《Path To Redemption》 Prologue - Five Years After Thyrian Calendar - Year 671 A grey-haired man, clad in rugged equipment, damaged beyond recognition from all the damage and wear is slowly walking within the dreary corridors of the Fortress of Golmur, the lair of the Great Fiend, Barbados. He carries with him a giant sword, about 2 meters in length, and around him are the dismembered bodies of both the voiders and monsters he had just slain. One could say that the sight is enough to mistake the man as a bloodthirsty demon, but no- he isn''t one. At least, he never wanted to. "I''m only going to ask once. Where is Barbados?" the grey haired man asked the voider before him. "You are late, human. My master is already gone." the voider said as he smiled."We alone are enough to destroy a puny human like you." the voider grumbled in a distinct, guttural voice. The voider then snaps his fingers, indicating the start of an ambush. In mere moments, the extravagantly large corridor was filled with hundreds of voiders. They all had grey skin and long, sharp horns. But other than that, the voiders might have even passed for a human, appearance-wise. "Huh, saves me the time, I guess." the grey haired man muttered. Then all of a sudden,he pointed towards the voiders and chanted. ''Flame?Compress?Line'' Symbols of power gathered at his fingertips. A burst of light came forth. A golden colored light found its way through the necks of the voiders, one-by-one, until finally, the finger stopped. The voiders'' heads rolled down the floor in unison. They were no more.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. {Experience gained - 56% left until Level ???} "W-w-wh-what did you just do?!" The voider from before asked. He was the only survivor out of the one-sided massacre that had occured just now. He, on instinct, put his hands up in the middle of the spell, thus the damage on him only resulted to a broken armguard and a partially severed arm. "Well, you guys just huddled up together, I just don''t know why you thought that was a good idea." the grey-haired man remarked. "Especially against me." he added, a smirk on his lips. The voider flinched, "So, the rumors were true. You - you''re Sion! Sion Claude, The Grey Slayer of Strega Kingdom!" Sion nods in confirmation, then said - "Not that it matters that much to you." as he lifted his sword, making his way towards the voider. "W-w-wait! I can tell you where he went! Plea-" *Shrrkt {Experience gained - 56% left until Level ???} Blood spurted, the voider''s body was cleaved into two. "I already told you I''m only going to ask once." Sion said as he swung his sword, flinging away the blood and entrails that covered the sword. He then turned and walked away from the now blood-drenched corridor, leaving the aftermath of the battle behind him. However, as he prepared to leave the fortress, something caught his eye. It was a pure white butterfly, fluttering about just above him. The stark contrast of it and the eerie surroundings made him think back - to when he was in the small village with his old friends, his family, and even his childhood love, living a life with no worries. One might say it was boring, yes, but he was happy. However, not once did he imagine back then that his life would come crashing down, punishing him for wanting such an unremarkable dream. It could be said that fate had different plans for him, or maybe even it was Sion who forced himself to take this fate after all those years? He didn''t care- nor did he have the time to. Now his journey continues, onwards to the redemption he seeks. Chapter 1 - Sion Claude Thyrian Calendar - Year 661 The morning light shines upon the small village of Tinoa, located on southernmost border of Strega Kingdom. Filled with lush, green trees and several farmlands, this village can easily be seen as a perfect example of an easygoing, urban village. "Sion? Sion wake up! Breakfast is ready!" shouted Sion''s mom, Lenorra Claude. She is average in height, with short black hair, trimmed to the shoulders. Her sincere, warm smile and her gentle gaze made her look like an image of a loving mother. She was born and raised in Tinoa Village and here, she also met her husband. She''s a very relaxed and peaceful woman, caused by her upbringing. A good mother to Sion and a sweet wife to Garrett, she sometimes shows a strict side to keep them in check. "Okay,okay! I''m on my way down mom, jeez." replied Sion as he fumbled in his way down the stairs, apparently still quite sleepy. "You''re pretty drowsy there, son. Were you up doing you-know-what last night?" said Garrett Claude, Sion''s father, sitting on the dining table while laughing at him. Garrett is pretty tall, standing at over 6 foot in height, with a lean and muscular body shape. He also had a pure white hair and eyes like silver lightning, revealing his sharp and spirited demeanor as a swordsman. A real knuclehead at heart, he only ever stops being one when confronted by his wife, Lenorra. "What do you mean you-know-what , dad?! You know, went too far with your training, right? I almost died y''know?" Sion answered, remembering the whole 3 month training camp his dad made and the things he had to go through to finish it. Sion looked more like his dad. Slightly tall for a 15 year-old kid with a fairly toned body. This was because his dad was training him since he was a child. All of his features, he inherited from his dad. All except his grey hair and his gentle, black eyes, which was his mother''s trait. "Making me run 30 kilometers in the snow while carrying a load of stones on my back? Throwing me in the middle of a 3-star monster horde to outrun them? Throwing pebbles at me when I''m asleep? Do you think a 15 year - old boy should be doing these things? If I didn''t know any better, I''d say you were just trying to torture me." Sion said, looking at his father with a doubtful face. Both Sion and Garrett just returned yesterday from the training, much to Lenorra''s delight and Sion too. Well, mostly Sion. "Hey-hey don''t blame me for anything, It''s for your own good y''know! Besides, I know you can handle it. I mean, just look at your father! Hahahaha! said Garrett while laughing hysterically. Suddenly, a hand pinched Garrett''s ears, making him wince from the pain. "And?" said Lenorra with a scary smile in her face. "Ehh w-well Sion, you''re your mother''s son too y-y''know, no wonder you''re so great! Ahahaha-haha." Garrett said, tears almost forming in his eyes. Satisfied with Garrett''s compliment, Lenorra served her newly-cooked breakfast