《Age of Regression》


 Prologue - Father

    Prologue - Father


    The sky bore a deep shade of red, indicating the setting of its sun which roamed in orbit. Clouds fluttered past the vast expanse, ceaselessly chasing one another in an attempt to reach the horizon before its neighbors. Along this stretch of sky, rolling hills painted the landscape in a healthy green, indicating the prosperity of the earth in this region.


    Despite the changing magnitude of the brilliant star that harbored in the space above this land, a city of extravagant architecture still retained its bright scenery. The light never departed from this metropolis, on the contrary to the denizens and wanderers alike that created a constant flow between the city and the wilderness beyond. On the streets, stores bid farewell to their customers and the dregs of society inhabited the deep alleyways. This equilibrium retained the business of the city, as the transactions in the shadows were hardly out-performed by those in the brightest of the day.


    Those of decent living would, at last, be freed from the shackles of their jobs. Some would walk the brightly lit streets of cracked stone back to their dwellings where their family would await them to enjoy the rest of their evening. Others would find enjoyment elsewhere, the most common places of merriment being bars or brothels. Spending the night drinking after a day of adventure was the easiest way to relieve the stressors of the possibility of death, but in turn, was the fastest way to empty the poor adventure¡¯s pockets. Yet adventures hardly had one profession. The scavengers, wanderers, mercenaries, bards, or others of their ilk gathered here or there to revel under the stars. Yet the most beautiful of stars were obscured by the light of the city.


    Not every individual had the pleasure of participating in the parties of the city. Obligations of the job led others to work during the night as that was the time when a certain sort of business was most prominent. The underground was just as unkind to its members as it was to outsiders. Unsuspecting citizens or criminals who had perhaps rustled a nest may they should have avoided would be found during the night. Their possible fates lay in the thousands, but most will never be found walking again.


    Populations of the city were separated, of course. The dignified and noble could not be found mingling and trading words with the rats. Such an act would be unbecoming and would no doubt stain their reputation among their peers, something which their circles would no doubt hear of. Even among the aristocracy there lay circles. In a city such as this one, that stood on the edge of a lower world, only the ruler of the town held the title of a Lord, outranking all other residents. This land, bestowed upon him by his Baron, fell under his complete control. Lord Broche was not a kind man, but a businessman. Everywhere below his rule, dealings both in the day and the night were silently allowed, leading to the current situation of the town of Rendhall. Just by turning a blind eye to the politics of these mercantile groups and gangs, the money would almost magically appear in his coffers either way.


    One such result of his reign currently played out in an indiscreet manor that lay on the border of the aristocratic and commoner districts.


    Despite the unfavorable location of the manor, it still held its charm of nobility. Shaped shrubs lined the enclosed yard. A large metal gate that could fit two horse-drawn carriages beside one another connected the poorly paved road to a beautifully designed stretch that led up to the magnificent building. Statues decorated the area between the tall, metal enclosure. Some of the art depicting a warrior in his prime, gun on his waist with a broadsword in his hand, while others tastefully displayed various women exposing themselves to the world. Marbled in the middle of the yard lay a fountain which depicted a dragon, neck craned to the sky in a bellow, as its centerpiece. Water sprayed forth from its maw with abandon. The end of the spout received no contest, leaving the water to simply fall back into the pond to continue the endless cycle. Alongside, the beautiful yet simple flowers that lay in patches around the courtyard, anyone would feel the extravagance once this sight laid upon their eyes.


    The interior of the manor also did not fall short compared to the yard. Although the halls were not aligned with gold, aged furniture designed by a specialist decorated the rooms and every white marbled floor presented itself with a carpet of upper-class design. Of the many rooms in the house, few could not contend with the nobility of a Lord.


    In front of the building, a green and black carriage lay idle while a servant stood nearby, attending to the horses. Despite the day having been long over, the animal¡¯s equestrian physique remained robust and strong, ready to take off at a moment''s notice. Another carriage of red and gold was left in the shadow of the building, near a stable like structure, no horses to be found. Inside the mansion the long halls stretched with an intermittent light, giving off the perception that every soul in the manor lay sleeping. However, after traveling long enough and climbing a couple of flights of stairs, one would see a heavy-built man of intimidating stature sitting beside a door that slightly spilled light into the hall. Only upon closer examination would one notice that the guard sat there asleep upon the comfortable, padded seat. The man had naturally fallen asleep after sitting guard for two-full hours.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    Inside the room, the atmosphere was contrary to the tranquility of the rest of the building. Only one window was situated on the opposite wall to the door in the room, but it¡¯s size more than made up for its sole existence. Faint moonlight shone upon the room that overlooked the commoner¡¯s district and shed light on the furniture that was meticulously placed to create a sense of openness in the confined space. The dim lighting of the room resonated well with the grim expressions of two men facing each other, separated only by a table two meters long. One of the men nervously looked down at his hands that lay separated upon the table, clenched in fists. The only sounds that reverberated in the tense silence of the room were the slight twitches this man clad in green would display every so often. Besides his rustling, the faint but distinct sounds of sweat colliding with the table resounded as loud as a gong in the repressive atmosphere. The source of his fear being the man on the other end of the table.


    The differences between the two men were on full display at this moment. When comparing both of the gentlemen, the various appearances of the human race could describe just how different the two were. The green-clothed man had an aged face that had long lost its vigor and was accompanied by narrow-shoulders that shook involuntarily from the sheer pressure released from the other man. Clothed in purple and gold, the source of the repressive atmosphere began in the eyes of the later. Contrary to the other gentleman, the gold trims of the man¡¯s robe accentuated his large frame and wide build. Along with the royal purple on the man¡¯s clothes, his sharp features created a feeling of danger which only further accompanied the mystical force that was released solely from his gaze. With a demeanor that exhibited the very aspect of nobility, the man looked to be no older than thirty. His appearance seemed to be blessed by the heavens with a chiseled jaw, a sword-straight nose, high-cheekbones that looked more manly than feminine, and hawk-like eyes, to which his brow created a slight hooded appearance. Yet, his most outstanding feature did not belong to his countenance, but the ruby gems that lay just below his eyes, along his cheekbones.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    To be fair, the man robbed in green also had gems of his own, but they were closer to scales, the true appearance of these structures. His scales held a similar green just like the robe around his body, but, rather than reaching a deeper hue towards viridescent, the green of the scaled gems lay more towards a dirty juniper. His gems were also situated on the back of his hands instead, which hardly reflected the moonlight that fell upon their dull surface. The distinction between the scales of these individuals revealed a gap that most of society could never cross.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    The vermillion gems upon the picturesque face of the man held immense power. Its color was deep, lacking any impurities, and was cut more masterfully than the abilities of the most prestigious of craftsman could. Simply the act of being in the presence of such a jewel oppressed the scales of the opposite man, forcing them to recede into his body. On top of the sparkling of vermillion from the gems and the power slowly leaking from the crystals, the atmosphere felt in the room was not the inferior gentlemen¡¯s imagination. Rather, it was the reality created from the pure power of the victor in this battle of suppression. To make the situation even more unfavorable, an ingeniously designed gun clad in black titanium and dressed in golden designs lay upon the table in front of the purple-robed man.


    Tick. Tick. Tick.


    The clock that decorated the full length of the wall ceaselessly ticked behind the timid man. Its hands dictated that only minutes remained until midnight struck, to which who could say what would happen. The curved designs of these extensions created the visual of a pendulum¡¯s blade, with each hand holding one half. Such a design placed the head of the man in the direct center, treating his crown as the centerpiece, creating a piece of modern art.


    Finally, it seemed the green man crumbled under the pressure. With a swallow of his throat, he raised his head to speak, only for his gaze to fall once more to the table, yet his held remained above his shoulders. ¡°Lord Balkin, you need not do this. My connections in the city are many and they will not sit idly by as their sizeable investments tantamount to nothing. I urge you, think this through once more.¡±


    After saying his piece, the man seemed to have lost his breath and hung his head once more, exhausted by the effort of only a couple of sentences. These were the words he thought of throughout the long period of silence he could hardly endure. His words contained respect, even titling the Balkin patriarch a Lord. Also within his words was a concern for his future clients and a threat that would hopefully force the other to stay his hand. His muddled thoughts could only come up with these calculated words to try to save his life one last time. Everything was on the line in what resulted in only just those few seconds of speaking.


    Lord Balkin did not speak in turn, but only slightly shifted his gaze to relieve a minute amount of pressure.


    Happiness surged through the broken man. Although the change was barely noticeable, it seemed his words had some effect on the Lord. This was a new lease on life granted to him and one he had to seize. ¡°Of course I do not plan on pursuing this venture alone! My arrival here today was to ask the esteemed Lord Balkin for a cooperation of sorts and I am prepared to do anything to make it happen. To display my generosity, I even brought along a favorable contract to bring this plan to fruition as soon as possible.¡±


    Quickly, the man left no time to waste as he surged forth to grab his briefcase in a practiced motion. Despite the confidence in his movement, tremors still interfered with his nerves, causing awkward pauses as he missed the handle and later as he tried to unlatch the case. Upon the satisfying ¡®click¡¯ of the briefcase, the man rifled through the countless documents inside, in search of a specific document that he soon removed. Respectfully, he passed the contract across the table so that its final destination was directly in front of the Lord of the manor. The man in green once more settled down, hoping with all his being that this contract to which he sacrificed much for would appease the patriarch of the Blakin family.


    Yet what followed was most unexpected. Lord Blakin had not even turned his gaze away from the man¡¯s face when he gave a harumph and his gaze turned disdainful. Raising his hand, he performed a motion with the intent to beckon someone forth. From the corner of the room, the silhouette which had long stood perfectly still came forth with another document in hand. This one looked nearly the same as the one that now sat in front of the Lord, only with small differences. Previously silhouetted by the shadows, the lanky middle-aged man placed the document before the surprised businessman. After completing his job, the skinny case gave the Lord at the table a bow and then returned to his initial position. The man in green picked up the document to begin his reading but was surprised by how similar everything was. With a flash of insight, he knew this meant that the contract was leaked to the other party beforehand so they were already privy to his intentions at this meeting. Sweat continuously poured from the man¡¯s forehead and shivers shook through his body as he continued reading the modified contract.


    ¡°Honored Lord Balkin, is this contract a mockery to myself and the family behind me? The terms in my prepared contract were already extremely favorable towards you and the concessions from my party were by no means small! This deal would cost my family half of our assets built over a hundred years, not to mention all of our future income would decrease by manyfold. Please reconsider!¡± Fear had been replaced by anger as the words surged forth from the gentleman¡¯s mouth. Although he might have been slightly disrespectful in his speech, the other party had no intention to give him even a modicum of civility. The contract was outright egregious.


    Suddenly, the atmosphere chilled as Lord Balkin¡¯s gaze turned another degree sharper. His gaze now caused the other gentlemen tangible pain, another level compared to only the discomfort from before. A laugh emerged from the Lord¡¯s mouth as he spoke in a powerful voice. ¡°Unfortunately, this was never negotiation nor do you have any other options. There lay two paths before you but in only one of them do you return home another day. I hope you will choose wisely.¡±


    ¡®The absolute gall!¡¯ Becoming angrier by the second, the scales on the man¡¯s hands slightly lit up to release a dim shade of green on the table. His power was indeed lacking compared to the overbearing lord, but that made the injustice thrust upon him even more frustrating. This attitude could only belong to someone without any fear or remorse for their actions. Although the Balkin family had made a resurgence in recent years, the reason has always been shrouded in mystery. However, after seeing the new patriarch of the family, the reason was all too clear and the mist was lifted.


    Power! It seems that after spending twenty years away from the city, Crusius Balkin had reached new levels in his cultivation of ability. His return would outshine any other powers in the city and his intentions were all too visible, even to the common folk of the region. The Lord of the Balkin family would soon become at least the Count of the surrounding territory, but it could be assumed his aspirations lay further. Before his rise to power, he wanted to create a foothold in the area to financially support himself. The measly few factories and a mine or two currently owned by the Balkin family would not be able to support this new character of the area.


    The aged man could only sigh under his breath. He would not be the last to undergo this injustice towards his family. However, what could one do under the force of such power? This was the law of the world and only through power could one have what they wanted. At least this overbearing Lord took the assets that were most easily transferable so the transition would go smoothly. If not, his family would most likely need to sell even more properties since their income would no longer be capable of sustaining them. His only desire now was to cut his losses and create a favorable relationship with this soon to be rising power. The sounds of the midnight bell tolled as he grabbed the pen and wrote his name onto the paper, ¡°... signed, Fendrick Quis.¡±


    Hooves clapping against stone could be heard as the carriage in green left the courtyard and drove into the distance, towards the aristocratic district. The gate to the manor returned to it¡¯s closed state for the last time. Silence once more returned to the manor as Crusius let out a sigh and returned indoors. Walking along the halls, he walked the path that would take him to his bedroom but stopped in front of a door on the way. The door¡¯s majestic bearing was only a step below that of the Lord¡¯s bedroom. Inside his son lay in bed, feigning sleep. In truth, the Lord had known that his son was watching his business ¡®negotiation¡¯ through the crack in the door. Nothing could escape Crusius¡¯ vision since his awakening. He had to give his son some credit, sneaking past the guards of the Balkin family was not easy, whether they had fallen asleep or not.


    The Lord of Balkin moved once more towards his room. He would need to rest before the coming days as war would come knocking on his door before he knew it. His steps echoed throughout the halls of the manor, his power unconsciously released with every stride, resounding like thunder in the hearts of all those who heard it. However, Lancing thought he felt something else in his father¡¯s steps. It wasn¡¯t power, nor an unfaltering momentum, but just a hint of loneliness.

