His friend was crazy, but he just couldn''t win against him.


    "You owe me for this."


    Lucas made one last comment before he picked up the design and sighed.


    Bryan watched everything play out before his very eyes.


    He thought the man was scary, but he wasn¡¯t.


    He was simply different.


    ¡®Ah.¡¯


    Bryan came to a realization after seeing the interaction Lucas had with the bird.


    ¡®He¡¯s lonely. Like me.¡¯

 Chapter 12 – Prologue XII

    Cirrugur, 24th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Bryan had a new habit.


    Spying on Lucas late at night.


    The man seemed to be in his own world as he conversed with a bird.


    His antics were amusing because the beast never once talked back.


    It was silly of him to spy like this but fun.


    Watching him have whole conversations with the bird he called Zoltan.


    Strangely, he had not been caught yet.


    He merely peeked in and whenever Lucas turned in his direction, he hid.


    ''What are you up to tonight?''


    Bryan wondered as he peered through the open slit.


    Lucas rubbed his temples in frustration.


    This project of his was not going well.


    It wasn''t easy by any means, but that was the point.


    This ring was a challenge that would push all of humanity forward.


    That is if he could figure out how to make it work.


    Zoltan who was perched on the edge of the desk, hopped closer to a particular sheet and pecked at it insistently.


    "Oh, for the love of¡ª"


    Lucas waved his hand, shooing the bird away.


    "I know, I know. You don''t have to tell me twice."


    This was the fourth time he''d done that, and it was starting to get on his nerves.


    Did he think it was that simple?


    The raven cawed indignantly, ruffling its glossy black feathers.


    Leaning back in his chair Lucas ran a hand through his unkempt hair.


    "If you think you can do a better job designing this thing to work, then, by all means, give it a shot."


    Zoltan cocked its head to the side. Its beady eyes gleamed with what almost looked like amusement.


    It let out a low, throaty caw.


    "What do you mean you can''t?"


    Lucas scoffed, gesturing dramatically at the bird.


    In response, Zoltan looked down pointedly at its tiny clawed feet.


    "Oh, that''s merely an excuse."


    Lucas retorted, wagging a finger at the raven.


    "Don''t go blaming me for having hands. You''re supposed to be my brilliant assistant, aren''t you? Figure it out!"


    He didn''t tell the beast to help him, it invited itself into his life.


    Always messing with his inventions, and telling him he was doing it wrong.


    Pure insanity.


    He could not have a moment to himself without the creature bugging him.


    Bryan watched the pair and tried to stifle a giggle at the absurd one-sided conversation.


    How Lucas managed to understand the beast was beside him, but he''d like to know.


    "Bryan?"


    A voice called out.


    ''Uh-oh.''


    Turning around slowly, Bryan felt like he had been caught doing something he wasn''t supposed to do.


    Edward was there, a few feet behind him.


    "What are you doing out here?"


    Edward asked.


    "Nothing!"


    Bryan hurriedly said before he got up from the ground.


    "I just couldn''t sleep, that''s all."


    He gave the man a smile before he tip-toed around him to leave.


    Edward just watched him go and didn''t say a word.


    He was lucky that he escaped with ease.


    If Edward asked him questions, he wouldn''t be sure how best to answer them.


    After all, he still wasn''t sure what he was doing.


    ''I wanted to see more though.''


    Bryan sighed as he made his way back to his room.


    Edward watched Bryan leave.


    He wasn''t sure if he should be impressed or upset that Bryan lied to him.


    Before he even said a word, he watched the boy peek through the door.


    Once Bryan was out of sight, Edward turned his attention to the door that seemed to catch Bryan''s attention.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    He knew that this was Lucas''s workshop.


    It was usually locked.


    Even when he came back here, he always couped himself in there, refusing to come out except when he got hungry.


    ''Always too dangerous'' was the reason Lucas always gave.


    ''It is open, so might as well.''


    Edward thought as he knocked twice on the door before pushing it open.


    The sight that greeted him was disturbing, to say the least.


    Lucas was spreading Zoltan''s wings as if he were trying to rip them off. While the bird was clawing at his face and kept cawing.


    As Edward stepped into the room, both of them froze, their heads swiveled in unison.


    ''What did I just¡­''


    ''No, this is Lucas. There''s obviously a reason.''


    "What in the world are you doing?"


    Edward asked.


    Lucas spit out a black feather.


    "Just getting ready to flay this feathered nuisance for his constant annoyance."


    He said as he glared at Zoltan.


    The raven cawed as if understanding the threat.


    Edward pinched the bridge of his nose.


    ''I should not have asked.''


    ''For what reason did Emilia marry this fool again?''


    "If you''re done playing around, I have a question for you."


    Lucas released Zoltan.


    "Who said anything about playing around?"


    Lucas asked, not understanding how Edward had come to that conclusion.


    Zoltan smacked him in the face with his wing before flying away to a nearby shelf.


    Edward didn''t have time for Lucas''s games.


    "Why''d you leave the door cracked? That is unlike you."


    No matter how much of a mess he kept his appearance and even his workshop. Lucas always shut the door.


    That was the one thing he was diligent at.


    Lucas raised his eyebrow slightly.


    "Oh, I did? I didn''t notice."


    Edward stared at him, unamused.


    He really hated this guy.


    "Really? You mean to tell me that you didn''t notice Bryan observing you?"


    Lucas laughed a little.


    "Well¡­ now that you mention it¡­"


    Sighing, Edward rubbed his temple.


    ''It''s Lucas Eward, just remember that. Don''t do anything.''


    He let out a deep breath to calm himself down.


    "How long?"


    Shrugging, Lucas picked up a paper off his desk.


    "About a week, give or take."


    "A week?!"


    Edward''s voice exploded after hearing that.


    "Woah there. No need to get shaken up."


    He''d already have to hear from Emilia, he didn''t want to deal with Edward to.


    Edward was making it seem like this was a bad thing.


    When in fact, he should be thanking him.


    ''No need to get shaken up? You really¡­''


    He wanted to strangle Lucas, he really did.


    Even now, his fingers twitched at the idea.


    "Lucas¡­ did you really let him sit there this late at night for an entire week? And not think to say anything about it?"


    Blinking once, Lucas gave him a blank stare.


    "Didn''t know I had to. Not like he was harming anyone, was he?"


    ''I''m more worried about what you would have done to him given enough time.''


    Edward kept that thought to himself.


    "Besides, he seemed to have a hard time sleeping. Kid kept crying in the hall, damn near drove poor old Zoltan crazy."


    Zoltan after hearing this cawed.


    Lucas waved off the bird''s comment.


    Edward could feel it, like really feel his eye twitching.


    "Lucas¡­ you''re¡­ just¡­ not making this situation any better. You do know that right?"


    The man had to know that.


    There was no way he didn''t.


    He was playing with him, that had to be the case.


    Edward really hoped that was the case.


    "I think the kids scarred, Edward. Kept going on and on about how it was his fault, how sorry he was."


    Lucas leaned back in his chair.


    "But at least that''s all over now. Thank Pater for that, right?"


    "Please tell me you''re joking."


    It was a long shot, but he had to make sure.


    For his own sake.


    Lucas shook his head.


    "How long have we known each other for? When have you known me to joke around?"


    It sounded crazy, Edward knew that.


    But, he was right.


    He never joked, or so he said.


    "Just¡­ tell me you''re kidding Lucas. I need to hear you say it."


    Lucas stared at him for a moment.


    ''When you say it like that¡­ it makes it seem like I''ve done something wrong.''


    Lucas thought.


    Edward was so hard to read at times, so Lucas wasn''t sure if he was messing around.


    Of course, he knew Bryan was outside his workshop the entire time.


    Naturally, he left the door open to keep the kid entertained.


    What other way would he have a chance to build trust with the boy?


    He wanted the kid to come in here, and maybe, potentially volunteer to help him out.


    Give him a bit of blood.


    Take some tissue samples.


    Nothing too major.


    But, now that he was thinking about it¡­


    "Let''s say you''re Emilia at this moment. How pissed would you be?"


    Lucas asked as he watched Edward clench his fist.


    It was bothering him.


    Edward rarely got upset, so his actions must have been bad.


    It''s a good thing the man couldn''t hear his thoughts.


    If that ever happened¡­


    He didn''t even want to think about it.


    "Pretty sure you wouldn''t be talking right now if she were here."


    Lucas laughed nervously.


    "Well then."


    He looked at Edward.


    "Just pulling your leg. You know me."


    "I do, that''s the sad part."


    Edward replied.


    He had to calm himself down.


    At least Lucas didn''t harm Bryan.


    He must have put on this whole show for him, to keep him calm.


    That was the only logical reason for his antics with Zoltan.


    At least¡­ that''s what Edward hoped was the reason.


    "Anyways, thanks. For¡­"


    He had to think of something, but his mind was drawing a blank.


    "For looking out for him."


    Lucas shrugged.


    "Eh. I do need him to be in good condition. You know, I still have to unlock that book."


    "You just really had to mess that up there, didn''t you? Can''t you think of anyone other than yourself for once?"


    Edward asked but figured it''d be futile.


    Zoltan took that moment to caw as if he was agreeing.


    Edward didn''t know how he knew, but he did.


    And that scared him.


    Being in this room alone with Lucas¡­


    The man''s insanity was already starting to rub off on him.


    He had to get out of here.


    "I can, and I have."


    Lucas told him as he crossed his arms.


    "I''m not a narcissist. I care."


    ''Doubtful.''


    Edward thought but knew it was best not to say anything.


    He was going to leave, but he spotted one of the many scattered designs Lucas had on his desk.


    There were pieces of black metal on the table as well, along with a large magic core.


    "A new toy?"


    He asked.


    Lucas glanced down at the unfinished product.


    "This? It''s just a side project I''m being forced to work on."


    He could hear Zoltan ruffling his feathers in protest.


    That bird always had something to say. Especially when other people weren''t around.


    When they were, he pretended to be the nicest animal they''d ever seen.


    But he knew the real him, and he was anything but nice.


    He was a damn slave driver.


    "Who''s forcing¡ªno, you know what? I don''t even want to know."


    Edward said.


    "What is it going to do?"


    Lucas raised an eyebrow at that.


    ''Well, this is a first.''


    Lucas thought as he raised an eyebrow.


    "You really want to know?"


    Emilia and Edward never really took an interest in his projects.


    Not unless it endangered others.


    But, that rarely happened.


    Except for that one time he made that bomb.


    Not that he wanted to do it.


    They asked him to. In order to see if it was possible.


    He told them it was, but they wanted tangible proof. And when he delivered they damn near had a heart attack.


    "It''s not another bomb is it?"


    Edward asked.


    "No. It''s a magic ring."


    "A what now?"


    "M.A.G.I.C Ring. Mage''s analytics & growth interface control ring. To help mages get a more detailed analysis of their growth, and work on their weakness."


    Lucas explained.


    "As long as it''s not a bomb."


    Lucas didn''t know what he was expecting.


    Edward was too old, way past his prime. He couldn''t see genius if it smacked him on the head.


    This ring would change the way mages operated. It would give them an entire guideline on what they were lacking.


    All in a nice design that was easy to maintain and portable.


    Edward turned to leave.


    "Wait."


    Lucas called out for him to stop.


    "You''re not going to tell Emilia about this, right?"


    Edward laughed and walked out of the room.


    Zoltan landed on the desk as soon as Edward left.


    His purple eyes stared up at Lucas.


    "You really messed up, you know that, right? You should have listened to me when I told you¡ª"


    He began transmitting to Lucas but was rudely interrupted.


    "Ah! Not another word. This is all your fault, you do know that right?"


    Lucas pointed his finger at Zoltan.


    "Help the kid out, it''ll be good for you. Be kind Lucas. Blah, blah, blah."


    Lucas scoffed.


    "You do one nice thing, and suddenly you''re the bad guy."

 Chapter 13 – Prologue XIII

    Cirrugur, 25th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    "Bryan, we need to talk about something."


    Edward said as he interrupted their lesson.


    He waited until Bryan stopped writing before he spoke again.


    "Why did you lie about what you were doing last night?"


    ''He found out? How?''


    Byran asked himself his eyes focused on the table in front of him.


    He couldn''t look up to meet Edward''s gaze.


    He didn''t want to know how angry he was at him.


    "I don''t know."


    He mumbled.


    "I thought you''d hate me."


    Edward''s brow furrowed.


    "Hate you? Why would you think that?"


    ''Because that''s what they did.''


    It was just how things were for him. People would pick out something he did wrong and tease him about it. Sometimes even yell at him.


    That was normal, wasn''t it?


    "Because... because I shouldn''t have been peeking. It was wrong."


    At least he felt that way, but wasn''t sure if that truly was the case.


    It''s not like he was harming anyone, or even interrupting whatever Lucas was doing. He was only watching.


    A small smile tugs at the corner of Edward''s mouth.


    "That''s not a reason for me to be upset or mad at you, Bryan. It is wrong for you to watch others without their permission, so try not to do it again. But, there was no need to lie about it."


    Edward came closer to Bryan.


    He flinched, thinking Edward would hit him, but the strike never came.


    "Is something bothering you? You can tell me if there is."


    Bryan sat there silent as he stared at the paper in front of him.


    Should he tell Edward about Ms. Kelly? About how she kept appearing whenever he closed his eyes.


    Would it help him? Make her stop appearing?


    He wanted it to stop, but if it did¡­ would he ever see her again?


    Not having her in his life, not seeing her again¡­ Bryan wasn''t sure if he was ready for that.


    She has always been there for him, by his side.


    Even now, he still wished she was here.


    Looking up, he noticed Edward staring at him.


    "I just... I have a hard time sleeping."


    He wasn''t sure how to word it properly. All the things that were going on.


    "So, I walked around."


    Edward didn''t laugh at him. Instead, he saw his facial expression soften a bit. It was hard to explain how, but he knew Edward was sad.


    "Why can''t you sleep? Do you hear noises or something that keeps you up?"


    Edward asked.


    Bryan shook his head.


    That wasn''t it at all. The estate was huge, and it did feel lonely but he wasn''t scared of the dark. And there weren''t any strange sounds at night.


    "No. I just¡­ I just¡­"


    Tears started to form as he couldn''t get the words out.


    "Hey, it''s ok."


    Edward told him he put a hand on his shoulder.


    "It''s ok Bryan."


    He felt that. That it was ok, and that he could tell Edward.


    "I just¡­ keep seeing her."


    "Who?"


    "Ms. Kelly¡­ I just keep seeing her. All the time, it doesn''t stop."


    Edward was confused for a moment, but then he recalled that he heard that name before. Emilia told him about her.


    The caretaker at the orphanage who watched over Bryan.


    ¡°She came to help me, but he hit her. Ordered them to kill her.¡±


    ¡°I tried to stop them, tried to help. But¡­ but¡­ I couldn¡¯t! It¡¯s all my fault. It¡¯s all my fault.¡±


    Bryan kept repeating those words over and over again.


    Edward gazed up at the ceiling as he held the boy close.


    He was so much like Emilia, more than she could ever imagine.


    He didn¡¯t know the story, so he couldn¡¯t say if it was Bryan¡¯s fault. But, he could never put the blame on a child. Especially one that was so fragile.


    Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    The burden he was carrying was too much for him.


    Bryan was drowning in guilt and Edward didn¡¯t know how to save him.


    What could he possibly say that would help him?


    What could he do?


    ¡°It¡¯s not your fault Bryan. It¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Those were the only words he could think of at that moment.


    It felt better than telling him it was ok, and that everything would be alright.


    He had to take that burden Bryan was feeling and place it elsewhere. Give it to someone else.


    But who?


    **********


    Cirrugur, 25th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Edward went to the basement, he knew that is where she¡¯d be.


    Training.


    That¡¯s what she did, what she had always done.


    But, it had to stop.


    He spotted her smashing her fist against one of the training dummies sending it flying backward.


    Her strength was absurd, to think that she packed such strength in such a slender body.


    Guess that was the reason why she was good at what she did.


    Emilia spotted him and stopped what she was doing to come over to greet him.


    ¡°Hey, why are you looking like that? Did something happen?¡±


    She asked him.


    They have been around one another for so long that she could even read the minor changes in his facial expression.


    She could tell something was bothering him.


    ¡°It¡¯s Bryan. It¡¯s time you did something.¡±


    He told her.


    Emilia wiped the sweat from her forehead.


    ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    ¡°We talked about this Emilia, do you not remember?¡±


    She nodded once.


    ¡°You suggested I talk to him about the things we discussed.¡±


    ¡°And?¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°I thought about it, and don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea.¡±


    Edward was stunned silent.


    He couldn¡¯t believe what she said. Not a good idea?


    What did she consider a good idea then? Because what she was doing wasn¡¯t working.


    Ever since that conversation, she¡¯s been training relentlessly almost like she was preparing for war.


    But, there wasn¡¯t a war to be fought. Not here at least.


    ¡°Emilia, I beg you, reconsider.¡±


    ¡°I have, and I¡¯ve decided.¡±


    He didn¡¯t like where this was going. This behavior of hers, it¡¯s how she acted when she was afraid.


    ¡°On?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not possible for me right now. I have a mission-¡±


    ¡°A mission?¡±


    Edward interrupted her.


    She really was trying to run away.


    ¡°You really think going away right now is a good idea? You want to leave Bryan alone with Lucas?¡±


    Emilia looked at him.


    ¡°Of course not. You¡¯ll be here. But, please, let me explain.¡±


    He crossed his arms.


    There was bound to be nothing good coming from her at this point. Just excuses.


    He figured she changed, was changing. Especially when she shared what was going on in her head at the time.


    But no.


    She was still the same.


    ¡°Go on.¡±


    Normally he wouldn¡¯t act like this. To be so against her, and frankly angry.


    But she just couldn¡¯t go pick up someone off the street, bring them back, and dump the responsibility on them to someone else. It was irresponsible, and she knew that.


    Even Lucas was more responsible than that.


    ¡°Remember when I had that appointment with my family? Well, they asked me to do something for them. And you know when they ask something, it¡¯s not really them asking you.¡±


    Edward sighed.


    He knew that her family asking you to do something was just their polite way of telling you, you¡¯d do it.


    There was no declining.


    Even if they may have fallen in terms of status, they still held sway within the kingdom.


    ¡°So, I already agreed before I talked to you, or before you said anything about Bryan.¡±


    Emilia explained.


    ¡°But tell me, what¡¯s wrong with him? Is he behaving differently?¡±


    She asked.


    ¡°I spotted him outside of Lucas¡¯s workshop. Peeking inside.¡±


    ¡°Inside?¡±


    Emilia asked.


    Lucas¡¯s workshop was normally shut, even when he wasn¡¯t here.


    ¡°Yes, inside. Lucas kept it cracked for him, and said he was crying late at night. Bryan thinks everything is his fault, what happened at the orphanage, with Ms. Kelly. All his fault.¡±


    Edward told her.


    Emilia opened her mouth to say something but then closed it. She didn¡¯t know what to say.


    ¡°He told me that he keeps seeing her when he closes his eyes. That he can¡¯t watch her die again.¡±


    ¡°Oh my.¡±


    Emilia looked down.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ that¡¯s why you should talk to him. Do something, or else he¡¯ll break.¡±


    ¡°What could I do? What¡­¡±


    Emilia thought about it, but her mind was drawing blanks.


    She didn¡¯t know what to do, or how to help him.


    ¡°What would you have done? When Lyra died?¡±


    Edward asked.


    She looked up. She hadn¡¯t heard her mother''s name in years.


    Hadn¡¯t thought about her in years.


    But she died so long ago, back when she was nine.


    She didn¡¯t have time to process anything.


    She couldn¡¯t see her.


    Just training, and more training.


    She had to get stronger. He wanted her to be stronger.


    But, if she had another chance to do things differently.


    What would she have done?


    ¡®I¡¯d¡­¡¯


    ¡°I¡¯d like to have seen her one last time.¡±


    She answered.


    ¡°Then let Bryan do the same.¡±


    Edward suggested.


    ¡°She¡¯s gone, Edward. Burned. There¡¯s no coming back from that, no body to identify.¡±


    When she burned the bodies she made sure they¡¯d be difficult to identify. In time they¡¯d figure it out, especially if the inquisition was involved.


    But, Kelly? She was a nobody in Cintra.


    They wouldn¡¯t care about her, and the only reason she would be identified if they did manage that. Was because she was in the same location as that noble.


    Finding a body now, after all this time passed would be impossible.


    ¡°But the place it happened is still there. That has to be good enough for him. He needs closure. At least let him have that.¡±


    She agreed with him, but it was risky.


    She knew that, and Edward had to know as well.


    Bryan was awakened now, people could sense him.


    The good thing was, he was hard to detect unless you were actually paying him any attention. Even she had to concentrate on him, and her ability to detect ether was highly rated.


    So, for common people who didn¡¯t train their sensitivity, it would be even more difficult.


    The bad thing, all criminals returned to the scene of the crime. By going back, they¡¯d only increase the likelihood of being found.


    With Bryan¡¯s appearance, he was easy to spot, especially, for those who knew him.


    A child disappearing on the day all these events happened and reemerging at the scene of a crime, was suspicious no matter how crazy it looked.


    Was it a risk worth taking?


    That was the question.


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll take him back.¡±


    Edward thought she wouldn¡¯t risk it. He knew she sometimes took some stupid gambles, but this was different.


    ¡°Want me to tag along?¡±


    He asked.


    Emilia shook her head.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s better if I go alone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll inform Bryan. When do you plan on leaving?¡±


    ¡°In a few days.¡±

 Chapter 14 – Prologue XIV

    Cirrugur, 29th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Bryan pressed his face against the crack in the door, peering into Lucas''s workshop. He wasn''t supposed to be here, but it was fun watching the man work.


    Lately, he''s been sleeping well, with Ms. Kelly only appearing every other night.


    He tried to keep himself as busy as possible, and that wasn''t difficult for him. Edward had him study more math which started to get a bit complex, and he found himself stumbling over a few problems.


    But as he worked them out they became easier with each lesson.


    There was also the addition of reading, which was enjoyable as he liked stories. It was one of his favorite things to do with Ms. Kelly as they sat and read books.


    Especially the ones about mages that saved the day.


    He yearned to learn more about magic. The tales of mages and their incredible feats only fueled his desire to become one. Everyone admired mages, and that¡¯s what he wanted.


    Even though it was scary, he still wanted to try it.


    With the images of Ms. Kelly fading, the thought of finally learning magic began to take root within him. Yet, uncertainty gnawed at him¡ªhe wasn''t sure if he had what it took to succeed.


    Edward said that he had to remember the first time he awakened, which was something he didn''t want to do.


    That''s not how he wanted to remember her, not like that.


    The more he thought about her, the more his memories of their time together were overshadowed by the haunting recollection of what had happened to her. He couldn''t think about it.


    But, the feeling of using magic, actual magic thrilled him.


    It felt good, and the others were surprised.


    Bryan wanted them to be surprised again, to look his way and enjoy the moment with him. He had to learn magic if he wanted to accomplish that.


    There was no other option.


    ''I have to do it!''


    Could he do it?


    He didn''t have any training, but he did recall how it was done. It''s just doing it alone was scary.


    Suddenly, a dark shape materialized before him.


    ''Ah!''


    Stumbling backward, he was caught off guard.


    Zoltan, Lucas''s raven, stood there. The bird cocked its head, eyes fixed on him.


    After watching the bird act around Lucas for the past two weeks, he knew it spelled trouble. Nothing good came from it being around.


    The two of them always fought, and Bryan didn''t want to fight this bird.


    "Shh!"


    Bryan whispered, pressing his finger to his lips.


    Zoltan tilted its head in the other direction as he came a bit closer to him. Then it glanced back toward where Lucas was before finally turning its attention back to Bryan.


    "Please don''t-"


    What would Lucas do if he found out he was here?


    How did Zoltan know he was here?


    He didn¡¯t want to draw any attention to himself.


    Zoltan opened its beak and let out a loud, piercing caw. Bryan''s heart leaps into his throat as he frantically waved his hands, trying to silence the bird.


    "No, no, no!"


    He hissed.


    He couldn''t alert Lucas that he was there. He''d get into trouble, and he might not ever be able to see the crazy antics the man was up to.


    That couldn''t happen. He needed to shut the bird up.


    But Zoltan seemed to take pleasure in Bryan''s distress. The raven flapped its wings, creating a gust of air that ruffled his white hair.


    It cawed again, louder this time, the sound echoing through the hallway.


    Bryan''s eyes darted between Zoltan and the workshop door.


    Zoltan hopped closer, tilting its head as if studying him.


    "Shut up, why don''t you!"


    Lucas''s voice carried from inside the workshop.


    "I''m trying to concentrate!"


    ¡®Oh no!¡¯


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Bryan thought as he began to back up.


    Zoltan cawed again, louder this time. The raven glanced at him, its eyes gleaming with mischief. Then, with a flap of its wings, it took off.


    Bryan let out a relieved sigh as he watched Zoltan soar through the air, landing on Lucas''s desk. The man''s back was turned, obscuring whatever he was working on from view.


    "Alright, alright."


    Lucas grumbled, setting down whatever he held.


    "What''s got you so worked up?"


    Bryan watched as Zoltan tilted its head causing Lucas to glance in his direction. Had Zoltan somehow told on him?


    Before Bryan could even think of what to do, Lucas was at the door. It swung open.


    ¡®How?¡¯


    The man moved fast, so fast he didn¡¯t even have time to blink.


    Lucas''s eyes locked onto his, as a smile spread across his face. Something was unsettling about that grin, and the glint in his eye made Bryan''s skin crawl.


    Bryan stood frozen, as Lucas stared down at him.


    The memory of Lucas picking him up flashed through his mind, causing him to take an instinctive step back.


    ¡®He¡¯s not going to hurt me¡­ is he?¡¯


    Zoltan swooped down and landed on Lucas''s shoulder, letting out a loud caw.


    Lucas sighed.


    "I know, I was just about to ask. Why are you rushing me?"


    Lucas asked before his eyes turned their attention to Bryan.


    "What are you doing out here?"


    Lucas asked, his voice surprisingly calm.


    Bryan''s mouth opened and closed, his lips quivering as he tried to form words.


    "I... I was just... um..."


    He stammered.


    "I didn''t mean to... I was only..."


    His cheeks flushed red as he fumbled for an explanation.


    ¡®I can¡¯t tell him.¡¯


    He knew he couldn''t lie - he had been spying, plain and simple. But admitting that seemed impossible.


    Zoltan flapped its wings and cawed again.


    Lucas rolled his eyes.


    "You don''t have to tell me that, I can see it for myself."


    Another caw from Zoltan made Lucas frown.


    "You''re not making this any better."


    He muttered to the raven.


    ¡®It¡¯s not saying anything¡­¡¯


    Bryan stood there, his eyes darting between Lucas and Zoltan.


    "Why... why are you talking to yourself?"


    He asked.


    It was the only question that came to mind, and he was curious about it. How exactly did he manage to have an entire conversation with nobody?


    Both Zoltan and Lucas turned to stare at him. Bryan felt his cheeks grow hot under their scrutiny.


    Lucas blinked a few times, as if processing Bryan''s question. Then, he let out a short laugh.


    "I''m not talking to myself, boy. I''m speaking to this pain in my side."


    He gestured to Zoltan.


    Zoltan let out a loud caw, its black feathers ruffling.


    "Yes, I''m talking about you."


    Lucas said, rolling his eyes at the bird.


    Bryan''s brow furrowed in confusion. He looked from Lucas to Zoltan and back again, trying to make sense of what he was hearing.


    The bird didn¡¯t say anything, at least not words he could understand.


    Lucas turned his attention back to Bryan.


    "It doesn''t matter, really. You wouldn''t understand anyway."


    Lucas waved his hand to fend off any incoming comment.


    ¡°Um¡­¡±


    Bryan finally managed, forcing the word out as he glanced at the raven perched smugly on Lucas''s shoulder.


    ¡°I can understand some things.¡±


    Lucas raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement flickering in his blue eyes.


    ¡°Oh? Like what?¡±


    He leaned closer.


    Bryan felt the urge to shrink back, but something inside him pushed him to stand his ground.


    ¡°Like¡­ like how you talk to Zoltan. It¡¯s strange. You¡¯re strange.¡±


    Lucas straightened up, a grin breaking across his face.


    ¡°Strange, am I? Coming from a boy who spies on others from doorways, I find that quite amusing.¡±


    He chuckled.


    Bryan''s cheeks turned crimson.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t spying¡­ I was just¡­ curious.¡±


    ¡°Curiosity is a fine trait, but it can lead you to unexpected places.¡±


    Lucas replied, tilting his head as if considering something important.


    ¡°Just like your magic did, didn¡¯t it?¡±


    He was proud of himself for that. This could be the opening he was searching for.


    All that was left was for Bryan to take the bait.


    ¡°Magic? What are you talking about?¡±


    Bryan asked.


    Lucas smiled, his finger gently rubbing across Zoltan''s head.


    "You don''t know?"


    He asked.


    ''Know what? Is there something wrong with me? My magic?''


    Bryan wondered.


    Lucas leaned forward.


    "Tell me about the time you first used magic."


    He said, his voice low and compelling.


    Bryan hesitated.


    "Why?"


    He asked. He didn''t want to revisit those memories. The events of that fateful day still haunted him, filled with pain. Too much pain.


    Unconsciously, he grabbed his right forearm.


    Lucas watched this reaction with keen interest.


    "He is quite interesting.¡±


    He muttered, more to himself than to Bryan.


    Zoltan cawed as he flew toward Bryan, hovering inches away from his face.


    ¡°Touch him if you want.¡±


    Lucas encouraged, waving a hand dismissively.


    ¡°He¡¯s an annoyance, but harmless.¡±


    Hesitantly, Bryan reached out, his small hand trembling slightly as it made contact with Zoltan''s feathers.


    "It''s soft."


    He was said unconsciously.


    "Ah yes, the one good thing about him. Minus the talking back, the constant nagging, the many thefts-"


    Before he could continue his list of complaints, Zoltan let out an indignant caw, cutting him off.


    Lucas rolled his eyes.


    "You did indeed steal those blueprints, and I have the proof. Honestly, why do I keep you around when all you cause me is trouble?"


    As if in response, Zoltan landed gently on Bryan''s head, cocking its head to the side.


    Bryan giggled softly.


    "I want to learn."


    Bryan said suddenly.


    Lucas''s eyebrows shot up, a grin spreading across his face. This was exactly what he had been hoping for.


    "Learn? About magic, you mean?"


    He asked, feigning surprise.


    ¡°I¡­ I want to learn more about it.¡±


    Bryan confessed.


    ¡°Do you now?¡±


    Lucas stepped back and crossed his arms.


    "I do."


    Bryan answered.


    Lucas rubbed his chin as he thought it over.


    "Why are you telling me? Why not ask Edward or Emilia to teach you?"


    Why was he asking Lucas? Out of everyone, he spent more time with Edward and he should have been the first person to ask.


    Yet, he didn¡¯t.


    Emilia was hard to approach at times, and she rarely saw him.


    He wasn¡¯t sure why she didn¡¯t come to see him. But, she would, eventually. At least he hoped so.


    ¡°You know, why don¡¯t we make a deal.¡±


    Lucas suggested.


    ¡°A deal? What¡¯s that?¡±


    Bryan asked as he wasn¡¯t sure.


    ¡°Sort of like a promise. We¡¯ll both agree to do something and as long as we fulfill both our ends, then we both get what we want. What do you say?¡±


    ¡°Okay¡­¡±


    Lucas smiled, he couldn¡¯t help it. This may have been easier than he thought.


    ¡°You¡¯ll tell me about your awakening, and help me out on¡­ a few projects of mine. In return, I¡¯ll teach you what you want to know about magic.¡±


    It sounded simple enough.


    He could learn magic, and no longer had to hide in the hallway.


    But, he hesitated. Bryan couldn¡¯t form the words.


    ¡°Take a deep breath, relax yourself.¡±


    Lucas told him.


    Bryan found himself doing just that. When he exhaled it felt like a weight was being lifted off his shoulders.


    ¡°Now, go on.¡±


    Lucas urged him.


    Bryan began to recount the events of that fateful day. He told Lucas about the confrontation in town, about Ms. Kelly''s death, about the overwhelming anger and fear that had consumed him.


    "And then¡­"


    Bryan said, his eyes distant as he relived the memory.


    "I felt something... something inside me break. There was this rush, and suddenly, the blood... it was moving. I couldn¡¯t control it."


    ¡®There was so much blood¡­ screams.¡¯


    "Extraordinary."


    Lucas murmured.


    "Blood magic at such a young age, and triggered by extreme emotion. Fascinating indeed."


    Bryan looked up at Lucas.


    "Is... is that bad? Am I... am I a monster?"

 Chapter 15 – Prologue XV

    Cirrugur, 3rd of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    The rhythmic clatter of wheels on rails filled the private cabin as the train hurtled through the night. Shadows danced across the landscape, briefly illuminated by the pale moonlight before being swallowed once more by darkness.


    Inside, the soft glow of a single light cast a warmth to the otherwise chilling night.


    Bryan sat motionless as his crimson eyes were fixed on the window, watching intently as trees and fields blurred into indistinct shapes.


    Across from him, Emilia observed the boy in silence.


    Was she doing the right thing, by bringing him out here? Out into the open?


    There were a ton of things that could go wrong, and she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle them all.


    But, as she observed Bryan a part of her felt that this was what was best for him.


    She knew she had to keep him safe, but at what cost? He wouldn¡¯t have a normal childhood.


    That¡¯s what he needed the most.


    Awakening his magic stripped him of that opportunity. It could be seen as a blessing and a curse.


    Yes, he¡¯d advance faster than others, but that¡¯s it. There were too many people out in the world who wanted someone just like Bryan. A child with magical abilities. Someone they could exploit and tame.


    Given his unique appearance, it would be hard for him to be accepted by others.


    It didn¡¯t matter at this point, he wouldn¡¯t have any friends while she was here. Not now. Friends could be made at a later date.


    Bryan could say the wrong thing, show off his magic. Then what?


    She couldn¡¯t stop that from happening, at least not without preventing him from interacting with others. That was something she already knew.


    Which is why she planned for him to be alone.


    Honestly, she thought this whole thing would go better.


    She thought she was ready.


    Whenever she looked at him, she saw a bit of Rashaka, but more than that, she saw that thing.


    It was hard to not feel angry at it for ruining everything. To feel upset that she was powerless to stop it.


    Worst of all, she felt guilty that she let her sister down.


    These feelings¡­ they just wouldn¡¯t go away. Not when she was around Bryan, as it was a constant reminder of what she lost.


    Of course, he wouldn¡¯t know that.


    How could he? She didn¡¯t tell him, nor did she plan to.


    But, she had to do something.


    All she knew was training, working through her problems, emotions¡­ everything really.


    It felt good when there was no one to bother her. Just her letting loose, running wild.


    ¡®But is that really true?¡¯


    She asked herself as she reflected on what Edward said.


    That she was running from her problems.


    Is that what she did? Was that how he viewed her?


    She clenched her fist.


    ¡®No. I¡¯m not.¡¯


    "Bryan, you can take your hood off now. We''re alone here."


    She said softly.


    His hands moved slowly, almost as if he didn¡¯t want to push back the hood.


    ¡®So¡­ fragile.¡¯


    She thought as she watched him.


    It was hard not to think that when she paid attention to him. Bryan felt like he would break at the slightest touch.


    That wasn¡¯t actually the case, but the same couldn¡¯t be said for his emotional state.


    Sometimes she wondered if he was afraid of her.


    Edward said a lot about him, but Bryan was usually silent around her.


    He even spied on Lucas out of all people. Which she couldn¡¯t understand.


    ¡®Why Lucas? Why not me?¡¯


    It was a pointless question really, but out of all of them there. He didn¡¯t come to her.


    Sure, she was hard to approach. But, Lucas was no better.


    What made Bryan choose him instead of her?


    "How long will it take us to get there?"


    He asked, his voice barely above a whisper.


    ¡®I should ease up a bit, make myself easier to talk to.¡¯


    Emilia leaned back in her seat, her posture relaxing slightly.


    "About two hours."


    She replied.


    "We''ll go to Cintra, visit the site where..."


    she paused, choosing her words carefully.


    "Where Ms. Kelly was. Then we''ll head back. It''ll be a quick trip."


    Bryan nodded. Without another word, he turned back to the window, losing himself once more in the passing scenery.


    Emilia watched him.


    ¡®Am I doing something wrong? He didn¡¯t even reply back.¡¯


    But, she shouldn¡¯t expect much. He was going back to where it all started.


    He had to be nervous, anxious even.


    She¡¯d give him that. Bryan probably had a lot on his mind.


    When she mentioned the trip to him, he was excited. Now that they were actually going there, that excitement was nowhere to be found.


    His face brightened up at the sight of the train. He never saw one before.


    They weren¡¯t new, but to him they were.


    The moment was actually cute when she recalled it. She was reminded that Bryan was only a child. One who should be treated as such.


    Honestly, she was impressed by him.


    The trauma of Ms. Kelly¡¯s death, the awakening of his powers, and the bullying he faced from all those around him ¨C it was more than most adults could bear. Yet here he was, about to go back and step foot in the place that started it all.


    It was something she tried to do but failed at.


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    As the train continued its journey through the night, Bryan''s reflection in the window caught her attention. In the dim light, with his pale features and solemn expression, he looked eerily like a ghost ¨C a specter of what might have been if she had made different choices.


    **********


    Cintra, 3rd of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    The train slowed to a halt, its brakes hissing as it came to rest at the station. Emilia rose from her seat, gesturing for Bryan to follow.


    "Come on, we''re here."


    Bryan nodded, pulling his hood back up before stepping off the train.


    His eyes widened as he took in the unfamiliar surroundings. Tall buildings loomed overhead, their windows reflecting the moonlight. The station bustled with late-night travelers.


    This was different from the town he knew.


    The people seemed so much more alive here.


    Someone gazed in their direction, and he felt himself pulling his hood down.


    They waved, and Bryan turned away from them. Then he saw a woman wave with a smile on her face as she rushed forward.


    The two of them embraced one another, as the man swung the woman around in his arms.


    They seemed happy.


    Better yet, they weren¡¯t paying attention to him.


    Emilia glanced around.


    "We can''t waste much time. Follow me, Bryan."


    Bryan nodded again, hurrying to keep up with Emilia''s brisk pace. As they left the station and entered the streets, he found himself constantly turning his head, trying to take in all the new sights.


    They walked in silence for a while, the cobblestone streets giving way to less well-maintained paths. The buildings grew shorter, older, and more tightly packed together.


    As they passed an alleyway, Bryan heard the sound of children laughing. He stopped abruptly, staring down the narrow passage.


    ¡®Dave? Millie?¡¯


    He wondered if it was them. It sounded like them.


    But, would they be here? This place¡­ it seemed so different from what he was used to.


    What would happen if he met them again?


    Would they blame him?


    Maybe they¡¯d laugh.


    But, they wouldn¡¯t laugh. Not when he showed them he could use magic. That he was a mage!


    They¡¯d ask him all about it.


    How he became a mage, what its like. All the kids in the orphanage would be surrounding him.


    A small grin came across his face at that thought.


    ¡®But¡­¡¯


    But, he wasn¡¯t going back there. He wasn¡¯t sure he wanted to go back.


    Not now. Not ever.


    Emilia, noticing Bryan was no longer beside her, turned back.


    "Bryan? Is something wrong?"


    Bryan shook his head, tearing his gaze away from the alley.


    "No, it''s nothing."


    He said softly, rejoining Emilia.


    As they continued their journey, Bryan''s eyes darted from one unfamiliar sight to another. Street vendors hawked their wares even at this late hour, the smell of food made his mouth water.


    There were sounds going on in the background. A nice melody that accompanied the night.


    He wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but he would like to close his eyes and take the sound in.


    They turned a corner, and suddenly the street was awash in a red glow. Bryan blinked, momentarily disoriented by the change. The street was busier here, with people of all sorts walking up and down, laughing and talking loudly.


    "Where are we?"


    Bryan asked hesitantly.


    Emilia''s lips thinned slightly.


    "We''re in Cintra. The train stops in the upper districts, and we have to go to the lower one. Don''t worry, we don''t have much farther to walk."


    Bryan nodded.


    That didn¡¯t explain all the red he was seeing.


    The area he grew up in didn¡¯t have red lights like this. He might not have gone outside the orphanage walls, but he gazed out the window.


    Not to mention there was a smell in the air. The scent was unfamiliar to him.


    "Why are all the lights red here?"


    Emilia paused for a moment.


    "That''s... not something you need to worry about right now, Bryan. If you want to know, ask me when you''re older."


    ¡®Older? Why do I have to wait until I¡¯m older?¡¯


    He frowned at her answer but didn¡¯t press the issue.


    If this was Edward or Lucas he was sure he would have gotten an answer. Especially from Lucas.


    The man was something, a bit weird, but also funny.


    He wasn¡¯t as scary as he seemed once you worked with him.


    Lucas was teaching him about magic, but so far he had not actually used any. He had to learn more about magic cores, ether pathways, and how they connected.


    Which seemed boring, as he thought he¡¯d have to study more. But, Lucas had a different way of teaching him.


    He got to cut open some animals.


    That was pretty exciting.


    Lucas did say that after he returned, he would teach him to use his own magic. But, he had to keep it a secret from Edward and Emilia.


    As they walked, Bryan couldn''t help but notice the differences in the city. From the clothing people wore, to the way buildings were shaped.


    Despite Emilia''s earlier words, Bryan found himself slowing down, his eyes drawn to every new sight.


    Emilia noticed Bryan''s lagging pace.


    "I know it''s a lot to take in, Bryan. But we need to keep moving. It''s not safe to linger here."


    She reminded him.


    Bryan nodded, picking up his pace.


    "Sorry, Emilia. It''s just... I''ve never seen anything like this before."


    Emilia glanced at him for a moment, before she looked at a stall.


    ¡°Come along.¡±


    She said.


    Bryan followed her as they approached the stall. A dark-haired man stood behind the stall with brown eyes. Two long ears peeked out from beneath his long hair.


    He saw some kids at the orphanage that looked similar. They were a type of elf.


    ¡°Two sweet Kushari. And one sweet roll.¡±


    Emilia said.


    The man grabbed two sticks with meat on them, and a light brown ball with a stick piercing it.


    She handed him some money.


    ¡°Here.¡±


    Emilia handed Bryan the stick with the meat on it.


    It looked a bit funny, but it smelt amazing.


    ¡°It¡¯s Kushari. Fried meat with vegetables. Try it.¡±


    Bryan nodded and bit into it.


    It was softer than he was expecting, and the meat seemed to melt as soon as it entered his mouth.


    He licked his lips and stared at the food.


    ¡°Good right?¡±


    Emilia asked as she bit into her own.


    Bryan nodded and quickly ate the rest.


    ¡°Slow down, the food isn¡¯t going anywhere.¡±


    She told him and he felt a bit embarrassed.


    There wasn¡¯t much of the food left and Emilia handed him the other stick with the light brown ball on it.


    Without asking what it was, he bit into it.


    It was sweet.


    As it dissolved in his mouth, he found himself wanting more. But, he didn¡¯t rush and took his time eating it.


    ¡°This is the best I can do at the moment. Maybe on the way back, we can grab something else, but for now, let¡¯s go.¡±


    He looked forward to the return trip back.


    **********


    As they continued their journey through the dimly lit streets, Bryan suddenly felt a jolt of recognition. The road they were on seemed eerily familiar, triggering memories of a day that felt like a lifetime ago.


    ¡®This... this is the road Millie took me on.¡¯


    Bryan thought to himself.


    "It¡¯s pretty amazing, right?"


    Millie said as she smiled at him.


    He was nervous then at leaving the orphanage, at going with them when Ms. Kelly told him he should make better friends.


    But, it was nice to feel wanted then.


    "Yeah, it¡¯s incredible. I never knew there was so much out here."


    He told her.


    "Sometimes you get to see Magitech, and its so cool!"


    Millie said excitedly.


    He remembered the bustling stalls that had lined the road, filled with colorful wares and mouthwatering scents. Now, the street stood empty, the absence of life creating a haunting silence.


    ¡®There used to be stalls here. And people. So many people.¡¯


    It was his first time seeing so many people. His first time seeing a stall. His first time outside the orphanage.


    The once-lively street now seemed like a ghost town, abandoned and forgotten.


    "Wait, are you into Magitech?"


    Brittney asked him.


    "I am! But, mages are better."


    He was so proud of that moment. Believing that they¡¯d think the same as him.


    Zeke who was leading the way next to Dave started laughing with his hands behind his head. Turning around he looked at him.


    "You''re so dumb. Mages use Magitech!"


    He felt his cheeks burn as he looked down at the floor.


    The moment was so clear to him. It was all coming back.


    As they walked, Bryan''s gaze was drawn to a particular corner. His heart began to race as a realization struck him.


    The orphanage ¨C his former home ¨C was just around that corner. Just down there.


    What if... what if it had all been a terrible dream?


    What if Ms. Kelly was still alive, waiting for him back at the orphanage?


    Without thinking, Bryan''s feet began to move of their own accord, pulling him towards the corner. He had to see. He had to know for sure.


    "Bryan?"


    Emilia called out.


    "Bryan, where are you going?"


    But her words didn''t reach him.


    He turned the corner, and he could hear his heart pounding. He had to see. See her one more time.


    Emilia hurried after him, her longer strides quickly closing the distance between them. As she rounded the corner, she came to an abrupt halt.


    They both stood frozen, staring at the sight before them.


    Where the orphanage had once stood, there was now nothing but a large patch of charred earth.


    The building that had been his home, the place where he had known both cruelty and kindness, was gone.

 Chapter 16 - Prologue XVI

    Cintra, 3rd of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    Bryan froze, his mind struggling to process what he was seeing. The building that had been his home, the place where he had known both cruelty and kindness, was gone. Completely erased, as if it had never existed.


    "No..."


    The word escaped his lips in a whisper, barely audible.


    "No, no, no!"


    His voice rose, cracking with emotion as he stumbled forward. His legs gave way, and he fell to his knees on the scorched ground.


    This had to be a dream.


    This couldn''t be true. Everything was gone, nothing remained. How? Why? When?


    Emilia caught up to him, her own eyes widening at the devastation before them. She stood behind Bryan, her hand hovering uncertainly over his shoulder. She wanted to comfort him, to say something, anything that might ease his pain.


    But the words wouldn''t come. She hesitated, unsure of how to handle this moment.


    "Ms. Kelly?"


    Bryan called out.


    "Ms. Kelly, where are you?"


    Tears began to stream down his pale cheeks as the reality of the situation sank in.


    Ms. Kelly wasn''t here. She would never be here again.


    Emilia''s heart ached as she watched Bryan break down.


    It stirred something within her, a protective instinct she didn''t know she possessed. Yet still, she hesitated. What could she possibly say to make this better?


    As she grappled with her own uncertainty, a voice spoke from behind them.


    "Tragic, isn''t it?"


    Emilia whirled around, her hand instinctively moving to the hilt of her sword. She didn''t sense anyone approaching, and that was odd. An older woman stood there, her gray hair tied back in a neat bun. In her hands, she held a bouquet of flowers.


    "What do you mean?"


    Emilia asked.


    She wanted to ask who this woman was, but after she scanned the woman she noticed that the older lady was not an awakened. She was normal but that didn''t mean she could drop her guard.


    The woman''s eyes, filled with a deep sadness, moved from Emilia to Bryan, then back to the charred remains of the orphanage.


    "The orphanage."


    She said softly, moving past them to place the flowers on the scorched ground.


    "So many children, locked inside as it burned. We could do nothing but watch."


    Emilia''s blood ran cold at the woman''s words.


    "Defeaning screams as they tried to escape but were burned to ash."


    The lady said as she looked at the blackened earth with her head low.


    Emilia didn''t need that picture in her head. No one should have witnessed such a scene.


    Children Bryan''s age, some older, some younger all helpless to do anything but watch one another burn. To suffocate on the smoke.


    Her mind went back to the times she entered the orphanage, but they didn''t have anything there capable of starting a fire this deadly. But, the older woman said they were locked inside.


    This wasn''t an accident, someone did this.


    "Who did this?"


    She demanded.


    The old woman shook her head. Her eyes looked lifeless, as if her soul had been sucked from her body and all that remained was once what.


    "I don''t know. They wore masks. They came in the night, and torched the place. No one was allowed to leave."


    Emilia''s eyes narrowed.


    ''The Inquisition? No, it can''t be. That''s too fast.''


    But even as she thought it, a sinking feeling in her gut told her it was true.


    They were known to raze anything they deemed unredeemable to the ground. To get rid of any mage that went rogue and was too dangerous to be left alone.


    The orphanage was a place that fostered children, and they didn''t have any rouge mages she knew of. Not any that would pose a threat.


    It was far from a target they''d set their sights on.


    "When did this happen?"


    Emilia asked, trying to keep her voice steady.


    "Three days ago."


    The woman replied, her gaze distant.


    "They say it''s retribution for those who have sinned."


    Emilia''s heart skipped a beat.


    Retribution.


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    The act of inflicting punishment on someone for a criminal act or for vengeance.


    It was them. But how had they moved so quickly?


    She looked down at Bryan, still kneeling on the ground, his small frame shaking with silent sobs. They needed to leave. Now.


    "Bryan."


    She said.


    "We need to go."


    Reaching down, she grasped his arm to help him up. As she did, the old woman spoke again, her voice taking on an eerie, almost prophetic tone.


    "You can''t run. You can''t hide. The truth shall be revealed, and all sinners will be punished. It is their will. It has been decreed."


    Emilia felt a chill run down her spine.


    This was bad. The inquisition made their move, and she didn''t even know about it till now.


    They never left a job unfinished and would pursue their target to the ends of the world if need be.


    How they managed to connect the orphanage to Bryan, or if they did she was unsure of. But, she didn''t want to stick around to find out.


    Three days ago. That''s when they culled the nest that bred the being that sinned. The one who went against the natural order of things.


    It had to be gone, lest more people that have similar ideals emerge.


    Emilia knew that was how they worked. No one, including family, friends, and associates, would be left standing when they were done. But, they wouldn''t have left the city so soon.


    The Inquisition was still here.


    Without another word, she guided Bryan away from the scene, her steps quick and purposeful.


    As they walked, Bryan remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ground.


    She should have known better, to come back here. No matter how good this could have been for Bryan, it was too dangerous. And now, they were in a city that was bound to have a few inquisitors present.


    The worst part?


    She had no clue what they looked like.


    That was the point she knew, to have them blend in with society. Build connections, work normal jobs, and seem like an ordinary person. All while they investigated the most serious crimes and hunted the vile filth of the kingdom.


    Anyone they walked by could have been one.


    ''But who?''


    Lost in her thoughts, Emilia didn''t notice the figure approaching until it was too late. They collided, the impact causing Bryan to stumble. His hood fell back, revealing his white hair and crimson eyes.


    A sharp gasp cut through the air.


    "You!"


    Emilia looked up to see an older woman, her face a mask of shock and anger. Bryan''s eyes widened in recognition.


    "Ms. Bertha?"


    He whispered, his voice trembling.


    Ms. Bertha''s face contorted with rage and fear.


    "This is all your fault!"


    She spat, her words dripping with venom.


    "I knew you were a cursed child, one that would doom us all. I told Kelly, but she wouldn''t listen. Now everyone''s dead, and it''s all because of you!"


    Bryan flinched as if he''d been struck, each word hitting him like a physical blow. Tears welled up in his eyes once more as the weight of Ms. Bertha''s accusation settled on his small shoulders.


    "I-I-I¡­"


    Bryan stuttered as he couldn''t make a sentence.


    What could he say? She was right.


    This was his fault.


    Everyone was dead, and it was all because of him.


    Emilia felt a surge of anger course through her. Without thinking, she drew her sword, the blade flashing in the dim light as she brought it to Ms. Bertha''s throat. A thin line of blood appeared where the edge touched the woman''s skin.


    "How dare you!"


    Emilia hissed.


    She was tired of this, and after tonight she wasn''t planning on taking much more. Why was everything to be blamed on a child?


    When would the responsibility fall on the adults?


    "How dare you say such things to a child. If everyone else is dead, you should be ashamed to be alive."


    Ms. Bertha''s eyes widened in fear, but she didn''t back down.


    "You don''t understand."


    She insisted, her voice quivering.


    "He''s not natural. He''s-"


    "Enough!"


    Emilia''s voice cracked like a whip, silencing the woman.


    "You will never speak to him again. You will never come near him again. If I so much as hear a whisper that you''ve been asking about him, I will find you. And you will wish I hadn''t. Do you understand?"


    Ms. Bertha nodded frantically, her earlier bravado crumbling in the face of Emilia''s threat. Emilia lowered her sword, her gaze still hard as steel.


    "Leave. Now."


    She watched as Ms. Bertha scurried away, disappearing into the shadows of the street. Only then did she turn back to Bryan, her anger fading as she took in his shell-shocked expression.


    "Bryan?"


    She called his name but he wasn''t listening to her.


    Kneeling down to his level she lifted his chin a little.


    "Bryan, look at me. What she said isn''t true. None of this is your fault. Do you understand?"


    Bryan didn''t respond, his gaze dropping back to the ground. Emilia sighed, realizing that words alone wouldn''t be enough to undo the damage Ms. Bertha''s accusations had caused.


    She should have gutted the woman where she stood.


    But what would that do to Bryan? She didn''t want to murder someone in front of him over some words.


    "Come on."


    She said gently, taking his hand.


    "Let''s go home."


    As they made their way back to the train station, Emilia''s mind whirled with everything that had happened.


    She glanced down at Bryan, walking silently beside her, his small hand clutched tightly in hers. She had brought him here hoping to provide closure, to help him move forward. Instead, she feared she had only opened old wounds and created new ones.


    The train ride back to Cirrugur was silent. Bryan sat with his knees pulled up to his chest, staring out the window without really seeing the passing landscape. Emilia watched him, feeling a growing sense of helplessness. She had never been good with emotions or with offering comfort. But now, seeing Bryan withdraw into himself, she knew she had to try.


    "Bryan."


    She said softly, breaking the silence.


    "I know today was... difficult. But I want you to know that you''re safe now. No one is going to hurt you."


    Bryan didn''t respond, didn''t even look at her. Emilia sighed, running a hand through her obsidian hair.


    "What Ms. Bertha said... she was wrong. You''re not cursed, Bryan. You''re special. And sometimes, people fear what they don''t understand."


    She paused, searching for the right words.


    "I know it''s hard to believe right now, but none of this is your fault. The people who did this ¨C they''re the ones to blame. Not you."


    Finally, Bryan turned to look at her. His red eyes were filled with a pain that seemed too deep, too profound for someone so young.


    "But what if she''s right?"


    He whispered, his voice barely audible over the rumble of the train.


    "What if I am cursed? Everyone around me gets hurt. Ms. Kelly, the other kids at the orphanage... maybe it would be better if-"


    "No!"


    Emilia cut him off.


    "Don''t even think that. You are not responsible for the actions of others. You didn''t cause this, Bryan. You''re a victim, just like the others."


    She reached out, hesitating for a moment before placing her hand on his shoulder.


    "I know it hurts. I know it feels like everything is falling apart. But you''re not alone. You have me, and Edward, and... well, even Lucas, I suppose."


    The ghost of a smile flickered across Bryan''s face at the mention of Lucas, but it faded quickly.


    "I just... I don''t know what to do,"


    He admitted, his voice small and lost.


    Emilia squeezed his shoulder gently.


    "You don''t have to know right now. All you need to do is keep going. One day at a time. And we''ll be there with you, every step of the way."


    As the train sped through the night, carrying them back to Cirrugur, Emilia found herself making a silent promise. She would protect this child, this strange, wonderful boy who had been thrust into her life. She would keep him safe, teach him, guide him. And maybe, just maybe, in doing so, she could find a way to heal her own wounds as well.


    Bryan leaned against her, his small body finally relaxing as exhaustion overtook him. Emilia wrapped an arm around him, holding him close as he drifted off to sleep. As she watched the moonlit landscape rush by outside the window, she couldn''t shake the feeling that this was just the beginning. The Inquisition was moving, faster and more ruthlessly than she had anticipated. They would need to be careful, vigilant.


    Lucas was right.


    There was no way she''d be able to protect him forever. That changed now.


    Bryan could hate her all he wanted, but he had to be stronger. Much stronger so he could protect himself when she wasn''t there.


    And for that to happen she had to throw him in the deep end.


    She closed her eyes for a moment, but in that split second, she could see the faint image of her father smiling. Something he rarely ever did.


    ''What''s the use of having a blade if it''s dull? No matter how expensive it is, how decorative the sheath and hilt are, it''s still worthless. A true blade, is one you forge with the blood of your enemies.''

 Chapter 17 – Prologue XVII

    Cintra, 8th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Veron sat by the open window, his gaze fixed on the sprawling city below. A silver coin spun between his fingers, spinning with practiced ease. The white mask with its distinctive black stripe concealed his features, marking him as a High Inquisitor. It''s a symbol of his position and a shield for both him and his family.


    A family that he still doesn''t have.


    Lost in thought, Veron contemplated his impending retirement.


    ''Just a few more months.''


    He mused, and he could leave this life behind.


    Deep down, he knows it''s a comforting lie. The Inquisition never truly releases its members, always retaining the right to recall them. Still, after 39 years of service, even a temporary respite feels like a godsend.


    ''But, where do I go? Pater knows I need away from this damned city.''


    Valewater to the north. Life right on the beach next to the Nortian Ocean with the cool breeze against his skin sounds perfect. He can imagine it now, drinking some overpriced alcoholic beverage as if it were just him and the waves.


    But, it was quickly taken over by all the tourists shouting, the noisy ass kids, and the crap ton of people.


    ''Yeah, not Valewater.''


    But, Kal-Dar? Oh, how sweet would that be?


    A small secluded house in the mountains, with nothing but the trees surrounding him, and no people to bother him. Now, that was truly perfect.


    He smiled slightly as he could picture it now, waking up to the crisp mountain air with the birds singing. Fixing himself a nice cup of warm tea in the morning before answering the door.


    ''The door? The fu¡ª''


    Who would be knocking on his door in the middle of nowhere?


    No one is who.


    Another knock, louder this time echoed in the small room.


    He sighed as the coin in his hand stilled.


    "Enter."


    He said already regretting it the moment he saw who it was.


    The door swung open, revealing a novice.


    Her black mask, adorned with a white X-marked line, identified her rank. Veron recalled his own days as a novice, before rising through silver-masked Inquisitor to his current position. He''d chosen this plain white mask upon his promotion, a decision he''d never regretted.


    "Sir, The Grand Inquisitor requests your presence."


    She told him.


    ''Shit.''


    The easy days leading up to his retirement were fading.


    Being called by the Grand Inquisitor was never a good thing, considering the man always handed out some trivial task that need be finished. Which by itself would be simple, if not for the fact it would be tangled with politics.


    Where had the days gone when Veron could just be tasked with tracking down a rogue mage or blending in by working at an academy?


    "Very well."


    He said as he rose and pocketed the silver coin into his pocket.


