《The Providence Wars》 Book I- Arena of Tragedy Author''s Note:Hello Everyone! Notos/JDRotheos here! I have tried writing two stories in here before but I could not go over my plot outline well when I did years ago. It took me years but I am back and ready to write. This story is a story I have made a rough sketch and tried to publish here before called "Chords of Providence" but I think that''s been deleted (maybe) but this is the final form, a compelling story that I hope everyone will enjoy! PROLOGUE The girl looked at the dark cerulean sky as it was dyed golden by the rising sun. The glistening stars fading away as the chilling wind brushed over her body. The whistling haunts and breeze of dawn illuminated by the warmth of those golden rays. ¡°How long has it been since I¡¯ve seen this color?¡± The girl murmured as her eyes gazed at the golden hues over the sky. A truly magnificent scenery. A happening that signifies the start of another day. Another day of life. Another day of hope. ¡°Even though I should be rejoicing, why do I regret within my heart?¡± She asked herself as she tried to push her body up. The weight of the earth which had pulled her back down seemed to want to embrace her further. Yet, she knew deep down, it was time to rise and leave. ¡°What was I fighting for until now? What was the meaning of my battles? What was I¡­.¡± As her voice trailed off, she felt an aching stab within her chest. She remembered now, the promise she made back then, that was what kept her feet from stopping. That was what kept her body from giving up. Because of that promise she kept moving forward. 17th Sun of the Month of the Flame, 557 After Divine (AD) "Death!! Death to the Forsakened!!" A bustling crowd roared within the ancient amphitheatre of the City of Ridgeford. The crowd stood and raised their fists punching into the air as they echoed a resounding cheer of praise and profanity. Those who sat on the upper to middle deck were dressed in long robes, some looked ragged or dirty yet some a bit refined. Contrasting to them, those who sat on the lower deck divided from the middle by a barbed fence were people dressed in a much finer clothing. As their appearance differed and so too were their cheers and jeers. "Sir William! Sir Willaim! Sir William!" That name was echoed by the crowd as they watched a man covered with gray armor decorated by spikes and crimson embroidery. He wore no helm to cover his face and so one could see the dashing look which sported a handsome stubble. His age was no more than his late twenty''s but his demeanor would think he was early on. "Kill it Sir William! Kill it! Kill that vile beast!" A man sitting on a golden chair embellished with glistening floral designs stood up as he threw a pouce towards the armored man. The man, William, caught it and flashed a menacing grin. "My gratitude Lord Julian!" He nodded at the man who gave him favor. That man was wrapped on a crimson scarf across his chest but wore a much more refined clothing which seemed like a uniform designed with golden linings. That uniform, which William had recognized, belong only to the Noble Houses that had positions within the Order. To be favored by such a man, William felt pride, and so he unhesitantly turned his gaze to the other "being" within the arena who lay half-dead on the ground. "Basta....ds!!! Kill.....kill!!!" That "being" was a purpled skin creature that appeared human in form. However, those short horns and silver hair combined with that purplish skin color, one would not think of "being" as human. "I commend you for surviving the wounds I have given you. Of course, I needed to put up a good show for these lovely people and the Lord Julian whom have graced our combat with glory and honor!" William raised both of his hands as he beckoned the crowd to roar arousing them. "Honor? Blah!" The purple skinned creature spat on the ground as he tried to raise his body attempting to come back into this fight. However, William did not allow him. The moment he even moved a muscle after spitting a leg came crashing to his back. "The Creed of the Knights have said on Article 35, those who spat on honor deserve their tongue cut, do you people agree!?" "YES! YES! CUT THAT BEAST''S TONGUE!" Smiling at the crowd''s answer, William raised his hand and placed it on that purple creature''s mouth. His hand was covered with his spiked gauntlets which impaled the creature''s lips while he pulled from behind his mouth hoping get rid of its tongue. But the creature fought back as it attempted to chew off the armored hand. Unfortuantely, that creature''s teeth weren''t as sharp as swords. "Hdafsshasagaaa!!!! Hrrraaaaa!!!!" The creature squirmed and cried as William pulled off its mouth. Slowly, a crackling sound could be heard. At this moment on, the crowd went quiet. The only sound one could hear was the sound of bone and teeth being crushed by that gauntlet. Blood spewed all over the floor and it didn''t take long until a slimy flesh was taken from that creature''s mouth. "People of Ridgeford! I have punished this vile beast who spat on the Creed of the Knights! Of our Holy Order!" William raised his hand which held the tongue of the purple skinned creature. The crowd roared and cheered in response shaking the entire arena. Glancing on the half-dead creature trying to squirm his way off the arena, William rolled his eyes in contempt as he held his hand up and shouted, "God of Justice, give my thy whip of Judgment!" White light manifested on William''s hand which materialized into a silver whip that had metallic edges. "Wow! Sir William has summoned his <>!" The crowd cheered in joy. This was the first time they''ve seen it in person. It was