《Return of the Battle God: Age of Darkness》 Return of the Battle God: Age of Darkness Academe Departments (First C Third Year) Martial apprentice | Sorcerer apprentice | Knight mage apprenticeThe author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Martial junior | Junior sorcerer | Junior knight mage Martial senior | Senior sorcerer | Senior knight mage (Fourth Year/World Hunting) Adventurer | Sage | Elementalist (Graduation Title) Martial king | Great magus | Battlemage (Supreme Attainment) Combat Saint | Grand magus | Protectorate Chapter 1: Arrival Its so big! Really deserving of being called the most flourishing of all the places in the empire, the capital! Even from afar, Claud can already see the towering steel gates of empire capital Ea, 60-feet wide and 150 feet tall. Marks and scars of war can be seen on its limestone-colored walls, old yet majestic. Vicissitudes of time left by thousands of historical wars and triumph of an empire reigning for many millennia. At last! After being on the road for almost one month, hes finally here! Being admitted to the largest and most famous school in the empire, the Varis Academe of Arcane and Military Arts was everyones dream. Becoming a student is an arduous competition and not everyone is capable of being selected. One needs to pass a lot of assessments and exams to gain the position of being an apprentice. Every applicant is being tested in the field of magic, combat and archery, and other related topics. Most of them, being versed in combat but lacks magic affinity becomes martial apprentice. Those who has an affinity or can control and use magic are accepted as sorcerer apprentice. The talented ones who can wield weapons in line with magic are referred to as knight mage apprentice. Due to rareness of knight mages, everyone is trying their best to become one but it is not really that easy. Magic needs mana to be used and it is determined by ones talent and physique. If youre not talented and dont have the compatible physique, then you can just try for other departments. Because its the month of June, many people are flowing from the four gates. Each carrying their families hopes and dreams. Claud is already at the front of the gate. So tall! Seeing it from afar, he thought that it is big but right now, he can just gasp at this sight. One of the guards was looking on the crowd, checking every comers detail. Claud was stopped at the gate because of how he looks. Wearing a black coat where even his facial features cannot be seen, anyone cant help but be suspicious. Whats your name and where are you from? My names Claud Claud Ashwell. I came from Belanore and wants to be an apprentice. Ok, you can go. Seeing the guards smug look of disdain, Claud didnt linger anymore and continued entering. Passing the streets, he walked all the way to the venue of the exams. While passing, he noticed the different views of buildings on the street. He has a certain knowledge about the capital. The capital is divided into different sections. In the outermost region lives the common folks. Wealthy merchants and businessmen lives at the middle sector and in the inner are those of noble birth or officials of the empire. This is also the sector where we can find the academy sponsored by the royal empire. Claud can see the royal palace from where he is.Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. The testing venue is situated at the academys open trial grounds. Myriads of people can be seen. On one side, you can see pairs of applicants fighting each other. This is the test for combats strength. Next, you will see tables laden with magic orbs called affinity stone. These are used to determine which element one has affinity to. Red for fire, blue for water, green for wind, yellow for earth, violet for lightning, black for darkness and white for light magic affinity. There are some cases that two or more colors were mixed meaning dual or multi-element affinity. In magic, elemental magic is called primary magic. There also that secondary magic like the spatial, illusion, enchantment and enhancement magic which has a color of gray. Most of these magics are being learned by artisans and blacksmiths that can be considered on the same level as the warrior classes. But secondary magic is not limited to them. Theres a lot of magic that can be also used to enhance ones body during combat and some powerful individual can use teleportation magic, one of the highest orders of spatial magic. As for other sorts of uncommon types of magic, well find out later. After determining ones affinity, one needs to pour out their mana to a magic tablet while being observed by the examiner to gauge ones mana quantity and quality. There are ten beads in the tablet. To pass, one must at least be able lit up three beads and above. Mana quality will be measured based on the brightness of the lit-up beads. Claud Ashwell! The examiner, calling his name, seems to be annoyed. Who can blame him. Theres a lot of participants that it seems endless and heres Claud, lost in thought, staring at the magic training field. He immediately went to the center of the field to face his opponent. Looking at him, this oozing-with-confidence opponent talked to the examiner. Hey, this is unbearable! Are there other decent opponents? Look at him. He seems so weak! How will I be able to show any of my skills? A peasant like him, and one so young, is not worthy of facing a noble such as me! He still reeks from the smell of milk. Such arrogance! But who can blame him. Claud came from a mountain village and looks like a peasant, or so he thought! Growing in a mountain village for the past ten years, he learned a lot through real-life combat facing different sorts of hybrids, mutated wild beast caused by different magical phenomena. They are stronger than common animals found in the wild. Later, he will realize that sometimes, someone is much more than what meets the eyes! Chapter 2: Pass! Claud has just turned twelve but hes a little bit taller than an average lad of the same age. He has a well-defined body, not too muscular and not to thin. Hes the sort of oppa-like characters youll find in a k-pop groups but with rounded eyes. Gray-ash hair with crystal-blue eyes and white complexion, what can we say! Truly handsome but too bad because hes always wearing a mouth mask like some sort of assassin or expert. Behind this honest yet gorgeous face is a bitter and well-hidden past. Hes been in that village for a decade but before that, nobody knows. It has been a mystery! Being left by his mother, running away without leaving a notice, he was taken care of the village chief. The chief may know something but he never said anything or mentioned something. All he keeps on saying is that, Youll know when the right time comes. The only clue that was left is a crystal ring with an engraving word origin inside it. All he knows is that it is a soul ring, possession belonging to a knight mage. Due to its rareness, soul rings can become heirlooms of a family just like in the case of the Guardian Nobles and the Emperors lineage. Its hard to produced one because it requires a bit of the owners soul and complementing magic arts to make so knight mages are extremely valued. Only one can be called a true knight mage once one has a soul ring. And soul rings are being condensed by an apprentice during their examination to rank up and become a junior class. But there are cases when one already has a soul ring. It might have been an inheritance or they have a powerful knight mage who help them condensed it at such a young age but the probability is so low that it could have been much more of the previous than of the latter. Hey, its Lukes turn! Aiii! My prince charming! So dashing and handsome! Cheers from the crowd can be heard all around. So this Luke is somewhat famous especially with girls! Claud, still sighing, faced his opponent. If only they could how he really looks like. But alas! Hes not like those conceited guys who loves flaunting for everyone to see. Claud Ashwell vs. Luke Koster. Choose your weapons laying from the right side and then well start the mock battle. Seeing Luke picking up a rapier, Claud also chose his weapons. He picked up a sword. Actually, Claud is proficient in all sorts of weapons, being trained at such a young age, but his specialty is in dual-wielding blades. For this kind of match, more or less a little bit of his prowess is enough. No need to show off that much to avoid too much attention. Hey, peasant! No crying after this match. Dont tell everyone that I bullied you but rather feel it as an honor being beaten by me, haha!The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. This guy is hopeless! Readying their weapons, and with a shout, the battle begun. The battle mechanics is simple. Who gets one clean hit will win the match. Theyre using blunted weapons to avoid fatality, but still it will hurt once ones hit. Luke, while pointing his nimble rapier, rushed up to Clauds position, intending to finish the fight with one swift move. Oh! Hes got good foundation. But not enough though. Claud move a little bit to his left side, narrowly dodging Lukes sword thrust. It might seem just a coincidence but the reality is that its well-calculated evasion. The battle has been going for minutes now and Claud is just making evasive moves and counters, avoiding direct assaults. Getting