 Chapter 1: Lancing

    Chapter 1: Lancing


    The sun shone a radiant brilliance above the metropolis of Rendhall beneath it. Compared to the days of the past when the city was grounded and only showed its fledgling wings, it now soared through the sky as the majestic Capital of the Kingdom of Hearth. Compared to only ten years ago, the busy was many times busier. At the gates that separated the true Capital''s from the surrounding fields of golden wheat and the towns thereafter, a constant flux of people moved between what seemed like two very different worlds.


    Inside the town, shops of beautiful design lined the main road and its subordinate streets. The city''s stores could tempt anyone with its variety of businesses: adventurers bearing shabby equipment looked with envy at the arranged armaments that adorned the smithery, common women turned green at the sight of large jewels that would look magnificent atop their fingers, and even children eyed stores lined with books and scrolls that could change their fate. Yet after resisting the urge to spend a coin or two on luxury, another shop would catch their gaze, stuttering their heartbeat once more in desire. Shops on each side of the wide main streets continued without end and the streets connected from both sides boasted stores of high quality as well. To a merchant, the Capital was paradise.


    After traveling atop the neatly cemented main road, the pathway would open up even wider, revealing a large square half the size of one of the city''s residential districts. Benches lay next to rectangular ponds. Beneath the surface of the road, passages of water connect to the main channel that travels to the District of Beauty, nicknamed "The Garden." Trees grew from the soil which surrounded these ponds of water, scattering pink leaves across the ground whenever spring or fall struck the town. Sculptures, artifact exhibits, and other tourist attractions decorated the square, creating a marvelous scene of beauty worthy of the Capital. Yet, the beauty of this area could not compare to the castle above the city, whose construction would soon be complete. This monstrous building resembled more of a fort than a castle, yet its striking appearance rendered itself unforgettable. It could hardly be believed that a small lordly hall had inhabited this exact location merely 10 years previous. Continuous building and fortifying occurred during the last decade, with the castle only growing stronger by the day.


    From its base to its pillars, the castle was constructed with expert masonry of the modern times, creating the fantastic feat that would be given the name, the Heart of Hearth. Large banners were strewn from the highest point of the structure, each dyed in purple and outlined with gold. The flags strutting below each window of the castle carried the same design as its fellow banners, which were decorated in the center with a crimson gem, whose facets were only possible by the hand of a master gem cutter. Mixing the colors of purple, gold, and red would seem much too gaudy in any other circumstance, but the beauty of the design was splendid enough to ignore such a problem. Between the two largest banners stood the castle door, whose defensive power could withhold an army of experts and survive countless barrages of the most modern siege equipment. Of course, the castle had other entrances susceptible to invasion, but the colossal door was more of a symbol. Fighting the Kingdom of Hearth would be an insurmountable challenge.


    When the sun reached its highest point in the sky, the resounding bells, harbored in the church, rang throughout the city. Regardless of the distance from the Church of Lady Astra, the sound played at a constant volume, even stirring the wilderness that lay beyond the city''s reach. At this signal, countless people in the city immediately rushed to the square before the Castletown in hopes of a good standing position. Business owners surprisingly closed their shops during the prime of the day, abandoning their strongholds where they battled in duels of haggling brought about by each customer. Those already traveling up the main road hastened their steps to not fall behind others who seemed to ravage like beasts to quicken their pace. As for those stuck beyond the gate of the Capital, guards soon closed the entrance, blocking their advancement to where the king would soon begin speaking. Riots emerged at each entrance to the city, yet we''re immediately quelled with the splattering of blood onto the pavement. Bodies were horrible decorations to the noble city, so they were disposed of faster than it took for them to fall to the ground.


    The ringing of the bells continued for half an hour before the clangs of metal finally calmed to a whisper. With the quieting of the bell, the crowd of a hundred thousand spread throughout the city soon responded in kind. Speaking and interrupting the King at such an event would bring about a quick beheading, regardless of the distance between him and the nuisance. Unfortunately, it was a common sight at events such as these, as foreign crowds or local deviants often did not show respect to the King. But whether it was the clear, blue sky or the genial weather, no ruffians stood out on this gracious day.


    Before much longer, the time every resident and tourist waited for had arrived. Golden, decorated trumpets burst into the royal tune which flooded the entire city with a grand song. As the sound reached the far corners of Rendhall, it entered the ears of many. To the common folk, just the sounds from the trumpets increased their heartbeats. The faint presence of magic that accompanied the muse forced each of them to kneel. While normal soldiers stood feigning immunity, the experts scattered here or there felt no urge to bend the knee from a simple song, but all of them did so out of respect.


    Above the tall gates of the castle town, a platform protruded from the front of the castle beyond. The wide doors connecting this podium to the castle opened, revealing the most powerful man in Hearth. His very appearance could steal the heart of any woman and could intimidate the mightiest of men. The features on his face resembled a painting. His bore a chiseled jaw strong enough to compare to stone, a nose of sword-like straightness, and a hooded brow that guarded the crimson eyes which lay beneath. Despite his divine appearance, his most eye-catching feature was not his holden, short hair but the pair of rubies that adorned the high cheekbones on his face. As the sun shone upon these pair of gems, sparkles spread in the vicinity, magnifying the air of magnificence surrounding the King one step further.


    In reality, these rubies were not gems, but rather faceted scales that resembled the most beautiful of gemstones. Much like the scales born upon a dragon, these rigid plates graced every human as far as history recorded. Every human differs in size and location, but the most important aspect lies in its purity. Common sense dictates that the more the scales resembled crystals, the more gifted the individual would be. Through countless generations, this became fact, with only a few exceptions. Contrary to the rubies on the King''s face, the people below were all of lesser quality. Some had scales on their arms or hands, while those on others were hidden beneath their clothing. Every combination of location, color, and purity was present on the population of a hundred thousand below.


    As dauntless as ever, King Balkin walked out of the castle. Each step forward on the platform resounded to the crowd below, sending quakes from the castle to the town. After reaching his destination at the edge, he looked down at the numerous subjects below him and started to speak.


    The King began with only two simple words, "My people!"


    Some, in their arrogance, still stood up until this moment. Regardless of the power of the individual, as they heard the voice of the King, an irresistible force pushed them to the ground in a kowtow. Scenes like this could be seen across the city, as his voice stretched into every building and through every wall of Rendhall. It was not the strength of his timbre that pushed them to the ground, but rather the aura of majesty it held which only a King could exhibit. However, in the eyes of a true expert, the strength of the King of Hearth was not at the level of a mere King, but rivaled that of an emperor! King Crusius Balkin, the first of his name, was a true contender for the Imperial Throne.


    He continued, "Those who have gathered here today at my humble Captial, from the furthest corners of our glorious kingdom, will soon witness history. This day will preside as an important landmark that historians will theorize as to the true turning point of the modern era. They will first mention, that on this day, the fourth of the month of Clovers in the year 1046, the Heart of Hearth reached the completion of its construction."


    When the King finished speaking his first passage and followed with a pause, the crowd of the city beneath him rang in applause. Words of merriment entwined with claps flew forth, as did various other compliments towards the King. These people, whether they be commoners of the fields or knights of the Kingdom, expressed deep respect and love for the King and his rule. If the King were to end his speech here, this much alone would be cause for celebration in every household of Hearth.


    However, not everyone was as happy as those on the streets below. A sign rang out from the castle that overlooked the city.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.


    "Father always was long-winded."


    A voice of dissent emerged among a group of four individuals that stood in front of one of the windows in the castle. The youth who spoke was leaning on the stone railing, a bored expression adorning his face. The wind running along the castle walls brushed past his medium-length, black hair, rustling it as he observed the ceremony inattentively. Lancing''s deep, red eyes looked at his father as he compared the differences between the two of them. Both of them held an obvious crimson tint in their eyes, but that was close to the end of the list of similarities. His face still retained the manly qualities his father was known for, but he did not have the chiseled jaw or cheekbones the patriarch of his family boasted. Despite this, Lancing was by no means meager in appearance so his self-confidence did not suffer. Rather, something completely different concerned him.


    While the gems that sat below his father''s eyes were praised as an incredible gift, Lancing''s scales remained only that - scales. No hint of crystallization could be seen inside the rugged scales that held a black appearance, devoid of any color. The symmetrical scales still lay below his eyes, the exact position as his fathers, but the difference between the two was too notable.


    All of a sudden, Lancing felt a hard fist land on his shoulder. He couldn''t resist crying out in a hushed voice as the pain quickly faded.


    "Like you''re one to talk. Still, don''t speak ill of Father. To us, he may be ''just our dad'', but to the people of the kingdom, he is still the ''almighty King of Hearth.'' Any dissent is treason, even from the King''s own children."


    The source of Lancing''s shoulder pain was the eldest daughter of King Balkin, Apolla Rose Balkin. Named after the daughter of the Goddess of Beauty, Lady Astra, Apolla bore an attractive appearance to match up to the Goddess'' expectations. She was gifted in looks like her father, with golden-blonde hair and high cheekbones to further instill her beauty. Her gems also lay below her eyes, a familial trait, but were instead colored with a sky blue hue that matched her eyes. The near-transparent sapphires did not bear the same purity as her father but held were of quality worthy to succeed him. While her potential wasn''t quite at the level of Crusius, numerous eyes in the kingdom and beyond laid upon her, as she would soon be a powerhouse that could support a nation.


    Lancing turned his eyes from his now bruised shoulder to meet those of his sibling as he spoke once more. "Sister dearest, you''ve joined enough political conferences with him to understand how Father does business. He''s more of a master with words than he is with spells. Look at them, intoxicated with joy. I doubt they''ll even blink an eye when their Monarch mentions a ''lucky'' few might be conscripted for the upcoming war."


    At the cynicism dripping from her brother''s tongue, Apolla rolled her eyes and turned back to the crowd below, toward the people she would one day lead. Once the words left Lancing''s mouth, the shuffling of heavy armor sounded out from behind his back. As he craned his neck to look at the commotion, the two royal soldiers that stood guard over the siblings wore expressions of shock. The one closest to the prince stammered, "Y-Your Royal Highness, your mention of war much be in jest. The Kingdom is prospering and only obtained two new provinces recently that the King must merge into his territory. What good would a war bring?"


    Almost on cue, King Balkin resumed his speech, cutting off the resounding of applause from below. "These truly are great times. Between our fortified walls lie a city richer than any other in the empire, yet younger than many of your children. Our growth has been a pleasant surprise to our allies but also a stroke of despair to our enemies. Yet, as the Kingdom of Hearth burns with a flame to warm its people, it also desires to expand in an inferno to scathe its foes. How many times must our people be flayed and our territories invaded before the prestige we have built regresses to rust? How many brothers lay next to an empty grave their father has yet to fill? What are the fates of our mothers and daughters who disappeared in the latest pillaging at the hands of the deviant Haguls?"


    Tangible emotion trickled from the King''s tongue, inciting rage and injustice onto the people below. The revelry in the air only moments ago converted to wrath and ire! Most of those who knelt below were affected by the ongoing onslaught from the Kingdom of Hagul. Their emperor had turned a blind eye to their bloodshed, but the King would not stand idle against this offending army.


    "Their relentless violence will one day destroy this nation of peace if left to their own devices. Today, the Kingdom of Hearth declares war against the Haguls. I, King Crusius, first of my name and founder of this nation, vow to end the insolence of the Hagul people and erase their name from the annals of history, with a shield in one hand and the sword of righteousness in the other!"


    Compared to the revelry following the previous announcement, the current cheers of delight and roars of valor handily outshone. The entire city bellowed with intensity and fervor. People of all origins stood at this moment, raising arms to the air and chanting along with their brethren. Neither the toddlers attached to the bosom of their mother nor the old, whose hands shook atop their canes, could resist the enticing atmosphere.


    Lancing rolled his eyes at the furor beneath him. "And just as predicted, the prey fell for the bait. However, I do have to admit that Father has quite the silver-tongue. Sister, would it be possible for us to learn this ability of his? I haven''t yet come across this spell in my search through the treasury."


    "You and I both know Father has no need for spells when it comes to eloquence," Apolla responded. "It''s a natural gift of his, along with what seems like hundreds of others we both know and don''t know of. Besides, this war will lead to good for both the Kingdom and its people. They all know this. That is why we hear the sound of cheering rather than a pounding on our gates. Why be so cynical when Father may even gift you with the newfound territory once the war is over?"


    "As if a title with the weight of a kingdom would fall in the hands of a cripple." Lancing tried to hide the anger upon his face, but his brows still slightly furrowed at his own words.


    Even a commoner, with as many resources he has used, would be able to control the world''s natural forces enough to ignite a flame or fill a pail with water. But to Lancing''s chagrin, he has yet to be able to move even a single particle of the earth to his will. To exasperate him even further, his sensitivity towards the forces remains his innate gift. He could almost count each of the particles in a gust of wind that brushes against his cheek or track the falling of a raindrop as it plummets towards the ground. His will remains the problem.


    It is taught that every human, since the dawn of man, has sought the power of heaven itself. From razing hell itself from the depth of the earth to the freezing of water in the air, mankind''s desire to command the world has overshadowed even its desire to advance the sciences. To further arouse mankind to action, they understood they are not the only ones in this universe and whatever lies beyond. Other races inhabit worlds beyond the small Earth that the Kingdom of Hearth has based itself on. Sirens swim the deep waters of an oceanic world without land and fire giants wander the ever-present infernos of another. Creatures, both those with a conscious and without, became rarely isolated in a single world once the advent of interplanetary travel came to be. The space beyond Earth was as unpredictable as the plans of the Gods themselves.