worth paying that much of gold to watch a knight punish the forsakened beasts of Etzayim. They hoped that they would be blessed in seeing it in fight but seeing as how the man had simply outmuscled and outskilled the opponent without using any significant weapons they felt they would not get the chance.This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. <> are the weapons bestowed upon a select few among the human race. Those who have passed the Judgment of the Holy Order will be able to awaken the gift given by the gods to humans. These instruments were weaker manifestation of the original shards of the Providence which were called <>. However, none take them lightly, as these instruments are worth tens of thousands of soldiers in strength. A single instrument wielder could destroy an entire city if he so wished. Seeing that silver whip manifesting, the purple creature cried and wimpered even louder as he squirmed even faster than ever. The crowd laughed and mocked that being in response. They wanted to see how powerful and menacing an <>''s power truly is. Although overkill, seeing it would still be a joy regardless. "You have shamed the gods for your pathetic strength and cowardince and above all shamed the Human Race for your disrespect. Your very existence is a mistake, Spirit Race! With the God of Judgment''s permission, my <>, shall give its verdict!" William brought down his silver whip and lashed it on that purple creature. The whip went ablaze and scorched the purple creatured. A menacing cry of pain echoed but it was mostly overshadowed by the sound of burning flesh as a pillar of flames rose from the earth and impaling the sky. The crowd was silenced by that spectacle. They never thought it would be this... "Magestic! Truly Majestic!" Lord Julian once again stood from his seat and praised Sir William as he clapped his hands. His action woke the crowd from their stunned figures and followed with their own roar of cheers! This was a Knight, one which possessed an instrument of the gods! "Sir William! Sir William!...." The cheering echoed all over the arena. It was so loud that it even pierced through the earth and into the underground sections. From within could see several cages containing chained humanoid creatures with varying features. One had green skin and sharp ears. One had two horns and furry body but appeared close to a human if not for those. One had a short stature with a long beard but his muscular physique truly dwarfed his size. They were several of them all locked in these cages. But from far on a corner was a small figured chained on its leg. She had a fair skin with lilac hair. She had no inhumane features that were present from the other inhabitans of the cages. Yet this girl was caged like the rest of them. Startled by the echoes from above, she moved her head looking up. One could see that within the small split from her long hair was a face unnaturally disfigured. Crooked nose, scaly cheeks, no eyebrows and bloody-red irises which was disproportionate in size compared to the other eye. "...What happened?" She weakly mumbled as she hugged her legs while unconsciously pushing her body even furhter into the wall. Some of the inhabitants of the cages noticed her move but paid her no mind except for the dwarf that was chained in cage just a few feet beside her. "That incubus perished. Crowd saw him spectaculary turn into a bloody mess. Not surprising considering how eye-catchy he was. Those humans probably thought he was a blueberry mash right about now!" The dwarf spitefully answered as he yanked his chains as he spoke. "You don''t need to belittle the dead, little devil." A dark skinned man with sharp ears addressed the dwarf. He was chained right beside him and he was leaning on the cage''s railings. "So Lurak is dead?" The girl murmured as her lifeless eyes moistured. That purple skinned creature, an incubus, was chained with her within this cage. He was already here when she was brought into the arena and had been her company for three days now. "You will get used to it. Captives die and go in this place. Heh, I wouldn''t be surprised if I am next considering how long I have been here." The dwarf chiden the girl with apathy. He didn''t care much about her emotion but it would not be good if the prisoners here would just be fodders outside, at least, that''s what he believed in. "You are truly a rotten little devil, aren''t you, dwarf," the man that had horns said as he was sitting with his legs squatting on the floor, "hey girl, what''s your name? You''ve been here for a few days and you barely talked." The girl was startled by the horned man''s question. She was extremely frightful and anxious of everyone in this place. The only person that had been gentle with her was Lurak, who was the dead purple creature in the arena. Although she heard some warnings from some of the captives on the other cage, who perished yesterday, she sincerely though Lurak was a nice person....at least. Seeing as the girl was hesitant in answering, the man with horns waved his hand signalling that she didn''t need to reply. "You are scaring the little girl Toros. Look at her. She''s probably thirteen or something, probably never had a boy in her life...well considering her face that is." A sarcastic yet seductive voice echoed on the cage beside the horned man, Toros. Upon hearing that voice, Toros simply scoffed. "I am surprise you have yet to be sold." "That''s impossible. No human would want to bed me unless they''d want to have their lives drained to death with ecstasy." This exchange caught the little girl''s attention as she turned her head to the source of that seductive voice. She had a long crimson hair