    "He awaits you in your office, Sir."


    The novice said as he walked past her.


    Veron strode down the hallway, as his eyes wandered over the decorative painting of a man posing with his arms open with white wings behind him. He never did understand the painting, and he wanted to take it down but he couldn''t. This building was not his own, and everything here had a purpose.


    Or so they say.


    The novice inquisitor walked beside him, her posture told him she was stiff. Overworked and underpaid. Such was the life of an Inquisitor, at least one at the bottom of the totem pole.


    For the first time, Veron noticed the stack of papers clutched in her hands. He glanced at her.


    The young woman kept her gaze averted, focusing intently on the path ahead. Veron couldn''t help but wonder about the face beneath her mask. It was a thought that had crossed his mind more times than he cared to admit. Surely, he wasn''t alone in such musings.


    As they approached an intersection, the novice turned right, heading towards the first floor. Veron continued straight. The corridors were quiet now, but he knew that would change once word spread of the Grand Inquisitor''s visit.


    Inquisitors came and went as they pleased, but news like this would draw them like moths to a flame.


    Veron''s responsibilities as High Inquisitor of Cintra weighed heavily on his shoulders. Monitoring mage activity, handling tasks, overseeing training - it all amounted to a mountain of paperwork he''d rather delegate. His second in command, conveniently absent at this crucial moment, often bore the brunt of such tedious duties.


    As he approached his office, Veron''s hand reached out for the wooden door.


    ''Best get this over with.''


    He told himself as he opened the door.


    Veron entered his office to find a tall man standing in front of the wooden desk, his back turned. The room, while not pristine, maintained a semblance of order that others would say was a cluttered mess.


    Those people just were not him and didn''t have the keen memory that he did.


    The man wore a long black robe with a hood pulled over his head. As he turned, Veron saw the distinctive black mask adorned with two red streaks running down its left eye. A brown vest covered the robe, and a silver chain hung from his neck, bearing a crescent moon pendant with a red gem nestled between its curves.


    The man held a paper in his hand.


    Kayle Silverblade was the single most powerful person in all of the Inquisition, and his rank stated such. For him to be here, in this backwater town meant nothing good.


    Which is why Veron knew something occurred and it was utterly his fault, because the blame would be placed on him. A retiring member of the order who gave very little to the ongoing operations of what was happening within Cintra.


    He knew that, but they didn''t.


    He was too old for this crap, and couldn''t wait to meet his replacement.


    Whatever fool was eager to climb the ranks and wanted the key to this city, they could have it for all he cared as long as it wasn''t him.


    Veron greeted the man.


    "Grand Inquisitor Kayle."


    Instead of returning the greeting, Kayle tossed the paper towards Veron. It seemed to float through the air as if carried by an impossible breeze in the windowless office. Veron caught it deftly but refrained from glancing at its contents.


    The Grand Inquisitor spoke.


    "Do you know the cause of the murder that occurred here a couple of days ago?"


    "Which one?"


    Veron, attempting to lighten the mood, quipped.


    His attempt at humor fell flat, met with Kayle''s death stare. The intensity of the gaze caused Veron to lean against the wall as he closed the door behind him.


    "I''ve assigned people to investigate the incident from two nights ago, but so far, they haven''t had any luck."


    Veron explained.


    "That''s not good enough."


    Kayle retorted.


    ''Then do it yourself.''


    Veron thought to himself but was wise enough to never voice those words out loud. The moment he talked back, his head would go flying before he could blink.


    ''It''s just one noble. They die all the time, especially their children. What makes this one so special? Is it his son?''


    Veron couldn''t help but think, wondering if the Grand Inquisitor was related to the man. They all used fake names within the organization. Another precaution of theirs, so there was a chance the man could have been related to the deceased.


    "I''m doing what I can with the resources at my disposal. If you sent more people, perhaps we''d have already found the culprit."


    Kayle''s voice grew colder.


    "That noble was Duke Victor''s son. The king has enough issues to deal with as it is. This matter needs to be resolved swiftly."


    The murder of a high-ranking noble''s son could have far-reaching political implications.


    ''Just my luck. The stupid kid got himself killed in my city of all places. He just couldn''t have gone to the next town over to die, could he?''


    "Are you personally on the case?"


    Kayle asked.


    "No."


    Veron admitted reluctantly.


    He did not like where this was going. How he longed for the day he could put this mask down and never look back.


    "That changes now, pull resources from other tasks if you have to, but the murder of Chris Victor must be our highest priority."


    There was no escaping this task. When someone of a higher position told you to do something, you did it.


    When the Grand Inquisitor told you to do something, you did it with a smile on your face.


    Veron nodded.


    He finally glanced down at the paper in his hand, scanning its contents. It was a preliminary report on the murder, detailing the gruesome scene and the lack of substantial leads.


    "I''ll take charge of the investigation immediately."


    Veron assured the Grand Inquisitor.


    Kayle''s posture relaxed slightly.


    "See that you do. The stability of the city could depend on it. Duke Victor is not a man to be trifled with, and his grief could turn to rage if we don''t deliver results soon."


    A grieving, powerful noble could cause significant problems if left unsatisfied.


    "I expect daily reports on your progress. If this turns out to be the work of rogue mages or some political plot, I want to know immediately. We don''t need another Thal''Kudar on our hands."


    Veron frowned upon hearing that name, although Kayle couldn''t see it.


    Thal''Kudar was one of the worst criminals to have ever been born, and the kingdom still hasn''t recovered from the damage he caused. An entire city sunk into the ground, forever lost in history due to him.


    Veron''s family died because of him.


    As Kayle turned to leave, Veron couldn''t help but feel a twinge of resentment. His dreams of a peaceful retirement seemed to be slipping further away with each passing moment.


    "One more thing."


    Kayle paused at the door, his hand on the handle.


    "This case takes precedence over everything else, including your retirement plans. I hope that''s clear."


    Veron''s heart sank, but he maintained his composure.


    "Crystal clear, Grand Inquisitor."


    He so desperately wanted to be in Kal-Dar at this moment, away from everyone. Deep in the mountains, where no one wanted to travel.


    Veron pitied the person who would need to travel up there to give him news of his recall if it ever happened. He would happily pray that that person died on the way up.


    **********


    Cintra, 12th of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Veron sat at the head of a long table, surrounded by six others. Four Inquisitors and two novices, all under his command, filled the seats.


    His head rested in the palm of his hand as he listened to a report being delivered. The monotonous drone of facts and figures washed over him, each word blending into the next.


    It was boring and not what he wanted to discuss.


    With a wave of his hand, Veron silenced the Inquisitor wearing a silver mask adorned with a purple raindrop.


    "I didn''t call you here for a progress report on other cases."


    He could tell that the man was upset for being interrupted, and Veron also did not care. There were bigger problems to worry about than some Magitech being stolen from someone''s home. They should have had it secured in a safe place.


    "I need to know everything about the Chris Victor case. The noble who died almost a week ago."


    A buzz of chatter erupted among the other Inquisitors. All of them knew about the noble who died, but not every one of them knew his name. He waited for someone to step forward with useful information.


    Something was better than nothing, and he''d rather hear it from them than read it from a sheet of paper. Information could have been left out on the reports, but any detail no matter how minor could help.


    After a moment, a woman Inquisitor stood up. Her black and purple dress contrasted sharply with her silver mask, which bore purple markings. Lyra, as she was known, cleared her throat before speaking.


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    "Chris was attending a brothel, seeing a courtesan named Lilith. He was rejected, after which he ended up getting drunk at a tavern. People spotted him leaving in a foul mood, picking fights with everyone in sight. The last known location was where his body was found."


    Veron leaned forward.


    "Did he take a wrong turn somewhere? How did he end up in the lower part of Cintra? Also, he couldn''t have traveled that far with no one seeing if he was with someone else. Anything on that?"


    Lyra shook her head.


    "We don''t know, sir."


    Veron sighed, tapping his finger on the table.


    "So, we have a good idea of what Chris was doing, where he went, and where he was last seen alive. But we have no idea who killed him or why. Nor do we have a clue as to where he was headed."


    No one said a word, and Lyra sat back down.


    ''Great! Basically, the bare minimum was done. Do I only get the lazy people or is this place so unimportant that only those without skill are sent here?''


    Veron stopped that line of thought instantly. He was here, and at least he had the skill to match his rank. So it was definitely someone in some nice cozy office somewhere far away sending him the leftovers.


    Looking around the table he asked.


    "And who is this woman? The one found with him? Did they meet up beforehand, or is it unrelated? Some innocent bystander?"


    The room fell silent.


    ''Seriously? You all can''t be this bad at your job, can you? Who was in charge of training you guys?''


    Veron would need to have a word with whoever was in charge of their recruitment and training after this was done.


    "Do any of you have any idea who she is?"


    A novice Inquisitor spoke up.


    "We haven''t gotten that far yet, sir. We''ve been searching for clues related to the noble."


    The Inquisitors were supposed to take the lead on this, but a young novice had more balls to speak than them. He would have been impressed, if not for the fact that the man''s voice trembled when he spoke.


    Veron stood abruptly, his chair scraping against the floor.


    "This case is our highest priority, as you''ve probably guessed by my gathering you like this. Not everyone has been recalled, but those within the immediate region and with tasks that don''t have a deadline are present."


    He paced behind his chair, his hands clasped behind his back.


    "I am not impressed with your findings, frankly a novice-in-training could have done a better job than you all. If it were up to me, I''d strip you all of your rank and kick you out. I''d go so far as to make sure your lazy asses never got the chance to work another day in your life."


    His gaze went around the room, eyeing each of them.


    It was hard to tell if they were upset by his words. He cursed the order for having them wear masks at all times because just seeing their faces would brighten his mood.


    He was very much so of the mind that when others suffer, it is a good day. Which wasn''t the best outlook on life, but it''s what made him¡­ him.


    Veron always thought he had a good understanding of reading people''s facial expressions. So it irked him whenever he couldn''t see who he was talking to. He felt the others in his position must feel the same.


    So instead, he envisioned how they all looked based on their hairstyle, hair color, skin color, their clothing, and voice.


    In his head, they were all scrunching up their faces and giving him a look as if they wanted to kill him.


    ''Good. Give them a common enemy to talk about, a form of motivation! Time to sweeten the pot.''


    He thought.


    "That''s how much you''ve fucked up. Luckily for you guys, the Inquisition doesn''t let go of its members, no matter how bad they are. The most that would happen is you''d get sent to the frontline somewhere to die, or stuck in a room filing papers all day long with no prospects of ever leaving."


    He turned his attention to Lyra, the only one that had something to report.


    "Go back to that brothel and interview Lilith, along with every other Courtesan there if you have to. Find out why she rejected Chris, if he''s a regular, if anyone new showed up. I want everything she''s got, and I want to know who her customers are in case this turns out to be some conflict over a brothel whore."


    Lyra nodded once, and Veron turned his gaze to the man with the purple raindrop mask.


    "Go through Chris'' life, what kind of mage was he, what spells could he use, who was guarding him. I want you to become the man, that''s how much information you need to get on that piece of¡ª"


    Someone coughed once as they interrupted Veron before he could finish his sentence.


    Okay, so maybe he was getting ahead of himself there.


    "That noble. I don''t care if he is the Duke''s son, get everything on him, and anyone that would want him dead. That includes the Duke''s enemies as well."


    And knowing the rumors about that man, the list would not be small.


    "Lastly, whoever was in charge of this case did a shit job. The rest of you go back to the scene and search for any clues. Interrogate the people that live there if you must, just get it done. We know they were killed with something sharp, meaning a high-level water or wind mage. The sort of damage done is not something a weapon is capable of, so look into all the mages in Cintra that fit those attributes. Also, fire mages, considering the state of the bodies only someone skilled would be able to burn them like that. Meaning this wasn''t a single person, we are looking for two or more culprits."


    The Inquisitors and novices murmured their understanding.


    "Well, get to it. You''re dismissed."


    Veron told them.


    "Ah, you wait."


    He pointed to the novice who spoke earlier.


    The novice paused and walked over to Veron.


    "I want you to find out who the mystery woman is. Not much to go on by the state she was burned, but I''m sure you''ll figure something out. You have a week."


    The novice nodded, but inside he was regretting his life. He graduated at the top of his class and had high hopes for a military career. So, how did he end up here?


    Better yet, what did he do to catch the attention of High Inquisitor Veron?


    Being singled out by an Inquisitor was nothing special, but a High Inquisitor? It was something other novices told him was never a good thing. Now he could understand why.


    You would be given the crappiest job and expected to complete it with a smile on your face. Even better, you had zero information to go off on and expected to finish it as soon as possible. Which made no sense.


    ''Shit.''


    He thought to himself as he turned to leave.


    Luckily, High Inquisitor Veron had not asked for his name.


    "Novice, what is your name?"


    "Laurence¡­ sir."


    Laurence almost forgot to add the last bit as he feared revealing his name to the High Inquisitor more so than the respect he should show at all times. Because a High Inquisitor knowing his name meant that person would have an interest in him.


    An interest a novice like himself who had only been in the Inquisition for two years should never have.


    He knew the moment he spoke his name he was royally fucked.


    No more would he be just a novice among other novices.


    How he wished he could turn back the hand of time back to when he was in training at the academy. He''d make sure to stay out of the limelight, so he''d never have been hand-picked to join this organization.


    "Laurence huh? That''s a good name, very plain. I expect good things from you Laurence."


    Laurence gripped his hand behind his back so tight it started to turn red.


    ''It''s over. My life is over.''


    He thought before High Inquisitor Veron dismissed him.


    **********


    Cintra, 21st of Suncrest, year 305 UC


    Veron sat at the head of the table, his fingers drumming impatiently. Six Inquisitors occupied the seats around him. Along the walls, novices stood at attention, three for each Inquisitor present.


    As Lyra began her repor. She spoke of Lilith, the courtesan at the center of their investigation.


    "Lilith is quite popular among the nobility. But what''s more interesting is that Chris owed the establishment a significant sum - ten platinum coins, to be exact."


    Lyra stated.


    Veron''s eyebrows raised behind his mask. Ten platinum coins were nothing to snuff at. Just how much were they charging him?


    ''More importantly, how does this Lilith look for a person to accumulate this much debt?''


    He made a mental note to check her out for himself at a later date.


    "That''s quite the debt. Continue."


    Lyra nodded.


    "Lilith confirmed that Chris was a regular, exclusively requesting her services. She also mentioned that while many were dissatisfied with the Duke''s son, none seemed brave or foolish enough to act on those feelings."


    As Lyra continued her report, detailing the lack of new customers and the corroborating statements from other courtesans, Veron found himself thinking he should invest in opening a brothel. His pay was less than what they were making, and that was saying something considering he was paid an absurd amount for the work he did.


    "I also uncovered information about the tavern Chris visited after leaving the brothel."


    Lyra added.


    "He was ejected for causing a disturbance. Interestingly, the establishment is owned by another noble - a woman."


    Veron straightened in his chair.


    "A woman, you say?"


    "Yes. Her name is Lady Elara Blackthorn. According to my sources, Chris had shown interest in her, but it was entirely one-sided. In fact, Lady Blackthorn was quoted as saying she''d ''rather marry a crazed dog than that fool of a man.''"


    A laughter rippled through the room, and Veron held up a hand for silence.


    "Interesting. Any connection between Lady Blackthorn and the murder?"


    Lyra shook her head.


    "Nothing concrete, sir. But her disdain for Chris was well-known."


    He turned to the Inquisitor with the purple raindrop mask. "What have you discovered about Chris'' life and abilities?"


    The Inquisitor cleared his throat.


    "Chris Victor was a mid-level water mage, sir. He specialized in manipulating liquids, particularly alcohol. It seems he used his abilities more for parlor tricks at parties than anything substantial."


    Veron snorted.


    "Typical noble wastrel. Any enemies, or people of note?"


    The man shook his head.


    "Well, I hope you at least prepared a detailed document on his life because you''re basically telling me you have nothing to note."


    Before the man could respond, Veron turned his attention to the novice whose name he had come to know.


    "Like Laurence here. Bright, young, and ambitious. He found what the rest of you were lacking. The identity of the unknown woman. Laurence, if you will."


    Laurence felt a cold sweat slide down his back. He did not like being called out like this, not in front of so many people. Especially when the person Veron talked down on was his immediate superior.


    ''Shit.''


    Laurence thought as he knew after this meeting was over he''d get an earful for overdoing his work and making the Inquisitor look bad. Other novices he thought he was friends with would dodge him.


    No one wanted to get on the bad side of someone higher ranked than them.


    Laurence cleared his throat nervously before addressing the room.


    "The woman''s name was Kimberly Kelly, age 27. She worked at Eaglewood Orphanage and was single, never having married. According to church records, she had taken a vow of celibacy and appeared to be incapable of bearing children."


    "Ms. Kelly was born in Cintra and was a low-tier water mage, capable of using her magic for minor healing. She never attended a magic academy, and the Inquisition had previously deemed her as a non-threat."


    Veron was impressed at the work of the novice.


    "Impressive work, Laurence. Where did you uncover all this information?"


    "From the archives, sir. They store records on all known mages, even those considered harmless."


    Veron nodded approvingly.


    At least the young man knew how to work smarter and not harder. He knew he had chosen right when he assigned Laurence to the task.


    ''Now if only the others were just as smart.''


    "Do we know why she was there that night?"


    Laurence hesitated before answering.


    "I''m not certain, sir. However, it was known at the orphanage that she showed favoritism to a child named Bryan. He was dropped off as a baby during the blood moon years ago."


    Veron''s body tensed, though his mask concealed any change in expression. The blood moon was five years ago, and no one was to be outdoors wandering around.


    Yet, someone dropped off a child.


    Now that was interesting.


    "You''ve done excellent work, Laurence."


    He turned to address the rest of the group.


    "Be more like Laurence and continue your investigations. There may still be hope for you all yet."


    Veron''s gaze swept across the room, settling on a young female novice.


    "You."


    He pointed at her.


    "Will go undercover with Laurence. Your mission is to adopt a child from the orphanage and gather more information."


    Laurence wasn''t upset about the assignment, knowing that the organization would provide them with skin masks to conceal their true appearances. At least, he hoped that would be the case.


    The female novice stepped forward.


    "Yes, sir."


    She said.


    "You''ll pose as a married couple looking to adopt. Pay close attention to any mentions of Bryan or Ms. Kelly. We need to understand the connection between them and how it relates to Chris Victor''s murder."


    Laurence and the female novice exchanged glances.


    He hoped that she wouldn''t be old. There were cases of novices being in their thirties and still at the bottom of the organization. He himself was only twenty-one.


    It''d be insane if he had to pretend to be married to someone in their late thirties or even forties. That''d cause more eyes to be on him than he needed. Especially because he posed as a shoemaker during his normal life.


    How would he have to explain a sudden marriage to his co-workers?


    **********


    Cintra, 3rd of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Veron retreated to his private chambers and he approached a small pedestal in the corner of the room, upon which rested a crystal orb. With a deep breath, he placed his hand on the smooth surface, channeling a small amount of ether into it.


    The orb pulsed with a soft blue light before an image materialized within its depths. Grand Inquisitor Kayle''s masked face appeared, the background behind him a dimly lit office.


    "High Inquisitor Veron."


    Kayle''s voice resonated from the orb.


    "I trust you have new information to report?"


    Veron nodded.


    "Indeed, Grand Inquisitor. We''ve made progress in the Chris Victor case."


    He proceeded to relay the details of their investigation, including the connection to Kimberly Kelly and the orphanage.


    "There''s a child of particular interest, sir. A boy named Bryan, who was abandoned at the orphanage during a blood moon five years ago."


    Kayle''s posture stiffened visibly within the orb.


    "Go on."


    "We have no sightings of the boy so far, but his appearance is... unique."


    Veron continued.


    "He''s described as having white hair, red eyes, and pale skin. Given these distinctive features, I believe it would be prudent to inform the other High Inquisitors in neighboring towns. In case the child has somehow escaped Cintra."


    The image in the orb shifted as Kayle leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled before his mask. A long moment of silence stretched between them before he spoke.


    "Your request is denied, High Inquisitor Veron."


    Kayle said.


    "This information is to remain strictly within Cintra for now."


    Veron''s brow furrowed behind his mask.


    "But sir, if the boy has fled¡ª"


    "I said no, Veron."


    Kayle interrupted sharply.


    "Continue your investigation as planned. Focus on uncovering the connection between this child, the orphanage worker, and Chris Victor''s murder."


    ''Such an asshole.''


    Veron nodded, suppressing his frustration.


    "Understood, Grand Inquisitor."


    "Good."


    Kayle said.


    "I''ll be in touch."


    Before Veron could respond, the image in the orb flickered and faded, leaving him staring at his own reflection in the crystal''s surface.


    Why was Kayle so interested in keeping this information contained?


    **********


    Cintra, 14th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Veron sat in his office, his mind wandering from the tedious paperwork before him. In a moment of childish distraction, he began stacking cups, seeing how high he could build his precarious tower. Just as he placed the final cup atop his creation, the crystal orb on his desk suddenly illuminated with a soft blue glow.


    Startled, Veron''s hand jerked, sending the tower of cups clattering across his desk and onto the floor.


    "Fuck me."


    Cursing under his breath, he scrambled to answer the call, his heart racing as he placed his hand on the orb''s smooth surface.


    Grand Inquisitor Kayle materialized within the crystal.


    Veron noticed Kayle''s gaze flicker briefly to something behind him, and he realized that a few cups remained visible on his desk.


    He swiftly swept them out of sight.


    An awkward silence hung in the air for a moment before Kayle spoke.


    "I trust I''m not interrupting anything important, High Inquisitor Veron?"


    "Not at all, Grand Inquisitor, I was just... reviewing some documents."


    Veron replied.


    Kayle nodded.


    "Very well. I''m calling to inquire about any updates on the child''s whereabouts. Have you made any progress?"


    ''No, because a certain someone wouldn''t give any help at all. Denying my request to expand the search outside the city. So, how do you expect me to find a child in a city filled with tens of thousands of people? Where people come and go every day.''


    Veron thought.


    "I''m afraid not, sir. We''ve exhausted our leads in Cintra, the boy seems to have vanished without a trace."


    Kayle''s voice lowered.


    "I see. In light of this situation, I''ve received new orders from above. We are to eliminate all those involved in this matter."


    Veron felt a chill run down his spine.


    "Eliminate, sir? Are you certain?"


    Elimination was not something unusual for their organization, it happened in high-profile cases. But it generally stayed restricted to specific targets.


    Grand Inquisitor Kayle did not give any specifics, meaning it was a general order. All those involved or connected had to go.


    ''Maybe¡­ I''ve been taking this case too lightly¡­''


    There were not too many cases of a general elimination order being issued. Mostly because they were secretive and left a wake of corpses.


    The last one Veron was a part of was the case with Thal''Kudar. That one case had more than a hundred deaths involved, just in the clean-up. Not counting the bodies involved in taking him down.


    Not that the clean-up did anything but drive the man insane.


    Veron assumed it was what caused Thal''Kudar to go as far as sink an entire city.


    Veron thought as it made no sense for the King to issue this decree. Whatever was happening in the capital was something he should have paid attention to.


    ''And the death of a duke''s son is not a good look.''


    Veron thought.


    This case was screwed, and if he had any time left it had already run out. Now, he had to clean up.


    Leave no witnesses.


    No one who would be able to come out and speak against the duke''s son in case things escalated within the court.


    This entire case would be swept under the rug, and the death would be blamed on someone else.


    A win for the Inquisition, a win for the King.


    "Yes, Veron. The order comes from the highest authority. You have six days to complete this task."


    Veron liked how the Grand Inquisitor said he had six days when they were in the same organization. If things went sideways, he''d get blamed for everything that happened going forward.


    ''Welp, they always said retirement meant you''d be disposable. Guess this is what they meant when they tried to keep me in.''


    He had carried out such orders before, but something about this felt different. The involvement of a child, the mysterious circumstances surrounding the case ¨C it all left a bitter taste in his mouth.


    "Understood, Grand Inquisitor."


    Veron replied.


    "We''ll begin preparations immediately."


    Kayle nodded, his image already beginning to fade from the orb.


    "Good. Remember, Veron ¨C six days. Not a moment longer."


    **********


    Cintra, 29th of Brightforge, year 305 UC


    Veron stood outside the orphanage. The night was young, and a small crowd had gathered.


    Veron paid them no mind.


    He had been putting off this moment, dreading it with every fiber of his being.


    Killing a tavern owner or a popular courtesan was one thing - simple, almost routine.


    But children?


    The thought of it made his stomach churn. He knew that after this night, sleep would become a distant memory.


    With a heavy heart, Veron gave the order.


    "Board up the place, Leave no exits."


    He commanded.


    His subordinates moved swiftly. Some of them had spoken out against this when he told them what they were to do, but the Inquisition had a certain way of dealing with those who did not obey.


    In a matter of minutes, the orphanage was completely sealed. Veron hoped that the children would die quickly, spared from prolonged suffering, but he knew better.


    The reality would be far crueler.


    The crowd grew restless, murmurs rippling through the gathered citizens. Yet, no one moved to intervene.


    Veron stepped towards the orphanage, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. He steeled himself, reminding himself of his duty, of the orders he had to follow.


    "Let this be a lesson."


    He proclaimed, his voice carrying across the hushed crowd.


    "You can''t run, you can''t hide. The truth shall be revealed, and all sinners will be punished. Such as it has been decreed."


    As the last word left his lips, the orphanage erupted into flames.


    Veron''s hands tightened behind his back, his knuckles white beneath his gloves. The act he had just committed seared itself into his mind, a memory he knew would haunt him for the rest of his days.


    Turning to the crowd, Veron''s voice took on a cold tone.


    "If you want to watch so badly, then stay and watch. Let the screams be etched into your soul."


    The air soon filled with the agonized cries of the trapped children, their desperate pleas for help piercing the night.


    Veron turned to Lyra.


    "We are to watch the place. Keep an eye out for anyone suspicious."


    He instructed.

 Chapter 18 – Prologue XVIII

    Cintra, 3rd of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    She wasn''t him. She wasn''t her father.


    Looking at Bryan, Emilia knew she had to do better. Be tough, but give him praise when it was needed. Maybe she''d be more like Rashaka.


    Smiling often.


    She tried it, but it felt forced. She couldn''t even see herself, but it was just a feeling.


    Should she try again? No. She should relax, they had an hour to go before they reached the city. There wasn''t anything wrong with taking a little break and closing her eyes for a moment or two.


    Except, there was.


    The Inquisition was out there, and they had already made their move.


    It was a barbaric one, but given the situation, she couldn''t help but be impressed by their ruthlessness. To burn down an entire orphanage was not what she expected.


    Kill a few people, sure. Torture the citizens for information. That''s what she expected out of them.


    But arson? No, not in a million years did she believe they''d make such a move.


    What was she to do?


    Go back to Cirrigur and what? Wait and see what would happen?


    It was a bit cowardly, but it was their best chance at survival.


    She should have listened to her first mind and stayed put. No one knew Bryan was the cause of those deaths, they wouldn''t even be able to track him with how quickly she moved.


    But now?


    They returned to the city and the Inquisition was there. Yeah, that was a problem.


    Especially if they were monitoring the site, which she guessed they were.


    It was only a matter of time now before the Inquisition got them.


    As they made their way to the train she checked to see if anyone was tailing them, but nothing.


    Here on the train, they were safe.


    Or so she thought.


    There were mages here.


    Not the ones that were seated in their own cabins, their presence was easy to sense.


    No. This one was subtle. As if they were trying to to keep their presence contained within a small space so no one would notice.


    But, she did.


    Mages that wanted to stay hidden did such things, but not all mages. And especially not five of them walking together.


    ''Is this them?''


    She asked herself as she took a quick glance at Bryan. He was sleeping, but they were close.


    Acting now would save her the hassle of dealing with all five of them. They didn''t know she sensed them, meaning if she struck first she could kill one, maybe two.


    But, what if they weren''t the Inquisition?


    Then she''d have dead bodies here on the train with no way to explain it.


    Going out the window was an option. It would allow them to escape quickly, but the chance of injuries was high. Especially to Bryan, whom she wasn''t sure she''d be able to project from the impact they''d take.


    Leaving Bryan here and heading out herself was something she considered, but tossed it out the window. That would leave him alone to protect himself, and if someone with high mobility was among them. Then¡­ it was easy to see how that would play out.


    If this was the Inquisition, they were doing a terrible job at hiding their presence. Granted, she was a high-ranking mage but their work was sloppy at best.


    She''d never let them be on her team during any missions.


    This was not the work of highly trained killers.


    But¡­


    ''It could be a trap.''


    Emilia thought as a frown formed on her face.


    Adjusting the amount of ether they withheld to make them seem like novices would be a tactic she''d use to have the enemy lower their guard. And once that guard was lowered, she''d be able to strike.


    She took a moment to let out a deep breath she was holding in.


    ''Overthinking. Stop overthinking.''


    Sometimes, the path forward was to use the simplest method. In this case, kill first and ask questions later.


    Emilia''s eyes narrowed, her breath steadying as she focused on the presence of the five subtle mages outside the cabin. They were close¡ªtoo close¡ªand their attempt to mask their Ether wasn¡¯t enough to escape her keen senses.


    She raised her hand, and five small orbs of fire ignited at her fingertips, each no larger than a marble but pulsing with concentrated heat. The temperature in the cabin surged instantly, the walls shimmering under the pressure of her magic. Bryan stirred in his sleep, beads of sweat forming on his brow as the cabin grew stifling.


    With a flick of her wrist, Emilia launched the fireballs in rapid succession.


    The tiny spheres of flame pierced through the cabin door, leaving five smoldering holes in their wake.


    The orbs exploded out into the corridor, expanding mid-flight, each one swelling with intense heat until they filled the narrow space. The air roared as the fireballs detonated on contact.


    The hallway outside erupted in flame. Emilia heard a choked curse, quickly followed by the sound of bodies hitting the ground¡ªtwo of them. The acrid smell of burning flesh curled into the cabin.


    Before she could draw her next breath, a violent gust of wind slammed into the cabin from the corridor. The door shattered inward, torn from its hinges and splintering into countless fragments.


    Emilia reacted in an instant, pulling Bryan into her arms and pivoting her body to shield him from the debris. The force of the blast rocked the small space, knocking loose bags and blankets from the overhead racks.


    As the dust settled, Emilia¡¯s sharp gaze pierced through the smoke-filled hallway.


    Two of the mages lay motionless, their bodies still smoldering where the fireballs had struck. But the remaining three stood unharmed, shimmering barriers of translucent energy surrounding them, crackling as they dissipated the residual flames.


    ''Tsk. They were quick with those barriers.''


    She thought to herself.


    Suddenly, a figure appeared at the far end of the corridor, stepping through the haze as if he owned the space. His movement was unhurried, confident. Emilia hadn¡¯t sensed him at all.


    The three remaining Inquisitors quickly made way for him, their deference revealing his superior rank. He clasped his hands behind his back as he surveyed the scene, his gaze falling to the two fallen Inquisitors on the floor.


    "Pity."


    He said, his voice tinged with disappointment.


    "I had hopes for you, Laurence."


    His attention then shifted to Emilia, and she could feel the weight of his scrutiny even through the mask.


    "Guess we''ve found our fire mage."


    He remarked.


    "Name."


    He demanded.


    Emilia assessed the situation. This man was clearly a high-ranking mage; she could sense the power emanating from him.


    It would be a difficult fight, and protecting Bryan in such close quarters would be challenging. She considered ways to quickly dispatch the other three, but any such action would likely cause significant damage to the train and endanger innocent lives.


    "Name."


    The masked man repeated, snapping his fingers impatiently.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    Emilia offered him a sly grin but remained silent.


    "So, you want to play games, huh?"


    He asked a hint of amusement in his voice.


    "I''d go first if you want. I''m Veron, and you-"


    His gaze suddenly shifted, locking onto Bryan, who sat wide-eyed and shocked in his seat. The masked man tilted his head slightly.


    "Now, who do we have here?"


    He mused, his attention fully on the boy. Turning slightly to one of his subordinates.


    "Lyra, he had white hair and red eyes, correct? So, is that him?"


    He asked.


    Emilia tensed, acutely aware of the danger Bryan was now in. She knew the man had his hands behind his back, but she could sense a powerful barrier erected around him. It wasn''t something she could quickly break through, and any hasty action might put Bryan at greater risk.


    Ten condensed fireballs, the size of a pea all stacked behind one another may be able to do the trick. Each one needed to hit the same spot so the barrier would break. She could do it, and her finger twitched as she began.


    Veron clicked his tongue and wagged his index finger back and forth.


    "I wouldn''t do that if I were you."


    He said, his gaze fixed on Emilia.


    "Save both of us the hassle of this pointless fight, and come with me."


    Emilia thought the man was crazy, but she had finished calculating the best way to get out of this precarious situation.


    With unwavering resolve, she replied.


    "No."


    In an instant, two blazing pillars of fire erupted beneath the feet of the closest Inquisition members. The flames roared to life, twisting upward in a violent spiral of heat and light. The inferno consumed them, engulfing their forms in the searing heat as the air shimmered from the intensity.


    Lyra reacted in a blur, darting away from the sudden explosion of flame with supernatural speed, her form a streak of motion in the confined space.


    Veron shook his head in disappointment.


    "Guess we''re doing it this way."


    He sighed.


    To Emilia''s surprise, a hissing sound filled the air as steam began to rise from the inferno. In seconds, the towering pillars of fire were extinguished, leaving nothing but curling tendrils of vapor in their wake.


    The temperature in the cabin dropped rapidly, and the two Inquisitors who had been caught in the flames stood unharmed, their clothing barely scorched.


    Veron waved his hand in front of him with a lazy flourish, and a fine mist curled from his fingertips, blanketing the room in a cold, oppressive chill.


    "Ah yes, a direct counter to you."


    He said, a hint of smugness in his voice.


    "Ice magic. Comes in handy, doesn''t it?"


    It wasn''t something she was expecting, as mages capable of using Ice magic were rare¡ªone in a thousand mages, maybe less. She had encountered ice mages before, but never one who could neutralize her flames with such ease.


    This was not going to turn out well for her.


    The cold deepened. She glanced at Bryan, who was still in his seat, his breath now visible in the icy air. Whatever she was going to do, she had to do it fast.


    "I must admit, I''m impressed by your power."


    Veron continued, his tone conversational despite the standoff.


    "It''s not often we encounter a fire mage of your caliber."


    He took a moment to look Emilia over.


    "Powerful, skilled, and in control over her emotions. Well, this cuts the number of fire mages down by eighty percent. You wouldn''t happen to give away your family name, now would you?"


    Emilia was not sure what game he was playing. Why was he speaking so often? Was he stalling for time?


    ''This is a distraction.''


    She quickly came to the conclusion.


    The talking was meant to distract her from whatever else was going on.


    But what?


    "Quick thinker too. Narrows the list down a bit more, and yes you''re right."


    Veron said with a chuckle.


    "Bit too late though."


    Before Emilia could react, she sensed it¡ªmultiple presences above them, faint but undeniable. Her eyes darted upward just as the ceiling began to crack and groan under the weight of Ether-infused attacks.


    The roof caved in.


    Magic rained down¡ªfire, wind, water, lightning¡ªall converging on her position in a deadly barrage.


    Emilia threw up a barrier of flame, the intense heat forming a dome around her and Bryan, shielding them from the onslaught.


    Something flew past her, it was small and barely noticeable. She didn''t pay it any mind as it wasn''t a spell and it wasn''t aimed at her.


    From the corner of her eye, she saw a bit of blood streak down Bryan''s cheek.


    The cabin shook violently as the combined magic attacks pounded against her barrier. Sparks flew, and the air sizzled with raw Ether. She could hear the crackle of lightning and the roar of wind, the magic attempting to tear through her defenses.


    Through the maelstrom, six figures dropped through the shattered ceiling


    If Veron was this skilled with ice, any large-scale fire attack would be neutralized just as easily as the first. She needed to change tactics¡ªfast.


    With a swift motion, she unsheathed her sword. If magic wasn¡¯t the answer, she¡¯d rely on raw speed and skill.


    Without warning, she lunged forward, her blade slicing through the air. The nearest Inquisitor barely had time to react as her sword cleaved cleanly through his neck, his head hitting the ground before his body followed.


    The other five sprang into action, their movements synchronized and deadly. But Emilia was faster.


    She ducked low, twisting away from the first strike aimed at her head, then parried a blow from another attacker, the clash of steel ringing through the ruined cabin.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bryan, still frozen in place, his small frame trembling. She had to get him out of here¡ªnow.


    Her plan was clear: grab him, burst through the window, and escape. Out in the open, she could unleash the full power of her magic without fear of collateral damage.


    "No, I think not."


    Veron stated as he materialized in front of her, catching her hand in his.


    He stood between her and Bryan.


    ''Who the fuck is this guy?''


    She wondered for the first time.


    He not only had powerful ice magic, but could close the distance in an instant.


    Without hesitation, Emilia kicked him square in the chest, her boot connecting with force that should have sent him flying. But instead, Veron barely budged. He slid back a few feet, his eyes never leaving hers, unfazed by the impact.


    Instead, he merely slid back a few feet.


    Glancing down, she knew that was the moment she was screwed.


    A pale bracelet with a red dot was on her wrist, and she didn''t place it there.


    ''Magic Dampener.''


    She clicked her teeth in frustration.


    It was a device designed to drain the Ether from mages, disrupting their control and denying them access to their magic. She could feel her power being siphoned away, the Ether in her core rapidly depleting. She had maybe ten, fifteen seconds at best.


    "And this here is check."


    Veron said as he clapped his hand.


    Before she could react, pain exploded in her abdomen.


    Lyra, who had vanished earlier, reappeared behind her, thrusting a sword clean through Emilia¡¯s stomach. The cold steel slid between her ribs, and the world seemed to slow. She gasped, the metallic taste of blood flooding her mouth as the blade protruded from her front, slick with crimson.


    ''Barriers won¡¯t stop a physical attack.''


    She thought bitterly, as her vision blurred around the edges.


    She had lost track of Lyra in the chaos, and now, she was paying the price.


    Veron strode forward with his hands clasped behind his back.


    "Pity I never got your name."


    He remarked, stepping over Emilia¡¯s collapsing form as though she were little more than an inconvenience.


    "Oh well."


    Emilia¡¯s knees buckled, her body collapsing to the floor. Blood pooled beneath her as she tried to summon the strength to stand, but her legs gave out, and the sword pinned her in place. Every breath was agony, her body trembling as the Ether continued to drain from her.


    The Magic Dampener had done its work, leaving her helpless.


    Through the pain, she heard Veron¡¯s footsteps moving past her, toward Bryan. Her heart pounded in her chest as she forced herself to look up.


    Bryan had backed up against the wall, his small body shaking uncontrollably. His wide, terrified eyes locked onto Veron as the Inquisitor leaned down, his voice sickeningly calm.


    "Now, who do we have here?"


    Veron mused, his tone mocking as he leaned closer to Bryan, who was frozen in fear.


    The boy wet himself, trembling as he tried to press further into the seat, but there was nowhere left to go.


    Emilia¡¯s vision swam as she tried to push herself off the ground, but her body refused to cooperate. Her fingers scraped against the blood-slicked floor, her strength fading rapidly.


    Veron¡¯s attention remained fixed on Bryan, a predatory gleam in his eyes. He reached out slowly, as if savoring the moment, ready to pluck the boy from his seat like a helpless rabbit.


    "I wouldn¡¯t move, if I were you."


    Veron warned, not even bothering to look at Emilia as she struggled.


    But she wasn¡¯t done yet.


    With a final, desperate surge of strength, Emilia gritted her teeth and reached for the hilt of Lyra¡¯s sword, still lodged in her abdomen. The pain was excruciating, but she forced herself to pull it free, her hand shaking as blood spilled onto the floor.


    Her vision dimmed, but she refused to let go of the thought that she had to protect Bryan.


    Veron sighed, noticing the movement. "Persistent, aren¡¯t you?" he muttered, before giving a slight nod to Lyra.


    Before Emilia could react, Lyra stepped forward, her foot connecting with Emilia¡¯s chest in a brutal kick. The force of the blow sent Emilia sprawling backward, crashing into the side of the train car. Her body slammed into the window with a sickening crack.


    The glass shattered under the impact, and in an instant, Emilia¡¯s world tilted. She felt the rush of wind as she was tossed from the train, her body hurtling through the open night sky. The cold air whipped past her face, blood trailing behind her in the darkness.


    For a brief moment, there was nothing but silence. The stars above, the distant sound of the train fading, and the ground rushing up to meet her.


    Inside the train cabin, Bryan''s lips were trembling as his eyes were glued to the spot where Emilia had fallen.


    He was in a trance, as he kept picturing Ms. Kelly falling down as blood pooled around her.


    The scene kept replaying over and over.


    Emilia took Ms. Kelly''s place in one scene in his head as she fell.


    The two of them kept trading places, between one another and he couldn''t do anything to help them.


    Why.


    Why.


    Why.


    The sight of his own blood, mingling with the memories of Ms. Kelly and Emilia, pushed Bryan over the edge.


    His eyes, once wide with fear, now blazed a bright, unnatural red.


    A sudden shift rippled through the room.


    All the blood¡ªEmilia¡¯s, the fallen Inquisitors¡¯, and Bryan¡¯s own¡ªbegan to defy gravity, rising from the floor like crimson threads being pulled by invisible strings. It twisted and coalesced midair, morphing into razor-sharp crescent blades


    The Inquisitors, caught off guard by this unexpected display of power, barely had time to react.


    Four Inquisitors who had dropped their guard after Emilia''s fall were cut down instantly. Flesh and bone offered no resistance as the blood blades sliced through them. Limbs were severed, torsos cleaved in two, blood splattering the walls and ceiling as their screams were cut short.


    The carnage unfolded in mere seconds, leaving a trail of destruction that painted the cabin in shades of crimson. Bodies fell in gruesome pieces, pooling more blood that Bryan¡¯s magic eagerly consumed, feeding the storm.


    Veron''s eyes widened behind his mask, genuine surprise etched in his posture. He clicked his tongue.


    Reacting swiftly, Veron summoned his ice magic.


    The air hummed with power as he swept his arm across the room. In an instant, a bone-chilling frost exploded outward, covering the entire cabin in an icy sheen. The blood blades, once a spinning maelstrom of lethal intent, froze mid-flight and dropped to the floor, shattering into hundreds of brittle shards.


    The temperature plunged to freezing in the blink of an eye, the sudden shock enough to halt Bryan¡¯s rampage. His body, still small and fragile, trembled from the sudden drain on his core. He swayed unsteadily on his feet, the glowing red fading from his eyes.


    Seeing his opening, Veron closed the distance with terrifying speed. His fist connected with Bryan¡¯s temple in a precise, controlled strike. The boy¡¯s eyes rolled back as he collapsed, his limp body crumpling like a discarded doll.


    His gaze fell on Lyra, who stood trembling, her face pale with shock. Her left arm had been severed just below the shoulder, and where her flesh met the frozen stump, blood had hardened into an icy red crystal.


    She had barely managed to avoid the fate of her comrades.


    Veron¡¯s eyes narrowed.


    "Barely made it, I see."


    He said, his voice cold and without sympathy.


    Lyra swallowed hard, nodding weakly as she tried to stifle a cry of pain.


    Veron¡¯s attention shifted back to Bryan, the unconscious boy lying at his feet.


    "I think I''ll be keeping this one."


    He muttered, more to himself than to Lyra.


    Without another word, Veron lifted Bryan with ease, slinging the small boy over his shoulder. He turned on his heel and made his way to the exit, his boots crunching against the icy floor, leaving a trail of blood and shattered ice behind him.


    As he reached the doorway, he paused, looking back at the remaining Inquisitors, who were still frozen in shock.


    "Clean this up."


    He ordered, his tone as cold as the frost in the air.


    "And make sure it looks like an accident. No survivors. No witnesses."

 Chapter 19 – Prologue XIX

    Cintra, 5th of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    The gray walls were featureless, absorbing all sounds like a void. The silence was only occasionally broken by the footsteps pacing around the small room.


    Veron moved, his hands clasped behind his back, his boot heels clicking against the cold, metallic floor. Veron¡¯s shadow loomed long and distorted on the walls, his reflection a ghostly figure in the glass. The window showed nothing but the interior, amplifying the feeling of isolation in the room. On the other side of the glass, unseen eyes watched, but inside, it was just them¡ªVeron and the boy.


    In the center of the room stood a heavy black metallic table. Opposite the table sat Bryan, chained to a steel chair that was bolted to the ground.


    His wrists were bound tightly with thick iron shackles, the chains clinking faintly whenever he shifted, though his movements were few and far between.


    His eyes, once wide with terror, now held nothing. They stared vacantly at the table, unfocused. His pale skin, bathed in the sickly light from above, looked almost ghostly.


    The faintest flicker of breath was the only sign that life remained in him. His blank stare was unbroken as if he no longer had the strength to react to anything around him.


    Everyone around him died. Anyone that would be connected to him was bound to die.


    It was better if no one talked to him. If people just left him be.


    Veron was in the room, saying something but Bryan couldn¡¯t hear him. He didn¡¯t want to hear him.


    Nothing mattered anymore, and soon, this would all be over.


    Only a matter of time now.


    Would he go down like Emlia and Ms. Kelly? A sword to the stomach?


    They might have something else in mind for him.


    ¡®I just want it to end.¡¯


    His stomach growled, reminding him of the hunger gnawing at his insides, but it didn¡¯t matter. No food could bring back his appetite, not after everything that had happened. He had no desire to eat, no desire for anything except to disappear.


    He had lost track of how long he¡¯d been in this room. Days? Weeks? Time blurred into a meaningless stretch of gray walls and clinking chains.


    All he knew was that he woke up here, chained to the chair. It was not like he was planning on going anywhere. There was no where for him to go.


    The fight still played out in his head. Mostly the end of it, with Emilia being stabbed.


    After the hundredth time, he had stopped caring. It was there, but it didn¡¯t hurt as much. His body was so tired, but every time he closed his eyes, the memories jolted him awake¡ªflashes of fire, the smell of burnt hair, the sting of debris grazing his cheek. All of it felt so real.


    Veron leaned forward, his face inches from Bryan''s, but Bryan didn¡¯t react.


    His gaze stayed fixed on the table, his mind drifting somewhere far away. All he wanted was silence. Complete silence.


    He imagined what it would be like to break free¡ªmaybe take the chains in his hands and drive them through Veron¡¯s chest. Over and over again, until the blood spilled across the floor in dark pools. The thought should have brought him satisfaction¡ªshould have made his heart pound like it used to. But now, it was just... hollow.


    Empty. Just another meaningless fantasy in a world that made no sense.


    ''Emilia didn¡¯t deserve to die. She did nothing wrong but try to help me. If that¡¯s the way this world works, then I don¡¯t want anything to do with it.''


    Lost in his own thoughts, Bryan barely noticed the shift in Veron¡¯s pacing.


    The man was growing frustrated, his patience wearing thin.


    No matter how many threats he threw, Bryan remained silent, unresponsive. A blank slate. The boy wasn¡¯t giving him anything, and it was driving him mad.


    He had a theory, a good one, but he needed confirmation¡ªhe needed Bryan to admit it.


    Veron walked over to the large reflective window with an irritated sigh and knocked twice.


    A moment later, a door materialized in the featureless wall. It was seamless, giving the illusion of no exit, no escape¡ªpart of the room¡¯s design to break the mental will of anyone trapped inside.


    But a confession wasn¡¯t what Veron needed. Not yet. Kayle had wanted everyone involved dead, but Veron had seen something in the boy that changed his plans. This wasn¡¯t just another loose end to tie up.


    Bryan was special. The Inquisition could thank him later for the genius of it all, for what he was about to do.


    So much so in fact that they¡¯d let him retire without ever thinking of calling him back.


    Veron¡¯s boots clicked once more as he strode through the door, glancing briefly at the two inquisitors stationed outside. Their eyes were fixed on the one-way window, observing everything, unseen. The reinforced glass could withstand anything¡ªspells powerful enough to flatten a building would be repelled here.


    ¡°What have you done to him?¡±


    Lock, one of the inquisitors on track to become a High Inquisitor asked as Veron stepped through the door.


    ¡°What makes you think I¡¯ve done anything? Surely you don¡¯t think I¡¯m that bad, do you?¡±


    Veron asked.


    Lock didn¡¯t respond, but the look he gave Veron said everything. They both knew the answer to that. Silence stretched between them for a moment before Violet, who had been watching Bryan with an unblinking stare, broke it.


    ¡°Looks like he¡¯s retreated into his mind. Can¡¯t say I blame him. After what he¡¯s been through, it¡¯s probably for the best.¡±


    Violet, with her white and red rabbit mask concealing her face, had an air of aloofness about her. She wasn¡¯t one to mince words.


    Despite being under Veron¡¯s command, she had a sense of her own authority, having finished her training to become a High Inquisitor. The only thing she waited for now was her official posting.


    ¡°Obviously.¡±


    Veron remarked.


    ¡°Did not seem like you knew by the way you were shouting. Even saw you slam your hand on the table, which isn¡¯t like you. So, you sure fooled me.¡±


    Violet said without turning her attention away from the window.


    ¡°Had to put on a good show, didn¡¯t I? I mean, the boy wasn¡¯t responding, what was I to do? Talk to myself?¡±


    Veron asked.


    When he saw Lock turn to him, he waved his hand telling the man that was a rhetorical question.


    ¡°So, you captured him against the orders you were given because you suspect he awakened his magic. But, he¡¯s so damaged that he won¡¯t even speak and we have no way to verify if what you said is true.¡±


    Lock commented.


    ¡°Well, yes. But there are multiple corpses that can testify to my story. Ask Lyra if you want confirmation. Besides, do you really think the Inquisition will punish me for killing everyone involved but sparing one kid who happens to be a mage? No, they¡¯ll shower me with praise.¡±


    Veron replied as he leaned his back against the wall.


    ¡°Corpses? Didn¡¯t you order a cleanup? So, try again, Veron. You could just be making this up because the mage you faced was too much for you to handle. Convenient cover story, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    Veron rolled his eyes. He did not have time to play with Lock.


    ¡°I¡¯m not interested in arguing with you, Lock. Ask Lyra if you don¡¯t believe me. I¡¯m done with this conversation.¡±


    Lock was about to speak, but Violet turned to Veron and spoke first.


    ¡°So, what¡¯s next? You can¡¯t do anything with damaged goods.¡±


    ¡°Well, we just need to fix him. I¡¯ve already sent in a request for a mind mage. It should only be a few days until they arrive. After that¡­¡±


    He trailed off with a casual shrug.


    Violet¡¯s masked face turned slightly in his direction, and though her expression was hidden, the tone of her voice dripped with revulsion.


    ¡°A mind mage? Are you serious? You¡¯re truly insane, aren¡¯t you? Have you learned nothing?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve learned that actions speak louder than words. And besides, it really pains me to see that two of my students would act this way toward me after all the love and care I¡¯ve shown you over the years.¡±


    Over the years Veron was in charge of training newly initiated Inquisitors to join their ranks. It was a good break from doing the boring missions he was usually assigned and he had a lot of fun.


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    There were only a total of four people that he trained, and after that, he quit because he found it did not suit his personality.


    Lock clicked his tongue in frustration.


    ¡°Love and care? You literally tossed us to a pack of Lygers on the first day of training and told us to come back alive. What did you expect?¡±


    ¡°And don¡¯t forget, you put raw meat in our packs and riled them up beforehand. Clark and Urik both died because of you.¡±


    Violet added.


    Veron shrugged, he wasn¡¯t too interested in what Violet was saying. Anyone who died around him, he forgot their names after a week. Unless it was his own family.


    ¡°The Inquisition needs strong mages, capable of surviving on their own. I was simply culling the weak. And as you can see, I wasn¡¯t punished for it.¡±


    He told them. Nothing he said was a lie, and the Inquisition was in need of mages who were able to stand on their own. It was something both of them would learn as time went by.


    ¡°I think your age is catching up to you. I remember you being chewed out by the higher-ups after we returned. Clark and Urik both belonged to noble houses, and their family disapproved greatly when they learned what happened.¡±


    Lock retorted.


    ¡°Only because someone decided to go and tell them who was responsible. This is why we use fake names and identities, but one group of students thought it was a good bonding moment to share your real information. Which went and made someone-¡±


    Veron looked directly at Lock.


    ¡°Go tell their parents what happened, when they couldn¡¯t keep their mouth shut.¡±


    Ignoring Lock¡¯s silent fuming, Veron turned back to Violet.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve got another suggestion for fixing the boy¡¯s mind, I¡¯m all ears. But this is the best option. No one likes having their mind pried open, but in this case, it¡¯s necessary.¡±


    Veron explained his reasoning, even though he did not have to.


    The only reason he did so was because he had known both Lock and Violet for more than fifteen years, and they had a decent relationship. Even if both of them said otherwise.


    ¡°And here we were, discussing how you¡¯d try to brainwash the boy by implanting false memories and sealing the old ones. Violet worried you¡¯d pull something like that, but I told her you weren¡¯t that far gone.¡±


    Lock said, folding his arms as he shifted his weight toward Veron.


    Veron didn¡¯t reply immediately. His eyes narrowed as he studied Lock, his expression unreadable for a moment.


    ¡°Lock.¡±


    He said slowly.


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a core attuned to time magic, would you? Been seeing into the future?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re fucking kidding me.¡±


    Violet muttered, cutting in before Lock could respond.


    Veron shrugged, a smirk playing across his face underneath his mask.


    ¡°Don¡¯t ask questions you don¡¯t want answers to. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ve got a mind mage to prepare for.¡±


    With that, Veron walked away, leaving Lock and Violet. Violet watched him go, shaking her head slightly.


    ¡°I told you, the fucker¡¯s crazy. Age hasn¡¯t changed him¡ªhe¡¯s set in his ways.¡±


    Lock sighed, glancing back at Bryan, still slumped over the table, his head unmoving.


    ¡°That would seem to be the case. And there¡¯s nothing we can do, is there?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Violet said softly.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sticking around to see a kid¡¯s mind get broken. Not again.¡±


    She walked away without another word. Lock stayed for a moment longer, watching Bryan, the empty shell of the boy barely holding on. Then, with a heavy sigh, he followed Violet out.


    **********


    Cintra, 9th of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    Veron stood just outside the interrogation room, hands clasped behind his back, his gaze drifting to the door as he waited.


    Four days.


    Four days of nothing. Bryan was no longer interesting to him; the boy had gone from a curiosity to an annoyance.


    At first, Veron had been impressed by Bryan¡¯s ability to endure¡ªno food, no drink, no words¡ªbut now, his patience was wearing thin. Bryan had become a vacant shell, staring at the table as if waiting for the world to end. And Veron hated waiting.


    He wished that the mage would hurry up and arrive.


    When Veron had put in the request, Kayle had questioned him the next morning, demanding to know why he needed such a rare asset. All Veron could offer was a half-truth: that certain memories needed extraction. It was a reasonable enough excuse. Even Kayle couldn¡¯t argue with that.


    Mind mages¡ªrare people, one in a million. Dangerous too.


    Their abilities were so powerful that any mage capable of tampering with minds was kept under strict observation. One rogue mind mage could rewrite history, implant memories of entire kingdoms under their rule, twist the will of others to fight on their behalf or strip a person of their identity, leaving them empty husks, unable to speak or fight back. The Inquisition held a small number of them¡ªten, maybe twenty. Veron didn¡¯t keep count anymore.


    Turning, he felt it before he saw it. Someone entered the room, a man front the looks of it. Through the pale blue mask, Veron could see the man¡¯s green eyes. Peaking through his long blonde hair were pointed ears that seemed to droop down.


    ¡®Elf.¡¯


    All the mind mages wore the same mask and bore the same codename¡ªMind. They weren¡¯t individuals, not to the rest of the Inquisition. The only way you could distinguish them was by their race.


    ¡°Are you the one that requested me?¡±


    The man asked with a voice devoid of any emotion.


    It was a shame, Veron hoped this one would have some sort of personality but that was not the case here.


    "I am. And before you ask, we¡¯re not doing the whole ritual the Inquisition requires for authorization to use your powers. I¡¯d rather skip the tedious questioning. So let¡¯s pretend we went through the hour-long conversation and just get on with it.¡±


    The mage nodded once. That was good enough for Veron.


    ¡°Good. I need you to do multiple things. First, extraction and display. Extract the boy¡¯s memories for the past three months and show me only the relevant ones for this case.¡±


    He reached inside his robe, pulled out a small file, and handed it over.


    ¡°Here¡¯s all the information you need. After we¡¯re done, I want you to forget it all.¡±


    The mage took the file, leafing through the few papers inside with unsettling speed. Within seconds, he closed it and handed it back to Veron.


    ¡°Is that all?¡±


    The mage asked, his tone still devoid of life.


    Veron leaned against the wall, crossing his arms.


    ¡°No. Once the extraction is done, go back to his birth and erase everything. Wipe his mind clean. I want a blank slate to work with.¡±


    If the boy¡¯s memories were erased, Veron could mold him into the perfect weapon¡ªthe greatest the Inquisition had ever seen. It wasn¡¯t every day that someone awakened their abilities so young. The boy¡¯s potential was a gift Veron intended to exploit.


    ¡°You are not authorized to request such an act without permission from the Grand Inquisitor. Which you do not have.¡±


    Veron sighed.


    There were rules, too many rules and each one had to be abided by. Veron had his own thoughts on the matter, but this was not one of those rules he could skirt around.


    Speaking to Kayle about what he wanted was out of the question. He¡¯d much rather work on this project alone, and hand him the finished product once it was done. That way he could take all the credit.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    Veron relented, a hint of impatience creeping into his voice.


    ¡°Then what can you do? I need him as close to forgetting everything as possible. The boy won¡¯t speak, and I need that fixed.¡±


    The elf tilted his head slightly.


    ¡°Without knowing the root cause, I can¡¯t guarantee results. Full erasure is not authorized, but I can seal his memories. Not all of them, though. It depends on the emotional depth and how ingrained they are. The more emotional attachment, the harder it is to seal.¡±


    Veron mulled this over for a moment before nodding.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Find the best point in time you deem suitable and seal as many memories as you can. Then implant new ones. If that¡¯s too much, just create a false event¡ªsomething where I save him, so he feels bonded to me afterward.¡±


    The mage¡¯s deadpan voice offered no reaction to Veron¡¯s request.


    ¡°Can do, but it¡¯ll take time. Ten hours, maybe more. Will you wait?¡±


    Veron chuckled darkly.


    ¡°And leave you alone? Good one.¡±


    He gestured toward the door.


    ¡°You may enter.¡±


    The mage raised his hands, revealing two dull metallic bracelets¡ªmagic dampeners. Veron reached out, undoing them both, allowing the mage to access his full power. Instantly, a dark glow lit up the mage¡¯s eyes, casting purple light that shimmered across the floor.


    Veron rolled his eyes at the display.


    ¡°Are you done? You didn¡¯t think I¡¯d meet you without protection in place, did you?¡±


    The mage laughed, which told Veron the man did actually have a personality behind his dead tone.


