《Tale of the War God》


 Prologue: History of the World

    Authors note: Hello and thank you for reading this fiction! This is my first fiction on Royal Road and I put it here because I wanted to get feedback from readers like yourselves. Please feel free to comment on what you like or dislike about the story or any helpful tips I can use to become better.


    Thank you and please enjoy.


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    Prologue


    A long time ago, thousands and thousands of years into the past, there was nothing but an empty void and a barren and desolate world. It was then that they appeared, the six Gods who would turn this dead planet into their home.


    The first to come was Auromi, Goddess of Life and Love. She had deemed it worthy enough to support life and gave it her blessing along with the very first lifeforms.


    Next to come was Raylen, goddess of Nature and Indifference. So the new lifeforms could live she planted a massive tree that seemed to reach the stars. It was from this tree that all other plants would grow.


    After her came both Calgar and Nighorum. Calgar was the God of War and Valor. With his arrival the lifeforms began to fight each other. Death and plundering ravaged the land which suited Nighorum just fine.


    Why was that? He was the God of Death and Hate. As the wars continued he laughed and welcomed the souls of the dead with open arms. With his arrival, the deathless lifeforms had also started to die from disease and old age, further fueling their anger and sorrow.


    The chaos continued with the arrival of Laanex, God of Commerce and Greed. With his influence certain lifeforms had started to use the wars for their advantage, amassing materials and food for themselves while exploiting others.


    It wasn¡¯t until Measha, Goddess of Peace and Harmony arrived, did the fighting finally come to an end. With her words and wisdom she guided the lifeforms to co-operate with each other for the betterment of all.


    With the six Gods settled into their new home, gradually the balance returned.


    However a new problem had arisen. The Gods had exhausted most of their energy coming to this world and they needed a way to replenish it.


    Auromi purposed an idea. ¡°I shall create for each of us a humanoid race that will be superior to the first lifeforms I created. They will then follow our teachings and in doing so, we will be able to grow stronger.¡± The other five agreed and thus the six high races were born.


    Born from the earth was Raylen¡¯s race, the Aborians. Their body was sleek and smooth, like polished wood, while their two arms and legs were covered with a rough bark-like texture.


    Forged from his spirit was Calgar¡¯s race, the Iusties. Standing tall and proud, they were a race with strong muscles and four long, fluffy ears.


    Split from his soul was Nighorum¡¯s race, the Terraruims. With skin as black as night and sleek angular horns, they were perhaps the strongest of the races, albeit the fewest in number.


    Hatched from his mind was Laanex¡¯s race, the Callidi. Resembling normal humans, they were the plainest of the six races, but the most adaptable.


    Emerging from her heart was Measha¡¯s race, the Librians. Tallest and calmest of the races they always had blonde hair and bright green eyes.


    Lastly, coaxed from her womb was Auromi¡¯s race, the Ventrises. An all-female race, they were soft skinned, slender, and well endowed. Their beautiful looks were complimented with long and flowing silvery hair.


    With this the Gods slowly but surely regained their power and for a time the races lived in harmony. It was then a certain event happened.


    A disease Nighorum had created ran unchecked for too long. It swept the land and killed hundreds of thousands.


    Auromi couldn¡¯t take it anymore and launched her complaints to him. She then said one sentence that Nighorum couldn¡¯t let slip.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this world be better off without you?¡±


    That was the spark. Enraged, Nighorum turned to Laanex and Calgar.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you sick of those Goddesses? I bet they wish you guys were gone as well. To them we are only a nuisance. What do you say? Are you with me? Let us put them in their place!¡±


    This marked the beginning of the War of the Gods. Landscapes were warped. Continents vanished. The seas rose and fell and a whirlwind of storms ravaged the planet. The races that once lived in harmony now fought each other with a bloodlust and zeal like never before.


    It was during this period that the most terrible of weapons were created. With all of the souls of the dead swirling around the gods used them to create sentient weapons and servants whose souls almost rivaled the Gods themselves.


    After a thousand years the battle had reached the climax. The six Gods faced each other with weapons drawn. It was Measha who spoke first.


    ¡°Everyone please lay down your arms. Hasn¡¯t the fighting gone on for long enough? This planet that we made our home, it is worse than when we found it. If we continue fighting we soon won¡¯t have a place to call home.¡±


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    It was Nighorum¡¯s turn to speak.


    ¡°I will not relent until that woman acknowledges that we are not worthless, that we are just as important as the rest of you!¡±


    All eyes look to Auromi.


    ¡°I work hard to give my children life, so why is it that they have to die? Your very existence is nothing but to undo all that I strive for! There is no way we can embrace each other with our ideals so different.¡±


    Brandishing a wicked scythe, Nighorum responded.


    ¡°I will embrace you Auromi. I¡¯ll embrace your soul as it leaves your corpse!¡±


    A slash faster than light, that could cut even the flesh of a god.


    However the flesh it cut was not that of Auromi¡¯s, but that of Calgar¡¯s. He had jumped in front of Nighorum before he swung and took the blow meant for the Goddess.


    ¡°Wha-!¡±


    The Gods were speechless. Only when Calgar hit the ground and cough up blood did time start moving again. All the Gods rushed to his side.


    ¡°Why Calgar?! Why did you save that woman?!¡± Nighorum shouted. Everyone else had the same question.


    Calgar looked up to him, and then slowly looked at the other Gods.


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m tired of this. I the God of War should revel in our fight, yet why is it that I feel so tired and helpless? It was only when I realized that winning the war, meant losing those dear to me. You five are what our servants would call family to me. I cannot bear to lose any of you. That is why I jumped between you two. Ha ha, was it foolish of me?¡±


    Everyone shook their heads.


    Nighorum said. ¡°Calgar you are a brother to me. All this time fighting with you and Laanex by my side, how to describe it¡­ I feel very close to you both.¡±


    ¡°I as well.¡± Laanex added. ¡°This feeling of ¡®family¡¯ I¡¯ve begun to see why mortals treasure it.¡±


    The goddesses chipped in. ¡°We feel the same! Even though we fought, we never wanted this outcome.¡±


    Auromi knelt next to Calgar and held his head in her hands. ¡°Why is it that only now, do I not want to fight? And this feeling in my chest¡­ it hurts? Calgar, you¡¯re fine right? You can be healed right?¡±


    Tears welled in her eyes. The answer to her question was obvious. Calgar will die.


    It then raised questions the Gods never asked themselves.


    What happens when we die?


    Where do we go?


    Will we ever see each other again?


    It then dawned on them the magnitude of the situation.


    ¡°What¡­ have I done?¡± Nighorum weakly said. He was the God of Death yet why did he not know these answers?


    Calgar¡¯s breathing slowed. His pulse growing weak. ¡°It¡¯s not your fault¡­ I¡¯m the one¡­ who jumped in the way. Nighorum¡­ don¡¯t feel bad. I hold no grudge.¡± He coughed and blood runs from his mouth.


    ¡°Calgar!¡± Nighorum shouted.


    Looking him in the eyes Calgar asked. ¡°Can you all do me on favor?¡±


    ¡°Anything brother.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t fight amongst yourselves¡­ Measha was right¡­ We are all we have¡­"


    Nighorum answered in a weak voice. ¡°Of course, leave it to us.¡±


    Shortly after Calgar, God of War and Valor died. The Five Gods watched with tears in their eyes, as his soul scattered into the atmosphere.


    The fighting had ended and all the Gods were stricken with grief. It was then they had an idea.


    To prevent this tragedy from happening again, the Gods made a pact with each other. The pact had five rules that the Gods had to abide by no matter what.


    1. The Gods and their servants cannot physically interfere with the planet.


    2. All disputes on the planet must be solved by the races themselves.


    3. The Gods may grant blessing and have champions among the races as long as it does not break rule 1.


    4. The Gods must keep the planet in balance. No one God can have too much influence.


    5. Gods can never have another war with each other; all disputes must be solved without it.


    With the pact in place, the remaining Gods combined their powers to create the Celestial Realm. It would be from here that the Gods and their many servants that they created would watch over the world as it grew.


    A million years have passed.


    On the plain where the War of the Gods ended, sits a solemn statue of the War God overlooking the horizon. A lone figure stood in front of the statue. It was then that the air grew thick and rich with magical energy. This energy amassed at the statues base, when suddenly an armored hand shot up from the ground.


    It grasped at the air a few times and then slowly pulled itself up. Following the gauntlet was the horned shaped helmet. Then the chest appeared, adorning its shoulders was the fur of an ancient beast. Finally it stepped up out of the shallow grave and dusted off the sturdy cloak wrapped around its waist. In the gaps of the armor, there was an amber glow of pulsing energy.


    It was at this time that Calgar, God of War and Valor, had returned to life.

 Chapter 1 - Rebirth of a God

    Chapter 1


    Alone on a plain stood the figure of a man in silver armor, however upon closer inspection, one could easily tell it was anything but ordinary. The helmet had four horns pointing back, giving it a sleek look. The chest was pronounced and on the shoulders, lining the back of the neck, was the white fur of an ancient beast. Wrapped around the waist was a brown cloak that went just below the knees. All over the armor was golden lining and glowing in the gaps of the joints was a soft amber color that pulsed with life.


    The man was a God. His name was Calgar and in the distant past, he had died.


    Calgar looked around slowly, and then looked at himself. He held his arm in front of him and slowly clenched and unclenched his fist.


    ¡°¡­ Am I alive?¡± he asked no one in particular.


    He couldn¡¯t understand what was happening. He should have died, yet here he was, standing on the plain where the Gods had their final battle.


    ¡°Oh wait, there is grass here.¡± He noticed that it wasn¡¯t the barren wasteland he last saw. ¡°Did Raylen restore it? I wonder if they stopped fighting after that.¡±


    Calgar recalled the war they had waged with each other. It was bitter and long. He couldn¡¯t remember how many years it had lasted. He commanded his race, the Iusties and created powerful weapons for them and himself. Speaking of which¡­


    He looked around but couldn¡¯t find either of them. ¡°They aren¡¯t here.¡±


    Calgar had created two swords for himself, Luna and Sol. Infused with the souls of the fallen Iusties; they were living weapons, able to be both servant and sword.


    ¡°Well, Sol is probably behaving, but as for Luna¡­ I¡¯m a little worried.¡±


    Sol had a responsible personality, while Luna on the other hand was quite the prankster. They were just like their names suggested, complete opposites.


    When he took a step forward, his arm fell off.


    ¡°What the heck is this?!¡±


    Gushing from the shoulder was that amber energy. It would crackle and hiss. Calgar quickly grabbed the fallen arm and put it back into place and with his mind, willed it to reconnect. The energy slowly filled the arm back up and when he let go it stayed attached.


    ¡°Damn that was messed up. It felt as if I was bleeding out. What is up with my body? Or more like, aren¡¯t I a spirit or something?¡±


    It was true. This was not what Calgar¡¯s original body looked like. This was just the armor Calgar would always wear. Right now it was acting as a sort of container; inside of it was nothing but his soul essence. He then realized his lack of power.


    ¡°Ugh, I barely have anything huh? Probably explains why I¡¯m a spirit. I¡¯m too weak to maintain a physical form¡­ Ah so my armor is a medium I guess.¡±


    Calgar muttered to himself. ¡°I need more power then. I wonder if people still worship me. But that method will take forever won¡¯t it? This is annoying. Why do I need to work to get power, aren¡¯t I a God?¡±


    As his monologue was continuing he had been completely oblivious to the other person that had been there the entire time. It was a young girl, in her mid-teens. She was slender and well-rounded in all the right places. Her straight hair was dark black and reached down to the middle of her back. Her eyes were a bright emerald green.


    ¡°E-excuse me¡­¡± She said.


    Calgar turned around in surprise. Where did she come from?


    He quickly regained his composure. ¡°Ah, sorry I didn¡¯t think there would be someone there.¡±


    However the girl tilted her head and made a troubled face.


    ¡°What is it, something on my face?¡±


    Little did he know that she couldn¡¯t understand his words.


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    Let¡¯s go back in time a bit.


    Her name was Yumi Nishka and she was 17 years old. She attended a prestigious military school in the country of Ganar, but lately she has been troubled.


    Yumi comes from a noble family of summoners, those who can call upon a spirit and borrow their powers. However, no matter how she tried, she could not summon a familiar. Summoners without familiars were useless. She despaired.


    When people are born, they have at least one of the six attributes, fire, water, earth, wind, light or dark.


    To magic users or mages, for short, this only determines which spells they will have an easier time casting. A mage with the fire attribute can still cast all attributes, but the fire spells will cost less magic to cast and will be more powerful.


    To summoners however it is a completely different story.


    Spirits also come with different attributes, but for a spirit to partner with a summoner with an attribute of any other than their own is like consuming a deadly poison. So for a summoner who has to provide the spirit with magic, they can only have one attribute. Those born with two or more can never be summoners.


    To have only one attribute is actually very uncommon. Yumi was born with no attribute, which was extremely rare. Those with no attribute have ¡®pure¡¯ magic, and any spells they cast would have tremendous power, albeit the cost would be just as high.


    Since she wanted to carry on her family¡¯s tradition of being a summoner, this was a huge problem. While she technically had no attribute that the spirits wouldn¡¯t like, she also didn¡¯t have the attribute of the spirits themselves, making her undesirable. This was the reason she still didn¡¯t have a familiar.


    The school was currently on a break and she was returning to her family¡¯s territory, when she by chance heard something from an old man in the town she was passing through.


    ¡°In the plains to the west lies a statue of an ancient being and surrounding that statue is immense magical energy.¡±


    She knew spirits love magical energy and so she came here hoping to find a partner to call her familiar.


    As she crossed the plain she saw the statue standing proudly. The figure was that of an imposing armored warrior carrying two magnificent swords in each hand.


    When she approached, she could feel the magic pulsing in the area.


    ¡°This amount of magic is amazing. That old man was really telling the truth.¡± She felt that if it was here, she could summon an amazing familiar.


    She started the summoning ritual. Holding her hands in a prayer, she reached her conscious out into the ether where the spirits resided.


    ¡°Is there anyone willing to respond to me?¡± She probed deeper and deeper.


    There were spirits all around, but they either avoided or ignored her. Yumi was disheartened, it was going to end up like all her other attempts.


    Just as she was to about to give up she felt it. A tug, that was ever so subtle.


    ¡°What was that?¡± She tried to find it.


    Then it tugged again, harder this time. ¡°There it is!¡± A mass of amber light, its beauty making her pause in admiration. She had never seen a spirit like this before.


    Then it happened suddenly. While she was lost in thought it rushed at her. Yumi panicked as the light enveloped her conscious. It felt as though her magic was being sucked dry. She quickly left the ether and opened her eyes wide.


    ¡°What in the world was that? I thought it would completely take me over.¡± She said with heavy breaths.


    Then a hand appeared from the ground in front of her and Yumi screamed. She couldn¡¯t take it and her legs lost their strength.


    Following the arm was the head then the torso and finally it stood on the ground. What stood before her was a full suit of silver armor that was glowing the same amber color as the spirit before.


    She could come to only one conclusion. It chased me to the physical world!


    Thoughts of her life up to now passed through her head. She regretted all the things she had left undone. It would¡¯ve been nice if she had seen her family at least once more too.


    Then the spirit¡¯s arm fell off and it hurriedly put it back on. It was¡­ how to say it¡­ a little pitiful. She felt a little sorry for it. It then stared off into the distance, as if it was deep in thought.


    Then Yumi wondered. Maybe it didn¡¯t come to consume me? Wait if I think about it, didn¡¯t I successfully summon a spirit?! What do I do next? Ah yes the contract!


    But the spirit still hadn¡¯t noticed her presence. She decided to call out to it.


    ¡°E-excuse me.¡±


    The armor turned around. While the helmet covered the majority of the face, inside the horizontal slits for the eyes, she could see two brightly colored lights. They behaved just as eyes would as they searched the surroundings and finally settled on her. The armor then it spoke.


    ¡°Ignosce, non esset aliquis cogitet.¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­What is that? I don¡¯t understand anything it said.


    ¡°Quid est quod in faciem meam?¡±


    More gibberish! Even primitive spirits should be able to get a feeling of understanding across! If this keeps up the spirit I finally summoned won¡¯t be able to make a contract with me! Why do the Gods hate me?!


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    The girl yelled. ¡°Why do the Gods hate me?!¡±


    ¡°How can I hate you, I don¡¯t even know who you are.¡±


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    Calgar watched as the girl held her head in her hands. He was still slightly taken aback that he didn¡¯t even sense her presence before. It reminded him of exactly how much of his power he had lost and that his senses had dulled.


    The girl was still in a daze. Well like this we won¡¯t get anywhere. Let¡¯s start with introductions.


    ¡°Hello young lady I¡¯m Calgar, God of War and Valor. Who might you be?¡±


    The girl looked at him, and then thought for a bit. She then pointed at him, then herself and shook her head side to side while shrugging. She then slowly said words and did the same motions as before.


    ¡°I can¡¯t understand you spirit.¡±


    Upon looking at her lips, Calgar noticed she was indeed not speaking the language of the Gods. There was hardly any trace of her soul in her words.


    To be honest it was slightly annoying to his non-existent ears. She sounded quite monotone with no life in her voice. Calgar was able to understand her regardless because he read what little soul power came from the words.


    ¡°While I¡¯m hesitant to use what little power I have, not being able to communicate is no good. It¡¯s a pain but I don¡¯t have a choice.¡±


    Using some of his power, Calgar made it so that his words would be able to be understood by anyone and anything. He then tried again.


    ¡°Young lady, can you understand me now?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I can understand you!¡± she was jumping up and down in joy.


    ¡°Well then let¡¯s start over, I am Cal-.¡±


    ¡°Spirit, thank you for answering my call, forgive me for running away when you approached me in the ether, it¡¯s just that you have a very overwhelming presence. Please, I beseech thee, form a contract with me!¡± She said while bowing.


    Calgar had nothing but complaints to her interruption. But he was a wise and patient God, this much wouldn¡¯t bother him.


    ¡°First would you care to introduce yourself?¡±


    The girl straightened up, embarrassed. ¡°Yes of course, how rude of me. I am Yumi Nishka, third child to the Nishka household and first daughter. I am a summoner who has called you here to ask you to become my familiar. It is my hope that I may borrow your strength.¡±


    ¡°Summoner? You mean I was summoned here by you?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I was searching the ether when I felt your presence and called you forth. However, if you don¡¯t find me to be satisfactory I will send you back immediately.¡± She said dejectedly.


    Calgar was deep in thought. So I was just soul essence floating in the ether. It seems her call was the trigger for me to be able to condense myself to become conscious. That would mean if I go back, then I would just be a mass of energy again, and if that¡¯s the case¡­


    If he could, Calgar would have broken out into a cold sweat. Right now his future hinged on this girl. At the moment he is too weak to stay here himself without her link. He needs to be careful with what he says here.


    He coughed into his hand. ¡°Well let¡¯s not be hasty now. I didn¡¯t say anything about going back did I?¡±


    Yumi sighed in relief. ¡°Oh thank goodness, I was really worried. You are the first spirit I have been able to successfully summon. So will you be willing to contract with me?¡±


    ¡°That depends on what exactly the contract entails.¡±


    ¡°Of course. The contents are that in exchange for lending me a portion of your powers, I will give you a portion of my magical energy for you to grow. If you ever find the energy I have to be inadequate you can break off the contract. ¡±


    ¡°I see. It is a deal that greatly favors the spirit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, after all I¡¯m the one asking you to lend me strength where you don¡¯t technically need mine.¡±


    Spirits were beings that feed off of magical energy. The more energy they absorb, the higher rank a spirit could become.


    For a spirit to rank up by eating the natural energy would take thousands of years. This is where the summoner comes in. By letting the spirit absorb magical energy straight from a living being¡¯s soul, they could grow rapidly, in a little as a few years or decades.


    Calgar peered into the soul of Yumi. She had a vast amount of pure magical energy. He would eventually return to his former strength through natural recovery, but that would take decades, if not centuries. Yumi could provide a good head start though.


    Calgar couldn¡¯t think of a reason to refuse this offer, and as soon as he couldn¡¯t gain any more energy from her, he could always break off the contract.


    ¡°Well, I can¡¯t see any reason to refuse you; therefore I will accept this contract.¡±


    As soon as he finished his sentence, a line of energy connected Yumi to Calgar. He could feel himself connecting to her soul and her energy pouring into him. It felt wonderful, like drinking water after being parched. With this he felt a huge burden lift from him and could feel himself solidify.


    On the opposite end was Yumi who was feeling a vast amount of complex emotions.


    ¡°You¡­ are amazing¡­ I can feel your energy. It¡¯s impossible to describe this feeling¡­ and this is only a portion of your power? How much are you giving me? I can barely control it.¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t given you anything yet though? Well, at least not consciously anyway.¡±


    ¡°What?! How is that¡­ wait, could you by chance be a high ranked spirit?¡± She said with wide eyes.


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not technically a spirit. Sorry for the late introduction, but you did interrupt me earlier. I am Calgar, God of War and Valor.¡±


    The two quietly looked at each other for a while. Finally Yumi spoke.


    ¡°A god?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Like, of the five gods?¡±


    ¡°Yes like of the¡­ wait a moment, what do you mean five gods?¡±


    ¡°The five gods, Auromi, Nighorum, Raylen, Laanex and Measha.¡±


    Calgar was stunned. ¡°Are you sure it¡¯s not six?¡±


    Yumi put a finger to her chin. ¡°Well, some say there was a sixth god, but it isn¡¯t widely accepted.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re kidding me¡­¡±


    Calgar was in shock. How could they have forgotten him? Surely the Iusties still believed in him, right? If they didn¡¯t, Calgar didn¡¯t know if he could handle it.


    It only makes sense that the people would forget a dead god, but he didn¡¯t have to like it.


    Then he thought for a moment. Was he even needed? It should have been thousands of years since he had died and from what he could tell, the world looked like it was doing just fine without him. Would his coming back be a good or bad thing? Without more information, Calgar couldn''t make a decision. So he decided not to press the matter further.


    Yumi spoke. ¡°Are you saying you¡¯re that sixth god?"


    ¡°Ignore what I said earlier about being a god. To make things simple, just treat me like a high ranked spirit.¡±


    Yumi was still a bit confused, but quickly broke into a smile. ¡°Alright! I can¡¯t believe that the spirit I summoned is a high ranked spirit! Mother and Father will be so proud of me!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they will be, but I have a question for you first. What exactly do familiars do?¡± Calgar questioned.


    ¡°Ah, right. Familiars just have to stay close to their summoners and when I need to borrow your power, lend it to me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it? It seems simple enough. Then I will just follow you for now Yumi.¡±


    ¡°Yes, please look after me Calgar.¡±


    The two had started walking towards the town. After a short distance, Yumi turned around to face Calgar.


    ¡°Um, aren¡¯t you going to turn into your spirit form?¡±


    Calgar tilted his head to the side. ¡°But this is my spirit form?¡±


    ¡°No, I mean¡­ other summoner¡¯s familiars disappear into a spirit ball and travel that way. It also minimizes the amount of magic I have to give you to stay linked. If you stay like you are, that will eat up my magic to maintain your form.¡±


    ¡°A spirit form¡­ well, I¡¯ll give it a shot.¡±


    Slowly Calgar¡¯s legs started to disappear. Soon nothing but his helmet remained floating in the air.


    ¡°This seems to be the best I can do.¡± He said while looking to where his body used to be.


    A chill ran down Yumi¡¯s spine. ¡°I know I asked you to do it, but a floating head is creepy so stop it please.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a hard one to please.¡± Calgar rematerialized his body. ¡°You know, about me eating up your magic¡­ I¡¯m using this armor as a medium to stay stabilized, so I don¡¯t need that much magic from you.¡±


    ¡°Really? But I was taught that materializing a spirit consumed a lot of magic power.¡±


    ¡°This armor is taking most of the burden off of you, so you only have to use a little bit of magic to fill in the gaps.¡±


    ¡°Is that how it is? It¡¯s true that I don¡¯t feel you taking that much magic. If that¡¯s the case then that armor is amazing. Actually now that I think about it¡­¡± She looked over to the statue in the distance. ¡°You look almost the same as the statue. Were you perhaps the spirit familiar of someone from the ancient past?¡±


    ¡°No this is the first I¡¯ve been a familiar, but I have been around since long ago.¡±


    ¡°You are just becoming more amazing and mysterious Calgar. I¡¯m truly blessed to have you.¡±


    ¡°Well then, I¡¯ll be sure to meet your expectations.¡±


    The two continued walking off in the direction of the town, preparing to depart to the Nishka territory.

 Chapter 2 - Meeting the Nishkas

    Chapter 2


    The town near the statue of Calgar was called Torben. From there Yumi and Calgar passed south through Yvelt and arrived at the lord city of Niskha.


    They had taken a city to city carriage that could hold up to 50 people. Many curious eyes were on Calgar, as his appearance made him stand out quite a bit.


    It wasn¡¯t until evening that they finally reached the Nishka mansion gates. The gates were at least 20 feet tall and atop each one were four golden colored spheres.


    Next to the gate was a small box with a button on it. Yumi went over and pressed it. Suddenly a pale picture was on the box and the image of a woman in her thirties with her hair in a bun was shown.


    Yumi said. ¡°Good evening Evelin, I¡¯ve returned home.¡±


    ¡°Lady Yumi, welcome home. Please wait as I will be there to escort you inside momentarily.¡± Evelin replied.


    The image disappeared and Yumi walked back to the gate where Calgar was waiting.


    ¡°That is an interesting device.¡± Calgar commented. ¡°It seems to send an image to a corresponding unit, but why do you not just do it yourself?¡±


    ¡°Do it myself you say¡­ it is too complex for a person to be able to do it, and it would take too much magical energy. It just isn¡¯t feasible.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Yumi sighed.  ¡°I get the feeling that it wouldn¡¯t be anything special for a spirit like you though.¡±


    More like to Calgar, it was a common occurrence during the war. All races were capable of doing it, and it made sharing information during a battle simple.


    It started to dawn on Calgar that magic technique had dropped sharply from the past, which greatly confused him. If the other five Gods were still around this shouldn¡¯t have happened.


    As he was lost in thought, the gates in front of them started to open, and the maid Evelin could be seen walking down the path towards them. She stopped a short distance away and bowed slightly in an elegant manner.


    ¡°Once again, welcome home Lady Yumi.¡± It was then she noticed Calgar behind her. ¡°Who might this be?¡± Her eyes scanned up and down his unusual body.


    With a bright smile, Yumi grandly gestured to Calgar. ¡°This is my spirit familiar Calgar.¡±


    It took a moment for the maid to register Yumi¡¯s words. When she did a small tear ran down her cheek.


    ¡°You have finally found one then Lady Yumi. The Master and Madam will no doubt be delighted. Come let us inform them of this wondrous news immediately.¡±


    She then turned to Calgar and bowed slightly to him. ¡°Thank you Spirit, you have the gratitude of the entire Nishka household for granting the young Lady¡¯s dream.¡±


    Calgar lightly waved his hand. ¡°I have my reasons for contracting with her. It is nothing so noble. But if my goals end up granting her dream, then that wouldn¡¯t be bad either.¡±


    Yumi interjected. ¡°Please stop you two, this is embarrassing.¡±


    Evelin guided the two down the walk toward the front door. Flanking the walk were neatly trimmed bushes and a multitude of colorful flowers.


    As they entered through the giant double doors, ten maids and a man and a woman were waiting. The maids all bowed and the man and woman approached them.


    ¡°Yumi, my baby girl, Papa missed you so much!¡± Said the man.


    ¡°Father, it is good to see you well. Of course, you too mother.¡± Yumi said with a smile.


    ¡°Yumi welcome home.¡± Replied the woman.


    The man was Fredrick Nishka, the current Lord of the Nishka territory and also the father of Yumi. He was a tall man, with light brown hair that was swept to the side. His green eyes had been passed to his daughter, but they were a darker shade than hers.


    Behind him was his wife, Minna Nishka and Yumi¡¯s mother. She had the same long black hair as Yumi, but it was tied into an elegant single braid. Her figure was stylish and would make any woman jealous of her proportions. She had crystal-like blue eyes that seemed to draw you in.


    Suddenly Fredrick stopped in his tracks. ¡°Yumi¡­ that behind you, could it possibly be¡­?¡±


    ¡°Father, this is Calgar, my spirit familiar.¡±


    ¡°Spirit¡­ Familiar¡­¡± He said softly. He then turned to his wife. ¡°Minna, she said familiar! My daughter finally contracted a familiar!¡± He laughed excitedly. ¡°Everyone prepare a feast, tonight is a wonderful night!¡±


    ¡°¡°¡°Yes!¡±¡±¡± Replied all the maids as they hurried off to prepare.


    Fredrick turned back to Yumi. ¡°Since when did you contract him?¡±


    ¡°It was actually on my way home. I had stopped in Torben and went to the old statue outside of town. That¡¯s where I was able to summon him.¡±


    Minna looked Calgar over. ¡°He looks like a very powerful spirit. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen one quite like him before.¡±


    Fredrick agreed. ¡°You¡¯re right he does look strong. What attribute is he Yumi?¡±


    ¡°Attribute? He¡¯s um¡­ well actually I don¡¯t know.¡± She admitted.


    ¡°Normally it would be the attribute you¡¯re born with but since you don¡¯t have one I was curious as to what attribute the spirit you would contract with would have.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true. We can just ask him though. Hey Calgar, what attribute are you?¡±


    Calgar had only been half listening this entire time. He was busy looking around the house. When Yumi called his name it brought him back to the topic.


    ¡°My attribute you ask? It¡¯s all of them of course.¡±


    The three people there looked at him with dumbfounded faces. All of them? That¡¯s impossible they thought.


    ¡°Apparently he¡¯s quite the joker. I¡¯ll just summon Seren and have her check.¡± Fredrick said. He closed his eyes and said. ¡°Seren in the name of the contract, manifest before me!¡±


    A light blue ball of water appeared in front of him, its diameter roughly five feet. Appearing from the top of the water ball was the upper half of a woman also made from water. Seren opened her black eyes and playfully brushed aside her watery bangs.


    ¡°I have answered your call Master.¡± She said in a low but soothing voice.


    Seren was one of the highest ranked water spirits who has been passed down through the Nishka family for generations.


    Powerful spirits who agreed to be inherited by their contractors children, would reside in an object made from soul stone. These objects have the ability to house a spirit¡¯s essence and would be passed from parent to child.


    ¡°Thank you Seren. My daughter has finally contracted her very own familiar, so I¡¯d like you two to be acquainted and could you also tell us his attribute?¡±


    ¡°Oh the little one finally found someone huh? I wonder who it¡­ is¡­¡± Seren¡¯s eyes opened wide at the site of Calgar. ¡°It¡­ can¡¯t be¡­ but¡­¡±


    ¡°Greetings Seren, I am Calgar. I hope to be able to get along with you as a fellow familiar.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Ah¡­ yes, I hope to get along as well¡­¡±


    Fredrick asked Seren again. ¡°So can you tell us his attribute? Earlier he joked about it being all of them.¡±


    Seren looked at Fredrick then to Calgar. ¡°Well, he isn¡¯t lying though¡­ he does have them all.¡± Everyone was stunned by her words. ¡°After all, he is The Go-.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a very high ranked spirit.¡± Calgar immediately cut Seren off.


    She was baffled to his statement, but his tone demanded that she keep quiet.


    Fredrick was silent for a bit then said. ¡°I knew it. I knew our daughter was blessed by the Gods! As a father and a Lord, I couldn¡¯t be happier.¡± He hugged his daughter tightly.


    Minna walk to them and hugged Yumi from behind. ¡°You¡¯re not the only one Dear. I too am proud of her.¡±


    ¡°Alright let¡¯s get to that feast! You can tell me all about school and the contract!¡± Fredrick looked back to Seren and Calgar as he led his wife and daughter to the dining room. ¡°Seren feel free to stay materialized, after all it¡¯s a special day!¡± He laughed.


    The family had left the two spirits at the entrance.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Well then.¡± Calgar said as he turned to Seren. ¡°It appears you recognize me.¡±


    Seren humbly bowed her upper body. ¡°Yes, it is an honor to be in your presence War God.¡±


    Seren was an ancient spirit who was alive during the time the Gods were still walking among the mortals. She would never forget the unique and unreachable energy the Gods possessed. He may look a little different, but it was impossible to mistake that this entity in front of her was none other than the old God of War and Valor.


    She hesitated but then said. ¡°However¡­ we all thought that you¡­¡±


    ¡°Died? I thought the same and yet here I am.¡± He stated. ¡°But more importantly I have questions for you.¡±


    ¡°If I can possibly grant you that which you seek, by all means ask of me anything.¡±


    Seren had been bowing this entire time. It would draw attention if it lasted any longer so he asked her to stop.


    ¡°Seren, right now I am nothing but a high ranked spirit. Be more casual when speaking and stop bowing already.¡±


    ¡°To do such a thing-!¡± She was about to continue when she felt his aura change. If she insisted any further than this¡­ she felt she would definitely regret it. ¡°As you wish, I will call you¡­ Calgar.¡±


    ¡°Good girl.¡± Calgar said while patting her head.


    Even though Seren was ancient, all beings were but children in Calgar¡¯s eyes. He gave off the impression of a father praising his daughter. Seren had worn a happy smile the entire time she was petted as well.


    ¡°Now, about my questions¡­ how long has it been since the war? Ah, yes and from now on use soul speaking.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡± Seren changed her way of speaking to include her soul energy. It was the language of the Gods.


    ¡°It has been 1,003,678 years since the end of the war and your death.¡±


    ¡°So the war ended with my death. What happened after that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not too clear on the details, but the other five Gods left the planet taking all of their servants and weapons with them. Since then, no one has heard or seen them. However, there are people who still receive their blessings or become their champions. So I assume they are watching us from somewhere?¡± Seren said, a little unsure.


    ¡°They left the planet? That explains quite a few things for me actually, mainly the reason that magic seems to have digressed.¡±


    ¡°It is as you say. After the Gods left, the races grew negligent and started to forget how to perform the techniques the Gods had shown them. Not to mention, the races had started to breed with others not of their own race, creating half races. These half races couldn¡¯t use the magic of their parent races and it quickly snowballed into the current state. There are very few of the pure blooded origin races left.¡±


    ¡°¡­ Then the Iusties and the rest¡­¡±


    ¡°Almost extinct I¡¯m afraid.¡± Seren said this with a sigh.


    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m guessing the other Gods approved of this?¡±


    ¡°Who knows¡­¡±


    The two were quiet until Calgar broke the silence with a small cough.


    ¡°Well, I have only one more question for now. Are summoners possessing spirits as old as you common?¡±


    ¡°No, it is very rare. Most spirits who existed before the war refuse to be a familiar and insist that only the Gods may call upon their service. Most summoners have contracted spirits created after. I have been wondering this from before, but why do you insist on hiding your identity?¡± Seren asked. She was truly curious about this matter.


    ¡°Seren, the reason I want to hide my identity is simple. What do the people know about the Gods?¡± He asked.


    Seren put a finger to her chin. ¡°If I recall, most think that we were unworthy so the Gods left us and are waiting until the day we can prove ourselves to them.¡±


    ¡°I also heard that they only think there are five Gods too.¡±


    Seren¡¯s face warped to displeasure. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine Seren. By all rights I should have died. This is my dilemma. Should a dead God come back and meddle with affairs he doesn¡¯t understand? I know nothing of how the world changed in my absence. I even thought that my brothers and sisters still walked among us. Besides I¡¯m sure you sensed it haven¡¯t you? I¡¯ve lost almost all of my power. If not for Yumi, I would still be nothing but soul essence trapped in the ether. So until I gain back my former strength, I am Calgar, high ranked spirit.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I understand. Then until the day you choose to be Calgar, God of War and Valor, I will treat you as an equal¡­ Big Brother.¡± She smiled mischievously at the last words.


    ¡°What?¡± Calgar was taken aback.


    Still smiling, Seren added. ¡°Or maybe¡­ Father would be better? After all, we spirits are just one big family. Age and rank are important in our pecking order. So which will it be?¡±


    Calgar just stared at her. "Something tells me you won''t give this up, will you?"


    Seren shook her head. "Nope."


    Finally he turned his head to the side and said quietly. ¡°I prefer Big Brother.¡±


    The entrance was filled with the sounds of Seren¡¯s laughter.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Stolen novel; please report.


    Fredrick, Minna, and Yumi were seated at the large dining table. Atop it was a vast assortment of food and drinks. There were three other people seated among them.


    First was Gerard. He was the first son and was already in his mid-twenties. He was well built and had brown hair and green eyes like his father.


    Next was Ivan, the second son. Like his mother he had black hair and blue eyes, and had a slim build. He was 19 and had graduated from the same military school Yumi currently attended.


    The last person was Reinhardt. He was Fredrick¡¯s father and the grandfather to the three children. He had white hair and a long beard. Green eyes peeked out from his drooping eyelids.


    The family was currently discussing the latest news.


    Gerard said. ¡°So my little sister finally becomes a full-fledged summoner. I always knew you had it in you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re full of crap. Didn¡¯t you say she should just give it up and marry into a noble house?¡± Shot back Ivan.


    ¡°What did you say you little brat?!¡±


    With an icy glare Minna said. ¡°Boys quiet down.¡±


    The two quickly behaved themselves.


    Reinhardt stroked his beard. ¡°The prime of your life is now starting Yumi. The trials and adventures that only summoners can experience is about to begin. Brace yourself for it, my granddaughter.¡±


    Yumi said cheerfully. ¡°Yes grandfather!¡±


    Ivan asked. ¡°I know that you just met your spirit today, but what is he like?¡±


    He was a summoner as well and was curious.


    ¡°Well, he is a very tall spirit, who is covered with magnificent silver armor. Like a knight you would find in fairy tales. He is also kind as far as I can tell and I think he values respect more than most.¡± Yumi explained.


    ¡°He sounds pretty cool to me. Hey after dinner let¡¯s have a mock battle in the training room!¡±


    Their father interjected. ¡°Ivan, your sister has only contracted the spirit today and I¡¯m sure she is tired from the trip.¡±


    The grandfather supported the children. ¡°Why not let Yumi do it if she¡¯s up for it? I would be interested in watching as well.¡±


    Fredrick looked to Reinhardt. ¡°Father¡­¡±


    Yumi stopped Fredrick. ¡°It is fine Father; I too wish to experience what it is like for summoners to battle. It will also help me to understand Calgar as well.¡±


    Ivan exclaimed. ¡°Alright then let¡¯s head there right away!¡±


    After finishing eating, the family returned to the entrance and found Calgar and Seren talking with each other.


    Seren asked. ¡°Eras, in nostra aetate et dignitate et ordine. Et quod ita sit?¡±


    Calgar just stared at her. Finally he turned his head to the side and said quietly. ¡°Magnus frater, ego magis.¡±


    Seren then burst into laughter, while Calgar looked annoyed.


    Fredrick said. ¡°It seems the two of you are getting along just fine.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I don¡¯t believe there will be any problems at all.¡± Seren said with a smirk.


    ¡°Yumi, he¡¯s way cooler than what you described! I¡¯m a little jealous!¡± Ivan said.


    Calgar inquired. ¡°Yumi, these three are¡­?¡±


    ¡°These are my brothers, Gerard and Ivan. This is my grandfather Reinhardt. Calgar, Ivan would like to do a mock battle with me. Would you be willing to lend me your strength?¡± She asked.


    ¡°A mock battle you say¡­ It¡¯s fine with me. I¡¯m curious on how we will fight together.¡±


    Fredrick asked a question that had been on his mind. ¡°Yumi how long has Calgar been materialized?¡±


    ¡°Since this afternoon, why?¡±


    Fredrick was shocked. ¡°How is that possible? It takes lots of control and concentration to keep them here. Not to put you down sweetie, but for a novice like you that should be impossible.¡±


    Seren cut in. ¡°Actually Master, for Calgar it is a simple feat. You see, he too is an ancient spirit like myself. However if we were to compare our ages, to him I¡¯m still only a child. Right Big Brother?¡±


    Calgar glared at Seren for a minute but soon answered. ¡°Yes I am older than Seren. I can make the burden to stay materialized on your daughter to be negligent.¡±


    The family burst into murmurs. ¡°She said she is younger than him.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t that make him super powerful?!¡± ¡°She called him Big Brother¡­ I¡¯m jealous¡­¡± ¡°My, with this Yumi¡¯s safety is assured.¡±


    ¡°Aw yeah! Now I¡¯m super fired up! Let¡¯s hurry up and get this mock battle started!¡± Ivan threw his fist into the air.


    Everyone entered into the training room. This room was coated in a magical barrier, which prevented damage from attacks. It was here that the Nishka family would practice their battle techniques without worry of damaging the mansion.


    Ivan crossed the room and was situated on the far end, while Yumi and Calgar went opposite of him.


    ¡°Come forth my spirit, I request your powers!¡± Ivan shouted.


    From the earth, a giant boulder appeared. From it emerged a humanoid figure made of stone. In place of eyes were shining rubies. It was Ivan¡¯s spirit, Ugok.


    ¡°Yo Boss! If you¡¯ve called me I guess we are about to throw down with someone, yeah? Point me at ¡®em!¡±


    Ugok had just as much energy as his master it seemed. Truly they were the perfect match for each other.


    Fredrick had stepped in between his two children. ¡°Alright you two, I will be the judge for this match. For Yumi¡¯s sake I will explain a few things. First is that summoners have three ways of fighting. One is to borrow the spirit¡¯s power without materializing them. Another is to summon the spirit and command them to fight. Lastly is to summon your spirit and fight alongside them. The last one is the most difficult, but is the ultimate goal for summoners.¡±


    Fredrick turned to Yumi. ¡°Normally it is easier to just borrow the power of the spirit, but that requires you to know the spirits magic and skills. Since you have only just met Calgar, this battle will be one of commanding the spirits to fight. The summoners are forbidden to interfere. Do both parties agree to the terms?¡±


    ¡°¡°I accept.¡±¡± Both children replied.


    ¡°Victory conditions are the incapacitation of the opponent¡¯s spirit. Are you ready?¡±


    Fredrick raised his hand into the air. Ivan and Ugok got into a battle stance, and Yumi clenched her fists. Only Calgar stood there with his arms crossed in a relaxed manner.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    ¡°Alright, Ugok prepare to use [Rock Barrage]!¡±


    ¡°Roger Boss!¡±


    On the other side of the field, Yumi wasn¡¯t sure what to do.


    Calgar walked in front of her and looked back. ¡°Your orders Yumi.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Ah, r-right¡­ for now¡­ um¡­ prepare to defend?¡± She was completely unsure of her instructions.


    This didn¡¯t escape Calgar¡¯s notice. It told him that Yumi was a complete novice in terms of battle experience.


    For now however he intended to only follow her orders to the letter and take as little improvised action as possible. In this way, even if by himself he could defeat the enemy, if Yumi herself didn¡¯t realize her errors she would never grow.


    ¡°Very well then. [Cogita].¡± Calgar¡¯s armor shined a little brighter than before.


    ¡°Take this, [Rock Barrage]!¡± Ugok¡¯s arm changed into a cannon and shot out multiple rocks at Calgar.


    But Calgar just stood there. When the rocks collided with his armor, they made a metallic clanking noise. Before anyone realized it, the rocks were flying straight back to their source.


    ¡°What the?! Ugok evade it!¡± Shouted Ivan.


    ¡°Uwaaah!¡± Ugok dived to the right as the rocks flew past and crashed into the wall.


    Yumi was stunned. ¡°Wow, amazing.¡± Then she noticed that Calgar was silently looking back to her again. ¡°Oh! That¡¯s right, can¡¯t space out here¡­ Alright Calgar! Let¡¯s see¡­ I know! Follow up with a ranged ability!¡±


    Calgar thought to himself. Not bad, but still too vague for an order. Let¡¯s use the earth attribute and see if she notices.


    He held his hand in front of him, aiming at Ugok. ¡°Understood. [Percussit Petram].¡±


    A large rock, the size of a man, was torn from the ground and launched with terrifying speed at Ugok.


    This time he wasn¡¯t able to dodge, and was struck with a direct hit. The rock shattered on impact and sent Ugok tumbling on the ground.


    ¡°Ugok! Are you alright?!¡± Asked Ivan.


    Ugok rose to his feet but was still a little unsteady. ¡°I¡¯m fine Boss. It will take more than that to bring me out of the fight.¡±


    Calgar was a little impressed. To be able to take a hit from that and still get up is splendid. Even if that was the weakest of the earth attribute spells, it¡¯s no joke coming from him.


    On the sideline, the rest of the family had been watching with amazed expressions.


    Minna and Gerard were commentating to each other while watching and sharing their opinions. Reinhardt was a little bit away, standing next to Seren. Unlike his grandson and daughter-in-law, He had a serious expression.


    ¡°Seren, Those spells that he is using¡­ What are those?¡± Reinhardt asked without looking at her.


    Seren sighed at the fact Calgar, whether he realized it or not, was being conspicuous. But she did know that, even if he tried, he probably wasn¡¯t even capable of using modern day magic anyways.


    Why? It was simple. Calgar had a minimum output of magic he could do and couldn¡¯t go lower than that. The strongest of modern magic would barely reach above the lowest grade of God magic.


    ¡°He¡¯s using ancient magic. The language used to invoke it is called soul speaking. It¡¯s the language of the Gods.¡± She explained.


    Reinhardt¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°This is God magic?!¡±


    ¡°Yes, though it is of the lowest grade. It seems he is going easy on Ugok.¡±


    ¡°Unbelievable¡­ Were you capable of such magic as well Seren?¡±


    She thought for a bit before answering. ¡°Technically, yes I can use it. However with Master¡¯s magic, it would be one spell of the lowest grade and it would leave him exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Then for Yumi to be fine¡­¡±


    ¡°Calgar is perfect at managing consumption of magic power. He will have no wasted emissions while casting spells. I said it before didn¡¯t I? To him I am just an immature little girl.¡±


    ¡°My granddaughter has gotten ahold of quite the spirit. It worries me though. Those with great power are often targeted by those with malicious intent.¡±


    ¡°Well, I agree that it probably wouldn¡¯t hurt to keep an eye on them.¡±


    Back at the match, Ugok had been thrown around by Calgar¡¯s attacks.


    Ivan¡¯s magic was low and he could feel that at any minute Ugok would dematerialize. Therefore he made the decision to play his trump card.


    ¡°Ugok, it¡¯s all or nothing! Hit them with our trump!¡± He commanded.


    ¡°Aye Aye!¡± Ugok thrust an arm into the ground and shouted. ¡°Unleashing my Ultimate attack! [Earthquake]!¡±


    The ground trembled and shook. Cracks opened up and headed to Calgar.