with a slim figure that could catch any man''s eyes. However, a tail hang from her butt and a wing could be seen sprouting from her back. There was one on the other side but it appeared broken and only a bone was left of its original form. "Hey little girl, I am Aysha, a succubus. Yours?" The little girl was silence and was still afraid of interacting with these creatures within the cages. She had never seen them before and only heard of them from stories from old people and merchants in the streets and alleys of where she came from. She thought that seeing one would probably relief of her from her cursed and hideous face as she would feel human compared to them, yet now as she was among them, she felt that the curses thrown at her by those people had been deservingly equal. "Do you detest us?" A question startled her from her absentminded state. She turned her eyes onto the succubus again who was holding the railings of the cage as the latter also stared at her. Does she detest these creatures? She heard stories of them and she was afraid, as people were raised to be, after all they were humans. "We heard stories." "Oh, stories? About us? About the Spirit Race?" The girl weakly nodded as she tried to evade the succubus'' peering eyes. "Haha, that is funny little girl. Weren''t they afraid of you too? No, I should ask you that question. Did they detest you?" The girl''s eyes widened as the succubus'' question struck her heart like a knife. Did she detest the Spirit Race that were caged with her? Shouldn''t she be asking herself why the humans detested her? Wasn''t she also human? Why? Why? "Hey little girl, let me tell you something. You smell like---" Before the succubus could finish her words, a banging sound echoed and the metallic door that sealed the jail was sprung open. A plump man dressed in robes slowly walked in as clanking sounds could be heard from the keys which hanged from his waist. The inhabitants of the cage went quiet but only fired killing glares at that plump man. If eyes could kill they said, however, before there would be prisoners that cursed and tried to pull themselves off the chains to strangle this man yet all learned. All learned the cost of doing so. And so that man, with contempt shown in his face as he looked around the caged figures, walked proudly. It didn''t take him long to realize he had found what he was looking for. He was currently staring at that little girl whom he had received not so long ago. She was thin and weak and definitely could not fight in the arena. She was ugly and disgusting so she had no use for brothels. She had no value at all. But someone told him that this girl could be raised and groomed. And so he came here to fetch her. This prisoner who was detested and sold for only a few copper coins, what a ripoff, he screamed on his heart. The girl noticed him too and fear was seen in her eyes as she tried to run away. But the chains which bound her stopped her from moving even further. "Prisoner number 25. Lucielle of Village Arto. "Ugly". Hmp, you are useless. I would have fed you to the dogs if I were in charge. But apparently, you have your use." The girl whose name was Lucielle despaired as she heard the plump man''s mocking voice. "Oh that despaired face looked so enticing, if not for that ugly face. Rejoice as I would not turn you into nourishment to my dogs but hell is waiting for you. Kufufhahahahahah!!!" The plump man laughed as he unlocked the chains and pulled Lucielle off from the chains. Although the man was unfit, the girl was simply too weak, so it made it easy for him to simply hold the girl through her hair. "Hell is waiting for you girl. Don''t disappoint me or I will dispose you myself." Upon hearing those words, Lucielle''s face froze. Why was she detested? Why was she here? Why was she to meet Hell or be disposed? She tried to struggle free and kick the pulmp man off. Irriated by this, the plump man slammed his fist onto Lucielle''s head, knocking her out. "Dirty swine." As Lucielle slowly lost consciousness, she kept asking herself why was she born with such a cursed face. Why was she hated? Why was she placed into these cages? Why was she experiencing this brutality? Was this what the gods made her destiny to be? In this Arena of Tragedy, Lucielle who wished only answers to her question, remembered the cause of her despair. Chapter 1: The Cursed Girl The world was an empty shell. The sky held nothing but darkness and no life existed. The gods created the < >, the divine instrument of Creation. With it, the sky brightened with stars, the earth sprung with flora and fauna while oceans, rivers and lakes filled the barren lands. But then the gods asked themselves, "we created a masterpiece of a world yet none would judge its perfection?" So the gods decided to placed the minor divine spirits that lived within the realm of the gods. "Why should we go live in that world without the blessings of divinity?" "Why should we abandon the flourishing life of being a god?" Oppositions came from the minor gods but the power held by the ruling gods forced them down regardless. And so, the Spirit Race, the first of the world''s inhabitants were born. While it may be true that their divinity had been stripped from them, their body still possed a residual of that blessing. That blessing permeated within the earth upon a Spirit Race''s death and as a fertilizer will be used as nourishment for plants. Herbivores would eat those nourished by the divinity of the dead and then Carnivores would prey over them. This cycle of predation, an ecosystem that was built under the fading divinity of the Spirit Race, became the foundation of the World. Over time these animals that was