《A Trial of Emperors》 Chapter 0 The Ashen Winds breezed across the land as they signaled the coming arrival of spring, the last remains of snow melting and becoming water for the flora to drink. The road was empty yet peaceful, with small carts being pulled by horses carried farmers and traders, ready to sell their spoils and wares at the town ahead as they welcomed the new day. Speeding past them was a man on horseback, with a young boy sitting right behind him with a firm grasp on his shoulders. ¡°Are the roads always this beautiful?¡± asked the young boy as he enthusiastically admired the scenery. ¡°Well, Lunasolis is known for its scenery,¡± replied the man, with a small hint of pride in his voice, ¡°If you think this is beautiful, just wait ¡®til you see the-¡± The man was interrupted by the grumbling of the boy¡¯s stomach. ¡°Oh¡­ sorry. I guess I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you eat breakfast two hours ago?¡± ¡°I digest my food pretty fast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not stopping. We¡¯re too close to Complesi to stop.¡± The boy grumbled as he tried to flatten his stomach, as though to suppress his hunger, until he saw a carriage ahead that carried apples. ¡°Oh, slow down a little! I see a vendor!¡± ¡°I told you, I¡¯m not stopping.¡± ¡°I said slow down, not stop.¡± ¡°What are you planning on doing?¡± As the man slowed down the horse to match the apple vender¡¯s pace, the boy shifted himself to one of the horse, putting one foot on the stirrup and the other on one side of the fruit vendor¡¯s carriage. ¡°Hey, careful, kid! You could slip!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine! Just keep her steady!¡± Frustrated, the man did everything he could to keep the horse stable, while the boy bought an entire bag of apples from the panicking fruit seller and got back on, before returning the horse to their previous pace. ¡°What were you thinking?¡± ¡°You said we couldn¡¯t stop,¡± replied the boy as he began munching on an apple, ¡°We didn¡¯t stop.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t change the meaning of what I¡¯m¡­¡± the man sighed as he stopped mid-sentence, realizing the futility of the argument, ¡°Look, kid. I¡¯m not gonna tell you how to¡­ do what you do, but please¡­. Don¡¯t forgot why you¡¯re doing this in the first place.¡± ¡°I know,¡± the boy pouted like a child, ¡°But what¡¯s the point of ruling an empire if you don¡¯t even know what you¡¯re fighting for?¡± The man chuckled, ¡°Just don¡¯t get cocky, kid. We still need to pass the entrance test.¡± The boy smiled. ¡°I know. I¡¯m not gonna let them down.¡±
¡°How much more of this?¡± Rona groaned as her upper body slumped onto the table. ¡°It¡¯s only been an hour and a half. Stop complaining,¡± replied Lester. The two examiners bantered as they read and sorted through stacks of papers, watching the participants desperately trying to pass the entrance tests. ¡°Well, yeah. An hour and a half of double-checking already double-checked exam papers that we¡¯ve been double-checking every twenty minutes! I didn¡¯t even have time to have a proper breakfast!¡± ¡°That¡¯s your fault for waking up late.¡± ¡°Speak for yourself! I could be using this time to get a date with a rich guy!¡± ¡°You¡¯re¡­ looking for a date at a time like this?¡± commented an exasperated Lester. ¡°Why not? I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯m gonna be able to keep this job. If anything, now¡¯s the best time to look for a guy with a secure future!¡± Lester face palmed as the two of them finally exited the temporary exam paper archive, ¡°Have you already forgotten how important this job is?¡± ¡°Oh, don¡¯t tell me you actually believe the rumors. If studying here was enough to be emperor, then we would¡¯ve had one already! I bet the Ministerial Council made it up to lure-¡± Lester covered her mouth before she could finish. ¡°Hey! Watch your mouth, we¡¯re at work!¡± He looked around to see if anyone was watching, before realizing that Rona was glaring at him and let go. ¡°S-sorry,¡± He scratched his head as he thought of what to say, ¡°Look, rumors or not, we have VIPs from other nations coming here. We do this right, we¡¯ll at least be able to get our own back on its feet.¡± Rona sighed, ¡°I know how important this job is, Lester. It¡¯s just¡­ knowing what you¡¯re dealing with makes it so much scarier. I don¡¯t wanna have a career working for gods-know-know-long with that kind of stress.¡± Lester couldn¡¯t say anything back. It was true. It didn¡¯t matter what kind of position you had, simply knowing that you were carrying an entire Empire on your back was a crushing responsibility to bear. ¡°You¡¯ll get your break soon enough, Miss Howler,¡± said a voice that approached them. The voice belonged to a red-haired man whose size was big enough to intimidate a rookie fighter, and had a sword tied to his belt. Despite his thick travel attire, his figure boasted a muscular build. ¡°G-general Flamehart!¡± the two examiners stood up in respect. General Alsen Flamehart was one of the military leaders of Lunasolis, who played a big part in ending the civil war, as well as the ¡®cleanup¡¯ of corruption among the nobles, which won him the admiration of the people. ¡°At ease. I¡¯m not here today as a military officer,¡± Flamehart looked towards the closed hall, ¡°Is the exam almost over?¡± ¡°U-um¡­ yes!¡± Despite being told to relax, Rona was barely able to keep her composure, ¡°This batch should be done in a moment¡­¡± ¡°I see,¡± He folded his arms as he waited, ¡°So¡­ how have the candidates been doing?¡± ¡°Well¡­ I haven¡¯t personally seen any in our batches but¡­¡± Lester replied, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that some foreign royalty have been admitted into the academy, along with some kids with good potential.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Flamehart nodded with an approving grunt. ¡°Although¡­ we did catch some candidates trying to cheat. Of course, they were expelled immediately.¡± Flamehart sighed, ¡°It¡¯s better than the alternative¡­ They should be grateful they were only expelled.¡± Sensing the atmosphere getting rather ominous, Rona quickly tried to change the subject. ¡°U-um¡­ Sir¡­¡± she began, ¡°If you¡¯re not here on duty, does that mean¡­?¡± ¡°Hm? Oh, yeah, I¡¯m waiting for someone,¡± Flamehart replied. Just as the two staff were left wondering what kind of person General Flamehart had scouted, the doors of the hall opened to let the batch of candidates who had finished writing the written exam. A good number of them walked out exhausted, while some even left in tears, which the two could only feel sorry for. Only a handful had left with looks of triumph on their faces. ¡°Ah, there he is,¡± said Flamehart. The examiners looked towards the candidate that he pointed and found themselves¡­ confused. A boy who looked like he had just recently hit puberty was walking out of the hall, humming like it was any other day and looking pleased with himself. Although he was wearing travel gear and even had a sword with a sheath that looked rather too large for it, he didn¡¯t seem to have the physique of a trained fighter. Rona and Lester weren¡¯t exactly sure what they were expecting, but it certainly wasn¡¯t this. ¡°Oh¡­ hey, Al!¡± the boy waved happily when he saw Flamehart and approached the group. ¡®Al¡¯? Not only did these two seem to be on a first-name basis, they had nicknames? ¡°Hello, Fable,¡± greeted Flamehart, ¡°How¡¯d the test go?¡± ¡°It was surprisingly easy!¡± the boy named Fable replied cheerfully, ¡°I almost thought it was fake.¡± ¡°Fake?¡± the examiners yelled in shock. This kid was either a genius or just really stupid. ¡°Wait¡­ Fable? That name sounds familiar¡­¡± Lester scratched his head trying to remember, until he slammed the table, ¡°Now I remember! I read your application! You¡¯re the kid from Blackbrick!¡± ¡°Hm? That¡¯s right, I am.¡± ¡°Huh? What¡¯s Blackbrick?¡± Asked Rona, feeling out of the loop. ¡°What? You¡¯ve never even heard of Blackbrick?¡± ¡°Should I¡­ know what it is?¡± Lester sighed. ¡°It¡¯s a city at the western edge of the Empire. It¡¯s got everything you¡¯d expect: Criminal underworld, black-markets, smuggling, you name it. They say you can¡¯t even go out at night without expecting to be assaulted or pickpocketed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± an unfazed Fable agreed, ¡°I always run into four or five pickpockets when I run errands. You get used to it, though.¡± ¡°Is¡­ Is it really that bad?¡± Rona asked an exasperated Lester. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just one side of the problem,¡± he continued, ¡°There¡¯s also the wildlife surrounding the place. Going outside into the wilderness is just asking for a death wish!¡± ¡°Hm¡­ well, there are a lot wild animals there,¡± Fable put his finger on his chin as though to reminisce, ¡°There¡¯s the scavengers, the giant bugs¡­ Oh, there¡¯s the occasional dragons, too!¡± The two examiners stared at the boy with their mouths agape. Although he said he was raised in Blackbrick, his carefree and positive personality suggested otherwise. ¡°How did you get by in a place like that?¡± Rona inquired out of genuine concern for Fable. ¡°Oh, I wasn¡¯t alone. My moms always helped me with things. They taught me everything I know.¡± ¡°I-I see,¡± Rona rested her head on her hand before she realized something, ¡°Huh? Moms?¡± ¡°Oh, yeah,¡± Fable enthusiastically showed seven of his fingers, ¡°I couldn¡¯t write in my application form, but I have seven moms!¡± ¡°S-seven? How?¡± ¡°I grew up in a brothel.¡± The two examiners stood motionless for what felt like a long moment, dropping whatever they had on hand. ¡°Hello? Anybody home?¡± Fable snapped his fingers in front of their faces. Flamehart chuckled, ¡°Your reactions are priceless.¡± ¡°What in Sola¡¯s name-¡± Lester snapped back to his senses, ¡°With all due respect, sir, this just doesn''t seem right. How do you raise a kid in a city that¡¯s literally a haven for criminals, let alone a¡­ brothel, and end up with¡­¡± he gestured towards Fable, ¡°This?¡± ¡°You just gestured to all of me,¡± Fable tilted his head in confusion. ¡°If you¡¯re so curious, why don¡¯t you ask the women who raised him?¡± Flamehart replied, ¡°You¡¯d be surprised how well they did it.¡± As Lester sat with a tired expression, seemingly too exhausted from trying to process the information, Rona suddenly turned to Flamehart, feeling as though something didn¡¯t add up. ¡°Speaking of which¡­ General, what were you doing in Blackbrick in the first place?¡± ¡°That¡¯s classified,¡± he answered immediately. ¡°Ooh! I know!¡± Fable excitedly raised his hand, ¡°He was there looking for-¡± Flamehart shut the boy¡¯s mouth before he could finish his sentence, which only made the two more curious, but they decided not to pry any further. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s enough, kid,¡± he sighed, ¡°You should get back to the inn and call it in early tonight. You¡¯ve still got the physical tests coming up.¡± ¡°Well, sure¡­¡± the boy pouted, looking dissatisfied. Flamehart sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you a cake when I get back.¡± ¡°Okay!¡± Fable suddenly gained back his energy, his eyes glistening, before turning to Rona and Lester, ¡°See you tomorrow, future staff I¡¯ll get to know later!¡± ¡°O¡­kay?¡± the two examiners waved with blank faces as they watched the boy running off. ¡°Well, since I¡¯m certain he¡¯s gonna keep his word on that, I might as well give you some advice,¡± said Alsen as he pinched his forehead, ¡°Try not to let him in on any rumors or gossip. He¡¯s the type of kid who likes to get involved in other people¡¯s problems.¡± ¡°Er¡­ General, you sound like you¡¯re sure about him passing the written test,¡± Rona voiced. ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll pass, alright,¡± he had a smug smile on his face, ¡°He¡¯s had the best education in the empire, after all.¡± While the two examiners continued to stare in confusion, another young man had been listening in on the conversation.