    He just tried to break into Veron¡¯s mind and potentially fuck him sideways, but Veron did not mind. He had protection in place if something like this happened, and the mage''s spell had no effect on him.


    Pressing a button on the wall, Veron opened the door to allow the man entry into the room that held Bryan.


    Once inside, the mage came up behind the boy and placed both his hands on the side of his head. His eyes glowed purple once more, but this time, there was an immediate reaction.


    Purple tendrils, like wisps of ethereal smoke, slithered from underneath the mage¡¯s black robes, creeping their way toward Bryan¡¯s ears and nose, moving with a serpentine grace.


    The boy¡¯s body jolted violently as if struck by lightning, his mouth opening wide in a silent scream. His eyes rolled back into his head, only the whites visible, while his entire frame convulsed, jerking in the chair.


    Bryan¡¯s body shook so violently that the metallic table rattled, the chains binding his wrists clinking in rhythm with his spasms. Foam began to seep from the corners of his mouth, dripping onto the table in thick, frothy drops.


    Veron watched as everything happened with indifference. The boy¡¯s suffering, his violent reaction¡ªit meant nothing to him. He wasn¡¯t here for empathy or concern.


    He was here for results.


    The mind mage was scouring every corner of Bryan¡¯s mind, from his earliest memories to the present.


    Nothing was hidden from his probing¡ªevery thought, every emotion was laid bare. Secrets Bryan himself might not even know he held were being torn from the depths of his mind.


    Four hours into the extraction, the air began to distort. Shadows deepened, and from the floor, tendrils of black smoke rose, as if conjured from some nightmarish plane. The smoke twisted and writhed, crawling its way up the legs of the metallic table, solidifying into small, distorted figures.


    The smoke swirled into the form of a woman, walking down deserted streets. She moved quickly, stopping in front of a building and laying something¡ªa small bundle¡ªon the steps. With a swift knock on the door, she vanished into the night. Moments later, another woman appeared in the smoke, opening the door and taking the bundle inside.


    The black smoke kept forming new images, showing moments of the boy''s life briefly, never stopping.


    The images shifted without warning, transitioning to a scene where Bryan lay on the ground, beaten and bloody. A woman rushed toward him, trying to intervene, only to be struck down by a man with a cane.


    A moment after those same men who were beating the boy were killed as small blades in the shape of a crescent moon cut through them.


    ¡®So, he did awaken and kill the noble.¡¯


    Veron put a theory together when he saw Bryan¡¯s abilities on the train, but it was nice to know that he was right.


    When people awaken their abilities, they have no control over them and it happens anytime during puberty. The strength they show during their awakening is a good indicator of how strong their ability is at the start, not what it could become.


    For Veron, he froze his entire bed when his ability first manifested itself. Now, he could freeze a person solid with the same spell, under the right circumstances.


    That was after he trained for years.


    As for Bryan¡¯s ability, it was already deadly starting out. He could not help but wonder how much more powerful it would become as time went on.


    Ten hours later, Bryan¡¯s head dropped onto the table with a dull thud, his body limp and lifeless. The mind mage withdrew his hands, and the tendrils of purple ether receded back into the dark folds of his robes.


    The mind mage walked towards where the door was, and Veron let the man out.


    Raising his hands, Veron put the magic dampener bracelets back around the man''s wrists.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡±


    Veron asked.


    ¡°Everything you asked for is done. He will remember everything up to the point where he killed those men. Beyond that, his memories have been altered. Instead of sealing them, I chose to replace them. The best lies are always built on fragments of truth.¡±


    The mage replied in a flat tone.


    ¡°Meaning?¡±


    ¡°As you saw, that woman rescued him after he dealt with those men. I altered that memory. You were the one who saved him, who took him under your wing. The other men in his memories were replaced by figures within the Inquisition. He now believes he was trained by them, and he knows everything he needs about the organization¡ªits rules, its purpose, and even a few fabricated friends who are conveniently absent, off at other training sites.¡±


    Veron nodded, it was more than he asked for but good enough for what he needed.


    ¡°Very well. When can I talk to him?¡±


    The mage shrugged.


    ¡°Whenever he wakes up. It could be five minutes, it could be five hours. But be warned¡ªhe wanted to kill you.¡±


    Veron chuckled at the notion.


    ¡°He¡¯ll have to get in line if that¡¯s what he wants.¡±


    The mage allowed himself the faintest hint of amusement.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I took that rage and turned it into loyalty. He thinks you¡¯re his father now.¡±


    Veron¡¯s laughter died in his throat.


    ''Father?''


    The word echoed in his mind.


    He hadn¡¯t planned for this¡ªhe hadn¡¯t asked for this. For a moment, he stood still, caught off guard. But then, with a shake of his head, the unease faded. It didn¡¯t matter. The boy was his to control now, father or not. The loyalty was all that mattered.


    Veron shook his head, dismissing the thought.


    ¡°Good. That will do nicely.¡±

 Chapter 20 - Prologue XX

    Cirrugur, 6th of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    The moon in the night sky was rising as Emilia stumbled through the estate gates. The wound in her abdomen still bled, the Inquisition''s blade having been designed to prevent magical healing.


    A factor she overlooked, in the moment.


    ¡®Blasted bastards, each and every one of them!¡¯


    She caught her reflection in one of the garden''s pools¡ªstrands of gray now threaded through her black hair¡ªthe price of Rebirth.


    She''d had no choice after the fall from the train. Her heart had stopped, and the conditional magic had activated, consuming her in purifying flames. The spell had saved her life but at the cost of her life force.


    The spell restored her to peak condition, closing any wounds. The downside was she¡¯d be physically and mentally exhausted to the point that she would have a difficult time moving.


    While that would have been fine under normal circumstances, it put her at a great disadvantage, as her body would age. By how much was determined based on the damage done to her that needed to be restored.


    It was a spell she¡¯d only used once in her life and preferred not to use it again.


    By the gods, she received this spell a long time ago, and not too many people knew about it. Or else the Inquisition may have found a different way to finish her off.


    The main entrance seemed to be a mile away, though it couldn''t have been more than thirty paces away.


    Blood dripped steadily onto the stone path. The Inquisition''s blade wound refused to close, even after Rebirth had restored her from death''s door.


    "Edward!"


    She called out, her voice barely above a whisper. She tried again, louder this time.


    "Edward!"


    Even if he wasn¡¯t able to hear her, he would sense her presence and see that it was weakened.


    The door flew open. Edward appeared in the doorway, his figure splitting and merging in her wavering vision.


    "Emilia!"


    He rushed forward, his form doubling and tripling as he approached. His eyes widened as he took in her appearance. The gray strands in her hair caught the moonlight.


    "You used Rebirth."


    He stated.


    She gripped his arm for support, leaving bloody fingerprints on his sleeve. Despite Rebirth''s healing, she could barely stand, the loss of life force leaving her desperately weak.


    "The Inquisition."


    She managed, her voice hollow.


    "They took him. Veron... he was there. I couldn''t..."


    Her legs finally gave out, and Edward caught her before she could hit the ground.


    "The blade wound hasn''t healed, even after Rebirth?"


    He observed, noticing the blood still seeping from her abdomen.


    "Their weapons, they''re designed to resist magical healing. Even Rebirth couldn''t fully counter it."


    She whispered, her eyes struggling to stay open.


    The world began to fade around the edges.


    I failed him, I failed Bryan.


    She thought as consciousness slipped away.


    **********


    Cirrugur, 6th of Harvestide, year 305 UC


    Consciousness returned slowly, accompanied by muffled voices that gradually became clearer. Emilia recognized Edward and Lucas, their tones hushed.


    "...can''t just leave it at that, there has to be something we..."


    Edward was saying.


    "And what would you suggest?"


    Lucas''s voice cut in.


    "Storm their headquarters? We don''t even..."


    Their voices faded in and out as Emilia struggled to focus.


    She leaned forward in the bed, a sharp pain in her stomach immediately making her regret the movement. The wound from the Inquisition''s blade still burned.


    "Take your time."


    Edward said, noticing she was awake.


    "The wound is still healing."


    Ignoring his advice, Emilia tossed the sheets off and sat on the edge of the bed. Her body protested every movement, but she forced herself to stay upright. Her eyes found Edward and Lucas, both watching her with varying degrees of concern.


    "What have you done to search for Bryan?"


    Her voice was hoarse.


    Edward shifted uncomfortably.


    "We wouldn''t even know where to¡ª"


    "You fucked up big."


    Lucas interrupted Edward.


    He was upset, mad even. Emilia put Bryan in jeopardy, and he never got a chance to finish his experiments on the boy. There was still a lot left he had to discover, but any progress he¡¯d make would mean little when the person helping him vanished.


    What right did Emilia have to take him away?


    She should have talked to him about it first, then he¡¯d tell her how much of a stupid idea it was to go back. Her?


    He cared, to a degree but just because they were married and he liked the benefits it provided him.


    Bryan was something else, and Lucas still had not unlocked the secrets of the book.


    He planned on telling her off because she screwed him in so many ways she couldn¡¯t even imagine.


    "And nothing we do will mean anything. The Inquisition is large and hard to track¡ªyou know this as well as I do. If they killed Bryan, then the boy is as good as dead. If they captured him..."


    He paused, running a hand through his disheveled hair.


    "He might still be alive, but you''d have a hell of a time finding him."


    "Lucas!"


    Edward shouted, but Emilia raised a hand to stop him.


    "He''s right,"


    She said, letting out a bitter laugh.


    "I should have stayed here with Bryan. None of this would have happened if I had just..."


    There were better ways to deal with the trauma Bryan suffered, there had to be. She was just unable to think of them, and she should have put aside some time to think of the various possibilities.


    As a fighter she excelled, but as a caretaker she was lacking and it showed.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "What do you mean?"


    Edward asked, his brow furrowed.


    "What happened out there? How did you catch the attention of the Inquisition?"


    Emilia laughed weakly, the sound hollow and painful as she grabbed her stomach and winced.


    "We arrived back in the city, but Bryan... he ran off to the orphanage. We found the place burned to the ground."


    Her hands clenched into fists as the scene played out in her head. She should have moved to stop him, held his hand tight and never let go. Then, things would have been different.


    "A woman told us everyone was trapped inside and burned with it. Said the ones who committed the act called it ''retribution for those who have sinned.''"


    She took a shaky breath before continuing.


    "I put it together then¡ªit had to be the Inquisition. I figured they would still be in the city, but I never imagined..."


    She shook her head.


    ¡®What was I thinking?¡¯


    "I never thought they''d be watching the site for anyone coming and going. That''s where I screwed up. We tried to leave quickly, head back, but that''s when they launched their attack."


    "How did you fail to defend yourself?"


    Lucas asked.


    "You''re skilled, Emilia. It''s why you''re assigned missions that would kill most people. Did you underestimate them?"


    "No."


    Emilia replied.


    "I took out several of them and wouldn''t have had trouble with the others, but..."


    She paused, her jaw tightening.


    "They had someone leading them. Someone named Veron. High-ranking, from the way he acted and how the others made way for him. He controlled ice magic, and to such a high degree that he could put out my flames, but..."


    She raised her wrist where the magic dampener had been, now absent.


    "Mid-fight, he managed to surprise me and place a magic dampener on me. It sapped my ether, prevented me from using any spells."


    She looked up at them.


    "Thanks for removing it."


    "You''re lucky."


    Lucas said.


    "If your spell used ether to recover you instead of your life force, you would have died."


    Emilia touched her hair, feeling the new gray strands.


    "The spell restored what it could."


    She said quietly, still upset by the outcome of the fight.


    If she acted to dispatch them first, then escape through the window with Bryan¡­


    Moving to them first, or even relocating to get the advantage. She knew they were coming and could have come up with a different strategy.


    But, that was in the past and there was nothing she could do to change it.


    "The Inquisition''s blade... their weapons are designed to resist magical healing. Even Rebirth couldn''t fully counter it."


    Emilia explained.


    Edward moved closer.


    "We need to be careful about our next move. The Inquisition doesn''t give up easily."


    "They saw my face, my abilities. They''ll know who I am soon enough if they don''t already. They just don¡¯t know I¡¯m still alive."


    Emilia said.


    ¡°Luckily, they¡¯ll assume you¡¯re dead which puts us at an advantage. Still, we need to move locations as they might come here to tie up any loose ends.¡±


    Edward suggested.


    "No."


    Emilia replied as she looked at Edward.


    "I need to find Bryan first. I made a promise¡­¡±


    A promise that she intended to keep, even if it killed her.


    "And how exactly do you plan to find him?"


    Lucas asked.


    "The Inquisition has facilities all over the continent. They could have taken him anywhere."


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. We¡¯ll find somewhere to begin.¡±


    Lucas leaned against the wall.


    ¡°You¡¯re seriously thinking that you will find Bryan. Let¡¯s say that you do. What next? How will you rescue him? If the gods will it, then let¡¯s say that he is alive when you find him and escape with him. What is the plan? Hide from the Inquisition forever? Eventually, they¡¯ll come back, and it won¡¯t be as simple as it was this time.¡±


    Lucas looked at Emilia and stared her in the eye.


    ¡°Stop fooling yourself into thinking by will alone you will find and rescue him. This is not some children¡¯s tale Emilia. Think before you act or else it won¡¯t end well.¡±


    Emilia punched the headrest of her bed causing a portion of it to break off.


    ¡°What did you just say to me?¡±


    ¡°You heard me. Rushing head-first into action sounds good, but you¡¯re going to get yourself killed. And no, I won¡¯t be flying off to help you with some idea as half-baked as what you¡¯re bound to come up with in your state.¡±


    Lucas replied.


    Emilia ground her teeth together. She was seething in anger.


    Most of it was pointed at Lucas due to what he said, but the other portion was directed at herself for knowing that he was right.


    ¡°I stayed to make sure you¡¯re alright, which you are. So, I¡¯ll be taking my leave. Let me know if you come up with anything worth taking action on.¡±


    Lucas made his departure, leaving Edward and Emilia alone in the room. Edward watched Emilia, noting how her hands still remained clenched into fists.


    "I don''t want to admit it, but Lucas is right. We can''t take on the Inquisition alone. It would be a fool''s task."


    Edward said softly.


    Emilia''s head dropped, her black hair falling forward to hide her face.


    "I already failed Bryan. I can''t lose him too. Not like this."


    Her voice cracked slightly, the weakness in it surprising even her. She wasn''t used to feeling this helpless.


    "We have to prepare for the worst."


    Edward said.


    Silence stretched between them as Emilia stared at the ground. Edward watched her and knew that she was thinking about the different scenarios and how she could have played her hand.


    Finally, he sighed heavily.


    "You could ask your father for help."


    Emilia''s head snapped up, her eyes wide with disbelief.


    "Are you insane?"


    She¡¯d rather die than ask her father for help.


    "We both know he''d be able to help."


    Edward continued, unfazed by her reaction.


    "He has contacts all over the continent. Locating Bryan wouldn''t be difficult with his resources."


    "The price would be too high."


    Emilia said.


    "You know that. He''d rather watch me suffer than help me."


    "He would do that to you, yes."


    Edward agreed.


    "But what about his grandson?"


    Emilia stared at Edward, words failing her. The suggestion was absurd, and yet...


    "Think about it he''s older now. Still insane, yes, but older. He''s had time to process everything that happened with Rashaka and what came after. If he knows that a part of her is still alive..."


    Edward pressed letting the words hang in the air.


    "It would drive him to act. You know how much he cared for her."


    A dry, humorless laugh escaped Emilia''s lips.


    "And if I mentioned that Bryan awakened his magic? That would make him move mountains to retrieve the boy."


    "Yes."


    Edward nodded solemnly.


    "You should include that as well."


    Emilia ran a hand through her hair, fingers catching on the new gray strands.


    "He disowned her, Edward. Cast her out when she needed him most. And now you want me to go crawling back to him?"


    "This isn''t about pride, Emilia. This is about Bryan''s life. Your father may be many things¡ªmost of them terrible¡ªbut he''s also powerful. And right now, power is what we need."


    "He''ll want something in return.¡±


    Emilia said quietly.


    "He always does."


    "Of course he will. But whatever the price, isn''t Bryan worth it?"


    Edward asked.


    Emilia closed her eyes, remembering her promise to Rashaka. The weight of it seemed heavier now than ever before. Was she really going to put her life in the hands of the man she hated for a promise she made to her dying sister years ago?


    "He''ll want control. Over Bryan, over me, over everything."


    "Perhaps."


    Edward agreed.


    "But at least Bryan would be alive for him to control."


    The truth of those words hit Emilia hard. She had spent years running from her father''s influence, building a life away from his shadow. But now, to save Bryan, she might have to step back into that darkness.


    "I''ll need time to think about it.¡±


    She said finally, but inside she already knew the answer.


    **********


    After entering his lab, Lucas tossed all the papers, vials, and items on the floor in a fit of rage. His hand slammed against the table as sparks of electricity danced across his fingers. His eyes darted to the door as he screamed, asking himself what she was thinking. How could she be so stupid?


    His gaze landed on the book, and he gritted his teeth, knowing he wouldn''t be able to unseal it anytime soon.


    Zoltan, the raven with purple eyes, flew down from the open window onto the table.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Zoltan transmitted directly into Lucas''s mind.


    Lucas stared at Zoltan.


    "I can''t finish my experiments. All the research I was doing about blood magic is basically done for. Bryan''s dead. That, or he''s captured, but either way means I can''t unlock the book or showcase my theory at this year''s research ceremony."


    "What do you mean Bryan''s dead or captured?"


    Lucas ran his hand through his hair.


    "It means exactly that. Emilia and Bryan ran into the Inquisition. She came back wounded, and Bryan''s status is unknown."


    "Do they know he can use magic? If they do, then he''d be alive."


    "How am I supposed to know that? I wasn''t there."


    Lucas snapped.


    "What about his awakening? How was it triggered?"


    Lucas paced the room.


    "Bryan''s magic is conditional, or so it seems. He has to use blood to cast his spell, and the first time his emotions must have triggered it. When I hit him, the boy must have also been angry, which triggered it again."


    "Does it have to be his blood? Can Bryan use other people''s blood?"


    Lucas tilted his head at the question.


    "I don''t know. I thought he''d have to use his own, considering it is a spell."


    He raised his hand to stop Zoltan from speaking further.


    "But mages use ether to fuel their spells, and blood is made up of ether. Therefore, it''s possible, however small, that the boy is capable of using other people''s blood as fuel for his spell."


    "If he witnessed Emilia''s fight and injury, that would cause his emotions to stir, putting him in the right state of mind to use his magic."


    Zoltan reasoned.


    "And knowing Emilia, she would have managed to kill at least one of them, which means blood was present."


    Lucas began pacing around the room, tapping his finger on his chin.


    "So the probability of the boy being alive greatly increases, which is good. But that still doesn''t help me in the slightest."


    His eyes landed on the six small vials of blood he''d obtained from Bryan sitting on a shelf.


    Looking at Zoltan, he grinned.


    "You consume ether, do you not?"


    "That''s a dumb question."


    "If I feed you Bryan''s blood, would you be able to track him?"


    "It''s possible."


    Zoltan admitted.


    "But there''s no way I''m returning to the Inquisition. I escaped for a reason."


    Lucas scoffed.


    "You didn''t escape. You were a target they failed to kill. If it wasn''t for the spell in your original body, you would have been dead."


    "I hate your memory."


    "Can you do it or not?"


    "I can, but won''t."


    Zoltan quickly told him.


    Lucas''s eyes narrowed.


    "What if I offered you a body you can inhabit? One that''s not an animal?"


    Zoltan stared at Lucas for a moment.


    "It''s about time you started doing what you promised all those years ago."


    Lucas waved off the comment.


    "I don''t care if Bryan comes back. It would be foolish to rescue him now anyway, if they did find out he awakened. Instead, I want you to watch over him, connect with him, and lead him back to us at a later date."


    "Are you sure about this?"


    Zoltan asked.


    "It''s better than what Emilia will do, and will give us the best shot. Also, it would give me time to finish my other projects, as well as go back to the ruins where I found the book."


    Zoltan''s gaze fell on the M.A.G.I.C ring that had fallen to the ground when Lucas cleared the table.


    "Finish that first. It would make a good gift for the boy and help in keeping track of him."


    Lucas nodded, his earlier rage subsiding. The loss of Bryan was a setback, yes, but perhaps not as devastating as he''d initially thought.


    With Zoltan''s help, he could still salvage his research¡ªand maybe even expand it in ways he hadn''t considered before.


    He picked up the ring from the floor, turning it over in his hands. Perhaps some good could come from this disaster after all.

 Chapter 21 - Excellence Camp I

    Ashern City, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    He gazed down at the letter in his hand for the third time today. It came last week unexpectedly, and it caught everyone by surprise.


    Dear Bryan Blackwood,


    We are pleased to inform you of your acceptance into the Reinhart Institute of War, a place where only the most promising of the new generation are chosen to refine their talents and lead the Roan Kingdom forward. Your demonstrated potential has earned you a position among the Institute¡¯s distinguished ranks, and we look forward to welcoming you.


    As a student of Reinhart, you stand at the forefront of a rising wave of mages who will shape the future of our kingdom. It is our mission to guide you through the refinement of your abilities and to prepare you for the responsibilities and challenges that lie ahead.


    Classes will commence on the 20th of Harvestide, 315 UC.


    We anticipate great things from you, Bryan, and are eager to witness the impact you will make upon Reinhart and beyond. May this be the first step in a long and distinguished path.


    Welcome to Reinhart Institute of War.


    With respect and expectation,


    Headmaster Octavius Reinhart


    Reinhart Institute of War


    While the acceptance letter itself was nice, everyone who knew him knew that he was guaranteed a spot at the newly established military academy. The judges'' shock at his performance after his test told Bryan that he would be accepted.


    The real surprise was the second letter that was included with the first.


    Dear Bryan Blackwood,


    On behalf of the Reinhart Institute of War, we are honored to extend an invitation to the Reinhart Excellence Camp, a program reserved for the highest-ranked students of our incoming class. Your exceptional performance and potential have earned you this opportunity, which is extended to only a select few.


    The Excellence Camp will commence on the 1st of Brightforge, 315 UC, and will span a month of focused training and advanced study. Here, you will receive specialized instruction from some of the most respected and accomplished instructors in the Institute. This experience is designed to help you refine your abilities, expand your understanding, and equip you with the essential skills and insights that will prepare you for the challenges and opportunities ahead.


    As a top-ranked student, you have already demonstrated remarkable promise, and we aim to provide you with the guidance and tools needed to surpass your current limits. Through rigorous training and dedicated mentorship, we hope to assist you in reaching new heights of achievement, setting a powerful foundation for your journey with us at the Institute.


    We look forward to witnessing your progress during this extraordinary opportunity. Please find your camp assignment details below:


    <ul>


    <li>


    Rank: 1


    </li>


    <li>


    Dormitory: Rose Garden


    </li>


    </ul>


    Once again, congratulations on your invitation to the Reinhart Excellence Camp. It is a privilege to support students like you who exemplify the strength of our institution.


    With respect and anticipation,


    Headmaster Octavius Reinhart


    Reinhart Institute of War


    Bryan folded the paper back into its original shape before putting it into the envelope. After all this time, it was finally happening.


    "What do you keep opening it for? You know nothing is going to change, don''t you?"


    A voice whispered in his ear causing Bryan to look down at his breastpocket.


    Bryan glanced down at his breast pocket, where a small black head poked out, purple eyes shining. Zoltan, his jet-black, talking mouse, gazed up at him. They¡¯d met years ago¡ªor rather, Zoltan had made himself part of Bryan¡¯s life¡ªand the strange creature hadn¡¯t left his side since.


    The little mouse was his only friend, and it was the one thing he was grateful for.


    Being trapped in a room all day, forced to read books on different mages, and spells until the knowledge could be withdrawn at a moment''s notice. The white room is what he called it.


    If that was all, then it would not have been half as bad. There was training after, which in eight cases out of ten saw him with broken bones that needed fixing. Then, he went right back to the room.


    Day in, and day out.


    Zoltan was the only spark he had in his life and his source of life beyond the walls he was given.


    "Yeah, I know that. Just can''t believe it is all, I finally get to leave that place and there is nothing they can do about it. I''m going to enjoy these three years of freedom as best I can."


    Bryan put the envelope away in his pocket.


    "I''d refrain from getting your hopes up. I keep telling you these academies aren''t what you seem to think they are. You''re not going to have the freedom to travel freely. It''s a military academy, you''ll be restricted to traveling on school grounds."


    Zoltan reminded Bryan.


    Bryan didn¡¯t reply, staring instead out the window of the train cabin, letting the distant landscape lull his mind into silence.


    Just then, Zoltan ducked into his pocket as the cabin door slid open, and a man built like a fortress stepped in. His black eyes fixed on Bryan, then swept the empty cabin before he closed the door and took the seat across from him.


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    "Who were you talking to?"


    The man asked as he closed the door to the cabin. He found the seat across from Bryan and took it.


    "Myself."


    Bryan responded without even taking a glance in the direction of the man.


    Brandon grumbled a reply under his breath as he folded his arms over his chest. He disliked Bryan, as the boy thought he was better than everyone else around him. Not knowing that he was a pebble pretending to be a mountain due to the slight praises of some members in their organization.


    Bradon did not see it. There was nothing special about him.


    "We''ll be arriving at the academy in five minutes. You understand the assignment you were given, correct?"


    "Yeah."


    Bryan waved his hand in the direction of Brandon.


    "Find potential recruits for the organization at the academy, and if they are suitable recruit them. Figure out


    "And?"


    Bradon narrowed his eyes as Bryan seemed to forget a key aspect of his assignment for attending the academy.


    Bryan sighed, a hint of irritation slipping through his next words.


    ¡°Make sure the duke¡¯s daughter, Alessia Hayes, graduates.¡±


    Babysitting someone he didn¡¯t know¡ªor care about¡ªwas the last thing he wanted. He¡¯d chosen the Reinhart Institute on Zoltan¡¯s recommendation, hoping it would let him slip free, if only briefly, from the Inquisition¡¯s grip. But they¡¯d pulled him back in, seeing his enrollment as a convenient opportunity to curry favor with the kingdom¡¯s most powerful families.


    Reinhart Institute of War was new, but its founder¡¯s influence extended to the highest circles. Nobles and commoners alike could enroll, but only those with exceptional magic and potential were accepted. The academy promised elite training for the kingdom¡¯s future defenders, all within Ashern City¡ªfar from the Inquisition¡¯s headquarters and on the east coast where the wilds were still unpredictable.


    A chime echoed through the cabin.


    You''ve arrived at Ashern City - Reinhart Insititute of War.


    The train slowed, and Bryan let the silence stretch between them for a final moment before Brandon stood, reaching into his pocket to retrieve a small, polished box. He held it out.


    "Your father says he''ll be in touch, so make sure you keep it close. Families aren''t allowed on campus, nor are they to be involved in their children''s education. But, no one ever said they can''t contact you from their cabin in the mountains."


    Bryan took the box from Brandon and pocketed it without even opening it.


    "Now, let me walk you to the entrance. It''s the least I can do."


    With a resigned nod, Bryan grabbed his bag, packed with all the essentials he¡¯d need at the academy, and fell into step behind Brandon. The man was not only his escort but also his assigned watchdog¡ªa constant presence that would require regular check-ins to keep him informed of any developments within the academy. A hassle, to say the least, but Bryan was determined to fulfill his duties without complaint.


    As they moved through the bustling station, Bryan spotted a few others in the same black and gold uniform: black slacks, black undershirt, and a fitted vest embroidered with intricate golden patterns. Every uniform seemed tailored to fit its wearer perfectly, a mark of the academy¡¯s elite status and exacting standards.


    Outside, Ashern City stretched before them, a fortress built as much for defense as it was for grandeur. The city¡¯s thick outer walls enclosed miles of farmland where commoners and farmers lived, their homes scattered across the landscape like dots on a vast green canvas. Within the city¡¯s walls, the population was divided across three distinct rings.


    The outer ring housed the city¡¯s lower-class citizens and daily commerce. Shield generators anchored each corner of the walls, providing protection against any hostile threats. Streets were packed, lively with vendors, artisans, and laborers going about their day. Even here, the city¡¯s defensive intent was evident¡ªevery path was designed to manage the flow of people and could be transformed to block invaders in a heartbeat.


    Moving inward, the middle ring held the homes of the middle-class and some of the upper nobility. This ring was smaller but afforded its residents greater access to the city¡¯s amenities. Here, gardens and fountains softened the streetscape, while the residents enjoyed the security of being closer to the city¡¯s heart.


    As for the inner ring, which is where Bryan was headed was where the upper class stayed. Within the confines of their own bubble created by their own shield generator, they had nothing to worry about even from an outside threat. If one managed to breach the city walls, they would have ample time to plan an escape or way to fight back.


    At the center of the inner ring stood the Reinhart Institute of War, occupying an entire sector of the city. The campus loomed in the distance, an imposing silhouette even from here.


    The journey to the institute required passage through four heavily fortified gates. Each gate served as both an entry and a choke point, designed to funnel any would-be attackers into tight corridors, where city defenders could strike.


    First was the main gate, the only direct entrance into Ashern City, built to funnel crowds but also capable of trapping invaders in a narrow passageway. To reach the heart of the city, one had to pass through a secondary gate, guarded by a full platoon of soldiers. Massive cannons lined the walls, trained on the lines of people awaiting entry.


    "You are to head straight to the Nileth Hall for introductions, right?" Brandon asked as they passed through the last gate right before they arrived at the academy.


    Even now from this distance, the institute peaked over the top of the walls.


    Bryan was barely paying Brandon any attention, his mind was focused on all the activities he would be able to do. He was always told be here at a certain time, and to do this whenever they asked.


    There was hardly any free will of his own to explore what he liked.


    His father insisted that this was the best path for him, and he could understand why. Their family was ripped apart during a war between two noble houses leaving them with nothing but pieces to pick up. If it was not for the Inquisition, they''d have nothing.


    The organization saved them and gave their family a chance at revenge.


    Which his father desperately wanted. So much so that he left Bryan at the orphanage as a child while he went to make those who had wronged them pay.


    That did not go as his father had planned, as the people responsible fled to the Holy Empire. The only piece of information that his father came back with was that someone within the nobility had betrayed them, and he had to find out who that was.


    His father had hoped to solve all of this before bringing Bryan back home, but because he failed he came to get him sooner. The memory was a bit fuzzy at times as it happened ten years ago.


    Bryan was not even sure why he cared so much for Ms. Kelly back then. It affected him to the point he needed constant treatment, and his father constantly apologized to him for leaving him.


    In order to make sure no one close to Bryan would ever be harmed again, and that he could take care of himself. His dad chose to put him under the Inquisition''s command, as they would teach him everything he needed to know.


    The only good time he had there were the visits he had with his father. However, Veron was always away on missions trying to find out who killed his mother and sister.


    Bryan could hardly remember either of them. He could see a woman with long black hair, but her facial features were absent. As for his sister, Bryan could not recall if she was older or younger than him.


    Older, is what he was told but no one came to mind when he tried to recall moments together with her.


    Sometimes he felt as if he was not himself, and he was living in someone else''s body. Just a soul trapped in a life that was not their own. Similar to Zoltan''s own experience.


    Zoltan assured him that was not the case, but things were never as what they seemed. When Bryan wanted him to elaborate, the mouse said nothing and that it would all work out in time.


    Time was something Bryan hated waiting on. He wanted things to happen when he wanted them to happen. But life did not work that way.


    Brandon snapped his fingers in front of Bryan''s face, forcing him to glance in the man''s direction.


    "Nileth Hall, correct?"


    Bryan nodded once.


    "Good, I would like to see it for myself, but I''m afraid that will be impossible. The order has secured me a spot within the inner district, I shall give you my address as soon as I know it myself. Once the term starts, you will have breaks every other week, so make sure you pay me a visit then."


    Brandon told him before glancing out the window of their carriage.


    "Ah, we have arrived."


    "About time, this guy just never shuts up."


    Zoltan transmitted to Bryan, which caused him to chuckle slightly.

 Chapter 22 – Excellence Camp II

    Ashern City, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Nileth Hall rose before Bryan, its weathered stone facade stretching four stories high. Golden banners bearing the Reinhart crest rippled in the morning breeze, while tall windows reflected the early sunlight. Two stone griffins flanked the entrance, their wings spread wide.


    A handful of students in matching black and gold uniforms made their way up the broad stone steps. Bryan counted six others¡ªeach likely part of the Excellence Camp, given their early arrival. A tall girl with perfectly styled auburn hair strode confidently through the doors, while a shorter boy with ink-stained fingers hesitated at the threshold, clutching a worn leather satchel.


    "Quite the fancy cage they''ve built."


    Zoltan transmitted from Bryan''s pocket.


    "Though I suppose it beats your old room."


    Bryan adjusted his uniform and started up the steps, noting how the other students carried themselves. Some had the unmistakable bearing of nobility, while others showed signs of more humble origins.


    "I''m just ready to get this over with. You think they''ll talk my ears off?"


    Bryan asked as he entered the building right behind another student.


    "Probably. That''s usually how these things go."


    Zoltan confirmed.


    Bryan fought a groan. He¡¯d already endured one long-winded speech from the higher-ups in the Inquisition, and the prospect of sitting through another one left him feeling restless. Maybe if he positioned himself near the back, he could slip into a daydream


    ''Wonder if I can take a nap.''


    He thought to himself as he glanced around the building before his eyes landed on a woman smiling at him.


    She was tall and lean with short blonde hair and blue eyes as deep as the ocean. He would have assumed she was a student like himself, but her outfit was white and gold.


    "Welcome to Reinhart Institute of War, let me be the first to congratulate you on your acceptance into our academy. If you haven''t been told already by your parents, we are very proud of you. Out of the three hundred incoming freshmen, you are one of the elite that our board members selected to attend the Excellence camp. I hope you know what that means."


    Bryan nodded once, feeling her gaze linger as if searching for a flicker of excitement or pride. He kept his face neutral, though he couldn¡¯t help but notice the student nearby¡ªa boy, barely able to contain his excitement, grinning from ear to ear as another staff member delivered the same congratulatory message.


    "I''m sure you''re excited and would like to be on your way, but the headmaster has a few words to say to each and every one of you. If you¡¯ll follow me, I¡¯ll lead you to the gymnasium."


    The woman said.


    Following behind her, he wondered what her role was in this academy. Was she only a guide, or one of the instructors?


    Not everyone played a combat role, there were those who supported the fighters from the rear. It was hard to tell what a mage could do until you saw a few of their spells.


    "This is Nileth Hall, where all of your¡ª"


    Bryan interrupted her causing her to stop mid-stride


    "No need to continue. I¡¯ll hear the whole spiel soon enough. No offense, but I¡¯d rather not have it twice."


    He sounded rude, but at least he was being honest with her.


    A flicker of surprise crossed her face, quickly masked by a polite expression. He could tell he¡¯d startled her, but he didn¡¯t regret it. Being spoon-fed expectations and scripted reassurances grated on him.


    She raised an eyebrow, studying him with a touch more scrutiny.


    "I don''t mean to be rude, but I''d rather just experience it all for myself. Someone telling me what to expect just¡­ ruins the fun. I¡¯m sure you get it."


    For a moment, she remained silent, then inclined her head in acknowledgment, a slight smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.


    "Very well then."


    The woman led Bryan through a set of polished oak doors and into the gymnasium. The space was vast, with high ceilings and gleaming wooden floors. Twenty chairs had been arranged in neat rows at the center of the room, most already occupied by students who turned to watch the newcomers.


    Bryan''s gaze swept upward, taking in the decorative banners. The Reinhart crest dominated the display¡ªa golden griffin clutching crossed swords against a black background. Flanking it were four smaller flags, each bearing the distinct emblems of prominent noble houses: the Hayes family''s thorned rose, the Blackthorn''s twisted tree, the Landegre''s crescent moon, and the Daybreak''s rising sun.


    "Quite the collection of vultures they''ve gathered."


    Zoltan transmitted from Bryan''s pocket.


    Bryan knew he meant the noble houses, as they were some of the most powerful ones in the kingdom. They would be keeping an eye on what went on within these walls, and he was sure it was all part of some political move.


    It always was with nobility.


    Fifteen students already occupied the chairs, arranged in four rows of five. Bryan noted with mild satisfaction that one of the only remaining seats was in the back row, center position. Perfect for observing without drawing attention.


    As he claimed the empty chair, the boy to his right immediately turned with an eager smile. His blonde hair was perfectly styled, and his blue eyes sparkled with enthusiasm that made Bryan inwardly cringe.


    "Hi there! I''m Alexander Silvermark, but everyone calls me Alex. Looks like we''ll be neighbors for this orientation."


    He extended his hand in greeting.


    Bryan glanced at the offered hand, then deliberately crossed his arms and leaned back in his seat. To his left, a girl with coffee-brown hair, matching eyes, and a spray of freckles across her nose seemed to be fighting back a smile at his obvious dismissal.


    "Making friends already, I see."


    Zoltan commented dryly.


    "I''m not here to make friends."


    Bryan muttered aloud, responding more to Zoltan than Alexander. The blonde boy''s face flushed red with embarrassment, and his outstretched hand slowly retreated.


    The freckled girl to Bryan''s left let out an amused laugh.


    "If you''re not here to make friends, then what are you here for?"


    Bryan kept his gaze fixed forward, already regretting his choice of seating. Of all the empty chairs, he had to pick the one between two chatterboxes. Great.


    When he didn¡¯t answer, the girl leaned forward, glancing past him with a mischievous grin aimed at Alexander.


    "My, our new neighbor is quite rude, isn''t he?"


    Her tone carried a bit of amusement.


    "Lucky he''s cute."


    Bryan resisted the urge to roll his eyes, but Zoltan¡¯s quiet laugh hummed in his ear.


    "Congratulations, you''ve managed to make both friends and enemies in record time. Though I suppose that''s a special talent of yours. And did you hear that? She called you cute. I like this one, we should keep her."


    Zoltan transmitted.


    Bryan''s jaw clenched. The last thing he needed was encouragement from Zoltan on this topic, but his mouse companion seemed quite entertained by the situation.


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    Alexander, seemingly recovering his confidence, turned his smile on the freckled girl.


    "Well, that¡¯s what you get when they throw a bunch of nobles together, right? So, how about you drop the whole ''I''m better than you'' act and introduce yourself. We¡¯re stuck together for the next month, after all."


    The freckled girl added as she glanced back at Bryan.


    "You''re really going to be a pain in my side, aren''t you?"


    Bryan finally muttered, scanning the room for any empty seats to relocate to. But every seat was now occupied, leaving him trapped between the two of them. Sometimes, he wished he were deaf, just to tune out this incessant chatter and enjoy some peace for once.


    "Only for now."


    She replied without missing a beat.


    "Whatever."


    Bryan sighed as he closed his eyes. Friendly small talk wasn¡¯t exactly in his skill set, and he knew it. Years in an enclosed environment under the Inquisition¡¯s watch had taught him to follow orders, sharpen skills, survive¡ªbut not to make friends. And certainly not how to handle people his own age.


    People like Alex and this girl, he thought bitterly, weren¡¯t part of his training. They had been raised with smiles, introductions, and polished exchanges. He was here to get through this camp and leave it behind, not to charm strangers with niceties he had no use for.


    "Quick question if you will, is this."


    She pointed at Bryan''s face from head to chin.


    "our white hair¡ªis it natural? And your eyes¡­ I¡¯ve never seen red ones like that. Is it related to your powers or something?"


    She asked, leaning closer.


    It had been a long time since anyone asked about his appearance so directly. He¡¯d gotten used to people skirting around it, their gazes quick but silent, usually too polite¡ªor too intimidated¡ªto question it aloud. Why did he look the way he did? He¡¯d wondered that himself for years, but his father¡¯s vague explanations had been the only answer he¡¯d ever gotten.


    A mutation, his father had said, a quirk of his magic core that had altered his physical features. But Bryan had learned early on that explaining this only invited more questions, questions he didn¡¯t have the patience or inclination to answer.


    On the way here to the academy he had run across a few people taking glances every so often, but because of the private cabin on the train ride here, he had not paid it much attention. Even the woman who led him here did not mention anything about his appearance.


    "Natural."


    Bryan replied, not bothering to open his eyes.


    Alexander chimed in from his other side, leaning in with clear fascination.


    "For real? I thought it was dye or something. Also, why do you sound so dead on the inside?"


    He asked.


    Bryan exhaled slowly, the threads of his patience wearing thin. Opening his eyes, he fixed both of them with a pointed stare.


    "What''s up with the two of you? Why are you bothering me?"


    Bryan asked.


    "Well, isn''t that obvious? We¡¯re going to be teammates during our time here. Surely you knew that¡ªthe guide should have explained things to you."


    The freckled girl told him.


    Bryan could hear Zoltan¡¯s laughter in his mind, a dry chuckle filled with the kind of amusement that only added to Bryan¡¯s annoyance.


    "Now, would you look at that? Someone should have¡­ listened to her."


    The little mouse barely managed to say through the laugh.


    Alexander nodded in agreement, apparently finding the situation equally amusing.


    "It''s why everyone''s been cautious where they sat. The high rankers are up there."


    He pointed to the first two rows, where a handful of students sat.


    "Or at least, we''re assuming that. It¡¯s hard to tell since they keep rankings so hush-hush. We were told not to discuss it, and there are people watching. So, everyone¡¯s going off of clues¡ªpowers, family backgrounds, that sort of thing.¡±


    Bryan glanced around, scanning the faces in the rows ahead. He recognized none of them, which was no surprise. He knew of the noble houses and their signature abilities, courtesy of his Inquisition training, but here, without introductions, they were just faces. Some might belong to the top families, but unless they bore obvious distinguishing traits, like his own hair and eyes, it was anyone¡¯s guess who was who.


    He could probably figure it out by talking to people, trading names, and piecing things together from snippets of conversation. But that thought alone made him tired.


    The freckled girl stifled a laugh.


    "So, you¡¯re back here, stuck with us, and there¡¯s no changing that.¡±


    She pointed to Alexander.


    "He''s a commoner, with a water core and I''m Sabrina Rigof. House Rigof. Let''s just say I''m close to the single digits."


    She laughed again.


    Bryan took note of the name¡ªRigof. He hadn¡¯t heard of it, which likely meant it was a minor house from some rural province. Hardly anything to boast about, though, then again, he himself wasn¡¯t of noble blood, so who was he to judge?


    "So, care to share something about yourself?"


    Sabrina asked as she gazed at Bryan.


    "Not really. You can''t get rid of me, so it doesn''t matter. And it seems I can¡¯t get rid of you."


    Bryan told her as he shut his eyes once more.


    Sabrina laughed, the sound bright and unbothered.


    ¡°You¡¯re a real charmer, you know that?¡±


    He could feel Alexander and Sabrina exchanging glances over him, their murmured conversation continuing without his participation. They seemed content to chatter on without him, and for that, he was grateful. Sabrina soon shifted her focus to the student beside her, and Bryan allowed himself a small exhale of relief. Finally, a moment of peace.


    Zoltan¡¯s voice echoed in his mind, an amused whisper.


    ¡°You know, I think you might have missed some crucial information by tuning out that poor guide. Maybe then you¡¯d have picked a better seat.¡±


    Bryan clenched his jaw, unwilling to give Zoltan the satisfaction of a response. Not that it mattered. As far as he was concerned, the rankings here were just numbers. Titles on a piece of paper that would mean nothing in the real world, outside these carefully controlled walls.


    "Oh, I think it''s starting."


    Alexander said causing Bryan to open one eye.


    The gymnasium lights dimmed slightly as five figures strode toward the center of the room. Four wore white uniforms that seemed to catch what little light remained, while one woman stood out in her distinctive military attire, her dark blue overcoat flowing behind her.


    The central figure, a tall man with streaks of gray in his black hair, positioned himself in the middle of the group.


    "It is an honor to be the headmaster of this prestigious academy."


    His voice carried easily through the space.


    "And while I welcome you all to Excellence Camp, there are certain matters that must be addressed before we proceed."


    He paused, his gaze sweeping across the assembled students.


    "First and foremost, rank here means everything. This is something you will come to understand intimately during your time here."


    His lips curved into a slight smile.


    "If you last, that is."


    Several students shifted in their seats. Bryan rolled his eyes at the dramatic delivery, earning a worried glance from Alexander.


    "Did he just say ''if we last''?"


    Alexander whispered, leaning slightly toward Sabrina.


    "How can a military academy just expel its students? Or does he mean we can die? They can''t expel us, can they?"


    Sabrina''s face had lost some of its earlier playfulness.


    "They''re not supposed to."


    She muttered back, her eyes fixed on the instructors.


    The headmaster continued.


    "When the academic year begins, there will be 300 students walking these halls. By graduation, only 50 will remain."


    He let that sink in before adding.


    "This academy wasn''t built to produce average soldiers, nor is it a social club for your families to foster greater relations."


    "Only the best of the best will walk out of here with their heads held high."


    Another pause, this one accentuated by a thin, humorless smile.


    "But I''m getting ahead of myself."


    With a casual wave of his hand, he gestured to the four people flanking him.


    "These four will be your instructors during your time at camp. This honor is not given lightly. Each is an established military combatant who has chosen to share their expertise with the next generation. Some of you may even know their names¡ªmany of them have earned reputations that precede them."


    Bryan studied each instructor in turn. The woman in the military coat stood out not just for her different attire, but for the intensity in her stance. Unlike the others, she seemed to be actively assessing each student.


    "They will introduce themselves when the moment presents itself."


    The headmaster continued, before pausing with a smile that didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    "But first, it would be best to get the ranks situated."


    He gestured to the seated students.


    "As you were briefed earlier, the row you''re sitting in represents your team for the duration of your stay at camp."


    The headmaster clapped once, the sound echoing through the gymnasium.


    "Now, why don''t we start in reverse order? When I call your rank, stand so everyone can know who you are. Let''s begin with rank twenty."


    A nervous tension filled the room. Students glanced at each other, wondering who would be revealed as the lowest-ranked among them.


    The woman in the military coat shifted slightly, her gaze sweeping across the students. For a brief moment, her eyes met Bryan''s, and he felt a flash of recognition - not of her specifically, but of the way she carried herself.


    It reminded him of the Inquisition''s elite operatives, people who had seen real combat and survived to tell about it.


    "Ah, I almost forgot. I should introduce myself properly. I am Octavius Reinhart, Headmaster of the Reinhart Institute of War."


    Octavius spoke again.


    A murmur ran through the students at the name. Even Bryan, who had been briefed extensively about the academy, felt a slight tension in his shoulders. The Reinhart name carried weight, and now he understood why the woman''s presence seemed so familiar - she had to be Gloria Reinhart, whose reputation in military circles was legendary.


    "Rank twenty."


    Octavius announced.


    "Stand up and introduce yourself to your fellow students."


    Alexander shifted nervously in his seat before standing up. All eyes turned to him, some with barely concealed relief, others with thinly veiled contempt.


    Octavius nodded once.


    "Your name?"


    "Alexander Silvermark."


    Alexander said quickly before dropping back into his seat.


    A man in a white uniform approached Alexander, handing him a thin blue card. Murmurs rippled through the room as students craned their necks to get a better look.


    "Many of you are wondering what Alexander has just received, rest assured, each of you will be given one when it is your turn. What he has obtained is his academic card, which can only be used on campus."


    Octavius said.


    He paused, letting his gaze sweep across the room.


    "This card will be essential for everything here, as no one on campus will accept regular currency. Instead, you will use academic credits¡ªAC for short. Money, food, clothes, rooms¡ªeverything and anything you can think of costs AC here."


    Several students exchanged worried glances as Octavius continued.


    "The amount of AC you start with is based on your initial ranking. However, be assured that more can be earned through various means."


    "Rank nineteen, stand, and introduce yourself."


    A girl in the first row rose gracefully to her feet. Her dark auburn hair was perfectly styled, and she carried herself with the unmistakable bearing of nobility.


    Bryan couldn''t tell how she looked from the front due to where he was at, and the black and gold uniform wasn''t doing anything to reveal any of her features. Unlike the males who wore slacks, the females had the option to wear them or skirts.


    She wore a black skirt that reached her knees.


    "Alessia Hayes."


    She announced, her voice clear and confident.


    Bryan sighed quietly, earning a curious glance from Sabrina.


    The Inquisition hadn''t bothered to tell him what Alessia looked like¡ªonly that he was to ensure she graduated. Now, with the ranking system revealed, his mission had become more complicated. He would need to help her maintain her current rank or at least keep her within the top fifty.


    Bryan watched as Alessia received her academic card, noting how she barely acknowledged the man who handed it to her.


    "At least she''s competent enough to rank nineteenth."


    Bryan thought.


    "Though that might make her overconfident."

 Chapter 23 – Excellence Camp III

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    ¡°Rank thirteen.¡±


    Octavius called out for the next student to rise, and Sabrina quickly shot up from her seat. She had a grin on her face as she looked at Alexander and Bryan.


    Out of their team members she was currently ranked the highest, with Alexander being the lowest. Although that would not last long as Bryan¡¯s name still was not called, along with another girl who sat opposite of Alexander.


    Meaning that their little team would not be as bad as Alexander made it out to seem. People sat everywhere and since rankings were not being discussed at the start, there was not much information to go on.


    Their backgrounds helped determine most of it. If they came from a prominent family then people expected them to have talent. Such was the case for Alessia.


    Her family had generations of military officers, some were written down in history. Their combat ability was exceptional, and while they were primarily known for their combat skills, it was not all they had going for them.


    The Hayes family also helped with many of the technological advances that helped shaped the Roan Kingdom. They were a premium supplier of magitech, being one of the richest families within the kingdom.


    Based off these two facts about her family, it was easy to see why she was surrounded by other students. She was only ranked nineteenth out of their group of twenty, but that was here.


    Each and every one of them placed far above the other two-hundred and eighty students, meaning she was no pushover.


    But, she wasn¡¯t the strongest within their group.


    The people in her team had yet to be called, meaning that there were going to be some in the top ten.


    ¡°Sabrina Rigof, nice to meetcha! If you''re ever in need of potions, I''m your girl. Come find me and I''ll be sure to give you a discount.¡±


    Sabrina winked.


    ¡°Yes, now if you will, sit down.¡±


    Octavius told her and Sabrina quickly took her seat.


    ¡°Was that really necessary?¡±


    Alexander asked her as he peeked over. He was hiding his face in embarrassment for some reason.


    ¡°Of course! We¡¯ve got rank twenty, who''s too scared to say much in front of crowds.¡±


    ¡°I am not!¡±


    Alexander countered.


    ¡°Uhuh. Anyway, we¡¯ve got you and rank eighteen who isn¡¯t much better. Right, Christopher?¡±


    Christopher looked away from the front where the headmaster was and turned to Sabrina.


    He yawned once and shook his shaggy brown hair.


    ¡°I guess so.¡±


    Christopher replied before looking back towards the front.


    ¡°So, we¡¯ve got Mr. shy, two boys that are dead on the inside, me, and the girl on the other end.¡±


    Sabrina said.


    ¡°Speaking of, even if the rude boy here and the silent girl there aren¡¯t in the top ten, they are above me, which means we have numbers twelve and eleven in our group. Not bad.¡±


    Alexander nodded slowly at that, still not fully understanding where she was going with this.


    ¡°Ok, so what does that have to do with you trying to stand out? You want to draw attention to our group? Why?¡±


    ¡°Seems fun?¡±


    Sabrina posed it as a question rather than stating it.


    ¡°Rank six, please stand.¡±


    ¡°You caused us to miss the other ranks due to your shenanigans.¡±


    Alexander complained.


    The young lady next to Alexander stood up, her dark complexion complemented her long black hair that curled at the ends.


    Bryan mostly took note of her long brown ears that had a point at the tip and peeked out from under her hair.


    She was a dark elf, and an attractive one at that.


    ¡°Farrah Heartland.¡±


    Her introduction was short and simple, similar to Alexanders. Farrah sat down soon after but didn¡¯t speak to anyone.


    Rank six huh? Guess the team won¡¯t be such a drag after all.¡¯


    Bryan thought to himself as he gave Farrah a quick glance.


    When he did, he found her green eyees looking right at him. His brows furrowed wondering why she was staring at him.


    She turned away first after their eyes locked for five seconds.


    Sabrina''s eyes widened as she stared at Farrah, then slowly turned to Bryan, who remained seated. A grin spread across her face as realization dawned.


    "Who would''ve guessed we''d get two?"


    She whispered excitedly.


    Alexander caught on, glancing at Bryan.


    "What''s your rank?"


    Bryan merely glared at him before returning his attention to the front of the room.


    "Rank five."


    Octavius called.


    A young man in Alessia''s row stood up. His black hair was neatly combed back, and his outfit seemed to barely fit him.


    "Marcus Blackwood of House Blackwood. I look forward to working with you all."


    He said with practiced grace, offering a slight bow before sitting.


    "Rank four."


    A girl rose, and her skin seemed to have never seen daylight before. Her golden hair fell behind her in elegant waves.


    "Isabella Thornheart. I hope we can all learn from each other during our time here."


    Her voice carried clearly through the hall.


    "Rank three."


    Next a boy stood up next to Isabella, and gave a slight bow before introducing himself.


    "Victor Ashworth of House Ashworth.¡±


    Whispers rippled through the room about the concentration of talent.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    "Rank two."


    A young boy rose and fixed his uniform slightly as he turned to face everyone. His jet black hair fell slightly over his left eye, as his blue eyes scanned the room.


    Bryan raised his eyebrow slightly at him. He was different from the rest.


    His presence was a lot greater than those around him, and that should not be the case. People awakened their magical abilities during puberty, with some cases such as his own being far and few in-between.


    Due to his own awakening and having a high magic sensitivity, he could feel the subtle pressure the boy was giving off. He was stronger than the others, there was no doubt about that.


    ¡®But how strong is he?¡¯


    Bryan wondered to himself as he smirked.


    "Julius Reinhart. Prodigy of the Reinhart family, son of the Wolf. Pleasure to make your acquaintce."


    After Julius''s introduction, Octavius called for silence.


    "Figures."


    Sabrina muttered.


    "The top team''s nothing but noble families."


    All the major families were in one team. They were setting themselves up for success even before the camp truly began. Bryan wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find out that they all knew one another.


    Their team was stacked, and would be able to contend against the others with ease.


    The Blackwood family were known for having earth magic cores, with a large majority of their members having some defensive class. They played a vital part on the frontline when combating other kingdoms or magical beasts.


    As for Isabella Thornheart, Bryan had no knowledge on her but her family took a seat on the kingdoms council. They were members of the Scott families trade empire and had a high affinity for wind or darkness.


    Unlike the Reinhart¡¯s that specalized in fire magic, or the Blackwoods known for their earth magic, the Ashwoods had no specalitiy. Their members all have a variety of different magic types so trying to figure out what Victor¡¯s core attribute would be different.


    It was a coin toss.


    With Marcus taking up a defensive position on their team, and Randel being a fighter of some type, the rest of the positions were easy to fill. Isabella could potentially cover for range or even assassination, with Alessia being centered around support.


    Even if she was not a supporter or had the spells for it, she could fill in for what they were missing. Their team was versitale, and Victor was a wild card.


    "How is that even fair?"


    Alexander grumbled.


    ¡°And did you hear how they introduced themselves? Marcus Blackwood of House Blackwood.¡±


    Alexander said in a mocking tone as he tried to mimic the voice of Marcus.


    ¡°Like, come on we know who your family is no need to remind us peasants.¡±


    Sabrina''s grin widened.


    "Well, at least we have rank one to help balance things out."


    Bryan rolled his eyes and sighed as Alexander turned to stare at him with newfound understanding.


    Christopher leaned over Sabrina to get a better look at Bryan.


    "No shit?"


    He whispered, studying Bryan with renewed interest.


    Bryan did not stand out, so him being rank one had not crossed Christopher¡¯s mind. In fact, he was hardly paying attention to the rankings at all.


    Octavius cleared his throat.


    "We have one more student to call, though I suspect many of you have already deduced who it is. Before that, I''d like to inform you that after our rank one introduces themselves, the instructors beside me will make their introductions."


    The students'' attention shifted to the stage where the instructors stood with their hands clasped behind their backs.


    "These instructors will each select one team to oversee for the remainder of Excellence Camp. They have been monitoring you since your arrival and during your enrollment tests. Each has their own criteria for selection."


    Octavius said as his gaze swept across the room.


    "I hope you all demonstrate why you deserve to be here instead of the other candidates who could have taken your place."


    The room fell silent.


    "Now, without further delay, would our rank one please stand and introduce themselves?"


    Bryan stood, his snow-white hair and red eyes drawing immediate attention. His expression remained neutral as he spoke.


    "Bryan Blackwood."


    He sat down slowly as all eyes were on him. The attention was something he had gotten used to in the Inquisition so he merely brushed it off.


    For some reason Julius was staring at him as if he were some criminal that stole his jewels. The boys gaze was intently focused on him, so Bryan glared right back and Julius seemed to like that as he smiled.


    It creeped Bryan out the way Julius smiled at him, so he looked away.


    The other students were whispering, making various assumptions about him. Who he was, who were the Blackwoods, and what sort of connections did he have? Everything they were saying was wrong.


    His last name meant nothing, he was not a noble. It was something the Inqusition gave him to use as a cover. Simple as that.


    If they looked into his background they would find nothing out of the ordinary. Just a boy who grew up in a small farming village with a population of a hundred, whose mother passed when he was young and father took him away to try their luck in the city.


    The entire thing was made up of course, but no one would go looking that deep.


    And if they did?


    Well, they¡¯d find portions of the story to be true.


    "So, how does it feel being number one?"


    Sabrina leaned forward, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.


    Bryan kept his gaze forward, hoping his silence would discourage further questions. It didn''t.


    "Come on."


    Alexander chimed in, his earlier nervousness seemingly forgotten in his excitement.


    "At least tell us what attribute you use."


    Before Bryan could respond, he felt a presence behind him. Someone tapped his shoulder, causing him to turn sharply - old habits from the Inquisition making his movements more defensive than necessary.


    A staff member in a white and gold uniform stood there, holding out a thin blue card. Bryan recognized it immediately as an academic credit card, taking it with a slight nod. He studied the holographic surface for a moment, watching the way the light played across its surface, before slipping it into his pocket.


    "How much did you get?"


    Alexander asked, trying to peek at Bryan''s pocket.


    "None of your business."


    Bryan replied flatly.


    He noticed Farrah glancing his way again, her bright green eyes quickly darting away when he caught her. There was something unsettling about the way she looked at him - not with the usual curiosity or judgment, but with... recognition? Understanding? He couldn''t quite place it.


    Sabrina noticed the exchange and opened her mouth, likely to make another comment, but Octavius''s voice cut her off.


    "Now that student introductions are complete, I''d like to introduce you to your potential instructors. These individuals will be responsible for shaping you into the mages this kingdom needs."


    Octavius said as he drew all the attention back on him.


    Bryan sat up in his seat a little, as he observed each of them with interest. These instructors would be his first real teachers outside the Inquisition''s strict methods. He wondered how different their approaches would be.


    What did they excel in? Would they give him a pass if he could beat them in a fight?