an integral part of the cycle mutated into beings that closely resembled the Spirit Race. The Beast Race was born. They were different from the Spirit Race but they possessed natural qualities that made them superior to the Spirit Race in some aspects. Cooperation between the races began albeit there were conflicts occassionally. Until a thousand years later, two gods fell from the sky, a Man and a Woman and from them began the birth of the Human Race. Their names were--- -An excerpt from the "Genesis of Races", a research of Grand Magistrate Elindor Chapter 1: The Cursed Girl 10th Sun of the Month of the Flame, 557 After Divine (AD) "You useless slave!" A middle-aged woman slapped a girl with lilac hair. That girl was wearing ragged clothing that appeared loose on her body. Loosed as it was due to her frail figure, her limbs were thin and her face was devoid of vigor. The only color that appeared on her face was the swollen cheek. "Ugly, lazy and an idiot! I don''t even know why your bastard father wants to keep you!" The girl''s face was indeed the way the woman described. She was indeed beyond what human comprehension was, at least, to what normal humans can fathom. And the girl felt it was a curse upon herself, unknowingly blaming her ownself for something she couldn''t control. "Get out of the house Lucielle! You can''t even clean the house...for god''s sake! Get out before---" The woman kicked Lucielle pushing her off for a few meters. Pain coursed through her abdoment but Lucielle tried to persist on the pain. Showing her weakness would only give this woman more pleasure. Adhering to the woman''s words, Lucielle ran off the house. She was the daughter of the woman''s husband thus she was her step-mother. But her standing within the household was no less than that of a slave. Although slavery was not banned in the country where they lived, it was still frowned upon in rural areas where the livelihood is borderline poverty. It didn''t help that she was not blood-related to her so called father. Thirteen years ago, her so called father had a wife who had trouble giving birth. It was as if fate delivered a baby Lucielle into their doorsteps. However, back then, her distorted figure was already apparent, at least that''s how her so called father had recounted the story. The wife perished not long after and Lucielle could barely remember her face. She didn''t know if it was because of guilt or a promise but Lucielle was kept within the house even though her so called father remarried. Though she knew for sure, she would never be treated as a daughter. That Lucielle was running off with tears in her eyes but she was used to this treatment. And as she was running in the muddy roads of their neighborhood, the people around noticed her fleeing figure. Although she was running, she could see their eyes and hear their whispers. "Isn''t that the cursed child?" "Yeah, that hideous thing." "His wife must have been cursed by that thing." "Died a year after adopting it." "What a foul thing." "She should have been sold to slavers a long time ago." Lucuielle bit her lip as she hastened her pace. Again and again, she would run away from all of these. Before, she just ran off to a place where she could sulk for a while. But now she had a destination. Although to her this hell would go on for eternity, it was something she had long accepted. The woods to her left and the farmlands to her right. She could see the cows and sheeps grazing on the field. She could feel the warmth of the Sun. Lucielle had always appreciated everything else in the world. "Old man Ran!" Eventually, she arrived at this place, a wooden cottage close to the outskirts of the village where she lived. She knocked on the door as she called out the name of this cottage''s owner. "Ohoho! You are here early... come in." A voice from within the place answered her. Lucielle opened the door as she obtained the owner''s permission. "Hm? Why are your eyes and cheek swollen?" The old man asked Lucielle as he was sitting on a chair and cutting carrots and cabbages. He wore a simple and dirty robe but his eyes were brimming with joy contrary to his age. "Something happened in the house..the usual. Nevermind that! Is Alan here?" "I had asked Alan to get me some wood. Hurry and call him. This stew will be cooked soon." The old man answered as he continued dicing those ingrediences. Lucielle nodded in response as she left the cottage and went further into the woods.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. That old man who lived in the cottage was called Ran. He was a former mercenary in his youth but after his hay days he chose to retire here at the outskirts of the village. She knew nothing of the old man''s past. She met him once when she ran away from home and offered her shelter when there was a storm that day. The old man had his journeys in his youth and would sometimes tell Lucielle stories. It did not take long until Lucielle heard chopping sounds. The woods behind the cottage was dense but it rarely had any animals in there and it was usually very quiet making the chopping sounds very conspicuous. As she went through a clearing, Lucielle saw a boy whose figure was no bigger or less than her''s but his body was well-built compared to his age group. "Alan!" Lucielle called out to the boy who was chopping wood. Beside him, there was a pile of chopped lumber tied down by a straw. The boy turned around seeing Lucielle greet him but he pouted as he saw the girl. "You didn''t go this daybreak. We promised we''d practice the sword." Lucielle was startled for a bit and then hurried bowed her head down as she apologized. "Sorry. They had me get fresh milk from the cows in