    For humans, defending themselves was a major concern when faced with other races who had natural power, whether it be their size and muscle or their control over nature. Thus, humans began along the endless, winding road of cultivation. Although methods of advancement varied between individuals, families and clans would establish a common ground and create a specialized cultivation technique. This was the standard course of progression in a world that relied on martial talent for advancement. No king held power weaker than a baron, and no baron didn''t hold the power to remove any common human from their sight. The militaristic power of a single individual could sway a continent towards the future of a united empire, or bring about a calamity that would revert the land once more to the dark ages.


    Basic techniques for humans all centered around growing the will of the expert. Consciousness centered in the brain made functional by its countless intricacies, but the concept of will remained something entirely different, despite the overlapping similarities. While the brain signals for the body to move, the will of man gives the intent. As will grows more and more powerful, its reach expands beyond the confines of the main body, able to affect the natural forces of the world to initiate the phenomenon described as ''magic.''


    Sympathy arose on Apolla''s face after hearing her brother''s words. Of course, she knew that Lancing''s future potential would at most cap at a barony, even with his father''s influence. Just a few careless words from her opened up a deep scar of her brother''s that would never heal. She only let out a sigh in response, without refuting his words.


    "Sorry, Lance. I''ll have to cut our talk short now that Father has finished. I''ll have to make up for the last couple of hours as business never stops, even for the King."


    At these final words, Apolla spread her arms wide, wrapping Lancing between them. She let out an expression of surprise and then a chuckle as her face pressed against his neck. She always forgot that her brother was taller than her. As he reciprocated the display of affection, the melancholy on Lancing''s face dispersed as a contented smile replaced it.


    "Love you, sis."


    "Love you too, brother."


    After the two separated, Lancing saw Apolla off as she left the study with the two guards, leaving him alone to his thoughts. He took one more glance at the spot where his father gave his declaration and thought back to the hug just a few beats too long and with arms slightly too strong. Shaking his head, he then grabbed a book off the shelf to take his mind away from his thoughts, disappearing into another world.

 Chapter 2: Revelations

    Chapter 2: Revelations


    The knock upon the door Lancing had been waiting for resounded firmly throughout the study. Since the time of the King¡¯s announcement, the sky had become an orange color that dyed the furniture into a similar evening hue. He pulled himself from the novel, whose story only reached its climax, as an annoyed expression appeared on his face. Standing up with a stretch, he returned the book to its bookcase as he walked towards the door. He caught his own eyes in a mirror as he reached to pull the handle. ''Presentable enough,'' he thought.


    Once the door opened, a soldier in armor fashioned with gold stood ramrod straight, arms crossed behind his back. The middle-aged man had long served his father and was known for being stern, but an excellent instructor. His skin had long become dried and crusted from the weather during his long campaigns, but his overgrown beard protected at least part of his face from the seasons. He was the man responsible for all the swordplay Lancing was familiar with.


    The mustached soldier released a cough before he began. "Your Highness, His Majesty King Balking requests your presence at his quarters before the hour is up. He claims it is of the utmost importance." After finishing his piece, the soldier took a step back from the doorway, indicating he would escort the Prince to the meeting.


    Lancing locked eyes with the man as he stepped out of the room, closing the door behind him. "Sure thing, Uncle Alden. But why are you still so formal after all these years? You''ve knocked me on my ass more times than I can count, only to then scream at me to stand up again. I can assure you, there was no respect in your voice then. " Lancing let out a playful smile as he moved towards his father''s room. The trip would take a few minutes at a leisurely pace, but it didn''t feel long enough to speak to his old instructor, whom he seldom saw nowadays.


    A slight blush appeared on Alden''s face at the memories of assaulting the young Prince, but let nothing else show on his face. "Your training was the duty assigned to me by His Majesty so of course I tried my best in the matter. Though It''s a shame I couldn''t convince your father to allow you to become a warrior. Your swordplay would''ve made you a great knight in battle."


    Lancing laughed at the thought of his father, always so lenient, refusing to let his son lower himself to a knight. Despite all of the struggles caused by his lack of talent, Crusius never once yielded when it came to the study of magic. He was determined to make a mage out of Lancing one day.


    "To be fair Uncle, a life like that just isn''t for me. Too many calluses to soak after a long day of sweating under the sun and enough pain to turn my pale skin black and blue. Neither of those is fit for a noble, now is it?" Lancing shuddered as he thought of those painful days in the sweltering, mid-summer heat. He swore half of the water in his body soaked his clothes after each day of practice.


    Captain Alden''s face sharpened as he looked at the Prince who in many ways still resembled the rambunctious child of back then. "Nobility is not an entitlement, but a status that is earned. Your father did not only practice magic while he was away but also the arts of various native and foreign weaponry. His success is built upon years of sweat and rivers of blood. It is not something to take for granted."


    Lancing, of course, knew of this. Although the King never went into too much detail of his time away from Empire, he had alluded to the countless battles he had participated in. Stories told to him as he sat on his father''s lap, were ones filled with bloodshed rather than myths and tall-tales. Long days of training took the place of leisure between every life and death experience his father had gone through, but it only served to make him stronger. It was also towards the end of this period of brutality that Lancing was born, while Apolla followed only a couple of years after.


    After the quick few minutes of walking, the duo of men had made it to the door of the King¡¯s quarters. Alden turned towards Lancing and grabbed his hand with strength, to which Lancing reciprocated. He looked at the boy who had become a man in his eyes and soon gave a satisfied nod along with a rare smile. After the handshake full of unspoken meaning, the two saluted towards one another and Alden turned back towards the way they had come. Lancing stared at the departing figure for a moment before he opened the door with his now bruised hand that would without a doubt be blue by the time the sun left for the night.


    No soldiers guarded King Balkin, who at this moment quickly wrote on a sheet of fine, off-white paper. The oak table he currently wrote on was decorated with all sorts of oddities and baubles, each with a long story behind them. A large window lay behind the King''s back which shrouded the man in an orange tint that added yet another color to the robes he wore. The room''s walls were decorated with classical paintings, heads of various animals, and even scripture that the man in the center of the room would often recite. The room was devoid of any mirrors which were placed in every other room in the castle. In their place, paintings of the magnificent King of Balkin took their place, along with similar paintings for each of his children. Lancing still remembered posing for the painting that sat beside the one of the King. His muscles seemed to remember much more vividly than him as they cramped up almost on reflex.


    Crusius finished writing the letter only a moment after Lancing''s entrance as he capped the golden ink pen and placed it somewhere inside his robe. He raised his head from the paper and locked eyes with Lancing. Despite the countless times Lancing has met eyes with his father, he never got used to the passive feeling of repression those eyes gave off. Yet, as the years passed by, the feeling only got stronger as his father¡¯s power grew to the point where Lancing could no longer tell what he was capable of. It would be easier for his father to flick out the light of his life, than for Lancing to kill an ant. Despite the uncomfortable feeling flooding into Lancing¡¯s body, the radiant smile which appeared on his father¡¯s face seemed to wash away his ailments.


    ¡°My boy! It seems like you arrived right on time, but you really should knock before you walk into someone else¡¯s room. You almost caught me off guard.¡± Crusius finished his words with a laugh as he stood from his seat, welcoming Lancing to sit in the chair opposite to the desk.


    Lancing took a few steps forward and sat in the seat indicated by his father. He enjoyed everything about this office from the tasteful decorations to the padded chair that was more comfortable than his king-sized bed.


    ¡°Like someone like me could surprise you, even if you weren¡¯t paying attention. You probably knew my exact location even before I left the study, to say nothing of walking into the same room as you. Speaking of which, you¡¯ve grown even more powerful since last time haven¡¯t you?¡± Lancing refuted the King¡¯s words before asking about the question he was curious about.


    ¡°Ah! So you noticed, too? It seems like I had another breakthrough recently. Reaching the second stage of Emperor isn¡¯t too far away.¡± Crusius was always humble when he spoke about his talent, but his progress was indeed monstrous. His ability to reach his current level would surprise even those who protected this world with their power beyond comprehension. Usually, becoming an emperor took upwards of a hundred years even for those with top-tier talent. The King of Hearth was soon preparing to celebrate his 55th year, not even half the time it took other humans to ascend if they even managed to at all.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Surprise was evident on Lancing¡¯s face after hearing his father¡¯s words. His breathing soon began to turn rugged as he thought of the infinite possibilities his father would have in the future. Even taking over the Titan Empire, to which Hearth was a part of, was not out of the question. As his brain continued to turn as he continued this thought process, soon his darker thoughts began to set in.


    Seeing a shadow fall over his son¡¯s face, Crusius tried to smile even further, ¡°But I¡¯m serious about you catching me off guard. I wasn¡¯t certain if you had walked off with Alden or not until you placed your hand upon the door.¡±


    Lancing rolled his eyes. His father always tried to make him feel better, but oftentimes he would exaggerate to try to lighten the atmosphere. ¡°Anyways, what¡¯s in that letter you¡¯re writing, old man? I¡¯ve seen better handwriting of yours in birthday cards to our second cousins.¡±


    Crusius muttered to himself, ¡®I¡¯m only 54, how is that old?¡¯ Shaking his head, he said, ¡°Well it happens to pertain to why I called on you today.¡± Suddenly, the smile on the Crusius¡¯ face disappeared as turned serious.


    Seeing his father¡¯s change in demeanor, Lancing also began to focus as he narrowed his eyes, ¡°Does it have any relation as to why Apolla and Uncle Alden were acting somewhat odd?¡±


    Crusius sighed and looked at the painting of his daughter. The solemn expression on her portrait set her apart from the other two who both smiled, even if the one on Lancing¡¯s face looked somewhat stiff. ¡°I had hoped they would have hidden their emotions better, but I suppose that¡¯s unfair of me. This letter is for the High Mage of Alundrel, the leader of our neighboring Kingdom. You know we are allies with them, but they are only interested in furthering the studies of magic, not in war, so they have refused to help us in the coming battles. In exchange, the High Mage has agreed to protect you in their capital city and even take you as his disciple so he can attempt to figure out a way around your ¡®condition.¡¯ I trust in his protection and I''m sure you will be far safer there. Even the Haguls would be hesitant to take action in another country¡¯s capital whom they have peace with.¡±


    After the King finished speaking his part, he looked towards Lancing, expecting a little resistance from the youth. However, Lancing remained quiet and without rebellion towards the plan. Once the prince had heard the news of the coming war, he knew the capital was no longer safe, especially for someone like him who couldn¡¯t protect himself. Lancing was prepared for this meeting with his father, as he knew it would be his last for some time. The intentions of the King of Hearth was not only a war with the Hagul Kingdom but rather a large-scale expansion. The reason given in his speech was just the Casus Belli to be told to the people as an official statement. After defeating the Hagul Kingdom, he would then turn towards its allies under the pretext of retaliation. By that point, the Kingdom of Hearth would far exceed the size of a Kingdom and, with its new consolidated power, would state itself as a new Empire, backed with the power of Crusius Balkin. At least, that was the plan discussed at the war council. If everything went according to it, he may not be back home for at least a decade or perhaps longer.


    After a minute or two, Lancing finally spoke aloud his thoughts. ¡°Father, do you truly believe the High Mage will be able to find a way to cure my condition?¡±


    ¡°Lancing, there is a reason he is hailed as the High Mage. Their laws are much different compared to ours; strength is not enough of a reason to become the leader of their nation. High Mage Kastrel is said to be a genius born only once in ten-thousand years and after seeing his research in person, I also believe this to be true. I have full confidence he will find a way to cure your affliction, or at least find a way to work around it.¡±


    Lancing listened to his father¡¯s words as he thought about what he knew about the Alundrel Kingdom and its leader. He was very familiar with the rumors surrounding the man but had never had the pleasure of meeting him in person. Unknown to his father, Lancing often browsed the library and even delved deep into the research conducted by Alundrel. Hundreds of years of fascinating discoveries were held in the Royal Library and the most interesting and practical of them were the projects undertaken by Kastrel Flemming. From his youth to his current age that surpassed the lifespan of most normal humans, the man displayed brilliance in many different fields from the study of alchemical reagents, the composition of magical arrays, and even the correlation between willpower and its ability to affect the natural world. Lancing would often stay up for days at a time attempting to comprehend his theories and results but was unable to further his understanding without any practical application


    Being sent to the Kingdom of Magical Study was far from Lancing''s original expectations. His melancholy towards leaving the city he was raised in washed away as his lust for knowledge momentarily took over. Having the opportunity to study in Eligrace, the capital, was already enough to fan the flames of desire in his heart, but being able to study under the greatest researcher of the modern era was enough to make him light-headed.


    ¡°Father, this is unbelievable! When do we set out towards their capital?¡± Lancing spoke with haste as if he had no time to spare. ¡°I have so much to prepare, from books to research scrolls of our own. I¡¯ll need to scavenge the library from top to bottom and even prepare a whole list of questions to ask the High Mage! Not to mention I¡¯ll also need to pack my belongings and enough supplies to prepare for the journey.¡±


    In Lancings excitement, he jumped from his chair and grabbed a paper to begin creating a list of what he planned to take on the expedition. Judging by his estimations, the trip would take three days of travel through Hearth''s territory, followed by eight more once in the Alundrel. However, when he reached over to grab a pen he saw an awkward expression on his father¡¯s face.


    ¡°What?¡± Lancing asked as a bad feeling began to expand in his heart.