at the table. The table was soon filled with a plates of scrambled Chocrobo eggs, Tuskan Boar fried meat, mashed potatoes and Terkan fish soup. Sion''s favorite dishes.The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Oh, honey that looks delicious! What''s the occassion?" Garrett said with his mouth open, smelling the aroma of the food. "Well today''s the day Sion gets the assessment, riiight? Today''s the day you''ve been training for, right Sion?" Sion smiled, " Yeah mom, I''ll be picked as a student in Insignia Academy, no doubt about it!" The Insignia Academy is a prestigious school that was founded 400 years ago in the Great War and is as old as the Thyrian Continent itself. Several famous Magus and even Grand Magus came from the Insignia Academy. It is every person''s dream to enter, but unfortunately, it''s not for everybody. Every student must at least have 100Mana Capacity in order for them to be accepted in the academy.Though leveling up can increase other stats and even the Health Capacity of an individual, Mana Capacity will not. Though it may be possible to increase through the use of equipment , they are extremely rare. Moreover, the best scepter in the continent, the {Scepter of Mandeloria}, passed down by the kings of the Strega Kingdom from generation to generation, can only increase Mana Capacity by 50. For reference, a simple {Fireball} spell can consume 11 to 15 Mana Points, depending on its intensity. In rough estimation, there are about 1 in 1000 people that has 100 Mana and above, and almost all of them gets drafted by either the Insignia Academy or the Royal Army as a high official. For centuries, people who can use magic are revered and respected around the continent, followed only by highly-skilled warriors that improve their physical stats, rather than training magic for combat. Though some people might find it hard to get picked as a student, Sion wasn''t . He shouldn''t be. It was because it was proven that Mana Capacity can be associated in heredity. This means that if one or both parents have significant amount of the required Mana Capacity, the offspring has a high chance of inheriting the capacity too. Lenorra, in her childhood, actually had 127 Mana Capacity when she was assessed. She, however, preferred to live a normal and peaceful life, staying in her village instead of going to the academy. Garrett, on the other hand, never told Sion his stats, saying that he wanted it to be a surprise for Sion when he finds out. Sion can ascertain, however, that his dad is a genuinely strong person, seeing his elegant and swift swordsmanship as he was showing Sion how to hunt monsters. Not once did Sion see his dad use magic, because he would kill even 5-star monsters with one swift slash, calling it mercy for the weak. Even so, Sion knew of his father''s profession as a Magic Swordsman from Garrett himself. Though Sion feels as if his father is deliberately hiding his past from him, Sion knows that Garrett wanted him to be a magic swordsman just like he was and to enter the Insignia Academy as a student. He tried to find out the reason why many times, but Garrett refused to say anything, only that he''ll talk about it when the time comes. "Mom, dad, I''m going out for a while okay?" Sion said as he quickly scarfs down his food. "Woah, slow down a little will you? Oh, I know, you''re going to meet up with Selena aren''t you?" his mother teased him. "Oh that explains it, have fun with the young lady Sion! Oh, and don''t forget to bring her here sometime, me and your mom has lots to discuss with your future wife y''know? Hahaha." his father added. "W-well it''s not exactly like tha-" "Look honey, he''s blushing! Hahaha, no need to look so embarassed Sion, I''m sure she likes you too, just go on and tell her your feelings already!" Garrett said while Lenorra giggles. "I-I told you it''s not like that already, w-whatever, I''m gonna go now, bye!" Sion said as he hurriedly leaves the house, looking somewhat embarassed. "Don''t forget the assessment later Sion, it starts at noon!" Lenorra shouted at Sion, who was now at the door. "Yeah, I''ll be there!" Sion answered as he walks out the door. Moments later, the couple laughed among themselves. "He really has grown up, hasn''t he?" Lenorra said to Garrett, leaning her head in his shoulders. Garrett kisses Lenorra''s head then said , "A little naive, but yeah he has. He''ll be a great person someday, even greater than me ." Garrett said with a slight smile on his face. "But what if he can''t? What if he fails to get into the academy?" Lenorra said with a worried look on her face. "Don''t worry, I still remember my promise. I won''t let them have our son. Not while I''m still breathing." Garrett said with serious look on his face, recalling the dark memories he hid deep in his mind. Chapter 2 - The Promise "Today is the day." I said to myself while I ran across the the meadows, making my way to the usual place me and Selena always meet. It''s a bit far out in the forest , but it''s still within the border walls. It''s a beautiful clearing with a small lake on the side. We liked going there for as long as I can remember, mostly because of the relaxing scenery. Not only that, but Selena liked planting all sorts of flowers in there. We even planted two Yellow Acacias in the middle of the clearing, symbolizing our friendship. We made it our own place, free from anyone but us two. I mean, I guess we''re what''s called childhood friends. We do have other friends, but we wanted to keep this place special. After all, she''s my first friend, and I''m her first friend too. We found each other back then at this exactsame place. She was lost and didn''t know what to do. Luckily I knew my way around the forest and got her back to the village. From then on, we just kept on coming back here and eventually made friends with each other. And honestly, I''ve been deeply attached to her ever since. However, now that we''re grown-up, that attachment turned into attraction. I do admit that I still haven''t been able to tell her what I feel , but today after the assessment I''ll tell her about it. I just hope she feels the same way about me... " Whooo you can do it, man, you can do it!" I amped myself up a little too loud. "You can do what?" said a voice behind me. "G-whaa?! Oh I m-meant the assessment later ahaha-hahahah." I stumbled with my words. Dammit, so not cool. Facing me is a girl with serene, verdant green eyes, with snow white skin and a delicate body. She had long, green hair, ending with curls. Her name is Selena