impatient, Luke annoyingly keeps on taunting and ridiculing, affecting the crowds mood. Well, hes good but Clauds on a different level and can be seen just on his way of toying with him. Hey, fight like a man! Looser! Being afraid is normal but to be this afraid? You got to be kidding me! Such a coward! Wanting to be an apprentice? With that skills? Theres no way youll become one! Booooo! Just give up and let others have their turns! Such a waste of time. The crowds getting restless. Got to wrap things up! Changing to his game face, Claud started to showcase his real strength. Parrying a blow, he softened his arms causing Lukes rapier blade to slid down across his blade towards its tip while giving him a knee strike in the abdomen knocking him up in a beautiful arc then falling flat to the ground. Halt! Claud wins! Return your weapons and move on to the next examination area. An unsightly lost! Even a pin drop can be heard as Claud points the tip of his sword on Lukes neck. A win just like that. Never in their wildest dreams will their idol be beaten so simply. Well, Lukes popularity has its basis because he is considered one of the rare talents in the capital. Claud just made his lose so simple but in reality, Claud has far more experience than this typical noble has. His swordsmanship is good but they have been sheltered since young and never have experienced life and death battles. Also, these nobles have bloodlines passed down from their great predecessors granting good innate talents and better prospects than the rest. Being verse in weapons and physical martial prowess makes up the combat test. One should be able to utilize every parts and limbs of the body and not solely rely on weapons so that being disarmed will not guarantee a tragic lose or death in real battles. Some where speechless. A few jeers can be heard from different scattered positions. Some where giving a heavy sigh. And Luke? All he could do is to give Claud a hateful glare and refused being help to get up. His fans where just like him but could do nothing. Some comforted him and others where still at lost. Is he that famous? Well, seeing their model being destroyed in such a simple way, who can take that? It seems so unreal. Hmmmp! You just got lucky! Next time we meet, Ill make sure to pay you a hundred times more. Claud just gave another sigh, place his weapon back to rack and walked out, making his way to the next examination area. Okay, here I come! That one might have been easy, but the next one is the magic affinity assessment. This will determine his future progress and achievements. All those years of preparation comes down to this. I will not fail! Chapter 3: Is This for Real? Combat skill strength can be acquired and honed but magic affinity is innate. Thats why most of them fails in this part of exam, crushing their dreams into fleeting dust. Sorcerers were already scarce and knight mages are rarer. Most knight mages in the empire came from noble families because of their bloodlines. But there were also gifted talents coming from the common people. You might think its a little bit unfair but its just the way the world works. Everything cannot be on equal grounds. If its so, then society would have collapsed a long time ago. Making his way to the magic assessment area, Claud fluidly swam through the crowd then lining up for the test. Seeing the line ahead, its not that much crowded compared to the last area because half of the populace has been eliminated. He, having a soul ring, can directly jump to become a junior if hes able to utilize even just a bit of its power. But a nobody possessing a ring can be fatal! Absolute authority over a soul ring can be changed once the master dies or killed off but a soul ring can only be controlled by those with the same element affinity. Claud havent tested it yet but from time to time, this ring makes a weird reaction when he uses mana to cast magic. Thats magic resonance where one can confirm his or her compatibility with the soul ring. Losing in the combat aspect doesnt mean elimination. Everyone is still given a chance for the magic assessment exam. More so, it also has a long line up as well. I thought it will be faster here in this area. Why is this longer than the previous one? Patience, need more patience! Observing, Claud can see different kinds of emotion: anticipation, resignation, happiness, resolution, boredom and others. After a while, he noticed that even the line in this test is longer, its much faster than first one. One only takes three minutes in the longest. Its my turn! Standing in the front of the stone, Claud was given signal to place his right hand on top of the affinity stone. It has the size of a volley ball. Okay, you can now transmit your mana to assess which magic youre inclined with. A nod for a reply, he gently placed his hand on the stone, poured his mana and then a cracking sound was heard. After glowing like a rainbow, the stone cracked then turned dull. Knitting her brows, the examiner took Claud to another table and had him retake the test. It was the same. Ai! Whats happening? Brows still knitted, the examiner took him to another area, this time with a stone looking tablet. Its the magic tablet. He was instructed to do the same. He placed his hand right inside the circular rune of the 6-feet high and 4-feet wide standing stone tablet. The beads on top of the tablet started to lit up. Ten beads were lighted up with blinding radiance briefly then with a bang, exploded!This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. First, the affinity stone, and then this magic tablet! What could be wrong? Muttering, the examiner whispered something to an attendant who then quickly left. Puzzled, Claud just stood there on the side, unflustered. After a while, he was called to the headmasters office. Being led by the same attendant who left before, he was brought along, passing different corridors lined up with classrooms filled with carefree students, chatting, bragging about their adventures and so on. Then a tower came to view. It is cylindrical in shape, much more like a witchs tower made from granite-colored bricks with old, arched entrance. Inside, aside from a large circular magical matrix in the middle, theres nothing, only emptiness. The attendant led him to stand on the circle and then the runes started to lit. Blinking then becoming steady lighted up, Claud was blinded for a second forcing him to close his eyes and then the moment he came to be, hes in a different room. Is this the top of the tower? He can barely recognize it by the current view from the window. Then he noticed someone standing at the side, half-facing the window, looking outside. Unable to make out a clear appearance, all he can tell is that this person is a girl, base from the protruding portion of the armor from the side view. So its you! Never thought that the one who made a commotion down there is so young. Tell me, whats your name? Ermmm, my names Claud.. Claud Ashwell. How did she know that Im young? She never even spared me single glance! Oh, you said Ashwell? Theres a slight surprise in her tone. Then she gradually turned around. Seeing her real appearance, one might be entrance because aside from her not-so-tall stature, shes gorgeous! Her scarlet hair, matching her eyes, gives off a fierce yet elegant vibe. Shes wearing a full-plated red armor with a red cape or should I say that shes currently on armatized form. Shes not wearing any helmet because it can be controlled at will when someones at a certain level. You cant make out her figure but can tell that its good. Armatization is the form where you use the soul ring to form armaments, including armors and weapons. Maintaining it needs constant supply of mana and lots of concentration, unless your used to it. It is already amazing that shes already used to it and could just casually take it on or off at will. As she turns towards me, she deactivated her armatization and after a flashing brilliance revealed an elegant yet heroic spirited girl in her twentys, now wearing a red tunic matching her prominent color features. She intently looked at me as if she wanted to deep pry into my inner secrets but seems to cant make out any of it. Its been a while, since an Ashwell made an appearance here. I thought theyre.. gone. Her softly trailing voice cannot hide her helplessness and depression that gave me that stifling feeling. But why? Why did she sounded that way upon learning Im an Ashwell? She seems hesitant but still continued to look at me like that for a while then relaxed. My names Armira Fernis. Do you remember me? Who is she? I cant remember? Did we already meet? But when? Confused, all I can do is shake my head and admit that I dont I guess so. Youre only two years old the last time we made a visit. Visit? Two years old? I cant remember? What happened to me back then? Chapter 4: So That’s It! Ive been wondering where should I start. It seems that this is it! I finally got something to hold. After all those years, I can finally see a glimmer of hope! By the way, why are you wearing that mask. Im quite curious how you look like now. This.. ahmm. Oh, thats fine if you dont want to take it off. And kinda suits you though! Do want to give off that mysterious and aloof type of vibe? Thats not what I. Haha , Im just kidding. By the way, please say hi to Ceska for me when you meet her! Whos