    The rest of the hall fell silent as the line of instructors stepped forward.


    The first instructor stepped forward drawing immediate attention. Gloria Reinhart''s long brown hair flowed freely as she moved, her military uniform and dark blue overcoat marking her as someone of significant rank.


    Her piercing blue eyes swept across the hall, studying each student with an intensity that made several of them shift uncomfortably in their seats.


    "I am Commander Gloria Reinhart of the Sixteenth Brigade, also known as Duce."


    She announced.


    "I should be out there, directing missions for my people, but instead, I''m here babysitting you all."


    She paused, letting her words sink in. The silence in the room grew heavier with each passing moment.


    "Unlike my associates here. I will not coddle you, and I will not hold my punches."


    Gloria continued, a hint of a smirk playing at her lips.


    "If you want to be mages, I will treat you like mages. So don''t go crying to your families later on when you get bruised up."


    Bryan noticed several students straightening their postures, while others seemed to shrink in their seats.


    Surely they weren¡¯t sheltered their entire lives. What type of mage hid behind their doors?


    ¡®Cowards.¡¯


    He thought as he made a mental note of the ones that seemed to shy away from what Gloria was saying.


    For all the beatings he had taken, and how he was treated growing up in the Inqusition, this would be a cake walk. He knew how to take a punch and dish one out.


    But these people?


    Ha.


    What did they know?


    "I''m a combat instructor, meaning I only know how to punch shit¡ªnothing else."


    Her crude language drew a few gasps from the noble-born students.


    "And if you haven''t noticed, I''m a Reinhart, meaning my specialty, like most of my family, is fire magic."


    She clasped her hands behind her back, her stance widening slightly.


    "As for my class, I''m a Fighter with my archetype being Juggernaut, and I do my job very well."


    Gloria''s eyes narrowed as she surveyed the room again.


    "By the time you leave this camp, each of you will know your class, and a few of you will begin developing into your archetypes. If you have any aspirations of being a specific type, drop them now. Archetypes are dependent on your spells and weapon choice."


    She let out a short laugh.


    "I know some sword wielders that are supporters and some who use wands that ended up becoming tanks. Your preconceptions mean nothing here."


    Bryan found himself leaning forward slightly.


    He wondered how she would feel about him already knowing his class. It was rare, being one that could a little bit of everything.


    Inside the white room that he stayed in, he had studied up on all the known spells, who discovered them, what they could do, and different measures to counter them. So, he was well versed in all the spells and combinations they had with specific classes.


    He could tell what a persons class was based off a couple spells. Which was not something everyone could do.


    "I''ve already decided on the team I will be leading for the Excellence Camp."


    Gloria announced.


    "Team Four, I will meet you outside after my associates finish their introductions."


    As she stepped back into line, whispers erupted throughout the hall. Bryan noticed several students trying to figure out which group was Team Four, while others seemed relieved they wouldn''t be under her instruction.


    "Holy shit, she''s intense."


    Sabrina whispered.


    Alexander nodded vigorously.


    "Did you see how she carries herself? Like she could take on an army single-handedly."


    "She probably has."


    Christopher added quietly, his usual drowsiness seemingly forgotten.


    Gloria Reinhart¡ªhe''d heard that name before. The Inquisition had files on prominent military figures, mages and their assosication. Every mage that ever made a name for themself, small or large was documented, along with their whereabouts.


    It was scary when one thought about it. That one orginazation had information on every single mage within the kingdom at their fingertips.


    He would have been scared, but the orginzation was not all it was cracked up to be.


    Farrah''s eyes were still focused forward, but Bryan noticed her hands had tightened into fists on her lap.

 Chapter 24 - Excellence Camp IV

    "Who do you think team four is?"


    Alexander asked as he peered over Bryan at the others.


    "There''s only two options. Us, or the first row depending on how you count."


    Christopher replied.


    "They could always do random allotment. We draw lots for team numbers."


    Bryan told them.


    It was something that the Inquisition did to him when he was training. It was only after he complained that the training was too much, they decided to make it more ''fun'' for him.


    After his morning study sessions in the white room, someone came to him with a box. He had to pull out a slip of paper that had the training he would do for the next three hours. Once that was done, he''d do it again and again until the day was over, only to repeat it the following day.


    It was anything but fun.


    "I guess¡­"


    Sabrina commented.


    Bryan could tell she was doubting him. The way she furrowed her brows for a split second and the way she said it.


    It didn''t matter, there were only two options. Either what Christopher said, or what he mentioned. Whoever their instructor was, he hoped that they would not disappoint.


    "I''m sure you''re all looking forward to working with Gloria, but I implore you all to listen to the rest of our instructors. Remember, they all excel at what they do, and might open your eyes to what is possible for you."


    As Octavius finished speaking, the next instructor stepped forward.


    A short man with a stocky build who seemed to have missed out on a few nights of sleep.


    "I''ll make this quick and simple. People call me Lock, my enemies know me as Gray. Silver Slyverster, eight years ago. That was me and my team. I will be instructing team two."


    With that, he stepped back in line.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it¡­¡±


    Sabrina muttered.


    ¡°He was the one who¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, the Silver Sylvester.¡±


    Alexander replied, his brow knitted in disbelief.


    ¡°No way he¡¯d be lying about that.¡±


    Their reactions were to be expected, even Bryan found himself looking at Lock with respect.


    Who Lock was, was up for debate, but the man he named was someone everyone knew. He was responsible for killing tens of thousands in an attack on Roan soil.


    The man admitted as such, as he organized a terrorist attack using his magic to infect and control people. His power was so strong that he could have the person he was controlling kill themselves.


    While that was something Silver did do, it was not everything. The Inquisition noted down all his actions, known at least. And Bryan found it interesting, the way he took an ability and twisted it in a way that wasn''t known.


    His magic attribute was dark, and he had a spell that allowed him to control shadows. Nothing special, it was a very bland spell and it was categorized as useless.


    What made him so dangerous was the spell he combined with it, Phantasmal Killer. The spell turned shadows into living weapons, capable of damaging their host, tormenting them with nightmares, and even forcing their host to move against their will.


    It was the first time that spell ever appeared, and after Silver used it to wreak havoc on the borderland of the Roan kingdom, it was deemed one of the most dangerous spells in existence.


    Eight years ago the man died, and no one knew who killed him.


    Bryan''s rank in the Inquisition was not high enough to know any of the details, but he knew that it was a group from within the kingdom that took him down. Which was something, considering that Silver was in hiding.


    The man did not need to be in direct contact with anyone to use his abilities, as he controlled shadows. As long as he controlled a shadow, his range was near infinite.


    Silver was a plague that haunted the Roan Kingdom, and when he died there were celebrations everywhere.


    For Lock to claim that his team was the one that took him down was a bold statement. But, no one would take credit for such an act with so many public figures around. If it was a lie, then Lock''s reputation would hit rock bottom.


    However, seeing as no one said anything, that meant it was true.


    Bryan looked at Gloria then Lock. Between the two of them, it was hard to say who he''d like to be in contact with.


    "I''ll be damned."


    Zoltan transmitted to Bryan.


    "You know that means he''s an assassin right? If he was part of that team, then he could kill everyone here before they could blink. Well, mostly everyone."


    Bryan nodded once to let Zoltan know he knew.


    He was going to respond but did not want to be labeled as the person who talked to himself. It was nice to have a conversation without having to actually speak, but, it only went one way.


    Not that he cared about the other kid''s opinions. It would just draw too much attention if he were seen talking to himself often.


    The next instructor stepped forward. Long red hair cascaded down her back, with a styled bang covering her left eye. The visible green eye sparkled with enthusiasm, and her red lips curved into a warm smile as she addressed the students.


    "Silvia Grace."


    She announced, her voice carrying a cheerful lilt.


    "Head researcher at the Magitech Institute of Ashern. I''ll be leading team three in combat applications of experimental magitech."


    Unlike Gloria''s commanding presence or Lock''s deadly aura, Silvia radiated an almost scholarly excitement. She clasped her hands together, launching into an enthusiastic explanation.


    "As some of you may know, my team and I are responsible for maintaining Ashern''s protective barriers. We currently have five layers of barriers protecting the city from outside threats."


    Her eyes lit up as she continued.


    "They''re capable of repelling any monsters ranked A or lower, which is quite the achievement if I do say so myself!"Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    She began gesturing animatedly as she spoke about her work.


    "We''re actually working on something revolutionary at the research center ¨C magitech that evolves alongside its user. Imagine items that grow stronger as you do! And speaking of exciting developments..."


    Her smile widened.


    "Many of you will have the opportunity to earn custom-made magitech through this year''s tournament¡ª"


    Octavius cleared his throat pointedly.


    "Oh!"


    Silvia''s cheeks flushed slightly.


    "I suppose I got a bit carried away there. My apologies, Headmaster. I''ll be in charge of team one."


    As Silvia stepped back, Bryan observed the varied reactions around him. Several students had already lost interest.


    "...probably just basic magitech..."


    "...heard her research team failed their last project..."


    "...wonder if she''s single..."


    Bryan''s attention was drawn to Sabrina, who had been practically vibrating in her seat during the entire presentation. She suddenly whirled around, her eyes wide with excitement.


    "Do you guys know what this means?"


    She whispered urgently. When she was met with blank stares, she continued.


    "A personal magitech from Silvia Grace? She''s one of the top researchers in charge of developing new magitech and works directly with the Scott family!"


    Alexander and Christopher exchanged confused looks while Bryan maintained his neutral expression. Sabrina let out an exasperated sigh.


    "Look, if you wanted to buy something from the Scott family, especially an exclusive item, it would easily run you 20 or 50 platinum tales."


    She leaned in closer.


    "But here we have a chance to get it free?"


    "Did your family not supply you with your own magitech?"


    Christopher asked.


    He had his own personal one just like many of the other students present. It was a helpful tool to have, but it was just that¡ªa tool.


    "I mean yeah, but that''s not the point. Were you not paying attention to anything she said?"


    Christopher shrugged his shoulders.


    "Honestly, no. I do not plan on going into that field, and if I need something I can buy it. At some point we won''t even need to rely on magitech, so why bother?"


    Sabrina sighed, as she looked at Alexander.


    "You understand right?"


    "I don''t have one, so I''ll take anything I can get!"


    Alexander replied to her with a smile.


    "High-tier mages don''t use magitech due to the slow activation speed, and when you''re on their level everything happens in seconds. They would overload most magitech with their ether alone, which is why it is common knowledge that high-tier mages forego any magitech. The exception to this are magitech that are beyond epic grade and can be considered legendary."


    Bryan sighed as he explained.


    Sabrina''s eyes grew wide and she quickly nodded. She was glad that there was someone else here who understood.


    She just did not take Bryan as someone who knew a lot about them. It was not often that a person could explain it as clearly as he did without having a fundamental understanding of how magitech worked.


    Most people she talked to only had basic knowledge. Basic as magitech is used to augment a mage''s power, and that was as far as it went.


    "It is difficult for someone to create a legendary grade magitech which is why you don''t see them for sale at an auction or even hear that there are any. Think of epic grade and below as training wheels for aspiring mages. They are helpful but can be considered a handicap as well. But, take everything you know about magitech and toss it out the window once you obtain something above epic."


    Sabrina added on to Bryan''s explanation, hoping it would help clarify things a bit. Yet, Christopher seemed to still not get it, and Alexander was scratching his head.


    Him, she could understand, given what he said about his background. He was not from a noble house, so he might not have been too prvy to the information surrounding magitech.


    Christopher on the other hand, she was questioning if he truly was from one. Even she learned at a young age about magitech and how helpful it was to a mage, as well as the limitations it had.


    Beyond that she also learned that there were tiers to magitech, and when one reached a tier that was farther from normal the world of magitech expanded beyond common knowledge.


    This could be due to her being interested in the creation process, and studying on the various types due to the business her family dabbled in.


    But, Bryan knew, so¡­


    It could have been more common than she knew, the knowledge that is.


    "Most magitech is inscribed with one to three spells that work independently of one another. Legendary grade has a lot more spells weaved into it and their synergy can do some freaky stuff. Like you can replace one of your eyes with a legendary grade magitech eye that can analyze not only items but people and predict their actions based off the slightest movement. It does this without you having to do anything, and it might even give you the most optimal attack route. That one function has like six or seven different spells working together in harmony, and that may not be the only thing it is capable of. Now do you understand?"


    As she spoke, she got a little excited.


    Talking about magitech and what it was capable of was so interesting to her. It was one of her top three favorite topics to talk about, the other two being food, and money.


    "And you expect us to get a custom-made legendary magitech for what? Free?"


    Christopher asked as he rested his head on his palm.


    Whatever spark she had when she was speaking earlier died. Sabrina thought about it and realized that Christopher was correct. The likelihood of them obtaining a legendary grade item just from attending school was an insane thought.


    She looked away as her cheeks flushed red.


    "No¡­. But you never know, it''s possible."


    Sabrina replied.


    "I''ll believe it when I see it."


    He told her.


    There was little chance that whatever the academy would provide them was better than what he already had. His father and grandfather both used the same magitech weapon he currently had, and they turned out fine.


    He had not even heard of legendary grade ones until now, but the way Sabrina talked about them sounded like a fantasy. If one was capable of doing all that, then what was the point of even training?


    It would take the painstaking effort a person put in to obtain those same skills and make them useless. The government could just mass-produce them and fund the army with them.


    "Even a custom-made item will be better than your run-of-the-mill magitech tool. Considering it would fit your fighting style, and you can ask for a specific spell to be inscribed on it."


    Farrah spoke up for the first time surprising the four of them.


    "So, she speaks."


    Bryan commented as he looked in her direction from the corner of his eye.


    Farrah gave him a slight smile as she brushed some loose hair behind her ear.


    "She does. But to stay on topic, if you are lacking in mobility spells or offensive ones, then having an item that is capable of filling in those spells for you is crucial. But, not every one would do what you want as each is different, so instead of having four magitech and having to memorize what they all do, you can just have one with multiple spells."


    She paused for a second as her eyes fluttered to the front where the instructors were.


    "But as he said, they are merely tools to be used. Do not rely on them too much as you''d only cripple yourself in the long run. Even if they are legendary. Right?"


    Farrah gazed at Bryan when she asked that question.


    He narrowed his brow slightly.


    What did she mean by ''right''?


    Sabrina clicked her tongue and crossed her arms as she sat back in her seat.


    "Guys, it''s not that serious. What does it matter if you rely on them or not? Aren''t you getting a bit ahead of yourselves?"


    Alexander asked them as he did not like the way the conversation was moving.


    There was a loud thud that seemed to shake the ground, causing their attention to shift.


    Octavius stood with his hand on his cane eyeing them.


    "I hope these introductions are not boring you. Does one from your group care to share what is so important that you are disrespecting these instructors?"


    "Nothing, Headmaster. There won''t be any more interruptions."


    Bryan met Octavius''s stern gaze without flinching. Around them, other students turned in their seats, their curious eyes darting between Bryan''s group.


    A moment of silence passed before Octavius''s expression softened into what might have been a smile, though it didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    "See that there isn''t."


    He tapped his cane once on the floor and gestured for the next instructor to step forward.


    The man who emerged from the line carried himself with an easy grace that seemed at odds with his disheveled appearance. Shaggy blonde hair fell around his face in untamed waves and his green eyes. Long, pointed ears peeked out from under his hair.


    "Alan Walker."


    He announced.


    "I''ll be teaching you about the creatures that want to kill you ¨C and believe me, there are many."


    A few nervous chuckles rippled through the audience, but Alan''s expression remained serious.


    "My role here is threefold. First, you''ll learn to identify and rank monsters ¨C everything from common forest wolves to S-rank wyrm worm. Second, you''ll study their habits, their weaknesses, and most importantly, how to kill them before they kill you."


    He paused, his green eyes scanning the crowd.


    "And third, you''ll be learning about magic ¨C specifically, the vast array of spells you might encounter in the field. From the simplest fire bolt to the most obscure curses, you need to know what you''re up against and how to counter it."


    Alan''s gaze lingered on certain students, including Bryan, and a thoughtful expression crossed his face. He let out a small sigh.


    "I should mention that this year is particularly interesting. Among you sit several individuals who possess rare magical attributes ¨C abilities that are already adding new entries to our spell catalogues. Some of you may not even fully understand what you''re capable of yet."


    Bryan remained still, keeping his expression carefully neutral, though he could feel Zoltan''s amusement tickling at the edge of his consciousness.


    "As you might have guessed by now, I''ll be leading team three. And let me be clear ¨C while Gloria might teach you to fight, and Lock might teach you to kill, I''ll be teaching you to survive. In my experience, that''s the hardest lesson of all."


    He stepped back into line, leaving a contemplative silence in his wake.


    "A survival expert and a monster hunter."


    Zoltan transmitted.


    "Interesting combination. Wonder if he''s ever tracked anything quite like you, little blood mage?"

 Chapter 25 – Excellence Camp V

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    "Now, if you would all look at your cards, you''ll notice a number appearing. This will be your team assignment."


    Octavius announced.


    "A reminder, those seated in the same row as you will be your teammates for the duration of this camp. While I urge you to work together through all the trials to come, do not forget¡ªonly a select few of you will make it to graduation once the academic year begins. Your teammate today could very well be your rival tomorrow."


    He paused, his gaze sweeping over the students.


    "Take precautions. Study up. Know who you¡¯re sitting beside¡­ because they might be the one to take you out."


    Octavius turned on his heel without waiting for a response, nodding curtly at the instructors before striding out of the gymnasium.


    Bryan couldn''t help but chuckle to himself at Octavius''s remark.


    Studying up on people was something he''s been doing for a long time now, so it was interesting to see the old man bring it up.


    He didn¡¯t need anyone to tell him that survival here would demand more than brute strength or cleverness. It was a game of anticipation and control. He doubted anyone in this camp could remove him from the academy¡ªat least, not without killing him first.


    ''Not going back to the Inquisition anytime soon.''


    He thought as his expression darkened.


    Freedom was a fragile thing, and he intended to keep it for as long as possible.


    Because when he goes back every action he''d make would be under watch. There would no longer be a chance to go where he wanted when he wanted.


    Like a loyal dog on a short leash.


    The golden numbers materializing on his card snapped him out of his thoughts. The shimmering "3" confirmed his team assignment, and he caught the mix of groans, sighs, and faint cheers as others discovered their own.


    ''Alan Walker''s team.''


    He thought as he eyed the man who was yawning up ahead.


    Bryan¡¯s lip curled slightly. Out of all the instructors, Walker seemed the least useful. Lock or Gloria, on the other hand, could have offered real insight. Even Silvia Grace, with her insider knowledge of magitech, might¡¯ve been a better pick. But a survivalist? On the battlefield, when overwhelming power came into play, survival skills were as useful as a knife to a duel with cannons.


    One of his former teachers had once said, Kill them before they kill you. Anyone left standing will fall like flies. Bryan lived by that philosophy. To survive, you didn¡¯t outlast your enemy¡ªyou outthought and destroyed them before they could become a threat.


    You study them before you attack them, because if you know yourself and know them, then you are unbeatable.


    Only a fool would think otherwise.


    "Guess we''re with Alan."


    Alexander muttered beside him, shaking his head.


    Bryan didn¡¯t reply, though he caught the hint of disappointment in Sabrina¡¯s expression as she studied her own card. Her shoulders slumped slightly as she cast a wistful glance toward Silvia Grace.


    "I was hoping¡­"


    She trailed off, the unspoken words lingering in the air.


    "Yeah, I know."


    Alexander replied, his tone resigned.


    "You¡¯re not the only one. Honestly, though, I thought we¡¯d get Gloria."


    Alexander commented as he took a glance at the woman was headed out the door without even waiting for the students assigned to her.


    He couldn''t help but watch as the team with all the top rankers started to follow after her.


    It felt odd, to see a bunch of high-ranking nobles being given the right to study under Gloria. It felt even worse when he thought about Julius Reinhart being there, under another Reinhart.


    The boy probably had a lot of teachers at his home he studied under for years, and it did not seem like that was going to change.


    For a moment Alexander found himself glancing down at his academic card to see if this was real. He knew it was, but was this how things were?


    Was it truly random?


    Christopher merely grunted, clearly sharing Alexander''s disappointment about missing out on Gloria''s instruction.


    "Everyone, please move to join your assigned instructors if you haven''t already started to. They will direct you from there."


    Silvia shouted.


    As students began to rise and move about the gym, Alan Walker spoke up.


    "Team three, remain seated here in the gymnasium. The rest of you, follow your instructors."


    The sound of footsteps and chatter gradually faded as the gymnasium cleared out, leaving Team Three alone with their instructor. Alan nodded once as he looked them over, another yawn escaping his lips. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a thin blue academic card identical to the ones they''d been given.


    With a lazy tap of his finger, he began scrolling through whatever information was displayed on its surface.


    "Ah, alright then."


    If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    Alexander scratched his head, a gesture that caught Bryan''s attention. Alan tucked the academic card away and addressed the group.


    "Let¡¯s get introductions out of the way."


    He said, gesturing broadly.


    "You know who I am, and I know who you are, but let¡¯s make this formal, shall we?"


    He swept a hand toward Farrah.


    "State your name, why you enrolled here at the Reinhart Institute of War, and what your goal is after becoming a mage. You first."


    "I am Farrah Heartland. My father suggested I enroll here, but I also hope to expand my understanding beyond just military strategy."


    She paused briefly, choosing her words carefully.


    "I believe there''s more to our world''s history than what we''re taught, especially regarding magic. My goal is to uncover these truths, and... to help others realize their full potential, especially those whose abilities others might overlook or dismiss."


    "Not sure what kind of truths you''re hoping to discover but your goal is admirable I guess. I suggest you expand your sight, as there is a lot more out there than just what''s in this city or this kingdom. If you are looking for answers, your path might lead you to the Special Missions Group."


    He didn¡¯t elaborate, instead waving a hand toward Alexander. "You next."


    Alexander fidgeted with his sleeve before speaking.


    "Alexander Silvermark, sir. I enrolled because I believe that when it comes to being a mage, status doesn''t matter ¨C it''s about ability and how you use it. Everyone back home always said I''d be something when I grew up."


    A small smile crossed his face.


    "When I heard about this new academy becoming the next top institution in Roan, I knew this was my chance. As for my goal after becoming a mage..."


    He shrugged.


    "I want to see how far I can climb, both in the military and beyond. I want to know my limits."


    "The military has a lot of branches, and within them, you''ll find different divisions, each with their own specialty. You''re not the only one seeking to climb high but look around you. Each of these people here will be climbing that same ladder once you all graduate."


    Alan paused for a second before correcting himself.


    "If you graduate. You think you''ll be able to step over them with the way you currently are?"


    Alexander''s smile faltered as his eyes looked away from Alan.


    Alan clicked his tongue.


    "I could really care less of how far you''ll go, but if you want to go anywhere you''ll need to have a kill-or-be-killed mindset. Because out there in the real world, you can''t hide behind these fancy walls, the only thing you can trust is yourself and your teammates. A bit of advice, don''t be a glory seeker."


    "Alright, next."


    Alan turned his attention to Sabrina.


    She leaned forward in her chair.


    "Sabrina Rigof. Like Alexander said, a brand new academy with top instructors seemed like the perfect opportunity to grow. Plus, everyone here must be special if they made it in. I thought it''d be nice to connect with others like that."


    She gestured around the gymnasium, before gazing at Alan.


    "As for what I want to do as a mage... honestly, what''s the point of that question? Most of us have barely been mages for a year. My family wants me to inherit their magitech business, and I''m interested in that field, but beyond that?"


    She shrugged.


    "Isn''t that what we''re here to figure out?"


    "This isn¡¯t a place to make connections. We¡¯re not training you to be social butterflies. But, you¡¯re right about one thing¡ªeveryone here is special. You, the rest of this team, and the others out there. The twenty of you probably think you¡¯re the best of the best because you made it into this camp, a month ahead of the rest."


    Alan looked at each one of them before speaking again. There was no smile on his face.


    "But let me tell you something¡ªyou¡¯re not special. You¡¯re here because you showed starting abilities that piqued the interest of an examiner. Some of you are here because your families bribed someone. Others because your magic attributes are rare. But the real talent? The monsters whose names will one day echo across the kingdom? They might be out there somewhere, waiting to bloom. A late bloomer could outshine every single one of you by the time this academy is done with them."


    Alan pointed a finger at the five of them seated.


    "You five¡ªand the other fifteen¡ªthey picked you because you look like you have potential. But here¡¯s the kicker: they might¡¯ve been wrong. You could already be at your peak."


    The corner of his mouth twitched into a humorless smile.


    "Imagine that: sitting here, ranked in the top twenty, and failing your first year."


    A low chuckle escaped him as he scanned their reactions. Some shifted uncomfortably, while others stared back, lips tight and jaws clenched. All except one boy¡ªBryan. His expression remained utterly neutral, his red eyes unflinching.


    "As for ambition¡­"


    Alan continued, his voice cooling.


    "That¡¯s your call. But I¡¯d think fast if I were you. These three years will fly by. And when you join the ranks of the military¡­"


    He snorted.


    "You better have something in mind. No one¡¯s going to hold your hand out there. Unless you want to be fodder¡ªused and forgotten."


    He turned sharply toward Bryan.


    "You. Introduce yourself."


    "Bryan Blackwood."


    Bryan stated flatly.


    "A friend suggested I come here. Said I''d find what I''m looking for."


    His red eyes held no particular emotion as he continued.


    "As for what I want to do?"


    He shrugged.


    "Nothing, really. I''m not interested in the military, or magitech research, or studying different forms of magic. I just want to sit in my room, lay back, and relax."


    Alan raised an eyebrow.


    "That would be a serious waste of potential."


    He commented.


    "But it''s your life, do what you want. Whatever it is you''re searching for..."


    He paused, studying Bryan''s expressionless face.


    "Hopefully you''ll find it."


    Without another word, he turned his attention to Christopher.


    "Christopher Vane. I enrolled because it¡¯s close by. That¡¯s all. If I hadn¡¯t been accepted, I¡¯d have just gone to another military academy in Ashern."


    Alan waited, his stare pressing for more, but Christopher simply shrugged when asked about his goals.


    "Don¡¯t have any."


    Christopher said simply.


    "Ambition? Too much or too little¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter. We¡¯re all just threads in a sweater. Too small to matter on our own but necessary for the whole thing to exist. Our purpose? It¡¯ll either be given to us or we¡¯ll find it on our own. No use worrying about it."


    Alan studied him for a moment, the corners of his mouth twitching slightly, though whether it was amusement or disdain was unclear.


    Alan rolled his shoulder and cracked his neck.


    "How good it is to be young."


    He said, a fleeting smile crossing his face before fading.


    He glanced at the students, his eyes narrowing slightly.


    "You know, it wasn¡¯t always like this. This peace you enjoy now¡ªit¡¯s a luxury. Living in this kingdom during its most peaceful age, not worrying about war or monsters. Sure, you¡¯ll face your share, but not like we did. Not like I did."


    Alan grabbed one of the empty chairs, spinning it around before plopping down unceremoniously. He leaned forward, resting his arms on the backrest.


    "When I was your age, thirty years ago, you know what I was doing?"


    He chuckled dryly.


    "Running for my life. Killing monsters, killing people¡ªor doing all three at the same damn time. I didn¡¯t pray for glory, or riches, or anything like that. The only thing I prayed for was to wake up the next day so I could do it all over again."


    Sabrina started to raise her hand, but Alan waved it off before she could speak, dismissing her question with a flick of his fingers.


    "Back then, things were different."


    He continued.


    "A lot different. Sure, we had walls, and yeah, we had magic. But if you had powers? It didn¡¯t matter how old you were¡ªyou got thrown to the front lines. Didn¡¯t matter if you were ready. We needed firepower, and we needed it now. So yeah, it must be real nice to sit here with your pretty uniforms and no ambition."


    He laughed again, the sound harsh and humorless, before licking his lips and leaning in closer.


    "You think you¡¯re safe here?"


    His voice dropped.


    "Sure, climb into your cozy little bed tonight. Let Mommy tuck you in and read you that bedtime story you love so much. But just know, that¡¯s only possible because people like me bled so you wouldn¡¯t have to. You¡¯ve been sheltered, protected from the horrors we faced. But make no mistake¡ªthose horrors are still out there. And one day, you¡¯ll face them. When that day comes¡­"


    He stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor. His smile returned.


    "Well, let¡¯s just say you¡¯ll wish you never awakened those powers of yours."


    Alan brushed dust off his shoulder with a casual flick and clasped his hands behind his back, pacing slowly.


    "Let me reintroduce myself. I¡¯m Alan Walker. Monster hunter. Survivalist. Duelist with a magical aptitude for gravity magic. And here¡¯s the thing¡ª"


    His gaze swept over the group.


    "I don¡¯t take failure lightly."


    He let the words hang in the air, his eyes scanning the students seated before him. A pitiful bunch, he thought. They had no clue what awaited them beyond the bubble of safety they¡¯d been born into. But they would. By the time he was done with them, they¡¯d understand.


    Sabrina raised her hand again, more hesitantly this time. Alan nodded, giving her permission to speak.


    "What was it like back then? Back when you first awakened?"


    It wasn¡¯t the first time he¡¯d been asked that question. Kids always wanted to know what it was like before the shields went up, before the monsters were pushed back. He never sugarcoated it.


    "You¡¯ve heard of the deep caverns, I assume. The place where all the monsters came from¡ªor used to, anyway. Back then, you couldn¡¯t trust anyone. Not your mother, your father, your brother, or your sister. No one."


    Confusion flickered across their faces, but Alan continued, undeterred.


    "There was a monster,, when it killed someone, it could take their shape. It didn¡¯t just mimic their appearance¡ªit mimicked their voice. Perfectly. Some even said it inherited their memories."


    He let the words sink in, watching their expressions shift from curiosity to unease.


    "Imagine that."


    He said, his tone almost conversational.


    "Something that looks like your mother, talks like her, bakes your favorite cake, and tells you the sweetest things. And just when you start to feel safe, when you let your guard down¡­"


    His hand cut through the air like a blade.


    "Its face splits open. And then? It rips you to shreds, leaving nothing but a bloody mess."


    Alexander¡¯s throat tightened, his mouth dry as he struggled to find the words. Slowly, he raised his hand, hesitant but compelled to ask.


    Alan gave him a curt nod, signaling him to speak.


    "S-So¡­ they¡¯re all dead? The monsters you talked about?"


    Alexander stammered, his voice barely steady.


    Alan threw his head back and laughed¡ªa sharp, almost mocking sound that echoed in the gymnasium. His shoulders shook with the force of it, and when he finally stopped, there was a glint of dark amusement in his eyes.


    "Dead? Ha! What gave you that idea?"


    He asked, his tone dripping with irony.


    Alexander frowned, confused.


    "You said that¡¯s what you had to face back then¡­ so¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean¡­?"


    He trailed off, stumbling over his words. Alan¡¯s smirk widened, but there was no warmth in it.


    "That¡¯s just one of the horrors we faced."


    Alan said.


    "But let me ask you this: how could we¡ªor how would we¡ªknow if we got them all? A monster that can take someone¡¯s appearance, their voice, their personality. How can you be sure you¡¯ve killed every last one of them?"


    He paused, letting the question hang in the air, his gaze locking on Alexander like a predator watching prey.


    "If you figure that out, let me know. It¡¯d be one less thing for me to worry about when I try to sleep at night."


    Alexander¡¯s hand slowly fell to his side, his face pale.


    "You planning on talking all day, or are you going to teach us something?"


    Bryan asked Alan as he leaned back in his seat with his arms crossed.


    Alan regarded him with a faint smile, nodding once.


    "Right. Teach. Guess that is what I¡¯m here for, isn¡¯t it?"


    He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes scanning the group.


    "Alright then."


    He said after a moment.


    "Let¡¯s see what each of you can do. Move these chairs out of the way. One by one, you¡¯re going to demonstrate your abilities."

 Chapter 26 - Excellence Camp VI

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Alan gestured toward the silver square embedded in the floor. There were silver strips that created two square boxes, one inside the other, with a large silver circle in the center.


    It was not noticeable from the center of the gym, but now that they were in the top left corner it was easy to make out. Bryan found himself looking over his shoulder to see if he could spot any other designs like this one but his vision did not stretch that far out.


    The outer square was fifteen paces to the center from any side. A decent amount of spacing for anyone adequate in close combat, but not nearly enough for ranged combatants that were unskilled.


    "This is new, I haven''t seen one of these before. Looks like some kind of arena, but there''s a core underneath so¡­ this is some kind of device."


    Zoltan transmitted to Bryan as the little black mouse peeked his head out from Bryan''s pocket.


    "Yeah."


    Bryan said softly as he gazed at the silver strips on the ground in front of him.


    ¡°Not just one, there are multiple cores powering this thing. Those strips seem to be connected to it somehow. Hmm, this must have cost a fortune. They did not hold back when they created this academy.¡±


    Zoltan transmitted.


    The device was complex, not the average magitech that you would find at a store. In all his years, Zoltan had never stumbled upon anything like this before.


    The structure and formation were advanced, and the ether he could sense coming from those cores were powerful. What kind of device required so much power?


    "Everyone, take a good look at this setup. It''s going to be your new best friend for the next few months."


    Alan told them with an amused grin on his face. His green eyes flicked toward Christopher.


    "You¡¯re up first, Vane. Get in the circle."


    Christopher glanced at the others, hesitating for a split second before stepping forward. He stopped at the edge of the circle, his brow furrowed as he examined the faint silver lines.


    "Just stand there."


    Alan instructed, pointing to the center.


    "Let me make one thing clear. You screw around, and you¡¯re going to regret it. Got it?"


    Alan smirked at the unease spreading across the group.


    "These machines are part of a hologram training system. They¡¯re here to push you past your limits. Today¡¯s easy mode, hit the marked targets on the dummies before they hit you. And just because they¡¯re holograms doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t hurt. Trust me, they¡¯ll remind you every time you mess up."


    ¡°He said hologram? That¡­ that¡¯s impossible. I only came up with a concept for such a device, but the technology and resources needed to pull it off are still far out of sight. I¡­¡±


    Zoltan stopped transmitting his thoughts to Bryan as he went silent.


    ¡°You came up with this?¡±


    Bryan asked in a low whisper.


    Zoltan did not reply, and when Bryan looked down Zoltan was no longer in his pocket. The little mouse vanished.


    His eyes scanned the area but couldn¡¯t find Zoltan anywhere, and eventually he found himself looking at Christopher¡¯s back.


    Christopher exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as he readied himself.


    "Let''s just get this over with already."


    Alan tapped his academic card. A single holographic dummy materialized four feet in front of Christopher. Its translucent, featureless body shimmered faintly, and a glowing red circle marked its chest.


    "Start."


    Alan commanded.


    Christopher stomped the ground with his left foot, a ripple of Ether surging through his body. A basketball-sized ball of earth burst from the ground, and with a quick kick, he sent it flying. The earthen projectile struck the red circle dead center, sending the dummy flying back as a chime rang out. The dummy faded into shimmering particles.


    As soon as the first one was gone two new dummies materialized. One stood six feet tall with a broad build, the red marker glowing on its right calf. The other appeared behind him, just two feet tall, with a red marker on its face.


    Christopher turned, stomping the ground again to summon another ball of earth. He aimed quickly, sending the ball hurtling at the smaller dummy behind him. The projectile connected with the red marker, and the dummy dissolved into particles with another chime.


    As he turned to face the larger dummy, it swung a massive holographic arm at him. Christopher narrowly dodged, the swing grazing his side and sending a sharp jolt of pain through his ribs. He gritted his teeth, planted his foot, and swung a kick at the dummy¡¯s calf. His boot struck the red marker squarely, and the dummy collapsed before disappearing into nothingness.


    "Not bad, but the clock is ticking Vane. Best pick up the pace."


    Alan said.


    Four dummies appeared around Christopher in a square formation. Their red markers glowed on various parts of their bodies¡ªtwo on their chests, one on an arm, and one on a leg.


    Christopher exhaled sharply. Stomping the ground once more, he summoned two balls of earth, but his movements were slower this time. He kicked one toward a dummy¡¯s chest, hitting the marker, but his second kick went wide, missing the arm marker on another dummy. Before he could summon another projectile, one of the dummies darted forward and delivered a sharp jab to his shoulder. Pain flared through his body as he stumbled back.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    Christopher gritted his teeth and lunged forward, swinging his fist at the nearest dummy. His knuckles slammed into the glowing marker on its arm, and it dissolved with a chime. He spun on his heel, delivering a roundhouse kick to another dummy¡¯s chest, shattering the marker there. One more remained.


    Christopher ducked under a swing from it and drove his elbow into the marker on its leg.


    He blinked once and eight more holographic figures stood all around him. He''d already broken a sweat and used too much Ether for a mere simulation. Going further was out of the question, but he wasn''t planning on quitting now.


    Right as he was about to make his move, he heard Alan.


    "Time!" Alan called out.


    All eight figures vanished from sight and Christopher walked out of the box breathing heavily.


    Did he take down seven of them? In a minute?


    No, that couldn''t be right.


    He was capable of more than that. He was hoping to get¡­ well now that he was thinking about it, he was not sure how many would appear. Still, if they kept coming like they were, he wanted to take down at least ten of them.


    "That was more than just easy mode."


    Christopher glared at Alan as he spoke. He winced a bit as he clutched his side.


    Alan smirked.


    "Sorry to break it to you, but that was the lowest setting there was. Seven though, it''s a start. Definitely figured you''d be able to take out more if I''m being honest, but guess we all have to start from somewhere."


    Christopher clicked his tongue. The man was taunting him, he could tell but it still got under his skin.


    He walked away with his fist clenched but didn''t reply. Sabrina offered him a sympathetic glance, while Alexander seemed impressed despite himself.


    Alan turned to the rest of the group.


    "Alright. Vanes here set the bar. A pretty low one if you ask me, but who here can tell me how he can improve?"


    Alexander looked left and right, but no one was raising their hand. In his eyes, Christopher did the best he could have done with what little information he knew.


    It was their first time doing this after all.


    "No takers? Alright then, Blackwood tell me what you saw."


    Bryan sighed as all eyes fell on him.


    "First off, Christopher stomped the ground multiple times in order to activate his ability. It''s a waste of time, and if those dummies were people they''d have taken advantage of that fact. He should be able to use his ability without doing that action or else he''d put himself and his teammates in harm''s way."


    "Secondly, his Ether control is lacking as shown by how he used too much to dispatch his first set of opponents. That rock throw he did could have been done with the same rock, but instead, he used multiple which in turn drained him."


    Bryan was going to open his mouth to say more but sighed to himself instead. There was a lot that Christopher could improve on, but he should not be the one to correct it.


    "That''s all I noticed."


    Alan eyed Bryan for a moment before he tapped his academic card once.


    "Very well then, if that is all you can step into the center. Show us what the rank one can do."


    Bryan stepped into the circle, his expression neutral. Without hesitation, he pulled a small knife from his belt.


    Bryan drew the blade across his palm, letting blood well up in his cupped hand. The cut wasn''t deep, but it was enough. As the first dummy materialized, Bryan''s blood rose from his palm, forming into thin, crescent-shaped blades that hung in the air around him.


    His act took the other students by surprise.


    Alan was not there for the entrance exam, but he heard the rumors        blood magic.


    The first of its kind appeared.


    He was always one to study up on different forms of magic attributes and what they could do, but he never dreamed that a day like this would come. It was a unique attribute and he wanted to see for himself what it was capable of.


    Would it have the same applications as water?


    Judging by the way the crescent-shaped blades formed it just might.


    The first dummy materialized in front of Bryan with a glowing red marker in the center of its chest. Same position as Christophers, with the same market placement.


    The crescent-shaped blade shot forward and pierced right through the hologram as a chime rang out.


    A moment later two more appeared, a tall and a short one. They were placed in the front and rear of him, with their markers on the leg and face.


    ¡®Isn¡¯t this¡­ too easy?¡¯


    Bryan asked himself as his cresent-shaped blade hit the red marker on the front target before continuging onward to the one behind him. The motion was fluid but he didn¡¯t stop the blade as it swung around in an arc.


    ¡®Let¡¯s see if i¡¯m right.¡¯


    He willed the blade to strike where the next dummy would appear at the exact spot the marker appeared for Christopher. If he was wrong, then so be it, but there was nothing wrong with testing his theory.


    A chime rang out as soon as the target finished materializing.


    He was right.


    The next three dummies were instantly dispatched and only ten seconds had passed by. A little slow for his taste, but there also was no need to speed up.


    Christopher already showcased his abilities and Bryan had a decent understanding of his combat power. The boy was lacking, with to many openings.


    If they were fighting, he¡¯d have taken him out before Christopher had a chance to stomp the ground.


    That was without using his ability.


    Besides, stomping the ground in order to activate your ability was just stupid. It was also reckless as it showcased the limitation on your ability.


    How in the world was he ranked so high?


    If he was ranked nineteen out of three hundred students, that said something.


    Bryan still had to catualogue the rest of his teams abilites, but he was setting the bar low for them. Then he could roughly guess the combat abilites of the rest of the students that would come here next month.


    It was pitiful that he was put in the same lot as them. These children wouldn¡¯t be able to teach him anything, or even push him.


    They¡¯d only drag him down.


    Why did he come here again? To this academy?


    There were at least four others here in Ashern City he could have attended, and more than sixty across the kingdom.


    Another four chimes rang out in quick succession as he let his eyes wander around for a moment. He saw something small and black on the wall next to a device sticking out of the wall.


    ¡®Oh yeah.¡¯


    He came here because Zoltan highly suggested this place to him. It was his only recommendation.


    The little mouse told him he¡¯d find what he was looking for here.


    But, what was he looking for?


    Bryan was not too thrilled about anything really. Being free was nice and would allow him to do what he wanted.


    But truthfully, there was not much he wanted to do.


    The Inqusition kept him indoors or at the facaility for majorty of his life, so he was never outside their grip. Except for when he went on group missions to track down assigned targets.


    What was life outside the Inquisition?


    It was the one thing he was not sure about.


    Maybe that is what he was looking for. Experiencing life.


    Bryan stopped thinking as he searched but found no more targets. How many had he faced?


    He ended up conjuring three more blades to help him dispatch the other dummies, but at some point he was on autopilot. His body did the work while his mind was elsewhere.


    That¡¯s how boring this training was.


    Exciting at first, but too easy for him.


    Looking over, he saw the stunned expressions of the other students. Christopher seemed to be the most shocked as his mouth was slightly ajar.


    Even Farrah had her eyebrows raised.


    Alan tapped something on his academic card and smiled.


    ¡°Get off the field Blackwood, you¡¯ve cleared all the dummies before the time ended. Can¡¯t say i¡¯m not impressed, keep up the good work.¡±


    Alan told him.


    Bryan nodded as the four crescent-shaped blades flew back to him and into his palm. The wound on his hand sealed itself shut as if he never cut it open.


    ¡°Dude!¡±


    Alexander shouted as Bryan walked over to their group.


    ¡°Dude!¡±


    The boy repeated.


    ¡°Sixty-three! You took down sixty-three of them in what? Forty maybe fifty seconds? How did you do that?¡±


    Alexander asked.


    Bryan shrugged.


    ¡°I just hit the markers, like we¡¯re supposed to.¡±


    Bryan told him dryly.


    ¡°Yeah, but you didn¡¯t move once. I mean look at you, you¡¯re not even sweating.¡±


    Sabrina chimed in.


    ¡°Also, blood? I¡¯ve never seen an attribute like that before. Like, there are some rare ones, light, poison, and gravity, are all examples of some. But, I''ve never seen anything about blood being an attribute. At least it hasn¡¯t been documented before.¡±


    Sabrina leaned forward slightly as she checked Bryan over.


    Now that she was looking at him again, she was right the first time. He was handsome.


    She bit her lower lip.


    ¡°Ugh, ew. Why are you looking at him like some dog in heat?¡±


    Alexander asked her from the side.


    Sabrina rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Rigof, you¡¯re up next. Come on, get to moving!¡±


    Alan shouted.


    Sabrina seemed to dance on her toes as she made her escape from Alexander and the others.

 Chapter 27 - Excellence Camp VII

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    "Silvermark, you need to work on your control. Don''t worry about it for now as you won''t have enough time to fix it, but your water can be used to help your teammates. You''ll be a support for the remainder of this camp."


    Alan moved on to the next person in the line.


    "Heartland, impressive footwork but you missed the mark on a few of those targets. While your speed is admirable if you can''t keep your coordination in sync then best slow down a bit. You''ll be our slayer for the remainder of this camp."


    "Rigof you''ll be a mage, although you run out of stamina your wide area attacks can be used to keep your enemies at bay."


    "Vane, you scored the lowest and you have a tell that can be spotted from a mile away. Tank for you as it is the least mobile out of all the positions. But, that does not mean you can sit around and wait for your opponents to come to you."


    "Blackwood, considering the abilities you''ve shown you can fill any role, but I recommend you put yourself in a position to support your teammates so they don''t falter. A lone bird can''t do much alone."


    Alan looked them over before he tapped his academic card once.


    "There will be a match in three days, it''s team-based and will give you a preview of what you''ll be dealing with during your time here. This match won''t be ranked so it won''t go on your record, but I wouldn''t slack off. There might be a reward in this for the winning team."


    "Meet back here in four hours. That should be more than enough time to settle in to your dorms, get something in your stomachs, and get associated with one another. Do not be late. Dismissed!"


    **********


    They walked in a group of five with Bryan trailing slightly behind the rest. The polished stone corridors of the institute echoed with their footsteps, the morning light streaming through tall windows and casting long shadows across the floor. In front of him, he could see Farrah''s back as she walked three feet ahead, her long black hair swaying gently with each step, while Sabrina led the front with confident strides.


    With four hours to spare, he could return to his dorm and unpack the few items he''d brought - not that he owned much worth unpacking. That, or he could get some proper training in. The thought was tempting. His muscles remembered the rigorous routines from his time with the Inquisition, yearning for more action.


    That little exercise with Alan hadn''t even begun to satisfy his need for training. It was odd, considering how much he used to complain about the endless drills and sparring sessions. Now, he found his hand itching for more, fingers unconsciously flexing as if gripping an invisible weapon.


    "So, you guys up for grabbing something to eat? I could go for something sweet right about now."


    Sabrina was the first to break the comfortable silence, spinning around to face the group with an eager grin. Her coffee-brown hair caught the sunlight, making her freckles stand out against her skin.


    "You''re hungry? After what we just went through? How?"


    Alexander asked. A few beads of sweat still clung to his forehead from their earlier exercise.


    Sabrina shrugged her shoulders, the movement causing her uniform to rustle slightly.


    "I just am. So, you in?"


    Alexander seemed to think about it for a second, running a hand through his blonde hair before nodding.


    "Yeah, I don''t mind. Better to explore the campus with a group than by myself."


    "True, this place is large. You could probably get lost if you aren''t careful."


    Sabrina commented, gesturing to the maze of corridors branching off around them. She turned to Christopher, who had been quietly shuffling along with his hands in his pockets.


    "What about you?"


    Christopher let out a tired sigh, his shoulders slumping slightly.


    "Think I''ll pass. Need to rest up before the next session."


    "Come on, you can rest when you''re dead. Besides, how are you going to find your way around if you don''t explore a bit?"


    She told him with a smirk on her face.


    Christopher''s expression remained unchanged, but his eyes flickered briefly to Alexander, who was nodding in agreement.


    "She''s got a point. And you did use up a lot of energy earlier. Probably should eat something to recover."


    Alexander added.


    Christopher clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed at their persistence, but after a moment he shrugged.


    "Fine. Whatever."


    Sabrina beamed before turning her attention to Farrah, who had been silent.


    "What about you? Care to join us?"


    Farrah''s bright green eyes met Sabrina''s, a slight smile tugging at her lips.


    "I suppose it would be beneficial to familiarize ourselves with the campus layout."


    "Great!"


    Sabrina exclaimed, before finally turning to Bryan, who maintained his position a few feet back from the group.


    "And our number one? Coming to grace us common folk with your presence?"


    A faint chuckle escaped Bryan''s lips, the sound carrying a hint of amusement that didn''t quite reach his eyes.


    "I''ll pass."


    Without waiting for their response, he strode past the group, his footsteps echoing in the corridor as he left them behind. He could feel their eyes on his back, but he didn''t turn around. Their little social gathering wouldn''t help him complete his mission.


    They were beneath him, and the gathering they were doing wouldn''t help at all.


    Skills were needed in order to survive. These kids wouldn''t know that, but he did and a moment slacking off was a moment someone else was getting stronger.


    He had to get stronger, much stronger.


    The Inquisition''s grip was already wound around him so tight he could hardly flinch without anyone batting an eye his way. If he wanted freedom, he had to train himself to a higher degree to get away from them later on.


    Although his father sent him to them, Bryan never wanted to go. He simply did as he was told because what else could he do?


    But, being alone in a room with white walls was no way to live.


    Now that he was out, he wanted to keep it that way for as long as possible.


    So, he''d follow their orders, find suitable people to recruit, and help Alessia graduate. But then¡­


    Once his rank increased and they allowed him the slightest bit of freedom after he grew stronger, he''d make his move.


    He mostly wanted answers from Veron as to why he was never around, and what was the point in all of this. His father was distant and only sent him messages every so often.


    The last one was eight months ago, and that was merely to tell him he was doing an excellent job.


    He needed to document everything he''d observed about the Excellence Camp participants - their abilities, their tells, their personalities. Especially Alessia Hayes. The Inquisition''s orders had been clear about monitoring her, though they''d been frustratingly vague about why.


    She could be the first piece he''d need to move in order to gain real freedom. So he had to get started.


    ''Might as well start with what I know, Ranked nineteenth, but that placement feels off somehow. Her family''s too prominent for her to be that low.''


    He thought.


    A familiar scratching sound pulled him from his thoughts. Something small and dark scurried up his pant leg, and Bryan felt tiny claws climbing their way up to his shoulder.


    "Miss me?"


    Zoltan''s voice echoed in his mind as the black mouse settled onto his shoulder.


    "That was quite the show you put on back there. Though I notice you didn''t use all your abilities."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Bryan kept walking, maintaining his pace as he responded.


    "Where did you disappear to?"


    "Had to check something out."


    Zoltan transmitted.


    "That training room... it''s a lot more advanced than should be possible."


    "What do you mean?"


    Bryan asked.


    "The training room''s design is based on..."


    Zoltan paused abruptly.


    "Actually, never mind. It''s not important. What are you doing?"


    "What do you mean never mind?"


    "Look around, Bryan."


    Zoltan''s tail flicked against Bryan''s neck.


    "You''re all alone."


    Bryan shrugged, the movement gentle enough not to dislodge his tiny companion.


    "I like it this way."


    "This isn''t the Inquisition, you know. You don''t have to be alone anymore."


    Zoltan''s voice carried a hint of concern.


    "Turn around. Join the others."


    "It''s not worth it, they''ll only drag me down."


    Bryan muttered as he thought back on the spells they showcased.


    "It''s an academy, Bryan. They aren''t special like you - not yet anyway."


    Zoltan''s purple eyes fixed on Bryan''s profile.


    "You''ve had your powers for ten years. They just got theirs. You honestly think you were any better than them when you first started?"


    Bryan blinked, his stride faltering for a moment.


    "Things are different now."


    Bryan told him as he continued his way down the stone path.


    "You can''t be alone forever; those kids aren''t a liability You need to drop your guard, and relax a little. Live a little."


    Zoltan told him.


    "I''m not doing that."


    Bryan said firmly.


    "Besides, we wouldn''t have anything in common anyway."


    "Are you sure about that?"


    Zoltan''s whiskers twitched.


    "That Sabrina girl seemed pretty interested in magitech. Might know something about those designs you''re always studying."


    Bryan laughed, waving his hand dismissively.


    "She wouldn''t know a thing about them. They''re too complex for her to understand."


    "You''re just assuming that. It''s not a fact."


    Zoltan replied.


    "Not yet."


    Bryan quipped.


    "Do you really want to spend three years alone here?"


    Zoltan pressed.


    "Not really, but opening up to people, it''s..."


    Bryan''s words cut off as he winced, his hand rising to his temple. A sharp pain lanced through his head.


    "Are you alright?"


    Zoltan''s voice carried a note of concern.


    "Yeah, just felt something."


    Bryan muttered, blinking away the discomfort. "


    "What did you feel?"


    Bryan shrugged.


    "Nothing. It''s fine."


    He changed the subject, his steps slowing slightly.


    "Why did you recommend this place anyway?"


    "Because this is where you belong. It''s where your story is just beginning."


    Zoltan replied.


    "This isn''t some novel."


    Bryan scoffed.


    "And if it is, my story started a long time ago."


    "Yes. Much more than you know."


    Zoltan agreed.


    The way he said it caused Bryan to raise his eyebrow. Was Zoltan holding something back from him? Something he didn''t want to share?


    Was it about his father?


    "What are you trying to say?"


    "Nothing."


    Zoltan transmitted quickly.


    "So, what are you planning to do if you''re not joining the others?"


    "I''ll unpack, write down some notes¡ª"


    "You''re not being serious, are you?"


    Zoltan cut him off.


    Bryan''s silence was answer enough.


    "It''s worse than I thought."


    Zoltan''s tail covered his eyes as he shook his small head.


    "What is?"


    "You."


    Zoltan''s tail twitched in irritation.


    "I''m being serious here. You''re actually taking notes on the others? And to make matters worse, they''re your own teammates."


    "It''s always good to be prepared. Never know when I''ll have to face them."


    "This is an academy, not a death match."


    "And after that¡­"


    Bryan continued as if Zoltan hadn''t spoken.


    "I''ll have to explore, maybe spy on the other teams and see what they''re capable of."


    "I''ll give you credit for that - it''s some true dedication."


    "It is."


    Bryan''s lips curved into a slight smirk.


    "Now, are you ready to tell me what was up with what happened back in the gym?"


    Their conversation paused as they reached the Rose Garden dormitory. The building rose before them, its white walls accented with gold trim and deep red highlights that caught the morning sun. A massive hedge sculpted into the shape of a rose dominated the entrance, real roses blooming throughout its carefully maintained form. Twin fountains flanked the marble steps, their water catching the light and creating tiny rainbows in the mist.


    Bryan''s eyes traveled upward, counting the floors - one, two, three, four, five - before settling on the golden nameplate above the door that simply read ''Rose'' in elegant script.


    "Well, they sure didn''t hold anything back."


    Zoltan transmitted.


    Bryan approached the entrance - a set of double glass doors with intricate golden bars twisting through them in elegant patterns. He pulled the handle, but it didn''t budge.


    "To the right."


    Zoltan directed.


    Bryan spotted a small square box mounted on the wall, a red light glowing at its top.


    "I wonder..."


    He murmured, pulling out his academic card and holding it up to the box. The light turned green with a soft chime, followed by a distinct click from the door.


    "Ah, so you''re the first to arrive."


    As Bryan stepped inside, he found a woman standing behind a large black desk. Her uniform was different from the other staff he''d seen - all black, cut in a more formal style. She offered him a warm smile.


    "Welcome to the Rose Garden. I''m Rebecca, and I''ll be here in case you need anything."


    Bryan nodded once, his eyes sweeping across the lobby. The interior was just as impressive as the outside - plush carpets, ornate furniture, and artwork adorning the walls.


    "Rooms are on the third floor and above."


    Rebecca explained.


    "If you come here, I can check which room you''ve been assigned."


    Bryan approached the desk, and Rebecca held out her hand. He raised an eyebrow.


    "Your academic card."


    She pointed to the card in his hand.


    "I''ll need to scan it to ensure you''re registered. Once the academic year starts, we believe students will be trying to sneak into other dorms because they''ll be unhappy with their arrangements - though that shouldn''t be an issue for you."


    Rebecca took his card, scanning it against another card she produced from her desk. Her eyes lit up as she read the display.


    "Bryan Blackwood."


    She said, then gasped slightly before her smile widened.


    "Rank one at that! Well, congratulations."


    "Thanks, I guess."


    Bryan replied. He wasn''t thrilled about the rank, as it meant nothing. Thinking back on Zoltan''s earlier comment, if he couldn''t be rank one with ten years worth of training then he didn''t deserve to be a mage.


    "You''re all booked for room 505. During Excellence Camp, your lodging is free, but once the academic year starts, the fee will be 2000 AC per month."


    Rebecca told him.


    "Is that a lot?"


    Rebecca laughed softly.


    "For ordinary students, yes. But given your rank, it shouldn''t be too difficult for you to earn that amount, given you maintain it. You can always downgrade to another dormitory if you prefer - the cheapest runs about 200 AC monthly, but it''s basically a closet. Here, though..."


    She gestured to their surroundings.


    "You''ll find most of your needs met."


    She winked as she handed back his academic card.


    "Thanks."


    Bryan said, pocketing the card.


    "Would you like a tour?"


    Bryan shrugged.


    "Why not?"


    Rebecca smiled at his response.


    "Well, this is the first floor, the reception area."


    She gestured around them.


    "Anyone belonging to the academy can enter here, same with other dormitories. All high-end dorms have a receptionist in the lobby. We handle everything - keeping the dorms clean, providing for residents, maintaining security, and offering any information they might need about the dormitory."


    She clasped her hands together.


    "From upgrading rooms with new amenities to booking large feasts for entertaining guests."


    She paused, her expression becoming more serious.


    "Speaking of guests, unless someone is assigned a dorm room here, they can''t enter any rooms on the upper levels - or any rooms at all, really. The only way they can enter is if a resident lets them inside."


    "Unlikely that''ll happen for me."


    Bryan muttered. He was not expecting any company, and he doubted anyone would be seeking him out after this whole camp was done and over with. He was expecting people to stop talking to him in about four or six days really.


    Granted, he still had to communicate with his team, but he''d figure something out.


    Maybe he would try to reach out to them and see what happened. Zoltan might be a pain in his ass sometimes, but the little mouse had not steered him wrong yet.


    But, what would that look like for him? He shook his head slightly, he could not even begin to picture it.


    Rebecca''s smile returned as she pointed to a set of doors behind her desk.


    "Through there, you''ll find the training room."


    She motioned for him to follow.


    They stopped at another door, and Rebecca motioned for Bryan to hold his academic card up to a mounted device.


    "Everything is locked behind your academic card. Without the right credentials, it won''t work."


    The door clicked open with a soft hiss, revealing a vast chamber beyond. Bryan''s footsteps echoed against the polished gray floor as they entered. The space was dominated by a central area where a massive black stone table rose from the floor like a monument. Above it, six monitors hung from the ceiling in a hexagonal pattern, their screens currently off.


    Soft, ambient light emanated from strips embedded in the floor leading to the six identical doors that lined the perimeter of the main chamber, each marked with a number in glowing blue script.


    "Here''s the training area - we have six rooms available in the dorm itself, with more on campus. While it''s not quite as advanced as the campus facilities, it''s still cutting-edge. However, it costs 500 academic credits per hour to use."


    She ran her hand along the smooth surface of the central table, which Bryan now noticed had thin lines etched into its surface.