the barn." Upon learning of her alibi, the boy sighed in return. He knew of her situation and he wasn''t surprised at all. The boy and the girl had interacted for much since their meeting. It was during the time Lucielle had met Old Man Ran. Alan was an orphaned boy. His parents died in the War. What was tragic was neither was a combatant. They were merchants. Since then, the old man took him in instead of being sold off as a slave by debt collectors. As to how those debt collectors were sent away, even Alan knew nothing. The old man would only smile when he would ask him. At least, that was how the boy narrated his story to Lucielle when the she asked. "You''ve been slacking off in your training, are you sure about this?" The boy asked as he took the pile of lumber and carried it on his back. "You know there''s no chance even for me..." Lucielle sighed and shook her head. "What are you saying? Anyone has a chance." The boy patted Lucielle''s shoulders. These two could be said to be closer to siblings than best friends. Alan had no parents and so he was generally alone and had to fend for himself. While Lucielle was considered an ugly creature throughout the village. No one would get close to her, regardless of age. And the people that truly accepted her was this boy and Old Man Ran. "Thank you Alan," Lucielle followed behind him as she continued, "you really want to become a Knight?" "Didn''t I tell you before? I want to avenge my parents." Alan''s eyes lit out a sharp glint. Lucielle knew of the boy''s hatred towards the Spirit Race. In a war between the two races, several casualties of war had been incurred. This cycle of hatred that kept going on and on it was unfortunate that a young buy was swept on its waves. "No matter what I will become a Knight, no, I will be a Knight! Even if my social status is trash, as long as I show them my strength---" The boy swore as he gripped his handle on straw which bound the lumber. Lucielle saw this and nodded her head. "I will support you Alan." "Eh?" The boy dumbfoundedly glanced at Lucielle. He was bewildered by these words. "After all, I can be considered your sister now." She said proudly raising her head up. Seeing this, the boy simply laughed. Although he didn''t admit it, he felt warm within his heart. He had been extremely grateful of this girl''s presence in his life. Yes, he was grateful. The stars were already shining in the night sky when Lucielle made it home. She looked up into the sky. It was beautiful. She never had enough of this sight. If only her face, her life and her destiny was as beautiful, but she knew of her standing. The gods had long disappeared from this world but the things such as luck and blessings still existed, at least, that was what she heard from Old Man Ran. Home. That was something unfamiliar to her. As she went over the hill, she could see everything. The house, the barn, the pig pens, and the stables. The man who adopted her inherited a medium sized farm from his father. He was one of the many who farmed in the far outskirs of the village. Lucielle went down and proceeded to the place where she usually spends her night. But she did not go to that house. She went further behind the barn. Behind that barn was a small entry point covered only by a wooden board. That was a storage area that was once used but it became her "home" since her so called father married that woman. "Become a Knight, huh?" When she recalled Alan''s ambition, she also thought. What if she aimed to become a Knight? What if she tried? Hues of black and blue dyed the sky as Lucielle hiked the hills just over the wods behind Old Man Ran''s cottage. This was their usual meeting point. "Lucielle! You are late!" Alan waved his wooden sword. He was standing besides Old Man Ran who was sitting on a wooden chair. "Sorry! I had to do my chores early so they won''t look for me when they wake up." Everytime Lucielle goes to their early training she usually do all the things she was commanded to do. Feeding the animals, cleaning the backyard, checking on the stables and all other things in the farm. This usually takes her an hour or so but she was used to it. "Here catch!" Alan tossed a wooden sword at her which she promptly caught. They would train with the sword on top of this hill during daybreak, every day, ever since she met Old Man Ran and Alan. Old Man Ran was skilled with the sword in his youth so he would often give pointers to the youngsters. "Here I come Lucielle!" A vertical slash came at her. It was a quick strike and if not for Alan warning her she would not have been able to react on time. "Ehk!!" Lucielle groaned as she parried the slash with her own sword. The difference in strength was apparent and Lucielle was pushed back a couple of meters. "If you don''t stand your ground you will lose again!" Alan kept swing his sword. Although Lucielle had trained the same time as the boy, the difference in their body, will and natural talent showed. It was not because of her gender but her living conditions had made her body malnourished. The boy also had a drive to become strong which was something the girl had yet to realize for herself. "If only you could use <>...however, mana does not exist within you." She remembered those were the words the Old Man had told her when she started visiting him. <> exists within this world but only the Spirit Race and a few talented from the Beast Race could truly make use of them. There were seven classificaiton of magic: <>, <>, <>, <>, <>, <>, <> and <>. The Spirit Race, being descended from the gods, could make use of nearly every magic excluding Light and Void. Void was a magic theorized by the Grand Magisters as the limit of the world