Ceska? My younger sister. Shes your fianc by the way. What!? Fiance? I dont get it? When do I have a fianc? I dont even know her! The reason why we visit your kingdom that time is because my father wants you to marry my younger sister when the both of you are old enough. But suddenly, things got rough. And then we never had any news of your family after that siege. What happened to my family back then? Whats this siege? Its because someones after our lives. They want to take us down. Luckily, your father helped us escape. Its not a simple assassination but a well-planned and prepared one. Though we are able to escape, your family took the brunt of that nights attack and since then we got no news on all of you. So thats what happened! My father did all his best to look for your whereabouts. Thankfully, youre here now! By the way, hows auntie? Is she well? I dont know. I was left at a village ten years ago. My foster father didnt told me anything about it so..The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. Hmmm, I get it. Aunties a powerful knight mage too. Just like your father. But I feel shes not that confident to protect you while running away so she had no choice but to hid your whereabouts. Whats you fathers name by the way? Oh him! Just call him Hollen or Luther. His full name is Hollen Luther Fernis. Thats the Emperors name! So, you are the first princess of Varis Empire. Then Ceska is Francheska Irene Fernis. Shes the second princess, the same age as you. How did I become a princess fianc? Theyre high and mighty and my family, I think, is not worth mentioning. Plus, I dont even remember my family really well. Then how did I become her fianc? And why me? We arent a good match! I guess so. Youre maybe unaware but before, your family is one of the noble guardians of this empire. And your father, Uncle Frederic, as well as Auntie Hellen, once have been on a team with my father together. Because of their brotherhood, they swore to keep our families together through inter-marriages and thats how it is. Then my father was a king. I heard that each noble guardian family is led by a king, each one possessing their own territory surrounding the empire capital, providing the first line of defense for the empire? Yup, so you being with my sister isnt a problem at all! And dont worry. Shes definitely beautiful. Hehe. But shes competitive and will not submit that easily so be ready for a bumpy ride! Okay ahmm. Wait! What do you mean by that? Haha! Goodluck little brother Claud. Take care of my little sister. Aihhhh! So be it! Lets see whatll happen next. At least, I got some clues on where to start. After that, Claud was sent on his way to the dorm. Wait, this doesnt look like the boys dorm! Ahm, wait Oh no! I dont know her name. Claud was being led by the same attendant but until now, he doesnt know how to address her. Shes not that old, maybe late twentys or early thirties. And he was reluctant to ask. You can call me Siri. She doesnt like talking, isnt she? Miss Siri, why am I not seeing any boys here? Sir Claud, because the boys dorm is already crowded and since theres not a lot of female apprentice studying here in the first place, the headmaster commanded me to bring you to the girls dorm to help you chose a room and settle down for the meantime. But It the headmasters order so I cant give you an answer. Dont worry, you will have the whole for yourself. Is she playing tricks on me? How could she do this? Guess I dont have a choice. And with a sigh, Claud just followed Siri to his new home. It was every mans dream to be in such a place but for Claud, well, you can already imagine the look on his face, though its partially covered. Being in a place like that might give rise to misunderstanding lots of misunderstandings. Chapter 5: Low-Key Personality. The next day, Claud woke up early to look for his new class and also, to avoid unnecessary attention. A male coming out of a girls dorm, thats a rare sight! Yesterday, those who passed where given their respective emblems for class assignment. Those from martial apprentice department were given bronze emblems with a sword and shield engraving on it. As for knight mage and sorcerer apprentices, they were given silver emblems with sword and shield or staff engraving surrounded by gem or gems depending how many and what kind their elemental magic affinity is. Looking at his emblem, its the same as a typical knight mages but the crystal-clear colored gem is too eye-catching. Why? Its the first time that something like this appeared. There is no elemental affinity represented by crystal-clear colored one. It might arouse curiosity. And we all know that our hero here likes laying low. Light element even has its milky-white appearance so thats why. Placing his emblem in a secret chest pocket, he went walking, looking for the class list. After a while, he saw some people walking towards single direction. He made a quick pace, catching up to the small crowd then closed up on a fellow. Are you guys checking on the class list as well? Yup, but were going to look at the apprenticeship advancement notice. Are you new student? Yes. I hope to find my class. Oh Well, just tag along coz the place that youre looking for is where we are heading too. Thank you. By the way, whats this apprenticeship advancement thing that you said earlier? Thats a list for those who advanced from being an apprentice to junior. In our department, aside from martial prowess and magic skill comprehension, soul ring creation is also a crucial test for advancement. Because we already passed the exam, were going to look for our new class. Thats it! After quite a while of walking, they were back at the area for the first test. There were boards lined up with people looking back and forth, seeking their or someone elses name. In each board is a list of names group together. With a little bit of effort, he was able to make his way through the crowd. This might be the class assignment for passers. He started looking for his name. Ashwell Ashwell Ashwell Oh! There you are. Class 1-A. Tracing the names with written on the scroll with his right forefinger, hes finally able to find his name.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. After checking, theres still the welcome ceremony and then the official start of classes, just like a normal school. He went to the school coliseum, looked around and found his class designated spot. The program will start after one hour. It still too early so theres not a lot of people. He sat at the last seat at the back. He just sat there and look at people doing their work, checking every detail before the ceremony begins. Thirty minutes later, the whole place started bustle up. The seats started to be filled up, including their spot. Everyones chattering and seems to know each other and no one paid him any attention so he just sits there, lazily. This vibe! Seems everyones here came from prominent backgrounds. Amidst everything, some caught his attention. Shes walking towards their direction, not caring about her surroundings. Scarlet hair, matching her beautiful deep set of eyes. She looks familiar! Shes. Is this the one headmaster told me about before? Her sister? Shes pretty and elegant but something seems off! Everyone greeted her warmly but she only gave them a slight nod, not saying any word. Cold and aloof! These words perfectly describe our young miss here. Thats the princess for you. A girl muttered in soft voice, not wanting to offend her. If only she would speak more and be warm. Many will be heads over hills with her. I still like her though! Another random classmate. As if heavens will allow it. Youre not worthy of carrying even her shoes. Whats wrong? Im smart, strong, a noble and handsome (not really handsome). You want yourself killed? Shes the emperors daughter! Are you sure? No doubt about it. Where did you came from that you didnt know about it? And you consider yourself a noble? Get lost! Many gasps in surprise. And some just shook their heads, looking at those ignorant ones with pity and ridicule. Seems this group were not all nobles. I was there yesterday and with the same batch as the princess. She isnt ordinary. Shes a great marksman. She can use fire and water magic and with a grade of eight stars during the mana quantity and quality exam, shes considered a genius amongst geniuses! This guy looks like a nerd otaku. Also, the headmaster is her sister as well. Another one interjected. What!? You mean our headmaster is a princess as well? Yup! The nerd otaku strikes again. But she doesnt look that old to me though. What can we say? If the princess is a genius then the sister is a prodigy as well. At the age of sixteen, shes already a battle mage! Continued the nerd otaku. Then is she a marksman like the princess? The headmaster? Hmmm, nope. Shes more of a knight, I guess. She uses a great sword and shield as her weapons. Whats her magic affinity? A girl to the side asked. She can use fire and wind element. Dual-elements? It seems that they have great bloodline! Indeed, but our headmaster is brave like fire yet carefree like the wind while the princess is competitive like fire yet cold and aloof like water. Listening at the chatters, Claud picked up some useful information that he could use in the future. Chapter 6: Welcome New Bloods! Using wind magic sonic wave to magnify his voice, a professor gave