¡°No¡­ way.¡± ¡°Y-¡­ You¡¯re kidding.¡± Rona and Lester stood in front of the announcement board with their mouths agape, joined by some other students, shocked at what they were seeing. However, the most surprised of everyone was, perhaps, Fable himself. ¡°I¡­ got first place?¡± Although Fable didn¡¯t find the written tests particularly difficult, he hadn¡¯t expected to be the only one in his batch to get maximum grades, which made him reconsider the city¡¯s quality of education. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, kid?¡± asked Flamehart, ¡°Getting first place is no small feat.¡± ¡°Well, yeah, but¡­¡± the boy scratched his cheek, ¡°I honestly thought there¡¯d be people who would¡¯ve done better than I did.¡± He wasn¡¯t wrong to assume that, as Lunasolis would¡¯ve been an ideal place for education as a capital city. However, as he would learn later, the civil war had drastically affected the quality of most jobs in the city outside of the absolute best, another reason why the Empire was desperate for talented youth. ¡°Just think of it as your hard work paying off,¡± Flamehart advised wholeheartedly with a chuckle, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the whole point of this test is to see if you¡¯re at least capable enough to enter. Besides, this is a good opportunity to show the people what you¡¯re capable of. Remember, each paper is checked by scholars who work at the Imperial Library.¡± ¡°Well¡­ when you put it that way, I guess you make a good point. But still¡­¡± As Fable agonized over whether to be happy or disappointed, the other candidates began whispering among themselves about the boy with no noble background who had triumphed over the exam. ¡°Who is that kid? I¡¯ve never seen him before.¡± ¡°Do you know what house he¡¯s from?¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t seem to have one. I think he¡¯s a Nameless Child.¡± ¡°Seriously? How is he even here?¡± Although he was being talked about, Fable didn¡¯t get the impression that it was in a positive light. ¡°Uh¡­ Al, are you sure this is working?¡± asked Fable in a skeptic tone, ¡°Doesn¡¯t sound like being Nameless is doing me any favors.¡± ¡°Relax, it¡¯ll pass. If not, then you do something grand enough to shut them up, prove to them that your background doesn¡¯t hold you back.¡± Easier said than done, thought Fable, before spotting a boy about his age staring at a name that was next to his own. ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re Frederick Greenwich?¡± he asked as he approached the boy while trying to appear as friendly as he could, ¡°Fourth place, huh? That¡¯s pretty good.¡± Nice! Start with a compliment! ¡°Not good enough¡­¡± the boy named Frederick replied after a rather long pause. Fable then started to worry if he had just created an awkward situation. ¡°Uh¡­ ¡± Fable racked his brain to come up with something to say, ¡°Did you know that four-legged magifauna have exposed nerves on their underbellies?¡± Frederick let a small groan of annoyance. Why did you go with that? ¡°A-actually, what I meant to say was¡­ having friends to study and hang out with can be helpful and emotionally healthy¡­ At least that¡¯s what my moms tell me!¡± Frederick sighed, ¡°You¡¯re good. I¡¯ll give you that. But I¡¯m not looking for help, and I¡¯m not here to make friends. Especially not with a Nameless Child.¡± The boy walked away from a blank-faced Fable. ¡°Um¡­ what were you trying to do, exactly?¡± asked Rona, who seemed to have watched the scene. ¡°Making friends my age?¡± ¡°Ah.¡± She made an expression of nostalgia, ¡°I remember how much my youth sucked.¡± ¡°Please focus on the present.¡± ¡°Well, regardless, I think it¡¯s better if you don¡¯t approach him again.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Fable asked with the still-blank face. ¡°Because while his family is rather infamous here, ¡®cus they¡¯re a bit¡­ elitist.¡± Fable¡¯s blank face turned into one of joyful curiosity. ¡°Ooh¡­ Family drama?¡± Rona face-palmed as she realized her mistake. On the other hand, as Frederick walked across the hallways of his soon-to-be school, he heard the students gossiping amongst themselves. ¡°Did you hear? Frederick Greenwich barely passed.¡± ¡°Wow, really? I guess he really is as mediocre as they say.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not that surprising. There¡¯s no way he can even compare to Sir Edwyn.¡± Frederick clenched his fists as he remained silent. Everywhere I go, I hear his name. He put everything into holding back his anger, reminding himself that this was nothing compared to what he had to go through in his own house, that surpassing him was the only way he¡¯ll ever be acknowledged. And he was willing to do anything to get there by his own hands, even if it meant becoming emperor.
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°So, how does this combat test work again?¡± Fable stood below the shade of one of the many waiting tents with Flamehart, along with many more applicants anxiously waiting for their turns. ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about it. They¡¯ll just do stuff like dummy-fights or maybe even some light sparring with the instructors. Just show them what you showed me and you¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°¡­Alright, if you say so,¡± the boy stayed silent until he noticed something, ¡°Hey, that bell tower¡­¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Flamehart¡¯s gaze was turned towards a rather worn down bell tower that looked like it should¡¯ve been repaired a long time ago, ¡°Oh, that. It used to be a landmark of sorts, but tourism isn¡¯t exactly popular right now, so they decided it was best to just demolish it and use it for the academy.¡± ¡°That¡¯s unfortunate.¡± ¡°It is what it is,¡± said Flamehart as he checked his pocket watch, ¡°Okay, you stay here and wait for your turn. I¡¯ve got someone to meet. Don¡¯t do anything crazy while I¡¯m gone.¡± ¡°Define crazy.¡± Flamehart groaned as he began to leave, ¡°Just¡­ do your test and stay put¡­ please.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Fable chuckled, before whispering to himself: ¡°No promises, though.¡± As the boy pretended to take another look at his application paper for the umpteenth time, he made sure to observe the things happening around him. Some of the applicants were being carried away to infirmary tents with bruises, sometimes even broken bones. A number of them were even getting scolded by their guardians for their failure to pass, with some even getting harsh and rather underserved beatings. Fable had already heard of the mass execution of nobles who had tried to cheat their way in. Although he despised such extreme measures, he understood why they had to do it. This was about the future of the empire, after all. However, while this approach effectively scared them into complacency, it gave birth to another problem: A large number of children were now being forced to enter a school that had standards beyond their capabilities, regardless of whether or not their parents had their best interests at heart. Fable¡¯s attention was then drawn to a young girl in cheap clothing being beaten up by what seemed to be her guardian. However, one look at her neck was enough to explain why no one was willing to help her. A mark in the shape of a broken black wing was burned onto her skin. The Forsaken Mark. She was nothing more than a slave. It was essentially a social death sentence. The boy¡¯s first thought was to give her master a taste of his own medicine, but right as he placed his hand on his sword¡¯s hilt¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t always act on impulse, Fable. A good leader thinks about the big picture, as well as the consequences of his actions.¡± Remembering one of his mothers¡¯ words, Fable calmed himself and thought it through. As outrageous as it was, slavery was legal for a reason, and it was more than likely that interfering in someone else¡¯s affairs without the proper knowledge or power could end up making it worse. As he silently apologized to the girl in his mind, Fable noticed that Frederick was entering the arena to commence his combat test. ¡°Hey, Fred! Good luck with your test! Don¡¯t panic!¡± he shouted. Frederick stopped in his tracks for a moment, before taking a deep breath as he ignored him and continued on. ¡°Oh¡­ he ignored me.¡± Alsen walked through a hallway filled with numerous staff, too busy writing records and running errands to notice him walking by. Well, all the better for Alsen, for he didn¡¯t come here to be greeted. He continued down the hallway until he reached the far end, now filled with pin-drop silence from the emptiness, where a door stood in front of him. He took a breath and put up his fist. Three knocks. A short moment of silence. ¡°Come in.¡± Alsen opened the door to enter a meeting room, empty apart from a woman standing by the window, watching over the training arenas. As she turned around, she put on a smile of hospitality, though Alsen knew all too well how tired she really was. ¡°Ah, hello, Alsen. I was wondering when you¡¯d return to Complesi.¡± ¡°Once again, I apologize for leaving my post at a time like this, your Excellency.¡± The woman pouted, ¡°For Sola¡¯s sake, Alsen, you¡¯re not here on duty. Could you please call me ¡®Mother¡¯ for once?¡± Alsen groaned. He had expected this reaction. Even if she was his mother, Iya Flamehart was still the Lunasolis Empire¡¯s Prime Minister, and Alsen, who had a military upbringing, had a habit of addressing his superiors formally, which Iya had been insisting he work on. She sighed, ¡°I think you¡¯re a little too much like your father,¡± she then approached a tea set on the table, ¡°Putting that aside, would you like some tea?¡± ¡°Thank you-¡± Alsen corrected himself as he approached the window, watching over the arenas, ¡°Thanks, but I ate on the way here.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± As Iya took a seat and poured herself a cup, Alsen noticed that the office room had an unusual number of flowers. He remembered his mother mentioning something about gardening in her retirement. Isn¡¯t this a bit much for practice? ¡°Well, you¡¯ve been gone for three months. Can I assume that you found what you¡¯ve been looking for?¡± Alsen paused for a moment before replying, ¡°Yeah.¡± Iya put down her cup, anxious as to what he would say next, ¡°And? Where did you find her?