    He turned around. ¡°Yumi, orders!¡±


    Yumi could barely keep her balance. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do! Reading books about battles and the real thing are too different!¡±


    Calgar inwardly sighed. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll handle it this time.¡±


    He raised an arm and with a single phrase, snapped his fingers. ¡°[Aqua Fons].¡±


    Underneath Ugok a fountain of water launched him into the air. This time, being an attribute he was weak to, the attack did a considerable amount of extra damage.


    When Ugok hit the ground he broke apart and dissolved into thin air. He had dematerialized.


    Fredrick raised his hand and pointed it to Yumi. ¡°This match¡¯s winner is Yumi and Calgar!¡±


    ¡°No way, to think our trump was beaten¡­ I have completely lost.¡± Ivan was breathing hard and sat down to catch his breath. That last attack he and Ugok pulled off drained him of a lot of magic.


    ¡°We won! Calgar, we won!¡± Yumi was jumping up and down.


    He walked up and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Yumi calm down. While it is true we were the victors, there were a lot of problems during the match.¡±


    Yumi calmed down. ¡°Y-you¡¯re right I got carried away. My performance was completely unacceptable.¡±


    Minna walked up clapping her hands. ¡°Well done you two. That was a very exciting battle. However it has grown late so I think it¡¯s a good time for everyone to head to bed.¡±


    Everyone agreed and left the training room. But before Calgar and Yumi left, Seren stopped them.


    ¡°Hey Yumi, since Calgar doesn¡¯t need sleep and I¡¯m sure it would be awkward to have him in your room, do you mind lending him to me?¡±


    ¡°Not at all Seren. He¡¯s all yours. I¡¯ll see you in the morning Calgar. At that time, please teach me what I could have done better during today¡¯s match.¡±


    Calgar nodded to her and Yumi left. It was then that Fredrick and Reinhardt both came to them with serious expressions on their faces.


    ¡°Calgar, we need to talk.¡±

 Chapter 3 - The Celestial Realm

    Chapter 3


    ---Back a few hours, right before Calgar¡¯s resurrection---


    In a grand looking temple, sitting on an altar, was a young woman.


    With half closed eyes she said. ¡°I¡¯m bored¡­¡±


    The woman had long black hair, within it shone the starry night sky. In her blackish red pupils one could see the galaxy. On the side of her head were a total of four long fluffy, deer-like ears that lazily drooped down. She wore a black dress that covered her neck and cutoff at the knees. Two slits on the sides allowed ease of movement while still hiding what¡¯s underneath. On both arms was shoulder-less sleeves that became a little baggy at the wrists. Belts tightly wrapped around her upper arms and in a cross shape at her waist, keeping everything in place.


    The doors to the temple opened and in entered another woman who could be said to be the complete opposite of the first. She wore the same clothes, but instead of black, they were white. Her hair was a mixture of a golden sheen and a soft blue, as if looking at the sun in the sky. Her eyes shined a golden orange as she looked upon the woman lazing at the altar.


    ¡°Luna I know you¡¯re bored but at least sit up straight like a proper woman.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying Sol.¡± Said Luna, as she lay down on her side.


    These twins were the servants of a God. Or at least they were until he died in the last war. They had served Calgar as both his faithful servants and his greatest weapons. The two of them had the unique ability to transform into swords that could only be wielded by their master. They were living weapons.


    With the end of the war and the signing of the Pact of the Gods, they too were taken from the planet to live in the Celestial Realm. Out of all the Gods, Calgar only had them as his servants that he created.


    ¡°Hey Sol¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Is a life without Master worth living?¡±


    Sol visibly stiffened at her sister¡¯s words. Both of them were created for the sake of their Master. They loved and respected him more than life itself. When he had died, they were devastated. For a few hundred years they lived in denial that he died, believing that he would one day come back. After a thousand years they had lost hope. They kept to themselves in the Celestial Realm and the other Gods and servants respected their space.


    Sol answered Luna¡¯s question honestly. ¡°No, it isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I thought so.¡±


    The two looked at each other.


    Then Luna asked. ¡°Should we just end it? Maybe we will end up wherever Master has gone.¡±


    ¡°I would never advocate suicide. We must treasure the life Master bestowed upon us.¡± Sol said with no conviction.


    Luna sighed and rolled on her back. ¡°¡­ I¡¯m bored¡­¡±


    ¡°Luna, I said it before sit up like a proper-?!¡±


    Sol stopped her sentence short. Her ears twitched as she stared off into space. Luna looked over to her with a confused face.


    ¡°Hey Sol, what¡¯s wron-?!¡±


    Luna¡¯s ears also perked up as she sat up straight. Finally the two looked at each other and showed the brightest smiles in over a million years.


    ¡°Hey Sol¡­¡± ¡°Hey Luna¡­¡±


    ¡°¡°You felt that right?¡±¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In another temple, there was a figure that sat a behind a desk. Adorning his head were four vicious looking horns, two pointing forward and two pointing behind. His face was covered with a sinister mask made from bone. Behind that mask were two unholy green orbs for eyes. He was dressed in a robe as dark as night.


    Currently he was looking over piles of documents. ¡°So many prayers, so little time¡­¡± He muttered to himself.


    Suddenly the door burst open and a figure came rushing in. ¡°Nighorum, my liege, there is urgent news!¡±


    Nighorum, God of Death and Hate, looked up from the papers. ¡°To come now of all times¡­ Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy here?¡±


    The servant took a deep breath to calm him down and then reported the news. ¡°Sol and Luna have returned to the planet.¡±


    The pen Nighorum was writing with dropped from his hand and rolled onto the floor.


    He then stood up and in a loud voice, shouted. ¡°WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!¡±


    The servant, door, and wall behind him, was blown away with that shout. The servant crawled out from the rubble and continued to talk.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t think much of it since the pact stated that we couldn¡¯t interfere with the planet, but they were somehow able to leave.¡±


    Nighorum smashed his desk into pieces, sending papers flying everywhere. ¡°Damn! Since the Gods signed the Pact, their servants were bound by default as well, but we overlooked those two!¡±


    He started pacing back and forth. ¡°But why would they leave now? Surely they didn¡¯t only think of this now of all times¡­ There must be another reason¡­¡±


    ¡°About that my liege¡­¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯re still here? If you have more to say, then spit it out already!¡±


    ¡°Before they left they said, ¡®Our Master is waiting for us.¡¯¡±


    Nighorum froze upon his servant¡¯s words. Their Master was Calgar, but he was dead. Nighorum painfully recalled the past. He of all people knew that Calgar was gone. It shouldn¡¯t have been possible to survive a strike from his soul reaping scythe, even if they were a God.


    He rubbed his brow. Thinking about this by myself is pointless. There is only one thing to do right now.


    ¡°Summon the Gods to the round table. Tell them it¡¯s of the utmost importance.¡±


    The servant nodded vigorously and ran off. Nighorum walked over the broken wall and through the entrance to his temple, heading for the Sky Dome. It was there, where the Gods made decisions that would affect everyone.


    He was the first to arrive. In the center of the room was a large marble table. Around it were six luxurious chairs. Why six? Because the other Gods agreed that while Calgar was no longer with them physically, that doesn¡¯t mean he should be forgotten.


    "Even though the damn mortals have." He muttered to himself.


    Nighorum sat at his chair, folded his hands and waited for the others. It wasn¡¯t long before a woman with peerless beauty and gorgeous silver hair entered the room. It was Auromi. She was wrapped in a soft pink and semi-transparent dress. Her purple eyes scanned the room and fixed on Nighorum.


    ¡°What is it this time? For you of all people to call it urgent¡­¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll explain when the rest arrive.¡±


    She sighed and took the seat opposite from him. ¡°Fine. Guess I¡¯ll have to wait.¡±


    Next to enter was a creature one might mistake for a plant. Her body resembled a human woman, but her skin was made of a smooth bark. Wrapped around her chest were huge leaves and around her waist, a grass skirt. She brushed her long leafy hair, which resembled Lamb¡¯s ear to the side, revealing her muddy brown eyes.


    Auromi said. ¡°Good to see you Raylen.¡±


    ¡°Mm, you too.¡± She replied lazily as she took her seat.


    ¡°And with us arriving that makes everyone present.¡± A man and woman entered together.


    The man had brown hair with bangs that covered his eyes. He had a slim build, but by no means looked to be weak. He was dressed in a grey suit with a black tie.


    The woman had blonde hair and green eyes. While she could be considered pretty, she paled in comparison to Auromi. She was the tallest among everyone here, the next being Nighorum, who was still a good two feet shorter.


    ¡°Laanex, Measha, take a seat and I¡¯ll get started.¡± Once everyone was seated they all turned to Nighorum, who had called this meeting.


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    ¡°A little while ago, one of my servants reported to me that Sol and Luna have returned to the planet.¡±


    ¡°Oh my¡­¡± ¡°How could that be?¡± ¡°Troublesome.¡±


    The Gods had been surprised by this news.


    Measha exclaimed. ¡°This is bad; we have to bring them back immediately!¡±


    Nighorum stopped her. ¡°I¡¯m not finished yet. While they left, they also said something along the lines of ¡®Our Master is waiting for us.¡¯ I¡¯m sure I don¡¯t have to explain what this means.¡±


    The Gods immediately became quiet. Suddenly Auromi stood up in her chair.


    ¡°Is Calgar still Alive?! Is he? Answer me Nighorum!¡± She shouted.


    Laanex interjected. ¡°Calm down Auromi, and let him explain. We are all curious after all.¡±


    Auromi stared at Nighorum for a while, and then sat back down and let him continue.


    ¡°At this point I can¡¯t confirm, nor deny if he is alive, but¡­ If anyone would be the first to know, it would be those two.¡±


    Raylen spoke up. ¡°Need a plan.¡±


    Laanex added. ¡°Right, that¡¯s the real problem here. The Pact ties our hands in this case. We swore not to interfere with the planet after all.¡±


    ¡°Bigger problem.¡± Raylen said.


    Measha asked. ¡°And what would that be Raylen?¡±


    ¡°Calgar.¡±


    Everyone understood what she meant by that. If Calgar was indeed somehow alive, he would be the only God on the planet. If left unchecked, he would be unopposed to do whatever he wanted, and while those here didn¡¯t believe that Calgar would do something like that, it was better to be safe than sorry.


    The Gods wracked their brains for a plan. Then Auromi suggested something.


    ¡°What if we named some mortal champions and have them act as a go between for us? Once we find them, then we can figure out how to bring them back. How does that sound?¡±


    The Gods debated and reached a conclusion.


    ¡°It really looks like we have no other choice here. We will go with Auromi¡¯s plan. Each of us will name a champion in a different continent and search for Luna, Sol, and if he¡¯s alive, Calgar as well. They should stand out like sore thumbs. Once we find them immediately tell the others. With that this discussion is closed.¡± Nighorum said.


    Laanex, Raylen and Measha left the room. Only Nighorum and Auromi were left sitting at the table.


    ¡°Nighorum¡­ do you really think he¡¯s alive?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I don¡¯t know¡­¡±


    While all the Gods had been affected by Calgar¡¯s death, it was these two that had it the hardest. They were the one whose life was saved and the one who took the savior¡¯s life.


    Nighorum shifted in his seat. ¡°Auromi you don¡¯t still¡­ have feelings for him do you?¡±


    ¡°Of course I do. That day he not only saved my life, but snatched away my heart.¡± It was an immediate answer.


    Auromi had fallen deeply in love with Calgar after he died. Even though she was the Goddess of Life and Love, she had never truly experienced love for herself. His final act of valor and his dignified appearance even on death¡¯s door was burned brightly into her memories. Whenever she thought of him, it felt as if her heart was aflame.


    She stood up from her seat. ¡°If my wish has come true and he has returned, I will do all in my power to bring him home. And when I finally have him within my grasp¡­¡± She put her hands on her redden cheeks and closed her eyes. ¡°I will share every bit of this built up passion with him.¡±


    Nighorum covered his face with his hands. ¡°This Goddess¡­¡±


    Auromi gave a small cough. ¡°Oh my, how embarrassing of me. Well, then I shall take my leave and begin the search immediately. Until next time Nighorum.¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Nighorum watched her leave, and then stood up himself. ¡°Calgar, if you¡¯re out there¡­ watch your back brother. She¡¯s got you in her sights.¡± He said to himself and left the building.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    As the sun was setting in the sky, the surroundings of a lone statue on a plain grew dark, when suddenly at its base shone a bright light. A bright circle seven meters tall appeared and illuminated the surroundings. It was a portal from the Celestial Realm, and the two figures emerging from it were the twin sisters Luna and Sol.


    Luna shouted as she exited. ¡°Master I¡¯m here!¡±


    ¡°Luna, don¡¯t shout so loud.¡± Sol said as she exited.


    But there was no one around.


    Luna looked around. ¡°Where is he? I can¡¯t find him anywhere.¡±


    Sol knelt and touched the soft grass. ¡°He was definitely here though. I can feel the residual energy.¡±


    Luna imitated her sister. ¡°You¡¯re right. Ah, if only our link was stronger, we could immediately tell where he is.¡±


    The sisters shared a link with Calgar that connected their souls together. It had vanished when he died, but the sister had felt it weakly re-establish itself back in the temple.


    It was proof to them that he had come back.


    But right now it was too weak to tell them anything other than he was alive.


    ¡°Sol, use that nose you¡¯re so proud of and sniff him out.¡±


    Sol glared at Luna. ¡°Do I look like a hunting dog to you?! Besides we need to track his magic, not his smell. Geez.¡±


    Luna nudged her sister. ¡°So you admit you could track him by smell?¡±


    ¡°Luna!¡±


    The two quarreled for a while. Finally they settled down and got serious.


    They closed their eyes and searched for their Master¡¯s magic trace.


    Sol¡¯s ears twitched in response to her find. ¡°I have it. It seems he went in that direction.¡± She pointed off in the direction of Torben.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s head out then. The sooner we find him the better.¡±


    Sol grabbed Luna¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Where do you think you are going looking like that? We need to be prudent here and not cause any unnecessary trouble for Master.¡±


    Luna grimaced in response. ¡°That¡¯s a pain in the rear. Why do we have to do that?¡±


    Sol covered her eyes with her free hand. ¡°Did you forget about the Pact of the Gods? Technically we shouldn¡¯t even be here! In fact they are probably really mad at us right about now¡­¡±


    Luna shrugged. ¡°Not our problem Sis. But alright, I get it. No trouble for Master is the best. We just don¡¯t have to stand out right?¡±


    Luna changed her hair to a plain black color and her eyes to a ruby red.


    ¡°Good enough?¡±


    Sol changed her hair to a solid blonde and her eyes to a bright blue.


    ¡°Yes, with that we should be good.¡±


    They were about to set off when the sight of the statue caught their eyes. Both stared at it for a while before heading to Torben.


    Luna turned to Sol while they walked. ¡°Brings back memories, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    Sol softly closed her eyes. ¡°Yes. Back then I thought we would always be by his side.¡±


    Luna smiled. ¡°Cheer up, now we can all be together again, just like it should be.¡±


    Sol smiled back. ¡°You¡¯re right, together as a family once more. Well, maybe Master could do without a troublemaker like you though.¡±


    Luna feigned despair. ¡°How horrible! At least say it when my back is turned!¡±


    The twins laughed as the sun fully set and the moon peaked over the mountains.

 Chapter 4 - An Important Talk and Reunion

    Chapter 4


    Calgar followed Seren, Fredrick and Reinhardt into a big and luxurious office. In front of a large desk, was two leather couches separated by a glass coffee table.


    Fredrick and Reinhardt sat on the left side and motioned Calgar to sit opposite them. Seren floated behind her Master.


    Fredrick was the first to speak. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wondering why we brought you here, but it is quite simple. Calgar, who, or exactly what are you?¡± He narrowed his eyes at the last part.


    ¡°What exactly do you mean by that?¡±


    Reinhardt closed his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re powerful Calgar. Too powerful. Seren is considered the most powerful spirit in the country. It is why our noble house has so much influence. However she calls herself an infant compared to you and those spells you used earlier¡­ God magic is supposed to be a legend of the ancient past.¡±


    Fredrick added a little angrily. ¡°There are more problems as well. I¡¯m specifically worried for my daughter. First of all, is the fact that you are easily materializing in a physical form, and the second is that magic of that scale can¡¯t be good for her! What if she dies from it?!¡±


    Calgar held up his hand to stop him. ¡°Your daughter is in no danger whatsoever. I am using my own magic pool to fuel my spells.¡±


    Fredrick was dumbfounded. ¡°How is that possible? The whole point of the spirit contract is for both parties to share magic!¡±


    ¡°Master, please wait.¡± Seren interrupted, and then spoke to Calgar. ¡°Calgar, they won¡¯t understand the situation if you don¡¯t properly explain things.¡±


    Calgar folded his arms. ¡°You¡¯re right. Forgive me; I will try to explain what I can.¡±


    ¡°Please do.¡± The two men listened earnestly.


    ¡°Due to a certain event in the past, I have lost most of my power. I was scattered about in the ether, in a state similar to hibernation. Your daughter then called me forth and solidified my scattered essence. Right now, even as we speak I am regaining my lost power from her, but you are making a mistake in understanding how I¡¯m accomplishing that.¡±


    Fredrick and Reinhardt gave him confused looks.


    Calgar put a hand to his chin. ¡°How to put it¡­ My soul power has grown weak and Yumi is replenishing it. However I¡¯m not taking her soul energy faster than she can generate it. Magic is different than soul energy. It¡¯s like a byproduct of your soul. So while I¡¯m taking the energy from the soul, I¡¯m leaving the magic. Make sense?¡±


    The two men still didn¡¯t understand very well.


    Seren supplemented his explanation. ¡°In other words Master, he is taking the energy that can¡¯t be harnessed by today¡¯s modern magic.¡±


    Fredrick pinched his brow. ¡°I felt like I just heard a bunch of world bending truths in there, but the bottom line is that you¡¯re saying Yumi will be safe?¡±


    ¡°I guarantee it. At the very least, I decided to protect her when I accepted the contract.¡±


    Fredrick sighed in relief. ¡°That¡¯s one huge burden off my shoulders.¡±


    Reinhardt turned to Calgar. ¡°Then there is only one more thing. It¡¯s only a guess, but I¡¯m assuming you know nothing of this country Calgar?¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°Let alone this country, I¡¯m lacking information on most of the world.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ then let me give you the simple version. This is the country of Ganar. It is ruled under a monarch, the King. There are seven Lords who serve under him and govern their own territory. These Lords are the highest ranking of the noble families; naturally we are included in them. There is a tentative balance between the Lords and the others don¡¯t take kindly to those who try to get ahead.¡±


    Calgar nodded in understanding. ¡°Then what you¡¯re saying is I will threaten that balance.¡±


    Reinhardt nodded. ¡°Yes but that isn¡¯t all. You are aware of being able to break off the contract correct? In actuality it almost never happens. This has led to people incorrectly thinking that if you get a powerful summoner the spirit will always come with them.¡±


    ¡°Then if others find out my power they could aim for Yumi.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. I asked Seren before, but she says it will be impossible for you to use modern magic. So I can¡¯t help but think you will stand out no matter what¡­¡±


    Seren cut in. ¡°Well, there shouldn¡¯t be others who know what God magic is. So if you bluff that it is an ancient language for spirits shouldn¡¯t it be fine?¡±


    Fredrick thought for a bit. ¡°I suppose that could work¡­ Then Calgar, can I ask you to keep your magic to a minimum unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary?¡±


    Calgar readily agreed. ¡°Of course, that much shouldn¡¯t pose a problem.¡±


    Fredrick and Reinhardt stood up. ¡°Then that was all we wanted to talk about for now. It¡¯s late so we are going to turn in. Calgar, I¡¯ve informed the mansion guards of your presence so you shouldn¡¯t have any trouble wandering around the house if you like.¡±


    Calgar stood up as well. ¡°Thank you I greatly appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Nonsense, as long as you are with Yumi, you are just as much a part of the family as anyone else. Well, then if you¡¯ll excuse us. Seren please dematerialize as well.¡±


    ¡°Yes Master, thank you for today.¡± She said and then to Calgar playfully. ¡°Until next time Big Brother.¡±


    Seren disappeared into thin air and Fredrick and Reinhardt had left the room.


    Calgar sighed. ¡°She really needs to stop calling me that.¡±


    Calgar looked around the room and his eyes settled on the clock hanging from the wall. It read midnight.


    ¡°Well, now¡­ What to do until morning¡­¡±


    Calgar had time to kill, since after all he didn''t need to sleep.


    He walked over to a window and opened it. Using the window sill as a foothold he jumped up and climbed over the eaves. From the top of the roof he surveyed the surroundings.


    Even though it was pitch black, with only some moonlight, Calgar could see as if it was day. It wasn¡¯t night vision exactly but he could see clearly in the dark.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve memorized the landscape. I should be able to find my way back here. Hmmm. I know, let¡¯s explore the area to kill time.¡±


    It was then he felt two distinct presences in a certain direction.


    Calgar let out a chuckle. ¡°Well now, to think we would meet again so soon.¡±


    With that Calgar jumped off the roof and landed on the ground, heading off in the direction of the presences.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s getting stronger! He must be really close!¡± exclaimed Luna.


    The two had ran through Torben and Yvelt and arrived at the outskirts of Nishka in only an hour. They could feel Calgar¡¯s presence stronger than before through the link.


    Luna grabbed Sol¡¯s hand and pulled her along. ¡°Hurry, hurry!¡±


    ¡°Wait, not so fast!¡±


    They ran forward on the road. Suddenly Luna stopped and turned to look at a small hill not too far off. Alone on that hill was a single figure looking in their direction.


    The twins walked up the hill and stopped a few feet away from the figure.


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t my most trusted and loyal servants. I should have expected you to find me so soon.¡±


    Luna smiled and in Sol¡¯s eyes tears began to well up. This was their Master, Calgar, God of War and Valor. Even though his appearance was slightly different, there was no mistaking this magnificent presence.


    There were many thoughts and emotions swirling around inside both Luna and Sol. Happiness, relief, joy at seeing he was very much alive and well, yet also sadness, regret and grief at the fact that they could do nothing but watch when he had died.


    All these emotions exploded and the two ran and embraced him.


    ¡°¡°Master!¡±¡±


    Calgar held the two in his arms. He then released them and softly stroked their heads.


    ¡°Luna, Sol it is good to see you well.¡±


    Sol still clung to him while sobbing and calling out ¡°Master¡±.


    Luna had closed her eyes and was enjoying the sensation of his fingers through her hair.


    Finally they separated.


    Sol wiped away her tears. ¡°Master¡­ It was so lonely without you¡­ All those years thinking that we would never see you again¡­¡±


    Luna looked at him and said with resolve. ¡°Not too long ago, we thought about ending it.¡±


    This surprised Calgar. ¡°By ending it, you mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Luna replied.


    Calgar realized the pain these two must have gone through after his death. He was the only one they had to rely on besides each other. He was sure they had been lost in what to do, and this is what had led to them having such dangerous thoughts.


    ¡°I seem to have done something unforgivable.¡±


    Luna and Sol shook their heads and bowed deeply to Calgar.


    ¡°It is not Master¡¯s fault, which is why we have come to once again offer ourselves to you. We ask that you use us as you see fit.¡±


    ¡°Yes, once again let us serve you faithfully. It is our only wish.¡±


    Calgar lightly touched their heads. ¡°Then become my swords again. This time, I¡¯ll never let you go.¡±


    He reconnected the link between his servants and himself. In the past, Calgar had linked his soul with Luna and Sol. This allowed him to know where they were and vice versa. It also allowed him to absorb and use their power as his own.


    He was restoring and strengthening that link right now. However this time he had made a slight change. Instead of just connecting their souls, he pulled them into his own. After all they had been made using a fragment of his soul as the base.


    A shockwave erupted from Calgar, whipping up the wind around them. The amber glow from the joints in the armor intensified, illuminating the surroundings.


    He released the heads of the twins and took a step back. ¡°I changed it a little this time. How do you two feel?¡±


    Luna looked at her hands, and then touched her body. ¡°Everything looks the same, but I feel different¡­ I can¡¯t quite explain it.¡±


    Sol agreed with her sister. ¡°I feel it as well. Master what have you done?¡±


    ¡°Essentially, nothing has changed. The only difference is now your fates are linked with mine.¡±


    Calgar pointed at their chests. ¡°I have recalled the piece of my soul used to make you. You still receive its strength and power through the link, but now if I were to truly die, you two will follow as well.¡±


    Using his hands, he lifted their chins to meet his gaze. ¡°Luna, Sol, I now realize it was selfish of me to die without thinking about what would happen to the two of you. However I will be selfish once again in binding your fates to mine. You two are like precious daughters to me so I will feel no remorse in being the overbearing father.¡±


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    Sol lightly touched his hand. ¡°We will follow you forever.¡±


    Calgar took a step back and crossed his arms. ¡°With this I feel a little more complete as a whole.¡±


    Luna and Sol looked confused. Then Luna asked. ¡°By the way Master¡­ what exactly happened to you?¡±


    Specifically, they were looking at the strange state of his body.


    Calgar explained to them what had happened up to this point. He told them about Yumi and his weakened powers, and his current goals.


    ¡°Master has to be a spirit to a lowly mortal?!¡± Luna covered her face in humiliation. ¡°Oh Master, I can¡¯t even comprehend the shame that you must be feeling at this moment.¡±


    Calgar muttered. ¡°Luna¡­¡±


    Sol patted her sister on the back. ¡°Luna, even if it¡¯s shameful, Master will still do it to regain his former prowess. His vast amount of dignity allows him to perform even the most humiliating acts with pride.¡±


    Calgar was shocked. ¡°Luna I expected somewhat, but for even Sol to agree¡­¡±


    Sol turned to Calgar. ¡°Master it¡¯s simple why we feel this way. Without the influence of the wise and mighty Gods, mortals to their cores are useless trash. As soon as we left to the Celestial Realm their true, trash-like natures, gushed forth like a geyser, to what is now the current state.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ However, even if you feel this way, do not treat them harshly understood?¡± Calgar warned them.


    ¡°Of course Master, they will never see through our fa?ade.¡± Both of them replied.


    ¡°Also stop calling me Master as well. In fact I¡¯m not sure how to explain the two of you to the Nishka¡¯s¡­¡±


    Calgar thought for a while then decided. ¡°I remember Seren said that all spirits are considered family. I think we can go with that somehow. If worst comes to worst I¡¯ll have to wing it I suppose.¡±


    Luna¡¯s eyes sparkled in joy. ¡°Then if we are family and you think of us as daughters, does that mean we can call you ¡®Father¡¯?¡±


    Sol disagreed. ¡°What about ¡®Papa¡¯ or ¡®Dad¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Oh not bad my sister! Truly something we will have to think over huh?¡±


    Calgar had started to walk back to the mansion without caring about the conversation going on behind him.


    He sighed. ¡°I wonder if it¡¯s a female thing¡­ ¡®Father¡¯¡­ ¡®Papa¡¯¡­ Nope, I don''t get it.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Calgar stated. ¡°And so, these two are Luna and Sol. Please think of them as a part of me.¡±


    It was early morning. Inside Yumi¡¯s room were her, Calgar, Luna and Sol. Luna and Sol were staring hard at Yumi and she herself didn¡¯t know what to make of the situation. To her, Calgar suddenly walked in and started talking about these two mysterious girls in front of her.


    Yumi asked in a confused voice. ¡°I¡¯m sorry could you explain this to me again?¡±


    Luna clicked her tongue in annoyance. ¡°Tsk, this girl¡­ was once not enough?¡±


    Calgar lightly hit her head with his fist. ¡°Be silent for now.¡±


    Luna folded her arms and glared at Yumi, but kept quiet like instructed.


    Sol lightly bowed to Yumi, but it was more of an act than her true feelings. ¡°I am Sol, my sister here is Luna. To make things as easy as possible, we were created by Calgar, who we consider to be like our Father. Since you have¡­ contracted him as a familiar¡­ we have also come.¡±


    Yumi scratched her head. ¡°So you two have come to also be my familiar? I¡¯m sorry but¡­¡±


    Sol cut her off with a slightly stern voice. ¡°You misunderstand. We serve not you, but Calgar. This introduction is a courtesy that Father insisted we give you.¡±


    Yumi pulled back a bit. ¡°¡­Then that is what you meant by considering you as a part of Calgar?¡±


    Sol smiled as if her attitude before was a lie. ¡°Yes, that would be the easiest and most appropriate way to consider us.¡±


    Calgar added. ¡°In the past, they were my blades on the battlefield. Anywhere I go, they will follow me. Well, I hope for us all to get along. Isn¡¯t that right girls?¡±


    The two smiled at Calgar. ¡°¡±Yes let¡¯s get along.¡±¡±


    He narrowed his eyes. ¡°That also means showing Yumi respect as my contractor. Am I clear?¡±


    ¡°¡±Y-yes we understand.¡±¡±


    Calgar gave them a pat on the head. ¡°Good girls.¡±


    He then turned to Yumi. ¡°I will have them turn to swords in the presence of others, but in private, or when it¡¯s just the two of us they will take these forms. I am aware that I am considered abnormal, so I think this will help making things less complicated.¡±


    Yumi nodded in understanding. ¡°I see. I hope to get along with the two of you as well. Also I¡¯m getting the feeling like you don¡¯t think I am worthy of someone like Calgar. At the moment I agree with you, but I will work hard to become worthy of being his partner.¡±


    She stared back at Luna and Sol with a look that conveyed that she was resolved to accomplish that goal.


    Luna snorted. ¡°I doubt you will even reach the bottom of his feet, but feel free to struggle and squirm up as high as you can go.¡±


    Sol added. ¡°I wish you luck in your futile endeavor.¡±


    Yumi smiled at the two. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to prove you wrong!¡±


    Calgar said. ¡°All right let¡¯s leave it at that for now. Go into sword form you two.¡±


    Luna protested. ¡°But I want to be with you longer! We only just reunited!¡±


    Sol internally agreed, but scolded Luna. ¡°Don¡¯t be such a child Luna. We have all the time in the world to be together like this.¡±


    Luna relented. ¡°Fine.¡±


    Both the sisters started glowing. Luna was glowing in a menacing black light and Sol glowed with a soft golden color.


    Then in a flash the two girls were replaced by beautiful swords.


    Where Luna had been, there was a floating long sword of about one and a half meter in length. The hilt was shiny silver and a red gem was embedded in the pommel. The blade itself was a gateway into the night sky. In it, one could see the stars and galaxies swirling about.


    In place of Sol, was an almost identical sword. The only differences were the hilt, which was a radiant gold with a blue gem in the pommel, and the blade itself, which was a mix of gold, blue and amber. Looking at it would remind one of the moment the sun would rise over the horizon.


    Calgar grabbed the two swords and sheathed them, one on each side of his waist.


    ¡°They are beautiful.¡± Yumi said. She had been staring at the two swords in a daze.


    Calgar gave a small chuckle. ¡°I¡¯m sure they appreciate the compliment. However I recalled that yesterday, we would go over the mock battle and what you could have done better, am I right?¡±


    Yumi replied. ¡°That¡¯s right! I can¡¯t believe I almost forgot. Let me eat breakfast, and then I¡¯ll listen to everything you have to say.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. Once you finish, meet me in the training room. Then we¡¯ll get started.¡± Calgar replied and left the room.


    Yumi hurriedly left and went to the dining room on the first floor. Her mother and brother Ivan were at the table. Food had been laid out, ranging from pancakes to bacon to toast.


    Her mother greeted her. ¡°Good morning Yumi, did you sleep well?¡±


    ¡°Yes I slept fine last night.¡±


    She sat down and quickly grabbed a few pieces of food from different plates and began eating.


    Ivan looked over to her. ¡°Whoa, what¡¯s the big rush?¡±


    Yumi swallowed her food and responded. ¡°Sorry, today Calgar is going to go over our battle from yesterday with me. I guess I got a little excited.¡±


    Ivan laughed. ¡°No don¡¯t worry I totally get how you¡¯re feeling right now. If I wasn¡¯t helping out father today I¡¯d want to tag along. Yumi, he¡¯s seriously amazing.¡±


    She nodded in agreement. ¡°I know, right?¡±


    Yumi finished her food and said farewell to her brother and mother. While moving as fast as she could without actually running, she entered the training hall where Calgar was standing in the center waiting.


    As she entered he turned her way. ¡°You¡¯ve arrived. I¡¯d like to get started immediately.¡±


    ¡°Yes I look forward to learning from you.¡±


    ¡°Then here is my first question to you Yumi. What was the biggest mistake you made yesterday?¡±


    Yumi thought for a moment before answering. ¡°Was it when I couldn¡¯t give you an order during my brother¡¯s last attack?¡±


    She clearly remembered how useless she had been during that time. Her thoughts were in chaos and she couldn¡¯t do a single thing.


    Calgar crossed his arms. ¡°While it is true that was a major mistake, it wasn¡¯t the most important one.¡±


    Yumi gave him a confused look. ¡°That wasn¡¯t the biggest mistake?¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°You made the biggest mistake in the very beginning.¡±


    She thought as hard as she could but couldn¡¯t come up with what she did wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Calgar, I don¡¯t know what it is I did wrong.¡±


    He pointed at her. ¡°It was your very first order you gave me. Do you remember how you gave it?¡±


    ¡°I believe I wasn¡¯t very sure what to do in the beginning¡­¡±


    ¡°Exactly. Yumi, you hesitated in giving me an order. That was you¡¯re biggest mistake. In battle, the choices you make are secondary to how you make them. Ideally you want to be able to think, then predict, then act. However, hesitating, even if only for a single second can be the most fatal.¡±


    Yumi was quietly listening to Calgar¡¯s words.


    ¡°You are attending a military school correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Once my break is over I will be starting my second year there.¡±


    ¡°I see. Do first years not undergo actual combat training?¡±


    ¡°No, it is mostly the study of tactics and strategy. During the second year is when we learn actual combat techniques and then third year is combining all that we learn into practical use.¡±


    Calgar closed his eyes. ¡°Hmm. Then I will not be too harsh on you since you only learned theory. But it is still the fact that you made a mistake.¡±


    Yumi nodded. ¡°Yes, I want you to tell me of all my shortcomings. It is the only way someone like me can improve.¡±


    Calgar inwardly smiled at her words. ¡°Then I will be strict in your teaching. Yumi, how long until your break is over and we must return?¡±


    ¡°We have roughly three months until the second year starts.¡±


    ¡°Then prepare yourself and clear all plans you may have had. In these three months I will whip you into shape and make you the best student at the academy.¡±


    Yumi gave a determined expression. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to meet your expectations!¡±

 Chapter 5 - Training and Back to School

    Author''s note: So this chapter starts with a time skip as I originally didn''t have anything special to say during the 3 months. If you think things suddenly rushed ahead too fast or think I should have fleshed out more things please let me know.


    Also thanks for taking the time to read this story!


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 5


    ---Three months later---


    Early in the morning, the atmosphere was tense in the Nishka training room.


    The two groups were on the opposite sides of the field, staring each other down. On one side was Yumi and Calgar, the other had Luna and Sol. It was the beginning of a mock battle.


    Over the last three months, Calgar had been strictly training Yumi in order for her to improve. He would reprimand her when she made a mistake and praise her when she succeeded.


    A month into the training, he even began to teach her a few of the simplest and least taxing to use spells of his. However she still was not able to use them more than once. The effort took a heavy toll on her stamina.


    Every few days, they would hold a mock battle. Usually it was with Ivan when he had free time, but sometimes the opponents were Luna and Sol. This was one of those days.


    Calgar began to explain. ¡°The rules will be simple; Luna and Sol will win if they are able to touch Yumi. Yumi will win if she is able to be untouched for five minutes. I cannot act without Yumi¡¯s orders, and you girls can only attack me. Understood?¡±


    Everyone nodded. ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ begin!¡±


    As soon as the words left him, Luna dashed forth at a speed that was hard to follow.


    ¡°Let¡¯s finish this up quickly Sis!¡±


    Yumi reacted quickly. ¡°Calgar seal her movements!¡±


    He crouched and held his hand to the ground. ¡°Brace yourself Luna, [Capiant].¡±


    Vines surged from the ground and wrapped around her legs, firmly rooting her to the floor.


    Luna tugged at the vines, but they wouldn¡¯t relent.


    She grumbled. ¡°Kuh, how annoying.¡±


    Yumi didn¡¯t keep her attention only on Luna. Sol had prepared some sort of attack. Her right hand was faintly glowing.


    She ran close to Calgar. ¡°Prepare a barrier! Cover both of us please!¡±


    Calgar stood up. ¡°[Arma Murum].¡±


    A metal dome sprung up and covered the two, just as Sol unleashed her attack.


    ¡°[Caeco Effulsit]!¡±


    The world was dyed white, as if the sun had descended to earth. Without the protection of the dome, Yumi would have definitely been blinded.


    During this time, Luna had freed herself from the vines and was quite irritated. She gathered a sinister black aura and launched it towards the protective dome.


    ¡°[Exedo]!¡±


    The darkness splattered on impact like paint. It then quickly spread and devoured the dome, revealing Calgar and Yumi.


    However Calgar had an attack prepared when the dome disappeared.


    ¡°Now Calgar!¡± Yumi shouted.


    ¡°[Collisio].¡±


    A powerful shockwave flew towards the twins. Luna was able to deflect the majority of the attack away from her, but Sol wasn¡¯t. She was thrown to the far side of the field and tumbled after hitting the ground.


    Luna closed the distance with Calgar and sent a horizontal kick to his right side. It was so fast it looked like a blur.


    Yet Calgar caught it in his hand easily. Luna twisted her body around and sent her other foot straight for his head.


    Calgar ducked while letting go of Luna¡¯s foot. As she spun around he lined up his fist with her abdomen.


    ¡°[Forum Inrupit].¡±


    Luna¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°Oh Shi-.¡±


    An explosive sound echoed through the training room. Calgar¡¯s strike landed and Luna was blown away, crashing into the wall. A faint outline of her was left as cracks when she slid to the ground.


    Yumi cheered for Calgar. ¡°Alright way to go!¡±


    Calgar turned to her. ¡°Yumi focus!¡±


    ¡°Ah, sorry!¡±


    Suddenly Sol had appeared next to her. ¡°It¡¯s too late for that!¡±


    She had recovered and approached Yumi from a blind spot while Calgar had that short exchange with Luna.


    ¡°With this, we have won again.¡± She said as she reached out her hand to Yumi.


    But Yumi was determined. ¡°Not yet! Calgar lend me your strength. [Arma]!¡±


    To her words, a translucent shield appeared in-between her and Sol. Sol was genuinely surprised by this, and couldn¡¯t react fast enough to deal with it. Using the precious seconds she had gained Yumi gave another order.


    ¡°Intercept her!¡±


    Kicking off from the ground, Calgar created a small indent where he stood. Bringing his right shoulder to bare, he lowered his body and rammed into the side of Sol.


    ¡°Gggh!¡±


    She once again was sent tumbling away. Both twins were down and silence enveloped the room. The atmosphere grew tense and Yumi kept her eyes on both girls while breathing hard.


    She had borrowed some of Calgar''s magic for the shield she made, but it was still to the point that it left her almost completely drained.


    Luna had stood back up. Yumi took a deep breath and gulped down her saliva. Just as she was about to give Calgar an order, he clapped his hands, which echoed throughout the room.


    ¡°Time. The battle is over. This time the winner is Yumi.¡±


    Yumi stood there for a bit, not fully understanding his words. But finally they registered in her head.


    ¡°I won¡­¡±


    It barely came out of her breathless mouth.


    Calgar heard it however and nodded to her. ¡°Indeed you have. Savor it Yumi, it has shown how much you have grown over these past three months.¡±


    For all the mock battles against the twins, this was her first victory.


    Sol and Luna both walked up to them.


    Luna stretched her arms and legs, still having an annoyed look. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. Even if it was only a fraction of our power, to be able to last five minutes¡­ Grrr, so frustrating!¡±


    Sol dusted off some dirt and agreed with her sister.


    ¡°Indeed, I too am vexed about this outcome. It seems I must change my opinion on mortals. At least some are not completely useless.¡±


    While Luna and Sol were cold to Yumi in the beginning, through watching her earnestly listen to and train with Calgar, their opinion of her steadily rose. This didn¡¯t escape Calgar¡¯s attention and even Yumi herself noticed the change.


    Whether it be pride or something else, neither twin would admit it though.


    Still breathing heavy, Yumi let out a small laugh. ¡°It seems I have come that much closer to my goal, huh?¡±


    Luna waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Don¡¯t get conceited brat. You¡¯re still not even close to touching Father¡¯s greatness.¡±


    Calgar patted her head. ¡°Now, now. You all were splendid. Luna, Sol, transform and rest for now.¡±


    ¡°¡±Yes.¡±¡± They both replied. After transforming into sword form, they settled themselves in their respective sheathes.


    Calgar turned to face Yumi. ¡°How are you doing? To think you would attempt to use one of my spells, I was surprised.¡±


    She had finally steadied her breathing, but was still feeling fatigued. ¡°It was a quick decision. I wasn¡¯t even sure if I could pull it off, but it seems the training you gave me came through.¡±


    ¡°True enough, however while you have considerably improved in giving your orders with confidence, you still got distracted there Yumi. Keep working to suppress those wandering thoughts and keep a calm and focused mind.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°I understand.¡±


    Calgar put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°With that said, this ends our training. Your break is almost over right? I think its best if you relax and prepare for when we leave.¡±


    Yumi let out a sigh of relief. ¡°That sounds absolutely wonderful.¡±


    At that moment Yumi¡¯s parents entered the room.


    Minna showed a small smile at her daughter¡¯s state as they walked over. ¡°It seems you two have just finished up?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°Indeed, the three months training has ended. I¡¯ve told her to relax and prepare for when school starts.¡±


    Fredrick added. ¡°That¡¯s right; your break is up already huh? Are you excited to go back Yumi?¡±


    Yumi couldn¡¯t suppress her smile. ¡°I would be lying if I said I wasn¡¯t. Thanks to Calgar, I can go back to school with my head held high.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. I know, let¡¯s take a family trip to the resort you still have two weeks left right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but I should be there a week early to sort everything out. However a small trip with everyone sounds wonderful.¡±


    Minna spoke up. ¡°Then I¡¯ll begin the preparations immediately.¡±


    Everyone left the training room in high spirits.


    Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In the blink of an eye, a week had already passed.


    Yumi and her mother were in her room packing clothes into bags for her return trip to the military academy.


    ¡°To think these three months flew by in an instant. I felt like we barely had time to spend together.¡±


    Minna was slightly pouting about her daughter¡¯s return to school.


    Yumi gave a wry smile while folding her shirts.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry mother; I guess I spent too much time with my training with Calgar that I ended up neglecting you and father.¡±


    Minna shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine. It was important to you, I understand that. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re growing up and my chances to spoil you are steadily decreasing. It¡¯s a slightly lonely feeling is all.¡±


    Yumi set down her clothes and embraced her mom, startling her for a moment.


    ¡°I will always be your little girl mother, and I will never grow tired of your affection.¡±


    ¡°Yumi¡­¡±


    The two hugged until a soft knock was heard on the open door to the room. The two women looked over to see Calgar and Fredrick standing in the doorway. Yumi shyly released her mother and the two men entered the room.


    Calgar apologized. ¡°Sorry for interrupting but it is about time for us to depart. Yumi are you ready to go?¡±


    ¡°Yes I have just finished packing my clothes. I¡¯m ready to depart.¡±


    They all went to the entrance, where Yumi¡¯s brothers and grandfather waited.


    ¡°It was nice to see you again sis. When you get back to school, show them how awesome you¡¯ve become!¡±


    ¡°Have a safe travel my sister. We will eagerly await your return.¡±


    ¡°Yumi, be sure to enjoy your school life. Calgar, please watch over my precious granddaughter.¡±


    After them came farewells from her mother and father.


    ¡°Study hard Yumi, I know you¡¯ll make us proud.¡±


    ¡°Have fun, and bring back many stories for us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you everyone. I¡¯ll be sure to visit when I get a long holiday.¡±


    Calgar and Yumi walked down the path to the front gates and left the Nishka residence. They walked along the side of the road heading toward the center of the city.


    Calgar turned to Yumi as they walked. ¡°So what exactly is this school we are going to like?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an academy that focuses on military aspects such as combat and strategic thinking. Most who attend do so with the goal of joining the military when they graduate, but for the children of the Lords who serve the king it is mandatory to attend, even if you won¡¯t inherit the household.¡±


    ¡°They think it¡¯s something you should know regardless of what you intend to do huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I think it¡¯s more of a ¡®what if¡¯ case than anything else.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then what exactly should I do once we arrive? Do I need to always accompany you?¡±


    ¡°For some classes, yes you need to accompany me. They will be the mock battles and ability training, but for lectures and the like you¡¯re free to do whatever I think. Well, it might be safer to ask the principal what is ok in your situation.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense.¡±


    They had reached the downtown area. Here the foot traffic was heavy, but people gave Calgar ample space to move.


    ¡°It seems I stand out, but there is nothing I can really do about it¡­¡±


    Yumi reassured him. ¡°True, but I think that most people will think you are a knight of some kind rather than a spirit. Knights are greatly respected in our country, and with your armor being so elaborate and beautiful, they probably think you are someone important.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? Then my mind is slightly at ease then.¡±


    ¡°Ha! These people should be bowing down before Father. To think they have the gall to actually stand before him. It pisses me off.¡±


    The voice that suddenly insulted every person in the vicinity was only heard by two people, Calgar and Yumi. It was Luna who had suddenly spoken. Even while the twins were in their sword forms, they could communicate via telepathy.


    ¡°Luna, you can¡¯t expect too much from the mortals. You have to lower your standards for them like Father has. That way when someone who isn¡¯t useless like Yumi comes along, you can be pleasantly surprised.¡±


    ¡°Ah, I get it. As expected of you sister. It was a mistake to expect anything at all.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you understand.¡±


    Calgar sighed quietly and Yumi had a wry smile.


    They navigated through the sea of people and approached the intercity transports.


    There were many lines to each booth which sold the tickets. The two had gone to the line for the ticket to the capital.


    As they were waiting in line, passing the time with idle chatter, Calgar suddenly turned his head and looked off in a direction.


    Yumi was puzzled and looked to where he did, but didn¡¯t see anything strange.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Calgar? Did you see something?¡±


    He stared in the same direction for a bit longer then shook his head. ¡°No it¡¯s nothing. Sorry about that. It seems our turn has arrived.¡±


    They stepped forward to the booth and were greeted by a female receptionist. She paused for a bit when looking at Calgar, but quickly regained her composure.