although none had yet to see it. The Human Race could use only <>. That was a rule, a law set by the gods, as mandated by the Pope that ruled the Holy Order. In return, humans were gifted the <>, a weapon derived from light which could aritifically manifest the other elements excluding Darkness and Void. It was natural for beings in this world, living or not, to possess mana. But there were unlucky ones who does not yet they were truly rare. One in a million they said. Once Lucielle learned of her uniqueness, she was neither surprise nor sorrowful. It was truly like that. She anticipated it. Due to her experiences growing up, she had believed herself to be the manifestation of all misfortunates. A cursed being who was there to exist to be hated by destiny. "Not yet!" Lucielle swung her wodden sword horizontally startling Alan. He immediately pushed his legs back to evade the cleave of the sword. However, he carelessly reacted to Lucielle''s action which left an opening. Seeing this, Lucielle thrusted her wooden sword forward aiming at the boy''s chese. Alan grinned. That was a misstep! Was what he was saying within his mind. The moment Lucielle made her move the boy angled his body to the side and his right leg swept on a cleave. It hit the girl''s hand which knocked the wooden sword off course. Not wasting this opening, Alan recovered his stance and swung his wooden sword which abruptly paused stopped at Lucielle neck. "I won! Nice try Lucielle!" Lucielle sighed but she did not feel dejected for losing. Old Man Ran clapped at their performance. "You two have grown. Alan, you are ready for the Knight Order on the 15th Sun. You should ready to leave tomorrow." "Yes! I will definitely not fail you Old Man! " The Holy Order, the governing body of the Human Race''s Knights. Even Kings have to bow down to their commands. Several branches have been erected in the continent and all countries have them. A small contingent of Magistrates and Knights would go county to county in each country they govern and see through the aspiring kids hoping to join the Knight Order. The age limit was 15 years old. It was because that was the time where the blessings of the gods would be at their peak, at least that was what the Holy Order''s Apostles had decreed. Even then, the selection was gruelling and no more than ten or so kids from thousands of candidates in a country gets selected to be trained. Neither status nor gender could decide your fate. Only talent and skill. Lucielle too was enamored by this prospect. However, her talent in combat was abysmal but Old Man Ran had always said she had potential. She was grateful for the his way of encouraging her. The next day was the 12th of the Sun. This was also the day Alan would leave. Lucielle, who was a few hours earlier than the usual, was heading towards their usual training location. This may be the last time Lucielle would see the boy that she considered a family. But, she never expected it to end the way it did. Chapter 2: Warning Signs The Spirit Race, fallen gods, the forsakens. They had several names. The general public would not differentiate one from the other. A Spirit Race is a Spirit Race. That is an undeniable truth to them. Regardless on what form they take, what clothing, gender or age, they are creatures who are since time immemorial enemies of the Human Race. "A Spirit Race? Aren''t those the crazy man-eating monsters that lived far into the Dark Forest?" A hunter said when asked by one of my assistants. "What I would do when I see one? Haha, that is funny. Just like how I hunt deers and boars..." Appearing amused, he tapped his forehead repeatedly. "Would I lend a Spirit Race a room upstairs, you asked?" A lady, who supervises a tavern in a town near the Frontier, mumbled after being asked by my assistant. "Yes. Money is money regardless where it came from. Still, I''d earn more after telling the authorities. Hmm? Selling the Spirit Race out after paying for accomodation? Fu..hahahaha you must be joking. Two Taels of Silver is not enough for me to betray humanity." She snickered as she waved her hand expressing disgust in her face, my assistant could only nod in return. "Meeting with a Spirit Race? Mister, are you trying to scare me like Mommy?" A child, who was playing swords with his friends, was asked by my assistant. "One day I will grow up so I will no longer be afraid of them. What will I do? This is how Knights do it, right?" The child waved his hand which held the wooden sword. Demonstrating a slash and a thrust, he appeared proud of his movements. "Have I ever seen a Spirit Race before? Of course! Having worked as a hired hand, I''ve experienced my share of battles." A crippled man sitting on a chair near the outpost of a village huffed his pipe as he recounted his experiences. "If I didn''t get hit by an arrow to my knee, huh, what Spirit Race did I encounter you ask? What is the difference? All are foul creatures that must be get rid of." The man puffed before massaging his leg. "You see here lad? A Spirit Race with pointy ears did this to me." "An elf, you mean?" My assistant interjected as she eyed the leg pointed out by that crippled man. "Elf, schmucks, whatever. I''d pay anything to strangle that damn beast." My assistants narrated to me the information they have gathered from commoners. Their opinions, experiences and ideas about the Spirit Race were anything but colorful. Still, that provided much insight on the humans'' thoughts on the Spirit Race''s existence. A Spirit Race is a Spirit Race, regardless of color, age, gender, clothing, size or whichever form they take is what these people believe in. "Am I different from the tavern hostess on the other side of