ã€ŠTearha: Deck of Cloverã€‹


 Prologue: Epitaphs

    ¡°When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes, they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song and die like a hero going home.¡± - Tecumseh

    ¡°Lua! Lua!¡± The voice of her brother echoed through the house.

    She stood before her mirror, a tiny reflective thing that sat on a small wooden dresser. Light shone through the patterned oceanic weaves of her curtains, caressing the fishes of creases in the wooden walls. Her black vest hugged the white undershirt as she pulled the two sides together to close the jade buttons. Once done, she pulled the two onyx green-lined gloves onto her hands and up to her elbows. Finally, she smoothed the creases in her red and green-edged pleated skirt.

    ¡°Lua Orniter!¡± Her brother shouted again. Full name meant frustration. Full name meant being close to being chewed out. ¡°It''s the first day of the new school year! Don''t make us be late again!¡±

    ¡°Just a few more minutes!¡± She yelled back.

    She swept aside the left of her medium blonde hair, revealing her poking elf ears. On her dresser sat an ear clip patterned by a pair of emerald clover leaves layered to look like the wings of a butterfly. She took the clip to her ear where it played a role in holding back her hair. Her uniform was now set. Pristine, pressed and glancing. She was to be that. ''Best foot forward'' was what her parents used to say. The first day of school was calling her.

    ¡°Lua!¡±

    She winced. The first day sounded an awful lot like her brother.

    The only other furniture in he room was a bed. And on that bed waited a pair of sheathed swords connected by chains and leather straps. She slung one strap across her right shoulder and buckled its extension at her waist. With one final slip-on of her boots, she charged out of her room, ready for school.

    Down the old creaking stairs of her home and out the door into the Twins'' dawn light, the streets barely whispering its waking around her as the capitol of Aleynonlia started its day. Waiting outside their modest two stories wooden shophouse was her brother, short blond hair styled spiked and his uniform set to the same colour scheme as hers''. It was worn as a neat suit with black leather shoes shined to a mirrored perfection. He held a large round shield in his off-hand, a curved scabbard poking out the bottom edge. Her brother had gotten more of their mother, with his eyes the shining green known of wood elves while she inherited their father''s human blue. But they both had the same lesson. ''Best foot forward''.

    His eyes scrunched. ¡°It''s the new school year, Lua. I don''t want to be late for our first day. Again.¡±

    ¡°Quinton Orniter, will you relax?¡± she casually rebuffed. She looked to the sunrise barely peeking out above the eastern horizon. ¡°We have plenty of time. Besides, there''s that new kid who''s joining us. I bet he''s late too.¡±

    Quin huffed and adjusted his emerald cufflinks before turning away from her. He began walking north towards the castle as she chuckled and followed after her oversensitive brother.

    The Kingdom of Aleynonlia was held as the jewel of the world, and its capitol, the City of Aleynonlia, was the foremost metropolis of magic. Stone streets were sided with lines pulsing a soft yellow glow ¨C of conductive cryst wires ¨C all leading up to lamps of crystals shining a gentle white. As the siblings walked down the waking streets, the lamp lights started fading .The crystals held within the glass orbs slowly returned to their translucency, signalling the break of dawn. The trees that separated the middle of the roadway rustled with a rolling breeze. Bright flowers of yellows, reds, and pinks, fell with the first leaves of spring. Fresh seasonal scent whiffed by.

    Castle Hawkins watched over the city from its perch built into the side of Mount Riveria in the distance. The city''s outer walls were built to match the rotund ramparts of the castle, separating the city into three distinct districts. The outer district was where farms and expanses of lands were left to their devices; The inner city where the siblings lived was where residents and stores were bumbled into stone and wooden blurs; And the castle grounds were made for the army, royal extensions, and their school, the Spellblade Academy.

    ¡°Morning, spell-pups!¡±

    The siblings turned to see a man on a cart filled with varying produce. Corns, kentals, beans and baskets of what-nots. The farmer''s hair was ruffled and dirt brown like his stained shirt and pants.

    Lua greeted, ¡°Morning, Mister Ted.¡±

    Slowing down his cart, the man paced himself beside them. ¡°How many times must I tell you, girl? It''s just Ted. Mister makes me sound old.¡± She laughed and her brother chuckled. Ted continued, ¡°Heading off for school?¡±

    Her brother replied, ¡°Yes, sir. First day of our last year.¡±

    ¡°Well, how fortuitous of you then. I''m on my way to deliver some goods to the castle.¡± Ted gestured back to his cart. ¡°Last of the autumn beans for Adam. Climb on. I''ll give you two a lift.¡±

    They thanked the man for the offer and scrambled onto the side of the cart. The city roads were not overtly bumpy, though the rumbling stone texture still made for a slightly shaky ride with each of the horse''s hoofs clacking the stone. On the way, they passed shophouses opening their doors for the day and roadside stands pulling back blinds for business. They stopped by the central market, a large circular square with a common fountain ¨C decorated with stone statues of soldiers ¨C in the middle that supplied water to the district. Ted made a quick drop off of a basket of produce to a stall and bought a large bag of seeds on sale for one-five pence. Lua tilted her head to watch the man climb back onto his seat with weary huffs before they went on their way.

    The man scared her terribly, though not from fear brought forth by intimidation, but by sheer presence. Casually referring to the king as ''Adam'' was something not many could do, let alone a farmer given exclusive access to the castle grounds. Yet, the man was not imposing and offered little in way of size, with the only unique aspect about his built being his toned body from years of farm work. She was unclear what role the man played within the kingdom but was sure it was nothing to scoff at. But she was not surprised by that fact. Aleynonlia had been a gathering for the odd and powerful since the end of the second war.Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

    Ted began, ¡°Have you two heard the news about the Overseer?¡±

    Quin answered, ¡°About her death and Light''s overthrow?¡±

    ¡°Well, there''s that. But that''s not it. They discovered her last predictions. The last set of epitaphs she doled out before her death.¡±

    Quin huffed. ¡°I would pity for whoever gets assigned those titles. Titles that predicts your future? Epitaphs are basically death sentences.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Imagine it. People get epitaphs if they are destined to do something world changing. That kind of pressure just given to you, with or without your consent, is that not intimidating? The Jack Boot. Rolling Ones. The Walker. The kind of places and situations those people ended up in are nothing to laugh at. How many of them even live to die a natural death?¡±

    Ted answered, ¡°It''s not fixed, one''s destiny. Prophecies are vague for a reason. They focus on things that will happen rather than can. Things that won''t be changed within the normal course of things. Usually acts or events that will happen even if you knew about it or decide to intervene.¡±

    She replied, ¡°That sounds complicated.¡±

    ¡°It usually is.¡±

    She asked, ¡°How do you know so much?¡±

    ¡°Oh, well, I''m a farmer.¡±

    The man did not elaborate as they rode on towards the castle''s gates where they were allowed through the thick portcullis with a wave from the guards on the ramparts.

    Widely spaced large buildings littered the vast castle grounds. Twenty carts could fit on the broad roads with space leftover for a Titan''s foot. Conversely, having just a couple of nobles and soldiers walking around the premise made the space seemed even larger than life. The structures around them were grand works of architectures made from carved grey stones and dark wood. They stretched a field wide each and three floors tall, with cryst lines running up the sides of the walls, pulsing a dim vectored light that highlighted their edges. The cart pulled to a stop next to a gate-and-walled compound.

    Ted announced smoothly, ¡°Ping boong~ Ladies and gentlemen, you have reached your destination. Please unbuckle yourselves and alight in an orderly manner.¡±

    Quin asked, ¡°What was that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, just an in-joke. Now hurry on or you''ll be late.¡±

    The siblings waved the farmer off as he headed for the castle. They turned away from the road to enter their school.

    ¡°Must be nice...¡±

    The siblings jumped with a yelp, almost tripping over each others'' feet as they spun to face the new voice. Standing next to them was their fellow classmate. Dressed in a full black suit underneath impossibly dark short shorts and a cropped topped, she was like a walking shadow with her bunned onyx hair. Save for a swamp-green cloth belt and maroon sling pack, she would be unidentifiable in darkness. Her weapon of choice, a black metal four bladed shuriken twice the length of her arm was folded and hung by her belt as if weighing a feather.

    The girl ended softly, ¡°...having a ride.¡±

    ¡°Shit! Ishumi!¡± Lua almost yelled. ¡°You scared the circuits out of me!¡±

    Quin breathed deep to collect himself before asking, ¡°Why do you always sneak up on people like that?¡±

    Ishumi gave a shrug before nonchalantly walking through the large double oak doors of the school entrance. The siblings sighed and followed after her.

    Their steps echoed in the empty main hall. Undecorated and unexciting, the chamber had small doors to the sides that lead to the hallways of the rest of the building. To their left was the classrooms and labs while their right held chambers for teachers and dormitories for students who had no home in the city. The trio headed towards another large double door opposite the entrance which would lead out onto the school field. Though the door looked heavy, the master mechanics of Aleynonlia had made the joints sturdy enough that the weight of them were non-existent as they pushed smoothly outwards.

    As they stepped out onto the field, they were greeted by a fierce shout. ¡°Nato! Orniters! You''re late!¡±

    Quin ribbed his sister. ¡°Told you.¡±

    The voice came from Rehiy, the head of the 4th year students and one of the academy heads. He stood in the middle of the field with his wings tucked in, facing three distinct lines of students. Two of the classes were standing at attention in large groups of fifty. Backs straightened and fists clenched, their eyes notched to their peripherals and glanced at the newcomers with stings and barbs. Their uniforms were uniformed onyx with lines of green and innards of white. Their standardized weapons neatly sheathed. Models of perfection.

    Ishumi shrugged and the siblings waved an apology, actions which brought tongue clicks and scorned glares from their peers. They made a slow jog to the last class in the row, dwarfed by the rests at a small number of 11. Yet they stood out with their unconventional dressings and assorted signature weapons. The trio joined the line at the back and got casual waves from their classmates. An unfamiliar male stood with them which Lua suspected to be the new student. Sadly, he was not late as she had thought.

    ¡°Well,¡± Rihey raised his voice. His lean drakin body sifted naked as he breathed. While a brown leather tasset and maroon waist cloth covered his nethers, the rest of his navy blue scaled torso shimmered in the morning light with each movement. ¡°The morning briefing is over. So, congratulations, Orniters. Final year and you''re still late for the first day. Your record held.¡±

    ¡°Woo!¡± Lua cheered to chuckles from her classmates and groans from the rests.

    ¡°Yes, well, ''woo'' later. I''m not done with you yet.¡± Rehiy warned. ¡°Classes A and B, you have your schedules. Proceed to your respective lessons. Class C, I have something to say to you lot.¡±

    The two full classes saluted in unison, their arms tucking and sliding horizontally across their chests. After which, they drifted out of the field, whispers of possible punishments and reprimands for Class C made it to the latter ears.

    When all else had left, Rehiy began again. ¡°As some of you might know, the final predictions of the Overseers have been uncovered. And, they have been given to you.¡± An immediate following of hushed questions and inner befuddlement flowed through the class. The drakin held his claws up and the group quietened themselves. ¡°The king has decided to allow you knowledge of this and the school agreed. It is much better you hear it from us now than from other sources later, risking dangerous actions that I am sure can only be accomplished from individuals as unruly as yourselves. However, you are not to breathe a word of this until you have been further briefed later in the day.¡±

    Someone from the front of the line faked a muted sneeze and Lua did not need to guess it was from Joachim.

    Rehiy ignored the interruption and was about to reach for something from his back when a girl asked, ¡°Which one of us got the epitaph?¡±

    Rehiy paused. When drakins raised a brow, it looked intimidating instead of quizzical. Their flat snout curved their face into an almost scowl. ¡°I think you misunderstood, Four-Chan.¡±

    There was a sigh from the middle followed by a soft, ¡°It''s Fornelia Chantervalica.¡±

    The drakin took out and unrolled a scroll. ¡°You all got an epitaph.¡±

    It had been four years since the class had acted in unison. Ever since the welcoming ceremony, each of the student in Class C had behaved more or less as individuals, never in tandem or rehearsed synchronicity. It just was not their style. But at that moment, everyone froze and looked to Rehiy with bated breaths and martial similarity.

    ¡°Kingston Hox,¡± he read aloud. His eyes settled on the student in question. ¡°You are ''Thirteen''.¡± There was a shift from the familiar sharp brimmed hat at the front.

    Rehiy trudged on. ¡°Quinton Orniter. Your epitaph is ''Twelve''.¡±

    Lua exchanged glances with her brother. Her brother exchanged glances with Rehiy.

    ¡°Shjacky Loyard. You are ''Eleven''. And Ishumi Nato...¡±

    Ishumi made a barely noticeable twitch.

    ¡°''Ten''.¡±

    She expected half of the following as the pattern emerged.

    ¡°Enneya Devini. ''Nine''.¡±

    ¡°Shimona Zettai. ''Eight''.¡±

    ¡°Shichi Katayagi. ''Seven''.¡±

    ¡°Seks. ''Six''.¡±

    ¡°Pempe Byrne. ''Five''.¡±

    ¡°Fornelia Chantervalica.¡± Lua was sure that was the one time even Four-Chan did not want to hear her real name. ¡°Very aptly, ''Four''.¡±

    ¡°Trini Alquin. ''Three''.¡±

    ¡°Lua Orniter.¡± Her heart nearly punched its way out of her chest. ¡°''Two''.¡±

    ¡°Nossaral Unn.¡± The new student in front of her took a deep breath. ¡°''One''.¡±

    ¡°Joachim Kerr.¡± Rehiy kept the scroll to his side. ¡°Zero.¡±

 Chapter One: Guardian, Part One

    Auditorium shaped, the interior of their classroom was decorated with dark wood panelled walls and gleaming cryst lamps. The ceiling was made of limestones while the floor carpeted by red hatched green. Their school desks stretched to three a seat with twenty in rows of five. Windows that stretched from wall to wall lined the back, facing the inner wall of blackboard guarded by two doors. A far cry beautifully decorated interior from the drab outer grey stone walls.

    With only a class of fourteen, most of the seats were empty and they had no fixed sitting arrangements. That day, Quinton sat at the middle front, sharing a desk with his sister. It felt right for him to be close to her, given the hectic day. Ever since finding out about their epitaphs, all they had done as a class was attempt to figure out what it all meant. The one breakthrough their class had was that the future predicted would likely happen within the year, given that after that, they would no longer be in such close proximity for the numbers to matter.

    What helped them further was that Rehiy decided it was a good time to refresh their knowledge on epitaphs while they waited for a ''special guest'' to make an announcement of their situation.

    The drakin teacher recited, ¡°The Overseers were a group that had the magical ability of precognition, the ability to see the future. However, the future is messy, and as such, seers often only see the future in glimpses through mediums, such as dreams, paintings, or in this case, name titles.¡±

    Quinton watched his sister stifle a yawn. She was a certified prodigy. An individual capable of learning almost anything instantaneously, she excelled at combat arts and studies, and could have easily skipped her years in the academy should she have applied herself. But she preferred to relax, to make her way slowly in the world and leaving a lasting impression with her constant presence.

    ''Given time'', was what she said.

    It was a reference to her capabilities. Because of how easy it was for her to learn new things, she wanted to take in the rest of the world slowly and at peace. If their parents had been alive, they would have pushed her for further education, and he had the feeling she knew that, hence her willing to take life lacking.

    He gave her a nudge at her yawn. She smiled back, waved sheepishly away his concern and returned her attention to the class.

    ¡°While we do not know much about them, we do know the accuracy and specificity of a prediction is dependent on the power of the seer. The stronger the seer, the more precise and detailed they are,¡± Rehiy continued, reading from a book on the subject. ¡°As for the predictions themselves, they are mysterious in their own rights, though they operate within their own rules.¡±

    It was his job as her only guardian to make sure she gets where she needed to go. Even though he was older than her by just a few minutes, she was his responsibility. His everything. He was not as talented, skilled, or smart as her, and as such, his only duty was to make sure she could be anything she wanted and to help her find her happiness.

    He had planned their entire year. Weekly extra training to improve her combat performances along with longer hours in the school library to further boost her already capped grades. And he was planning on getting a part-time job to help pay for additional remedial lessons needed.

    Now, with the epitaphs, his timetable had been thrown into disarray. He had to figure out what the epitaphs meant, and how to work around it after. He hated when things did not go according to plan.

    ¡°For one thing, predictions are not able to count. Anything specific, such as competition victory, order of death, and ranking of strength, has never been done before. The ability to simply alter these outcome makes them a paradox to predict. Therefore, most predictions are vague about a large, general event or events that will happen regardless of any mid scale interference.¡±

    Quinton did a quick scan of the room and all of his classmates gave the same reaction of confusion mixed anxiety. The question seemed to float in speech bubbles above everyone''s head. If counting is not something that predictions can do, then what was the meaning behind the numbering of their epitaphs?

    He did not like it. There were too many unknown variables out of his grasp of control. Most epitaphs had a situation which ''announced'' the beginning of the greater event, such as ''Cold Fusion''s'' discovery of extreme low temperature crystal manufacturing which created the cryst substance they used today.

    But their epitaphs were numbers in no particular order. Joachim Kerr''s number of Zero drew attention at first, with some of the class thinking it might have a connection with his muteness. But his translator, Ishumi, was far off at Ten. The new kid, Nossaral Unn, had the number One, which cleared their suspicion that they were arranged by seniority. Pempe was the class de-facto ''leader'', but he was placed at Five, and Kingston, the vice, was last at Thirteen. Though what really set Quinton off was how far apart he and his sister was. Number Two and Twelve. He worried that whatever happened, he would not be able to have his sister''s back, and that scared him more than any uncertainty.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

    ¡°And that concludes the bas¨C¡± Before Rehiy could finish, there was a knock on the door. ¡°Ah, that''s the guest. Class, do get on your feet to greet them.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lua asked nonchalantly. ¡°We don''t even greet you, and you''re our teacher.¡±

    Rehiy replied while crossing the room. ¡°You''re just lucky I got used to it. But you would want to greet our guest.¡±

    He opened the door and outside stood a human man in a casual set of silver lined leaf tunic and black pants. The man had half a stone cape draped over his right shoulder and his neat shortened hair flickered dark scales in the light. His eyes were the gentle green of morning dew, though with the echo of a sailing path.

    Following close behind was a hume woman. Her long grey hair bounced in two neat curly ponytails like the end of a twin tailed fox. She had a stride that boast an uncomfortable amount of confidence and showed a woman at calm ways with the world. Her strapless one piece dress had the shade of maroon, slowly fading through into a green at the edges, the cloth ending split at her shin at the start of the straps of her dress sandals.

    For a moment, the class stared blankly, as if waiting for the punchline to a joke. Then, they shot to their feet, saluting with their right arm cutting across their chests.

    ¡°King Adam!¡± the class greeted.

    The king waved them down. ¡°Settle. No need for formalities here.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Lua asked, almost immediately. Rehiy shot her a deathly glance.

    But the king merely smiled. ¡°Why what?¡±

    Quinton watched as a rare shadow of nervousness dawn over his sister''s face. He already knew that her question was one asked out of uncontrolled curiosity, and she was slightly regretting asking it.

    Nevertheless, she continued, ¡°Why should we not be formal with you?¡±

    ¡°That''s lovely,¡± Adam turned to the woman with him with a grin. ¡°Isn''t that lovely, Mary? They''re rebellious. Oh, I''ve never been rebellious before. Well, I have, given that I did assassinate the previous king. But not like this. No. This is proper rebelliousness. Teenage rebelliousness. I like it. It means you are all growing up fine, finding your own stance in the world to protect. We''re just here to guide you on finding what best defines you righteousness.¡±

    The lady named Mary explained in a joyed tone, ¡°Adam, and by extension, myself, do not quite like the formality royalty brings. With people of trust, we prefer to be candid.¡±

    The king, however, was not entirely listening. Instead he spoke to the class. ¡°What about other classic teenage traits? Tell me, class, which one of you have the most angst?¡±

    The class collectively pointed to Quinton. Even Nos, who had been with them for less than half a day was doing so.

    ¡°Really?¡± Quinton voiced out.

    ¡°Brother, you are really tense sometimes,¡± Lua answered, her finger meekly pointing across her chest at him.

    ¡°Young man,¡± the king approached him. ¡°Angst is good. It means you are thinking. It means you can see problems. If you have no angst, you lived life with no worries. You will grow up, failing to see issues with the world at large. So, a question, what is the issue here?¡±

    He realized the inflection of the king was referring to their epitaphs. Something was wrong with their epitaphs that required further examination. Quinton wondered if it was one of the points he had came up with before, but concluded the king would not ask such a simple question. From what he had heard of the man, King Adam Law was, if not anything else, wicked smart.

    ¡°It''s...¡± he began, but held his tongue as he racked his brains for something more. ¡°Why us?¡± he concluded.

    The man smiled. ¡°Very good. Yes.¡± He stood to height and proceeded to stand before the class. He gestured for everyone to seat and after a bow from the students, they returned to their seats. He continued, ¡°Why you? Four batches of Class C before you, and honestly, while you are the largest this class has ever gotten, being given an epitaph is no small event that flies out to the mundane.¡± He leaned his sitting against the corner of the teaching desk, folding his arms as his face took a serious expression which showed his standing as the leader of a country. ¡°Class C is unique. Always has been. But something about the fourteen of your stands out from even the extraordinary. Something that only the fourteen of you will do that none of your peers before or after you will. While we do not know what that is, so long as you are studying here, it is the responsibility of this academy, and by extension, the institute and royals, to ensure your safety.¡±

    Mary stepped up beside the king. ¡°Sik Rehiy along with the other heads of the academy has been briefed about your situation. Your Spellblade badges along with your class identifications has also been informed to every head of the Alliance. Aleynonlia''s Guardblades, Jarad''s Sand Riders, Nugohs'' Ryukenshins, Drakspires Dragoons, and Rubicum''s Rangers. The elite fighting forces of these countries have agreed to assist you fully should you need it with just a flash of your badge.¡±

    A wave hit them. Quinton felt nauseated. Looking around, his classmates'' expressions ranged from excited to constipated. What was happening? Had they really just been handed assistance to the greatest combat forces in the world by the King of Aleynonlia himself?

    Mary added, ¡°This is in no way a light matter. Such mass assignment of epitaphs in such an organized manner has never happened before. Maybe a pair or three, but never fourteen. I understand if you wish to withdraw from school for this, but know that it would unlikely help. Predictions are made on what will happen, regardless of selective choices. Without foresight, we cannot change the outcome with any accuracy. With the resources we can provide, your best option might be to stay and continue school life as per usual, as normally as you can, while we investigate into this.¡±

    The king said, ¡°Take your time to make your decisions. So long as you are with the academy, you are protected. I am truly sorry for this. I had hoped for all of you to have as normal a school life as possible. But know that epitaph holders usually change the world with great discoveries, killing of gods, starting and ending wars, or destroying empires. We must assume that each epitaph holder has a future or current capability of at least toppling a country. And mind you, there are fourteen of you, and only eleven nations to go around.¡±

 Chapter Two: Guardian, Part Two

    Quinton watched from across the cafeteria as his sister queued for dinner. While they could have returned home and had a better meal outside, the Orniter twins mostly ate at the school as a way to save money. Aside from them, most of the other students that were there were those we stayed in the dormitory as they either had no home or were from outside Aleynonlia. The cafeteria was surprisingly busy for the time of night. Most of his classmates who ate there had already retreated to their dormitories, while others left the school grounds to partake in the city''s nightlife. Yet, there were still strands of students moving in and out of the place. Chatter rising around the tables.

    A girl with long, neatly combed brunette hair, approached his table. She walked with a straight, lacy gait, squeezed into a fitting black dress straddled by a dark green shawl that enhanced her water teal eyes. Her dress shoes were bright red to go with her lips. Her face was smooth and blemish free in a way that shone a natural beauty unmarked by deep or prolonged make-up. Quinton thumped his chest once to give him strength.

    ¡°It''ll get really creepy soon,¡± Shjacky Loyard sat down beside him with her tray of food, brushing a strand of brown out of her face. ¡°You, always staring at your sister, yeah?¡±

    He choked slightly. ¡°I-I''m just watching over her.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know. But not everyone will know that. They''ll think you''re a creep, and that you and your sister have a thing.¡± Shjacky took a bite from her omelette. Her face twisted into inscrutability. ¡°Not bad for school food... I think.¡±

    When a pair of students neared his sister, he began to get to his feet but was stopped by Shjacky who pulled him back down by the arm.

    ¡°Calm down,¡± she told him. The students passed his sister without any commotion. ¡°Geez, I''m starting to think that you really do have thing with Lua.¡±

    ¡°We do have a thing,¡± Quinton answered. ¡°She''s my sister, I''m her brother. I''m supposed to be watching over her.¡±

    ¡°Not literally, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Eh.¡± He ate from his plate, chewing unconsciously. ¡°Well, whatever.¡±

    He never minded what people said about him. He knew many who could not get along even a quarter as well with their siblings as he did. It took a certain level of maturity and understanding from both parts, yet retaining the childishness they grew up with. He was very proud of his sister for being all of those things.

    As he watched, two students from Class A which he recognized as Philla and Dolf approached the line. Instinctively, he stood up. Shjacky did not stop him that time and even got up with him. They moved quickly as Philla and Dolf got to Lua.

    They heard the thin hume Dolf say as they approached, ¡°¡­you should just head home. There''s enough of your type around here.¡± They heard Dolf say as they approached.

    Philla, a thick muscled human girl added, ¡°Come on, chop chop. You''re in the way.¡±

    She laid her hand on Lua''s shoulder and shoved the girl back a step with her strength. When Lua refused to move further, Philla scrunched her face, annoyed, and reached out to push again. Quinton stretched and with a vice grip, caught Philla''s wrist before the latter could make contact.

    He growled, ¡°My sister may be too kind to fight back, but if you lay a hand on her again, I''ll cut that arm of yours off.¡±

    ¡°Brother!¡±

    Dolf laughed, noticing him unarmed. ¡°With what? Your finger?¡±

    The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Quinton replied without inflection, grazing Dolf with a cold stare.

    He could feel the shiver than ran down Philla''s arm, and could see Dolf''s eyes flicker with uncertainty.

    ¡°Now, now!¡± Shjacky clapped her hands for attention as she finally joined. ¡°Let''s not start anything in school. We don''t really want to be expelled or anything.¡±

    ¡°Tsk!¡± Philla snapped and drew her hand back once Quinton released her. ¡°Let''s go, Dolf.¡±

    ¡°Before that,¡± Shjacky added as the pair turned to leave. ¡°Why not have a little bet?¡±

    Lua worriedly exclaimed, ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°What? It''s just a little fun thing.¡±

    Dolf snapped a question. ¡°What''s the bet?¡±

    ¡°Fufufu,¡± Shjacky laughed her conniving laughter which sent a shadow of forebode down Quinton''s spine. ¡°We''ll be having our inter-class combat training tomorrow. Why don''t you two duel Quinton here during the two on two training, and if you win, these lovely siblings will stop eating dinner here.¡±

    ¡°H-hey...¡± Lua muttered. ¡°Let''s not get hasty or anything.¡±

    Philla ignored Lua and continued, ¡°What if we lose?¡±

    Quinton finished, ¡°You leave us alone.¡±

    He knew what Shjacky was doing. Always going off on her own pace, dragging people into her games. She had never once asked him what he wanted, just forcing what she thought was best. It''s what he thought was the best and worst about her. But at that moment, he was thankful.

    Dolf huffed. ¡°Sure! Class A versus Class C. It''ll be cake.¡±

    Classes A, B, and C. Students were assigned to them by their compatibility and scores during the entrance exams. Those who traditionally scored the highest were assigned to Class A. Despite that, most of the assignments seemed to have been based off the objective tests, which was agreed to be the hardest possible. Throughout the years, the students were allowed to retake the entrance exams to be reassigned with different scores, as one of their classmates did the year before. The general consensus in school weren''t much of a secret. Class A was stronger than Class B, and the both of them were leagues above C. Or so it was supposedly ranked.

    With that in mind, Quinton stepped up and announced, ¡°I''m in.¡±

    There were varying looks of shock and surprise from everyone. Lua looked uncomfortable at the notion of her brother fighting. Dolf and Shilla were confused at his confident. Even Shjacky was amazed at the speed in which he agreed to her plan.

    But he knew his skills. He knew what he can and cannot do. And he knew the system. The way their classes were ranked may have their strengths taken into consideration, but that was not the only thing to be marked. Intellect, wisdom, dexterity, endurance, agility, creativity, and sociability. Against two hot-headed, violence prone individuals like Dolf and Shilla, he was more than confident of his capabilities to fight them.

    ¡°Fine!¡± Dolf finally replied. ¡°During the two-on-twos, you and one of your other lacks against me and Shilla. If it means never having to see your two mugs here again, I''d be more than happy to feed your asses for free.¡±

    Shilla then stepped back, and with two rude gestures from them, they stepped out of the line and headed out of the cafeteria. Quinton hoped he had managed to make them lose their appetite and a darker part of him hoped they would accidentally lock themselves in their room and starve to death.

    ¡°Pretty awesome of you,¡± Shjacky said, putting an arm around him. He blushed slightly, uncomfortable at the close contact.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± Lua folded her arms disapprovingly, her tone oozing with sarcasm. ¡°Very ''awesome''.¡±

    ¡°You couldn''t expect me to stand by and not do anything.¡±

    ¡°Something, sure. But picking a fight for my ''honour''? Very post war age of you.¡±

    Shjacky let him go and patted Lua on the head as one would with a baby sister. ¡°Well, what''s done is done. Now we have to figure out who will be his dance partner for tomorrow, yeah?¡±

    ¡°Isn''t it obvious?¡± Lua stated. ¡°Of course his partner will be me!¡±

    ¡°Me!¡±

    The two girls crossed glares. ¡°I''m his sister, and the best fighter of the class.¡±

    ¡°Well I''m his best friend. We have great chemistry and teamwork. And I''m...¡± She stroke a sensual pose, hands to a waist and hips to the side. She gave a thin smile and wisped, ¡°...stylish!¡±

    ¡°You''re saying I''m not stylish? I have styles in spades!¡± She twirled on her feet and tried to copy Shjacky''s pose, only to trip slightly on her spin and ending up with a forced grin of a smile. ¡°See? Stylish.¡±

    ¡°Actually,¡± he interrupted. ¡°I was thinking of asking Shichi.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± the two exclaimed.

    ¡°He''s got combat experience, and he knows how to fight at range and cover backs.¡±

    Lua exclaimed, ¡°I can cover backs!¡±

    ¡°No, sis. You''re more of a... very accurate cannon. And Shjacky...¡± He looked to her uncertainly. ¡°Straightforward fights aren''t really your thing.¡±

    The latter shrugged with a understanding smile. ¡°I get that. Also, a good win like this might help Shichi with his image problems.¡±

    Lua was noticeably upset, but sighed in defeat. ¡°Fine. Sure. I''ll ignore that offhanded insult about me being a cannon, as long as you win.¡±

    He muttered under his breath, ¡°It wasn''t offhanded.¡±

    ¡°What did you say!¡± she exclaimed.

    She jumped on his back, pretending to choke him for his offence. She laughed, and Shjacky laughed, and he faked choking as he half-heartedly tried to throw her off his back. Those were the days he wanted to protect. The casual, soft-toned lazy days where his sister smiled throughout, even if it meant riding on his back for the rest of their lives.

 Chapter Three: Guardian, Part Three

    ¡°Lua!¡± A young Quiton ran through the streets, yelling his sister''s name. His shirt was torn at places, bloodied with red that was not his at sleeves and collar.

    Mushrooms of debris erupted across the city. Black and grey smoke rose from every other corner, twisting into an onyx cloud that hung above, blotting out the light of the Twins. The city was screaming as the unspawns ¨C ethereal creatures from the world between worlds ¨C rampaged through.

    ¡°Quin?¡± a feeble voice shook around the corner.

    He rushed past the alley and found his sister huddled around the nook, tears streaming down her eyes. Quickly, he pulled her to her feet and gave a quick hug of relief.

    ¡°We need to go,¡± he warned. ¡°Everyone''s running to the castle grounds.¡±

    ¡°W-Where''s mom and dad?¡± she sobbed.

    He did not answer. Instead, he held her at arm''s length to look her in the eyes. ¡°We have to go,¡± he insisted.

    She sniffed through soaked eyes and gave a apprehensive nod. He took her hand and ran, guiding her through the chaotic cityscape. Screams erupted from the market and a wall of lava exploded out into the sky from the far central. The Clovers were fighting in the square and he decided not to be anywhere near the battle. Instead, he circled around the industrial district, footsteps echoing into the caverns of abandoned workshops and emptied shophouses.

    ¡°Look! Kids!¡±

    The siblings turned to see a group of people across the street who yelled for them to follow. They did, happy to once again be amongst the living. The group ran through the last section of the industrial area. Then, one of the leading man was swept off his feet and flung across and into the wall, where he slumped do the ground, unmoving safe for the flow of blood.

    Some screamed. But everyone panicked.

    The unspawns were sheer creatures, near transparent in nature. It was as if glass had taken a liquid form and morphed into distorted beings. The one that stood before them was as large as a house and had what seemed to be spider-like legs that shifted between the numbers of them from dozens to more than enough. A large hammer-shaped arm and a arcing torso defined its body. Like the rest of its species, it made no sound in its movements safe for the disturbance of physical matter.

    The group started to retreat, running away from the beast. Quin turned to follow but only saw another mob of unspawns lumbering in from behind.

    He felt his right shoulder heat up and saw the light emitting through his torn clothes as he charged a spell. It seemed the only way to go was through. He refused to allow anything to happen to his sister.

    He held out his hand in preparation to attack. At that moment, a barrage of white energy shot down from above at an angle, blasting the front-most creature like pattering rain in a thunderstorm, digging a dent into the streets with micro explosions that rocked their eardrums.

    Lua screamed and Quinton covered her from the blast. By the time the dust had settled, the unspawn that stood in their way had been vaporized, leaving a clear path forward over the shelled street. Standing on the rooftop opposite, a short-haired brunette with a bow stood at the ready.

    The woman shouted, ¡°Quickly! Run! I''ll cover your retreat.¡±

    The twins and the survivors made little effort to hide their thanks as they made a dash for it. Quinton slowed behind, turning to watch their saviour engage the attacking horde. From the corner of his eyes, he saw the faint distortion of light of an unspawn sneaking up behind the woman. He stopped running, turned, and threw the ball of energy he had been charging at the creature. The missile arced across the air before exploding in the face of the beast, dealing not enough damage but more than enough distraction.

    The woman turned at the blast. At first disoriented, she quickly gained composure of the situation. From her back, she drew an energy dagger and proceeded to dice the ambusher with lightning steps and furious flurries of cuts.

    As the creature dissipated, she crossed eyes with Quinton. She gave a smile and a nod of thanks before running off out of sight across the rooftops, her rain of energy arrows bombarding the enemies from where unseen.

    ***

    Not everyone was born to play the part of the hero, and Quinton knew that fact innately. He had never wanted to be the main star in the play. Even as a child, he preferred to be the tree, or servant sent to fetch the sword for the knight. To him, those were the real stars, for they were the characters that everyone could relate to and needed. The background and the passerbys that literally covered the world and made it spin.

    The afternoon spring was a comfortable cooling warm, with the light of the Twins serenading the students in heat. Quinton stirred out of the nap he had. The sound of clashing weapons rang throughout the stadium. To their left, Classes A and B sat in their part of the stands. On the field itself, Two figures duelled on the holographic projection battlefield.

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    He checked the sheen of his sword for the umpteenth time that day, drawing it from its scabbard and sheathing it back again. He wanted to be like his weapons. The round shield named Passerbys which doubled as his scabbard, and the katana called Tree that was kept within, a protector of person and blade. He would support from the back, and do his part to push forward the true heroes. In his eyes, that was his sister, and to an extend, the rest of his class.

    Shichi Katayagi sat beside him on the bleachers, the latter''s long artillery scythe leaning against his shoulder. Out of their entire class, Shichi and Quinton had the least amount of modifications made to their school dressing. Aside from leaving his black shirt unbuttoned, his inner maroon shirt untucked, and a silver chain dangling out of his pants pocket, Shichi wore the standard school uniform with just his personality showing. His onyx hair was long and unkempt, though not out of laziness, but from an acquired dejection. Quinton knew that like himself, Shichi also wanted normalcy, but had never managed to achieve it. And despite always showing himself as carefree, Quinton knew his friend never really got over the rejection from society.

    Shichi asked, ¡°You sure you want me to be on your team? Sounds like you''ve staked quite a bit on it.¡±

    From the far end of their bench, Shjacky had caught sight of Quinton''s nap. She playfully pulled her eyes open with her fingers. Wake up! He visualized her saying.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Quinton replied to Shichi. ¡°You and me are gonna do this. You know you want to.¡±

    Shichi laughed. ¡°Yes. I really, really want to. Maybe we can rub their faces in the dirt after the match. Literally in the dirt. Alright. I have your back.¡±

    They bumped fists to seal the deal.

    The sparring match ended, with Class A''s fighter claiming the win against Class B''s. The course resettled itself, the cyan holograms vanishing from the courts, leaving two sets of empty stone floors in the middle of a grassy field. The stone courts had eight large crystals at each corners, all glowing the same gentle cyan of the holograms.

    Rehiy, who had been standing at the side of the field with one of the two crystal operators, stepped forward and said in a booming voice, ¡°Alright. It seems we have enough energy in the crystals for one more fight. Let''s have paired combat. Class A against Class C. Two volunteers.¡±

    Quinton confidently got to his feet while Shichi grunted to stand. They looked over their shoulders and watched as Shilla and Dolf stood from Class A''s side.

    Quinton said, ¡°Less talking.¡±

    ¡°More fighting,¡± Shichi finished.

    They moved to the stairs and began their walk down. Shichi had his large scythe slung over his shoulder, a weapon so obstructive that Kingston had to dodge a slight at his head on the way down. Quinton took a look back to his class, crossing glance with his sister in the front row, who waved at him with a happy smile. He waved back before turning his attention to the battle ahead. The pair along with their opponents walked up to their instructors.

    Rehiy said, ¡°Rules are simple. Anything goes. We''ll pull up the mag-net so you''re free to use ammunitions. As usual, be careful of friendly fire. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yes, Sik!¡±

    The combatants took the stage. Class A took the far end of the left court, while Class C took the closer right. The eight crystals, each the size of a man, glowed cloud white before slowly turning cyan. A scan of light emitted from them, analysing the battlefield. Once done and a burst of murky white later, a mirror image of the opposing court was projected. Quinton looked to Shichi, who smiled. The latter took out a round for his cannon from a pack at the back of his waist and loaded it into his weapon in anxious anticipation.

    Opposite them, Holo-Shilla wielded a two-pronged claymore, with the rear blade longer than the front. Dolf had a simple longbow with a quiver angled at the back of his waist. His right forearm was covered in a metal gauntlet.

    A glow of teal white energy surrounded them as mana domes formed around each court to prevent their ammunitions from firing out of the battlefield.

    The crystal operators stood one at the side of each court. Their hands placed on two poles that jutted out of the ground. One provided a constant source of seither to them, the other, receive the projection spell casted. Together, their visual of the fight would be sent to the projection crystal, which would replicate the battle down to the best of its entirety, including the force of impact up to but before the point of wounding. The technology was the most advance technology in the world, the prototypes only available to the Spellblade Academies of Rubicum and Aleynonlia.

    Rehiy raised his hands. ¡°Ready!¡±

    They got into their stances. Quinton held his shield just slightly to the side, sword still sheathed within. Shichi moved to stand behind him. On the opposite end, Dolf notched an arrow and Shilla forgo defences and readied to charge.

    ¡°Set!¡±

    Theatres had a tendency to prolong battles, dragging them into the dozens of minutes. But a real fight is rarely so attrition based. If two fighters of equal strength clashed head-to-head, there would be only 4 possible outcome. Victory, defeat, draw in life, and draw in death. If surviving is the goal, than there is only a 50% chance of success. And that chance decrease with each contact of weapons. By the fifth swing of a sword, there is just slightly higher than 3% chance of claiming the win.