    With a cough, Crusius spoke once more, ¡°Unfortunately there won¡¯t be enough time for that. Tonight, Duke Richmond¡¯s daughter has stopped in Rendhall as they head towards the Alundrel Kingdom as well. She is extremely gifted, as I¡¯m sure you are well aware, and her father hopes for her to succeed the Duchy in the future. The Duke hopes she makes progress in Alundrel as she is only a Baroness now, but everyone knows she has great potential. Duke Richmond will be an important force among my army, so Elise, his daughter, will also be studying under the High Mage with you.¡± Crusius paused a moment after seeing the impatience on his son¡¯s face. Realizing he was skipping over the issue, he finally went straight to the point. ¡°You will join their caravan in secret as they leave tonight. No one can know that you left the capital and looking at the time, you have about forty-five minutes before their departure.¡±


    Silence descended upon the room after this information was unveiled to Lancing. Lancing cared little that he was unable to prepare the books and research he had wanted to take with him as he was sure Alundrel would have plenty of texts and records that would keep him preoccupied. What truly distraught him was that he had no time to say his goodbyes before he left as it would take him more than half an hour by itself to reach the caravan, even without the crowd currently swarming the city.


    Crusius stood up once more as he walked around the desk to approach his son. ¡°Lancing, it pains me to say goodbye on such short notice, but this is the safest way for you to travel. There is a low chance our enemies will expect you to leave, and even if they do find out, you should be in Alundrel¡¯s capital by then. This will have to be goodbye, son.¡±


    Seeing his father approach him, Lancing also stood up to meet him. Without needing to say any words, Lancing extended his hand, awaiting the powerful grip the man has shown before, but Crusius looked at the outstretched hand as if he was offended. A genuine laugh left Crusius'' mouth as he pulled his son into a forceful hug, tightening his arms so he wouldn¡¯t be able to weave himself out of the embrace.


    ¡°Love you, kid. Take care of yourself and come back stronger than ever.¡±


    Lancing felt a pang in his heart after these words. He had currently spent more than a decade attempting to advance even an insignificant amount but had yet to make any progress. However, in front of his dad¡¯s hopeful words, Lancing couldn¡¯t help but swear deep in his heart that this time would be different.


    ¡°Thanks, dad. I promise I will.¡±


    As the powerful King of Hearth released his firm grip on Lancing, he passed a sealed envelope into his son¡¯s hand. Lancing took the important letter from the hands of his father and placed it in his jacket as he walked out of the room. After leaving one of the many exits of the Heart, Lancing hurried under the cover of night to the caravan that would soon be leaving towards his brighter future.

 Chapter 3: An Old Friend

    Chapter 3: An Old Friend


    Despite the King¡¯s announcement ending hours ago, the celebration among the people hadn¡¯t died down, nor was it expected to for days. An announcement towards the entire realm was typically followed by seven days of celebration, a tradition started by the King to raise attendance to the announcement itself and adherence towards the edict. The sun was still painting the landscape its setting color, but its light would soon flicker out. To counter the lack of light, torches burned in front of most houses throughout the entire city, magical lights flickered across its streets, and a newfound electrical invention spread light in the houses of nobles and popular community areas. This trichotomy of different sources of light was a unique sight, only seen in the major metropolises of the Quinn continent. The Titan Empire boasted six of such cities for decades, but the uprising of Rendhall added one more to its list. Just by comparing the few other empires that were barely able to support three to five, the Titan Empire was the true giant of the continent. But outside of the world where the Titan Empire resided, there existed countless others divided into many different denominations.


    Of the many worlds that populated the universe, magic supported nearly one-hundred percent of them. Magic was all-purpose and was easy to use for most of the races so it was heavily relied upon for advancement. But Earth was different from both of these types of worlds. Like many of the lower worlds in the galaxy, it was isolated and was, for the most part, left alone, with little connection to wars and the political intrigue beyond. The resources on it were not enough to move the hearts of those larger powers from afar. Thus a bubble formed on Earth, where research and advancement mostly relied on the human¡¯s residing on it. Because of the relative difficulties humans encountered in their cultivation, magic was much less relied upon than other worlds and its advancement suffered in that regard. Yet, their lack of resources that other worlds held in abundance forced the people to become clever with the assets on their planet, beginning the advancement of technology that was rarely seen in the outside system. The dawn of a new era began on a small planet in the corner of the galaxy.


    Of course, the commoners of Earth knew little about the truth of their galaxy. Even Lancing, who was currently wading his way through the dense crowd, was only vaguely aware of all of this and knew next to nothing of its political intricacies. The prince would not normally be in such close proximity to such a large amount of the common folk without his guards. Most of his time out of the castle was either in a secure carriage on the city streets or in the wilderness far from others for the purpose of training. He was dressed in a normal-looking robe whose hood deeply covered most of his face as he made his way through the city. As a part of his father¡¯s plan, no one was to know about Lancing leaving the castle, much less leaving the city. Although Lancing thought his father was much too paranoid, this was the best way to keep him safe, though his desire to hire a taxi carriage was on the verge of ruining his father¡¯s preparation.


    Before the hour was up, Lancing reached the stables of the eastern gate to the city. The flux of people entering and leaving the city died down somewhat, as everyone who wanted to enter to join the merriment had already long since had a drink in their hand at one of the city¡¯s many establishments. Stables, especially in a city this large, were almost always filled to the brim and this one was no exception due to the great, temporary increase in population. Hardly anyone was willing to travel this late at night due to the threat of wild animals and bandits that could be encountered on the road so the area was almost deserted. That is, except for one procession of carriages that was awaiting departure.


    Lined in a row, five carriages stood front to back as stable boys prepared the horses for travel and the knights surrounding them as they finished organizing provisions. Three of the vehicles were of a build and color that distinctly represented them as those of the imperial guard, as commonly seen patrolling around the castle and escorting the royal family. These armored carriages led in the front, showing off their purple and golden colors as if feathers from a peacock. The other two that stood in the middle, protected by two imperial carriages to guard the front and one to watch their rear, obviously belonged to a wealthy aristocratic family. Their gaudy appearance was a mix of blue and green, which identified them as the colors of the Richmond household¡¯s sigil that displayed a pair of snakes with a cloud in its background. Vipers lined the wheels of the wagons, and the head of a cobra decorated the anterior of its body.


    Fifteen of the royal guards could be seen shuffling around as they finished up their preparations, but most notably a petite woman stood in the middle of them all, giving orders executed by the soldiers without hesitation. Her height was only slightly shorter than the bustling men around her but her beautiful face set her apart from the rest. Long, black hair billowed in the night¡¯s roaring wind which caused others to shiver, but her brilliant green eyes did not shake against nature¡¯s onslaught. Leather armor protected the woman¡¯s body that appeared of superior grade, but, upon closer inspection, a faint magical barrier could be seen lining the armor, increasing its grade once more. This armor which could only be worn by someone of noble birth stroked the envy of those who bore witness to it. From the bold comments she made to the men twice as wide as her to the fierce tone of her voice, confidence seemed to surge from her being.


    As the woman finished the last of her orders, two more carriages rode along the pavement to join the royal procession. Under the lights of the city, these golden carriages appeared to shine as if it was the day. Not an inch of the vehicle wasn¡¯t lined in a golden color, but it was unknown if it was either paint or if the material was solid gold. Longer than the usual wagon, the two new newcomers carried cargo that loudly rang out whenever a slight bump rattled the vehicle, but the heavily armored soldiers driving did not seem to register the sounds. Just its golden visage would incite the greed of bandits and thugs to raid the caravan, but the name ¡®Quis¡¯ on the front of both the carriages meant only death awaited those irresponsible enough to attack.


    The noblewoman grew a smile on her face as she welcomed the new arrivals as a man no older than his teens stepped down to meet her. Both the noblewoman and the merchant looked to be siblings from afar, with deep black hair and matching eyes, but his features appeared much sharper compared to the softness of her face. Eyebrows that deepened in what seemed like perpetual anger, sharp eyes that lazily stayed halfway closed, and a mouth that faintly smiled composed the youth¡¯s face. He resembled his father, the new patriarch of the clan, from his striking eyebrows to his shrewd mercantile ability. Those very same eyes looked the noblewoman up and down before beginning to sing praises directed towards her. After the two introduced themselves and finished their short conversation, they both seemed to grow idle, as did the remaining troops around them. Only after waiting for another ten minutes, the noblewoman seemed to sense a faint presence studying and approaching the caravan, to which she raised her head to meet their gaze.


    Dressed in a crimson robe, Lancing heaved large amounts of air from his lungs as he moved towards the string of carriages. He removed the bothersome hood from the top of his head and wiped his brow to remove some of the sweat that threatened to drip into his eyes. Due to Lancing¡¯s lack of talent towards magic, he always tempered his body to some degree so he did not feel as though he exerted himself. On the other hand, the perspiration clung his clothes to his skin and he was none too happy to present himself in such a state to the Duke¡¯s daughter.


    Walking towards Lancing, the noblewoman found it hard to contain her laughter as she saw his pitiful appearance unbefitting of the King¡¯s son. Not bothering to hide the amusement on her face, she said, ¡°I was unaware that the King¡¯s son enjoyed the odd nighttime run through the city. Seems like odd behavior for a Prince, now doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Lancing ignored the jab at his pride as he responded, ¡°On the contrary, Elise, as I despise exerting myself at any time after 4 o¡¯clock, but oftentimes these things must be rescheduled. However, I am surprised you left the comfort of that run-down hall you call home and decided to make something of yourself. Far from the times when your life¡¯s goal was to cling to me in hopes of becoming my betrothed.¡±


    Calmly listening to the opponent¡¯s piece, Elise¡¯s smile only grew wider as she responded, ¡°And thank the heavens that never came to be. Still, don¡¯t feel too bitter Lancing. One day you may get the right to wed me, but at the rate of your advancement, the time for our wedding may never come.¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Oh please, Elise. We¡¯ve done this song and dance enough times to make up for a hundred weddings, but I thank the gods every day that my finger is still bare of a ring.¡± Already done with the verbal spar, Lancing tried to switch the topic, ¡°I¡¯m sure you already know why I¡¯ve come to your caravan, am I correct?¡±


    Elise did not lose her smile but decided in her head that another tally was added upon her scoreboard. She then said, ¡°Of course I do. The King¡¯s messenger only left tens of minutes ago, leaving behind a carriage in my house¡¯s color as a gift to my father and me.¡± As Elise said this, she moved towards the carriage that looked similar to the one she owned and stroked her hand along its body. From the expensive shock suppressors under its floor to the disguised armor that laid upon the surface, it looked like an ordinary carriage but its quality was far superior. ¡°How could I say no to babysitting the Prince when the King offered such a priceless gift?


    It was at this point the merchant dressed like a noble Lancing noticed hanging around spoke up, ¡°While I agree with the Miss that the build of this vehicle is definitely towards the upper-end in terms of quality, it might as well be the same as riding coach in the eyes of the Quis family.¡±


    Lancing¡¯s gaze sharpened as he looked at the voice demeaning a gift given from his father. Even if the carriage was scuffed in its paint and it was missing an entire wheel, nobody in the Kingdom of Hearth would dare call a gift from the King anything less than a work of art. Turning his head, he read the name flamboyantly etched into the golden carriages and realized just who would dare speak ill of the King.


    Searching his memories, Lancing was able to guess the name of this youth dressed in green-robes and how he was related to him. Lancing spoke up, ¡°Yes my father¡¯s gift does seem to be rather lacking. I¡¯ll be sure to pass along Fendrick Quis¡¯ regards next time I speak to him.¡±


    Fendrick shifted his eyes towards the voice speaking against him but said nothing else as his face turned into a sneer.


    During the past few years, the Quis family had gone through major changes that affected the future of its clan and the Kingdom as a whole. After the old patriarch lost many of the clan¡¯s assets to the man who currently sat on Hearth¡¯s throne, his removal from power was only a matter of time as many in the clan were of different minds after learning of his decision. In such a time of crisis for the clan, that patriarch¡¯s son stood up to the occasion and managed to salvage some of the lost property through an agreement with Crusius. Whether it was desperation or foresight into the future of the empire, the agreement blossomed into a turn of fate for the Quis family as the King rose to power and eventually ascended to the throne. Nowadays the Quis family managed a heavy portion of the Kingdom¡¯s businesses and trades filling their treasury enough to put minor kings to shame. However, the Quis family was now tethered to Hearth and couldn¡¯t expand past its borders, as part of the agreement between the current patriarch and His Majesty.


    The youth standing before Lancing was the second son of the current Quis patriarch, known commonly around the empire as the runt of this children. Compared to his siblings, Fendrick preferred a more cunning and backstabbing method towards his deals that were often looked down upon in the family. Recently during an assignment to establish connections between the Quis clan and a smaller business that had a monopoly on the local copper supply, one of Fendrick¡¯s plans managed to seriously injure the other party¡¯s son. As a result, they completely severed any ties between the two and locked down copper channels that might end up in Quis hands.


    This was what interested Lancing, ¡°Fendrick, are you aware that we currently have plans to leave the bounds of the Kingdom? As I understand, your family is generally restricted from leaving to other nations without the King¡¯s explicit approval, which I have heard nothing of.¡±


    Still holding the sneer evident on his face, Fendrick said, ¡°Well it just so happens that the clan¡¯s restrictions no longer bind me. Around the same time the King announced the way, I abandoned my family¡¯s name. After reaching Eligrace, these carriages will leave me behind so that I can start a new business in Alundrel.¡±


    Not only Lancing but even Elise looked shocked after hearing the news. Although it was expected that Fendrick¡¯s older brother was destined to become the next patriarch, rarely would a descendant willfully leave the arms of a wealthy clan. Resources, connections, and protection could all be obtained as long as one held the family¡¯s name, but this showed Fendrick¡¯s ambition in a new light. He did not want his success tied to such a large lineage like the Quis family which would without a doubt be attributed to them rather than the effort Fendrick had put in. This path was without a doubt much more difficult, but if he was successful, a future unbound by rueful restrictions awaited him.