    ¡°Welcome to the intercity ticket booth to the Capital Beista. How many will be going?¡±


    Yumi responded. ¡°Two of us please. Here is the money.¡±


    She handed over a paper note with a number on it. Calgar didn¡¯t recognize this type of currency.


    The receptionist looked it over and handed back a different note with a few copper and silver coins.


    ¡°Thank you for your purchase. Here are the tickets. Have a wonderful day.¡±


    Calgar nodded as they left. ¡°You as well Miss.¡±


    They boarded the carriage after showing the tickets to the coachman and sat down in the farthest seat in the back.


    ¡°Yumi, was that money you handed over earlier?¡±


    ¡°Yes it¡¯s a bank note. Have you never seen one?¡±


    ¡°No I¡¯m more familiar with the coins than the note, unless they have changed. Is it still 100 coppers to a silver and 100 silver to a gold?¡±


    Yumi nodded. ¡°Yes that is correct. The only difference with the bank note is that it represents the same amount as written so it is easier than carrying around a lot of coins. To exchange it you just have to take it to any bank and they will give you the coins or transfer the amount into your account.¡±


    Calgar folded his arms. ¡°Oh? I bet the person who thought of that was highly praised.¡±


    ¡°Yep. It was a champion of Laanex after all.¡±


    Calgar tilted his head in confusion. ¡°Champion of Laanex? I thought the Gods didn¡¯t interfere with the mortals?¡±


    Yumi shook her head. ¡°They don¡¯t. A Champion is someone who has been born with the blessings of a god or appointed by divine revelation through their priests. They are far superior to us average people.¡±


    ¡°That still seems like interfering to me.¡±


    ¡°Well some say it¡¯s the gods¡¯ final pity. Either way Champions are extremely rare. Maybe only one a century I guess?¡±


    ¡°Hmm. I bet there isn¡¯t the same Champion in a row either?¡±


    Yumi put a finger to her chin. ¡°¡­ Now that you mention it, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Calgar chuckled. ¡°Well if it wasn¡¯t like that, they would probably argue about who has more champions than the others.¡±


    ¡°You talk as if you were close to them Calgar.¡±


    He suddenly grew quiet and his atmosphere changed.


    Yumi guessed she said something bad and quickly apologized. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I said something insensitive.¡±


    ¡°¡­ I was close to them. I¡¯d like to think I still am. It¡¯s just that it brought back memories, both happy and sad.¡±


    Yumi hesitated, but asked anyway. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind, would you be willing to share some of the happy ones? It¡¯s a long ride to the Capital.¡±


    ¡°Sure I have plenty of stories to share. Which would you like to hear?¡±


    ¡°You read about what the history books say about the gods¡¯ right?¡±


    ¡°Indeed I did. Quite hilarious how their image and real selves compare.¡±


    ¡°Then tell me about their real selves. I¡¯m very curious.¡±


    ¡°All right, I¡¯ll start with Raylen. She¡¯s depicted to be loving and warm with a smiling face. That couldn¡¯t be farther from the truth. Did you know when she was growing the world tree she actually stopped halfway and said ¡®This is a pain.¡¯ Auromi had to practically force her to finish it or all the animals would have died.¡±


    Yumi had a shocked face. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me¡­¡±


    Calgar waved his finger side to side. ¡°It¡¯s too early to be surprised yet. I have plenty more where that came from. You see Laanex actually¡­¡±


    Outside the coachman called for the last passengers to board and started up the engine to the coach. It rumbled to life and slowly started heading towards the city gates.

 Chapter 6 - A Goddess Long Held Love

    Authors note: Alright not sure how this one comes across, so please let me hear some opinions. Also was wondering if you readers have an opinion on the title. I just put that up because I had to have a title, but if you think something else would fit better I''m open to suggestions.


    And thanks for reading!


    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 6


    When the Gods made the Celestial Realm, they intended for it to be absolutely perfect. It had lush greenery, tall and healthy trees, and clear water.


    When the Gods built their own temples to live in, each one picked a somewhat secluded spot.


    In a meadow, surrounded by forests, sat one of those temples.


    The building was constructed from a white marble that reflected the light. In the window panes was a soft red tinged glass, giving the interior a warm atmosphere.


    In the temple grounds outside were many beautiful maidens. Each one emitted a sort of pureness that couldn¡¯t be described in words. These maidens were tending to flowers, engaged in idle gossip, or just calmly drinking tea and relaxing.


    This was Auromi¡¯s temple, and while on the outside it looked like any grown man¡¯s paradise, the inside of the temple was a different story.


    Starting from when one immediately walked in you could tell that something was amiss. Flanking the entrance were two statues of a man clad in a majestic looking armor. On the walls were paintings of the same man¡¯s portrait or figure. The entire interior was littered with such objects.


    Truthfully it creeped people out. It was actually the reason one saw all the maidens outside. They couldn¡¯t stand to be in the temple.


    And the culprit for this disaster? It was none other than the Goddess Auromi herself. Ever since that moment Calgar saved her life she became obsessed with him. The feeling in her chest, that at the time she couldn¡¯t describe, became clear as time passed on.


    It was love.


    So she made statues and paintings of him while his image was still vividly in her mind and placed them all over the temple.


    Everyone thought it was just a phase. Give her time and it will cool off. That was centuries ago.


    Now the Gods and servants just see it as the one imperfection on an otherwise peerless beauty.


    But they made a mistake.


    They underestimated a woman in love.


    In a room near the center of the temple a ceremony was commencing. The only ones allowed in this room were Auromi and her most trusted maiden Helen.


    ¡°What do you think Helen? Does it look the same?¡±


    ¡°Yes Madam, while I cannot say it can ever match completely, I don¡¯t think it can come any closer.¡±


    The two women were looking over a female body lying on an altar. She had long brown hair and smooth skin. If you were to guess her age, earlier twenties would be most fitting.


    ¡°It¡¯s such a shame this child died as a stillborn, but she fits my criteria perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Manipulating the cells to grow to your will was wonderful to watch. If you had a mortal child this is most likely what she will look like.¡±


    Auromi blushed. ¡°A child you say¡­ I¡¯m sure it will be a wonderful experience.¡±


    There was a slight pause.


    ¡°Anyway¡­ Helen, is everything prepared?¡±


    ¡°Yes everything is ready.¡±


    The mood grew serious. In the last three months the Gods had no luck in finding Luna or Sol, let alone Calgar. They had named Champions and had them sent to look for them but it wasn¡¯t bearing fruit. Without knowing their targets goals and what they were trying to accomplish, it was like looking for a needle in a haystack.


    Auromi was getting frustrated. Her patience was running out. The one she loves could be out there somewhere and she was stuck here doing nothing but waiting. But it couldn¡¯t be helped. The pact was made with the combined powers of the Gods and none of them could go against it alone.


    Which is where this ceremony comes in.


    Auromi had a thought. The pact was stopping her because she was a Goddess, but it didn¡¯t stop them from communicating with their champion right? In that case why not modify it a little bit? Instead of communicating, just tweak it to controlling the champion directly.


    Now, she couldn¡¯t in all good conscience, take control over a sentient mortal¡¯s body. So instead, she named a champion that she knew was going to die at birth and when they were disposing of the body, take it to the Celestial Realm.


    This was the girl on the altar. The only thing left to do was manipulate the cells and genes to grow and function properly. It was now a perfect shell for her to use.


    ¡°Then let us begin.¡±


    Arcane energy began flowing through the room. Auromi closed her eyes, focused on the body in front of her. It began to glow a soft pink color. The hair that was brown was instantly dyed silver.


    Suddenly Auromi¡¯s body went limp. Helen was quick to act and supported her Goddess. She carried her to a soft bed that had been prepared beforehand in the corner of the room.


    While she was tucking Auromi into the covers, the lifeless girl on the altar slowly got up.


    Helen turned to the girl. ¡°Madam, is everything ok? Did it work properly?¡±


    The girl looked at her hands and slowly clenched and released her fist a few times, then looked at Helen with her bright violet eyes.


    ¡°It seems it was a success.¡±


    Auromi then looked to her body lying on the bed.


    ¡°It still feels very foreign though, it may take quite a while to get used to this.¡±


    ¡°It is a mortal body after all.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. My powers will be severely limited. But I will be able to find him that much quicker now.¡±


    Helen grabbed a few papers that were lying on a table and looked them over.


    ¡°From what we could tell through limited surveillance, Luna and Sol likely ended up together and didn¡¯t split up. This likely indicates that they knew to some extent where Calgar was.¡±


    ¡°The problem is where exactly did they go? We don¡¯t know the exact location. To think the pact also prevents us from scanning for their souls because it counts as ¡®interfering¡¯. It seems there were flaws we never considered.¡±


    Helen agreed then said. ¡°As for where they went, could it be they relied on instinct rather than logic? They were made from Iusti souls after all.¡±


    ¡°Instinct¡­¡± Auromi¡¯s voice trailed off.


    She thought of all the possible places where Calgar might be, but none of them felt right. Then as if struck by lightning the idea hit her.


    ¡°Helen, the statue that we built in Calgar¡¯s honor, it¡¯s still there right?¡±


    ¡°It should be, however I am not completely sure¡­¡±


    Auromi flashed a smile. ¡°I feel like that is the best place to start. Something just tells me to go there. Call it my womanly intuition.¡±


    Helen had a disbelieving face. ¡°Is that so¡­¡±


    ¡°It is, now prepare the transfer gate. The magic in this body has settled down.¡±


    Helen set down the papers and held both her hands in front. A bright light shone from her hands and a small sphere emerged. It slowly floated for a ways and then enlarged into the shape of a portal.


    ¡°It is done Madam. Please be careful and if you do find Calgar¡­ keep it in moderation please.¡±


    Auromi laughed. ¡°Please Helen, I¡¯m not like Raylen. I¡¯m very responsible.¡±


    She turned around and walked through the portal.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The Lord City of Nishka. On the outer edge of the city, there exists a solid wall made from a magical ore. This ore gives the wall a certain degree of magical protection while also remaining strong against physical attacks. It¡¯s a common site at lord cities within the country.


    There are three gates in Nishka, a north, east and south gate. And at the north gate, there is a slight commotion going on.


    ¡°Hey what¡¯s with this crowd?¡±


    ¡°It seems there is a gorgeous woman who got off the intercity carriage. Rumor has it she¡¯s a high race.¡±


    ¡°Seriously?! Which one?¡±


    ¡°They say she¡¯s a Ventris.¡±


    ¡°Oh damn, I got to at least catch a glimpse!¡±


    In the center of the commotion was Auromi. Her long silver hair flowing in the wind, captivating the men in the area. Their ravaging eyes were memorizing her figure so they wouldn¡¯t forget. Even the women were speechless at this beautiful girl.


    However Auromi wasn¡¯t paying attention to any of these people. Her thoughts were on tracing a magical presence.


    ¡°It seems the twins did go this way. The presence is stronger here. Could it be they are in this city?¡±


    Auromi¡¯s eyes scanned the crowd, but she didn¡¯t notice anything strange.


    ¡°Well, to think I can track them to some extent goes to show that this was a good idea. To think that they did go to the statue¡­ I was spot on. My only blunder was forgetting to put on clothes before I left, but nothing a bit of magic can¡¯t fix.¡±


    The clothes she wore now were a dark blue dress that cutoff mid-calf. Around her waist was a black leather corset, which pushed up her bosom, giving it a nice sensual curve. Her blouse was a pure white and quite generous with the cleavage. Adorned on her feet were tough, yet stylish brown leather boots.


    While Auromi was thinking to herself, off in a slightly out of the way alley a sinister conversation was taking place.


    ¡°Oi, you lot, a big fish just swam in.¡±


    The man in a dark brown jacket at the entrance informed his two companions.


    ¡°Really? What¡¯s she look like¡­¡± The first man pointed and the second let out a low whistle. ¡°A good way to start the day eh?¡±


    ¡°With a looker like her, the boss might not even care about this month¡¯s quota.¡±


    The first man turned around and faced them.


    ¡°You guys go inform the rest that I¡¯ll be over in a bit.¡±


    ¡°¡±On it.¡±¡±


    He straightened his jacket and dusted off his shoulders.


    ¡°Time to get to work.¡±


    He skillfully weaved his way through the crowd and approached Auromi. The man observed her carefully. He watched the way she scanned the surroundings, as if looking for something or someone.


    I can work with that.


    ¡°Excuse me Miss.¡± He called out to her.


    Auromi turned to face him. ¡°Are you talking to me?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I happened by and I noticed you look a little lost? Or perhaps looking for someone?¡±


    Auromi raised her eyes. ¡°My, how perceptive of you. Yes, I am indeed looking for someone. Two people actually. They are female twins. One likely has dark hair, and the other a blonde. I¡¯m sorry it¡¯s vague, but by chance have you seen someone like that?¡±


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    The man pretended to think for a while and then snapped his fingers.


    ¡°Come to think of it, two people matching that description went into that building over there.¡±


    He pointed to a tall building, located behind the stores on the right side of the plaza.


    Auromi looked at the building. ¡°Is that so? Maybe I should take a look then.¡±


    The man smiled. ¡°If you¡¯d like I can give you a hand?¡±


    ¡°Really? I¡¯ll take you up on that then.¡±


    Got ya.


    The two walked to the edge of the plaza and the man led Auromi to an alley.


    ¡°We can get there through here.¡±


    The two entered and after a few left turns and right turns they were in front of the building. The man knocked on the heavy metal door rhythmically and it opened.


    He then gestured for Auromi to enter. ¡°Ladies first.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    Auromi entered the building and the first things she noticed was the smell. It reeked of Alcohol. It was hard not to immediately pinch her nose in disgust.


    There were many men seated around tables, drinking and playing cards. Upon noticing the new arrival, they all paused and looked over. They weren¡¯t prepared for what they saw.


    A Goddess, walking among mortals. It was the thought all of them were having. Just as quickly that thought was replaced by vulgar ones. How she would feel. How she would taste. It was written on their faces and they didn¡¯t bother hiding it.


    And yet Auromi just looked around the room, ignoring the stares.


    She turned around to the man that led her here. ¡°It seems that they aren¡¯t here.¡±


    He pointed over to the stairs in the corner. One led up and the other to the basement.


    ¡°There is a parlor downstairs maybe they went there?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t hurt to look I suppose.¡±


    Auromi headed to the stairs leading down. With her back turned the man made subtle gestures with his hands. Four people slightly nodded and got up to follow them and another moved to block the door they had come through.


    At the bottom of the stairs there was a thick looking door, and a muffled sound could be heard on the other side.


    Curious, Auromi opened the door and entered the room.


    What she saw were ten naked women locked in a cage in the back of the room. Their hands and feet bound in shackles connected with a small chain. In their mouth was a stuffed clothe, held in place by rope. Dried blood and bruises could be seen on their bodies. Dried tears could be seen running down their cheeks.


    Auromi was stunned for a moment, and then approached the cage. Behind her were the man and four others. They closed the door and spread out blocking it.


    The man asked with a wicked smile. ¡°Now there are many ways we can do this¡­ which do you prefer?¡±


    Auromi turned to look and the five men. ¡°You deal in slavery?¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°What gave it away?¡±


    She let out a sigh. ¡°It seems Measha has been slacking off.¡±


    ¡°Trying to act calm? No need for that just-.¡±


    One of the men behind him interrupted. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore. It¡¯s going to burst out of my pants! Let¡¯s hurry up and defile that beautiful body of hers.¡±


    Auromi rested one hand on her elbow and one on her cheek. ¡°I have a better idea. [Imperium Cogitari].¡±


    Her violet eyes sparkled and the five men stopped moving. They were stiff like a board. She pointed to the man who was about to assault her.


    ¡°Do me a favor, can you stab yourself in your crotch until you die?¡±


    The man immediately unsheathed a knife and stabbed himself in his privates over and over. Blood spurted all over the ground. The women in the cage behind Auromi let out muffled yells at the horrible display before them.


    The stabs grew weaker and weaker until finally he bled out.


    She turned to the other four. ¡°How many operations like this are in this city?¡±


    ¡°There are four other smaller groups, but this is the main one.¡± One of them replied instantly.


    ¡°The leader of your group, is he here?¡±


    ¡°Yes, upstairs. I was to bring you to him when we were done securing you.¡±


    ¡°Well then, let¡¯s not keep him waiting. Oh and you, free these women and give them clothes.¡±


    ¡°Your will be done.¡±


    Auromi and three men ascending to the ground level, leaving the other behind to complete his task.


    As they appeared from the stairs, the men had confused looks on their faces. Why did the woman come back up? And why is she not in chains?¡±


    Auromi clapped her hands. ¡°Can I have your attention? Everyone please look here.¡±


    She confirmed that they were all looking at her.


    ¡°Very good everyone. [Imperium Cogitari].¡±


    Again her eyes sparkled and everyone was affected.


    ¡°I have two simple instructions for you all. First, is to completely eradicate all slavery organizations in this city. Handing them over to the authorities is preferred but I don¡¯t mind you killing them either. Second is to devote the rest of your lives freeing slaves from captivity. Perform well enough and you might even get in to the Celestial Realm. Do you all understand?¡±


    ¡°¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯Yes our Goddess!¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯¡¯


    She turned to the man who led her to this place in the beginning. ¡°Your name.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Jebb Madam.¡±


    ¡°Lead these men and redeem yourself for your crimes.¡±


    ¡°With pleasure! Oi you lot get it together! We have work to do!¡±


    The men scrambled around, grabbing their gear and getting organized. While this was happening Auromi went upstairs. There was a hallway with three doors. The first was a bathroom. The second was a lounge. After opening the third door she saw an older bald gentleman behind a desk.


    ¡°What the hell is going on down there with all the noise¡­ Wait a minute, who are you?!¡±


    ¡°Me? Oh I¡¯m unfortunately the one person you shouldn¡¯t have tried to make a slave.¡±


    The man was shocked. ¡°Who are you? Did the Lord send you?! Damn it! I thought we were in the clear!¡±


    He hit the desk, sending a few papers flying about.


    ¡°No, nothing like that at all. Just think of it as retribution incarnate.¡±


    He pulled a sword from his waist. ¡°Like hell I will. You¡¯re just one woman. Once I¡¯m done with you we¡¯ll have to relocate. More work I don¡¯t need.¡±


    ¡°Then you should take a nap. one of the eternal kind.¡±


    She readied her finger and with a snap ¡°[Nolite Corde].¡±


    The man twitched and grasped his heart, collapsing to the floor. It was an immediate death. Probably better than he deserved.


    Auromi sighed as she walked to the window behind the desk. From here she could oversee the entire plaza.


    ¡°What a waste of time¡­¡±


    She was about to turn back, when her eyes caught a figure in armor. It stood out in the crowd of people. Majestic, strong, and powerful, the armor emitted such an atmosphere. More importantly she recognized it.


    ¡°Could it be¡­?¡± She lightly touched the glass separating her from the figure below.


    And then it looked here. Even though the face could not be seen she felt it. A commanding gaze, that sent a shiver down her spine. Her body grew hot and her breathing unsteady.


    This feeling, I know this feeling, and only one person can make me feel this way!


    Auromi ran out the room and down the stairs, racing out of the building. She ran while winding through the alleys until she entered the main plaza.


    ¡°Calgar!¡± She called out as loud as she could.


    The people around her gave her strange looks, but she couldn¡¯t care less. She pushed through the crowds until she reached the spot where she had seen him.


    ¡°Calgar!...Calgar!...¡±


    But there was no answer. She looked around desperately but couldn¡¯t see him anywhere.


    ¡°No, where is he? I know I saw him. I know that was him. Where, where did he go?¡±


    Tears threatened to burst out. He had been so close, but she couldn¡¯t find him.


    What if she was just seeing things?


    That dark thought invaded her mind. She closed her eyes.


    No! I know I saw him!


    It¡¯s just your mind playing tricks.


    It can¡¯t be! I know that feeling. Only he can give me that feeling.


    He¡¯s probably still dead.


    No¡­


    This is a waste of time.


    You¡¯re wrong¡­


    GIVE UP ALREADY.


    Auromi sunk to her knees. Her heart ached. Every time she thought of Calgar, her heart would ache like this. Every time she could see him, but not touch him the pain would come again.


    Yearning for him hurts.


    Longing for him hurts.


    Thinking about him hurts.


    Loving him¡­ hurts.


    Maybe¡­ I should give up¡­


    As Auromi was having these thoughts, a sudden gust of wind blew across the plaza. It blew her hair into her face. She slowly brushed aside her hair and noticed something. It was a new magical presence, different from Luna and Sol.


    It swirled around her, enveloping her, and her first thought was¡­


    ¡°It¡¯s warm¡­¡±


    And then her eyes grew wide. It was his presence. It was Calgar¡¯s! Then it was real. What she had seen wasn¡¯t a lie!


    A stranger had approached her when she was on the ground. ¡°Excuse me Miss, are you ok?¡±


    She wiped away the tears and stood up. ¡°Yes, after all this is the happiest day of my life.¡±


    The stranger gave a confused look as Auromi walked away. From what she could tell from his presence Calgar had left the city heading north.


    Auromi wore the brightest smile seen in ages. ¡°Wait for me my love. It won¡¯t be long before we can finally be reunited.¡±

 Chapter 7 - Beistas Military Academy

    Authors note: Just a few things I''d like to talk about. Thank  you for reading my fiction this far and I hope you will be willing to continue reading. If I can be allowed to be a little shameless I''d like to ask you readers to share this story with others. After all more people reading equals more feedback right? And I''m all for the feedback.


    Also for those who might be unsure about the harem tag, I put it on there using the definition of ''a group of women perceived as centering around a particular man''. After all Calgar is surrounded by females. But I''m not planning on having the typical Rom-com setting as seen in anime, and while women might fall in love with him, he is the type of character to be loyal to only one despite Gods usually being famous for polygamy.


    Me no like wishy-washy MCs.


    Wasn''t sure if the descriptions in this chapter came out alright. It''s one thing for me to see it in my head and another to use the right combination of words to get it across. So let me know what you think.


    Thanks again and without anything further here is the chapter. Enjoy!


    Edit: After reading the comments I decided to take off the harem tag, as I don''t see a situation in the story that would need me to have it.


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 7


    The country of Ganar was located in the northwestern part of the continent, next to the ocean. Its southern border was protected by a mountain range, and the northeastern border by a thick forest. Only from the southwest could one easily enter and exit the country by land.


    From the west to the north laid the ocean, and near the top was a large peninsula where the port city of Simen was located. If you head southeast and pass through a small forest, you will find the capital, Beista.


    Surrounding the city edge were two layers of an even stronger version of the walls employed by the Lords for their own cities.


    In the first layer was the farmland. Unlike other countries, Ganar put more importance on food quality and quantity. They enjoyed eating delicious food and it showed that other countries did as well by the fact that it was one of their major exports.


    In the second layer were the residential and commerce areas, with the stores and shops being closer to the farmland and the citizens¡¯ houses being closer to the center.


    And in the center of the city were the aristocrats¡¯ manors and the Castle. Beista had been built with a large hill as its focal point, so the Castle sat atop the hill overlooking the entire surroundings.


    The capital had entrance gates in each of the cardinal directions. From the east gate entered an intercity carriage, and once it passed the first layer, it stopped at the plaza in the second.


    The passengers all disembarked, including Calgar and Yumi.


    ¡°So this is Beista? Quite magnificent.¡± Calgar commented.


    ¡°I¡¯d love to show you around, but let¡¯s go to the academy first. I want to make sure everything is ready.¡±


    The main streets of the capital were in a cross pattern and were intertwined by three circle streets surrounding the Castle and going out to the wall, resembling a target pattern. From the plaza, Calgar and Yumi headed north, following the slight curve of the street.


    Lots of pedestrians lined the sides, staying out of the way of carriages and wagons. The shops were tightly packed together, with signs depicting their craft hanging above their doors.


    With about an hour and a half of walking the sun was now directly overhead. As they came closer to the academy, the amount of buildings decreased. Soon they could see a group of buildings by themselves.


    This was Beista¡¯s Military Academy.


    In relation to the Castle, the academy was northwest from it. Here they could see a large road connected from the main street and head in the direction of the buildings. Yumi started walking ahead with Calgar close behind.


    To the right and left was open ground covered with grass, with only the occasional tree to disrupt the view. As they came closer, they could see the large central building.


    Protruding from the top of it was a tall clock tower with faces on all four sides. The building had more width than length, and judging from the position of the windows, was easily three to four stories tall.


    Flanking the central building on both sides were three sets of identical buildings.


    Yumi pointed to the left set. ¡°Over there are the girl dorms. Each building belongs to a different year. The one closest to us is for first years. It¡¯s the same for the boys on the other side.¡±


    ¡°Then are we headed to the girl¡¯s dorm?¡±


    ¡°Not yet, I need to check in at the main building.¡±


    They climbed up the steps leading to large double doors and entered. The entrance was very spacious. On the floor was a beautiful red carpet. On the left and right were stairs leading up to the second floor.


    Yumi walked directly ahead and approached a woman who was sitting behind a counter. This receptionist would deal with visitors and any general problems the students may have.


    The receptionist looked up from some papers and greeted them. ¡°Good afternoon. Well, if it isn¡¯t Ms. Nishka. Are you ready to start the new semester?¡±


    ¡°Yes I am. I¡¯m here to sign in.¡±


    ¡°Certainly.¡± She brought out a ledger from under the desk. ¡°I¡¯ll just have you sign a few things¡­ Also, can I ask who that is behind you?¡±


    ¡°Ah, this is Calgar, my familiar.¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°A pleasure to meet you.¡±


    The receptionist was shocked. ¡°You found a familiar? Good for you! I knew you could do it. You¡¯ve done well to persevere through the other students teasing.¡±


    Yumi shook her hands in front of her. ¡°Ha ha, yep it was tough but I succeeded. Hey Calgar how about you take this luggage to my room? I¡¯ll meet you there later.¡±


    She shoved her shoulder bag into his arms and gently pushed him to the entrance. ¡°It¡¯s the middle building, room 107 on the first floor, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    ¡°Understood. I will see you when you¡¯re finished.¡± Calgar read the mood and obediently left.


    Yumi turned back to the receptionist, slightly upset. ¡°Why did you have to say that? I didn¡¯t want him to know¡­¡±


    ¡°Forgive me; it was a slip of the tongue. I will be more careful in the future.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s too late now that he knows.¡±


    The receptionist gave an apologetic look. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡±


    ¡°Just give me the ledger please.¡±


    Yumi took a pen and signed where the receptionist pointed out. Finally when she signed the last blank line the receptionist added.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, I almost forgot, but it seems the principal wanted to have a word with you when you arrived.¡±


    ¡°Really? Well, I wanted to talk to him anyway, but this is unexpected. Did he say what it was about?¡±


    ¡°Nope, just that you were to go see him when you arrived.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be on my way. Have a good rest of your day.¡±


    ¡°You as well Ms. Nishka, please enjoy the semester.¡±


    Yumi walked to the stairs and climbed to the second floor. In the middle of the hall were the steps that led up to a landing that doubled back to the third floor. Upon arriving at the top of the stairs, you would be greeted by a large beautiful oaken door. This was the principal¡¯s office.


    Yumi approached and knocked on the large door. There was a brief pause followed by a man¡¯s voice telling her to come in.


    ¡°I am Yumi Nishka. It seems you have called for me Principal?¡±


    In the center of the room was a coffee table with two soft velvet couches on opposite sides. On the right side of the wall was a display case full of medals and trophies. In the back of the room was a large desk.


    Sitting behind that was a man in his fifties. His hair was brown, but had a slight touch of grey mixing in, giving him a refined atmosphere. He had sharp blue eyes that seemed to pierce through and analyze anything he looked at. His face was clean shaven and his overall build was on the slim side. He wore a dark blue embroidered robe, a common indicator that showed he had a mastery of magic.


    His name was Logan Marrs, and he was the principal.


    Logan looked up from a book he was reading. ¡°Good you¡¯re here. I wanted to talk to you about a message I received from Reinhardt.¡±


    Yumi was puzzled. ¡°From grandfather?¡±


    Logan set the book down and motioned for Yumi to take a seat, to which she complied.


    ¡°Yes, in his message he mentioned that you were able to contract with a familiar?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it happened on the way home. It is actually something I planned to talk to you about.¡±


    ¡°Is that right? I more or less received the details in the message, but I¡¯d like to hear it from you.¡±


    ¡°I understand. What exactly would you like to know?¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    Logan took a sip from a cup before asking. ¡°Is it true that he is stronger than Seren?¡±


    Yumi hesitated in answering, but finally said. ¡°I don¡¯t know, as they have never fought, but I want to say that my gut tells me that Calgar would win.¡±


    Logan smiled. ¡°Interesting¡­¡±


    Yumi showed a confused look.


    Logan shook his head. ¡°Sorry, let me elaborate. Your grandfather and I go way back. I met him in this very school when he was just a bratty teenager. He was probably concerned about you getting involved in something, so he asked me to keep an eye on you.¡±


    ¡°You knew grandfather? But he never mentioned¡­ wait, did you have the nickname Logie?¡±


    Logan¡¯s face turned sour. ¡°That old codger called me that to other people huh? Thanks, I¡¯ll be sure to get him back twofold. But getting back to the main issue is the fact that this Calgar is always materialized?¡±


    Yumi nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    Logan again had a smile. ¡°Really, it''s very interesting¡­ I would love to have a chat with him. Where is he exactly?¡±


    ¡°I sent him over to the dorms with some luggage. I can go get him if you¡¯d like?¡±


    He waved his hand dismissively. ¡°No need, I can have a long chat with him when you start classes. So about him not drawing too much attention¡­ Just have him stay in your room during breaks and lunches. Basically avoid showing him off to the students as much as possible and I think it will work out.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t that a little cruel?¡±


    Logan shrugged. ¡°If you don¡¯t care about keeping a low profile like Reinhardt wants, go ahead and show him off. Just know that it will have consequences.¡±


    ¡°I understand. I¡¯ll talk it over with Calgar.¡±


    ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all I had to say. If there is nothing more, you¡¯re free to leave. Oh, tell Calgar I¡¯d like to talk at least once and that he is welcome to come anytime.¡±


    Yumi stood up. ¡°I¡¯ll be sure to let him know. Until next time Principal.¡±


    Logan opened up the book he was reading earlier. ¡°Mm, stay out of trouble kid.¡±


    Yumi exited the room and headed to the dorms.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Calgar opened the door that was marked 107 and went inside. To the right was a table with two chairs and a sofa tucked against the wall. There was a door that likely led to the bedroom.


    On the left was a very simple sink and stovetop, with a tiny bit of counter space. Cabinets hung above where plates and cups could be stored. Another door on this side led to a simple bathroom with a shower in it.


    When he had first entered the Nishka mansion, Calgar was intrigued by things like the sink and shower. Yumi had explained how they worked to him and he was impressed. But it wasn¡¯t that he was impressed with the ingenuity of such a contraption, after all magic could do the same thing with half the effort.


    What amazed him the most was that after losing the knowledge to do the action with magic that the mortals would come up with a non-magical alternative. It became clear to him after researching a few books from the Nishka study, that the mortals of today treated magic as a tool mostly for war.


    Calgar set the luggage Yumi entrusted to him on the floor next to the couch.


    ¡°Luna, Sol we need to talk.¡±


    The swords at his waist glowed for a moment and suddenly the twins appeared in front of him in their mortal disguises.


    Luna stretched. ¡°Ah, feels good to move around. I was starting to get stiff.¡±


    Sol faced Calgar. ¡°What is it Father?¡±


    ¡°I have a job for you two. I want you to go around and find information on powerful magical artifacts.¡±


    Sol nodded. ¡°It shall be done.¡±


    Luna questioned. ¡°What do you plan on doing with magic artifacts?¡±


    ¡°It has to do with me regaining my former strength. It should be possible to absorb an artifact''s energy and speed up my recovery.¡±


    Calgar folded his arms and continued in a lower tone. ¡°Listen well girls, our highest priority is restoring my strength, after that is Yumi¡¯s well-being. Everything else isn¡¯t important, understood?¡±


    The twins smiled at him; of course they would put him before anything else.


    ¡°¡±We understand.¡±¡±


    The two left through the door to start on the task their Master assigned.


    Calgar looked out the window. He once again thought about the future. What should he do when he returns to his former self? He learned the Gods live in the Celestial Realm. Should he go there? Would they welcome him?


    Due to the actions his brothers and sisters took, staying on the planet with the mortals was not a wise decision. He knew it would disrupt the balance. It was proven when they first came here. Only with all of their influences combined did everything settle into place.


    It crossed his mind that his absence might have had a detrimental effect, but if it did it was not so obvious to immediately notice.


    He still didn¡¯t have enough information.


    If possible he wanted to talk with the other Gods, but at the same time a part of him was afraid to. It was ironic. In everything Calgar did, he had confidence. Be it war or any other craft, talking with another, giving advice, teaching, scolding, it didn¡¯t matter; he always did them confidently.


    But when it came to the Gods¡­ he hesitated. Why? Even if he asked himself he couldn¡¯t find a conclusive answer. Was it because of the relationship he had with them? That feeling of closeness that only comes with one¡¯s own family? Was keeping the other party at arm¡¯s length the secret to being confident?


    Many years had passed, could the Gods have changed? What if they aren¡¯t the same as before? Calgar wondered if this was the source of his hesitation.


    The door opened and Yumi entered the room, bringing Calgar¡¯s thoughts back to the present.


    ¡°Welcome back Yumi. Did everything go well?¡±


    Yumi flopped down on the couch. ¡°Well enough. I talked with the Principal and he suggested that you avoid other students as much as possible. But I thought that seemed a little harsh. What do you think?¡±


    Calgar thought a moment. ¡°Rather than being seen, as long as they don¡¯t notice I¡¯m around it will be fine right?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°Even though my armor is flashy, I¡¯m quite skilled at concealing my presence. To normal mortals it would seem as if I¡¯m not there, but it¡¯s really only playing a trick on the brain. Would you like a demonstration?¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave the room and walk in. Try to see if you can notice me.¡±


    Calgar left and closed the door. Yumi still sitting on the couch stared at it.


    The door opened normally, but she didn¡¯t see Calgar walk in.


    She called out. ¡°Aren¡¯t you coming in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right here.¡±


    Yumi shrieked and jumped up in surprise. Calgar was standing next to her.


    ¡°H-how¡­ when in the world did you come in?¡±


    ¡°When you saw the door open I entered. Remember how I said it was tricking the brain? It¡¯s a technique to make the brain register me as something unimportant and so you don¡¯t think about it.¡±


    ¡°How frightening¡­ I swore you turned invisible or something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an option too, but at my current power it would be quite taxing.¡±


    Yumi sighed. ¡°Again I¡¯m amazed by you Calgar.¡±


    He chuckled. ¡°Why thank you. Do you have any plans for the rest of the day?¡±


    ¡°No, all that was important was signing in. We are free for two more days.¡±


    ¡°Then if you don¡¯t mind, how about showing me around the capital?¡±


    Yumi smiled. ¡°Good Idea. Let me clean up and we can head out.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be outside the room waiting.¡±


    While Calgar stepped out into the hall, Yumi headed for the shower.


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Extra: I want to thank Lift-off for finding a really cool article on how the brain perceives images. It''s very Intersesting!


    https://www.rt.com/news/brain-neuroscience-visual-information-709/</a>

 Chapter 8 - The Delgados Heir

    Authors Note: I wasn''t entirely confident with how I relayed information to the reader in this chapter, so if you come across a section that doesn''t seem to flow well, please point it out.


    Not much else to say except that I appreciate your guy''s comments, and while I might not always agree with what you say, It does make me think about the story and why you might perceive it a certain way.


    Thanks for reading and please enjoy the chapter!


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 8


    It was early in the morning and the sun had just barely peaked over the horizon. Its warm light was cast over the capital city. It was at this time of day that the farmers would be waking up and preparing for a hard day¡¯s labor.


    For the average citizen it was an ungodly hour. Most stayed in bed, while others reluctantly forced themselves up. Nobles were worse, as they consider almost noon to be early morning.


    However in a certain manor it was a different story for a young man. This was a wonderful time to be up and about. The fresh crisp air in your lungs let you know you were alive.


    Every morning at the crack of dawn, he would wake up and perform light exercises, and then go jogging until he felt satisfied. This morning had been no different for him and as he was returning from his run, he was greeted by his personal attendant.


    The butler made a slight bow at his master¡¯s return. ¡°Welcome back my Lord.¡±


    The young man wiped his sweat off his brow with an arm. ¡°I¡¯ve returned Alex. Is everything ready in the courtyard?¡±


    ¡°Yes the servants have finished setting up targets for you.¡±


    ¡°Excellent.¡±


    The young man was Callen Delgado, the next heir to the Delgado family. This family was one of the Seven Lord families that served the King.


    He had dark rusty colored hair with red eyes. His ears were slightly pointed and had soft fuzzy hair growing on them. Oddities like this showed he had a stronger concentration of a high race within him. His body was muscular from his rigorous training.


    From a young age Callen had shown to be a quick study in all that he did. He learned his words and numbers faster than others. He could do complicated math, sophisticated music, paint complex art, anything he attempted he could quickly master it.


    This included the art of war and his skill in magic. His father had hired for him the best tutors in both martial and arcane arts. In no time at all he learned everything they had to teach, soaking up the knowledge like a sponge.


    The people called him a genius and a prodigy. His father boasted to the other Lords and everyone agreed that the Delgado family¡¯s future was indeed a bright one.


    The attendant next to him was Alex Corde. Ever since Callen had been born, he was appointed to watch over him and had been doing so for the past 17 years.


    He was in his early forties with blonde hair and brown eyes, but he still retained the look of a handsome twenty year old.


    The two made their way to the courtyard, where six humanoid wooden targets had been set up in a circle surrounding the center.


    Alex clapped his hands loudly. ¡°The master¡¯s training has begun!¡±


    It was a warning to the servants to leave the area in case of a mishap, but no one here believed such a thing could happen. However they all still left.


    Callen walked into the center of the targets and closed his eyes. Gathering the energy within him, he pooled the magic into a pendant that was wrapped around his neck. The color of the pendant glowed crimson, indicating that it was fully charged. Callen then said the keywords.


    ¡°[Equip Kallipolis]!¡±


    In a flash his clothes were replaced with a suit of white armor. The helmet covered his entire face, leaving only a small slit for him to see through. The front had a gentle curve around the forehead and angled back into a slight point.


    On the shoulders were plain pauldrons connected to a neck guard that circled around the back of his head leaving an opening in the front.


    The body was smooth metal being thicker at the chest and tapering off near the thighs.


    The gauntlets and leggings had a simple design with the armor pointing slightly at the elbows and knees.


    Attached to his back was a red mantle. A thick belt around the waist held it tight against the back of the armor, with it loosely flowing to the knees.


    This magical artifact was one of the main reasons the Delgado family was among the noble Lords. It had the ability to tap into the user¡¯s potential and create a set of armor and weapons suitable for them, and while its origin had been lost to history, its power was undeniable.


    Callen moved his body a bit, testing the range of motion. After confirming that nothing was wrong, he looked to Alex.


    Alex gave him a nod, meaning he could proceed.


    Callen turned back to the targets and focused. A brief moment of silence hung in the air until Alex called out.


    ¡°Begin!¡±


    The six wooden targets began to move as if they were alive. One immediately lunged at Callen from behind, swinging its wooden sword from above.


    A simple sidestep avoided the attack entirely and left the target open. Cladding his gauntlet with fire, Callen swung down and smashed it to pieces sending a shower of smoldering splinters everywhere.


    Without a pause, two targets attacked in sync, one from the right and left. He avoided the left one and deflected the right target¡¯s sword using his forearm to guide the strike down and away.


    He then grabbed the targets wrist and spun it around, throwing it into two others, knocking them to the ground. Now in Callen¡¯s hands, lightning arced between his fingers. Aiming at the three targets he launched his attack.


    ¡°[Arcing Pulse]!¡±


    Lightning sprung from his hand and struck the targets. The area that was hit began to pulse violently with lightning. The three targets convulsed each time they were struck until they caught fire and burnt to ash.


    Only two were left. They were standing a little ways off from Callen and weren¡¯t making any moves as if hesitating with the thought that any careless attack would be instant death.


    Callen raised his hand and beckoned them to come at him, but they still didn¡¯t move.


    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll come to you then.¡±


    Using his foot to launch himself at the two targets, he quickly approached. One attempted a low swing, aiming at his legs. He stepped on the sword with enough force to snap it in two and finished with a kick to the mid-section, splitting it in half.


    The last target charged, with the intention to skewer Callen. As if he was bored by now, Callen twisted his body slightly and as the sword passed him, grabbed the neck of the target.


    A sinister purple energy slowly rose like smoke from his hand. Callen let go and watched as the smoke enveloped the target. Starting from the neck, it slowly disintegrated until nothing remained.


    Callen let out a breath and deactivated Kallipolis, returning to his previous clothing of a loose shirt and pants. He then turned to Alex who was softly clapping his hands.


    ¡°A wonderful display my Lord.¡±


    Callen grimaced. ¡°Please those levels of opponents are nothing. And besides I still need to work on smoothly combining my magic with my physical attacks.¡±


    When Callen learned of styles of fighting he was always drawn to those of hand to hand combat. Something about using your own two fists in a fight made it that much more enjoyable for him.


    He then wanted to add his own magic into the attacks which slowly evolved it into his own unique way of fighting. Although using both melee and magic together was not unheard of, very few people used it and rather studied one or the other.


    ¡°Yes, your execution of magic seems to be a tad slow due to focusing on the enemies movements.¡±


    ¡°I see you aren¡¯t pulling any punches with the advice as usual.¡±


    ¡°It was you who told me to honestly point out your faults my Lord.¡±


    ¡°I know. I can¡¯t improve if people just flatter me all the time, so I really appreciate it Alex.¡±


    ¡°Think nothing of it. The bath is prepared for you if you¡¯d like to wash yourself.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right after I cool down first.¡±


    Callen lowered himself to the ground and gently stretched his legs.


    ¡°Come to think of it¡­ I¡¯ll start my second year at the Military academy tomorrow.¡±


    Alex asked him. ¡°Are you looking forward to it?¡±


    Callen wrinkled his brows. ¡°That¡¯s hard to say. While I¡¯m not adverse to what they teach, I¡¯d much rather find strong students my age. I want someone to challenge me. I fear at this rate I¡¯ll grow stagnate.¡±


    ¡°Did you not find anyone during your first year?¡±


    ¡°There were a couple of third years that were able to at least keep up with me. But now they are in the army¡­ maybe a promising first year will show up?¡±


    Callen stood up and twisted his body to the left and right.


    ¡°Well no use in speculating, I¡¯ll find out soon enough.¡±


    Callen went inside the manor, followed closely by Alex.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The next morning the grounds of the school were alive. Students were greeting old friends and were slowly making their way to a large arena behind the school. This building housed an open air battlefield, surrounded by spectator seats. It could confidently hold up to 10,000 spectators.


    It was here that the students gathered for the opening ceremony to welcome the fresh batch of first years, as well as hear about any important events that were to be planned for the upcoming year.


    Callen turned onto the road leading to the main building and headed to the arena. On the way he passed some female students who looked a little lost. Just by looking at their green robes he could tell that they were first year mages.


    ¡°Excuse me.¡± One of the girls asked him as he passed by.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°We are a little lost. Would you be willing to show us to the arena?¡± She said while blushing.


    Callen pointed to the main building. ¡°It¡¯s just on the other side, you can¡¯t miss it.¡±


    Taken aback, the girl tried again and asked. ¡°Oh, um¡­ but can we go together?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m in a bit of a hurry.¡± Callen walked ahead without paying any more attention to the girls.


    That¡¯s right, going back to school also means things like this will happen again. It seems the break really spoiled me.


    Callen was well aware that his position made him a desirable partner for all the young noblewomen, but he wasn¡¯t interested in someone with just a pretty face. He wanted an equal. This preference has kept him single all his life, and with him taking over responsibility of family affairs after graduation, pressure will naturally be put on him to marry sooner than later.


    As he came closer to the arena, a man wearing similar red robes as Callen approached.


    ¡°Yo Delgado. Good to see you. How was the break?¡±


    A boy with swept back greenish brown hair walked up to him. His hazel eyes were half closed as if he could fall asleep at any time, and while at first glance his skin looked normal, it was actually rough like sandpaper.


    ¡°Oh it¡¯s just you. My break was fine. It¡¯s surprising that you actually came to opening ceremony.¡±


    ¡°Hey man, I can be responsible when I feel like it.¡±


    ¡°So you never feel like it then, right? How did a lazy family like the Trevino¡¯s become one of the Lords?¡±


    ¡°For the hundredth time, it¡¯s our blood dude.¡±


    ¡°Brett, if the Aborian high race was really that lazy then they wouldn¡¯t have lasted in the world.¡±


    The two had entered the arena and found empty seats in the second year section. Callen passed the time with idle chatter while waiting for the ceremony¡¯s start.


    On the right side of the arena were the first year students, the left housing the second years and the middle holding the third years.


    In this academy, you chose to study under martial arts if you were going to be a soldier or arcane arts for a magician. The style of uniform showed which you studied, a robe for magicians and a leather jacket for soldiers. Homeroom and general studies were shared classes.


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    Adding to that was three different colors denoting the year you belonged to. Green, then red, and finally blue.


    An older man walked out into the center of the field and stood upon a platform. He then cast a spell on himself before turning to face the students.


    His amplified voice rang out. ¡°Testing, testing¡­ Alright should be good. Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Capital¡¯s Military Academy. Yes that¡¯s its official name; don¡¯t ask me why it¡¯s not fancier. I am your principal, Logan Marrs.¡±


    Logan grabbed a paper from his robes. ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ ah yes. I¡¯ll keep this short since nobody likes long speeches and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all just itching to get learning, so without further ado I¡¯ll explain the events we have planned for this year.¡±


    He paused slightly. ¡°For the third years we have a trip planned with the knight and mage divisions of the army so you can see how they operate in the field. This will be held in the next four months. For second years, we are holding a tournament in two months. The details will be given out by your teachers. Finally for first years, your event will be held close to the end of the year. More details on that will be given later.¡±


    Logan stuffed the paper back into his robe. ¡°Alright, that¡¯s all to announce at this time. If you haven¡¯t already found out what class you¡¯re in, it¡¯s written on the board in front of the main building. Classes will start in an hour.¡±


    He was about to step off the platform, but stopped himself. ¡°One last thing students, when I don¡¯t have extra work because everyone is behaving, I¡¯m a very happy man. However¡­¡± His voice dropped a tone. ¡°Make trouble for me and your school life won¡¯t be very enjoyable. Do I make myself clear?¡±


    The students, who had been mostly paying attention during the speech while still talking amongst themselves, were now deathly quiet. Satisfied by the response, Logan stepped off the platform and left the field.