    ¡°Fight!¡±

    Dolf fired a quick shot at Quinton, twirls of fire wrapping around the arrowhead. Quinton pulled his shield up, covering himself from the punch of the arrow simulated by the hard-light hologram as holographic flames skittered across his sides. From the edge of his shield, he saw Shilla''s sword raise into the air and he buckled himself into the ground, raising his shield further. She struck at the defender and he felt his feet slid back an inch from the force. Quickly he attempted to lower his shield only to find the prongs of her claymore caught on the protrusion of his scabbard, preventing him from moving. He looked up and Dolf had drawn another arrow.

    From behind, Shichi''s Scythe sliced sideways towards Shilla, forcing her to jump back and releasing her hold of his shield. The scythe hit the side of his shield and stopped with a forced clang. He pushed back, helping to aim the barrel of the artillery cannon at the tip of the scythe at Dolf. Even from the hologram, he could see Dolf taken a step aback. Shichi sucked an air of kiss and from the corner of his eyes, Quinton watch his partner pull the trigger.

    The blast recoiled the scythe back into his shield and Quinton stood his ground despite another heavy impact. The cannon shell flew straight over the short distance and Dolf tried to duck out of the way. But the shell exploded his feet and they watched as Dolf''s hologram disappeared as it was launched out of the boundary of the court.

    Behind them, their classmates cheered.

    Shilla''s hologram turned its head and the pair turned to the real Shilla in her court glaring at them. ¡°How?¡± she screamed. ¡°How could you beat us?¡±

    ¡°I wondered that myself,¡± Quinton replied. ¡°Since technically we are ranked by our tests, we should have lost to you, wholesale. Then I realized, you''re just missing something. Something that I have in spades.¡±

    He stood to gait and confidently strolled towards Shilla who began to back off. ¡°What''s that?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Purpose,¡± he answered.

    ¡°What nonsense is that?¡±

    He stopped five steps away from her, just out of the reach of her weapon. He placed a hand on his katana and took a draw stance. Shilla held her claymore up defensively like a polearm.

    Quinton explained, ¡°You could have bullied me instead if you wanted your ego high. You could have even went after Shichi.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± his friend exclaimed.

    Quinton ignored him. ¡°But you went after my sister...¡±

    He lowered his stance and sent a surge of energy through his weapon. He could feel the kinetic force of Dolf''s arrow, Shilla''s strike, and Shichi''s recoil, all broiled up into pure energy. It was his personal special trick. To take kinetic energy done to his shield, store them, and unleash them back at his opponents.

    ¡°...and I will do anything to protect her.¡±

    With his thumb, he pushed his katana out of its sheathe. With his right hand he drew his sword, a bright trace of swirling white energy following it out of its bastion. He swung it in an upwards arc. Shilla raised her weapon to block. But the wave of energy that fired from the blade slashed vertically tall, overwhelming her and cutting into the sky as if a stairway leading into greatness.

 Chapter Four: Katayagi, Part One

    Shichi Katayagi watched as the dome barriers and hologram crystals faded from power. On the court opposite, Shilla and Dolf were knocked out of the ring and were just beginning to get on their feet, nursing their wounds. Quinton was walking back towards the stands.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Shichi raised. ¡°Good job.¡±

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Quinton replied. ¡°Couldn''t have done it without you, my friend.¡±

    He wondered if that was true. Quinton had a way with the sword, a focus that Shichi found himself lacking in a fight. He was always too focused on the big picture. the greater battlefield before them, and was often reckless.

    As he watch Quinton head back to his seat, the stadium raised in light cheers from across the classes, the loudest being their own. Even some of the more hard-headed of Class A and B were begrudgingly clapping their hands at the victory. Shichi sighed and began his way back. The moment he stepped off the court, the mood turned. The claps from their rival classes died and all eyes turned on him. A cough. A jeer.

    Boos erupted across the two classes. The students were livid, jumping to their feet with wild swings of vulgar gestures and words as they remembered who they were dealing with. The adrenaline of watching the fight had worn off quicker than Shichi expected. The emptiness of the stadium meant that the downpour of insults echoed around as if the whole world was joining in.

    ¡°Die! Katayagi!¡±

    A rock flew through the air at him. But due to the distance, it did nothing more than clatter at his feet. Rehiy stepped up beside him, and in a bellowing voice, roared a dragon''s roar that quelled the noise and caused birds to take off from the rafters for the safety of the skies.

    The drakin bellowed, ¡°Whoever threw that rock is now suspended, understood? I will have none of this infighting. You are meant to work as a unit, not this imprudent pack!¡±

    For a moment, the threat worked. There were downtrodden looks of regrets from dark faces. Then, someone drew up enough courage and stupidity and started to jeer. The rest of the students gathered their guts and followed. Shichi could see the veins in Rehiy''s head bulging. Before the drakin could say anything, Shichi stopped his teacher.

    ¡°There''s no point,¡± he said, just loud enough for Rehiy to hear. ¡°It''s the name. Imagine someone with your last name who inadvertently caused the death of millions of people. Would you forgive yourself?¡±

    ¡°Drakins don''t have last names, boy,¡± Rehiy reminded.

    ¡°Right...¡±

    ¡°Though that''s not the point.¡± The jeering was raising louder as more of Class B and C caught the guts. ¡°One should not be punished for the acts of their ancestors. I will settle with these clowns.¡±

    ¡°It''s okay.¡±

    ¡°How are you satisfied with this?¡± Rehiy asked.

    ¡°I''m not,¡± Shichi replied. ¡°But it''s not all that bad.¡±

    ¡°Woo!¡± the cheer was loud enough that the jeering quietened. ¡°Go! Shichi!¡±

    Class C got on their feet, clapping and cheering loud enough that the adulations soon drowned out the insults. He loved his class, more so than he will ever admit aloud. It was the only place where he ever felt normal, unburdened by the weight of his name. Even at home he was constantly reminded of the cost of his name. But there, with his fellows, he was just Shichi Katayagi, guy with a awesome giant scythe.

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    He smiled and told Rehiy, ¡°Sometimes, it''s bearable.¡± He began walking back to his class.

    Katayagi. The name of the infamous Suho Katayagi. He was Shichi''s great grandfather and one of the key figures in the First War of Gods. He incited the Nugohs Civil War right before the onset of the War of Gods. His aggressive tactics and refusal to step away from the Civil War caused the lives of countless Nugohnians and indirectly contributed to the gods gaining a foothold on Tearha. Many blamed him for the escalation of the war, the millions of deaths, and the genocides of sentinels, dwarfs and lizardkins that followed.

    But even as time passed, the populace never forgave Suho. The name of Katayagi became household for evil, greed, and selfishness. Being called a Katayagi was the worst insult one could use. Never in history had one man been assigned with the amount of blood on hands that Suho Katayai did. And over 200 years later, Shichi inherited his name. Their family was systematically chased out of their ancestral home and town. Eventually, Shichi and his immediate family made their way to Aleynonlia where they settled for their second chance.

    And that was who he forever was in the eyes of the public. Shichi Katayagi, the great grandson of Suho Katayagi, the man who started the war and killed millions with his pride.

    He returned to his class, sitting down beside Nossaral Unn, the new student. Unlike most of their classmates whose dress sense coloured their motley crew, Nos was much like Shichi, in that his casual uniform was modest, though still different from the standard uniforms given like the ones Shichi and Quin wore. At the academy, students were allowed to customise their dressing, so long as they adhered to the maroon, green, and black colour code of their school that made them identifiable.

    Nos had a dark grey hoodie over a plain maroon shirt. Deep black pants reached swamp green shoes. It was a painful sight to behold. The dark dressing contrasted brightly with his fair skin which further darkened to black in his eyes and short buzz hair. An even greater disconnect between the new student and the class was his weapon of choice, which dangled from his belt. While the rest of the class wielded variations of combined arms from Shichi''s artillery-scythe to Quinton''s shield-sheathe, Nos simply had a one-handed punch dagger.

    ¡°Is this how it always is with you?¡± Nos asked.

    ¡°Not always. Most of the times, I''m being chased by beautiful women.¡± Shichi replied.

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Nos''s face was unflinching, holding both disinterest and feigned interest in a perfect balance.

    Shichi found his new classmate odd. Though it had only been two days, Nos had not made an effort to speak to anyone unless spoken to or with questions already on his mind. Shichi had thought it might be due to nerves and had opened up conversations from time to time, but quickly found Nos to be too confident in manners to be nervously breaking down from meeting new people. His only conclusion was that Nos simply wanted to be alone.

    Which was fine with Shichi. He had no real need to expand his circle of friends. After all, Nos would only be with them for that one year before they would graduate and go their separate ways. Even with the rest of his classmates who were open-minded to begin with, it took them a while before they could fully disassociate themselves with the norms of ''Katayagi''.

    ¡°You know...¡± Nos began, much to Shichi''s surprise. It was unlike him to make small talk. ¡°I never much like the name Katayagi.¡±

    Shichi felt a pinch of annoyance. ¡°Is that right?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It''s much too plebeian for a shorthand of evil. I would chosen something more attas.¡±

    Shichi sat quietly, stunned. He wondered if the willingness to forgive was a trait shared by all his classmates. Perhaps it was what settled them as the odd class out in the first place. And if so, he was unsure what he was doing in Class C. He had never forgiven the name Katayagi. Too him, that name had caused too much pain to be deserving of any form of kindness.

    Rehiy returned to the front of the field, standing before the classes which had largely quietened down. The drakin wore a rare scowl on his face, further drawn by the hard scales of his species to resemble that of a near monstrous anger.

    ¡°Disgraceful!¡± his voice boomed. ¡°Is this the best of the next generation of Spellblades? If so, you are disgusting. Is this how you uphold the legacy of the Clovers? With bigotry?¡±

    There was a moment where frustration, anger and reflection hung equally in the air. For a moment, it felt like there was a shift in the masses, a way of thinking reviewed.

    Then, Dolf spoke, his soft voice cutting clearly through the unspeaking classes. ¡°But he''s a Katayagi.¡±

    ¡°What''s that?¡± Rehiy immediately replied. ¡°Mister Hiteler, please speak up.¡±

    They watched as Dolf ran a nervous gaze across the classes. In the end, he swallowed a mouth of his own distorted form of bravery. ¡°But he''s a Katayagi!¡± Dolf exclaimed.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Rehiy answered. ¡°Yes he is. And you, Mister Hiteler, are hereby expelled from the academy. Proceed to the headmaster''s office and turn in your school badge. You''ll be given until the end of the season to pack.¡±

    Dolf was wide-eyed and on the verge of tears. The three classes were stunned into absolute immobility.

    Shichi stood to his feet. ¡°Sik Rehiy.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Mister Katayagi?¡±

    ¡°Please, forgive Dolf. He''s a gearing idiot, but he doesn''t deserve to be expelled.¡±

    ¡°Watch your language, Mister Katayagi.¡±

    ¡°My apologies.¡±

    Rehiy adjusted his standing, crossing his arms over in scrunched contemplation. ¡°You are willing to stand-up for the person who had just insulted you?¡±

    ¡°It''s just a word, sik.¡±

    ¡°What is?¡±

    ¡°Katayagi.¡±

    Shichi felt as if he was back on the battlefield, where one mistake would turn the tides of battle irreversibly. He felt the same tenseness in his spine as he does when fighting. The same pounding of his chest and tunnelling of his vision.

    The teacher broke gaze first, turning his attention to Dolf. ¡°Thirty days detention. And you are hereby banned from participating in the tourney in Leaf. Class dismissed.¡±

 Chapter Five: Katayagi, Part Two

    Ra''ise was the season of temperate. The cool of spring transitioning into summer creates a backdrop of green turning greener. Rolling coloured leaves that fade and turned between bright and dull were littered across the landscape. The trees on the roadsides of Aleynonlia rustled as a warm, conductive breeze blew through. The market was selling off the last of their spring products and were stocking up on ra''ise produce.

    ¡°Thanks for helping me, Four-Chan,¡± Shichi said. Bundled under his right arm were a bunch of two-by-fours. Over his left shoulder sat bag of grains.

    Beside him, Four walked with a basket of grocery. ¡°It''s Fornerlia Chantervalica,¡± she reminded him as they left the market . ¡°It''s not a very hard name to remember.¡±

    His classmate had a wicked dress sense. Her hair was dyed a shade of pink-dancing-purple, tied haphazardly into a long pony tail. Her dark green corset was unlike any style he knew of in the world, wrapped by a short shoulder frilled shawl snapped together with a four leaf clover clip and a sheer mesh covering the high of her chest. Her bustled skirt was split into shades of onyx and seaweed, ragging translucent edges lining the sides that split at her knees. Black leggings and dark boots hugged her legs, and her two gunblades were sheathed at her shin while tied with balance at her thighs. Shjacky had once described the fashion as ''gothic'', something apparently quite common in the northern territories of Tinderland.

    Even on the streets, her manner of dress drew curious stares which she paid no mind to. Normally, Shichi would be uncomfortable having drawn unwanted attention, due to his family''s infamy. But when he was with his classmates, even his oddness seemed a perfect fit, as if it was how it always should be and had and will.

    He noted, ¡°Your name has eight syllables. That''s too long. Six should be the maximum. Seven, if you''re pushing it.¡±

    ¡°You''re just saying that because you''re number Seven.¡±

    ¡°Well, you''re number Four. So Four-Chan fits you. It''s the universe''s way of telling you to accept that.¡±

    ¡°You''re one to talk about accepting names.¡±

    He went quiet, though they continued walking. He could feel her questioning stare burning a laser gaze through the side of his head.

    Four sighed, ¡°I''m sorry about bringing that up. My wit gets the better of me some times.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± He snapped out of his trance. ¡°No, no. It''s fine. Honestly, I should stop taking this so seriously. It''s really just a name.¡±

    ¡°You know, there''s a song. The Heart of Tales. In it, the lyrics says,¡± she cleared her throat and sang. ¡°For when life wanes, choices be made~ In death times, it''s a life''s mine~!¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    She scoffed, ¡°It means the best of life comes from the worst of times. Honestly, we have art classes. Don''t you study it?¡±

    ¡°I thought we were just suppose to make sculptures and splash paints, not learn from them.¡±

    She sighed again. ¡°You''re brutes, you know that? The lot of you. Honestly, how am I expected to spread the glory of rock and roll to the world with you block heads roaming around?¡±

    ¡°You don''t,¡± he replied laughing. ¡°Just give up and go back to the classics.¡±

    ¡°Classics are boring! We must advance the art of... arts!¡± They walked by an empty bench which she unabashedly jumped onto. One hand raised in the air and groceries in the other, she exclaimed, ¡°We, the voices of the new age shall not be held back by this pleb''s manner of thinking! The poets, the singers, the musicians, the... actors! We shall join together and create a new world, filled with the greatest art of every generation!¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    ¡°You''re just babbling now. You lost the thread.¡±

    ¡°No I did not!¡±

    ¡°You''re better with music. Oration is not really in your repertoire.¡±

    ¡°I. Am. A. Bard!¡± She punctuated. ¡°I can do any form of art I please.¡±

    A man in light armour approached them. ¡°Excuse me?¡±

    The pair turned to the newcomer who was not there alone. He had a female partner, both wearing the uniform of the city guard, the polished set of light armour over suits of dark blue.

    ¡°Yes?¡± Four asked.

    The female guard explained, ¡°I''m sorry, but you are disturbing the peace right now.¡±

    Four reached to the badge clipped behind her belt and presented it, showing the metal crest of the academy and her full name below. ¡°I''m a Spellblade with the school.¡±

    ¡°Yes...¡± the male guard replied. ¡°That may be so, but it does not mean you are exempt from the laws of the day to day.¡±

    Four gave a whine and jumped off the bench. The guards thanked them for their cooperation and went on their way.

    She spat. ¡°Well, so much for that.¡±

    Shichi laughed. He gave a heave and readjusted his grain sack and wood. ¡°Let''s go, Four-Chan. I''ll treat you to lunch for helping me with the groceries.¡±

    ¡°I thought we were bringing these stuff back?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. There''s a leak in the house, hence the wood. And the food, well, they are food, so they should be eaten. I''m cooking today.¡±

    ¡°You cook?¡±

    ¡°I''m going to make some egg on rice with sauce. Traditional Nugohs dish.¡±

    ¡°Sounds boring.¡±

    For the hour of their walk, they chatted about their day and school. At one point, they discussed their epitaphs, something which occasionally came up when the class gathered for one reason or another. But as so many times before, the conversation there went nowhere. Even by the time they reached and left the walls into the outer district, they had not come up with any new theories on their epitaphs. The conversation slowly turned into that of upcoming theatres and fairs instead, finally landing on the upcoming tourney.

    He asked her, ¡°How''s the training going?¡±

    ¡°Not really great. My parents refused to let me train near the house, so I have to go to the outskirts of back to school for the space.¡± She let out a dejected sigh. ¡°I spend half my training time walking from place to place.¡±

    ¡°You could be a little more ''rock and roll'' about this. ''Rebel against the establishment,'' as you would say.¡±

    She deflected the answer with a wave and nervous chuckle. ¡°Hah! Anyway, this tourney is going to be gearing exciting. First Class C large enough to take part in both the groups of five and six. You think we''d get the gold?¡±

    ¡°Not likely. There''s dozens of teams, including those from Rubicum''s Spellblade Academy. Not to mention those teams of adult Spellblades, including former graduates and a couple of Ryukenshins.¡±

    ¡°I say we can take ''em!¡±

    The conversation lasted just a few more minutes before they reached his home, a small one story wooden house sided by rows of other houses on the outer ring before the farming outskirts. It had a view of the farmlands and the plains beyond, leading far into a flat and clean horizons of clear skies. Behind them, the walls of the city stood as guards for the inner city. He opened the door for her and set the bag of grains at the side to prop open the entranceway wide.

    ¡°Head on in,¡± he instructed. ¡°I''ll just put these woods at the back.¡±

    ¡°Sure,¡± Four replied. ¡°Are your parents home?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. They should be.¡±

    ¡°They''re mister and missus Katai, right?¡±

    ¡°Yup. Just don''t greet them as uncle and auntie. They say it makes them feel old.¡±

    ¡°They are old.¡±

    ¡°You''re old.¡±

    ¡°Young, and fabulous!¡± She twirled.

    He chortled a laugh. ¡°Katai,¡± he reinforced.

    She looked at him quizzically. ¡°I''m wondering why you changed your name back to Katayagi, even though your family have been trying to distance yourself from it for so long. Katayagi to Katai. They must have removed a letter every generation. Pretty drastic, if you asked me.¡±

    He sighed and looked solemnly over the plains. ¡°I want to think there''s a way for me to redeem the name. If I could do it, my family won''t have to live with the burden of it any more. Also...¡± He looked to her with a cheeky smile. ¡°I don''t want to die being remembered as Suho Katayagi''s ancestor. I want to be me. Shichi Katayagi, whatever I am.¡±

    She returned him an understanding smile and without another word, he carried the planks around the corner between the alley of the homes as Four went inside. He felt bad, always feeling down whenever issues of his name was brought up. He made a mental note to not overthink it and to try and smile more as he sat the planks down amongst other tools of repair he had gathered.

    ¡°Katayagi?¡±

    He turned around at the voice. Something hit the side of his head and a flash of yellow ran across his vision as his magic shell took the brunt of the impact, though the remaining force still sent him stumbling and leaning against the wall. He saw blood and tasted stars.

    ¡°Woah!¡± another voice, female, sounded. ¡°He''s not down yet?¡±

    ¡°He''s a mage,¡± the original rough toned male said. ¡°They''ve got that shell thing. Hit him again.¡±

    He tried to stand up, legs wobbling as his head rang. He ran a current of energy through his magic circuits for a spell but felt another blow to the back of his head as things went black.

 Chapter Six: Katayagi, Part Three

    He was stifled. He could feel the hot stone floor printed into his back. The young Shichi gripped tightly to the hem of his shirt as the pain from his pinned legs ate into his nerves. The fire around him was spreading, the building collapsing further and further. Above him, dark smog clouds were beginning to cover the last of the setting daylight.

    Leave him! He''s Katayagi!

    Was that what it meant to be a Katayagi? He thought he could change the value of his name. But after all the years, it was the same. He was not Shichi. He was Katayagi. Perhaps if his family line died with him, the curse of being a Katayagi would die too.

    He looked down to the wooden beam that had pinned his legs and glanced left to the fire that was slowly encroaching. His legs weren''t broken or fractured, simply pinned. He could call for help. There was a chance to survive. But maybe he shouldn''t. Maybe it was best if his family line ended with him. His parents would miss him, sure. But the world wouldn''t. And what kind of selfish person would he be to deny a good deed for the world? They might even hold a parade to celebrate the end of the Katayagi line.

    ¡°Maybe I should die...¡± he muttered to himself.

    A wooden spear dropped beside him and he angled his head and saw dark eyes staring at him. Looking down on him was a man. Hair shadowed and wild. Black coat, shirt, pants and boots covered his body. Yet, the man''s skin was bright and fair, like someone who had not left the shade for years.

    ¡°Katayagi this. Katayagi that.¡± The man spat. ¡°Annoying kids.¡±

    ¡°A-are you here to save me?¡± Shichi asked.

    ¡°Nope.¡± The man left the spear on the floor and took a seat on a neighbouring chair that had not yet been burnt. From his coat, he pulled out a roll of smoke and lit it with a flame from the burning surrounding. ¡°You''re going to save yourself.¡±

    Shichi huffed in pain. ¡°The other kids... that you ran into... are they safe?¡± He could tell the man was strong. No one could keep that much calm in such dangerous situations without confidence in their strength.

    ¡°Don''t know. An unspawn was attacking them last I saw.¡±

    ¡°You didn''t save them?¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Shichi exclaimed. ¡°Why save me and not them?¡±

    ¡°I''m not saving you. You are.¡±

    ¡°They were kids!¡± He was furious. Lives, snuffed out by the choice of one man.

    ¡°So are you,¡± the man replied, taking drags of his smoke.

    ¡°There''s just one of me!¡±

    ¡°They were pricks.¡±

    ¡°They could change!¡±

    ¡°So could you.¡±

    Shichi gritted his teeth. The fire was spreading closer. There was a possibility the other kids were still alive. If he could get there in time, his magic might give them a fighting chance. He picked up the spear and shoved the tip under the beam at an angle. He shifted what he could of his body and positioned it slightly under the spear handle. With two hands on the pole, he pushed, leveraging the weight of the beam against the spear.

    ¡°Argh!¡± he grunted and spat. He could feel the pressure lifting off his legs. The beam was almost glued to his pants and it pulled apart like adhesive. Once freed, he pushed his body out while holding onto the weight of the beam by the spear. Apart from his jail, he let the spear go and the beam crashed to the ground.

    He was out. He was alive. Panting. It started raining, building from drizzling to a downpour quickly as droplets sizzled through the burning house. He turned to the man and glared.

    ¡°What?¡± the man cocked an eye as his smoke was put out by the rain. ¡°If you want to fight me, I''ll take it. But you''ll be wasting time.¡±

    Shichi coughed. Black fumes were rising from the fires being extinguished. He could not stay there any longer even if he wanted to. He took the spear and using a blast of magic, broke off part of the handle so the weapon would fit his young size.

    He escaped the building and left the dark man to his own devices. Following the road to where the evacuation was taking place, he ran into the kids that had left him, cornered in an alleyway. The unspawn was a small creature, likely a leftover as the stronger ones that had already penetrated the walls of the castle grounds. The creature was humanoid in form but had four ''arms'' that sprouted from where the head should be. The raindrops that pattered off its near transparent form waved light around it.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Shichi yelled.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    The creature turned and he held the spear forward. Arcs of electricity extended from his body, reaching and jumping from water droplet to water droplet. The puddle at his feet danced in shock.

    ***

    The room was dimly lit by beams of light that filtered through the steel grilled windows. He stared at the dusty brightness as his eyes adjusted to waking up. The back of his head was still ringing and he could feel the stinging pain from where he was hit.

    He looked at his body to assess the damage. It seemed he was not hurt additionally to the blow to his head. His wrists were locked in iron cuffs but his legs were left free. Whoever captured him does not expect him to be able to run. His right forearm had an additional stone bracelet over where his magic circuits were. He recognized it immediately as a cryststone, the raw form that crystals and cryst wires were made of. They drained seither from their surroundings. In this case, it drained the energy from his circuits, leaving them empty. But that was fine. He had an ace up his sleeves.

    ¡°What about the family?¡± He heard a heavy voice said.

    ¡°We couldn''t get to them, boss.¡± He recognized the second tone as the female who attacked him. ¡°There was this photomancer chick firing off at us.¡±

    ¡°Well, that''s fine. We can circle back on them once the heat dies down,¡± the boss replied. Shichi smiled. It seemed the kidnappers had a run-in with Four and she had held her grounds and protected his family.

    His head was still aching but he finally calmed down enough to check his surroundings. He was lying in a small cage barely enough to fit him squatting, all kept within what looked to be a small warehouse. Around him, dozens of cages were lined in aisles. They were stacked in columns of twos and threes from what he could see opposite and he assumed the same for his his side. Soon, his anger took over the nagging headache as he crossed stares with the people stuck as prisoners around him, each staring at him with hungry, hopeless eyes. Some were malnutrition to point of skin and bones. Others were lying within their confinement, unmoving, and Shichi could only hope they were still alive.

    ¡°What about the Katayagi? We found that Spellblade badge. He could be more trouble than he''s worth,¡± the male slaver that took him said.

    The boss replied, ¡°To think the king would let a Katayagi into his school. That''s geared. No worries, though. We''ve got those cryststone cuffs. Costs a fortune, but worth every pence.¡±

    Each mage, with enough training, eventually learns specialities in their abilities. Some light mage learned to heal, others to create illusion. For an electromancer like Shichi, most go the way of learning to produce the much more powerful positive charges. For himself, he decided something more utility-based. Magnetism.

    And his training paid off when he heard the click of his handcuffs unlocking, the simple skeleton lock crumbs to his years of practice. He took another minute to unlock the slightly tougher cryststone bracelet. He kept both the bracelet and cuffs on, though free of their locks. He looked to the cage which was also secured by a basic skeleton lock. He unlocked that as well.

    By that time, his neighbouring prisoners realized something was happening and he raised a finger to his lips to signal silence. Those around him nodded.

    ¡°Well, would you look at that.¡± Shichi turned to see the group of slavers approaching around the corner. The boss said, ¡°Look who''s awake?¡±

    Shichi backed into a kneel in the cramp space, glaring at the legs of his approaching oppressor. He counted three slavers. The male, the female, and the boss.

    The male squatted down before the cage, pushing his face against the grill as if encroaching on the home of a helpless rabbit. ¡°We''re going to make good money from you. There are people who would love to get their hands on you.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Shichi asked, taking the time to charge up a spell.

    The boss spoke, though never getting on his knees like his lackey. ¡°You humans with your short lives will never understand this. The elves lives for hundreds of years. Many of them still remember what Suho did. Some of them were even there. They''d pay a fortune to get the chance to... have their ways with you.¡±

    The male slaver gripped the grill and grinned through. ¡°But maybe after I''ve had a go.¡±

    Shichi broke free of his bindings to the wiping of the slaver''s grin. He hit the slaver''s fingers with his palm, smashing them against the metal bars and felt the bones being crushed from the impact. The slaver yelled and Shichi dived forward, tackling open the cage gate. The boss looked on, shocked, as the did the female beside him.

    Shichi felt the energy building up within his body. With a roar, he unleashed the stored energy in his body, pushing out a blast of electrical energy groundwards and out, sending the slavers flying back. However, the energy blast shocked the cages around him and some of the prisoners yelled out in pain.

    ¡°Damn!¡± he cursed. He needed to be careful. There were too many people around him for large area of effects attacks. But now that he was out, he could redirect his attacks with much more precision.

    The male slaver lackey was out cold and the boss was grovelling on the ground, holding an injured and bleeding shin. The female hume got to her feet and pulled out a dagger from a sheathe at her back. Though bleeding from a head wound, she stood still enough to face Shichi. It seemed none of them were mages, which was an advantage for him, combat wise.

    ¡°How?¡± she yelled. ¡°We had a cryststone on you!¡±

    ¡°You should have splurged on two.¡± He held up his left arm and showed a second set of magic circuits lighting up. ¡°One in ten chance of a person having two circuits. Even kids know that.¡±

    ¡°Truth!¡± he heard a young voice echoed. There were kids there. His resolve tightened.

    ¡°You piece of shit!¡±

    ¡°Says the slaver.¡±

    She charged, swinging the dagger wildly before her. It was an easy to read attack filled with desperation, though the strikes came in clean directions with each cut. He dodged them all, stepping back a step at a time as he charged another spell. Once he was ready, he sidestepped and tripped her shin. The slaver staggered and he set a hand on her back. Releasing his magic, he sent a debilitating shock through her body and the woman dropped to the ground, twitching in paralysis.

    He had not noticed it till then, but he was panting. His heart was beating. Even though they trained for combat, it never took the edge away from the adrenaline of having to fight for his life.

    After catching his breath, he turned to the nearest other prisoner and said, ¡°Don''t worry. I''ll get you all out.¡±

    The prisoner smiled. Then, his eyes widened and Shichi knew it was coming. He spun on his feet to meet the attack but it was too late. The flaming fist of a new slaver, a female elven mage, hit him square in the chest and sent him flying onto his back from the force.

    As he laid on the floor, he mentally berated himself for not realizing there was a fourth slaver sooner. It would take a mage to properly attach the cryststone to his arm and none of the previous three were mages. He should have realized his fourth opponent sooner.

    It was not a particularly strong attack which made him think the pyromancer was not particularly skilled. But he was still stirring from being knocked out, and the blow at the back of his head had started banging against his brain again. He held a hand to his chest. His shirt was burnt through, and he could feel his skin seared bloody. There was too much pain shooting throughout his nerves to pull together a recovery.

    The female mage glared at him. ¡°I remember when I got the news that my uncle had been killed in the war.¡±

    He coughed. ¡°So you ca-kaff-capture people for slavery now?¡±

    Her hands were still burning with magical flames. She raised her fist. ¡°Reason all you want, but I''m going to make the world a better place when I kill you. I''ll be a hero.¡±

    Behind her, the door to the warehouse busted opened. She spun to the entrance as city guards flooded in, each with swords and crossbows drawn at the ready. The slaver was shocked, but apparently smart enough to know she was overwhelmed. She extinguished her flames and held her hands above her head in defeat as the guards rushed forward and arrested her.

    Shichi breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°I''m fine! If anybody is asking,¡± he snidely yelled, dropping his head back to the ground in fatigue.

    ¡°Nobody''s asking.¡± Four approached and squatted next to him, a lopped grin on her face. ¡°You look terrible.¡± She placed a hand on his burnt chest and began healing him.

    A wave of tension released from him as the magic patched up the burnt skin. She was still new with the healing arts and it would likely leave a mark, but he quite honestly did not care much about the optics, so long as he was physically fit.

    He asked, ¡°How did you find me?¡±

    ¡°Dolf Hiteler,¡± she explained, eyes focused on the wound. ¡°He saw you being dragged off and followed you here before reporting to the guards. Says you''re now even. Also, you still owe me lunch.¡±

 Chapter Seven: Electric, Part One

    See well, those whose blind, listen those, that can''t speak~

    Nossaral Unn watched from his front desk seat as Fornelia Chantervalica sat before the classroom. Cross-legged on their teacher''s momentarily vacated desk, she strummed her acoustic guitar tempo perfect to her singing.

    Think whole, those unborn, speak for, them shan''t hear~

    Ra''ise was kicking into full swing as the temperature began its slow and steady climb into the early days of summer. But the sweltering season was still far away, and the last cool air of spring still lingered, carrying soft breeze through the opened windows.

    Trust my back, stab my heart, go forth, together~

    Amongst his classmates, Joachim had nodded off while Shimona and Enneya were bobbing their head to her slow tune. The rest sat patiently, waiting for Four to end her performance.

    Trust thy heart, stab thy back, go forth, together...

    She set her instrument down, the last tension in the strings vibrating the final echoes of the music. The class clapped mildly for her performance. Even Nos found himself nodding slightly in approval of her song. Her voice was practised perfection, not one gained from talent on birth. It had the ruggedness of training, the tone of hardship, and the success from endurance. All qualities he felt admirable.

    ¡°Woo!¡± Lua cheered from behind. Four took a bow and left her ''stage'', taking her instrument with her.

    A member in the classroom stood up, an individual who had joined them for the performance. A young hume girl with short brunette hair and horn-rimmed glasses who dressed too uniformly to the school''s maroon, black and green to fit in their non-uniform group. The girl gave Four a wave as the latter waved back, taking a seat on the desk she shared with Nos that day. The uniformed girl went to the front of the class, waved her goodbye to the rest of the class with a smile, and left the room shortly after.

    It took no longer for Four to set down her guitar before he asked, ¡°Who''s that?¡±

    She leaned back in her seat and smirked. ¡°Well, well. To what do I owe the pleasure of having a conversation with the notoriously introverted Nos?¡±

    ¡°Curiosity,¡± he paused and glared at her, annoyed. ¡°Four-Chan,¡± he spited.

    ¡°It''s Fornelia Chantervalica,¡± she replied.

    He was not entirely sure why she hated that nickname. Perhaps it was because it was one she did not pick herself. Maybe it was due to it sounding childish and getting in the way of her self-proclaimed ''hardcore'' lifestyle. Either way, the reason was definitely not logical, since the original purpose of the nickname was supposedly to shorten her unusually long name. A job which it did perfectly.

    ¡°So?¡± Nos continued, satisfied with the rile he gave her. ¡°Who is she?¡±

    She sighed. ¡°Pipquet Chevlier. We just call her ''Pip''. She retook her entrance exams and got reassigned to Class B.¡±

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. It''s usually just that one or two tests that you need to get a different score on.¡±

    ¡°Does our class assignment really matters that much?¡±

    ¡°Not really, depending on who you asked. Pip didn''t really care, but her parents pressured her to retake the test. It''s just a silly social ranking thing that society''s elite is trying to push onto us. Embrace our freedom, I say!¡± she punched her hand into the air and cheered.

    From across the room, Enneya echoed in agreement. ¡°Testify...¡±A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    He thought Pip might have gotten lucky. If she had been with them for another year, he wondered if their epitaphs numbering would have gone from zero to fifteen instead. Or perhaps she would have gotten his number instead. It was another problem with their epitaphs that he could not get over. The sheer coincidental nature of it meant solving their riddles were that much more random.

    He asked, ¡°So why did she come here?¡±

    Behind them, Seks, their sole drakin classmate leaned over. ¡°For the performance, of course,¡± he explained matter-of-factly. ¡°It''s a Class C tradition handed down by our peers. We play a musical performance of one form or another at the start of each season. Even though she''s not a member of the class any longer, we still consider her part of the tradition.¡±

    Seks was an indigo scaled drakin, his beige wings folded behind him as he sat. He wore a lose fitting black jacket with leaf green trousers held up by a brown cloth belt. Unlike Rehiy and the rest of their race who preferred to dress thinly, Seks had gained a liking for human and elven clothings. However, he could only wear those that were lose fitting as his scales tended to tear through the cloth, not that his girlfriend seemed to mind much.

    He looked around Seks''s desk and asked, ¡°Where''s Trini?¡±

    The drakin gave an exasperated sigh at hearing of her missing girlfriend. ¡°She skipped school again. Went out with Shichi for ''restorative outing'', as she puts it.¡±

    Nos crossed his arm. Even though a season had passed, he had not got along exceptionally well with his classmates. Thankfully, being socially excepted was not something he cared much of so long as he got to graduate. In the time that he had been in school however, Shichi was one of the few people he spoke to.

    He asked, ¡°Is Shichi hurt that badly?¡±

    Four scoffed. ¡°No! That idiot recovered from his little bump to the head days ago. ''Restorative outing'' my arse! Those two are probably goofing off somewhere. Careful, Seks, or Shichi''s gonna steal your girl.¡±

    ¡°How''s that possible?¡± he joked back. ¡°I''m so much more attractive.¡±

    As they laughed, Nos stared stoically at their camaraderie. He felt out of the loop of the joke. Something that could only be gotten from having known the other party for a period of time. But the feeling did not bother him. Not one bit.

    Four grabbed a case off the ground and got to her feet. ¡°Well, I better get going before the teachers come back from their meeting.¡±

    ¡°Go?¡± Nos asked. ¡°Where?¡±

    Seks replied for her. ¡°It''s a tradition, remember? We''re in our last year. It''s her job to past it down to the juniors this time.¡±

    Four added, ¡°You should come too, Nos. You''ve never really got the introduction, did you?¡±

    ¡°Do I have to?¡± he whined.

    ¡°Don''t be a baby,¡± she retorted. ¡°Galia would probably even let you skip ten minutes of her lessons for this.¡±

    He contemplated the offer quickly and stood up with a nod. Anything that let him get away from Lady Galia''s history class was a well worth trade. He would literally rather fight a behemoth than sit through her lessons for a second longer than necessary. He swore the woman was a chronomancer, slowing down time whenever she opened her mouth.

    The two left the class together and headed down the empty school hallways. The teachers were having their mid-morning briefing and the students were expected to stay in class for the hour. Most took the chance to nap. Others chose to chat before the last lesson before lunch break. The batches of students got different classrooms assigned to them based on the year they entered. The newest batch was in the block next to theirs as the four years of students had cycled around with them, so the walk over to the classroom took next to no time.

    Four practically kicked the door opened and stormed in without invite. Unceremoniously stunning the small class of six, first years, she headed straight for the teacher''s desk. The new students were spread out in their seating in a classroom literally seven times too large for their numbers. Nos had not believed people when told that their batch of Class C was the largest, but now he saw how that could be true. The juniors stared at Four and mostly ignored Nos. They entranced mostly by what Nos assumed was her gothic dressing more than her behaviour.

    She set her case down on the desk and opened it, pulling out a sleekly lacquered dark conewood violin. She set the saddle on her neck and chin to the rest. She plucked a few strings and tuned a few pegs, all while silently being watched by their juniors. Satisfied, she set the bow at the ready.

    Her eyes closed. Her hand and fingers moved.

    Summer flowed from the strings, wind soothingly washing over the room in gentle sensations that tickled the spine. Nos was reminded of fields of grass that he played on with friends as a child. Of breeze that blew and snow that fell. Seaside sand caressing between his toes. His breathing rhythmic, his feelings cryptic, a sense of reminiscence held onto his heart.

    Then, Four paced up. The tempo approached a rush of years and days flowing by. Of stories told and battles fought. Of victories and defeats, of love and lost. Her pink ponytail swayed, dancing fluidly with each tilt of her head. Light from outside the classroom glittered on the shimmering corners of her dress.

    Finally, she slowed, a tune of going home. Of rest and relaxation. Of goofing off and post-class adventures. Fireworks and festivals. Beaches and forests. Mountains and road. Dinner and bed. She pulled the bow slowly as she sung the final drop.

    Where the Twin light shadow stretch

    There a crystal on life stream~ming.

    On the road to home we reach

    We will find ourselves~besides...

    Beneath...

    The stars of skies~...

    She ended with a hard stop and kept her instrument back into its case in one fluid motion. Then, she turned to their juniors and finally said, ¡°Good luck. It''s going to be an ama~zing four years!¡± Four turned away from the still silent class and headed to Nos and the door.

    She smiled. ¡°Lady Aileenae.¡±

    ¡°Miss Chantervalica,¡± the teacher greeted.

    Nos had been so entranced that he had not noticed the teacher appearing beside him. From what he knew, Lady Aileenae was the head of the former graduating batch. Having completed her cycle, she was likely assigned to the new first year.

    ¡°You were marvellous,¡± Aileenae complimented to Four.

    Four slipped past the teacher and Nos, exiting to the corridor. ¡°I have been preparing this for four years,¡± she grinned back, matter-of-factly.

    ¡°That you have.¡± Aileenae replied as Four headed back to class with skips in her steps. Then, the woman looked down to Nos who still stood there, unsure of what to do or say. She smiled. ¡°Welcome to the academy, Mister Unn.¡±

 Chapter Eight: Electric, Part Two

    Under the noon Twins above the bleachers, Nos was having a conversation with his classmate, number Zero, Joachim Kerr. But he thought that maybe a ''conversation'' was too far a stretch of a word.

    ¡°What is he saying?¡± Nos asked.

    Ishumi Nato casually glanced over to them as Joachim''s hands and fingers waved across the air in signs.