¡± ¡°¡­Blackbrick.¡± ¡°¡­I see.¡± So, it¡¯s as I feared, She thought. ¡°Is she¡­?¡± ¡°She¡¯s fine¡­ Well, as fine she can be, anyway.¡± Iya was unsure as to how to console her son. ¡°Alsen¡­ you know it¡¯s not your fault.¡± He chuckled, ¡°She said the same thing,¡± he then sighed as he held his face up as though in reminiscence, ¡°Doesn¡¯t make it better, though.¡± ¡°Alsen¡­¡± ¡°We finally ended this civil war, we finally managed to get some form of peace, and yet¡­ we couldn¡¯t fix the lives and futures it ruined¡­ it doesn¡¯t feel like a victory at all.¡± Iya watched in silence as he showed a side of himself he hadn¡¯t let out in a long time. ¡°The mass executions¡­ they might have rid us of the sick bastards who ruined this empire, but that didn¡¯t solve the problem! Even now, people are being forced to give up their dignities to survive, all because of a mark they didn¡¯t even deserve!¡± ¡°I know, love¡­¡± she agreed, ¡°That¡¯s why the Empress started this project in the first place. That¡¯s why she entrusted this empire¡¯s future to us.¡± Alsen sighed as he calmed down, ¡°Leave our future to an emperor who¡¯s not even crowned yet? Is it really worth the time? I don¡¯t doubt you¡­ I¡¯ve never doubted you. But is whatever you¡¯re trying pull off worth the costs?¡± Iya hesitated for a moment, before regaining her resolve, ¡°It has to be¡­ I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t tell you anything more, love¡­ but I promise you, this will work out in the end.¡± ¡°¡­I hope you¡¯re right¡­ ¡®Cus I brought someone I¡¯m willing to bet¡­ on.¡± ¡°You¡­ brought a candidate?¡± Iya curiosity was piqued, ¡°Who did you bring?¡± But Alsen, who didn¡¯t answer, was looking at something through the glass window. ¡°¡­Alsen?¡± He turned to face her with a look of concern, ¡°Are tricerabulls part of the combat tests?¡± ¡°W-what?¡± Iya was caught off-guard by his sudden question, ¡°No, they¡¯re just for hard labor, they¡¯re not part of the¡­ tests.¡± As Alsen¡¯s face changed to one of horror, she realized what he implied. ¡°Call the guards!¡± Alsen cried as he made his way out, ¡°I¡¯ll help any way I can!¡± ¡°Go!¡± Alsen ran out into the hallway, hoping he could reach the arenas in time to sort out the chaos. What¡­ what the hell just happened? Frederick¡¯s head spun as he laid on the ground, his body numb from the impact of who-knows-what. His ears were ringing so loud that he couldn¡¯t hear anything around him. As he slowly regained control over his muscles, he tried to recall what had happened since he entered the arena. He remembered¡­ sparring with one of the instructors. He couldn¡¯t remember any details, but he remembered using wind spells to enhance his sword attacks. He seemed to be doing rather well, until¡­ he saw something¡­ charging at him¡­ a tricerabull. If he hadn¡¯t cast a wind barrier spell to lessen the impact, he may have experienced something far worse than just a concussion. His hearing was now coming back. As the ringing in his ears started to fade, he heard¡­ screaming? As his vision became clear again, he found himself surrounded by utter chaos. People were running in all directions to escape whatever was attacking the place. It wasn¡¯t long before he saw from what. A herd of tricerabulls, bulls with large legs and long horns, had for whatever reason gone completely berserk, and were wreaking havoc throughout the arenas. Because their horns were tough and could tear through any structure not properly reinforced, all the people could do were either get out of the way or be crushed by the sheer force of their charges. He tried to get to up, but¡­ ¡°Agh!¡± His leg was dislocated, and the numbing pain had only started to sink in once he realized the fact. However, it soon turned out to be the least of his problems¡­ For a tricerabull had set its eyes on him. Why him in particular, he could care less. If he a direct hit from its charge doesn¡¯t instantly kill him, then its horns would painfully impale him. And with his leg broken, he could not be in a worse situation. He tried to pull himself out of the way, but his fear had gotten the better of his body, while the enormous bull started to prepare to charge at him. No, he cannot die here. That would make all his efforts pointless. He would die as the incompetent that everyone believed him to be. No, his pride didn¡¯t matter now. He needed to survive, by any means necessary. With whatever strength he could muster, he cried out: ¡°Help! Somebody help! My leg¡¯s broken!¡± But nobody came. Perhaps no one could hear him amongst all the ruckus, or maybe they were just too busy worrying about their own safety. The bull charged. For a moment, time seemed to slow down around Frederick, and his life flashed before his eyes. Am I¡­ really going to die? As though to answer that very thought, a rather familiar figure appeared in front him, with an oddly small shield on his left arm. They charged towards the tricerabull with the shield, as though to stop its assault, and of course, ended up being blown away¡­ At least, that¡¯s what Frederick would happen, but instead, the beast was thrust back, seemingly concussed from the impact of its own attack. Then, as it leaned to one side, exposing its underbelly, the figure almost instantly rushed towards it and gave it a strong jab, which sent the bull falling onto the ground, seemingly out cold. As Frederick struggled to process what just happened, the figure, who turned out to be none other than the Nameless Child, Fable, approached him after making sure the magifauna was no longer a threat. ¡°See? Sensitive underbellies. Being a bookworm sure pays off!¡± said the boy with a triumphant smile, somehow unfazed by the whole situation. ¡°H-how¡­ how did¡­ you¡­?¡± Frederick stuttered. Fable raised his left arm, revealing a mechanically folding shield. ¡°Repentelite shield. Can reflect all kinds of energy,¡± he explained before kneeling down to check on his injuries, ¡°Hmm¡­ that looks rough. But¡­ a good healing spell should take care of that. Good thing you called for help on time before-¡± Their conversation was interrupted by another tricerabull crashing through some wood walls, to which Fable instinctively drew out his sword. Fortunately, it also seemed to be knocked out¡­ by Flamehart, who was shaking his fist. ¡°I told you not to do anything crazy,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re one to talk!¡± Fable retorted, ¡°There are better ways to take them down than punching them in the face!¡± Before the boy could argue, however, they heard a few screams from nearby. A third tricerabull, and a large one at that, was trying to escape as it wreaked havoc. ¡°Dammit! It¡¯s headed towards one of the market roads!¡± shouted Flamehart, ¡°We won¡¯t make it in time!¡± ¡°Hey Al¡­ You said that bell tower was being demolished, right?¡± ¡°Huh? What does that have to-¡± Flamehart¡¯s then realized what Fable intended, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, Fable!¡± ¡°Well, I¡¯m not waiting for a debate,¡± the boy said as he¡­ put his sword back in its sheath. ¡°H-how are you stop it with a sheathed sword?¡± Asked a confused Frederick. Fable smiled, ¡°Who told you this was just a sheath? I sure didn¡¯t.¡± The boy pulled some small contraptions that Frederick had not noticed earlier, then held the sword and pointed it toward the bell tower. He pulled another small lever on the sheath, causing it to split open in half, revealing the blade. And as soon as Fable started to pour magic into it, the sword inside started to intensely spark with electricity. ¡°Fable!¡± Flamehart voiced his uncertainty. ¡°And¡­ Fire!¡± All the built-up electric magic concentrated into the tip of the exposed blade¡¯s tip, before being fired as an intense ray of light that split apart the bell tower on one side. The rusted bell on top collapsed onto the tricerabull that was attempting to pass through, knocking it down before it could reach the vendors on the other side of the road. Flamehart and Frederick could only watch the results with their mouths agape as Fable tended to his now overheated sword. ¡°Yeesh¡­ I need to do something about the overheating.¡±
Frederick found himself sitting in front of Prime Minister Iya Flamehart herself, his leg now healed and bandaged. Under any other circumstances, this would¡¯ve been nothing short of an honor for Frederick¡­ Were it not for the fact that he was being interrogated. Prime Minister Flamehart paced up and down the room, deep in thought, while her son General Flamehart stared at him with no visible expressions on his face, at least not on the surface. After moments of thinking, Prime Minister Flamehart sighed in frustration before facing Frederick. ¡°Mr. Greenwich, I want to help you. But with no evidence or testimony, I can¡¯t prove that this was an accident. Are you sure you don¡¯t remember what went wrong at your combat test?¡± Frederick couldn¡¯t answer. How could he? He was so focused on his own test that he couldn¡¯t remember any details as to why his wind spell made the tricerabulls go berserk. What was going to happen to him? ¡°The staff hasn¡¯t found anything?¡± The minister groaned, ¡°They¡¯re all too busy trying to sort out the mess outside. We¡¯ll be lucky if we find even a shred of evidence in time.¡± If I get expelled before I even get admitted, then¡­ ¡°I have far more important things to do, boy. Go find someone else to play your silly games with. Or better yet, do something to serve our house.¡± ¡°Be just like me? Now, what in the world would make you think you could be even half as great as I am? Perhaps I¡¯m wearing off on you too much-¡± There was a knock on the door. The two Flameharts looked at each other in confusion, as neither of them had called for anyone. ¡°Come in,¡± said Iya. The door opened to reveal Fable. ¡°You guys sound like you could have some tea.¡± ¡°Fable? What are you doing here?¡± asked Alsen, ¡°And how¡¯d you get past the staff?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t think too hard about it.¡± Alsen sighed, ¡°Look, kid¡­ now really isn¡¯t the time, can this wait?¡± ¡°Huh. Well, I was gonna show you something that could help with Fred¡¯s case, but¡­¡± he smiled sarcastically, ¡°Sure! I can wait.¡± ¡°Hold on! Come inside, now! I want to see it!¡± Iya yelled before the boy closed the door. Fable entered the room and produced a closed handkerchief as he approached her. Iya took the cloth and opened it, revealing a few tufts of blue grass. ¡°Moonlight spark grass?