    Brett had on a carefree smile. ¡°That principal is the same as ever, to think that a man like him who seems to do things so lackadaisically can still command such respect.¡±


    ¡°Respect you say¡­ isn¡¯t it more like fear? That silent pressure he gives out is no joke.¡±


    Brett just laughed. The two of them walked back to the front of the school.


    ¡°So Callen, what class are you in?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m in 2-C. You?¡±


    ¡°Lucky. Same here. Treat me well classmate.¡±


    Callen just rolled his eyes. The two decided to head to the classroom early. It was located on the second story to the left of the hall. Each classroom could hold about 50 students, with each grade having roughly 500 students.


    They entered the classroom and greeted some students who had arrived earlier, then made their way to the back of the classroom. The layout of the room was three rows of long desks, with those in the back being raised up higher than those in front. At the front of the room was the teacher¡¯s desk to the right and a podium in the center.


    As Callen sat down and looked out the window he voiced his concern to Brett. ¡°I hope there is someone among the first years with promise.¡±


    Brett leaned against the desk. ¡°Aw, are you just too darn strong that the average Joe can¡¯t satisfy you?¡±


    Callen glared at him. ¡°I just want a challenge. You know, test my limits.¡±


    Brett shrugged. ¡°Sorry buddy, I can¡¯t relate. I¡¯m just a simple man trying to live a simple life.¡±


    ¡°You know, you¡¯re really good at annoying me.¡±


    ¡°What can I say? It just seems to come naturally.¡±


    Suddenly the other students started to murmur.


    ¡°Look she¡¯s in this class.¡±


    ¡°Didn¡¯t she quit? After all she was pretty useless.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still a Lord¡¯s daughter, so she has to come. It¡¯s quite a pity.¡±


    ¡°Well at least she¡¯s decent to look at. If she¡¯s lucky she can marry someone of average standing.¡±


    The girl in question just silently sat down in the front row and opened a book to read. The other students then proceeded to ignore her.


    Callen looked at her. ¡°That girl, if I remember right her name is Yumi?¡±


    Brett gave a quick glance and nodded. ¡°Yep. She¡¯s a part of the Niskha family. She¡¯s supposed to be a summoner like her parents but I heard that she couldn¡¯t make a contract and that her skill in magic was sub-par.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s a shame.¡± Callen looked back to the window since he lost interest.


    Students began to fill the room and soon class would start. When everyone was seated a woman in her thirties entered the room and stood behind the podium.


    ¡°Good afternoon class. I am your homeroom teacher, Mrs. Fischer. To outline what the year will entail, you all will mainly be focusing on combat training. For the knight students it will be techniques and styles for weapons. For the magician students it will be spells and magic control.¡±


    She then turned to Callen. ¡°For you Mr. Delgado, the principal has approved your request to participate in both types of classes. He recommended that if you felt that what was being taught in one class was too easy; to move to the other or, with teacher approval, do self-study.¡±


    The students whispered among themselves. ¡°He¡¯s amazing.¡± ¡°As expected of a genius.¡± ¡°I¡¯d do anything to marry him.¡±


    Brett gave him a little nudge at the last comment and Callen whispered. ¡°Knock it off.¡±


    Mrs. Fischer continued. ¡°Since today is simply about meeting your teachers and fellow classmates I won¡¯t go into too many details, but the tournament for the second years will be a team competition with teams consisting of 2-5 members competing in mock battles. This competition will be open for the public to watch, and also there will be military officers coming to potentially keep an eye out for any talented individuals they may want to recruit come time for graduation.¡±


    The students were starting to get excited. Some were already asking their friends to form a team, and others were thinking about how to make a good impression on the officers that would attend.


    ¡°What do you think Callen? Sound interesting?¡±


    ¡°It will depend on the quality of the teams but, yeah I guess you can say I¡¯m interested.¡±


    The teacher quieted down the students. ¡°You will have this month to form your teams. After that you will have to practice on your own time. Make sure to reserve the practice fields beforehand if you plan on using them.¡±


    She then grabbed a stack of papers. ¡°These are the classes you will be assigned to. When I call your name come here and get it. After that you¡¯re dismissed. Be sure to be at the next class by the indicated time.¡±


    She started calling out names and the students received their schedules.


    Brett asked Callen. ¡°I know I¡¯m not the most desirable person, but would you like to form a team with me?¡±


    ¡°Based on personality, you¡¯re the last person I¡¯d pick. But I have a good idea of your skills, so I don¡¯t mind forming a team with you.¡±


    Brett did a little fist pump. ¡°Alright, first place secured.¡±


    Callen lightly hit him in the shoulder.


    Brett smiled. ¡°I¡¯m kidding, I¡¯m kidding. Although I¡¯d like to have at least one more person on the team¡­ does anyone come to mind?¡±


    Callen thought for a moment and said. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anyone off the top of my head. We still have a month so there¡¯s no hurry, but keep an eye out and let me know if you find someone promising.¡±


    Brett gave Callen a thumbs up. ¡°Yep, leave it to me.¡±


    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In Nishka city, a slightly overweight man was relaxing in a soft chair drinking tea and reading over some business reports. He had a smile on his face looking over the numbers until he read a certain part of the report.


    His smile turned to a frown. ¡°What happened with the shipments we were sending to the neighboring country Nerim?¡±


    A small man in glasses who had been next to him, hesitated in his reply. ¡°It seems that our operation has run into a bit of trouble.¡±


    ¡°Explain.¡±


    ¡°Many have been captured by the guards and others have been found murdered.¡±


    The fat man¡¯s brows furrowed. ¡°What happened to the merchandise?¡±


    ¡°Vanished. No traces have been found.¡±


    The fat man took a sip of tea. ¡°Dammit. Our client won¡¯t be pleased with this. Set up more operations and increase the quotas, maybe we will be able to make up the deficiency.¡±


    Suddenly the door to the room opened and four men and a woman entered.


    The man in the center casually walked in. ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to hear. Isabelle, do your stuff.¡±


    The woman shot magic at the two men. ¡°[Paralysis]!¡±


    The fat man in the chair twitched while the man in glasses fell to the floor.


    Isabelle looked to the man in the leather jacket. ¡°Jebb we have about 15 mins before the guards come, hurry up and find what you¡¯re looking for.¡±


    Jebb approached the man in the chair. ¡°Won¡¯t take long. Hey there pal, I have a proposition for you.¡±


    The man in the chair barely spoke the words. ¡°Who are you? Where are my bodyguards?!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve already dealt with them. The question now is what to do with you. There are two options.¡±


    Jebb pulled out a knife and gently held it to the man¡¯s throat. ¡°Tell me where you are keeping all the documents concerning the slave trades and I won¡¯t kill you. Or keep quiet, making my job harder, and I¡¯ll have no choice but to send you straight into Nighorum¡¯s arms. So which will it be?¡±


    The man didn¡¯t immediately answer. Jebb slowly cut, drawing a bit of blood.


    The man panicked. ¡°Wait! I keep the documents in my bedroom in a safe! The key is in my pocket, just please don¡¯t kill me!¡±


    Jebb fished around his pockets and found the aforementioned key. He tossed it to one of the men.


    ¡°Go find it and meet up at the rendezvous.¡±


    ¡°Roger.¡± The man quickly left.


    ¡°Alright we¡¯re done here, pack it up everyone.¡±


    Isabelle stopped him. ¡°Wait¡­ Are you just going to leave him?¡±


    Jebb looked her in the eyes. ¡°If they can be turned over to the authorities then that takes precedence. So yes, I plan on leaving him.¡±


    ¡°But he¡¯s the one who-!¡±


    Jebb held his hand up. ¡°Those were the exact words of my goddess; I will not go against them. However I¡¯ve done my part here. What happens now doesn¡¯t concern me.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­¡±


    Jebb turned and walked out the door, straightening his leather jacket. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of work left for these sinful bones to accomplish. If you still want to lend a hand, you know where to find me.¡±


    Isabelle nodded and turned to face the fat man. ¡°I¡¯ll be done in five minutes.¡±


    The doors closed and behind it he could hear muffled screams. Jebb chuckled as he thought to himself.


    What comes around goes around. How poetic that the slave ends up torturing to death the mastermind. Oops mastermind isn¡¯t the right word¡­ small fry isn¡¯t right either¡­ Oh well in the end it doesn¡¯t really matter.


    The man he sent to retrieve the documents returned to Jebb.


    ¡°Oi, I thought I told you to meet at the rendezvous.¡±


    ¡°You need to see this.¡±


    The man handed the documents over. Jebb quickly scanned through them and narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°Is this for real? Hot damn, he was a pretty big fish after all. Okay, take the shipment manifests and place the rest for the guards to easily find. This is a lot bigger than I thought.¡±


    The man nodded and went about his task. Jebb left the building and walked down the street.


    Heh, looks like I¡¯m getting my fair share of karma as well. With this around the corner, the boys and I will be busting our asses pretty soon.


    Jebb made a wry smile and sighed. ¡°I guess that saying is true, there really is no rest for the wicked.¡±

 Chapter 9 - Welcome to the Team

    Authors Note: I always find it interesting what you guys think might happen in the story. I really like comparing it to what I already have planned and seeing how different it would be.


    I also was wondering what you guys thought of the chapter lengths. I have no plans to change them, but I was curious if you thought they were too long, too short, or just right.


    Last bit before the chapter. About me having a release schedule? I don''t have one. I debated about if I wanted to release regularly, but decided against it. my reason being that I want the chapters to write themselves, and not be rushed by a deadline. After all only the story is planned out not individual chapters. It gives wriggle room when getting from point A to B.


    Well enough of that, here is the chapter. Enjoy!


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 9


    Outside the school, in one of the practice fields, class 2-C was having its first magic lesson. The gruff teacher was standing in front of the students, with four instructors standing behind him.


    ¡°All right class let¡¯s review the basics of magic. How many elements are there?¡±


    ¡°There are six elements sir, Fire, Water, Light, Wind, Dark, and Earth.¡±


    ¡°Good. Now, what does having a certain affinity with an element mean?¡±


    Another student spoke up. ¡°It means that you have an easier time manipulating the magic into the spell you want, right?¡±


    ¡°Close enough. Simply speaking if you have a fire affinity, you have an easier time casting fire spells, while it will be harder to cast water spells. It breaks down like this.¡±


    The teacher cast six orbs of light into the air, each one a different color representing an element. They then formed a circle. Going clockwise the colors were, white, red, green, purple, blue, and finally yellow.


    ¡°Memorize this if you haven¡¯t already. This is a quick way to see how hard a spell is to cast with certain affinities. For example, if you have light affinity, dark spells will be very difficult to cast. This is represented by the colors being on the opposite sides of the circle.¡±


    A student raised his hand. ¡°What if you have affinities in opposite elements?¡±


    ¡°An excellent question. The answer is surprisingly simple; it means you can use both easily. However it has been noted that those born with such affinities are in the vast minority. It¡¯s still not fully understood what influences what you¡¯re born with.¡±


    ¡°Then what about having no affinity?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, that one is also not understood very well. It seems those with no affinity have the trouble of casting spells as if it was an opposite element, but the power output is usually increased.¡±


    ¡°So basically it¡¯s useless right?¡± The students snickered. They knew who was implied.


    The teacher frowned, but didn¡¯t reprimand the student. ¡°Being useless or not aside, each has its own advantages and disadvantages. One way to overcome the disadvantages is learning how to properly control the flow of your magic. This may seem boring or tedious, but if you ever hope to become a top rate magician this is something you must be able to do as naturally as breathing.¡±


    The teacher made another ball of light. ¡°Each of you will make a ball of light like this. Once you have done so¡­¡± The instructor divided the ball in half. He kept dividing the ball until soon 100 little light balls floated around him. ¡°Even the weakest mage in the army can do this much. The hardest part is learning the feeling of your magic and being able to move it to your will.¡±


    The students talked among themselves. ¡°That¡¯s easy enough.¡± Was the general thought of everyone.


    The teacher chuckled. ¡°While I expect some of you to already be able to do this much, I can¡¯t proceed with the lessons until everyone is capable.¡±


    A boy stepped up. ¡°I can do at least this much.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Then by all means show me. Anyone who can do it can spend the time in class doing self-study.¡±


    The boy gathered magic into his hand and created the ball of light. He then slowly divided it in half. He was able to do this five more times before the balls of light vanished. The boy was panting.


    The teacher smiled. ¡°Harder than it looks, right?¡±


    The students were surprised at the difficulty of the task. Many who scoffed at how simple it would be ended up struggling.


    ¡°Anyone else want to try?¡±


    Callen stepped forward. ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Delgado. Alright show me what you got.¡±


    Callen made the ball of light, and almost just as quickly as the teacher, divided it into 100 smaller ones.


    ¡°How¡¯s this?¡±


    The teacher wasn¡¯t surprised. ¡°I expected no less from you. Feel free to engage in self-study until the rest of the class is caught up.¡±


    While the class was making a fuss over Callen, Brett walked up. ¡°Me too, I want to slack off with Callen.¡±


    The teacher rolled his eyes. ¡°Ah yes, Mr. Trevino. Go ahead.¡±


    While not as fast as Callen, Brett was able to make 100 balls of light.


    ¡°Woohoo, come on Callen let¡¯s go take a nap.¡±


    ¡°As a teacher I should be happy that you succeeded, yet I can¡¯t stop myself from being disappointed.¡±


    Yumi, who had been silent until now, approached the teacher. ¡°Excuse me; I would also like to try.¡±


    He turned to her. ¡°Mrs. Nishka, you want to take a crack at it too? Alright go ahead whenever you¡¯re ready.¡±


    Yumi nodded and gathered the magic into her hand. The other students either chuckled at her attempt or didn¡¯t bother watching. Brett was trying to leave, but Callen wanted to watch so he stayed too.


    The ball of light appeared in her hand. A few seconds passed but the ball wasn¡¯t dividing. The teacher was about to say something, when all at once the ball split into 100 pieces.


    ¡°How was that?¡± Yumi asked.


    The teacher was stunned. To be able to split it into 100 in one attempt was amazing. It took a great deal of control to accomplish. A girl her age shouldn¡¯t be capable of this. The few students who watched were confused. Callen was just staring at her. Brett just said, ¡°Ooh, fancy.¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    Yumi¡¯s question brought the teacher out of his thoughts. ¡°O-oh. Yeah that was very well done. If you don¡¯t mind me asking, did you teach yourself how to do that?¡±


    Yumi shook her head. ¡°No, I was taught by a very good teacher during the break.¡±


    The teacher raised his brow. ¡°Really? Can I have the name of your teacher?¡±


    Yumi showed a wry smile. ¡°Sorry he asked to remain anonymous.¡±


    He was disappointed. ¡°That¡¯s a shame. They must be an excellent teacher.¡±


    ¡°Yes they are.¡±


    ¡°Alright you can also do self-study with the other two.¡±


    The teacher then clapped his hands. ¡°Alright everyone the other instructors and I will come around and try to help you, please attempt it on your own if you¡¯re waiting to be helped.¡±


    Yumi stepped aside and was approached by Callen.


    ¡°Hey, that control was really good. How did you do that?¡±


    Yumi was startled after being spoken to suddenly. ¡°Um, your Callen right?¡±


    ¡°Huh? Oh yeah, I¡¯m Callen. That¡¯s Brett over there.¡±


    ¡°Yo.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Yumi.¡±


    ¡°Nice to meet you too. So? How were you able to get that much control over your magic?¡±


    Brett nudged Callen in the side. ¡°Dude, slow down. This is the first time you¡¯ve met each other.¡±


    Callen argued. ¡°But that control was something else. Even I don¡¯t have that good of control.¡±


    Brett had a shocked faced. ¡°Oh my Gods, you just admitted to being bad at something? Yumi quick, we have to savor this moment.¡± Brett took a big breath. ¡°Ah, that was good. I can die satisfied now.¡±


    Callen frowned. ¡°This little¡­¡±


    Yumi couldn¡¯t help herself from giggling. The sight of the two boys made her laugh.


    Callen turned to her. ¡°It¡¯s not funny.¡±


    She tried to stifle her laughs. ¡°Sorry, I just couldn¡¯t help myself.¡±


    Callen sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fine. But seriously, how did you learn to do that? You said you were taught right?¡±


    ¡°Yes I did, but if you want to know by whom, I can¡¯t tell you.¡±


    ¡°How about you teach me then?¡±


    Brett held up his hand. ¡°Whoa Callen, you can¡¯t just ask a girl for her secrets. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a little rude?¡±


    Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.


    ¡°Well¡­ yeah you¡¯re right. Sorry Yumi.¡±


    She waved her hand. ¡°It¡¯s fine. While I would like to teach you, I hardly understand how to do it myself. Right now it¡¯s more of a ¡®feeling¡¯ rather than me consciously doing it.¡±


    Callen put a hand to his chin. ¡°I see. That would be hard to explain. Guess I¡¯ll have to give up for now. By the way I heard rumors that you weren¡¯t very strong in magic, but that display earlier made me have my doubts.¡±


    Brett just looked at him. ¡°Callen¡­ have a little tact bro.¡±


    Yumi smiled. ¡°It¡¯s true I struggled with using magic, but during the break I finally contracted with a spirit and was taught by an excellent teacher. I can safely say that I have improved.¡±


    Callen asked. ¡°Were you also taught magic by that excellent teacher?¡±


    ¡°He taught me a thing or two.¡±


    Brett said. ¡°I think I know where this is going¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey, Yumi. Since we are free to do self-study, want to spar a little?¡±


    Brett sighed. ¡°I knew it.¡±


    Yumi thought for a bit, and then replied. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll have a match with you.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The three of them walked to an empty training field. The fields were 120 yards long by 55 yards wide. Each field was set up with its own enchantment spell to protect any participants inside from harm. It even had the capability to determine a winner based on if an attack would have been lethal or not.


    Yumi and Callen entered the field and took their places at the starting points on opposite ends. Brett stayed outside the field and just watched.


    Callen called out to Yumi. ¡°So how do you want to do this? Just magic? Or should we go all out?¡±


    Yumi answered. ¡°How about just a magic battle? I won¡¯t use my familiar.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with that. We¡¯ll start on Brett¡¯s signal.¡±


    Brett looked to both sides. ¡°Are you guys ready?¡±


    Callen and Yumi nodded.


    ¡°Then begin!¡±


    Callen gathered fire in his hand and fired directly at Yumi. ¡°[Magma Stream]!


    Molten lava spewed forth covering the ground between the two fighters. Yumi concentrated magic into her legs and dodged to the side.


    Callen was surprised to see that. He had expected her to use a spell in an attempt to block. Again, he was in awe of her magic control.


    Even while Yumi was dodging she had simultaneously launched a counterattack. ¡°[1,000 Needles]!¡±


    Callen felt the ground slightly tremble. He jumped back to see a spike of earth appear where he had been standing. From that spike, smaller ones appeared and were launched at him rapidly.


    Callen brought his arms up in defense and cast a spell. ¡°[Void Shield].¡±


    A purple aura covered his body and deflected the spikes away from him. Yumi had closed the distance during that time and attacked again.


    ¡°[Quicksand]!¡±


    Callen¡¯s feet began to sink into the ground, but he kept calm. While maintaining his Void Shield, he cast another spell.


    ¡°[Electromagnetism].¡±


    Sparks flew out from his body, and he rose a few feet off the ground. This caught Yumi off guard; she didn¡¯t think he could escape so easily. Callen used this moment to seize the initiative.


    ¡°[Arcing Pulse]!¡±


    Lightning jumped from his hands, chasing after Yumi. When she would jump one way the lightning would follow. She couldn¡¯t shake off the attack. Finally she touched the ground and manipulated some metals in the ground into a small pole in front of her. The lightning arced after her, but this time it struck the pole.


    Yumi made some distance as the area around the pole became a small thunderstorm. She looked at Callen and wondered how strong of an attack that aura could block. She knew some strong spells, but the problem was the cast time. By the time she could launch the spell, Callen would have already attacked.


    My strongest, yet quickest spell would have to be that huh¡­ but if I use that it and miss, I will definitely lose. No, now is not the time to be second guessing myself. Calgar trained me for moments exactly like this. I have to be confident.


    Yumi steeled her resolve and hatched a plan. Meanwhile Callen was also using the time to think up a strategy.


    Sub-par in magic my ass Brett. This girl, the more I see it the more convinced I am that she could definitely teach me a thing or two. Her reactions are good and she¡¯s thinking trough with her attacks. I also can¡¯t tell what magic she¡¯s capable of, so I can¡¯t let my guard down.


    Callen noticed Yumi bringing her hands together. She started gathering a large amount of magic.


    A mid-tier magic? Impressive. However¡­


    Callen charged at Yumi. ¡°¡­That leaves you wide open!¡±


    He readied a fire spell and was about to launch it when he noticed the smile on her face. He immediate regretted his action.


    It was a feint!


    Yumi had quickly canceled the magic for the spell and launched a new one with her remaining magic. A bright golden energy gathered in her hand and with a slight delay a beam shot forth.


    ¡°[Lux Trabes]!¡±


    Callen twisted his body and shot the stored up fire magic in a discharge to launch him out of the way. However, it only partially succeeded, and the light beam hit his left arm. His purple aura dispersed as he was sent spinning to the ground. He rolled a few times before coming to a stop.


    Callen clenched his left fist and grimaced as a numb pain shot up his arm. The field¡¯s barrier had mitigated most of the damage. He quickly stood up and readied himself for the next attack, but it didn¡¯t come. He looked over to where Yumi was and saw her collapsed on the ground breathing heavily.


    A buzzer rang out signaling the end of the match. Yumi was unable to continue and Callen was declared the winner. He immediately went over to her and knelt down.


    ¡°Hey are you okay?¡± He said in a worried tone.


    Yumi was panting, but she managed the words. ¡°I¡¯m fine. It seems I lost.¡±


    Callen laughed as Brett came running over. ¡°Who cares who won or lost, that was a great match.¡±


    Yumi weakly smiled as Brett helped her up. He then commented. ¡°Hey Callen, remember last year, when I said that nobody could be as crazy strong as you? Looks like I have to take it back. Seriously, the Gods must have been generous when handing out your guys¡¯ genes.¡±


    Yumi giggled and Callen just shrugged. The three moved over to the side of the field and rested on the grass. Yumi had caught her breath and it was now that Callen decided to ask her.


    ¡°Hey Yumi, are you already in a team for the upcoming tournament?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I think everyone thought I would just be a burden so nobody has asked me yet.¡±


    Brett quickly picked up Callen¡¯s aim. ¡°Well, that¡¯s a good thing; it means your fair game. So how about it? Care to join us?¡±


    Yumi didn¡¯t have any reason to refuse. ¡°If you¡¯re willing to have me, I¡¯d love to join your team. I¡¯m sure my familiar Calgar won¡¯t object either.¡±


    Brett made a face as if he just remembered. ¡°Oh yeah, you¡¯re a summoner. Watching your earlier match made me totally forget.¡±


    Callen agreed. ¡°That¡¯s right. Today we weren¡¯t going full strength. It makes me really excited to see what you¡¯re capable of Yumi.¡±


    ¡°You as well Callen. I¡¯m sure you going all out is quite the spectacle.¡±


    Brett thumped his chest. ¡°You guys, when I get serious, I¡¯m quite amazing too.¡±


    Callen rolled his eyes. Yumi looked at him and just smiled.


    ¡°I see how it is. You don¡¯t believe me. It¡¯s okay, happens all the time. Just know that when it does happen, it will blow your minds.¡±


    Callen ignored Brett and said to Yumi. ¡°How about we meet up in the library after school to plan out a training schedule?¡±


    ¡°That works for me. Shall I request the use of the training field?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, see what is open and we can work around it.¡±


    Callen and Yumi walked back to the other students while discussing future plans.


    Brett slowly walked after them. ¡°You guys are cruel for ignoring me... Aren¡¯t we a team?¡±

 Chapter 10 - The Coming Storm

    Authors Note: Okay if there was one chapter that I want the most comments on, it''s this one. I was unsure how I felt after writing it so I decided to just post it and see what you guys have to say. If you raise good points and have a good reason why something doesn''t work or feels wrong I will probably edit this chapter until I''m satisfied before moving on.


    Thanks and enjoy the chapter.


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    Chapter 10


    Beista¡¯s Royal Castle. Its design was a wide base that slowly added upon itself, growing taller and finally culminating into a central tower. The building was made of a white metallic stone, which seemed to sparkle when hit with both sunlight and moonlight.


    Inside the Castle lived the Royal family as well as the Imperial Guard, who was responsible for their protection. There were also offices for the nobles who occupied government positions to use.


    The current King was a man named Michael Ganar. He was married to Laura, who was his queen. Despite having been married for more than 10 years, the couple still didn¡¯t have any children, and both were approaching the age of 50.


    This wasn¡¯t a problem however. Unlike other countries, Ganar had a unique way of determining the next King or Queen. Instead of having a child to inherit the throne, the King or Queen would choose a successor from anyone they saw fit to lead the country.


    In most cases the child of the King would be chosen, as they would be taught from an early age to take up the responsibilities. But sometimes a situation would occur that forced the King to look elsewhere, such as an incompetent child or the inability to have one.


    In the event of another taking up the mantle of leadership, they would assume the last name of Ganar. This was the case of Michael¡¯s great-great-grandfather who was chosen to become the King.


    As Michael knew he would just keep growing older, he had to start looking for a proper successor. But unfortunately he couldn¡¯t find anyone to be suitable or showed promise in becoming a great leader.


    To make matters worse, the current affairs regarding the country and its neighbors demanded his full attention. Due to this, he couldn¡¯t afford to look for and mentor a potential candidate.


    In a large room, was an equally large round table. Sitting around the table were the heads of each governmental department. A few feet away sat a slightly larger chair that was elevated above the rest. Here sat the King, Michael Ganar.


    He looked over all the men in the room before speaking. ¡°Everyone, I have called you all here to discuss some concerning issue that may very well affect the future of our country.¡±


    All the men had serious expressions as they continued to listen to the King.


    ¡°First is the disturbing report that was found in the Nishka territory. I will have Commander Tulfrey give the report.¡±


    At the call of his name the Commander of Internal Security stood up. ¡°Thank you, your Majesty. As all of you probably know, our neighboring country Nerim has recently been building up their military for the past few decades. This has caused us a slight concern at what exactly their aim is, until now.¡±


    The Commander picked up a document lying in front of him. ¡°These documents found in the Lord City of Nishka, show that the recent unrest from the citizens and the increase in attacks to outlying cities by marauders are not in fact a coincidence, but a deliberate ploy to weaken our countries infrastructure.¡±


    The men began to murmur among themselves and some faces turned grim at the news.


    ¡°The worst part is that our very own nobles were behind this scheme, as this document was found in the home of Count Helbridge. At this time it is unclear as to what exactly happened to the Count, but we can infer that he was one of the major backers of the Nerim scheme.¡±


    Another man interrupted his report and asked. ¡°How do we know that the Count was not framed to put suspicion on every noble? If the Trevino¡¯s aim was to cause distrust among us, this would be a perfect way to do it.¡±


    The Commander nodded. ¡°You do have a point, but the evidence and testimonies gathered so far has indicated that the Count had made these decisions using his own connections. Until we find something that indicates otherwise I don¡¯t think baseless speculation will be of any help.¡±


    An older man with grey hair interjected. ¡°If this report is accurate, then this implies that they are preparing for a war.¡± He was one of the Generals of the army. His name was Faren Velcose.


    The next man to speak was the head of Agriculture. ¡°But why now of all times to start a war? We have been neighbors for hundreds of years, and while yes, we have had small skirmishes in the past it was never something to the extent of a full blown war.¡±


    He was right. In all of Ganar¡¯s history, it had never had a major war with any other country. There were plenty of opportunities during Ganar¡¯s more unstable times in the past to be invaded, but it never happened.


    The Head of Commerce spoke next. ¡°Perhaps they are tired of going through us to reach the sea? Their goal may be to conquer us and have direct access to the ocean.¡±


    General Velcose spoke. ¡°Rather than guess at the reason for the invasion, we should prepare our borders. Unlike them, we are not ready to respond to a sudden invasion. As of now, I¡¯d estimate our border forts to hold out for at least three or four months if they are not reinforced.¡±


    King Michael nodded in approval. ¡°Then I will leave the defense to you General. Be sure to report any movement the Nerim''s army makes. If at all possible, I¡¯d like to resolve this peacefully, but if it¡¯s impossible we must be ready.¡±


    The General stood up and saluted with a fist to his chest. ¡°My liege, it shall be done immediately.¡±


    As he turned to leave, the King stopped him. ¡°Wait there is one more important matter. It is dealing with the church.¡±


    Michael motioned for the woman to step forward. She was an elderly woman with wrinkles on her face. She wore a simple white robe with a few golden embellishments around the edges. She was a priestess belonging to the Faith of the Five Gods, the most common religion found around the world.


    While most people believed in the Five Gods equally, some chose to worship a single one, usually the God that was the creator of their ancestors¡¯ race. There was also a sect who believed in a Sixth God. These people were frowned upon in society, and depending on the place, sometimes persecuted. The only ones who had it worse were the people who didn¡¯t even believe in the Gods.


    The men around the table were curious as to what the church had to say. Usually the church tried to disassociate itself with government affairs.


    The woman cleared her voice and began. ¡°Roughly three months ago we have received divine revelation through our oracles that new a Champion has been named.¡±


    The men grew excited. Champions of the Gods were known to change the world. Each of them crossed their fingers in their mind, hoping that the Champion would be a citizen of Ganar.


    The King poured cold water onto their hopes. ¡°Don¡¯t get excited. Priestess, continue.¡±


    She had a complicated look on her face. ¡°While normally the church would be celebrating such an occasion, this time was different. Each individual oracle for the Five Gods said there was a Champion.¡±


    ¡°How is that possible?!¡±


    ¡°There has only ever been one Champion at a time before, what does this mean?¡±


    The Priestess continued. ¡°We were just as baffled as the rest of you. We went through painstaking verification processes to make sure each oracle had indeed received a revelation and we came to the conclusion that none of them were wrong.¡±


    Unease filled the room. Everyone didn¡¯t know what to make of this news. Was it good? Was it bad? The lack of an answer was the reason for the current mood.


    King Michael tried to relieve some of the tension. ¡°The Royal Historian will work with the church and try to see if something like this has happened in the past, or at the very least, give us a hint at what is to come. Until then work like you always have before. The next meeting will be held in exactly one month from now. Everyone is dismissed.¡±


    Everyone left the room. The King still sat in his chair and mulled over his thoughts. The possible war, the naming of five Champions, the lack of a candidate to be King, he didn¡¯t want to deal with any of it.


    ¡°But that¡¯s a part of what being a King means¡­¡± Michael rubbed his brow and stood up. At times like this he knew exactly what he needed.


    After confirming that his schedule was clear for the rest of the day, he headed to his lovely wife¡¯s room.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Principal Logan Marrs was sitting in his office going over some finance reports and having a cup of coffee. After making sure there were no errors, he signed the document and pushed the papers to a corner of his desk and brought out a book about magic theory that had just been published this year.


    ¡°I wonder if there are any interesting theories this year.¡± He said to himself as he flipped through the book.


    Logan loved to learn about the unknown. It was half the reason he became the Principal to the Military Academy. He was able to read many books that a normal person wouldn¡¯t be able to get their hands on.


    It also gave him plenty of free time. Other than making sure the school runs smoothly, and to occasionally discipline some troublemakers, there wasn¡¯t much he had to do in terms of work.


    A knock on the door alerted him that someone came to see him.


    Without looking up he called out. ¡°It¡¯s open.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me. I heard from Yumi you wanted to have a chat with me. If now isn¡¯t good, I can come back later.¡±


    Logan looked up. What greeted him was a person dressed in a full set of ornate armor. The light from the window behind him made it shine brightly. Logan was confused at first.


    Do I know a knight like this? No, wait. That glow in the gaps and this magical energy in the air¡­ This is definitely a spirit. He said Yumi told him to come so that means only one thing.


    Logan set the book down and stood up. He walked to spirit and extended his hand out for a handshake.


    ¡°You must be Calgar, correct? My name is Logan Marrs. I¡¯ve heard about you from both Yumi and her family. I¡¯ve been eager to have a chat with you.¡±


    Calgar took his hand and they shook. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Marrs.¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Please just call me Logan. Here have a seat, and let¡¯s talk.¡±


    Calgar sat down on the sofa and Logan sat down opposite him.


    Calgar asked. ¡°I¡¯m surprised you wanted to talk to me, is there any reason in particular?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve always been fascinated by magic my whole life. I want to discover its secrets and understand how it works. This includes spirits, as they are the ones with the closest connection to magic. I heard from Reinhardt that you are a very old spirit that was even around during the time the Gods walked the planet. Naturally it got me curious.¡±


    Calgar thought a moment. ¡°I see, you seek out knowledge about the things that you don¡¯t understand. I don¡¯t mind telling you about the past, but in exchange, help me fill in the gaps between then and now.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, it was mentioned that something happened to you and you went into¡­ how to say it, a hibernation of sorts? Alright, let¡¯s exchange information then. I¡¯ll go first. Records vary and some magicians believe that we have advanced magic to a higher degree than in the past, but I have to wonder if that¡¯s the case. Since you were around then, what are your opinions?¡±


    ¡°The magic of today pales in comparison to the past.¡±


    ¡°I knew it! Can you explain some of the differences?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that, the concept of magic has changed too much for the mortals who use it. Back then, magic was more a part of your being. You could use it as easily as breathing. It let you make your will a reality. Now it is seen as a tool, separate from yourself. You treat it like a foreign entity.¡±


    Logan was absorbed in the conversation. In the middle of Calgar¡¯s explanation he had grabbed some paper and a pen and started taking notes.


    ¡°Interesting! To think at some point in history we began to distance ourselves from our own magic.¡±


    Calgar asked. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering this for quite a while now, but what exactly happened to the six races? Everyone I have come across seems to be a variation of the Callidi.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the reason for that seems to be when the Gods left, the races started intermingling with each other. The children would be born with half the features of the two races except for the Ventrises and the Callidi. These two would always bear children that looked similar to their own races, albeit with a few variations.¡±


    Logan leaned back against the couch and took a sip from the cup that held his coffee.


    ¡°Time passed and soon the majority of the races were of the Callidi and Ventrises. Of course some of the other races exclusively mated within their own race but they were soon outnumbered. These groups tend to keep to themselves and cut off contact with the rest of the world.¡±


    ¡°So that¡¯s what happened. It explains why I haven¡¯t seen the others then.¡±


    Logan nodded. ¡°It¡¯s sad that they want to isolate themselves, but at the same time I understand why they made that decision. They are just trying to protect their bloodline from dying out. Or maybe they see mating with another race as a betrayal to their God?¡±


    Calgar was quiet. He then decided to ask the question that bothered him the most. ¡°Logan, why do the mortals only think there are five Gods? I¡¯ve read what books I could about the history of the world and it always says there are only five.¡±


    Logan looked back at him and narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you implying that there are more?¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it common knowledge that the six races were created by the Gods, with one race to each God? Doesn¡¯t anyone question why there are six races and only five Gods?¡±


    Logan sighed. ¡°Many people have had the same thoughts. The pure blooded Iusties claim that they were created by the God of War, yet in no records does it show that there was ever such a God. We have records of all the other Gods and their influences on the world, but not this so called War God. This is why the church denies his existence. Calgar, are you saying he exists?¡±


    ¡°He exists, that I am sure of.¡±


    Logan scratched his chin. ¡°Then can you prove it? Without hard evidence, I can¡¯t just believe what you say. ¡°


    ¡°Aren¡¯t my words all the proof you need? Why accept my earlier explanation, and then doubt me now?¡±


    ¡°The biggest problem is the lack of evidence. There were records that hinted to how magic was used in the past, and your explanation fit what I had already speculated. But as for their being a sixth God¡­¡±


    ¡°If I brought a person before you and claimed they were the sixth God, how would you know If I was telling the truth?¡±


    ¡°Well, I wouldn¡¯t, but I would want you to have them show me a god-like power to convince me they are genuine.¡±


    ¡°A power such as¡­?¡±


    Logan furrowed his brow. ¡°I don¡¯t know! Have them create life! Move continents! That sort of thing!¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°Just because someone didn¡¯t write a book on it, doesn¡¯t mean it never existed. To think that the reason people think there are only Five Gods was because of that¡­¡±


    Logan countered. ¡°Then why are their only five Champions? Shouldn¡¯t there be six if what you say is true?¡±


    ¡°The sixth God died shortly before the other five left the world.¡±


    Logan was getting a little angry. ¡°So now you¡¯re saying there were six, but now there¡¯s five? Are you messing with me?¡±


    Calgar looked him in the eyes. ¡°Do I look like I¡¯m messing with you?"


    There was a long silence between them. The sound of a bell rang out from the clock on top of the school, breaking the silence.


    Logan ran a hand through his hair as he got up. ¡°Looks like its lunch time. Shall we stop here for today?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. I should get back before too many students come-.¡±


    The door suddenly opened and a woman walked in.


    Logan turned to her, annoyed. ¡°You can¡¯t just barge in here, who do you think you are?¡±


    ¡°[Somnus].¡±


    Without another word, Logan slumped down on the couch and was fast asleep. Calgar braced himself for an attack but the woman just stared at him, her eyes scanning up and down his body. He was about to use magic, when he noticed the magical energy surrounding the woman. He knew who this energy belonged to.


    In a weak voice Calgar called out. ¡°Auromi¡­ is that you?¡±


    A radiant smile appeared on her face. She approached and gently embraced him while he was still dumbfounded.


    She then looked up and with tears in her violet eyes, said. ¡°I¡¯ve finally found you at last my beloved War God.¡±

 Chapter 11 - From Me to You

    Authors Note: I want to thank everyone who was kind enough to give me feedback about the last chapter. Seriously, I appreciate it. I already changed a few things and will leave it as is for now.


    Now about this chapter... I''ll be the first to admit, I''m inexperienced when it comes to writing romance or romantic situations, but I really want to get better at it. When I wrote this chapter I went with my gut feeling on how the emotions should play out, and I felt pretty good after writing it.


    But alas that''s my opinion, you readers might hate it and want to burn me at the stake, but I humbly request that you... LOOKOUT BEHIND YOU!


    *Runs away*


    *You then find a note that says "Please enjoy the chapter!"*


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 11


    Calgar had many question running through his head at the moment. The biggest one he had was why the Goddess of Life and Love, Auromi was standing in front of him. He was still just standing there when Auromi came to hug him. He didn¡¯t know what to do or what to say in this situation.


    Finally he forced his brain to start working again. He said the first thing that came to his mind.


    ¡°Auromi, you look different than what I remember.¡±


    Auromi looked up to him. ¡°I could say the same to you. This is just a mortal body I used to be able to come and find you. My real body is still in the Celestial Realm.¡± She then realized. ¡°Oh I guess you wouldn¡¯t know about the Celestial Realm, would you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard bits and pieces from the mortals about it. Anyway, how long do you plan on holding me?¡±


    Auromi looked sad. ¡°Do you not like it?¡±


    ¡°Rather than that, it makes it difficult to properly speak to you.¡± He then glanced at Logan on the couch. ¡°I¡¯d also like to talk in private.¡±


    Auromi reassured him. ¡°That man is fine. He won¡¯t wake up until I let him. As for no interruptions to our reunion, I wholeheartedly agree.¡±


    She let go of Calgar and walked back to the door. Closing it, she also cast a spell.


    ¡°[Silentium].¡±


    A soft blue hue covered the entire room. The view of the school grounds that could be seen out the window had turned pitch black.


    ¡°There, now it is just the two of us.¡±


    Calgar examined the blue wall. He went over and lightly touched it.


    I can¡¯t break this spell¡­


    He realized that whether she knew it or not, Auromi had full control over who entered and exited this room. It made him very uneasy. Calgar¡¯s original plan was to regain most of his strength before meeting the other Gods. Perhaps because he learned they weren¡¯t here, he had gotten careless and took his time.


    That attitude backfired now. Here was one of those Gods and he was as weak as ever. Sure he had gotten some strength back during these past three months, but that was a miniscule amount when looking at his end goal.


    While he was feeling conflicted, the other party wasn¡¯t fairing any better. Auromi was just watching him from across the room, battling her own thoughts.


    Half of her wanted to release all her emotions at once, and flood Calgar with love and affection. The other half was holding her back, afraid that Calgar might reject her.


    During the millions of years where he was gone, she had practiced what she would say if she could ever meet with him again. Back then, she never would have imagined a scene like this, and now that he was in front of her she couldn¡¯t seem to remember any of the lines she practiced.


    It didn¡¯t help matters that this was her first love. Her only experience was secondhand, from watching how the mortals interacted. She saw all sides of love, the happy ones, sad ones, and bittersweet ones.


    If her love succeeded, it would be utter bliss. An indescribable emotion would fill her chest and she would feel whole. If it failed, the pain would be immense. She didn¡¯t even want to imagine the gut wrenching feeling of having a broken heart.


    The air was thick with tension and an awkward atmosphere settled between the two Gods.


    It was Auromi who finally broke the ice. ¡°It really is good to see you again, Calgar.¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You too Auromi¡­ How are the others?¡±


    ¡°They are the same as always.¡±


    ¡°The same huh¡­ I don¡¯t know if your ¡®same¡¯ is my ¡®same¡¯.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true¡­ your death affected all of us. I guess you could say we all changed a bit. Nighorum tries to keep his anger in check. Measha more actively stops arguments. Laanex has become a very good mediator for us. Raylen didn¡¯t change though.¡±


    The two chuckled at the last bit.


    ¡°She¡¯s still like that? No, it¡¯d be weirder if she did change.¡± He then noticed she didn¡¯t mention herself. ¡°What about you Auromi? Have you changed?¡±


    She paused before answering. ¡°Yes, I have probably changed the most.¡±


    ¡°Really? In what way?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I have fallen in love.¡±


    Calgar took a moment to process the words she just said. ¡°By love, you mean¡­ That love, right?¡±


    She nodded.


    ¡°Is that so? I never gave much thought about things like love.¡±


    Auromi touched her fingers together. She somewhat expected that answer. But did that mean he doesn¡¯t want to experience love? Or that he just never had time to consider it? She wants to tell him. She wants him to know that she loves him. But when should she say it? How should she say it?


    While she was thinking, Calgar changed the topic. ¡°So is everyone looking for me? I think I could guess at the reason, but I¡¯d like to hear it from you.¡±


    ¡°As we didn¡¯t know if you were alive, our efforts have been spent more on finding Luna and Sol. We want you all to come back to the Celestial Realm. We agreed that us Gods should not interfere with mortals or the planet and just let it naturally run its course. everyone being here endangers that.¡±


    ¡°I understand, however it¡¯s plain to see I can¡¯t do that. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed it already.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you have lost a lot of power¡­ Normally I would say it wouldn¡¯t be a problem and we can just transport you back, but¡­ our hands are tied in that area.¡±


    Calgar was puzzled by her remark so she told him about the pact the Gods created and that the reason she was here now was because she found a loophole.


    ¡°So the rest are still in the Celestial Realm?¡±


    ¡°Yes, they are using Champions as a proxy in order to locate the twins. As of right now, only I know you are alive.¡±


    ¡°Then recovering my power is the right choice.¡±


    Auromi agreed. ¡°Then you can come to the Celestial Realm on your own.¡±


    Calgar looked away from her. ¡°Auromi, about going to the Celestial Realm¡­ maybe that isn¡¯t a good idea.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    He turned to face her. ¡°I should have died that day Auromi. We both know it. The God Calgar should have ceased to exist, yet by some twist of fate I was able to come back. I¡¯ve been wondering what it means. Was it luck? Or do I need to be here to restore the balance? Is the world even out of balance? So many questions kept piling up and yet I couldn¡¯t see any answers.¡±


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Calgar¡­¡±


    ¡°Getting my power back is just a distraction from the real issues. I¡¯m lost. I don¡¯t know what path to take. Should I return to the Gods sides? Or disappear into the void, finding my own place?¡±


    Auromi panicked. ¡°No! Don¡¯t disappear!¡±


    Calgar was surprised at her outburst. ¡°But Auromi, if it¡¯s the best thing then¡­¡±


    She cut him off. ¡°I won¡¯t let you.¡±


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you all moved past my death? If I just come back¡­¡±


    Auromi came closer. ¡°You can¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°Why not? If they don¡¯t know I¡¯m alive, then it would be easy to¡­¡±


    Auromi grabbed his head, tears streaming down her face. Calgar didn¡¯t know why she was crying. Before he could ask, she spoke to him.


    ¡°My heart can¡¯t take it if you vanished again. Calgar, I¡­¡±


    She looked into his eyes. Her heart had never beaten faster than it did right now. A tight squeezing sensation filled her chest. Her gut felt like it was churning over and over.


    Calgar asked her without moving. ¡°Auromi, what is wrong? Why are you so determined for me to stay?¡±


    Summoning her courage, the words left her mouth. ¡°¡­I can¡¯t let you go because I love you Calgar.¡±


    He was stunned. ¡°You¡­ love me?¡±


    Auromi kept staring into his eyes. ¡°Ever since you saved my life that day, my heart began to ache. At first I didn¡¯t know what this feeling was, but eventually I understood clearly. This is love. This whole time for a million years, this feeling didn¡¯t change nor disappear. I love you Calgar.¡±


    Calgar wanted to say something, but the words wouldn¡¯t form in his mouth. Auromi understood his confusion.


    ¡°Right now, you don¡¯t have to say anything. I know it¡¯s selfish of me to push my feelings onto you, but the last thing I want is for the man I love to disappear from me again. So I won¡¯t let you run away.¡±


    She leaned forward and kissed his helmet. After releasing him, she undid her spell and left the room.


    Calgar could only watch her leave without uttering a single word. Next to him, Logan began to stir and sat up while rubbing his eyes.


    ¡°Was I asleep? I must have stayed up too late reading again.¡±


    He then saw Calgar staring at the door. ¡°You¡¯re still here? I thought you wanted to avoid the students?¡±


    Calgar turned his gaze from the door to Logan. ¡°¡­Sorry, I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Logan yawned. ¡°Until next time then.¡±


    Calgar left the room and returned to Yumi¡¯s dorm. She had returned for lunch and greeted him as he walked in.