    ¡°He wants to fight you next,¡± she translated. ¡°Full magic.¡±

    ¡°Me? Why?¡±

    They were having their daily combat training. It wasn''t an interclass session like the previous bouts. That day, the matches were strictly between the students of Class C. The training difficulty had intensified with the upcoming tourney in mind. Lua and her brother, Quinton, were taking their turn on the hologram field.

    Joachim signed again and Nos watched as Ishumi''s brows raised. ¡°He... says he wants to train with someone he hasn''t fought with.¡±

    Joachim crossed his arms and glared at Ishumi. It did not take knowledge in sign language to understand that she had just mistranslated him. Brown shorts, grey shirt, black cap, and casual sandals, it''s not often Nos sees Joachim agitated or with care in the world. The guy had such a carefree streak that he often misses the earlier lessons of school.

    ¡°It''s okay,¡± Nos reassured her. He never liked Joachim much. The teen had talent, more so than perhaps the rest of the class, save Lua, combined. He rode on that natural skill to breeze through life, or so that''s what Nos observed. ¡°I understand. He thinks I got into the school through some dubious means. He doesn''t think I have it in me, especially since I''m just a tier one mage. A Spellblade in name.¡±

    Ishumi replied, ¡°Not in those exact words.¡±

    ¡°But with similar meanings, I''m getting?¡± He crossed stares with Joachim. He could feel the electricity sparking between them. It seemed their dislike for each other was mutual.

    She added, ¡°Truth is, even I am wondering how you can be considered a Spellblade. It''s in the name. Part magic, part sword. And your magic is lacking, to say the least. I''ve not seen you use any magic since you joined us.¡±

    Everyone had magic circuits in them, but for most of the population, those circuits are inert, preventing them from using magic. Circuits are ranked by their tiers and quantity between zero and ten. For those who could use magic, a small portion of them were given twice the number of circuits. These individuals included Shichi and Lua who had two sets of circuits each. An even smaller group received magic that are considered ''unique''. But Nos was the rarest of them all. He technically had magical capabilities. However, he only had a single circuit of the lowest possible tier. In truth, if he used his circuits to execute basic spells, he would just barely be able to produce a spark of energy before being powerless for the rest of the hour.

    When the Orniter twins ended their bout, Rehiy called for the last fight of the day and the two rivals stood up without hesitation. They proceeded down the stands and towards the field where the teacher and operators stood.

    ¡°Last fight of the day,¡± Rehiy announced. ¡°We can use up all the remaining energy in the crystals if we want.¡±The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°If that''s the case, Sik,¡± Nos said. ¡°We request for full magic combat.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± Rehiy looked to Joachim who agreed with a nod. He turned back to Nos with a look of doubt. Even Rehiy had not yet seen Nos use his magic. With a sigh, the drakin approached the hologram operators. ¡°Full magic combat! One-on-one!¡±

    The two students took to the stage. The crystal projectors scanned them and reflected their respective mirror images on the other field. From under the back of his jacket, Nos pulled out his punch dagger. A simple weapon when compared to the mechanical and flavoured ones that his classmates used. Opposite, Joachim reached into a pouch at his belt and pulled out a yo-yo, slipping his middle finger into the ring attached to the string.

    Nos had never fought Joachim and his yo-yo. But from what he had seen, the yo-yo had retractable blades built into the hubstacks that extended when the bearings is tensioned by the string. The metal was strong enough to face off against blades and the mechanism was built to withstand impacts, rewinding itself with the spin of the yo-yo. Were they not fighting in a hologram projection, Nos would go for the strings. However, Shichi once said that even the line was made from a rare spider silk that was hard to cut. He wondered how much money was spent into making such a customised equipment.

    Joachim scoffed, bored at the waiting. Nos took the cue and charged in, blade to the front in a defensive rush.

    His opponent shot the yo-yo out in repeating loops, blades spinning as the weapon extended, retracting as it retracted. Nos parried the attack but it did not seem to throw the deadly toy off course. He realised this was Joachim''s magic. Wind that adjusts, enhance, and alter the spin of the yo-yo mid attacks.

    The yo-yo retracted back to Joachim''s hand and Nos took the opening to close the distance. But Joachim was quick, and the advantage in length between the punch dagger and thrown blades were great. The yo-yo was thrown groundwards where it sparked against the stone floor before ricocheting up towards Nos''s face.

    Nos tried to step aside but the bouncing attack would have cut him had he not added a last minute parry. He spun, stepped forward, and tried to rush his opponent again. Joachim flicked his finger and Nos jumped to the side as the yo-yo retracted back and slashed past where he stood.

    Joachim was standing calm as Nos struggled to catch his breath. The boy with the toy casually rolled out a sleeper with his weapon, waiting for Nos to get back on his feet.

    Nos stood up and surveyed the situation. He was out ranged and out sped. The random trajectory of the yo-yo made it hard to tell which direction the attacks were coming from, which meant he was also outmanoeuvred. But the attacks took time to traverse between Joachim and himself. There was a split second between the start of the trick and impact that gave Nos just enough time to react. If he could not cut the string given the blunt impact of the hologram, he decided the only course of action was to knock the yo-yo around enough to damage the fine-tuned mechanism.

    Once again, he rushed Joachim, baiting the latter into attacking. It worked. The blade came downwards towards Nos. He could feel his singular magic circuit glow, heating up his right index finger in violet energy. His blood pumped harder, heart beat faster. His world zoned into his mind as his vision tunnelled and focused on the coming attack. Time seemed to slow as his mind raced and his circuit burnt out of fuel. With a sweep of his weapon, he parried the yo-yo away. As he did, the hologram around him flashed and his circuit lit up again.

    Joachim began unleashing a series of attacks, blade spinning wildly with varied tricks, bouncing off the ground and slicing around through the air. Nos took the attacks head on, parrying each strike as they came. With each block, his mind grew more focused and his body moved faster. He could no longer hear anything outside of his field of battle save the swish of his blade. Each strike against the hologram electrified the air, flickering the image of the fight further.

    A round the world strike with the yo-yo descended full force down upon him. Nos slapped his weapon through the air, snapping at the yo-yo. He heard a distant click and knew the toy was now just a toy, the mechanism damaged. The retracting blade had malfunctioned and Joachim could not retract the thing without risking cutting his own hand. With weapon gone, it was Nos''s win. He knew it.

    He took a stepped forward and was about to rush in to deal the finishing blow when from the corner of his eyes, he saw the yo-yo swinging straight for his head. He pulled his dagger up and deflected the projectile with a desperate block.

    Nos turned and watched as Joachim stepped further, swinging the malfunction toy around like a bludgeon on a rope. Or more specifically, a hammer. A meteor hammer. The hologram crystals were on their last legs, flickering manically from millisecond to millisecond. Joachim swung the yo-yo wide and straight for Nos. That was it. If Nos parried successfully, he could step in and end the fight. He braced himself. The weapons clashed.

    The holograms faded as the crystals'' energy were emptied.

    His magic finally faded. With no other source of power to drain from, his body and heart settled. Nos turned to Joachim on the other field who looked back, breathing heavily with a glint in his eyes. Nos knew that neither of them were satisfied with the outcome.

    ¡°Well,¡± Rehiy approached Nos, his face scrunched in an expression otherworldly to the teacher. ¡°I don''t think you''re a Spellblade just in name any longer.¡±

    Nos looked to the bleachers and saw his class on their feet.

    The drakin let out a whistle. ¡°Syphon magic Spellblading. I never thought I would see the day.¡±

 Chapter Nine: Electric, Part Three

    I want to be strong.

    Ashes of his home were being carried off to the cloudless skies by spirals of wind. His mother and father were huddled in the middle of their burnt house, crying for the lost of all that had sheltered them from nights and storms.

    The war was over. The mysterious creatures known now as unspawns had vanished. The monsters had resistance against physical attacks, and thus, during the battle, mages from across the land were called to arms. Though Nos had been just a child, he was still a mage. His fists balled as he looked back on his uselessness throughout the fight. Him and his useless magic circuits. The lowest of the low. Weakest of the weak. Least of less.

    I want to be strong.

    Like a beacon, the far off walls of the castle grounds looked barely touched. The unspawns had pushed into the city but were unable to get through the final defences of the castle walls. Those who were influential and those who had power were the ones spared most from the devastation.

    His parents'' cries turned into pained, gasping sobs. The ashes were whirling around them like black snow. He made a vow to become stronger. No. To be the strongest. Another gust of wind blew by, picking up another sliced layer of ash from the burnt landscape.

    *****

    Nos snapped out of his daydream. As he looked around his class to regain his bearings, he let out a long yawn. Physically, he was exhausted. He had not had proper sleep in the days since the date for career consultation was announced. He had prepared himself extensively since then. It was all he could think about ever since he came into the academy. He had practised for every possible outcome of questioning he could think of and had his rebuttals down to the notch of his tone.

    For most teens, the event was straightforward. Whatever they wanted to be when they grew up they would write on a form paper and hand it to their teachers, after which they would be given advice on how to achieve their desired profession. But for him, he knew what he needed to be. There were never any doubts as to the profession he would eventually be in. There were four spaces left on the form paper for them to fill out their desired occupation. Nos only had one. He only needed one.

    ¡°What did you write for your choices?¡± Kingston Hox ¨C numbered Thirteen ¨C asked as he leaned over from across the aisle of their desks.

    ¡°Choice,¡± Nos correct. ¡°Just one for me.¡±

    Amongst his classmates, Nos found Kingston the most interesting individual, despite being visually overshadowed by Four. He was inquisitive and well respected by the class. However, unlike Lua, he was not known to be particularly talented in much save for a knack with gadgets and tinkering. Even his battle skills were average for a Spellblade, at best. The respect he held with the class boggled Nos''s mind, as there seemed to be no rhyme of reason for it.

    Kingston dressed restrictively in his native clothes of the Queendom of Lutvvin. A long brimmed hat hung from the neck of a dark coat. Worn over a set of long sleeved dark green shirt, dark tapered pants, and boots, he was the ideal poster of the dressing style of vampire hunters right out of books from the Age of Monsters. Despite the changing weather being far from the coolness of the north, Kingston rarely dressed light, seemingly never minding the heat.

    Kingston held up his paper. ¡°I''m applying to be an architect or a tinkerer.¡±

    Nos scoffed. ¡°Going through the Spellblade Academy just to get mundane jobs?¡±

    ¡°It asks us what we want to be, not what we will be,¡± Kingston replied, casually swinging both legs onto his desk as he tilted his chair back in comfort. ¡°There''s a difference.¡±

    ¡°Is there?¡±

    ¡°Of course. Here, let me demonstrate. Hm... ah! Shimona!¡± he called out to the girl in veil across the classroom. ¡°What did you put down ''what do you want to be after graduating''?¡±The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Oh!¡± she waved her paper at him. ¡°I''m going to be a Guardblade! That way, I can travel the world for free!¡±

    ¡°But what are you going to be?¡± he asked.

    The girl nonchalantly shrugged. ¡°No idea. Not there yet. Probably a dancer somewhere. That would be more suited for me, I think.¡±

    ¡°See,¡± Kingston turned back to Nos.

    Nos turned away with a huff. ¡°Well, I''m not like you guys. I know what I will be. A Guardblade.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± Kingston cocked his head quizzically. ¡°I don''t think you''re cut out for it as you are though.¡±

    ¡°What makes you say that?¡±

    Before Kingston could reply, the door to the classroom opened. Joachim and Ishumi, who had been translating for the former, stepped through. Joachim scanned the room and crossed cold stares with Nos. He pointed at the latter and gestured outside. Even for a mute, the disdain was clear in the tone of Joachim''s voice.

    ¡°Woah,¡± Kingston muttered. ¡°What happened between you two? Ancient familial grudge or something?¡±

    Nos ignored the snide remark and got to his feet. ¡°My turn.¡±

    He stepped around the desk and headed for the door, walking around Joachim and Ishumi without so much as a greeting or look of acknowledgement.

    Outside in the hallway, Rehiy had set up a desk against the walls with two chairs facing each other. He flipped through a folder of notes and papers before looking up. Seeing Nos, he gestured for his student to take the seat opposite which Nos did without hesitation.

    ¡°So,¡± Rehiy began. ¡°Career consultation day. What do you have for me, Mister Unn?¡±

    He handed the paper over and the drakin read over the writings. The teacher raised an eye, which looked soul piercing, given the lack of eyebrows.

    ¡°Guardblade. All the other fields are blank.¡±

    ¡°A Guardblade''s all I want to be, Sik.¡±

    His teacher sat back on the chair and closed his clawed fingers together. Then, without breaking eye contact, said, ¡°No. I don''t think you''re fit to be a Guardblade.¡±

    Nos was taken aback, but not just by the statement. He was shocked at how shocked he was. He had not expected that answer. Snide from Kingston, sure, but not from his teacher. It was not something he had rehearsed. He knew that the career consultation was one of the more important steps into becoming a Guardblade. It was the information of Fountain Square. The talk in the air. The letters burnt into bread. The lyrics of songs. It was what carried weight.

    Perhaps it was a test to see his conviction. ¡°I can do it, Sik,¡± he replied with gusto, sitting straight and eyes dead centred. ¡°I''ve been training all these years to be one. I got into this school without being scouted, despite my skills. I managed to pass all the tests on my first attempt!¡±

    ¡°Tell me,¡± Rehiy''s cold voice froze whatever bravado he was mustering. ¡°What''s your reason for being a Guardblade?¡±

    Nos locked back and rehearsed, ¡°To protect the king and serve the nation.¡±

    ¡°What''s your reason for being a Guardblade?¡± Rehiy asked again.

    ¡°To... to protect the king and serve¨C¡±

    ¡°What''s your reason for being a Guardblade?¡±

    ¡°To...¡± If he was being tested, he felt he was increasingly failing at the task. ¡°To protect the...¡± He went quiet.

    Unable to further look Rehiy in the eye, he looked to the desk instead and traced the wood grain with his eyes. He wanted to be a Guardblade for the status. To be strong and stand beside those who were also strong. That way, no one would ever be able to look down on him again. His family would no longer have their house burnt. He could protect the people around him.

    Rehiy sighed. ¡°It''s not your skills that makes me think unfit. You''re one of the best Spellblade I''ve ever seen. Perhaps even the most talented that ever lived. You''ve managed to turn what are negligible magical capabilities into an impossibly feared power. But you''re not mentally primed to be a Guardblade.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Nos snapped back. ¡°I''m driven! I have the skills. I''m hard working and passionate. Why?¡±

    Rehiy got to his feet and paced the width of the hallway. ¡°Do you trust me, Mister Unn?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Sik.¡±

    ¡°To what extent?¡±

    He paused, running through replies in his mind. He chose the next phrase carefully. ¡°With my life, Sik.¡±

    ¡°If I were to come after you and attempt to kill you, will you allow yourself to be killed?¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°If I tried to kill you, will you allow it?¡±

    He felt tested again. The question sounded cold, and he felt it should have sent a shiver down his spine. However, his body did not react in fear, disgust, or anything of hostility. However, his mind was confused beyond any confusion he had ever experienced.

    ¡°I...¡± he tried to focus on a reply. ¡°I don''t think it will happen, Sik. I trust you.¡±

    ¡°But I will do it. In the back, if I must.¡± The drakin ploughed through, never wavering eye contact. Nos did not reply. He did not know how to. In the end, Rehiy simply sat back down. ¡°The Guardblades were formed not as a subordination to the ruler. Those of the Guardblades do not serve the king. They are his checks. Should the king ever step out of line, it is the job of Guardblades to kill him. If the Guardblades falters, the Clovers come in to stop them. If the Clovers wavers on their conviction, the Alliance of Five, which includes Aleynonlia and its ruler, will challenge them. The same rule applies to the elite forces of the countries in the alliance. That is the trust that is shared between the trinity.¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry, Sik,¡± Nos attempted to follow the train of logic but stopped short. He could not see how the three great powers of the continent maintained stability on the tip of such a needle, creating institutions to challenge each other and themselves. ¡°I do not understand. This seems to be more checks and balances rather than trust. Without power unchallenged, how can they rule with strength?¡±

    Rehiy looked genuinely disappointed for a split second, a face which told Nos everything about how that session was doing for him.

    The drakin finished, ¡°And that is why, Mister Unn, you are not fit to be a Guardblade.¡±

 Chapter Ten: Stagehand, Part One

    Her name was Fornelia Chantervalica. Four-nee-lia Chan-ter-vah-lick-ah. She was not sure why that name was so hard to pronounce for her classmates. Fournelia was what she was given at birth. Like all others, she chose her last name when came to age at 12. Her parents were ''Chantervalic''s, so she simply added an ''a''. She wrote her name down on her career consultation form and began filling out the rest of the parchment.

    She muttered under her breath, ¡°It''s Fornelia Chantervalica.¡±

    She liked her name. It was suave blue that pops into red before slowly fading into purple. Four-Chan was just bright blue blasting into a sharp red and was hard on the mind. Four was just blue, but still too bright. Fornelia Chantervalica forced people to pause and slow their speech, making the visuals smooth. Her quill pen dipped into the ink and a thin line of black smoke followed. She scribbled her version of words onto the parchment and light autumn brown oscillated with each stroke.

    The world was filled with colours for her. Every rap on wood, every twang of the strings of her instruments, every speech and word, they were coloured like wind. Wind itself, when whistling through the air, were teal.

    Four did not have to see the colours. It took minimum effort to turn her brain off her magical sound-to-colour sight. But she chose to have her unique visuals with her. It made the world danced and everything looked like music. The only time she chose not to have them with her was in battle. Swords clashing struck up bright hot white explosions. Screams of pain were pitch black fire that burnt the skies. Moans of the injured were a atmosphere dampening blue. It was not to say there were no music in fights. When she watch Lua dodge an attack or Joachim''s yo-yo slicing through the air with precisions, those times leaves trails of light that seemingly danced through the air.

    ¡°Four-Chan!¡±

    She turned to her deskmate. Shimona Zettai. Number Eight. The girl was the one who gave Four her nickname. She gave every person in class a nickname, but Four-Chan was the only one that was adopted by everyone. The girl was obsessed with the sand city of Jarad and its culture, a foreign exoticism mystifying her mind. She wore a long shadow dress tied by a maroon cloth belt, a classic Jarad fashion. Her headscarf of green covered her at all times and Four often wondered how she managed in the changing humidity. Leaf winged butterflies tattooed on her left cheek seemingly flapped in flight whenever she spoke, her bubbly cheeks accentuating the effect.

    Shimona asked, ¡°What did you put for your career choices? I mean, honestly, I don''t think I have to ask, actually.¡± She chuckled at herself.

    ¡°Well, you probably guessed right.¡± There were four spaces for preferred careers. In all of them there were similar answers. ¡°Bard. Musician. Theatre. Opera.¡±

    Shimona gave a confused brow. ¡°Aren''t bards and musicians the same thing?¡±

    ¡°No no no!¡± she insisted. ¡°See, a bard is someone who writes and compose music and stories. A musician performs the music.¡±

    ¡°What about ''Theatre'' and ''Opera'', huh? They''re more places than jobs.¡±

    ¡°I didn''t know what part of theatre and opera I wanted to play. I could be the singer, the actor, the cast, the crew, anything! So I decided to put everything!¡±

    She was quite proud of her answer. It was a nice play on word. A little forced, but creative all the same. She thought she would make a great philosopher, if only she did not find philosophy boring. Bunch of brainiacs talking about the what ifs, what nots and maybes whys. She did not care much about all those things. She wanted the moment. She wanted to experience the colours of the world and fix things as they come. The problem with ifs was that they had not happened yet and she preferred to deal with the when.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

    ¡°Four-Chan?¡±

    She snapped her attention back to Shimona. ¡°Yes?¡±

    Shimona shook her head. ¡°Nothing. You just had that look where you disappeared for a moment.¡±

    ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡± She ran a hand through her berry pink hair. She wondered if she should try dyeing it blue. ¡°I do that a lot don''t I?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. But I get it.¡±

    ¡°You do?¡±

    ¡°Of course! Sometimes when I think about Jarad, I start daydreaming about going there. Oh...¡± Her eyes glazed over and out of the window. ¡°I would go visit the Great Oasis Canopy. Learn sandboarding. Visit the museum of the war. I could go to the colosseum and get my portrait drawn beside the queen''s statue!¡±

    ¡°Uh... Shimona? Hello?¡± Four waved a hand before her friend''s face but got no reaction. ¡°Nope. She''s gone.¡±

    As their conversation ended, the door to the classroom opened and Nos stepped back in. He looked around the room before his eyes met Four''s and he gestured outside. It was her turn for the career consultation. She shimmied past the still daydreaming Shimona and headed out into the corridor. When Rehiy gestured, she took the seat opposite him.

    ¡°Well, Four-Chan,¡± he began. Drakins had a slightly deeper tone of voice than the other races. As such, when they spoke, a faint rock grey pulsed through their speech. ¡°I don''t think there''d be too much surprises with you.¡±

    ¡°It''s Fornelia Chantervalica,¡± she retorted. ¡°And you probably guessed right.¡± She handed him the form to glaze through.

    ¡°Sure enough,¡± he set the parchment down. ¡°Though I don''t think ''Theatre'' and ''Opera'' are jobs.¡±

    ¡°Ah! You see¨C¡±

    ¡°No need to explain yourself,¡± he interrupted. She clicked her tongue in frustration, having gotten excited to explain her wordplay. ¡°It doesn''t really matter. I''ve actually already prepared your apprenticeship.¡±

    ¡°Wait, really?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Or to be more precise, you were requested.¡± He handed her a scroll which she unfurled. She read as she explained, ¡°You''ve been asked to join Sayix on his summer concert tour next season.¡±

    ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Noooo! You''re kidding! You''re gearing me up!¡± She was seeing colours. More so than she normally did. Her world was rainbows and her heart was pounding red. ¡°Me! And Sayix? On tour?¡±

    ¡°Firstly, watch your language. Secondly, you''re only going as a stagehand.¡±

    A stagehand was fine by her. She would be Sayix''s messenger girl if he asked. She would wash his clothes. She was not fully listening to Rehiy by that point. Her mind wandered off to a bright future. Summer with her artistic hero. Sayix was a Clover who fought in the Second War of Gods. Though a warrior hero to some, he held a close place in Four''s heart for his performance during the after-war celebrations. He played with an otherworldly guitar, one which sounds seemingly electrified and boomed through the air, shining purple, yellow, blue, and green dancing around the atmosphere like a wild storm of coloured lightning. It was announced to be ''rock music'' when Sayix played, but she had not been able to reproduce the tune since, despite picking up countless instruments in an attempt to do so.

    Rehiy was still talking. His lips were moving, but she no longer registered his voice. She could still see colours floating out of his mouth but it was such a boring navy that she continued to be tuned out in her fantasy. She thought of befriending Sayix to the point where he would let her on stage with him. Playing a duet with Sayix.

    She grinned.

    ¡°Fornelia!¡± Rehiy snapped, bringing her out of her trance. ¡°Are you listening to me?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied with the quickest, straightest face she could muster.

    ¡°Good. As I was saying, you''ll be going with Seks.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she exclaimed.

    ¡°I thought you were listening?¡±

    She gave a nervous chuckle. ¡°To a point.¡±

    Rehiy sighed. She figured he had been doing that a lot throughout that day. ¡°Loch Tehir has requested for Seks to shadow a member of the Clover. Sayix volunteered and is the only one really available for the job.¡±

    ¡°Do drakins even have concerts?¡±

    ¡°We''re not savages, Miss Chan.¡±

    ¡°It''s Chantervalica.¡± She was not appreciative of shortening even just her surname.

    He continued, ¡°You''ll be heading up to Hirule''s Holding and Drakin''s Pass. The round trip will likely take the whole summer, so that will be your apprenticeship. If you do well, Sayix noted he will consider you for a more permanent future after your graduation.¡±

    She squealed internally.

    Rehiy rolled the scroll up and finished, ¡°You''ll be gone for most of the summer. By the time you''re back, you''ll leave for Rubicum for the Spellblade Tourney, so plan your days accordingly.¡±

 Chapter Eleven: Stagehand, Part Two

    ¡°Oh, this is undeniably exciting!¡± Four clapped her hands in anticipation as she leaned against the rails.

    Seks, her classmate numbered Six and the sole drakin of her class stood beside her with arms crossed. ¡°Yes, getting to meet your hero must bring a great deal of exhilaration to you.¡± His wings vibrated from a breeze.

    She squealed and gripped his elbow tight, jumping up and down. ¡°Don''t remind me about that! I''ll faint from heating up!¡±

    ¡°You weren''t excited about that in the first place?¡±

    ¡°I am!¡± she corrected vehemently. ¡°But it''s just that I''ve never taken an elevator before either.¡± She swung her arm in gesture to the platform around them.

    They stood on a giant metal platform set into a dug out dent in a sheer rocky cliff face. Four large sets of iron chains stretched at each of the corners, individually the size of a Titan''s finger. The chains rose above them into large pulleys built into the side of the top of the rock formation. Around them, caravans, travellers, horses, carriages, and carts, were all loaded onto the platform.

    The giant elevator was found nestled at the south end of Dragon''s Tail, the canyon between Spire Ridge and The Tailingway. Dragon''s Tail was where the town of Drakin''s Pass and Hirule''s Holding resided. They were the north and southern towns of the canyon respectively. Each end of the canyon ended at a sheer cliff face, and for cycles, travellers had used steep mountain roads to travel between Aleynonlia, Drakekins Mountains, and Lower Tinderland. Shortly after the Second War, with effort from King Adam and Loch Tehir of the Drakins, the Grand Elevators were constructed to carry travellers up and through the canyon, which also helped bridge divides between nations.

    ¡°I wonder how they work...¡± Four marvelled at the contraption.

    As she said that, the chains tensioned loudly, cracking as it pulled. The elevator gave a small jerk and she nearly lost her balance as the platform began to rise. For a moment, the metal plate shook, but quickly it steadied into a rhythmic rise as it slowly ascended.

    ¡°Oh Titans!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°It''s moving!¡±

    Slowly, the platform lifted further and further off the ground until they could see their noon shadows looking back up as a speck on the dirt below.

    Seks began, ¡°The elevator was designed by Maximilian Moone, a Clover. The canyon is famous for its geysers, so Moone designed the elevator to be powered by the water of the geysers. The geysers around each elevator were partially redirected with construction by earth and metal magic. The water that erupts are funnelled onto a counterweight ''bucket'' that lifts the elevator once there''s enough weight. The bucket lowers, and the elevator rises. Once we get to the top, the bucket opens up a flood gate at the bottom of it which also locks the elevator in place for a time with the force of the out-flowing water. Once it is emptied, the gate closes, the bucket rise, and the elevator lowers back down.¡±

    Four could see it in her mind''s eye. The complex mechanisms all interworking to create The Grand Elevators. Each piece moving in synch and rhythm like an orchestra.

    ¡°You sure know a lot about this,¡± she said.

    ¡°I''m from Drakspire,¡± he explained. ¡°We fly down to Hirule''s and the Pass every now and then.¡±

    She turned back to the view from up high. The elevator slowly showed more and more of Aleynonlia''s great plains. She could see the road from which they came from stretch to the horizon, and still not see the end of the path. It was the beginning of summer and the grass of the fields were mellowing to wheat. She did not mind the heat. Light was the universe''s way of saying they were alive to see the colours of the world.

    From the corner of her eyes, she saw a blink of light.

    ¡°Did you see that?¡± she asked Seks.

    ¡°See what?¡± The drakins looked out onto the plains in confusion. ¡°I don''t see anything aside summer grass.¡±

    She chalked the visual up to a trick of her eyes. After all, seeing sounds and musics as colours tended to sometimes mess with her actual eyesights.

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    They reached the top and workers ushered the passengers off the elevator and towards the station building. Those who were on vehicles were redirected to a road that stretched around the structure. The station itself was a long two stories thatched building made of quarry stones and straws with a grand staircase leading up to the entrance.

    The pair bid farewell to the caravan that brought them there and headed into the building with backpacks on their backs. They went through the customs, unrolling their documents and flashing their school badges. After declaring their weapons, they headed out into the main lobby where they were told they would be met by a person of Saix''s crew.

    ¡°Oh. Titans!¡± Four exclaimed. ¡°It''s him! It''s him!¡±

    The one who came to greet them was the musician himself. Saix stood cross-armed against the wall beside the exit. He was a man with rough styled navy blue hair that held a streak of pink. The same pink which Four had dyed her own locks to match. He wore a navy twill weaved vest and white under-shirt. His pants were smoothed brown cargo silk that were tucked into his boots. His looks were otherworldly in the realm, much like Four herself. And while she drew some stares for her gothic dressing, the man was drawing accidents, with people bumping into one another just from staring at him.

    He looked up and saw the two Spellblades and waved to them.

    ¡°He''s waving to me!¡± Four jumped, yanking on Seks''s arms to haul herself higher.

    ¡°He''s waving to us,¡± he corrected.

    She turned him around and grabbed him by the collar. ¡°If you take this from me, I will shoot you.¡±

    ¡°Hey yoz!¡± The pair jumped, turning around to find Saix having already closed the gap between them. ¡°Fornelia Chantervalica and Seks, I take it?¡±

    ¡°Yes! And you are Saix! You''re you! Saix!¡± She was jumping.

    Seks continued, ¡°We did not know you were coming to get us personally.¡±

    ¡°Well, I did request for the help myself. Besides, I''m not so fame fed that I can''t run my own errands.¡±

    She could hear her heart beating. When she could hear it beat, her vision gets blurred with blood red pumps of musical colours, further drowned by the bustling visuals of the station. ¡°I''m a fan. I dare say, the greatest fan! I saw you play during the post war celebration. I became a musician, a bard, a everything! I even learned to play the pan flute!¡± She swung her pack around onto the floor and fumbled within looking for her instrument.

    ¡°Four-Chan, manners,¡± Seks said.

    She jumped to her feet, flute in hand, and pointed the instrument at Seks like a weapon. ¡°It''s Fornelia Chantervalica!¡± her voice boomed and the station froze.

    Everyone stared at her for a moment before awkwardly carrying out their day.

    Saix laughed. His voice was smooth and deep and she could see a ocean blue mixed with autumn green flowing from his lips. It was no wonder his voice could carry tunes across different types of musics given the range of his voice.

    ¡°Four-Chan,¡± Saix noted. ¡°It''s very punk.¡±

    ¡°Punk?¡± the two students looked at him, confused.

    ¡°Oh, punk. You know? Fly. Cool. Rockin''. Sharp.¡± He took in their exasperated visage for a moment before seemingly collecting himself. ¡°The name''s geared steady, girl.¡±

    Her grin must have stretched to the ends of the planet. ¡°Really?¡± Perhaps her name was not so terrible. If someone like Saix found it pleasing, how bad could it be?

    He took them out of the building and to the coach services where a line of coaches and their drivers parked in queue to a long stretch of clean and smooth stone highway. From her knowledge, the roads were flatted over time and maintained by teams of multi-element mages. Light mages measured the flatness of the path while earth mages shaped it. Fire and water mages then heated and cooled the stone at intervals to further contour it, before wind mages smoothed the final product. A road created and maintained by those of all creeds and backgrounds. It was the epitome of harmony in construction between elements.

    ¡°There are no horses?¡± Four noted as they climbed onto the front-most coach. She and Seks placed their belongings in the luggage compartment behind.

    Saix paid the valet a decent pence, who then gave the driver a thumbs up. ¡°Don''t need them.¡±

    The driver turned to look at her passengers and with a sly smile, pulled and released the brake handle at her side. Behind them, the valet gave a push of the carriage.

    They shifted free and the coach lulled forward. Slowly at first, they moved. But the carriage picked up speed, wheels clattering over the smooth stone road. Soon, they were speeding over the highway at a speed faster than the trot of a horse.

    ¡°What?¡± she exclaimed.

    They were rolling past long stretches of the canyon road. The driver controlled the speed of the carriage with the brake handle on the left and a till to direct the direction on her right.

    Saix explained, ¡°The roads here are built with a very slight slope. They are made at an alternating height which allows for carriages to travel on these highways at speed without the need for horses. Look.¡±

    He gestured off the left side. At the far end of the canyon, another road with other racing carriages lead down to another station on a lower level of the cliff edge. The their distance, they could see the long sloped angle of the path. To the middle of them all, leading from roads that winded out of both stations was the old road where traditional horse drawn carriages travelled to-and-fro. Aside the roads, geysers sprayed misty water into the air, covering the landscape in rainbows and glitters.

    Seks further explained that Tinderland, Aleynonlia, and the Drakins worked together to make the project possible. It was the first major infrastructure work following the second war and it was initiated by King Adam as a way to boost the economy and rebuild both Drakspire and Aleynonlia, two countries that were on the forefront of the battle. The project paid itself back within three years of completion. Trade time between countries were drastically shortened and the number of merchants moving through Dragon''s Tail increased. The town of Hirule''s Holding expanded quickly.

    ¡°Hirule''s is coming up now,¡± Saix mentioned as they swung by the last of the large rock formations that blocked their horizon view.

    Hirule''s Holding was once a small town that serviced the traders that travelled through the rugged landscape. Now, it was a small bustling city. With the highways and elevators, it became a frontier of growth. The town had multiple slope highways for main roads, each with a smaller version of the geyser elevators at the foot end of each path that lead to the peak of another one. Carriages and bicycles raced across the town, with smaller streets interconnected from higher points to lower points.

    It was fast paced. It was bustling. Streams of colours exploded from the settlement with sound of life, music, and drunken brawls reaching them even from their distance. Four could not help but smile. Shimona would throw a fit if she knew the sight Four was seeing.

    She held up the flute to her lips, leaned her head against the rustling wind, and played a tune of life to the rising mist of the geysers.

 Chapter Twelve: Stagehand, Part Three

    Four stood on the stage they had set up in the town''s centre. The noon summer Twins were beating down on them and she was tasting the sweat on her lips. They were surrounded by buildings of equal elevation, the town square being the one place in the city which had sloped highways leading to-and-fro the most varied of places. They were facing the south where the buildings were shorter. The stage designer said it was to reduce the amount of distorted echoes from the music. The taller buildings behind them were to reflect the cheers from the crowd while the cut dome of a stage was designed to amplify the volume of the music that otherwise could not be enhanced.

    She had never thought that architectural designs could extend into music. The point at which the two trades intersected had once seemed so obscure, but now, she could not imagine having never known it. She was sure to look out for structural and location designs now that she understood the basic concept. It was one of those things that will forever nag at the back of her mind as she pursued her craft.

    ¡°Hey!¡± She turned to find Seks standing at the edge of the stage, a crate in his hands. ¡°I know it''s mystical to be on stage for you and all, but we''ve got a job to do by sundown.¡±

    ¡°Yes. You''re right!¡± She picked up her tools and followed the drakin off stage.

    The pair worked with the crew for the rest of the early afternoon. The stage''s dome was eventually filled in with panels of mirrors, an artistic design that boggled the mind when viewed from the front due to its varied and confusing reflection. It was an effect which Four could appreciate as it drew in light and colours from all around.

    When the set-ups were completed, the stagehands were asked to simply wait around the stage but to always be within reach in case something should happen. Seks was briefed that Saix liked to walk into the crowd mid song, and that if the musician was to do that, Seks would act as a bodyguard.

    Four on the other hand was waiting anxiously. It had been years since she had heard Saix play. She worried that the music might have dulled with age. That the electricity of his style had faded. She worried that the same would happen to her one day.

    ¡°Four-Chan. Seks.¡± She looked over to the stage where Saix stood. He beckoned them over. ¡°Come ''ere, I want to show you something.¡±

    The teens went over. Placed before them was a black box, the front of which was meshed with a form of grill. The side up had buttons, knobs, and switches that they''ve only seen in books depicting the steam technology of Eltar. Although the versions on the box were significantly sleeker, coloured the same black as the rest of the container.

    Saix explained, ¡°This is a bass amplifier.¡±

    He held out his arms and in a flash of purple electricity, he materialized his weapon.

    ¡°That''s...¡± Seks'' words faded. ¡°A scythe?¡±

    ¡°A scitar,¡± Saix corrected.

    Indeed, with the way the man held the tool, it looked more guitar than a scythe, though the instrument was in a form Four had never seen before. The violet body was thin and flat without a sound hole. It had white knobs along the side of the body along the edges of the pick rest. The line of the body itself curved and winded, ending in the form of half a flame before the start of the neck. The blade of the scythe itself extended below the bridge and curved the length of the body, the spine of the metal reinforced with grey steel. A two pronged spearhead protruded from the bottom.

    Saix strummed a blank cord and the blade snapped into the body of the guitar with the spearhead retracting in. With the transformation complete, it finally took the classic form of the instrument Four had come to know, albeit still with a protrusion of the sharp end of the blade near the neck.

    ¡°Geared,¡± she let out, dumbfounded.

    Saix snapped his fingers, pulling their attention back to him. ¡°Focus.¡± He pulled out a black cord-line that ran from the amplifier and attached the copper end of it to a slot where the spearhead vanished into. He then told Seks, ¡°When I''m out there, you''re to make sure this wire doesn''t disconnect from either the amplifier of the guitar. Follow behind me and make sure to keep it lose, understand?¡±

    Seks nodded in acknowledgement.

    ¡°What about me?¡± Four asked.

    Saix smiled and held out his instrument. ¡°Do you want to give it a play?¡±

    Her eyes popped out of her face. She wasn''t sure if it actually did. But it was very likely to have happened. She speechlessly took the guitar from Saix. When she held it in her arms, her heart quickly calmed to the rhythm of readying music and she prepared to pluck a tune.

    ¡°Give it some magic juice,¡± Saix explained. ¡°That''s how the amplifier works here, since there''s no power outlet.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    She was not entirely sure what the man said, but followed the instruction scrupulously anyway. Her right fingers lit up in white as she gave a charge of her magic circuits. Then she plucked a chord.

    The sound reverberated out of the amplifier, coursing through the air and turning the heads of those around them. It continued to echo and shake the world. But for Four, her mind lit up. The world was in the middle of an electric storm. It was coursing through purple, violet, magenta, and other colours she did not know a name to. She continued, playing the tune to an old bass melody. She was watching waves of electricity surround her as if she was in an ocean of music. When the last chord was struck, the tone lasted for moments longer as the world slowly returned.

    ¡°Wow.¡±

    ¡°Not bad, kid,¡± Saix complimented. ¡°You want to play with us tonight?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She took the information through a ride on her addled brain before exclaiming, ¡°What?¡±

    Saix smiled. ¡°Our guitarist bailed on us. You won''t be playing this piece, just the classic wood, but you''ll be on stage jamming.¡±

    Four did not understood half of what the man said but the general message was clear. She was going to play a concert with her hero, and that was all she needed.

    ¡°Yes! Oh please! Yes to everything Titans!¡±

    ¡°Great,¡± he handed her sheets of music. ¡°I trust your talents to join us for rehearsal at twilight?¡±

    Time slipped by her as she pushed to memorize the music. It was not hard. They were short pieces and she had learnt to read musical notes before she even knew the common language. Rehearsal shot by quickly, though the group did it without the aid of Saix''s magic black box in worry that it might draw a crowd before the show. The band consisted of Saix himself, a drummer, and now Four.

    By the time the curtains were drawn and she was standing behind Saix, it felt like only seconds had passed. She thought that musicians of his kind lived fast, and she liked the speed of their routine.

    Looking off stage, Seks gave her two thumbs up and a sharp-toothed terrifying grin that only drakins could make. She nodded back, glad to know someone had her back.

    She turned back to the crowd and the drummer counted them down. Then the first chord struck the air.

    It was fire. It was wind. It was the earth trembling beneath their feet and the dark sky lighted with electricity. It was nature itself quaking with energy. It was time slowing down and speeding to the tune in a way that only music could bring.

    Can''t you tell me where I need to go.

    Can''t you tell me what I want to know.

    Red and blue spun the outer rims of the music. The immediate area danced with shock drums and dumb awe. From Saix, colours amplified became violet. From the drummer, each beat hit with a red burst. From herself, each light chord faded into a the background a gentle teal. The crowd cheered wild flowers, the world a painting.

    At the end of everything we just come and go.

    Life comes sickly rock and roll.

    Saix stepped off the stage and into the crowd. Seks ran out from offstage and followed behind the man, lifting the cable attached to the amplifier over the heads of the swarm and off the ground, careful not to get the equipment entangled. They played the final chorus from the centre, the music blasting out of the amplifier on the stage. Purple and yellow churned into steady chaos.