    At this last bit of news, the caravan welcomed their new member among them and began to set off. Elise already had her men remove all of her belongings from her family¡¯s carriage and move them into the one gifted by the King. Lancing wasn¡¯t bothered by her riding in the highest quality carriage but was instead glad to ride in one at all with her supervising the trip. Likewise, Fendrick decided that speaking anymore would no longer benefit him so he walked towards one of the merchant caravans to rest. Normally, traveling at night was extremely dangerous so the stablemaster who finished his supervision of the horses still looked stiff, wondering if he should advise the noblewoman about his concerns. However, when Elise placed her hand on an interesting panel on the side of her original vehicle, magic from the surroundings absorbed into the contraption at the top, sparking a near blinding light that illuminated a vast surrounding of the carriage. In her haste towards the capital, Elise did not disregard safety.


    Lancing stopped approaching the carriage abandoned by Elise as he looked into the sky. Turning back to Elise, he said, ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to rain soon. It¡¯ll be a tough trip with the soggy mud.¡±


    A puzzled expression on Elise¡¯s face appeared as she responded, ¡°How do you know?¡±


    With a shrug of his shoulders, Lancing opened the door as he spoke behind him, ¡°Just a feeling.¡±


    ? ? ?


    As Lancing predicted, progress along the journey was significantly impacted as a soft rain fell upon the land. The road they chose to travel was the safest of all the other routes as it was often patrolled, but the mud abused the nurtured legs of the soldiers and the wheels on the carriages often got stuck in especially moist areas. Issues along the way like angry beasts attracted to the light could be solved with a little force applied to one of the guard¡¯s swords. If the issue got out of hand, like a pack of animals or a caught wheel, Elise¡¯s magic was more than sufficient to deal with any of such minor incidents.


    Elise¡¯s power was quite above average for those capable of bending nature to their will. At 9 she awakened the power of her scales and quickly became a Lord before she could even do complex mathematics. Her studies quickly went by as she mastered book after book, learning useful spells along the way. Once she hit 12, she surged in power to a baroness and held the power to destroy an entire platoon of ordinary men from afar. Of course, soldiers that have started along the Path to Knighthood were different from these ordinary men, oftentimes capable of rivaling a mage in power. However, their effort towards gaining their power was on a completely different scale and often required many times the amount of effort but the innate talent of the Knight was much less a factor. Due to how quickly talented mages could advance, it was no surprise that they were heavily valued by any nation, but her exemplary progress astounded her supervisors and most importantly the Duke. Elise had been facing the wall to reach the level of viscount for seven years now, but the barrier only got weaker by the day. It was at the point that just a little inspiration was necessary for her breakthrough, so it was widely expected that this trip would push her past that boundary. After that lay the huge chasm between viscount and count, but confidence in Elise¡¯s talent brushed any concern about that to the side.


    The supposed quick three days in Hearth was extended to six due to the unfavorable terrain left behind by the rain. Elise¡¯s guess that Ragan, the Water God, was determined to stop her advancement didn¡¯t seem so implausible as the terrain never returned to its firm state. From the standpoint of a merchant, especially one in a volatile position like Fendrick, this delay was like a blight on a farmer¡¯s crops. His days were often spent inclosed in one of the Quis¡¯ merchant wagons, performing constant calculations and looking at the various maps and blueprints of Eligrace. However, he still put in the effort to converse with the other two at times of rest in hopes of forming strong connections in Alundrel.


    Compared to Fendrick¡¯s isolation, Lancing and Elise never went a half a day without another argument arising from this or that. During one instance, Elise blamed the delay on Lancing, claiming he was bad luck and how his very existence angered the gods, to which Lancing refuted stating how that was irrational. Another argument that was sparked only hours later was on the subject of whether a tomato was classified as a fruit or vegetable. Elise¡¯s argument was based upon the fact that it reacts to magic more like a cucumber than a strawberry, but Lancing bringing up studies from the Institute of the Sciences titling the plant as a fruit brought the argument to a standstill once more. Days later, while the two were discussing if the new cultural food from a distant land, the ¡®hotdog,¡¯ was a sandwich or not, the procession finally reached the border of the two kingdoms.

 Chapter 4: Travel

    Chapter 4: Travel


    Compared to the marsh-like land the group left behind in Hearth¡¯s territory, the rain seemed to have stopped before it reached Alundrel. The ground beneath the group¡¯s feet once again returned to a natural firmness as they made their way along the highway between the two nations.


    Hearth was a land with more plains and mountainous regions that proved to help in scouting and give the caravan a feeling of safety in their surroundings. Light from the Richmond carriage spread far and wide, warding off creatures and bandits alike. Alundrel was much different in its topography. Instead of large, rolling hills, the land was flat which burdened travels to a smaller degree. Unfortunately, Alundrel was known for its heavy forests that took up close to the entire nation. Trees lined each side of the road, creating a natural barrier for travelers and the wilderness beyond, but it also provided many more opportunities for ambushing due to the breaks in any passerby''s line of sight. Of course, Alundrel and Hearth patrolled their main roads as a method to fend off such sinister people and to encourage commerce and tourism, but it wasn¡¯t uncommon to hear of raids where some lost their fortunes and others their lives.


    Light spread far and wide thanks in consideration of the sun once the procession first entered the forest. The beautiful midday bloom highlighted the flowers and vegetation which created the beautiful scenery Alundrel was known for. Lancing spent half of the day looking at the various plants he had never seen with his own eyes as Elise would mention their relevant magical value and Fendrick would estimate their economic worth. Lancing, being an avid reader, was able to connect the various reagents to those he had read in alchemical textbooks, but having others who had direct experience with them helped him further instill the knowledge. To the other two youth¡¯s, the surroundings of theirs had long lost their luster and at last Lancing¡¯s interest faded along with them. By the time the sun reached the indiscernible horizon, the caravan made plans to rest on the road, valuing safety over speed as they had reached the more dangerous part of the journey.


    Tents rose in various corners of the clearing to which many of the soldiers enjoyed a moment of respite. Others still toiled away as they walked back and forth around the camp to secure the perimeter, but they knew their time for rest would come. On a piece of stable road in the middle of the camp, the carriages stood, horseless. The nobles would have the privilege of sleeping in the envious cabins that would protect them against the seasons, whether it was the biting cold or the critters along the ground. Currently, Fendrick was sitting on the steps up to his wagon as he finished organizing the layout of the temporary encampment to ensure the tightest security and best living conditions. Elise manned the fire and the cooking station surrounding it as she assisted in making meals with the other soldiers while making conversation and telling the odd joke. Every night Elise would take the time to help with the daily chores of the soldiers, which earned their gratitude and respect while keeping morale high for the journey. Lancing watched on as he saw the difference these little actions had on the others when it was done by the leader of the group. At the beginning of the journey, Lancing stayed inside the carriage as he read one of the books he borrowed from Elise, but as the days went on he joined the others to do his fair share.


    After the meat a group of soldiers gathered from the local population was finished cooking in a stew, it was portioned out to everyone in the camp with a side of various starches included. Soldiers were used to the meager servings they would eat while on the road and often satisfied themselves with at most a slice of bread. Compared to when the guards of various origins traveled with their respecting groups, the difference in treatment from this trio of nobles was much too noticeable. As they grew accustomed to what felt like a vacation more than a job, merriment enveloped the camp and boisterous conversations grew louder in every direction. Lancing was no exception as he joined Elise with the soldiers and began talking speaking in a relaxed manner that made them feel as if the one in front of them was no longer the Prince. Once the laughter surrounding the carriages reached a certain point, the door to Fendrick¡¯s carriage slammed open. Before he opened his mouth to bark out orders for everyone to begin getting ready to sleep, the atmosphere and happiness of the soldiers¡¯ faces smoothed the lines of anger on his face. With a sigh, he resigned himself to the fact he would miss out on a night of work and moved to join the other youths in conversation.


    An hour and a half later, the fire began to die and that was the cue for the others to prepare for the guard duty. Some rotated with those who had already been patrolling for a while now and didn¡¯t forget to clean up the mess of dinner while they were at it. Fendrick bade goodnight as he got up from his seat to retire for the night. Elise wasn¡¯t quite as tired so she moved to join the cleaning, but the insistence of the men brought her back into her seat next to the Prince.


    Lancing¡¯s stomach had long been filled to his content and he currently had a smile on his face as his eyes grew droopy. Elise stared at him for a minute or two as she deliberated on asking him a question that had bugged her for a few days now. Throwing another log into the campfire¡¯s flames, Elise said, ¡°Lancing, can I ask you a question?¡±


    Leaving his reverie, Lancing let out a, ¡°Hm?¡± Elise had pulled him from one of his more relaxing daydreams. He worked in a small town far from Hearth¡¯s capital, where he had a flourishing business selling books, texts, and tomes. Customers would enter in complete silence to browse his collection and find something new to read or study. When something finally caught their eye, a smile would appear on their face as they brought it to the counter where Lancing would talk to the other about the book he would somewhat remember and send them on their way. As the chimes on the door rang aloud, stillness would return to the building and he would float away once more into the book he held in his hands. Every day was filled with tranquility.


    Unaware of Lancing¡¯s thoughts, Elise continued, ¡°Do you remember when you and your sister came over to the Richmond estate a little more than ten years ago? My father and yours planned to teach us magic together in an attempt to have us all reach the level of Lord. But despite being two years younger, Apolla was already close to casting the second set of spells while both of us were still stuck on the first! We couldn¡¯t believe it but she would be the first to graduate from normality first.¡± As she continued speaking, the Prince stared into her green eyes that didn¡¯t leave the fire of the camp. ¡°Anyways, a special event happened on that day.¡±


    Something clicked in Lancing¡¯s mind as she described a memory he had long forgotten. Without realizing, he shrugged his left shoulder which bore a blotched patch of charred skin whose source he could never quite remember. Every time he stroked his fingers across the long since mended skin, no recollection appeared in his mind.


    This little movement caught Elise¡¯s eye, but her face turned into a pained frown as she looked back into the fire. ¡°We were both messing around while our parents left us alone to go have an important meeting. Pushing, shoving, tripping; however, kids our age played when they were roughhousing. Apolla, ever so diligent, took the moment of rest to attempt to cast Firebolt. If successful would land her into the realm of a Lord, the first true step on the path of a mage. And she did it.¡±


    Elise looked up from the raging flames and into the eyes of Lancing. Both of them knew what happened next, but Elise still found it hard to get the words out. They had never spoken of the event since it happened, as it seemed both of them buried it deep inside them in their own way.


    With a swallow, she continued, ¡°Neither of us was paying attention. I had told a joke about one of the new maids screw-ups and we both laughed hard enough you began to cackle. It was probably even worse than my uncontrollable snorting. Hands on your knees, your back was towards your sister and from the corner of my eye, a piercing beam of flames had already charged more than half of its distance towards me. But you reacted faster. Your expression changed as you looked in my eyes, a mix of panic and worry flooded over your face as you threw yourself at me, tackling me to the ground. Then, after a moment of intense heat¡­ your face turned from one of panic to excruciating pain. Your deep red blood covered most of my favorite summer dress I got the week before for my birthday. When I lifted you off of me, your arm¡­¡±


    It was then that Elise trailed off. The words were caught, never to escape her ever-constricting throat. She stopped herself in time, calming her breathing for a minute until she could once again speak.


    ¡°Firebolt, first of the second set of spells and the first real spell at the level of a Lord. Even if the bolt she conjured was weak, even if she tried to decrease the intensity herself as it left her hand, that spell has enough power to take the life of a normal soldier with a quick, seamless impact. But you, a nine-year-old child, survived.¡± Although she was on the verge of crying only a minute ago, her expression of sadness had long left, with another emotion surging itself up to the surface. ¡°A powerless boy, who would never force a speck of dirt to move its own length in distance, saved the life of a little girl who had a limitless future to look forward to.¡±


    Cracks emerged from Elise¡¯s hands as she clenched them atop her thighs. Her teeth began to grind, released a shivering sound that rose goosebumps on Lancing¡¯s skin. He was speechless, unable to say anything to the woman beside him about the story they both shared.


    At last, the heart of the issue came out from Elise¡¯s lips. ¡°Why go to study under the High Mage when you have yet to even activate your scales?¡± Her eyes bore into the other¡¯s as she tried to put an expression of curiosity on her face, but confusion and anger were slowly tearing away at the facade.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    To be truthful, Lancing did not know what to expect from his trip to the High Mage. His father placed his full confidence in Kastrel¡¯s ability to work out Lancing¡¯s problem, but Lancing felt doubts deep in his heart. What if they never came to a solution? What if despite their efforts, Lancing did not have a future as a mage? What if Lancing¡¯s fate was to grow old and wither before even a single hair on his father¡¯s head turned grey? Questions like these assaulted his heart until he had long grew exhausted on deciphering the future, but the promise he held deep inside still shone with radiant clarity.