¡± asked Iya. ¡°Yeah, I found it in the wrecked stables. Now, normally it¡¯s harmless. But, when certain magifauna are overexposed to it¡­¡± ¡°Their magic systems go out of control,¡± Iya finished, ¡°In this case, the tricerabulls.¡± Alsen face palmed, ¡°I¡¯m not even gonna question how you found this under all that rubble¡­ but¡­ thanks.¡± ¡°Yes¡­ Fable, was it?¡± Iya turned to the boy with a grateful smile, ¡°Thank you so much for this. Now we can prove Mr. Greenwich¡¯s innocence.¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± ¡°Alright, kid. Now get outta here before I call the staff,¡± said Alsen as he pushed him out the door. ¡°Geez, you¡¯re no fun,¡± mumbled a pouting Fable, before complying. A chuckling Iya then turned to a flabbergasted Frederick. ¡°Well, Mr. Greenwich¡­ It looks like you won¡¯t be losing your chance at admission.¡± ¡°U-uh¡­ I¡­¡± ¡°Do keep in mind, though¡­¡± she stopped him, ¡°You haven¡¯t finished your combat test, so you¡¯ll need to try again. Understood?¡± Frederick took a second to process everything, before standing up with a posture of determination, at least as much as his one good leg allowed him. ¡°Thank you. I won¡¯t take this granted.¡± ¡°Good. Now then, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s someone else you should go thank, isn¡¯t there?¡± ¡°¡­Right. Excuse me.¡± With a bit of struggle, the boy carried himself out of the room, leaving only the two Flameharts in the room, who now wore serious expressions. ¡°Someone was trying to sabotage the tests,¡± said Iya, who handed the sample of grass to her son, ¡°I know you just got back, Alsen, but could you look into this for me, please?¡± ¡°Of course. My vacation¡¯s over, anyway.¡± Iya looked to the door and suddenly smiled. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Nothing¡­ It¡¯s just¡­¡± her smile turned from nostalgic to sad, ¡°That boy, Fable¡­ He reminded me of someone I knew. You said you found him in Blackbrick?¡± ¡°Well, believe it or not, she was the one who raised him.¡± Iya gave him questioning look, ¡°What?¡± After a moment of silence, the two laughed. ¡°After all that talk about not having kids? Is the moon going to fall over, after all?¡± ¡°You should¡¯ve seen the look on her face when she realized it! I had to stop myself from calling her out on it!¡± The two calmed down to collect their breaths. ¡°Speaking of calling people out¡­¡± Alsen put the carefully wrapped sample of grass in his pocket, ¡°I need to have a talk with the kid about the bell-tower before he gets away.¡± ¡°Alright¡­ Don¡¯t be too harsh with him. He¡¯s still a child, after all.¡± ¡°I know. No promises, though.¡± As Alsen opened the door to leave, he hesitated, then turned to his mother one last time. ¡°I¡­ I like the flowers¡­ by the way. They¡­ remind me of¡­ father¡¯s summer house.¡± For but a brief moment, Iya was caught off guard by this, before she showed him a genuine smile he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. ¡°Thank you, love.¡± Man, I hope he doesn¡¯t tell my moms about this. Fable sat on a bench as he contemplated on his actions. Now that he thought about it, destroying an entire building to subdue a tricerabull was not exactly a smart move on his part. The last time he tested his rail-cannon was at an empty field, so he hadn¡¯t accounted for how destructive it actually would be in practice. Topaz will kill me if she found out. As he sighed, he noticed the fat noble child from earlier rushing out the main gates with a blue face and a hand on his stomach, with his maid following him in confusion. Fable held back a smirk. Looks like the laxative he sneaked into the guy¡¯s drink had already taken effect. If his math was right, he would be spending most of around the next three days in the bathroom. Of course, this was not going to lessen the maid¡¯s abuse, it would probably resume as the noble was back to noble was back to ¡®normal¡¯, but Fable hoped that maybe, just maybe, it would give the girl even a little bit of rest. ¡°U-um¡­ Excuse me.¡± As Fable¡¯s attention was grabbed by a familiar voice, he turned to see a boy with a plastered leg approaching him. ¡°Oh¡­ Hey, Fred¡­ What¡¯re you doing here?¡± ¡°I uh¡­¡± he gulped and took a deep breath, ¡°I wanted to thank you for¡­ well¡­ everything you did for me earlier. I¡­ I owe you my life.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m just glad you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°I¡­ also want to apologize for dismissing you the other day. Now that I think about it, it was hardly fitting of a noble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. You looked like you had your own problems to deal with. Sorry about your leg, though. I heard the next group of Sun Priestesses will take a while to get here.¡± ¡°Oh, this won¡¯t stay for long. My butler knows some healing spells.¡± ¡°You have a butler?¡± Fable suddenly got closer to his face with unexpected enthusiasm. ¡°Uh¡­yeah?¡± ¡°Is his name Sebastian?¡± ¡°No?¡± ¡°No way! Every novel I¡¯ve read has a butler named Sebastian!¡± Frederick wasn¡¯t sure how to respond to that. He then took a moment to think. ¡°Do you¡­ mind if I ask you something?¡± ¡°Hmm? Sure, go ahead.¡± Frederick hesitated, ¡°Why exactly did you help me? I¡¯m¡­ almost certain you¡¯re here because you heard of all the rumors. If the rumors are, in fact true, then¡­ wouldn¡¯t that make us rivals? I don¡¯t see how helping me would benefit you in anyway.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Fable put a finger on his chin, thinking about his answer, ¡°Ideally, I¡¯d say you don¡¯t need a reason to help, but that¡¯d be a bit clich¨¦, wouldn¡¯t it? Alright¡­ how about I answer your question with a question: What¡¯s the most important skill for a king to have?¡± Frederick thought for a moment, ¡°Um¡­ wouldn¡¯t that be his ability to lead a nation?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s definitely important¡­ But no, it¡¯s his ability to make strong and trustworthy allies.¡± ¡°Are¡­ allies that important?¡± ¡°Of course! A kingdom isn¡¯t defined by its king, it¡¯s defined by its people. A king¡¯s role is to find the most talented among them and make use of their talents to improve the lives of the very people he leads.¡± ¡°Huh¡­ I¡­ didn¡¯t think of it that way.¡± I really didn¡¯t think this through, did I? Even with all the privileges I had, I didn¡¯t even bother- Huh? Wait a minute¡­ ¡°H-hold on¡­¡± Frederick shook his head in confusion, ¡°Something doesn¡¯t add up. I¡¯ve only been watching you for a day, and I¡¯ve already seen how capable you are; swordsmanship, magic, zoology¡­ but you don¡¯t teach all that to just¡­ anybody. So, all things considered, how come you¡­ don¡¯t have a house of your own?¡± Fable looked to the floor with a sad smile. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard things about me¡­ particularly about how I was raised by¡­ women of the night.¡± Frederick hesitantly nodded. ¡°Well, believe it or not, those women taught me everything I know. Now¡­ I bet you¡¯re asking: if they¡¯re so great then¡­ why are they¡­ women of the night?¡± Frederick already figured out the answer. ¡°The Forsaken Mark.¡± ¡°Yeah. It doesn¡¯t matter how smart, strong or talented you are, that Mark makes you the lowest of the low. Your body is stripped of magic, and healing spells would be pointless. And even if you do somehow find a job that''s even remotely decent, chances are you won¡¯t be paid enough to sustain yourself. ¡°So¡­ the only option left is¡­ to either sell your freedom and hope your master treats you well¡­ or sell your body to whoever¡¯s willing to pay to sleep with you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­ that¡¯s horrible. I¡­ can¡¯t even imagine.¡± ¡°Well, despite all that¡­ they still took me in as a baby, taught me to be strong. But¡­ having to raise me only added to their burdens¡­ ¡°So¡­ when I heard the rumors, I thought¡­ if I could become emperor¡­ maybe I could do something about the whole Mark thing. You know, like¡­ remove it or change the law or something.¡± ¡°And¡­ what if you can¡¯t? What if¡­ it¡¯s really just a rumor?¡± Fable¡¯s smile came back as he shrugged, ¡°Oh well, I can still get a good job and save up to buy a mansion. If growing up in Blackbrick has taught me anything, it¡¯s to never be unrealistic.¡± Frederick¡­ wasn¡¯t quite sure what to say to all of that. This guy had grown up in what was essentially a hellhole, and yet¡­ he had the skill and education that he had been so desperately looking for his entire life. I¡­ could learn a lot from him. ¡°About¡­ that group study thing you mentioned. As you¡­ saw earlier today, my zoology is not as thorough as I would¡¯ve liked. Is¡­ the offer still up?¡± For a moment, the boy before him looked confused, before his face lit up in excitement. "Does... does that mean you wanna be friends?" "I... I guess." "Then let''s shake on it! Remember, you can''t take it back!" Frederick, now finally showing a smile, took the boy''s hand with a chuckle. "Here''s to... uh... working together to fulfil our desires!" Fable enthusiastically declared. As if to signal that it was time to end the conversation, Fable¡¯s stomach growled. ¡°Argh¡­ that railcannon always takes so much magic out of me,¡± the boy winced as he wrapped his arms around his stomach, ¡°I don¡¯t know about you, but I could eat a whole buffet right now.¡± He then turned to leave, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not gonna bother you any further today. You should get some rest and focus on your makeup exam-¡± ¡°Fable! Where are you? We need to have a talk about the bell tower!¡± As soon as the boy heard the voice of General Flamehart calling out, he ran back towards a now confused Frederick. ¡°On second thought, lunch would be a great time to have group study! In fact, let¡¯s go right now!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Before Frederick could inquire as to why Fable had suddenly changed his mind, he found himself being carried in his arms. ¡°Wait¡­ What?¡± ¡°Just bear with it for a while, okay?¡± ¡°Huh? Wait, Fable, this is not what I had in mind for a study group!¡± As the onlookers looked at them in confusion, the two boys (with one carrying the other) rushed out the gates while General Flamehart chased after them.