    The last beat and tune hit the air, staying with a loud clash of percussion. The crowd went wild, their cheers filling the air a fierce hunter yellow as Saix and Seks made their way back to the stage.

    Then a streak of white cut through her visuals. Her ears picked up nothing but her mind''s eyes saw the white smoky trail clearly. It was a sound beneath the sound. Background noise that would otherwise go unnoticed. But not to her, and not to that colour. She had ever only seen one thing in life made that pure white a sound and it stiffened her up.

    Slowly, she set her guitar down on a chair at the back of the stage and pricked her ears to the line of the sky. Saix and Seks had returned and were staring at her quizzically. The crowd was still cheering the end of the opening act.

    ¡°What''s wrong?¡± Saix asked.

    ¡°I saw something,¡± she half-mindedly replied. ¡°It''s a colour...¡±

    When Saix looked confused until Seks explained, ¡°She can see sounds as colours.¡±

    ¡°Chromesthesia? That''s rare.¡±

    But she ignored them. Instead, she noted, ¡°I saw a scream. Seks, get our weapons. We''re not Spellblades without them.¡±

    The drakin did not even question. He ran off the stage and around back to where they had kept most of their stuff at, including their arms.

    Saix was more sceptical. ¡°Are you sure? I mean, we are at a concert. People are cheering.¡± But the cheering had died down as the crowd began picking up on the discrepancy in the atmosphere between them.

    ¡°No,¡± she retorted, still keeping her ears up. ¡°Cheers of joy are ''sunflower yellow''. What I saw was ''death white''.¡±

    A shriek filled the sky and turned the attention of everyone to the south. Shortly, the skies were stained by the screams of those in need. By that time, Seks had already returned, fully armed with his revolver-axes tucked into the sash of his cloth belt. He passed Four her weapons.

    They were a pair of front bladed gun-swords. The pistols were made of a series of moving parts that formed a long ''T''. The centre of balance led to a rasp coloured sword that extended from the straight grip up. A black clip below the grip held the ammunition to the firearm of the weapon.

    Saix turned to his crew and began pushing out orders for evacuation. By then, Seks and Four had leapt off the stage and were running through the crowd. They commandeered the first bicycles they saw and rushed off towards the highway.

    The sloped road proofed invaluable in that moment. They turned at each junction, and though unfamiliar with the inner workings of the streets, they made for the main road which they knew headed south. With a few calls for direction when things got confusing, they were largely on track. Within minutes, the were across the vast city and riding one of the smaller geyser elevator up to the southern main platform station where the initial screams came from.

    ¡°You ready?¡± Four asked her partner.

    ¡°No,¡± Seks replied annoyed. ¡°This is not how I thought the day was going to turn out.¡±

    ¡°You and me both.¡±

    As the elevator rose up and above the platform, the pair came face-to-face with a bloodbath. Bodies littered the station floor. Guards, workers, travellers, citizens, men, women, drakins, and children. None were spared.

    The two wished they had not gotten used to carnage like that so they would have gag reflexes to react with, less seeming inhuman. But they were children born in war. Peace was not the norm for them. Their early lives were filled with blood and brim smoke.

    Seks asked, ¡°Who could have done this?¡±

    She turned to survey another side of the surrounding. The platform was the tallest structure in the land, overlooking the rest of the city. Black smoke were rising from the south-central, followed by another white hot scream. What ever had attacked the people had already moved into the city.

    Four turned to Seks, ¡°They''re heading further¨C¡±

    But Seks was not where she last saw him. His body had been flung half way across the platform and was hunched over in pain on the ground. She held her weapons up, ready for an attack. But she saw nothing but the canyon walls and the night sky. Then, her vision blurred and she felt the impact hit her square in the chest.

 Chapter Thirteen: Stagehand, Part Four

    It was about dark and refugees were still pouring into the castle grounds. The young Fornelia watched from the castle walls as a team of Spellblade guards rushed at an unspawn that had broken through the frontlines. Arrows of fire and ice flew at the creature, slashing through the air in colours of red and teal. But the moment the points hit the monster, all sounds vanished into nothingness. No colour from her ears or her eyes.

    She hated the creatures. Spawns from another world, they did not reflect or take in light, constantly remaining in a state of translucency. The monsters sucked in any sound that they touched, moving without noise, striking without a crack. The world was filled with colours, both of the sight and of hearing. But not those creatures. They were pariahs of the universe that neither existed nor disappeared. Neither alive nor dead.

    Her fists clenched tightly. It was not as if her home was in any danger. Their house were far from the fighting and her family had evacuated at the first signs of trouble. She was, by all accounts, going to be fine, as long as their side won the war. But the thought of those who weren''t as fortunate ate at her.

    The Spellblades below dealt a series of fatal blows to the unspawn. The translucent creature fell to the ground, picking up dust noiselessly. It''s form slowly faded, not even giving the consideration to decompose properly, instead leaving the aftermath of the battlefield looking like a drunken brawl in a pub after all the fighters had left.

    ¡°Fornelia!¡± her mother called out. She turned to the woman that was approaching her. ¡°They are calling for all of us to move further into the grounds to make room for those coming in. Come along now, your father is waiting for us.¡±

    She nodded and held her mother''s hand as they went down the walls, a supply cart was being towed across the rampart which were being used to transport emergency equipments and supplies.

    The castle grounds themselves were filled with evacuees that were huddled and confused. Most, unlike Fornelia, had likely lost their homes. There were children crying and adults arguing. There were quiet huddled masses and quiet huddled messes. A churning broil of purple, swamp green, rage red, and poison blue fought in the sky.

    ¡°Wait here while I go get your father,¡± her mother instructed and pointed to a landmark signpost.

    She nodded, still numbed by the situation around her. As she watched her mother disappear into the crowd, the crying of a nearby child caught her attention. She looked around for the source and saw a human boy, younger than even her, wailing at the corner of a building. Two hume children stood around him, attempting to calm the child down. Fornelia approached them.

    ¡°What do we do, brother?¡± the girl hume asked, arm hooked around her brother''s.

    The brother desperately tried to calm the younger kid. ¡°Hey, it''s okay. Where are your parents? Come on, I''ll take you to them.¡±

    Fornelia walked up to them and without a word, squat down next to the group. The three kids turned their attentions to her, though the youngest was still tearing.

    From her pocket, she pulled out a harmonica and began playing, pulling a long drawn yellow tune. The child stopped crying and the two siblings were caught in rapt attention. The world around them was still in chaos, churning the colours of destruction, frustration, and sadness. But on a small street corner in the middle of war, the colour of sunflower danced.

    *****

    ¡°Four-Chan! Fornelia! Wake up!¡±

    She stirred, her spine aching as she was turned onto her back. She let out a pained grunt to let Seks know she was still with him as she caught her breath.

    ¡°Thank the Titans you''re okay.¡± He was breathing heavily and she could hear him moving, the colours of those slight noises lighting her sights despite keeping her eyes closed. ¡°Stay down, I''ve got this.¡±

    She was about to drift back to sleep when two shots of gunfire rang through the night. The bright red blast forced her eyes opened and she sat up to the sight of combat. Dozens of large earth pillars jutted out of the ground twice the size of a person. They were the trademarks signs of Seks'' unique and often destructive earth magic. The bodies of the civilian victims had been left largely untouched as Seks fought from the top earth pillars so as not to disturb the dead.

    The drakin had his offhand weapon under his armpit, the chamber of the revolver emptied and opened. He was searching through his cloth belt for additional ammunitions but seemed to be coming up empty. He clicked his tongue loudly and took the barrel of his gun as a handle, pointing the axehead under the pistol grip forward. His right hand had the axe-revolver in its range grip and his left had it on melee.

    However, their opponent was nowhere in sight.

    ¡°Seks!¡± she called out.

    ¡°Stay back!¡± he yelled at her.

    It was then she saw it. The mostly transparent blur in the backdrop of the sky. She had seen the creatures in her childhood and they were an image she, and everyone else, was likely to never forget.

    She jumped to her feet, swords in her hands, and rushed to the monster as it swung its large, deformed hammer-shaped fists at Seks. She met the attack head on, putting a magical charge in her swords as the attack connected and cutting the arm of the creature clean off.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°T-thanks,¡± Seks replied.

    ¡°Unspawns?¡± Four asked as the pair jumped back and away to a safe distance, Seks gliding from pillar to pillar.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied, turning their attentions back to the creature.

    A radiating wave of electricity swept through the air from the south, lighting up the sky in chains of electricity that bounced out of the canyon road.

    Before she could even ask, Seks replied, ¡°Saix is taking on the larger groups. There''s a couple of dozens of them.¡±

    ¡°A couple of dozens!?¡± she exclaimed in surprise. ¡°We need to help him!¡±

    ¡°He says he''s got it,¡± Seks told her. ¡°But one of the unspawn slipped into the city. The people are evacuating but it''s not going to be fast enough. We''ve got to find it before it does more damage.¡±

    She ran a quick plan through her mind. There was no way they could fight the unspawn before them and search for the other one in time of not getting anyone hurt. They would have to split up.

    ¡°Do you have this?¡± she asked.

    Seks pointed his revolver at the creature and fired a shot at its legs. The bullet hit the ground and from the point of impact, a large earth spike shot out and pierced through the body of the unspawn. The monster did not writhe or scream in pain, nor did any of its movement make any noise to signal it being injured. It simply began the process of pulling its body out of the spike, all while nearly invisible to the world.

    ¡°Go!¡± Seks said, apparently on the same train of thoughts as her.

    She rushed for her bike and pushed off towards the slope of the highway. The unspawn broke free and chased after her but its movements were stopped when Seks fired another earth spike into its path. She cleared the battle and rolled down the highway, peddling as hard as she could to reach top speed sooner.

    A scream echoed through the air, deathly white. She followed the sound down a road and found a street in disarray, stores and buildings damaged and trashed. Four followed the trail of destruction and arrived back at the city centre where just moments ago, a hearty concert was being held. Now, the place was deserted. Or at least, that was what she thought.

    A quiet rushed whisper carried to her ears. ¡°Hey!¡± She looked to the stage and saw stagehands and civilians hiding underneath. ¡°Get down!¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± she asked, crouching, looking around carefully. Even then, she could not register anything in neither her visual or auditory sights.

    ¡°It''s up there!¡±

    She looked up and saw the sky warped with translucent lines. It was as if large webs of suspended water hung between the roofs of the building. Bodies hung in the air as if floating on strings. One of the strings moved in clacks and it took her a disoriented second before realizing it was not one of the webs, but the unspawn itself. The creature was further hidden by the dark of the sky but she could tell at least its shape. It was a large spider-like unspawn with a round body and over a dozen long legs, each the size of her arms. The creature, if at full height, would tower over her easily.

    ¡°Damn!¡± she cursed.

    One of the legs shot down from the web right at her and she managed a parry, redirecting the strike while stepping leftwards, the appendage smashing into the ground beside her without a sound. She tried to slash at the leg but it shot right back up into the safety of mid-air.

    ¡°Damn! Damn!¡± she continued swearing.

    She fired a shot right at the floor next to her and a pole of hard, bright white light erupted from the ground to her height. She aimed her offhand gun to another patch of empty space in the distance and fired. Another light pole burst into existence. The unspawn launched another attack. She dodged. It barraged her with a series of strikes after. She began running.

    As she circled the battlefield with the creature chasing her, she fired off randomly at the ground and creating more rods of light, nearly emptying out her magazine as the unspawn continued its assault with relentless fervour. On her last round, she rushed to and jumped onto the stage. Below, the hiding innocents let out worried whimpers, cursing her for leading the attack to them. However, the half dome of mirrors covered her top and the spider unspawn backed away, seemingly reassessing its situation as it circled the plaza.

    Four smirked and mouthed, ¡°Coward.¡±

    She fired her last round directly into the stage, erupting one last rod of light energy and drawing irritated shouts from those hiding below.

    ¡°Hey! Watch it!¡±

    She ignored them and perpendicularly stabbed the rod with both her swords. With blades lining each other in parallel and guns pointing forward, she breathed and released her magic connection.

    From the foot of the rod, 3 lines of light grew like roots of a tree, streching out towards the three nearest other light poles. From there, the roots grew further to the next 9, and so on till all 27 of the other bars of energy were connected.

    Most mages who used firearms with one of the generated elements would fire elemental bullets when things got hairy. It saved them the trouble of reloading but expanded a mage''s supply of seither energy quickly. Four built around that, creating hard light energy stacks that functioned effectively as charge stations. Because she could create these poles in larger sizes with less focus, she effectively ''bulk ordered'' elemental bullets. She could fire ten for every single shot that other mages could do.

    But she could use the stacks for something greater in a form that was much more destructive.

    She pressed a charged of magic through her circuit, sending it down the energy stack she was connected to and sent that same charge out towards the other. She pulled her guns back and the rod she held bent with her as she took aim at the unspawn.

    As the creature moved in to attack again, she pulled her triggers and fired two beams of light out of her guns, powered by the energy stack. The other 27 rods pulsed and released a hail of bright fire, all aimed at the spot which Four shot at.

    Twenty eight eruptions of energy flew through the air and at the creature. It quickly crawled out of the line of fire and the bullets blasted off a chunk of the building behind it. She turned her turret stack and took aim again. She fired, the monster moved again and the attack sheered off the shingles of a neighbouring roof.

    She gritted her teeth. The creature moved too quickly for her gain a clean hit. The target was also too thin for any room for error. She tried a third time and the bullet cut through the air and spread out into the skies as the nimble monster evaded once more.

    An idea hit her and she turned her back to the unspawns and faced the mirrored dome. She could still barely see the creature in the reflections if the mirrors, just enough to get an aim on it. Seeing the opening, the unspawn clambered forward at speed and she took aim at the reflection. Those who hid under the stage screamed.

    ¡°Shoot it!¡±

    ¡°Quickly!¡±

    She kept calm at the sound of life. So long as the colours were in the air, she could continue fighting with hope. It was not over until the universe was blind.

    ¡°Relax!¡± she shouted. ¡°Life comes sickly.¡±

    The unspawn passed the last pre-placed stack and was raising its legs to attack. She fired.

    The first two shots from her guns bounced off the mirror and headed for the monster. It dodged, as she had expected. But from behind, twenty seven more energy beams careened at it. It tried to evade but the haphazard shooting had no rhyme or reason, just as the creature itself. Most of the attacks missed it, but a couple clipped its legs. The ones that missed bounced off the mirror of the dome Four had fired at and ricochetted back in the general direction of the giant spider. More shots met their marks at the unspawn stumbled to the ground with limbs severed.

    She turned her turret around and aimed down at the creature that struggled silently to stand. The energy stacks that were placed around the plaza began to shrink, the power absorbed into the rod she was locked in to. Slowly, her own stack was absorbed into her weapons. The blade of her swords glowed bright white.

    With a run, she leapt off the stage. Her weapons raised above her, she slashed down with the kinetic energy of 16 bullets as if they had been recently fired. She added her own power to the strike and in a neon stream, severed the unspawn into three at all limbs. The creature''s vivisected corpse jerked for a single second before ceasing to move and vanished as if it was never there. Bodies of its victims dropped down from its departed webs and the survivors crawled out from underneath the stage.

    ¡°Rock and roll.¡±

 Chapter Fourteen: Interlude

    ¡°And that''s what happened,¡± Saix explained, lying on the couch as if the room was his own home. ¡°Life comes sickly, rock and roll. Stole my line.¡±

    ¡°And the unspawn?¡± Adam asked from his seat.

    ¡°I took care of most of them. But those two kids took out a big one each. They''re strong, no doubt about that, especially given that they don''t have Soul Arms.¡± Saix yawned and stretched to the lazy summer heat. His voice then dipped. ¡°There were casualties though. Close to fifty people died. Some injured. I won''t lie, it''ll take a while for the town to recover from this one.¡±

    They were in Adam''s personal chamber. Saix hated the room for being too much ''everything''. A large king-sized bed sat to the far left corner sided by the couch. In the middle of the room, a large round table akin to those used to plan for war was centred and surrounded by wooden chairs, on one which Adam sat. Maps of the world was strewn over it with mixed chess pieces placed around. Burnt out candle lamps and tinted stationeries kept atop them as weight. All of which sat under a gleaming chandelier of crystals, each giving off a soft white glow that combined to give light.

    On the right, a long, intricately carved red wood desk sat strongly before an ornate leather chair. Behind, the regalia of Aleynonlia''s rule ¨C an ornate long sword ¨C sat mounted on the wall. Opposite the entrance, a balcony with three sets of arcing double doors of stained glass windows stretched from end to end. Each of the glass set depicted variations of the royal insignia throughout time, with the final door half decorated with two crossing swords.

    Adam stood to his feet and paced around the war table, contemplating at the maps of the world.

    Sensing his friend''s distraction, Saix added, ¡°We''ve had stragglers before. Probably just another wayward tear.¡±

    ¡°Not in these numbers.¡±

    ¡°We send some Spellblades out to patrol, maybe even get Cray or Feathers to drop in on the towns every once in a while. Problem solved.¡±

    But Adam did not seem to buy it. The king continued to pace, eventually making his way out to the balcony and resting his arms on the edge overlooking his kingdom.

    The third member of the room was Ruby Aelkine, the elected Head Consort of the Rubicum Alliance. She wore the traditional red uniform of her nation''s officials which paired thankfully well with her bundled scarlet hair and set wood eyes.

    She followed the king outside and stood looking at the same view. ¡°We''ve been getting rumours over in the forest.¡±

    ¡°Unspawns?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, rumours. Nothing concrete. No real sightings. No real contacts. Just... whispers in the treelines. The elves are keeping an eye out and they sense disturbances in the forest, but no real proof yet. But I am worried, especially with all that''s happening lately concerning the epitaphs and the rising slave trade.¡±

    Saix chimed in, ¡°I''m not from around here, so you''re gonna have to clue me in of the slave thing. I know we''ve been cracking down hard on them, but there''s been slavers for as long as I know of. What''s new?¡±

    ¡°The people,¡± Adam answered. ¡°While most of the population are normal, half of those that have been reported missing are either mages or have a history of combat.¡±Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

    Ruby interjected, ¡°We think someone is trying to revive the Arena of the Beasts.¡±

    Saix''s face scrunched in disgust. ¡°That gladiator ring in Devara?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the king confirmed. ¡°Though truthfully, there''s little we can do about it from here aside from clamping down on the local cells. Ierba is headed there to meet with Nadier, so if anyone is going to put a stop to this at its head, it''s them. So for now, I want to focus on the issue with the unspawns.¡±

    Ruby sighed. ¡°Right. I was thinking given the likelihood of an attack, we should call off the Spellblades Tourney. There''s also the issue with Class C and their epitaphs. I highly suspect that whatever is going to happen, will happen at the tourney.¡±

    Adam rubbed his chin as if there was a beard even though he was shaven clean. Saix never understood why he did that. Unconsciously, he rubbed his own chin as well.

    ¡°No,¡± Adam added. ¡°We''ll continue with the tourney. Tears can''t happen in places with large amount of people. And having Spellblades gather together in one place would make Rubicum the safest city on the continent until Winter ends. I doubt there''s anywhere in the world that would be more secure than Rubicum during the tourney.¡±

    ¡°And Class C?¡± she asked. ¡°They are kids. Do we really want to put them in harm''s way given the uncertainty of our situation?¡±

    Saix was not sure of what to make of the teenagers. ¡°They were Jax''s age when he started the Second War of God.¡± Ruby and Adam turned to look at him questioningly. ¡°I''m just saying, we can''t protect them forever. You remember what happened with Joanne Arc. Once a seer or precog gets involved, it becomes incredibly hard to move things in our direction, if it''s even possible at all.¡±

    Silence fell between the three. They knew he was right. No matter how much they tried to prevent whatever event was looming, it was likely not going to happen. It was similar to the video games he liked to play. There were lines of quests for each characters, but only ever so it seems to fit the player of the game. Despite there being hundreds of other people within the game, only those few handfuls ever gets picked out to fight monsters and defeat evil.

    ¡°I think,¡± Saix continued, ¡°That if you want to find Titans, you must first find those who walk in the shadow of the Valley of Titans.¡±

    He thought that maybe then, he understood why the main characters in video games got to solve all the problems. That maybe there was a giant web of events that covered the world, a web that only those who walked on could see. And people like himself and Adam and Ruby and Jax and Scarlet and Ierba were not on the web this time. And no matter how hard they tried to look, they would never piece the strings together. A puzzle without the corners and edges.

    Adam asked him, ¡°You''ve met a couple of them. What''s your impression?¡±

    ¡°They are good at what they do,¡± Saix told him. ¡°Spellblading the way they did was impressive to watch. I remember the first time Jack and I picked up our Soul Arms we needed everything we had to drop even one of those flyers.¡±

    ¡°I''m talking about their personalities,¡± the king chided.

    Saix shrugged. ¡°Four-Chan knows what she wants to do in life and how to get there. Seems like the path is clear for her. Seks is a little behind on his coming-of-age. He seems a little unsure if where he''s going is where he wants to be.¡±

    Adam crossed his arms in annoyance. ¡°That''s not what I''m asking, and you know that.¡±

    He grinned. ¡°I know. Though what did you expect me to say? They''re kids. Finding themselves is all they do at that age.¡±

    ¡°What are we to do if they end up on the side of those against us? They are rebellious at their age. And while it is good to question, what if they make the wrong decisions?¡± Adam bemoaned. ¡°If the gods are really at play, having even a single Spellblade on the other side of the aisle could turn the tides irreversibly.¡±

    ¡°We help them where we can and try to point them in what we think is the right direction. Anything more than that and we''ll be no better than the gods who wants us in their image.¡± Saix sat up from the couch and materialized his guitar. He started strumming a tune as he added, ¡°Whatever their personalities and ideologies are, it doesn''t matter. We just have to hope they''re on our side, and if not, hope to everything that we are in the wrong when they come for our heads.¡±

    Ruby added, ¡°That''s the kind of trust we Clovers are built on, isn''t it?¡±

    Adam leaned against the parapet with a look of realization and defeat. ¡°You''re right. Of course you are right, both of you. I''m sorry, I don''t know what got over me. I must have sounded like a dictator for a second.¡±

    She went to his side and placed an arm around him in friendly comfort and patted. ¡°You''re a good leader, Adam. Near perfect, I begrudgingly admit. But you put too much on your shoulders, my friend.¡±

    Adam looked back over towards the landscape. The capitol bustled with life. Bells were ringing to signal the beginning of noon. Faraway, chimney smoke rose from the the outer districts and farmlands stretched the horizon. Saix''s folk music floated out into the air.

    ¡°It''s the peace,¡± he said. We worked so hard for it and to only get to enjoy these short seven years seems... wrong. Undeserved.¡±

    ¡°Let''s leave it to the kids to tackle a front then,¡± Saix added, still playing. ¡°Takes some of the burden off both of us. We focus on everything else so they can solve their epitaphs in peace. But honestly, I have feeling they''ll simply be stumbling into the answers rather than finding them.¡±

 Chapter Fifteen: Legacy, Part One

    ¡°Are you Seks?¡± the little human girl asked.

    The drakin smiled, fully conscious of the grin of his race seeming terrifying to some humans. The girl however, took no notice, or rather, did not seem to care.

    ¡°Yes,¡± he replied. ¡°I am he.¡±

    Barely his waist height, she stood on tip toes and held out a single stalk of viola. ¡°Thank you for saving my uncle at Hirule''s Holdings!¡±

    He took to flower between his fingers, careful not to clip the stem with his claws. ¡°You are very welcome, young lady.¡±

    The little girl bowed a final thanks and ran off to her parents who waited for her further down the platform. Seks twirled the flower in his had, looking at the petals move to the spin.

    Trini Alquin practically tackled into his side with a hug. The girl''s short red hair was the perfect foreground to welcome Fall. Her casual dressing of grey shirt, maroon pleated skirt, and basic shoes and puffy socks belied her tactile upbringing. And though he was a head taller, he felt she encompassed his whole world.

    She gave him a sharp-chinned tomboyish smile before kissing him on the cheeks. ¡°Is that girl trying to steal my boyfriend?¡±

    ¡°If she was, she''d have to try a lot harder.¡± He returned her affection with a gentle nuzzling of her hair to which she giggled.

    ¡°Still, my boyfriend the hero.¡±

    The couple picked up their luggage and headed further down the station platform. Around them, commuters bustled to-and-fro as a steam engined locomotive pulled into the station with two long pull of its horn and the chugging of its pistons.

    Longinus was the only train in Ciara at the time. A marvel of modern engineering and a testament to progress, the train ran the longest non-stop track in the world between Aleynonlia and Rubicum. Made of iron and copper melted down from weapons left from the war, with cabins of woods salvaged from the destruction, Loginus is a symbol of progress and peace over violence and conquerors.

    While the eastern continent of Eltar had multiple trains, those ran on heat produced from biofuels and could only last for as long as there were solid fuels to burn. Longinus however ran on crystal energy. A train powered by magic required only mages of energy based elements to be stationed onboard to recharge the crystals. The success of the train had pushed forward a second track to be built, scheduled for the next year. However, until then, only one train leaves between the two country every other day.

    Seks said, ¡°Not a hero. I mean, Four-Chan was with me as well. Just lucky, or unlucky, to be there depending on how you view the thing.¡± He rubbed the bump at the back of his head he had gotten from the fight.

    They passed by their fellow schoolmates from other classes. Dolf was seeing his classmates off, the ban from participating in the tourney having taken full effect. However, he glanced at the passing Class C students and gave a curt nod of acknowledgement. The rest of Class A and B''s students stared in a mixed of coldness and begrudging acceptance of their existence.

    Shimona Zettai skipped up to the couple. ¡°Wow. I''ve never seen them act so nice to us before. Are behemoths flying now?¡±

    ¡°Morning, Shimona,¡± Trini greeted.

    The two girls talked across Seks but the drakin did not mind. Trini continued holding on to his arms as they crossed the station towards the rest of their class already waiting at the end. Once they got close, Shimona split off from the two and ran forward excitedly to join their classmates.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Is this your first time taking the trains too?¡± he asked.

    ¡°No,¡± Trini solemnly replied. ¡°My parents would take me with them on their trips to Rubicum when the train was first installed.¡±

    ¡°A perk?¡±

    ¡°More like a nightmare,¡± she laughed bitterly. ¡°Being stuck for a day and a half with them yet having nowhere to run is excruciating.¡±

    Seks never understood the trouble of having a complicated family. For one thing, he never had one. Drakins from Drakspire were raised communally, with the eggs kept in the incubatory until they hatched. Afterwards, the entire society helped raised them. If any adult drakin so chooses, they could karal a young into their lounge and treat them as equals in a pack. For them, familial hierarchy meant nothing. They were born equal and raised equal. Their legacies were the only things to forge themselves.

    But that did not meant that he could not empathise. He listened to his love speak of her past for nights and days on end. And while she never said much to him after in terms of thanks, he thought that just having someone to hear out her woes were a much needed comfort for her.

    Four chimed as the couple reached them. ¡°I see you''ve gotten some hero''s love too?¡± She pointed to the flower in his hand. She however, had an entire bouquet in hers.

    He shook his wings in slight jest. ¡°I can''t help my irresistibility.¡±

    Nos weighed in, ¡°We have the entire carriage to ourselves, it seems. Guess there are some advantages to being in a small class.¡±

    ¡°Alright, seems like everyone''s here!¡± Pempe called. ¡°Let''s load up!¡±

    They began bringing their belongings onto the train. The tight entrance corridors meant that Seks stood outside passing the luggage to Trini and her into the cabin in a chain. As they did so, hushed voices floated form down the platform and Seks turned to a group of three, two humans and one drakin, walking towards them. The crowd of people parted, watching the trio with whispers and reverence.

    Seks immediately got on his knees. ¡°Loch Tehir,¡± he greeted his loch.

    Tehir was the ruler of Drakspire and in turn, the leader of the drakin race. His scales were dark and reflected white like shadow fire and his skin a silk grey. They were rare colourings for a drakin though it enhanced an imposing palette to those who saw him. Similar to other drakins, he wore lightly with a black loincloth wrapped around his waist decorated in golden embroidery of the legendary dragons of yore. Like Seks, Tehir was chosen as a guard by the previous loch. During the Second War of Gods, Tehir was one of those who fought on the front-lines against the gods and alongside the Clovers, and when the loch of the time died, he was assigned to be the new loch, albeit temporarily. However, that restriction had long since lifted as time and time again, Tehir had proved he was more than capable of leading his people, even managing to bring them back from the brink of extinction.

    ¡°On you feet, Seks,¡± Tehir stated. ¡°Have I ever wanted to see anyone on their knees to me? Especially you?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Seks got his feet and gave a small bow. ¡°You''re not like that, I know. It''s just... habitual.¡±

    ¡°It''s habitual to bow to your father figure?¡±

    ¡°That''s not...¡± he glanced into the entrance corridor and saw Trini hiding behind the wall, a grin on her face as she listened to their every word. ¡°That''s not what I meant.¡±

    Tehir laughed. ¡°Don''t be nervous, Seks. I''m just here to see you off and tell you how proud I am.¡± The older drakin placed a hand on Seks''s shoulder. ¡°You''ll be the first drakin to graduate from the academy, and the first to take part in the tourney within a team of Spellblades from around the continent. You do well, taking on the mantle of harmony. When people see you, they will be reminded that no matter what we may look like, we are all the same underneath. Take heart that you hold that truth well.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, my loch,¡± Seks lowered his head again. ¡°I will do my best to live up to your expectations.¡±

    The drakin ruler clicked his tongue which snapped almost like the cracking of bones. ¡°Always so formal.¡± Tehir smiled before turning to leave. ¡°Miss Alquin, please do continue watching over the boy. Maybe get him to relax every now and then.¡±

    Trini grimaced from her hiding spot before letting out a chuckle.

    ¡°He can be a handful and hard to read, but he means well at heart.¡±

    ¡°Will do, sire!¡± she replied excitedly.

    The two humans that came with him smiled and thumbed Seks up respectively before following behind Tehir as they left the way they came. ¡°Good job at Hirule''s Holdings! We''ll come see your matches once the tourney starts!¡± They parted with the congratulation.

    As he watched his loch and guardian leave, a sense of melancholy descended upon him. He felt his shoulder sag under an invisible weight, his mind running through his loch''s statement to him. You do well, taking on the mantle of harmony.

    For drakins, a mantle was a statement of an individual''s growth into adulthood. It was a cause or an ideology that each drakin had chosen to fight for throughout their lives. In the distant past, an adult drakin would be given a literal mantle to wear, but that tradition had long since faded. However, the idea that a drakin would have to choose a ''mantle'' to carry once they''ve aged tagged heavily on him.

    ¡°Wow,¡± Trini started, stepping out of the carriage. ¡°I knew you and Loch Tehir were close, but your father? Why have you never mentioned it to me?¡±

    ¡°He''s not actually my father,¡± he replied.

    ¡°Because drakins don''t have parents?¡± She wrapped an arm around his. ¡°But I''m guessing he raised you or something, right?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°Still, he''s a really relaxed person. I expected, I don''t know, someone serious. A lot unlike you.¡±

    He looked to the flower still in his hand before replying, ¡°Well, I am his legacy.¡±

 Chapter Sixteen: Legacy, Part Two

    ¡°That will be eight pieces, please.¡±

    Seks fumbled through his pockets as the train rumbled on. It was a surprisingly difficult act as he continued to familiarize himself with the sway of being on a box of metal and wood hurtling through the lands at speed. He missed the feeling of solid ground that stayed beneath his feet. A trait his fellow drakins found odd, given their ability for gliding.

    ¡°Here you go.¡± Seks handed the coins over the counter and picked up the two plates of sandwiches. ¡°Thank you,¡± he gestured to the man behind before making his way back to his booth table.

    The dining cabin had its furnitures and walls made of dark wood. A large lacquered bar was where he ordered the food from with shelves of glass bottles of drinks lining the back. Eight booths took up the rest of the corner spaces of the cabin, the backs of those seats were layered with cushioned red leather. The floor was carpeted with criss-crossing patterns of brown. The ceiling had strips of cryst lamps lining the side behind red tempered glass, giving the room a soft summer glow.

    He set the plates of food down on the table. ¡°Here you go, ladies.¡± He took his seat opposite Shimona and beside Trini while admiring the space. ¡°This place is nice, if not too swish.¡±

    Shimona took a large bite out of her food and attempted to speak through chewing. ¡°Shish tshoo basht shis insh sher rirrle.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± he asked.

    Trini translated, ¡°She said, ''It''s too bad it''s in the middle''. I''m guessing she means the middle of the train.¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. That is rather unfortunate. Coming to-and-fro is... not enjoyable,¡± he replied.

    With the dining cabin set in the middle of the train, they had to pass by both Class A and B''s cabins to get there. It was not so much a need for them to go to the dining cabin since the food cart would travel up and down the train at meal times, but rather a curiosity to explore and a boredom from being cooped up in the same space for hours. Still, the thoughts of their schoolmates staring variedly at them as they pass was not a comfortable idea.

    ¡°Gear them!¡± Trini exclaimed. ¡°We don''t have to care about what they think of us. Why should we? We''re not that different. We''re all students. We''re all Spellblades.¡±

    Mouth still filled with food, Shimona raised a silent arm in cheers.

    He loved that attitude about Trini. It did not matter what the world saw her as. To her, she was simply Trini Alquin. Whatever that meant was up to her to decide and she did not take kindly to anyone who said otherwise.

    Outside their north facing window, the grassy plains of Aleynonlia rolled on by. The train tracks were built atop brick columns to stop most wild animals from trampling the line. The height gave them a good view of the distant where they watched a herd of wild gruffloo moving across the land.

    Shimona finally swallowed her food. ¡°Hey, do those gruffloo seem odd to you?¡±

    ¡°No. They look fine to me.¡± Trini leaned into the window. ¡°Wait... actually...¡±

    Seks was not near the windows so he simply kept to himself as he watched the girls investigate the outside. Suddenly, a plate with a slice of pie slipped onto the table and a figure moved into the seat beside Shimona.

    ¡°Well, well,¡± Trini took her eyes off the gruffloo and voiced. ¡°If it isn''t Nossaral Unn, gracing us with his presence. What''s with this rare vote of confidence we''re getting from Class C''s number One loner?¡±

    ¡°Don''t flatter yourself, Alquin,¡± Nos replied coldly as his fork stabbed into the pie. ¡°There''s just not enough seats to go around.¡±

    Trini continued, ¡°I''m surprised you weren''t stabbed by the other classes on the way here with that attitude.¡±

    ¡°It''s not like the rest of you are exactly peerless reviews of diplomacy yourselves.¡±

    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± Trini replied.

    ¡°Still,¡± Nos continued, cutting into his food. ¡°It''s really odd just how much dislike your class is getting from the others.¡±

    Shimona quickly corrected, ¡°Our class.¡±

    ¡°Sure. Whatever floats your boats.¡±

    ¡°It''s just the expectations,¡± Seks explained. ¡°Everyone is expecting us Spellblades to be the next generation of defenders. That idea translates differently for different people.¡±

    ¡°So to some, being a Spellblade equates to being jerks?¡± he queried somewhat sceptically.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°I don''t think so,¡± Seks attempted to dispel the misinformation. ¡°I think it''s just the standards set for Spellblades are high. We have responsibilities riding on ours shoulders, so perhaps they don''t think we''re qualified to be Spellblades because of our scores. It''s likely they simply want what''s best for the name.¡±

    ¡°Oh, babe,¡± Trini patted him on his head. ¡°That''s really cute that you think their intentions are that pure.¡±

    Nos added, ¡°Naive, almost.¡±

    Shimona chimed in, ¡°I think it suits you. We can''t all be Mister Scowl and Grumpy over here.¡± She thumbed in Nos''s direction.

    ¡°I''ll take that as a compliment.¡±

    ¡°It really isn''t.¡±

    The original trio continued the conversation as Nos continued eating his pie in silence. Just as the latter finished his food, a fellow female hume student walked up to their table.

    ¡°Nossaral Unn?¡± she asked, adjusting her horn-rimmed glasses as she did so.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he replied.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Trini chimed up. ¡°Pip! How are you? Class B ain''t treating you bad, are they?¡±

    ¡°I''m doing fine,¡± Pipquet Chevlier replied with a genuine smile. ¡°It took some getting used to but the classes aren''t anything special.¡±

    Nos raised a brow questioningly. ¡°Aren''t you the girl who left Class C last year?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± she bowed formally. ¡°Pipquet Chevlier. It''s a pleasure to formally meet you, Nossaral Unn.¡±

    ¡°Is there a reason to be this formal?¡± Nos asked.

    Seks replied, ¡°That''s just how she is.¡±

    Shimona got to her feet and leaned over Nos to hug her former classmate. ¡°Oh, Pippy! We missed you so much! Nossy here has been such a downer.¡±

    ¡°Hey!¡± Nos pushed the two girls apart as Pip laughed.

    Pip affectionately answered, ¡°I missed you too, Shimona.¡±

    Nos cleared his throat. ¡°You were looking for me?¡±

    ¡°Ah, yes. Rehiy wanted to see you for the um... thing you did earlier.¡±

    Nos sighed and got to his feet. He swiped his cleared plate off the table to return to the counter and headed for the direction of the front of the train, all done without another word. Pip did not follow and instead simply watched him walk away.

    ¡°Pip,¡± Seks called and she turned. ¡°What did Nos do?¡±

    The girl sat down across him in Nos''s seat. She adjusted her glasses habitually. ¡°He um... he punched Jules when he walked through our cabin earlier.¡±

    ¡°That does not sound like Nos,¡± he replied.

    Trini scoffed. ¡°Funny. That sounds just like him to me, actually.¡±

    ¡°Come on, Tricksy,¡± Shimona said. ¡°Nos is cold, but he''s not the kind of person to just go around hitting people.¡±

    ¡°Shimona''s right,¡± Pip replied. ¡°It''s actually mostly Jules''s fault, I think. Seems like Jules was trying to trip him when he came by and he just... it looked to me like combat reactions, you know? Instinctual.¡±

    ¡°I can''t understand,¡± Trini said. ¡°How do you stand being in the same class as these people?¡±

    ¡°They''re honestly not terrible people,¡± Pip defended. ¡°It''s just... they have this conception that Spellblades have to be the peak of mortality. And our test grades and class assignment''s are just an easy way to determine that.¡±

    Trini scowled. ¡°Still, no reason to be so mean to us all the time. And honestly, what are they? Five? It''s really childish, you know. This ''I''m better than you'' bullshit.¡±

    ¡°But I can see why they would think that,¡± Seks replied. ¡°We all carry the burden of continuing the name of Spellblades of yore. They were the first line of defence throughout both wars. There''s a good chance it will be our turn if we get attacked again.¡±

    Trini pouted and turned away from the conversation. He knew she did not like the idea of being burdened with expectations and weight of things she did not choose. He thought that it was precisely because of that personality of hers that fell in love with her, and likely vice versa. They were polar opposites. One who wished to escape her legacy but can''t, and another who could escape his but chose not to. They saw in each other a version of themselves.

    He took her hand in his and though she did not turn back to look his way, she tightened her grip as if looking for support.

    ¡°Listen,¡± Pip began, her voice dipping low. ¡°There''s rumours going around school that some of us have gotten epitaphs.¡±

    The three turned to her, surprised. They had been careful with the secret, keeping it only amongst themselves, families, and people of import. They had expected the news to spread eventually, but not before the tourney ended.

    Pip caught their glare and nodded understandingly. ¡°Who is it?¡±

    They each pointed to themselves.

    ¡°Three.¡±

    ¡°Six¡±

    ¡°Eight.¡±

    Pip let out a withheld breath. ¡°So it''s true? And the weird naming as well?¡±

    He asked, ¡°Who told you all this?¡±

    ¡°They''re just rumours. Words floating around the school.¡±

    Shimona chimed in, ¡°Does anyone else knows? Is this why people have been nicer to us?¡±

    ¡°No. Like I said, it''s mostly rumours. Nobody even have any inklings it''s you guys. Right now they are throwing caution to it more likely being the top students of Class A. Everyone''s still shaken about the things that happened to you publicly recently. Quinton''s fight with Dolf. Shichi''s kidnapping. You and Four-Chan''s run in with unspawns.¡± Pip leaned her head and peeked up and down the corridor, checking the coast before continuing, ¡°But it was the unspawn thing that got me thinking that sometime more was happening with you guys. It was just too... coincidental. And you know what Rehiy always says...¡±

    He finished for her, ¡°There''re no such things as coincidences.¡±

    Pip nodded. Then, her voice lowered even further as she leaned closer to everyone. ¡°Do I have one?¡±

    Trini shook her head. ¡°No. you''re in the clear.¡±

    They could visibly see Pip breathe a sigh of relief, her shoulders relaxing.