    ¡°Afternoon Calgar. Did you go somewhere?¡±


    He sat on the couch and looked out the window. ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Sensing something about him was different, Yumi asked. ¡°Is something wrong? You seem to be troubled by something.¡±


    Calgar lightly touched his helmet where Auromi kissed him and looked at his finger.


    He shook his head and answered Yumi. ¡°No, don¡¯t mind me. It¡¯s nothing.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Auromi walked across the school grounds and found a tree in a somewhat secluded spot. She sat down and leaned against the tree¡¯s trunk and buried her face in her hands.


    ¡°I said it¡­¡±


    In the heat of the moment she had confessed her feelings to Calgar. It was questionable if they were properly conveyed. Doubts swirled in her mind, making her wonder if it was too soon.


    ¡°Did it creep him out? We only reunited and I had to go and say that! I bet he¡¯s so confused.¡±


    Auromi groaned in frustration. She was regretting being so rash. But on the other hand, she couldn¡¯t stand to hear Calgar talk like that.


    ¡°He¡¯s really worried about how he fits in the world¡­ looks like he hasn¡¯t changed a bit.¡±


    Calming down, Auromi thought back to the distant past, to her memories of before the war. Back then the Gods were not nearly as close as they are now.


    She remembered Calgar was the closest to her in showing love for mortals. He would train them, teach them, and discipline them, but it was like a father watching over his children instead of a Lord and his servants.


    Even though she didn¡¯t like war, she appreciated that he took good care of his race. But every once in a while she caught a glimpse of it, his expression that showed his uncertainty. She always wondered why he, one of the most confident Gods among them would show that expression.


    It was because outside of battle, Calgar wasn¡¯t sure how he fit in. It could be said that all the Gods felt similar outside their expertise, but Calgar took it seriously. How would he see this world that had gotten on fine without major wars? He would feel unneeded.


    When he said he was concerned about how the other Gods would feel if he just suddenly returned, Auromi knew it was just an excuse. They would be overjoyed. A brother they thought lost had returned to them. What could be happier?


    But that feeling of being unneeded made him push them away.


    Auromi took a deep breath. ¡°Okay, I may have been a little hasty, but I can do this. I didn¡¯t hold onto this love  just to watch it not bear fruit. First I have to fix that attitude he has and show him that the world needs him. Once I have him safely in the Celestial Realm¡­¡±


    Auromi¡¯s mind began to fantasize. She pictured a lovely scene of living together happily in a temple built just for them. As the fantasy progressed her mind began to picture more newly-wed scenarios.


    If someone were to see her face now, she would want to die from embarrassment.


    Snapping her back to reality was another chime of the clock tower at the school, signaling the end of lunch. She then realized a fatal mistake she made earlier.


    ¡°Oh no, I got too caught up in the reunion and embarrassment from confessing, that I didn¡¯t actually ask him about what he is doing or why he is here!¡±


    She got up and looked toward the school, searching for his magic. ¡°It seems he¡¯s still here. There must be a reason for him to stay. I¡¯m slightly concerned I don¡¯t sense Luna or Sol, but I can just ask him.¡±


    As she began to walk to where Calgar was she stopped. ¡°Now that I think about it, I don¡¯t know if facing him again so soon would be good, for both of us.¡±


    While Auromi was calmer now, she still hadn¡¯t worked through her embarrassment. She gave one last look at the school before walking away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll have to ask him later, perhaps in a day or two. By then we should both have settled down.¡±


    Auromi left the academy in search for a nice hotel to stay at.

 Chapter 12 - Lets Get Ready to Rumble

    Authors Note: I''m glad most of you readers enjoyed the last chapter. As for this one, I don''t have much to say except for the fact that there will be a lot more action coming up, so get ready for that.


    I''m also curious if you readers have a favorite character yet. If you have one, let me know who it is and why they are your favorite in the comments.


    Alright, here you go. Enjoy the chapter!


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 12


    The second year¡¯s tournament was coming up in a week. Callen, Brett and Yumi had been practicing formations, team attacks and how to coordinate well with each other. Thanks to Calgar¡¯s advice, the team was growing at a rapid rate.


    Right now the three teenagers were lying on the ground exhausted.


    Callen spoke in between breaths. ¡°Once again, we were made to train hard today. I can see why you improved so much over the break with a teacher like this Yumi.¡±


    Brett wheezed. ¡°This must be what it feels like to die.¡±


    Yumi agreed with the two. ¡°Even though I somewhat know what is coming, it doesn¡¯t make it any easier.¡±


    Calgar stood over them. ¡°You are all coming along nicely. Callen, your control is better but don¡¯t forget to regulate the power, otherwise you¡¯re wasting magic. Brett, remember to try predicting your opponent¡¯s next move rather than reacting to them. Yumi, keep track of everyone including yourself, you can¡¯t help the team if you can¡¯t even do that.¡±


    The three nodded. ¡°We understand.¡±


    Brett looked over and spotted the new teacher that arrived a month ago. He waved at her.


    ¡°Hi Ms. Auromi!¡±


    She smiled and waved back. ¡°Keep up the good work students.¡±


    She kept walking and disappeared into the school.


    Callen noted. ¡°We seem to see her a lot when we come out to practice. I wonder what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    Brett waved his hand dismissively. ¡°Who cares? The fact that my soul just seems to heal after looking at her is wonderful after this hellish training.¡±


    Yumi added. ¡°She¡¯s quite beautiful. I wonder if all Ventris¡¯ are like that.¡±


    Callen shrugged. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know. She is the only one I¡¯ve seen.¡±


    Yumi asked Calgar. ¡°Do all Ventris look like that?¡±


    Calgar had been watching Auromi the entire time. He answered her question while still looking at the school.


    ¡°No. She would be considered beautiful even among themselves.¡±


    Brett sighed. ¡°Calling her the apex of beauty wouldn¡¯t be an exaggeration. I can see why her parents would name her after the goddess.¡±


    Callen nudged him. ¡°What¡¯s this? Is Mr. Trevino falling in love?¡±


    ¡°Please, I know when a woman is out of my league. But that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t have fantasies!¡±


    Callen just stared at him. ¡°Don¡¯t just say that with so much pride. Yumi, you too should get angry or something.¡±


    Yumi just smiled. ¡°It¡¯s just Brett being himself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡±


    Brett put a hand on Yumi¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡¯ll make a good wife someday.¡±


    She had gotten used to his antics. A playboy line like this didn¡¯t even affect her now. During the month of practicing for the tournament, the three had grown quite close. They even considered each other friends.


    Everyone stood up and dusted themselves off.


    Callen said. ¡°That¡¯s enough for today. I think it will be best to take this remaining week to rest. Sound good?¡±


    Yumi and Brett agreed. Calgar also gave his approval. Callen and Brett said their farewells and headed to the boy¡¯s dorms. Yumi and Calgar headed back to her room.


    On the way she asked Calgar. ¡°Are you ever going to tell me what is bothering you?¡±


    Calgar looked to her. ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Yumi sighed. ¡°Calgar, even though you don¡¯t have a face to show expressions, how you are feeling generally comes across from your attitude. I also can vaguely sense it from the connection between us. I hadn¡¯t said anything and hoped you¡¯d tell me when you were ready, but it¡¯s been a month.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want you to worry. After all it¡¯s my problem to deal with.¡±


    Yumi was a little sad to hear that. ¡°As a summoner and familiar we have to support each other. Lately I have received all the support, but now let me return the favor. I don¡¯t know if I can help you, but it would be nice if you relied on me, even if it¡¯s only a little bit.¡±


    Calgar thought for a bit and decided to share with her what was troubling him. ¡°Yumi, are you ever worried about how you fit into the world?¡±


    ¡°Are you asking about if my existence makes a difference?¡±


    ¡°Something to that effect. Questions like, why am I here? What is my purpose?¡±


    Yumi tilted her head. ¡°Those are quite profound questions. I never gave any thought about why I am here, but not too long ago I did seriously question what my purpose was.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Calgar didn¡¯t expect that.


    ¡°I wanted to be a summoner, yet I couldn¡¯t find a spirit. My magic was also lacking. I had nothing to show off. I questioned what I should do with myself. I even thought that I was only good for a political marriage¡­¡±


    Yumi then grabbed Calgar by the arm. ¡°But then, out of the blue, you came and gave me hope. You agreed to become my familiar and taught me that I can be as good as anyone else with magic. I really am thankful for that.¡±


    ¡°So after meeting me you found your purpose?¡±


    Yumi shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I will ever find my purpose, but the doubts I had definitely stopped me from moving forward. Thanks to you I was able to continue searching.¡±


    Calgar thought back to his conversation with Auromi in Logan¡¯s office. When he shared his concerns with her, she stopped him from talking and told him that she needed him. But was that his purpose? To give Auromi stability, like he gave to Yumi?


    A few days after that, Auromi came to him again to talk about the things she didn¡¯t ask him from earlier. He told her his circumstances and asked what she was going to do.


    She had said. ¡°I¡¯ll just keep an eye on you, and will be here to lend a hand when you need it.¡±


    Thus began her career as a new teacher. He knew she used magic to get the job. He was hoping she would be less conspicuous, but what¡¯s done is done.


    Calgar then asked his second question. ¡°Yumi have you ever fallen in love?¡±


    ¡°¡­Love? Uh, no not yet. Are you in love with someone Calgar?¡±


    ¡°No I wouldn¡¯t say that¡­ It¡¯s just a topic that has been on my mind.¡±


    ¡°Oh, sorry I couldn¡¯t help you with that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. I appreciate you listen to my worries.¡±


    Yumi smiled. ¡°Anytime.¡±


    As they entered Yumi¡¯s dorm, they saw Sol sitting at the table drinking tea and Luna sprawled out on the couch.


    Calgar looked at the two and said. ¡°Welcome back. Find anything interesting?¡±


    Sol set down her cup and laid two colorful rings and a necklace down on the table. ¡°These are all we found for now.¡±


    Luna said without moving. ¡°Mortal magic sucks¡­ Only ancient things seem to have enough to be worth anything.¡±


    Yumi greeted them then asked. ¡°Ancient things?¡±


    Luna nodded. ¡°Yeah, like stuff made before everything started to decline.¡±


    ¡°Oh like relics of the Gods. But if that¡¯s the case, where in the world did you get those?¡±


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Sol smiled. ¡°We traded for them.¡±


    Yumi was skeptical. ¡°I don¡¯t think anyone would want to part with something like this¡­¡±


    Sol didn¡¯t answer and kept smiling. Calgar picked up a ring and looked it over. It was a silver ring with intricate carvings around the band. It had a topaz gem on the top that glittered when struck with light.


    Calgar absorbed the magic held within the ring. It was a decent amount. When he finished, the topaz gem looked dull and the silver band was rusted. He did the same to the other two accessories and a similar fate befell them.


    Calgar was satisfied. ¡°Not bad. There was quite a bit of magic in them. You two can take a break for now.¡±


    Luna cheered. ¡°Yeah, I worked hard even though it was boring.¡±


    Sol chided Luna. ¡°Nothing is boring if it¡¯s for Father.¡±


    ¡°Liar, you¡¯re just trying to look good.¡±


    ¡°Enough you two, settle down.¡±


    Yumi walked over to the kitchen. ¡°What should we have for dinner you two?¡±


    Luna raised her hand. ¡°Chicken! It has to be chicken!¡±


    Sol countered. ¡°We had that last time. Let¡¯s have soup and a salad.¡±


    ¡°Bleh, I hate vegetables.¡±


    ¡°Well I hate having the same thing every night. Pick something else.¡±


    ¡°Chicken sandwich.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be chicken.¡±


    ¡°You monster!¡±


    While the two argued, Yumi had already begun preparing ingredients and Calgar sat down across from Sol and opened a book.


    Yumi snuck a peek over her shoulder and giggled. At this moment she was very happy, and hoped her school days would continue on like this.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Ladies and Gentlemen, allow me to welcome you to Beista¡¯s 87th Academy Tournament! The second year students have all created teams of two to five and will battle each other for the number one spot! I¡¯m your host Harry Grung, and I will be commentating on the matches.¡±


    The school¡¯s arena was filled with people, from commoners to nobles, and everyone was excited. On one side, slightly above the back row was a special section for important guests. Here is where the seven Lords and King of the country sat.


    Fredrick and Minna Nishka were already sitting down in their seats. They had traveled to the capital specifically to watch their daughter participate in the tournament.


    Fredrick mumbled to himself. ¡°I hope Yumi does well, I¡¯m a little worried about her.¡±


    Minna tried to reassure him. ¡°Relax dear, she will be fine. She has Calgar remember?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m worried about that as well¡­¡±


    A man and woman sat down near them. The man had a large muscular build and a magnificent brown beard. He was wearing a stylish blue jacket and matching slacks. The woman next to him wore a similar blue blouse paired with a black knee length skirt. Her blonde hair was tied up in a bun.


    The man turned to Fredrick. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t the Nishkas. It¡¯s good to see you. How¡¯s your territory been faring?¡±


    ¡°Hello John, it has its troubles. I¡¯m sure you know all about it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, to think Nerim was doing such despicable things within our country and to top it off was help by our own nobility. I hope the bastard burns in an eternal hellfire.¡±


    His wife, Mariana, gave him a sharp look. ¡°Dear, watch your language. We have an image to maintain.¡±


    John turned and lightly bowed to Fredrick and Minna. ¡°Oops, forgive me.¡±


    Minna smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was a slip of the tongue. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    Fredrick asked. ¡°How are the Delgado¡¯s family affairs turning out? I hear your son is quite the hot shot.¡±


    John answered with a smug look. ¡°That boy is Mariana¡¯s and my shining star. He makes me so damn proud. I expect him to win this thing hands down.¡±


    ¡°Really? This is supposed to be a team event. Do you know who he is with?¡±


    ¡°No idea, but I know he will only pick those that can stand with him.¡±


    Minna joined the conversation. ¡°Speaking of which, we don¡¯t know what team our daughter is on. I wonder if she teamed up with her friends?¡±


    Mariana spoke to her. ¡°Your daughter¡¯s name is Yumi right? How has she been doing? I¡¯ve heard some awful rumors about her.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s doing fine. This last break she was able to contract a very powerful familiar and has definitely grown stronger.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡±


    A sudden commotion began behind them. Escorted by 10 heavily armored knights were the King, Michael Ganar and his wife Laura. They had come to see the tournament as well. The two couples stood and bowed to the King and Queen as they took their seats a bit further away.


    John said as he sat back down. ¡°It seems the King decided to come after all. I was wondering if the negotiations with Nerim would eat up all his time.¡±


    Fredrick speculated. ¡°Perhaps this is a sign that the negotiations are going well? Although last I heard, we weren¡¯t making any headway.¡±


    John shrugged. ¡°Not much we can do about it. Only the King has the power to negotiate with foreign countries. All we have is governance over our territories and answering the King¡¯s call if there is a war.¡±


    The two women worried. ¡°Our children won¡¯t be conscripted will they?¡±


    Fredrick rubbed his chin. ¡°Hard to say¡­ If Nerim¡¯s army is big enough, then it¡¯s a real possibility. After all our own army isn¡¯t very large right now and is spread equally through the territories.¡±


    John added on to relieve some worry. ¡°Well, even if they were, they most likely would be put in the rear or some other safer position.¡±


    It did little to help ease the women¡¯s fears.


    Suddenly the announcer¡¯s voice once again rang throughout the arena.


    ¡°While the preparations for the first match begin, I will now inform you of the tournaments rules. Each battle will take place on the battlefield you see before you. The dimensions of this field are 150 yards long by 120 yards wide. At the start of each match a random environment will be chosen.¡±


    John admired the field. ¡°Hoh, fancy. This will definitely challenge the kids.¡±


    The announcer continued. ¡°The victory conditions are as follows, all opposing team members are incapacitated or one side surrenders. The field is equipped with the latest enchantment that will protect the students from physical harm, but will immobilize them if the damage taken would be crippling or fatal. So expect to see everyone going all out!¡±


    Fredrick sighed. ¡°Lucky. We never had anything this high tech when I was a student.¡±


    Minna lightly hit her husband¡¯s arm. ¡°Hush, you.¡±


    ¡°Alright, I bet you¡¯re tired of waiting but fear not! For the first match is about to begin! On the Left we have team ¡®Star Shooters¡¯ and on the right we have team ¡®Breakbeat¡¯. The team members for each side include¡­¡±


    John trembled in excitement. ¡°Nothing like a good battle to build up your tension, am I right Fredrick?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°You said it John, I can¡¯t wait till our kids show us what they got.¡±


    The announcer drew their attention back to the match.


    ¡°The terrain is jungle! Teams are you ready? After the starting bell sounds, all outside noise will be cancelled out, so concentrate on the fight in front of you! Without further ado, let the tournament begin!¡±

 Chapter 13 - Team Invictus

    Authors Note: Not much from me this time. So just get right into it.


    Here is the Chapter. Enjoy!


    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 13


    Heavy footsteps resounded through the jungle.


    ¡°Dammit is this all we can do?!¡±


    A young boy was breathing heavily. He looked around erratically, searching for the ones chasing him.


    ¡°Over here!¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    The boy dashed to the right and zig-zagged through the trees and pushed through the foliage. What was waiting for him in a small clearing was a girl in armor, wielding a sword.


    The girl said with a smile. ¡°Welcome to the trap.¡±


    Two more people came out and flanked him.


    ¡°Shit!¡± The young boy tried to ready a spell.


    One person noticed the attribute. ¡°Hey, he¡¯s trying to set the whole place on fire!¡±


    But the girl knight charged ahead. ¡°Not on my watch, this is ends here!¡±


    Before the spell could activate, her sword swung in an arc and cut at the young boy¡¯s neck. The sword didn¡¯t actually cut him; a small barrier had appeared and stopped the blade. Judging the blow to be fatal, the field immobilized the boy¡¯s movements.


    A loud bell sounded out and the jungle plants slowly sank into the earth, making the field smooth again.


    ¡°What an amazing first match! Team Breakbeat showed us the potential of fantastic teamwork. They only lost one member to the enemies five! Simply amazing, but don¡¯t be mistaken that this was the only match that was going to be exciting! After all, we have a whole tournament to watch!¡±


    Below in the arena waiting rooms were Yumi, Brett, Callen, and Calgar. They had watched the match from a crystal projection. The image showed the winning team waving to the crowd.


    Brett turned to Callen. ¡°Any thoughts on the first match?¡±


    Callen answered while still watching the projection. ¡°Their teamwork isn¡¯t bad, but it¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t handle.¡±


    ¡°So confident.¡±


    Callen looked at Brett and said defensively. ¡°You asked me what I thought and those are my true feelings.¡±


    Brett held his hands up. ¡°Bro, it was a compliment. Don¡¯t get so worked up before we even have a match.¡±


    Yumi agreed. ¡°Yes, let¡¯s just wait our turn and note any teams that are strong.¡±


    Callen apologized. ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s just I might be expecting more from the teams than I should. Our training has really pushed me to my limits and I really want a challenge.¡±


    Calgar said to Callen. ¡°It¡¯s better to expect more and be disappointed, than underestimate and lose.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s a matter of feelings Calgar. I want that feeling of overcoming an obstacle.¡±


    ¡°Life is full of challenges, be patient and they will naturally come to you.¡±


    The voice from the projection interrupted the conversation.


    ¡°Here is the next match! Team Firestorm versus Team Geshalt! The terrain is Seaside! Let¡¯s get this thing started!¡±


    ¡°Looks like the next match has started.¡±


    Yumi offered to make some drinks. ¡°I¡¯ll make something that will give us some energy.¡±


    The two boys thanked her and intently watched the match.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Callen moved his arm in a circle, testing his movements. Right now he was wearing his armor Kallipolis. He lifted his leg to his chest and then repeated the action with the other. Satisfied with everything he turned to his two teammates.


    ¡°How are the preparations coming?¡±


    Yumi was wearing a white robe with detached sleeves held together by thick black string. Around her waist was a brown belt with small bags attached to it. Complimenting her slightly baggy gray pants, were reinforced black leather boots that came up to her knees.


    Her long black hair was in a single braid that ran down her back. She tugged at the black fingerless gloves before answering Callen.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    Brett pulled up his black boots and dusted off his green hide jacket. He was wearing a brown undershirt and pants. Around his thighs were compartments to hold items. Adorned on his back was a quiver full of blunt arrows.


    He grabbed a black polished bow and gave the string a pluck. It made a soft humming sound. Nodding that he was satisfied, he turned to them.


    ¡°I¡¯m all set.¡±


    They all gathered around.


    Callen started off the talk. ¡°Alright, it¡¯s our turn to go out there and show them what we got. Everyone remembers the formations right?¡±


    Brett reassured him. ¡°If we didn¡¯t, I¡¯d want to know why I went through that training.¡±


    Yumi added. ¡°You can count on us Callen. We¡¯ll have your back.¡±


    Callen nodded. ¡°I trust you guys. Yumi, since I tend to lose sight of the bigger picture in battle I¡¯ll leave when we need to change tactics to you. Brett, support us and harass the enemy whenever you get the chance.¡±


    Brett thumped his chest. ¡°Harassing people is my one true talent. Leave it to me.¡±


    The two couldn¡¯t see it because of the helmet, but Callen rolled his eyes at Brett¡¯s comment.


    They walked out of the waiting room and headed to the arena¡¯s field. As they exited, the crowd erupted into cheers.


    ¡°There they are! Team Invictus! On this team are three of the reigning Lords children! We have the calm and cool Brett Trevino, the wonderful beauty Yumi Nishka, and the one and only genius prodigy Callen Delgado!¡±


    Callen looked at Brett. ¡°Calm and cool?¡±


    ¡°I know. I wanted handsome and dashing instead.¡±


    The announcer continued. ¡°Their opponents are Team Hellmouth! It will be five against four with Invictus being down by one, but something tells me that won¡¯t be a disadvantage!  Let¡¯s see want the terrain will be¡­¡±


    The field shook and suddenly huge rocks emerged. Some were tall others short. It was a rocky terrain with bad sight lines.


    ¡°It¡¯s the Mountain terrain! This could be a big advantage to melee fighters with lots of cover, but also for mages if they can utilize the height advantages! Teams please proceed to your respective sides. Once you hear the bell you may begin!¡±


    Both teams passed each other while heading to their respective sides.


    A boy called out as they passed. ¡°Looks like we get a tough one right off the bat, but I don¡¯t think you two can win so easily.¡±


    Callen corrected him. ¡°We are a team of four.¡±


    The other team laughed. ¡°Yeah, right. A team of four. Look Delgado, that girl and her puppet are beyond useless. Why you took her into your team, I have no idea.¡±


    ¡°Maybe she blackmailed him?¡±


    ¡°Probably got her family to pull strings or something.¡±


    Callen just waved his hand. ¡°Think what you want, just don¡¯t shit yourselves when the fighting starts.¡±


    The other team grew hostile. ¡°You little¡­ Just because you¡¯re a little better, don¡¯t think you can look down on us.¡±


    ¡°Then prove it in the match. Your starting point is over there.¡±


    Team Hellmouth stormed off. Both sides had reached their starting points.


    Yumi meekly apologized. ¡°Sorry about that¡­¡±


    Callen asked. ¡°What for? Those guys are pretty stupid to think you¡¯re weak. We know firsthand how strong and capable you are, so don¡¯t let what anyone else tell you otherwise.¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°Remember what you¡¯ve been training for Yumi.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right I¡¯m no longer a useless girl. I have the strength to stand with you all.¡±


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    Callen agreed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be a teammate if I had thought otherwise.¡±


    A loud bell rang through the air. ¡°Begin!¡±


    A clear translucent dome covered the field. The deafening cheers from the crowd and the announcer¡¯s voice disappeared. An almost eerie silence hung in the air.


    Callen started moving forward. ¡°All right team let¡¯s go. Brett, take the high ground and set up. Yumi, cover me as I try to lure them out.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± ¡°Roger.¡±


    Callen climbed up a smaller rock that was about 10 meters high. He looked around the area. Not too far off was a flat area with not a lot of cover.


    ¡°That should work.¡±


    He looked behind him and saw Yumi had been carried by Calgar up to a tall overlook. As she settled in position he pointed to the clearing and saw her nod. Callen approached the open area. As he went closer to the center he slowed down.


    Callen purposefully yelled out. ¡°Brett I¡¯m in position!¡±


    Not long after he could hear the enemy team¡¯s voices. ¡°Hey he¡¯s over there!¡±


    Two boys in a light armor came over a ridge and slid down to where he was. The other three team members looked like mages and stayed on the high ground.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll be taking you out first prodigy. Hit him with magic!¡±


    ¡°[Fireball]!¡± ¡°[Lightning]!¡± ¡°[Ice spear]!¡±


    Callen jumped to the side, dodging the spells. They left a smoking crater where he stood moments before. Not a moment after they attacked Callen, a whistling noise could be heard followed by one of the mages tumbling down the slope. The two melee fighters were shocked at their companion¡¯s body lying by their feet.


    One of them shouted. ¡°Hey, what happened?!¡±


    Before they could get their bearings the mages on the ridge were struck again, this time with magic.


    ¡°[Tempest]!¡±


    Yumi invoked a mid-tier wind magic with the time brought about by their confusion. The two remaining mages were blown high into the air, screaming as they plummeted to the ground. Before they actually hit it, the barrier kicked in and slowed their descent, immobilizing them in the process.


    All that was left was the two boys. Their brains could barely keep up with what was happening. Callen walked up to them while cracking his knuckles. With each pop, lightning jumped and coursed down his arms.


    ¡°Now that it¡¯s just us, I want to pay you back for your comments about my teammate.¡±


    The boys tried to run. Two more whistling noises and something struck the ground between their feet. The ground grew soft and they sunk into the mud.


    ¡°Help me! Someone help!¡±


    ¡°It was a joke man, we didn¡¯t mean it, I swear!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a little late for that. Clench your teeth if you still want to smile after this.¡±


    Callen reared his fist back and knocked both of them out, one punch apiece.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The bell sounded and the clear dome was removed however it was still quiet. Finally the announcer pulled himself together.


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t believe what I just saw! That match ended so quick I couldn¡¯t even commentate! Ladies and Gentlemen we just saw an epic display of teamwork! Are these even academy students?! The level of coordination with minimum talking and purposefully baiting in the enemy to a trap¡­ It¡¯s like I was watching a military practice drill!¡±


    The crowd who was silent went ballistic at the performance of Team Invictus. Cheers, whoops, whistling, the air exploded in noise.


    At a certain stand in the VIP section, two families were in a heated discussion.


    John boasted proudly. ¡°Damn Fredrick! Did you see that?! That¡¯s my boy!¡±


    Mariana scolded John again. ¡°Watch your language!¡±


    Fredrick was surprised. ¡°To think my daughter was on your son¡¯s team. Honey, when did our little girl get so good with magic?¡±


    Minna answered. ¡°It was probably during her training.¡±


    ¡°What the hell kind of training produces results like that¡­¡±


    John interrupted. ¡°So your girl¡¯s been working on bettering herself huh? I admit that was some impressive stuff she pulled off with such little time.¡±


    Mariana sighed. ¡°She seems capable. I wish Callen would hurry up and pick a girl like Yumi to marry.¡±


    John said without thinking. ¡°Then why not just have him marry her?¡±


    Mariana had a gleam in her eye. ¡°Now that you mention it, she would be suitable. Daughter of a Lord, and a capable magician¡­¡±


    Fredrick stopped her. ¡°Hey what about consulting said daughter¡¯s father?¡±


    Mariana countered. ¡°It¡¯s not as if she¡¯s promised to someone else right? Besides you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.¡±


    He winced. ¡°Well, that is¡­¡± He looked to his wife for help.


    Unfortunately it didn¡¯t come. ¡°As long as Yumi is happy, that¡¯s all I want.¡±


    He tried again. ¡°What about Callen? Surely you have to get his opinion.¡±


    Mariana thought. ¡°True¡­ but I think it will be more favorable than not. The fact they are on the same team speaks volumes.¡±


    A sudden voice intruded into the conversation. ¡°Your children are quite a cut above the rest aren¡¯t they?¡±


    The four people turned to see that King Michael had come over and addressed them.


    All of them bowed. ¡°¡±¡±¡±Your Majesty!¡±¡±¡±¡±


    ¡°Raise your heads. It fills me with joy to see such talented youths.¡±


    The two fathers thanked him. ¡°¡±You¡¯re words are too kind.¡±¡±


    ¡°It pains me as well to think that we might have to send such youths to war¡­¡±


    Fredrick asked. ¡°Is it truly that bad?¡±


    The King nodded. ¡°I¡¯m afraid so. Nerim refuses to parley and has increased its mobilization of the army to our borders. If it continues then it¡¯s only a matter of time.¡±


    John had a grim look. ¡°Then we should gather our troops for when your Majesty calls.¡±


    ¡°Please do. Well, my guards are giving me that look that says I¡¯ve been away for too long, so I¡¯ll leave you to watch the tournament. Until next time.¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±Farewell your Majesty.¡±¡±¡±¡±


    When the king left they finally sat back down.


    Minna put a hand to her cheek. ¡°To think it was that dire¡­ Dear I¡¯m worried about Yumi¡­¡±


    Fredrick shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t do anything about it. If the students are forced to join the army prematurely I can¡¯t stop it.¡±


    John pulled out some drinks and offered one to everyone. ¡°Relax. That¡¯s the future. Right now let¡¯s just watch over them and be happy that they won their first match.¡±


    Fredrick took a cup and raised it. ¡°You¡¯re right, to our children taking first place!¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±Cheers!¡±¡±¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°What the hell was that¡­?¡±


    ¡°Like, I expected Delgado to be good, but¡­¡±


    ¡°Complete overkill. Plus we saw practically none of their skills or magic.¡±


    ¡°I thought Nishka was supposed to be garbage at magic? That looked pretty high-spec to me.¡±


    ¡°Hey Olivia, you¡¯ve been quiet so far. What are your thoughts?¡±


    She was leaning against the wall and was staring at the projection. Lowering her head and closing her eyes, a small smile appeared on her face. She had only one thing to say.


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to face them.¡±

 Chapter 14 - The Tournament Finals

    Authors note: So I wasn''t sure if I would make this book into arcs like light novels do. If I did, then we would be coming up on the end of this one soon.


    What are your thoughts as readers? Do you like it when a book just keeps going chapter by chapter? Or do you like each major plot point separated into its own arc? Let me know in the comments, because I''m seriously curious.


    Alright enough mumbo-jumbo, here''s what you really came for. Enjoy!


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 14


    Team Invictus entered the waiting room and all sat down. Callen removed his armor, Brett took off his jacket and Yumi loosened her robe. Calgar stayed standing.


    Brett let out his breath. ¡°Our fifth match is finally over. With this, all that¡¯s left is the finals.¡±


    ¡°Unlike the rest of our matches, I¡¯m excited for this one. They look like they could give us a real run for our money.¡±


    ¡°But an hour break is almost nothing! Don¡¯t blame me if we lose because I was too tired¡­¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, just drink an energy drink or something.¡±


    Yumi looked to Calgar. ¡°Even though you haven¡¯t been able to contribute much, you seem pretty lively Calgar.¡±


    Brett looked at him. ¡°Really? He looks the same to me though.¡±


    Yumi nodded. ¡°I can tell because of the link between us.¡±


    Calgar crossed his arms. ¡°It¡¯s true. It¡¯s as if there is something in the air that makes me feel energetic.¡±


    Callen took a drink and said. ¡°Think you can share some of that with the rest of us?¡±


    ¡°Sorry but you¡¯re on your own.¡±


    The three of them sat in a circle on the floor.


    ¡°Alright, changing gears to be more serious, this last match will definitely test our teamwork. As for tactics, I don¡¯t think simple traps will work on them so we will have to try and whittle them down.¡±


    Yumi asked. ¡°Are we avoiding direct confrontation?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, but it will also depend on the field¡¯s terrain. Anything with cover would definitely help us.¡±


    Brett added. ¡°They have two front liners, two magicians and a rouge for harassing.¡±


    Callen thought for a bit then said. ¡°We will have to have Calgar play an active role this time. Yumi are you comfortable having him as vanguard with me?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It should be fine. I¡¯m worried about the rouge attacking me though.¡±


    Brett answered her. ¡°I¡¯ll keep an eye out for you and make sure he won¡¯t get an opening.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll be counting on you.¡±


    Calgar watched over them. He was feeling very proud seeing the three children overcoming all their matches so far without his help. It was something he truly enjoyed, watching mortals overcome their limits.


    A sudden knock on the door caught everyone¡¯s attention. Auromi stepped in and closed the door behind her.


    ¡°How is everyone doing?¡± She asked.


    Brett smiled. ¡°I¡¯m doing wonderful now that you¡¯re here.¡±


    She smiled back at him. ¡°That¡¯s good to hear. Are you nervous about the finals?¡±


    Callen answered. ¡°I¡¯d say more excited rather than nervous. But that might just be me.¡±


    Yumi asked her. ¡°Was there something you needed Ms. Auromi?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°No, I just took it upon myself to check up on the students. I¡¯ll be leaving here shortly.¡±


    She then looked at Calgar.


    ¡°And how is everything going for you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Though, today I seem to feel more powerful. Can you tell any difference?¡±


    ¡°Hmm, I sense that you have more than what you did¡­ but it¡¯s not obvious.¡±


    ¡°Strange¡­ I wonder what the cause is.¡±


    ¡°When did it start happening?¡±


    ¡°I only noticed today. I¡¯m not sure when it began.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­ Let me know if anything else changes.¡±


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°Was there something else?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ it¡¯s just¡­ have you given any thought to what we talked about earlier?¡±


    ¡°¡­ I¡¯m sorry; I still don¡¯t have an answer for you.¡±


    ¡°Its fine, I was just curious. Have fun in the finals and make sure to take it easy on the mortals okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be careful.¡±


    The whole conversation happened in the span of a few seconds. To everyone, it only looked like Auromi gave Calgar a single glance before walking out the door.


    Brett stood up as she left. ¡°Alright I¡¯m brimming with energy now! Let¡¯s do this thing!¡±


    ¡°Sit down Brett, there is still forty-five minutes left.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In another waiting room, the opponents that Team Invictus would face were also having a small strategy meeting.


    They were Team Winterfell. They had been able to produce similar results to Team Invictus, being able to quickly end their matches using advanced tactics and strategy. Not to mention each individual member was quite the capable fighter in their own right.


    The team was led by another Lord¡¯s child. Her name was Olivia Mercer. She had her brown hair tied in a low ponytail. Her blue eyes had sharp features giving her a strong and somewhat intimidating feel.


    She was wearing light armor even though her role was that of a vanguard. She relied more on evasion than defense, and so chose armor that was light. Only her chest, forearms and shins were covered in a protective metal. The rest was hard, yet flexible leather that allowed her freedom of movement.


    The other vanguard was a man with brown eyes, short muddy hair and a tall build. His name was Garret Olson. Opposite to Olivia, he wore heavy armor that left almost no gaps except for at his joints. His weapon was a spear and shield, which combined with his armor, made him a walking fortress.


    The two mages on the team were sisters, Solana and Amalia Hearten. One had strawberry blonde hair, tied in low pigtails that hung in front of her. The other had platinum blonde hair, that she just let flow down her back. Both girls had ice blue eyes. They both specialized in ice type magic, which is where the team got its name from.


    The last member was Neil Righter. He was a small boy with a thin frame that disguised his agility. His black bangs were long enough to cover his amber eyes and he would always brush them aside. He was the team¡¯s jack of all trades, able to harass and confuse, as well as take down the enemy¡¯s unguarded rear mages. He wore light hide armor and fought with two daggers.


    Solana clapped her hands. ¡°Okay everyone, lets like, get this meeting started.¡±


    Amalia gave her impressions about their opponents. ¡°Callen will definitely be the major obstacle. With his ability to combine melee with magic, he can cover most of his bases.¡±


    Neil gave his opinion too. ¡°Brett will also be a hindrance. He¡¯s pretty perceptive and able to place traps where the enemy plans to move.¡±


    Garret asked. ¡°What about Yumi? It¡¯s still unclear how much magic she can use and of what types. She¡¯s my biggest concern since there are too many unknowns.¡±


    Solana agreed. ¡°Yep, yep. Also her summon is a wild card. Seriously, in all their matches it didn¡¯t do much but stay by her side.¡±


    Olivia stepped forward. ¡°Everyone, it¡¯s quite simple. Since we don¡¯t know the information, there is no sense in pointlessly worrying over it. Just trust in each other and your own instincts.¡±


    Neil made a sour face. ¡°I¡¯d like a more concrete plan than that. You basically just told us to ¡®wing it¡¯.¡±


    Amalia sighed. ¡°I have a few plans we could use, but I need to know the terrain first. Either way, I think our best bet would be a head on assault. We have the manpower and strength for it, while they are a more mobile team that relies on separating the enemy or bogging them down so they can¡¯t retaliate.¡±


    Garret nodded. ¡°Makes sense. I also noticed they tend to keep spread out. So if we stop their movements, we can have two people fight one of them.¡±


    Solana cheered. ¡°Awesome! With this all we gotta do is put it into practice and first place is totally ours!¡±


    Everyone smiled at Solana¡¯s statement.


    Olivia got up and looked over her teammates. ¡°It¡¯s almost time for the finals so make sure you¡¯re all geared up and ready to go. We only get one shot at this so don¡¯t forget anything!¡±


    Everyone went over their gear and made sure they were prepared. Team Winterfell was ready, and they were aiming to win.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Here it is folks. The moment you¡¯ve all been waiting for! I know it¡¯s been a long day, but the end is in sight! There is no better way to kick off the finale than with the two strongest teams going at each other! Give a hand for Team Invictus and Team Winterfell!¡±


    The crowds cheered for the students who entered into the field. With their tension maxed out, half chanted for Team Invictus and half for Winterfell.


    Callen and Olivia approached each other, with their team members behind them.


    ¡°Hey Olivia. You¡¯ve gotten stronger since first year. I¡¯m eager to see what you can do now.¡±


    ¡°Right back at you Callen. I was surprised to see a lone wolf like you with teammates at all.¡±


    He laughed. ¡°What can I say? I¡¯ve found a nice pack to run with me.¡±


    Olivia laughed too. ¡°So it seems. But we don¡¯t plan on losing after coming this far.¡±


    ¡°Then give it all you got and we¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    They separated and went to the starting points.


    ¡°Both teams seem to be raring to go! The terrain has been decided and it is¡­ Plains! Nowhere to hide! It will be a straight up fight between both teams! And with that, let the finals begin!¡±


    The bell rang out and the noise from the crowd vanished.


    Callen cursed his luck. ¡°It had to be this one out of all the terrain¡­¡±


    Yumi called out. ¡°Plan D! Calgar back up Callen!¡±


    ¡°Go wild kid, I¡¯ll have your back.¡±


    Callen gave a light salute and dashed forward. ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that.¡±


    On the other side Garret had already begun to move to intercept Callen. His heavy footsteps crushed the grass and shook the ground slightly.


    Garret shouted. ¡°Olivia!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m right behind you big guy.¡±


    She pulled from her waist a weapon with two curved blades on each side of its handle. Activating its internal mechanism, the handle extended becoming a two meter long double bladed staff.


    ¡°Leave Callen to me and stall the summon. Once Neil and the girls take out one of the other two we can pressure one.¡±


    ¡°Got it!¡±


    Olivia jumped over Garret and charged at Callen. His arm burst into flames and he launched a spell while they came closer.


    If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.


    ¡°[Solar Flare]!¡±


    A flashing fire ball shot forth. Olivia squinted her eyes and slowed her pace. Callen appeared from her side and swung his fist out. Olivia barely dodged the punch and countered with a slash. Callen held up his arms in a defensive pose.


    ¡°[Void Skin].¡±


    A purple sheen covered his gauntlets. When the blade struck him, the sound of grinding metal pierced the air. After the exchange, both took some distance and looked for an opening.


    The calm air surrounding them quickly turned sinister. Clouds began to form and the sun was covered plunging the battlefield into darkness. Winds began to kick up and the temperature began to drop. Little snowflakes began to fall, followed shortly after by hail then human sized chunks of ice.


    Solana and Amalia were casting the same spell and combined it to increase its effects.


    ¡°¡±[Blizzard]!¡±¡±


    The spell was wide ranging but not very accurate. So why would they cast such a spell then? It was simple. They were trying to blunt Yumi¡¯s spell.


    Yumi had raised both her hands to the sky and cast her spell. ¡°[Hellfire]!¡±


    Flaming rocks appeared out of the clouds along with the ice. The temperature was in constant flux between hot and cold.


    The raging winds whipped up the surroundings and the hot and cold currents were in chaos. It began to rain heavily in addition to the fire and ice meteors.


    During this time Neil would have attempted to attack Yumi while she was casting her magic. But standing in-between him and her was Brett. Nocking another arrow he launched it at Neil. It was a foolish move with weather this ferocious, yet the arrows seemed to ride the wind and take ridiculous paths that almost homed in on Neil.


    He was shocked and confused as to how he was pulling it off. Deciding close range would give him the advantage he charged ahead. As his foot was about to hit the ground he suddenly had a bad feeling. Neil launched himself with his other foot and tumbled forward, getting back on his feet.


    The area he jumped over had a piece of earth that looked like the jaws of some vicious animal. Had he stepped there it would have his foot in a death grip. He knew now that he couldn¡¯t approach so carelessly.


    Calgar was exchanging blows with Garret. When Garret would strike with the spear, Calgar would parry with his arms, guiding the blow away from him. He would then strike the shield with his fist, regulating the power so it wasn¡¯t too strong and only slightly dented it. Yet it would still stagger Garret every time he took a blow.


    He clenched his teeth and dug his feet in the ground, but was still pushed back. As he was being pushed back once again, he heard Yumi¡¯s voice call out through the storm.


    ¡°Formation Permuto!¡±


    Garret wondered what the heck that meant. He was about to attack Calgar, when Calgar dashed away.


    ¡°Hey get back here!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep you company!¡±


    ¡°Callen?!¡±


    Callen released a left hook while reaching around Garret¡¯s shield. ¡°[Induction Impact]!¡±


    A discharge of energy exploded upon impact, sending Garret flying a few feet in the air. The barrier protected from most of the shock and determined that with the composition of the armor, electrocution would have been fatal, and thus Garret was immobilized.


    ¡°Alright that¡¯s one.¡±


    Yumi yelled. ¡°Brett look out!¡±


    Callen turned to see Yumi creating a rock wall between Brett and Neil. Neil had been only a few feet from Brett and lunged for the kill.


    Brett ran past Yumi and they switch places. ¡°I owe you Yumi! Remind me to buy you something nice!¡±


    He then readied an arrow and aimed at the sisters. ¡°Don¡¯t hate me ladies, [Gale Force]!¡±


    As he released the arrow it flew towards Solana. A second after the arrow left, a booming wind rushed forth. Amalia stopped casting and quickly tried to prepare a defense.


    ¡°[Ice shield]!¡±


    A frozen barrier erected itself between the oncoming arrow and her sister. The arrow struck it and the ice wall burst into tiny shards. The shockwave threw Solana to the ground. With both the sisters and Yumi canceling their spells the clouds started drifting away and the weather began to return to normal.


    Amalia wanted to check on her sister, but repressed the urge and attacked Brett. ¡°[Rending Shards]!¡±


    Tiny icicle shards swirled around him and began to close in, creating a mini ice cyclone. While each shard wasn¡¯t strong on its own this magic utilized the tactic of ¡®Death by a thousand cuts¡¯.


    Brett was between a rock and a hard place. He wasn¡¯t good at defensive magic and this attack cut off all escape routes.


    He inwardly sighed. ¡°Looks like I¡¯m not getting out of this one¡­ Well if that¡¯s the case.¡±


    He readied another arrow and aimed up above the whirlwind. ¡°I¡¯ll take you with me.¡±


    He released the arrow just as the icicles tore into his body. The barrier protected and immobilized him at the same time and he fell to the ground.


    Amalia silently cheered at taking down Brett and turned her attention to her sister. She ran over and checked on her. Amalia didn¡¯t know why, but Solana had been immobilized by the field. That attack shouldn¡¯t have been fatal though? Maybe the fall had been more serious than it looked.


    She stood up and looked to Neil and Yumi who were currently fighting. Yumi was trying to keep a set distance from Neil and attack with magic. Amalia took aim at Yumi and prepared to attack when she was vulnerable.


    Yumi jumped back with her magically reinforced legs and launched a spell.


    Amalia exclaimed. ¡°Now! [Icicle Spe-]!¡±


    A whistling sound distracted her. She looked around but saw nothing.


    ¡°What the heck is that?¡±


    The sound was growing closer. Finally she looked up and squinted as the sun shone into her eyes. She saw a black dot and not a moment later was struck in the forehead by an arrow. She could barely register what had happened as she fell to the ground immobilized.


    Meanwhile Olivia had begun to sweat. Calgar was parrying all her attacks and giving her little to no time to react to his. Olivia was proud of her agility, but in the face of this opponent it was as if she was moving in slow motion.


    ¡°How are you so fast with that armor?!¡±


    ¡°If your muscles can handle the weight, then even a fully armored soldier can be quick.¡±


    Another of her blows was deflected. ¡°So damn cheap!¡±


    ¡°All is fair in war Miss.¡±


    She barely dodged another attack. Her breathing was growing ragged. Olivia wanted to know how her team was doing, but she couldn¡¯t afford to even glance away. She unleashed a flurry of blows, spinning the staff around her body. Each strike connected flawlessly with the next, keeping the momentum of the staff continuously going and eliminating any openings.


    And yet Calgar was as unmoving as a bulwark. His hands glided effortlessly through the air, as if guiding Olivia¡¯s strikes to barely miss hitting him. Finally the onslaught stopped. Olivia was out of strength. Her knees shook, barely able to keep her standing.


    Calgar praised her. ¡°You¡¯re quite skillful. Keep it up and train to be even stronger.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡­ not¡­done¡­yet¡­¡± She tried to catch her breath.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but you are.¡±


    Faster than the naked eye could follow, Calgar struck her sternum with his fist. The barrier strained and sizzled as if it would pop at any moment. It then settled down and Olivia dropped to her knees, and then sprawled out on the ground.


    Calgar was shocked as he looked at his fist. He didn¡¯t intend to put much power in his strike, but that came close to causing serious damage to the girl.


    Could it be that extra power I¡¯ve been feeling?


    He didn¡¯t know where his extra power came from. He decided he would ask Auromi to help him get to the bottom of this. He then turned and saw Callen heading to Yumi, who was still fighting with Neil.