Rivendale, daughter of the elder of the village, my first friend and also the only girl that I''ll ever love. "What are you worrying about anyway? Didn''t you go to training for three months? I was pretty lonely out here you know." she said while watering the flowers she planted. "Yeah sorry about that, my dad really forced me to. But tell you what, I won''t leave anymore. The assessment is today after all." "Hmmph, and you didn''t even tell me too. I just visited your mom after you didn''t show up here for a day." "Well my dad just straight up dragged me along, so I didn''t have the time. You know how he is , right?" "Hmmm, nope that won''t do, I''m still mad, hmph" Selena said while pouting her lips. My face went sour for a moment, I hate getting her upset. She then caught sight of my face, a big mistake on my part. "Hahaha I''m just kidding Sion, you should''ve seen your face." Selena said while laughing. "Oh you got me, haha, I must''ve gotten rusty while I''m away." She enjoyed teasing me like this. She knows what exactly is my weakness, which is her being upset. I fell for it almost every time, but I didn''t mind it at all. "So anyways, are you ready for later? I heard that It''s just us two that will be assessed later."The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. "Yeah, I''m exited to go. I actually can''t wait until before noon!" "Haha okay, Sion, take it easy will you?" Selena says as she giggles at my enthusiasm. "So, where do you want to go, The Royal Army or the Insignia Academy?" "I''ll go to the academy. My mom and dad really insists that I go there." "Hmm, okay then, I''ll just go with you Sion!" Selena said as she smiles at me, showing her pearly-white teeth. This image was then imprinted deep in my head, adding to the many memories I have of her. "Just promise me you''ll be with me always from now on." she added. "Oh uhh, sure, o-okay, I promise." I replied as I tried to muster the most confident smile I can. Then.. "Uhh, Sion? There''s food stuck between your teeth." "Gahhh!, where?, where?!" I said as I embarrassingly went to the lake to see my reflection. "Haha got you again Sion!" Selena says as she giggles and laughs. Huh, it seems that I was caught off guard again... But, if it''s her, I don''t mind. After talking a bit, we headed back to the village. Not exactly a busy place compared to the other bigger towns, there''s still several people wandering about the marketplace. "Fresh fruits, so fresh that it''ll knock ya off ya boots!" "Excuse me sir, would you like new farming tools? I''ve got dozens of good quality tools here!" "Come, men of all ages. I''m selling the secret to a good relationship! If you drink this potion you''ll grow a finger''s worth of length in as early as 24 hours! And if you buy one now, you get one for free!" Different shop owners and merchants are selling their products. As far as I know, we don''t have any equipment or weapon stores in here.The villagers are generally pacifists anyway, so we have no need for that. As for most of the shop owners and merchants, I knew almost all of them since I was young, except for the last guy. And what the hell is he selling anyway? "Oh, there you guys are. What, out on a date yet again?" A deep-toned, masculine voice called. It was my friend, Sebastian Weiss. A tall and lanky guy, one wouldn''t think that he''s actually younger than me. Sebastian was also with a thin, seedy youth. His name is William Stienfeld. Besides Selena, these two were my best friends. We three have been through thick and thin, we even view each other as brothers. "Wha- we''re just waiting for the assessment, quit kidding around haha" I hurriedly replied to him. I secretly looked at Selena''s reaction. Her face looks a little flushed. Right, I might have a chance after all, just like dad said! "Oh yeahhh, the assessment, huh. I can''t wait to turn 15! I can already feel that I''m destined for greatness!" William said as he throws imaginary fireballs at me. "Sure, William." I said to him while laughing with Selena "Hahaha! Anyway, Sion I''m sure you guys will be fine!" Sebastian added. "Especially you. You were trained by your father right? There were rumors that he took down a 6-star monster just outside the border walls without even a scratch on him. He must''ve trained you good hahaha!" "Ugh, I don''t want to talk about it. I almost gave up halfway too." I said with a pained expression on my face. "Giving up? That doesn''t sound like you at all Sion." Selena said as she giggled, followed by laughter from William and Sebastian. Well, I do admit that I''m too stubborn for my own good, I even got into a fair share of trouble for it. I can''t help it though, my dad''s attitude must''ve rubbed off on me since I was young. "Well anyways, I''ll see you guys at the plaza later. I have chores to attend to." Selena said just before me, William, and Sebastian say our goodbyes to her. After seeing Selena walk a distance away, Sebastian looked at me and said, "Seriously, you haven''t told her yet?" He, along with William, knows my feelings for Selena. They even said it was pretty obvious for as long as they knew me from childhood. "Yeah, but I''ll tell her after the assessment, I''m sure about it now." "Tch, that''s what you always say. Let''s just go around the village to ease you up a bit." Sebastian said as he smirks at me. "Yeah, he''s right you know?" William added. "Plus, it might be a long time before you can come back to the village, right?" William is right. The Insignia Academy doesn''t allow its students to have outside contact, believing that learning and studying magic requires intense focus. The restriction can only be lifted after reaching the rank of Archmage. By then, a person is free to enter and leave the academy as they please. When, I wonder, will I reach the rank of archmage? I hope it won''t take too long... Chapter 3 - Failure Another hour just passed by, and became more nervous. As we spend time wandering around the village, we can see that a lot of people are now gathering at the plaza, even exceeding all the seats provided for spectators. A variety of people were there like swordsmen, mages, soldiers of the Royal Army seen standing in formations. There''s even a few fancy-dressed people in there, which I guess might be either wealthy merchants or nobles. "Wow, what in the hell brought all these people in here?!" Sebastian exclaimed. I have a feeling that it might be the assessment. No...it is the assessment. But, why? Normally in other assessments only most of the villagers would be here at best. This