Afterword: Hi! I''m Star-TS, and thank you so much for reading chapter 0 of A Trial of Emperors! If you enjoyed reading this little "pitch prologue", then please share it with others and let me know your honest thoughts on it. It would mean the world to me to know that there are people who enjoy what I write and want to see more of my work! Again, thank you for reading, and just have a good day! Arc 1 Chapter 1 - Youre Just Built Different "What''s wrong Fred? You look exhausted, and it''s only the first week." Frederick Greenwich turned to face Fable, who looked at him with a mix of concern and bewilderment. It was still rather surreal to him that he had made a friend here at the Academy. Then again, maybe that was normal and he was just overthinking it. "It''s nothing, just..." he sighed, "The past week has been anything but smooth for me." As it turned out, redoing all the entrance tests was no cakewalk, despite already passing them once before. On top of the written tests being revised, the combat test felt even harder than when he first attempted it. Although he passed, thank the Twin Goddesses, his admission was delayed even further because of the sheer number of student candidates left to assess. As a result, he joined classes almost a week late, and had to cram through it somehow. "Well, I guess it doesn''t matter now," said Frederick as he stretched his arms, "At least I can finally join combat training on time." "I''m sure you''ll do fine," Fable reassured, his arms in his pockets, "You were doing pretty good in our practice duels." Frederick made a wry smile, "Not sure if hitting a sheathed sword counts as ''pretty good''..." he then noticed something, "Speaking of which, where is your Railcannon Blade? And your shield? Did you leave them at the General''s apartment?" Fable grimaced, "Well... after the whole ''Belltower Incident'', Al insisted that I don''t carry my armor around in campus." "You were pretty adamant about keeping it, though. And besides, the belltower was scheduled for demolition, anyway. What made you change your mind?" "He said he''d write to my moms about the belltower." "Oh." As he two boys talked, they finally arrived at the combat training grounds, a large circular arena with dummies for casting, and a flat-grass ring for close quarters. As they entered, Fred noticed the staff replacing a collection of what used to be magic training dummies with newer ones. He shuddered to think about the intensity of the second and third year students. "Oh, look. It''s the ''fake'' Greenwich." "Wow, he actually passed? He definitely bribed the instructor." Fred was appalled that the other students didn''t even have the decency to whisper. He tried his best to pretend not to hear it, but it didn''t make him feel any better. "You sure are a hot topic here," whispered Fable, "Why do they keep bad-mouthing you like that?" Frederick sighed, "I challenged my brother to a duel... and lost. And he made sure to make a public display out of it..." "Alright, that''s enough gossip! Class in now in session." The students all fell silent as they watched General Alsen Flamehart enter the ring with a wooden sword. "Al? You''re training us today?" asked Fable, who was as surprised as any other student in the arena, though perhaps not for the same reasons. "I''m filling in for the instructor. Apparently, he got his leg broken at the combat test accident." Frederick felt a sudden ache in his gut. Is he talking about my instructor? He thought. "Anyway..." Alsen continued, "That fact that you all passed the combat tests means you at least have basic skills in combat. So no beating around the bush..." he pointed to the stands of wooden weapons, "Get yourself a weapon and do some warm-up exercises. No more than five minutes. Then, each of you will be having a practice duel with me." The students were flabbergasted. Were they really to going to fight General Flamehart himself? The man whose combat prowess helped end the civil war? How were they going to fend against such a man, even for practice? Seeing their faces, Alsen sighed, "Relax, I''m just trying to measure your skills. How else am I going to know what you need to learn?" He scratched his head, "Regardless, who should I duel first?" "Ooh! Me! Me! Me me me me!" To the students'' surprise, Fable waved his hand with unexpected enthusiasm. Alsen narrowed his eyes for a moment, before pointing to another student, "I''ll start with you." Fable''s face was aghast, "Oh, come on!" For a brief moment, Fable could swear that he saw Alsen smirking. He did that on purpose! Regardless, he had no choice but to wait his turn. However, instead of sulking over it, he made sure to observe the other students'' fighting styles. "Never let your pride take over, kiddo. Sometimes the things you learn can help you when least expect it." The first student wielded a dagger and was also given permission to use wind magic to boost his speed. Alsen observed carefully as the girl tried to get a hit in, blocking every blow with his wooden sword. It seemed that, at some point, she had already forgotten the point of the duel. She failed, of course. "You''re fast. You also have good eyes. But you need to work on your form. Find a partner to practice with after this. Next!" After that a was a boy with with a longsword. Then a greatsword, then a staff and so on. Fable tried his best to study them, but no matter how much he tried, their fighting styles didn''t stand out to him in any way. Fortunately, the boy finally got to have his turn before he began to lose focus. "You sure kept me waiting," he retorted. "Not sure what you''re talking about," Alsen responded, seemingly oblivious. I know you''re smirking in there! Frederick anxiously watched as Fable entered the grass ring. Last time he saw him fight, he had managed to knock out a tricerabull, but he also wanted to see how he fared in an actual duel, even if this was practice.The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Oh, and before I forget...", Alsen suddenly spoke up, "I''m giving you a handicap: no enhancement spells." "Fine." The students, including Frederick, could not hide their shock. Even with their strongest enhancement spells, they could barely stagger him. Was this really going to be a fair fight, assuming it a was fight to begin with? "Let''s do this." Fable smugly smiled as he lunged towards Alsen at a frighteningly inhuman speed, before clashing his own sword against his opponent''s, with an impact so great that the students would''ve wondered why the wooden swords hadn''t broken already. But that was only the beginning. Only increasing in speed, Fable rushed at Alsen from every possible angle he could find with equally strong blows, only for the general to block them with his own sword. The shoulder, then the back, then the shin, then the shoulder again... It was then that Fred saw it... that he saw Alsen being pushed back a step. He... He''s actually staggering him! "Geez... On top of her technique, you''ve got her intensity, too!" Alsen grunted. "You''re making it sound suggestive!" Fable bantered, as though he wasn''t at his limit yet. "Am not!" "Am too!" Although they couldn''t even fully follow their movements, the students were now fully invested in the duel, for they were as anxious as Frederick to see where it was going. Then... Fable stopped moving... he now stood at one edge of the ring, the general on the other. Silence filled the arena... what should''ve been seconds felt like minutes. Fable shifted his body into a new stance, as though to prepare for an all-out attack. With a start, the boy dashed forward, aiming for the general''s chest, as the general prepared to take the hit... However, before their weapons could collide, Fable''s wooden sword began to glow dangerously blue, and the boy could only say one word as he realized it too late. "Ah..." The sword exploded violently, sending the boy flying out of the ring and crashing into the weapon stands. "Fable!" Both Alsen and Frederick yelled in unison as they rushed to check on him. "You all right?" Alsen inquired as he pulled the boy back onto his feet. Fable groaned, "Well, I guess we found what I need to improve on." "W-what do you mean?" asked a confused Frederick. Alsen sighed, relieved that he wasn''t seriously injured beyond some bruises, "He''s too used to his Railcannon Blade. He habitually poured too much mana into that sword and ended up blowing it up." "I''ve been using it for two years, after all." Alsen looked at the now destroyed weapons stands, "You know... you''re gonna have to pay for the damage to the weapons stand." "WHAT?" Fable yelled in panic. The General smirked, "I''m kidding. They''re just pieces of wood." Fable grunted, "That''s the second time today!" "Well, jokes aside, you are pretty banged up. Go to the infirmary and get some rest before your next class." Fable grunted, "I don''t need it. I heal pretty fast. Besides, I can use healing-" The boy stopped mid-sentence with a pained expression, surprising them both. "Never mind, I''ll just go to the infirmary." As the boy began to walk towards the exit in a seemingly bad mood, Frederick wondered what went wrong, when suddenly he stopped and turned towards the general. "Are the nurses cute?", he asked, as though his earlier brooding was but an illusion. Alsen facepalmed in resignation, "Just go so I can finish my class and have some lunch, please." "Okay." Fable left the arena, leaving the rest of the students in utter confusion and disbelief. "Did he do that on purpose?" Alsen scratched his head as he sighed, "Whatever. I guess you''re last, Greenwich." For a moment, Frederick couldn''t register what the General had said. Then he realized he still hadn''t had his practice duel with him. What? How am I supposed to duel with him after seeing that? Frederick trembled. Even if this was a practice duel, the show from earlier had left even less confident than he already was. On top of that, he noticed that the students who snapped back to their senses had already lost interest and were looking for partners to duel with. He wasn''t sure if that was better or worse. Alsen looked at the boy and realized that he probably should''ve dueled with him before Fable. He made a mental note to remember the skillsets of each student for next time. "Greenwich..." He raised his free hand, "I need you to take some breaths and calm yourself. Just take your time. I want you at your most composed." Hearing the General, Frederick did as instructed, taking one long breath after another, until his heart stopped heavily thumping against his chest and returned to a calmer beat. "That''s it, kid... you''re doing better already. Remember, we''re trying to see where you need to improve, so don''t worry about failing." Frederick took one more breath, before assuming a new stance, ready to fight. "Yes, sir." "Alright..." Alsen shifted into a defensive stance, "Now come at me!" The boy charged into the ring, aiming for the General''s sword, then managed to land a solid hit. However, Frederick could feel that something was off, and this wasn''t the first time he felt this way. And it seemed the General noticed it, too. I still can''t balance my sword... Was it the length of his arms that didn''t synergize with his weapon? Or was the weight of the sword putting him off balance? For whatever reason, he couldn''t swing his sword properly, which ended up lessening the impact. I can''t back down now! The boy took another swing at the general, this time from below, but it was weaker than he would''ve liked. Then a swing to the left, but he missed. Damn it! It''s just like the combat test! What am I doing wrong? "Don''t brute force it," Alsen advised as Frederick as he tried and another attack. He stopped for a moment to give it a thought... Okay... Try a different approach... Changing into a new stance as best he could, Frederick stood holding his sword firm, before dashing at the general with a powerful thrust that, for a glimmer of a moment, caught Alsen by surprise. However, the next thing the boy knew, he was on the ground, the sword out of his hand. Did I... lose? Well, it wasn''t even a real fight, so did that even count as a loss? As Frederick sat up, he noticed that all the students around him were already practicing with each other, and hadn''t even bothered to take a look at his duel. "You okay?" Alsen kneeled down to get a better look at him. Frederick took a look at his right hand. "Yeah... I''m all right... I think." "Hey, that was pretty good. Not everyone can switch tactics on impulse like that," the General smiled, then switched back to his serious demeanor, "Now... can you tell me what you learned from that fight?" Hearing this question, Frederick knew the General meant well. But it didn''t make it hurt any less. Even after all that training with Philip... He knew. He knew what was wrong... He didn''t want to admit it. I''m just trying to imitate him... "Greenwich?" After a long and concerning pause of deliberation, Frederick softly answered with his head down... "I''m not built for a sword." Arc 1 Chapter 2 - Reputation Aint Always Helpful "Just how long are you planning to wipe that thing?" Alsen asked Fable, who was maintaining his Railcannon Blade, or rather, its oversized ''sheath''. "Hey! For your information, this ''thing'' has an extensive and tough sheath for a reason," replied the boy, in a tone implying that he was slightly offended, "These mechanisms are a lot more delicate than they look." "Right." Alsen sighed as he ate the soup that the boy had made for him. Although he claimed that his cooking was rather basic and couldn''t compare to that of his mothers, Fable was rather good at it. Although Alsen''s mother had offered to let the two stay at her villa, since he was acting as Fable''s guardian, the last thing they needed were rumors of prime minister Flamehart playing favorites. Fortunately, Alsen had managed to find a two-bedroom apartment in Complesi''s residential sector. Thanks to his high ranking job, he had more than enough money to rent it. "I appreciate you giving me my own room. The last thing I would''ve wanted was to sleep next to a man in his forties." "Thirties," Alsen begrudgingly corrected, "And... you''re welcome. Morg-" He stopped and cleared his throat, "Amethyst made sure to remind me that you''re a teenager, all things considered. Just keep... whatever business you do in there in moderation." The boy looked at him with narrowed eyes, "I don''t wanna hear that from a middle-aged virgin." Alsen dropped his spoon in shock. "Hey! Keep my personal life out of this! Also, who told you that?" "Amy." Alsen groaned as he facepalmed, "Of course she did." Fable glanced at Alsen for a moment, "Hey... Can I ask you something personal?" Alsen sighed, "What is it?" The boy paused for a second, "Was Amy really the only one you were ever interested in? Surely, there''s gotta be someone who''s at least caught your eye." Alsen was surprised by the boy''s question, although perhaps he shouldn''t be. Being in the military meant a lot of travel, so it usually wasn''t rare for soldiers to come across someone they fancied and even spending a night with them. "I did meet a woman or two early in my career," Alsen replied after a bit of contemplating, "It just never worked out." "How come?" Alsen grinned, "They weren''t her." The boy smiled back as he finished maintaining his weapon, "I see." Fable mechanically closed his sheath and put his sword back inside it before keeping it in a corner of his bedroom. He then washed his hands and sat down for dinner. "By the way," Alsen started, "You''ve been coming home late for the past few days. Found part-time work already?" "Yeah, I''ve been some adventuring jobs here and there," the boy replied as he ate the bread he dipped into his soup. "What? But you''re not registered in the local guild," Alsen gasped as he considered the other possibilities, "Don''t tell me you''ve been freelancing!" "Hmm? Well, yeah," Fable voiced was muffled by the food in his mouth, "I give some money in advance for emergency compensation, then-" "Fable!" Alsen slammed the table, "It doesn''t matter how you conduct yourself! Freelance adventuring is ILLEGAL. FULL. STOP." Fable nearly chocked his food in surprise, before forcing himself to swallow it, "But... Is it really that big of a deal? It''s not like I''m doing anything wrong-" "Fable... Listen to me," Alsen walked up to the boy and held his shoulders, "This isn''t Blackbrick. The academy is teeming with VIPs, so they have to take the law seriously here! If you get caught, the worst that could happen to you is being imprisoned for life. Or worse, getting marked!" He pointed to the side of his neck, "If that happens, even I won''t be able to help you out of that mess! You really wanna have your mothers hearing about something like that?" Fable looked down at his soup, carefully reflecting on Alsen''s words, before his expression turned to one of regret, "You''re right... I''m sorry." Alsen sighed in relief as he sat back on his chair, "Good... as long as you understand." Alsen relaxed for a few moments before realizing that Fable was uncharacteristically silent. Crap! Did I overdo it? Maybe I should change the subject... The general internally racked his brain to find something to discuss... Anything to lighten the mood... That was when his eyes fell upon the boy''s weapon. He cleared his throat, "By the way, are you, by any chance, looking for a blacksmith to tweak your blade?" "Huh? Oh... yeah. I still need to do something about the overheating problem." "I see," Alsen held his chin in thought for a moment, "In that case, I recommend you take Greenwich with you. He''s gonna need to find a new weapon for himself. Preferably, something custom-made for him." Fable gasped, returning to his usual cheerful self, "I''m gonna hang out with Fred?" "I... guess that''s one way to look at it?" Fable stood up from his chair, suddenly excited. "Alright! We''re gonna find him that weapon and upgrade my blade in no time!" They wouldn''t find it.