    Lancing met Elise¡¯s eyes as words of confidence left his mouth, ¡°To grow stronger.¡±


    Flabbergasted, Elise almost laughed at the absurdity behind the words. ¡°Lancing, you can¡¯t just ¡®grow stronger!¡¯ You have to take your condition into consideration or you will be seen as a fool. You have to face it. You were born without talent, a cripple, as much of a vegetable as one of those damn tomatoes!¡±


    A chill swept through the Prince as he heard the words told to him countless times before. On full display now was the core reason the two were always at odds. The underlying cause for why every conversation of theirs turned into an argument and why every argument turned into a fight. He tried to push away some of the awkwardness as he released a slight chuckle at the thought of correcting Elise yet again, but he couldn¡¯t get out the words before she continued. ¡°Seriously, think about this. It¡¯s been 12 years since we began our studies, but you still haven¡¯t been able to form a magical array, much less cast a single rudimentary spell. Aren¡¯t you just wasting the High Mage¡¯s time? It¡¯s not only you, but it¡¯s partly Crucius¡¯ fault too. When will your father give up on you?¡±


    Elise took a breath as she found she ran out of air. Her face at this point was serious beyond anything Lancing had seen from her before and held a tinge of redness that could have been from either a lack of oxygen or the anger felt in her words. The emerald eyes of hers shook as they glossed over, a slight puffiness forming on each of her lids. Water puddled on the lower of the two. Without a single hint of her usual playful bearing whenever they bantered or argued, she said the last sentence she wanted to get off of her chest.


    ¡°When will you?¡±


    ? ? ?


    Following the night of celebration, the soldiers who had either overindulged or stayed up later than they should have struggled to get up to prepare for the next day. Those up already at the crack of dawn worked in silence, hoping to not disturb the young nobles that currently slept in the middle of the camp. Sounds of dismantling rang out here and there and within the hour, the ground in the vicinity was cleared and the soldiers responsible were lined up, prepared for the new day.


    Their formation was somewhat odd and their colors even more so, creating an assortment that was hard on the eyes. Standing guard in the front, men in brilliant armor stood tall and proud, striking in their purple cloth, silver plates, and gold trims. Behind them stood the section that looked to blend with nature. The armor they bore painted in blue and the leather that decorated it of a reptilian green. In the back, each of the men was a shiny mass of golden color that reflected off the sun that now adorned the clear, bright sky. But the flamboyancy did not represent strength. The highest quality soldiers were those of the royal guards, displayed by their armor down to their posture and demeanor. Not far behind, the Richmond house¡¯s troops still displayed their might, but their strength was still a few grades below the royalty. Bought with money, the Quis guards were but mercenaries and were of the same quality, if not lower, than Elise¡¯s soldiers and only wore the gold armor to intimidate and display the enormous wealth of the clan. Despite the disparity between the different types of soldiers, they all had performed in a harmonious manner on this trip. Nonetheless, when each of the three carriages opened at separate intervals, no soldier dared not to salute with respect to each of the youths.


    Continuing like normal, the soldiers marched in such a fashion that focused on protecting the carriages in the center. After days of marching, the soldiers showed no signs of fatigue and pressed on as if it was the first day. Each of them knew their abundant energy was due to the remarkable treatment they were given, but the morning was difficult due to the tense atmosphere surrounding the carriages. The cause, of course, was the prince and the duke¡¯s daughter. Few soldiers didn¡¯t know about the outburst from the night before, but none of them discussed it as it wasn¡¯t for them to speak of. Even Fendrick had heard bits and pieces while lying down in his carriage but not a word left his mouth regarding it. Elise¡¯s face looked as stern as the first day of travel as she sat atop her seat, surveying the area around them. Lancing occupied the next carriage over, seated as he similarly looked around, but only periodically. Often would he turn back to the book in his hands. Botanical Guide to Alundrel by Richard Morisson. Books such as these were always brought along as a precautionary measure to deal with local flora. The prince had skimmed over it a couple of years ago but never paid it any heed as his interest didn¡¯t extend to plants as it did to magic. He also never planned to leave Hearth¡¯s borders so soon either, but as things had changed, so did Lancing¡¯s motivation to study to the book.


    The two seemed to pay each other no heed, very different compared to the constant flow of arguments and random bits of conversation in the past days. Discussions among the soldiers began to arise to lift the pressure, if only slightly. A few complained about the large delay caused by the rain while others anticipated the end of the trip only two days away. Some felt heartache that the trip akin to a picnic outing would be over so soon. Like this, the day slowly came to an end as the sky lost its glow and the moon arrived to take over. Inspiration to partake in festivities like the previous nights waned as all the nobles instead chose to stay in their carriages to rest for the next day. Although the soldiers felt some regret, they still focused on their duties and patrolled the surroundings to protect the camp.


    Lancing laid on the cotton bedding he placed on the floor as his mind drifted away into slumber. After spending the entire day and the last couple hours reading, he was now almost done with the few books Elise brought along for the trip. The prince was glad the books got some use at least, as their owner didn¡¯t plan to touch them until they were the last resort to relieve her boredom. Shuffling underneath the covers, Lancing could not get into a position that made him feel comfortable. As he was almost asleep, his awareness was almost nonexistent. He was unable to pin down the source of this extreme discomfort. His mind in a stupor believed it to be the hard flooring irritating his body, but nothing he did could cure his ailments. Only after he opened his eyes and sat up to investigate further did Lancing feel the growing numbness of his scalp and tingling on his skin. Sweat appeared on his forehead as his eyes shot open, hastily scrambling to his feet.


    A moment later, the spreading discomfort disappeared in but an instant. At this point, the sweat began to drip down his forehead and into his eyebrows where its movement stopped its descent. Lancing linked the feeling he was currently experiencing with the times when his father would demonstrate the immense potential of magic. Far from any civilization, Crusius would bring his son to the countryside and cast spells of various applications and degrees of power. Magic was beyond his imagination. So much in fact, that he would experience reactions to each casting. The smallest of spells wouldn¡¯t require a great disturbance in nature to take effect so Lancing would feel little to nothing depending on his distance to the spell¡¯s origin. But, some of the more competent spells would cause Lancing to experience a variety of symptoms: tingling, crawling in his skin, numbness, headaches, and even nausea. The greater the power, the stronger the reaction; Crusius would have to pay special attention to his positioning and output to not cause his son any pain.


    What he experienced just now was only a mild reaction but looking out the window, no signs of magical activity presented themselves. No great changes in the surroundings, no dynamic colorization, and nothing flying at the camp from afar. This could only mean that whatever mage was using the power of magic was quite far away. No other sounds came from the camp as if nothing had happened. Shuffling of armor still resounded as the guards paced along their designated patrol routes and the rest of them bellowed snores from their tents, indicating they were asleep. No stirring from the other carriages either as both of the other nobles lay unawakened. Lancing¡¯s eyes bore into the dark surroundings, attempting to see past the trees blocking his vision but failing all the same.


    Giving up, he instead chose to spread out the minute amount of will into his surroundings to increase the sensitivity of his perceptions. Nature remained unaffected as his invisible force moved like tendrils into the area, sinking into the ground and waving through the air. The protrusions did not move far as he was very limited to the amount of will he harbored, but he could now vaguely feel the earth stepped on by the guards up to ten meters away and slight displacement of the wind as the walked back and forth. However, it wasn¡¯t long until Lancing felt exhausted at the effort and his force began to recede into his mind once more. Realizing this strategy of his would not work, he cursed himself for being so defenseless. He also understood that with his power he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell the difference between the step of a patrol from an enemy anyways, so he once more began to observe with his eyes and ears.


    Five minutes went by without any observable movement from the surroundings and Lancing began to suspect his own senses. Maybe those tells of sorcery were only an illusion and he had imagined the event in his languid state. Another five minutes of doubt went by and he was half-convinced that the event had never happened. Even if it did, it most likely had nothing to do with his procession. The prince continued along this mental track of naivety as he moved to lay back down on the floor to fall into a slumber. ¡®Tomorrow will be yet another long day of travel,¡¯ he thought.


    Just as he turned his eyes back to the interior of the carriage, the tingling arose once more, but powerful enough to excite every nerve in his body. Eyes darting back to the treeline, Lancing observed the magic of incredible power form in the shape of a blue barrier that rose into the sky. It was not the only barricade forming, as two similar blue shields arose from other points outside of the camp, intent on completing in the sky to form as one. As the glistening barrier developed further into a dome shape, the camp began to stir to life as guards exclaimed in panic. Magic was currently encircling them. Shuffling rang out in the carriage next to Lancing before its door burst open and steps following. Elise stood with her head to the sky, staring with confusion and dismay at the barrier overhead.


    Whistles, horns, and calls for formation resounded throughout the camp as the was barrier completed. Regardless of everyone¡¯s strength, each of them could feel the effect of the barrier: isolation. The outside world instantly felt distant until it was unable to be felt at all and the air turned into a stifling stillness. Inside the barrier was an entirely separate realm from the one beyond. Nothing could cross between the two, whether creature, air, or magic. Without any perceptible warning, the ambush was a success.

 Chapter 5: Ambush

    Chapter 5: Ambush


    The darkness of the night whose stars shone brightly in the night had become shrouded as the blue-tinged dome replaced the sky. Lancing analyzed the barrier with his eyes and the paresthesia his body experienced from the magic, but every signal pointed to a single conclusion: there was no escape. Soon the enemy would pounce upon the camp. The opponent was not a pack of ravenous dogs with no thought, but a pride of lions who had already trapped their prey. Soldiers, whose fearful faces betrayed their stable stances and capable disposition, huddled together in a circle to show no back to the enemy. They would engage in a fight of honor, but judging by the power of the enemy mage, it would be closer to a brutal slaughter.


    Elise did not back down from the imposing might of the unseens foe. Walking with shaking legs, she moved towards the soldiers to join their force. Compared to the dismay she felt as the camp first realized the ambush, her mind became clearer as she thought of strategies to leave alive. However, her years of experience with magic defying nature to create various phenomena hit her in the gut as she looked at the barrier formation. It was not her first time seeing a barrier of such as size - even the duke¡¯s castle had one in place that could activate from wall to wall. What worried her was the scale of strength that seemed to be on another level than the few others she¡¯s seen. Only the emperor¡¯s castle, whose barrier was constructed over hundreds of years, might be superior to the one that stood tall in front of her that was erected in only a few moments. A mountain whose peak rose above the clouds had appeared in front of Elise. Shock and despair swirled together inside of her body, increasing the rate of her heartbeat until it felt on the verge of bursting.


    After waiting with anxiety for a few minutes, the sound of silence was broken by the rustling of leaves from the surrounding forest. Humanoid shapes walked from the trees, revealing their forms that dropped the jaws of every human watching. Not two of the individual were of the same race or held the same features, but all 9 of them were foreign.


    One woman of substantial beauty had a body composed of dark, mahogany wood whose grains swirled around her body in an upward pattern. The branches growing atop her head grew leaves of their own and her face looked very content as she communed with nature, even during such a tense situation. Only another woman whose wings flapped with passion and horns growing from her crown matched the other in looks. But compared to the grace and glamor innate in the dryad, sensual charm exuded from the succubus, whose clothes covered much too little. Her seductive power was inversely proportional to the amount of cloth on her body, as the men in armor could not tear their eyes from the sight of her looks. As their gazes met the demon¡¯s, their cheeks grew flushed and desire soon pervaded their being, distracting them from the imminent danger of the others in the group.


    Two men stood across from each other on the outlier, separated by the ring of soldiers but only paid attention to one another as a glare shone from both of their eyes. One could hardly be called a man anymore, as his bulged muscles created an abomination of pure mass. Fur lined the skin on his body as a dark grey color and the golden eyes in his skull peered through the darkness of the night as if it was the day. With a furrowed brow and a snarl dripping with saliva, his clenched claws let blood flow as if the only blockade from him launching himself to attack was the pain on his palm. As the source of the werewolf''s anger, the other let out a chuckle as if the furred beast¡¯s ruthless expression was comical in his eyes. He wore a long coat of black leather that rustled alongside the leaves around him. His light blue eyes pierced the air with a deep coldness; each flying leaf that came into contact with his bare skin froze upon its surface. Even the ground around him iced over slightly due to his presence. Both battled with only their gaze, one of pure hatred versus another of transparent contempt.


    Five other distinct appearances stood among these four. One man elevated the temperature of the air around him due to the flowing magma between the molten rock that made up his skin. Surprising those who saw him, none of the fluid matter escaped the boundary set by his humanoid shape. Another man had the ordinary look of a human, but closer inspection would reveal a lack of scales on his being. Beside him, a petite woman with obsidian skin held onto his arm, a charming smile upon her demonic face. A lonely boy of fourteen years looked at the surroundings with anxiety, somewhat intimidated by the spectacle before him but he still released breaths of excitement. Lastly, a woman with a distant expression stood with clasped hands held on her stomach. Her straight, white hair hung past her shoulders and her clothes which showed no skin revealed her reserved temperament. However, her most distinct feature was a black mask that looked to be torn in half that covered one part of her face, obscuring one of her eyes. The other eye remained closed as her expressionless face pointed towards the ground.


    If the appearance of the nine shook the faith of the troops below, the sounds of thundering footsteps shattered any that had remained. All too familiar footsteps rang through the skulls of the soldiers and they quickly turned their heads to the source expecting the King himself to show. However, the slight hope that had arisen in the hearts of the naive was crushed as an otherworldly man appeared instead. Slight fleshy horns protruded at each of the upper corners of his forehead which rose above the long, black locks of hair that hung from his head. Where his eye sockets should have held eyeballs as most ordinary humanoids did, his were replaced by radiant green orbs that gave off light in front of him. Robes of a black equal to his hair adorned his body and a green sigil was presented on his chest. The green diamond with curved horns on its two superior sides looked familiar to those who saw the extravagant design on his chest. Thinking once more, all of the ambushing party had some form of the sigil on their beings, whether it was on the clothes they wore or branded onto their very skin.