is strange. Something big might happen sooner or later. I better keep my wits about me. As we made our way through the crowd, I finally saw mom and dad. Dad was talking with a middle-aged man, clad in high quality-looking mage equipment and a long, golden staff adorned with different gems. Besides the middle-aged man, I can see several people looking at my dad, mostly ones from the Royal Army. Strange. I can somehow sense hostility in their gaze, maybe even...fear? Another thing I noticed is that, behind dad was a humongous 2 meter long, black metal sword. The hilt''s design, which I could only describe as some kind of ancient beast - maybe even a monster, made it look eerie for some reason. I''ve never seen that sword in the house before, nor did my dad tell me anything about it. After a while, the two finally finished talking. It seems that from the conversation, he and the mage must be on good terms. Possibly even friends. "Hey mom, hey dad!" I greeted them. "Hey Sion, better get ready soon. You''re not nervous are you? " mom said as she smiled at me. "I''ll be fine mom. Oh and dad, what''s with the sword?" I asked with a curious look on my face. "Oh, this?" he pointed at his back "This is just to make me look cool! I don''t want to look weak in front of these people after all, hahaha!" He said with a non-chalant attitude. Knowing my father, I almost believed his nonsensical explanation. But the slight worry on my mom''s expression had made me realize that it might just be a facade. Now I''m sure that something must be going on in here that I''m not aware of. "Dad, will you please-" my words were interrupted by the voice of the mage from earlier. "Welcome ladies and gentlemen. My name is Cedric Exvius. I am sent here by the Insignia Academy to conduct the 216th youth assessment of Tinoa Village." he said with a voice both loud and clear, clearly assisted by magic. All of a sudden, countless exclamations was heard from the crowd. "Cedric Exvius, isn''t he a Magus?" "Yeah, didn''t you know? He''s the only disciple of Dominic Leylin, one of the three Grand Magi of the Thyrian Continent!" "Why is he here then? Isn''t a Mage or an Archmage already enough for an assessment?" "Silence." Cedric said. And as if his words had power, the chatter stopped immediately. "We shall now proceed. I would like to call Selena Rivendale. Please come here to receive your assessment." After a moment of silence, a nervous Selena came out of the crowd. To be honest I really think I wouldn''t be any different, with all the people gathered here and even a Magus as the conductor of the assessment "I will now assess your [Status]. Don''t worry lass, this won''t hurt a bit." Cedric assured her.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work! Cedric then raised his staff. Suddenly, a strange, white light enveloped Selena. After a few seconds, the light finally vanished. "Well then, lass, whenever you want to see your level and your stats from now on, just think or say [Status]." Cedric said. "Go on then lass, try it!" "Umm okay." Selena replied. Suddenly, Selena''s eyes widened in surprise, as if she could see something we cannot. "I will now reveal Selena Rivendale''s current [Status]" Cedric said as he raised his staff again. Suddenly, a massive parchment made out of white light containing words and numbers appeared in front of the Magus. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Selena Rivendale Level 1 - Human Status: HP:89/89 MP:0/394 Strength:7 Speed:10 Agility:8 Endurance:7 Intelligence:36 |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Hmm, a very high mana capacity. That''s quite shocking." said Cedric with a smile on his face. Once again, the crowd started to chat among themselves. Almost 400 points! That''s enough for her to be an Archmage at the very least! I suddenly thought of her smile and the promise we made earlier today. All I need to do now is pass the assessment myself, and we''ll be students in the academy together! "Here you go lass, drink this." Cedric handed then handed her a mana potion. Judging from the container and the liquid inside, it must be a high quality one. Mana potions are even more expensive than Health potions that even the cheapest, most diluted one would cost about 100 Gold in the market. I could practically see every merchant''s mouth water among the crowd. After Selena was done drinking the potion, Cedric stated: "On behalf of the Insignia Academy, I hereby invite you, Selena Rivendale, to enter the academy as a mage." Then he added, "That is, of course, if you would like to lass." Selena looked at the crowd for a moment, then finally, our eyes met. I smiled at her and nodded. Besides the promise we made with each other, being accepted in the Insignia Academy is one of the greatest achievements a person could achieve, especially small village people like us. ''This is great!'' I thought to myself as I fantasize about the things she and I could achieve together in the future. "Yes, I accept." Selena said, a wide smile on her face. "Haha well then lass, go and rest for now. We will leave tomorrow morning." With that, Selena made her way to her parents. The elder of the village, Bart Rivendale and his wife, Hannah Rivendale were very happy, and so are the rest of the villagers. Cheers came from all directions as Selena hugs her mother and father. Several mages, presumably recruiters from other academies looks disappointed of letting a person like Selena go. They didn''t dare voice their opinions though, as the Royal Army and even a Magus is currently present among them. They''ll have to be either extremely brave or extremely stupid to offend either of the two. "Well then, ladies and gentlemen let''s proceed with the last one, shall we?" As soon as Cedric said that, a hard and serious atmosphere befell the plaza that even the cheers from before suddenly stopped. I made my way to Cedric and faced the crowd. I can feel my hands shaking from the tension, but I managed to regain my nerves by gritting my teeth a little. "Ah, you must be Sion, eh? You look just like your father. Well, except for your hair and your eyes of course. You have your mother''s eyes." Cedric said as he patted my shoulder. So he did know my parents. Weird. I need to ask my dad about this later on. I didn''t even know he had a friend outside the village, and a Magus at that. "Well then Sion, let''s start now shall we?" I took a deep breath and nodded. I thought saw him look at dad''s direction for a second before lifting his golden staff, just as he did before. Cedric''s