"We found jack." Fable and Frederick had their faces slumped on the table from the exhaustion of running around town all day.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. As it turned out, finding the right blacksmith was not as easy as the boys expected it to be, and it was made even more clear to Fable as he searched for the better half of the week. His Railcannon Blade was far too unconventional, far too different and complex, that all the blacksmiths he had talked to in the business sector had declined his requests to upgrade it, either because it was beyond their area of expertise, because they didn''t want to risk breaking it, or because they just saw the sheath''s admittedly haphazard design as an abomination. On the other hand, Frederick did not have much luck, either. His family''s reputation turned out to be far worse than he initially realized. The blacksmiths had refused to even hear him out simply because he was a Greenwich; They either thought him a wimp or a phony after his duel with his brother, or they hated his father. "I know I lost to my brother but... Isn''t this a little too cruel?" Frederick groaned. "Man... I''m not gonna sugarcoat it, Fred, but... Your family sounds pretty messed up." Frederick groaned again. After what they just went through, he couldn''t deny it anymore. Just what did his father and brother do to get all this animosity from people? "Don''t let something like that put ya down, you two. I''d say... Struggling to find something for yourself makes it all the more valuable." The two boys saw a pair of hands placing two trays of food on their table. They looked up to their side to see a young girl who appeared to be slightly older than them, with green eyes that matched her long ponytailed orange hair. "At least... that''s what I read in a book so... don''t quote me on that," the girl said as she covered one of her reddened cheeks with her hand. The two boys looked at her for a moment, before Fable smiled and pulled his food tray towards him, "Well, from personal experience... I''d say it''s true. Thanks, Sarah." Sarah Tabeso helped run her mother''s restaurant, House Tabeso, which Fable and Frederick first ran into in an attempt to get away from Alsen after the combat tests, though they ended up getting caught anyway. "Imagine my surprise when I saw a noble being princess-carried by another boy," Sarah recollected, turning slightly red again. "Please forget you saw that!" Frederick grimaced. "I dunno, Fred. That''s not exactly something I would forget," mumbled Fable as he chewed his food, "Though... it was nice of Al to pay for our meal that time." "Speaking of meals..." Frederick watched as Sarah brought another large tray of food and placed on Fable''s side of the table, "Are you sure you can finish all that?" "I digest food pretty fast. Don''t worry about it." "Uh... Okay?" The boys ate their food in silence, before Fable broke it with a serious look on his face as he sighed, "If I don''t find someone who can maintain my blade, it''ll eventually tear itself apart. I can''t afford that." Frederick and Sarah looked at Fable, unsure of what to say. He seemed rather attached to his weapon. "Have ya tried the Metkins'' shop yet?" The group was approached by Sarah''s mother, who resembled her daughter, apart from being on the chubbier side. "The Metkins? No, we... haven''t heard of them," Frederick replied. "Well, ya might just be in luck! Aron there''s pretty good with a hammer, and he''s got a good eye for tools. I''m sure he''ll whip up your weapons just fine, as long as you''ve got the patience to wait." "How come we haven''t heard of him until now?" "Well... He got fired from Prismatech a few months ago." Wait... what? Frederick was surprised to hear that name, but he was even more surprised to see Fable wearing an expression that he... couldn''t quite read, at the mention of Prismatech. "Anyways, his workshop''s a few streets away from the western edge of the business sector. Just tell ''im Ma Tabeso sent ya boys, he''ll take ya in right away." "Thank you," Frederick smiled, before remembering something, "Come to think of it, don''t we have class in... two hours?" As the two boys realized this, Fable quickly devoured the rest of his food like a wolf, while Frederick paid. They then thanked Ma Tabeso for the food as they stormed out of the restaurant. Sarah giggled, "Those two sure are pretty lively. I hope they come again soon."
"Is... this... the place?" Fable panted. "I... really... hope it is..." Frederick panted back, "Or we''ve been running for nothing." Following an excruciating twenty minutes of running around town and asking for directions, the boys finally found themselves in front of a large workshop. Fable took some deep breaths as he stretched his arms, "Alright, we gotta make a good first impression. You ready, Fred?" "Yeah... Yeah, I think so." Fable took one more deep breath and put up his fist to prepare for a knock, "Okay... here goes..." Three knocks at the door. The boy took a few steps back, waiting for a response. Nothing. The two boys looked at each other for a moment, before Fable knocked again, this time with stronger thumps. "Yeah, yeah, hold on! I''m coming!" A feminine voice came out from inside the workshop. The door opened to reveal a girl around their age and just above Fable''s height, with long and messy black hair tied into a large braid. "Didn''t you read the sign?" The girl asked, "We''re on break right now... Come back later-" Before the girl finished her sentence, her eyes landed on Frederick, and her face turned to one of enmity. Frederick felt a chill going up his spine. Sensing the situation, Fable quickly stepped up to alleviate... "Ma Tabeso sent us here. She said someone named Aron can work on all sorts of weapons and tools." "Well, you can go look somewhere else, ''cus we''re not serving to narcissistic scumbags," the girl responded, still glaring at Frederick. Now getting annoyed, Fable stepped into her line of sight, with an unwavering poker face, surprising her. "Excuse me, miss. I understand that you may have some circumstances I''m not enlightened to, but we''ve been looking for a smith for quite a while now. Also, I''d appreciate it if you didn''t insult my friend like that." Frederick started to panic, worried that this would escalate into an unnecessary fight. "W-woah, Fable... I-it''s okay. You don''t have to defend me-" "Well then, maybe you should get better friends, ''cus this guy- ow ow ow! Pops, stop that!" The girl was interrupted by a hand pinching her ear. The hand belonged to a muscular man taller than all of the children, with hair that matched the girl''s. "The most basic rule of running any business: PUT. YOUR CUSTOMERS. FIRST!" The man yelled at the girl, "You don''t just turn away potential clients like that!" The girl pried herself off the man''s grasp, "But pops! That''s one of the Greenwich brats! They''re the reason you got-" "How many times do I have to tell you this? I didn''t get fired from Prismatech, I quit." "I don''t believe that for a second!" "Then that''s a you problem. More importantly, Aria, these two came all the way here to find us. Hearing them out is he least we owe them. We''ll decide what to do with them later, you hear me?" The girl named Aria hesitated, before shooting one last glare at Frederick and entering back into the workshop while mumbling to herself. The man sighed, "Sorry about my daughter. She thinks way too highly of me." Fable''s poker face was replaced by his usual friendly smile, "I take it you''re Mr. Metkins, then?" "Just call me Aron. I''ve had enough of formalities after Prismatech. Come on in." Aron gestured towards the door. However, he noticed Frederick being hesitant to accept the invitation. "Don''t let what Aria said bother you, kid," reassured Aron with a soft smile, "I don''t care if you''re a Greenwich, or whatever. If you''re here to do business, then my doors are open to you." As Aron walked in, Fable turned to the boy with a wide grin, "Well? What''re you waiting for, Fred? Let''s go!" Fred looked at Fable for a moment, before returning the smile. "Yeah. I''m coming." Arc 1 Chapter 3 - It Couldnt Hurt to Try Something New "Woah! This place looks pretty neat!" Fable looked around the workshop in wonder, filled with shelves and stacks of weapons neatly placed on display, with a large furnace and anvils in the back. "You... made all these yourself?" inquired Frederick. "Yep. Though, on occasion, Aria helps me with maintenance and other things." "Where do you get the materials?" "Depends on the client. If they''re adventurers or anyone who can take on a magifauna, then they get the materials themselves, and I make the weapons. Otherwise, I just buy it from the market or the local guilds." "How... long does that take?" "Hard to say," Aron put held up his chin in thought, "I guess it could be something like a week or two at least, and a few months at worst." "Are weapons really that hard to make? I mean... Shouldn''t you have a lot of references from other weapons or something?" Aron chuckled at Frederick''s suggestion, "Well, sure. It definitely helps, especially if your goal is mass-production. But you see, kid..." Aron took two swords from a nearby stand, "Every weapon''s different. One sword can be longer than the other, one can have a longer hilt. Hell, they could even be made of different metals. "And it''s not just the weapon, either," he continued, "The wielder''s just as important; Their body structure, their arm strength, even their personality. When you take all those into account, you realize that... you can''t just make them any old sword. You gotta make something that works for the wielder." "Huh..." Frederick took a moment to process this, "There''s so much more work put into smithing than I thought-" "Are you guys just gonna keep on with the smithing lecture, or are you gonna get to business already?" Aron and Frederick were interrupted by Aria, who was standing next to a blank-faced Fable, tapping her foot in impatience. Aron sighed as he shook his head, "Alright, alright. Well then..." He turned to face Fable, "What can I-" "We," Aria interjected. "How can we help you?" He corrected himself, perhaps to humor his daughter. "Well... We actually have two requests," Fable replied, "One: We''d like a new weapon for him," he pointed to Frederick as he took up his Railcannon Blade and placed it on a table, "And two: I was hoping you could upgrade this." Aria''s eyes widened in surprise as she leaned towards the blade, later being joined by Aron. Fable then fiddled with the sheath''s mechanisms to turn it to cannon form, further grabbing their interest. "Woah... Obsidianbark scabbard... steel-sujiton alloy blade..." Aria studied the blade with sparkling eyes, until she noticed... "Huh? The core inside the hilt... this... this isn''t a prism crystal. What is this?" "Hmm..." Aron stroked his beard as he studied the small crystal, "Is this what I think it is?" Fable smiled, "Symperium core," he said as he took out the little ball and handed it to Aron, "A mana superconductor. Instead of using artificial mana sources, it takes natural mana from your body, with no energy lost. At least... in theory," the boy scratched his head with a wry smile, "There''s just one problem with it..." "It''s alloyed, which makes it less conductive," Aron finished the boy''s sentence, as he took a closer look at the orb, "From what I understand, we still don''t have the technology to give symperium a pure and unalloyed physical form. I can tell there''s some anthesite in here to make up for that," he smiled as he put the core back in its compartment in the hilt, "Well, there''s definitely a lot of room for improvement, but as far as I''m concerned, this beauty''s already more powerful than most standard military equipment. I''d like to meet whoever designed this!" "It''s a birthday present from my moms," Fable responded as he closed the sheath, "I just got it last year. They wanted me to have a weapon that can keep up with my apparently absurd load of mana." "Well, yeah!" Aria said with somewhat wry expression on her face, "I can''t imagine the amount of mana you''d need to..." She stopped midsentence, as though remembering something, "Hold on a second... Anthesite is cheap, but... Isn''t it also one of the most mana-resistant core materials? So if you''re losing a lot of output from your blade, then..." Her face turned pale, "Just how much mana do you have in there?" "Well, it''s true that my railcannon takes a lot of mana out of me," Fable replied as he stroked his stomach, "I couldn''t use it too often ''cause I was worried about my moms'' food budget." So that''s why you eat so much! Thought Frederick. Aria slumped onto the table with her hands above her head, still pale from the implication of what Fable had just said "This incomplete core''s holding you back." Aron face lit up as though realizing something, "By any chance, are you the one behind the Belltower Incident?" Fable'' face feigned ignorance, "I don''t know what you''re talking about." Aron laughed, while Aria''s face turned even paler. The former then turned to Frederick, "Alright... your turn. What kind of weapon are you looking for?" "I... I don''t know, honestly," Frederick confessed, "I was just told that a sword might not be best for me." "I see," Aron stroked his beard as he inspected Frederick''s body, "You''ve got good muscle structure... good arm strength, too. I can tell you take your training seriously. What made you stick with a sword?" Frederick''s cheeks turned slightly red as he hesitated to answer. "It''s... rather silly, in hindsight," the boy scratched his head as he finally answered, "I was just trying to... imitate my brother so I could catch up to him. Maybe I didn''t put as much thought into my first weapon as I should have." "Well, I wouldn''t say you wasted your time. Now that you''re pretty much in good shape and know basic combat, I don''t think you''d have a lot of trouble adjusting to your new weapon. Though... Without anything to work with. it is gonna take a while to narrow down what''d suit you."Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. Frederick internally agreed. However, a memory suddenly flashed back to him... To his practice duel with General Flamehart. "Actually, there is... one thing..." he said. "Oh?" "During a practice duel... I was having trouble with using my sword but..." He gestured as thought to pretend he was using a weapon, "I found it a lot easier to just thrust it at my opponent." Hearing this, Aron went into thought for a moment as he mumbled to himself, "A thrusting weapon... maybe a spear or a javelin?" After a moment of deliberation, he lead Frederick to the workshop''s backyard, where a small number dummies were kept. He then handed the boy what looked to be a standard spear. "Try attacking the dummies with this. Don''t worry, they''re tough." Frederick hesitantly took the spear in his hands and... found it rather comfortable to carry. The weight felt well balanced in both hands. Perhaps... he couldn''t hold a sword properly because he had to hold it with both hands in one place? Here goes... Frederick took a deep breath and shifted into a stance he thought fit best, setting his sight on the dummy in front of him. He dashed forward, thrusting the spear into the dummy''s chest. And... Although not penetrated, the dummy was sent flying back into the wall, before crashing down onto the floor. "Wow, you''re a lot stronger than I thought," Aron complimented, "And it looks like the spear really works for you." Frederick was unsure how to react, "It felt... strangely natural to me. I... never imagined myself taking a different weapon, other than what my brother uses. Is that weird?" Aron chuckled, "Trust me, kid. It doesn''t get any more normal than that. Sometimes, just trying something new can tell something about yourself you never knew. That''s just life." "You know, Master Frederick... It wouldn''t hurt to try something other than just swordplay once in a while. Who knows? Perhaps you''ll find a new calling for yourself." Frederick couldn''t help but smile at that. Yeah... Maybe you were onto something, Philip. "So... does this mean you can make a spear for me?" The boy asked the blacksmith. "Hmm..." Aron stroked his beard once again, "I could make it for you myself... but..." After a moment of thought, he walked back into the workshop, "Come with me." They both entered to see that Aria was slumped onto the table yet again. It seemed that this time she was looking at Fable''s repentelite shield. "You need to have enough mana in your system to deflect mana..." she muttered half-consciously, "There''s no way a human being can have that much mana in their body..." "Aria," Aron called. "Y-YES!" the girl quickly stood up in a panic as she was snapped back to reality. "You wanted a chance to work on your own project. Well, here it is," he put a hand on Frederick''s shoulder, "You''ll be making him a spear. Get his specifications and craft one accordingly." "Huh?" Aria stood still for a moment, before fully processing what she heard and entering a state of disbelief and aggressively pointing at Frederick, "Excuse me? You want me to make a spear for him?" "Aria..." Her father responded in a reprimanding tone. The girl stuttered in hesitation for moment, before groaning in submission and crossing her arms, "Fine. I''ll make his stupid spear." "Good," Aron said, satisfied with her answer, "It''ll be a good first assignment for you. You''ll also be in charge of upgrading that blade," he pointed to Fable''s Railcannon Blade. "Wait, what?" she panicked, "The spear''s one thing, but this is..." "I trust you." Aria turned to Fable, who offered her the blade in his arms. "What? But why? Isn''t this important to you? How can you trust me with this so easily?" "Well... I''d say I just trust my gut, but... My moms told me that... Sometimes you just have to take the first step, so... I''m taking it." Aria stared at the boy for a moment, before steeling herself and accepting the Blade, "Alright... I''ll do it." Fable nodded, but for some reason, Aria suddenly sensed a chilling aura radiating from him, "Of course, I expect you to compensate if you do end up breaking it." The girl squeaked in fear at the unexpected ''threat''. "He''s right," Aron nodded, "That''s also a part of your job as a blacksmith. When you fail a request, you take responsibility." "Oh, also, I''ll need you to make some written contracts for me and Fred. After all, this is our first deal." "Good idea. I''ll get some paper," Aron said as he walked to the back. As Aria stood at her spot, tightly clinging onto the Blade as though it was her lifeline, Frederick made a mental note to himself to never get on Fable''s bad side.
"I could''ve been out there, having a lovely date with a rich noble... but instead, I''m here... looking through personnel files." Rona sighed as she looked through several papers describing various personnel working at the academy. "You''re still complaining? You could''ve just said no when the General called you, he said it himself." She looked up from her desk to see Lester, taking more documents and books from the shelves nearby. On the other side of the room was General Flamehart himself, absorbed in his own pile of documents. "Well, it''s not like I could just say no when he asks for help like that," she said as she ruffled her hair, "Besides... If I can prevent another sabotage from happening to other kids, then... I don''t see why I shouldn''t help." Lester couldn''t help but be a little surprised at her answer. "Huh. That''s... actually quite considerate of you," he said with a half-smile. "Shut up," she retorted. He couldn''t exactly tell under the haphazard makeup, but he could''ve sworn that he saw her cheeks slightly redden for a second, before taking on a more serious demeanor and groaning in frustration, "Y''know, it doesn''t help that we don''t even know what exactly we''re looking for in all this junk." "To be specific, we''re looking for employees who have any sort of connection to the Greenwiches, positive or negative," Alsen answered Rona''s remark, "From there, we narrow it down to the most likely suspect." "Easier said than done, General," Lester argued as he looked around the room, as though to make sure no one else was overhearing their conversation, then speaking in a voice low enough for the other two to hear. "I don''t know if I''m allowed to say this out loud, but it''s no secret that Prismatech is notorious for frequent layoffs and questionable working conditions. The only reason it hasn''t gone bankrupt is because our military, and the Adventurer''s Guild, relies on their standardized weaponry, which are all designed by Stephen Greenwich. If you''re looking for people with a grudge against him, sir... Well, you''ve got plenty." Alsen said nothing as he slumped onto a chair with a tired sigh, for he could only agree. "I said I''d get to the bottom of this but..." He rubbed his forehead, "I should''ve known better. Investigations were never my forte." "Think, muscle-head! Sometimes, you need to use your brains instead of your biceps! It might as well help you once in a while..." Alsen smiled for a moment as he relished the thought. I could use some of her banter right now. "Alright, for now... let''s focus on the elder son, instead: Edwyn," Alsen said, now regaining his focus, "What''s your take on him?" "Well... He''s good-looking and very skilled in combat..." Rona replied as her face slowly started to grimace, "If it weren''t for the fact that he''s a narcissistic womanizer, I''d call him a near-perfect bachelor. Bet he''s got his own little club of haters." "Why near-perfect?" asked Lester. "Everyone''s got flaws, Lester. That''s just how human beings... are..." Rona stopped talking as her eyes fell upon a particular document on her desk, "Uh... General?" "Yeah?" She took the paper and hesitantly offered it to him with a visibly troubled look on her face, "I''m not a hundred percent sure, but... I think I found a suspect." Arc 1 Chapter 4 - More Passion, Fred! Frederick thrust his training spear at Fable as hard as his now tiring arms allowed him. As his practice partner blocked his attack with his shield, he attempted to counter it with a more aggressive flurry of strikes, only made possible by his speed-enhancing wind magic... once again, all blocked before they could reach past Fable''s guard. The exhausting speed of his moves left Frederick out of breath, forcing him to leap back out of Fable''s attack range. However, Fable had yet again caught him by surprise, dashing at him at a shocking pace, swinging his own practice blade towards his chest. Frederick had only managed to parry it away by a hair''s length with his own shield. As Fable wanted. In yet another display of seemingly inhuman speed, the shorter boy swept his leg at Frederick''s, sending him slipping onto the ground. Frederick tried his utmost to get back up, only to face the tip of Fable''s sword, thus ending the practice duel. Frederick groaned. He had once again underestimated Fable''s combat prowess. Or for that matter, had he ever even seen him being pushed to his limit? Even back to his duel with General Flamehart, he didn''t seem to feel all that challenged. "You''re getting better at this already," Fable reached out his hand to help Frederick back up, "It''s honestly kind of surprising that you never tried other weapons." "Well, it''s hard to see how much I''ve improved when you keep beating me," Frederick said as he wipe the dust off his back. "I get that, but..." Fable looked at his practice blade with discomfort, "I''m having a hard time getting used to this thing, so it''s not exactly easy to hold back." "How long did it take to get used to your Railcannon Blade?" "About two months. On top of the weight, the mana consumption was nuts..." the boy sheathed his sword as he turned to Frederick, "Speaking of mana, there''s something weird I noticed about your wind magic." "Weird? What do you mean?" "Well... how do I put this..." Fable scratched his head as he deliberated on his next words, "It''s... all over the place." Frederick remained silent for a moment... "Sorry... I don''t quite get it." "Yeah, I figured..." he held up his chin in thought, "Alright, when you cast spells, what''s your trigger memory?" That... was not a question Frederick would''ve wished to hear. But, after a moment of hesitation, he answered: "My public duel with my brother. The humiliation I felt in that moment. My desire to surpass him." "Oof... That''s... definitely a strong emotion. But... I''m not sure that''s the right kind of emotion you''d need for support magic." Frederick said nothing. Perhaps Fable was right. He may have passed the combat test, but he wasn''t improving at a rate he could be satisfied with. The more he thought about that moment... the moment when he felt that he could never face his mother again, the more his blood began to boil... and the more shameful he felt. Wind magic, especially spells meant for support, never performed well under such emotions. I knew that, but... "I didn''t have anything else that was strong enough." "It doesn''t have to be a super strong memory, Fred. Support magic is just that... support, like a helping hand... at least that''s what my moms taught me." "I... I see. I didn''t consider that." Well, the truth was that Frederick did know that, as it was own butler, Philip, who taught him that. He simply wasn''t in a state to take it to heart at the time. Looking back on it now, the boy wanted to punch himself in the gut for neglecting something so obvious. "Well, I''m sure you''ll figure it out. For now..." Fable resumed back to a fighting stance, "How about one more round? Winner buys lunch at the Tabeso''s." "I''m not sure that''s exactly fair..." responded a flabbergasted Frederick, before sighing as he did the same with a smile, "But why not? You''re on."