the town?" The same assistant asked that tavern supervisor but with a different question. "Of course I am. I am obviously more beautiful and refined than that wench. Eh? We are both humans you asked? No, no. She is a whore and I am a lady in commoners'' skin! There is a huge difference!" And then, my assistant asked the same question to the hunter. "What will I do if my rival hunter asks me for help? Of course, I''d help out..haha with payment and added interests. Eh? You are asking why won''t I just leave him dead? He will, probably, we are not cut of the same cloth and I am the better man." The hunter said proudly though my assistants felt he was pretending to be poignant. "You are asking me what I''ll do if you showed in front of me the person that hit my knee with an arrow? What if its human?" The crippled man rubbed his temples who thought through the question but it did not take a while for him to answer. "Call the Town Guards or Bailiff. Guy needs to pay for his crime. Hm? You are asking why I won''t strangle him? I am not an inhumane person. Justice should fall under the law." And then, the child pondered, "But aren''t the enemies the Spirit Race? Why should I point my sword to a human?" I see. Humans are such fascinating creatures. Truly the most hypocritical beings at the height of their foolishness. Moving along, my assistants asked...... -Extracted from a page of an Old Book titled, "Queries of Differences" Chapter 2: Warning Signs In a fortress a ten kilometers away from Village Arto, a commotion was currently happening. Men dressed in uniform attires were scrambling documents while horseriders went in and out of the fortress gates. Within one of the fortress'' rooms, a man wearing a silver plated armor stabbed a piece of paper with a knife as he turned his head to address the people behind him. "The Order has given its decree. We must head to Village Arto before noon." There were four people there all wearing the same set of equipment. They were wearing the same armor emblazoned with a dual crossed golden symbol on the chestplace while paired with a crimson scarf with a white sword stiched at its center which was wrapped on the armor''s neckpiece. This was the standard armor of Provisional Knights those who are a step closer to being knighted by the Holy Order. And these people he turned his head to are those who stood over thousands to get to this point.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. "Captain, that place is too close to the Frontier. Heck, we already are. Why should we go~" A red haired knight with a short stature complained as he placed his hands behind his back. "It can''t be helped. The scouts have picked up activity there. It seems the <> has been on the move lately on the Northern mountains." A long haired man pushed his glasses up as he followed through the red haired''s complaints. "Furhermore, it is unbecoming of a knight to complain about doing his duty, " he followed with a remark aimed at the former. "Yo, you are not picking a fight now are you, glasses boy?!" The red haired man glared at the man with glasses but he was pushed off by the female knight beside him. "Oy! That''s not a way to treat your comrades!" The female knight, who had short chestnut hair, waved her fingers at the red haired man. "Captain, since we are currently stationed in this fort, then I assume we will rendezvous at Count Barton''s Castle first before proceeding?" Another female knight, one with long blonde hair, spoke but she intently ignored the squabble of her companions and instead spoke to the Captain before them. The Captain, who had short black hair while sporting a mustache and goatee, appeared in his middle age. Unlike the other four, he was a seasoned veteran, a true Knight. His armor did not possess the crimson scarf sported by the other four but instead had a blue coat wrapped on his armor. "That is the plan. I heard the Count''s lands are preparing for the selection so they believed it would also be a good time for us to show those newbies what it takes to be a Knight, " the Captain then took an ink pen, using it to write on a piece of paper before folding it into a scroll. Handing the scroll to the female knight, " take this to the stables and hire a messenger to address the Count to warn the Village. We need to make haste." "Understood." As the female knight left, the Captain turned his head to the other three, "You lot should best behave. This will be your first challenge and the Wrath of all things." The man let out an exasperated sigh before relaxing his shoulders. "Uhm...Captain, what is this thing called Wrath?" The female knight with the chestnut hair raised her hand shyly as she asked the question but it was immediately interjected by the glasses knight beside her. "Did you honestly forgot? It was in the Provisional Written exams!" "Eeehk...hehe...I can''t say I did well there." The glasses knight''s forehead twitched and was about to shout at the female knight before a hand chop from the Captain stunned him. "Easy now. No need to get heated this early though we might not get any sleep as we have to head out immediately. Okay listen newbies! <> is a Tribe of the Spirit Race." The female knight tilted her head seemingly not understanding the explanation then red haired knight beside her raised his hand. "Oh I remember that! Isn''t that what they call their group or something, like they have this brutish looking flag!" "Not group you dimwit, it is what they call their people," chided by the glasses knight as he fired a glare at the red haired knight. "Wrath, Lust, Pride, Envy, Gluttony, Sloth and Greed. Those <> are similar to the many different nations among the Human Race. Why did