    Pip continued questioning, ¡°And the rest? Nossaral?¡±

    ¡°We all have one,¡± Shimona answered. ¡°Zero to Thirteen.¡±

    ¡°That makes no sense,¡± Pip piped, her interest piqued. ¡°Why Nossaral? Why not me? And why numbers? Has that ever happened before?¡±

    Shimona tried to calm her down. ¡°Pippy, relax. We''ve asked all those questions already. We''re honestly not any further than we were on day one.¡±

    ¡°Look, Pip,¡± Seks said. ¡°You need to keep this a secret.¡±

    ¡°Of course!¡± she nodded vigorously. ¡°Look, I don''t care if I''m in another class. You''re all still my friends. I have your backs. If you need me at any time at all, just let me know and I''ll come running.¡±

    They smiled at her and she grinned back. They continued their conversation, though leaving the tracks of epitaphs behind. When it was time for Pip to leave, she got to her feet and bowed her farewell.

    ¡°You know...¡± She took a double-take just as she was about to depart. ¡°About your... numbers. They''re abnormal, right? So maybe you should look at it through a distorted lens. It has never happened before so maybe the reason it did now is something new as well. Something that broke the rules.¡±

    Seks had never thought of it that way before. They had been trying to solve the mystery of their epitaphs by applying the rules they know for precognitions to work. But perhaps a unique case requires extraordinary circumstances. He noted to himself to tell Sik Rehiy about the idea later. However, with Pip''s contribution, something else began nagging at the back of his mind.

    He looked out the window and even though he could not see the herd from where he sat, he muttered to himself, ¡°Something''s odd about the gruffloo...¡±

 Chapter Seventeen: Legacy, Part Three

    ¡°Seks?¡±

    ¡°Here!¡± He jumped to his feet.

    They were in the school lobby which had been converted into a waiting room filled with fellow potential students and their families sitting in rows and columns of chairs. All were eagerly or hesitantly awaiting their turn. He however, waited alone. Following the precedence set by earlier students, he walked towards the double doors and exited onto the school field.

    The field had been partially turned into a small simulated village. Temporary tents had been set up amongst obstacles and dirt walls built by earth mages. There were also slopes and mounts to give variations to the terrain.

    It was the final day of the entrance exams. Seks had done everything on the list of tests. He had filled out papers; ran laps; sparred in some of toughest fights he ever had ever undergone; and was even asked what kind weapons he personally preferred. At times, the tasks felt simple. At others, unhinged. But he was glad for them to be nearly over with as he walked up to the modified field where a older drakin waited.

    ¡°Welcome to the final test. I am Rehiy, your instructor for today,¡± Rehiy spoke with the dispassionate tone of someone who had repeated the introduction too many times to count. ¡°I hope you are ready.¡±

    Seks gave a curt nod.

    It was odd for Seks to see a drakin outside of Drakspire. While the world had become inclusive, his kind did not often leave their home, let alone become a teacher for a foremost academy in the world.

    Rehiy began explaining, ¡°Before you, we have a ''village''. Within the village are fifteen straw dummies. Your goal today is to rescue them and bring them back here, the ''rescue point''. Once you have rescued six straw dummies, you can head towards the ''extraction point''.¡± He pointed to another instructor standing at the far end of the field. ¡°This is a search and rescue operation. The dummies are to be considered civilians in mortal danger. Your entire run through the course will then be timed and the score calculated. No magic allowed. Any questions?¡±

    ¡°No sik!¡± Seks replied.

    ¡°Alright then. To your starting position. On my mar¨C¡± Rehiy stopped short, turning his attention to the stands.

    Moving up the stairs was Loch Tehir. The ruler casually strolled through the seats to a prime spot overlooking the field.

    He caught their stares. ¡°Don''t worry about me!¡± he shouted to them. ¡°I''m just here to watch.¡±

    Seks pushed out a puff of air he did not realize he had been holding back. He was not sure why his guardian and loch was there, but it without a doubt placed a strain on his shoulders as pressure mounted. He would need a good time to impress Tehir.

    The loch gave his blessings. ¡°Carry on!¡±

    Rehiy nodded and turned back to Seks. ¡°On my mark! Three! Two! One! Begin!¡±

    He rushed in, weaving through the obstacles as fast as his dexterity can take him. He planted his foot in the ground and took a sharp turn, his entire spine stretching to carry his weight. The pain did not matter. What mattered was the time. He found the first straw dummy hiding underneath a bed within a tent. He pulled it out only to find that it weighed the same as a person. He might be able to carry one at a time, maybe two, tops.

    Shaking away his thoughts, he decided to simply act until the situation required it. He carried the dummy out and made a beeline for the rescue point. As soon as he set the ''victim'' on the ground, he turned and ran back into the ''village''.

    The second dummy was behind a stone wall. The third was sitting behind a bunch of barrels. The fourth and fifth were together inside another tent. He tried to bring the pair out together but dropped one when the weight was too much to handle and made two trips instead. He sixth dummy he found atop a mount before bringing it back to the rescue point.

    By then he was out of breath. Running back and forth while carrying the weight had taken its toll. He breathed hard and a gasp of hot air escaped his lungs. Like other reptilians, drakins do not sweat. However, because of their size, they can overheat in exhaustion. Thus, their body regulated heat by expunging it in controlled breaths. The same type of breathing that marks them as biological cousins to dragons and drakes.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    As his body cooled with each blow taken, he calculated the straightforward distance between him and the evacuation point. If he made a rush for it now, he would no doubt pass whatever marks was needed for time. After all, he had the six dummies needed to clear the passing criteria.

    He looked to the stands to see Tehir watching stoically. With a deep breath, Seks faced away from the evacuation point and ran back into the village instead.

    ***

    The same chugging of the train that lured Seks to sleep also pulled him awake. He was in his seat in Class C''s cabin. Opposite him, Pip sat reading a book. She had chosen to stay in their cabin until they were closer to Rubicum. Her argument was that there was more than enough space for her and sharing a cabin with the rest of her larger class got claustrophobic really quickly. But Seks thought maybe she simply missed them.

    He looked outside to see the plains bathed in an orange glow. ¡°What time is it?¡± he asked her sheepishly.

    She checked her pocket watch. ¡°It''s six in the evening. Twilight, basically.¡±

    He stretched his arms in a yawn and looked around. ¡°Where''s Trini?¡± he asked when he found the seat next to him empty.

    Pip pointed to the roof. ¡°She''s getting some fresh air with Shimona. Funny how being trapped in an enclosed space for hours on end gets so suffocating, so fast.¡±

    He looked out the window at the passing landscape. Wild bulls grazed the plains while another herd of gruffloo wandered in the distance. He wondered if it was the same herd they had saw earlier as something continued to seem off to him about the creatures.

    ¡°Say, Pip,¡± he spoked. The girl looked back up to him. ¡°Do you know which test you had to pass to move into Class B?¡±

    ¡°Why? Are you thinking about retaking it?¡± she asked with a frown. ¡°I didn''t change class because I wanted to, you know? My parents'' and their expectations simply got the better of me.¡±

    ¡°I know. Must be hard having parents who are so tough on you.¡±

    ¡°They just want what''s the best for me, that''s all,¡± Pip sighed. ¡°It''s no different from you, I heard? Son of Loch Tehir? I heard from Trini. Must be quite a burden.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I know you drakins have this whole ''mantle'' thing. The loch''s mantle isn''t something easily shunned or lived up to. Harmony. The balance between two worlds. Not an easy thing to do.¡±

    ¡°I like humans and elves.¡± He gestured to his clothings. Most drakins did not wear them as they felt it restricted their movements. But he personally felt they brought out certain flairs to their existences. ¡°Your culture, your way of life, it''s all fascinating to me.¡±

    She smiled at him. ¡°If that''s your way of thinking, then I won''t worry about your whole ''mantle'' thing too much.¡±

    ¡°But I am still curious why we''re in Class C. As far as I can tell we''re not that much different than those in the other classes in terms of scores.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± she paused and he could see the familiar look in her eyes whenever she had something to hide.

    ¡°You know our reasons for being in this class, don''t you?¡± he egged on to her discomfort. ¡°You could never lie when you spilled drinks over the classroom and you can''t lie now, Pip.¡±

    She smiled back. ¡°I know. But I can''t tell you. I made a promise.¡±

    ¡°To who?¡±

    ¡°Can''t tell you that either.¡± She smiled. ¡°But I can tell you that it''s nothing to worry about.¡±

    He cocked a brow and watched as her face squinted inscrutably. He knew that the other races always had trouble reading drakins'' faces and he enjoyed the reaction, perhaps more than he should.

    He chuckled. ¡°Fine. I''ll take your word on it.¡±

    ¡°Hah. Thanks,¡± she replied. ¡°So. New topic?¡±

    ¡°You used to travel with your parents, right?¡±

    ¡°Daughter of merchants, that''s me.¡±

    ¡°Any interesting stories to tell?¡±

    She pulled gently at the lobe of her ear, something she tended to do when thinking. ¡°Not really. Aside from the war, nothing really happened in the travels. I mostly read and try to learn about interesting things I come across.¡±

    ¡°Is that where you get all your trivia from? I always thought you were simply a bookworm.¡±

    She scoffed. ¡°Bookworm is a compliment to me.¡±

    He laughed. ¡°Any new fun-facts? Might as well use them to pass the time.¡±

    ¡°Well, did you know watches were invented in the north? Loads of people think it came from Eltar, but the first watch and clocks were created by Lutvvinians?¡±

    ¡°I knew that.¡± He smirked, happy to have known more than her for once. ¡°Kingston told me.¡±

    She grinned. ¡°Did you know that the inventor was Kingston''s granduncle?¡±

    ¡°You''re pulling my leg,¡± he replied disbelievingly.

    ¡°It''s true!¡± Kingston yelled out from the partitioned seat behind them.

    Pip pulled at her lobe again. ¡°What else?¡± She looked out the window and her eyes lit up and she chimed. ¡°Did you know that when not in a stampede, gruffloos split up when threatened to avoid greater danger to the herd? Actually, kind of like what they are doing now.¡±

    Seks looked out of the window once more, now able to see the oddity he had been feeling since earlier in the day. ¡°Yeah. They''re in a herd but... separated. What''s a threat to a gruffloo? They''re one of the apex of the plains, right?¡±

    ¡°Maybe a behemoth?¡±

    ¡°Behemoths are huge, Pip. We''d see a behemoth before we see the gruffloos.¡±

    A train of thoughts clicked in his mind. If something had spooked the gruffloos, a thing larger than the beast but not one they could see, there was a very likely chance of it being a worse case scenario.

    Then, it happened.

    A crash like the sound of a landslide echoed and the train shook violently. Their luggages in the overhead compartments fell out and clattered out onto the aisle.

    Pip cried, ¡°What''s happening?¡±

    Seks called out, ¡°Pempe! Get ready to give the order!¡±

    He reached across the table and slid opened the window panels. Almost as if having read his mind, Trini swung into the cabin from the outside followed shortly by Shimona.

    Trini shouted a report. ¡°One unspawn! Fast! Big! It''s chasing after us and attacking the support pillars!¡±

    Pempe was on his feet in the aisle, his shotgun already out of storage. ¡°Class C!¡± he commanded just as another rumble rocked the train again. ¡°Load up!¡±

 Chapter Eighteen: Calvary

    Pipquet rushed into Class B''s train car. Immediately, all heads turned to her abrupt entrance as she stood by the door, panting.

    ¡°What''s going on?¡± Hollander asked.

    ¡°Are we under attack?¡± Lucielle shouted.

    ¡°Attack? We''re under attack?¡± Camza worried.

    Pip took a deep breath of air before yelling at the top of her lungs, ¡°Everyone! Calm! Down!¡± Everyone snapped to attention at her, a sudden quiet that only echoed the chugging of the train. Another loud bang and rumble followed soon after, shaking the cabin. Dust fell from the ceiling as the cryst lights flickered. ¡°We''re under attack by a large unspawn.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°An unspawn? Why would there be one here?¡±

    ¡°We need to fight it!¡±

    ¡°There''s too much a chance for collateral damage!¡±

    ¡°We''ll all be dead if we don''t do something!¡±

    Her blood was boiling at that point. With another breath, she roared, ¡°QUIET!¡± Her class was silenced again. ¡°Class C is battling it now. We have to help move all the passengers to the front cars. If we can''t beat the unspawn, we''ll be cutting the connectors between carriages to lighten the load of the train to escape. Those who have their weapons with them can come up top to help fight.¡±

    She was climbing atop a chair to reach her carry-on. While the main lance body of her weapon was stored in the front luggage car due to its size, she had disassembled the handle which consisted of the flamethrower portion of her magma lance and carried the firearm in her hand luggage. In its complete form, the device would be connected to the heavy lance head, with the main flamethrower component being the handle and counterweight. A sparkler set things aflame. Combined with her wind magic, it made for a deadly weapon.

    With artillery in hand, she climbed back down, expecting most of her classmates to follow in arms. However, she turned to those around her in shock. Most looked at each other in confusion. Others in worry. None of them were prepared for battle.

    ¡°Where are your weapons?¡± she asked.

    ¡°They''re in the luggage car. There weren''t any space left and we didn''t think we''d need them like this.¡±

    As Spellblades, one of things they were taught was to carry a form of arms at all times. If they had been students at any other school, such a rule would not exist, let alone apply. However, they were Spellblades who volunteered to be trained to be defenders of the people. The strongest and most capable fighters that were meant to be the frontlines should another war of gods broke out. Yet, they were not ready for the worst case scenario. She was a meticulous planner, and such lackadaisical attitude to life and death put her off to no end.

    She heaved furiously, ¡°Evacuate the cars and get armed! Get the teachers'' attention on this!¡± Her classmates jumped in shock but did not move. ¡°Now!¡± she screamed.

    The last call got them afoot. But the sheer size of the class meant the action of squeezing through from car to car was a slow and tedious process. It was one of the things she missed about being in Class C. While Class B was larger and had small coherent groups, they did not have the same coordination as that of the entire smaller class. Each small group in Class B had their own leader but no one really stood out as capable of mobilizing the assemblage as a whole.

    Pip left her class with handling the evacuation as she climbed out a window and onto the trains'' roof. The train howled through the air. She caught her hair flailing wildly and quickly tied it up with a band though a few strands were still caught between her lips. She could not hear even her own breathing over the roaring of the wind.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    At the far end, the rest of Class C stood, the Twins setting behind them and silhouetting their figures. Everyone except Shichi were fully armed. With weapons that were either collapsible or small in size, they had no trouble carrying their equipments into the cabins. Like Pip, Shichi had detached the firearm from his oversized scythe and it now sat as a long cannon in his hands.

    Another slam into the pillars of the tracks shook her footing and she knelt down to brace herself from the rumble. Once stabled, she ran to the side of her former classmates.

    ¡°What''s the situation?¡± she shouted at full volume over the wind.

    Kingston, Four, Pempe, Seks, and Shichi had been tilting over the sides of the train. The range combatants of the class seemed frustrated and worried.

    Kingston said, ¡°We can''t get a clean line of sight. It keeps weaving under the tracks and pillars.¡±

    Pip voiced, ¡°Maybe we should cut the carriages and just escape.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Seks said. ¡°There''s a chance this thing could continue its rampage. If we don''t take down the unspawn here, people might still get hurt.¡±

    Save everyone. That was their motto. Even if the people they were trying to help never knew it, they were going to do their best for them anyway.

    Pempe, their voiced leader, said, ¡°Seks is right. Cutting the train is a last resort. I think I have a plan. Four. Lua. Head to the front carriages. If, and only if, I give the signal, slice it.¡± The two girls nodded and headed to their positions. ¡°Joachim. How much spare strings do you have for your yo-yo?¡±

    He signed and Ishumi translated, ¡°A whole yarn ball load.¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Tie them to Seks''s waist.¡±

    The drakin exclaimed, ¡°What?¡±

    He explained, we''ll have you jump off the train and glide behind us. Basically, we''ll fly you like a kite. You can manoeuvrer yourself better into a clear shot from the air. Bank to the left. Take my shotgun. It has more rounds than your revolvers.¡±

    Pempe passed Seks his custom 40 rounds barrelled shotgun. Ishumi and Joachim proceeded to tie the spare strings to Seks''s cloth belt. The ball unravelled quickly in Joachim''s hand. Another hit from the creature below them nearly sent them tumbling to the roof floor but they held together. The impact felt harder than before, as if the unspawn was gathering momentum in strength with each successive strike.

    ¡°Shichi, pass your cannon to Kingston. King, use your wind magic to angle the shots to the right. Chase the monster out for Seks to hit. Pip!¡±

    Her attention piped up. ¡°What do you need?¡±

    ¡°Do you still use those powder for your flamethrower?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± she replied, holding up her weapon.

    ¡°Great. The rest of us are going to lean you out the side of the train.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± she exclaimed with the same shock Seks did. ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°We need to do as much damage to this son of a gun as we can. Use your magic. Full pressure blast right into its face. If Seks doesn''t get it, we''ll set the thing on fire.¡±

    It was a mad plan. Borderline insane and bound to fail. ¡°I''m in.¡±

    Ishumi, Joachim, and Quinton held onto the grounded end of the strings. The moment Seks spread his wings he caught onto the wind rushed from the train and took flight. For a moment, the anchoring trio was pulled towards the edge though they quickly found their footing after. Gliding behind them, Seks shouted something but they could not hear him clearly. Soon, the drakin banked left as planned.

    Enneya Devini climbed back into the cabin below and pushed her quarterstaff out of the window with herself and Shimona as counterweights on the end inside the cabin. Pempe and Nos climbed onto the staff after Pip, forming a human chain for her to hold onto as she hung off the far side, one leg dangling precariously off the edge of the tracks and over the plains wooshing by below.

    Pempe gave his signal. Under Shichi''s guidance, Kingston fired off an enchanted shot that curved in the air and disappeared behind the tracks. For a second, Pip waited with bated breath, wondering if the shot had missed. She then heard the explosion as the round discharged its blast on impact.

    Though it was translucent and hard to spot, she managed to track the unspawn as it smashed into and through one of the pillars. Bricks sprayed out like toys being thrown by a child and the portion of the tracks above the destroyed support column collapsed behind it. Luckily for them, the creature had been pushed back slightly and the train was on none of the obliterated path. However, if the monster rushed at them again, they might not be so fortunate.

    So Pip quickly activated her magic. Her circuits heated up as she charged all her available energy into her flamethrower. She pointed the device like a wand and aimed straight at the creature. She adjusted her sights lower to accommodate for the wind speed of the train. Then, she nudged left slightly to account for the curve of the tracks.

    ¡°Bite me!¡± she quipped and triggered.

    A stream of white powder guided by compressed wind magic sprayed directly towards the unspawn, covering the creature in a coat of white.

    Above her, Seks adjusted his flight path and moved directly above his target. He aimed, then fired. The shotgun shells spread in the air towards the creature. Those that did not hit it punched into the ground, enchanted with earth magic. Earth spikes shot out instantly, slamming into the sides of the monster that relentlessly gave chase as it continued to feel no pain. Seks fired a second barrage. A third. A fourth. A bombardment of endless shells descended. From the side, Kingston shot another explosive round that curved towards the creature. The blast ignited the powder and the unspawn started to burn.

    It tripped as its legs were ripped away by the onslaught of earth spike and crashed to the ground. Each of the movement it made as it burnt and tore apart were soundless, as if they were watching a mime''s emotionless reaction to every bone in their body being broken. As the train pulled its distance from the beast, the class watched the monster squirm in the middle of the plains, burning in the twilight with its size slowly diminishing with each passing second.

 Chapter Nineteen: Crossed, Part One

    Rubicum, the City of Wildflowers, was hidden in the far west of the Forest of Redwood and nestled between the streams of the river Sapfyre. It was a city of walls in an ocean of trees. While seemingly counter-intuitive, the trees prevented attackers from seeing the archers on the ramparts, and the elven allies of the nation traversed the canopy in and out with ease. Built alongside the streams of the Sapfyre Waterways, the liquid currents flowed through the infrastructure of the city as much as the land did. Buildings were dug into long existing mounts and hills. Roads meandered around groves of trees and ponds. The structures that were built aboveground were made mostly of stone and wood. Many hugged the trunks of ancient trees, all liable to be encroached by nature should the land see fit to do so in cycles to come.

    The train chugged through the detritus of the forest floor. Occasionally, it passed by huts and small houses belonging to those that maintained the tracks. As it neared the city walls, a heavy drawbridge lowered with the remainder of the line into the city. On cue, the train rumbled slowly down and into the underground station on the other side.

    It was dimly lit by torches and coolly misted. The amber cave was a famous tourist attraction. Naturally made, elven history noted it was formed hundreds of years ago when a large resin tree toppled in a storm. The tree was encompassed by the earth in a mudslide but air pockets and pressure squeezed the resin out of the trunks in a one in countless perfect condition. The resin formed a barrier around the tree, and as cycles passed, the trunk rotted away, leaving a formed shell of amber that held ancient history within its layers.

    While half the amber cave had collapsed the first war, the remainder had been preserved by the community. With funding from Aleynonlia after the second war, the rest of the cave had been turned into Rubicum''s station, allowing travellers to enter the city with their first sight being a literal view of its fossilized history.

    Class C was to be the last to alight the train and the waited patiently in the car. They had slowly poured out the train''s occupants from the front cabin to the last which helped as Rehiy had instructed them to stay behind to be debriefed on the attack while he and the other teachers finish debriefing Class A and B first, including Pip, who would be given a further separate session.

    Ishumi shifted in her seat as they waited. Despite her relatively comfortable dressing of black crop top hoodie and shorts overlaying a dark sheered full suit, she could not ease her mind of the slight discomfort that persisted.

    Opposite her, Joachim signed, ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I''m fine,¡± she replied. ¡°It''s just been a long time since I came back.¡±

    Shjacky and Trini popped their heads from the seat behind him. ¡°That''s right,¡± Shjacky chimed. ¡°You were from here, weren''t you?¡±

    Ishumi nodded. ¡°I went to stay in Aleynonlia after the war.¡±

    Trini added excitedly, ¡°You simply must show us around the place. We can triple date!¡±

    Joachim choked loudly, vehemently swinging his hands in denial. He signed to Ishumi desperately, ¡°Tell them we''re not dating!¡±

    She gave him an understanding nod and turned to the girls. ¡°We''re happy to.¡±

    It was a little joke she had been playing on him since they started school together. Because of their closeness, most people mistook their relationship for romance. She went along with it as he had no quick way of telling them otherwise.Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

    ¡°Fantastic!¡± Trini clapped. ¡°Seks have never even been to the forests. He''ll be so excited.¡±

    ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Shjacky said. ¡°Am I dating someone?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Quinton.¡±

    Shjacky laughed before leaning into folded arms mockingly dreaming. ¡°If only. He''s so straight-laced, he''ll never go out with me until the world is perfect for his sister.¡±

    Trini optioned, ¡°We can ask Lua to help! Come on. I''ve got a plan.¡±

    The two girls left their seats without another word and headed to find the sister of the twins.

    Joachim glared at her. ¡°I still don''t understand this joke of yours.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°Let me know when you do,¡± she gestured back.

    ¡°Is this a vengeance thing? Did I put dung in your shoes before?¡±

    ¡°You''ve placed dungs in people shoes before?¡± she asked.

    He caught himself and looked away in denial. She smiled. She loved their banters. It was a little corner of the world devoid of noise but still full of life. The manner in which they communicated, sign language, also made her felt closer to her family in a distant sense.

    But something nagged at her and she voiced worriedly, ¡°Do you think the unspawn attacks at Hirule''s Holding and the tracks have anything to do with our epitaphs?¡±

    He turned to look at her. ¡°It''s hard to say. But the timing is oddly suiting.¡±

    ¡°That''s what I thought too.¡± She stopped for a moment to compose her thinking. ¡°I can''t immediately see how the threads come together though.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we''re not suppose to see,¡± he opined. ¡°Maybe we''re suppose to experience.¡±

    Ishumi went silent. Then she signed, ¡°I don''t like that.¡±

    ¡°Me neither.¡±

    The car door opened and in walked Rehiy and a woman of long red hair. Though Ishumi had never personally met her, she knew who Ruby Aelkine was. The hume Head Consort of the Rubicum Alliance, elected by the elves, humes, and humans alike to lead their diverse country. She wore a shining scarlet silk dress that split at her thighs in four strands down her legs. Beneath, sheer white cloth curtained her legs. The middle red of the dress was split from her bosom to her naval, the cleave instead being covered by a golden under shirt bearing the country''s rose emblem. Two silver pins held her long hair back.

    ¡°Hello, Class C. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.¡± They shot to their feet and saluted. Ruby sighed dejectedly. She then smiled, a gesture which Ishumi thought accentuated her freckled beauty. ¡°Please. I get enough recognitions from my own soldiers. You are here in Rubicum as guests. And honoured guests at that, I might say. I applaud your efforts in quelling the unspawn attack yesterday. Rehiy has given me a full rundown of the events. Had the creature been left to its own devices there was a chance it could grow and cause more havoc. On behalf of Rubicum and its allies, I thank you.¡±

    She bowed deeply and gracefully, stunning the class. What do you do when the head of a state has their head lowered in your direction?

    ¡°My lady,¡± Ishumi voiced out unexpectedly. ¡°Please.¡±

    Ruby brought her head up and met her glance. Without breaking gaze, Ruby continued, ¡°You should already know this, I am informed of your positions regarding your epitaphs. I know some of you might be thinking of the danger your epitaphs might pose, and I don''t doubt you all smart enough to think there to be a connection between the epitaphs and unspawn attacks we''ve been having.¡±

    ¡°Are there?¡± Pempe voiced out of place.

    She turned to him. ¡°We don''t know yet. But the timing is oddly specific. And to tell you the truth, I don''t quite believe in coincidences. Nevertheless, until we get to the bottom of this, it is both mine and King Adam''s opinion that you''d be safest here in Rubicum.¡± She paused perfectly to allow them time to absorb the information. She then continued, ¡°Unspawns aren''t able to materialize in dense population. The larger the numbers gathered, the more energy it takes. Even with the power of immortals the effort is considerable. While the tourney is being held, Rubicum''s population will increase drastically. And as unspawns are easily damaged by magic, the gathering of spellblades will proof bolstering to our defences.¡±

    Years of reading Joachim''s facial expressions had given Ishumi a knack for them. Despite Ruby''s confident speech, the consort''s face was softened in uncertainty.

    Making a quick decision to not hold back, Ishumi asked, ¡°But that''s not what you think?¡±

    Ruby smiled at her. ¡°No,¡± she honestly replied. ¡°It is not. I think whatever your epitaphs entails will happen within the duration of the tourney, if not shortly before you depart back to Aleynonlia. I would personally implore you all to keep your eyes peeled and ears pricked for anything out of the ordinary.¡±

    She paused and turned to Rehiy. They exchanged glances and nodded. ¡°On lighter subjects, we''ll be sending people out to investigate the damage to the tracks. But given the season, we might not be able to fully repair the bridge until after Winter. In the meantime, you are all guests of Rubicum.¡± She looked to Ishumi and smiled. ¡°Except you Miss Nato. For you, welcome home.¡±

 Chapter Twenty: Crossed, Part Two

    They walked through the green streets of Rubicum, a group of six that took up most of the pathway with Ishumi leading the charge. Leafs of crimson and flowers of red fell like drizzling rain as the trees shed their load in preparation for the coming winter season. The aboveground buildings were built around meandering streams, bridges bridging the gaps between one place and another.

    She swung her hand out in a nonchalant gesture as they passed by the entrance to a park. ¡°The Lily Garden.¡± She continued on.

    Behind her, Trini leaned into Seks'' arm. He told her, ¡°I''m starting to think having Ishumi give a tour wasn''t the best of your ideas.¡±

    ¡°I can hear you,¡± Ishumi replied, stopping in her tracks. She turned to those following her. ¡°What do you wish me to do differently?¡±

    Trini voiced timidly, ¡°Well, maybe you could explain some of these places we seem to be catapulting by? I mean, simply saying a name and walking on is not as fun as it could be.¡±

    Ishumi let out a dejected sigh. Speaking aloud was not something she particularly enjoyed. ¡°Very well. The Lily Garden was installed during the year forty-two PW. Master botanist and engineers designed it to seamlessly fill into the streets and it stretches for... what? What is the matter now?¡±

    The others were looking at her with bored expressions. Around them, The Lily Garden stretched into the aboveground streets. Hundreds upon hundreds of the natural flowers weaved into the settings with colours that varied upon the spectrum of light as diverse as the blooms themselves. Their scent was sweet and fresh, filling the brim of their minds with spring in fall. The streams that cut through the garden danced with a vibrancy of petals that floated down.

    Trini began, ¡°It''s just... your explanations are a little...¡±

    ¡°Bland.¡± Joachim signed.

    ¡°I have a question!¡± Quinton raised his hand as if they were back in class.

    ¡°Yes, Quinton?¡±

    ¡°I''m not meeting my sister to help her with her groceries, am I?¡±

    Trini grinned back. ¡°No, you are not!¡±

    Wrapped around his arm was Shjacky who had stuck to him as thick as glue since they left their dormitories.

    ¡°I''m on a triple date, aren''t I?¡±

    Shjacky replied giddily, ¡°Yes! Yes you are!¡±

    Beside Ishumi, Joachim signed. ¡°Tell them I''m not a part of this date!¡±

    She simply shrugged, an action that brought about him a silent groan. ¡°Look,¡± she returned to speaking with the rest. ¡°I''m not sure what you want me to do. I''m giving the tour, aren''t I?¡±

    Quinton suggested, ¡°Maybe not sound like you''re reading out of a textbook? Put some feelings into it?¡±The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Why are you giving the adive? You don''t even want to be here,¡± she snapped back.

    The older twin simply shrugged. ¡°When in Brimton...¡±

    Ishumi crossed her arms. Though the weather was cooling it was not yet cold enough for them to require jackets. Yet, she felt freezing. As if covered by a shadow of clouds that never dispersed.

    She began, ¡°I used to come here as a child. My brother and I would race down the entire stretch of The Lily Garden. North to sound, crossing the whole city. We''d see who could pick the most variety of flowers in the shortest time possible, at least until we got scolded by my parents for plucking the plants.¡± She looked to the sky. Thin clouds covered the sea of astral blue, lulling over like waves. ¡°This place was modelled during the Post War Age. It was meant to be a symbol of harmony between mortals and nature, and that peace needed to be maintained just as much as won. It was also one of the lines of defence during the Battle of Heaven and Earth. When Heaven''s angels attacked, this was where a bulk of the fighting took place.¡±

    ¡°Wow...¡± Trini voiced. ¡°That sounded really grim.¡±

    Ishumi gestured to Quinton. ¡°He asked me to ''Put some feelings into it''.¡±

    ¡°Your feelings are really dark.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°You get what you paid for.¡±

    Silence fell between the six of them, with Shjacky mostly quiet due to being in bliss, not having heard most of what Ishumi said. Joachim gestured frantically, signalling to cut off the awkwardness by changing topic. It did not take someone who knew sign language to understand the wish for it.

    Ishumi clapped her hands together. ¡°How about we simply go to the market? Freshest forest fruits and most beautiful wood crafts in the world.¡±

    ¡°Great idea,¡± Quinton replied immediately. ¡°Let us go.¡± He walked past Ishumi, dragging Shjacky along by his arm as if she was a puppy.

    Trini crossed stares with Ishumi, the latter nodding back with a slight smile reassuringly. Trini nodded in acceptance before turning to Seks. ¡°Let''s go, love. We don''t wish the shops to close on us.¡±

    Seks groaned. ¡°Do I have to carry your things for you again?¡±

    ¡°Of course you do,¡± she replied matter-of-factly. ¡°It''s part of your job.¡±

    As the rest of the group walked away, Ishumi stood back to gather her thoughts. She did not like getting emotional. It always felt like her judgement was being clouded. She was afraid her emotions would lead her to making the wrong decisions when it mattered, even if the choice came up in mundane conversation. She liked to keep her head clear, not hiding from reality. At least, that was what she liked to think about herself.

    When she thought she was ready, she took a step forward only to be held back at her wrist by Joachim''s grip.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked, a solemn look on his face.

    ¡°I''m fine.¡±

    ¡°You don''t look fine. You look like you''re neither here nor anywhere.¡±

    She kept silent, not out of a refusal to reply, but rather due to not knowing what to say.

    ¡°Your family,¡± he signed. ¡°Can I meet them?¡±

    She gave him a playful grin. ¡°I thought we weren''t dating?¡±

    ¡°T-that''s not what I meant!¡± he exclaimed, face beet red. ¡°It''s just... you don''t talk about them much. Even to me it''s just vague exchanges. But they always seemed so important to you, and a part of your reason why you didn''t want to come back here. I just thought that maybe, if you go see them, you can put your past behind you.¡±

    His hands were a flurry of motions. If the others in class could hear how talkative he actually was, she was sure they would go crazy. Playful mistranslations aside, she knew her class found Joachim to be lovingly hard-headed. It was only with her that he dropped his guard, language barrier no longer being an obstacle between them. But to her, he spoke to her on a different emotional level. She liked the voice in the silence. It reminded her of better times.

    Joachim continued, ¡°I know it''s not going to fix anything. But maybe at least, now that you''re here with friends, you can say to them that you''re not alone any longer.¡±

    ¡°We''re kids, Joachim. This thing, these happy days,¡± she gestured to them. ¡°It''s not going to last. We''re going to grow up one day. Given our epitaphs, that might happen sooner or later. I don''t know if you know this, but kids are suppose to have happy days, it''s nothing special.¡±

    ¡°But at least it''s here, isn''t it? At least you got the chance to grasp for it. Don''t you owe it to your family, to yourself, to show how far you''ve come? Even if it is only for a little while.¡± He gave her a moment to take the offer in. Then, he grinned his stupid grin. ¡°Besides, you''ve not been yourself since we got here. If you keep this up, by Winter, you won''t have any friends left.¡±

    She grimaced and piped back, ¡°I don''t want to hear that from you and your ego.¡±

    ¡°See! That''s what I''m saying. You''re edgy, you''re jumpy, and you''re moody. If I didn''t know better, I''d say you were on your¨C¡±

    She gave him glare that marked him for death and he quickly cut mid sentence. Sighing, she admitted, ¡°You''re right. I am not myself right now. Let''s go.¡±

    ¡°Go?¡±

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she replied. ¡°You wanted to visit my family, right? We''ll need to head east to the Forest of the Dead.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-One: Crossed, Part Three

    They went along the white sandy beach. Every so often, her little brother would bend over to pick up a seashell, hold it up to her face, examine it, then drop it back to the ground. Only the rare few did he kept. At six years old, he was three years younger than Ishumi and was an entire head shorter, but they shared similar features alongside the differences. They both had dark hair and lean bodies with lightly tanned skin. But he had a rounder face and glassy dark eyes, with steady silk smooth hands that seemed to shine anything he touched.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± she asked, walking beside him.

    He held a weaved basket in his hand. Within it were dozens of shells of different colours and shapes. The boy set the basket down on the ground and his hands shot up in words. ¡°Mister Gorsuchi says he''s looking for clean shells to make trinkets with and he''s willing to pay for them.¡±

    ¡°And you''re going to collect and sell them?¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± he signed back.

    ¡°Why didn''t you tell me? I can help.¡± She picked up a decently shiny shell next to her feet. ¡°Will this do?¡±

    ¡°No no no! See, it''s chipped at the side. It has to be perfect.¡± He took one of his from his basket and held it up to her face. ¡°A perfect ten!¡±

    She smiled. ¡°And why do you need the money?¡±

    The boy grinned cheekily. ¡°Not telling you!¡±

    As he said it, she felt the foamy waters of a wave lap over her feet. She looked down in time to see the ebb receding back to the great blue and thought it weird as it was not suppose to be high tide for hours yet. Her brother pulled at her sleeve and pointed out to the wide Alavrian Ocean.

    They watched as the creature rose out of the water. At first parting the sea itself as its ''head'' climbed slowly. It was like that of a titan dragonsnake, blue scales glittering in the Twins as its ear fins beats slowly against the fresh air. From where they stood it seemed no larger than the nails on their thumbs, but the creature was miles out and would dwarf them as one would be overshadowed by mountains. Then, a second head rose up beside it. A third. A fourth. Eight heads totalled burst out of the sea and all turned its attentions to their direction. Or more accurately, to the city that sat in the forest behind them.

    It was then she saw it. The waves displaced by the heads rising out the water were gathering into a wide frothing tide, rolling towards them.

    ¡°We have to run!¡± she yelled.

    They were too far away from the river where the row boats awaited. Instead, they rushed for the forest where a hill to the south east would hopefully provide grounds high enough away from the tsunami. Off the sandy beaches. Onto the grass. Into the trees. They did not look back. They jumped roots. Twisted by trunks. Ate bugs that slammed into their faces.

    Something then smashed into their backs with speed and force. They were lifted off their feet as the tide pushed them through the forest. They were washed through the trees alongside animals and shrubberies. There was so much water that mud dissipated into gaseous nothingness. As suddenly as the water hit them, it slowed to a stop. She was losing her breath and her brother dangled unconscious in her hand, floating in the water like the bobble. The tide began to recede, washing back to the ocean. They were about to be thrown out into the sea like wastes down a drain.

    Thinking quickly, she used what she could of her magic. With a blast of shadow, she propelled herself to the trunk of the nearest tree she could see and hugged with her whole body. She tried to pull her brother to her but the ebb ended and the force of the outgoing tide pulled at her arm and her brother.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    Her world quickly grew dark, spots of colour faded from her vision as she held on as tight as she could the her brother''s hand while the oxygen expanded from her lungs, crushed by the sheer pressure of the current. The tree began bending, cracking, tearing off its roots. She closed her eyes and hoped.

    ***

    ¡°When I woke up, I was on high grounds. One of the Clover that was there to fight the Orochi found me stuck on the tree and grabbed me before the second wave hit. I watched from my perch throughout the whole fight.¡± Ishumi set the bouquet of orchids down against the roots of the tree. ¡°My parents were killed in the city when a stray attack destroyed our home. After the war, I applied for a scholarship to the academy and never looked back.¡±

    They were in the Forest of the Dead. A grove of trees to the north-east. Beneath the roots of each tree were buried the deads of families. The tree of the Nato family was that of a black blossom, the light grey flowers drizzling down over their heads as the weather turned with a cold gust of wind. Chimes dangling from sparse branches overhead rang in a range of music.

    In death, the people of the forest was buried in the ground next to their family tree. It was a way for them to live own, their soul fuelling the very life above them. Beneath their feet were the bodies of thousands quietly waning their time in eternal slumber.

    She continued, ¡°I never found out what happened to my brother. He wasn''t with me when they pulled me out. I don''t hold out onto hope for impossible things. I know that it''s likely he was swept out to sea after I passed out. I''ve accepted that he is dead, but I never got to bury his body.¡± She got to her feet and bowed to her family tree before turning around.

    Standing behind her, Joachim listened in respected silent. It was a strange form of quiet outside of his muteness. She gave him a nod and a smile to let him know she was fine with him speaking.

    He sighed before signing, ¡°For what it''s worth, I don''t have a family either.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°You have your troupe. They may not be related to you by blood, but they are your family. Me? I don''t have anything of that sort. No relatives. No aunts or uncles. You asked me why I did not want to come back if I could help it? This is why.¡± She gestured to the tree. ¡°I''ve got nothing left here.¡±

    ¡°Going by that lane of thought, you do have families left, don''t you?¡±

    She raised a brow at him. ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    He pointed to himself. ¡°We''re not related by blood either.¡± Then, his cheeks rose to red. ¡°But... I''d like to think of us as family.¡±

    She stopped, stared at him. Nervously, he turned away from her and gestured incoherently in embarrassment. She then laugh, guts clenching as she tried her best to hold in her voice, sputtering chuckles in random gallops.