staff shone once again, revealing the same white light from before. After a few seconds, I immediately thought [Status] as Cedric instructed Selena to do earlier. In a mere split second or less, a white parchment, much smaller from the version made by Cedric''s magic from before, manifested in front of me. Before my other stats, I look hurriedly at my Mana Capacity. And what I saw was... ... No.. ..No!..How could it-?! ..Th-this must be some kind of mistake...right? Right!?? I looked at Cedric, hoping that he''ll tell me it was some kind of mistake. Could it be that the spell failed? Y-yeah, maybe that''s it. We''ll just have to do it again, right? Then I noticed Cedric''s face was dark and muddled as he looked at me, showing his disbelief and genuine concern. As if he cannot believe it too. Little by little, the reality dawned on me. I won''t be able to go with Selena to Insignia, nor will I make my parents proud by being a magic swordsman like my dad. I just stood there as I kept my head down, trying to hold back my tears. I stood there, frozen in time as I couldn''t bring myself to look at my dad and my mom. Especially to Selena whom I even made a promise to. ''I''m a failure.'' I thought to myself over and over. Blood dripping from my hands, nails digging through the skin of my palms as I close my fists tightly shut. This, however, compared to the sheer anguish that I feel right now...is nothing Chapter 4 - Reveal Silence. A long of period of silence overtook the crowd as they patiently waited for the result of the assessment. Suddenly, a man spoke up among the Royal Army. "Well then, Cedric, what''s with the hold-up? Show us the boy''s [Status] now!" As he stood up from his seat, clearly impatient. The man was huge and muscular, with a bald head and a thick beard on his face. He''s a general of the Royal Army of Strega Kingdom, Beltram Strauss. His name was known throughout the land, mainly because of his exploits during war between Strega Kingdom and its neighbor, The Grenada Kingdom. Although the war ended because of a truce, his great, but also horrible deeds in the battlefield earned him the title {The Mad General}. "Well? What are you hell are you waiting for?!" Beltram said, now shouting. "Th-this, well.." Cedric hesitates, looking at the still shocked Sion. He then looked at Garrett, who was now wearing a serious expression on his face. Beltram saw Cedric''s hesitation, which infuriated him even further. "In the name of the Great King Arthus Strega, I demand you to show us the damned thing!" This was followed by thunderous sound of the royal soldiers'' spears hitting the ground, shocking the onlookers. Cedric looked conflicted. An edict from the royal king is not to be trifled with, even by a Magus like himself. "Fine, I will now reveal Sion Claude''s [Status]." Cedric said as he looked pitifully to the motionless Sion beside him, still distraught by the event that just transpired. Cedric raised his staff and a flash of white light appeared once again, forming a gigantic parchment in the air. The crowd then started to read its contents. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Sion Claude Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.Level 1 - Human Status: HP:125/127 MP:0/5 Strength:49 Speed:47 Agility:42 Endurance:58 Intelligence:46 ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| "Look at all those stats! As expected of the White Death''s son! But...wait, why is his mana capacity so low?" "Even with those stats, I don''t think the Insignia Academy will accept him, right? He''s trash after all..." "Hmmm... I think he will do well as a Commander in the Royal Army. Who knows, maybe with his talent he can even become a General! Countless people reacted to Sion''s [Status], some impressed at his other stats and few were mocking him for having such a low mana. A classic case of schadenfraude. "Oh gods, Garrett." said Leonorra as she breaks down, crying at Garrett''s shoulders. Garrett just stood still, not allowing his composure to stir. He prepared himself for anything, after all. Including this. He does feel a pang of sadness for Sion, now not even moving an inch from Cedric''s side, as if his spirit has been crushed by his ordeal. But no... He musn''t show his emotions. Not now. Not while "they" are still here. Suddenly, a commotion was made as different factions tries to recruit Sion into their ranks. "Alas, tis quite unfortunate about your mana capacity my boy! However, on behalf of the Legendary Swordsmen Sect, I would like to invite you to be taught Patriarch Xu Lin himself! By then, achieving [Legendary Swordsmanship] would be as easy as the dragon soaring the skies!" An old man, most likely from the Tian Continent, said as he tries to entice Sion to join him. "Young warrior, you do not need magic nor swordsmanship to make a name for yourself.A real warrior only needs strength to stand atop the world! Come join the Raging Lion Guild, and our leader will make you into a formidable warrior in no time!" A big lion-morph, wieding a huge battleaxe sticks his chest out proudly, clearly from the continent of Evernus, the paradise of the demi-humans. "Your talents will only be wasted on fighting, child. You may not have enough mana capacity, but you have the potential to become a great scholar! The doors of the Moratem Academy are always open for people like you, Sion." A pointy eared woman said with a smooth voice. With the classic elven features she has, she''s most certainly from the Faeneris Continent, the elven sanctuary. Before more factions could speak, a voice suddenly made everyone stop. They looked at the man very carefully, as if they''re afraid of displeasing him at any way. "Quiet!" Garrett says, before he walks towards Sion and Cedric. This action made Sion snap back to reality, curious about what his father is doing. "Sion won''t be joining any factions today. Anyways, thank you for your time." With that, Garrett continued to walk towards Cedric and Sion. Then suddenly.. "I don''t think so, Garrett." Beltram Strauss, The Mad General, stood on Garrett''s way. Chapter 5 - The White Death A long time ago, about 20 years in the Thyrian Calendar in the past. There was a man that was feared by all kingdoms. Emerging out of nowhere, this man was only seen then as the right hand of the Strega Kingdom''s king, Godfrey Strega. The man was loyal to his king, whereas the king had given him his full trust and faith. The man was described as a saint among his country''s people, slaying the 9-star monster Dratheus, an elder dragon who is feared