    Yumi had stopped attacking and could only dodge Neil¡¯s twin daggers. She had already used up a lot of her magic. She only had enough for a few more attacks.


    Callen ran in and put himself in-between Neil and Yumi. ¡°Good job holding out. He¡¯s the only one left.¡±


    Neil looked around and saw that it was true.


    ¡°So it¡¯s just me huh?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re giving up?¡±


    Neil shook his head. ¡°No way. In fact, I may be able to still turn this around.¡±


    ¡°Quite a statement. But do you really think you can pull it off?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t know until I try!¡±


    Neil sheathed a dagger and reached behind his back and grabbed a white ball out of his pouch. Before Callen could react he threw it at his head. Callen crossed his arms to shield himself, but that¡¯s what Neil was aiming for.


    As the white ball hit his arms, it burst into a white flour-like powder, blinding him. Neil had already jumped at him when he threw the ball and now he was completely helpless to the strike.


    To Yumi the world slowed down as adrenaline pumped through her veins. She watched as Neil approached Callen. She knew if Callen were to fall here then they would most likely lose. Her mind raced and calculated all the spells she knew and if it could turn the situation around.


    There was only one she could use with her current magic power. She stretched out her hand and pointed at Callen. She took a deep breath, clenched her teeth and resolved herself.


    ¡°[Vorto]!¡±


    In less than a millisecond, Yumi was now standing where Callen had been. Neil¡¯s eyes grew wide as he brought the dagger down and hit Yumi in the neck. She was knocked away and rolled on the ground.


    A purple hue was glowing from Callen¡¯s hands and he disintegrated the powder covering his helmet. He then turned to Neil who was still stunned at what happened and charged him.


    ¡°[Flame Explosion]!¡±


    It was a single punch to Neil¡¯s gut. A pillar of flames engulfed him as he was blown away. The battlefield grew quiet until the sound of a bell ringing could be heard.


    The crowd went ballistic over the match. They were so loud you could barely hear the announcer.


    Callen relaxed his guard. ¡°Hey Yumi, we did it. We won first place. This fight was everything I could have hoped for. I wasn¡¯t disappointed.¡±


    Not hearing a response, Callen looked around. ¡°Yumi?¡±


    He then saw her on the ground. He rushed over to her. ¡°Hey are you okay? What happened? How did you get hit?¡±


    Calgar walked up to him and picked up Yumi in his arms.


    ¡°You were about to take a fatal hit from the dagger wielding boy over there. Yumi used a spell that made her take the hit instead of you.¡±


    Callen was confused. ¡°Why did she do that? Even if I was to be defeated, she could have taken him on with you.¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°She had no magic left, and by the time I could reach her, she would have lost and if she loses I lose by default too.¡±


    ¡°So then, she did it so we could win?¡±


    Calgar shrugged and headed to the infirmary where the other students who fell in battle were being taken. ¡°Who knows, I¡¯m not her. Only she can tell you that answer.¡±


    Callen watched as he left.


    ¡°There you have it! Team Invictus takes the win! There were so many things that I couldn¡¯t believe happened; I was starting to question my sanity! This match will definitely be one to remember and hard to top, but I¡¯m sure the first years will give it their all when the time comes. This ends the Beista¡¯s 87th Academy Tournament, thanks for watching and be sure to come back next year!¡±

 Chapter 15 - Sound the Horn, For War has Come

    Authors Note: I gots more questions for ya''lls.


    Do you guys want these authors notes to be at the top or bottom? Or do you not even read them? (LOL)


    Also, I''ve been wanting to make a cover for this story and maybe even add pictures to chapters, but I was wondering if you as a reader see what the characters look like will it ruin the image you have of them? I''m sure some of you don''t care, but for others it can be a big deal.


    As always, feedback is welcome as long as its constructive. If you don''t like the story that''s fine, but don''t be mean about it in the comments please.


    Here''s the chapter. Enjoy!


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    Chapter 15


    In the southern region of Ganar lied the territory of one of its Lords. The Astrid territory was on the border between Ganar and Nerim.


    The land was mostly flat farmland. To the north was a great Lake that was shared by the two countries and to the west was a long mountain range, separating it from the neighboring Nishka territory.


    If Nerim wanted to invade, they had no choice but to take this territory first. Once they did, they had the option of going northeast, passing between the mountains and the lake, or go southeast and swing around the mountains.


    Unfortunately for them, Ganar was prepared and had forts built at each point which sealed off entrance. However this meant the defense from invasion happened when the territory had almost fallen, but it couldn¡¯t be helped, as building forts on open plains was just asking to be surrounded and besieged.


    The one exception was the Lord City itself, as it was built in the center. It was easier to reinforce only one strong point, letting the City be armed to the teeth with anti-invasion weapons that focused on inflicting maximum damage to as many troops as possible.


    It was here that General Faren Velcose made his base of operations. Inside the Lord¡¯s manor, he and his lieutenants surrounded a table that was covered in documents and a map of the local area.


    General Velcose asked his men. ¡°How are the evacuations proceeding?¡±


    ¡°Sir, most of the elderly and children have been evacuated, however many young men and women have stayed behind and offered to assist the army.¡±


    ¡°Accept them, but make sure they only take laboring jobs. Remind them that it¡¯s the soldiers¡¯ duty to fight.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Velcose then asked. ¡°How are the defenses coming?¡±


    ¡°Everything is in position. However we are lacking the experienced personnel to fully man them.¡±


    ¡°The territory soldiers were trained to use them correct?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that is correct.¡±


    ¡°Then have all of them man it. If we are still lacking, pull some soldiers from the ranks and have them take a crash course from them.¡±


    ¡°It will be done General.¡±


    The two men left the room. As they did, another entered and saluted. ¡°Reporting!¡±


    ¡°Speak.¡±


    ¡°Our scouts have spotted the enemy crossing the border about thirty minutes ago. The main force is heading here while they have detached raiding units to nearby villages.¡±


    ¡°The bastards really did it¡­¡±


    ¡°General, shall we send our force to meet them in the plains?¡±


    Velcose rubbed his chin. ¡°What are their numbers?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a rough estimate, but around 50,000 would be close.¡±


    The faces of the men paled. There were about 20,000 troops in Ganar¡¯s total army, but only half of that number was in this territory, with 5,000 being here and 2,500 being in each of the two forts further back.


    General Velcose sighed. ¡°Send only the guerilla units to whittle the enemy down. Their top priority is the supplies. Under no circumstances are they to fight when the enemy retaliates. If they have time, have them set traps, even if it only slows the enemy that is fine.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll relay the orders immediately.¡± The man rushed out.


    ¡°What are the estimates on Nerim¡¯s arrival time?¡±


    ¡°Hard to say, but within two to three days wouldn¡¯t be surprising. The numbers are more than we anticipated.¡±


    Velcose nodded. ¡°Get me a relay tuned to the King¡¯s emergency projection.¡±


    In another room was a projection crystal that would send the image of the person using it to another crystal. It allowed two people to communicate over long distances. A staff officer flipped some switches and the crystal began to hum to life. He then fiddled with a knob and after setting it to a specific frequency, nodded to show it was ready to use.


    General Velcose stood in front of the crystal and what appeared before him was the image of King Michael.


    The King asked in a worried tone. ¡°General Velcose, has something happened?¡±


    ¡°Yes your Majesty, the Nerim army has begun its march and will reach Astrid City in a few days¡¯ time. Our scouts estimate that the enemy ranks consist of roughly 50,000 troops. I¡¯m requesting that you mobilize the rest of the soldiers and have the Lords muster their forces as well.¡±


    The King looked away and talked with someone off to the side. He then turned back and said. ¡°I understand General; I¡¯ll have them send over their units as soon as possible. I¡¯m also conscripting able bodied people and the cadets from the Military Academy¡­ General I know it is selfish but¡­¡±


    Velcose held up his hand. ¡°Fear not your Highness, I¡¯ll make sure to assign them as many duties that don¡¯t directly put them in harm¡¯s way.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Velcose, I trust your judgement. How many days will you be able to hold?¡±


    Velcose thought for a moment. ¡°With our current armaments and supplies we should be able to last at least three months.¡±


    ¡°I see then¡­ hold on.¡± The King¡¯s attention was again taken to someone off to the side. He looked back to Velcose. ¡°I just confirmed that Lord Nishka and Delgado¡¯s troops have been ready to mobilize. They should arrive within the week. The students should arrive in two days.¡±


    Velcose saluted. ¡°Thank you, I will not disappoint you my King.¡±


    ¡°Serve well General, the country is counting on you.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let it down.¡±


    The image disappeared and Velcose turned around and went back to the table.


    ¡°Alright men, reinforcements are coming. When the students get here have them immediately trained on the cannons mounted on the wall.¡±


    One of the lieutenants showed a puzzled look. ¡°Students, Sir?¡±


    ¡°Yes we are conscripting the Military Academy¡¯s students. Make sure they aren¡¯t in direct line of fire. They are still kids after all.¡±


    ¡°Roger, I¡¯ll put the ones that can use magic in the bombardment unit and the others will man wall defenses.¡±


    ¡°Good.¡±


    Another man burst into the room. ¡°General! The enemy has sent a messenger and requests an audience with you!¡±


    ¡°Hmph, no doubt he will ask for surrender. Send him away. If he insists, burn him alive.¡±


    ¡°By your word.¡±


    The other men asked Velcose in a worried tone. ¡°Was that okay General?¡±


    Velcose pulled out a cigar from his military jacket¡¯s front pocket. After sticking one end in his mouth, he held his index finger at the other. A tiny flame flickered into life, lighting the cigar. After taking a few puffs, the General answered the man¡¯s question.


    ¡°They had plenty of time to end this peacefully, and instead they just waltz into our country as if it already belonged to them, weapons drawn. I won¡¯t show the enemy any courtesy or mercy. They can beg it from Nighorum when I send all their asses to him.¡±


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The men all saluted. They could see in his eyes that he had every intention to make those words come true.


    ¡°Enough standing around, we have a war to win here, so get moving already.¡±


    ¡°¡±¡±¡±Yes Sir!¡±¡±¡±¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In the school¡¯s arena sat all the students and teachers from the Military Academy. Down on the field was a podium that was used during the opening ceremony. The principal Logan Marrs stepped up on it and cast his voice enhancement spell.


    He spoke in a solemn voice. ¡°Dear students and teachers, I¡¯m sure you are surprised at this sudden assembly and I apologize holding it on such quick notice.¡±


    Everyone began to murmur amongst themselves. The mood Logan was putting out was not the usual. They all knew something serious had happened.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know how aware you are of our countries affairs, but tensions have been high with the neighboring country Nerim. There has been talk of war and our King has tried his best to avoid that. However¡­ earlier this morning, the Nerim army has crossed our borders and has invaded the Astrid territory.¡±


    The murmurs grew to outcries. Everyone couldn¡¯t believe what they had just heard. War with Nerim? The teachers and some students grimaced at the news. They had a feeling they knew what was about to happen next.


    Their guesses hit the mark. ¡°As a result of having fewer troops, the King has ordered for the conscription of able bodied men and women. Naturally this includes everyone here. We will be shipping out tomorrow and head to Astrid City. There we will fall under the command of General Velcose and await further orders.¡±


    Most of the students grew frightened. While they had entered the Academy knowing they were expected to join the military afterword, when it came down to actually fighting in a war, naturally you would fear dying.


    The first year students were the worst. They had barely been taught anything yet. The second years were a little better, knowing what was to be expected of them. Only the third years kept mostly calm when they heard the news.


    Logan continued on. ¡°When we leave on the military carriages, you will be in full battle gear. Supplies will be on a separate carriage. Leave any personal belongings in your dorms and take only what you absolutely need.


    Teachers this applies to you as well. Classes today are cancelled so everyone return to your dorms and be ready tomorrow morning.¡±


    With that everyone was dismissed. Yumi, Callen and Brett walked back to the dorms.


    Callen said absentmindedly. ¡°War¡­ so it really did happen¡­¡±


    Yumi¡¯s voice shook a little. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m cut out for war. The thought of killing a person is just¡­¡±


    Brett shook his head. ¡°I was hoping to go through school having a leisurely life. This really killed the mood of winning the tournament.¡±


    Yumi agreed. ¡°It¡¯s amazing how a happy thing can change into despair so quickly.¡±


    Callen joined in. ¡°It¡¯s okay guys, we will make it through this if we remember our training and follow orders.¡± He then looked at Yumi. ¡°And, uh¡­ don¡¯t do anything like what you did in the finals, okay?¡±


    Yumi nodded. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be careful. But if I see you in trouble I won¡¯t hesitate to help.¡±


    Brett pointed at himself. ¡°What about me?¡±


    Yumi smiled. ¡°Of course you too.¡±


    He smiled and nodded in satisfaction. ¡°Good. Sometimes you guys seem to forget I¡¯m also here.¡±


    Callen smirked. ¡°If only we forgot all the time. Well, this is where we part. See you later Yumi.¡±


    Yumi waved as she separated from them. ¡°Bye you two.¡±


    She entered her room and sat on the couch and let out a sigh. Calgar looked up from a book he was reading at the table.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong Yumi?¡±


    ¡°It seems our country is at war with our neighbor and we¡¯ve been conscripted to join. It still doesn¡¯t seem real to me yet¡­¡±


    Calgar set the book down and became attentive. ¡°War?¡±


    ¡°Yes it seems it just began today.¡±


    He asked her. ¡°Are all the students being forced to join?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It appears that our side is outnumbered. Since we are a military school, it looks like we are the first to be recruited.¡±


    ¡°Are you scared Yumi?¡±


    She weakly nodded her head. ¡°I¡¯m scared. I¡¯m scared of dying. I¡¯m scared of my friends dying. I¡¯m also scared of killing. I don¡¯t know if I can do it.¡±


    ¡°Killing¡­¡±


    Calgar wanted to comfort her but when he tried to think back to when he first took a life, he couldn¡¯t remember it. He has killed countless people, but where did it all start? He had been fine killing anyone in the past. It didn¡¯t matter who they were. Only when the war with the other Gods began did he start to question who should die and why.


    Out from the bedroom, came Luna who let out a yawn. Noticing Yumi and Calgar talking she asked. ¡°What are you two talking about?¡±


    Calgar answered her. ¡°It seems a war has started and we will be fighting in it.¡±


    Luna¡¯s eyes perked up. ¡°War?! Really? You better not be lying! Oh boy, I can¡¯t wait! This will be so exciting!¡±


    Yumi was shocked at her cheeriness. ¡°Luna you like war?¡±


    Luna smiled and thumped her chest. ¡°I love it. Ah, the scent of blood in the air tickles my nose and gets my adrenaline pumping. It¡¯s pure ecstasy. When will it happen? When do we get to fight?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m not sure.¡±


    Luna spun around. ¡°Oh, I just can¡¯t wait!¡±


    Yumi turned to Calgar. ¡°¡­Are you as excited as her?¡±


    Calgar looked at Luna. Was he excited? War¡­ It seemed like such a distant thing. He was the God of it, so why did he not feel anything special about it? Had his senses dulled too with time?


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure how I feel¡­¡±


    Luna reassured him. ¡°Just wait until the fighting starts Father. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll remember this wonderful feeling.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps. How does Sol feel about war?¡±


    Luna pondered. ¡°Uh¡­ I think she likes it too, but she never shows it so it can be hard to tell sometimes.¡±


    Yumi had a cramped smile on her face. ¡°Is that so? Then I¡¯ll be counting on you two when the time comes.¡±


    Luna smirked. ¡°Hmph, It probably won¡¯t be enough to completely satisfy me, but a taste after so long will feel good.¡±


    Calgar asked Yumi. ¡°When do we leave?¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll have everything ready by tonight and turn in early. I just hope I¡¯ll be able to sleep well.¡±


    ¡°Just try to relax Yumi. Worrying will only stress you out more. Try to take your mind off it and sleep should come naturally.¡±


    ¡°Thanks Calgar. I¡¯ll try. Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± ¡°Night¡±


    Yumi closed the door behind her. Calgar looked at the book he set down earlier and opened it. He wasn¡¯t reading the pages however. His mind was thinking about the war. For some reason he couldn¡¯t shake this ominous feeling he had.


    He looked at Luna still dancing around in glee. She was like a child about to get a brand new toy. The sight of her joy eased his heart a little. Soon he forgot his worries and began reading again.

 Chapter 16 - Blood and Tears

    Authors Note: Hello all. The holiday was awesome and I spent it doing absolutely nothing lol.


    So even though I want to add a cover and pictures to chapters, I realized I suck horribly at drawing. Can anyone recommend me someone who might be interested in drawing at least a cover? It really bugs me that its blank... If all else fails I''ll try my hand at it but I don''t think I nor anyone who looks at it will walk away happy haha.


    Anyway, here is the chapter. Enjoy!


    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 16


    Compared to the inter-city carriages, its militarized version put it to shame. They were fitted with a more robust and powerful engine that allowed for greater speeds, had thicker metal plated armor and wider wheels. It did sacrifice carrying capacity, being only able to hold 30 people instead of 50.


    A long convoy of these vehicles was traveling on the road heading to Astrid City. Inside, the students still held onto the feelings of fear and uneasiness. The teachers had tried their best to comfort them but it saw little success.


    Everyone was dressed in full battle attire. The melee oriented students wore heavy armor that protected their vitals and helmets to cover their heads. The magicians wore robes enchanted with magic to aid in recovering power and amplifying their spells.


    On the first day they had stopped in the city of Torben, which was in the Trevino¡¯s territory. In the morning, they made their way through the Nishka territory. In the afternoon they passed through the south of the mountains and the fort that would guard it. By early evening they were only a few kilometers away from Astrid City.


    It was then that the reality of war fully sunk in.


    The city could be seen in the distance, along with huge explosions. The sounds thundered across the open plains. The convoy increased its speed and headed to the south gate of the outer wall.


    In the lead vehicle, Logan Marrs attuned a communications crystal to Ganar¡¯s military channels.


    ¡°Astrid City, this is Military Academy Principal Logan Marrs. We are approaching the southern gate and request entry.¡±


    A few minutes later a clear voice came through. ¡°Logan Marrs this is Lieutenant Hedrick. Currently the Nerim forces are in the process of setting up siege engines. Make haste to the gate and it will be opened for a short time. Upon arrival, we will verify your identity.¡±


    ¡°Understood, we¡¯re on our way.¡± He then told the driver. ¡°You heard him. Punch it.¡±


    ¡°Aye Aye.¡±


    The convoy increased its speed even further. The explosions grew more frequent as time went on. As they arrived at the gates, heavy metal gears began to turn and the huge panels covering the entrance had receded.


    Once the last vehicle entered, the process reversed and the gate was once again sealed shut.


    Logan stepped out of the carriage and met with the Lieutenant.


    ¡°I have confirmed your identity as Logan Marrs. It¡¯s good to have you.¡±


    Logan scoffed. ¡°I¡¯d rather be back at school. Where do you want the kids and teachers?¡±


    ¡°Have the magicians head to the upper wall. My aide here will guide them. Send a few of the teachers as well. I¡¯ll take the other students and have those assigned jobs.¡±


    The students had disembarked during the conversation. The aide next to Hedrick called out to the students.


    ¡°Those of you versed in magic, gather here! We will join the defense on the wall! Hurry now, time is crucial!¡±


    Hedrick followed up. ¡°All others with me!¡±


    The students and teachers were quickly separated. Yumi and Calgar joined the magician group. Callen and Brett went with the lieutenant. Yumi¡¯s heart was beating quickly. She flinched slightly at every explosion. A hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see who it was and found Auromi warmly smiling at her.


    ¡°Calm your heart child.¡±


    ¡°Ms. Auromi¡­ sorry I¡¯m just scared.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing wrong with being scared, however you must try and control your fear. You¡¯re only hurting yourself like this.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Take strength from those around you. Burdens are not meant to be carried alone. I am here, so are your friends and teachers, and also Calgar.¡±


    Yumi calmed down. ¡°You¡¯re right. I¡¯m not alone in this. Thank you, I feel much better.¡±


    ¡°Anytime. Now let¡¯s go, the others are leaving.¡±


    They followed the aide and went towards the wall. Auromi looked over to Calgar who was silent.


    ¡°Is something wrong Calgar?¡±


    He didn¡¯t respond. She tried again to get his attention.


    ¡°Are you listening?¡±


    She touched his arm. His head turned to her and they locked eyes. Auromi felt a shudder run down her spine. What was this? Calgar didn¡¯t display emotion but this feeling she received when meeting eyes was different than usual.


    As if it never happened, Calgar¡¯s atmosphere changed back. ¡°What is it Auromi?¡±


    ¡°Just now¡­ what were you thinking about?¡±


    ¡°Nothing in particular. I was just wondering what the battle outside was like.¡±


    It suddenly dawned on Auromi. Could this be the reason Calgar was feeling stronger lately? The Gods could absorb the essence of what they governed for energy. For her it would be the emotions of love that gave her strength. For Calgar it was war.


    ¡°Calgar, do you feel stronger than normal right now?¡±


    He thought for a bit. ¡°Come to think of it I do.¡± He then understood what Auromi was implying. ¡°I see, so it was the coming war that gave me strength¡­¡±


    ¡°It seems so. Come to think of it, the idea of a war starting is odd in itself.¡±


    ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°When you were gone, large scale wars started to decrease and eventually only small fights broke out between groups. I think with your return, the number of wars will increase.¡±


    ¡°Is that good or bad?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to say¡­ When we left to the Celestial Realm, our influence was significantly reduced, but the world was in balance to some extent then. My fear is that with you being the only one here, your influence will be greater and balance will be broken.¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s even more of a reason to recover and leave sooner than later.¡±


    Auromi didn¡¯t agree with nor deny the statement he made. He wasn¡¯t wrong, but she still needed to convince him to return with her.


    Next to the outer wall was a staircase that led up to the top. Upon reaching it the group climbed up and what met them was a scene of destruction and carnage spread over the plains and on the top of the wall. There were burn marks all over the place. Down below were craters everywhere from the constant barrage from both sides.


    A man on the wall screamed out. ¡°Magic volley! Take cover!¡±


    ¡°Everyone get down!¡±


    Arcing through the air were hundreds of huge balls of fire. Loud explosions occurred where they struck, incinerating anything in the vicinity. The wall shook slightly from the attack. Screams filled the air, as a few fireballs landed on the top of the wall, consuming a few soldiers.


    ¡°Arm the Magic cannons! Return fire!¡±


    From the wall came retaliation. Huge black cannons, spread out in neat intervals, spewed forth elemental death. From some cannons, a light ray that sliced through man and metal like a hot knife through butter was shot. Other cannons shot a black ball that upon impact, transformed into a gravity well which rent anything sucked inside.


    The students were horrified. Was this a nightmare they were in? Many wanted to turn around and run, but the fear rooted them to the spot. It was the aide¡¯s voice that seemed to snap them back to reality.


    ¡°Students! Your job is to help fill the magic cannons with energy! I want three people to a cannon! Obey any orders given to you from a soldier or operator!¡±


    The students disorderly went to the cannons. Some cannon operators called them over if they lacked numbers. Yumi and Calgar were placed at a cannon nearby along with Auromi. A soldier quickly gave them commands.


    ¡°When the cannon is fired this chamber extends out, when that happens put your hand on it and dump all of your magic into it for the next shot.¡± He handed her a bottle that contained a greenish liquid. ¡°Drink this to recover your magic. Let me know when it runs out. Understand?¡±


    Everyone nodded.


    ¡°Good now fill her up-.¡±


    ¡°Another volley incoming!¡±


    ¡°You three get down!¡±


    They dropped to the ground and covered their heads. More fireballs were coming. Calgar watched as the fire approached. It struck the wall and took a few more soldiers. One fireball headed this way and was going to directly hit them.


    Holding his hand in the air, when the fireball came closer it disappeared. The soldier looked up and sighed. ¡°Thought that was the end. Good on you for stopping it.¡±


    Yumi agreed. ¡°Thank you Calgar. I owe you my life.¡±


    But he didn¡¯t respond. Auromi sensed that feeling she felt earlier, emanating from him.


    ¡°Calgar¡­?¡±


    News about the enemy movements was spread along the wall.


    ¡°The enemy is approaching! Explosives have been spotted among them!¡±


    A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    ¡°They are going to try to blow open a hole in the wall!¡±


    ¡°Relay this to the General and get the archers up here!¡±


    The soldiers scrambled to prepare. Cannons were being fired as soon as they could be. Yumi was busy refueling the cannon and orders were being barked left and right.


    Amid all of that stood Calgar overlooking the approaching army.


    The thunderous roars of cannons, the deafening explosions, the screams of the dying, all of these sounds stirred something within him. A spark had been lit. Inside his armor, his soul essence pulsed, as if trying to simulate a heartbeat. The amber glow he gave off was dyed a deep crimson and the aura around him grew sinister.


    As he drew Luna from her sheathe she giggled and laughed. ¡°Finally! I¡¯ve been waiting for this! Wield me Father, let me feed on their flesh and blood! A taste I¡¯ve been denied for eons!¡±


    As he drew Sol from her sheathe she timidly said. ¡°I as well want to be fed. Father it has been a long time, but please wield me gently.¡±


    ¡°No Calgar, don¡¯t do it!¡±


    Auromi had heard the two sisters. In a panic she reached out to Calgar to try and stop him but it was too late. Calgar stepped onto the edge of the wall and with a small hop, jumped to the ground.


    The approaching enemy saw one knight jump down. They were slightly confused. ¡®What could one person possibly do?¡¯ They thought. So they kept marching to the wall. The knight that jumped down began to approach. Some men laughed at his foolishness, but to the ones in front it was different.


    They saw it. Even though he was hundreds of meters away they saw the crimson eyes peeking through the helmet. Upon meeting the eyes only one thought dominated their mind.


    ¡®I¡¯m going to die here.¡¯


    The front slowed down and those in the back yelled to keep moving. But who could do such a thing after seeing those eyes?


    Not even a second. In the moment they blinked, the silver knight was in front of them. Brandishing two beautiful swords, he swung the black one horizontally in front of him. It left a trail of darkness as it moved through the air. In a wide arc in front of him, soldiers fell to the ground. They had all been cut in half.


    Everyone couldn¡¯t figure out what just happened. While they were thinking that the knight raised his other sword. Its golden glow dazzled them, as it too was swung. In its wake, a trail of light and more dead bodies lay on the ground. Finally the soldiers raised their weapons and charged.


    The silver knight just casually swung his swords. A swing to the left and thirty heads left their shoulders. A swing to the right and forty torsos left their waists. The area was beginning to be caked in blood.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the soldiers to realize something was wrong. This was no ordinary knight. To be able to cut down so many people effortlessly was not normal. They began to back off and tried to make room for archers to fire arrows and magicians to cast magic.


    But the knight didn¡¯t care about that. As the blood began to flow, the crimson glow grew brighter. The knight who had not uttered a single thing since the beginning said a word none of the men knew.


    Once the word was spoken the ground began to shake. It was like an earthquake struck. On the right side of Nerim¡¯s formation, a giant maw emerged from the ground. Countless earthen teeth lined its rocky mouth. As it rose, hundreds of soldiers had been trapped and as they screamed for help the mouth snapped shut. From the sides of the mouth trickled blood.


    At this site the soldiers lost it. Any form of discipline they had was nowhere to be seen. They tried to retreat back to their defense lines. As they ran an eruption spewed forth molten lava, blocking their escape and disintegrating any and all that were caught in the eruption or touched the magma.


    The soldiers looked for a way out. To the right was the earth mouth that now had begun to seek out victims and crush them. To the front was the silver knight, now dyed crimson, who bisected dozens of men and women with each of his swings. And behind was a river of lava. There was only one direction left for them to run.


    And as if to deny all hope of escape, black clouds gathered in the area and begun loosing blue bolts of lightning to the ground. Those struck didn¡¯t even have time to cry out, as they became ash instantly.


    Some soldiers fell to the ground in despair, tears streaming down their faces. Others prayed to the Gods for a miracle to save them from this hell. Others abandoned all reason and charged through.


    From the top of the wall, the cannons were silent. Everyone watched the gruesome slaughter unfold.


    ¡°What¡­ the heck¡­ is that?¡±


    ¡°¡­A Demon? No¡­ more like a Devil...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s on our side¡­right?¡±


    ¡°I know they are the enemy¡­ but that is too horrible¡­¡±


    The soldiers whispered among themselves without taking their eyes away. Yumi who was watching was confused. Who is that person down there? Calgar? No, Calgar wasn¡¯t like that. He was kind and dignified and caring. He was a Father you wouldn¡¯t hesitate to put your trust in. The person down there was a heartless killing machine. The aura they emitted was ruthless precision on how to efficiently kill their enemies.


    But despite trying to convince herself otherwise, Yumi knew in her heart that it was Calgar. The link they shared told it to her. This emotion that she felt was vaguely what Calgar was feeling and it frightened her. No remorse. No hesitation. No mercy. But worst of all¡­ happiness, excitement, joy.


    These emotions were present and they scared her. She saw people die and the edges of her mouth twitched up. Was she trying to smile at this situation? Calgar¡¯s emotions grew stronger and began to mix with her own.


    She wanted it to stop. She wanted Calgar to stop. She wanted the war to stop. She wanted to stop feeling these emotions.


    Without thinking she turned to the only person she could think of who could help her.


    ¡°Auromi¡­¡±


    Auromi looked at her and saw the tears running down her face. Her mouth was in a half smirk as if she thought what was happening was funny, but in her eyes you could see fear.


    Auromi pulled her into a loving embrace. Silently she used her magic to calm Yumi down and rocked her back and forth. Yumi¡¯s eyes started to close, and soon she was fast asleep.


    Auromi softly pat her head. ¡°Poor child, I¡¯m sorry you had to witness this¡­¡± When Auromi looked back the one-sided battle had already finished.


    The ground was warped into a disfigured mess. The magma had cooled down and hardened, the black thunder clouds had dispersed and the mouth made of earth had returned to the ground. Standing in the middle of this mess was Calgar, soaked in blood. It glistened in the light of the setting sun.


    The Nerim army suffered huge casualties. They had left their siege weapons and retreated as the battle had progressed. With no enemies left in sight and the fighting stopped, Calgar returned to normal and realized what he had done. He looked down and saw himself drenched in blood.


    Luna sighed in pleasure. ¡°Delicious. Absolutely delicious. I want more¡­ Father can we go after the rest? Please? I¡¯m not satisfied yet.¡±


    Sol was more reserved. ¡°Luna be quiet. You should be thankful we got what we did. Don¡¯t be greedy now that you got what you wanted.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s not enough! You want more too, admit it!¡±


    ¡°What I want is not the point, it¡¯s what Father wants, so don¡¯t act spoiled.¡±


    ¡°I find it hard to believe we are sisters sometimes.¡±


    ¡°I know the feeling.¡±


    Calgar just looked at the remains scattered around him while the sisters talked. All he saw was death. What did they die for? What were they fighting for? He would never know the answer. Something had compelled him to fight. Was it the sounds of battle? The smell of blood? Whatever it was, he lost control, and because of that thousands had died.


    He walked back to the wall and jumped up. The soldiers backed away and the students cowered behind them. As he looked over everyone he noticed Auromi holding Yumi in her arms. Concerned he steps forward, but Auromi held out her hand to stop him.


    He stopped and asked. ¡°Is she alright?¡±


    Auromi answered. ¡°It was too much for her to handle¡­ both the battle, and her feelings. I¡¯ve put her to sleep for now, but as for if she is alright I don¡¯t know.¡±


    Calgar looked at Yumi. He could see the dried tears on her cheeks and red puffy eyes. A sudden question made him turn around.


    ¡°Are you the one who annihilated the enemy¡¯s army?¡±


    The man who asked was General Velcose. Calgar responded to the question. ¡°I am.¡±


    ¡°I see you are a spirit. Who is your summoner?¡±


    ¡°That would be Yumi Nishka, however talking to her now is impossible.¡±


    The General looked down and saw her asleep. He nodded his head in understanding.


    ¡°I see. I need you two to come with me. This is an order.¡±


    ¡°¡­I understand.¡±


    Reluctantly, Auromi released Yumi and allowed Calgar to carry her in his arms. He then followed the General as they headed in the direction of the Lord¡¯s Manor turned temporary Headquarters.

 Chapter 17 - The Path I Choose

    Authors Note: Hello everyone. Some stuff came up and so writing was put on the back burner for a bit and I was only able to write here and there. I finally finished the chapter, but because I didn''t finish it in one sitting like normal, it might not come off as I originally planned.


    I should be able to write more so there hopefully won''t be such a huge gap between chapters.


    Here is the chapter. Enjoy!


    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 17


    Everything was dark. No matter where Yumi looked, it was pitch black. She hugged herself and shivered as if she was freezing. Wherever this was it was cold. Cold and lonely.


    She began to walk aimlessly. After what seemed like an eternity, she found something amid the darkness. They were fuzzy humanoid shaped creatures. She couldn¡¯t make out any distinctive features, but for some reason a sense of calm came over her while looking at them.


    They were friendly to her. They gave her food and shelter and made her feel like a part of their community. Slowly the darkness faded and was replaced by vivid colors. Lush grass, tall trees, clear water and blue skies as far as the eye could see.


    Yumi had a sense of belonging. She felt that if it was here, she would never be lonely or sad, it was happy and peaceful.


    Then the sky clouded over and on the horizon, red flames could be seen. The fire rapidly approached, consuming everything in its path. Yumi screamed for everyone to run, but the creatures stood stoic in face of the fire. They wouldn¡¯t run, they wouldn¡¯t hide, and the fire washed over everything.


    Yumi had closed her eyes expecting to be turned to ash, but it didn¡¯t happen. All she felt was a warm sensation. She opened her eyes and witnessed the destruction. Houses were reduced to cinders and the lush greenery was scorched black.


    Lying on the ground were the creatures, but they had not been burnt. They had been killed. Weapons were strewn across the ground and blood was everywhere. Looking down, Yumi then knew what the warm feeling was, it was the fresh blood that soaked her clothes and covered her hands.


    She trembled in fear. She looked up and was going to try and find a survivor but the world returned to an empty void. Again it was nothing but darkness in every direction. She wondered if she imagined the creatures, that what just took place never happened. But the blood on her body reminded her clearly.


    Again she would start walking, but this time, her footsteps felt heavy. Her body didn¡¯t want to go forward. What if she came across more creatures? She didn¡¯t want to see them die. Her body was telling her to just stay here. Her mind however coaxed her forward. If she stayed here nothing would change. Did she dislike death? Then become strong enough to overcome it. Do you fear blood? Then become stoic enough to endure it.


    Before Yumi¡¯s eyes, appeared a paved path. It extended far in front of and behind her. It was then she knew. There are only two directions to go, forward or backward. Would she overcome her fears and worries, or be forever crippled by them?


    Looking behind her, she could see nothing, but felt safe and comfortable. It would be easy to take this path.


    Looking ahead again and she could see a faint light in the distance, but the feeling of fear, dread and unease spread through her body.


    She hesitated. To go forward or go back? After a while she took a step back. She felt calm. She took another step, then another. Finally she began to walk down the path that leads to nothing. At first she was happy, but as she walked something began to bother her. It was a little nagging feeling. She stopped and wondered what this was. It came from her chest, and looking down she saw a bright light.


    Upon touching it, something had passed by and brushed her shoulder. Turning around she saw it was Calgar. He was walking in the opposite direction. Yumi tried to call out but her voice didn¡¯t make a sound. As he kept walking, she grew anxious. She wanted to follow him, but that path scared her. She wanted to avoid those feelings, but the longer she thought, the distance between them grew larger.


    She decided. Even though the path ahead was scary, she didn¡¯t want to be left behind. She ran after Calgar and the gap between them shortened. She smiled as she ran, and as if noticing her presence, Calgar turned around.


    ¡°Yumi¡­ so you were here¡­¡±


    Yumi tried to respond, but again her voice wouldn¡¯t make a sound. She began to panic but Calgar put his hand on her shoulder.


    ¡°Relax, your emotions can run wild here if you¡¯re not careful.¡±


    Yumi was confused, but listened to his advice and tried to calm herself.


    ¡°Feel better?¡±


    She nodded. Then she looked around and gave Calgar a questioning look. She was curious to where they were.


    Calgar answered her question. ¡°We are in my mind. I¡¯ve brought you here using the link, but I had some trouble finding you.¡±


    Calgar motioned her to sit down. As she was going to sit on the floor, two chairs had suddenly materialized, one for each of them. They both sat down. Calgar took a deep breath then asked her.


    ¡°Yumi, do you remember what happened during the battle?¡±


    She slowly nodded. Of course she did, how could she forget? The blood and gore made her sick to her stomach, but the worst feeling had to have been watching Calgar as he fought.


    ¡°I see¡­ I¡¯m sorry to put you through that. Yumi, I haven¡¯t been honest with you and was hoping I wouldn¡¯t have to tell you, but things have progressed faster than I had anticipated.¡±


    Yumi was puzzled. What did he mean by that?


    ¡°Let me start in the beginning. The Gods created the world, you know that much.¡±


    Yumi nodded. As she did, the darkness was replaced by the night sky. Millions of stars shone and below them was the planet they lived on. She was shocked by the sudden change in scenery, but soon was able to appreciate its beauty.


    ¡°The Gods who created it were Raylen, Laanex, Measha, Nighorum, Auromi¡­¡±


    As each name was said, an image of the God appeared behind Calgar. Yumi notice that while similar to the statues and pictures in books, the five gods behind Calgar looked different. Is that what they truly looked like?


    ¡°¡­and Calgar.¡±


    A sixth God appeared next to the others. Yumi blinked a few times. The last God looked exactly like Calgar¡­ Then she matched the names. They were the same. She stared at him as he stood up. Calgar put a fist over his heart and did a bow.


    ¡°I apologize for the late introduction, but I am Calgar, God of War and Valor.¡±


    Anyone else would have laughed this off. But Yumi could tell it wasn¡¯t a lie. She didn¡¯t know how she knew it was the truth, but it was. Calgar sat back down and continued.


    ¡°During the War with the Gods, I too participated.¡±


    The scenery changed again. It was a desolate plain. The ground was brown and the sky was gray. Shouts could be heard in the distance, along with the sounds of explosions and the clashing of metal weapons.


    ¡°And at the end, when we were about to fight each other¡­¡±


    The six Gods were facing each other, with three on each side. Nighorum was about to strike down Auromi, but in the last second Calgar had jumped in the way.


    Calgar looked over his shoulder and watched the scene again. He then turned back to Yumi.


    ¡°I was killed.¡±


    Yumi watched as the five Gods shed tears at what had just happened. The scene changed yet again, however she recognized this place. It was the same plain the Gods were on only a moment ago, but the grass had returned and standing tall and proud was a statue in the image of Calgar. At the base of the statue was Yumi, hands together in prayer attempting to summon a spirit.


    Yumi¡¯s eyes grew wide and Calgar nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I don¡¯t know why, but you were able to recall me to the physical world. I thank you for that. However a problem has also occurred because of this. Due to the absence of the other Gods, I have already begun to influence the world by just being here. The longer I stay, the worse it will become.¡±


    Yumi was able to understand. Calgar governed war, which meant more fighting would occur if he stayed.


    As if knowing what she was thinking he nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right. I intended to regain my strength slowly, believing I had time. However I was na?ve. The war your country is experiencing has reminded me of what I need to be doing.¡±


    This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    Yumi had a bad feeling. The pit of her stomach churned in pain. She didn¡¯t want to hear his next words. In a futile attempt she closed her eyes and covered her ears, but Calgar¡¯s words still entered her head.


    ¡°Forgive me Yumi, to accomplish my goal we must part ways.¡±


    Why? Yumi opened her eyes. Calgar just stared back. Why do you have to leave? Calgar turned and began to walk away. After I finally found a partner, why? She reached out to him, but he kept walking. Was all the time we spent together meaningless?


    Calgar¡­ She mouthed the words, but there was no sound.


    Calgar. Again nothing was heard.


    She took a deep breath. One last try, as loud as she could, she screamed.


    ¡°Calgar!¡±


    Yumi¡¯s eyes opened. A white ceiling greeted her. The soft mattress underneath her meant she was on a bed. She blinked a few times and lifted her hand to her face and pinched herself. It hurt. This is real. That meant what she experienced was just a bad dream right...? No¡­ she knew it wasn¡¯t a dream. She didn¡¯t have proof, but her heart told her it happened. The aching pain she felt was real.


    The door opened and a soldier peeked inside. He was startled to see her awake, but immediately rushed out. Moments later, General Velcose entered the room and closed the door.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to see you¡¯re awake, Ms. Nishka. How are you feeling¡­? Terrible, by the looks of it.¡±


    Yumi tried to stand and salute but her body wasn¡¯t moving as she wanted it to. The General waved his hand telling her to stay put and pulled up a chair.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay; you¡¯ve been asleep for three days so don¡¯t push yourself. However I need to ask you about your spirit. It¡¯s of the utmost importance.¡±


    ¡°¡­Calgar? What happened? Is he here? Where is he?¡±


    The General scratched his head. ¡°Well, I came here in hopes you could tell me that.¡±


    Yumi grabbed her chest. It was as if someone was stabbing it. ¡°So it was true¡­¡±


    The General asked her. ¡°What was true?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s gone¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. After bringing you here, it¡¯s as if he vanished. Do you have any idea where he is?¡±


    ¡°Gone¡­¡± Tears began to well up in her eyes.


    Velcose let out a soft sigh and told Yumi to take it easy and rest. It would be better to try talking to her later, when she had organized her thoughts. He then left the room and instructed the two soldiers standing guard to let no one but him in. As he walked down the corridor he spotted Callen Delgado, who quickly saluted to him. Sensing he had something to say, the General stopped.


    ¡°If you want to say something Delgado, spit it out.¡±


    ¡°Sir, I was only concerned about Yumi¡­ Has she recovered?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s awake. That¡¯s all I can say. Try not to think about it and focus on your duties.¡±


    ¡°Understood sir.¡± Callen looked one last time toward the room Yumi was in and then left.


    The General had a small smile at the boy¡¯s actions, but he quickly returned to his normal expression. He had to report to the King about the spirit that had enough power to decimate an army, and the fact that right now, nobody knew where it was.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    ¡°Is it fine?¡±


    Calgar stopped walking and turned around to see Auromi.


    ¡°I should have expected you to come.¡±


    Auromi repeated her question. ¡°Is it fine Calgar?¡±


    ¡°¡­It¡¯s fine like this. If we remained together, she would just be exposed to unnecessary dangers. I¡¯ve gathered enough power from the battle to be independent from her energy. We also can move faster, and don¡¯t need to hide our strength.¡±


    Luna added. ¡°Y-yeah we don¡¯t need her anymore. I won¡¯t miss delicious chicken meals at all! Eating was over-rated anyway right sis?¡±


    Sol agreed. ¡°She wasn¡¯t terrible for a mortal, but this was bound to happen sooner or later.¡±


    Auromi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not questioning why you did it, but how you did it.¡±


    Calgar didn¡¯t answer her. Finally he turned away and said in a low voice. ¡°It was fine.¡±


    Auromi knew he was lying. Everything he said before were just excuses. He could easily protect her from anything, even while being so weak. Everything except himself. This is what he was truly afraid of. That Yumi would come to despise him or worse, fear him. So he left her behind.


    Auromi caught up to him and matched his pace. ¡°Were you always this cold?¡±


    He looked at her. ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    She put her hands behind her back and looked up at the afternoon sky. ¡°I don¡¯t think the past Calgar would just sever ties so cruelly like that.¡±


    Calgar grumbled. ¡°Well, maybe I have changed.¡±


    Auromi looked him in the eyes. ¡°Is that so? Well I wouldn¡¯t know, since you love to keep your thoughts to yourself all the time.¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°It wouldn¡¯t hurt you to share your thoughts with me Calgar. How else will I know how you truly feel?¡±


    Calgar looked ahead. ¡°I don¡¯t need to burden you with my petty problems. It¡¯s my responsibility to deal with them myself.¡±


    Luna and Sol chimed in. ¡°Because Father is perfect!¡±


    Auromi frowned. ¡°Are you saying that I¡¯m not worthy enough to be relied on?¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re plenty worthy. It¡¯s just I¡¯d rather not bother you if I can solve them myself.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t care about that.¡±


    ¡°I do, however.¡±


    They walked in silence for a bit before Auromi sighed in defeat. She resolved herself to slowly break down this invisible wall Calgar had built around himself. If she couldn¡¯t do even that, let alone advancing her love, getting him back to the Celestial Realm was nothing more than a pipe dream.


    She asked him. ¡°Where do you plan on going to restore your power?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, and decided to take it from the planet itself. If the other Gods left, then the planet should have been absorbing more magical essence than normal.¡±


    Auromi agreed. ¡°You¡¯re right. Then you will be seeking out the planets power spots, where it leaks out back into the atmosphere?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t know exactly how many I will have to visit, but it should be the quickest way.¡±


    ¡°Let me search for the nearest one.¡±


    Auromi brought her hands together and closed her eyes. Through the ground, a blue ripple traveled in all directions. She opened her eyes and pointed towards Ganar¡¯s and Nerim¡¯s border.


    ¡°It¡¯s that way. I¡¯ll know more as we come closer.¡±


    ¡°Thank you Auromi. I¡¯m in your debt.¡±


    She smiled at the sudden opportunity. ¡°Oh? Then how about repaying me right now?¡±


    Calgar was startled. ¡°Now? That¡¯s quite sudden, but alright. How can I repay you?¡±


    After all the wild fantasies played through her head, Auromi picked a small and easy request. ¡°You have to start sharing your feelings with me, when I ask.¡±


    Calgar grimaced. ¡°How underhanded¡­¡±


    Auromi showed him an innocent face. ¡°Was that too much to ask?¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°¡­No. If you absolutely have to know, then I guess I can tell you.¡±


    Auromi silently cheered to herself. Luna and Sol, who had been watching silently, had a single thought.


    ¡°Father sure fell for that one didn¡¯t he?¡±

 Chapter 18 - A Bond That Must Be Broken

    Authors Note: Hey all. Just letting you know that I''ve gone back and fixed some minor errors in the earlier chapters. Spelling mistakes, grammar errors, and confusing sentences, that sort of stuff.


    Also I decided to get rid of the side story thread, as I have added it to the end of Chapter 8. I think it fits better there.


    Alright, here is the new chapter. Enjoy!


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Chapter 18


    ¡°Silk shirt¡­ check. Dress pants¡­ check. Stylish shoes¡­ check. Sports jacket¡­ check, and for the finishing touch¡­¡±


    Spinning the hat¡¯s rim on the tip of his finger, Laanex casually put it on his head in one smooth motion.