    ¡°What? I''m being serious here!¡±

    She stepped over and embraced him in a gentle hug. Saying to him, ¡°Thank you, Joachim. That was nice.¡±

    He sighed again, the warmth of his body fighting off the cold of the world. He signed in her back, ¡°You''re welcome.¡± After a moment, he pulled her apart and with a cough, said, ¡°Okay, now that the awkward is over, should we head to pay our respects to your brother?¡±

    She looked downcast at their feet then up to the canopy. ¡°It''s getting late and it''ll get colder soon. We should head back.¡± With a step, she made an effort to walk away but Joachim held her back at the wrist. She turned to him and said, ¡°Joachim, please. I don''t really feel¨C¡±

    ¡°Then let me. I lost people in the war too. Let me give my peace,¡± he implored.

    Ishumi sighed. It was like talking with her brother again, never getting her way. ¡°Fine. It''s this way.¡± She gestured, leading the way through the familiar fields.

    Their feet crunched the dried leaves underneath as they head deeper into the forest. The Field of Losts was where they were headed. She read somewhere that for every 10 people who died, 1 goes missing. She was reminded of that fact as they stepped out of the treeline into the field of flowers.

    The Field of Losts was filled amidst brown grass with the blooms of norphstar. A yellow star coloured flower that bloomed year round, regardless of seasons. In the past during the early days of Rubicum when the forests around was still a mystery, the norphstar was planted throughout the country as a way to find home. Their bright colours and slight bioluminescence helped guided those who were lost. For those who went missing, the field was where their loved ones would go and pay their respects, and in some cases, spread cottonwood seeds in wishes of returns home.

    Ishumi asked her companion, ¡°Did you bring any seed to spread.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°But I did tell them to bring some.¡± He gestured over her shoulder.

    She turned, and walking through the grove in the distance was a familiar group. The other twelve students of Class C alongside Pip approached in a band. She looked to Joachim for answers, the latter simply turning away, refusing to meet her glance. But somewhere inside her, she felt thankful. While irate at the unnecessary intrusion, she was also happy that he cared enough to go the distance, and even more so that the rest of them actually bothered to come.

    Enneya walked up to the pair as the rest lined themselves along the edges of the field. She held out a bag of cottonwood seeds with a sombre smile. Joachim reached in and grabbed a handful, and after a moment and a sigh, Ishumi did the same. They joined their line of friends.

    They waited, listening for the signal of a breeze of strong winds. Then, they heard the tingle of the wind chimes. With opened hands, they tossed the white puff seeds just as a zephyr blew through, catching the tails of their offering. The tiny whites caught the stream and rode spiralling into the sky, rising and rising into the blue, like snow returning home fore winter.

    Ishumi recited aloud, ¡°Let the norphstar guide you to the blue sea. Let the white wind return you to your wayward abode. Let the cities of flowers greet and welcome you home.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Two: Team, Part One

    For all its purpose, Rubicum''s training arena was very much like their own. It had a crystal simulation stage as large as theirs which operated with two visual judges, just as theirs did. But it wasn''t set in a school field with a ring of bleachers. It was set in the city square, surrounded by trees with tree houses. When not in use for the tourney, during the night it doubled as a ''bring your own cart'' street market.

    They were in the last day of Fall. Tomorrow would be the official opening ceremony of the Spellblade Tourney. Since coming to Rubicum, every third days had Class C booked for afternoon practice on the field, and every other time were spent supposedly self-studying for the written exams when they returned to Aleynonlia. ''Supposedly'' being key, as they had instead ran around the city like chicks enjoying the sights.

    But for that day, they were practising, fighting, but more generally, yelling at each other. Or at least, everyone else was yelling. Joachim simply fumed innately.

    ¡°Watch it!¡± Lua screamed, spitting frosted mist as she rolled out the way of another one of Nos''s frantic magic fuelled rampage. She swung one of her twin jade blades at their holographic opponents. ¡°We''re on the same side!¡±

    ¡°I''ll watch my swings when Joachim starts calling his attacks!¡± Nos frantically screamed as he blocked another onslaught of hits from the holographic Shichi''s scythe.

    ¡°He''s mute, you incorrigible horse pebble!¡±

    ¡°That''s not what I meant and you know it!¡±

    Joachim was at his wit''s end. While he rarely worked in tandem with Lua, they were getting along well save for a mutual rivalry to outdo each other. However, Nos was a different story. The new kid was strong, his attacks erratically alacritous. It was devastating form and techniques in a one-on-one fight. But in a team, that randomness affected his own teammates'' abilities. Joachim had spent the entire fight frustratingly pulling back attacks as Nos continued to jump into the line of fire.

    Then, he saw Kingston sidestepped Lua with his baton, rushing towards Nos for a finishing blow while the latter was preoccupied fighting Ishumi.

    He flicked his wrist at the attacker, yo-yo blades extending from the body of the weapon in a line. It whizzed through the air, guided gently by magic. Then, Nos spun away from fighting Ishumi and punched his dagger towards the attacking Kingston, jumping straight into the line of attack of Joachim''s yo-yo.

    Joachim twisted his wrist, attempting to avoid hitting Nos, but the interference was too sudden. The blade twisted towards his teammates arm.

    He watched helpless as Kington''s hologram form stopped mid attack and turned away from Nos. Kingston pulled up his tonfa and flipped it so the longer arm reached his shoulder. He unlocked a second handle grip at the lateral arm and pulled it alongside the weapon like a bowstring. The hologram fired, rifle bullet exploding out of the barrel.

    The bullet seemed to twist mid-travel, spiralling sideways and turning its direction towards the deadly yo-yo. With bladed wind magic, it cut the string of the yo-yo and the weapon smashed into the ground, embedding blade first into the earth.

    But Nos did not stop. He continued rushing towards Kingston hologram and stabbed. But right before his punch dagger connected, the simulation vanished and he simply pierced empty space.

    ¡°Stop!¡± Rehiy''s voice roared. ¡°What in the name of Titans are you all doing?¡± He stood from his seat and rushed over to the field, approaching the team of Nos, Jaochim, and Lua. ¡°Joachim! What was that? You could have gotten someone killed!¡±

    Joachim signed furiously, pointing to Nos and then his ears. Ishumi was still calmly walking over from her side of the battlefield and was too preoccupied with attempting to ignore the whole troublesome situation to translate.

    Rehiy stared fervently at Joachim''s signing.

    Then, Nos raised, ¡°Hey! We can''t understand a thing you''re saying, stupid.¡±Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°No, I get it.¡± Rehiy put out. ¡°You''re saying Nos wasn''t communicating with you and Lua, is that it?¡±

    Joachim nodded.

    ¡°How?¡± Nos asked.

    Rehiy turned to Nos and reprimanded. ¡°Just because he can''t talk doesn''t mean you can''t communicate. This is a fight. You''re not going to be able to string together full sentences half the time. If you can''t even convey messages without words, then what exactly are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I¨C¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Rehiy waved off. ¡°That was a rhetorical question. Don''t answer that. But don''t you two think you''re off the hook either, Orniter, Kerr. You are also responsible for not discussing a method of communication beforehand.¡± He punctuated to Lua and Joachim.

    As the team of Ishumi, Shichi, and Kingston approached, Joachim walked up to towards Kingston and offered and handshake in thanks.

    ¡°You, are very welcome,¡± the big brother of class laughed back. ¡°Though I wished I hadn''t been stabbed though.¡± He rubbed the imaginary wound from the hologram.

    Rehiy signalled for the class to gather around him for a debriefing, marking an end to the day''s training. Once everyone had encircled him on the field, he crossed his arms and flexed his wings. Letting out a deep breath, his frustration turning into steam in the air.

    ¡°Well, from our training sessions it has become obvious where all your faults and weaknesses lies. As you all know, today is your last day of training, and so I will be registering your teams for the tourney.¡±

    Joachim raised his hand.

    ¡°Yes, Joachim?¡±

    Ishumi translated, ¡°Will we be allowed to pick our teams?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Rehiy replied. ¡°I''ll be picking them in accordance to your strengths and weaknesses. Any other questions?¡±

    The class did not answer, looking back and forth each other as they wondered about their pairing. Some where excitedly discussing between themselves, while others, like the twins, moved closer to each other as if they would be partnered up simply by proximity. Then Rehiy pulled up his hand and everyone gave him their rapt attention.

    ¡°Class C will be participating in four categories. The teams of two, threes, fours, and fives. You are free to register for other categories but those will not be sponsored by the school. You will have to sign up for those just like everyone else.¡± He washed his gaze over the class, making sure each of them where focussing on the next point. ¡°Now for the assignments. For the team of two we''ll have Shichi Katayagi and Four-Chan.¡±

    ¡°It''s Fornelia Chan¨C!¡±

    ¡°Next!¡± Rehiy cut her off before she could finish her catchphrase. ¡°Team of three. Lua Orniter. Nossaral Unn. Joachim Kerr.¡±

    Nos exclaimed, ¡°What?!¡±

    ¡°Is there a problem, Mister Unn?¡±

    ¡°Yes!¡± Nos spoke out without restrain. ¡°We were terrible together.¡±

    ¡°Exactly,¡± Rehiy replied, taking a strong step forward that caused Nos to slink back some. ¡°You''re not here to have ''fun''. You''re here as part of the curriculum of the school, and that means you''re here to learn. Winning the tourney would be a nice bonus, but that''s all there is to that. I put you three together precisely because you''re so terrible. You either learn to work together, or lose. Now, team of four...¡±

    Joachim did not hear anything else after that. His mind wandered. Having to pair up with Nos for training was one thing, but to carry the team through the tourney? And what was Rehiy thinking in not sparring him up with Ishumi? Without someone to translate for him, how was he going to get through on a day-to-day?

    The drakin finished announcing the team and recommended everyone spend the post training minutes discussing their roles in the group.

    Before Ishumi could run off with her squad, Joachim pulled her back by the wrist. ¡°Hey, I need your help?¡±

    ¡°With?¡± she asked, brow arching.

    ¡°I''ll ask Rehiy to swap me with one of your teammates.¡±

    She chuckled. ¡°I don''t think so. Not going to help you with that.¡±

    ¡°Wait, what? No! You need to help me translate or he won''t understand a thing I''m saying.¡±

    She patted his shoulder. ¡°I think that''s the point, Yo-Yo.¡± He was taken aback. She had only ever called him by his nickname whenever she was reprimanding him in her sisterly way. ¡°Look, I want to pair up with you. Really, I do. But I think Rehiy''s right. You can''t always get the easy way out here. Good luck with the team. You''ll need it.¡± She smiled and walked to her group.

    Joachim stood dumbfounded as Lua and a visibly reluctant Nos approached.

    ¡°Is she joining us?¡± Lua asked of Ishumi.

    Joachim shook his head.

    Nos sarcastically said, ¡°Fantastic. Absolutely no problems there.¡±

    Joachim shot him a fierce glare back, signing a slew of insults.

    ¡°I can''t understand you, man. You could be telling me you''ll stab me in my sleep for all I''d know and I''d still think you''re just waving hello.¡± Nos turned and began to leave. ¡°Great meeting, team. Let me know if you want to ''train'', or not. I don''t really care.¡±

    As Lua and Joachim watched Nos walk away, the younger Orniter said, ¡°I don''t really like him. He''s a good fighter, but he''s so selfish and stuck up.¡± She turned to Joachim with a sigh. ¡°I''ll try to get him to meet us for dinner. You can teach us some basic signs, and we can try to coordinate our combat tactics or something.¡±

    He swooped his right hand down to his wrist and tapped. Then, he formed an angled V with his middle and index fingers and brought the two middle fingers together in a gesture.

    ¡°Um... I think the first one means time, so the second one I am guessing means place?¡±

    He nodded.

    Lua sighed happily. ¡°We''ll meet outside our dorm at seven in the night and head out from there. I think we can do this. Nos is hard headed, but I can''t deny he''s smart. I''m sure if we work together, we''ll figure something out.¡± She then gave him a grin. ¡°I know Sik Rehiy said winning''s just a bonus, but I really want that bonus.¡±

    He gave a thumbs up in agreement.

 Chapter Twenty-Three: Team, Part Two

    Joachim and Nos watched as Lua scribbled feverishly into her notebook.

    They sat around the table in the quaint cafe near their dormitories. A cool bricked walled building dug into a mount with long windows tunnelling out of the earth to the world outside. The establishment served a mean cup of cocoanut juice, the three teens each having a cup of the coming winter cooled drink. The room was lit by oil lamps that hung from the ceiling like stars from d¨¦cor of vines that were allowed to grow above, misting the place with the scent of dew and glow of green. Piercing early morning light streamed through the windows, catching the fireflies of dust floating in space.

    ¡°Okay,¡± Lua said. ¡°Here''s some simple signs we can use in a fight. Stop. Attack. Defend. Target.¡± She followed each command with a unique sign. ¡°What do you guys think?¡±

    Nos raised a brow at her. ¡°Who died and made you queen?¡±

    ¡°I did,¡± she snapped back. ¡°When none of you were willing to get the ball rolling!¡±

    Joachim glared at her, trying to get the message across that as a mute, he was not well suited to the task of speaking on behalf of a team. She saw his stare and held up an apologetic hand, wearing a grimace of self-frustration.

    ¡°Not like that,¡± she told him.

    Nos ignored them and continued, ¡°Why don''t we just use simple signs.¡± He pointed; crossed his arms; and waved forward, explaining target, defend, and attack. ¡°What''s with these fancy moves of yours?¡±

    ¡°That''s so our opponents won''t be able to read us. It''ll take some getting used to, but with them, there''s no way our commands will be read.¡±

    ¡°You''re overthinking this.¡± Nos crossed his arm in annoyance. ¡°What about we use actual sign languages? Like Joachim''s?¡±

    Joachim looked to her pleadingly. He was feeling far too lazy to learn new things at the moment. In fact, he felt far too lazy most days to do anything. That morning, if Ishumi had come to his room and dragged him out of bed, he would have slept in on their day off.

    ¡°What if they know sign language too?¡±

    ¡°You''re definitely overthinking this.¡±

    For the first time, Joachim agreed with Nos, nodding his head to share the sentiment.

    Lua disagreed. ¡°Look, if you think you can do better, why don''t you try it!¡±

    Nos shrugged. ¡°I don''t really want to.¡±

    ¡°That''s your problem! You think you''re so smart and strong and above it all but not willing to do anything to help out! Why don''t you go fight the tourney yourself?¡± Her voice began raising.

    ¡°Maybe I will!¡± he yelled back. ¡°Why don''t you two just sit back and let me handle it? Maybe get your brother to fight your fight like you normally do? I''d probably work better with him than you.¡±

    ¡°Why in Titans are you even bringing my brother into this?¡± She jumped to her feet in anger.

    Nos followed her up. ¡°Isn''t that what you do? Have him take care of everything? Like with the Dolf incident? Big brother comes and clean up your mistakes so you can have a nice life?¡±

    Lua raised her hand to throw a punch but stopped when the waiter next to them cleared his throat loudly.

    ¡°I''m sorry sir, madam, but you are disturbing our patrons.¡±

    The two rivalling teens glared at each other before turning away in huffs.Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Lua exclaimed, ¡°I''m going out to get some air.¡± She then stomped out the door.

    Nos''s teeth were still grinding, He huffed when the door closed behind her and picked up his bag. ¡°This is a waste of time. I''m going back.¡± Unlike Lua, he took the side door, likely to avoid running into her. ¡°Bye.¡±

    In the end, Joachim just sat there, waving an apology to the waiter who nodded sympathetically before going back to his work. Joachim sighed heavily and looked at the three cups of drinks left on the table. He took Nos''s beverage and poured the remainder into his cup then drank from it, letting the cold liquid rush down into his body which was heating up with frustration. They were not a team. Even with Lua, who tries, Joachim felt little chemistry with her. They got along well enough on a day-to-day, but they usually worked separately as rivals, challenging each other to betterment rather than working in a team. Even less was to be said about Nos, who Joachim found insufferable sometimes. He wondered what people like Kingston and Shichi saw in the teen, those two even willing to make the effort to talk to the new kid.

    A little leather backed corner poked out from behind Lua''s cup. Realizing the girl had left her notebook behind, he picked it up and after a short weighing of conscious, flipped through the pages.

    The book was mostly filled with study notes and doodles. A couple of them were written in her brother Quinton''s meticulously neat handwriting, mostly reminders on homework or chores. He turned to the more recent pages and found the ones where she had written the signs they were to use for the tourney. He nonchalantly decided to turn back the pages, one-by-one from there.

    As the pages folded back, he found more doodles and notes on signs, littering the papers. Lua had not shown those to them earlier and he deduced she must have took more time than their meeting to come up with them.

    These are very detailed, he thought.

    The other signs had notes on their designs and ease of use in combat. It seemed she had given thoughts on how well they function even if they were using their weapons, along with a guessed likelihood of others deciphering what the signs meant. As he continued to peruse the page, he landed on one with an instruction underlined and circled.

    <u>Ask Ishumi about sign languages</u>

    ¡°Bad day?¡±

    Joachim looked up as a man took the seat opposite him, setting a steaming cup of tea between them. He was a human with messy dark mud hair and the chiselled face of an adult, but the grin of a child. He wore a long dark grey coat over a black vest and white shirt. He took out a pocket watch from his coat and opened it to look at the time before storing it back.

    ¡°Spat with your friends? They seem like a nice bunch, if not a little uptight,¡± the man carried on the one-sided conversation.

    Joachim cut his hand across his throat, trying to tell the stranger of his disability.

    ¡°You speak fine, kid,¡± the man said. ¡°People just need to listen, honestly. Ears to the wind and all that. Or eyes to the wind, whatever.¡±

    Joachim eyed him, wondering who the man was.

    ¡°Oh, where are my manners.¡± He patted his hand on his coat and reached it across the table for a handshake. ¡°I''m The Watcher. You must be wondering why I''m here, right? Well, I was aiming for this exact location. Well, not this exact, exact location, but this city. Though I''m off by a couple of days, so we''re stuck here until the thing that happens happen, as it happened before. And actually, I lied. I didn''t miss by a couple of days. It was more like a few dozens, which really says something about my steering and attention span, more than anything, now that I think about. Get it?¡±

    Joachim shook his head vigorously at the strange man who rambled on.

    ¡°Well,¡± The Watcher took a sip of his tea and let out a frosted breath. ¡°That''s fine. It takes a while to get used to my mouthing. Still, I like your friends. They remind of these elves I know. Complete hard heads, both of them. Love working alone too. But we did well together. You know why?¡±

    Again, the teen replied negatively.

    The man grinned childishly. ¡°Because we all wanted the same thing in the end. At least, that''s what I like to think. And when you have the same goal you''re all working feverishly towards, there''s no way you won''t work together. I mean, you have to. You put your ego aside, you put your pride aside, you put your ideology aside, and all just aim for the same goal. And even if that relationship only lasts for as long as the battle you''re fighting, maybe that''s enough.¡±

    Joachim listened intently. It was difficult catching up to the fluent yet kinetic speech of The Watcher, but he managed to catch most of the gist.

    With a chuckle, The Watcher leaned back in his seat. From his seemingly endless coat pockets, he pulled out a black book, almost like a tome. He flipped to a bookmarked page and began reading, occasionally sipping from his tea.

    Joachim watched him for a moment before snapping out of the trance. He got The Watcher''s attention before pointing from the man''s seat to the cafe door.

    ¡°It''s fine. I''ll be gone before your friend gets back here. My gut''s telling me my companions will be coming to fetch me soon and I would really like to finish my tea.¡±

    As if on cue, the door to the cafe swung opened. Under the archway, a girl just slightly younger than Joachim stood. She had brown braided hair underneath the hood of a green trimmed, tree brown winter coat.

    ¡°Watcher!¡± the girl exclaimed. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I''m meddling!¡± The Watcher said.

    The girl looked at Joachim and back to The Watcher. ¡°You told us not to meddle!¡±

    ¡°Yes. I told you not to meddle. I''m perfectly fine, thank you very much.¡± He attempted to wave her off. In a pouting voice, he answered, ¡°Now, I would like to finish my tea.¡±

    She crossed the room in three long strides and fluidly reached for The Watcher. But instead of pulling at the man''s shirt or arm, she pinched his ears and yanked. Joachim winced on the man''s behalf.

    ¡°Ow ow ow ow ow...!¡± The Watcher whined as the girl pulled, angling him so as to force him onto his feet.

    She turned to the cafe body and gave a slight bow. ¡°I''m so sorry for the intrusion. We''ll visit your establishment again in the future as better paying customers for recompensation,¡± she stated with an eloquent tone. ¡°As for you...¡± She returned her attention to The Watcher. ¡°We''re going back to the inn and you''re going to stay there!¡±

    Though she was just a child, she dragged The Watcher off with the sternness of a mother. The man fretted in pain as he was dragged out the door, back bent at an angle to match the girl''s height. He awkwardly waved goodbye to Joachim.

    He stared at the spectacle, then into empty space as the two left, with the establishment slowly meandering back into its routine. Even though Joachim was still stunned ¨C mostly confused ¨C by what had happened, the odd man''s words resonated within him. Or at least, the words that made sense. With those ideas in mind, he began brewing a plan.

 Chapter Twenty-Four: Team, Part Three

    Young Joachim sat on the washed up trunk on the beach of Port Llamba, watching the final daylight fading from the western horizon. He wiped teary eyes and snot dripping nose across both his sleeves. Both his eyes stared at the line that marked the edge of the world. New of the war happening across the ocean reached the ears of those on Eltar, but the repercussions of the fight remained unfelt by its denizens.

    ¡°Boy-oh,¡± the voice of Old Man Sontoro called out from behind. ¡°Why are you hiding out here?¡±

    Behind them, the lights of the carnival flashed from the lamps and torches set to illuminate the setting of tents and stands. Fire eaters breathed flames that bursts into the air. Fearful shrieks of excitement roared into the night from the horror houses. Claps and cheers erupted from the big top at the centre everything.

    The old man that walked away from it all, limping on a cane while dressed in a contrasting red, white, and yellow conductor costume, used his free hand to light up the pipe he constantly had between his lips. The ember of the plant splintered from its star to shimmer and die in the darkness.

    ¡°Come on back,¡± the man said. ¡°It''s cold out here.¡±

    Joachim sniffed. When he heard the man''s feet crunch the sand beside him, he signed, ¡°In a minute.¡±

    ¡°Oh, boy-oh. You having another spill?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± he exclaimed, desperately wiping off the last of his tears and holding back the rest. ¡°I''m just feeling... left out.¡±

    Old Man Sontoro sat down beside him with creaking back. ¡°Oh, Joachim. I know you miss your family, but we''re here for you. Us at the Circle Top, we''re your family too.¡±

    ¡°It''s just, I feel like we''re so different. How can we be family if we don''t even look the same?¡±

    The man breathed deeply. It was obvious he had been through many conversations similar to that. Joachim could already see the man''s eyes glittering in recollection. After all, he did adopt most of the performers at Circle Top and was the godfather of children of those that had left the to start their own families. Sontoro had gathered enough familial experience from his extended household to last ten lifetime.

    ¡°Listen to me, boy-oh. And remember this. You''re different from me, right? I''m a wrinkly old man, and you''re a spritely boy.¡±

    Joachim nodded.

    ¡°And you''re different from Rosa and Aunt Trea and Uncle Howard and everyone else, am I right?¡±

    The boy agreed again.

    ¡°That means we''re all the same.¡±

    ¡°We are?¡±

    ¡°Yes. We''re all different, that''s why we''re the same?¡±

    ¡°We''re the same because we''re different?¡± Joachim looked back, puzzled.

    ¡°That''s right.¡±

    Joachim sniffed. ¡°I don''t get it.¡±

    ¡°Oh, my boy-oh,¡± the man wrapped an arm around Joachim''s shoulder and pulled him in for a hug. ¡°One day, you will, I promise you. For now, let''s head back before the sea breeze gets ya.¡±

    *****

    If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    He sneezed awake on the park bench. Rubbing stinging eyes and wiping dripping noses, Joachim shivered in the cold wind as the first gentle shade of winter snow fell with the last of fall''s leafs. Beside him was a long bag he had brought along with. Before him, an empty area of the park waited for the next season with the last of its dirt and dying grass being dotted out by white.

    ¡°We''re here,¡± Ishumi called out. He turned to see her walking up the slope of the park with Nos, Lua, and Shjacky in tow. ¡°What did you call us out here for? It''s freezing!¡±

    Joachim looked across the group. They were wearing the same school issued winter coat he wore of drake grey with maroon linings. The only exception was Shjacky, who wore a coat of pure white. The latter smiled and waved to Joachim.

    ¡°What''s she doing here?¡± he asked Ishumi.

    The translator replied, ¡°I''m going with her for some errands after I''m done translating for you.¡±

    ¡°Aren''t you staying?¡±

    ¡°Do you want me to?¡±

    ¡°It would be a lot easier for me if you did.¡±

    ¡°Then I won''t.¡± Ishumi grinned to his annoyance.

    Joachim sighed. ¡°Alright, let''s get this over with.¡±

    Impatient with the silent back and forth, Lua voiced, ¡°Joachim, what''s this about? I''m getting frostbite.¡±

    He signed, ¡°Then it''s the perfect time for us to have a sparring match to warm ourselves up.¡±

    From the long bag next to the bench, he pulled out two wooden swords and a wooden dagger. He tossed the paired weapons to Lua and the shorter blade to Nos. From his pocket he pulled out his old circus yo-yo. While it was not the deadly weapon his new one was, the toy was heavily reinforced with metal rims and heavy bearings to stand the most intensive of tricks and impacts. He rubbed a finger over the scratches on the yo-yo, markings from different days.

    ¡°No fanciful cutting edge technology,¡± he continued. ¡°Just old school sticks and hits.¡±

    ¡°Okay?¡± Lua began uncertainly. ¡°Why?¡±

    Nos spun the dagger in his hand, attempting to portray a cool calm. But his face betrayed the hot annoyance. ¡°Yeah. I honestly don''t think the three of us are going to work well together. Since the tourney doesn''t matter to our grades, why not just throw the match?¡±

    Joachim cursed out at him, but inertly thanked Ishumi when she did not translate on his behalf. He pinched his fingers together which let out a satisfying crack.

    ¡°I know that. The three of us are too different. Lua likes to fight in pairs and wide opened areas. Nos prefers one-on-ones and charging blindly in. And I''m hot headed and anger prone,¡± Ishumi mistranslated the final part.

    He shot her a glare as she continued to hold back her laughter. ¡°Carry on,¡± she whimpered.

    Another sigh from him to her. He had been doing that a lot lately. ¡°Look, we''re never going to agree on working together. So instead, let''s just beat each other senseless.¡±

    Lua exclaimed, ¡°And how is that suppose to help?¡±

    ¡°We''re too different. We''re just not going to be able to train ourselves to work as a team by fighting together. But you know what we do have in common? We don''t fully like each other. Well, we don''t really like Nos.¡±

    Nos scoffed. ¡°Not entirely false.¡±

    ¡°So we learn to fight ourselves. We learn our strengths and weaknesses and our way of fighting. And when we''re fighting in the tourney, we just avoid each other like we''re enemies.¡±

    Nos and Lua exchanged glances.

    She clarified, ¡°So we''re not fighting a three-on-three match...¡±

    ¡°It''s a one-on-five,¡± Nos finished.

    Joachim smiled. ¡°Exactly.¡±

    Nos nodded understandingly, a look of intrigue on his face. ¡°Okay. Okay, I get it. That sounds much better.¡± He took his coat off and threw it onto the bench. ¡°Let''s do this.¡±

    Lua gave a laugh. ¡°Okay! I don''t know what you''re trying to achieve, but this is interesting. I''m in!¡± Unlike Nos, she took her coat off and folded them before placing them hung on the backrest of the seat.

    As Joachim began removing his own jacket, Ishumi and Shjacky walked over to him. The former said, ¡°I guess you don''t need me for a while.¡±

    ¡°I still won''t mind if you stayed.¡±

    ¡°I won''t.¡±

    ¡°Smart move, Joa,¡± Shjacky shortened his name with a casual smile. ¡°Will be fun to watch your match during the tourney and see how you ''special training'' turns out.¡±

    He asked, ¡°Where are you two going?¡±

    ¡°Shjacky has a friend from home visiting nearby. She''s a novice dark mage and wanted some tips,¡± Ishumi answered.

    Something did not sit right within Joachim''s guts. Ishumi was rarely so open and direct. Usually, she would say things along the line of it not being in his business. He gave them both a quizzically raised brow.

    ¡°Oh,¡± Ishumi let out. ¡°He thinks we''re lying to him.¡±

    ¡°Are we?¡± Shjacky grinned mischievously. ¡°Who knows.¡±

    He looked to his partner as he imagined a father would a daughter about to go on her first date. ¡°You''re going to be fine alone?¡± he signed.

    She signed back. ¡°I''ll be fine. Besides, Shjacky''s with me. It''s no big deal. We''ll be back by dinner.¡±

    He referenced their epitaphs, ¡°You and Shjacky are Ten and Eleven.¡±

    ¡°Your point?¡± Ishumi crossed her arms, irritated by his constant questioning. ¡°You, Nos, and Lua are Zero, One, and Two.¡± It had not skipped him that their numbers lined up so nicely in that situation. He just mostly chose not to think about them.

    ¡°I''m just saying,¡± Joachim replied. ¡°Be careful.¡±

    She smiled, her head shaking disbelievingly before walking back to where she came from.

    Shjacky laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. ¡°Don''t worry. I''ve got her back.¡± She then went after Ishumi.

    After watching the two girls go, Joachim turned back to the field where Nos and Lua waited. His two teammates were doing squats and hopping on the spot respectively, trying to stave off the cold of their white breaths. He cracked his jaw, setting his chilled bone straight before strolling into the battlefield.

 Chapter Twenty-Five: Conceal, Part One

    They were in the Winter Gardens. A wide open area that was plains for most of the year but blooms with winter flowers in the cold season. White bellblossoms, blue skintililacs, and an random array of teal and cyan petals littered the ground amidst blankets of white. Tunnel entrances to underground cafes poked out of the landscape like holes springpigs dug. People went in and out at pace, with more circling the garden, enjoying the seasonal scenery.

    She was shaking in her boots. Her white coat blended neatly into the snowy court.

    ¡°Are you cold?¡± Ishumi asked. ¡°We could wait inside.¡±

    ¡°I don''t think it''s cold I''m feeling,¡± Shjacky replied with a smile. Her umbrella was opened over head, keeping the falling drizzle of snow from piling on their heads. ¡°Though it definitely isn''t helping.¡±

    They waited on a bench that sat under a coniferous tree. Shjacky had her jaws clenched and could here her heart beating. For all her training, nothing ever prepared her for a situation such as that. How could it? Despite the brutality of her upbringing, she was restricted by her age to subjects her handler could teach her. There was only so much time for so many things. But she need to play it calmly. As cool as the weather around her. She clenched her fists for strength.

    Ishumi began, ¡°I don''t think I''ve ever heard you talk about your mother.¡±

    ¡°I haven''t. I think only Quinton and Four-Chan knows anything about her.¡±

    ¡°Why so secretive?¡±

    She did not reply, and Ishumi did not dig further.

    ¡°But,¡± Shjacky began, catching her friend''s attention. ¡°You need to tell them about what we are doing today. I have a feeling it''s going to be important.¡±

    ¡°What are we doing? You make it seem like a dangerous mission.¡±

    Again, Shjacky kept quiet on the subject and they turned to their mutual friend of silence once again.

    Shjacky found it strange with Ishumi. They were not very far apart in terms of what they consider their personalities. But unlike the latter, Shjacky''s greatest wish was to break out of her shell. To speak with as many people as possible and not be thrown back into the small circle of her previous life. Yet, Ishumi seemed content with the tiny group of people she loved, never needing to expand that horizon. Alone together, they rarely spoke. Perhaps it was because they realized there was no need to. In a way, Shjacky felt comfortable revealing her underlining self to the quiet, dark haired girl.

    ¡°Over there,¡± Ishumi pointed out. ¡°Isn''t that just pompous?¡±

    She turned to the direction. Coming into the park was a small procession. With golden trimmed red umbrellas above her head and guards at her side, the Janus of Wendereight strolled through the gardens. Torch bearers held flames around her, keeping the cold away.

    The Janus was a striking older woman. Though her face was wrinkled, they were not sagging, instead stretching to a graceful age. Her hair was the colour of gold, braided and looped aside her bangs. Her eyes were cold silver that glazed into the distance. Like her procession, she was overdressed for the occasion. A gold-red robe adorned her body, stretching to the ground. Brown fur at the hem swept snow away from her feet.

    As the two girls stared, the Janus gloated through the garden of her status, turning heads and eyes. Slowly, the world leader approached the bench in which they sat on, after which, the Janus stopped and looked down the path ahead their portside, not meeting the two girls'' gaze.

    ¡°How presumptuous of you,¡± the woman spoke with icy blades of elegance. ¡°To call me out here into the rabble.¡±

    Shjacky almost spat as she replied, ¡°Hello to you too, mother.¡±

    Thankfully, Ishumi seemed to have grasped the situation almost immediately, choosing not to ask any further question. Shjacky gave herself a pat in the back for choosing the right person to follow her there.

    ¡°Am I still your mother?¡±

    ¡°Of course. As much as I wish you weren''t.¡±The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    ¡°Spiteful.¡± The Janus looked around. ¡°Is this where we will be airing our laundry?¡±

    ¡°No. I''ve chosen a restaurant here.¡±

    ¡°Of course you did. I would assume it''s in a public place with just enough people to keep me from trying anything underhanded?¡±

    ¡°Naturally.¡±

    ¡°And what if I don''t agree to this?¡±

    ¡°Then I leave. You''ll die old and alone and never knowing what happened to your daughter.¡±

    The Janus growled, ¡°Ungrateful girl...¡±

    ¡°Careful now, mother. Scowling is not a very leader-like thing to do.¡±

    She could see the woman''s jaws grinding. Shjacky decided to pull forward with the anger fresh and keep her mother off her toes. She stood up with Ishumi and headed towards one of the underground entrances. She did not turn to see if the procession followed.

    When they arrived at the stairs that dug down into a door, Shjacky turned to her friend. At first, The Janus and her posse stopped, expecting to follow after. But when Shjacky refused to move, the larger group simply entered the restaurant without them.

    Ishumi finally spoke, ¡°What''s going on?¡±

    ¡°I need you to stay out here,¡± Shjacky told her.

    ¡°You must be joking. This whole shenanigan have danger written all over it. I''m not leaving you alone.¡±

    ¡°I won''t be alone. It''s a public place. And you''ll be right here. I promise I''ll call if I need anything.¡± She winked casually to reassure Ishumi.

    Shjacky then turned away and entered the establishment, keeping her umbrella opened as she did. The inside was kept warm by a fireplace and the heat of Tearha''s neath. A modest establishment, the brick wall d¨¦cor, hanging lamps, and smoothly carved wooden furnitures were outshone by the overbearing royalty that wandered in.

    The waiter stared blankly at the incoming guests before shaking his head and coming forward. ¡°Lady Janus, we were not expecting you.¡± He was stopped short of shaking the woman''s hand when her guards half drew their weapons in intimidation.

    ¡°Of course not,¡± The Janus said. ¡°I would not in my wildest nightmares visit such a... drab establishment.¡±

    ¡°Y-yes. Of course. You must be here for the tourney. I hope our festivities are to your liking.¡±

    Shjacky approached the man and gave him as warm a smile as she could to calm his nerves. ¡°I''m Shjacky Loyard. I believe I have a reservation?¡±

    ¡°R-right. Of course. Miss Loyard. Right this way.¡± He guided her to a small corner table for two. ¡°You''ve ordered your food earlier. Should we serve them now?¡±

    ¡°Yes, thank you.¡± Shjacky bowed lightly as she took the inside seat, placing her umbrella opened down in the corner, angled to let the melting snow drip off the canopy and hiding the handles in its shadow.

    The Janus walked out of her procession and looked to her daughter. ¡°What is this?¡±

    Her torchbearers behind snuffed out their lights and her guards stood in the middle of the establishment, all confused. The patrons of the restaurant began whispering amongst themselves, enough so that what the mother and daughter spoke between them, if at hushed tones, would be drowned and unheard.

    Shjacky poured herself a cup of water. ¡°I wanted to show you where you stand with me. Lady La''Grey knows about this meeting, and has precautions against any attempts against a citizen of Aleynonlia.¡±

    ¡°A citizen?¡±

    ¡°That''s right. I forgot to tell you. I got my citizenship when I came of age.¡± From her pocket, Shjacky took out a folded piece of paper that contained her former citizenship identifications and crushed it into her palm. The left of her neck lit up red as her hand glowed red with fire. Slight smoke rose from the creases of her skin. Hand filled with ash, she emptied the char into her mother''s cup across the table. ¡°I''m no longer one of your subjects.¡±

    The Janus finally sat down opposite her daughter. ¡°You think you''ve won? You think you can leave your old life behind just like that?¡±

    ¡°I think I can, and I did.¡± Shjacky leaned forward and whispered. ¡°You sent me to kill the king. But Lady La''Grey showed me a better path; gave me a better choice than you ever did. I am no longer your tool.¡±

    ¡°Ungrateful child. After all I''ve done for you! Adopting you. Giving you a home!¡±

    ¡°And I am thankful for all of that, which is why I had petitioned to my master and the king to let your attempted espionage slip. Because it is true that without you, I would be dead on the streets.¡± The waiter brought over a plate of beef garnished beautifully with green and placed in down in front of Shjacky who gave him a grateful thanks. ¡°But you never did see me as a daughter. You saw someone with powerful magic who you could train to do your bidding. But you did so too well. The problem with education is that the more informed you are, the easier it is to make your own decisions, even against all the propaganda and brainwashing.¡±

    The Janus got to her feet, fists balled. ¡°Margaret Hari, you will pay for this.¡±

    ¡°Margaret''s dead. My name''s Shjacky Loyard. Remember it. You may be a seer who can see the future, but at least mine is no longer yours.¡±

    The woman turned away and stomped back into her guards at procession. Even while fuming, she walked with a royal poise. To the untrained eye, she would merely be seen as frustrated, and not on the verge of waging war against a single girl in a restaurant.

    With cold wind blowing through the door as they left and were out of earshot, the restaurant erupted in conversations. Everyone looked to Shjacky, but no one was approaching her, safe for the waiter who brought about another dish to be served. When she was absolutely sure her mother her left, she let out a loud and audible sigh of relief. At the very least, she was not shaking any longer.

    The man asked, ¡°Madam. I''m sorry, but my manager would like to speak with you.¡±

    She saw a well dressed suited man in the corner almost glaring at her. ¡°It''s no problem,¡± she replied. Reaching again into her pockets, she took out a sealed letter. ¡°Please pass this to him with my regards.¡±

    The waiter bowed and held out a braised chicken dish in his hand. ¡°Would you still like this meal to be served?¡±

    ¡°Of course. I''m expecting a guest. And may I have another cup of water please?¡±

    With a gentle clank of cutlery, the waiter bowed again and left her to her meal.

    Turning around to her umbrella, Shjacky asked, ¡°Did you hear all of that?¡±

    From behind the umbrella, Ishumi stood up from her cramped position. Stretching and cracking her back, the shadow mage gave a satisfied moan at finally getting out of the jammed corner.

    ¡°That was... fascinating,¡± Ishumi answerd. Shjacky pointed to the seat opposite and Ishumi took it. ¡°Did you bring me along because you wanted me to know your relationship with The Janus?¡±

    The two girls casually began their meal. ¡°No. I wanted to show you that that is how to beat our epitaphs.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Six: Conceal, Part Two

    ¡°You''re being awfully casual about this whole thing,¡± Ishumi said to her.

    ¡°I was thinking that it''d be fine as long as it''s with you,¡± Shjacky replied. ¡°You don''t seem the kind to get overtly shocked by sudden revelations. At least, that''s not the Ishumi I''ve known for all these years.¡±

    The restaurant had nearly emptied out of patrons towards the end of the lunch hours. The servers were cleaning up the bared tables and still not looking directly at the girls'' direction. Though they continued to peek through the corner of their whites. Everyone left them alone to their post-meal conversation, not wanting to disrupt the people who stood up to a world leader.