    As a surprise to those waiting for the confrontation, the first to speak wasn¡¯t the green-eyed leader of the enemy party, but rather Elise among the troops. ¡°To surround a Royal Convoy can only result in punishment of the highest degree of the law! Who are you all that you would so brazenly perform such an idiotic act?¡± Elise tried to empower her voice with magical property. To the ordinary soldiers, her voice held an imposing aura of authority, but no magic could remove the shakiness in her words.


    Like the others, the leader of the ambushing party was astonished for a moment before he bellowed out a laugh. Only after ten whole seconds did the man regain himself but still couldn¡¯t remove the smile from his face. ¡°You know, I was feeling like crap after coming out to this backwater world for this assignment but you just brightened my day. To think some trash like you would have the courage to threaten and insult someone like me.¡± The amusing smile on his face soon lost its luster as it turned icier as each word left his mouth. When his face looked to be covered in a layer of frost, one last sentence left his mouth.


    ¡°Kill them.¡± Thinking for a second longer, he added as if it were an afterthought, ¡°Except the girl. Capture her if she doesn¡¯t resist too much.¡±


    Sirens rang in the minds of the soldiers as they heard the enemy leader¡¯s words leave his mouth. They fully expected combat to break out, but it did not mean they were mentally prepared for it. However, they were not able to think for long before brilliant lights soon bombarded their sight.


    Icicles of frost rained from the sky, piercing the helmets of the soldiers deep into their skulls. Some that survived felt the ground below their feet turn molten hot as they sank to their calves in a burning pit where the earth was only a moment prior. Meat separated from bone as the lava pit seared off the flesh of whatever entered. Those that managed to evade both of the calamities felt their nerves fried from the one-sided slaughter. A few looked at the enemies in disgust and attempted to charge, but found their legs unmoving, bound by thick tendrils of grass beneath them. In a panic, swords struck the grass, but the steel only rebounded as if it hit titanium. Angered, the grass grew larger and let out a roar of a beast as the tendrils moved from passive binding to breaking apart the limbs of its prey.


    Only two soldiers remained: one as the Captain of the Royal Guard and another the Captain of the Richmond squad. Valiantly, the Royal Guard charged towards the leader of the ambushers. The distance between the two was cut in half in only a few steps as the superior build of a Knight accelerated his being. His heartbeat loud enough that it could be heard in the surroundings, he raised his sword into a chop that hoped to split the green-eyed demon in twine. In less than a second, he was at his target. Facing the sword which was raised over his head like the guillotine of justice, he only let out a yawn as a hand slapped in front of him.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    The sound of a shockwave emerged from the left side of the Captain¡¯s body which then crashed into him. Sounds of bones breaking were louder than the shockwave itself as the man continued through the air until he crashed into a thick, ironwood tree. Upon the collision, his flight ended unceremoniously with the sounds of cracks emerging from his body. Broken and beaten, the Captain¡¯s body laid on the ground without a sign of movement.


    Richmond¡¯s Captain now felt sweat emerge from every pore on his body. A casual slap of the air from the enemy led to an ally stronger than himself crushed to a corpse. Panic surfaced on the old Captain¡¯s face as he looked back in forth at each of the opponents, hoping to at least take one of the enemy forces with him. Seeing the child who looked to be fourteen-years-old, he made his decision as he raised his sword into a charge. The boy pointed his hand in a panic to confront the sword whose intent was to stab his body. However, he never got to release the magic he prepared for his foe.


    A bone-chilling roar shook the air. The Captain looked to his right as a mass of furred flesh intercepted him on his path of assault. Fangs ignored the steel armor that protected the trained militant body below as they bit into his shoulder. Skin, muscle, and bone; each was ignored as the werewolf yanked his head backward, taking an entire arm with him. Screams of agony rang in the surroundings from the man pinned by the beast above him, but no one moved to interfere. All his allies had all perished under the previous assaults and the others had no mercy for the man fated to die. His cries of anguish continued for a few minutes longer as the wolf toyed with its prey, releasing the bloodlust it had saved over the past couple hours. But even after the sobbing had long ceased, it was not satisfied as it continued to tear at the unrecognizable body below it.


    Elise stood in the middle of it all. Beside her, men lay with open eyes on the ground with holes bored by a weapon long since dissolved. The heat in the air left as soon as the souls of those snarred left their bodies. All that remained of them were limp torsos buried halfway in the ground whose heads hung without life. The snares of grass had also disappeared, leaving behind the broken bodies that nature had their way with. Her quivering knees lost the last of their strength as she bucked to the ground, soiling herself once there. Both of her arms tightly held her body as her eyes staring at the ground were devoid of hope.


    Heels began to move their way towards the center of destruction. The stilettos punctured into the earth with each step, but they still moved towards the crumpled Elise unceasing. Looking up at whatever horror was approaching her next, the scantily clad succubus revealed a smile as she crouched down in front of her.


    Moving her finger to Elise¡¯s forehead, she said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little one. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡±


    The moment contact was made, all light left Elise¡¯s eyes as her body fell limp into the arms of the demon. Picking her up as a prince would carry the princess, the succubus winked at the boss as she walked towards him.


    At this, the demon let out a scoff as he looked back towards the camp. ¡°Well, it seems like that¡¯s done with. Grab the boy in the carriage and we¡¯ll be on our way. Time for another unpleasant trip.¡±


    Lancing, who had been watching with a gaping mouth this entire time, felt his heart shudder at the demon¡¯s words. Did the enemy know he was with them? How had they figured out despite his Father¡¯s best preparations? And most importantly, what had his father done to attract such powerful enemies? Despite his panic, he still retained some level of coolheadedness. ''Grab the boy¡¯ at least meant they would let him live, right?


    However, Lancing¡¯s thoughts could not go any further as the human-looking man and the woman on his arm walked towards the carriages. The prince braced himself, ready to confront the man as he swung open the door to the wagon. His vision through the window had long lost sight of the man, but he still heard the steps continue onwards. But just as the steps got to the point where he could hear the crispness of the grass below the others¡¯ feet, they stopped their advance and the sound of a door swinging open entered Lancing¡¯s ear.


    ¡°Alright, kid. Give it up and come with us.¡± A rugged voice that you could hear in any tavern in the city rang out into the carriage. While the tone itself was commanding, the voice did not feel overbearing in the slightest.


    However, the receptor of his order did not seem to understand the situation he was in. In an unwilling voice, Fendrick said, ¡°No, I won¡¯t go with you, you monster! Do you even know who I am?¡±


    A sigh rang out from the rugged voice as he responded, ¡°We know exactly who you are, which is why we have to do this.¡± The swing of a fist through the air rang out, followed by an impact and a thud on the floor of the carriage. The attacker picked up Fendrick from the ground and left the carriage. Knowing he had dodged a bullet, Lance let out a breath of relief.


    As the man started walking back, he said to the girl beside him, ¡°Lots of cargo today, isn¡¯t there Tal?¡±


    Tal chuckled at her beloved¡¯s joke and spoke in a playful manner, ¡°Seems like it. Better than the last job where the guy resisted and you ended up killing him, Ed.¡±


    Edward winced as she poked at an old wound, ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t remind me.¡±


    The demoness laughed once more, but as they took a few steps back towards the group, she stopped in place as she looked towards one of the other carriages. Seeing his partner¡¯s weird reaction, Ed responded, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Tal.¡±


    With an unsure expression, Tal said out loud, ¡°I think there¡¯s another person here, but I only barely felt it for a second.¡±


    At her words, the entire group was surprised once more. Frost still landing on the surrounding ground, the man in black leather said in amazement, ¡°That¡¯s impossible. How could none of us have felt their presence by now.¡±


    Tal lifted her chin as she said proudly, ¡°You know I¡¯m not like the rest of you. Plus I only felt it as we got closer.¡± She then put her arms out towards Edward and said, ¡°Ed, give me the boy and go check it out. I¡¯m not good at confrontation.¡±


    He still felt like he was getting the short end of the stick, but Ed conceded and moved towards the carriage. Since the enemy could conceal their presence, they must be an expert so he unsheathed the sword on his waist as he moved to grip the handle.


    Lancing knew this time he would not escape from the group, so he decided to take his fate into his own hands. He knew what would happen if he stood idly by as those soldiers did. Standing up from the corner where he was hidden as he watched the fight, he raised his voice. ¡°Wait! I¡¯ll open the door myself.¡± Deciding that may not be enough to ease the tension, he added, ¡°I¡¯m only a civilian with no ability.¡±


    True to his word, Lancing walked towards the door with shaking legs as he opened the door. There he stood, face to face with the grizzled looking man. A short, unkempt beard lined his face and medium-length wavy hair fell down the sides of his head. His common eyes of brown looked surprised that Lancing actually opened the door and was also surprised the other truly did not have any power. He lowered the scarf around his neck and sheathed the sword once more.


    Ed said, ¡°You really are a weak one, but still bold like the lass from before, huh?¡± Saying exactly what was on his mind, Edward looked intrigued at the person before him. ¡°So what was your plan? Hope we didn¡¯t notice you and escape once we were gone?¡±


    Lancing stood tall, not shying away from the other¡¯s accusatory tone. ¡°I would¡¯ve done anything to save my life, sir. Especially after what you all displayed earlier towards the Royal Guards.¡±


    Narrowing his eyes, Edward looked Lancing up and down, ¡°We only did so because they were a militant group, ready to die to protect. Keeping them alive only would have led to more conflict and trouble down the road. That is if they didn¡¯t engage us anyways to protect that other kid.¡±


    Finishing his justification, he looked around to the others in his party. In truth, Edward didn''t feel right about killing the kid in front of him. Whether it was to make up for last time or some other force, he wanted this powerless kid to live. But he could already read a few of the minds of his allies. Some would vote to have him murdered, wiped from history and soon forgotten. Others would instead wish to take him as a slave so he could live life in misery, but compared to the other options Ed could think of, this seemed like mercy.


    He spoke again, ¡°But now that we know you are here, we can¡¯t just let you go. You said you would do anything to save your life. Is that correct?¡±


    With a dry swallow, Lancing could feel the eyes of all the experts on him at this moment. The chilling cold of one gaze, the fierce heat of another. One of primal violence that would tear him apart in an instant and another of blazing desire to push him down at the first chance. At last, he matched the gaze of the demon whose eye¡¯s only consisted of two green lights. Within those lights, he could swear he saw the anguish of a thousand souls, each of which trapped within those bright green pupils. Lancing gathered his courage for one last time as he responded.


    ¡°Anything.¡±

 Chapter 5.1: Vestige

    Chapter 5.1: Vestige


    Deep within the recesses of the Prince¡¯s mind, a land far from reality showed itself in his dreams. Clouds of haze flooded the atmosphere whose presence reduced the visibility to no more than a few feet as it obscured the distance. The ground itself seemed a part of the clouds but its density much more tangible, creating a surface stable enough to stand upon. This impossible sight would prove difficult to find anywhere in the realms of life and definitely not on a small world in the corner of the universe where Earth found itself.


    The fog was entrancing and Lancing spent the better part of the day staring into the vast unknown. Each second he felt he could peer deeper into the mist, but his progress showed nothing as there was little to see even as far as he went. Darkness was the only occupant of this land and its residency encompassed the entire area in front of him.


    When Lancing¡¯s best attempts yielded no results of fruition, his thoughts began to wander. How far beyond did the fog envelope this land? And even more curious, how about the darkness? Surely when there is the dark, its brother light must also exist. His eyes moved from the point he was staring, abandoning all of the progress he had made thus far.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    The Prince looked to the sides but found nothing except the same fog that he had spent hours searching into before. Even behind him was only darkness, with no fog to speak of. Despite being lost within this place far from reality, time didn¡¯t seem to mind if he was stuck here for the rest of eternity. Taking the opportunity, Lancing sat upon the ground as he began to examine the essence of this world.


    Mixed in the surroundings were the four elements of nature. In the solid clouds beneath him and the open air above, the composition of the elements remained the same, all equivalent in amount. Moving forth his will, Lancing attempted to grasp at the essence to bend it to his will. However, the same scene as a thousand times before played itself. The essence all but ignored his will and once more the Prince was stumped.


    He spent hours and hours, trying to move the mixture of elements along with what he wanted, but to no avail, the prince eventually gave up. Once more he tried to peer into the distance, but this time in the opposite direction as his first attempt. Minutes passed and at last, something entered into his sight. The gigantic mass observed in the darkness and fog looked ambiguous, but its presence in this desolate land was a curiosity. Standing up, Lancing walked towards the object.

 Chapter 6: Soldat

    Chapter 6: Soldat


    Wincing in pain, the Prince awoke with a start. He immediately sat up and rubbed his sore back, which was battered by resting on the stone flooring. A faint, but still noticeable rancid odor also permeated the still air, a mix of mildew and rotting flesh. Myriad thoughts and questions arose in his mind as he switched from thinking about his physical situation to his geographical location. Lancing had no recollection as to how he got here and only the painful bruise he could feel pulsing on the side of his head gave any indications as to why that would be the case. The last he could remember was speaking to the mysterious man from the ambush and then everything went dark. Between then and now, his dream during his unconsciousness felt vivid in his mind, but the memory of it began to fade as he looked to evaluate his surroundings.