    ¡°¡­My favorite fedora.¡±


    ¡°Please get rid of that thing my Lord.¡±


    Standing in front of a large mirror, Laanex adjusted his jacket. ¡°Why? It looks good. Don¡¯t I give off a classy sort of feeling?¡±


    The female servant wearing clothing reminiscent of a Victorian maid uniform shook her head. ¡°I can¡¯t help but see you as nothing but scum.¡±


    He turned around and buttoned up the sports jacket halfway. ¡°How is that any different from usual?¡±


    She put a hand to her chin and tilted her head. ¡°It¡¯s reached a new magnitude. It¡¯s as if you¡¯ve become¡­ what is the word¡­¡±


    Laanex raised an eyebrow waiting for her to finish. As if struck by a sudden thought, the servant clapped her hands together.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it! My lord you¡¯ve become scummier.¡±


    ¡°Is that even a word?¡±


    She nodded. ¡°It is.¡±


    ¡°¡­Huh.¡±


    After finishing with changing clothes, Laanex exited the room and stepped into a luxurious hallway. It was decorated with the most lavish furnishings and adorned on the walls were exquisite paintings. The smell of wealth made Laanex smile as he walked toward the buildings entrance.


    The servant who was following respectfully behind him asked. ¡°My Lord, do you have any plans today?¡±


    Laanex answered without turning back. ¡°I do. It¡¯s been almost half a year, and yet no progress to finding Luna or Sol has been made. We are convening once more to see if there is a more effective way to find them.¡±


    ¡°I see. Shall I prepare for lunch or dinner?¡±


    ¡°Both.¡±


    ¡°As you command, I¡¯ll eagerly await your return¡­ Oh, wait! There is something on your shoulder, let me get it for you.¡±


    As she brushed his shoulder he thanked her. The servant smiled and waved as he walked down the marble steps of his temple. To pass the time as he walked, he began to hum a random tune, however the sight of Measha walking ahead of him made him stop and sprint to catch up to her.


    Positioning himself on her left side, he causally gave her a greeting. ¡°Hello Measha, how have you been?¡±


    Measha brushed her blonde hair to the side and looked at him. ¡°Good morning Laanex. The stress of searching for those two has left me quite tired.¡±


    ¡°Is that so? You still look quite beautiful to me.¡±


    Measha smirked. ¡°Hard to tell if that¡¯s a genuine compliment or just the normal smooth talking.¡±


    He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s genuine.¡±


    ¡°Right. Well you don¡¯t look bad as usual either.¡±


    ¡°Why thank you. It¡¯s the hat isn¡¯t it? I knew I looked classy in it.¡±


    ¡°What hat?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean what hat? The one I¡¯m wearing of course.¡±


    Measha reached up and patted his brown hair. ¡°See? No hat.¡±


    Laanex reached up and did the same. It was true, the hat was gone. He swore he had it when he left. Where could it have gone?


    ¡°My Lord, you¡¯ve become scummier.¡±


    Measha watched as Laanex¡¯s mouth twisted into a wicked and malicious smile. ¡°Is something wrong?¡±


    His smile turned back into a normal one. ¡°Nope, just making a mental note of something I need to do when I get back.¡±


    Before she could ask what he was talking about, a new face appeared.


    ¡°Measha. Laanex. Morning¡­¡±


    On the side of the path was Raylen lying in the grass. She blended in so well that the two Gods would have missed her if she didn¡¯t call out to them.


    Measha asked her. ¡°Raylen, what are you doing down there?¡±


    ¡°Sleeping.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you should do in your temple.¡±


    ¡°¡­Then napping.¡±


    ¡°What is the difference?¡±


    Raylen ignored her and closed her eyes. While Measha frowned at her response, Laanex couldn¡¯t help but chuckle.


    ¡°Hey, what are you guys doing over here?¡±


    Nighorum approached and looked at them, and then he noticed Raylen on the ground.


    Laanex shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s as you can see.¡±


    Nighorum sighed. ¡°Come on Raylen, quit screwing around and let¡¯s get to the Sky Dome.¡±


    ¡°Tired¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Hurry it up.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t wanna.¡±


    Nighorum went to her and grabbed her arm. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just drag you. Now come¡­ ON!¡±


    He pulled but Raylen didn¡¯t even budge an inch. Nighorum grunted and groaned but no matter how much power he seemed to put in, Raylen didn¡¯t move. The secret was that she had rooted herself into the ground. Seeing this, Nighorum let go.


    ¡°You little brat¡­ so that¡¯s how you¡¯re going to play this?¡±


    Raylen held up her hand and gave a thumbs up. ¡°Victory.¡±


    Nighorum leaned over her face. ¡°You think you¡¯ve won? We¡¯ll see about that¡­¡±


    Raylen stared at him wondering what he was about to do. To her horror she saw him reach for the bone shaped mask that covered his face, and using a flat tone said. ¡°Oops my hand slipped.¡±


    Screaming in agony, Raylen shot up and dashed away to the Sky Dome. Nighorum fixed the mask back in place and turned to the two spectators.


    ¡°Now then, shall we go?¡±


    The two nodded and followed behind him.


    Measha leaned over to Laanex and whispered. ¡°Have you ever seen what¡¯s behind that mask?¡±


    Laanex nodded. ¡°I had asked to see it during the war. Worst mistake of my life.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    All the Gods sat around the table. Two of the six chairs were empty. Nighorum looked at the seat Auromi was supposed to be in.


    His annoyance could be heard through his voice. ¡°What the heck is taking her so long?¡±


    Laanex tried to sooth him. ¡°Now, now. Perhaps she overslept or something?¡±


    ¡°There is only one person who would do that, and she¡¯s already here!¡±


    Nighorum pointed to Raylen, who was fast asleep in her chair. Her snoring was adding on to his anger.


    Measha agreed. ¡°He¡¯s right. It¡¯s not like her to be late.¡±


    Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Then shall we go to her temple instead of waiting-.¡±


    Bursting through the doors, three servants entered the room. ¡°You¡¯re Eminences! There is urgent news!¡±


    Nighorum yelled across the room. ¡°WHAT IS IT NOW?!¡±


    The servants quickly kneeled. ¡°On the continent of Servas, a war has begun between the countries of Ganar and Nerim.¡±


    The three Gods asked at the same time. ¡°A war?¡± The commotion woke Raylen up.


    ¡°Yes, it seems to be a large scale invasion from Nerim¡¯s side. We had kept an eye on them ever since they began to build up their military a few years ago.¡±


    The Gods looked to each other.


    Laanex folded his arms and wondered aloud. ¡°Could it be that Calgar truly is alive?¡±


    Measha offered a different conclusion. ¡°Perhaps it was Luna and Sol instigating the fight?¡±


    Raylen rubbed her eyes while shaking her head. ¡°Not possible.¡±


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Time.¡±


    Laanex agreed. ¡°Raylen¡¯s right. They had begun preparing this for years in advance. I doubt it was only started from the twins interfering.¡±


    Nighorum interjected. ¡°Does this mean Calgar and the twins are in that area? If he has returned and is emitting his influence, then those closer to him should be affected first. Come to think of it, wasn¡¯t Auromi responsible for that continent? Dammit where is she?!¡±


    Nighorum shot a glare at the servants who were still present. They stood up straight and stuttered as they answered.


    ¡°As far as anyone knows, she should be inside her temple.¡±


    Nighorum clenched his fist and stood up. ¡°Come on, I need answers and I feel Auromi has them. You three return and monitor the war as it develops. Notify us if anything changes drastically.¡±


    The three answered together. ¡°Understood!¡±


    The Gods left the Sky Dome and headed to Auromi¡¯s Temple.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    At the entrance to the Temple, Auromi¡¯s servant Helen was sweating bullets. Standing in front of her were the other four Gods and they were demanding to know what Auromi was doing.


    Nighorum didn¡¯t even try hiding his anger. ¡°Where is Auromi?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­ uh¡­ sleeping right now.¡±


    The Gods looked at her as if she was stupid. She tried to correct herself.


    ¡°I mean¡­ She¡¯s in the middle of¡­ communicating with her Champion! Yeah that¡¯s what she¡¯s doing.¡±


    Nighorum raised his voice. ¡°DOES IT LOOK LIKE I CARE ABOUT THAT?!¡±


    Helen¡¯s hair and clothing was ruffled as if a strong wind was blowing. She wanted to cry, but she swore to Auromi to delay them as long as possible if they wondered what she was doing. But she now realized how impossible a task it was.


    Measha stepped forward and warned her. ¡°Tell us now. It is your last chance girl.¡±


    Helen knew the jig was up. She reluctantly opened the doors and told them. ¡°She¡¯s in the innermost room.¡±


    Nighorum stormed in, dragging Raylen behind him. As Measha and Laanex entered they cringed at the interior design which featured nothing but Calgar.


    Measha shivered as she entered. ¡°I forgot how much this place creeped me out.¡±


    Laanex sighed. ¡°One might mistake this for Calgar¡¯s Temple rather than Auromi¡¯s.¡±


    As the two drew closer to the inner chamber, they saw Nighorum looking in from the doorway.


    Laanex called to him. ¡°Is she in there?¡±


    He didn¡¯t answer. Instead he ran past them going back to the entrance.


    Measha wondered. ¡°What was that about?¡±


    Raylen, who was left behind pointed at a bed in the room. ¡°Auromi¡¯s gone.¡±


    ¡°Huh? What do you mean by gone?¡±


    She took a closer look and froze. It was Auromi¡¯s body, but her soul was missing. Measha was dumbfounded.


    ¡°You''re right she is gone¡­¡±


    Nighorum returned, dragging Helen with him. He threw her into the room and pointed at Auromi¡¯s body.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you this only once. Where the hell is Auromi?¡±


    Knowing her life was on the line, Helen spilled everything. ¡°She¡¯s on the planet.¡±


    The Gods were speechless. They wondered if they heard her correctly.


    ¡°She¡¯s on the planet?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How can she have gone to the planet?!¡±


    ¡°She transferred her soul into a mortal body, thus getting around the pact.¡±


    Laanex wore a serious expression. ¡°Hey, this isn¡¯t funny. You¡¯re telling me not only are the twins and Calgar on the planet, but Auromi as well?¡±


    Measha added. ¡°The longer they are down there, the more the balance will be upset. We can¡¯t stay passive about this! We need to act.¡±


    Nighorum nodded. ¡°I agree, but how should we do it?¡±


    Raylen raised her hand. ¡°No more pact?¡±


    ¡°Well¡­ that is one way. No, these events have shown that the pact has too many flaws. I agree with Raylen. What about you two?¡±


    Measha and Laanex agreed as well.


    ¡°Then it is settled. We will work to abolish the pact. It will be tough to undo without Auromi, but we have to find a way. Get yourselves in order and meet up in the Sky Dome.¡±


    Nighorum turned and walked out of the room. Measha followed suit. Raylen had lied down in the bed Auromi¡¯s body was in.


    Laanex asked. ¡°Really Raylen?¡±


    ¡°Just a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Fine.¡± He then turned to Helen. ¡°Make sure she doesn¡¯t sleep too long.¡±


    ¡°Y-yes sir.¡±


    Laanex left and headed back to his own temple, and upon arriving, the female servant from earlier was waiting for him at the entrance.


    ¡°Welcome back, my Lord.¡±


    Laanex entered as she held open the doors for him. ¡°I won¡¯t be back for long. We have decided to abolish the pact, and will meet in the Sky Dome to do it. I don¡¯t know how long it will take, so keep the place clean while I¡¯m gone.¡±


    ¡°Yes my Lord.¡±


    He turned his head and smiled sweetly at her. ¡°Also, I seemed to have misplaced my fedora. Do you know anything about that?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about.¡±


    ¡°I think you know exactly what I¡¯m talking about? Be honest with me, and I won¡¯t be that harsh in your punishment.¡±


    The servant hesitated and then came clean. ¡°I was only thinking of your image.¡±


    Laanex came over and patted her. ¡°I appreciate you looking out for me.¡±


    A bright smile appeared on her face. ¡°My Lord¡­¡±


    ¡°However I¡¯m still upset, so prepare yourself.¡±


    She fell to her knees in despair as Laanex¡¯s laughter echoed throughout the halls.

 Chapter 19 - Bearing the Burden

    Authors Note: Hola! Here is a fun fact about this fiction, as of this chapter it is at 57,952 words. pretty neat right? No? Well, I thought it was cool.


    Anyway nothing really to say this time except that I really appreciate those of you who take the time to post in the comments. I really enjoy seeing that people like this fiction and are reading it, it''s not an exaggeration to say that it really gets me motivated to keep writing.


    Welp, here is your chapter. Enjoy!


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    Chapter 19


    Callen and Brett were moving boxes of supplies off the convoy and into a storehouse. Callen let out a heavy sigh as he lowered the box to the floor.


    Brett did the same and asked Callen. ¡°Still worried about Yumi? I¡¯m telling you man, she will be fine.¡±


    ¡°What if she isn¡¯t though? They say war can change people.¡±


    ¡°But she hasn¡¯t even participated yet.¡±


    Callen looked around and pointed at their classmates. ¡°Look Brett, other students haven¡¯t participated either, but it has already affected them.¡±


    The students he mentioned were the ones who had witnessed the massacre of the enemy army. Some were still able to perform simple tasks, but far more had become paralyzed with fear. General Velcose had order for them to be placed inside a reinforced building that was being used as a makeshift medical bay.


    Callen continued. ¡°She¡¯s a delicate girl. It could have affected her more than you think.¡±


    ¡°Wow, I didn¡¯t realize that¡¯s how you viewed her. Listen Callen, I think you¡¯re underestimating her. She¡¯s tougher than she looks.¡±


    ¡°Maybe¡­¡±


    A small commotion caught the boys¡¯ attention. Wondering what was going on, they headed over. What they saw was the general talking to the Principal. Behind the general were four soldiers surrounding Yumi. Her hands were bound together in front of her with steel manacles.


    The sight made Callen¡¯s blood boil. Without thinking he ran forward and confronted the men.


    ¡°What is going on here?!¡±


    A soldier put his hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist. ¡°Stand down Delgado. This doesn¡¯t concern you.¡±


    He retorted. ¡°Like hell it doesn¡¯t!¡±


    Brett came up from behind him and tried to calm Callen down. ¡°You can¡¯t just do that Callen. I¡¯m sure there is a reason for it.¡±


    Callen ignored him. ¡°Why is she being treated like a criminal?¡±


    The general answered him. ¡°Relax kid. It¡¯s more for appearances. She isn¡¯t formally being charged with anything, however she will be sent back to Beista and answer to the King.¡±


    ¡°What for?¡±


    Logan answered him. ¡°It¡¯s about Calgar, her spirit. You guys missed it, since you were helping the other soldiers within the wall, but he single-handedly wiped out a division of Nerim¡¯s troops.¡±


    Callen was confused. ¡°Isn¡¯t that a good thing then?¡±


    Logan shook his head. ¡°Normally I¡¯d agree, but after that battle Calgar has disappeared. We asked Yumi for details, but all she says is that he is gone.¡±


    Callen and Brett were shocked. They looked at Yumi for an explanation, but she just blankly stared at the ground.


    Callen turned back to Velcose. ¡°Allow me to accompany her.¡±


    ¡°Request denied.¡±


    ¡°Why? I know Calgar fairly well too. I spent almost one month training with him after all.¡±


    Brett chimed in. ¡°I as well.¡±


    Velcose raised his eyebrows and looked to Logan for confirmation. Logan nodded and said. ¡°It¡¯s true. They were a team in the second year¡¯s tournament. I¡¯ve watched them fight together.¡±


    ¡°Hmm, then that changes things. Alright, I¡¯ll allow you two to go as well. Grab your gear and be ready in thirty minutes or they¡¯ll leave without you.¡±


    Callen and Brett saluted. ¡°Yes Sir!¡± And then ran off.


    Logan turned back to the general. ¡°Velcose, I know it¡¯s out of my hands at this point, but she still is one of my students, and my friend¡¯s granddaughter. I want you to give it to me straight. How bad does it look?¡±


    Velcose lit up a cigar and took a puff before answering. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. At worst, she should only be confined at her home for a while. At best it will be seen as a young summoner losing control, and a slight reprimand. The main problem is what you have told me, how the spirit can always be manifested.¡±


    ¡°Yes, normally a summoner can recall a spirit or after the spirit uses too much magic, be forcefully recalled. However Yumi says he is ¡®gone¡¯. Does that mean the contract has been broken and he has returned to the ether? Or does it mean that he now has free reign?¡±


    Velcose asked. ¡°Can a spirit really stay materialized by itself?¡±


    ¡°According to ancient records, the answer is yes. Back then, it seems powerful spirits inhabited the physical world. It was after the War of the Gods that they chose to migrate to the ether.¡±


    ¡°So he is one of those powerful spirits¡­¡±


    Logan nodded. ¡°I believe so. The only other one I know of is the spirit her father has possession of.¡±


    Velcose took another puff. ¡°Hah, if he stayed an ally, that¡¯d be great, but as an enemy¡­ I only heard it secondhand from the troops, but it sounded like hell.¡±


    Logan could only agree to his statement as he too didn¡¯t see it directly.


    Callen and Brett had returned with both of them carrying a small duffel bag on their shoulders.


    Velcose called to the soldiers behind him. ¡°Alright, load up and ship out. Upon turning the three kids over to Beista¡¯s security force, you are to return immediately. No delays either, head straight there and back without stopping. Switch drivers when you¡¯re tired.¡±


    Everyone saluted. ¡°Understood!¡±


    Yumi, Callen, Brett and the four soldiers climbed into the military carriage and left through the south gate, heading back to the Capital city.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Three days later, in the throne room of the Castle, The seven ruling Lords, a representative of the church, and the King sat waiting. They had all been gathered to hear the disturbing reports of the rogue spirit.


    In a loud voice the King said. ¡°Bring in the subjects.¡±


    The grand double doors opened and led inside the room was Callen, Brett and Yumi. Callen was on the King¡¯s right side and Brett was on the left. Yumi was in the middle and was flanked by two guards.


    They stopped about 15 meters from the throne. All three of them kneeled.


    The King continued to speak. ¡°I have summoned you here in regards to the mysterious spirit known as Calgar. I have received reports of his immense strength shown during the defense of Astrid City. However it was also reported that said spirit is now missing, and that the summoner in question has no idea to his whereabouts. The main focus of this meeting is to determine if this ¡®rogue spirit¡¯ has the potential to be a threat to this kingdom.¡±


    Callen spoke up while still kneeling. ¡°Your Majesty, if I may speak?¡±


    ¡°Callen Delgado. You may speak.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡± Callen stood up. ¡°I have been in contact with Calgar one month before, and during the tournament held at the Military Academy.¡±


    The King nodded. ¡°Indeed. Your battles were excellent to watch.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, what I¡¯m trying to say is that Calgar is a very kind and responsible spirit. He looked after us and taught us things that we didn¡¯t know. He helped us grow in both body and mind.¡±


    The Lords talked amongst themselves at his statement. The King closed his eyes and nodded.


    ¡°So you are vouching that his character is good?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    ¡°I see. You¡¯re opinion has been heard.¡±


    Callen kneeled once more. The King turned to Brett. ¡°Mr. Trevino, do you have anything you would like to say?¡±


    Brett stood and shook his head. ¡°Everything Callen has already stated is almost parallel to my own thoughts. I¡¯ve nothing more to add, other than I don¡¯t think Calgar will be a threat.¡±


    ¡°I see. Then that leaves only one person left. Yumi Nishka, you were there when the battle occurred. Tell us first-hand what happened.¡±


    As her hands were still bound, the guards helped her up. Yumi looked straight ahead, as if looking through the King. In a soft voice she recalled the events of the battle.


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°I was on the wall. We were to fill the cannons with magic. But before I could do it, the enemy had launched another attack. Just before we were hit, Calgar had saved us. I was so glad that he protected me, but the look he had was different. It was like he was a predator sizing up his prey.¡±


    The Lords grew concerned with what she was saying.


    She clenched her hands into fists. ¡°Then he jumped off the wall. It happened so fast, I couldn¡¯t stop him. Then the blood started to flow, and following that, the screams of the enemy. I could only watch as he cut his way through their ranks. It was like he was taking a stroll.¡±


    Tears began to spill as she continued. ¡°Then I could feel his emotions. He was enjoying it. Every time blood was spilt his smile grew wider. The soldiers tried to run¡­ but he wouldn¡¯t let them escape.¡±


    Their concerns grew to worry the longer they kept listening to her story.


    Yumi wiped her tears and took a deep breath. ¡°At some point I fell unconscious. I don¡¯t know if it was a dream, but I saw Calgar again in a black world. He told me the truth that he was a God and that he could no longer stay by my side. It was then I woke up and he was already gone.¡±


    As she finished, the Lords immediately began discussing the potential dangers. However one person scoffed at Yumi. It was a priest belonging to the church.


    ¡°What nonsense is this? There are only five Gods, not six. Were you perhaps brainwashed by those impudent heretics?¡±


    Yumi¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Believe me or not, but I know what I heard. It was arrogant of me to think we could be partners.¡±


    The priest scowled. ¡°Perhaps this was not a spirit gone rogue, but a plot of terrorism devised by heretics.¡±


    Fredrick Nishka stood up to defend his daughter. ¡°Yumi is not a heretic! She believes in the Five Gods just like the rest of us.¡±


    But Yumi herself denied him. ¡°No Father, there have always been six, Nighorum, Auromi, Laanex, Raylen, Measha, and Calgar. I can¡¯t show proof, but I know it to be true.¡±


    Fredrick was stunned at what she was saying. The priest turned to the King and proposed. ¡°Your Majesty, listen to this drivel! I advise you to imprison this girl and conduct a full investigation into this! Her ¡®God¡¯ may not be as uncontrollable as she¡¯d like us to believe. It may strike again.¡±


    Callen couldn¡¯t listen anymore. ¡°What are you basing that on? You¡¯re just making wild assumptions!¡±


    The throne room had grown noisy. The King had reached his limit of patience and shouted. ¡°Enough!¡±


    Everyone quieted down. The King had reached a decision. ¡°Yumi Nishka, I hereby announce that you will be detained as a complete investigation into these events is conducted. If after the investigation, it''s shown you have committed criminal offenses, then you will at that time be tried and either convicted or acquitted. If it is shown that you are innocent of any wrong doing, you will be released back into the custody of the Nishkas.¡±


    The King had spoken. Callen, Brett and Yumi were led out of the room. As soon as they left, Fredrick voiced his complaint.


    ¡°Your Majesty, I¡¯m against your decision.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been noted.¡±


    The priest mocked Fredrick. ¡°She should be thankful she isn¡¯t executed for such blasphemy.¡±


    John Delgado, who had been silent until now, spoke. ¡°What if we look at it another way?¡±


    The King questioned him. ¡°How do you mean?¡±


    ¡°She said this Calgar was the sixth God, and while we can¡¯t just believe her, could it relate to the fact that five Champions have appeared?¡±


    The other Lords and King were startled as they realized this fact. King Michael asked the priest. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    The priest eyes were closed as he was in deep thought. ¡°Yes¡­ Perhaps this ¡®Calgar¡¯ is a false God who has come to bring chaos and destruction. Meaning the appearance of the five Champions is to combat this threat.¡±


    John nodded. ¡°I was thinking something similar. Can we count on the church to look into this for us?¡±


    The priest readily agreed. ¡°Of course! I knew this day would come, that those infidels who worshipped their sixth God would be cleansed in a holy war by the Five Gods.¡±


    The King rebuked him. ¡°It better not come to that. We don¡¯t need any more bloodshed. Let us end the meeting here for today. Tomorrow we will gather personnel for the investigation team. Remember to keep the contents of this meeting an absolute secret until we know what we are dealing with.¡±


    The men got up from their seats and left the room.


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    Callen and Brett had been given a room to borrow inside the castle, and currently Callen was pacing back and forth in it. Brett was sitting on one of the two beds in the room and watched him. From the lone window, entered the light from the setting sun.


    Callen grumbled in complaint. ¡°That damn priest. It was like he was out for Yumi¡¯s blood.¡±


    ¡°Well, she did basically say his religion is wrong. You can¡¯t blame him for being angry.¡±


    Callen stopped and looked at Brett. ¡°¡­Is that really what happened?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m assuming your referring to the battle Calgar was in? I don¡¯t know. But if what Yumi said was true, I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t see it.¡±


    Callen was silent, and then asked. ¡°Hey Brett, have you ever killed anyone?¡±


    Brett flopped over on his back and stared at the ceiling. ¡°Nope. What about you?¡±


    Callen shook his head. ¡°Me neither.¡±


    ¡°While I¡¯ve never killed anyone, if the circumstances were right, I would probably be able to do it.¡±


    ¡°You think so?¡±


    ¡°Yup. I may seem laidback, but my mom always taught me to do whatever it takes to protect the things I deem important.¡±


    ¡°So you would kill for the right reasons¡­ I wonder about myself¡­¡±


    Callen looked down at his hand. What would it take for him to stain his hands with blood? An order? Jealousy? Revenge? Could he live with the consequences? The weight of a life, could he bear those burdens?


    His mind then wandered to Yumi. What was she feeling? What was she thinking? He was curious to know. She had witnessed death, was she scared? Afraid?


    He closed his eyes and sighed. ¡°I¡¯m worried about her¡­¡±


    Brett propped his head up with his arm. ¡°I am too you know, but we can¡¯t do anything about it.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t we at least go talk to her?¡±


    Brett shook his head. ¡°No can do. She will be isolated for the duration of the investigation.¡±


    Callen slammed his fist into the wall. ¡°Dammit! If only Calgar didn¡¯t do that, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess!¡±


    ¡°Callen you can¡¯t blame Calgar. We may not know him very well, but I don¡¯t think he would have done what he did without a good reason.¡±


    Callen rubbed his eyes. ¡°¡­Yeah, you¡¯re right. Calgar would put Yumi¡¯s well-being first.¡± He then stopped and looked up. ¡°Wait, if that¡¯s true, then did he leave to protect her somehow?¡±


    Brett shrugged. ¡°Could be? But without asking him, we¡¯ll never know.¡±


    Callen put his hands on his head and begun pacing again. ¡°Ugh, why can¡¯t things just be simple?¡±


    Brett chuckled. ¡°Think of it as the spice, in the great meal we call ¡®life¡¯.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d rather eat dessert instead.¡±


    ¡°Really? You do realize that in this analogy, dessert would be the afterlife.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­ then I¡¯ll just fill up on the side dish.¡±


    ¡°What are you even talking about¡­?¡±


    Callen shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t know you started this!¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    The two of them burst into laughter. After they calmed down, they changed into night wear and entered their separate beds.


    Callen turned off the light. ¡°Let¡¯s just sleep. We can think about the complicated things tomorrow.¡±


    Brett pulled up the covers. ¡°Sounds good to me. Night Callen.¡±


    ¡°Night Brett.¡±


    Not long after, the two were fast asleep.

 Chapter 20 - Taking Risks Gives a Second Chance

    Authors Note: Alright, for those of you who read the original chapter 20, I listened to your feedback and after rereading it over and over again I had to agree with you that It wasn''t very good. So I rewrote the chapter. I feel this one stays closer to the core of the story and flows better, and after reading it, I hope you agree.


    for those who didn''t read the original, well, let''s say you lucked out.


    Here is the Chapter. I hope you Enjoy.


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    Chapter 20


    Brett let loose a sigh as he navigated the halls back to the room he and Callen shared and entered.


    ¡°Callen are you in here?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m here.¡±


    Callen was lying on the bed and reading a book. He looked at Brett when he walked in.


    Brett flopped down onto his bed. ¡°I¡¯m tired of all these questions they keep asking. When are they going to be done with this?¡±


    Callen set his book down. ¡°I don¡¯t know. From what I¡¯ve heard, they can¡¯t make a decision on what to do. The information contradicts each other.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, we are saying Calgar is a good spirit, but they can¡¯t help but question his mysterious actions. I¡¯d do the same in their shoes. But I don¡¯t know how much longer I can be cooped up in this Castle.¡±


    Callen agreed.  ¡°They don¡¯t want us to be wandering around the Castle, so it can¡¯t be helped, but I share your pain.¡±


    A soft knock on the door interrupted the conversation. ¡°Excuse me, but may I enter?¡±


    ¡°Come in.¡±


    A woman wearing the servants¡¯ uniform bowed as she entered. ¡°Mr. Delgado, Mr. Trevino, you have been summoned by his Majesty.¡±


    Callen and Brett exchanged questioning glances and got up. ¡°Lead the way.¡±


    The servant led them to a room that was quite large. It was a formal meeting area that officials would often use when conducting business with foreign dignitaries. In the room were King Michael, John Delgado, Fredrick Nishka, and George Trevino. They were all seated in a loose semi-circle.


    The boys were about to kneel when the King stopped them. ¡°No need for that. This is just a casual meeting. Find a chair and have a seat.¡±


    Brett gave a casual wave to his father. ¡°Yo Pops, how¡¯ve you been?¡±


    George Trevino was his father. His muddy brown hair was slicked back and he had stubble growing around his chin. His blue eyes drooped down, giving him a lazy look.


    He returned his son¡¯s greeting. ¡°Not bad. You¡¯ve been staying out of trouble?¡±


    Brett shrugged. ¡°More or less.¡±


    George laughed. ¡°Good. Your mother always rips into me when you screw around, so keep it to a minimum okay?¡±


    Brett gave him a wink. ¡°Roger that.¡±


    Callen also greeted his father. ¡°Hello Dad.¡±


    John replied. ¡°Greetings son, you bored being stuck in that room?¡±


    ¡°I pass the time by reading.¡±


    John smiled. ¡°That means you¡¯re bored.¡±


    After they sat down the King began to explain why he summoned them. ¡°You boys have really helped the investigation by telling us what you know about the spirit. I wanted to thank you for that. Also I¡¯m letting you know that you will be sent back to Astrid City and rejoin the rest of your classmates.¡±


    Callen asked the King. ¡°Does that mean the investigation is over?¡±


    Michael shook his head. ¡°Sadly, no it doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Then what about Yumi?¡±


    Fredrick answered him. ¡°She will stay here until it¡¯s completed.¡±


    Callen¡¯s face showed his displeasure. Brett spoke up and gave his opinion. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t this whole thing be solved that much quicker if we asked Calgar himself?¡±


    John sighed. ¡°If we could do that, this mess would be over by now. However he¡¯s vanished. Not even a sign of where he went.¡±


    Callen questioned him. ¡°Was there anyone even looking for him?¡±


    George rubbed the stubble on his chin. ¡°Well, some soldiers searched a bit near the city, but nothing came up. The real issue is that we can¡¯t spare anyone to go look with the war going on.¡±


    Suddenly Callen had an idea. ¡°¡­If you can¡¯t spare anyone, then how about letting us look for him?¡±


    The four adults looked at him in confusion.


    He continued. ¡°We aren¡¯t really soldiers, and we know Calgar personally, which would be useful in convincing him to tell us what he is planning right?¡±


    His father stared at him. ¡°How would you find him? He could be anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Let us take Yumi.¡±


    The King¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    Callen elaborated. ¡°She is his summoner right? Don¡¯t they share a link between themselves? We should be able to use that in order to locate him.¡±


    The men turned to Fredrick. ¡°Is that true?¡±


    Fredrick thought for a moment. ¡°It would work in theory, but¡­ I¡¯ve never heard of someone doing that. Do you gentlemen mind if I summon Seren? She might know more.¡±


    The King nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    Fredrick reached inside his shirt and pulled out a blue necklace. He closed his eyes and called out, ¡°Seren in the name of the contract, manifest before me.¡±


    A light blue ball of water appeared in front of him. Appearing from the top of the water ball was Seren¡¯s womanly figure.


    ¡°I have answered your call Master.¡± She looked at the people around her and noticed King Michael. ¡°Oh my, if it isn¡¯t your Majesty, is something going on?¡±


    Fredrick nodded. ¡°Yes, Calgar has disappeared and in doing so, left a trail of destruction. Fortunately it was upon our enemies, but without knowing his aims, we can¡¯t help but worry about our own safety.¡±


    Seren was surprised. ¡°A trail of destruction you say? That is quite unlike him.¡±


    The King asked her. ¡°You speak as if you know him.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, you could say that we¡¯ve both been around a long time.¡±


    Fredrick then questioned her. ¡°Seren, currently we don¡¯t know where he has gone, but would it be possible to track him using the link between summoner and spirit?¡±


    Seren nodded. ¡°It¡¯s possible, however today¡¯s magicians aren¡¯t capable of doing it without extensively training themselves first.¡±


    Everyone was downhearted at her news, but she wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°I could do it instead. I¡¯ve memorized Calgar¡¯s unique magical signature when we first met him at the manor. I can follow it to where he is now, but I would have to use Yumi.¡±


    Everyone was surprised.


    Callen smiled at her answer. ¡°See? Leave it to us and we¡¯ll find him.¡±


    John shook his head. ¡°You¡¯re just a bunch of kids. We can¡¯t just recklessly send you out on a potential dangerous mission.¡±


    ¡°Dad, I appreciate the concern, but I¡¯m not a child anymore. More importantly it will help clear Yumi¡¯s name. We may not have known her for very long, but I see her as someone important to me. Because of that, I¡¯m willing to take the risks.¡±


    John and Callen stared at each other. After what seemed like an eternity, John looked away. ¡°Whatever. If you¡¯re so set on this, I won¡¯t stop you.¡±


    Callen faced the King. ¡°Your Majesty, I know it is a lot to ask and that there are many risks involved, but I beg you. Allow me to take a group to locate Calgar and bring him back.¡±


    The King was hesitant. ¡°Who would be a part of this group?¡±


    ¡°It would be Brett, Yumi and I. I was also thinking to add Olivia and her friends.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the team you fought in the tournament finals¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes, not only are they capable, but they aren¡¯t soldiers either. It would bring the group to nine members. That is including Seren, since she will be with Yumi.¡±


    The King looked to Seren, who nodded. ¡°Hmm¡­While I¡¯m extremely reluctant, I will allow for you to proceed with tracking Calgar down. I can¡¯t keep using resources on this when the war demands more attention.¡±


    Callen got up from his chair and kneeled. ¡°Thank you, your Majesty! I will find Calgar and bring him back.¡±


    The King overlooked everyone in the room. ¡°This is a royal decree. The contents of this discussion will never leave this room. This mission handed down to Callen Delgado will be of the utmost secrecy. It will not appear on official records, as it does not exist. Am I clear?¡±


    Everyone in the room kneeled and answered. ¡°Yes, Your Majesty.¡±


    ¡°Good. Callen you are the leader of this group. I¡¯ll alert General Velcose on the details and have him support you. Go through him to report any findings you discover back to me. I¡¯ll have a carriage prepared for you to depart.¡±


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    ¡°Understood.¡±


    ¡°Everyone stand. You boys are dismissed. Show me that it was not a mistake to put my faith in you.¡±


    Fredrick stood up. ¡°Callen, Brett, let¡¯s go see Yumi and let her know what is going on. I¡¯ll also pass on Seren to her as well.¡± He turned to the other men. ¡°Excuse me.¡±


    The three left the room and King Michael sighed.


    George asked him. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Regretting letting them go?¡±


    The King nodded. ¡°I hate this job. Either of you want to take over?¡±


    The men shook their heads.


    Michael chuckled to himself. ¡°I figured.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    In an isolated room near the top of the Castle, was Yumi Nishka. Since she was the daughter of a Lord, and hadn¡¯t been convicted of a crime yet, she received a special privilege to be in this room rather than the dungeon below the Castle where other criminals were held.


    The room was plain. It had only a bed and a small table with one chair to eat her meals at. The one window that overlooked the northern part of the capital had steel bars preventing any escape.


    Yumi was lying on the bed, aimlessly staring at the ceiling. She was wearing a simple tan dress that was tied together with a string at her waist. Around her wrists and ankles were steel cuffs that could be locked together, and around her neck was an anti-magic collar worn by criminals who could use magic.


    The collar blocked the flow of magic power in the body, making it impossible to cast any spells while worn.


    ¡°Calgar¡­¡±


    Yumi¡¯s head had been a mess these last few weeks. She had trouble putting her thoughts in order. Now that she had time to herself, she began to think back on what had happened. Calgar had told her that he was in fact a God and that they must part ways. She remembered feeling helpless as she could only watch as he left.


    At first, she thought it was only natural. Why would a God stay with a mere mortal? She was insignificant in the larger scheme of things, but still she wanted Calgar to stay with her. He was her hope, her shining light, in the darkness that surrounded her when she was at her lowest point.


    If she could go back in time, she wanted to at least tell Calgar her feelings and give him her thanks. Even if it was short, she felt happy with the time they spent together.


    She rolled over onto her side and looked out the window. ¡°I wonder how Callen and Brett are doing too. I wasn¡¯t able to talk with them very much. I hope they aren¡¯t mad at me.¡±


    She closed her eyes and was starting to doze off. Before she could fall asleep, a commotion outside the room woke her up.


    She dangled her legs off the side of the bed and rubbed her eyes with her hands. ¡°Is it time for the meal already?¡±


    There wasn¡¯t a clock in the room, so she had no idea about the time. However, she felt it was too early for dinner.


    A knock on the door followed by a familiar voice came. ¡°Yumi, can I come in?¡±


    She recognized it as her father. ¡°Dad! Yes come in please.¡±


    Fredrick entered the room. Yumi was happy to see him, but that feeling quickly changed to surprise when she saw Callen and Brett enter with him.


    ¡°What are you two doing here?¡±


    Brett laughed. ¡°Good to see you too Yumi.¡±


    She apologized. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m happy to see you as well, but I didn¡¯t expect you here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, I was just teasing. Anyway, Callen and your dad have something to tell you.¡±


    She looked to Fredrick and Callen. ¡°What is it?¡±


    Callen stepped forth. ¡°Yumi, I¡¯ve been tasked with finding Calgar. I¡¯m putting a team together to accomplish that goal, and I need your help. Are you willing to lend a hand?¡±


    Yumi didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°But I¡¯m under arrest aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°The King has made an exception to that. He allowed us to take you along.¡±


    She lowered her head. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be able to help you. Without Calgar, I¡¯m just an ordinary and powerless girl.¡±


    Fredrick sat down next to her on the bed. ¡°That¡¯s where you are wrong sweetie. Through the training you¡¯ve gone through and the teamwork with your friends, you¡¯ve become strong.¡±


    ¡°But¡­ what if Calgar doesn¡¯t want to see me, what if he hates me?¡±


    Seren who was floating nearby, asked her. ¡°Did he say that to you?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ he only said that we must part ways.¡±


    ¡°Then you don¡¯t know why he left. Isn¡¯t this the perfect chance to find out? Are you just going to let him leave without knowing the reason?¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Seren drew closer and put her hands on Yumi¡¯s knees. ¡°I¡¯m sure Calgar had his reasons, but there is something you must know about him. While he is indeed powerful, responsible, kind and caring, he is not flawless. Calgar can make mistakes.¡±


    Yumi looked into her watery pupils. ¡°Really?¡±


    Seren nodded. ¡°Of course. No one is perfect, not even the Gods.¡±


    ¡°¡­I see.¡±


    Calgar was not perfect. Why did hearing those words bring such relief to her? Maybe she had unconsciously thought that he could never be wrong. That whatever he did was the right thing. Perhaps being told that he was flawed brought him closer to her.


    She remembered her wish from earlier. That she regretted how she couldn¡¯t tell him her feelings. This would give her the chance. She gathered her resolve.


    ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll come with you. There are answers I need from Calgar, and I can¡¯t say no to my friends.¡±


    Callen smiled at her. ¡°I¡¯m glad you accepted.¡±


    Yumi stood up from the bed. ¡°So how do we find him?¡±


    Brett pointed at her and Seren. ¡°That¡¯s your jobs.¡±


    Yumi looked perplexed so Fredrick explained it to her. ¡°Seren says she can use the link between you and Calgar to trace his magic and locate him.¡±


    ¡°But Calgar severed the link when he left¡­¡±


    Seren put her hand on Yumi¡¯s chest and closed her eyes. ¡°No, it is still there, albeit very faint.¡±


    Callen asked. ¡°Will it be enough to track him?¡±


    ¡°It should suffice.¡±


    Yumi stopped them. ¡°Wait, how will Seren come with us? Is Father coming as well?¡±


    Fredrick shook his head. ¡°No, I have to stay here. I¡¯ll be lending Seren to you Yumi.¡±


    ¡°How? Isn¡¯t she contracted with you?¡±


    ¡°She is, but I¡¯ll have her contracted to you until you find Calgar and bring him home.¡±


    Seren smiled and bowed to Yumi. ¡°I hope to get along little one.¡±


    ¡°I as well Seren. I look forward to working with you.¡±


    Seren turned to Fredrick. ¡°Master, it will be for a short while, but I must annul our contract.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    With the words spoken, a bright light sprang forth from their chests and burst into dozens of tiny particles. Seren¡¯s body was absorbed back into the blue necklace Fredrick wore. He took it off and placed it around his daughter¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Take care of my baby girl Seren.¡±


    The necklace gave off a faint light in response. Yumi held the blue gem in her hand and closed her eyes. She felt the spirit of Seren inside. The bright light from moments ago returned however this time linking Yumi¡¯s chest to the necklace.


    Yumi¡¯s eyes opened and she stared down at the necklace. ¡°It feels weird to not have her manifested. I somehow can understand how hard a task it is.¡±


    Fredrick laughed. ¡°Well, that¡¯s how it normally works. Calgar is the exception.¡±


    Callen stated. ¡°With this we have all the tools needed to find him. The king will lend us a carriage tomorrow. Yumi, we¡¯ll come get you in the morning and depart in the afternoon.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be ready.¡±


    Callen left and after saying goodbye, Brett followed after him. Her father told her to stay safe and don¡¯t do anything rash, and if she ever needed help, to rely on Seren. She told him that she would be careful and he left after giving her a kiss on the forehead.


    Yumi approached the window and looked out over the city. Tomorrow they would depart for Astrid City and begin searching for Calgar.

 Chapter 21 - Differing Priorities

    Authors Note: Real life is slowly intruding into my free time to write so it might take longer for a new chapter. Also my creative juices are having trouble flowing lately which adds another layer of lateness.


    Other than that not much to say.


    Here is the chapter. Enjoy!


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    Chapter 21


    A warm orange light bathed the land, as the sun began to peek over the horizon. Calgar was sitting down and leaning next to a sturdy tree. His silver armor sparkled as it reflected the morning light.


    He glanced at Auromi, who was wrapped up in multiple layers of blankets made from her magic, and sleeping soundly next to him. He had made a miscalculation. He thought that they could make more progress after leaving Yumi behind, but Auromi¡¯s body was mortal too. It needed the basics of life such as food and sleep.


    This is why they were camping out at the edge of the woods. The soft rustle of leaves caught his attention and he peered into the thicket. Luna appeared, covered in twigs and leaves and holding an animal that she had killed. It was small, only about the size of a grown man¡¯s torso. It had a long slender tail and back legs with stubby front legs.


    She ran up to him while smiling. ¡°Father! Father! Look what I got!¡±


    ¡°Oh, what a splendid catch you have there. I¡¯m sure Auromi will appreciate your hard work.¡±


    Luna set the creature on the ground and sat next to him. ¡°She better! It was a nightmare trying to find an animal that wasn¡¯t scared senseless by your aura.¡±


    Calgar had been emitting an intimidating presence that would trigger a living being¡¯s primal instinct. When it came close enough it would perceive the aura as its greatest fear and would run away. Calgar was using it as a sort of pest repellent.


    He apologized. ¡°Forgive me, was the radius too wide?¡±


    Luna shook her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault Father. It just meant I had to search a wider area. You¡¯re still not used to controlling your strength yet right? It can¡¯t be helped.¡±


    He nodded. Calgar was struggling with using the right amount of energy to achieve his desired results. Most of the time he put in too much energy and the effects would be wider or stronger than intended.


    Luna leaned her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. A few minutes later, Sol appeared from the forest, holding a basket of fruits and berries. She noticed Luna returned before her.


    She set the basket next to the dead animal and knelt down. ¡°It seems I was late.¡±


    Calgar gestured to Auromi. ¡°It¡¯s alright, she¡¯s still asleep.¡±


    Sol shook her head. ¡°How ridiculous for a Goddess to need sleep, what has become of this world?¡±


    Luna shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not all bad. Being able to sleep lets you do things like this.¡±


    She crawled into Calgar¡¯s lap, and snuggled up into his chest. He gave her a questioning look before patting her on the head. She then closed her eyes as if she was falling asleep.


    Sol stared at her with envy. ¡°¡­ I take it back. Sleeping isn¡¯t all bad. Now Luna, move aside and let me try it.¡±


    Luna opened one eye and wagged her finger back and forth. ¡°Not so fast my sibling. You¡¯re in charge of breakfast aren¡¯t you? It doesn¡¯t look ready to me.¡±


    Sol clenched her fist and silently cursed. ¡°Fine, but afterwards I get a turn.¡±


    Luna pretended to sleep again. ¡°Maybe, it¡¯s quite comfortable here. If you take too long, I might not want to give it up.¡±


    As if accepting the challenge Sol¡¯s arm was wrapped in a bright light. Using her own magic, she transformed her forearm into a brilliant blade, similar to her sword form. Wielding it with uncanny precision, she dismantled the animal and cut the fruits and berries into fine pieces.


    Next, she brought forth ten rocks the size of a human''s head, and placed them in a circle. Using her transformed arm, she cut down a sizable branch from a nearby tree and chopped it up into smaller sizes and threw them into the center of the circle of rocks.


    With a snap of her fingers, the logs were ablaze. The fire crackled and hissed, but was safely contained. Sol then used magic to transform another rock into a smooth pan and made it hover over the fire. She then threw all of the ingredients into the pan and turned back to Luna.


    Using her thumb she gestured to her. ¡°There, now move it.¡±


    Sensing the unusual bloodlust her sister was emitting, Luna scoot over and vacated Calgar¡¯s lap. Sol approached him and knelt in front of him. She was fidgeting.


    Gathering her courage, she asked. ¡°May I Father?¡±


    ¡°Go ahead.¡±


    She timidly climbed into his lap and leaned her back against his chest. As Calgar ran his hand through her hair, she closed her eyes and smiled. Luna snickered at how relaxed her sister looked.


    From the mass of blankets came a yawn and Auromi lifted herself up with one arm, while rubbing her eyes with the other. As she blinked a few times to chase away her drowsiness, she witnessed Sol relaxing in Calgar¡¯s arms.