"I don''t know about this, Lester. Why did the general send us, of all people?" Rona fidgeted as she stood in front of an apartment building, and a rather decrepit one at that. Although the capital''s residential sector was relatively safe compared to other places, this part of town at the far side didn''t exactly give off a homey atmosphere. "Don''t ask me..." Lester replied with a wry sigh, "I doubt this is gonna go smoothly, but... Well, here goes nothing..." "W-wait! I''m not-" Lester rang the doorbell before she could finish. "...mentally prepared yet." Rona''s fidgeting started to get worse. "Don''t be so nervous. We''re not even sure if he''s guilty." "Hey, I don''t wanna believe it either, but... From all the intel we gathered, he''s the only who''s-" They were quickly interrupted by the door opening to reveal a stubby man who looked like he had just woken up from his own grave. His breath reeked of alcohol, and he held his head as he struggled to keep himself standing straight. Rona''s immediate impression was that she could never trust this man to be her landlord, no matter how cheap the rent. "Ugh... The hell you want... this early in the morning?" The man asked, still too hungover to speak clearly. "Um... sir, it''s nearly noon-" "HELLO! D-does Taio Gress live here? We were hoping we could maybe see him? We wanted to invite him to our ''term-starting party''!" Rona spoke up as she covered Lester''s mouth to shut him up. "Huh...? Gress... Gress..." The man scratched his head as he tried to recall if such a person lived in his building, "Oh... yeah... room three oh four. Get your business over with and get the hell out." The supposed landlord didn''t even bother closing the door and went back to his room, leaving the two speechless. "Ugh... I can still smell him form here," Rona commented as she covered her nose. "The sooner we finish this, the better..." Lester turned to her with a raised brow, "Also, ''term-starting party''?" "I was nervous, okay? Let''s just get this over with, please." Lester sighed as he led her up the stairs. The building was in such poor condition that he couldn''t help but wonder why it hasn''t dealt with by the authorities.The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Who would willingly choose to stay in a place like this?" Rona asked the question for him, "I mean, magifauna handlers don''t have the best salaries but... When you''re working at the Imperial Academy, it should at least be enough to live somewhere better than this dump." "I don''t know... Maybe he has his own circumstances?" "Bad enough to stay here?" "Well, why don''t we just ask him ourselves?" Lester knocked on the door to apartment 304... No response. The two looked at each other with uncertainty. "Okay... I... guess I''ll try again." He knocked again... No response. Rona then stepped forward and spoke up. "Um... Mr. Gress? We''re Rona Alisson and Lester Herm... We work at the Imperial Academy... There''s something I was hoping we could discuss with you?" No response. "Hmm? Wait... is the door unlocked?" said Lester, as he turned the doorknob. "Wait! Lester, don''t-" Before she could stop him, Lester had opened the door by a fair amount, only for both of them to be surprised by a bright and disorienting flash of light. As they fell onto the floor, rubbing their eyes while an agonizing ring sounded in their ears, they could just barely make out the sound of running footsteps, followed by the sound of someone landing on what the two made out to be the next building. "Wait! He''s... getting away!" Rona grunted, the ringing still hurting her ears. "It.. should... be fine!" Lester responded, standing up as he began to recover, "The General... should be able to handle this... since he was... already waiting for him to-" "Agh!" Somewhere outside the building, the two heard what sounded like General Flamehart groaning. "You gotta be kidding me..."
"Huh? What''s going on over there?" Fable and Frederick were just about to split up to go to their homes and take a quick shower, before they were stopped by a sudden series of flashes on top on one of the nearby buildings. "I don''t know..." Frederick replied, "Do you think it''s something serious-" "Out of my way!" The two boys were interrupted by a browned-haired man who landed from the building in front of them. Caught off guard, they jumped out of the man''s path, both unsure of what just happened. "Boys!" As the two heard an all too familiar voice, they turned to see Alsen jumping down from the same building, only he seemed to be dizzy with his hand covering his ear, struggling to stay up on his feet. "Boys! Stop him! He''s the test saboteur!" Fable stood still for a second, before giving the general an acknowledging nod and turning to Frederick. "Fred, I need you to get to the place we practiced before. I''ll divert him so you can get a clear shot." "Wait, what?" Frederick could not hide his hesitancy and disbelief, "You want me to throw my spear at him?" "Don''t worry, just cover the tip like before," Fable turned to chase after the man, "And remember! Supporting memory!" "Be careful! He''s got a flashbang spell!" Alsen warned. "Got it!" Fable upped his pace in attempt to catch up to the suspect, but the large crowds of people on the roads were preventing him from doing so. The suspect, on the other hand, looked to be using his knowledge of the streets to navigate through. Alright, let''s try for a different approach. The boy channeled mana into his legs and leapt up towards the top of a nearby building as onlookers watched on in confused astonishment. From up here, Fable was now able to keep the suspect in his sight without bumping into people. The only problem was that he had watch his step so he didn''t trip himself and fall off. Despite the crowd below, Fable was impressed at the suspect''s ability to seamlessly run through. If he was perhaps something like an instructor or a magifauna handler, that would explain his speed, as well as how he was able to sabotage Frederick''s test. As Fable began to close in on the suspect, he realized that they were almost in Frederick''s line of sight. He needed to make sure the man didn''t take another route. He weighed his options based on the information he was given: Approach him before he can blind him, or find a way to counteract his spell. As the boy jumped down into an empty street, the suspect was now heading towards what Fable made out to be an old service tunnel, possibly his escape route. However, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Frederick standing at the park they were practicing at, ready to throw his spear. They only had one shot at this. Damn it! Worst time to not have my Rail-... Wait a minute! Fable stopped in his tracks, unsheathing his training sword. After a second of hesitation, he imbued it with as much magic as possible, causing the blade to start convulsing. Sorry, Aron! I''ll pay you back! With all his strength, the boy threw his soon-to-explode blade onto the entrance of the service tunnel, hoping it''ll collapse and block his escape.
Frederick panted as he stood at the edge of the park, where he had a clear view of this side of the residential sector. He just hoped that he wasn''t too late. Regaining his breath, he took off the training spear strapped to his back and wrapped in thick cloth as Fable instructed. He then looked across the area to try and spot Fable or the suspect. After an agonizing moment of uncertainty, he finally spotted Fable running on top of the buildings, chasing the suspect whom he presumed was down on the street, which seemed to be headed to a tunnel. The only problem being... You expect me to hit him from that far away? From such a distance, Frederick was far from confident that he''d even be able to throw the spear so far, let alone with enough force to subdue him. Having not the time to think about it, Frederick quickly shifted to a stance where he could ready his spear. Come on, think! What kind of memory fits a support spell? Perhaps by trained instinct, the first thought he recalled as he channeled mana into his arm was of his losing duel against Edwyn. However, all the negativity of that memory made his arm shake. Damn it! I need to clam down! As Frederick tried to do his breathing exercises, he spotted the suspect now out of the cover of the buildings, with Fable close behind him. They were getting closer to the tunnel. He only had one shot. Frederick tried as hard as he could to recall. A memory of support... of his hand being held. But did such a memory ever exist in his mind? All his life he was either neglected, or scorned, or laughed at. Except... No, it wasn''t. In his rage and humiliation, he had forgotten the two people who never abandoned him. His mother, who taught him to read, who taught him to cast magic to fly a kite, who held his hand even in her dying breath. His butler, Philip who, perhaps in an effort to make sure his young master could take care of himself, taught him to use a sword. Despite his age, he still chose to personally serve him breakfast every morning and prepare him fresh clothes. The feeling of someone holding your hand... of supporting you... Remembering this feeling, something sparked inside of the boy. Something he didn''t quite understand yet... something he could not put into words... But right now, in this moment, it was something that he could channel into his spear. As Frederick readied his spear with his newfound strength, he watched the tunnel now collapsing thanks to Fable throwing his sword which he deliberately set to explode, the suspect was forced to stop in his tracks and turn to face him. In another effort to escape, he attempted to use what Frederick could only assume was his magic tool to blind Fable. However, Fable, being somewhat prepared, covered his face with his repentelite shield which, perhaps out of sheer luck, reflected the light of the spell back at the suspect, blinding him instead. And Frederick took the opportunity. With all his might, the boy threw his spear, tearing through the air with the roar of a storm, clearing a distance that was otherwise impossible for it to cross. And thanks to Frederick''s wind spell, the spear was able to head straight for its target, hitting him in the abdomen and sending him flying onto a wall, knocking him out in an instant. Fable opened his eyes to see the man out cold on the ground. He turned towards Frederick, making a thumbs up gesture, though he wasn''t quite sure he could make it out. As the momentary feeling of exhilaration wore off, only one thought came to Frederick''s mind: I... I didn''t hit him too hard... did I?