his warm greetings to everyone, starting the ceremony. After a brief introduction, the headmaster took the spotlight and started to give her welcoming speech. Today is an auspicious day everyone as I welcome these new bloods joining the ranks of our valiant knights, magicians and warriors! There has never been a New Blood Ceremony as grand as this one. Indeed, we can see that this generation is one of the best that we ever had. The rise and fall of an empire lie within the talents that itll be able to develop and nourish. But most of all, this rise and fall depends on not just talent, but dedication and hard work of this fledglings. Complacency will achieve nothing, but a goal with real intent to move forward will bring prosperity and wealth. Just like strength with real purpose, to shoulder the protection of those who are weak. To bear the responsibility and become the rays of hope in dark and desolate times. May we witness another glorious and triumphant era of our empire from you, noble seedlings! Again, welcome and may the goddess of fate be ever in your favor. After the speech, a thunderous round of applause rang everywhere. Claud, whos used living in a quiet and tiny village is a little bit irate with the commotion. He wants peace! And he was like that because hes been dozing off. He just realized it when he was suddenly awoken by the noise coming everywhere. Poor kid. Rising up early then falling asleep in the middle of the ceremony. But he was not alone! He noticed someone with a sour expression as well. This She seems a little bit irate as well. Looking at Ceska, hes quite amazed and confused at the same time. This girl seems not that good being around with many people! Maybe because of her high status and upbringing, it turned out that she is not used to this kind of gatherings or any sort of occasions. Many thought that its over and stood up but to their surprised, the same professor spoke about having a friendly duel and each class needs to select one from their ranks and compete to establish the start of this year term. The heck! And here I thought having a nice nap in the classroom since this was the first day. I need to stay here for longer and watch. After this announcement, everyone looks at each other and like having talked mentally, they stared at princess in unison. No one seems to notice Claud sitting a few seats from this royal. This is good! This magic is really useful! Well the reason why no one was able to feel his presence is because he is using blur, a dark attribute magic for concealment. Though it cant hide your appearance it can help you escape notice in crowded places. The princess, able to get what they mean, slowly stood up and made her way to the field. Not only her, but each selected contestant, one from the other two departments, moved forward, stood next to each other, waiting for the next command. Hearing the following words, they were surprised! Never thought itd be like this! Thank goodness, no one made fun of me. Thinking that hed been lucky, if anyone from this group have witnessed Clauds performance during those past exams, hell surely be put in a tight spot. Crushing opponent with one move, having a peculiar reaction with the -affinity stone and making the magic tablet explode, anyone who witnessed it will be curious. And that might lead to lots of chain reaction! Silence. Everyone paid their attention to the professor as he gives the details for the competition. The rules are simple. Each of you will face a junior from the previous year! You only need to beat your opponent into submission but irrecoverable injury is prohibited so even though anyone does not admit defeat, if the referee deems it, then the match will be over, understood? Yes! Everyone replied in unison. The whole crowd exploded! Its the New Blood Ceremonys main event!The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Now, thats the highlight! Who do you think will win? Its the juniors of course! Did you see that? Its no doubt coz they already got better equipment and they got advantage with their one-year gap in learning. Yes, and whats worse are the knight mage juniors! Theres no rule prohibiting the use of soul rings so itll be difficult for apprentices to win no matter what. Its more like a Pride-Crushing Ceremony than New Blood Ceremony. Sighing, this bits of information from the crowd made Claud realize the subtle reason behind this competition. These new apprentices, despite of just joining in, because of being considered a genius, a noble background or talent, they are too prideful and sees their selves on a higher level than everyone. The first match was of course between the martial department. Compared to the hopeful yet pitiful look of the apprentice, the junior facing him is full of arrogance. What a sight indeed! I hope theres a healer nearby. Everyones focus was on the two contenders facing each other. This apprentice has a large build, almost seven feet in height with a huge battle axe strung behind his back, is a sight to behold! His bare torso rippled with bulging tanned muscles with gladiator skirt and sandals, coupled with his fierce and terrifying appearance looks terrifying and barbaric. While on the other hand, the junior is a foot lesser in height but has this elegant and cultured to him. His scholarly and pale-sick face in contrast with his shiny silver plate armor looks dazzling. But the most eye-catching part is his two-handed great sword. That crimson color with fiery pattern and inscriptions is not a laughing matter! Its a fire-enchanted weapon! Artifacts are really expensive so we can infer that this guy is not of humble birth. Having the money to buy and wield it requires someone with stable financial backing, good talent and teacher as well as magic potions for body strengthening. With his sickly appearance and lean build, without rigorous training, how long will he climb up with these methods alone? Rhus Thamud versus Wilfrid Rosenburg. Are you both ready? Said the referee. Grrrrr. Rhus Thamud. Come! Wilfrid Rosenburg. Fight! Burst of cheers sounded everywhere. Like a raging bull, Rhus gripped his axe with his right hand, made an explosive charge and directly rushed at his opponent, kicking dust in his wake. Seeing this display of savageness, Wilfrid shook his head and readied his sword, waiting for the right moment. Just as Rhus was swinging his axe downward, Wilfrid seems to have anticipated this move and made a quick side step to the right and gave a powerful thrusting kick to his opponents left side making him tumble and roll over for a few meters. This will be a one-sided slaughter. This big fellow boasted great strength that his opponent is not worth mentioning but when it comes to movement and skill, hes far below by a huge margin. Clauds analysis was spot on. With just a glance, he was able to determine the gap in skills, as well as the pros and cons of the two. Its just the first clash. Rhus immediately got back to his feet and seems not hurt by the kick. Oh, your tough huh? Not bad! Wilfrid smirk and made a come-at-me finger gesture. And the fight goes on. Every clash is like the first one, with Rhus eating a loss. But with every blow he takes, he seems to become fiercer. Little did he know that barbarians like Rhus has an innate bloodline skill, battle rage. Battle rage is a unique skill that stacks up damage taken and converts it to power. Though its a great advantage to a fight, the stress and damage that was dealt will not be diminished in the slightest so its like a dual-edged sword. Time went by and the winner has not been decided yet. The crowd is getting impatient. They started yelling and cursing at the two combatants. Well, what can we say? With their skill gap, this should have been over already. But its been a while and the two were still fighting endlessly. It is not just the crowd. Wilfrid is getting impatient as well. He should have already finished the battle but it seems that its not the case and might be the other way around. So he decided to land a finishing blow to end the show. Gripping his sword tightly, he started channeling his mana to it. The inscription started blinking and the sword was set ablaze! He swung the sword down, hitting the ground, sending off an explosive slash. Rhus used planted his giant axe at the ground and used it as a shield in a hurry but too bad. Despite his big physique, he was blown off and was sent flying to the other side. He loses consciousness letting Wilfred win the match. Halt! Rhus Thamud is down and cold. The winner is Wilfrid Rosenburg. Another silence. The crowd got what they want but after seeing that final blow, many thought that it was a bit excessive. Claud had known it will happen after seeing Wilfrids weapon before the start so for him, it was surprising. On the other hand, the sorcerer apprentice almost pisses his pants and Ceska just knitted her brows. She seems to know Wilfrid. Chapter 7: “Stubborn Damsel in Distress” The second match went without suspense as well. The junior sorcerer was merciless. It was clear that he has the advantage because first of all, his opponent already lost his fighting spirit. Thinking of the one-year gap in knowledge, his one and only magic spell, spark, is the lowest among the fire magic spells. Facing a junior is like climbing a mountain of blades barefoot! And whats more, this junior has earth and water element affinity