    Still half asleep, she muttered. ¡°How envious¡­ I want to sit in his lap too¡­¡±


    Calgar looked at her. ¡°Good morning Auromi. Did you sleep well?¡±


    She looked around and realized where she was. Her cheeks grew flush as she was overcome with embarrassment. She buried her head under the blankets.


    A few moments later, Auromi¡¯s shaky voice could be heard. ¡°G-good morning everyone.¡±


    Luna was covering her mouth trying desperately not to laugh. Sol reluctantly left Calgar¡¯s lap and returned to cooking breakfast.


    As she walked by the bundle of blankets to the fire she greeted her. ¡°Good morning to you as well.¡±


    Luna was able to calm herself somewhat and squeezed out a greeting. ¡°Yeah, good morning.¡±


    Calgar stood up, using the tree as a support. ¡°I¡¯ll be a little ways away so you can get dressed.¡±


    Luna replied. ¡°I¡¯ll come get you when she¡¯s done.¡± He nodded and left. Once he was out of sight, Luna called out to Auromi. ¡°He¡¯s gone, so you can come out now.¡±


    Auromi once again reemerged. ¡°What a horrible way to start a day.¡±


    Luna smiled. ¡°I quite enjoyed it though.¡±


    Auromi shot her a glare and Luna looked away. Sighing, she made sure Calgar was truly gone and got up. She stretched as she stood, raising her arms high into the air and fully displaying her naked body to the world.


    When she first came down from the Celestial Realm and had to sleep, she did try sleepwear, but soon found it to be incredibly uncomfortable and restrictive. It wasn¡¯t long that she grew into the habit of sleeping in the nude.


    Waving her hand over the blankets, they turned into particles of light and surrounded her. As the light gathered over her body, they turned to clothes in an instant. Over her torso was a white shirt and blue jacket. On her legs was a pair of brown leather pants and on her feet a set of black sturdy boots.


    After creating a hairband and tying her long silver hair into a low ponytail, she was finished dressing.


    Luna rose from the ground. ¡°Now that you¡¯re up I¡¯ll go get Father.¡±


    Auromi nodded. ¡°Thank you.¡±


    By the time the two returned, breakfast was ready to be served. Sol had created additional plates and utensils from stone and served a portion to herself, Luna and Auromi.


    Luna pushed all the fruits and berries aside and took a big bite out of the meat. A bright smile was plastered on her face as she savored the meat¡¯s delicious taste.


    Sol pointed at her plate. ¡°Luna, eat the fruits too. I didn¡¯t pick them for you not to eat it.¡±


    Luna made a sour expression. ¡°No way, I only like the taste of meat. I don¡¯t need the rest.¡±


    The sisters began to argue. Auromi and Calgar were sitting off to the side.


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    He asked her. ¡°How does it taste?¡±


    After swallowing a bite she replied. ¡°It¡¯s good. Did Sol always know how to cook?¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°No, she was taught a little bit by Yumi. She won¡¯t admit it, but I think cooking interests her.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡±


    Auromi ate everything on her plate and set it aside. The twins were still arguing, however the contents have changed from finishing food to who would win if they fought. Seeing as they would continue on Auromi asked Calgar about their plans.


    ¡°Do you have an idea on how we are going to proceed? What exactly is the plan Calgar?¡±


    ¡°The immediate goal is to gain power. But I¡¯m conflicted in how I should do it.¡±


    Auromi tilted her head. ¡°I thought we were going to the planets power spots to absorb the excess magic?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°We are. However they are spread out all over the world. I doubt I will be able to gain enough power just from one or two of them. It will take a lot of time.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re afraid more fighting will happen by then?¡±


    ¡°¡­Yes.¡±


    Auromi put her hand on his shoulder. ¡°I understand the urgency, but there is no need to rush.¡±


    There was a hint of anger in Calgar¡¯s voice. ¡°That¡¯s odd for you to say. Do you not realize that war brings death? You of all people should agree with me on finishing this as soon as possible. Don¡¯t you care for the lives of the mortals?¡±


    Auromi nodded. ¡°I do care about the mortals. I don¡¯t want to see them die, but I came to terms with that eons ago. Do you not remember Calgar? It was you who taught the other Gods that there are some things that are more important than others.¡±


    Calgar looked away. ¡°What could possibly be more important than the wellbeing of the planet?¡±


    ¡°Well, you are.¡±


    Calgar looked back. ¡°Surely you jest. Without the planet we have no home.¡±


    Auromi stared back at him. ¡°And I¡¯m telling you, that to me, you are more important. I¡¯ll say it again, I love you Calgar.¡±


    ¡°Then your love is blinding you.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but I¡¯d rather stay true to myself than lie about how I feel.¡±


    Calgar grumbled and stood up. ¡°Luna, Sol, stop your bickering. We are heading out.¡±


    The girls answered back. ¡°Yes Father.¡±


    Auromi got up and said under her breath. ¡°Seems I made him upset.¡±


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    There is a large forest that encompasses the south of Ganar and the northern part of Nerim. Its name is the Malik Woods. It was these woods that the group had camped by. After eating breakfast they had continued traveling south, following the directions Auromi gave as she searched for the power spots location.


    They had passed through some small villages, but mostly tried to avoid the larger cities if they could help it. They had acquired a small amount of food that could be easily carried and a rough map of the surrounding area.


    As they traveled along the road leading deeper into Nerim, they came across a fork. The right path seemed to continue on in the same direction they were traveling, while the left path looked to gently curve and travel east.


    After confirming the direction with her magic, Auromi pointed down the right path. ¡°We should go this way.¡±


    Luna looked at the crude map in her hands. ¡°According to this, that road leads to a mining city called Extirus.¡±


    Calgar asked. ¡°A mining city? Have mortals found a way to harvest magic?¡±


    Auromi shook her head. ¡°No, they shouldn¡¯t have. They are most likely mining the ore that has been soaked in magic and using that.¡±


    ¡°Hmm.¡±


    They continued down the road. After spending another night camping, they were able to see a large mountain range ahead of them by afternoon. As they approached, they could begin to make out the image of buildings that had been built into the sides of the mountain itself.


    The mountains had formed a sort of semi-circle and the city of Extirus was built in the middle of it. Mining shafts littered the mountainside here and there. These shafts were dug out by individuals, hoping to score big money by hitting a vein of valuable ore.


    Calgar asked Auromi. ¡°Is the power spot here in the city?¡±


    Auromi nodded. ¡°Yes, it appears to be building up underground and is leaking out the many mine shafts on the mountains.¡±


    Many makeshift buildings were strewn about in front of a large wall and gate that blocked access to the mountain range. People were bustling about buying food, daily necessities, and tools like shovels and picks.


    Auromi caught an older looking man with greying hair and asked him. ¡°Excuse me sir, is this the city of Extirus?¡±


    The man turned to her and laughed. ¡°Well missy, I can guess that you¡¯re not from here are ya?¡±


    ¡°No, we just arrived today.¡±


    The man gestured to the buildings around him. ¡°This is the main part of the city. You can find inns and shops all over the place.¡±


    ¡°Out here? Then what is behind that wall, if not the city?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the entrance to the mine. Originally, this area was only meant for the miners to work for the Empire and supply the magical ores within to build powerful weapons for the army. Over time, more and more workers and their families arrived and the buildings you see out here were built to house them, thus the birth of a fake city.¡±


    ¡°I see. Can anyone go inside? Or is it restricted?¡±


    The man eyed her with suspicion. ¡°Why are you interested in going in the mine?¡±


    Auromi gave a disarming smile. ¡°I was hoping to see it, since I came all this way. But if outsiders aren¡¯t allowed, I¡¯ll give up.¡±


    ¡°¡­Well then you better give up. Only workers and military officials are allowed entry. It isn¡¯t open to the general public.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the information. I¡¯m sorry to take up so much of your time.¡±


    The man waved his hand. ¡°Nonsense, it was my pleasure. Please enjoy what little this city has to offer.¡±


    After the man left, Auromi turned and faced Calgar and the twins. ¡°You heard what he said. What do you want to do?¡±


    Luna exclaimed. ¡°Kill them and enter!¡±


    Calgar hit her on the head. ¡°Knock it off Luna, now is not the time.¡±


    She held her head. ¡°¡­Sorry Father.¡±


    Sol offered a suggestion. ¡°Can we not use Auromi¡¯s mind magic to gain entry?¡±


    Auromi shot the idea down. ¡°My mind magic is permanent once used. I¡¯d rather only use it as a last resort.¡±


    Luna said. ¡°Then I guess that leaves sneaking in? But how and when should we do it?¡±


    Auromi asked Calgar. ¡°What about you? Any thoughts?¡±


    He nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll go with sneaking. As for how we do it, I¡¯ll explain it over dinner since we will wait for nightfall anyway.¡±


    Luna jumped up and down. ¡°Oh! Then I want meat! Specifically chicken!¡±


    Sol scolded her. ¡°No, you need a more balanced meal or your taste buds will rot.¡±


    ¡°For the last time, I don¡¯t need the food for nutrition! I just want the taste!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m telling you it will all taste the same if you don¡¯t try new things.¡±


    Calgar sighed and turned to Auromi. ¡°Shall we find an inn to rest at?¡±


    Auromi smiled and walked with him. ¡°Sounds good to me.¡±

 Chapter 22 - Deus Anguis

    Authors Note: Hey all, nothing really new on my end other than I enjoyed writing this chapter. It''s almost a balancing act on how high a hurdle should be for a character to overcome.


    Well it also depends on the character themself too. Hurdles to Yumi aren''t necessarily hurdles to Calgar right?


    Anyway, here is the Chapter. Enjoy!


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    Chapter 22


    Night had fallen over the makeshift city of Extirus, yet the streets were still filled with people. It was the time the miners returned from a long day of working. Those with families returned home after browsing some wares, while those still single began to hit up the bars for a refreshing alcoholic beverage.


    Calgar and Auromi were walking down the street.


    Calgar commented on the number of people still awake and active. ¡°I had a feeling there would be more people awake at night than a normal town, but I didn¡¯t expect this many.¡±


    Auromi agreed. ¡°Yes, but doesn¡¯t it give the city a feeling of being alive? It makes you want to be a part of the action and have fun.¡±


    ¡°I guess so. I never thought of it that way.¡±


    Weaving through the crowds and heading their way were Luna and Sol.


    In a quieter voice, Calgar asked them. ¡°So how does it look?¡±


    Sol answered. ¡°The east side of the wall is fairly heavily guarded until you reach outside the city limits, then the guards are sparser.¡±


    Luna nodded. ¡°Yeah about the same on the west side too.¡±


    Calgar said. ¡°The east side is closer. We¡¯ll enter from that side. Girls I¡¯ll leave it to you to silence any guards.¡±


    Luna let out a sinister chuckle. ¡°They¡¯ll never see it coming.¡±


    Sol glared at her. ¡°You know he means no killing them, right?¡±


    Luna looked back at Calgar. ¡°No killing?¡±


    Calgar shook his head. ¡°No killing.¡±


    Her excitement from earlier vanished in the blink of an eye, and with a large sigh, she began to walk. ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with then¡­¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    A guard was patrolling a top the east wall. He looked out over the vast barren land that was illuminated by the moonlight. If someone asked him what he thought of this view, he could only reply with the word ¡®bland¡¯.


    He covered his mouth as a yawn came over him. He hated the night shift. Nothing ever happened on the outskirts at night, and if there were people trying to get into the mine for whatever reason, they would do it in the city. Intruders could easily be spotted from the high vantage point he had.


    And so, with half closed eyes, the guard stared out blankly expecting nothing to happen like usual. After a while he thought to pass the time by chatting with someone, so he looked to his left, but no one was there.


    He thought it was odd, but didn¡¯t think too hard on it and turned to his right, but again no one was there. The guard thought to himself, ¡®Where the heck is everyone? They better not be slacking off without me!¡¯


    He would never know the answer, as a swift strike to his head made him lose consciousness. His limp body was hoisted over his attacker¡¯s shoulders and was carried off into a room the guards used to take breaks. With a small grunt, his body was thrown onto a pile of other guards in a similar state as himself.


    Luna dusted her hands. ¡°Whew that¡¯s the last of them.¡±


    She then went to the top of the wall and signaled below. Moments later Calgar jumped up while carrying Auromi and landed next to Luna. Then the three of them jumped back down to the ground and Calgar released Auromi.


    With a smile on her face and a touch of red to her cheeks, Auromi thanked them. ¡°Sorry that we have to sneak in this way. I was never any good at being stealthy, even with magic.¡±


    Calgar waved his hand. ¡°It¡¯s alright. I don¡¯t have enough power yet to make everyone invisible, and I remembered that you were bad at it, so this way is fine.¡±


    Sol appeared next to them. ¡°Most of the guards were on the wall. I¡¯ve neutralized the remaining few in the complex.¡±


    Calgar pat her head. ¡°Good work. Let¡¯s hurry and continue on. Auromi is it underneath mine, or further in the mountains?¡±


    ¡°From what I could tell earlier, it should be under the mine.¡±


    The four advanced through the complex unhindered, passing by what looked to be constructs designed to drill into the earth and large metal wagons used to transport the mined material. About 30 mins later, they came upon large double metal doors.


    Calgar stared up at the 50 meter tall doors. ¡°This must be the entrance? How does one open such massive doors?¡±


    Auromi pointed to a console off to the side. ¡°It seems that device is connected by magic to the doors. Perhaps it opens them?¡±


    Luna examined the console. ¡°What are these? Buttons with numbers? On the top it looks like you need ten numbers.¡±


    Sol speculated. ¡°Maybe you enter ten numbers in a certain order and the door opens.¡±


    Calgar approached the doors and wedged his fingers in the small gap between them. ¡°It will take too long to figure it out, I¡¯ll just open it by force. Auromi, if you could cast that spell from before, I¡¯d appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Of course. [Silentium].¡±


    The metal doors were covered in a blue hue. Using his strength, Calgar began to pull apart the doors. What normally would have followed would be a loud screeching of grinding metal, but Auromi¡¯s spell insured that the surroundings remained dead silent.


    Calgar created a hole just wide enough that a person could comfortably walk through without needing to stoop over. Inside it was dark, with the only light coming from the opening and the amber glow given off by Calgar himself.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get going.¡±


    Auromi stopped them. ¡°Wait, I can¡¯t see when it¡¯s this dark. My eyes aren¡¯t as good as you three.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Sol, if you would?¡±


    ¡°Yes Father.¡±


    With Calgar¡¯s command, Sol undid her disguise and turned back into her normal appearance. Her bright golden hair lit up the tunnel. It was so bright, that they could see quite far ahead. With Sol taking the lead, the four made their way deeper into the mine.


    Lined along some of the walls were ore that let out a pale red light.


    Noticing them Calgar commented. ¡°This is a unique ore. It has a peculiar glow to it.¡±


    Auromi added. ¡°It seems this ore is capable of storing a portion of the power spots energy within itself.¡±


    ¡°Then this must be what the miners are after?¡±


    She shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think so. The magic within appears extremely volatile and dangerous. I have to assume they are looking for something else.¡±


    After what felt to be a long period of time, they reached a dead end in one of the off shoot paths.


    Calgar asked Auromi. ¡°This is the lowest point they have dug, can you tell how much farther it is?¡±


    ¡°I can feel some of the energy a little further ahead, but the source seems to be deeper underground.¡±


    Calgar tapped the rock with his knuckles. A hollow sound resounded. Placing his hand on the stone, he melted away the rocks, expanding the tunnel forwards. Not five meters away, the rock disappeared, replaced by air. The four approached the edge and peered over.


    What greeted them was a large circular cavern that went deeper down. Not even the light Sol was emitting allowed them to see the bottom.


    Auromi said. ¡°This cavern must act as a sort of vent for the power spot. The energy is stronger down there and weaker near the top.¡±


    Luna replied. ¡°Well this is good. I was afraid we would have to spend all our time digging down.¡±


    Sol noticed that Calgar was staring at the walls. ¡°Is something wrong Father?¡±


    ¡°This cavern¡­ it doesn¡¯t seem to be natural. The walls look too smooth, as if carved out by something.¡±


    ¡°Was it the mortals?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t make sense. They hadn¡¯t dug into here yet. Something else made this.¡±


    Luna shrugged. ¡°Then it was a creature? I don¡¯t remember much about them. Was there one that could do this?¡±


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    Auromi thought a moment. ¡°There are many that could live underground, but most of those weren¡¯t very large. The animals, just like the mortals, started digressing into a state where most are small with the bigger ones closer to the size of a house.¡±


    ¡°Well, rather than that, how are we getting down there?¡±


    Sol raised her hand. ¡°First let¡¯s see how deep it is. [Pila Lux].¡±


    A small ball of light left her hand and traveled down into the dark depths. Even after five minutes it still continued onward, turning into a small speck.


    ¡°It¡¯s deeper than I thought.¡±


    All of a sudden the light disappeared and the ground began to violently shake. Rocks fell from the ceiling and the sound of tunnels collapsing could be heard.


    Calgar shouted. ¡°An earthquake? What horrible timing. Everyone, brace yourselves!¡±


    As if to make matters worse, the ground they stood on couldn¡¯t handle the vibrations and started splitting apart. In moments the rocks crumbled away and dumped everyone down into the cavern.


    ¡°Auromi!¡±


    Calgar reached out his hand to grab onto her, but a large boulder slammed into him from above, sending him faster downward. Feeling irritated, he slammed his elbow into the boulder, shattering it into pieces.


    Looking up he could see Auromi shining a faint purple. He guessed she was using magic to shield herself from the falling debris. He couldn¡¯t spot Luna, but could see Sol further below.


    Calgar leaned to his right, trying to glide towards the wall of the cavern. To his dismay, the walls offered nothing to grab onto. There was no rocky outcropping or protruding ledges. So instead he would use it as a footing to jump off of to reach Auromi.


    His armor scraped against the smooth surface as he prepared to launch himself. Jumping off, he aimed where Auromi would be and prepared to catch her.


    Auromi¡¯s eyes grew wide and she screamed. ¡°Calgar behind you!¡±


    Yet before he could do anything, he felt a sudden impact and his vision went dark. Disoriented and unsure as to what happened, Calgar tried to move his body but was unable to. A pressure was being applied onto his back. His armor creaked and moaned as it endured the strain.


    Then the pressure was released. The cracked side of the cavern appeared in his eyes as he fell backwards. He could make out a large round thing that attached into the wall and tunneled into another part of the cavern.


    His thoughts were interrupted by yet another impact. As he lay there, he concluded that he reached the bottom of the cavern. Using his arms to lift himself up he looked around.


    Calgar called out. ¡°Auromi! Luna! Sol! Are you alright?¡±


    However there was no immediate answer. Before he could try again, he stopped himself. He had the feeling of being watched. He slowly scanned his surroundings. Since Calgar could easily see in the dark, he saw that the chamber he was in was huge. So huge, that it made it hard to believe that they were underground.


    Glancing up, he saw the cavern that they fell down to reach here, but that wasn¡¯t the only thing. With part of its body buried inside the cavern wall, six red eyes stared down at him. The creature¡¯s eyes were fixated on him, watching his every move. A thin forked tongue flickered in and out of its mouth. Its smooth scales that covered its back and sides were dark obsidian while the scales underlying its belly were a deep crimson. Following along its back were sharp spikes of a pale red color that pulsed with energy, similar to the rocks found in the mine.


    Two strong and thick forearms, each ending with four fingered claws, held it up. The Beast was massive. Calgar couldn¡¯t accurately gauge how large it truly was since the rest of the body that couldn¡¯t be seen was imbedded in the rock.


    A low, rumbling hiss escaped from the creature¡¯s throat. It grew in volume as it opened its mouth to bare its vicious fangs at him.


    ¡°Father!¡±


    Calgar turned to see Luna sprinting towards him. Four of the six eyes locked onto her and the Beast began to move. Turning itself upside down, it crawled across the ceiling. Even when it approached its long body showed no signs of leaving the wall.


    Calgar dashed to Luna. As if already knowing the plan, she leaped at him and transformed back into a sword. With precise movements, Calgar caught her and gripped her hilt firmly in his hand.


    Luna¡¯s voice could be heard. ¡°Let¡¯s go all out!¡±


    The Beast lunged at them with the plan to swallow them whole. Calgar lifted his hand and erected a shield, but for some reason he had a bad feeling in his gut. Deciding to trust his instincts, he leapt to the side at the last second. The shield he had, shattered like glass and the Beast tunneled into the ground, causing more vibrations.


    Seeing the vulnerable body that was following after the head, Calgar moved in to strike. Brandishing Luna, he swung horizontally at the body. As her blade made contact with the scales, the two were shocked as she bounced right off them.


    Calgar jumped back to take some distance. ¡°Luna, what just happened?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard! Like, really really hard! It felt like hitting your defensive magic when you¡¯re at full power.¡±


    ¡°Then it used magic?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It was like magic, but wasn¡¯t at the same time.¡±


    Calgar watched as the Beast tail finally came into view. It was the same pale red as the spikes on its back, yet it was pronged near its tip. A light filled the darkness, and further away they could see Sol.


    ¡°Father, Auromi and I are over here! But it¡¯s bad; Auromi was wounded in the fall!¡±


    Calgar was alarmed. ¡°What?!¡±


    He raced towards Sol, when Luna shouted. ¡°Below us!¡±


    Diving to the side, Calgar narrowly escaped the Beast¡¯s sneak attack as it emerged. More debris began to fall from the ceiling. The Beast noticed the presence of Sol, but seemed to back away slightly.


    Noticing the movement, Calgar called out. ¡°Sol, light magic to its eyes!¡±


    Without missing a beat, she cast her magic. ¡°[Exoculo]!¡±


    A dazzling flash ignited the room with light. The Beast let loose a deafening screech which shook loose more rock. It dived back into the ground to escape the blinding flashes. Calgar reached Sol and saw Auromi lying on the ground near her. Her arm was bloody and her breathing was rough.


    She weakly smiled at him. ¡°Mortal bodies are pretty fragile. I got a little careless.¡±


    He quickly picked her up. ¡°Are you in immediate danger? Can you hold on for a little bit?¡±


    ¡°I can wait. Just be quick, this really hurts.¡±


    Calgar moved as fast as he could, followed by Sol. They were heading to the far end of the large area where the ground met the wall. They passed by another opening that leads further underground, but ignored it. When they reached the wall, they found a small tunnel. Calgar entered it and expanded a room that the four of them could fit in.


    He set Auromi down and turned to Sol. ¡°I¡¯m not good in this area, so I¡¯ll leave the healing to you.¡±


    She nodded and knelt by Auromi. A soft warm light was emitted from her hands as she channeled healing magic into Auromi¡¯s body. Luna transformed back into her human form and lied down on her side.


    Calgar sat down and leaned against the wall. ¡°What in the world was that thing? I thought you said the animals got smaller?¡±


    Auromi replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know what it is, but it resembles the creature called Anguis, only a lot larger and more deadly.¡±


    Luna scoffed. ¡°Anguis? That dinky little thing that worms its way through the dirt? I find it hard to believe they are related.¡±


    Sol said. ¡°It might have somehow mutated into a new species?¡±


    Calgar thought about her words. ¡°Mutated¡­ Luna didn¡¯t you say it was like magic, but also not magic?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s what it felt like.¡±


    Auromi followed his train of thought. ¡°Do you think it absorbed the magic and changed?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°Maybe. It would explain why Luna couldn¡¯t cut it. If it had absorbed the magic for an extended period of time and incorporated it into its body, then it¡¯s a lot more deadly than we think.¡±


    ¡°Can we beat it?¡±


    Calgar didn¡¯t answer right away. ¡°As of now¡­ It would be extremely difficult. Ideally I would like to ignore it and head to the power spot, but it most likely made its home there.¡±


    ¡°What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Good question.¡±


    The four sat quietly on the floor, unsure of how to face this unexpected foe.

 Chapter 23 - God Vs. Beast

    Chapter 23


    Auromi sat up and softly rubbed her shoulder.


    Sol asked. ¡°How is it? Is there any pain?¡±


    ¡°No pain, only a dull soreness. Thank you for healing me.¡±


    ¡°Try not to move it around if you can help it. After a day it should be back to normal.¡±


    Auromi nodded and turned to Calgar. ¡°I¡¯m ready now. Did you come up with anything?¡±


    He shook his head. ¡°Nothing worth mentioning. I¡¯m afraid we¡¯ll have to improvise here.¡±


    ¡°Is that so¡­ well, I have a feeling you can get us through this Calgar.¡±


    He gave her a doubtful look before addressing the twins. ¡°Luna I want you in sword form from now on, Sol stay by Auromi to give her light and protection.¡±


    ¡°¡±Understood.¡±¡±


    As Calgar took Luna, who was now a sword, he approached the entrance of the little cave they had made. He slowly emerged and scanned the surroundings. The beast was nowhere in sight. He gathered energy within himself and began to concentrate. What he was doing was a technique to locate living beings that might be concealed, either through stealth or magic.


    However, he wasn¡¯t able to sense anything other than himself and the girls. He wondered if the beast had left or if he just wasn¡¯t able to detect it.


    Keeping his guard up he moved towards an opening that ventured further underground. He passed by it earlier while running. Auromi and Sol were right behind him.


    ¡°Will this lead us in the right direction?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to tell, but I can feel a strong amount of energy flowing from there.¡±


    He peered back down the hole. It was circular and had a diameter of roughly 10 meters. The rock face was smoothed and resembled a slide.


    Calgar muttered. ¡°This must be one of the creature¡¯s tunnels¡­ Alright let¡¯s head down.¡±


    He picked up Auromi. She was startled by his sudden action. ¡°What are you-.¡± But before she could finish, he clambered down the edge and begun to slide down the tunnel. He skillfully weaved with the ebb and flow of the slopes. There were some sudden drops, but with his free hand Calgar was able to break momentum and navigate them safely.


    They reached the tunnels exit faster than they expected and found themselves in another large underground cavern. What met their eyes was the sight of a dazzling underground lake. The water literally shined with an assortment of colors, painting the walls with all the colors found in a rainbow.


    ¡°Could this be the source?¡±


    ¡°Yes, the energy is strongest here.¡±


    The walls and ceiling were covered with the pale red glowing rocks they found earlier. In the middle of the lake was a large diamond shaped crystal. It too radiated multiple colors and floated on the water¡¯s surface.


    Auromi pointed to it. ¡°There Calgar, that crystal seems to be the focal point of the energy.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t sense the creature here. Let¡¯s hurry and leave before it shows up.¡±


    They sprinted to the water¡¯s edge. The sound of their footsteps reverberated throughout the cavern. When they reached the lake, Auromi cast a spell on Calgar.


    ¡°This will allow you to walk on water.¡±


    ¡°Thank you.¡±


    He set his foot on the surface of the water. Ripples spread out and disturbed the otherwise still surface. Even putting his weight onto his leg didn¡¯t make it sink. To Calgar, right now the water was no different than rock.


    He came closer to the large diamond. ¡°Luna, have you sensed anything?¡±


    ¡°No Father, it¡¯s just us. I would have thought it would retreat to here, but maybe we were wrong?¡±


    ¡°If only we could be that lucky. Don¡¯t drop your guard, even for a second. Once I reach the crystal I have to focus on that, so I¡¯m counting on you.¡±


    ¡°Ha! I¡¯ll never let you down!¡±


    He was less than 30 meters from the crystal when he felt its presence. From under the surface of the water, the Beast¡¯s two pronged tail emerged and wrapped around the crystal. With a quick tug, the tail dragged the crystal underwater making a loud ¡®plop¡¯ sound.


    The Beast¡¯s head emerged from the ground on the opposite shore. Its red eyes glaring at the divine beings as if to say, ¡®You¡¯ve made a grave mistake coming to my nest.¡¯


    Calgar was staring back, however his was a stare that was trying to analyze his opponent¡¯s weaknesses and what the best way to exploit them. He looked for soft spots, the eyes, the mouth, the underbelly. Would Luna be able to pierce through?


    The Beast¡¯s red spikes on its back shone brightly and sparks were discharged in all directions. The red spots on its body gave off a soft glow.


    ¡°¡­It seems like it¡¯s going to get serious this time.¡±


    The Beast knew they weren¡¯t normal prey. The earlier encounter proved that much; therefore it would begin by attacking carefully and test what they were capable of.


    Red sparks began to surround its mouth and with a roar, was discharged at Calgar. The attack wasn¡¯t so much a laser, as it was a focused lightning strike. Calgar leaped into the air just as the attack hit the water¡¯s surface.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Being a lightning based attack; he expected the water to act as a conductor, but was surprised to see it ricochet up and explode upon hitting the ceiling.


    Maybe the Beast knew that would happen and Calgar would jump, because it lunged at him, using its body as a spring. Its strike was blindingly fast. A normal person would have never seen it coming, but Calgar saw it clearly.


    He twisted his body in the air and rolled off the side of the Beast. Not missing the opportunity, he reared back his right hand that held Luna and thrust it forth. The dark blade that shone like the night sky pierced into one of the three eyes on the Beast¡¯s right side. Thick red blood spewed from the gashing wound. The Beast let loose a blood curdling roar that shook the cavern.


    Calgar held on to Luna and tried to get his balance as the Beast thrashed around and made a huge splash as it landed in the water.


    Using the chance while it was distracted, Auromi and Sol launched their magic attacks.


    ¡°[Aura Lanceam]!¡±


    ¡°[Stella Solari]!¡±


    As Auromi clapped her hands together, 20 transparent spears made of energy appeared around her. With a gesture of her hand they launched towards the Beast. As they struck the obsidian scales on its back and sides, the spears shattered and did no damage, but the ones that managed to hit the under scales pierced through.


    Sol on the other hand gathered light above her head and held it aloft with one hand. When she reached the maximum charge, she did a half turn and slung the ball of light from her waist at the Beast¡¯s head. As if having a mind of its own the ball scattered into smaller orbs right before it hit, spreading out the damage.


    A sick sound of flesh sizzling could be heard. Enraged, the Beast let loose a huge amount of energy. Crimson lightning arced from body and exploded anything it came into contact with.


    Calgar and Luna were blown away and crashed into the lake. Red sparks jumped from his body as he felt intense pain. Auromi hastily erected a shield made of magic in front of her. As stray rocks and lightning assaulted them, cracks began to appear on the shield.


    Auromi was straining to maintain her magic. ¡°What monstrous energy! I can¡¯t output any more magic than this; otherwise my body will start to feel the effects.¡±


    ¡°Then allow me to assist you.¡±


    ¡°Sol¡­ thank you that helps.¡±


    With their combined magic the cracks began to mend themselves. Over on the lake, Calgar staggered as he got on his feet.


    ¡°That really hurt. To think my power is lower than that of a beast.¡±


    ¡°I apologize that I can only cut its soft parts Father¡­ If only I had more energy to use to power myself up.¡±


    Calgar chuckled. ¡°Isn¡¯t that also my fault? After all, I¡¯m the one who supplies energy to you and Sol.¡±


    Calgar looked at the Beast thrashing about. Just like the time at Astrid City, when he was looking down upon the field of battle, something began to stir inside his armor. Once again his soul essence began to pulse like a heartbeat. His normal amber glow was turning crimson.


    ¡°So that¡¯s what this is¡­ the feel of battle. I¡¯m starting to remember it.¡±


    Because of the random attacks from the Beast, many of the pale red stones were destroyed. The air had grown thick with latent magic. Calgar simulated taking a deep breath. Magic started to condense around him.


    ¡°Ah, it feels good. Like a sweet fruit that tickles all the right taste buds.¡±


    The crimson glow peeking from his joints began to turn golden. The white fur that circled around the back of his head started to smolder along with the brown cape at his waist. The Beast¡¯s five eyes noticed the change in Calgar. Still angry, it hissed at him, but didn¡¯t attack. It could sense something was different. It was no longer a fight with its prey, but a duel between two predators.


    The Beast coiled its body up underneath the water and Calgar calmly took a fighting stance holding Luna with both hands at eye level and pointing her blade forward.


    There was a small silence lasting not even ten seconds.


    The Beast charged up another breath attack, yet before it could fire, Calgar had closed the distance. Not expecting him to approach so quickly, the Beast hastily swung its claw at him. The sharp claws were deflected easily by Luna. Calgar followed up with a slash to the body and a small cut was made.


    The Beast was confused. It thought that the weapon Calgar held couldn¡¯t hurt its scales, but now it was able to cut through them. Unsure of what was happening, it decided to retreat and create some distance, but it had forgotten that Calgar was not its only opponent.


    ¡°Now Sol!¡±


    Auromi and Sol launched the same attacks from earlier, aiming at its head. Unable to defend in time, the combined magic snatched away two of its left eyes and knocked loose a couple fangs. It again writhed in agony and thrashed about. The tail that had been holding the crystal diamond underwater reflexively whipped up and let go of its treasure.


    Without missing a beat, Calgar was there to intercept the crystal. He put his hand on its smooth surface.


    ¡°You¡¯re mine now.¡±


    With those words the crystal burst into a million tiny shards and released a faint white haze which was violently sucked into Calgar¡¯s body. The Golden glow of his joints shone brighter and the smoldering fur and cape burst into yellow flames. Although he was burning, he showed no concern, as the flames did not hurt him.


    The Beast was scared. Its instincts were telling it only one thing right now, and that was that it had to escape. It fired a breath attack to try and buy time, but Calgar just casually deflected it with magic. The attack that would have caused damage before now seemed to be nothing but an annoyance to him.


    Seeing its attack fail, the Beast struck from below the water with its now empty tail, but Calgar just stepped aside and dodged it completely. He swung Luna at the tail almost as an afterthought, and severed a good portion which splashed into the lake and sank to the bottom.


    It was then the Beast made its decision. It dove into the ground and dug with all its might. The severed end disappeared out of sight as Calgar reached the hole and looked down.


    ¡°Father, lets chase after it!¡±


    Luna¡¯s voice was filled with excitement, but Calgar simply shook his head. ¡°There is no need.¡±


    Raising his hand he activated a spell that he could now use. A dark energy that seemed to suck in all light appeared between his fingers.


    ¡°[Oblitero].¡± He clenched his fist around the darkness.


    The rumbling of the earth abruptly stopped. Auromi and Sol approached him.


    ¡°Is it dead?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°It¡¯s dead.¡±


    Luna giggled. ¡°Death would have been better than what Father did.¡±


    Behind them, the sound of water being drained was heard. The underground lake begun to recede and a small whirlpool developed in the center.


    Calgar mused. ¡°I must have weakened the rocks below and created an opening for the water.¡±


    Auromi interjected. ¡°By the way, that appearance you have¡­ how nostalgic.¡±


    Sol agreed. ¡°To see a semblance of your true form, it is proof we are making headway.¡±


    The image of Calgar right now was the same silver armor, except for the golden color from his joints and the yellow flames around his neck and waist. It was still far from his true appearance, but since everyone here knows what he truly looks like, they could see the resemblance.


    ¡°Ah, sorry. My mind was still in the state of battle. One moment.¡±


    Calgar calmed himself down. He was beginning to regain control over his urges and emotions. As he did, the flames died out and the amber glow returned.


    Auromi asked him. ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    He clenched his fist. ¡°It feels wonderful. Taking in all that magic at once really is different than taking it in slowly over time. It leaves a euphoric feeling in my body.¡±


    Auromi gave a wry smile. ¡°Just don¡¯t let it go to your head, okay?¡±


    Calgar nodded. ¡°Of course. Now let us find a way out of here.¡±

 Chapter 24 - Suit Up Soldier

    Chapter 24


    Callen, Brett and Yumi stepped off the carriage. They were back in Astrid City. The soldier who accompanied them led the way as they headed to the makeshift command post. Upon entering the soldier saluted to General Velcose who was discussing with other officers.


    ¡°General, I have brought them.¡±


    Velcose looked over and nodded. ¡°Good work. Put them in the conference room while I finish up here.¡±


    The soldier guided them to the room and had them wait inside. They were the only ones there, so they each took a seat. Moments later Velcose entered.


    ¡°I see you have all made yourselves comfortable.¡±


    Callen apologized. ¡°Sorry, we didn¡¯t know how long you would be.¡±


    Velcose waved his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t mind it. So I¡¯ve heard about the ¡®mission¡¯ you all have been assigned to. Really, how the hell did you pull that off Delgado?¡±


    ¡°It was nothing special. I just convinced them that it was the best choice out of the limited options.¡±


    Velcose grumbled as he sat down. ¡°Is that so? I also understand you want to take Olivia and her group too, however I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t let you do that.¡±


    ¡°Why not? They aren¡¯t soldiers.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because they aren¡¯t soldiers. They are a huge moral boost to the conscripts and inexperienced students.¡±


    Brett scratched his cheek. ¡°Ah, well that is quite the problem.¡±


    Callen argued. ¡°I know they are important in that regard, but I also need them for this mission. At least give me half of them.¡±


    Velcose shook his head. ¡°At the most I can give you one.¡±


    Brett shrugged. ¡°If we can only have one, then it would have to be Olivia.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you see it that way. Ever since I was informed, I began the preparations to have her join you.¡±


    ¡°Crafty¡­ I guess you aren¡¯t a General for nothing.¡±


    ¡°You got that right brat. So where will you be looking for this spirit?¡±


    Callen looked at Yumi. ¡°We haven¡¯t had Seren tell us a direction yet. Can you call her out Yumi?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Seren, please manifest.¡±


    In an empty space, the water Spirit Seren was now materialized.


    Yumi continued. ¡°Can you tell us the direction Calgar is in?¡±


    Seren nodded. ¡°Of course. However it will be easier for you all to understand with the right tools.¡±


    Velcose asked. ¡°What do you need?¡±


    ¡°A map and a compass will be enough.¡±


    He got up from his seat. ¡°Wait a moment, I¡¯ll grab them. I¡¯ll have someone fetch Olivia while we¡¯re at it.¡±


    A few minutes later and he returned with a map under his arm and a compass in hand. He spread them out over the table.


    ¡°Will these do?¡±


    ¡°Yes this is fine. Please arrange the map with the top facing north.¡±


    It was a simple task, since they had the compass.


    Seren continued. ¡°Now then, Yumi I need you to place the compass where we are currently located on the map.¡±


    Yumi moved the compass on top of the marker that said ¡®Astrid City¡¯.


    ¡°Keep your hand on the compass. I will now begin tracking his magic. The needle will turn in the direction he is in.¡±


    A blue aura surrounded Yumi and Seren. The compass needle that was pointing north began to sway back and forth. It settled on pointing south east and stopped moving. Everyone looked at the direction that was indicated.


    Brett was the first to break the silence. ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that saying he¡¯s in Nerim?¡±


    Callen agreed. ¡°¡­Looks like it.¡±


    Velcose muttered. ¡°This became complicated fast.¡±


    Breaking the tension, the door to the conference room opened and standing there was Olivia Mercer. Her brown hair was tied into a low hanging ponytail. Her sharp blues eyes stared ahead. She was currently wearing a black shirt and blue pants instead of armor.


    She saluted to the General. ¡°Sir! I¡¯ve come as requested.¡±


    Velcose looked back. ¡°Come in Mercer. I know it¡¯s sudden, but meet your new teammates. I doubt introductions are necessary.¡±


    Olivia smiled. ¡°Well if it isn¡¯t Callen and his wolf pack. So, what are we hunting?¡±


    Oliva was quickly brought up to speed on the situation.


    Callen stated. ¡°That¡¯s how it is, and according to Seren, he seems to be in Nerim.¡±


    Olivia whistled. ¡°Big game huh? And he¡¯s in the territory of another predator. You sure know how to pick missions.¡±If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Brett spoke up. ¡°Look, I¡¯m all for going after Calgar, but isn¡¯t it different when the country he¡¯s in is the one we¡¯re at war with?¡±


    Everyone turned to Velcose for his opinion. ¡°If it was anyone other than you kids, I would say this is nothing but a suicide mission. However that being said, you are the only ones I can think of who could pull this off. So what will you do? Forge ahead or admit defeat?¡±


    Everyone was quiet. Yumi, who hadn¡¯t said much, spoke up.


    ¡°I¡­ Choose to forge ahead. I know it¡¯s dangerous, but I won¡¯t be satisfied if we backed out now.¡±


    Callen smiled. ¡°I feel the same. What about you two?¡±


    Brett sighed. ¡°Someone has to keep you guys in line. Guess I have no other choice.¡±


    Olivia smirked. ¡°Sounds like it¡¯s pretty personal to you guys. While I may not be as invested as you all, it sounds fun so I¡¯m in.¡±


    Brett raised his eyes. ¡°What a sloppy reason.¡±


    She shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t need a better one.¡±


    Velcose coughed to interrupt them. ¡°Since you have all decided to go ahead, I have an additional order for you. I want you to report back anything and everything related to the military movements and supplies. Just scouting would be fine, but if deemed necessary I will have you participate in sabotage operations. Do you all understand?¡±


    Everyone saluted. ¡°Yes General!¡±


    ¡°Good. As for your equipment, I won¡¯t have you use the standard stuff. You¡¯ll be borrowing what we can spare from the Special Forces unit, such as long range communicators, maps, and durable and robust armor that require minimal maintenance.¡±


    ¡°What about the fitting sizes?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do what we can with magic.¡±


    Callen stood up and moved towards the door. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go everyone.¡±


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


    The group entered into a warehouse. Tons of equipment was lined up along the walls. There was armor ranging from light to heavy. Weapons were placed upon racks. They included, but were not limited to swords, spears, shields and axes. In another section, was where the bows and arrows archers used, along with rods and staves for magicians.


    Velcose led them into a separate room. This room was where the Special Forces kept the equipment and armor they used in the field. While the name ¡®Special Forces¡¯ may seem like an elite part of the army, it was nothing more than what soldiers who went on specialized mission were called.


    This meant that the gear they used also had to be tailored to specific situations and environments. They also tended to be more durable and robust, as they needed to be able to operate in the field for extended amounts of time.


    Velcose addressed everyone there. ¡°In Special Forces mission, the team members each complete a role that differs from the others. I¡¯d like to decide those roles now.¡±


    Callen asked him. ¡°What roles are in a unit?¡±


    ¡°First is the Team Leader. This is your role Delgado, whether you like it or not. You will be giving orders based on the information received from the others. However, since you have your unique armor, there really isn¡¯t anything for you to take other than a short range communicator.¡±


    ¡°I see.¡±


    ¡°Second would be the Scout. They move ahead of the group and are the eyes and ears. They must keep their surroundings in check and relay any information to the team leader.¡±


    Everyone looked to Brett. He gave them a thumbs up. ¡°Leave it to me.¡±


    ¡°The equipment you will use will be a light armor that is able to conform to the color of your surroundings if you put a little bit of magic power in it and a short range communicator.¡±


    Yumi asked him. ¡°What role should I have?¡±


    ¡°Since this team is small, you can do two roles. One is the Relay Specialist and the other is Magical Support. Your gear will be light but sturdy clothing that has been enchanted to allow you to reinforce it with your own magic and a long range communicator. This communicator will be the one you use to report back to me with updates, but since it requires quite a bit of magic to use, you¡¯re the only one who can do it.¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡±


    Olivia said. ¡°Guess that leaves me. What¡¯s my role?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to be the Striker, Mercer. Your role will be to attack targets marked by the Leader and the Scout and to delay enemy retaliation when you retreat.¡±


    ¡°Sweet. So basically, I break stuff.¡±


    ¡°Putting it bluntly, yes. Your gear would normally be a heavier set of armor, but I¡¯ve accounted for your fighting style and will issue you medium weight armor. It¡¯s been enchanted to reduce the weight as much as possible.¡±


    ¡°I appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Now then, if there aren¡¯t any questions, let¡¯s get you geared up. Delgado, here is your communicator.¡±


    He handed Callen a thick necklace with a purple jewel.


    ¡°To activate it, think of the people you want to receive the message and then speak. If it runs out of power, Nishka can recharge it.¡±


    Velcose grabbed another communicator and gave it to Brett. ¡°This is yours Trevino. Your armor is over there.¡±


    He pointed to a set of armor displayed on a rack. Brett went over and looked at it. The armor had two layers to it. The under layer was made up of a sturdy shirt and resilient cargo pants that had many pockets around the thighs. The second layer was a cured hardened leather jacket with an attachable breast plate to cover the chest and thick metal boots that wrapped around the shin. The entire outfit was a neutral grey color.


    Velcose pointed at another set of armor. ¡°That one is yours, Nishka. The Long range communicator is next to it and will go over your back like a backpack.¡±


    Yumi approached the armor. From the neck to the thighs was one piece of clothing. It was black in color, with brown belts around the waist and near the chest. The front and back of the lower area reached the thighs, but Yumi could see two slits on both sides that went up to about the waist.


    She pointed at them and asked. ¡°Um¡­ Isn¡¯t this part too¡­revealing?¡±


    She checked to make sure, but she couldn¡¯t find any other garment to wear on her lower body besides a pair of sturdy brown boots that reached up to her knees and had the heels reinforced with steel. This meant the outfit was worn similar to a one-piece dress.


    Velcose answered. ¡°It was made with ease of movement in mind. If you have a problem with how it looks, bring it up with the designer.¡±


    Yumi couldn¡¯t do anything about it and resolved herself to wear it.


    Velcose gestured to another set of armor while handing Olivia her communicator. ¡°You¡¯re last, Mercer.¡±


    ¡°So this one¡¯s mine?¡±


    It was a tight form fitting armor that tried to be sleek as possible. The base was leather, and on the chest, upper arms, forearms, thighs and shins was a light weight, but sturdy metal. It offered the maximum protection, while still retaining high mobility. The joints were made from a tightly woven fiber that emphasized flexibility; however this was also its weakest point.


    The three of them looked over their respective armor. Satisfied, they returned back to Velcose and Callen.


    ¡°I¡¯ll bring in some magical technicians to fit the armor to your size, tomorrow. Until then, rest well. You are dismissed.¡±


    The kids saluted and left the warehouse. Velcose watched them leave. Reaching into his pocket, he brought out a cigar and lit it. Taking a few puffs, he wondered if they would be alright heading straight into enemy territory.


    Should I tell the King? I don¡¯t think he knew they would be going into Nerim¡­ But at the same time, it provides a huge boon if they relay intel on enemy movements¡­


    He held a hand to his forehead. To protect the young, or gain the advantage? His General mind wanted to send them in. His human mind wanted to keep the young out of danger.


    But Velcose made his decision. These kids weren¡¯t so fragile, that they¡¯d break on first contact with the enemy. They also decided themselves that this is what they wanted to do. So he would send them in.


    He would never admit it, but the truth was he expected great things from this group. That was the kind of feeling he got when watching them.


    He blew out a long cloud of smoke. ¡°Now then, let¡¯s make sure they¡¯re fully prepared before we let them loose.¡±