    "There''s a sign-up system accessible through your academic card once you''re in your room. You''ll be able to see your room number, features, payment due dates, and training room availability. The system updates in real-time."


    "Do all the dorms have this?"


    Bryan asked.


    "No."


    Rebecca shook her head.


    "It''s exclusive to the Rose Garden. And, if you manage to gather 25,000 academic credits, you can have a personal training room installed in your room. The room would convert from sleeping quarters to an open gym, with a monthly fee of 250 AC to keep it running."


    She held up a finger.


    "Any additional features - holograms, agility, or strength tests - would cost extra, but without increasing the monthly rate."


    "What''s the difference between these training areas and the ones on campus?"


    Bryan asked.


    Rebecca brightened at the question.


    "The facilities here have hologram systems programmed for combat training, with difficulty settings that adjust to match the user''s capabilities. We also have a targeting range to help students improve their accuracy, speed, casting speed, and spell range, plus a physical enhancement zone with adjustable gravity settings."


    She gestured with her hands as she continued.


    "The campus facilities have all of that and more - dueling arenas, recording sensors for analyzing your performance, a full array of magitech weapons to train with, and a dedicated recovery area. It costs 100 AC more per hour than our facilities here, but it''s also a twenty-minute walk from the dorm."


    Rebecca turned to head out of the room.


    "We should move on to the second floor, but..."


    She paused, studying Bryan''s expression.


    "Do you have any other questions?"


    He only had one. Bryan could already tell he was going to spend a lot of time here as the features in this room alone offered more than what the Inquisition had to offer. There was always someone challenging him, not holograms.


    Although, having an actual opponent could teach him a lot more than any hologram would unless it was capable of learning from its mistakes. But that seemed too far-fetched.


    "How long are the facilities open?"


    He asked as he turned his head to look at the room once more.


    "The dorm''s training rooms are available twenty-four hours a day, but the campus facilities close at 8 PM and reopen at 5 AM."


    Her smile turned knowing.


    "Classes start at 6 AM, but there are showers available in the campus training rooms. Depending on how far your first class is, you might want to take advantage of that extra hour in the morning - if you can afford it, of course."


    He thought about it for a second, a twenty-minute walk at the cost of an extra hundred didn''t sound that bad if there were more features. But, it would be better to see if his needs would be met here before he went off to another building.


    Depending on his schedule, he might be better off training here in the morning, attending classes where he was needed, and finishing his day off at the training facilities on campus.


    Maybe he would put his plans on hold and take this time to train and see how far he could push himself. If he kept all of his spells under wraps then he might get rusty since he did not plan on using them often.


    With this though he would not have to worry.


    ''It might be alright to take some time off and just enjoy this camp like Zoltan wants me to. And to think, this is only the first floor.''


    Bryan thought to himself.

 Chapter 28 - Excellence Camp VIII

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    While the first floor was a reception area with training rooms, the second was split between a study area and a lounge. The study area contained personal rooms to give privacy to the students, and while it was as large as a closet, Bryan found that there was no noise entering the room.


    Rebecca told him that students could find any information they wanted from the library that was connected to the school''s central data hub. Which meant he could take one of the large transparent tablets located on the shelves and pull up any information he wanted. As long as the school''s database had any information on the subject.


    The data was not as extensive compared to the Inquisitions, at least when it came to the various spells a person could obtain. However, it did have knowledge on noble families, the history of the Roan kingdom, along with the Al-Thar, the Holy Empire, and Celestia kingdom before mentioning the five duchies that made up the Liberation Federation.


    That was what he could see at a glance as he did not want to waste too much time on history lessons.


    As for the longue, it was an open area where students could sit around and chat.


    Now he sat in his room on the fifth floor tapping his index finger against the table. His room was large, being furnished with his own personal couch, study table, bathroom, kitchen, a bed that could fit three people, and a window overlooking the garden below.


    It was much nicer than he was used to as his room in the Inquisition had a table, chair, and bed along with a ton of shelves filled with books. Nothing else.


    So he found himself looking at his small bag that contained his life within.


    He was at a loss of what to do with all this room and figured most of it wouldn''t be used. He reached over and grabbed his bag and pulled out a large book titled ''Tales of Grim'' a novel he enjoyed reading, and the only book he''s ever read that had nothing to do with the organization.


    There was also a set of clothes that were black and plain, along with a black robe and a black mask.


    Zoltan scurried across the table, his whiskers twitching as he surveyed the room. "Well, this isn''t so bad compared to that closet they called your room back at the organization."


    "It''s too much," Bryan muttered, still staring at his meager belongings.


    "This is how normal people live, you know. Not everyone exists in a cell disguised as a bedroom."


    Bryan gestured at his bag. "I don''t even have enough items to fill this place."


    "True enough," Zoltan agreed, settling on his haunches. "Though I''m glad it came fully furnished. Would''ve been a pain to organize all that."


    "Of course you would think that."


    "Hey, I might not have the means to decorate right now, but I know style when I see it. This place isn''t exactly how I''d do it, but it should suffice."


    Bryan raised an eyebrow. "What do you know about style? You''re a mouse."


    "A lot more than someone who can''t even pick out his own clothes," Zoltan retorted, his purple eyes glinting with amusement.


    Bryan couldn''t help but let out a small laugh at that.


    Zoltan''s tail swished as he watched Bryan reach for his bag again. "Don''t tell me you''re actually about to make notes about your teammates."


    "Naturally," Bryan replied, pulling out a notebook and placing it on the study table. He opened it to a fresh page and began writing:


    Farrah Heartland


    <ul>


    <li>


    Rank 6


    </li>


    <li>


    Light magic user


    </li>


    <li>


    Heartland family (investigate further)


    </li>


    <li>


    Slayer candidate


    </li>


    <li>


    Notable agility


    </li>


    <li>


    Combat style: Physical enhancement


    </li>


    <li>


    Can produce small light spheres


    </li>


    </ul>


    Sabrina Rigof


    <ul>


    <li>


    Rank 13


    </li>


    <li>


    Magma magic user


    </li>


    <li>


    Long-distance specialist


    </li>


    <li>


    Range: ~5ft blast radius


    </li>


    <li>


    Slow casting speed


    </li>


    <li>


    Mobile but can''t cast while moving


    </li>


    <li>


    Poor perception


    </li>


    <li>


    Merchant family background


    </li>


    <li>


    Interest in magitech


    </li>


    <li>


    Mage user


    </li>


    </ul>


    Christopher Vane


    <ul>


    <li>


    Rank 19


    </li>


    <li>


    Earth magic user


    </li>


    <li>


    Limited mobility


    </li>


    <li>


    Clear tell: stomps before casting


    </li>


    <li>


    Poor stamina


    </li>


    <li>


    Decent reflexes


    </li>


    <li>


    Potential tank (position may change)


    </li>


    </ul>


    Alexander Silvermark


    <ul>


    <li>


    Rank 20 (questionable ranking)The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    </li>


    <li>


    Water magic user


    </li>


    <li>


    Poor control


    </li>


    <li>


    Support role


    </li>


    <li>


    Flashy but ineffective


    </li>


    <li>


    Bubble technique: 1-3 sec enclosure, breaks easily


    </li>


    <li>


    Limited to 3 casts


    </li>


    <li>


    Decent melee but lacks confidence


    </li>


    </ul>


    Personal Notes:


    <ul>


    <li>


    Rankings seem inflated


    </li>


    <li>


    Attributes unremarkable


    </li>


    <li>


    Combat abilities below expected level (except Farrah in top 10)


    </li>


    <li>


    Consider Alan''s words re: potential-based selection


    </li>


    <li>


    None suitable for recruitment


    </li>


    </ul>


    Zoltan placed a tiny paw on the paper.


    "You should add that Sabrina seems quite interested in you."


    Bryan shooed the mouse away.


    "Get off."


    "What? She''s not bad looking."


    Zoltan teased.


    "Not interested."


    Bryan muttered, closing the notebook with finality. There was nothing remarkable about her, and even if he wanted to he doubted it would last long. She''d leave him once she found out what he was like, and if somehow she did not do that then the Inquisition would step in.


    At least that is what he figured would happen.


    Others in the organization had a life outside the Inquisition, he knew that from what he could infer based on their conversations. But, he was different from them, they chose to be there he did not have a choice.


    He turned to look out the window, falling into a contemplative silence. The garden below stretched out in neat, manicured rows.


    "What are you doing?"


    Zoltan asked after a moment.


    "Just... taking it all in."


    Bryan replied softly.


    "Do you remember when we first met?"


    "Naturally. You were curled up with your head between your legs, crying your eyes out."


    Zoltan replied.


    Bryan''s lips quirked slightly.


    "Can''t even remember why I was crying. Must have been something stupid."


    He paused, his expression growing distant.


    "I haven''t shed a tear in... I can''t even remember the last time."


    Zoltan''s tail brushed across his face as he remarked.


    "They grow up so fast."


    Bryan rolled his eyes.


    "What were you even doing there that day?"


    "Your fairy godmother sent me."


    Zoltan quipped.


    Bryan sighed.


    "I''m not a child anymore, and we both know I don''t have a fairy godmother. That''s not even a thing."


    "It was a good one though, wasn''t it? You believed it for years."


    Zoltan paused, eyeing Bryan''s hand.


    "At least you got a ring out of it."


    "Could''ve put it on another finger."


    Zoltan scoffed.


    "Now people will go around thinking I proposed to you."


    "Who would think that? And does it even matter what finger it''s on?"


    Bryan raised his hand, examining the black ring.


    "It''s the first gift someone''s ever given me."


    "Wouldn''t know about that, but it is a nice ring."


    Zoltan''s whiskers twitched.


    "More than just a normal ring, actually."


    Bryan furrowed his brow.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Couldn''t tell you before, given your circumstances. If anyone found out, it would''ve caused quite a stir. But now that you have a bit more freedom, you should know."


    "Know what?"


    "That I''m not a mouse."


    Bryan laughed, leaning back in his seat.


    "I''m serious."


    Zoltan insisted.


    "I know. Why would anyone think you''re a mouse? Mice can''t talk."


    "True enough. Just wanted to get that out of the way."


    Zoltan''s tail swished.


    "If you must know, I was once human."


    "Uh-huh. What happened?"


    "Got into a bit of trouble, circumstances led to a change in appearance. But none of that''s important."


    Zoltan''s tail pointed at Bryan''s ring.


    "That ring is important. No matter what happens, don''t lose it."


    Bryan examined the ring again.


    "What does it do?"


    "It''s a M.A.G.I.C ring."


    Zoltan told him already regretting those words. He shivered as he transmitted his words to Bryan, thinking about the man who created the ring.


    "So... it''s a magical ring? Like magitech?"


    "Told him that name was dumb, but yes, it''s a magitech device. Stands for Mage''s Analytics & Growth Interface Control ring."


    Bryan stared at Zoltan.


    "What does that even mean?"


    "It''s a dumb name, isn''t it?"


    Zoltan asked, hoping someone else would be with him on this.


    "If you say so."


    Bryan shrugged.


    "But what does it do?"


    "Put a bit of your blood on the ring."


    Zoltan told him.


    "Are you serious?"


    "Dead serious."


    Bryan pricked his finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the ring. Blue lines pulsed around it in an intricate pattern, but before he could make out the design¡ª


    "Ouch!"


    He jerked his finger.


    "What was that? It felt like the ring bit me."


    "Yeah... that was bound to happen."


    Zoltan said.


    "But it''s not dangerous. Send some ether to the finger with the ring and watch what happens."


    Bryan first closed his wound, then directed ether to his finger. A transparent display materialized above the ring.


    "What am I looking at?"


    Zoltan hopped onto Bryan''s shoulder to peer at the screen.


    "Make sure you don''t do this out in the open. Anyone can see the display, and that would cause a lot more problems if people found out. Basically, don''t tell or show anyone what that ring can do because they''d kill to have it."


    Bryan nodded and studied the display.


    Name: Bryan Valentine


    Magical Attribute: Unknown


    Core Size: S


    Ether Control: A-53


    Casting Speed: B-3


    Body Augmentation: C-10 (Training highly recommended)


    Magic Sensitivity: A-10


    Magic Firepower: C-85 (Training recommended)


    Magic Shielding: B-5


    Magic Range: C-99 (Training highly recommended)


    Current Spells:


    <ol>


    <li>


    Crescent Blades


    </li>


    <li>


    Manipulation


    </li>


    <li>


    Spawn


    </li>


    <li>


    Siphon


    </li>


    </ol>


    Recommended position: Specialist


    Training recommended: Increase Body Augmentation rating for better results, current natural body physique cannot withstand attacks from melee, and increasing defensive measures is recommended.


    Next spell acquisition: Unknown


    Next spell type: Current training path would likely produce a ranged spell for damage. With recommended training path would likely produce a utility type of spell.


    "Huh, that''s odd."


    Zoltan remarked.


    "This is amazing! What do you mean it''s odd?"


    Bryan couldn''t take his eyes off the screen. Everything was right there in the open for him to examine. He was not fully sure what the letters and numbers meant besides everything, but he had a good idea. It should be some sort of rating designed to inform him of how high his attributes were.


    He knew that he was training with specific goals in mind each time, but a lot of it was unclear as to why. Training with a specific set of goals in mind to reach an outcome you thought would happen. That''s how mages trained, and eventually, they''d gain new spells along the way.


    How and when those spells came, no one knew. It was randomized, but people knew it happened when you had a breakthrough of some sort.


    But with this ring, he could see everything and where he was lacking. Now, if he focused on those areas then maybe a breakthrough would happen faster.


    Although he was not too confident in the spell type that would come out. The ring told him it would be a ranged damaging ability, probably similar to his crescent blades spell but it could also be something else.


    The fact that it even knew what spells he had was something else entirely. No one knew, except the mage themselves. It wasn''t known to anyone unless someone showed them.


    "The ring is amazing, but your attribute says ''unknown'' when it should state ''blood.''"


    Zoltan replied back.


    "Maybe it can''t read blood since it''s unique?"


    "That shouldn''t be the case."


    Zoltan said, falling silent.


    "Hey, why does it say Bryan Valentine? That''s not my name."


    Bryan asked Zoltan as he noticed that his name was spelled wrong. Was the ring wrong?


    "Ah, I wouldn''t worry about that too much. Might be a glitch or something, same with the attribute thing I said. Now, what''s your opinion of it?"


    Bryan looked at Zoltan who was still on his shoulder and grinned.


    "Honestly, it''s great and I can see why you suggest no one find out about it. But, how did you come across it? Something like this¡­ even as far as magitech goes is pretty advanced. Like, super complex, and the readings¡­ I don''t even know how it was made."


    "Eh, when you''re this tiny you can get away with a lot of stuff. It is complex, but you should not try to figure it out. I know you''re into magitech but trust me when I say don''t go poking your nose in places you shouldn''t."


    Zoltan told Bryan before he quickly scurried off of him.


    Bryan knew that Zoltan dodged the question, but that was fine. He wanted to get to training right away.


    "Alright, so how about we do some quick training before I have to head back."


    "I''d say I would go with you, but I''m afraid I''ll be busy for a few days, weeks maybe. I still have something to look into."


    Zoltan said as he ran down the table leg.


    "Oh, like what?"


    Bryan asked.


    "You know, a bit of this and that, nothing you have to worry about. I won''t be far, just have to figure some things out is all."


    Zoltan stopped moving and turned back to look at Bryan.


    "Oh, and try not to be all too distant from the others. You''re a teen Bryan, you should act like one. Even if you don''t know how to interact with the others, the least you can do is try."

 Chapter 29 - Excellence Camp IX

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Bryan stood at the display panel, scanning through the various training modes available. The screen''s soft blue glow illuminated his plain black training attire as he tapped through the options.


    "So this is what Rebecca meant."


    He muttered, remembering the receptionist''s explanation.


    "Training modes, difficulty scaling... quite extensive."


    The menu offered multiple configurations: number of opponents, creature types ranging from humanoid to magical beasts, and various difficulty settings. An automatic scaling option caught his eye, though it required an initial assessment to gauge the user''s capabilities.


    ''Better start with something simple.''


    He thought, selecting five humanoid opponents. While the system didn''t display their relative strength, it seemed prudent to test the waters first.


    He confirmed his selection, and five blue-tinted holograms materialized in the center of the training room. A countdown appeared on the display: 5 seconds.


    Bryan rolled his shoulders, recalling the ring''s assessment of his abilities.


    ''Focus on physical enhancement. No need to rely on spells yet.''


    He reminded himself.


    The countdown hit zero.


    Two holograms immediately broke formation, spreading out while the others maintained their position. Bryan channeled ether through his pathways, focusing on enhancing his muscles and reflexes. The familiar warmth spread through his limbs as he settled into a defensive stance.


    The first hologram attacked, its arm moving in a slashing motion. A crescentlike energy burst cut through the air where Bryan had stood a moment before. He weaved to the side, analyzing the attack pattern.


    ''Similar to wind magic, but different.''


    Another hologram launched what appeared to be a fireball ¨C pure energy shaped into a sphere. Bryan ducked under it, feeling the heat pass overhead. The holograms moved with fluid grace, their attacks coordinated to limit his movement options.


    Bryan pushed more ether into his legs and darted forward, aiming for the gap between two opponents. One released a burst of lightning-like energy, forcing him to adjust his course. He spun away from the attack, using the momentum to close distance with the nearest hologram.


    He rarely used his ether to augment his physique considering he had ranged abilities to and focused more on his magic shielding. There were not many people who focused solely on melee, and most mages had some sort of ranged spell in their arsenal.


    The difference between body augmentation and spells in general was that the former used ether to increase a person''s physical abilities. Increased strength, more durability, quicker reflexes. It would not protect you from a fireball to the face, but it gave you more time to dodge and it could help offset some damage taken from physical attacks.


    As for spells, they used a supply of ether to work. Some more than others, and magic shielding was not any different. What made it better in most cases compared to body augmentation was that it protected you from magical attacks but not physical ones. Although a mage with more firepower could break your shield.


    Each attack the shield blocked took a bit of the caster''s ether and they were unable to move when the shield was up. However, the shield was normally instantly cast so there was that.


    But you could only use one of the two at a time. Body augmentation or magic shielding, not both. Which is why he focused more on shielding than worrying about his physical prowess.


    His enhanced strength let him strike hard and fast ¨C a quick combination of punches that connected solidly with the hologram''s midsection. The feedback felt real enough, though the hologram simply absorbed the impacts without showing pain.


    A wave of energy resembling water forced Bryan to disengage, jumping back to reassess. The holograms regrouped efficiently, maintaining pressure without leaving obvious openings.


    ''So, we have wind, fire, and now water. Wonder what the other two will be.''


    Bryan circulated more ether through his system, maintaining his physical enhancement. While not exactly tired, he could feel the strain of sustained enhancement. The ring''s assessment of his Body Augmentation score made more sense now ¨C this type of continuous exertion required specific conditioning.


    He dodged another series of attacks, noting how the holograms adapted to his movement patterns. Each time he avoided an attack, they adjusted their formation to cover potential escape routes more effectively.


    ''The programming is impressive.''Stolen novel; please report.


    He thought, sidestepping an energy burst that looked like an ice spike.


    ''Ice, now one more.''


    Using his enhanced speed, Bryan managed to catch another hologram with a solid kick, following through with an elbow strike. The hologram flickered but remained active, retaliating with a close-range energy pulse that caught Bryan''s shoulder as he pulled back.


    The impact wasn''t painful, but the training system registered it as a hit. A small display in the corner of his vision showed the contact point in red.


    Bryan continued weaving through attacks, landing hits when possible while focusing on maintaining his physical enhancement. The sustained practice helped him get a better feel for channeling ether through his pathways and understanding how minor adjustments affected his performance.


    After several minutes of continuous exchange, Bryan called out, "Status."


    Time elapsed: 8:57


    Targets destroyed: 0 of 5


    Accuracy: 95%


    Evasion: 86%


    Damage accrued: Damaged right shoulder, damaged left calf


    He hadn''t eliminated any holograms yet, but he''d maintained consistent performance throughout the session. More importantly, he''d gained practical insight into his physical enhancement capabilities.


    The holograms reset their formation, energy gathering around them for another sequence. Bryan adjusted his stance, ready to continue. This was exactly the kind of practice he needed.


    He needed one of them to break ranks, to overextend just enough to create an opening. If that failed, he''d have to take the fight to them directly ¨C a risky proposition with only physical enhancement at his disposal.


    Two holograms rushed forward, mirroring their opening strategy.


    ''Same approach as before.''


    Right on cue, a crescentlike wind burst sliced through the air. Bryan''s eyes flicked to the remaining three holograms, still maintaining their triangular formation, before focusing on the second approaching hologram. This one showed signs of their previous exchanges ¨C slight flickering in its projection where he''d landed solid hits.


    Bryan quickly calculated the distance between the flanking holograms and their position relative to the main group. The spacing was deliberate, designed to maintain coverage while allowing for quick support.


    ''Time to switch things up.''


    He surged forward toward the hologram that had launched the wind attack. The second hologram, the damaged one, immediately moved to intercept ¨C but something was different this time. It pushed further forward than in previous exchanges, taking an extra step away from its support.


    ''Eight feet. Perfect.''


    The gap wasn''t large, but it was enough. The main formation would need a fraction of a second longer to respond, and that''s all Bryan needed.


    He circulated his ether differently now, concentrating it heavily in his legs instead of maintaining an even distribution. In a sudden burst of speed, he pivoted away from his original target and shot toward the overextended hologram.


    The hologram began forming another energy attack, but Bryan was already inside its guard. His enhanced speed carried him forward as he unleashed a rapid combination ¨C right cross to the midsection, left hook to where the ribs would be, finishing with an uppercut to the jaw.


    The hologram''s form flickered violently before dissolving into particles of light.


    A small notification appeared in his peripheral vision: Target eliminated: 1/5


    ''First one down.''


    Bryan immediately jumped back, avoiding the retaliatory attacks from the remaining holograms. They quickly adjusted their formation, closing ranks to compensate for their lost member.


    He continued fighting them without using any spells and solely focusing on using his ether to augment his body.


    Before he knew it, he was sitting on the ground hands behind him as he was breathing heavily.


    Time elapsed: 15:42


    Targets destroyed: 5 of 5


    Accuracy: 89%


    Evasion: 83%


    Damage accrued: Damaged right shoulder, damaged left calf, damaged right rib


    Bryan wiped the sweat from his forehead, still catching his breath.


    ''Five minutes. Then we go again.''


    He pushed himself up from the ground, muscles protesting slightly from the extended workout. The next round would be better ¨C he had a better grasp of the holograms'' patterns now, and his body was adapting to the sustained ether enhancement.


    For forty minutes, he continued pushing himself, cycling through different combinations of opponents and scenarios. Each round taught him something new about his physical capabilities and the limitations he needed to overcome.


    Finally, satisfied with his progress, Bryan left the training room. The hot shower helped ease his tired muscles, washing away the afternoon''s exertion. As he dressed in fresh clothes, his thoughts turned to food ¨C the workout had left him surprisingly hungry.


    ''Wonder if anyone''s still at the cafeteria.''


    He doubted his teammates would still be there after an hour, but the space might not be empty. Other students could be getting late lunches or early dinners. At least he knew exactly where to go ¨C Rebecca had been particularly thorough with her directions, marking every turn and shortcut with enthusiastic detail.


    She''d also mentioned something about two new arrivals at the dormitory, but Bryan hadn''t paid much attention to that information. New students weren''t his concern, unless they proved relevant to his mission.


    ''Might as well get something to eat while my body''s loose.''


    He headed toward the cafeteria, already planning his next training session.


    Walking toward the cafeteria, Bryan spotted Farrah seated on the edge of a fountain. She was gazing up at the sky. As if sensing his presence, she looked down, meeting his eyes with a soft smile.


    ''What''s with her?''


    Bryan continued walking, but Farrah waved him over. He kept his original course until Zoltan''s words echoed in his mind.


    "Try not to be all too distant from the others..."


    Bryan closed his eyes and sighed before changing direction, heading toward the fountain.


    "You missed quite the party."


    Farrah said, her bright green eyes studying him.


    "Should have joined us."


    "Don''t recall you being so friendly."


    Bryan replied.


    "From what little I''ve observed, you seemed more the quiet type."


    Farrah''s smile widened slightly.


    "Not quiet. Just observant ¨C like you."


    "Uh-huh."


    Bryan crossed his arms.


    "What did you want?"


    "Nothing really. Just wanted to say hey."


    Bryan nodded once. "If that''s all, I''ll be on my way."


    "Hey."


    Farrah called as he turned to leave. When he looked back, her expression had grown more serious.


    "Why are you so distant?"


    "I just prefer it that way."


    Bryan responded.


    "Even if I wanted to interact with everyone, it''d be pointless."


    Farrah leaned forward slightly.


    "If that were truly the case, then why come over when I called? You could have ignored me and kept walking."


    Her eyes seemed to see right through him as she added.


    "Maybe you''re not as cold as you think you are."


    Bryan stood silent for a moment, uncomfortable with her insight. Finally, he turned his head away.


    "I''ll be seeing you around later."


    As he walked away, he tried to convince himself he''d made an effort.


    ''Well, I tried. Guess socializing just isn''t for me.''

 Chapter 30 – Excellence Camp X

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Bryan entered the cafeteria, nearly colliding with three students rushing out. One brushed past him roughly, glancing back with a click of his tongue before continuing on.


    Bryan looked the boy down and smirked to himself, thinking the situation was funny but also stupid. Someone bumped into him and was upset that it happened; they also did not apologize. It was absurd, really, but he couldn¡¯t help but laugh inwardly, thinking of how dumb it would be to act in retaliation. He was not that petty.


    The cafeteria of Reinhart Institute did not have the same luxurious feel as his room. Its high vaulted ceiling was adorned with red crystalline lights that cast shadows across polished marble floors. Long wooden tables stretched in neat rows. Most stood empty now, with only eight students scattered throughout the space meant for hundreds.


    Tall windows lined the walls, their stained-glass patterns casting colored shadows across the floor.


    Bryan made his way down the central aisle, his footsteps echoing in the relative quiet. The serving area featured sleek counters of polished stone, behind which staff displayed various types of food. Six different main courses were available for purchase with their prices listed below.


    He selected the baked chicken, along with a steaming baked potato and fresh garden salad. It was basic, but would fulfill his needs and he normally did not eat a lot. Chicken was also something he was used to eating as there were different ways to use it in meals, and he had a lot of chicken in the Inquisition.


    As far as drinks went, he kept it simple by filling his crystal glass with water. It was the only free drink available, as everything else cost and Bryan was not to keen on sweets.


    At the payment station, he pressed his Academic Card against the reader, watching as 50 AC was deducted from his balance.


    Turning with his tray, Bryan surveyed the scattered students. Most sat alone, some still whispering about whatever incident he''d missed. His eyes landed on Alessia Hayes, seated by herself near one of the stained-glass windows. She''d changed her hairstyle from a braid into a high ponytail, the dark auburn strands catching light from the window.


    Her attention seemed to be fully focused on a book as he noticed her salad looked full.


    ''Well, isn¡¯t that convenient.''


    Bryan thought as he walked in her direction. Her teammates were nowhere in sight, and he figured that she would be misspopular given her family''s status. Seems he was wrong about that.


    He approached her table choosing a spot two seats down from her, he set his tray down. The sound drew her eyes up briefly ¨C deep green with gold flecks, he noticed ¨C before they returned to her book.


    Bryan settled into his seat, positioning himself to maintain awareness of both Alessia and the rest of the cafeteria. The chicken was perfectly cooked, releasing steam as he cut into it.


    ''Huh, this is actually pretty good. A lot better than the tasteless baked chicken he was used to having.''


    From this distance, he could make out the title of her book: "Advanced Theories of Erosion Magic."


    ¡®Erosion huh? Is that what kind of attribute she has? Seems a bit too farfetched to read about something that¡¯s only appeared a dozen times, when there¡¯s more information on other attributes.¡¯


    His eyes looked her up and down as he spotted accessories on her body that looked magical in nature. The purple heart-shaped necklace was for sure one, it pulsated with a glow every five seconds.


    Her family was definitely rich considering, but given her standing she should have at least someone following her around like a lost puppy. There were always people trailing behind those with a higher status as it made them feel important, and they hoped to use that connection for their own gains.


    Yet, she had no one around her.


    ¡®Maybe it¡¯s too early for that to happen? There are not enough students here, and it is still early as today is day one. Might have to give it a few days to see what shakes.¡¯


    Bryan thought.


    Two students at a distant table kept glancing their way, whispering behind their hands. Another student, sitting alone, seemed to be trying to make himself as small as possible.


    ''Something definitely happened here.''


    Bryan concluded, maintaining his casual demeanor as he ate.


    ¡®Could be the reason she¡¯s alone. A fight of some sort? Although, she does not look the type to start a fight.¡¯


    He noticed how Alessia''s fingers tightened slightly on her book whenever someone walked past, though her eyes never left the page. Her salad remained untouched, the dressing beginning to wilt the leaves.


    A gentle breeze from somewhere ruffled the pages of her book, causing them to flutter. For a moment, her control over her magic seemed to slip ¨C tiny scratches appeared on the table''s surface where her elbow rested. She quickly adjusted her position, but not before Bryan had noticed.


    ¡®Well, look at that. A slight breeze ruffled her enough to do that? Either she¡¯s easily startled, or her control may be lacking. No way an elbow leaves marks like that.¡¯


    Bryan thought as he took another bite of his potato. He made sure to look a bit closer at the mark left where her elbow was, and he noticed it seemed to sizzle.


    There were no scorch marks so it wasn¡¯t fire-related, but it was able to burn the table enough to leave a mark behind. Lightning and magma were also out of the question.The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡®Either poison or¡­¡¯


    He glanced at the title of the book again.


    Bryan took a sip of water, his eyes drifting to the fresh scratches on the polished table surface where Alessia''s elbow had rested.


    "That''s pretty advanced stuff you''re reading."


    Alessia lowered her book just enough to peer over its edge, her green-gold eyes narrowing slightly as they met his. Bryan held her gaze, noting the wariness in her expression.


    "Never seen someone with an Erosion attribute before."


    His eyes flicked to her untouched salad, watching a drop of dressing slide off a wilted leaf.


    "Must be a pain..."


    He paused deliberately.


    "To live like that."


    The book snapped shut with enough force to make nearby plates rattle. Alessia''s ponytail swung as she turned to face him fully, her fingers pressing white marks into the leather binding.


    "What do you know?"


    Her voice carried an edge sharp enough to cut.


    Bryan shrugged, maintaining his relaxed posture.


    "Erosion magic? Not much."


    He met her stare evenly.


    "But pain... I think I can understand that."


    Something flickered across Alessia''s face ¨C recognition, perhaps, or uncertainty. It vanished quickly behind a mask of disdain.


    "Is this your way of picking up girls? Because it''s not working."


    A genuine laugh escaped Bryan, surprising even himself.


    "As if."


    He pointed his fork in her direction, a piece of chicken still speared on its tines.


    "I''m not the least bit interested."


    Which was true, he had no desire to have a relationship with her. Honestly, he had none for anyone and sometimes wondered if something was wrong with him. Shouldn¡¯t he be trying to have a girlfriend?


    Trout, one of his instructors back at the inquisition told him he was a weird fuck, and this is what he meant. Especially when Trout tried to get him to talk about girls, and when he showed no interest Trout thought he might be interested in guys. But it was the same with both genders, Bryan just found people unappealing.


    "Good, because your company is poor taste."


    Alessia said, as she straightened herself to sit properly.


    Bryan nodded, lowering his fork back to his plate.


    "I do have a hard time talking to people."


    He admitted.


    "Thought I''d give it a shot, but..."


    He gestured vaguely between them.


    "This is not cutting it."


    The tension in the air held for a moment longer before settling into something less hostile, though no more comfortable. Around them, the cafeteria remained largely empty, their exchange witnessed only by the scattered handful of other students and the dancing motes of dust in the colored sunlight.


    Bryan speared another piece of chicken, chewing thoughtfully before speaking.


    "You''re Alessia Hayes, right? Rank nineteenth?"


    Alessia sighed heavily, closing her book again with markedly less force than before.


    "Here we go again."


    "Here what goes again?"


    Bryan''s eyebrow rose, fork pausing halfway to his mouth.


    "The whole ''wow, you''re so low rank, I''m better than you'' stick."


    She waved her book in an exaggerated gesture, her ponytail swaying with the movement.


    "I''ve heard enough about it already. First from that insufferable Julius, and then that whole incident in the cafeteria earlier."


    Bryan set his fork down.


    "That''s not what I was going to say. Not at all."


    He looked at her before taking a glance over his shoulder.


    "What incident are you referring to?"


    Alessia''s nose scrunched up in frustration, an expression he found surprisingly cute on her.


    "Some girl with red-brown hair ¨C loud, kind of brash ¨C got into it with one of the noble teams. I don¡¯t recall what team she was on, did not see her as someone important."


    "What happened exactly?"


    He asked trying to get more information out of her. Bryan pictured he¡¯d have to drive the conversation for a bit in order to pry it out of her, but it was pretty simple.


    Alessia seemed to enjoy this sort of thing as if it were the most exciting topic in the world.


    "Well, this tall guy with a stupid superior attitude ¨C not Julius, another one ¨C started complaining about their instructor. Then this other noble, blonde with a face like he''d been sucking lemons, started going on about having to work with commoners."


    Bryan watched her gesturing as she described the scene, mentally cataloging descriptions.


    ''The first one must be Sabrina.''


    He thought, filing away the other descriptions for later investigation.


    "Then that girl ¨C the loud one ¨C said something back, and it just kept escalating,"


    Alessia continued.


    "Julius showed up with the others in tow and tried to act all high and mighty about it."


    She rolled her eyes. Alessia did not say it, but she clearly did not like the guy. Why did she sit with them then if she hated their company?


    "Finally, that scarred instructor came in and shut everyone up."


    "Lock."


    Bryan replied.


    "Whatever."


    Alessia waved dismissively.


    "They''re all pretty childish. Poor company, if you ask me."


    Bryan glanced around the nearly empty cafeteria, taking in the conspicuous space between occupied tables. His eyes returned to Alessia, one corner of his mouth lifting slightly.


    "Do you say that about everyone?"


    He paused, gaze sweeping across the empty seats surrounding her.


    "Or are you the poor company, considering..."


    If she was upset, she did not show it in her posture. Even her expression did not change much, only the small smile she had went flat.


    "You chose to sit here."


    Alessia said, reopening her book with pointed deliberation.


    "I didn''t force you."


    "Thought you looked lonely."


    Bryan took another bite of his chicken.


    "Far from it."


    She turned a page sharply.


    "If anything, you''re the one talking to me. I¡¯d be rude not to reply back. So much for ''having a hard time talking to people.''"


    "Yeah¡­"


    Bryan said, his tone matter-of-fact.


    "Just don''t see them as people and talking becomes a whole lot easier."


    Alessia''s brows drew together, her book lowering slightly.


    "What exactly do you think I am if not a person? Surely not one of those Orcish brutes, or vile Goblins."


    "Well, at the moment I''m seeing you as a mouse."


    Bryan watched her expression change to one of disdain.


    "A black one, to be specific."


    "First, ew. Second, that''s just creepy."


    The book tilted up, as if she could hide behind it.


    "Maybe."


    Bryan nodded.


    "But it''s working so far. Should try it more often."


    He waved his own comment away.


    "Anyway, I just wanted to tell you that protection you''re wearing..."


    His finger pointed lazily at each item in turn ¨C the gloves, the necklace, the bracelet.


    "It''s only doing more harm than good. Can''t learn control if you can''t even see what you''re controlling."


    "What makes you think I lack control?"


    Her tone implied that he was stepping into dangerous territory. Bryan proceeded anyway.


    "Earlier, your elbows were on the table. Then something seemed to startle you, and where your elbows were..."


    He gestured to the marks.


    "Those weren''t there before."


    His eyes swept over her accessories again.


    "Plus, I know magitech when I see it. You''ve got quite the collection ¨C probably more than I can see if I had to guess."


    Alessia''s spine straightened, her chin lifting.


    "Ah yes, now we begin the whole ''you can''t control your own power'' bit. Let me guess what comes next."


    Her eyes narrowed.


    "Either you tell me how I can control it with ''proper guidance,'' or you go on about what a disgrace I am. Which is it?"


    "You sure are one to jump to conclusions. What is with that?"


    "Tell me I''m wrong then."


    Bryan shrugged.


    "The former."


    Alessia scoffed, pushing back from the table as she stood.


    "I don''t need a lecture. And not that it''s any of your business, but only one of these items is meant to tighten the output of my power. The rest are accessories."


    "You going to eat that?"


    Bryan nodded toward her untouched salad. He already ruined things with her, might as well continue and see what happens next.


    "If not, clean up after yourself. They don''t have servants here."


    Alessia snatched up the plate, despite her obvious irritation. Without another word, she turned and walked away, her ponytail swaying with each step.


    ¡®I think I might enjoy this mission.¡¯

 Chapter 31 – Excellence Camp XI

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Bryan entered the gymnasium, noting immediately that the chairs from earlier had vanished. His teammates stood in a loose circle near the center, their voices echoing in the vast space. Despite arriving thirty minutes before the scheduled time, he was apparently the last to arrive.


    Alan Walker stood apart from the group, intensely focused on his academic card. At Bryan''s entrance, he looked up sharply.


    "Blackwood."


    Alan''s voice carried across the gymnasium.


    "You''re late. Hurry up."


    Alan¡¯s tone left no room for argument. Bryan joined his teammates without protest, the others falling silent as they watched him take his place at the far left of the group.


    ''When did they arrive? I did not get the time wrong, did I?''


    Alan tucked his card away, eyes scanning the assembled students.


    "Everyone else arrived early, ready to begin. Yet Blackwood, despite having the same instructions, arrives separately. When a team is prepared and one member is absent, that member is late ¨C regardless of the scheduled time."


    Alexander stepped forward, fingers fidgeting with his sleeve.


    "Sir, that''s not exactly what¡ª"


    "Silence."


    Alan raised his hand, cutting him off.


    "No need to cover for your teammate, Silvermark. This is a valuable lesson for everyone."


    His scarred face hardened as he surveyed the group.


    "You''re in this together, or not at all. A lone wolf cannot do it all. Understand?"


    "Yes, sir."


    They responded in unison.


    "Good."


    Alan''s lips curved into a slight smile that didn''t reach his eyes.


    "Heartland, step forward."


    Farrah moved toward him, not even sparing a moment to glance back at the others. She stood only three feet away from them as she stood still with her hands behind her back. Alan approached her, but his attention shifted to Alexander.


    "Since Silvermark wants to be a leader, let''s see what you think of your leader after this."


    Alan paused beside Farrah, leaning slightly to whisper something in her ear before straightening.


    "Pick a number, Silvermark. Between fifty and two hundred."


    Alexander''s fingers twisted in his sleeve as he considered. He raised an eyebrow as he glanced right in Christopher and Sabrina''s direction.


    "One hundred and twenty-five?"


    He finally called out.


    "Was that a question or an answer?"


    Alan asked as he stood in front of Alexander, looking down on him.


    Alexander''s grip tightened on his sleeve and Bryan could see the boy didn''t know what to do with himself. The sight would have been funny, but Bryan only felt pity for him.


    ''He''s going to fail.''


    Bryan knew that Alexander would not last. It was not set in stone, but there was a strong feeling that he would be one of the students going home early. Either on his own or be forced out.


    "I-i."


    Alexander stumbled over his words, failing to get them out.


    "Speak up Silvermark!"


    Alan shouted causing Alexander to jump slightly.


    "I''m telling you, sir!"


    Alan turned to Farrah.


    "What number was I thinking of?"


    "Fifty, sir."


    Farrah answered promptly.


    "Correct."


    Alan''s smile widened slightly.


    "But since Silvermark so graciously suggested one hundred and twenty-five, that''s how many laps you''ll all be running."


    He swept his gaze across their faces, noting how Alexander looked mortified.


    "Don''t forget to thank your leader."


    The team remained silent, one person clicked their tongue. Alan glanced at Sabrina but said nothing to her. Bryan noticed Sabrina''s jaw tighten, while Christopher''s shoulders slumped slightly. Even Farrah''s knuckles were turning white.


    "Oh, and one more thing."


    Alan added casually.


    "Last one to finish gets an extra ten laps. For every lap not completed, your teammates will have to finish them for you."


    His eyes lingered on each student in turn.


    "But that shouldn''t be a problem. Everyone here should be able to pull their own weight."


    Bryan did a quick calculation ¨C the gymnasium''s size meant each lap would be roughly equivalent to a quarter mile. One hundred and twenty-five laps would be over thirty miles.


    He could do it, no problem. The others though? He doubted as much.


    "Well? What are you waiting for? Thank your leader and start running."


    Alan shouted at them.


    The team mumbled their thanks to a mortified Alexander before spreading out along the starting line. Bryan positioned himself near the back, already planning his pacing strategy.


    ***


    On his twelfth lap, Bryan maintained a steady pace. Farrah matched his stride. Christopher lagged behind the group, his feet slowing with each lap.


    "Silvermark!"


    Alan''s voice echoed through the gymnasium.


    "Want to continue our game from earlier?"


    Alexander¡¯s stride faltered, but he pushed forward, his breathing uneven.


    "I''ll make it easier this time."


    Alan continued.


    "Answer correctly, and everyone can stop running. Get it wrong, and you all will still complete all one hundred and twenty-five laps. What do you say?"


    Bryan noticed Alexander''s pace slowing, clearly tempted by the offer.


    "Did I say stop running?"


    Alan''s voice caused Alexander to nearly stumble.


    "Well, Silvermark? What''s your answer?"


    Alexander picked up his pace again.


    "I''ll pass, sir. We''ll finish the laps."


    "Are you stupid?"


    Sabrina called out between breaths.


    "It''s one hundred and twenty-five laps! We''ll die before we finish!"


    A chuckle escaped Alan''s lips.


    "You''ll wish that was the case."


    He turned toward Sabrina.


    "Since you''re so vocal, interested in trying yourself?"


    "Yes!"Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    Sabrina answered immediately.


    ¡°Excellent. But since you¡¯re not Silvermark, let¡¯s make this a bit more interesting. Same terms, but I¡¯ll adjust the difficulty¡­ seeing as you¡¯re all warmed up.¡±


    Sabrina waited a beat before replying.


    "What''s the question?"


    "What''s Alexander''s favorite color?"


    Alan asked her, his eyes never moving away from her as she ran by.


    Sabrina nearly tripped, bewilderment clear on her face.


    "How am I supposed to know that?"


    "Something you should have considered before volunteering."


    Alan replied coolly.


    "Now, what''s his favorite color? Five seconds before I add twenty more laps."


    Sabrina glanced around desperately, but Alexander was on the opposite side of the gymnasium.


    "Ugh... green?"


    "Silvermark."


    Alan called out.


    "What''s your favorite color?"


    "Green."


    Alexander answered, slightly breathless.


    Alan''s expression hardened.


    "Really? Because your profile says it''s blue."


    His voice carried a sharp edge.


    "Lying is unbecoming of a soldier. Care to revise that pathetic excuse of an answer?"


    Alexander''s shoulders tensed.


    "Blue, sir."


    "That''s right. Blue."


    Alan tapped his academic card, and suddenly spaces opened throughout the gymnasium ¨C along the walls, in the ceiling, everywhere. A holographic dog materialized.


    "Don''t let the dog finish before you do."


    Alan announced as the hologram began running alongside them at a rapid pace. Each time it completed a lap, a number appeared above its head.


    Bryan watched the dog''s pace carefully. It was moving at a pace similar to his own, so as long as they maintained their speed they should pass. Although the others were starting to tire out, so they would not pass.


    He clicked his tongue thinking about how they were already dragging him down. If they did not manage to finish their laps, then he''d have to pick up their slack.


    If they passed out on the field? Then what would happen? Since Bryan would be the last one running, wouldn''t that also mean he would be the first and last one to finish?


    ''Ugh, this is so stupid. Why can''t they just shut up and run? Why make more problems?''


    He watched as the number above the dog''s head changed: 1¡­ 2¡­ 3¡­


    Bryan clenched his fists. He couldn¡¯t do anything about it. The hologram wouldn¡¯t tire, and there was no way to stop it. This could¡¯ve all been avoided if Alexander hadn¡¯t tried to speak up for him. Bryan hadn¡¯t asked for that, and now they were all paying for it. Next time, he¡¯d show up an hour early just to avoid this nonsense.


    This whole experience was frustrating, and he was inclined to blame Alexander for it, as well as Sabrina. When he did, he just felt angry with them. But then again, they probably felt the same with him for being ''late''.


    ''Is that his goal? To get us to dislike one another?''


    Bryan asked himself as he took a glance at Alan.


    ***


    By lap thirty, the holographic dog was firmly in the lead. Christopher lagged two laps behind, his breathing ragged and uneven.


    "Vane!"


    Alan called out.


    "You''re better than this. Are you really content being a burden to your team?"


    Christopher stumbled but kept moving, his head hanging low as he struggled to maintain his pace.


    "If you want to give up, just walk off my floor right now. No shame in admitting you can''t handle it."


    Christopher''s only response was the sound of his labored breathing as he pressed forward.


    Alan nodded slowly, his boots echoing on the gymnasium floor as he paced alongside him.


    "You''re zero for two, team."


    "I''m giving you an out, Vane. Walk away now, let your teammates carry your weight since you''re already behind. The pain ends the moment you stop."


    Christopher¡¯s jaw tightened, and his hands balled into fists, but he didn¡¯t stop.


    "Interesting."


    Alan''s scarred face twisted into something resembling approval.


    "Then let''s try this ¨C you''re on a mission with Heartland, Rigof, and Silvermark. Heartland''s bleeding out from a stomach wound. Rigof is surrounded by three Class-C monsters. Silvermark''s pinned under debris with a head injury. You can only save one. Who do you choose?"


    Christopher''s pace faltered as he processed the scenario.


    "I... I''d try to save them all."


    "Wrong answer. The situation doesn''t allow for that. Choose."


    "Then... Farrah. The stomach wound¡ª"


    "Incorrect."


    Alan cut him off.


    "You didn¡¯t ask the critical questions. What are their abilities? Their positions relative to each other? You made assumptions that cost lives. Worst of all, you didn''t even ask where the Blackwood was in all of this. Did you already forget about him?"


    He turned his attention to Bryan.


    "Blackwood, want to try your hand? Get it right, everyone stops now. Get it wrong, you all double what you have left."


    Bryan sighed between measured breaths.


    "What''s the question?"


    "Simple enough ¨C will Christopher catch up to the dog? If you think yes, then he has fifteen minutes to get on the same lap. If you think no, you can all stop running right now."


    Bryan studied Christopher''s struggling form, noting his deteriorating condition. The dog was two laps ahead now. Christopher''s shoulders slumped with exhaustion, his steps growing heavier by the minute.


    Bryan analyzed Alan''s question while maintaining his steady pace. Each "simple" question so far had been a trap ¨C or rather, a lesson.


    First, Alexander chose a number when he could have asked Farrah, or he assumed was just given the answer. He could have even talked to them, and seen what they thought would be a good answer. Then Sabrina guessed Alexander''s favorite color instead of simply asking him. Now this question about Christopher''s ability to catch the dog.


    The obvious answer was no. Christopher''s current pace was deteriorating, already two laps behind with no sign of improvement. Pure mathematics said it was impossible.


    But that would be too simple.


    Bryan reconsidered the question carefully. Will Christopher catch up to the dog? Not can Christopher run fast enough to catch the dog. The distinction suddenly seemed important.


    "Yes."


    Bryan answered.


    "He will catch up."


    Alan''s eyebrow raised slightly.


    "Fifteen minutes, Blackwood. Make it happen."


    Bryan immediately increased his pace, channeling ether through his body. His muscles responded instantly, strength and speed multiplying. Without breaking stride, he swept past Christopher, hooked an arm around his teammate''s waist, and lifted him effortlessly.


    "What are you¡ª"


    Christopher started to protest.


    "Catching up to the dog," Bryan replied simply, his enhanced legs carrying them both around the gymnasium at a blistering pace. Each lap closed the gap, the numbers above the holographic dog growing closer to their own count.


    The others watched in amazement as Bryan, carrying Christopher like he weighed nothing, systematically erased the deficit. When they finally drew even with the dog''s lap count, the hologram flickered and vanished.


    Alan clapped once and nodded, his scarred face betraying a hint of satisfaction.


    "I''m a man of my word. Exercise complete."


    Bryan set Christopher down, his own breathing barely elevated despite the exertion.


    "Push-ups. Now."


    Alan''s commanded.


    "And no ether reinforcement."


    They dropped into position, muscles already protesting from the run. Only Bryan and Farrah seemed relatively composed.


    "Let''s discuss what went wrong today."


    Alan began, pacing between them.


    "Four hours. I gave you four hours before this session. What did you do with that time? Surely you didn''t waste it doing whatever you pleased, ignoring the opportunity to bond with your teammates?"


    Their push-ups provided the only response.


    "You''re in a new environment, surrounded by strangers, competing against everyone else here. The bare minimum would have been gathering to talk about yourselves, and getting to know one another since you''ll be working together."


    Alan''s voice hardened.


    "How can you work together if you know nothing about the person next to you? How can you trust them to have your back?"


    He stopped in front of Bryan.


    "Why were you late, Blackwood?"


    "Thought it best to get settled in my dorm first, sir."


    Bryan answered between push-ups.


    Alan turned to the others.


    "Did you all do the same?"


    "No, sir."


    Sabrina replied, breath hitching slightly.


    "We went to the cafeteria for food, but Bryan declined to join us."


    Alan nodded slowly.


    "And why did you decline their offer, Blackwood?"


    "Wasn''t hungry, sir. Wanted to settle into my room."


    "Is that more important than having a moment with your team?"


    Bryan paused during a push-up for a moment before responding.


    "Are we supposed to be social, sir?"


    "If you''re trying to twist what I said, you have another thing coming."


    Alan retorted.


    "There''s a difference between being social for fun and being social because you''re with the people who will have your back now and in the future. This isn''t some noble''s social event where everyone''s trying to butter up to those of higher status while pursuing their own ventures. You''re here to be soldiers, and last I checked, being a soldier means working as a team, as a unit. One mind."


    He paused, looking down at Bryan.


    "Unless you think you''re better than everyone else simply because you''re rank one."


    Without waiting for a reply Alan moved to Alexander.


    "It was admirable standing up for your teammate. But if you have the courage to speak out, at least have the balls to stand proud. Being nervous is a disgrace."


    His scarred face twisted.


    "What does it mean to be a leader, Silvermark?"


    "To keep everyone safe."


    Alexander managed between push-ups.


    "Make the right choices, and listen to those around me."


    "Then why didn''t you use the resources at hand? One question, multiple people to ask, yet you decided their fate alone."


    Alan''s voice grew contemplative.


    "Did you even think about asking someone''s opinion? Question what was whispered to Farrah?"


    "No, sir."


    Alexander said softly as if he was drowned in guilt.


    "Why not? Trying to impress someone? Look cool? Or was being put on the spot too much to handle?"


    Alan stepped back, addressing them all.


    "As stated before, you have a team match in three days. Your roles are decided, but leadership wasn''t. I thought I''d let you choose for yourselves, but clearly you''re not ready."


    He paused for effect.


    "Congratulations, Silvermark. You''re captain of team four, with Heartland as your vice-captain. From today forward, every decision reflects on you as a whole."


    Stopping in front of Sabrina, Alan''s voice lowered.


    "It was a simple question. Too simple, actually. What did you do wrong?"


    Sabrina''s arms trembled slightly as she continued her push-ups.


    "I... I guessed instead of asking Alexander directly."


    "Exactly."


    Alan agreed.


    "A simple question with an even simpler solution. Yet you chose to gamble rather than take two seconds to ask your teammate. In the field, that kind of thoughtless action gets people killed."


    He moved to stand before Christopher.


    "And you, Vane. The moment you started falling behind, what should you have done?"


    Christopher''s push-ups had grown irregular, his breathing labored.


    "Asked... for help, sir?"


    "You know how I feel about questions Vane. You''re asking me, or telling me?"


    "Telling sir."


    Christopher quickly corrected.


    Alan nodded once.


    "Instead of asking for help, you suffered in silence, falling further behind, becoming the very burden you feared being."


    Alan''s words were right, even if it hurt to hear them.


    "Pride has no place in a team. Neither does suffering alone when help is within arm''s reach."


    He turned to Farrah, who maintained her form while Christopher was slacking.


    "Heartland, you noticed Vane struggling. Why didn''t you say anything?"


    "I thought..."


    Farrah hesitated.


    "I thought he needed to push through it himself."


    "Wrong. You''re his teammate, not a spectator. If you see a comrade struggling, you act. Period."


    He addressed them all again.


    "Each of you failed today, but not in the ways you might think. The running wasn''t the test. The questions weren''t the real challenge."


    He began pacing again, his boots echoing in the gymnasium.


    "Blackwood figured out part of it at the end ¨C there are no rules against helping each other. But even his solution was individualistic. Instead of coordinating with the team, he acted alone."


    Alan stopped in the center of their formation.


    "Everything I asked today had a simple solution requiring only one thing: communication. But you all chose to struggle alone, make decisions alone, fail alone."


    His voice hardened.


    "If you think this is hard now, then just wait for what is in store for you all later on! This pressure you''re feeling now, this is nothing. When you''re running for cover as a mob of Class-A monsters with your teammates asking for help, one man down, and support ten minutes out with everyone looking at you for directives, then you can talk about pressure."


    ¡°What you need to learn is how to pay attention to the details¡ªthey matter. When you¡¯re exhausted, your mind wandering, and the weight of your decisions pressing down on your shoulders, that¡¯s when you forget the small things. Like the cavern entrance big enough to shelter everyone and buy enough time for support to arrive. Those details make the difference between survival and annihilation.¡±


    Alan looked down at all of them before he continued speaking.


    "In three days, you face your first team match. Right now, you''re not a team. You''re five individuals who happen to be in the same space. That changes now."


    He paused, looking at each of them in turn.


    "Keep doing push-ups until one of you figures out how to end this exercise."

 Chapter 32 – Excellence Camp XII

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 1st of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Bryan sat at the cafeteria table, his tray untouched as he reflected on the day''s events. His teammates'' voices washed over him as they discussed their grueling training session. The other teams occupied the space and were scattered throughout the cafeteria, with a couple of people missing.


    "I still can''t believe it took an hour to figure out how to end those push-ups."


    Sabrina groaned, rubbing her shoulders. Her coffee-brown hair had lost some of its usual bounce, and her freckles stood out against her flushed skin.


    Christopher slumped forward, his whole upper body laid across the table.


    "At least we figured it out eventually."


    He mumbled into the table.


    "Though I''m pretty sure I won''t be able to move tomorrow."


    Sabrina smiled at that comment as she stretched her arms.


    "Agreed. My arms feel like noodles, I don''t even know how I''m making it back to the dorm."


    Christopher let out a small chuckle as he raised his fist up lazily. Sabrina grinned and bumped it with her own.


    "We should have realized sooner that we just needed to count together. Could have spared our arms the pain."


    Alexander said.


    "Such a simple solution..."


    Farrah set down her fork, as she covered her mouth through a stifled yawn.


    "That was the point though, wasn''t it? Everything today was about communication and teamwork. Although, I''m not sure I like the methods. Besides, we might have figured it out faster if someone did not seem to have endless stamina and kept going ahead of everyone as if it were a race."


    As she spoke her ear twitched slightly, but she turned to him and smiled.


    The last bit she said was about him, but she did not have to tease him about it. She seemed to be teasing him at least, as her comment did not come off as hostile.


    "Ugh, what''s with you two anyway? It''s like you both are made up of steel. If the rest of us are suffering, you should too."


    Christopher added as he glared at the two of them who were seated next to one another.


    Alexander let out a laugh.


    "They do put us to shame; it just means we have to work harder to catch up, is all."


    Alexander said.


    "I work hard enough as it is! But these two."


    Christoper pointed a lazy finger in their direction.


    "They''re something else I tell you. They''re not human I tell you."


    "Well, I don''t mean to burst your bubble but I''m not human. Did the long ears not give it away?"


    Farrah asked as she touched one of her ears.


    "Besides, the running was easy but those push-ups are where I began to struggle a bit. Never thought I''d be down there for so long looking at the ground and wishing it to end."


    She said as she propped her elbow up on the table and rested her chin on her palm.


    "I still think the running was worse."


    Sabrina declared, reaching for her water.


    "Though I have to admit, Bryan carrying Christopher like a princess was pretty impressive."


    Christopher''s head shot up from the table, his face reddening.


    "It wasn''t like that!"


    He protested, then winced at his own volume.


    The sight gave the others a good laugh.


    "Though... thanks for that, Bryan. I really was at my limit."


    Bryan was not sure what to do with the gratitude, it did not feel like he did anything special. Under the circumstances, it was the only move he could make.


    So he simply nodded once.


    "It was the logical solution."


    Alexander leaned forward slightly.


    "How did you manage that? I mean, carrying someone while running that fast... was it all body enhancement magic?"


    Before Bryan could respond, Sabrina interjected.


    "Speaking of magic, what exactly is your attribute, Bryan? I''ve never seen anything like it before."


    Bryan tensed slightly, he did not want to be the center of attention. It was uncomfortable with them all staring in his direction. He noticed Farrah observing him, her expression thoughtful.


    ''Should have just kept my mouth shut.''


    He told himself before recalling Zoltan''s words from earlier.


    Sighing, he told them although they should have seen it for themselves. He did not know why they were asking him.


    "Blood manipulation."


    He answered simply, hoping they wouldn''t press further.


    Thankfully, Christopher changed the subject.


    "I''m more concerned about what Alan said regarding our roles."


    He said, sitting up straighter despite his obvious discomfort.


    "Especially about working together under pressure."


    Farrah nodded, absently touching one of her pointed ears.


    "The scenarios he described... they weren''t hypothetical, were they? They had to be from experience."


    "My father mentioned something about that."


    Sabrina added.


    "He said the deep caverns were particularly active about thirty years ago. Lost a lot of good soldiers."


    "Any good stories? I''d love to hear what happened and not read about it in a book."


    Alexander asked.


    "Probably something you''ve already heard before, so it might not be interesting. Also, I wouldn''t want to talk about it like it''s something glorious, you know?"


    Sabrina told him.


    Alexander paused for a moment then nodded in understanding.


    "Might be for the best. I heard that there are at least fifty levels to it though, and people sometimes come back rich. Can you imagine striking it big down there and leaving all of this behind?"


    Alexander asked.


    "Fifty? No way man, there''s a lot more than that, has to be."


    Christoper commented.


    "I mean, no one knows how far it goes down. There are entrances all over the continent and did you hear what they discovered six years ago? I was just a kid, but my family was all over the news."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    "What do you mean?"


    Alexander asked.


    "He''s talking about the ruins they found down there. Evidently people are claiming it as a lost civilization, or at least they were. There were no bones or signs of life found, so now people assume it was naturally made."


    Sabrina answered instead of Christopher.


    "How did you not hear about that? It was everywhere and all anyone could talk about."


    Alexander shrugged.