so the sturdy earth wall, a second-level defensive earth spell, is enough to block his attack. With a bang, he was hit unconscious by rock throw, a low-tier, low-level earth attack spell. Now, it was the princess turn and every new blood was indignant with the first two defeats and was cheering and shouting with all their might, pouring the feelings of injustice in their hearts. The princess stood face-to-face with her opponent. Shes headstrong and competitive and eating a loss was not in her vocabulary. Since young she was hailed as a genius, her father being the emperor, and was expected to be of greatness. Shes a princess, but chose magic and military arts as a way of life. She will choose to die rather than being pitied and humiliated or being spared in the battle. Not likely a thinking of a twelve-year-old, right? But standing in the highest places of the empire gives off a pressure which no one can bear or understand. And this is what shaped her current attitude. Calling their names, the referee again reminded of the rules and have them readied for the match. Terence Devereux versus Princess Francheska Irene Fernis, fight! Without further ado, the referee backed off to a safer distance. The fight didnt start right away. Hey, Princess wanna go out with me after this match? You know my father always wanted to bring you along for a tea. What a low life thug! This is what Clauds thinking right now, same as the princess. I got no time with your nonsense, hurry up and fight! The princess made the first move and used her soul ring right off the bat. Now, this will be interesting! Claud, on the back seats, was chuckling in his heart. This princess is too hot-blooded! I wonder if she could beat him to a pulp. After shouting Daedalus, blue crossbow with a sapphire embedded on top of it, materialize in her right hand. Not bad! She wants a swift victory but it wouldnt be easy, I guess. A water-attributed soul arms, a weapon materialized by using soul ring through mana conversion. By using ones imagination, one can make a weapon that suits ones specialty. Because the princess has dual element affinity, Im wondering about her fire-attributed arms. Claud knew what the princess was thinking, he likes doing it as well. Hiding your tramp cards is a way to surprise your opponent and secure a victory. Aram! By the time Ceska summoned her arms, Terence also finished calling his. Hmmm. A wind-attributed battle lance! His soul arms good too. Claud, began analyzing the situation. When it comes to range, as long as the princess was able to keep her distance, she can whittle down her opponents mana and stamina by doing long-ranged assaults. On the other hand, once Terence closed the distance, then itll be troublesome. A marksmans advantage is through her long-range attacks while spearman is good at close-quarter and mid-range fights. Take this! Francheska started her assault and shot nonstop at her opponent. Freezing wave. It was her bows unique ability. When someone was hit by this wave, theyll be slowed down or frozen and wouldnt be able to move. But Terence will not fall for this simple move.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Oh! Freezing wave again? Haha, got a more powerful move princess? Terence planted his spears handle tip on the ground and activated its unique ability as well. Wind surge. Haaaa! A wind wall surrounded him and prevented the arrows from hitting. The freezing wave were nullified and unable to bring out its effects. This ability is great in defense but has a big flaw. You cant move and attack while guarding or else the ability will come off. How could not the princess see this big flaw? Instead of keeping her distance, she made a direct charge at her opponent and as the ability is wearing off, aimed her bow at him. One-hit-kill! This is a do-or-die move and once one made a decision, itll be irreversible. Once the shield was out, streaking water arrows went straight to Terences chest. It was a low-tier, low-level water attack spell. Boom! An explosion occurred and broken icicle pieces scattered and went flying all over the place. Terence, who was once wearing a pale green training suit is now on a full-plate armor! You almost got me, princess! But too bad, you will submit to me today. Haha Now, Claud is staring at the field, ready to make a move once everything becomes messy. Hes being irate for un unknown reason! Want to snatch my fianc? Quit dreaming! I am going to beat the hell out of you and wake you up into a beautiful nightmare. So thats the case. Though he didnt acknowledge it yet, but having someone hit on your girl leaves a disgusting taste in the mouth. This. Though its already hopeless, the princess will not admit defeat. And before the referee realized it, Terence casted a level two wind spell, Gust, aimed directly at the princess. Another bang reverberated in the field and everything was covered with dust, making the outcome of the battle uncertain. After the view became clearer, everyone can see three people on site. The princess, slumped helpless, was on the ground. Terence, with his striking posture, with cold smile, was standing still, being blocked. Claud, who was just at the back-seat seconds ago was now standing at the field, took the blow that was supposed to end the match. Your sister wants me to send her regards to you, princess. Claud, still frozen blocking the spear, turned his head half-way and look at the princess with the corner of his eyes. Who are you! It was Terence who asked the question. Her fianc! He briefly replied. The crowd was not able to hear his words but the other two did! Terence was at lost and the princess was stumped. Who is this guy? And what fianc is he talking about? Ceskas mind was a big mess right now. At the moment before the impact, Claud realized that hes been too impulsive. He had forgotten to test his newly acquired soul ring last night. But still, the goddess of fate is great! Its like shes saying, I got your back. As he is going to block the spear striking downward, two assassin-like blades materialized in his hand, enabling him to receive the incoming blow. Kanshou and Bakuya (yin and yang). These two words popped up in his mind. It was the name of the blades. One was black and the other was white. Both were single-edged blades. They looked simple and unadorned but the hidden might of this two is overwhelming. Using a cross block, hes been able to stop the momentum of the spear, successfully blocking the attack. Seeing this, the referee was to make a move but received a mental message from the professor. Let him be. Miss Armira wants to see what hes up to. Being warned, he stepped back and became one of the bystanders. Truth to be told, the headmaster wanted to see this little brother in action. After seeing him moved, she didnt know how he was able to get on the field, rescuing her sister. But one thing is for sure. He sure had hidden himself well. Thats what Armira is thinking. This is the famous damsel in distress saved by the hero scene! Its just that this damsel is not your everyday heroine. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yesterday night, Claud made a brief research with regards to soul rings. He learned that a blood oath is required to forged a pact with an inheritance. So, dripping a drop of his blood, the ring started to blink with different colors of light, as if someone revived from almost being dead, then suddenly flew to his right ring finger, fitting snugly as if it was specifically made for him. I think this ring acknowledges me, right? Sighing with a relief, Claud stretched his arms, went to his bed and chose a comfortable position then flew off to the dreamland. Chapter 8: Who? Him? Claud, using Kanshou and Bakuya, made a gentle push that made Terence slide five meters backwards. Unknown to others, behind this gentle push is an enormous power capable of turning a huge stone pillar to dust. Dual element of light and dark. Two soul arms materialized right off the bat and at the same time. Everyone was a little bit surprised but for those who have higher understanding, they were shell-shocked! Fire and water cant co-exist together but Francheska was able to wield them together. But materializing two arms of different attributes is a little bit heavy. And now, here is Clauds light and dark element affinity. Only the higher ups noticed this peculiar scene. Claud helped the princess stand up, made gesture as if telling to her I got this, and saying, move to the side. This made her snapped out of her dazed state. Hey! Were still in the middle of the match! I still can fight. And who are you? Francheska, still insisting. Im your classmate, remember? And youre not his match now that hes armatized Claud helplessly said. But No buts! This guy urghh! She wants to drag him out but his indifferent gaze stopped her from doing so. She quietly moved back to their group. Everyone bows to her and listens to her commands. This is the first time that someone defied her orders. Having met her match today, all she could was to grumble while watching with displeasure. The princess is tired. As her classmate, Ill be the one to entertain you instead! Is it okay? Thats fine. You seem decent enough to play with. Dont worry. Losing to me is your great honor. Being toyed by this noble will make you a hero! Haha. Youre looking for a beating! But deep inside Terence was already thinking of ways to humiliate this nobody who came out of nowhere. The referee, whos been keeping his distance, gave another signal, starting the new match. Come! Claud readied his blades while waiting for Terence to move. Pretending to be a hero to save a damsel in distress! Dont act high and mighty, peasant! Have a taste of my strongest move, wind vortex! A level three wind spell. He was provoked. Wind element started to gather around the tip of his spear and began spinning as charges towards Claud. Being certain of their distance, He lifted his spear and directly swung it downward, hoping to flatten his opponent but unfortunately, it was just wishful thinking.