by men and monsters alike, all for the sake of one village. Routing a whole battalion of enemy soldiers to protect the town of Ramias from annihilation. These were few of his great feats that made him a hero to the country. Though he may be a saint to his people, his enemies called him the "White Death". Derived from his snow-white hair and his savagery in the battlefield. It remains a fact that nobody ever fought the man twice, because they''ll never even have the chance to. Hence the title White Death. His level unknown, he would mow down High Swordsmen like grass and outperform every Magus he encountered when it comes to magic. As the war between the kingdoms raged on, the more the other kingdoms knew of the man''s might. They came to fear him more and more as mountains upon mountains of dead soldiers and countless other famous warriors and mages piled up at the battlefield, slain by that man alone. Driven by the desire of self-preservation, the other kingdoms that survived the war gave up a fourth of their own land just to satisfy a truce with the Strega Kingdom. This made the Strega Kingdom the largest kingdom in the Therian Continent, the land of the humans. However, every legend must come to an end. Following the truce that ushered the era of peace, an event that shook the entire continent had transpired. King Godfrey Strega, the Conqueror King of the Strega Kingdom had died. No one ever saw the white-haired man after that. Some said he did not like the new king, Arthus Strega, which was Godfrey''s elder brother. A few even said that the hero was just tired of the adventurous lifestyle and just fell in love with a girl in some remote village in the kingdom. What matters the most, however, is that his legacy will remain as a reminder of a human being''s limitless potential for greatness. Greatness that Garrett Claude, a simple human, was able to achieve. _____________________________________ At the plaza of the small village of Tinoa. Beltram Strauss is standing right in front of Garrett Claude, the hero of the past era. "Well, well look who it is. The White Death himself, Garrett Claude!" Beltram says as he grins at Garrett, sizing him up. "Why are you in my way?" Garrett said as he looked up at Beltram. "I cannot allow you to take the boy just yet. This is because the Royal Army would like to invite him among our ranks!" This announcement made the silent crowd full with chatter again. Bring drafted in the Royal Army is actually as equally prestigious as being accepted to the Insignia Academy. If Sion is really talented, he might be able to become a general pretty soon. "Sorry, but no. I already said that my son won''t be going to any factions. Didn''t you hear what I just said?" Garrett said as he continued to walk towards Sion. This rejection pissed off Beltram, who was used to getting what he wants with the Royal Army''s and His Majesty''s authority "You dare refuse the Royal Army''s invitation?! Beltram shouted. "Yep, I think I am." Garrett''s answer infuriated Beltram, but instead of lashing out, he grinned and said: "Hah, for a magic-less trash like him, this is an opportunity beyond compare! Still, I cannot believe a legend like you could give birth to such a dog of a son. Hahahah, must be the wench''s blood that corrupted him." Beltram said as he looks down at Garrett, mocking him. "If you don''t get the fuck out of my way right now-" "You know, I was wondering if you''re still as strong as they said you were 20 years ago... Well, should I go find out?" Beltram interrupted Garrett, still grinning as he held his weapon. After a while, Beltram grew tired of Garrett''s inaction. He learned that provoking Garrett like this will not work. He, however, had brought a trump card with him. He took a parchment from his storage belt, then he raised it for the crowd to see. "The Strega Kingdom hereby claim Sion Claude as a slave, ordained by King Arthus Strega in compensation for Garrett Claude''s crime all those years ago!" Beltram''s statement and the slave contract in his hands shook the crowd once again.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "What?! Sion, as a slave?" "Just what crime did the hero do? This is bullshit!" "What do you mean crime! Answer us!" Beltram smiled widely, showing his teeth to Garrett to further mock him. "The hero of the past, Garrett Claude, the White Death... is the one who killed the previous king, Godfrey Strega!" A short silence pervaded throughout the crowd. This was followed by surprised gasps and questions, directed to Beltram. They simply couldn''t believe that the man who was the most loyal subject to Godfrey Strega all those years ago was the one who killed the king. "Now, Garrett. Will you still defy the King''s will?" Beltram asked Garrett, whose expression still haven''t changed after the "truth" has been revealed. "Hmmm... Will you still flap that cunt mouth of yours, egghead?" Garrett said, now grinning back at Beltram. That remark pushed Beltram to the breaking point. He commanded the royal soldiers to surround Garrett, then they pointed their weapons at him. "Prepare to die then, bastard!" Beltram said as he is unsheathing his weapon. Contrary to his size, his weapon of choice is a rapier. He preferred it because of its lightning-quick draw speed, surprising his opponents and catching them off guard. Beltram already imagined Garrett''s head rolling down the floor, with eyes filled with shock and unwillingness. All those experiences and levels he had gained from the battlefield gave him confidence in slaying the "legend" in front of him. However, not even a split-second has passed when a gust of wind blew past Beltram and the soldiers. Following this, Beltram''s face was overcome with shock, not even done unsheathing his rapier. "Listen carefully egghead. You will get out of my way right now and take your soldiers with you." Garrett said, still grinning at Beltram. "O-of course. Men, lets go!" Beltram now lost all of his bravado from before. He did not want to be here, not a second longer. He quickly moved out of Garrett''s way and made his way to the soldiers. The crowd that was watching the whole commotion was confused and so are the soldiers of the Royal Army. They did not know what happened to the prideful and arrogant general that was even mocking Garrett a minute before. With that, Beltram and the soldiers are now at the middle of departure. But then, a voice called out to them. "Oh and egghead, tell that dogshit king of yours to keep his hands to himself! Unless he wants to lose it of course." Garrett said