    "You don''t hear much when you live way out there. Not like I grew up rich, and my family didn''t have the time to gossip as we worked together to make sure we survived the next day."


    He told them.


    "Damn man, must have been rough. Honestly thought the whole kingdom got the news from the way it was talked about. If you want to know anything feel free to ask."


    Christopher told him.


    Alexander nodded at that.


    "Thanks, but it''s not like we''ll be going there. With the treaty ending and all, pretty sure they are preparing us for war, and not the kind against the monsters."


    Sabrina sighed and slumped back in her seat.


    "You just had to say it, didn''t you?"


    "What?"


    Alexander looked in her direction.


    "She means no one is trying to think about it, Alexander. We all know what is coming, but no one wants to talk about it, because when we do it will make it feel all too real."


    Farrah said.


    "The Pentarchy Treaty, signed in 273 UC. How anyone thought it would last is beyond me."


    Bryan commented.


    All eyes went to him.


    "If you guys found today to be tough, then you need to get a whole lot stronger to survive what''s to come. Don''t think Alan or any of the instructors will be taking it easy on us when the term begins."


    His words caused the group to be silent for a moment as they looked down or away. Bryan''s words were not wrong and they knew it.


    Luck and experience were both factors in any war, and currently, they had zero experience.


    Alexander broke the silence.


    "Well, as team captain..."


    He paused as if testing the words.


    "I think we should make sure we''re better prepared next time so we can get stronger. Maybe we could meet earlier before training?"


    "Trying to avoid another hundred laps?"


    Sabrina teased, but her smile was encouraging.


    Bryan noticed how it did not stretch as wide as earlier.


    "I''d rather avoid the push-ups."


    Christopher groaned, earning a small laugh from the group.


    Even the laughter seemed forced in a way.


    Farrah straightened in her seat.


    "We should also discuss what Alan told each of us about our roles."


    She suggested.


    "Especially since we have that team match coming up."


    "Ugh, don''t remind me. Alan''s already been drilling it into us whenever he feels the need to bring it up. Like we did not hear him the first time."


    Sabrina said with a roll of her eyes.


    "We could use the training room in Rose Garden. They''re a pretty decent size, and the dorm''s second floor we can use to make plans or read about strategies used in history."


    Farrah offered.


    "That would be perfect."


    Alexander said, his face brightening.


    "We could¡ª"


    A sudden burst of laughter from across the cafeteria cut him off. Bryan glanced over to see Team One celebrating something, their voices carrying across the room. Julius Reinhart sat at their center.


    "Show-offs."


    Sabrina muttered.


    Bryan turned back to his team ¨C and the thought gave him pause. When had he started thinking of them as his team?


    "Tomorrow morning then?"


    Alexander asked, pulling Bryan from his thoughts.


    "Before Alan''s session?"


    The others nodded their agreement, and Bryan found himself doing the same.


    "So what''s the Larian Dormitory like?"


    Farrah asked, having finally finished her meal.


    Alexander perked up.


    "It''s actually quite nice. The rooms are smaller than I expected, but there''s this amazing common area with these old paintings showing the kingdom''s history."


    His fingers idly traced patterns on his empty glass.


    "My roommate, Marcus, he''s from Team Two. Seems decent enough, though we haven''t talked much yet."


    Christopher nodded, having regained some of his composure.


    "The stone architecture is impressive. Very solid construction."


    He paused, a slight frown crossing his face.


    "Though the heating system could use some work."


    "Of course you''d notice the stonework."


    Sabrina teased.


    "Earth mage through and through."


    Bryan listened to their exchange while absently scanning the cafeteria. His gaze drifted to where Julius'' team sat, and he noticed Alessia Hayes sitting at the end of their table, the same book on Erosion Magic from earlier held up.


    As if sensing his attention, Alessia lowered the book slightly. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she quickly raised the book again, turning away from his direction.


    "Do you know her?"


    Bryan turned to find Farrah watching him. The others paused their conversation, attention drawn by her question.


    "No."


    Bryan replied flatly.


    "I don''t know anyone here."


    Sabrina leaned forward, her freckles crinkling as she grinned.


    "Except us now."


    She corrected.


    "Whether you like it or not."


    Bryan chose not to respond.


    "Speaking of knowing people."


    Farrah said, her long ears twitching slightly ¨C a tell Bryan was beginning to associate with excitement.


    "I actually have a friend who''ll be joining the regular term. He''s currently finishing some family obligations, but he''s quite interesting. A time mage."


    Alexander''s eyes widened, his sleeve momentarily forgotten.


    "Time magic? That''s incredibly rare. I didn''t think there were any time mages our age."


    "Randel''s... unique."


    Farrah said with a fond smile.


    "We grew up together in the same district. He can see about three seconds into the future, though it gives him terrible headaches if he uses it too much."


    Christopher whistled low.


    "That would be incredibly useful in combat."


    He mused.


    "Though I imagine it comes with significant drawbacks."


    Farrah nodded, absently adjusting one of her perfectly arranged curls.


    "It does. But he''s learned to work around them. He''s actually the one who helped me develop my current fighting style."


    "Is that why you move so fluidly?"


    Sabrina asked.


    "I noticed during the hologram training ¨C it''s like you''re always one step ahead in your movements."


    A slight shadow crossed Farrah''s face, there and gone so quickly Bryan almost missed it.


    "Partially."


    She answered.


    "Though being an elf naturally helps with agility."


    Bryan found his attention drawn back to Alessia''s table. Julius was speaking to his team. He paid attention to what Farrah was saying as he found it interesting.


    Alessia remained apart, though Bryan noticed her book hadn''t turned a page in several minutes.


    "The Rose Garden training rooms are quite different from Larian''s."


    Farrah commented, smoothly changing the subject.


    "Much more advanced systems. Though I suppose that''s to be expected, given the cost difference."


    Alexander''s fingers returned to his sleeve.


    "About that... the morning training session."


    He started, then hesitated.


    "Should we meet in the Rose Garden lobby? Since we can''t actually enter without a resident."


    Bryan suppressed a sigh.


    "I''ll be there at six."


    He stated simply.


    His goal was to get some early morning training in anyway, so he could spare a bit of time to open the door. Although, he was not going to spend money on the training room for them.


    "That early?"


    Christopher groaned.


    "Alan''s session is at eight."


    Farrah reminded him.


    "We need time to actually train and clean up afterward."


    Sabrina stretched, her chair creaking slightly.


    "Well, if we''re starting that early, we should probably call it a night."


    She grinned suddenly.


    "Unless anyone wants to share their tragic backstory first? No? Just me?"


    The others chuckled, even Christopher managing a tired smile.


    As they gathered their trays, Bryan noticed Alessia had finally lowered her book, but she was now staring intently at her untouched meal. Something about her isolation nagged at him, though he couldn''t explain why.


    "Bryan?"


    Alexander''s voice pulled him from his thoughts.


    "You coming?"


    Bryan nodded, standing smoothly despite his muscles'' protests from the day''s training. As they left the cafeteria, he wondered if there would be any updates from his M.A.G.I.C ring and if there were, he wanted there to be large improvements.


    With the training from Alan and his own session earlier, he figured the numbers might have jumped a bit. Considering he tried to limit his spell usage as much as possible and focus on enhancing his body, there should be a gain.


    If not, then he''d just have to work harder. Although now that he was thinking about it, he hoped he would not try to rely on it too much.


    ***


    The evening air had cooled considerably as they left the cafeteria. Alexander, Sabrina, and Christopher headed toward Larian Dormitory, their voices fading into the distance. Bryan found himself walking alongside Farrah.


    The silence between them was comfortable until Bryan broke it unexpectedly.


    "Your friend, the time mage."


    He began, keeping his eyes forward.


    "Alexander was right ¨C they''re extremely rare."


    Farrah glanced at him.


    "Oh? And how would you know that?"


    "There have only been seven recorded time mages in the last century."


    Bryan stated matter-of-factly.


    "The most notable being Luke Morrison, who died fifteen years ago during an S-rank monster outbreak."


    A slight smile played at Farrah''s lips.


    "You talk a lot more when the others aren''t around, you know that?"


    She asked before continuing.


    "That''s assuming they all wanted to be recorded."


    She adjusted her pace to match his.


    "Not everyone enjoys the attention that comes with rare abilities. Some prefer to live quietly, away from prying eyes and endless questions."


    Bryan considered this, remembering the way others had reacted to his blood magic during training.


    "Speaking of rare abilities."


    Farrah continued, her tone careful but curious.


    "I''ve never heard of blood magic before today. I didn''t even know it was possible."


    Bryan paused slightly but kept walking. He thought they were over this already, but guess not.


    "Do you always need to injure yourself to use it?"


    She asked.


    "How did you even discover you could do that? Were you scared when you first awakened?"


    The questions came rapidly, but there was no judgment in her voice, only genuine interest. Bryan opened his mouth to answer, reaching for the memory of his awakening¡ªonly to find emptiness where certainty should be.


    "I remember training with¡ª"


    But did he? The memory felt wrong, like trying to read through frosted glass. Images flickered: blood on cobblestones, a woman''s voice, someone screaming. His head throbbed, a dull pressure building behind his eyes.


    "Bryan?"


    Farrah''s voice seemed distant.


    He forced himself to focus on the present, on the cool evening air and the path beneath his feet. The pressure in his head intensified.


    "It''s... complicated."


    He managed, noting how his hand had unconsciously clenched into a fist.


    "The awakening process isn''t always clear."


    Farrah nodded thoughtfully.


    "I suppose that''s true for most of us. My light magic manifesting in a dark elf family caused quite a stir. First in my family, and the knowledge behind it is¡­ a bit lacking."


    She chuckled softly.


    "Though I imagine blood magic would cause a stir anywhere."


    They reached the Rose Garden''s entrance. Bryan noticed Farrah''s expression soften as she looked at the building.


    "I think I''m going to stay out here for a bit, get some fresh air. Also I need to speak with Rebecca about something."


    She said, turning toward him.


    "Thank you for walking with me. And for agreeing to help with morning training."


    Bryan nodded once, already moving toward the stairs.


    "You didn''t have to thank me, we were going to the same place anyway."


    He told her and he heard her laugh behind him.


    "Goodnight, Bryan."


    She said from behind causing him to pause at the door for a moment. He turned and saw her waving at him. He nodded and entered the building.


    As he climbed the stairs to his room, Bryan tried to recall the memory that had surfaced during their conversation. But like trying to grab smoke, it slipped away, leaving only a lingering sense of unease.


    In his room, Zoltan was nowhere to be seen. Bryan touched his ring absently, thinking about why it was so hard to recall.


    ''How did I awaken¡­?''


    He asked himself.

 Chapter 33 – Excellence Camp XIII

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Bryan wiped sweat from his face with his shirt as he exited the training room, the morning''s workout leaving him satisfied. The lobby was quiet, typical for five fifty-five in the morning. He had hoped to finish before anyone arrived, but¡ª


    "Good morning!"


    Farrah him from across the lobby. She stood near the entrance in a simple blue and white training outfit. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed his state of undress, but she recovered quickly, though her long ears twitched ¨C that tell he was beginning to recognize.


    "You''re here early."


    Bryan lowered his shirt, nodding once.


    He would not say he was at ease with her around, but he did find her a lot easier to talk to compared to them. Maybe it was that her personality did not seem overbearing.


    Also, he was trying to be a bit more friendly, although he was not sure exactly how that would look. He did not exude the ¡®friendliness¡¯ that people were so fond of.


    "Been here since five-thirty."


    She said as her eyes drifted just past him, to where Rebecca was.


    "Five-thirty? That''s... dedicated. Though I suppose I shouldn''t be surprised."


    He commented.


    She moved closer.


    "I was hoping to get some practice in before the others arrived, but it seems you had the same idea."


    Bryan noticed she carried a small bag that hung over her left shoulder. He doubted there would be any weapons inside, it was small enough that he could probably clench his fist around it.


    ¡®Probably clothes or something.¡¯


    "The holograms here are quite advanced."


    She added, gesturing toward the training room he''d just left.


    ¡°Don¡¯t know what I was expecting though given the cost that went into this place. Did you notice that the windows in the bathroom rarely fogged? I mean, I like my showers hot but when I came out I didn¡¯t have to wipe the mirror.¡±


    "Can¡¯t relate, I take them cold."


    Bryan said as he rolled his shoulder.


    ¡°Geez, you¡¯re like Randel. He once looked at an ice bath, used his power to see what would happen then jumped right inside without even being fazed. I swear.¡±


    She said casually as she waved her hand in front of her. It was a bit amusing to watch.


    ¡°You guys must be real close.¡±


    Bryan said.


    Farrah smirked at that.


    ¡°Can¡¯t lie, he¡¯s my best friend and I can¡¯t wait for him to get here. But there are other times I can¡¯t stand him.¡±


    Farrah shrugged.


    ¡°What can you do though? That¡¯s how things go with friends. One moment you two can¡¯t stop talking, the next someone does something stupid and you both argue.¡±


    Farrah stopped talking and looked at Bryan for a moment.


    ¡°What about you? Anyone back home waiting for you?¡±


    ¡°Not really. I grew up around people older than me, so never met anyone my age.¡±


    Bryan answered.


    ¡°Well, that explains it.¡±


    Bryan raised an eyebrow at that.


    ¡°Nothing, it¡¯s just what makes you¡­ you. There¡¯s nothing wrong with it, it¡¯s just back home in Dynosis people were always around one another. Although there was this older guy who was similar to you, you know?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Bryan said.


    Farrah laughed a little.


    ¡°You know what I mean.¡±


    Bryan in fact did not know what she meant, but he decided to keep the conversation going.


    ¡°That¡¯s on the east coast right?¡±


    He asked.


    "Yup. I¡¯m from the eastern district. The noble quarter, technically, though it''s not as segregated as some cities. We have quite a mix of humans and elves there."


    She smiled.


    "Though our training facilities aren''t quite this sophisticated. Most focus on basic combat scenarios rather than adaptive responses."


    A knock at the door interrupted their conversation. Bryan moved to open it, finding Alexander and Sabrina waiting. They both wore workout clothes ¨C shorts and light shirts ¨C and carried small bags. Behind them, Christopher lay sprawled on the ground in similar attire, apparently asleep.


    "Where''s¡ª" Farrah started.


    "He was there when I arrived."


    Sabrina cut in, grinning. Her usually bouncy hair was pulled back in a ponytail.


    "Pretty sure he slept there all night. We found him like this ten minutes ago."


    Alexander nudged Christopher with his foot.


    "Come on, get up. We''re already here."


    Christopher groaned, opening one eye.


    "Five more minutes..."


    "Now."


    Farrah''s tone brooked no argument. Which surprised them.


    "I hope you all brought a change of clothes?"Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!


    She added, eyeing their bags.


    "Yes, mom."


    Sabrina rolled her eyes good-naturedly.


    Christopher sighed but stood, adjusting his shorts and grabbing his bag from where it had served as his pillow.


    Once inside, Farrah approached the door leading to the training rooms.


    "The training room cost is 500 AC per hour."


    Alexander''s eyes widened.


    "That''s insane! Maybe we should use the campus facilities instead?"


    "It''s fine."


    Farrah pulled out her card.


    "I can cover an hour, or we could split it ¨C 100 AC each. Bryan''s already been training. So I don¡¯t see the need for him to pay unless he wants to."


    Sabrina observed, eyeing him curiously. She stretched, wincing slightly.


    "How are you not exhausted from yesterday? I''m still sore in places I didn''t know could get sore."


    Bryan shrugged.


    "Wasn''t that bad."


    "Speak for yourself."


    Sabrina rolled her shoulders.


    "I only came because we agreed to. Otherwise, I''d be wrapped in my blankets dreaming about not doing push-ups."


    "At least you made it to your bed."


    Alexander commented, glancing at Christopher, who had started to lean against the wall with his eyes closed again.


    "Hey!"


    Alexander raised his voice.


    Christopher straightened.


    "I was just resting my eyes. Besides, Larian''s heating system is terrible. It was actually warmer out here."


    "Sure it was."


    Sabrina smirked.


    "Nothing to do with getting lost again?"


    Christopher''s face reddened slightly.


    "That was one time! And the hallways all look the same at night..."


    Bryan raised an eyebrow at that, finding himself wondering how the boy got himself lost. Better yet, how did Sabrina know about it?


    Farrah finished paying for the training room, turning back to the group.


    "Shall we get started? I think we could all use a proper warm-up first."


    "Some more than others."


    Sabrina nudged Christopher, who had indeed started to doze again.


    As they headed toward the training room, a door opened from another room. Julius Reinhart emerged in a black shirt that showed his defined muscles and black shorts. He paused briefly at the sight of them, his blue eyes scanning their group.


    "Seems I''m not the only one who thought to get an early start."


    He commented, passing by without further acknowledgment.


    "Was that him being... nice? I can¡¯t get a read on him. I figured he would be to be the stuck-up type outside of the public eye."


    Sabrina muttered once he was out of earshot, adjusting her ponytail.


    "He''s actually quite dedicated."


    Farrah offered.


    "I saw him coming to train late last night. Given his family, I would not be surprised if he trains every morning."


    "Of course he does."


    Christopher yawned.


    "Probably does a thousand push-ups before breakfast too."


    They walked into their own training room which was empty and had more than enough space to fit them all.


    "So... what kind of training should we do?"


    Alexander asked them.


    Farrah stepped forward to stand in front of them.


    "Let''s keep it simple. We should get a feel for each other''s fighting styles, maybe work on formations for the match."


    She glanced around the room.


    "I noticed some interesting settings on the control panel when I was given a tour of the place."


    "The holograms here are good quality. They adjust to match combat strength in one-on-one duels."


    Bryan found himself saying, recalling his morning session when he tried something new. The others turned to him, surprised at the voluntary input. Sabrina''s eyebrows rose slightly, while Christopher actually opened both eyes fully.


    "That''s perfect!"


    Alexander brightened.


    "We should each take a turn. See how we all handle different situations."


    "I''ll go first!"


    Sabrina stepped forward eagerly, stretching her arms.


    "Before I lose my motivation to move."


    Farrah nodded and moved to the panel that controlled the holograms.


    Sabrina took her position in the center as the others moved back. The hologram materialized ¨C a basic humanoid form. Sabrina grinned, dropping into a fighting stance.


    She started off strong as a burst of magma lit up the room in orange light, but that was it. The hologram was faster than the ones they faced yesterday and dodged out of the way entirely. Her grin faltered as she dashed in to close the distance.


    The fight that followed was more physical than magical, with Sabrina throwing punches and kicks that showed considerable martial arts training. The hologram matched her move for move until she finally landed a solid hit and eventually pinned it to the ground before plumbing it, causing it to dissolve.


    "Damn, these things are fast."


    She panted, wiping her forehead.


    "I should have brought my sword."


    Christopher commented as Sabrina rejoined them, still catching her breath.


    "Would have been nice to know we''d be doing this kind of training."


    "Afraid of a little hand-to-hand?"


    Sabrina teased, taking a long drink from her water bottle.


    Christopher snorted, moving to take her place in the center. He did not even tell them he was going up next, but no one moved to stop him.


    "Please. The Vane family specialty isn''t just earth magic."


    Unlike before where he stomped the ground and tossed out rocks, this time he stood still as he bawled his fist. He caught everyone off guard as something unexpected happened ¨C gray stone began creeping up his arms, forming a kind of natural armor. His movements were slow but when he finally landed a hit the hologram stumbled back and fell.


    "That''s new."


    Alexander whispered to Farrah.


    "Did you know he could do that?"


    Farrah shook her head.


    Alexander stepped up next after receiving his reply. Christopher did not even seem tired as he yawned and took his place among the others.


    Water gathered around Alexander''s hands as he faced the hologram. The construct charged, and Alexander managed to form a bubble of water around it.


    "Got it!"


    His victory was short-lived. The bubble burst as he tried to compress it, sending water spraying across the training room floor. Like the others, he resorted to physical combat, though his movements lacked the polish of Sabrina''s martial arts or Christopher''s power.


    "Sorry about the mess."


    He said afterward, gesturing at the wet floor.


    "At least it''s not magma."


    Sabrina offered, earning a weak smile.


    ¡°Guess I¡¯ll go next. Mind starting it up for me Christopher?¡±


    Farrah asked as she walked to the center.


    Light gathered above her head into four small balls the size of grapes. They followed her as she dashed forward, and the hologram barely had time to react before she was already on top of it.


    What followed was both beautiful and brutal ¨C a combination of light magic and precise strikes that ended with an audible crack as she broke the hologram''s neck. The entire exchange lasted perhaps ten seconds.


    "That was..."


    Christopher started.


    "Efficient."


    Sabrina finished, looking impressed.


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t expecting that, I think it adjusted itself to match Alexander¡¯s strength. Can I go again?¡±


    Farrah asked as she came back to the group.


    Alexander seemed to pale at the realization.


    Byran chuckled to himself, watching the sight. If she did that to a hologram, he could only imagine what she could do to him if they fought.


    Their battle would be legendary, and not the good kind either.


    However, this was not good. If he had one more competent person then he could take them out systematically. Getting up close and personal when they weren¡¯t even using ether to enhance their bodies?


    It would not end well in a real fight, and by the way the fights all ended they would get steamrolled facing another team.


    They would, not him.


    Sabrina was assigned the position of mage, which meant she should keep her range. And if she did not know how to do that then practice it, but she went head to head instead.


    He sighed, the least he could do was offer them a bit of guidance.


    "So we have a magma user who prefers fist fights, an earth mage who brawls, a water mage who can''t maintain distance, and a light mage who breaks necks. There''s a theme here."


    He stepped forward, drawing his knife. A quick cut across his palm, a flash of crimson forming into a crescent blade, and the hologram dissolved into pixels almost as soon as it materalized.


    "If everyone''s fighting close range, I''ll handle distance."


    Silence followed his demonstration. Farrah''s ears twitched ¨C concern? Interest? He couldn''t tell.


    "I wasn''t trained for support."


    Alexander finally admitted.


    ¡°Honestly, I wasn¡¯t trained at all. I mostly just studied stuff, but I never thought I¡¯d be using my magic for defense. I thought it could do something more fancy. Not¡­ this.¡±


    "I always assumed I¡¯d be a water or ice mage, so that¡¯s how I learned. Not like I¡¯ve had much time experimenting with the new range and destructive power, but I guess I can sit still and look pretty."


    Sabrina added.


    ¡°Look pretty, yeah, okay.¡±


    Christopher said as he laughed by himself.


    ¡°Someone said something?¡±


    Sabrina used her pinky to clean her ears.


    ¡°Must not have heard correctly.¡±


    ¡°So you have experience with water magic then?¡±


    Bryan asked as he looked at her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.


    "You could help Alexander then, if you understand water techniques."


    Sabrina paused what she was doing and she nodded.


    "We definitely can''t all be melee fighters."


    Farrah mused, absently touching one of her ears.


    "We should focus on our assigned roles. Maybe try team exercises? It might help us out more since anything can happen in a one-on-one duel."


    Christopher perked up, seeming fully awake for the first time that morning.


    "Is there a team mode?"


    Farrah moved to check the console, her fingers dancing over the controls.


    "We can generate multiple targets. It''s not quite the same, but it could work."


    "Let''s try it."


    Alexander suggested.


    "Do we have time?"


    Sabrina asked.


    "If we need to shower, we can use our rooms and still make Alan''s session."


    Farrah assured her, already programming the simulation.


    "Thank goodness."


    Sabrina grinned, readjusting her ponytail.


    "Because I refuse to smell like training room all day."

 Chapter 34 – Excellence Camp XIV

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    "These formations kept my family alive through dozens of encounters."


    Christopher said, placing small pieces of conjured rock into position.


    Alexander leaned forward, blonde hair falling into his eyes as he studied the rocks.


    "I''ve read about military formations, but I''ve never actually practiced any. This could help us in the team battles. Good work, Christopher!."


    Sabrina crossed her arms, coffee-brown hair already pulled back in preparation for training.


    "Military formations are fine, but they''re meant for larger units. We''re just five people¡ªwill it even work?"


    "Still..."


    Christopher insisted, stifling a yawn,


    "if we position ourselves correctly¡ª"


    "We''ll screw up?"


    Sabrina interrupted.


    "Let''s just give it a try, we have time."


    Farrah said with a smile.


    The others nodded in agreement, and a second later, Sabrina also agreed.


    "Bryan?"


    Farrah glanced at him, but he did not reply.


    "I''ll pass."


    He told her as he leaned against the wall.


    "What? I thought we agreed to practice¡ªtogether. As a team."


    Her eyes narrowed.


    "Yup, so ''we'' did. Don''t worry, your little head, I''ll do my part. I want to observe."


    He explained more than he usually would have.


    He was sure the formation they aimed for would fail, but he could not determine that based on his feelings. Although it had only been a day since he had met them, from what he had seen of their skills, he could tell it would not work out as they wanted it to.


    Besides, they only had a few days until the team battle, which meant they only had today to get any established teamwork.


    A competent team would be required for something as advanced as Christopher suggested. It might look good on paper, and it would even be a good formation to have in their back pocket when needed.


    However, diving head-first into advanced formations or techniques was not the way to go.


    From his position against the wall, Bryan watched them fumble through the first attempt: Christopher''s sluggish directions, Alexander''s hesitant water control, and Sabrina''s poorly timed magma attacks.


    Mistakes like this would never go unpunished in the Inquisition. He clenched his teeth slightly at the memories when his instructors slapped him across the face for moving too slow, missing a target, or not reacting in time to enemy movements.


    A slap was getting off lightly; there were times a punch to the gut, and an electric shock down his spinal cord also worked. Especially when he was exhausted from all the training, but he was still expected to do his share of the work during the exercises.


    After their third failed attempt, Bryan let out an exasperated sigh.


    "This isn''t working."


    Christopher turned, dark circles prominent under his eyes.


    "What''s that supposed to mean?"


    "None of you have the skills to execute these formations."


    Bryan stated flatly.


    "You''re leaving gaps in your defense that would get you killed in a real fight. Your instructors aren''t clear or correct, and you seem to be fumbling through it as if copying something you''ve seen before. Sabrina''s casting speed is way too slow, and your current positions do not fit the roles Alan has assigned you."


    "Oh? Well, maybe we''d be better off if we had a fifth member to fill those gaps. Instead, he''s complaining from the sideline."


    Christopher''s voice flared to life, but his eyes still looked dead with exhaustion.


    "If you think it''s so obvious, why don''t you show us how it''s done?"


    Bryan met his gaze, considering. Having a somewhat competent team would make his life here more manageable, and watching them fumble over the same mistakes was becoming painful.


    "Fine."


    He reluctantly said.


    "But don''t expect me to coddle you."


    **********


    "Christopher, left flank."


    Bryan shouted and moved slightly to cover the gap that was forming between Sabrina and Alexander.


    "Your earth walls need to be three feet closer to the center. The current position leaves us exposed."


    Christopher''s shaggy brown hair stuck to his forehead with sweat. Dark circles shadowed his eyes as he stifled another yawn.


    "Mm... right."


    He shifted his weight, stomping once to adjust the earthen barrier. His sluggish movements reminded Bryan that he severely lacked stamina and ether control.


    "Our transitions are smoother than before and much easier to follow."


    Farrah said from behind in her position to the leftmost position that guarded against any potential ambushes they could face.


    "At this rate, the monsters will still fall asleep waiting for us to get in position."


    Sabrina called out, though her tone carried more amusement than criticism. She adjusted her coffee-brown hair, pulling it back into a quick ponytail.


    "But at least we''re not tripping over each other anymore."


    Alexander wiped sweat from his brow, his blonde hair now disheveled from exertion.


    "We should test it against the training holograms. See how it holds up against actual movement patterns."


    "No."


    Bryan responded.


    "Master the basics first. Adding variables now will only create bad habits."


    He winced inwardly as his words reminded him of Light, one of his Inquisition instructors. The high Inquisitor had him doing the same movements over and over again for hours with minimal breaks before they moved on to something else.


    It was annoying, considering Bryan had the movement down within the first few minutes and was doing it on autopilot after the first hour. Light, however, never praised him for his quick learning, and he did not advance to another movement before Bryan practiced the first one for two or three hours.


    His gaze shifted to Farrah, catching her studying him with those bright green eyes. The dark elf''s expression made him wary. It felt like she was examining him. And he hated it.


    "Your positioning needs adjustment."


    Bryan told her that although she was okay, she was just two or maybe three inches away from where she needed to be. It was a minor thing, and when she furrowed her brow at him, he figured she was wondering what he was talking about. He was satisfied.


    ''Good, focus on something else, not me.''


    Bryan continued, focusing back on the task.


    "Sabrina, your magma output¡ª"


    "Is perfectly fine."


    Sabrina interrupted, grinning.


    "Some of us were born to bring the heat."


    She demonstrated with a small burst of magma that spewed three feet in the air.


    Bryan sighed at her display of wasting her ether. It was not like her pool of it was infinite, and he could tell that she was running on fumes since the display used less power than she had shown before.


    Christopher swayed slightly, catching himself against his earth wall.


    "Sorry, just... need a moment."


    His voice told Bryan the boy was exhausted, sweat dripped from his forehead, and he slumped to the ground.


    A gruff voice echoed in his mind.


    Get up. You''ll rest when it''s break time. Pain only lasts a second. Suck that shit up and get back on your feet¡ªor I''ll show you what real pain feels like.A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    Bryan exhaled, forcing the memory away.


    He didn''t know why that memory popped into his head, but it did. He was ten at the time, running laps with weights on his legs and arms. He''d been at it for thirty minutes, but that was not accounting for the sparring he did before that, the target practice before that, or the lecture he attended on countermeasures for specific types of spells.


    No one said anything yet, but they were tired, and after Christopher slumped down to the floor, the others soon followed, except for Farrah, who started fixing her hair and said something to Sabrina.


    He didn''t get a chance to take a break or complain, but these kids were not in the same situation as him. They weren''t members of the Inquisition, so they deserved a break - even if they didn''t work hard enough for it.


    "Take five."


    Bryan said that although the others were doing that already,


    Farrah came over to him, not breathing heavily or seeming exhausted, and smiled at him.


    Bryan was not sure he liked her smile, and he could never tell why she was friendly.


    "The training is great, and the formations are solid, but we''re not machines. We need a break. Did you forget we must attend Alan''s training session soon?"


    He did not forget, but it was annoying that they were supposed to be among the academy''s top 20 and could not pick up something this basic fast enough. He should either set his expectations low or require them to improve faster.


    Why was he so concerned about their progress? He did not like to get involved with other people.


    ''Because they are a liability to your progress here.''


    A knowing look crossed her features.


    "I suspect you''re used to more demanding training schedules, but think about the others."


    Bryan met her gaze.


    "Five minutes."


    He repeated, ignoring her implied question.


    "Then we run it again."


    Alexander lowered his water sphere carefully, wiping his hands on his uniform.


    "We''re improving, though, right? It feels like my control over my water sphere has gotten better."


    "Your control is¡­ adequate."


    Bryan responded, earning an eye roll from Sabrina.


    "High praise from our resident slavemaster."


    She quipped.


    Turning, she noticed Christopher had his eyes shut.


    "Chris, you still with us?"


    Christopher had slid down to sit against his earth wall, eyes closed.


    "Just resting my eyes¡­"


    He mumbled unconvincingly.


    Their casual banter and genuine concern for each other were foreign to his experience. No one in the Inquisition would dare show such weakness.


    **********


    "I can''t feel my legs."


    Sabrina groaned, running her fingers through her coffee-brown hair. Despite her complaints, she maintained her outspoken voice.


    "And to think you two get to return to your private rooms and bathrooms."


    She shot an envious glance at Bryan and Farrah.


    Farrah''s dark curls weren''t tangled or a mess despite the morning''s exertion.


    "It''s really not special, just a room and a bathroom."


    She said, with a slight chuckle.


    "Just a room?"


    Alexander perked up, his exhaustion momentarily forgotten.


    "That bed feels like sleeping on a cloud! I nearly fell asleep waiting for Christopher to come out of the shower."


    "And those dresses!"


    Sabrina''s freckled face lit up.


    "I saw what''s in your closet. It''s such a waste that we can''t wear anything but these uniforms."


    She plucked at her black and gold attire with distaste.


    "Speaking of rooms¡­"


    Christopher''s tired voice carried a hint of dry humor,


    "Bryan''s looks like it''s still waiting for someone to move in. I''ve got more shirts with personality than he has decorations."


    Bryan raised an eyebrow at the comparison. If Christopher had only known how accurate that observation was, his quarters in the Inquisition wouldn''t have been much different.


    "Not everyone needs material possessions to exist."


    "You don''t even have a pillow!"


    Alexander laughed. The others joined in, their amusement genuine rather than mocking.


    "You think that''s bad?"


    Sabrina redirected the conversation with animated gestures.


    "Try sharing a bathroom with Leah. Last night, she spent forever doing her hair¡ªI had to threaten to burn the room down to get her out!"


    "That sounds dreadful. You can always come to visit me if you want. More than enough room for two."


    Farrah''s response was unexpected.


    "Really? I mean¡­ if you insist."


    Sabrina quickly said.


    "No, she doesn''t mean it, and you know it."


    Christopher added.


    "Oh please, like you can tell what she''s thinking."


    Sabrina replied as she rolled her eyes.


    Alan Walker''s weathered face lifted from his academic card as they approached the gym entrance. His blue eyes scanned their disheveled state. The perpetually tired-looking instructor''s mouth twitched with what might have been amusement.


    "You all look like someone beat your mother."


    He said, stifling a yawn.


    Christopher gestured toward Bryan with a tired wave.


    "Well, someone certainly tried. Didn''t even break a sweat himself."


    Alan''s eyebrow rose as he studied Bryan.


    "Morning practice?"


    Alan''s question sounded more like a statement.


    Alexander straightened despite his exhaustion.


    "Yes, sir. We wanted to get some extra training in before today''s session."


    "A team that sweats together bleeds together."


    Alan nodded, tucking his academic card into his pocket.


    "Good initiative. Though you might regret working so hard today."


    His lips curved into what could have been either a smile or a smirk.


    Sabrina ran her hand through her hair, which was still damp from the shower.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Today''s training will be mixed, and we won''t use this gym. We''ll be in the main one instead."


    Alan explained.


    "This isn''t the main gym?"


    Sabrina''s eyes widened in surprise.


    Alan''s chuckle held a hint of amusement.


    "This? This is just a training gym. A small one at that."


    He gestured for them to follow, leading them toward a door at the room''s far end.


    "Come on. Let''s introduce you all to what real training facilities look like."


    Bryan fell behind the others, keeping a suitable distance from them as they discussed their expectations and asked questions.


    **********


    The massive double doors swung open, and Bryan watched his teammates'' expressions shift from exhaustion to awe. The main gymnasium stretched before them, the space easily dwarfing their previous training area threefold.


    "Sweet mother of magic."


    Sabrina breathed and seemed to forget to exhale.


    Her eyes tracked upward to the observation platform that encircled the entire space, its floor-to-ceiling windows offering an unobstructed view of the training grounds below.


    The central dueling platform dominated the space¡ªa raised octagonal arena. Multiple training zones radiated outward from the center, each marked with different colored boundary lines and equipped with various apparatus.


    "This."


    Alan gestured broadly.


    "Is where the real work happens. The arena can simulate everything from desert storms to arctic conditions."


    He paused, giving them time to take it all in.


    "You can''t properly train for combat in a controlled environment. Nature isn''t kind enough to provide perfect conditions when you''re fighting for your life."


    Christopher seemed to show genuine interest in the dueling arena, although his expression and tone remained the same.


    "Those are environmental stabilizers."


    He noted, pointing to the geometric patterns along the walls.


    "Someone''s been doing their homework."


    Alan nodded approvingly.


    "I''m not sure of all the technical jargon involved. I just know it prevents the environmental changes from distorting or collapsing. A lot of your fights, including your team battles, will take place there."


    Other teams were already present, standing around in their teams with instructors close by.


    "The observation deck."


    Farrah''s eyes were looking up to the windows above.


    "Will there be observers during our training?"


    "There usually are, but not now, as the school term hasn''t officially started yet. Some might show up for the team battle, but they all know there are only twenty students present, and there won''t be enough data to go off of or to compare them to."


    Alan confirmed, stifling another yawn.


    "Instructors, sometimes nobles, military officials. Everyone wants to see how their investments are performing. But, as I stated before you were ranked on your starting potential, a lot can and will change over a few months. Never think you''re ahead of the pack based on a number."


    Alexander shifted uncomfortably at that last comment.


    "How many teams can train here simultaneously?"


    "Eight, at full capacity. Though today we''re focusing on individual metrics."


    He pulled out his academic card, its blue surface reflecting the overhead lights.


    "Now, let''s get you all sorted into your proper groups."


    Alan''s academic card projected a soft blue glow as he scrolled through the assignments.


    "Right then. When I call your name, move to your assigned instructor. No complaints, no questions."


    "Why are we being split up?"


    Alexander asked, his voice carrying what Bryan figured to be a concern.


    Alan''s eyes fixed on Alexander. And Bryan could have sworn he saw it twitch with annoyance.


    "Different roles need different evaluations. Each instructor specializes in specific combat aspects."


    He gestured toward the other instructors.


    "Silivia will score those whose class is mage and support. Lock''s background suits him for assessing slayers and fighters. Gloria handles the same as Lock, with the addition of specialist. And yours truly handles tanks, supports, and fighters."


    Sabrina whistled.


    "That''s three instructors for fighters. How many are there?"


    "Doesn''t matter. Silvermark and Vane, you''re with me."


    Alan announced.


    Bryan noticed that Alexander''s shoulders seemed to relax when he found out he was with Alan.


    ''Guess it''s better with the demon you know than the one you don''t.''


    "Rigof, you''re in Grace''s group."


    "Yes!"


    Sabrina pumped her fist in excitement, her hair bouncing with the movement.


    Bryan found her excitement to be unfounded, considering it was literally the only professor in charge of mages.


    "Pipe down."


    Alan warned.


    "Heartland, you''re with Lock."


    Farrah nodded.


    "Blackwood, you''re with Gloria''s group."


    "These evaluations matter."


    Alan continued, tucking away his academic card.


    "I know you''re tired from your morning training, but that''s no excuse for poor performance. Consider it your first lesson in fighting while exhausted."


    Alexander stepped forward.


    "We''ve trained together. We''ll succeed apart. Everyone remember¡ª"


    "Save the motivational speech, captain."


    Alan interrupted.


    "You''ll have time for that later. You''re all dismissed to head to your respective instructors."


    Farrah touched Alexander''s arm gently.


    "Good luck, everyone."


    She said before they separated.


    Bryan moved toward Gloria''s group, wondering how they would be tested. Would they be placed in a combat situation, fight one-on-one, or display their spells for control?


    Julius and Alessia stood apart from the others, standing straight with their hands behind their back, gazing directly at Gloria. The remaining two students¡ªwhose names Bryan had already memorized from the introduction¡ªshowed signs of physical fatigue like his team.


    Gloria stood with her arms crossed, her brown hair flowing down her neck. Her blue eyes were downright intimidating, which must be why the other two students, Kevin Chen and Sarah Evans, stood off to the side.


    Bryan took his place next to Alessia, placing his hands behind him as he stood tall.


    Seeing his arrival, she motioned for Kevin and Sarah to join them. They did precisely that, and no other students came.


    "In this group, you speak only when spoken to. I don''t know how the other instructors run their evaluations, and I don''t care. Here, you follow my rules."


    "Three tests await you."


    Gloria continued.


    "Endurance, speed, and combat. Each has specific parameters and scoring metrics. Your scores won''t affect your school ranking here at camp, but they will be recorded."


    "Your position in one test determines your order in the others."


    She explained.


    "First in endurance takes the last position in speed but leads in combat. I''ll demonstrate the first test before announcing your order."


    She announced.


    Gloria stepped into a central ring on the floor. Blue lights pulsed around its circumference. A red barrier materialized around her form, its surface rippling with power.


    "This is an endurance test, and your goal is simple: remain standing. Fall or lose consciousness, and you fail. The gravity will increase progressively, testing both your magical and physical limits."


    No pressure could be felt from outside the ring, but the shimmer that flashed across her barrier spoke volumes. It was holding against an invisible pressure without shaking or deforming.


    The thing with magic barriers was that there were sections to them, usually a hexagon shape in every section, and the more sections a mage had, the stronger the barrier.


    For lesser skilled mages, they would have a barrier that wasn''t exactly a circle but would still protect them from spells. It would be less durable than a mage that could produce a barrier with countless small hexagon sections, making their barrier look smooth all around.


    Like Gloria''s.


    "You may defend yourself with a barrier like this one."


    She gestured to her red shield.


    "Or reinforce your body directly if you possess that capability. Either way, you''ll be fighting against forces that want to crush you into the ground."


    The barrier dissipated as Gloria stepped out of the ring, the blue lights fading to dormancy.


    "Any questions?"


    Sarah Evans'' hand rose hesitantly.


    "Good, no questions."


    Gloria cut off any potential inquiry.


    "Evans, you''re first. Then Blackwood, Chen, Hayes, and Reinhart."


    As Sarah moved toward the ring, her steps faltering slightly, Bryan observed the subtle dynamics at play. Julius'' barely concealed irritation at being last, Alessia''s relief at not being called, Chen''s nervous glances at the crater from Gloria''s earlier demonstration.


    "When you''re ready, raise your barrier or augment your body with ether. I''ll begin in three, and you only get one try.


    Sarah nodded, raising her hand as a blue barrier shimmered to life around her body. Four hexagon sections were all her barrier could manage.


    A moment later, her barrier flashed as a light rippled around it from the top as the pressure hit her.

 Chapter 35 – Excellence Camp XV

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Sarah raised her hand as a blue barrier shimmered to life around her body. Four hexagon sections were all her barrier could manage.


    A moment later, her barrier flashed as a light rippled around it from the top as the pressure hit her.


    At first, gravity increased gradually. Sarah''s barrier held steady for the first ten seconds as light rippled across it like a pulse. Then, the added weight caused the top left section of her barrier to crack.


    ''Her control is lacking, which makes her barrier weak. She won''t last more than thirty seconds.''


    Bryan thought as he watched Sarah''s test.


    At fifteen seconds, her knees began to shake. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she struggled to maintain the barrier''s integrity. The pressure continued mounting, like layers of invisible weight stacking upon her shoulders. Twenty seconds in, and her breathing became labored.


    "Maintain your form. It hasn''t even been thirty seconds."


    Gloria said.


    Sarah''s fingers trembled as she hunched forward under the weight. Her barrier was barely holding, and the pressure was starting to leak through, affecting her more than it should.


    At thirty seconds, Sarah''s barrier began to fragment, cracks spreading across its surface like spider webs. Her face had lost all color, and her arms shook as she tried to maintain the failing shield. Bryan could see when her concentration shattered¡ªher eyes widened in panic as the barrier crumbled.


    The full force of the enhanced gravity slammed into her. Sarah''s knees buckled instantly, and she collapsed to the ground with a sharp gasp.


    "Thirty-five seconds. Try better next time. Now, clear the ring."


    Gloria stated flatly.


    Kevin and Julius helped Sarah to her feet. She swayed slightly as she rejoined the group, her face flushed with exhaustion and embarrassment. Bryan caught the slight downturn in Julius''s mouth¡ªdisapproval, perhaps, or confidence that he could do better.


    "Blackwood."


    Gloria called out.


    "You''re next."


    Bryan stepped forward, taking his position in the center of the ring. While he could use a barrier, he was still working on augmenting his body with ether to increase his stats that the M.A.G.I.C. ring stated he lacked.


    "Ready."


    Bryan stated, his voice neutral.


    Unlike Sarah, who seemed to use all her ether at the beginning, he would gradually increase the flow through his ether pathways to augment his body. As the pressure tried to weigh him down, he would use more ether to counter it.


    Gloria''s eyes narrowed slightly. If she had anything to say about his lack of a barrier, she did not say it.


    As the gravity began to increase, Bryan felt like someone had their hand on his shoulder trying to push him down.


    The next wave of pressure felt like putting on weighted armor. Bryan''s enhanced muscles adjusted easily, either flowing through his pathways reinforcing his body. The increase was gradual, not nearly enough to break a sweat.


    ''She was breaking under this much weight? Tsk, these ranks have to be inflated. I barely feel a thing.''


    Thirty seconds in, the pressure more than doubled.


    He could feel the pressure trying to crush him. It was like holding two hundred pounds up after running a marathon.


    ''Okay, I can understand how someone could falter under this pressure if they were physically weak and their shield was unstable.¡¯


    Having your shield break under the force of a spell was like having the wind knocked out of your lungs. It left you momentarily weak and susceptible to attacks.


    ¡®It''s still not enough. I need more pressure if I want to see how much I can withstand. It''ll also give me a general baseline for what other students can withstand. I can adjust the power of my spells to match.''


    All he could think about was using this exercise for training and to better understand how much pressure the other kids could take before they collapsed. Bryan did not want to kill them with his spells, and he was worried that doing so would get him into trouble.


    If he wanted to do well on this test and give it his all, he would have used his magic barrier instead of augmenting his body.


    "Not bad, Blackwood."


    Gloria said.


    One minute passed. The pressure felt like he was in the palm of a hand being smushed between two hands that wanted to see him go splat. His knees might have buckled if he had not reinforced them along with his spine.


    He smirked. This was fun¡ªbetter than Alan¡¯s laps, at least.


    Although, his magic shielding was a lot better than his augmentation. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder how much that could withstand.


    He wanted to find out, but switching between augmentation to a barrier would be a terrible idea. The moment he stopped reinforcing his body, he''d fail this test. The time between dropping the reinforcement and conjuring a barrier was just too long.


    "Ninety seconds."


    Gloria announced.


    The pressure became crushing, like being at the bottom of an ocean trench. Although his body was more durable due to the ether flowing through it, his lungs had trouble expanding. Sweat dripped down his forehead for the first time as he maintained concentration.


    At one hundred and ten seconds, the pressure reached new heights. Bryan''s vision began to narrow, and his body fought against forces that wanted to flatten him into the ground. He tried to raise his toe in his black shoes to see if they still worked, but the force put a strain on them, and if he continued to try, he might pop a vessel.


    Under the crushing force, his legs started shaking, and he could feel himself slowing lower. Gritting his teeth, he held on.


    ¡®I will not fall.¡¯


    The ether in his pathways burned, his muscles screaming in protest. He could feel himself sinking, his body betraying him¡ªbut he refused to give in.


    "Two minutes."


    Gloria¡¯s voice cut through the haze.


    The pressure surged one final time. Despite his reinforcement, his legs buckled, and he dropped to one knee. The test ended immediately, and crushing gravity released its hold.


    Bryan stood, his face betraying nothing of the strain he''d just endured. His body ached, but he kept his expression as neutral as possible as he returned to his position.


    Gloria made a note on her academic card.


    "Good job, Blackwood; I expect nothing less from the rank one."


    Coming from her, it almost sounded like praise.


    Bryan used the opportunity to regulate his breathing and analyze his performance. Two minutes was respectable but far from what he expected by the end of the semester. Staying upright for five, maybe ten minutes, was a good goal to set.


    Kevin shifted nervously beside him, clearly unsettled by what he''d witnessed.


    ¡®Is he not confident in his abilities? Or shocked by the disparity between my and Sarah¡¯s scores?¡¯


    Whatever the case, it did not matter. Gloria called his name, and he was up.


    Kevin stepped into the ring with visible trepidation, his barrier materializing with a slight flicker. His barrier only had six hexagons to support it. Better than Sarah¡¯s, but not by much.


    The test began, and Kevin''s barrier held steady for the first forty seconds. Either his ether control was better than Sarah''s, or he had more to work with. Either way, he lasted longer than Bryan gave him credit for.


    "Fifty seconds."


    Gloria stated.


    Kevin''s face reddened with effort as he struggled to reinforce his failing barrier. At one minute, tiny cracks appeared along its surface, spreading like frost across glass. Ten seconds later, the barrier shattered completely, and Kevin dropped to his knees.


    "One minute, ten seconds. A decent start, Chen."


    Gloria announced, making another note on her academic card.


    ¡®Decent durability and ether control. The difference in force between thirty seconds and one minute was like the earth and sky. Better pay attention to his combat abilities later on to see if he¡¯s worth keeping an eye on as the camp progresses.¡¯


    Bryan could hear Sarah mumble something under her breath, but he had not caught her words.


    "Hayes."


    Gloria called.


    Alessia exhaled as she bawled her gloved hand into a fist before stepping forward. Once inside the ringed area, she raised her hand as a green barrier with twenty-four sections appeared.


    Unlike Sarah¡¯s or Kevin¡¯s, which had more edges than a smooth circle, Alessia¡¯s had an actual curve to the shield. Her control over her ether outstripped that of the other two students by a mile, and they were impressed.


    Sarah gasped when she saw it, and Kevin nodded his head once.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Gloria was not the least bit impressed, and if she was, she did not show it.


    The first minute passed with only minimal signs of strain. Her gloved fingers began to tremble slightly at ninety seconds, but her barrier remained intact.


    "Ninety seconds; keep it up, Hayes."


    Gloria said.


    She did not look like she was going down yet, as no cracks appeared on the surface of her barrier. Bryan took this moment to look around the gym and see how the other groups were doing.


    He spotted Sabrina, who was surrounded by a dark red shield with cracks running down it like shattered glass. Her entire body trembled, and not even a second later, she collapsed.


    Out of all his team members, she was the only one taking the test. As for the others, he figured they either went already or had yet to go.


    Turning his attention back to what was going on with Alessia, he noticed the first cracks starting to appear. She had her eyes closed and flexed her fingers as she kept up the barrier.


    Now that the cracks had emerged on her shield, it was apparent that she would collapse soon. The cracks, which were spreading, were like small amounts of damage piling up in the same spot. Enough of them, and even the mightiest warrior would fall.


    The barrier finally shattered at one minute fifty-five seconds, and Alessia dropped to her knees, her gloved hands pressed against the ground for support.


    "One minute, fifty-five seconds. A good start, Hayes; get back in position and keep up that effort for the next test."


    Gloria said before turning her attention to Julius.


    "Reinhart, you¡¯re up."


    Alessia rejoined the group, maintaining a distance from the others. She kept looking down at her gloves, clenching her hands and opening them again. Those gloves should have helped her control her power, but instead, she looked irritated.


    It was almost like the gloves were something she was not used to.


    Bryan saw her grimace as she hid her hands behind her back and looked up. His gaze caught her eye, and she seemed startled for a second before she turned away from him and looked at Julius, who just stepped into the center of the ring.


    ¡®What¡¯s up with her?¡¯


    So far, her performance has been good, better than the others, and she currently has the second-highest score. He knew her gloves suppressed her ether to make her control easier. They were a type of protection for herself, and he figured they were also for anyone else.


    However, her current control seemed fine.


    ¡®But, she¡¯s ranked nineteen for a reason, and the Inquisition has some reason to make sure she graduates.¡¯


    He considered what he knew about her from their short conversation and what he saw, but nothing has come to mind yet.


    Bryan wondered if the Inquisition had enough influence to take members of the Hayes family and use them as weapons. Alessia Hayes''s magical element was erosion, a rare and powerful element capable of large-scale destruction.


    Would a mage that powerful be left unchecked? Nope.


    Would an organization or family want to give up a mage that powerful? Also no.


    There were a ton of questions he could think of, but he needed to obtain more information. As for how he would help her graduate, he still needed to find out how that would work.


    Julius was already in the center of the ring with his barrier formed. It was red, with a tint similar to Gloria¡¯s, but lacked the numerous sections she had. His barrier was stronger than Alessia¡¯s, given that he had four more sections to his than she had.


    For the first minute of the exercise, he seemed pretty calm. Light ripples occasionally spread across his barrier, but he did not seem affected by the pressure in the least.


    When the pressure hit him at ninety seconds, his facial expression changed. He no longer looked like he was bored taking a walk through the park.


    ¡®Did he think the force would not be that much for him? Surely, that wouldn¡¯t have been the case if he had seen how much Alessia struggled around that time. Unless he thinks he¡¯s a lot better than her.¡¯


    Bryan thought to himself as he observed Julius¡¯ performance.


    ¡°Two minutes! Don¡¯t fold under the pressure. Hold it and keep going.¡±


    Gloria told him.


    Julius¡¯ barrier was holding until it cracked so fast that fractures spread all around it before it completely shattered. He dropped with both knees on the ground and seemed to barely support himself as he was breathing heavily.


    "Two minutes, five seconds. You could have held on for five more seconds."


    Gloria stated, her tone unchanged despite Julius''s superior performance.


    Bryan knew that tone all too well. Although her tone might not have changed, he could feel the disappointment.


    Sarah received barely any acknowledgment from Gloria, while Kevin, Alessia, and he received something that could resemble praise. Julius, however, was told he could have done better.


    Bryan couldn¡¯t help but smirk thinking about that and realized he was not the only one people had ¡®higher¡¯ standards for.


    The others seemed to realize something similar to him as they looked away slightly from his fallen figure.


    As Julius returned to his position, he flashed a smile at Bryan.


    ¡®Get a load of this guy. Smiling after disappointing a member of his family. My score was what, two minutes? So he¡¯s happy he did better than me, the rank one?¡¯


    "Your current performances are below standard."


    Gloria announced, addressing the group.


    "By semester''s end, those in support roles should maintain standing for three minutes minimum. Specialists and fighters¡ª"


    Her eyes swept them over from Sarah to Julius.


    "¡ªfive minutes is your baseline target."


    Five minutes.


    She wanted them to be able to withstand that pressure for more than double the time any of them managed¡ªall by the end of the semester, which meant five months after the school term officially started.


    Bryan should have been worried, concerned even. Instead, he was looking forward to it.


    ¡°Collect yourself, Reinhart; the speed test will start after the demonstration.¡±


    Gloria said as she shot a look at Julius.


    ¡°What you¡¯ve just experienced was the endurance test you¡¯ll be subjected to throughout the school year to monitor your progress. The next test is speed.¡±


    She paused as she looked them over.


    ¡°Magic is a powerful tool, but overreliance can be fatal. There will be situations where you cannot¡ªor should not¡ªuse your magical abilities."


    The testing area transformed around them, holographic obstacles materializing to create a complex course. Walls of varying heights, tight corners, and uneven terrain filled the space. A shimmering fence enclosed the area, marking clear boundaries.


    "Your target."


    Gloria continued a holographic imp appearing beside her.


    "Is one of the fastest sub-races of goblins. Native to Al-Thar, these creatures can outpace most humans."


    The imp flickered, its form stabilizing into a small, grey-skinned figure with purple eyes. Its tail flicked side to side as the imp tilted its head.


    "You have three minutes to tag as many as possible. Each successful tag spawns a faster imp."


    Bryan studied the hologram; he¡¯d never seen an imp in person, but he had seen it in images. They were ugly little things but a lot better looking than an actual goblin with razor-sharp teeth, long droopy ears, and short stature that made them the same size as a five-year-old boy.


    "No spells or body augmentation allowed."


    Gloria stated firmly.


    "Pure physical ability only. This tests your base speed and agility without magical enhancement. In real combat, you may find yourself magically drained or in areas where magic use would be catastrophic."


    Gloria explained as she stepped into the area surrounded by the fence. A moment later, an imp appeared on top of a pillar and jumped down to the next one. It was not extremely fast, and when she reached it and touched it with the tip of her finger, it vanished. A new one spawned on the other side of the area and started running along the fence.


    Gloria reached it and touched it with her foot.


    ¡°How you tag it does not matter, as long as you do. And no, you can¡¯t throw your uniform at it.¡±


    She touched a few more holographic imps, some spawning beside her and others far away. Reacting to each one, she stopped the demonstration after twenty seconds.


    ¡°Reinhart, you¡¯re up.¡±


    Julius seemed to have recovered enough of his energy. He walked into the fenced area and gazed back at Gloria. No imps spawned as of yet.


    ¡°Begin.¡±


    As soon as she said that, an imp appeared two feet before Julius. He kicked it, and another one spawned three feet above him on a pillar.


    There did not seem to be a set path for the imps'' movement. Sure, they ran away from the person chasing them, but they were not thinking of what direction they were taking. If they were, their thought process went beyond what Bryan pictured as the optimal paths.


    Each new imp Julius tagged came with a new one that was a bit faster. The gradual increase in speed was not much, but so was the gravity test¡ªuntil specific benchmarks were reached and the difficulty increased significantly.


    Bryan tracked Julius''s performance, watching how quickly he reacted to each imp that materialized. How fast he found it and caught it. How soon he arrived at one part of the course to the other.


    He was pushing himself hard; his uniform was damped with sweat, and his pace started to falter.


    "Thirty tags."


    Gloria announced at the halfway mark.


    The next imp that spawned was remarkably faster than the previous one. Going twice the speed of the prior one and seemed to think about its own path, unlike before.


    Julius got used to the paths he could predict the imps would take, but he was caught off guard when the new one suddenly shifted from going straight to ducking under a log and sliding away.


    Bryan made a mental note of the change in imp behavior for his own run.


    "Time."


    Gloria called at three minutes as the imp Julius was trying to catch suddenly disappeared in thin air.


    "Forty-three tags."


    Julius rejoined the group, his chest heaving. Bryan noted that he started well, but his performance declined in the latter half. Bryan attributed this to not having enough recovery time between the endurance test and the current one. Not to mention, the sudden increase in the imps'' abilities took him by surprise.


    That would not have happened if he knew what to expect, but it was better that it was him than Bryan.


    Alessia was up next, and after her first performance, Bryan thought she would do well on this test. He was wrong. Her speed was poor, and her stamina was worse. She merely tagged nineteen imps before the last one ran circles around her, and time ran out.


    She received no words from Gloria and took her spot in line with the others with her head down.


    Kevin had a better showing but still lacked the numbers Julius showcased. He managed to tag twenty-three imps.


    Bryan could tell he gave it his all from the sweat dripping off his chin.


    ¡®Did they not do physical conditioning?¡¯


    Bryan furrowed his brow slightly at the lack of performance from each of them. He could see why, since they were mages with spells to use they thought they wouldn¡¯t need the phsycical excerise. That idea may have even been planted in their head by their parents or lesser-skilled mages.


    Whatever the case may be, they would have a lot of running in the future.


    ¡°Blackwood, you¡¯re up.¡±


    Bryan moved the instant the first imp appeared. The first twenty tags came rapidly as he breezed by the scores Alessia and Kevin managed.


    "Thirty tags."


    Gloria announced, and he already knew what that meant from Julius¡¯ run.


    He kept his speed to a minimum before this, making sure not to tire himself out. He¡¯d gotten lucky a few times as an imp spawned within reaching distance after he managed to tag one.


    He managed a burst of speed and quickly tagged the next few that spawned. With each new imp, he found himself working to reach them. He kept a steady breath but felt his mouth going dry.


    "Forty tags."


    Their speed increased once more, and keeping up the constant pace of a full sprint was starting to take a toll. With Alan¡¯s ¡®punishment¡¯ of running laps, he had to keep a steady pace without rushing.