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Maybe youre wondering how they were able to cast spells instantaneously. That is the biggest advantage of knight mages against sorcerers. The fact that sorcerers needed more time for chanting so as to cast a spell made them less valuable than knight mages. Seeing his opponent being pounded by that devastating blow, he felt a sense of joy! What now, peasant? Still taking in this indescribable feeling, he felt a sudden blow at his open nape, rendering him unconscious. Phantom Strike. Level three dark attribute offensive spell. A trick used to fool the opponent, leaving a casters image while the real body moves out of the way to escape or mount a sneak attack. Claud was standing behind his opponents already falling body, like a log, forward. A swift victory! It was not a suspenseful or exhilarating one but those with keener eyes and senses can see the vastness of their gaps in skills. The princess on one hand, has been restless from the start until the end of the battle. The battle has been over in an instant but for Ceska, it felt so slow. Its a first for our cold and aloof princess. But in the end, she shrugged off that feeling, retaining her usual cool. Still, she couldnt help but steal some fleeting glances to the already sitting Claud. They were both sitting at the back and before, she wasnt able to recognize this fellows presence even though theyre just a few seats apart! What does it mean? She already forgotten what this guy said earlier too about him being her fianc or lets just say that it could have never been registered in here muddled-mind state that time. The ceremony was then concluded after those participants who needs rest and healing was assisted. As the princess searches for Claud, she cant find any trace of him. Its like he vanished into thin air! Well, well still meet sometime, so just hold on your peace for the moment. This guy has just piqued Francheskas curiosity and an intense spark of competitiveness can be seen in her burning crimson eyes. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Being summoned by the headmaster after the ceremony, Francheska went to the witch tower half-heartedly. She was sitting in their classroom, waiting for that weird masked guy, when Siri came to pick her up. Right after entering, she was greeted by her big sister in excited manner. Little sis, finally his here! Armiras mischievous grin is screaming that shes up to no good. Whos here? And why such a fuss! Ceska replied irately. Oh, Ive never seen you for a while and youre like this! Cant you be a little bit happy? Armira pouted her lips. Oh, sorry about that. Im busy so just get to the point sis. She a little more relaxed now. Your fianc is here! We finally found him! Armira smiled silly again. What? Wait, we just recently met and already pulling your jokes on me. Cant you be more serious? Now, Ceska is knitting her brows, seemingly not so happy with their sisters reunion. Hey, little brother come on out. Big sis here has brought you your wife. Armira giggled while calling out this little brother. Staring at the dark corner, a familiar silhouette came into view, gradually being illuminated by the light coming from the window. Its him? In her mind, Ceska was puzzled beyond belief. Hes? Francheska looked at her big sister, seemingly looking for an answer. Your fianc. Francheska looked again at the person that her sister was calling as her fianc. Chapter 9: Bitter-Sweet Reminiscence A fianc? Now it had finally sunk in. And when did I have a fianc? Francheska skeptically asked. Ten years ago. Armira, confidently said with a smile. How could that be? Why I didnt know? That night, after the engagement visit, we were attacked and it was his father who helped us escaped. They were just implicated. It could have been a joyous day of celebration but turned into a tragedy instead. Its been fortunate that youre not with us that we are able to keep our lives, sis. We barely able to survive. And because of that, this has been kept a secret from you and everyone. Father has been guilty and searching all around for any news about them. Now this is a surpirsing news, and a depressing one at that! Francheska cant believe that it wasnt so simple. Since it was like this, I guess I might consider it if you could become the champion on Arcane and Martial Arts Tournament. I want someone who is strong enough to protect the kingdom, protecting the peoples interest and though I feel youre quite capable, youre not on that level. Haha! Haughtily making her reply with a mix of loathing, the princess didnt put Claud in her eyes. As for Claud, he never paid it any attention and instead just stood there, composed. Hes waiting for dismissal and already wanted to make an exit but it will be too rude of him so he stayed and still endured. Having a princess for a fianc might be most peoples dream, but its not the case for Claud. More so, having a girl as stubborn as this one. Now, thinking of someone, his mind started to drift off back to those carefree and peaceful times in the village. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Three years ago.. Stella, quick or youll never catch up to me! While running, Claud keeps on taunting a girl wearing a brown mini-skirt with black leggings and brown t-shirt. Hmmmp! Youre too fast, I cant keep up. Can we rest for a while? While pouting, this little girl displayed a pleading look with has suffered a bit of injustice. Claud, with a look of tenderness cant resist her cute deep-set of violet eyes which currently on the verge of tears coupled with pouting petite cherry lips, stopped running and went back to comfort her. Her long black hair was fluttering in autumn winds. Her delicate complexion was being illuminated by the setting sun, giving off a warm yet desolate feeling. Ok. But we need to hurry back home. Teacher is waiting for us. He said. Yup, father might get angry if were not home for supper. Stella, wiping her eyes, her cute little nose sniffed a little then happily smiled.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Maristella Lou Cernis, the daughter of the village chief of Belanore. She was Clauds childhood best friend and his closest confidant. Since that incident seven years ago, her father, Reigh Solas Cernis took care of him, instructed him in the martial way and taught him a great deal in magic arts, making him one of his only two students. The other one is Stella. As for his background, no one knew until that day of parting came. A week later.. Please please, I only have her. Dont take her away from me! Amidst the commotion, Reighs pleading voice can be heard together with buzzing onlookers and harsh laughters of ridicule. The mistress wants to see her daughter, are you going to stand in the way old man? One of the guards kicked him, making him tumble in the ground. Its been years already. Why not stop being stubborn and go back so that you will be reunited as a family? Maybe you can become one of the familys aides again. Haha! Laughter echoed once more. Helpless, Reigh cannot do anything and instead made a solemn promise. Ill get you back, no matter what. If you ever see your mother, tell her how much I missed her and will always be loving her. With tears streaking his wrinkled face, he looked at Stella with longing eyes, carving her daughters cute and delicate image. Papa! Papa! I dont wanna to go! Papaaaaa! Stella screamed these words on top of her voice, her pitiful face stained with tears. Her puffy cute eyes and little nose was a tinge of redness, wanted to break off from those sturdy hands, holding her captive. He wasnt that old. At the age of thirty-four, he might be considered too young to be a chief. But the years of longing turned him to what he looks right now. When Claud was able to make his way out of the crowd, Stella was already inside the carriage. Sobbing, she cannot do anything but to let go for the meantime. Stella! Stella! I am a boy. I should not cry! While running to catch up to the carriage, Claud was calling Stella, forcing back his tears. Will see each other again, I promise! I will wait for you! Peeking from the carriages window, Stella looked back at Claud, giving her best to smile. But it was, in the end, a smile full of melancholy which almost ripped his tiny, tender heart to pieces. I will find you! Ill grow up quickly and come look for you! As if bidding farewell, the carriage gradually, started to speed off until he cant keep up. Claud stopped running and while still panting, kept staring on the distance of the receding silhouette, with a flash of determination on his innocent, crystal-blue eyes. __________________________________________________________________________________________________ Claud Claud? Claud! Armira, waving her hands to the dazing off Claud. What!? Claud softly yet sternly replied after being shaken off from his dreams. You can go now. Be sure to look after my sister, okay? Still grinning, Armira waved her hand and everything went white. When the brilliance faded, everyones in the middle same matrix at the bottom of the tower. The princess already walked, followed by Miss Siri and then me. We passed through the corridors, making our way to our classroom. Still walking, my mind started to drift off once again, back to that day. Oblivious, I accidentally bump into someone. Sorry, my bad. I wasnt paying attention. Claud hastily helped the girl pick up her books. No, it was me. Im not supposed to run in this tiny corridor. Sorry. This girl replied, while still paying attention to the other books scattered on the floor. This voice It sounds so familiar! Like lightning, it hit him. He slowly looked at the girl, whos still busy with the other books. That gentle, sweet voice, like that of that one autumn day, a bit more mature but still, the same familiar voice. I will wait for you! That sad, melancholic smile that was deeply engrave in his heart. Well see each other again, I promise! That simple promise and those bitter-sweet memories came running back. Chapter 10: A Fateful Meeting Fixing her stuff, the girl gradually looks at him, as if intending to give her thank but was stuck right at the moment their eyes met. His crystal-blue eyes and ash-gray hair. This air of longing hes giving off right now. Who is he? Upon looking, this girl cant help but to feel complicated. The mask on Clauds face is quivering, together with his whole body, when finally, the girl looked straight in his eyes. Stella Claud cant help but to feel anxious. Will she recognize me? Its definitely her! I will not be mistaken. You Finally, tears started forming in her eyes, as if she had realized something. Silly girl. Shaking his head slowly, Claud smiled dotingly underneath his veil. I am he... Before he could finish, he was quickly hug by this girl, already sobbing. Claud was in an awkward pose, as if going to hug her but was hesitant so he was frozen. Then he gently enclosed her in his warm embrace, years of longing fading away into bliss. He wanted to surprise her but he was surprised instead. Hey, youre a big girl now. Stop crying. I kept my promise. I am here now. To comfort Stella, Claud keep telling her these words. Hes not a wordy person but to Stella, of whom he was the closest with, hes carefree and can show his true self. Yeah, I know you will keep your promise. I never have doubted you. Now, wiping her tears, she revealed a warm and simple smile. She felt so happy, the happiest moment in the whole three years theyve been apart. Claud, released her, gently took off his mask and gave Stella a kiss in her forehead, turning her beautiful face beet-red. Seeing here bashful appearance, Claud lightly chuckled. Embarrassed, Stella avoided his gaze, continuously fiddling her books. Our princess, on the other side, felt a little prick in her heart seeing this. Who is she? This is? They seem to know each other and really close. What am I thinking? Collecting her thoughts, she seemed unperturbed but inside, felt quite indignant on whats happening between those two. Having known him to be her fianc made her loathsome to some extent, thinking that hes after her social status and background, but its not the case. She realized that for him, it doesnt really matter. In their previous interactions, he never made any move to get into her good side. And that heroic act? Most likely, her sister has been pulling the strings and calling the shots. What made it even more puzzling is that, during their talk about their relationship earlier, he never even spoke a single word. No disagreement or approval. What is he thinking? And now seeing this, she noticed that hes different from the others. He might be cold and aloof, not wanting to socialize with others, but is warm, friendly and gentle with those he placed great importance to. And this girl? He treated her dotingly with unusual gentleness, just like a man to his lover. And he even kissed her in the forehead! Though she wasnt able to see whole his face, that was hidden by Stellas head, she can tell how happy he is at this moment just by looking at his smiling eyes. She wanted to peek but Claud already put on his mask. Youre in such a hurry. Where are you going? He helped her stand up. Ahhh, yeah I almost forgot! Lets catch up later. See you around, Claud! And she took off before Claud can even make another word. Okay, see you then. He helplessly yelled back with a smile while slightly raising, as if to give a wave then he turned back, looking the same as he previously was, cold and aloof. She never even told me where and when to meet. Shes quite busy. They went back to their room and what surprised them was that everyones look of anticipation. As if a hero is coming back to a capital after a long battle or a great adventure and was going to be rewarded by the king. Some stood there with a hint of fanaticism in their eyes. Others, with undisguised infatuation. And for bitter ones, a hint of disgust and hidden jealousy, expressed through words of sarcasm and ridicule. Upon seeing the hero arrived, the crowd flocked over. Ayieeh! Hes here! A girl, the first one to notice, yelled. Bro, youre great! My names Mikel Mikel Stockinger. A lively dude butted on the other side while tapping at his right shoulder. Heh, you just got lucky. An arrogant guy sitting at an armchairs table at the right most part of the room. Seems more likely. Added by those who are most likely his lackeys.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. Hey, stop pushing. I wanna see him! Another girl said. Look! Hes so cool! Another girl, pointing at him with her right forefinger, while tugging with her left hand to another girl. Ugh. I hate this! Hes not used to this kind of situations and would find chances to avoid the limelight as hard as he can. Still figuring out how to come out in this commotion, he tried making his way to his seat. But still, they flocked around him. It was then that someone in a dark-green tunic entered the room. She looked like an off-duty knight whos going on for walk to get some fresh air. Basing on her looks, she seemed to be in her mid-twenties. Theres a green ring on her right forefinger, signifying her status as a knight mage. After everyone settled down, she went straight to her introduction. Hello everyone. My names Carol Einsworth. Ill be you class advisor as well as your arcane arts fundamental instructor. Nice meeting you. She said while placing some old-looking magic books on the teachers table in the front. Maam Carol, are we going to start our class now? The ever-lively Mikel asked, his eyes glittering with passion. Nope. Well have a run through on your names first. Everyone will be introducing their selves and share a basic information about yourselves. She said tactfully. And since you spoke first, then I think your fine with going first, would you? He-hehe-he. Oh boy! Better keep my mouth shut next time Ahmmm, my name is Mikel Stockinger, fifteen. I specialized in wind element magic and loves daggers. I also use throwing ones as well. Okay, anything else? If theres none, you can sit down. Im from a merchant family. Then he promptly sat down. Whos next? The class slowly got to know each other through these introductions. Almost half of the class has already introduced their selves when someone, hurriedly made a brief entrance, taking everyones attention. Sorry for being late. Oh! Miss Carol I Its okay. I know where youve been. Just go and take seat. Were in the middle of getting to know everyone. Thank you, Miss Carol! Screening through the crowd, she looked at me then hurriedly took the empty seat on my left. After settling down, she looked at me again and beamed a sweet smile. Oh! She had never changed. Now, everyones looking at us with a whats with you guys expressions when Miss Carol tapped her table, signaling everyone to continue with the introduction. Thank you, Miss Carol! Stella noticed this too and turned her attention to the speaker as well. The introduction continued. It was now Francheskas turn. Im Francheska Irene Fernis, daughter of Hollen Luther Fernis, second princess of the empire. I practice fire and water magic arts. She made her introduction simple but almost everyone in the room was intimidated aside from the high-ranking nobles. My name is Maristella Lou Cernis. I came from the household of Glimmes, one of the guardian families of the empire. We specialize in light magic. I know a little bit about sabers. And and Looking at Claud, she was at lost for words. Seeing her childhood best friend made her really happy. But it seems that something has changed within those years of them being apart. It might not be a simple feeling of friendship anymore but something much deeper, more profound. Ok Maristella, you can sit down. Looking at me, Stella smiled again and promptly sat down. My turn. The earlier commotion was now gone but still, everyones been looking intently on me, as if trying to pry deep into my secrets. Im Claud Ashwell, twelve years of age. I came from Belanore, a tiny village east of this empires Ashcalon kingdom. A dual-element mage of light and dark affinity. I work best with swords. After my