    ¡°You''re not wrong. But I am still shocked to find out your mother is The Janus,¡± Ishumi replied. ¡°Why didn''t you get Quinton?¡±

    ¡°I didn''t know if he would be able to react to the situation with as much... stealth as you did.¡±

    ¡°What am I? A ninja?¡±

    ¡°Is that not what you were going for?¡± Shjacky gestured to her friend''s dark body suit dressing. ¡°You mean that''s not a costume of style?¡±

    ¡°No!¡± She looked almost shocked and offended at the statement. ¡°Is that what everyone thinks?¡±

    ¡°Well...¡±

    ¡°I just like the body suit. It''s comfortable to fight and move in.¡±

    Shjacky grinned slyly. ¡°You could just go naked.¡±

    ¡°Why don''t you go naked?¡±

    ¡°Do you think Quinton will like it if I went naked?¡±

    ¡°I think everyone will like it if you went naked.¡±

    ¡°But will Quinton?¡±

    Ishumi crossed her arms meditatively. ¡°You know, now that I think about it, it''s actually hard to say with that guy.¡±

    They laughed, agreeing on their friend''s sometimes emptiness to the world away from his sister. Finally, a server was brave or curious enough to walk over and asked if they would like desert to which they both declined.

    Ishumi asked, ¡°Are you paying for this?¡±

    ¡°Lady La''Grey gave me some spending money.¡± She looked around the establishment. ¡°She even had some guards posted here for my protection.¡±

    ¡°Really? Where?¡± Ishumi scanned the room, trying to find anyone else that stood out.

    Shjacky shrugged. ¡°I don''t know. I told her not to tell me who or how they looked.¡±

    ¡°Does it have something to do with your mother''s powers?¡±

    She nodded in affirmation.

    The Janus was the leader of Wendereight. The family line of the Janus was unique in the world in that they were the only known family to be able to pass down the power of precognition to their offsprings through means unknown.

    ¡°My mother has the ability to see the future of a person''s thoughts.¡±

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    ¡°That''s... oddly specific.¡±

    ¡°It is. From what she told me, every seer is tuned in to a different aspect of time. Like thoughts, gravity, specific dates...¡±

    ¡°Epitaphs?¡± Ishumi asked.

    ¡°That''s right. My mother''s takes a person''s immediate thoughts and predicts what they would do with it in the near or distant future. Basically, if you''re thinking of going grocery shopping, she can predict if or not you will go.¡±

    ¡°Isn''t that just the power of deduction?¡±

    ¡°Essentially, but a little more than that, I think. It takes in an account of all the possibilities and gives my mother the one most likely to happen.¡±

    ¡°So it''s just probabilities?¡±

    ¡°That''s what any prediction is. The most likely possibility. Even if they are close to one hundred percent, it''s just probabilities.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you had me wait outside?¡±

    Shjacky nodded. ¡°I wanted you to react in a way that is unpredictable. So I gave you information that is different from what you had before in a period of time short enough that you won''t have the ability to fully dissect it.¡±

    ¡°You changed the outcome.¡±

    ¡°Yes. She can''t know what you will do when you don''t know what to do yet. And I can''t know what you''ll do if I''ve never seen you do it.¡±

    Ishumi sighed, rubbing her head. ¡°Complicated.¡±

    Shjacky shrugged apologetically. ¡°It is how it is.¡±

    ¡°How does that relate to our epitaphs?¡±

    Shjacky went quiet, leaning her chin into interlocked hands. ¡°My mother once told me that while her powers was substantial, it has a penultimate weakness. Choice.¡± She picked up her glass of water and took a sip before swirling the remind in the glass. ¡°Think about it. If there were no life in the universe, everything that ever happened, will happen, and has happened, would be predetermined. There won''t be any redirection of anything. The bounce of each meteor, the roll of each stone, all calculable. But we get to choose. We get to move in a direction different from what we would otherwise have had we not had the choice. We get to change the predicted path.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡±

    ¡°Predictions are powerful not because it shows us what will happen. They are powerful because they allow us the ability to change the future. If we look at them as if they are set in stone, then they are. If we don''t, they''re not. The ability for us to choose is the greatest weapon against the future.¡±

    Ishumi leaned back in her seats and raised a questioning brow. ¡°You know, I think we''re suppose to be sixteen year olds.¡±

    ¡°Hah! You''re not wrong.¡± Softly, she mused, ¡°But I think that''s why we''re in Class C, you know? At least, all the tests and training aside, it sometimes feels like we grew up faster than most.¡±

    ¡°Is that right?¡± Ishumi took a drink of water before looking away. ¡°I can''t disagree. The world we grew up in was... chaotic, to say the least.¡±

    The bell above the entrance rang as another lunch customer left. The two girls sat quietly. Shjacky did not know what Ishumi was thinking, but hazarded a guess that it brooded within her past experience with her home town and family during the war. For herself, it was her life before. While her mother had never thought of her as a daughter, there was a period of time when there was care and compassion in the woman''s eyes.

    ¡°Shjacky,¡± Ishumi said.

    ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°What happened between you and your mother?¡±

    ¡°......¡±

    ¡°I understand that you were some sort of assassin sent to kill King Adam, but how? How did you get from whatever you were before to that; then,¡± she gestured to her friend. ¡°This?¡±

    Shjacky smiled the gentle smile that she could only do after having left the clutches of her old home. ¡°I was already orphaned before the war,¡± she began. ¡°Back then I ran with these groups of street kids. We had one good suit and I''m pretty tall for my age, so I dressed up as a man and distracted people while they get pick pocketed by the rest. Basic con, really.¡±

    She remembered the shadows. She remembered throwing the younger kids under ragged blankets and running out of alleyways, luring guards to her and hoping that those she said she would protect were safe. She remembered being tied by chaffing ropes and thrown into crates and squeezed with others like her.

    ¡°When the war began, The Consolidates thought it would be a good opportunity to invade Aleynonlia. Wendereight began pulling in their conscripts and those that lived on the streets like myself were the first to go. Most of us younger ones were taken in to be conditioned for a longer war. Special agents, raised from young to fight.¡±

    Images of tall crimson walls and tower guards of white flashed through her memories. They knew someone attempted an escape whenever they heard an arrow whistling through the dead of silence. Whistle. Pop. Whistle. Pop. The stars from the grills of their ''bunks'' blinked as they slept through another''s lifetime.

    ¡°The Daekengarde.¡±

    ¡°Death Force. Yes. But of course, we saw how history ended. The war didn''t last and Daekengarde was disbanded. At least, officially it was. The truth is that we were executed. Most of us, at least.¡± She gestured to herself. ¡°I knocked out my trainer and disguised myself. Got as far as the gate before being caught. Mother saw my skills and decided to take me in. Trained me as her personal assassin. Conditioned me to be loyal to her through love. Twisted love, mind you. But still...¡±

    Ishumi said with empathic sympathy, ¡°That''s why you still call her mother.¡±

    ¡°You don''t get psychologically conditioned into being a serial killed without losing some of your sanity.¡±

    Her room in the palace was doused in gold and red, the favourite colours of her mother. It was the only place in the entire palace where she was in peace when retired to. Between brutal trainings and intense lessons in etiquettes and educational studies, it was her safe space. But it was also engineered. Her mother would come in every day after training and doted on her as a real parent would to stack on that trust and loyalty. A love built on a lie.

    After thinking through, Ishumi asked, ¡°Who else knows about this?¡±

    ¡°Four-Chan. Quinton. They know bits and pieces, but I think they have pulled everything together by now.¡±

    ¡°Why not tell all of us? You know we don''t care about your past. Maybe we can help?¡±

    ¡°But that''s just it, isn''t it? You don''t care. And that''s the life I want. And I''m happy for it. Grateful. Truly. As far away from who I was as possible.¡±

    Ishumi nodded solemnly. ¡°Okay. I understand that.¡± Shjacky watched her friend''s eyes dart introspectively. Then, she looked up. ¡°What happened after that?¡±

    She shrugged matter-of-factly. ¡°After my training I was sent to kill the king.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: Conceal, Part Three

    The guard asked kindly, ¡°What are you doing here, little boy?¡±

    Margaret, through her male guise and identity, replied through crocodile tears, ¡°I don''t know where I am! I want my mother!¡±

    ¡°Are you here with someone from the banquet?¡±

    Margaret nodded.

    ¡°Well then, let''s get you back there and find your parents, okay?¡± The guard extended his hand kindly.

    Slowly, Margaret reached out to take it. Once she grabbed hold of his palm, she pulled herself in and jumped towards the guard. Her free palm punched the side of the guard''s helmet, no doubt sending rings through his head. Releasing her grip, she dropped to the ground and with a leg sweep, toppled the man twice her size. Finally on her feet again, she dropped a kick to the side of the guard''s head, knocking the man out.

    Her child size meant she had to use momentum. Her weight unable to stand up in a brawl. But that was fine for her. That was how she was trained. Fast. Efficient. And only targeting points of weaknesses.

    With heaves and huffs, she dragged the guard into a nearby closet, tying and gagging the man with the rags and cloths within. After making sure her knots are the tightest she could get them, she left the closet, closing the door behind her.

    It''ll take at least ten minutes for the guard to untie himself, not counting the time he might spend unconscious. It was more than enough for her to commit her deed.

    She circled the corridor to where she knew the king''s bedchamber was on the floor below. The royal would be preparing for his entrance to the banquet at the time. According to their intelligence, the man liked to spend that time alone. In meditation or contemplation, she did not know, nor cared. As long as the information was accurate to a point.

    Looking out a castle window, she could see the balcony of the royal bedchamber to the side. She backed up to give herself a running start. Once she gauged she was able to pick up enough speed, she sprinted towards the window and jumped out. Her hand stretched and grabbed the edge of the opening, swinging her body at an angle and turning her trajectory towards the balcony while she released her hand to fly off in the direction. She kicked off the wall, for a moment glancing down at the plummet into the courtyard if she made even a single misstep.

    Then, she fired a blast of fire out her hand, propelling her the last distance towards the balcony. She was launched through the final portion before breaking her fall with a quiet roll on the balcony''s floor.

    But the first thing she noticed about her surroundings was the king''s room next to her being shrouded in darkness. She wondered if she had been too slow, and that the king had already left for the banquet. She gauged the festivities down in the courtyard and it was nowhere near the anointed time for his appearance.

    Though wary, she decided to investigate. Slowly pushing open the glass paned balcony doors, she stepped into the bedchamber. Her eyes could not adjust to the darkness so she held out a hand and produced a flame.

    The light flickered in the umbra, dancing shadows and glimmers off the silvers and golds of the room and the lacquered furniture frames. It played a ballet of contour on the face of the woman who sat on the chair across a table from her in the middle of the room. Margaret recognized her. Lady Marianne La''Grey. The Royal Tactician of Aleynonlia and a Clover famous for commanding her forces to victory in the Battle of Three Worlds.

    ¡°Lady La''Grey,¡± Margaret greeted.

    ¡°Please, Margaret Hari,¡± the woman replied with a smile. ¡°Call me Mary. All my friends do.¡±

    ¡°Are we friends now?¡±

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    ¡°If you''d like.¡±

    Silence fell between them. Margaret contemplated between running away and killing her, but settled for staying when she realized that the woman knew her name and had likely been waiting. If the tactician was as smart as the stories told, Margaret was already trapped.

    ¡°Your mother sure has gotten bold. To send an assassin for the King of Aleynonlia. Honestly, had I not been given the resources the king gave, I would have failed to see this coming.¡± Mary sighed. ¡°I''m hoping we can end tonight without any bloodshed or starting an international crisis.¡±

    Margaret asked, ¡°I don''t think that''s possible. You know who my mother is. If you captured me, do you think she will stand idly by?¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± the tactician replied without hesitation. ¡°Why do you think your mother have you as a son in public? It''s to distance herself with any ''daughter'' that might come up in an emergency.¡±

    ¡°I... I don''t believe you.¡±

    ¡°Of course you do. You know your mother. And You know what she did. Your love for her is as real as those that cling to a driftwood out in the middle of the sea. She''s your whole world because otherwise, you''d drown.¡±

    ¡°What are you saying?¡±

    ¡°I want to offer you a place to land.¡±

    Margaret considered it for a long moment, the fire from her hand dimming slightly. ¡°You''re using me.¡±

    ¡°No, I''m not.¡±

    ¡°Then why are you doing this? To gain an advantage on my mother?¡±

    ¡°Sure. I would get rid of one of her most talented spy and assassin, but honestly, I can do that by having you executed. That would be require the least resources and effort on my part. She would disavow you either way.¡±

    ¡°So why not do that?¡±

    ¡°I see a girl, well beyond her years. Listen to yourself. You sound nothing like a teenager. I see someone whose childhood has been sapped. And honestly, giving it back just seems... the right thing to do. I used to be much more a pragmatist, honestly. But I''ve been around the Clovers for so long, I''m getting emotional.¡± Mary pushed across the table a stack of papers. ¡°Here are identity documents prepared for you. Pick any one you like, and that''s you for the rest of your new life.¡±

    Margaret looked down to the pile. ¡°Why not just prepare one?¡±

    ¡°I wanted you to be able to choose something for once.¡±

    She held back a welling feeling in her throat when she heard that. She heaved as her eyes strained. She picked up the first of the papers and read the name aloud. ¡°Shjacky Loyard.¡±

    Mary smiled. ¡°Good choice.¡±

    *****

    The restaurant was empty by the time Shjacky finished her story. The servers had given them birth to discuss, and the owner had closed the establishment until dinner. It was a silent agreement that whatever was happening seemed important enough to hold off on the normalcy of day-to-day. Shjacky and Ishumi simply rode the waves of good fortune.

    ¡°That''s how I became Shjacky Loyard,¡± she finished.

    ¡°Did that all really happen? Because it sounds almost like a story.¡±

    ¡°Why can''t it be both?¡±

    Ishumi scoffed a laugh and quietened into thought before asking, ¡°And you said Quinton and Four-Chan knows this?¡±

    ¡°Most of it, yes. Quinton has the whole story.¡±

    ¡°Is that why you''re so close to him?¡±

    Shjacky giggled. ¡°No. I just can''t resist that handsome mug of his!¡±

    Inshumi smiled. ¡°So, was it worth it? All of that for a few years of...¡± she gestured to themselves. ¡°This. Normal, boring life. Well, maybe not normal. And maybe not boring. But definitely not ''international spy'' exciting.¡±

    With a gentle, satisfied smile, Shjacky replied, ¡°That''s what Quinton and Four asked me when they found out.¡± Then, she nodded. ¡°My answer hasn''t changed. Yes. Every second of it. I would give it up for the world.¡±

    The door to the restaurant swung forcibly opened. ¡°Shjacky! Ishumi! What happened?¡±

    Standing at the entrance was a dark skinned teen in a well tailored ash suit with red tie and a dark green inner shirt. His short black hair and shoulders were littered with snow. Pempe Byrne, numbered Five, stood with hand on handle, panting.

    ¡°Nothing!¡± Ishumi replied, surprised at their friend''s appearance. ¡°Where''s the fire?¡±

    ¡°Sir!¡± One of the servers approached him. ¡°I''m afraid we''re closed until dinner.¡±

    ¡°It''s fine,¡± Shjacky said, getting to her feet. ¡°Thank you for your hospitality and patience, but we will be leaving now.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± the server let out, looking at his boss for directions. The latter simply shrugged.

    Shjacky and Ishumi picked up their stuff and put on their coats before heading to the door. Shjacky asked Pempe, ¡°What''s the rush?¡±

    He sighed exasperatedly, ¡°We heard the two of you got into trouble with The Janus, so we rushed to find you.¡±

    ¡°We?¡± Ishumi asked.

    Pempe let the way outside where another familiar face waited. His elven ears prickled at their footsteps. Kingston Hox, numbered Thirteen, tipped his hunter brim hat, his own coat drizzled with snow. ¡°Ladies.¡±

    Shjacky turned back to Pempe. ¡°How did you find us?¡±

    ¡°I followed him,¡± Pempe pointed to Kingston.

    Shjacky turned to the latter. ¡°And how did you find us?¡±

    He shrugged, matter-of-factly. ¡°I followed the wind.¡±

    ¡°You two gave us a scare. We thought you were in some real trouble,¡± Pempe sighed. ¡°But it''s good you''re fine. Now hurry, we''ve got to go.¡±

    She asked, ¡°Go where?¡±

    ¡°Have you forgotten?¡± he answered. ¡°We need to prepare for the opening ceremonies. Now come on, or we''ll be late.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Birthright, Part One

    ¡°Where are they?¡± Trini Alquin whined and shouted, body shivering from the cold winter night. The dewy tang of dry winter frost sat on the tip of her tongue.

    Beside her, Seks wrapped his wing around her in a desperate attempt to stave off the cold. ¡°I''m sure they''re on their way. Pempe and Kingston went to find them, after all.¡±

    ¡°That''s just it! What if Shjacky and Ishumi gets back but the two boys gets lost? Do we send another search party out? And what if it happens again? Do we keep going around in circles until we''re dead? Or worst. Hungry?¡±

    ¡°Love, I think you''re overreacting.¡±

    She bounced in frustration. ¡°I''m freezing! I want to go back to my room!¡±

    Behind them and out the lights of the tunnel they were in, cheers and commotions echoed into the enclosed space. Outside, almost every single citizen of Rubicum along with tourists and travellers who had come from across the world to witness the annual event had gathered. The class, along with a minority of the rest of their year''s students were gathered within one of the many tunnels that lead out into the park, awaiting their cue to make the opening ceremony entrance. Along the walls were cryst lamps that flickered with residue of fire magic, bringing both a gentle ember glow to the room as well as a petite provider of heat.

    Trini fleeted between the warmth of lamps and company, unable to stand the waiting tension.

    Quinton and Joachim approached the couple, the former saying, ¡°Even if they get here, we''re not moving out until we get the signal. So you''re going to freeze for a while yet, regardless.¡±

    ¡°But Shjacky''s been our resident fire mage since Pip left,¡± Trini whined. ¡°She could make it warmer here, right? Lua''s so stingy, she''s not going to use her magic for something like this!¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Quinton scratched his hair, stumped. ¡°You''re not wrong there.¡±

    As they spoke, approaching crunches of steps turned their heads deeper down the lamp-lit tunnel. Shjacky, Ishumi, Pempe, and Kingston all approached them casually. Joachim rushed up to Ishumi and the pair quickly signed out their silent conversation.

    Quinton asked, ¡°What happened? Where were you two?¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Shjacky apologised with a playfully stuck out tongue. ¡°I was meeting my mother and sort of lost track of the time.¡±

    Quinton''s tone lowered, and Trini could swear she heard maybe a pinch of gravity. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Shjacky replied with a smile. ¡°We hashed things out. Still, never thought of you as one to worry about me! Oh! I''m practically melting inside!¡± The girl proceeded to melt into the ground with legs of jelly.

    Quinton scoffed. ¡°I''ll get back to the front.¡± He turned and walked away, mumbling something along the line of disbelief at his own worry.

    Shjacky chuckled. ¡°He''s cute when he worries.¡±

    Trini ran up and hugged her friend. ¡°Shjacky! It''s freezing!¡±

    The former laughed. ¡°There, there. Mistress Loyard has it all figured out.¡±

    From under her white coat, Shjacky pulled out her umbrella, opening the canopy over them. With a gentle twirl of a her dextrous fingers and a push of seither, heat emitted from the umbrella top, showering them with the warmth of fire magic.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Ahhh...¡± Trini let out in comfort. ¡°That''s so much better. I miss Pip.¡±

    ¡°Well, Pip''s not here, so you''ll have to make do with me, sadly.¡±

    A cheering roar erupted from outside and the whole class turned towards the blinding exit light, though all they could see was the empty field they were about to step out to.

    With a clever wind cryst-based invention called a microphone, the announcer''s voice bellowed into the stands and echoed into the enclave. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, kins and kings, welcome to the Fifth Annual Spellblade Tourney! I am your commentator, Courtney Woods! We have a record breaking amount of entries this year from all corners of the world, but I would most like to thank all of you for coming out in this freezing winter to support this momentous occasion!¡±

    The encouraging shouts grew louder, shaking the very ground they stood on, dropping specks of dust upon their head from the ceiling. Some of which burnt in erupted sparks upon contact with Shjacky''s umbrella.

    ¡°As you all know, the Spellblade Tourney was created as a joint initiative between King Adam of Aleynonlia and Lady Rubi of Rubicum, as a way to remember the strength and virtues of those that sacrificed and fought with honour and valour during the war. As such, we are very proud to introduce to you some of the current generation''s best Spellblades, many of which have made a name by using their powers to protect those that can''t protect themselves. They serve their countries. They put their lives on the lines. They are, alongside many others who stand to protect you, heroes! I give you, everybody, your tourney contestants!¡±

    Seks voiced, ¡°That''s our cue.¡±

    ¡°Alright everyone!¡± Pempe shouted. ¡°Let''s go!¡±

    Along with every other contender that had lined up in the tunnel, they began moving out, following the lead of the older independent Spellblades that stepped into the limelight first and Class B after. By the time they took their fist pace out, they were all fighting the urge to shield their faces from the blinding flood torches that blasted the darkness of night away. The roar of the crowd was even fiercer out in the open.

    The surrounding tree houses were all converted to include bridges of interconnected seating stands. But even for those that did not manage to get a high-top view of the festivities, there were thousands of additional spaces on the ground to jump and cheer from. Flags of different countries waved in support of their own contestants. It was a blinding field of colours coated in pristine snowfall.

    Trini wowed at the sight but could not help but be drawn to Aleynonlia''s crowd in the tree seats. Prominently dressed in bright gold, maroon, and jade noble coats, surrounded by a small convoy of armoured guards, two noblemen sat with arms crossed, expunging an air of annoyance as impatient as an unburied corpse.

    Apparently, they drew more attentions than Trini thought, for even Shjacky commented, ¡°What''s with those two over there? Did a bird stoned them?¡±

    Pempe, who had been walking besides them commented, ¡°They look about to throw a rock.¡±

    ¡°Yes, well,¡± Trini replied in spite. ¡°Nobles are often like that. Can''t appreciate anything that isn''t centred on them or around them. Perhaps the most selfish and elitist people in the world.¡±

    ¡°Ouch,¡± Pempe replied. ¡°Your tone makes it seems like they''ve killed your family or something.¡±

    ¡°Close,¡± she answered. ¡°They are my family. My parents, to be exact.¡±

    ¡°You''re a noble?¡±

    ¡°Oh? Did I forget to mention that?¡± she snipped back. ¡°Must have slipped my mind on the account of trying to never talk about it.¡±

    ¡°Sorry,¡± Pempe apologised.

    Seks explained, ¡°Rough history. Don''t think now''s a good time.¡±

    She added, ¡°I don''t think any time is a good time.¡±

    Shjacky came closer to her and held out her warm umbrella, further dispelling the cold. Trini muttered a silent thanks. The former girl looked beyond comfortable in the crowd and celebration, waving ladylike to all the bystanders.

    The concession of contenders circled the field, being joined by more of their counterparts as they crossed a tunnel after another filled with Spellblades.

    Courtney Woods did her job, commentating in an inquiring tone, ¡°And processing in a mass of Aleynonlia''s national colours are their Spellblade Academy''s graduating class for the year. These youngsters will be going up against some of the finest Spellblades in the world, which includes some of their own peers and seniors. Will the school finally take home a top three win this year? While their students have been known to put up one Titan of a fight, they have yet to clench a victory.¡±

    Trini muttered, ¡°We''ll show you victory.¡±

    Kingston laughed. ¡°That''s the spirit! We''ll go up swinging!¡±

    Seks corrected, ¡°I think the phrase is ''We''ll go down swinging''.¡±

    ¡°Not if we want to win.¡±

    The entire procession circled the field and formed a chain of oval. They were facing a mass of their possible opponents. Their seniors. Their predecessors. Men, women, and kin, all with years of experience on them. But instead of fear or insecurity, the students of Class C only felt an unbridled excitement. The seither felt unusually thick in the air. Trini wondered if it was from such a large gathering of Spellblades. If that was the strength of all the magic in the world coming together, she felt proud to be a part of it.

    ¡°Seven years ago,¡± Courtney Woods began. ¡°The Second War of Gods came to an end on this date. We have all lost many during that time. But today we come together to honour and celebrate those that saw us through those hard times. Their resistance, their strength, their sacrifices. We are here to remember to be vigilant against the dangers that the universe throws against us. We are here to remind ourselves to stand together. Not as humans, hume, elves, or drakins. But as Tearhans.¡±

    Together with the rest of the competitors and as if on a timer, the Spellblades simultaneously saluted, bowed, or greeted. The crowd shrank to silence.

    The contestants called out, ¡°May the best Spellblade win!¡±

    ¡°The tourney is now open!¡±

    A loud cheer echoed from the crowd, thumping excitement, joy, and sheer resistance to defeat deep into their chests.

 Chapter Twenty-Nine: Birthright, Part Two

    ¡°Quickly!¡± Trini huffed as she ran through the streets with Seks following close behind. ¡°We''re not going to make it!¡±

    They were chasing after Pempe, Enneya, and Kingston, other three of their five person team for the tourney.

    Kingston shouted, ¡°This way!¡± He turned into a roadside tunnel and the rest followed.

    ¡°Isn''t this the longer way?¡± Trini asked.

    ¡°It''s faster today. Less traffic. Trust the wind!¡± he replied.

    Meandering through the underground roadway, they popped out of a tunnel just slightly east of the arena. Public crowds had gathered around the battleground and treetop pathways, barricading them from entering from the main roads. Throngs of cheers erupted every other second as bright light flashed and danced against falling snow. Slow falling meteor showers sparking atop the arena.

    Pempe commanded, ¡°The contestants'' entrance!¡±

    The group headed for the barred off underground path in the north that was only allowed for participants. Even as they moved, their ears pricked up to the voice of the announcer, Counrtney Woods.

    ¡°And we have our first knockout from Aleynonlia''s Academy. It is now an exciting three against two! It looks like the kids are not done fighting! They''re pushing back the Lion of Devara with a combined wall of fire!¡±

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Trini cheered, still running. ¡°Get ''em!¡±

    North of the arena, the tunnel entrances were sentinelled by armed guards which, to Trini, was overkill defence for a place filled with Spellblades. At one of the entrances, the guards held out their arms to halt them, but lowered when the teens raised their school badges and were allowed in without further blockage.

    Inside, the tunnel circled the arena underground in a long kliq of oval. Lining the corridors were the hundreds of contestants. Some were in their teams while most were alone for the single fights, simply mingling with their peers. But they were all colourful. Each individual wore unique armour or none at all. Others were equipped with unique combined weapons while many were equipped with basic, but visibly sheen arms.

    The five of them ran around, circling the path and giving curt waves when greeted. There were multiple tunnel exits but they were looking for just one. Another roar of cheers erupted above and the ground around them shook. They found their tunnel and took a turn. At the end of it, the rest of their class waited.

    Upon seeing them, Four-Chan exclaimed, ¡°Where were you guys?¡±

    Pempe replied, ¡°Sik Rehiy had us for a team meeting. What happened?¡±

    They stepped out onto the viewing deck just in time to watch Pip jam her lance into the ground. Whirling on a twirling burst of fire, she jumped, spun, and kicked the head of one of her much larger opponent, sending the opposing drakin involuntarily flying out of his ring.

    The commentator roared, ¡°And Pipquet Chevlier has just knocked out Kisa with a beautiful pole stomp to the face!¡±

    The hologram of the out of ring drakin flickered out of sight as the judges called for the knock out. Excited screams came from Aleynonlia supporters but the celebration was short lived. Camza, Pip''s remaining partner, turned at the commotion. Taking the opening, one of the opponent threw a spear of light that caught Camza in the head. The judge called the hit fatal and Camza''s hologram faded from the battlefield, leaving Pip surrounded by the two elven mage.

    Trini cheered, ¡°Come on, Pip!¡± The rest of Class C followed, adding their encouragement to the crowd.

    Pip had to keep her attention separate, darting her sight between her two remaining opponents. Once the two enemy combatants got into positions opposite of her, they moved. Both humes charged at her and Pip fired her wind propelled flamethrower at the closer of the two. As fire engulfed her target, she used the propulsion from her attack and blasted backwards. With a spinning step and a twist, she swung her lance like a staff at the unsuspecting attacker, catching her backstabbing enemy with a smack to the head, knocking the foe out of the fight.

    Then, she turned, only to be faced with a wall of ice that had been erected against her. The wall shattered, the ice turning into pointed shards. Like a targeted storm, the frozen blades rained down on her. A loud whistle sounded as the judge called the match. The crowd boomed excitedly, drowning out even the announcer.

    While Pip''s team had lost, they graciously stood to their feet. With mutual bows to their opponents on the opposite end of the field, then to the audience, the thundering claps that followed was well earned.

    Class C clapped and cheered along the admirable performance. ¡°Nice fight, Pip!¡± Trini called out, fully knowing her voice would be drowned by everyone else''s but not caring.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    ¡°Shame,¡± Seks said. ¡°Knocked out in her first round.¡±

    Pempe replied, ¡°True. But not surprising. We''re still students compared to these guys. The fact Pip got them down to a last man standing is pretty impressive though.¡±

    It was true that in the past dozen days of qualifying, they had watched many of their schoolmates be knocked out of the tourney, more so than the fully qualified Spellblades did. Though a few of their own did make it to the next round, it was mostly against their own schoolmates in the randomized match-ups. Shichi and Four-Chan were unluckily paired with two skilled fighters and, while the match was close, they did not claim victory, putting their class''s win rate at zero.

    ¡°Alright!¡± Pempe exclaimed. ¡°Who''s up next?¡±

    ¡°We are,¡± Lua announced.

    She stood to the side, fully armed with her dual chained swords. Beside her were Joachim and Nos, both looking vehemently annoyed at the prospect of stepping out and working together.

    Trini asked, ¡°Are you three going to be okay?¡±

    Joachim signed and Ishumi translated, ¡°Sure. As ''okay'' as we''ll ever be, I guess. I mean, I still hate Nos to the guts, but we''ll do okay.¡±

    Outside, the announcer called, ¡°On to our fifth match of the day, we have another trio from Aleynonlia''s Spellblade Academy who will be matched up against the gun totting team from Everwind!¡±

    ¡°That''s our call,¡± Nos voiced.

    The team of three began walking out with lucks and well wishes being passed around. The class watched as their classmates approached the arena. Their opponents were armed with steam pressured nail pistols. An off-shoot mercenary brand of Everwind''s famous sharpshooters. With a bow, the two teams moved to take their positions.

    A new voice called, ¡°Trini?¡± The entire class turned to it and away from the main event.

    Standing at the head of their tunnel was two well dressed human male in maroon cloak lined with white fur and gold embroidery. The shorter one had bright hair of red similar to Trini''s while the taller one had a heavier build and a hairless head. Besides them, two private guards in light shining mail stood at attention with spears in hand. Behind them, a small crowd had gathered to watch the two nobles conduct their business.

    Trini gulped but stood her ground. ¡°Fathers,¡± she greeted. Seks took her hand in his and she gripped back tight.

    ¡°Why have you been avoiding us? Is this what you want?¡± the taller man asked. ¡°To fight? You''re of noble blood! You''re better than this! This is not what was suppose to happen to you in this school!¡±

    Trini yelled back, ¡°You''re the ones who sent me to this school!¡±

    ¡°Because we thought it would teach you some manners! How to act in a society higher than these...¡± His eyes glanced over his surroundings but he said no further.

    His husband continued, ¡°Come back home with us. We''ll put you into the best social academy there is! Just look at the way you''re dressed! Such drab clothings. Listening to your parents. You can be more than a brute swinging a spear.¡±

    ¡°A tri-dent, father Zach. I use a tri-dent.¡±

    ¡°Semantics,¡± Zach replied. ¡°You will come home with us.¡±

    ¡°With all due respect Sirs Alquin,¡± Pempe crossed to Trini and voiced. ¡°But this is Trini''s choice to¨C¡±

    The taller man practically screamed, ¡°Stay out of this, peasant!¡±

    Shocked, Trini scolded, ¡°Father Abel!¡±

    ¡°You will come back with us, daughter. I can see that being with these people have clouded your senses and etiquette. Return home and we will see to resuming your tuition in a society befitting your stature.¡±

    Trini fell silent. She did not want to go with them. But as far as she had come in her independence, she did not wish to defy her parents either. They had, after all, taken care of her the best they could in the only way they knew how. Regardless of what she thought of them, they were still her parents.

    So she started walking to them.

    ¡°Trini!¡± Seks called out.

    She wanted to stop. Her shoes dragged through the dirt with the weight of a thousand indecisions.

    Abel yelled back at Seks, ¡°Be quiet you reptoid! You must be that Seks she wrote so much of. Regardless of what you may feel or think, let me assure you that our daughter is not for the likes of you. Give up on your fantasies. Inter-species relationship. If word of this got out, it''ll be the death toll of our family''s name.¡±

    She stopped walking. Her hand reached behind her belt and pulled. Her three section staff fell out of its sheath and snaked to the ground on clanking steel chains, the sharp trident blade on one end dangled and spun on its heaviness. With both hands, she held the middle section of her weapon then twisted, and pulled. The middle section extended and locked over the chains, clicking into clamps at max length and erecting the weapon into a trident. She stabbed the polearm into the ground before her.

    ¡°Father Abel, father Zach, thank you for all you''ve done. But if being a noble means I''m not allowed to love who I want, or go where I wish, I don''t think that is the life for me.¡±

    Zach clicked his tongue. ¡°That is not what we meant! You can have everything you¨C¡±

    ¡°Quiet!¡± she snapped. Her parents jumped at her raised tone and quickly held their voices back to a breathe. Her heart was pounding. Out of fear, excitement, anticipation, or uncertainty, she did not know. A part of her thought it was a mix of all. She was, after all, about to raise her voice to them in a way she had never thought of doing. ¡°I am an Alquin. That will never change. And I will love you two for raising me, that too will never falter. But this is my life. And this here, with this class, is where I stand.¡±

    Abel found his voice and asked, ¡°That class is not a place where people go to rise. It''s where they go to fall.¡±

    ¡°It would be of my greatest privilege to fall with them.¡±

    ¡°How can you speak so confidently?¡± Zach added. ¡°This class is known for being the worst in the school. What do you hope to accomplish with them? You''ve yet to even win any matches. At least the other classes have some of their students move on!¡±

    Nos voiced, ¡°Is that so?¡±

    The whole group turned to the tunnel exit. Standing at the archway and bathed in light flooding in from the outside were Nos, Joachim, and Lua. The use of magic had drastically heated up their bodies, misting the snow that fell on them in a shroud of vapour as the circuits slowly cooled.

    ¡°That may be true a few moments ago, but not anymore.¡± He crossed the cramped space and walked right up next to Trini, standing beside her. ¡°Because we just won.¡±

    Everyone turned their focus outside to which the cheers and adulations that had become background noises were clear once more. Amongst it, Counrtney Woods was announcing the result of the match, and sure enough, she declared, ¡°Once again, the winners in an astounding landslide is Nossaral Unn, Joachim Kerr, and Lua Orniter from Aleynonlia''s Spellblade Academy!¡±

    ¡°How?¡± Abel voiced. ¡°It''s been barely a minute!¡±

    ¡°Duh,¡± Lua replied. ¡°We trained. Besides, how long do you actually think it takes to win a fight?¡±

    Nos continued, ¡°See, I hate stuck-ups like yourselves the most. So, how about a little wager?¡± The teen said so without skipping a beat or lacking confidence from speaking with those twice his age.

    ¡°Wager?¡± Zach asked. ¡°Of what?¡±

    ¡°If Trini''s team loses the qualifying, she goes home. If they win, you leave. Simple as that.¡±

    ¡°Nos!¡± Trini exclaimed. ¡°What are you doing?¡±

    He shrugged. ¡°I merely want to show your fathers what us peasants can do.¡±

 Chapter Thirty: Birthright, Part Three

    Inside the Noble Convent building life continued without worries while the world outside ended. Champagnes and trays of dishes of heat waving warm food were being served in the nobles'' safe house. Outside, refugees fleeing the city''s outskirts were slowly dragging their feet into the streets of the noble quarters of the castle grounds after the new king, Adam Law, declared the grounds as sanctuary for those that needed it during the fighting. It was the early hours of the war and the fighting had been contained mostly to the farmlands, though there were reports that few unspawns had managed to hit the walls without a breach.

    ¡°Trinity.¡±

    The girl turned from the window at her name. ¡°Father Abel,¡± she greeted.

    Her father took a kneel beside the young girl. ¡°What''s wrong? My lovely daughter. Such a sour face suits you not.¡±

    ¡°I am sorry, father.¡±

    ¡°Remember, you are a noble. You must hold yourself with the poise befitting of such, less be looked down upon. What troubles you so?¡±

    She glanced out the window again. ¡°I want to help them, father. They seem to suffer so.¡±

    ¡°Do not worry about those outside. Just worry about yourself for now.¡±

    ¡°Is that not selfish?¡±

    Kindly, Abel said, ¡°No! Do not think that. You are simply beyond them. Your world and theirs are far too different. You are more important than a hundred of those outside. Born of nobility, holding a name chosen by the old kings themselves. We here are simply more important than them.¡±

    She looked around the room. Shining with crystals. Adorned with gold and silver. There was space enough between each individuals to fit ten families. There was enough wealth to buy medicines for a small town. There was enough food that some will have to be thrown away eventually.

    Abel continued, ¡°We deserve this. You deserve this. The people out there? If they had wanted this enough, they should have worked harder for it and not be... farmers.¡±

    ¡°Father, I don''t think these people had a choice.¡±

    ¡°People always have a choice, my dear. Remember that.¡±

    A drumming of bangs came from the large double front doors. The inside turned quiet and suddenly, Trinity could sense the fear that hung in the air. For everyone''s calm show of wealth and speech of status, they seemed as frightened as those outside of what was happening to their city.

    ¡°I''m sorry madam,¡± they could hear the bouncer outside say. ¡°But this is a private establishment. Nobles only.¡±

    ¡°I am Princess Scarletite Bel''Jarad. Please, open these doors for the people! We need space for a medical aids.¡±

    ¡°I-I''m sorry, princess. But my orders are¨C¡±

    Before the bouncer could finish, the door blasted opened with a force that sent those few standing behind stumbling back. Streams of dust flooded in from the outside followed by people rushing in with the injured being carried on stretchers and backs.

    Stepping firmly through was a man wearing dark metal laminar armour over the right half of his body with a black suit underneath. His hair was black with streaks of white that gave it a grey shade. His eyes stared forward with dark conviction.

    The head manager stepped forward to the soldier, ¡°I''m sorry sir, but this is private property!¡±

    ¡°We''re in a war so I don''t have time for this.¡± The man waved the people behind him over. ¡°Set up the beds. Use any enclosed rooms for surgery. Somebody find me a source for hot water!¡±Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    A female with long desert sand hair tied in a tail followed behind him. Unlike her dark counterpart, she was only lightly armoured. A black cloth combat dress was worn under an ornate white leather plate that stretched from shoulder to shoulder. A sheered skirt of long white tasset fell from her waist to her shin.

    ¡°Ierba,¡± she called out. ¡°I told you to not just barge in.¡±

    ¡°Look, Scarlet, you were going to talk your way through them eventually. I''m just cutting out the middle man so we can get things started early.¡±

    She looked playfully annoyed. ¡°I love you, but I will slap you.¡±

    He gave a quick peck on her forehead before running off to oversee the conversion of the medical camp. ¡°Those who want to help, start carrying the wounded in. Those who either can''t or don''t want to, get out of our way or get the hell out!¡±

    Abel looked to his daughter. ¡°Come on, Trinity. This place isn''t safe.¡±

    But she wasn''t listening any longer. She broke away from her father who called out her name in shock and worry. She ran up to the woman in white. ¡°Princess Scarletite?¡±

    She turned down to her and smiled. ¡°Why, hello there. And please, Scarlet is fine.¡±

    ¡°I... I want to help.¡±

    Scarlet smiled. ¡°Very well. You can stand at the door and help guide people in, okay?¡± Trinity nodded. ¡°What''s your name, young lady?¡±

    ¡°Tri-Trinity Alquin. But... I think... Trini is fine.¡±

    *****

    She was shaken awake. To roars and cheers her eyes opened. Covered by Seks''s warm wing, she snuggled a little closer to the drakin. Ten days had passed since Nos made the bet with her parents and in between trainings, studying matches, and worry, she eyes had not a day of good rest behind them.