aloud, not even bothering if the crowd can hear him. Coming from a man like him, Beltram did not think for a second that it was just an idle threat. He nods, not even daring to speak up for his king. He also wondered if the "hand" that Garrett referred to was the Royal Army itself. Is he saying that he can slaughter all of them? A few seconds after the Royal Army''s departure, Garrett continued to walk towards Sion. Seeing Sion on the verge of tears, even with all that has happened, made his heart ache. Fate really is cruel after all. "D-dad I''m sorry, I-I really am..." Sion muttered out, trying to hold back his tears. "What''s the matter with you Sion, cheer up will you! It''s not like the world is ending or anything!" Garrett said as he laughed loudly, now a back to his old, usual self. This sudden change in his demeanor puzzled the crowd. It''s as if the Garrett from before and now are two different persons. "B-but I failed didn''t I? I can''t go to Insignia! I-I can''t be a magic swordsman like you!" Sion shouted out "All of those training that we did, they were useless don''t you see?!" "A-all I wanted was to make you and mom proud. Now I''m useless-" Sion was interrupted by a hand patting his head. He looked up, only to see his father smiling at him. "I am proud of you son, and so is your mom. You may have failed but we know you''ve tried your very best. That alone, makes us proud of you." This finally broke down Sion''s restraint as he let his emotions pour out, along with his tears. _____________________________________ After the assessment. The crowd started to disperse as the Magus Cedric Exvius, declared the end of the assessment. They were still shocked and puzzled as to what just happened. Still, it was quite a sight to behold. Everyone except a few, didn''t even know that the hero, Garrett Claude was here. No... they didn''t even know that he had a son, or a wife even! They only knew that he was here because of the information they have received from an unknown source. Though they didn''t get to talk to Garrett, seeing him still alive was enough. After several glances and small talk from a few brave people from the crowd, Garrett went with his son and Leonorra, now on their way home. Before Garett went too far, Cedric called out to him. "I''m sorry about this Garrett. I can''t-" "It''s okay Cedric, it''s not your fault. Just tell Dominic to keep an eye on Arthus when he can. He might be up to some schemes again." Garrett replied to Cedric, not even a slight displeasure in his face. ____________________________________ The outskirts of Tinoa Village. "General, what''s the matter? Why did you order us to leave?" A soldier finally asked Beltram after a long bout of silence, only marred by the sound of the footsteps from their march. After this, Beltram stopped. He, without hesitation, pierced the soldier''s heart with his rapier. This barely shocked the other troops. The man who was just killed was a new recruit who did not know of Beltram''s temper. "That- that son of a-" Beltram remembered what just happened. He did not know when, or how - but after the gust of wind blew past him, he felt like he was dead already. He turned around to face his soldiers, ready to say something, when he noticed something that shook him even further. "L-look at your necks!" Beltram shouted out. The soldiers then looked at each other''s necks, gasping out in shock as they did it. There was a very small, thin, red line in their necks. Not one soldier was without it. The soldiers then panicked, before being shouted at by Beltram. "Shut up, all of you!" With this, every soldier regained their bearings. The results of their training now showing in their discipline. Also, their fear of Beltram''s temper was ingrained their hearts, especially after he had just killed a fellow soldier. Beltram then concluded that the small cut was not lethal, much to the relief of the soldiers. He then continued the march towards the Strega Castle to report to King Arthus. As they took a break from the march, Beltram took off his armor inside his tent. He looked at the part of the chainmail that was covering the neck. To his surprise, there was a small slit right around that area. "This is impossible! Th-this is the [Regal Lion Chainmail] we''re talking about!" Beltram was shocked indeed. The chainmail that protected him all these years was sliced through like butter. "Don''t tell me..." Now shaking, Beltram put his hand over his neck. "Wh-what the hell is he?!" Beltram muttered as both his hands shake uncontrollably, revealing a thin cut, very much like his soldiers. Chapter 6 - A Promise That Ill Keep Sleep. Now on my bed, I closed my eyes as I thought about the only thing I wanted right now. The things that just happened in the assessment, I-... No, I need to sleep for now... I need to sleep, to go somewhere...someplace else where I wasn''t bothered by... all this crap.. Little by little I drifted closer and closer, until finally... ... It was beautiful. We were all together. Mom and dad, my friends, Selena - everyone I ever cared for was here. To be honest, I never dreamt to become a Mage, nor did I ever want to become a Hero, like my dad apparently. I just wanted...I just wanted to make them happy, to stay with them...always. Then suddenly, their faces changed. Their eyes, darkened with despise as they stare at me. Was it my incompetence? Or was it that I still hold on to such a naive dream? Slowly, they turned their backs on me. I screamed...I begged for them to stay but they can''t hear me...or maybe they can? They won''t go back to me...not anymore. I finally woke up. I wiped my face with my hand, apparently I was crying the whole time. It seems that even at my sleep, my failure still follows me. However, there was one place I still need to go. I looked outside, it was still early at dawn. I quickly made my way to the only place I can clear my mind to. After thoughtlessly walking for a long time, I finally arrived. The scenery really amazes me everytime I see it. The calm and harmonious sound the trees make when a gust of wind blows by, the beauty of Selena''s plants that grew more and more each day, the small lake so clear that I could see the bottom, full of beautiful rocks. I find myself lost within them everytime. Sitting down on the grass, I was calm for a second. It''s as if I was one with my surroundings. However, as soon as I thought about the only person I share this place with, my mood dampened. I remembered about the promise I made with her, the only one I couldn''t deliver. Ironically, I had