introduction, Miss Carol gave a brief orientation of school rules and the will-be schedules. Together with Maron Basselt, we will be instructed in combat and magic training. Also, we will be guided in advance on our soul ring forming to pass and become a knight mage apprentice. The brief went really well but to everyones surprised we are immediately instructed to have a party of three. Theres a total of sixty people in our class so itll be equally divided into thirty groups. Without any squabbles, Stella picked me as her companion. Theres also Mikel who wants to party up with us but after sensing hostility, his neck shrank, seeing Ceska whos already walking towards me, while keeping a cold stare at him. Wryly smiling, Claud already knew whats coming. Ceska has been feeling restless since witnessing the kiss earlier and had been more prominent when Stella reappeared. Whats worst is that she chose to sit beside Claud. She cant even understand this feeling. Is this what you call jealousy? It cant be! Though she does not see Claud as her fianc, the feeling of something being stolen was not a good experience. So, she made a move, acting high and mighty and approach the two people who is sitting at the back. Since it is like this, I would like to form a party with capable individuals. Dont be mistaken, I just chose you because youre quite decent unlike those nobles who only talk big with no skill to back it up. Whats there to explain? You choosing to party with us isnt our honor but is your fortune! You dont know him. Theres so much more than what meets the eye! Stella retorted with great displeasure. Claud has been her greatest confidant and best friend since young so hearing someone belittle him would be like a great offense to our young maiden here. She wouldnt want anyone saying unpleasant things about Claud and would try her very best to defend him. Such was our young miss Stella now. She became a little bit protective and possessive of Claud since they have never been apart for a very long time. One thing is that, after seeing the more matured him, her heart began beating erratically and felt like there were little butterflies fluttering in her belly, especially after that kiss in the forehead. In that instant, her face became red as an apple from a rosy, pinkish-white hue. Oh, being young is so good! This subtle transformation might have just been in an instant but the three years of being apart made a great contribution. Love at first sight is like a fleeting splendor of a shooting star but something that was developed and carefully nurtured is like an aged wine, the longer it was preserved the better and stronger it will taste. But this might not be true every time. Some things that began with a flash of brilliance will forever be etched within, depending on the people involved and sometimes, a carefully brewed one might lose its flavor all of a sudden. This girl! Saying just a few sentences invoke a goddess wrath! Ceska understood well that things wont end well having said these words like this but thinking that she has too high of a status to take back her words and make an apology, she just continued to be indifferent, ignoring our fuming Stella. Chapter 11: Brewing Storm Now, after forming a team, I want everyone to group up and follow me outside. Ill also introduce you to the other instructor and have the first class on basic hand-to-hand combat. We will take the fundamentals of arcane magic tomorrow morning. Now, everyones eyes are gleaming with great expectation! Its the first day and missing their morning class was quite a disappointment. But hearing that they will have their martial arts class in the afternoon have brighten up their mood and already having thoughts about showing off to catch the higher ups attention. They say, first impression last, so for the sake of a good impression, everyone was eager to showcase their power to garner more attention giving them a lead against other students. After arriving at the training field, everyone saw a lot of people practicing with different kinds of weapons. At the far-right corner was a man wearing a brown armor. Its different from Armiras fiery-red one which made out from condensing great amount of mana. This ones filled with runic patterns, just like Wilfrids fire sword artifact. Artifacts function like soul arms but rather on a lower level compared to the latter meaning, weapons made out of mana has greater potency and defensive capabilities, easier to control but rather mana consuming. Against artifacts, which only needs mana the instant it is used, it has no other advantages. It may be powerful but against those with great skills and prefers a battle of attrition, a knight mage might find themselves on a rather tight spot. Maron Basselt, one of the greatest battle mages of the empire prefer using artifacts than condensing a mana armor due to this very reason. Lots of knight mages prefer this kind of set up but powerful ones would still condense mana armors out of convenience from lack of maintenance. Unlike soul arms too, mana armors dont have special offensive skills but has defensive advantages against attacks of the same element and sometimes nullifies attacks from its opposing elemental counterpart. For example, water and fire counters each other while wind could barely scratch earth but cause it to weather in the long run. Different elements have their strength and weaknesses. Now, now. Listen everyone. Though were going to tackle about combat techniques and weapon handling, I will also talk about soul ring and armatization, soul arms and other stuffs. Carol will teach you about spells that can be cast during battles so please listen pay to every bit of details and information, okay? This guy. He looks brawny but gives off that smart and dependable vibe. Guess this place really teems with capable individuals! Sir knight mage, why are you wearing an artifact? Out of wonder, a student asked. Arent battle mages capable of forming mana armor? Glossing over this matter, everyone harped in unison.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Hes quite famous within the empire. Many have seen him in his mana armor thats why they are wondering why did such a great knight only wearing an artifact instead of mana armor. Well, you guys still need a lot to learn. Me wearing a normal armor artifact is very common. Aside from battles, we only use that during royal ceremonies to show our respect and allegiance to the emperor. Also, its not that easy to maintain its form. From the name itself, that kind of armor needs constant infusion of mana and now that I will only be teaching, that would be inconvenient. Maron explained. Now, I believe action speaks louder than words so as an introduction, show me your skills! Clapping his hands, Maron called everyone to bring out their weapons, combat and highest-tiered magic skills. Aiming at the practice dummies, everyone began chanting their most powerful spells. Hmmm, this batch look quite promising. Yeah, just as you said. In particular, the princess and some nobles do look quite versed with the highest, low-tier skills. Look! Thats quite a strong attack. Yeah! That burst from the princess is a level three fire spell. Oh, shes summoned her sword arms. Wait! That one with another soul arms. A war hammer! Is that rumble? Another level three earth spell. Carol and Maron are musing over these students. Claud, on the other hand, brought out his two short sword arms. Twilight cross! A binary combination elemental-sword skill of light and dark elemental attributes. Oh, that kid got some moves! Who is he? Wondering, Maron couldnt help but ask. His names Claud. Familiar with the Ashwells? I think hes from that family. Yeah, its been almost a decade. Too bad, the culprits were unknown. Got any idea Carol? Youre neighbors, right? Nah, got nothing in my mind. When that happened, I was already here as an apprentice. I didnt payed it any mind. Our kingdoms could be neighbors but theres a lot of town to cross and mountains to climb before reaching each others territories. Yeah, I know. So where did he come from? From Belanore, or so I heard. The kingdom of Ashcalon was left with no heir. Either the royals were missing or dead. But is it true that many of them were able to escape and made it to your kingdom? Yup. But they were too afraid to come back. Fearing that the enemies might return. So, the kingdom was divided into different nobles, making the once top Noble Guardian Family crumble and fall. But before, they were so powerful yet very mysterious. It is said that they werent just powerful knights but has deep understanding about forgery. Their greatest pride was the ring of origin, a soul ring capable of harnessing all kinds of magic affinity. They say it was specifically made for their royal lineage and only the descendants of the throne can wield it. But they only had one child and no one knows if hes still alive or where is he. Even the king and queen were missing. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- (Somewhere in an abandoned house in the capital outskirts) Did you found it? Not yet. Weve been looking for it for years. That ring shouldve been found already. Wheres the mother? Still got no clue boss. And you? Have you really searched the ruins thoroughly!? Master is running out of patience. Keep searching! We should get it or else were the ones to die first.