    If he slowed down even slightly, the imp would blow right past him. Now that he was more than forty tags in, he noticed that there seemed to be a pattern. He wasn¡¯t paying attention to it because of the slow speed they were spawning and running, but now that he was doing it himself, he could tell they didn¡¯t appear randomly.


    They appeared within a specific area, and there were eight spawning locations: above on a platform, below, to the left, or to the right of the area.


    "Fifty tags."


    His muscles burned, but Bryan maintained his pace.


    ¡®Come on, just need a few more.¡¯


    He pushed himself harder as he chased an imp. He noticed it was headed for a hole that split into two different paths, left and right.


    It was a fifty-fifty chance he¡¯d get it right trying to predict the path and intercept. Either he predicted and got it right or somehow gained speed to catch the imp, which was impossible in his current state.


    The area was actually good for his score. The next imp would appear somewhere over here, and if he reacted fast enough, he could tag it.


    ¡®Wait¡­ how much time do I have left?¡¯


    He was so caught up in his thoughts and the exercise that he forgot to track the time he spent on the test.


    Bryan noticed the imp drifting left toward the hole. He stayed on it, but it was going to be a feint. The imp tricked him into following it in this direction before it changed gears and dived to the right. It would slow slightly when that happened, allowing him to catch up and tag it.


    He was ready for it, and just like that, he tagged it. The next imp that materialized emerged right before him, one foot away. It looked, seemed to blink before it realized he was already upon it.


    ¡°Time, fifty-two tags. Well done, Blackwood.¡±


    Gloria said, and she gave him a nod as he moved past her to return to his position. He was tired, a lot more than he figured he would be.


    Alessia gazed at him, and when she noticed him looking back, she shifted her focus to looking at Gloria.


    Julius didn¡¯t look away, however, and just stared at Bryan. He was not smiling like before, and Bryan was not sure what to make of him. He was not frowning, showing dismay, or showing any emotion. He was looking at him. Just looking.


    Sarah was the last one to go, and she barely did better than Alessia. She managed twenty tags before time ran out.


    ¡°By semester''s end, a minimum of fifty tags is expected for each of your roles. If by the time your role has changed between then, your expected numbers can increase or decrease."


    Gloria stated as she stood in front of their group.


    ¡°Blackwood here exceeded expectations, but don¡¯t get complacent. A better score will be expected of you.¡±


    She said as she looked at him.


    ¡°For those of you who scored below fifty, work hard to improve. Here is a piece of advice for those of you who think this is stupid. When your magic fails, your physical abilities are all that stand between you and death.¡±


    Gloria turned her head, and Bryan followed her where she was looking. The other instructors and their groups had already moved on to combat.


    It seemed that they were the last ones to finish the speed test.


    ¡°Your next test is combat. As before, I¡¯ll give you a demonstration, and Sarah will start us off.¡±


    Sarah let out a groan.

 Chapter 36 – Excellence Camp XVI

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Gloria stepped into the testing area as a holographic figure materialized before her.


    "Combat assessment tests your ability to identify and eliminate threats quickly and efficiently."


    She struck the red marker on the hologram''s chest, causing it to dissolve. Another appeared this one with the marker on its back.


    "Each target has a designated weak point marked in red."


    She sidestepped a burst of fire from the new hologram, circling behind it to strike the marker.


    "The marker''s placement is random¡ªfront, back, or top of the head. These holograms are indestructible except at the marked point."


    Two more holograms spawned, one humanoid and one resembling a wolf. Both launched attacks¡ªthe humanoid casting a water spell while the wolf lunged. Gloria weaved between them, touching the marker on the wolf''s head before spinning to catch the humanoid''s marker on its shoulder.


    "They use both physical and magical attacks. The spells are basic, but¡ª"


    She paused as a lightning bolt struck her arm.


    "¡ªthe pain is real."


    Four targets appeared now, a mix of creatures and humanoids. Gloria dispatched them quickly, each dissolving as she found its marker.


    "The more targets you eliminate, the more will appear. Your goal is to neutralize as many as possible within three minutes."


    She finished the demonstration by catching the final hologram''s marker at the base of its neck.


    "Questions?"


    Alessia raised her hand, trembling visibly. Bryan glanced at her, noting how the tremors seemed to worsen as she held her arm up.


    "Yes, Hayes?"


    Gloria said.


    "Could I... skip this test?"


    "Why would you want that?"


    Alessia''s fingers curled inward.


    "These gloves were made to suppress my power. Using magic might have the opposite effect."


    "How much are they suppressing?"


    "Eighty percent."


    Gloria crossed her arms.


    "And you think using your magic for three minutes will somehow cause the gloves to malfunction?"


    Alessia fell silent, her gaze dropping to the floor.


    "If that''s your concern, simply remove the gloves and take the test."


    "That''s not¡ª"


    Alessia''s head snapped up.


    "The others would be in danger."


    "I doubt anything you could put out would be harmful to me."


    Gloria raised her hand, and a barrier materialized around Alessia, separating her from the group.


    "Remove one glove. Let''s see if your magic is stronger than my barrier."


    Alessia stared at her gloved hands, her breathing quickening. The other students watched intently, especially Bryan, who noted how her anxiety seemed to spike at Gloria''s challenge.


    "I..."


    Alessia swallowed hard.


    "I really shouldn''t."


    "Hayes."


    Gloria''s tone shifted slightly.


    "Your file indicates excellent control before the gloves. What changed?"


    Alessia''s fingers brushed against the edge of her right glove.


    "There was an... incident. Things decay faster now. More aggressively."


    "Show me."


    With trembling fingers, Alessia slowly pulled off her right glove. The air around her seemed to waver the moment it came free, like heat rising from hot pavement. A small patch of floor near her feet began to darken and crack.


    Gloria''s barrier flickered briefly where the erosion magic touched it, but held firm. "Control it. Direct it at the barrier¡ªone spot only."


    Alessia closed her eyes, concentrating. The random decay stopped, focusing on a single point on Gloria''s barrier. The spot where her magic hit began to discolor but spread no further.


    "Better than you thought, isn''t it?"


    Gloria said.


    "Put your glove back on. You''ll take the combat test with the others."


    The erosion magic ceased the instant Alessia slipped her glove back on. She nodded once, though Bryan noticed her hands were still shaking.


    "Anyone else?"


    Gloria asked, dispersing the barrier.


    Bryan raised his hand.


    Gloria sighed.


    "What is it, Blackwood?"


    "Do the targets simply grow in number while their strength remains the same, or do they grow stronger as their numbers increase?"


    Gloria nodded.


    "Good question. Like every test so far, there will be a spike in difficulty when a certain number is passed. As for how much..."


    A slight pause.


    "I''ll leave that for you to figure out."


    ¡°Evans, you¡¯re up.¡±


    Sarah stepped into the testing area, her water magic forming around her hands. A single humanoid target materialized. Its red marker was clearly visible on its chest.


    She launched a water crescent, striking the marker directly. The hologram dissolved, and two more appeared¡ªone behind her, one to her left. Sarah spun, barely avoiding a fire spell from the rear target. She created another water blade, which went wide, missing the marker on the target''s shoulder.


    ''Her aim is poor under pressure, and she''s not watching her surroundings.''


    Bryan observed.


    The left target closed in while she was distracted, its marker glowing on its back. Sarah backed away, throwing another water crescent at the rear target. This time, she hit the marker, but the effort left her open. The remaining hologram''s punch caught her in the side.


    Sarah stumbled, gasping. With one target still active, two more spawned¡ªa wolf and a humanoid. She managed to tag the remaining original target''s marker, but her next spell fizzled as she tried to cast too quickly at the new arrivals.


    ''Already running low on ether. Three targets in, and she''s struggling to maintain spell strength.''


    Bryan thought to himself.


    The wolf lunged. Sarah dropped and rolled, more by accident than skill, and found herself facing its marker. A hasty water blade dissolved it, but the humanoid target''s lightning spell struck her back. She cried out, her next spell dispersing harmlessly.


    When another target appeared, joining the one still active, Sarah''s shoulders slumped. Her next water crescent was barely more than a splash, missing both targets. The timer buzzed before she could eliminate either one.


    "Four targets. Reflect on your performance and think of how you could have done better."


    Gloria announced as Sarah rejoined the group, breathing heavily.


    Bryan noted how she favored her right side where she''d taken the hit.


    ''Poor stamina, inadequate situational awareness, and no backup strategy when her magic started failing.''If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    There would be a few ways to deal with her in a fight. Her water crescent might be a problem for the others in his team to deal with, but she couldn¡¯t use it that much.


    If they were paired up for the team battle tomorrow, he would know how to take her out, especially when she could barely protect herself using her barrier.


    ¡°Blackwood, you¡¯re up. Let¡¯s see a better showing than how Evans performed.¡±


    Gloria said.


    Bryan stepped forward, drawing a small knife from his belt. The others watched as he made a shallow cut across his palm. The blood rose from the wound, forming crimson crescents surrounding him.


    Five of them were enough for what he wanted to accomplish.


    A humanoid target appeared with a marker centered on its chest. Bryan''s blood blade struck, instantly dissolving the hologram. Two more materialized: a wolf with a marker on its head and a humanoid with one on its back.


    The humanoid launched a fire spell. Bryan raised a barrier, the flames dispersing harmlessly. His blood crescent caught the wolf''s marker as it tried to circle behind him.


    He heard Sarah gasp as he redirected his blood to catch the humanoid''s back marker. Kevin muttered something under his breath, taking a small step backward.


    Three targets spawned. Bryan maintained his steady pace, neither rushing nor showing off. A lightning spell from one target forced another barrier, but his counter-strike eliminated two markers in quick succession.


    ''There''s the pattern¡ªthey coordinate attacks when outnumbering you three to one.''


    Alessia watched intently, her gloved hands clasped tightly. Julius'' eyes tracked every movement of Bryan''s blood magic.


    The difficulty spiked at ten eliminations. Five targets appeared simultaneously, their attacks more synchronized. They were faster and stronger than the previous holograms, and he found himself using a bit more ether in his spell. Bryan''s barrier blocked a combined fire and lightning assault while his blood crescents picked off markers with mechanical precision.


    "Time. Impressive skills Blackwood, you¡¯ve set the bar, let¡¯s see if the others can keep up. Fifteen targets eliminated."


    Gloria said.


    He did not realize how much time had passed, but three minutes was short. He expected to eliminate one every couple of seconds and, when the time was up, have a score well into the thirties.


    ¡®Tsk. This ones a fail, I should have used eight blades instead and stopped trying to find a pattern. Wasted too much time trying to figure out when the difficulty would spike and if anything would change. Won¡¯t happen again.¡¯


    Bryan rejoined the group, noting how Sarah and Kevin subtly adjusted their positions to maintain distance. Julius held his ground, meeting Bryan''s eyes with what might have been a challenge. A smirk crossed the boy''s face.


    ¡®Does he think we¡¯re rivals or something?¡¯


    Bryan thought, watching his palm heal.


    "Chen, let''s see what you¡¯re made of."


    Gloria called.


    Kevin stepped into the testing area, and a blue barrier formed.


    Bryan wondered what his game plan was, using a barrier right off the bat. It was a waste of ether, and it would only block spells, not physical attacks.


    The first target appeared, with a marker visible on its shoulder. He took his stance and launched a lightning strike that connected with the marker. The hologram dissolved, and two more spawned.


    Kevin created a static field between himself and the targets, forcing them to move around the electrified zone. The strategy worked¡ªone target stepped into his field, slowing enough for him to land a clean lightning strike on its marker. The remaining target''s water spell splashed against his barrier, cracking one section.


    Three new targets appeared. Kevin maintained his static field, using it to funnel the targets'' movements. Another lightning strike eliminated one, but Bryan noticed the spell''s intensity had already decreased.


    ''Three strikes in, and his power''s dropping. He might have had more if he hadn¡¯t insisted on keeping the barrier going. His strike seems to pack a decent punch, but the static field might become a problem to get around.''


    Bryan started analyzing Kevin¡¯s performance in case they fought tomorrow during the team match. He wished he could see what the other students in the other groups were doing and how they handled combat. If he took his eyes off Kevin or any of the others, he might miss something important.


    A weakness, a spell, something that might help.


    Although, he could be putting in a lot of effort for nothing. It never hurt to have data to go on for the future.


    The difficulty spike at ten targets proved challenging. Kevin''s barrier shattered under a combined assault, and his next lightning strike barely had enough power to trigger the marker. His static field flickered and died as his ether reserves depleted.


    "Ten targets. Good try, Chen."


    Gloria said as Kevin rejoined the group, his uniform damp with sweat.


    Bryan noticed Kevin glancing his way. He shook his head twice and clicked his tongue as he took his spot in line.


    Did everyone here see Bryan as a rival? What did he do to them?


    Whatever, the next person up was Alessia, and he would pay extra attention to her. She was his mission priority, after all.


    "Hayes, your turn."


    Gloria called.


    Alessia went forward and as she did a red barrier enclosed the entire testing area. Separating Alessia from the rest of the group.


    There were numerous sections to it. Bryan would get lost if he tried to count them all. There were probably well over five hundred sections to her barrier.


    Alessia hesitated before removing her right glove. Immediately, green and black smoke rose from her bare hand, wisping into the air like toxic fumes.


    The first target materialized, a marker gleaming on its chest. Alessia lunged forward, her bare hand brushing the hologram¡ªgreen cracks spread from her touch, darkening to black before the target dissolved.


    ''Well, that¡¯s interesting. It didn¡¯t even make a direct hit, and the hologram still decayed instantly. Thought these things were supposed to be indestructible?''


    Bryan thought.


    Two more targets appeared. Alessia touched one''s arm, missing the marker, but green fractures still spread across its surface. The second target''s fire spell forced her to dodge, but her bare hand grazed the floor as she moved. The impact point immediately began deteriorating, spreading outward in a web of decay.


    Three targets spawned. Alessia moved faster now, seemingly more confident, but the decay spread with each movement. Her touch quickly dissolved two targets, but the floor beneath her feet was turning black, crumbling away in patches.


    ¡®Her power is growing. Even the areas she is touching with her feet are being affected. She can¡¯t control it, and although she¡¯s being contained inside the barrier, it can only take so much. That¡¯s some firepower, more than enough to kill a person.¡¯


    A thin crack appeared in Gloria''s barrier where some of the decay energy had splashed against it. Four more targets materialized, and Alessia''s power flared. The green and black smoke from her hand intensified, curling around her arm like a serpent.


    She eliminated three more targets before the difficulty spike hit. Five appeared simultaneously, and their coordinated attacks forced her to move more erratically. Each dodge left trails of decay, the testing area becoming a maze of deteriorating surfaces.


    The timer sounded after she claimed one final target. The floor around her resembled a crumbling ruin. Some areas completely disintegrated, while others bore spreading fractures of green and black.


    "Twelve targets eliminated, not bad, Hayes. I¡¯d recommend you put that glove back on and go see the nurse. Stay off to the side for now in case your power flares up."


    Gloria announced, maintaining the barrier as Alessia quickly pulled her glove back on.


    Alessia stepped to the side, far away from the others, and tightened her hands. The gloves contained her power, but that was like trying to keep a wild predator in a cage. You could only hold it back for so long.


    Without proper guidance it would not be long before an accident took place.


    Bryan would not be surprised if she killed someone before this camp was over.


    "Reinhart, your turn."


    Gloria called.


    Julius stepped into the testing area. The first target appeared, and Julius launched a fire burst¡ªthree precise bolts from his fingertips that struck the marker dead center¡ªthe hologram dissolved in a flash of light.


    Two targets materialized, one to each side. Julius maintained his distance, shifting his position slightly to keep both in his field of view. Another series of fire bursts eliminated the targets in rapid succession, each bolt finding its mark.


    ''Keeps about forty to fifty feet between himself and the targets. Must be his effective range.''


    Three targets appeared in a triangular formation. Julius''s fire bursts picked off the first two, but Bryan caught the brief pause before he could attack the third¡ªa consistent gap in his offense. The remaining target launched a water spell, which Julius sidestepped without breaking his stance.


    Two more targets spawned while the third still lived. Julius eliminated them methodically, and his rhythm of attack-pause-attack became more apparent. Each burst consisted of three precisely aimed bolts, no more, no less.


    The difficulty spiked at ten targets. Five holograms materialized simultaneously, their attacks more coordinated. A combined assault of lightning and ice finally forced Julius to move from his position. His barrier absorbed the attack''s brunt while establishing a new firing line.


    Julius seemed to have the most experience out of all those in this group.


    Julius adjusted his strategy, reducing his burst count from three bolts to two. The smaller volleys allowed him to target more opponents before pausing, though each attack was equally precise.


    ''Reduces output instead of power when pressured. Prioritizes accuracy over overwhelming force.''


    The next wave brought four targets, followed quickly by three more as he eliminated the first group. Julius''s expression remained neutral, almost bored, as he systematically picked off markers. His movements were minimal to maintain his preferred fighting distance.


    A final wave of three targets appeared just before the timer.


    "Eighteen targets, not bad, Reinhart."


    Gloria announced.


    Bryan watched Julius return to the group, noting that his breathing remained steady and that he showed little sign of exertion. His strategy had been clear: maintain distance and use minimal power.


    Bryan felt like he had another spell up his sleeve, but not everyone wanted to show all their hands at the start. Julius showed him enough, as the pause between attacks could be exploited, and as long as one stayed out of his firing range, then he wouldn¡¯t be much of a problem.


    ''A Reinhart indeed,'' Bryan thought. ''But that pause between attacks... that''s something to remember.''


    Gloria turned to face the group.


    "Today was merely to establish your baseline, so we better understand your strengths and weaknesses. This means nothing to all of you; we¡¯ll just have to cater our training regime to fit the average student better. For those who are better than average, we also have something in store for you. You should eliminate at least twenty-five targets each by the semester''s end. Some of you should aim higher."


    Her gaze swept across Julius and Bryan as she said the last sentence.


    She pulled out her academic card and looked it over.


    "You''ll each receive a detailed report on your performance, including areas for improvement and recommended training regimens. Study them carefully. Tomorrow morning, team combat matches begin. Get some rest¡ªyou''ll need your full strength."


    She paused, her expression hardening slightly.


    "We''ll conduct another assessment to measure your progress in two weeks. I expect significant improvement."


    The silence stretched as Gloria''s words sank in. Twenty targets seemed a distant goal for some.


    "Questions?"


    When no one spoke, she nodded sharply.


    "Dismissed."


    The students began to leave the training area. As Bryan headed for the exit, Alexander rushed to catch up.


    "Hey, hold up!"


    Bryan paused, turning slightly.


    "Need something?"


    "No, I just..."


    Alexander shifted his weight.


    "Wanted to know how you thought you did on the test."


    Bryan''s glare made Alexander take a small step back.


    "The better question is how you did on the test?"


    "Ah..."


    Alexander rubbed the back of his head.


    "Not too good, honestly. Feel like I could''ve done better."


    "Then do better."


    Bryan told him feeling that this was a waste of time.


    Christopher appeared beside them, hands in his pockets.


    "You guys heading to get some food?"


    "Yeah, I could eat."


    Alexander nodded.


    "I''ll pass."


    Bryan said, turning to leave.


    "Why are you so unfriendly?"


    Christopher called after him.


    "Team match is tomorrow. Least you could do is have a meal with us."


    Bryan stopped.


    "And what would that accomplish?"


    "It''s fine."


    Alexander interjected, waving a hand.


    "No need to join us if you don''t want to."


    Bryan continued walking, leaving his teammates to watch him retreat.


    "Geez, it''s like someone shoved their foot up his ass."


    Christopher muttered, watching Bryan''s retreating form.


    "Come on."


    Alexander said.


    "He just doesn''t seem like the type to talk much."


    "Yeah, or play nice."


    Christopher crossed his arms.


    "Bet he thinks he''s better than everyone here."


    "Yeah."


    Alexander nodded slowly.


    "That might be true."


    He glanced around the corridor.


    "We should invite Farrah and Sabrina too. Have you seen them?"

 Chapter 37 – Excellence Camp XVII

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    REINHART INSTITUTE OF WAR


    Student Performance Evaluation


    Instructor: Gloria Reinhart


    Student: Bryan Blackwood


    Rank: 1


    Team: 3


    Position: Specialist


    Overall Rating: A-


    General Assessment: "I hate giving credit where it¡¯s due, but I¡¯d be lying if I said you weren¡¯t one of the best in this camp. Your combat ability is well beyond what most cadets at this stage should be capable of. You think ahead, act with precision, and keep your emotions in check. It¡¯s clear you¡¯ve been trained before coming here, and unlike most of these brats, you actually know how to fight."


    "That being said, raw talent and training aren¡¯t everything. You¡¯ve got gaps¡ªones that will hold you back if you don¡¯t fix them. So listen up."


    Strengths


    Tactical Awareness: "You read the battlefield better than most, predicting movements and controlling engagements. I can tell you don¡¯t just react¡ªyou anticipate. That¡¯s rare in a first-year cadet."


    Combat Efficiency: "You don¡¯t waste movement, energy, or attacks. Your strikes are clean, controlled, and deliberate. I suspect this is because of your prior training, but either way, it sets you apart."


    Emotional Discipline: "You don¡¯t rattle. Pressure doesn¡¯t shake you, and I haven¡¯t seen you panic once. That level of control is good¡ªit¡¯ll keep you alive. But it also makes you predictable. We¡¯ll get to that."


    Adaptability: "You adjust fast. I threw unexpected variables at you during the test, and you didn¡¯t hesitate. That¡¯s a good trait in a soldier¡­ or an operative."


    Independent Execution: "You don¡¯t need your hand held. You see a problem, you solve it. Simple as that. The issue? You¡¯re solving it alone. And that¡¯s going to bite you eventually."


    Weaknesses & Areas for Improvement


    Reluctance to Lead or Communicate with a Team: "You seem to think you can do everything alone. You¡¯re not wrong¡ªmost of the time, you probably can. But if you refuse to engage with your squad beyond surface-level coordination, you¡¯ll always be limited. Even the strongest soldiers have a unit they trust. You don¡¯t trust anyone, and that¡¯s a liability."


    "If you die in the field, it won¡¯t be because you weren¡¯t strong enough. It¡¯ll be because you were too damn stubborn to rely on someone else."


    Predictability in Controlled Situations: "You are composed and tactical, but that also makes you patterned. I can read you. Others will too. Your combat style is efficient, yes, but it lacks creativity. You need to learn how to break your own rhythm. Make them guess what you''re going to do, not assume it."


    "Being calm is good. But when someone expects you to be calm, it¡¯s a weakness."


    Underutilization of Power/Strength Restraint: "I can tell you¡¯re holding back. Maybe it¡¯s out of habit, maybe it¡¯s to avoid drawing attention¡ªbut if you keep restricting yourself, you¡¯ll never know your real limits. If you think there¡¯s a situation where full power is necessary, you damn well better use it. Otherwise, you¡¯re just dead weight pretending to be dangerous."


    Lack of Tactical Deception: "I¡¯ve seen you analyze people, but I haven¡¯t seen you manipulate them. Strategy isn¡¯t just about moving pieces¡ªit¡¯s about controlling them. If you want to win in real battle, you need to start making people react to you, not just responding to them."


    Final Notes & Next Steps


    "You¡¯re good. No question about it. But you¡¯ve got an individualist mindset that¡¯ll get you isolated, and that¡¯s a good way to die. You need to start using the resources around you¡ªincluding people¡ªto accomplish more than just personal success."


    "You want to be better? Learn how to use your team as an extension of yourself. Learn how to create doubt in your enemy¡¯s mind. And most importantly¡ªwhen it¡¯s time to hit something, hit it like you mean it."


    "You¡¯ve got potential, Blackwood. Don¡¯t waste it being a lone wolf in a pack of wolves."


    - Commander Gloria Reinhart


    Bryan sat cross-legged on his bed. Gloria''s performance review had been sent to his academic card two hours after the tests ended. He''d read it three times already, and his eyes narrowed at specific phrases.


    ¡®She''s more perceptive than I expected.¡¯


    There were a couple of things that stuck out to him. One, this review seemed to be more than just her insight. Alan had a part to play in it as well, no way was she able to know he was not a team player when they only met today.


    Two, she said she put in a variable for him. What variable was she talking about?


    He thought as he tapped the line about being "a good trait in a soldier... or an operative." The deliberate pause in her review wasn''t subtle. She suspected something about his background, though likely not the full truth.


    His finger traced down to the section about predictability. That observation bothered him more than he cared to admit. Being predictable meant being vulnerable, and vulnerability wasn''t acceptable. But she had a point ¨C his controlled approach had patterns. Patterns could be exploited.


    The comment about holding back drew a faint frown. Of course, he was restraining himself. Using his full abilities would draw unwanted attention and possibly compromise his mission. Yet her words nagged at him: "Just dead weight pretending to be dangerous."


    ¡®I''m not pretending.¡¯


    He thought, but the defense felt hollow even in his own mind.


    His gaze lingered on the team-related criticisms. Gloria''s assessment aligned uncomfortably with Violet''s warnings about isolation.


    "Even the strongest soldiers have a unit they trust."


    Trust. It was such a simple word, yet it carried complications he couldn''t afford. Trust meant vulnerability. Vulnerability meant risk. Risk meant¡ª


    A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Bryan''s jaw tightened. He''d specifically chosen this time for review because most students would be at lunch or training. The knock came again, more insistent.


    If that''s Alexander trying to organize another team dinner...


    He gathered the notes he had made on the other students in his group and put them away as the third knock echoed through the room. Whoever it was, they were persistent. Annoying.


    "Bryan?"


    A female voice called through the door.


    "I know you''re in there. We need to talk about the assessment."


    Sabrina. Of course, it would be her ¨C the one teammate stubborn enough to seek him out directly.


    The fourth knock never came. Instead, Sabrina''s voice carried through the door again, lower this time.


    "You can''t hide in there forever, you know."


    "Go away."


    Bryan cut her off, his voice carrying just enough edge to make his displeasure clear.


    A pause. Then: "No."


    Bryan closed his eyes, exhaling slowly. In his mind, Gloria''s words seemed to mock him: "Too damn stubborn to rely on someone else."


    The irony wasn''t lost on him.


    Bryan stared at the door, wondering if silence would eventually drive her away. The soft thud of another knock answered that question.


    "If you think being stubborn will work, I''ve got all day."


    Sabrina called through the door.


    "And unlike you, I actually ate lunch."


    He could hear the amusement in her voice, which only irritated him more. Setting aside Gloria''s assessment, he moved to the door but didn''t open it.


    "How did you even get into this building?"


    He asked.


    ¡®Didn¡¯t Rebecca say no one could get in?''


    "We trained together this morning, remember? Rebecca logged me as a teammate."


    There was a pause.


    Look, the cafeteria''s still serving for another hour. Everyone''s waiting."


    "Training was necessary. Lunch isn''t."


    "Is it, though?"


    Sabrina''s tone shifted, becoming more thoughtful.


    "You can learn just as much listening to people talk as you can watching them fight. Maybe more."


    Bryan''s jaw tightened. The comment was too close to Gloria''s assessment for comfort. "You need to start using the resources around you¡ªincluding people."


    "Not interested."


    "Really? Because I heard Christopher talking about his family''s military history. Lots of interesting stories about tactics and combat experiences." Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    Another pause.


    "But I guess that''s not relevant to someone who already knows everything."


    Bryan''s eyes narrowed. She was manipulating him, rather obviously at that. The frustrating part was that it was working ¨C mentioning military tactics had caught his attention.


    He could learn something about Christopher and add something to his list of tactics. He was, after all, too predictable.


    "They''re probably exaggerated stories."


    He told her.


    "Probably."


    Sabrina agreed easily.


    "But exaggerated stories still have truth in them. Besides, Alexander''s been asking about everyone''s magic attributes and performance. Might be useful to hear what people are willing to share."


    Bryan pressed his fingers against his temple. She wasn''t going to leave, and her points, while annoying, weren''t entirely wrong. Information was valuable, and people tended to reveal more in casual settings than formal ones.


    "If I agree to this, will you stop bothering me?"


    "For today? Sure."


    He could hear the smile in her voice.


    "Tomorrow''s a new day, though."


    With a resigned sigh, Bryan opened the door. Sabrina stood there, looking far too pleased with herself.


    "This is a waste of time."


    He muttered, stepping into the hallway.


    "Probably."


    She agreed again, falling into step beside him.


    "But sometimes the best intel comes from wasted time."


    Bryan shot her a sharp look, but she was already walking ahead, humming to herself. He followed, keeping a good distance between them.


    **********


    The cafeteria buzzed with conversation as Bryan followed Sabrina to their team''s table. Alexander''s face lit up at their approach, while Christopher merely raised an eyebrow. Farrah, seated between them, offered a polite nod.


    Bryan chose the seat with the best view of the room, positioning himself slightly apart from the others. His tray remained untouched as he listened to their animated discussion about the morning''s assessment.


    "I only managed six targets in the combat section."


    Alexander admitted, absently stirring his soup.


    "My bubbles kept breaking before they could trap anything."


    "Still better than me."


    Christopher sighed.


    "Five targets and my rock projectiles barely scratched the last two. Should''ve focused more on defense when my attacks started weakening."


    ¡®Six and Five? What were they doing?¡¯


    Bryan gazed at both of them for a second before he cut into his steak. While Christopher¡¯s stamina was lacking, he should have performed better than Alexander by a mile.


    It left Bryan wondering if they were still feeling the effect from the morning¡¯s team practice.


    "What about you, Farrah?"


    Sabrina asked, cutting into her meal.


    "I think I did well enough. Lasted almost two minutes during the first test, barely missed it too. Off by two seconds. Managed fifty-eight tags on those imps and sixteen targets during combat."


    Farrah''s fingers traced patterns on the table.


    "I probably would have done better, but I tried to slow myself down so I was not running into walls, and the combat part got a bit hectic. Didn¡¯t manage to take them down quick enough, so got overwhelmed, and time ran out."


    Out of everyone in the team, she was the most talented. Second most talented, he corrected himself.


    Her performance was good, really good, and she could make up for Christopher and Alexanders lack of performance.


    "I got eleven."


    Sabrina announced.


    "Though that last magma burst nearly drained me completely. Did anyone switch to melee? No one in my group did."


    Bryan''s eyes narrowed slightly. It takes three to four seconds for her to cast, and she can''t move while casting. It was a weakness she best fix or remember that it can be exploited.


    "What about you, Bryan?"


    Alexander turned to him.


    Bryan set down his glass of water. Great, now everyone was looking at him.


    ¡°Two minutes, fifty-two tags, fifteen targets eliminated.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! You and Farrah are definitely more skilled than the rest of us. My barrier shattered at thirty seconds, and it felt like the wind was knocked out of me.¡±


    Alexander said.


    ¡°Yeah, a lot better than me.¡±


    Christopher added.


    ¡°Only managed one minute thirteen seconds before I dropped, and don¡¯t even mention those imps. Little critters were crazy fast. I barely managed to nab twenty of them.¡±


    ¡°He didn¡¯t mention he did it without a barrier.¡±


    Farrah commented from across the table.


    Bryan raised his eyebrow at her words. Was she watching him?


    ¡°Wait, what? You mean like just pure endurance?¡±


    Alexander asked.


    ¡°No way, dude! The pressure at one minute was too much for just pure physical strength. He had to use augmentation. It is the only that would have been possible way.¡±


    Christopher told Alexander as he looked at Bryan once more.


    ¡°That''s¡­ like seriously impressive. I don¡¯t know many people, especially newly awakened mages, capable of using body augmentation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it is rare. Plenty of mages use it. It must just be where you¡¯re from. It¡¯s just a pain to keep up, and a barrier blocks spells, so it¡¯s a lot more handy.¡±


    Sabrina told him.


    Christopher nodded at that.


    ¡°So, you were watching me?¡±


    Bryan asked Farrah.


    ¡°Not you specifically. I just glanced around when it was not my turn and saw you is all.¡±


    They locked eyes for what felt like an eternity, staring at one another without looking away. He was not too fond of other people analyzing him; that was his thing.


    ¡°So, like, hey, man.¡±


    Christopher tapped the table, drawing Bryan¡¯s attention.


    ¡°Mind giving me some advice on that? I¡¯m not sure we¡¯ll learn about body augmentation in this camp, and given that more brand new students will appear in a month¡­¡±


    He let the words hang there, but Bryan could understand what he would say.


    More students meant more testing and more basic training that they probably would have already done hundreds of times by the end of camp. Learning anything about how to move ether in your body to reinforce it and increase your physical attributes was unlikely to be on the first-year curriculum.


    ¡°Why?¡±


    Bryan asked, although he felt he knew the reason why. It would just confirm what he suspected hearing Christopher say it himself.


    ¡°So, like, you¡¯ve seen me perform yesterday. I¡¯m not the greatest, but I can take a hit, and the way my family develops their spells, I¡¯m more than likely to get sent to a frontline unit after graduation. Breaking down stone with my bare hands would be more useful than blocking a spell.¡±


    Christopher told him.


    ¡°If. If you graduate.¡±


    Bryan corrected him.


    ¡°But yeah, sure, I can teach you. After the team matches when we have time, so more than likely at night.¡±


    The one reason he agreed to Christopher''s request was that Christopher was currently in their team''s tank. While Bryan could do a lot by himself, having someone be a distraction to the enemy was a good thing.


    Their group continued to talk about their performance and the other members of their respective testing group. Victor Ashwood scored the highest score for endurance in two minutes and thirty seconds. The highest score for the speed test was sixty-three tags, which Marcellus Thorne did. As for the most eliminations for combat, Julius scored eighteen.


    As the conversation shifted to speculation about tomorrow''s matches. Bryan''s attention drifted as the tactical value of their discussion decreased.


    "Bryan?"


    Alexander''s voice broke through his observations.


    "What do you think about our chances tomorrow?"


    Bryan stood, picking up his barely touched tray.


    "Depends on who we face."


    "You''re leaving already?"


    Farrah asked, though her tone suggested she''d expected this.


    "I''ve heard enough."


    He left without waiting for a response, ignoring the looks exchanged between his teammates. Their conversation had provided useful data about their capabilities and limitations ¨C that was all he''d needed.


    As Bryan approached the exit, movement at the far corner of the cafeteria caught his eye. Alessia Hayes sat alone, her gloved hands wrapped around an untouched cup of tea. Unlike the other students who naturally gravitated to groups, she maintained a distance from everyone else.


    Given the volatility of her power, her isolation wasn''t surprising, but something about her deliberate separation resonated with him. The way she positioned herself¡ªback to the wall, clear view of exits, space between her and others¡ªspoke of practiced caution rather than simple anxiety.


    As if sensing his attention, Alessia looked up. Their eyes met across the crowded room. There was no fear in her gaze, no desperate loneliness that usually marked the truly isolated.


    She held his gaze for a moment.


    Bryan''s feet moved before he''d fully processed the decision. She didn''t reject his approach. Instead, she watched him with the same careful attention he''d often seen in his own reflection.


    Bryan pulled out the chair across from Alessia and sat down without asking permission.


    "Here to lecture me about control again?"


    Alessia asked without looking up, her gloved fingers tightening around each other. The green apple in front of her tea cup rolled slightly from the tremor that passed through the table.


    "Not really."


    He answered.


    Her green eyes flickered up to meet his.


    "Then what? Your team seemed quite... cozy."


    The last word carried a hint of bitterness.


    "Your power, it''s too powerful. That makes you dangerous."


    Bryan said.


    Alessia snorted, though her hands remained clenched.


    "That''s rich, coming from you. And your blood magic isn¡¯t?"


    She leaned forward slightly.


    "The whole camp was talking about it. No one''s seen anything like it before. And that makes you dangerous."


    Bryan noted her deflection technique ¨C using his abilities to avoid discussing her own.


    "You were watching them?"


    "As if."


    She glanced at a table across the cafeteria where Julius sat with his team.


    "I have better things to do than spy on other teams."


    "Like maintaining control?"


    The words were blunt, but his tone held no judgment.


    Alessia''s eyes snapped back to him, a flash of anger crossing her features.


    "You don''t know anything about¡ª"


    She cut herself off as the apple on the table began to deteriorate slightly where her gaze had fixed on it.


    Bryan watched the apple''s surface pit and erode before Alessia squeezed her eyes shut, taking several deep breaths. The erosion stopped when she opened them again, but the apple bore visible scars.


    "Erosion magic, pure destruction. Very rare."


    He mentioned.


    "Like you''re one to talk about rare abilities."


    She muttered.


    "Why are you really here, Bryan? Shouldn''t you be resting up for tomorrow''s battle with your friends?"


    ¡°Sorry to break it to you, but I don¡¯t really do friends.¡±


    He commented.


    "The Hayes family."


    He started saying as he tapped the table with his index finger.


    ¡°They''re known for earth magic, aren''t they?"


    Alessia''s gloved hands tightened again.


    "Been doing your research?"


    "It''s useful to understand unusual variations in magical lineages. Your case is something special."


    "Right."


    She laughed, but it held no humor.


    "Well, here''s some free information for you ¨C sometimes the universe has a sick sense of humor when it comes to magical inheritance."


    Bryan noted how her gaze drifted to the windows.


    "The universe or family expectations?"


    That caught her attention. Her eyes met his again, this time with what seemed to be sadness.


    "You sound like you''re speaking from experience."


    Before Bryan could respond, movement from Julius''s table caught his attention. He was standing and walking over to their table.


    "Speaking of family expectations."


    Alessia muttered.


    Julius stopped at their table.


    "Bryan."


    He smiled, but it seemed fake.


    "I don''t believe we''ve had a proper introduction yet."


    Bryan leaned back into his seat as he noticed Alessia rise from hers.


    "No, we haven''t. Though I''m not the friendly type."


    His lips quirked slightly.


    "Or so people tell me."


    Julius''s smile widened.


    "Mother was quite pleased with your performance this morning. She''s not an easy one to impress."


    ¡®His mother? Gloria?¡¯


    Bryan put the pieces together and inwardly laughed. Now, it made much more sense why Julius viewed him as a rival.


    He must have been hurt that his mom praised him instead of her own son.


    That, or he couldn¡¯t stand being ranked second.


    Julius slid into Alessia''s vacated seat. He picked up the eroded apple, examining the damaged surface.


    "You should be careful around her."


    Julius said, setting the apple down.


    "Alessia Hayes isn''t as controlled as she pretends to be."


    He already knew that, but there were some things he did not know, and this could be his chance to obtain some information.


    Bryan raised an eyebrow.


    "Oh?"


    "Her mother died when Alessia was eleven. Along with thirty-seven others. All turned to dust in less than a minute."


    He traced a finger along the apple''s eroded surface.


    ¡°I mean, like¡ª¡±


    He snapped his finger.


    ¡°That.¡±


    Bryan processed this information, remembering Alessia''s clenched hands and rigid control.


    "If she''s so dangerous, why is she on your team?"


    Julius leaned back, a flash of annoyance crossing his features.


    "Family politics. The Reinharts and Hayes have... arrangements."


    He sighed, running a hand through his hair.


    "Though I hope they don''t expect me to get engaged to her. Her last engagement dissolved rather quickly once word got out about her incident. No one wants to send their sons to their death."


    "And yet she''s here at the academy."


    Bryan stated.


    "Under strict monitoring."


    Julius confirmed.


    "Without those gloves of hers..."


    He gestured to the apple.


    "Well, you can imagine what would happen."


    Bryan could imagine quite well, having seen similar containment measures in the Inquisition. Though those usually end with execution, not academy enrollment.


    "Interesting choice for a noble family."


    "The Hayes are... complicated."


    "But enough about Alessia. I''ve been wanting to test myself against your blood magic. This morning''s display was quite impressive."


    "Is that so?"


    Bryan said, wondering where he was going with this.


    "I think a spar would do us good, don¡¯t you think?"


    Julius asked.


    "I''m sure we can both benefit from the duel."


    "And what''s in it for me?"


    Bryan asked, though he already saw the potential benefits of studying Julius''s fighting style.


    Julius laughed.


    "The information about Alessia wasn''t enough? Though I suppose I wasn''t really offering that, was I?"


    He reached into his uniform pocket, pulling out his academic card.


    "How about 300 credits? And I¡¯ll cover the cost of the training room."


    Bryan considered the offer. The combat data on Julius and Alessia and the credits would be valuable.


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t see why not."


    "Excellent."


    Julius''s smile widened.


    "I''ll book Training Room 5 for tonight. Eight o''clock?"


    At Bryan''s nod, he stood.


    "Don''t hold back. I want to see what Mother found so impressive."


    As Julius walked away, Bryan''s gaze returned to the eroded apple.


    Thirty-seven people turned to dust in less than a minute. The Inquisition would usually eliminate such a threat immediately. The fact that Alessia lived, attended the academy, and came from a noble house suggested there was something at play here.


    He could use this. He didn¡¯t know how yet, but he¡¯d find a way.

 Chapter 38 – Excellence Camp XVIII

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Bryan found himself downstairs on the second floor of the rose garden. It was still early for his duel with Julius, but with three hours to spare he could get in some training.


    Or so he thought.


    "Over here!"


    Alexander waved him over as soon as he spotted him.


    Christopher, Sabrina, and Farrah were also present and seated at the same table.


    ''Now, what are they doing?''


    Bryan asked himself.


    They couldn''t be training because they were still in their uniforms. So, were they having some sort of meeting?


    He planned to ignore them but figured he would attend in case whatever they were doing was important.


    It was doubtful, but it never hurt to be a hundred percent certain.


    "Glad you came over."


    Alexander said in a cheerful tone as he motioned for Bryan to sit.


    He didn''t and stayed standing, off to the side behind where Sabrina and Christopher sat.


    "What''s this? A map?"


    Bryan asked as he gazed at the display laid out on the table.


    "Ding, ding, ding! We have a winner!"


    Sabrina said with a smile as she turned to look at him.


    He glared at her but said nothing.


    Sabrina was too energetic for him. Was that the right word? She was too much to handle from what she¡¯s shown him so far. He did not like that.


    ¡®Why can¡¯t she just be calm? Where is she getting all this excess energy?¡¯


    ¡°Yeah, we were studying up on the battle of Kal-Dar. Do you know anything about it?¡±


    Alexander said.


    ¡°A bit. Why are you studying that? Shouldn¡¯t you guys be practicing or something? Preparing for tomorrow?¡±


    Bryan asked him.


    ¡°That is what we are doing.¡±


    Christopher said from his seat.


    ¡°We¡¯re discussing the tactics they used when they had nine thousand troops against twenty thousand of Al-Thar¡¯s best defending. We might be able to implement something into our strategy for the team battle. Don¡¯t you think?¡±


    This late into the day and they were trying to find another strategy? Bryan thought it was pretty idiotic, but props to them for trying. Even if they somehow managed to find a tactic, they could never use it on such short notice.


    They should just stick to the formation he showed them. Why were they trying to make this so complicated?


    ¡°Why?¡±


    He had to know the reasoning. It was bugging him at this point.


    ¡°Why what?¡±


    Alexander asked.


    ¡°Why are you guys studying this battle? Everything that went into it was complex beyond what tomorrow''s simple match will be. Nothing here will help, and even if it does, you think we can use it?¡±


    He asked as he looked them over.


    ¡°What are you hoping to accomplish?¡±


    Alexander''s smile faltered slightly at the question.


    ¡®Some captain he is. Lack of confidence, tsk. Just dead weight.¡¯


    Bryan thought.


    Sabrina slammed her hand down on the table.


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡±


    She shouted as she stood up from her seat and faced Bryan.


    ¡°No problem here, you?¡±


    He asked her without looking away.


    ¡°You act all isolated and don¡¯t want to join us for anything. I literally had to force you to lunch earlier, and now you question us when we are trying to do something that might help. What¡¯s your deal?¡±


    "My deal?"


    Bryan''s voice remained calm, but his eyes narrowed slightly.


    "I showed you a formation that works. I explained the roles. Yet here you are, wasting time studying complex military strategies you can''t possibly implement in less than a day."


    "That''s not the point!"


    Sabrina yelled.


    "We''re trying to work as a team, and you¡ª"


    "Sabrina."


    Farrah spoke, her voice causing Sabrina to calm down.


    "Let''s not."


    Christopher sighed.


    "He''s not entirely wrong. Learning new strategies this late is... optimistic."


    Sabrina turned to look at Christopher as if he just betrayed her.


    ¡°We decided to do this together. No one said anything about not trying to learn something new.¡±


    She grumbled.


    Christopher scratched his cheek.


    ¡°It¡¯s my fault.¡±


    Alexander said from his side of the table.


    ¡°I wanted to get everyone together and prepare for tomorrow. They just went along with it. I kind of figured¡­ it would be helpful. I can see that was wrong.¡±


    Farrah reached over and touched his shoulder.


    ¡°It was not a bad idea, and there was much to learn from the battle.¡±


    She told him.


    ¡°Still, there was no need to be rude about it. What¡¯s wrong with a person putting in some effort? Are you saying that anything we do is incorrect?¡±


    Farrah asked Bryan.


    ¡°No, this is just inefficient. There¡¯s only a few hours left, why waste it on something this pointless. Save it for next time. Learn these strategies for the next team match or something. Don¡¯t waste energy and time when you could be using it to better yourself. It¡¯s only going to do more harm than good.¡±


    Bryan replied.


    ¡°You¡¯re correct, and we would have been able to do some more team training, but we¡¯re always missing a fifth member. How can we practice if we lack that one piece? So, aren¡¯t you the reason we are here studying a historic battle instead of training in preparation for tomorrow?¡±


    Bryan''s jaw tightened slightly at Farrah''s words. She''d managed to turn his own logic against him, and from the slight curve of her lips, she knew it.


    "If you needed me for training, you could have asked."


    "Would you have come?"


    Sabrina crossed her arms.


    "Because your track record isn''t great."


    "I would have come for training. Not for..."Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    He gestured at the map.


    "Whatever this is."


    Bryan said.


    Alexander straightened in his chair.


    "Then let''s train now. We still have time.¡±


    Bryan laughed at their captain''s remark.


    ¡°Train now? A bit too late for that. I already have prior arrangements.¡±


    Bryan told them.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying¡­ Just to make this clear. That you won¡¯t be training with us? You know, just to ensure we are all on the same page.¡±


    Sabrina asked.


    It sounded bad, but between them and Julius, who he¡¯d be able to analyze, he¡¯d pick Julius. The Reinhart boy would put up more of a fight than they would.


    ¡°How long will the training session last? Two hours? Three? Five? I have a duel, and I don¡¯t intend to miss it because of a last-minute get-together.¡±


    Bryan said.


    Sabrina shook her head at his remark.


    ¡°Oh my gosh, I literally can¡¯t right now.¡±


    ¡°Sabrina.¡±


    Farrah called her name for the second time.


    ¡°No, don¡¯t, Sabrina, me. This dude thinks he¡¯s better than us. Tell me you can see that.¡±


    Sabrina turned to look at Farrah.


    ¡°Yeah¡­ he¡¯s a real piece of work.¡±


    Christopher commented.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m better than you.¡±


    Bryan said, causing Sabrina to scoff.


    ¡°Really now?¡±


    ¡°I know I¡¯m better.¡±


    He corrected her statement.


    Sabrina did not even look the least bit surprised at his comment. She just started clapping her hands.


    ¡°The lord himself has spoken. Everyone, please take notes as he graces us with his esteemed knowledge.¡±


    Bryan did not like her attitude. It was not like said something that was not true. Surely, she could see that, but it wasn¡¯t just her.


    The others were also looking at him differently.


    This is why he cannot stand other people. They just do not get him, and he does not understand them.


    What was he supposed to do, join them and waste his own time just to be part of the team? Or was he supposed to take Alexander¡¯s job and be the captain because he sure as shit was being worthless.


    No, he just wanted to get through this and do his own thing.


    He did not need them, and if they didn¡¯t want his advice, why ask for it?


    ¡®I should have never come over here.¡¯


    ''You really know how to make friends, don''t you?''


    Zoltan''s voice echoed in Bryan''s mind.


    Bryan¡¯s eyes moved left then right, trying to spot him, but he was nowhere in sight. Was he hearing things?


    He gritted his teeth. No, Zoltan was around. He had to be.


    "Look."


    Bryan started, his patience wearing thin.


    "I gave you a working strategy. I showed up when we decided to get together for team practice. I even decided to join for lunch even when I knew nothing would come from it. What more do you want from me?"


    "To actually be part of the team?"


    Alexander stood up, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced with something firmer.


    "I might not be the best captain. But at least I''m trying to bring everyone together."


    "Together?"


    Bryan''s voice carried a hint of mockery.


    "And what will that accomplish? Tomorrow''s match will be won by individual skill, not group hugs and history lessons."


    Farrah''s green eyes fixed on him with an intensity that made him uncomfortable.


    "Is that what you really believe? That strength alone is enough?"


    "It''s worked so far."


    "Has it?"


    She asked.


    "Or have you just never given anything else a chance?"


    Bryan felt a familiar tightness in his chest, the same feeling he got whenever someone tried to get too close. They didn''t understand. They couldn''t understand.


    "I don''t have time for this."


    He said, turning away.


    "Good luck with your battle strategies. Try not to overthink it tomorrow."


    As he walked away, he heard Christopher''s resigned voice.


    "Well, that went about as well as expected."


    "Should we try again?"


    Alexander asked.


    "Let him go."


    Sabrina replied, anger still evident in her voice.


    "If he wants to be alone so badly, let him."


    Bryan kept walking, ignoring the growing discomfort in his chest. He had a duel to prepare for. That''s all that mattered. That''s all that should matter.


    ''You know they''re right.''


    Zoltan commented, and Bryan found himself searching for the little creature again. No matter where he looked, he couldn¡¯t find him.


    ''Shut up, mouse.''


    **********


    Bryan ducked under a holographic blade, the simulated attack passing harmlessly overhead. He twisted left, then right, weaving through the automated assault pattern while his mind churned with irritation.


    ''What a waste.''


    Another slash ¡ª dodge, sidestep, analyze the pattern. The hologram''s movements were becoming predictable, but at least it was practical training.


    Unlike studying ancient battles that had nothing to do with tomorrow''s match.


    ''Getting stronger is what matters. Not team bonding, not friendship circles, just power.''


    He created three blood blades and launched them at the hologram''s weak points. The projection flickered as the attacks connected.


    ''They''re acting like we''re going to be some permanent team. Half of them might not even make it past the first year.''


    Alexander''s disappointed face flashed through his mind. What kind of captain wastes time on theoretical strategies instead of practical combat training?


    He doesn¡¯t even have the skills to back himself up. His lack of confidence and control¡ªugh! Bryan didn¡¯t want to be captain; it was better that someone else would be.


    But at least it should be someone with talent, knowledge of leading, and the ability to not waste time.


    "Reset simulation."


    He commanded, watching the hologram flicker back to its starting position.


    "Increase difficulty by twenty percent."


    ''At least this is productive.''


    The hologram''s attacks came faster now, more aggressive. This was real preparation. This was how you survived. This was how you got stronger.


    Not by sitting around a table and playing at friendship.


    ''Getting attached only leads to disappointment. Better to stay focused on what matters.''


    He thought as he started fighting against the new hologram.


    ¡°I can tell you¡¯re holding back. Maybe-¡±


    Gloria¡¯s voice sounded close, but he knew she was nowhere near him. It was his imagination. He read her review, and that, too, was an issue.


    ¡®What am I supposed to do? You want me to unleash everything I have? You want to see what I¡¯m capable of?¡¯


    He asked himself, as he could already picture her looking at him with disappointment. Bryan didn¡¯t care about her or her opinion.


    She could shove it where the sun didn¡¯t shine for all of the good it did her.


    His crescent blades made of blood spun back around towards him as he stretched out his hand. They merged together and formed a short sword that extended four feet from his hand.


    ¡®Tsk, who needs to rely on others? They are behind by miles and will never catch up. Why wait when I can just blow past them? Isn¡¯t that what you want?¡¯


    He parried the next slash from the hologram. It stumbled back, and he lunged forward, piercing it through the next.


    He wasn¡¯t like them. They would never understand, and the instructors wouldn¡¯t either.


    ¡°Reset simulation, increase the difficulty by fifty percent.¡±


    Bryan called out as soon as the hologram dematerialized.


    Ten years of training. Ten years to gather power. And he was forced to be in this institute with children.


    What was the Inquisition thinking?


    Who made that stupid law? All mages must attend a military academy. All mages must be registered.


    He gritted his teeth as he barely dodged the next attack. Pivoting he swung but his blade met blade.


    ¡®Is it learning? Or am I just moving slower?¡¯


    Bryan found himself asking. There were too many pointless thoughts in his head. He had to focus.


    It would be embarrassing if he lost to something that was not even real.


    ¡®What¡¯s the point of this? What good will it do you?¡¯


    Zoltan asked.


    Bryan didn¡¯t even try to find the mouse. If he wanted to be seen, he would show up.


    ¡°Need to be stronger. I can¡¯t count on the others. They¡¯ll only drag me down.¡±


    He replied as he continued his fight, not missing a beat.


    ¡®Will they, though? You¡¯re assuming without having all the facts. Ask yourself, what do you know about them?¡¯


    Zoltan replied.


    The question was simple. He knew plenty about his teammates that they didn¡¯t know about themselves. He spotted a lot of openings and ways to eliminate them if the mission called for it.


    On a personal level, though? He knew nothing. What he did know was not anything that couldn¡¯t be found out in a casual conversation. It''s just surface-level information.


    They also knew nothing about him, and he wanted to keep it that way. He didn¡¯t need people.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re trying to do. I don¡¯t need them. I tried to be friendly, but it¡¯s not for me. I¡¯m better off alone.¡±


    Bryan told him.


    ¡®That¡¯s how you¡¯re going to die too. Alone. Is that what you want? To be a distant memory in everyone''s mind? No mention of you anywhere? No one to mourn you once you''re gone?¡¯


    Zoltan asked him.


    Bryan¡¯s next cut sliced right through the hologram, cutting off its right arm.


    ¡°I have Veron. I have my family.¡±


    Bryan responded.


    Zoltan laughter echoed through his mind.


    ¡®Family? Please. Veron doesn¡¯t treat you like his son. How many times have you seen him? How many times have you two talked? He doesn¡¯t want you. No one does. That¡¯s why he sent you to the Inquisition, in order to get rid of you.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡±


    Bryan shouted this time and ended up catching a punch to the face.


    ¡®Stop kidding yourself, Bryan, you know it, I know it. You¡¯re merely a weapon, nothing more. The Inquisition members are afraid of you; they don¡¯t show it outright, but you¡¯ve seen how they keep you locked up like some rabid animal. To them, you¡¯re no better than those monsters that lurk the deep caverns.¡¯


    ¡®You¡¯re a demon that¡¯s shackled and waiting to be slain.¡¯


    Zoltan¡¯s voice was replaced by laughter. Kids laughter, he could hear them clearly. They sounded pleased with themselves.


    ¡°Yay!¡±


    They cheered.


    ¡°We¡¯ve finally slain the demon!¡±


    There were five of them, he couldn¡¯t make out their faces. They surrounded another child, who had white hair and was bruised all over.


    Bryan shook his head as the memory faded, but his head started to ache.


    ¡°Promise me, Bryan¡­¡±


    He narrowed his eyes; the voice sounded familiar, but he couldn¡¯t place it. What was he supposed to promise? Who was talking to him?


    As he was lost in his thoughts, he got a kick right to the stomach that sent him flying back.


    ¡°Ouch! That¡¯s got to hurt.¡±


    Someone called out, causing Bryan to look up only to spot Farrah at the training door leaning against it.


    He got up, glared at her, then turned his attention back to the hologram.


    ¡°What do you want?¡±

 Chapter 39 – Excellence Camp XIX

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 2nd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    "I asked you a question."


    Bryan said as he dodged another attack from the hologram.


    Farrah remained at the doorway, her green eyes studying his movements with an intensity that made him uncomfortable.


    "End simulation."


    She called out.


    The hologram flickered and vanished, leaving Bryan standing alone in the center of the training room. His blood blade dissipated into mist.


    "What gives you the right¡ª"


    "To interrupt your self-destructive training session?"


    Farrah pushed off from the doorframe.


    "The same right you had to dismiss our team''s efforts earlier."


    Bryan''s jaw tightened.


    "I don''t have time for this."


    "No, you never do, do you?"


    She took a step forward.


    "You''re so focused on being stronger, on being alone, that you can''t see what''s right in front of you."


    "And what''s that?"


    His voice carried an edge of mockery.


    "An opportunity."


    She gave him an expression he was not used to seeing on her face. She looked serious.


    "Not just to be stronger, but to be better."


    "I don''t need¡ª"


    "A lecture? Friends? Help?"


    She cut him off.


    "Yes, you''ve made that abundantly clear. But here''s what I see, Bryan: someone who''s terrified of letting others get close."


    Bryan felt that familiar tightness in his chest again.


    "You don''t know anything about me."


    "No, I don''t."


    Farrah agreed.


    "Because you won''t let anyone know you. And that''s exactly what worries me.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right, you know.¡±


    Zoltan¡¯s voice whispered in his ear as if the mouse was right there on his shoulder.


    He wasn¡¯t there, and Bryan knew it. That did not mean it did not irritate him any less.


    ¡°I¡¯m so tired of people telling me what to do. What they think is good for me. Just leave me alone.¡±


    While he was speaking to Farrah, he was also talking to Zoltan, who he knew would be listening.


    What happened to ¡®I¡¯m going to be gone for a while¡¯? Turns out the little mouse was just watching him from the shadows.


    He was not going to play this game. If Zoltan wanted to leave, then he should have left. What was the point in all of this?


    ¡°You think I want to be here? Trust me, I don¡¯t.¡±


    Farrah said as she walked slowly over to him.


    ¡°I¡¯m only here because you¡¯re on our team. You want to be alone, yeah, that¡¯s fine, go ahead. But don¡¯t dismiss anyone¡¯s effort because you think it is a waste of time.¡±


    Now she stood in front of him, her green eyes meeting his with a stare so intense it could kill.


    ¡°You''re on the team, whether you like it or not. Suck it up, do your part, and if you don¡¯t have anything nice to say, then just shut the fuck up. Is that so hard? You didn¡¯t ask for this, and we didn¡¯t either, so let¡¯s just make the best of a bad situation and move on. We¡¯ll finish our team matches, finish this camp, and be done with it.¡±


    She pause,d her eyes searching his for something.


    Farrah was so close, only inches away from him. If he wanted to, he could end her right where she stood.


    There were so many openings, so many ways to eliminate her and go about his day. The thought came and went, but he did not act on it.


    Killing her would be a lot more trouble than what it was worth. So, he closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmed himself.


    ¡°You keep up that attitude, and you¡¯ll find yourself truly alone. Learn to depend on others, or you¡¯ll have difficulty finding anyone to support you.¡±


    She told him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t need to. Others are a liability.¡±


    Farrah stared at him.


    ¡°Is that what you think of us? As a liability?¡±


    His eyes narrowed.


    Was she not paying attention to what happened earlier with Sabrina? To any of his words?