    Similar to the flooring, the walls were also lined in a simple, tiled stone and held no decorations or embellishments to spruce up the room. The ground was barren with no furniture, but to Lancing¡¯s relief, it was much smoother than the rugged wall. Lancing recoiled at the thought of laying atop a surface as jagged as the wall, so there was some solace in the fact that the architect intended the room to have somewhat livable conditions. The emptiness of the room was a temporary situation, he hoped. Currently, the room lacked any illumination so the finer details escaped his eyes, but he could see a door on the opposite wall without any light penetrating beneath its frame. ¡®No point in delaying the inevitable,¡¯ Lancing thought. Putting his hands on the ground, he raised himself with stiff legs and moved to open the door.


    His hand touched the cold knob of the door and with an easy twist, the door unlatched and swung open. At first, Lancing had thought that the light was sourced from torches which could be found along the walls of most dungeon areas like the one he was in. However, the cool light gave itself away as being a spawned illumination from magic. He wasn¡¯t exactly surprised since he knew the strength of his captors, but he now more keenly understood what kind of place he was. Compared to the muffled silence in his room, he could hear loud bustling from the hallway beyond the turns that blocked his view. It seemed like his room blocked out any of these exterior sounds. This was quite different from his old room in the castle which would capture any ambient noises with its lack of soundproof. From looking at the surrounding walls, it seemed like this certain area was meant to house a large number of people, as there were at least thirty other rooms he expected would be very similar to his own in the hallway.


    Closing the door behind him, he chose to walk to the left as the sounds of activity were much louder. His footsteps echoed on the walls as his shoes clapped upon contact with the stone beneath. One room at least ten down from his own had its door open wide as the individual inside must have left it open in his carelessness. The room also lacked proper furnishings, but a cheap bedroll lay on the floor in one of the corners with a locked chest occupying another. The slim, decrepit figure inside searched through his belongings in the chest, which only amounted to a few. Panic was evident in his every movement and the expression upon his face was covered in fear. He began to throw torn rags from the worn chest with his blue, webbed hands around the room, but his scaled shoulders slumped in depression.


    Moving once more, Lancing ignored what he suspected was an aquatic creature. It seemed they happened upon a tragic turn of fate, but Lancing did not have the freedom to indulge himself in another¡¯s problems. More doors along the hallway were gaped open but he only caught glimpses of strange beings in every room. He had never thought of himself as a xenophobe before, but the alien appearances of everyone else broke him into a cold sweat. Perhaps it was a natural fear of the unknown that crept within him.


    At last, the Prince reached the end of the hallway, to which another doorway led him to a common area. Tables decorated the area and creatures sat upon their benches as they engaged in conversation and frequent humor. An occasional tree that looked to have been taken straight from the forest was placed here and there to give the stone room some life. Not everyone was in high spirits as a few individuals walked with bowed heads and sorrowful faces. The most common attire worn by the people in the room were rags that could hardly be called clothes, but they at least covered the undesirables. However, a large portion still wore normal clothes and even gear that outfitted soldiers or magi. These people looked to fare far better in the environment and casually spent gold on drinks and food while the more unfortunate could only look on with envy.


    Connected to the common room by way of large gateways were various amenities of the hall. A basic shop for goods and services was through one of the entrances, but another store to its side had irregular objects on display that were locked in display cases. Some looked like the usual swords or staves Lancing remembered back on Earth, but others looked to be orbs and books. All of them made for a diverse group of many different colors and some even gave off a glow onto their surroundings. When Lancing looked above at the sign in front of the store, he was shocked that the language was the same one he had known. Even on Earth, a few different languages existed, but the fact that a place as distant as this shared his own was mysterious. He could see the signage which unceremoniously read, ¡°Class-D: Artifact Store.¡±


    ¡®Not a very extravagant name, now is it?¡¯ Lancing thought. All of the other various stores also had a similar monotonous naming scheme. ¡°General Goods,¡± ¡°Cafeteria,¡± and ¡°Furnishings¡± were only a few to name and each was prefaced by the label Class-D. Other doors looked like they would lead away from the confinement of the Class-D area as if they each had their specialized zones. The interesting names he read were ¡°Education and Cultivation,¡± ¡°Mission Assignment and Enlistment,¡± and ¡°Market.¡± Lancing trepidation became bemusement as he looked at the surreal scene before him.


    ¡°Is this place a school, a mercenary headquarters, or a prison?¡± he mumbled under his breath.


    A melodic voice came from his right, ¡°I would say all of the above. It''s quite the sinister operation, really.¡±


    Lancing turned his head to see a man leaning against the wall of the common room. His waist-length, blonde hair looked almost white in appearance, matching the pale color of his skin. The shroud of hair helped to mask the sharp features of his face that were off-putting to Lancing¡¯s style of beauty, but the pointed ears dragged his eyes away.


    The Prince lost all manners for a moment as he blurted aloud, ¡°Are you an elf?¡±


    Eyes widened, the elf asked curiously, ¡°Yes, is that such a surprise? You can find thousands of us here as we are fairly common, both in Soldat and the many worlds beyond.¡±


    It was only then that Lancing took a better look at the other. The clothes he wore were of superior quality compared to the average of what he¡¯s seen thus far and befitted someone of magical nature. Although the robe was a dull brown, the cloak was fitted well and covered all the vital areas in its tough leather. His appearance also looked quite youthful, which Lancing guessed to be in his mid-twenties, but this estimation was unreliable as the elves were known for their longevity.


    His confusion still not alieved, Lancing asked, ¡°Soldat? Is that the name of this place?¡±


    A look of understanding flashed across the elf¡¯s face, ¡°Ah, you must be one of the Taken, I assume. Complete disorientation, lack of awareness, and very-close minded. We see it often in Class-D abducted from the smaller worlds.¡± Understanding became pity as the elf realized the situation of the other. ¡°So which planet are you from? You look to be human, but you have those odd scales beneath your eyes.¡±


    Now it was Lancing¡¯s turn to feel bemused, ¡°These scales are what make me human. They are a trademark of our kind on Earth and are as natural as the air we breathe. As for an elf like you, I¡¯ve only heard of your kind in fables and stories.¡±This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    ¡°Your planet is named Earth?¡± The elf stopped the laugh from leaving his mouth, but couldn¡¯t obscure his humorous smile. ¡°Pretty generic to name your world after the term for its ground. Still, it sounds like a curious planet with an interesting subset of humans, far from the likes of Alfheim. So, what do they call you?¡±


    The Prince felt a little frustrated at the wide breadth of knowledge the elf seemed to have about the universe beyond while he knew almost nothing. Just when he grew inquisitive about one topic, the other would move on without notice, revealing new information to send his mind into disarray. He responded, ¡°They call me Lancing, but isn¡¯t it quite rude to not introduce yourself first.¡±


    The same smile never left the elf¡¯s face he spoke, ¡°Ah! Indeed, where is my courtesy! They call me Elute, a previous denizen of Alfheim and bard by trade, though I¡¯ve taken up spellcasting in my spare time.¡± In jest, he mimicked the same enunciation as Lancing. Elute moved the hair fallen onto his face behind his ear as he extended his hand. ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡±


    Lancing looked at the hand and then at the person it belonged to. In those ocean blue eyes, he couldn¡¯t see a trace of malice or deception. Taking the first step of trust, the Prince grabbed the other¡¯s gentle hand with a firm grip. He then said, ¡°Pleased to meet you as well.¡±


    ? ? ?


    Elute spent the next couple of hours teaching Lancing about common knowledge and the various amenities spread throughout Soldat. Originally an academy for the teaching of magic and the various body strengthening arts, a thousand or so years ago they expanded to a sort of mercenary company. Their students would be able to take jobs for the extra cash or even stay with the school as alumni to gain access to higher-level missions and even receive preferential treatment in the academy. Often they would become teachers and spread their knowledge to the next generation of students. As time went on, the respectable academy grew more and more ruthless in their treatment of students to counter the problem of the ever-growing enrollment and lack of talent. Class-D was an example of the lowest group of students and they were expected to have no future in the field of magic. Many of them became servants to the other students and teachers for money they needed to survive, but the high costs of living and tuition forced them to live in poverty. They couldn¡¯t leave the academy easy either, as contracts were set in place to keep them there, not to mention the high cost to leave the world the academy based itself on.


    When Lancing mentioned the group who had abducted him, Elute seemed to recognize a few as teachers he had in the past. It didn¡¯t surprise the other as tales of the Taken were common, so much so that they even gave them the simple title. Those on sensitive missions would have two options when dealing with witnesses: kill them or bring them back. The first was much simpler and by far the most common occurrence as it was a hassle bringing back every person who saw them. However, some chose the second option as they would reap certain benefits for bringing back a free student, especially so if they served the academy well. As if an afterthought and without any change in expression, Elute explained that the Taken were in essence slaves of the academy.


    As for how the academy functioned, the school was fairly lenient in regards to what the students chose to do, as long as the tuition was paid. Luckily for Lancing, he was not required to pay tuition as one of the taken, but would instead need to labor for the school. While he was weak, he would dust off shelves and work at the general store. When he became stronger, missions could take the place of his required labor. The prince wasn¡¯t afraid of a little work if it meant his safety, but what worried him was the part where he was supposed to become stronger. He only stayed silent as Elute continued.


    Classes would be held on the academic grounds, a part of the campus that took up the largest area. Thousands of classrooms were spread about there and teachers would teach those who attended the concepts and practical application of the magics they outlined in their course descriptions. The whole system was organized by a central body, so students could easily plan out what time of the day they would attend lectures and how they could make the most of their experience at Soldat. Lancing perked up after hearing about the academic operations of the academy and forced his desire for knowledge down to concentrate on his conversation with Elute for a little longer.


    The two went to the cafeteria where Elute paid for Lancing¡¯s meal for the day since he lacked the funds to any himself. A nutritious slab was placed on his tray. What could only be described as a slab of nutrients, this was the cheapest meal on the menu that could sustain the individuals who lived here in a healthy way. Its popularity was high amongst the poorer students. Also, since it tasted plain and wasn¡¯t made of anything specific, it could be applied to most of the student¡¯s diets. Much like its unappetizing appearance, the loaf was difficult to keep down but at least he wouldn¡¯t starve for the day.


    Elute spoke between bites about the other functions of the academy, ¡°Thankfully, I¡¯ve reached the point where I can take missions rather than organizing the thousands of books in the library. Students call those grounds of the campus ¡®the Headquarters¡¯ as it is quite a militant area. An entire army is stationed there and routinely practices for combat and goes out on missions in the name of Soldat.¡± The elf paused as he struggled to swallow a rather tasteless piece of nutrient load. With a swig of water, he said, ¡°Some of those smaller and less important missions fall onto the students of the academy. You are restricted to your level of ability, of course, but simple missions like heading to the surface and completing local missions or even heading to other planets are all possible.¡±


    At the mention of ability, Lancing asked, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed your power is around the level of Viscount so what are the typical missions you can take?¡±


    In response to his question, the difference in the duo¡¯s knowledge once again showed itself. ¡°Viscount? That term isn¡¯t much used nowadays as it is way too specific for such a low level. I¡¯m just assigned the rank of a third-level Trainee. As for what missions I can take, they are the usual creature exterminations, dungeon delves, and escorts. Nothing excessive for what I can feasibly do.¡±


    On this topic, Lancing and Elute discussed a little deeper. According to Lancing¡¯s understand, Lords, Barons, and Viscounts were magi of considerable strength, but in the eyes of the rest of the universe, they were all lumped together as Trainees. Counts to Marquis held the titles of Novice as they had truly taken the first step to power. Those ahead of them were labeled as Apprentice Magi and were equal to Dukes and the all-powerful Archdukes of Earth. Lancing also inquired about the rank his father occupied and Elute was surprised Lancing hailed from such a powerful mage. Although the antiquated terms of King and Emperor had long lost meaning, they still held power in most of the Minor World and would be well-off in the major ones. In terms of rank, they were described as Adept Magi. Lancing wondered how his father who showed god-like ability could only be at the rank of Adept, but he held his tongue for the moment.


    As the night dragged on, others began to leave the common room to rest for the night. Others would stay for the rest of the night as they had only awoken hours ago due to their off-cycle circadian rhythm, but the different races all had differing abilities when it came to energy expenditure and sleep. As for Lancing, he felt strangely exhausted after only being awake for these past few hours. Perhaps it was due to the enormous upheaval of all that Lancing knew, but his mental energy had run out of its reserves. He went back to the dormitory along with Elute who planned to meditate for a few hours. Lancing was envious towards the fact that elves only needed to relax to replenish energy compared to humans who had to undergo a long period of unconsciousness.


    Elute walked Lancing to the steps that separated half of the hallway the latter¡¯s room resided in. ¡°I enjoyed your company, Lancing. Hopefully, that cleared the air for you a little. We always try to help the Taken whenever possible, you poor bastards.¡± Once more, that pitiful expression took residency on Elute¡¯s face.


    Lancing felt uncomfortable at the thought that he was a pitiful creature so he merely gave a nod in response. Elute must have picked up on this as he turned to the side and put his first foot up the stairs, ¡°Then this is farewell for now. I¡¯ll see you around.¡± After walking a few steps more, he turned around to Lancing as if he forgot something and said, ¡°And do try not to die. I¡¯d hate to see another friend lost to Soldat.¡±


    With that, the elf left Lancing¡¯s vision as he moved further up the floors of the lodging building. The Prince mulled over the last few words they exchanged before heading back to his room. He almost forgot which room was his own as most were not decorated and had no indication of who lived in each room. After walking back into the pitch-black room, he went to one of the corners and laid once more on his back. The hard stone was cold beneath his body, but it was somewhat comforting in a way. He had a bad premonition about the coming few days, so he enjoyed this moment of solitude. Without any bedding or covers, Lancing¡¯s consciousness began to fade, slipping once more into another world.