they classify themselves differently among each other?" The Captain raised his finger as he asked the question. The three Provisional Knights before him turned their eyes on the finger. Glasses Knight was about to open his mouth to answer but the Captain continued with an exasperated voice, "Because they themselves don''t get along, just like you lot! Now go and pack up! We are leaving in 15!" Although the moon barely lit, the stars were still present in the sky. Yet, Lucielle did not feel the serene ambience of this night. "What is that hideous monster?" "A beast! A beast!" Whispers and curses echoed through her ears. A growling sound, a hissing sound. "You are a curse. You are a sin." She remembered the former words but the latter ones were foreign. When were those aimed at her? "You inherited ugliness, truly pathetic." And, she saw the blackness in her vision dyed into a hazy hue of red and purple. Her eyes currently gazing at a mirror which served as a barrier between the cussing noise that began. Lucielle tried to open her mouth but no voice came out. Shaking her head to look for something, someone, anyone, yet nothing but the cage of the hues of red and purple could be seen. The hissing sound came again but this time it wrapped her body from toe to head. Squezing her, constricting every fiber in her body, it felt as if it had her heart within a grasp making it difficult to breathe. Lucielle woke up pushing her body up the makeshift bed of hay she made for herself. She could hear the grumbling sounds of the owl and far into the distant forest the howling of wolvves. Once she hears these sounds, she knew it was far from daybreak. "A nightmare huh..." Lucielle murmured as she placed her hand on her forehead. That dream was an experience she had when she first came to the village market years ago. Because of the shock it dealt to her, she never went to that place ever again. It was not because she was afraid to do so. For her, those words were normal. It was the people who banned her from doing so. However, the latter part of the dream was surreal and different. That was not somethign that happened before. Shaking her head, Lucielle pushed her body off the hay bed and exited her room within the barn. It was still too early for her yet the nightmare took all energy to sleep from her. Instead, she took a bucket in the corner close to her room and walked to the riverside close to the bridge heading to the village square. The river flows from the mountains through the farm and into the village. It was such an advantageous location for their farm and for Lucielle who couldn''t afford to be seen by the public. "Ah, Alan will leave today." She recalled as she scooped the bucket to fetch water from the river. She was planning on going with Alan to see him off. Although she was warned of the consequences of being found out, she swore to him that she''d cover herself up to disguise her appearance. The boy had no choice but to agree. Finishing her errands way ahead of time, Lucielle scurried off towards their usual training spot. It didn''t take long for her to reach it and immediately she could hear the swinging sound of a wooden sword slicing the air. "You are up here early." Alan addressed Lucielle as he held the wooden sword in his hand before throwing to the latter. "I couldn''t sleep," she answered as she caught the wooden sword the boy had thrown. "Up for another bout before I leave?" "Are you sure about that? The coachman will be by the square soon." Alan chuckled as he took another wooden sword which lay beside the rocks. There wooden swords would usually lay here especially Lucielle''s as she couldn''t afford to let the people by that house know what she had been doing here. "You always hold back whenever the Old Man is watching. He isn''t here today so you can go all out." He chuckled as he swung the wooden sword toward Lucielle. She blocked the sword and held her ground while asking, "Where did the Old Man go?" It was quite rare for the old fella to leave. With his age, he could barely chop some lumber. "He said he''d be visiting an acquaintance over the County Capital at Urswick. He said he''d meet mere there he left just a while ago." "And he went by horse?" "Cost him a few taels he saved up, I heard." The two conversed as they swung their swords at each other. It was a lighthearted morning for the two. However, beyond the forests from the Old Man''s cottage, a looming shadow emerged from the thicket of trees. "So this is that place he told us about." A horse and beastly voice grumbled. A humongous figure emerged from the trees and even with yet the sun rising the minimal light dawn had provided still illuminated it. "Warchief, the scouts have confirmed. This place is barely guarded. They doubt of the Oracle''s..." A small petite figure emerged from the bushes to that figure''s right. It was the size of a child albeit it skin was not brown nor it possessed hair. It was blad and green and its voice was that of a shrieking child. "Have the army assumed formation?" The "Warchief" was none other than that humongous figure that had emerged from the trees. A green giant covered in bone-like armor with two humongous horns portruding from his skull. Those horns were conscpicuous in size as they were shaped like an elephant''s tusks. "We are only waiting for the wolf riders. The Wrath tribe is ready. The village barely have any guards, though there is also a farm far beyond it, are we going to raid that as well?" The Warchief grumbled in response as he turned his head towards the defenseless village. "Leave no stone unturned. The Chord must be ours." The giant roared as he held his hand towards the village and grasp it into a fist.