    ¡°Alexander takes 1.5 seconds to cast his bubble, and it¡¯s not even that stable. Trapping someone competent is a pipe dream for his current skill level; his melee ability is downright trash. Christopher has to stomp the ground in order to attack, and he leaves himself wide open so the lag between attacks can easily be exploited. Don¡¯t even get me started on his piss-poor stamina. Sabrina can¡¯t move while casting, and she has the best melee abilities out of the three of them. You¡¯re fast sure, but your light spheres aren¡¯t meant for offense, that¡¯s why you always rush into melee and you know it.¡±


    ¡°What does that¡ª¡±


    She started to say before Bryan cut her off.


    ¡°None of you would last thirty seconds in a real fight. And don¡¯t think you¡¯re the only one. The other ¡®top¡¯ students here are just as bad from what I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    ¡°Is that how you view people?¡±


    She asked him.


    ¡°How else am I supposed to view them? What other purpose do they serve me? Didn¡¯t you hear? Only thirty will graduate from this academy. No one cares about how you play on a team; what matters will be your own strength.¡±


    Bryan told her.


    Farrah shook her head as she started to unbutton and remove her jacket.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you want to see if you¡¯re right?¡±


    She asked, and Bryan started to laugh. He just couldn¡¯t help it.


    ¡°You¡¯re challenging me? Are you being serious right now?¡±


    He was actually laughing, and he had a genuine smile on his face. Farrah just could not be serious, and it made no sense.


    "Dead serious."


    Farrah said, tossing her jacket aside.


    "You''ve analyzed everyone''s weaknesses and cataloged all our flaws. But have you ever actually fought any of us?"


    Bryan''s laughter died down, but the mocking smile remained.


    "You really want to do this?"


    "Unless you''re afraid?"


    Her voice carried a hint of challenge.


    "After all, I''m just a liability, right?"


    ¡°How much are you going to show her? Are you going to fight and say it¡¯s an accident when you end up killing her? Show her enough, and she¡¯ll run scared.¡±


    Zoltan said.


    "Fine."


    Bryan created three blood blades that orbited slowly around him.


    "Your funeral."


    Farrah didn''t flinch at the sight of the blood blades. Instead, she settled into a defensive stance, five light spheres forming around her.


    "You think you know everything about us."


    She said calmly as she moved slowly around him, looking for an angle.


    "But you''ve never bothered to understand what drives us. What makes us fight."


    Bryan scoffed.


    "Spare me the lecture. Let''s just get this over with."


    He sent one of the blades hurtling towards her. But Farrah was faster than he anticipated. She sidestepped the blade and closed the distance between them in a heartbeat.


    "First mistake."


    She said as she sent a sphere rushing towards him. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.


    "Underestimating your opponent."


    Bryan barely managed to dodge as the light sphere grazed his cheek. He countered with a flurry of blade strikes, but Farrah met each one with a well-timed light sphere, deflecting them.


    "Second mistake."


    She continued, her voice steady despite the exertion.


    "Thinking you know everything about someone''s abilities."


    She launched another series of light spheres, forcing Bryan to go on the defensive. He managed to block most of them, but one slipped through, exploding against his chest and sending him reeling.


    But Bryan was quick to adapt. As Farrah moved in for another attack, he feinted to the side, causing her to overcommit. In a flash, he had a blood blade at her throat.


    "You''re right."


    He said coldly.


    "I don''t know everything about your abilities. But I know enough."


    Farrah froze, the light spheres around her flickering out.


    "You win."


    She said softly.


    ¡°That was only twenty-two seconds.¡±


    He turned to walk away, but Farrah''s voice stopped him.


    "Wait. I want a rematch."


    Bryan paused, turning back to her with a raised eyebrow.


    "Why? There''s no point. You know I wasn''t even trying, and you were already pushing yourself."


    Farrah met his gaze.


    "What''s the harm in going again? Unless you''re afraid."


    Bryan shrugged, a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth.


    "If you want to be my punching bag, I won''t complain."


    They took their positions again, Farrah''s light spheres reforming around her. Bryan launched a crescent blood blade. Farrah raised a light shield, and the blade shattered against it.


    Before Bryan could react, Farrah closed the distance in a blink. Using a spell he had not seen before. Her fist connected with his face, sending him staggering back.


    "I thought you were different, but you''re like the rest. So convinced of your superiority¡ª"


    Bryan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes narrowing.


    "You don''t know anything about me."


    "And you don''t know anything about us!"


    Farrah retorted.


    "What do you expect from people who have only recently awakened their abilities?"


    Bryan scoffed.


    "I expect more. You''re from noble families. Except for Alexander, the rest of you should have been prepared."


    Farrah''s eyes flashed with anger.


    "We weren''t raised to be weapons! Do you think we spent every waking day learning to kill? That''s not normal."


    "Normal?"


    Bryan''s voice was mocking.


    "How hard would it be to learn basic combat? Did you or your families think you wouldn''t awaken magic?"


    Farrah was silent for a moment. Bryan pressed his advantage, his blood blade shattering her barrier. Farrah reeled from the impact, struggling to maintain her footing.


    "Your families knew."


    Bryan said coldly.


    "But instead of preparing you as they should have, they got you tutors. Let you live lavish lifestyles without a worry in the world. You''ve never once been in a situation with real danger. They didn''t want their ''investment'' to get hurt."


    Farrah used the same spell she used before, dodging his next attack and putting some distance between them.


    ¡®So, a short-range blink spell. Seems to cover ten feet in distance.¡¯


    Bryan analyzed the situation, understanding what had happened at the start of their rematch.


    "What happened to you to make you think like this? You''re fifteen. This isn''t how you should be thinking."


    Farrah asked.


    Bryan''s face hardened.


    "No one made me this way. I''m an orphan."


    He launched another flurry of attacks, his blood blades whirling around him. Farrah met each one with a light sphere, but she was clearly on the defensive.


    "Don''t."


    Bryan hated that she was barely defending, barely trying. She was trying to come to terms with what he said.


    "I see that look forming."


    "I wasn''t¡ª"


    "You were!"


    His blood-crescent blades split from three into six as they moved faster, more aggressively.


    "Everyone does. Poor orphan boy, must be so damaged, so broken."


    Farrah''s light suddenly intensified, three spheres forming simultaneously.


    "That''s not what I¡ª"


    "Save it."


    His crescent blades filled the space between them.


    "I don''t need pity."


    His next attack should have ended it, but Farrah surrounded herself with a transparent barrier.


    It was not the one basic barrier every mage instinctively knew how to use with a bit of practice. This one was different and seemed to show all the colors of the rainbow as it protected her.


    His blades hit the shield and were reflected right back at him.


    "You''re right."


    She said, light gathering around her.


    "I don''t know your story. But you don''t know ours either!"


    Her counter-attack came with unexpected precision, with light spheres moving rapidly, forcing Bryan to form his shield.


    "You think Alexander''s bubbles are weak?"


    Two more spheres materialized as she advanced.


    "He practices until exhaustion every night. His family sold everything to send him here!"


    She was not letting up; her spells just kept coming, and Bryan had a hard time trying to find an opening. He watched as she moved, looking for a pattern waiting for his chance to strike.


    "Christopher?"


    Light spheres surrounded him from all directions, their light blinding.


    "His entire family dies young serving the kingdom. He expects the same fate, but he still shows up. Still fights."


    As each one of her light spheres slammed against his barrier, they momentarily blinded him.


    "You''d know this if you took a moment, a second, to get to know them! And for you for deminsh their hard work when it''s only been two days! What do you know?"


    The constant flicker of lights was getting to him. They went from bright to dim to bright again, and it did not help that Farrah''s reflective barrier was flashing the light back in rapidly.


    Bryan closed his right eye as his head started to hurt. It felt as if someone was trying to drill into his skull and beat his brain with their fist.


    ¡®Ugh.¡¯


    The lights pulsed brighter, each flash burning into Bryan''s retinas. His vision began to blur.


    A figure stood before him, their outline obscured by a shimmering barrier. Not Farrah''s rainbow-like shield, but something different. It looked familiar.


    "...white hair... eyes... him?"


    The voice echoed, distant and fragmented. The voice sounded female. Something about it made his chest tighten.


    The figure shifted, their barrier rippling under an onslaught of attacks. Bryan tried to focus, to make out their features, but everything kept slipping away.


    "...skilled... control... emotions... cuts... fire mages... family name?"


    Another voice, different but equally scattered. A male this time, and he felt like he heard it before. A bit more and he might be able to figure out who was speaking.


    The person holding up the barrier vanished, leaving nothing but darkness in sight.


    "What is this filth?"


    "Bryan!"


    Farrah''s voice caused him to shake his head once as his vision cleared. His head felt like it was splitting open, pressure building behind his eyes.


    "Stay back!"


    He clutched his head, stumbling backward. The training room spun around him.


    "You''re bleeding."


    Bryan touched his face, fingers coming away red. Blood dripped from his nose.


    ''What is this? I''m bleeding?''


    Farrah stepped forward, hand outstretched.


    "Let me help¡ª"


    "Don''t."


    His voice cracked.


    "Don''t touch me."


    He pushed past her or tried to. The room tilted sideways.


    "Bryan, wait¡ª"


    Her voice faded, replaced by static. The last thing he felt was the cold floor rushing up to meet him as darkness claimed his vision.


    **********


    Bryan woke to white walls and the scent of antiseptic. His head still throbbed.


    ''Where am I?''


    "Now, would you look at that? I''m barely gone, and you''re already creating issues."


    The familiar voice came from his breast pocket. Bryan glanced down to see Zoltan''s head poking out, purple eyes gleaming with what looked suspiciously like amusement.


    "Shut up."


    Bryan muttered, pushing himself up. His body felt heavy, like he''d been training for days without rest.


    A quick look around the room told him he was in a medical ward of some sort.


    ¡°How long was I out for?¡±


    He asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. How do you feel?¡±


    Zoltan asked.


    Bryan¡¯s head still ached, just not as bad as before. It was manageable, and a night''s sleep would do him wonders. He just needed rest.


    ¡°Fine. Feels like I missed my duel, though.¡±


    He commented as he looked at the window that had its curtains closed.


    ¡°Oh yeah, that match with the Reinhart boy. I wouldn¡¯t worry about it too much. You have bigger issues than some duel.¡±


    Zoltan told him, and before Bryan could ask anything else, the door opened as a nurse entered.


    She looked at him and furrowed her brow before turning her attention to a device in her hand. It was big and square, not an academic card but something else.


    "How are we feeling?"


    She asked, checking his vitals as she slid into the seat next to his bed.


    "That was quite the training accident."


    Bryan looked at her and moved his eyes down to his breast pocket, but Zoltan was absent. The little mouse sure knew how to make fast escapes.


    "I''m fine."


    "Hmm."


    She tapped the device in her hand.


    ¡°Who were you talking to before I entered? I don¡¯t see anyone.¡±


    The nurse asked as she moved her hand in front of Bryan and raised her finger.


    ¡°Follow my finger.¡±


    She told him.


    ¡°No one, just speaking to myself.¡±


    He replied to her as he followed her finger as it moved in different directions.


    ¡°Do you do that often? Talk to yourself?¡±


    She asked.


    ¡°No, just felt the need to entertain myself for a bit, is all. We good here?¡±


    "Your vital signs crashed rather dramatically. We wouldn''t want that happening again, would we?"


    The emphasis on ''again'' made Bryan''s jaw clench.


    "Oh, that reminds me."


    She continued.


    "Miss Hayes was in earlier today. Similar issues with magical control."


    Her eyes met his.


    "Have you two had a chance to interact yet?"


    ''She¡¯s¡­ she can¡¯t be a nurse. Who gives out that kind of information?''


    Bryan thought, recognizing the subtle probe for what it was.


    "We''ve met."


    He said carefully.


    The nurse nodded, satisfaction flickering across her features.


    "Good. Very good. We would like to ensure that all our students support each other. She¡¯s a bit stubborn, but you seem nice enough, so you¡¯ll do me a favor and check up on her occasionally, right?"


    Whatever gave her the impression that he was a nice guy was way wrong. But he knew what this was, and she was anything but a nurse¡ªa real one, at least.


    ¡®Can¡¯t even escape when I want to.¡¯


    Bryan nodded once.


    ¡°Yeah, I can do that.¡±


    She handed him discharge papers, her fingers lingering on the forms just a moment too long.


    "Your condition doesn¡¯t seem to be anything serious. Seems you overtrained yourself, is all. Do be more careful with your training. We wouldn''t want to see you back here too soon."


    She told him.


    "Of course."


    Bryan responded, understanding the real message. ''Don''t let it happen again.''


    "Excellent."


    She moved to the door, then paused.


    "Oh, and Bryan? Do remember to take your medicine. Every day, without fail."


    The door closed behind her with a soft click.


    He squinted his eyes, trying to decipher her words.


    ''What medicine? Is there something I''m supposed to do?''


    The Inquisition''s reach was deeper than he''d thought, their eyes everywhere ¨C even in the medical wing.


    **********


    The walk back to his room felt longer than usual. Bryan''s body still ached, and the lingering headache made every step a chore.


    "Your barriers are showing cracks."


    Zoltan commented once they were alone in the room.


    "Your condition isn''t as good as you think. Take it easy, no need to be on guard here."


    Bryan sat on his bed, running a hand through his white hair.


    "I am fine, and I''m not dropping my guard. Not now that I know they are watching."


    "Really? You''re fine?"


    Zoltan hopped onto the desk.


    "Then explain what happened in that training room."


    "Nothing happened."


    Bryan replied.


    "Nothing? Your nose was bleeding, and you collapsed in the middle of training."


    "I was exhausted."


    "Exhaustion doesn''t make you bleed."


    Zoltan''s eyes fixed on him.


    "Or did something else happen during that fight?"


    Bryan stood abruptly, pacing the length of his room.


    "You weren''t even there."


    "I saw enough. The way you stumbled, how you reacted¡ª"


    "Shut up."


    "Make me. Or better yet, explain why you''re so desperate to pretend it didn''t happen."


    Bryan''s head throbbed again. He pressed his fingers against his temples, trying to push back the pain.


    "Because it doesn''t matter. Whatever happened¡ªit''s irrelevant."


    "Irrelevant?"


    Zoltan''s whiskers twitched.


    "Collapsing in the middle of training is hardly irrelevant. Your condition¡ª"


    A knock at the door cut through their argument. Bryan and Zoltan both froze, eyes locked on the entrance.


    Another knock, followed by a familiar voice.


    "Bryan?"


    Farrah''s voice came through the door.


    "The nurse said you were discharged. Can we talk?"


    "Not now."


    Bryan muttered.


    "Please?"


    Another voice joined Farrah''s ¨C Alexander.


    "It''s about the team."


    Bryan''s jaw clenched. Of course she''d brought the team captain. His hand hovered over the door handle as Zoltan watched.


    ''I could ignore them. Should ignore them.''


    But the memory of Farrah''s words in the training room lingered.


    The door opened to reveal Farrah and Alexander, both still in their training uniforms. Farrah''s expression shifted from concern to relief.


    "You look better."


    Farrah said, then quickly added.


    "I mean, compared to when¡ª"


    "What do you want?"


    Bryan cut her off.


    Alexander stepped forward.


    "We need to discuss what happened. As your team captain¡ª"


    "Nothing happened."


    Bryan''s tone was flat.


    "Training accident. It''s handled."


    "Handled?"


    Farrah''s voice rose slightly.


    "Bryan, you collapsed. Your magic went completely unstable. That''s not something we can just ignore as a team."


    ''As a team. Always about the team.''


    "Listen."


    Alexander''s voice sounded concerned.


    "We need to know. We can''t function as a unit if¡ª"


    "You can''t function as a unit anyway."


    Bryan''s fingers tightened on the door.


    "Today proved that."


    Farrah stepped closer, and Bryan tensed.


    "Today proved we need to work together more, not less. Even you can''t be perfect all the time."


    Something about her words made his head throb again. A flash of memory ¨C someone saying similar words, long ago.


    "Bryan?"


    Farrah''s concern was back.


    "Your nose..."


    He touched his face, fingers coming away with a drop of blood. Cursing internally, he stepped back from the door.


    "Leave. Both of you."


    "But¡ª"


    "Now."


    He shut the door before they could respond, pressing his forehead against the cool wood as he heard their footsteps reluctantly retreat.


    "Well, that was certainly one way to handle it."


    Zoltan said.


    "Don''t."


    Bryan wiped the blood away.


    "Just... don''t."

 Chapter 40 – Excellence Camp XX

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 3rd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    There was no morning practice today. If there was, Bryan heard nothing about it. Instead, he went to get breakfast and decided to sit away from his team.


    He did not sit by Alessia either, as he just wanted to be alone. Yesterday''s incident still affected him a bit.


    Not his fight with Farrah or the small conflict he had with Sabrina.


    It was the fact that something seemed to be wrong with him, and he had no idea what it was. That bothered him.


    Zoltan was not a help either. The little mouse just kept irritating him and did not seem to shut up. It was not until he woke up that Zoltan vanished and Bryan was able to get some peace to himself.


    Zoltan did not tell him he would disappear, but Bryan chalked up the whole act to him, going back to what he was doing before. Whatever that may have been.


    While he was glad that Zoltan was still around, the mouse bugged him more than usual. So he was glad that he was alone.


    Being alone was not bad. He had time to think and question. Bryan spent most of his morning lazily eating breakfast while reviewing what happened yesterday.


    He split this into two reviews. The first was what he analyzed from the students on his team and his group yesterday and any information his team provided during lunch.


    Bryan came up with details on all the students and had a decent estimate of their strengths based on the three tests they took. While it lacked any explicit data on their combat style and spells, it was a start.


    By the end of this week, he wanted to know who everyone hung out with, their roles, how they worked together, and any weaknesses that could be exploited.


    The second review was done on himself. Why was he bleeding from his nose? Who did those voices belong to? What was he seeing? Were they memories or visions? What caused them? Finally, was he sick?


    The first portion of his review was quick, taking him only ten minutes to complete. He had compiled data based on his observations over these past two days, and with what he learned from his teammates, it was easy to fill in the missing bits.


    Every student had a threat level, with most of them being low-risk. This was his first assessment, mostly based on their test performance.


    After today''s combat match, he could update it to estimate everyone''s strength better. He ended up marking Julius as medium-risk due to his family name and what he knew about the Reinhart family. Alessia is high-risk due to her lack of control and spell power.


    If Julius were anything like the other members of his family, then that risk factor may have to be updated to reflect a higher threat level. Currently, however, Bryan feels Julius is not much of an opponent.


    It drove him insane that he missed his duel with the boy, thanks to his incident. He refused to call it anything else because that is exactly what it was: an incident and nothing more.


    The second portion of his review took longer. It dragged on until breakfast ended.


    In his eyes, the review was¡­ useless because it provided no concrete answers. As a result, only more questions emerged.


    Why was he bleeding? Unknown. It seems to stem from a headache, but the direct cause is unknown. Prior headaches were not an issue and could easily be fixed by a night''s rest.


    So, what makes these headaches different? It''s unknown. They seem to be triggered randomly or when I¡¯m under stress. However, the academy has a low stress factor, so that can¡¯t be the actual trigger, and they do not seem random. They seem to have started during conversations with Farrah.


    Could Farrah be the cause of my headaches? Unknown.


    And the questions just kept piling up from there. It was a giant rabbit hole of endless possibilities with no direct answer.


    Going back to the medical ward was an option, but knowing that the Inquisition managed to slither their way into a newly established magic academy was¡­ disturbing. Bryan figured he managed to escape their clutches, but that was far from the case.


    He wanted to have as little contact with them as possible and coast through these three years. Ending up there would only complicate matters, and if something was truly wrong with him, who knew what the Inquisition would do?


    Thus, he had to figure it out by himself.


    Which was fine. He was used to figuring things out by himself. It was not anything new.


    What was new was that he wasted his entire breakfast time doing nothing productive. He would have been in and out of the cafeteria within ten or fifteen minutes, but instead, he spent his entire time there doing a review.


    He did not even have a chance to do some morning training because he woke up later than usual.


    And now, he was standing in front of the duel arena in the main gym along with the other students. All the instructors were standing on the duel arena, and Silivia Grace was the first one to step forward after their discussion ended.


    ¡°As some of you have been briefed, this is our duel arena.¡±


    Siliva stated as she spread her arms out, gesturing to the platform she was standing on.


    ¡°It is actually a combat simulation platform. High-end magitech created to bring realistic environments to students to prepare them for real-life combat situations better. From ruined cities to underground caverns. Every type of environment that this device can simulate may be somewhere you will eventually visit.¡±


    She smiled softly before turning to look at the other instructors. With a nod of her head, the other three lept from the arena and started walking to each student, pulling out something and handing it to them.


    ¡°What you are receiving now is another magitech device that is to be paired with the duel arena. It is an arena sync that will monitor your vitals when you enter the duel arena. Any damage you take, from environmental to magical and physical, will be reflected on your body. While wearing this, you will be immune to fatal damage, but any and all pain you feel will be real. If you get your arm sliced off by a wind blade, you will feel it, and while your arm may still be there, you won¡¯t be able to use it.¡±


    Silivia raised her wrist to reveal the dull gray bracelet with two small crystals embedded in it. One crystal was glowing blue, while the other was inactive and lacked color.


    ¡°While on the duel arena, the arena sync bracelet or duel bracelet will turn blue. This means it is active and monitoring your vitals. When you take damage, the other crystal will turn red. When enough damage accumulates, the blue will fade, and only red will remain. If that happens, you cannot move, cast spells, or even talk. You¡¯ll essentially be dead until the match has concluded.¡±


    Siliva paused as she noticed a hand go up.


    ¡°Before I take any questions, let me finish explaining. These bracelets have been tested and approved. As long as no one with the firepower of our headmaster is attacking you, you will survive. Take note that each of your instructors is a highly skilled mage, each with devastating spells capable of crushing you in a single strike. Yet, they also can not break this device''s protective shielding.¡±


    ¡°Meaning, you may all freely and with great encouragement kill one another on the duel arena. Do not hold back, as while you are being protected, we want everyone to have as real of an experience as possible. You cannot grow stronger or learn if your allies and classmates are holding back. Because if you go to the frontlines, the enemies won¡¯t pull their punches.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Siliva twirled the ends of her long red hair, seeming to be in deep thought. It was amusing watching the instructor take a long pause, thinking about what she would say next.


    ¡°Oh, right. Your spells can damage the environment. Earth mages can also manipulate the terrain if they have that spell. Now, please save your questions for after a quick demonstration by our lovely instructors and the rules of the team matches for today.¡±


    Siliva said as she leaped from the duel arena and touched the ground. She spun on her heels and watched Gloria and Alan enter the arena.


    The duel arena changed as grass rose from the ground. Wind seemed to be present, brushing against Gloria¡¯s hair and causing it to sway.


    Gloria and Alan raised their arms, showing the active bracelets and the crystal turning blue.


    ¡°Are they seriously about to fight?¡±


    Bryan heard someone ask, but he did not recognize the voice.


    ¡°This is going to be so cool!¡±


    Someone commented.


    He glanced through the crowd of students and noticed Julius. The boy was yawning and did not seem interested in the fight.


    Julius did not say anything to Bryan during breakfast. Bryan assumed he would have wondered what had happened to the duel, but maybe Julius had found another opponent or was not that concerned about the duel in the first place.


    ¡°Who do you think will win?¡±


    Another voice, this one belonged to a girl.


    The bits of conversation continued.


    ¡°As you can see, both bracelets are active, so we are both being monitored by the system and protected.¡±


    Gloria stated from her position on the duel arena.


    ¡°Alan will now demonstrate what will happen when one of you lands your spells.¡±


    Gloria stood with her arms at her sides, making no move to defend herself as Alan shifted into a combat stance.


    "Watch carefully."


    Alan''s voice carried across the arena.


    The air around Alan began to distort, like heat waves rising from summer pavement. Gravity seemed to bend and concentrate around his outstretched hand, creating visible ripples between him and Gloria.


    Bryan watched intently, analyzing the spell''s formation. Whatever this technique was, it appeared to compress and manipulate gravitational forces into a focused point.


    The attack launched without warning¡ªa concentrated burst of gravitational force instantly crossed the distance to Gloria. It struck her left shoulder with enough force that several students gasped. Bryan briefly noticed her bracelet''s second crystal flashing red. Her left arm went limp, hanging uselessly at her side.


    "As you can see."


    Gloria raised her right arm, gesturing to her now-immobile left.


    "While no actual damage has occurred, the system registers the hit as having disabled my arm. I cannot move it or use it for casting until the match ends."


    She turned back to Alan.


    "Continue."


    This time, Alan''s next attack caught her squarely in the face. Gloria''s body became rigid, and the crystals on her bracelet turned bright red while the blue faded entirely. She stood frozen, like a statue, unable to even blink.


    "This."


    Alan gestured to Gloria''s immobilized form.


    "Is what happens when you take lethal damage. The system has registered her as ''dead.'' She cannot move, speak, or cast magic. This state will persist until the match officially ends."


    As if on cue, the grassy field shimmered and vanished. When the arena returned to its neutral state, Gloria relaxed, rolling her shoulders as if shaking off the effects.


    "Any damage you sustain."


    She said, flexing her previously immobile left arm.


    "Is cleared the instant the match ends. However."


    Her eyes swept across the gathered students.


    "The pain you feel during the match is very real. Do not expect your opponents to show mercy simply because the damage isn''t permanent."


    Was that really the case? The pain you felt is real bit. Because if it was, then Gloria just took a hit to the face, died, and shrugged it off like it was nothing.


    No one could do that.


    ¡®Then again, the death would have been instant, so would she have felt any pain?¡¯


    Bryan found himself wondering.


    Both Alan and Gloria left the duel arena while Lock entered.


    ¡°As you can see, the protections are real, and we strongly encourage you to kill one another. It will be a learning experience, and safe. As you have been told today, you will have team matches.¡±


    Lock''s rope dart swayed gently at his side as he paced the arena''s edge.


    "Two teams per match. Victory is achieved when all members of the opposing team are eliminated. Simple enough."


    He paused, steel-gray eyes scanning the gathered students.


    "However, the arena will randomly select one of our combat environments. You''ll have thirty seconds to observe and plan before the match begins. Use that time wisely."


    Lock stated before he came to the edge of the arena.


    "Team rankings will be determined through a series of matches. Winners face winners. Losers face losers. By the end of today, we''ll know exactly where each team stands."


    Lock''s gaze lingered briefly on each team.


    "One final note. While the arena protects you from death, it doesn''t stop you from surrendering. There''s no shame in recognizing when you''re outmatched. Pride won''t save you in a real battle."


    ''Surrender?''


    Bryan almost scoffed. He did not plan on losing. Surrendering would be worse.


    ¡°Hey.¡±


    Bryan¡¯s thought was cut short when Farrah slid in next to him. He should have paid more attention, but he was so focused on how the pain of death would feel that he lacked awareness of her.


    ¡°Need something?¡±


    He asked, giving her a sparing glance.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t see you for breakfast¡ª¡±


    ¡°I walked right past your table.¡±


    Bryan interrupted her.


    Farrah sighed but didn¡¯t press the matter.


    ¡°Yup, you did. You sat alone in the corner of the cafeteria, and we, as in the team, wanted to give you some space. But I wanted to know how you are holding up after yesterday''s incident.¡±


    Bryan looked over her shoulder at the other three members, who were standing. They were talking, but he noticed Alexander glance his way.


    ¡°I already told you I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t you have something better to do?¡±


    ¡°So, no more nose bleeds? Did you go back to the medical ward?¡±


    Farrah asked.


    ¡°What, do you want my entire medical file? Will that get you to leave me alone? I already told you I¡¯m fine, so take it or leave it. The choice is yours.¡±


    "Team One and Team Three."


    Lock''s voice was a welcome interruption to Bryan''s conversation. He felt that this was not over yet and someone from the team would want to talk to him.


    He was not looking forward to that and would avoid it instead. People just needed to learn how to let sleeping dogs lie.


    "You''re up first. The rest of you, head to the observation platform. You''ll want to watch this carefully ¨C you might face one of these teams next."


    As the other students began moving toward the elevated platform, Bryan saw his team gathering nearby. Alexander was already opening his mouth, probably to suggest some last-minute strategy.


    "Take your positions."


    Lock shouted.


    They moved to the right side of the duel arena, while team one went to the left side. Even now, Alexander was still talking about the plan, which was to use the formation they had practiced.


    Bryan noticed a girl with short black hair waving in their direction as she smiled. He wondered who she was waving at when he saw Sabrina wave back from the corner of his eye.


    ¡°That¡¯s Leah, my roommate.¡±


    Sabrina said before anyone could ask.


    Christopher whistled.


    ¡°So, you going to kill her? Would make for an interesting conversation.¡±


    Alexander laughed a little.


    ¡°Might help with her hogging the bathroom. If that¡¯s still a thing.¡±


    Sabrina grinned, showing her teeth.


    ¡°Oh, it most definitely is a thing.¡±


    The smooth black surface beneath their feet suddenly shimmered. Bryan felt a slight shift in temperature as the air grew noticeably warmer. The platform began to fragment, sections of ground rising at different heights while gaps formed between them. Within seconds, they were standing on one of several floating islands suspended mid-air.


    Sand appeared next, starting as a light dusting before building into proper dunes across the various platforms. Wind picked up, carrying the first waves of sand through the air. Visibility, already limited by the islands'' varying heights, deteriorated further as the sandstorm began to build.


    "Think that formation will be useless now."


    Farrah muttered from somewhere to Bryan''s left.


    She wasn''t wrong. Bryan could make out rope bridges connecting some islands through the growing storm, while other gaps seemed designed for jumping.


    The wind howled louder, sand whipping past with increasing intensity. Team One had become little more than shadows in the distance, their forms occasionally visible through breaks in the storm.


    ''Limited visibility. Unstable footing. Multiple elevation points.''


    Bryan analyzed, already mapping potential routes in his mind. The environment would make targeting difficult but also make it harder for them to see his attacks coming.


    "Thirty seconds."


    Lock announced as the arena finished forming.

 Chapter 41 – Excellence Camp Team Battle I

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 3rd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    The sandstorm made visibility nearly impossible. Bryan kept his distance from the others, tracking their movements through the occasional breaks in the swirling sand.


    Movement caught his attention. Alexander was gesturing to the others, his voice barely carrying over the howling wind.


    "Anyone see anything?"


    Christopher shifted his stance, squinting through the storm.


    "Movement ahead, maybe thirty feet. Can''t tell how many."


    Alexander turned to Sabrina.


    "Can you hit in that direction? We need to take control early."


    Sabrina shook her head, sand falling from her hair.


    "I can''t see clearly. The spell might go wide."


    "Try anyway. Even if you miss we might be able to disperse them. Then Christopher can close in on anyone close by."


    Bryan watched Sabrina''s hesitation, noting how her fingers twitched.


    ¡®That¡¯s a bad call. You need to tell him that it¡¯s wrong. You have no vision on the target and will be aiming blind.¡¯


    She did what Alexander wanted.


    Why?


    Sabrina had to know the call was bad but did as he asked anyway. If her spell did not land, it would all be for naught.


    A pillar of magma erupted¡ªnot where Christopher had indicated, but directly beneath him. Christopher didn''t even have time to scream as the molten rock engulfed him. His bracelet flashed brilliant red before the blue crystal went dark.


    "What the hell, Sabrina?"


    Alexander''s voice cracked.


    Her spell didn''t make it thirty feet. Alexander was to blame for the bad call, but she was also at fault for going through with it. It was like the blind leading the blind.


    And now he was upset? Maybe surprised was the right word from the way his eyebrows shot up when the pillar erupted.


    ''Stupid.''


    Bryan thought as he scanned the immediate area.


    "I told you I couldn''t see! This is your fault¡ªyou told me to cast anyway!"


    Farrah stepped between them.


    "Both of you, shut up! This isn''t helping¡ª"


    "Not helping?"


    Sabrina''s face flushed red.


    "Our tank is dead because someone couldn''t wait five seconds for better visibility!"


    Alexander jabbed a finger at her.


    "You''re the one who lost control of your spell! How do you miss by that much?"


    "Maybe if someone hadn''t rushed me¡ª"


    "Oh, so now it''s my fault you can''t aim?"


    They would get no where with this. Not to mention, Bryan spotted people moving through the gaps in the whirling sand.


    "Your argument is pointless, so shut up. There¡¯s movement from multiple targets."


    He told them before the argument could go any further.


    The warning came too late. Lightning arced through the sandstorm, striking the platform where they stood. Bryan moved to the side as the electricity crackled past, catching Alexander''s shoulder. The support mage''s bracelet flashed, his right arm going limp.


    ''Perfect. Two minutes in and we''ve lost our tank to friendly fire, given away our position, and had our support disabled.''


    Bryan couldn''t help but wonder if Alan was watching this disaster unfold. The shame of such an amateur display almost hurt worse than any damage the arena could simulate.


    Another lightning bolt illuminated the storm, revealing multiple silhouettes moving between the floating islands. Team One had found them, and now they had the advantage of higher ground and better coordination.


    "Alexander, are you okay?"


    Farrah''s asked.


    "Fine."


    He flexed his good arm.


    "Anyone catch where that came from?"


    Sabrina brushed sand from her face, squinting into the storm.


    "I can''t see anything in this mess. It''s like trying to spot a fish in mud."


    "Left side, I think."


    Farrah shifted her stance.


    "But I''m not sure if they actually saw us or just got lucky with the lightning strike."


    Bryan watched his teammates fumble through the situation. Attacking without understanding their opponent''s capabilities or position was amateur at best and suicidal at worst. Even worse was Alexander giving orders while essentially blind. Now, with one arm useless, their support was little more than dead weight.


    "We need to move."


    Farrah''s eyes darted between the floating platforms.


    "We''re too exposed¡ª"


    A high-pitched whistle cut through the howling wind. Through the swirling sand, Bryan caught the gleam of something curved.


    "Sabrina, barrier! Now!"


    Farrah''s voice rose with urgency.


    "NOW!"


    Without wasting a beat, Sabrina quickly conjured a barrier. It was barely formed around her before a wind blade slammed into it, creating cracks across the hexagonal sections.


    Sabrina stumbled back from the impact as she lowered the barrier.


    "Crap, that was close."


    Her voice shook slightly.


    Alexander clutched his disabled arm.


    "We need to move. Now."


    "There was a bridge ahead."


    Farrah gestured through the swirling sand.


    "I saw it earlier, before the storm got worse."


    Alexander nodded.


    "Let''s go."


    As the group started moving, Bryan remained still, drawing his knife. The blade gleamed dully in the storm-filtered light as he drew it across his palm. Blood welled up from the cut.


    ''I won''t lose this match because of others mistakes.''


    "What are you doing?"


    Alexander called back.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Sabrina scoffed, already several steps ahead.


    "He''s crazy. Thinks he''s better than us, so let him be. Maybe he''ll get hit by lightning next."


    ¡°Wait, we aren¡¯t going to leave him here.¡±


    Farrah stopped moving and said as she turned to face him.


    ¡°Stop trying to play hero, and let¡¯s move.¡±


    She said.


    Bryan shot her a glare but otherwise paid her little attention.


    ¡°Play hero? I¡¯m just doing what I¡¯m supposed to do. If you want to run, go ahead.¡±


    Cresent blades formed around him as the wound on his palm closed.


    He had six of them to work with, but that was enough for this exercise.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this!¡±


    Sabrina shouted.


    Farrah sighed and shook her head.


    ¡°Fine, let¡¯s do it your way then. It¡¯ll look bad if we end up leaving you alone. Since you want to stay and fight, we¡¯ll stay and fight.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡±


    Alexander spoke up as he held on to his useless arm.


    Farrah shrugged.


    ¡°I know he¡¯s a pain, but he¡¯s still our teammate. Besides, they might think we¡¯ll run away, and staying behind would only play in our favor. Bryan might be on to something.¡±


    ¡®Like I¡¯m ever wrong to begin with.¡¯


    Bryan thought as he watched the movements through the sandstorm. It was hard to make out if they were actual people moving or if his eyes were playing tricks on him.


    Sabrina dragged her feet and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Ugh, fine. So, what¡¯s the plan? Just hit whoever comes in view?¡±


    Farrah smiled, but her eyes were focused on Bryan.


    ¡°As barbaric as that sounds, it might be our best option. Considering Alexander won¡¯t be of much help, hitting whatever comes our way is the play.¡±


    ¡°Hey! I can still cast.¡±


    Alexander protested.


    Sabrina patted him on the shoulder.


    ¡°Sure you can. Just¡­ try not to get in the way, okay?¡±


    ¡°Will you shut up? You already gave away our position with your spell earlier, and conversing is only making it worse. If you¡¯re going to stay put, then the least you can do is stay out of my way.¡±


    Bryan told them.


    He wished they would have left like they were planning. Working alone would have been better.


    Counting on them to help was out of the question. They already proved they were nothing but a liability. And as much as Farrah wanted to show him otherwise, Sabrina¡¯s quick dispatchment of Christoper already proved Bryan right.


    In a combat situation like this, he had to take control.


    ¡°Now, now, that isn¡¯t called for. We¡¯re on the same team, so let¡¯s just work together. Alright?¡±


    Alexander asked as he stepped in front of Sabrina, who looked as if she was ready to tear Bryan¡¯s head off.


    ¡°Whatever.¡±


    ¡°Since Christopher is down, we can¡¯t count on our tank. We should revise our plan to suit our fighting style better. Let¡¯s try not to overcomplicate matters and instead focus on our strengths.¡±


    Farrah stated.


    ¡°Bryan will do whatever he wants, and I doubt anything we say will matter. So, it¡¯s just you and me.¡±


    Farrah said as she looked at Sabrina.


    ¡°And me.¡±


    Alexander added, making sure he was not left out.


    ¡°Right, and you. I¡¯ll support Bryan, making sure he won¡¯t die, but it¡¯s up to you to guard Alexander. I know it¡¯s not the best plan, but it¡¯s all we¡¯ve got.¡±


    ¡°Or¡­¡±


    Sabrina had a predatory smile plastered on her face.


    ¡°We could just let him bite the bullet. Take one for the team, and when they close in to finish our captain off, we strike.¡±


    ¡°I am right here!¡±


    Alexander shouted as the two girls were talking as if he were dead.


    Farrah put a finger on her chin and seemed to think about the idea.


    ¡°It¡¯s not a bad plan, but I doubt they would fall for it. Alexander being out in the open alone? Yeah no. With you guarding him, on the other hand, it might be more realistic and something they would go for. Besides, you can take care of yourself if it comes down to close combat.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, I can handle myself. I¡¯ll just leave him if it becomes too much to handle. Just make sure you save me some. I can¡¯t have my only moment be scorching Christopher to death. Not the greatest highlight, if I must say.¡±


    Farrah laughed then noticed that Bryan had vanished.


    ¡°Where did he go?¡±


    She asked as Sabrina also turned to look where Bryan last stood.


    ¡°He left like ten seconds ago. Maybe if you two stopped plotting my death, you would have noticed.¡±


    Alexander commented.


    ¡°So, which way did he go?¡±


    Farrah asked.


    ¡°He jumped to the leftmost platform. I saw a few shadows moving, so he¡¯s probably screwed.¡±


    Alexander answered.


    **********


    Bryan gazed down at the five figures huddled up. They seemed to be chatting, but he couldn¡¯t make out what they were talking about.


    ¡®Planning? Or wasting time?¡¯


    He asked himself.


    Striking them now was an option, but how many of them could he eliminate? Three?


    That would leave two of them to deal with, and he wasn¡¯t sure which of them was the strongest. A team is only as good as their weakest link.


    From the way they were huddled around, they were not worried about defending themselves.


    He heard something and quickly turned.


    ¡®Her.¡¯


    He thought as he spotted Farrah blink to his location. The sandstorm was still roaring and blocking his view, but it was not thick where he currently was.


    When he left, she was chatting with Sabrina, and he thought they would be too busy to notice him leaving. Yet, somehow, here she was.


    Unlike what he assumed, she did not speak to him. She moved to the edge and gazed down.


    ¡°They¡¯re unguarded. If you plan on attacking, now is the time.¡±


    She whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take the big guy on the left, what about you?¡±


    She asked.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle Leah, Max, and Sarah. You go in after my blades rip them apart.¡±


    Bryan told her.


    If she wanted to be of help, then he would allow that. Even if she dove in and died, it would be a distraction. Farrah could buy him enough time to strike again.


    Her death would not go in vain.


    ¡°Ugh, you know their names?¡±


    She asked.


    Bryan glared at her, wondering if this was the right time to make side talk. Besides, what was the point of that question anyway? There were only twenty people in the camp, how difficult was it to recall their names?


    Know thy enemy.


    Seeing his death glare, Farrah nodded once as he was not going to answer her question.


    ¡°Works for me, but can you break through their barriers?¡±


    She asked.


    ¡°They don¡¯t have barriers, and they aren¡¯t paying attention. Just get ready to move in three.¡±


    Bryan told her as he moved his crescent blades.


    With six of them, he could use one for each target. However, he wanted to be certain of the kill, which meant he had to use two per person.


    One to the neck, the other would slice through their stomach. Both areas were fatal and would end the fight quickly.


    With the reaction time of the other two, he could close the distance if he augmented his body with ether.


    Farrah appearing shortly after would cause the remaining two to focus on her and leave them open for attacks to the back. Bryan estimated it would take him two seconds to get from here down there and another second to kill them from behind.


    Three seconds. More than enough time. The distance was only ten feet at most, and gravity would help him out when descending. It would take him five seconds if he were sloppy.


    With that thought in mind, his crescent blades moved. Team one did not know what hit them as three of their members ¡®died¡¯ instantly.


    ¡°What the?¡±


    The large boy was confused when he noticed Leah, Max, and Sarah¡¯s bracelets flash red. In mid-conversation, all of them stopped talking.


    Looking around, he saw something flicker before a knee crashed into his face.


    Farrah''s slim figure flew by with amazing grace as she pushed the boy twice her size to the edge. She didn''t even have to use a spell beside the blink she engaged with.


    ¡°Brent!¡±


    The other boy shouted as he rushed forward to help.


    Bryan appeared like a ghost as his red eyes gazed up. The boy put up a shield to protect himself from Bryan¡¯s spell.


    Bryan smirked and punched the boy in the throat.


    ¡®Never planned on using a spell.¡¯


    Bryan thought as the boy''s bracelet flashed red from the impact. The boy never stood a chance under the power of his augmented strength.


    Barriers only protected against spells, not physical attacks.


    Instead of putting one up in a panic, he should have realized the distance and put some spacing between them. Or launched his own spell in retaliation.


    ¡®Amateur.¡¯


    Turning his attention, Bryan found that Farrah kicked her opponent off the floating island. He was hanging on with one hand, but she stomped her foot on his hand, and he fell.


    The arena shimmered, sand and floating islands dissolving as it returned to its neutral state. He had not used augmentation for long, so he wasn¡¯t drained. Instead, Bryan felt that something was lacking.


    ¡®Was I too efficient?¡¯


    He shook his head once. That was absurd. He dispatched the enemies quickly and without mercy. So why was he unsatisfied?


    Training with the holograms was more satisfying than this.


    "That was brutal."


    Max rolled his shoulders as he approached.


    "We didn¡¯t even sense you. How did you do that? Did you target us specifically or was it random? Better yet, how did you even find us? We only gathered for a moment, and Kai made sure no one was around."


    Bryan didn''t answer. He was more focused on the instructors'' reactions. Lock''s expression remained neutral, but Gloria seemed to smirk.


    "Blackwood."


    Alan''s voice cut through the arena.


    "Team Three. Here. Now."


    The walk to their instructor felt longer than it should have. Christopher looked embarrassed about his early elimination.


    Alan studied them for a long moment.


    "So."


    He crossed his arms.


    "Anyone want to explain what that was supposed to be?"


    "We won."


    Alexander started but quickly fell silent under Alan''s stare.


    "Did you?"


    Alan''s gaze swept over them.


    "Because what I saw was a complete breakdown of team structure, followed by two individuals acting independently while the rest stood around arguing."


    He turned to Bryan.


    "You got results. I''ll give you that. But tell me - what happens when you face an opponent who isn''t caught off guard? When they''re ready for your tactics?"


    "I think I¡¯ll manage."


    Bryan replied coldly.


    "I¡¯d like to see you try."


    Alan''s voice carried an edge.


    "You managed to obtain victory, great. But at what cost?"


    He shook his head.


    "Christopher died to friendly fire. Alexander was disabled early. Sabrina and Farrah barely participated."


    "I helped with the final attack."


    Farrah interjected.


    "After abandoning your original position."


    Alan countered.


    "Though at least you showed some initiative."


    He resigned himself to say before he focused on Bryan again.


    "You have skill. That''s obvious. But skill alone won''t be enough where you''re headed."


    Bryan stayed silent. They weren¡¯t headed anywhere. If they were, then he would not be included. Once this whole academy life was over with, he was going right back to the Inquisition.


    The others might be stationed somewhere and participate in missions to safeguard the Roan kingdom. But that was a long shot for him.


    "Your next match is in twenty minutes, I suggest you use that time to figure out how actually to function as a team. Unless..."


    His eyes locked onto Bryan.


    "You think you can keep soloing your way through every challenge?"


    Bryan maintained eye contact, refusing to look away first.


    ¡®Is that a challenge I¡¯m hearing?¡¯


    Bryan forced himself not to smile. He did not plan on taking out everyone in their next match, but since Alan said it. It did not seem like a bad idea.


    "Dismissed."


    Alan said finally.


    "Except you, Blackwood. A word."


    As the others moved away, Bryan caught fragments of conversation from the other instructors.


    "Impressive speed..."


    Lock was saying.


    "Talented. Worth keeping an eye on¡­"


    Gloria began adding her own comment.


    Alan waited until they were alone before speaking again.


    "You''re not stupid, Blackwood. So tell me - why are you fighting this so hard? Be part of the team, play your role."


    Bryan remained silent.


    "Because from where I''m standing, you''re setting yourself up for failure. And in our line of work, failure usually means death."


    Seeing that Bryan was not going to respond, Alan sighed and continued.


    "Think about that before your next match. Now go. Your team''s waiting."

 Chapter 42 – Excellence Camp Team Battle II

    Ashern City - Reinhart Institute of War, 3rd of Brightforge, year 315 UC


    Five figures in black cloaks sat around the circular table. Violet stood passing out a thin folder to the others and paused for a second when she arrived in front of Bryan.


    "Your target is Leopold Vincent."


    Her white and red rabbit mask tilted slightly as she spoke.


    "This is an elimination mission. Clean, quick, no witnesses."


    She moved behind Bryan, bonking him lightly on the head with her folder.


    "Ready for your first real mission, rookie?"


    A finger snapped in front of Bryan''s face. The memory shattered, replaced by Christopher''s concerned expression.


    "Hey, you in there?"


    Bryan blinked, his brow furrowing slightly.


    ''Why am I remembering that? It''s three years old.''


    The briefing room, the masks, Violet''s question ¨C none of it held any particular significance. Just another mission briefing. So why was his mind dwelling on such a pointless memory?


    "Well?"


    Christopher pressed.


    "What do you think?"


    Bryan''s frown deepened. Think about what? He turned his attention to the dueling arena below their observation platform, only to find Team Four already walking off the field, their opponents defeated.


    ''What? The match just started two minutes ago.''


    Had he really zoned out for that long? Julius and his team hadn''t even broken a sweat, yet their opponents were already eliminated.


    Bryan''s fingers tightened imperceptibly on the railing.


    Something was wrong with him.


    The nose bleed, the headache, the memories, and now he was zoining out. Yeah, there was too much happening for it to be a coincidence.


    Turning his attention to Christopher, he looked at the boy. His eyes were squinted slightly, and he glanced away when Bryan looked his way.


    ¡®Nervous?¡¯


    Bryan wondered as he read his body language.


    Five feet away, Alexander, Sabrina, and Farrah were huddled near one of the support pillars, their voices a faint whisper. Bryan caught sight of Alexander motioning to the ground floor where the duel took place before his mouth moved.


    Siliva stood at the entrance, her eyes focused on a device in her hand, but she spoke to her team every so often.


    Team one wasn''t paying much attention to the duel and were gathered in the corner right under the vent.


    Neither group mingled with one another, each minding their own business. And with the space between, they made the room seem larger than what it actually was.


    The observation room stretched along the gymnasium''s upper level, its reinforced glass offering an unobstructed view of the floor below. Metal benches lined the back wall but were empty even though there was more than enough space to fit thirty or more people.


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be over there?¡±


    Bryan asked as he motioned towards the others in their squad with his chin.


    Christopher smiled weakly.


    ¡°I kind of feel bad about the last match. I didn¡¯t do anything.¡±


    ¡°Not like the others did much. Besides, you got scorched, it wasn¡¯t your fault.¡±


    Bryan told him.


    Christopher laughed and then smiled.


    ¡°Honestly man, I didn¡¯t picture you as the type to try and make others feel better.¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯m not.¡±


    Bryan quickly added in before Christopher could continue.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m trying to say. I think¡­¡±


    He paused, looking away and down at the empty duel arena below.


    ¡°I just look at what you¡¯ve done and it hit me. Like I¡¯m pretty ass at this. You¡¯ve seen what I can do, and I don¡¯t expect you to bullshit me. What do you think of us?¡±


    Christopher asked.


    There was something about his tone that made him seem like a lost puppy. Sad and wanting help.


    ¡°Why are you asking me?¡±


    Bryan couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    He thought that the others disliked him by now. Especially after he left things yesterday with them.


    ¡°You just seem like you don¡¯t care about what others think, so you¡¯re the best to tell me how it is. And you seem to have it all put together.¡±


    Bryan shrugged once as he looked away.


    Team four and two were both being talked to by their respective instructors. Learning what went right and what went wrong.


    Christopher was right about one thing. He did not care what others thought about him. But, he was wrong about him having everything put together.


    Bryan had no clue where he was going. The only thing he knew was how to fight and how to kill. Was that something he should be proud of?


    It was not like he could go home and tell his family that he had managed to take out two targets with more experience than himself. No one in the Inquisition cared; what mattered was that the job was done.


    Simply going from one job to the next. There was no room for praise.


    At least not for him.


    ¡°You¡¯re all bad. Skill-wise, you¡¯re nothing special, and there is a lot of room for improvement. I pictured that you all would put up a challenge and be similar to myself. I was far from the truth, and as I told Farrah in a real fight, you wouldn¡¯t last thirty seconds.¡±


    Bryan told him as he leaned on the metal railing. As they stood on the far end of the observation deck, he could hear Christopher shift beside him.


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Christopher was silent for a second.


    Hearing the truth could be too much for some people. Realizing that you weren¡¯t anything special when you¡¯ve been told that your entire life.


    Yeah¡­ that would be hard to digest for anyone.


    But there was something about being normal. If Bryan had been normal, he would have grown up differently, and he might have thought he was special, too. His skill level would have been on par with the other kids''.


    However, it was impossible for that to ever happen.


    ¡°Ouch! I thought it was bad, but thirty seconds?¡±


    Christopher let out a low whistle.


    ¡°Thirty seconds? You¡¯re not low-balling me are you?¡±


    Strangely, he took the information better than expected.


    ¡°Alright, so we¡¯re crap in your eyes. Probably the instructors, too. But let¡¯s say you¡¯re the outlier in all of this. The rest of us should be on par with each other, right?¡±


    Bryan turned to look at him for a second. He saw Christopher was in thought as he scratched his hair.


    ¡°No. The top ¡®twenty¡¯ aren¡¯t even in terms of power. These rankings are bogus, and I¡¯m not sure what metrics they used to determine our rankings. However, someone, let¡¯s say, ranked nineteen could outstrip someone that¡¯s rank five in terms of spell power. So, why is someone who is more powerful ranked lower?¡±


    Bryan asked.


    It was a question he¡¯s been thinking about since he discovered the capabilities of his teammates as well as the others.


    Alan said they were ranked based on their starting potential, but was that really true?


    He was not going to toot his own horn, but he was strong. But, was he stronger than Alessia? If Julius¡¯ words are believed, then Alessia vastly outperformed him.


    Being able to wipe out dozens of people in a snap?


    The amount of firepower required for that was incomprehensible. Even now, Bryan was trying to wrap his head around how that would even look.


    And that¡¯s taking into account the various spells he¡¯s seen cast in real life. Spells capable of destroying buildings, crushing people with force, and even poisons that couldn¡¯t be seen with the naked eye.


    Wide area spells capable of flattening, burning, freezing, and paralyzing others.


    Yet even those spells took time to kill their target, nothing instantaneous.


    Alessia was truly special when it came to death. There might not be a mage their age that would be capable of killing on her level. If she could reach her potential and replicate what she did before but on a larger scale.


    To think that she was able to do all of this at such a young age when she didn¡¯t have access to all of her spells. People considered Bryan to be a monster, but what sort of beast would she be in five or ten years?


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about that too. The others have as well, and we think it has something to do with our backgrounds, alongside what we¡¯ve demonstrated during the test. We all took a written, physical, and combat test before we were accepted. Those scores played a part in our ranking as well, but there¡¯s just got to be more to it than that.¡±


    Christopher said as he leaned on the rail alongside Bryan. His sleeve brushed up against Bryan''s as he moved. They were not even a foot apart from one another, only a few inches.


    ¡°You¡¯re spell, it¡¯s Rock Bullet, yeah?¡±


    Bryan asked without looking at Christopher.


    ¡°Similar. Rock Barrage. I¡¯m able to shoot rocks endlessly. The downside is it starts slow but picks up speed as time progresses.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m guessing the area of control is what? Ten feet around you?¡±


    Christopher raised his eyebrow.


    ¡°Yeah, something like that. More like five feet though. You¡¯re well versed in spell knowledge, huh?¡±


    Bryan glanced at him for a second before turning his attention back to the ground below. The teams were dispersing now as the instructors got together.


    ¡°You can say that. Rock Bullet lets you summon a rock and shoot it out in a direction. Usually, one at a time, and the entire field is at your disposal. The Barrage version gives you an area to control, and you can fire out one or multiple at a time.¡±


    ¡°Yup! For a starter spell, I¡¯d say I pulled a powerful one. Sucks that it drains me of my ether, though.¡±


    Hearing what Christopher¡¯s spell was and knowing that he also had the armor one changed Bryan¡¯s view of him. Christopher was right, Rock Barrage was powerful. A capable mage would be able to shoot out endless amount of rocks that could go supersonic speeds.


    It was not a spell that newly awakened mages would acquire.


    Normally, it would be the fourth or even fifth spell a mage would unlock. And by then they would have other spells that would complement their fighting style.


    That spell was also used for area denial but could be used offensively as well. Although it was unlikely due to the drain the mage would sustain.


    ¡°My folks were pretty surprised when I awakened, and they saw what spell I had obtained. They were happy, sure, but it¡¯s pretty useless right now, and everyone knows it. I was lucky to get my other spell, less ether drain, and increased defensive abilities. I can even hit harder, too.¡±


    Bryan just listened to him, taking note of what Christopher was telling him about himself and his spells.


    He was a lot more capable than what he first seemed, and Bryan realized why his stamina was dogwater. Christopher hated training and figured he could just rely on his spells to protect him. An immobile tank, that¡¯s what he wanted to be, and he didn¡¯t need stamina to not move.


    Awakening his first and second spells utterly crushed that dream of his, and he did not know that casting spells would cause physical exhaustion.


    ¡°Why are you telling me all of this? Revealing your spells? You know that this is a competition, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Bryan asked.


    Christopher chuckled as the metal rail creaked with the movement of his body.


    ¡°Shit, man, you think any of that matters? Life is a competition. You knowing my spells doesn¡¯t mean anything to me. I figure I¡¯d die anyway, what¡¯s the difference between now or later? Besides, do you think they¡¯ll drop us out of this academy, and we¡¯d be free to go? Heck no! Most that will happen is we¡¯ll transfer away to a different military academy.¡±


    Christopher shook his head slightly.


    ¡°They will get their money''s worth out of us. Drain us of everything we¡¯re worth and toss us when we¡¯re next to useless. You best to believe that.¡±


    Christopher sighed and looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°So you want to use what I told you against me? Go ahead. What¡¯s the point of working so hard? These are going to be our best years before everything goes to shit, and we¡¯re stuck at the border doing some pointless job. Gods forbid you to get sent to an expedition unit that travels into the deep caverns.¡±


    There was a silence that stretched between the two of them for a moment. Bryan could hear the bits of conversation between the other members of his team as well as team one.


    They were talking about Alessia.


    What were they saying? He tried to listen more intently, but Christopher spoke up.


    ¡°That blood of yours, it¡¯s similar to water and wind, huh? Plenty of people have crescent shapded projectiles, the size and how many vary from person to person but it¡¯s nothing unique. Just never seen anyone use blood before. How is it?¡±


    Christopher asked.


    Bryan glanced at him then shook his head.


    ¡°How is it? What am I supposed to compare it to? It¡¯s just magic, nothing more to it.¡±


    Bryan replied.


    ¡°Yeah, I get that. But it¡¯s still your own blood. Does it hurt?¡±


    Bryan sighed.


    ¡°No. There¡¯s nothing to feel. You¡¯re essentially asking me the equivalent of me asking you if you feel anything from rocks. Do you?¡±


    Christopher laughed.


    ¡°I might. There are some crazy people out in the world, and I could be one of them. Being all in tune with my element and such. Anyway, I just wanted to ask you about how you are so strong. I mean, my childhood was nothing special, but man¡­¡±


    He let out another whistle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t act or move like the rest of us, that is for sure.¡±


    Bryan snorted.


    How did he get so strong? Easy. Spend your entire childhood learning everything you can about magic, mages, combat, and how to kill. Then apply it when your teachers think you¡¯re ready.


    ¡°Just train like your life depends on it. Because someday, it might.¡±


    Bryan replied.


    He could feel Christophers gaze on him, but Bryan didn¡¯t turn to look at the boy. There was no need.


    ¡°I might have to. Your attitude might be shit, no offense. But I can respect your abilities and what you¡¯ve shown. I also don¡¯t have an ego the size of Mount Cai, so I can and will ask for help when needed. If you¡¯re still up for it, I¡¯d still like to learn about body augmentation.¡±


    Bryan kept looking down, but he moved his eye to see Christopher for only a second.


    He thought the guy was a liability, and he wasn¡¯t wrong. Christopher was, but Bryan did not take into account that he had room to grow. They all had room to grow.


    It was just they were crawling while he was already in a full-blown sprint.


    ¡°It¡¯s only been two days since we¡¯ve arrived. We have no idea what¡¯s in store for us for the remainder of this camp. These last couple of days have only been them testing us and us settling in. I expect by tomorrow or the end of this week, we won¡¯t have much free time.¡±


    Bryan said as he watched the instructors walk away from the duel arena.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a teacher, so don¡¯t expect anything that¡¯s on par with what they are capable of. If you want to learn, then I can spare some time to show you how it''s done. At least the way I learned it.¡±


    ¡°Works for me. So, what¡¯s your plan for team four?¡±


    Christopher asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really have one.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t have one? Dude, were you not paying attention? Alessia just walked right into the enemy team, and they all died. No one else on team four made a move. It was insane.¡±


    ¡®So that¡¯s what happened.¡¯


    ¡°Well, then, I guess I¡¯ll have to kill her before I get to the others.¡±


    Bryan told him.