    ¡°Hey.¡± Pempe stood before her adjusting his combat suit and doing a check of his shotgun. ¡°We''re up next.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± she replied sheepishly. Seks helped her to her feet and she stretched and yawned. ¡°Alright. Let''s do this.¡±

    Her boyfriend asked, ¡°Are you really okay for today? You seem really tired.¡±

    She shook her head vehemently and smiled. ¡°What are you talking about? I''m fine! Look at me. All the energy in the world.¡± She jumped on her feet and threw punches at the air to show her enthusiasm. ¡°Just needed a nap, that''s all.¡±

    Pempe nudged on, ¡°So you are sure you''re fine?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Now come on. Let''s go bag another one.¡±

    They were in the same participant tunnel as they were in ten days ago, now awaiting their call for the teams of five. The trio, and quartet qualifiers seemingly passed in the blink of an eye, with their class walking away with another victory for their team of four. They walked to the entrance where the rest of their class and teammates waited.

    Kingston asked, ¡°You ready, Trini?¡±

    ¡°Why does everyone keep asking me that?¡±

    Enneya, the last member of their team, replied, ¡°We''re just worried, that''s all.¡±

    Trini sighed. ¡°Look, I trust all of you to have my back. I''m not worried about this.¡±

    Seks admitted, ¡°I''m a little worried.¡±

    ¡°I''m not.¡±

    Pempe added, ¡°But the bet¨C¡±

    ¡°Forget about the bet! Just... just do what all of you always do. Be amazing. Help each other. Stand for what''s right. Fight hard. Be the best of the peasants that my parents think you are and I will be at your side until the end.¡± She felt for Seks''s hand and, as if drawn magnetically, he took hers into his. ¡°The bet is just something stupid that Nos did. I don''t care about the result. Even if we do lose, I''m not going back. I''m staying. The winning will just be a bonus but I''ve already decided to stay when I marked the ground as mine. You''re not getting rid of me that easily.¡±

    She looked to Nos at the side. And for the first time since she met him, he smiled genuinely without any of his usual derision. Without realizing it, she breathed out a sigh of relief that she had been held in all day. Her shoulders sag as the pressure lifted and finally, she truly felt herself again.

    ¡°We do us. It''s what we''re best at. It''s going to be rough, sure. It''s going to be tough, that too. But nobody can make us go down a path we don''t want to. At least, not without one meteoric fight.¡±

    Pempe asked, ¡°Do you really think we''re going to win?¡±

    ¡°You''re leading us, aren''t you?¡± she replied with a smile. ¡°You give the call and we''ll follow. If there''s one thing I''ve learned these few years is that if I trust you in a bind, I''ll be fine.¡±

    Kingston laughed. ¡°Well, you heard the lady. Let''s bring this one home.¡±

    Courtney Woods was once again the commentator and announcer. After calling the results of the previous match, she announced the next contenders.

    ¡°Next up in our final match for the day, we have the world renown monster hunters from Wenderight. Just recently, they made news for felling a rampaging antdagon that had been terrorising the trade routes. Give your best cheers for the members of Clan Artisia!¡±

    The crowd roared with excitement and Trini was sure they had broken the sound barrier for she was shaking in her shoes. But even as the cacophony died down she was still trembling and she realized even though she was no longer stressed of the upcoming event, she was still excited. With that vigour, she began hopping on her feet to release some of the pent up energy.

    ¡°And facing against these talented individuals are youngsters from Aleynonlia. We have seen most of them knocked out in the qualifying, but some have put up one Titan of a fight, and one team even managed to set a new speed record. Will these young adults be able to do it again? Let''s find out! Aleynonlia Spellblade Academy''s Seks, Pempe Byrne, Enneya Devini, Kingston Hox, and Trini Alquin!¡±

    The five rushed out to warm cheers in the cold weather. Suddenly, the air was different. It was heavy with ecstasy and Trini felt her feet weighed down by expectations. She followed the eyes of the hundreds of people watching, frantically searching for the only two that mattered to her. When she laid sight on her fathers sitting at the far end with unreadable expressions, she breathed deep and stepped past the weight of her world.

    ¡°Wow,¡± she heard the usually calm Enneya said. ¡°This is intense.¡±

    They stepped up onto their platform and faced the opposite field as the hologram of their opponents manifested. The judges stood to the side of each fields and raised their hands.

    ¡°Alright Pempe,¡± Trini said. ¡°Bring us home.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-One: Sacrifice, Part One

    Pempe Byrne eyed the whole field. Their opponents were a team of five from Clan Artisia, some of the most well known hunters in the north. Kara was a northern human female with skin as white as snow that held a greatsword across her shoulder. Nov was the drakin cracking a bullwhip in intimidation. Alvina and Bakara were elven brother and sister knife wielders. The fully armoured Gordon lead them with a shield and mace. It seemed the clan had planned to brute force melee their way into victory.

    Enneya reiterated, ¡°That''s intense.¡±

    Pempe needed to make his team work against opponents as diverse and overwhelming as the one they faced. His mind raced. Out of their team of five, Trini was the only one well suited for close quarters combat, a factor which they were ridiculously outnumbered in on the small field. Range combat too would be difficult in the tiny space. He looked to Seks and thougt that he would just have to make space.

    There was a drain that surrounded the battlefield and they were filled with water for hydromancers to gain an edge. Rows of bushes surrounded the two fields for those who commanded nature to have a source for their magic to manipulate.

    His mind raced with plans. But the problem with the best laid plans were that they would often fall apart once a choice outside of the expected was made. The greatest threat to schemes was the power to choose. That was why while he did have plans, he placed them on the burners. They were instinctual things he would rather bring up on the fly, as and when he needed them. But at the very least, the very first move of his opponents could be read. Before things spiralled out of expectable control, the first move was always the easiest.

    A loud horn blared to signal the fight''s opening and Clan Artisia charged, fully intent on using their consuming close quarters prowess to overwhelm them. And Pempe was fully prepared for a fierce opening.

    ¡°Enneya,¡± he commanded. ¡°Dust up!¡±

    The girl swung her staff around her legs and as if they were sand beaten on drums. Dirt on the ground jumped up as a fog around them, shrouding them in its embrace. Their opponents halted their advance, suddenly blinded by the risen cloud.

    ¡°Seks, go over!¡±

    He heard the drakin fire off a round of his revolver which would have hit the ground beneath him. A pillar of earth would punch out of the dirt and Seks would ride the pillar up into the sky, using it as a launcher to gain elevation and glide overhead. Pempe could not see all that, of course. But he trusted his team enough to get their parts right.

    ¡°Kingston, cover fire!¡±

    Kingston was able to, as he puts it, ¡°Read the wind.¡± Pempe never fully understood how Kingston''s magic worked but knew the results nonetheless. His friend wielded a hybrid weapon of a tonfa, a crossbow, and a rifle. An immensely complex weapon of his own design. The manner in which Kingston used his wind magic had allowed him the clean record of never missing a mark, though his shots could still be blocked or dodged.

    An arrow whizzed by Pempe and found its mark outside the dust storm, meeting its opponent with a clash of metal. Above, Seks rained a hail of bullets down on their enemies punctuated by the trembling aftershocks of spikes of earth erupting out of the ground where the slugs landed. Silent and unheard in it all, Enneya would be scooping up the dust cloud into balls of solid rocks in her staff sling and hurling them at their opponent''s general direction, causing more chaos.

    Suddenly, he was knocked off his feet. The dust around them instantaneously contracted into pellets. Opposite amidst a field churned by carnage, the armoured Gordon held out both hands in focus with the concentrated power of earth magic. His head turned to Enneya and with a sweep, sent the pellets dirt flying into her side. The force caught and lifted her off her feet before throwing her out of the ring.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    The announcer shouted, ¡°And Enneya of team Aleynonlia is out of the running! After an impressive opening salvo by the students, it seems Clan Artisia is now on the counter offensive!¡±

    Nov cracked his bullwhip and flung it at Seks. The whip twisted around the flying drakin''s ankle with vice-tight grip and threatened to pull him down.

    Pempe commanded, ¡°Kingston!¡±

    The latter aimed his crossbow at Nov. But before a shot could be taken, Kara charged at him with her greatsword, blazing fire cutting down at where he stood, forcing him to jump back. The rogue siblings flanked from Kara''s sides and converged on Kingston.

    ¡°Ice slide!¡±

    Trini pulled water out from the drains and sent a wave of it over the floor towards the attacking trio. In an instance, the water froze solid. Because of the limitation of the hologram, ice weren''t the slippery substance it should be on their opponent''s side of the field. But it was for them, and that was what he needed.

    Pempe dashed towards the ice floor and jumped onto the path, sliding across at speed. His shotgun had a large vertical pellet drum on a pair of short double barrels. Absolutely inaccurate at range, the weapon however was a beast up close.

    He closed in on the unsuspecting brother of the sibling pair. From the side Pempe came in and, aimed point blank, he fired. The pellets exploded out of the barrel in a flowering rain, catching all of Alvina''s face in the spread. The hologram flickered as it prepared to disappear. The shot recoiled Pempe''s arm backwards. The drum ¨C designed to also be a round pump ¨C turned in his hands from the force of the recoil and semi-automatically loaded in the next two rounds. He slid past Kara and by the time he reached the sister, the gun was loaded and he immediately followed up with a second shot and dispersed the second hologram.

    But before he could turn around and fire on Kara, the greatsword wielder had already slashed down at Kingston. The latter put up his weapon to block. Pempe reached out to the bushes behind him and tugged with his magic but it was too late. Kingston''s body was engulfed in holographic fire and Pempe could only offer vengeance by littering Kara''s body with spear sharp vines.

    They were down two fighters. Their opponents were short three. But Pempe could not breathe a sigh of relief. Seks continued to struggle in the air against the bullwhip, unable to land a clean shot due to the thug and pull. Trini had engaged the heavily armoured leader in a match of quick thrusts against an immovable shield.

    He had to clear Seks first. The drakin''s firepower was the fastest way to overcome Gordon''s armour.

    ¡°Seks!¡± Pempe called out.

    He pulled the slide of his gun back and ejected the unspent shots inside. From his pocket, he took out two green pellets and loaded them manually into the gun.

    He finished his command to Seks. ¡°Crash down.¡±

    The drakin nodded in the air. Seks swapped his revolvers into their hand-axe grips and stopped fighting the pull of the whip. Instead, he spun in the air and turned towards his opponent in a dive. From the handle of Nov''s whip, a blade slid out. From his back, Nov furthered pulled out a short sword with his free hand, ready for the clash.

    Pempe aimed down his barrels at Nov and ran charges of magic into his gun. He breathed deep and fired.

    Instead of buckshots propelling out, tendrils of vines grew from the barrel of his gun as if a squid''s tentacles grabbing at air. It fired out and across the field, appendages squirming as the vine net hits Nov and wrapped around him. Immobilized, the enemy drakin could only watch as his kin fell from the sky and smashed two axes into his skull. The hologram vanished on impact and the vines plopped to the ground after losing its host.

    Seks turned his attention immediately to his girlfriend who held Gordon at bay. The drakin opened the cartridge of his revolvers inwards and spun the guns on his fingers. When the barrel of his guns pointed selfwards, he stopped the rotation with his thumbs and the empty shell casings ejected out with momentum. He placed both guns under his pits and retrieved new rounds from his cloth belt. In a feet of dexterity that Pempe envied, Seks loaded all twelve rounds from across his chest.

    With ammunitions full, he turned his sights to Gordon and emptied all twelve shots at the man''s feet, knowing full well the earth magic reinforced armour would absorb most of the impact from the shots. Pinned by Trini and flanked by Seks, Gordon could only dance from the impact at his legs.

    Pempe watched as Seks''s right shoulder lit up in a dark brown glow as the drakin detonated the twelve mines of magically charged bullets at Gordon''s feet. The resulting earth spike shot out of the ground and reached three grounds up into the air, sending the armoured hunter flying into the energy shield. A wave of energy rippled out from the shield on impact and the leader of Clan Artisia dropped to the ground outside with a loud metallic clank.

    His head was pounding with the fight and his legs shook. It was not until the adrenaline began to die down that he realized his shakes were from the uproar of the crowd that drowned out even the announcer''s amplified voice. The pounding in his head was from the excessive beat of his heart.

    Pempe followed his gaze on Trini who searched the spectators desperately before finally landing on her parents. The two men sat clapping begrudgingly in the crowd, though not as joyously and definitely without any of the same festivities as those around them. Seks ran up and hugged her and the two kissed in front of everyone.

    Kingston and Enneya got to their feet and while nursing a few sore bruises on shoulder and side, grinningly walked over to Pempe with thumbs up. Clan Artisia was picking themselves up over on the next field, readying themselves for a graceful congratulations.

    ¡°Good calls out there!¡± Kingston yelled the compliment over the roar of the crowd.

    Despite the clear signs of victory from the announcer''s ecstatic tone to the judges waving flags of their winning side, Pempe felt only dread and a creeping sense of failure.

 Chapter Thirty-Two: Sacrifice, Part Two

    At first his eyes followed specks of dust that floated down the ceiling. Next, he tried to count each barb on his quill pen''s feather. Then, he flicked his finger against the fringes of his hair. When he got bored of even that, Pempe leaned back in his chair with a sigh, the page of parchment of his book on his table still empty.

    ¡°I''m running out of ink,¡± Pempe voiced.

    Behind him on the bed and snuggled under a blanket with a thick book in his hand was Kingston. ¡°That''s because you keep dipping the ink but not write anything. That''s how ink works.¡±

    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Pempe asked snappily.

    ¡°It''s my room too.¡±

    ¡°I know that. But why are you still here? Why not go out? Take a walk and take in the sights?¡±

    ¡°It''s cold.¡± He looked up from his book.

    Their room was one of many in a long mount of dormitories. Buried under dirt, surrounded by brick walls, the room was just big enough for a desk, two beds, a shared cabinet for their clothes, and a rack from their coats. A single window in the centre end of the room angled up and out of the mount. Snow had partially covered the window pane that separated them and the world outside, letting in only streams of outside glitter. A single crystal lamp dangled from above them.

    ¡°Why are you here?¡±

    Pempe stood and turned before sitting back down, hugging the spine of his chair. ¡°I''m trying to come up with new battle formations. Something that covers everything.¡±

    ¡°Impossible,¡± Kingston quickly replied. ¡°You can''t expect to be prepared for all contingencies with a simgle formation.¡±

    ¡°I know. But¨C¡±

    Kingston put down his book. ¡°Is this why you''ve been sulking lately?¡±

    ¡°I have not been sulking,¡± Pempe was taken aback. ¡°Why would I be sulking?¡±

    ¡°I don''t know. We''ve won four fights now. We''re nearly at the end of winter. A whole half season since the qualifiers and now we''re at the quarter finals. You should be ecstatic but you''ve been wearing a frown the whole time, staring at your little planning book.¡±

    Pempe sighed. He looked around the room, trying to find something else to talk about to avoid the topic. Perhaps an unspawn will burst through he walls and save him the trouble. Kingston was his closest friend but he always felt the latter could read him as easily as books and clear as day.

    Unable to find an escape, Pempe admitted, ¡°I''m worried. The last match, you and Seks got knocked out. The one before that was me and Trini. Enneya was the last woman standing in our second round and you and her fell in the qualifying. I''m just trying to find a way to win one without losing any of us.¡±

    ¡°This is... very unlike you, Pempe,¡± Kingston worried noted.

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°You''re the practical one of us. I''m supposed to be the one who''s empathetic.¡±

    Pempe raised a brow. ¡°Somehow, that does not make me feel any better.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why everyone keeps looking to you to lead? It''s because you think on your feet. You see the optimal solution in the toughest times and you make choices that would be hard for anyone else.¡±

    Pempe looked away. ¡°But what if it''s not just holograms and training next time? What if on the train over I made a mistake and the entire bridge collapsed under us?¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    ¡°It didn''t.¡±

    ¡°What if?¡±

    Kingston looked annoyed. ¡°What do you want to hear? That your fears are unfounded? Because they''re not. You want me to tell you to stop leading the charge because you''ll make a mistakes.¡±

    ¡°That''s...¡± Not wrong. He felt the pressure ever since seeing Enneya knocked out of the ring and Kingston being cut down. As they got stronger, as they grew older, the opponents they faced raised the bar higher and he worried one day they would not cross it.

    Kingston clicked his tongue. ¡°It''s not going to change. People like us look to people like you because you act before the fear sets in.¡±

    ¡°Why me?¡±

    ¡°Because you''re better at it. Because you don''t hesitate. It''s not the same as having no fear.¡± His friend huffed ¡°We got into this school knowing full well what''s at stake. Then we decide to fight for what''s right, risking out lives, because we think it''s worth it. It''s more likely than not we will end up losing one of us.¡±

    ¡°And you''re okay with that?¡±

    ¡°Of course not. But I''ll have to be when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°But you''re not the one making the call when the time comes.¡±

    ¡°You''re right. That''s you.¡± Kingston looked up sombrely. ¡°You''re just in a slump. You know as well as I do that not doing anything when the sails are cut is uncountably worse than doing something as the ship is sunk.¡±

    Pempe got to his feet and sighed. ¡°I don''t know what that means.¡± He crossed the room and grabbed his coat off the rack. ¡°I''ll take a walk. Clear my head a little. Maybe you''re right about the slump.¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡± Kingston smiled. Then, his eyes opened wider. Pempe knew that look. It was one of recognition. Those many times when Kingston seemingly sees something that no one else could. His friend opened his book and returned to it, but said, ¡°You should take your weapon with you.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡±

    ¡°I read the wind.¡±

    ¡°Why do you always say that?¡±

    Kingston shrugged and Pempe sighed defeated. He decided to take the advice. His weapon was not particularly large. The shortened barrels of his gun meant the whole thing slipped easily under his coat into the holster that was worn at the back of his waist. He took a few more minutes to wear the leather belt and retrieved his weapon out of the cabinet before leaving the room.

    The dormitory''s corridor was harshly empty. It was the middle of the day and most of them had left to explore Rubicum''s wonder. The earthen tunnel stretched straight towards branches, sharp corners, and around rooms inhabited by fellow students, teachers, and other competing Spellblades who had managed to book lodgings there. Most of the others stayed at the inn around the town. While many had been eliminated from the tourney, they still stayed within the city to watch the competition play out and more were coming in each day to view the quarter to finals. Finally at the exiting tunnel, Pempe stepped outside.

    Winter was coming to an end. With just three more days left in the season, the snow had died down considerably and edging greeneries were mixing cerulean with the teal crystal foliage of the previous season. The path winding between tree houses, buildings, and gardens were mostly cleared of snow to a light dirt brown. The day was bustling with activities. Tourism built during the tourney seasons and the cold weather meant most work was on hold until Fall.

    Pempe decided to simply walk, taking in the cool air and forever dew scent. He made towards the market district where the crowds were even larger. Stalls had been set up in place of a field and pedlars peddled trinkets while sales sold shale. There were food carts and street performers. Hawkers and barters. The place teemed with the living and he approached a bun cart that smelt of fresh baked bread with lingers of meat and sauces from its side.

    The woman at the cart saw his approach and greeted, ¡°What will you have, sir?¡±

    ¡°A frankfurter, if you will,¡± he requested, digging into his pockets for pence and pieces.

    A rumble through the crowd and a woman screamed, ¡°Help! A thief! Guards!¡±

    Pempe turned instinctively to the sound of the voice as the thick crowd was parted and pushed. A thin built, curly haired hume birthed from the wall of masses. The hume looked to her left and right, deciding on a road of escape. The people around them muttered and pointed, some with looks of conflicted inaction, as if speculating if acting was in their best interest.

    Another man, a dark haired, brown coated human walked up to the thief. ¡°Hi!¡± The coated man''s voice echoed into the crowd. ¡°You look lost, madam thief. Can I help you?¡±

    The hume thief pulled out a dagger and pointed it to the coated man. Pempe reached behind his back and drew his shotgun. In trained motioned, he pulled the slide of his gun back and loaded in one of his seed pellets. Without thinking further or even taking time to confirm his aim, he fired from the hip.

    As if a hand reaching out, the vine shot tackled into the thief with force, net shape wrapping up from body to sole and knocking the hume off her feet. The crowd behind backed off from the woman that tumbled and everyone else clapped and cheered. A human woman appeared from behind the crowd, looking confused. Then, she saw the thief on the ground and her purse by the roadside. Guards started gathering edge of the scene.

    The coated man who was nearly stabbed walked up to Pempe as the confusion, murmurs, and celebration mixed.

    ¡°Thank goodness you were here,¡± the man said. ¡°I used to be a thief. She would have just turned a corner into the crowd and disappeared without a trace if not for you.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Pempe replied, dumbfounded at everything that happened in the short time frame. ¡°What were you thinking, sir? Going up to her like that was dangerous. You could have been seriously injured.¡± He looked at the commotion around them, making sure nothing else happened out of his attention.

    ¡°Oh, I''ll be fine, boy. Middle name''s danger. Actually, I don''t have a middle name. But sure was good to have you take the lead there, right?¡± The man winked.

    Pempe''s focus was caught. His attention tunnelled on the man before him. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    The man grinned. ¡°I''ve got many names. Traveller of Time. Warrior of Chronos. Pausa Alvet. Howard Galloway. The Man with the Answers. But at the end of the day, I''ll be the one whose life you''ll wonder about after I''ve saved yours.¡± Then he dropped the smile and shrugged nonchalantly. ¡°Or I''m The Watcher. Your pick.¡±

    Pempe blinked.

    The man vanished from his eyes. Pempe looked around stunned as guards approached to the victim and the scene to apprehend a thief and gather statements. One walked up to Pempe, asking who he was. It was only by instincts did he manage to take his badge out of his pocket as he realised no one else aside from him and the wailing thief seemed to have seen The Watcher come and go.

 Chapter Thirty-Three: Sacrifice, Part Three

    The war against the unspawns had many names. The official one was The 2<sup>nd</sup> War of God. But elsewhere, it was known as the Exseed War. Or in lesser circles, The Quiet Invasion.

    The Quiet Invasion never caught on as the name was said to undermine how severe the battles were. But it was named so, as unlike conventional battles, there were no sound of clashing swords of whizzing arrows. No steel on steel or steel on blood. Just crackling flames and people screaming. Unspawns did not interact with the physical world the same way. Theirs steps did not crack. Their swings did not whistle. The only time you knew you were being attacked was when you heard the cracking of your ribs.

    Pempe was nine when the war came to its end. Back then, he did not realize what was happening. At least, not long until the battle was over. For the most part, he stayed hidden in his home and only glimpsed the world outside through curdling screams.

    ¡°Grandmama,¡± he asked out. ¡°What''s happening?¡±

    The world outside their house sounded like a natural disaster. A raging inferno broiling through or a storm washing over. It was not a battle. Just an everyday terrible day. His grandmother, a spirited 65 year old nurse on a cane, hobbled quickly from one point in the building to another, hurriedly bringing supplies of food and water to the storeroom he hid in.

    ¡°It''s all fine,¡± his grandmother replied, her head popping out the corner of the doorway with a smile. ¡°Everything will be fine.¡±

    He still worried. He wasn''t scared, just worried. ¡°Where are mom and dad?¡±

    ¡°They''ll be back soon. Until then, I want you to stay in here, okay?¡± She began closing the storeroom door.

    ¡°Wait!¡± he yelled, and she paused. ¡°Grandmama, where are you going? Aren''t you staying with me?¡±

    She smiled. ¡°I''m going out there. People need my help.¡±

    ¡°But... isn''t it dangerous?¡±

    The old woman giggled and opened the door again. She knelt down next to him and patted his head. ¡°Of course it is. But you want to be a good Spellblade when you grow up, right?¡±

    He nodded.

    ¡°Then remember this. If you want to help people, always run towards the screaming. That''s where help is needed the most.¡±

    ¡°Isn''t there someone else? Why must it be you?¡±

    ¡°Of course there''s someone else. But someone else won''t always be there. And it''s always good to have more people helping than less.¡± She ruffled his hair. ¡°You''re a good kid, Pemp. I''m sure you''ll understand once you''re older.¡±

    ***

    ¡°Pempe? Pempe!¡±

    He jumped. The world came back to him as he retook in the scene of the tunnels and the booming cheers from the outside. Winter had come and gone. The air in the tunnels were starting to thicken with humidity as they transitioned from winter to leaf and soon to sear. A sweet muddy smell of life for the season seeped through the wall as freshly melted snow misted the air.

    ¡°Sorry,¡± he replied. ¡°I was... somewhere else.¡±

    Opposite him was Kingston, who looked on with raised brows. ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Just, a little out of it.¡±

    His friend smiled. ¡°I spoke with Sik Rehiy. He said that if you''re really that uncomfortable with calling the shots, you can sit that responsibility out. I can take over for you.¡±Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    ¡°Really?¡± Pempe replied, surprised. ¡°Do you want to?¡±

    Kingston laughed. ¡°Not really. Giving orders is not really my thing But someone''s got to do it, if not you.¡±

    Pempe chuckled. ¡°You really know how to give a pep talk.¡±

    With a shrug, Kingston replied, ¡°Not much pep needed for you. So I just talk. I figured you''ll be able to make a decision.¡±

    Pempe sighed. His thoughts wandered back on his grandmama. She survived the war and passed away peacefully in her sleep three years after. Even towards the end, she continued to help with the reconstruction efforts. She served soup to the displaced and homeless, and continued to help as a nurse advisor in hospitals. Throughout it all, she maintained that she helps because someone else won''t always be there.

    ¡°I''m fine,¡± Pempe finally answered. ¡°I can do it.¡±

    ¡°That''s the spirit. Now perk up. From what it sounds like, we''re about to be going up soon.¡±

    The crowd outside roared again. More and more people had been flooding into Rubicum. At the turn of the season with the start of the quarter finals, every inn in the city had been booked and campsites on the outskirts a amassed.

    ¡°There''s a lot more people now,¡± Kingston voiced aloud.

    Enneya Devini walked up to their side and joined the conversation at that opening. ¡°It''s the quarter finals now. Everything up to this had been warm-ups. I think almost every Spellblade on Tearha is here.¡±

    ¡°So no pressure?¡± Pempe asked.

    ¡°None. Unless you''re the one leading the team and a single mistake will cause all our training to go to waste. So, me, no pressure.¡± She grinned.

    He bubbled. ¡°You sure know how to make me comfortable.¡±

    She shrugged. ¡°I do my best.¡±

    A scream echoed down the tunnel corridors and out. The terror in its tone pierced their souls and sent a familiar shiver down their spines. The entire class turned to the direction of the noise further town the dark.

    ¡°What was that?¡± Pempe exclaimed.

    They realized quickly that the shouting happening outside were no longer cheers. Instead, they carried a terrified tonal shriek. The normally booming voice of the commentator had also gone quiet instead of just being drowned out by the crowd.

    Nos ¨C who had been sitting against the wall ¨C ran his hands over the ground as it shook. ¡°Something''s stomping.¡± He got to his feet and looked deeper into the corridor. ¡°Everyone¨C¡±

    Pempe loaded a seed into his gun and finished, ¡°Battle stations.¡±

    Bellowing dust was what they saw first followed by a bright flash of flames. The creature barrelled through the corridor and skidded into the junction without a noise. A dangling net covered what was the outline of its ''face''. Six large stubby footprints stamped the ground through its translucent feet which were bent like wolves. A long, coiling body snaked around the corner. Its ''face'' opened up and a dark, starry, trans-dimensional insides revealed itself.

    The unspawn charged. Pempe fired his unique ammunition which exploded the moment it left the barrel of his gun. Spindly vines opened like a web. Sharp extensions pierced through the circular tunnel walls and ceilings, creating a vine-web which sealed in the corridor.

    He yelled a command. ¡°Outside! Now!¡±

    Everyone ran for the exit that lead to the field. Kingston and Four swapped with Pempe and Seks to provide cover fire for their range impeded classmates. The creature slammed into the vine web with its stubby arms to pull away the magically enhanced trap that blocked its path.

    ¡°Seks, earth cage! Four-Chan! Pulverize it!¡± Pempe shouted.

    Once outside the tunnel, Four created five pillars of light and readied her turrets. Seks ran up to her side, turned back to face the tunnels and once the last of their classmates cleared, fired a series of shots at the tunnel walls. Earth spike exploded into grills as the unspawn broken free of the vine webs and continued its rush forward, only to be halted once again by its new prison. Four fired and a hail of light showered into the tunnel, some shots blasting off chunks of dirt and catching up clouds of dust.

    The pillars of light diminished with each shot. And even when she was emptied of magical ammunition, Four continued to hold her guns out, away from akimbo.

    ¡°Is it...¡± Four began but stopped short of finishing her sentence, afraid to jinx the outcome.

    The dust clears and the tunnel was left in ruins. Spikes and blast craters littered but the creature was gone. Defeated back to where it came.

    Together as one, the class breathed a sigh of relief before noticing the noise around them and turning to face the field.

    It was chaos. Spectators had retreated into large clumps of huddled masses within the stands while guards surrounded them in protective walls. Spellblades jumped at and pushed back trickles of unspawns small and big.

    ¡°What''s going on?¡± Shimona exclaimed.

    Trini replied, ¡°As if I''d know.¡±

    A voice boomed overhead and announced, ¡°This is Consort Rubi of Rubicum. All civilians are to proceed to their nearest shelter tunnels. Any available Rubicum Forces Spellblades are to mobilize and push back the unspawns. Mercenaries, you will be compensated in the aftermath and I humbly ask for your assistant in defending the unarmed in this time of crisis. The students of Aleynonlia''s Academy are to clear a path to the station and help in evacuation. Follow the lead of your teachers if you find them.¡±

    ¡°Well,¡± Lua voiced. ¡°You heard the lady. Let''s get going!¡±

    Before they could move from their spot, Rubi continued, ¡°Class C, stand your ground. I''m coming to you.¡±

    Quinton looked to his sister. ¡°She called us out. Why?¡±

    Ishumi translated, ¡°Our epitaphs.¡±

    Everyone exchanged nervous glances. Pempe worried. Wast that it? Were they the cause of the attack? They had not been able to do anything about their epitaphs up to that point, so why were they suddenly being thrust into the fray? Things were spiralling out of control and his classmates looked to him for guidance. He knew as little as they did about what was happening but he put up a brave face anyway.

    ¡°I don''t know what''s going on either. But this is likely the moment we''ve all been preparing for since we''ve got numbered. We still don''t know what''s in store for us and it''s going to be a rush. But I say we find out, head on.¡± He pumped his shotgun. ¡°We all know know first-hand, the damage the unspawns are capable of and I think that''s why most of us chose the path of Spellblade instead of whatever else life would have prepared for us. We wanted to fight so the horrors of the war never happened again. So if this is really on us, then like Lady Rubi said. We stand.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Four: King, Part One

    It was chaos. Kingston saw the winds around him fade from vision. Butterfly flaps of futures winked in and out of existence as lives were snuffed out one by one by the unspawns. His class had just formed a perimeter around the two courts. They were holding back the attacking unspawn horde when Consort Rubi scrambled towards them, a scarlet rapier in her right hand and a jade coloured buckler in her left.

    One of the translucent creatures turned its attention to the coming head of state. Before Kingston could warn her of the oncoming danger, he heard the voice in his head telling him things would be fine. It was the instinct that came with being what he was.

    Rubi halted after seeing the attacking monster. With a twirl on her feet, she sidestepped a whip-like tail that slammed down where she stood just seconds before that cracked the land beneath it. Coming out of her spin and using the momentum, she thrust her blade into the appendage of the unspawn.

    The creature scrambled and pulled its tail back, but a single ember of flame had already been embedded in its translucent body. The flicker of fire spread, growing like a tree taking roots in the earth. The beast squirmed, desperately doing its utmost to scratch the fire away but to no avail. Within seconds, it was completely engulfed in flames, finally fading away as the minute closed.

    The consort continued her rush over to the class, asking aloud, ¡° Does anyone have any enhancing knowledge?¡±

    Lua raised her hand. ¡°I know some theory.¡±

    ¡°That''s all I need. Come with me and help me connect this machine to the crystals.¡± She gestured to the hard-light hologram crystals which still glowed with expectant power. From her pocket, Rubi took out a tiny, matte black box and a bundle of cryst wires.

    Kingston saw a green wind leading from him to the box. A good omen to heed. He made a gesture to Pempe to close his ranks before leaving his position to help. The green wind connected to Shichi and he tapped his friend by the shoulder for attention to follow.

    The two boys approached the two ladies and Kingston asked, ¡°Is something wrong?¡±

    Lua held up the black box. ¡°The Consort wants to wire this...¡± She looked to Ruby for guidance.

    ¡°Radio,¡± the lady replied.

    ¡°...radio to the crystal for a boosted charge. I''ve got the wires attached correctly, I think. But it''s not receiving the power it needs.¡±

    Kingston leaned over. The back of the box had been opened and within the contraption was a otherworldly mess of green, silver, and gold boards and soldering that reminded him of the outlining of magic circuits and the crystal enhancing process. But amongst all of the foreign matter was a familiar gleam.

    ¡°That,¡± Kingston pointed. ¡°Looks like a cryst resistor. My dad taught me about them. It''s probably dampening the power to prevent an overload.¡±

    ¡°What does that mean?¡± Shichi ask.

    ¡°It means that there is probably the limit to the machine. Even if we get enough energy in, it might destroy the thing,¡± Kingston explained. ¡°I''ll have to remove the resistor to even try.¡±

    Ruby replied, ¡°That''s fine. We just need to get the word out and aid will come. Right now, something''s dampening our ability to communicate. Messengers I''ve sent out are turned around by the forest, as if space itself is confused.¡±

    ¡°I...¡± Lua began. ¡°I don''t understand.¡±

    ¡°There''s no need to at this time. We just need this machine to work.¡± Ruby looked to Kingston. ¡°How do we do that?¡±

    Kingston reached over their hands and grabbed the radio. He took some of Ruby''s spare cryst wires and instructed Lua, ¡°Disconnect the crystal. Reconnect them when I tell you to.¡±

    Lua then took the wires in her hands off the projection crystal as instructed. From under his coat, he took out a small utility knife and proceeded to cut the resistor free. Around their focused project, the battle waged on. Only a trickle of minor unspawns remained being hunted down by the combined forces. Some threw their bodies at the wall set up be Class C, only to be disintegrated by their fortified strength. Others paced around, as if searching for an openning to pounce.

    ¡°Shichi,¡± Kingston called. ¡°Give me your hand.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Shichi exclaimed, a tone of worry in his voice. ¡°Why? What are your intentions?¡±

    ¡°Don''t be whining,¡± Kingston derided. ¡°Just give me your hand.¡±

    Reluctantly, the former handed over his appendage. Kingston took it and guided the index finger over the now incomplete part of the circuit where the resistor was.

    Kingston began explaining, ¡°When Lua reconnects the crystal there will be a surge of electricity. Shichi, you''ll need to block that energy and I cannot stress this enough, slowly increase the flow of power through your fingers.¡±

    Ruby looked to Kingston quizzically and voiced, ¡°How did you¨C¡±

    ¡°I have good instincts,¡± he replied.

    She stopped inquiring and instead simply nodded understandingly. It would have taken too long for him to explain his situation to her, so he was glad to have her discernment. He could read the wind in the literal sense. Each breeze carried a tone or a colour or an inflection. Each whisper of the wind held stories of the past or future that he could discern. He could read the wind because aeromancy was not the only magic he could perform. He was also a seer.

    ¡°Is this safe?¡± Shichi asked about his finger.

    ¡°No idea,¡± Kingston turned back and grinned. ¡°Good luck!¡±

    He signalled Lua who immediately reconnected the cryst wires to the crystal and Shichi jerked slightly on his feet.

    ¡°Woah,¡± the latter let out. ¡°It feels like someone''s running a string through my veins.¡±

    ¡°Keep at it,¡± Kingston encouraged. ¡°Lady Ruby, could you give the device a try?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    She did as was suggested and spoke into the radio. ¡°This is Ruby. Can anyone hear me?¡± A soft grinding noise that reminded Kingston of static electricity reverberated out of the machine. ¡°We need more power.¡±

    He looked to Shichi and instructed, ¡°Slowly.¡±

    His friend nodded and gradually began raising the power he was channelling.

    Ruby tried again. ¡°This is Ruby. Can anyone hear me?¡±

    Again, static replied. Slowly, they continued raising the power and Ruby desperately tried to make her voice heard.

    After what seemed to be forever with tension rising on them to get things right, the consort yelled,

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    inside the barrier! The bad guy is still in the city! Find the bad guys, stop them, save yourselves, save the world!¡±

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 Chapter Thirty-Five: King, Part Two

    Take the tunnels out to the market. We''ll keep the unspawns busy here while you kids search for whoever''s behind this.

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    ¡°What are you trying to say?¡±

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    ¡°might have a lead. But how do we confirm it? Should we meet up with the others first?¡±

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 Chapter Thirty-Six: King, Part Three

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 Chapter Thirty-Seven: King, Part Four

    Run, for the darkness takes you.

    Fly, for the wind will guide you.

    ¡°Aerial.¡± The teacher continued her class. ¡°Does anyone know what are the two lines that follows?¡± She turned around to face the class and pointed over to the young boy. ¡°Kingston.¡±

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    ¡°am a child!¡±

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    Yes. It was then he realized that question had not been particularly specific. Everyone was going to die eventually. The thought of that linguistic loophole warmed him with slight hope.

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    ¡°you here? I''ve seen what you can do with machines and gadgets. If I had your skills, I''d apply to a trade school. In Lutvvin, your home country even. Why move to Aleynonlia to be a Spellblade?¡±

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    someone else in his class dying, and that knowledge tore him up inside.

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 Chapter Thirty-Eight: Choice, Part One

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    ¡°It''s because of us,¡± Ishumi signed back. ¡°Unspawns are a result of space-time distortions. Our epitaphs are troubling the world. Don''t you ever listen in class?¡±

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    nd</sup> War of Gods and had hoped not to have to again. But they knew that inevitably with battle, the restoration after must come.

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    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

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 Chapter Thirty-Nine: Choice, Part Two

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    ¡°I love her.¡±

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    Our hearts beat as one.

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 Chapter Forty: Choice, Part Three

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    and myself.¡±

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    Wake up.

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    ¡°must make it to the others with the information. Kingston, Quinton, and Shjacky gave up their lives for this. We can''t let their sacrifices be in vain.¡±

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 Chapter Forty-One: Silence, Part One

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    Caliburn, was used as a way to determine the one to rule by finding a wielder of impeccable courage. Despite his accomplishments, Lyonhart never managed to pick up the weapon. It was not until when Atria Pendraegon ¨C a former deserter turned freedom fighting hero ¨C picked up the sword was the first queen of Aleynonlia chosen.

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 Chapter Forty-Three: Silence, Part Three

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 Chapter Forty-Four: Blinded, Part One

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    ¡°I''m going. You need to tell everyone else what''s happening.¡±

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 Chapter Forty-Five: Blinded, Part Two

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 Chapter Forty-Six: Blinded, Part Three

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 Chapter Forty-Seven: Fluid, Part One

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 Chapter Forty-Eight: Fluid, Part Two

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 Chapter Fifty: Deck, Part One

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 Chapter Fifty-One: Deck, Part Two

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 Chapter Fifty-Two: Deck, Part Three

Don''t let up!

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    Just a little more!

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 Chapter Fifty-Three: Clover, Part One

    3 minutes earlier...

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    Lua threw her offhand sword at her opponent like a javelin. The Janus calmly took a single step back and the chain extended fully to a halt just short of the sword tip touching her. When the chain taut, Lua tugged at it and the sword flew back into her hand.

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    I get to control the now!¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Four: Clover, Part Two

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    have fought forever. My family line is older than the existence of your entire country. You truly thought you children will be the end of me?¡±

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    They were alive.

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 Chapter Fifty-Five: Clover, Part Three

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    ¡°ran here if I knew you were waiting.¡±

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    are we doing here?¡±

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 Epilogue: Deck of Clover

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    ¡°not suht up!¡±

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    Joachim Kerr, Lua Ornitter, and The Watcher will return in...

    The Chronicles of Tearha: Born and Made