always fulfilled my promises, not just to her, but to everybody as well. I just couldn''t believe I didn''t deliver, especially to this one promise that mattered the most. "Sion? Is that you?" a familiar voice called out to me. It was Selena. "S-Selena? What''re you doing here?" "Well you weren''t at your house, so I figured you might be here." Selena said as she sat beside me. She looked at me closely with those wonderful green eyes, further giving me guilt about not upholding our promise. "Selena, listen. I-I''m sorry I... I couldn''t do it. I wasn''t-" I said, trying not to let my emotions take ahold of me. She didn''t say anything. It might''ve just been seconds, but to me, it was an eternity of silence. She must think so little of me now. After all, I was too confident - saying that I''ll definitely pass the assessment. I must''ve been confident with all the training and preparations I have done. In the end, however, it was all worthless... "Hey, Sion. Why don''t we make a new promise?" These words from her words from her made me curious. "W-what promise?" "I know you tried your best Sion, I was with you since we were children you know? I also know you can''t change what just happened, so just promise me this, okay?" she smiled at me, as if she is assuring me that everything is alright. "Just promise me you''ll be here when I return home,okay?"Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. With her words came a ray of hope for me. Never have I expected that she would still think of me, after I just broke our recent promise. What am I to say but - "Yeah, I promise." I said as I wiped the tears from my eyes. This time, I''ll fulfill my promise to her. I''ll wait, no matter how long it takes. "That''s great Sion! I promise that I will return as soon as I can." she said with a smile that could melt any person''s heart. As I look at her, I remembered that I was supposed to tell her how I feel, aren''t I? This is might be my last chance after a long time. But then again, I felt ashamed that it wasn''t as I planned it to be. It was supposed to be after I passed the assessment, not after I failed it... "Sion, you look like you want to say something. Come on, out with it." she said to me with a curious look on her face. "O-oh uh...well, I just want to tell y-you that all this time...I-" I stuttered with my words. "You...what?" she said, waiting for my next words. ''W-well I uh, ummm. I just wanted you to know that all this time I''ve lo-" My words was suddenly interrupted by something. Selena''s body shone a bright, white light slowly fading from sight. "Selena, what''s happening?!" I yelled as I tried to grab her. "Don''t worry Sion, this is Cedric''s doing. He cast some sort of magic spell on me, telling me that it''ll take me to Insignia the moment the sun rises." she said as the light slowly covers her entire body. I looked at the sun, it was now rising from the horizon. Dammit! Why now?! "Well then, take care Sion. Don''t forget our promise, okay?" Selena said as drops of tears rolled down her face. "I won''t Selena, I promise." I said as I smiled at her. "Oh and Selena, I love-" Before I could finish, the light flashed even brighter. Then when I opened my eyes... she was gone. I wanted to stop her, I wanted her to stay by my side in this small, but peaceful village. I wanted it more than anything... but who am I to stop her bright future? In Insignia, she will become a greater person than most, achieving feats most people can only dream of. And I want her to have all that, even if that means I can''t have her by my side. "Please hurry and come back Selena, I''ll be waiting for you..." I said as I cried my heart out, releasing all the pain that I had been holding back all along. The sunrise that I always thought was beyond beautiful, looked lackluster this time for some reason. As if the world had lost it''s color... ___________________________________ After a while, I went back at my house. When I entered the door, I saw mom and dad waiting for me at the table. "Hey Sion, did you go see the young lass Selena again?" Dad said with a sly smile on his face. "Uh- yeah I did..." I answered awkwardly. Seeing dad act like his usual self threw me off, especially after what just happened yesterday. I expected him to be more... serious...disappointed even. "Come on Sion, eat. You didn''t eat dinner last night, right?" my mom said as she beckons me to sit down with them. I don''t understand. Why aren''t they mad or anything like that? Don''t they care that I failed them both? That I- "Here Sion, say ahhhh..." mom said as she points a spoon filled with food in my mouth. "Gods, mom. I''m a man now, I can do it myself!" I hurriedly snatched the spoon from her, then put it in my mouth. The food tasted amazing...as always. Before I knew it l, I got teary-eyed. I just realized I am very fortunate to have parents that cares about me. They even went as far as acting like their usual selves, all for my sake. "Hahaha what''s that Sion, do I see tears in your "manly" eyes?" my dad said as he laughed, along with my mother who was giggling beside me. "N-no, the food was just too spicy, that''s all!" I said as I exhaled dramatically, pretending that I just ate something very hot. "Are you saying that my cooking...was...BAD?!" mom said as her face darkened Uh-oh. Dad help m- I saw him at least 10 meters away from the table now. What the hell happened to your strong guy persona yesterday?! And with that, I received a ton of lectures and yelling, just barely getting to the point to make my ear fall off. It was just like a normal day for us. After a while, we talked about things we usually talk about when on the table. Sometimes, my dad or my mom would make some quips or jokes about some things. They smiled and laughed, so did I. After enjoying a few happy conversations, which they probably planned to lighten my mood up, I decided to bring up the events from yesterday. Although I have somehow recovered from the shock and sadness I had, I was still puzzled with all that has happened yesterday. I intend to find answers now, rather than later. "Dad, I know you mean well by hiding some things from me. But I want to know what just happened yesterday...please...tell me everything." With that, mom and dad''s face went serious. Dad looked at my mom for a brief second, then my mom nodded. He then said: "Fine Sion, listen carefully." he looks at me with his eyes narrowed down "This all started 16 years ago, just before you were born...and the year when my king...my friend, Godfrey Strega was killed by...me."