《Blue Moon Saga》


 Prologue: Dancing under the Blue Moon

    Not a sound could be heard in the forest. The birds were quiet, no squirrel was moving nor were there wolves hunting. The trees stood silently in the windless night, casting large inanimate shadows on the ground below. The little river that courses between the trees has gone dead silent, all water has stopped flowing. Nothing was moving, nothing was breathing, and nothing was making a sound.


    And in the middle of this frozen nature lies a lake, a lake so smooth that, at that moment, it reflected the countless stars in the night sky. The clouds shining a bright blue in contrast with the darkness that lurked behind them. Nocturnal fowl was halted mid flight and could be seen hanging in the air as if strung up to the sky by a string.


    But the most notable detail of this scene is the moon. A bright blue moon loomed over this timeless landscape casting the whole in an easy light. The ground, usually stained vibrant green by the abundance of grass, was now a pale blue surface without motion. The shadows made by the trees created dark blue figures on the canvas below, yet none of it is moving. Everything was deadly silent.


    That night was an empty night.


    But somewhere in this vast ocean of motionlessness was an anomaly. A single specter was able to move in the shadows of the trees. Lurking only in the shadows, the figure passed by two motionless butterflies that hung in the air and approaches the mirror lake at the center of it all. This person does not find this scene too strange, in fact, it was exactly according to plan.


    Approaching the edge of the tree cover, the figure stepped out into the moonlight to reveal the true form of her existence. It was a woman clothed in but a single piece of black silk, her pitch black hair falling on her back like a waterfall. The dress she wore was nothing extraordinary but it outlined the features of her figure nicely. It did not restrict any movement, not in the legs nor in the arms, and this is why it was perfect for this occasion.


    The woman continued towards the lake and stops at its edge. She then lifted her dress and placed a foot on the surface of the water. After shifting her weight onto that foot she dropped the dress and continued walking forward, across the surface of the lake. Every step she took created the slightest ripples on the surface, but in mere moments these motions died out and the surface returned to its smooth appearance.


    Only when she reached the middle of the lake does she stop. She looked at her surroundings to get a grasp of the situation and then proceeded to placing her back towards the moon. She stood in an upright position, arms by her side, slowly breathing in and out with her eyes closed. Some time passes and the surface of the water was back to reflecting the countless stars in the sky.


    Suddenly, the woman raised her hands to both sides and bends her arms slightly. Two fans of identical green appeared in both her hands and with an audible snap she closed them. Placing her right hand in front and left hand in the back, she bend over just slightly and she reopens her eyes.


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    She then proceeded to dance. Placing her right foot slightly outwards she uses it to pivot on her left and turn her entire body. As she did this, the fans opened again and started to move in a rhythmical pattern. Continuing to turn on the same spot, the fans moved up and down creating a mesmerizing rhythm. She never stopped any motions, her movements were as fluid as water, moving only in arcs and circles.


    The water underneath her feet did not stay unchanged. For every step she took and every turn she made she created another ripple on the otherwise flawlessly smooth surface. The reflection of her body in the moonlight was distorted to a point where she would not recognize herself were she to take a look.


    And then her fans started to glow bright green, making them the only other source of light other than the move in the entire area. The woman didn¡¯t mind and her motions didn¡¯t falter, her arms becoming even more fluid than before. Green stripes of light surrounded her entire body, encasing the alluring movements of her dance. Any onlooker would have seen a whirlwind of green light at the heart of the lake, but such onlookers did not exist as nothing was able to move.


    As if attracted by this spectacle, green orbs of light approached the dancing woman. Countless little orbs were flying towards her and fused with the fans in her hands. Orbs were flying in from every corner of the lake, all of them fusing with the whirlwind of light. With every orb that fused with her dance, her motions grew wilder and more aggressive. At some point, the water underneath her feet became so wild that waves were pushing out in all directions.


    Once the last light was absorbed, the woman smiled. The hardest part had just been completed, the rest only required a lot of endurance.


    And with that thought she changed the dance. The once fluid motions became more acute, even faster than before. The two fans that used to be on opposing sides at all times were now moving at irregular and different speeds. The water, which was raging like an ocean before, had become dead silent again. The reflection of night sky was clearly visible again and if one looked closely, they could see the woman¡¯s feet hovering above the water¡¯s surface.


    Floating up in the sky, the woman does not stop moving. Her feet pushing off from an invisible surface, the dance just keeps on going.


    And once she reached a height of 5 meters, the green light disappeared. Instead, the woman was surrounded by a magical aura, a transparent blue ball of spiritual energy had materialized around her.


    This, too, put a smile on her face but she kept on dancing. The dancing wasn¡¯t going to stop. She had become one with the night.


    Edited by Wesley Au (Paradox)

 Chapter 1: Blue-Haired Swordsman

    Author''s Note: I will be rewriting this chapter, along with Chapters 2, 3 and 4. Just a heads up because my writing style has changed a lot since I started :)


    ************************************


    It was a beautiful day, the perfect representation of an ideal summer. The grassy plains shone bright green, the flowers adding spots of vivid color to the endless ocean of lime. The foliage swayed back and forth as the wind rushes through their bodies. The insects were flying from flower to flower to collect as much nectar as possible to fill their bellies.


    In the middle of one such field sat a boy, silently observing the scene in front of him. His short blue hair swayed with the winds and his white pants were flapping in every direction. He sat there, motionlessly and shirtless, eyeing all activity in front of him as if to absorb every little detail. His dark blue eyes were focused on everything and nothing at the same time. His tanned skin shone brightly in the sunlight.


    He then proceeded to close his eyes. He cleared his mind from any distractions and stood up. He placed his hands in front of him and poured spiritual energy into them. A heavy long sword with light blue blade appeared in his hands out of thin air. The air around it was frigid, the sword radiated an aura of ice which contrasted with the heat from the sunlight on the boy¡¯s face. The handle of the sword was golden, full of intricate patterns and a green jade-like gem protruded on the hilt¡¯s end.


    The boy shifted his body to compensate for the sudden change in weight. He assumed a stance where we would be able to react to any sudden movements, right foot forwards. The boy listened to his surroundings, the sound of the wind rustling and the bees buzzing. He took in his surroundings with only his hearing.


    He then opened his eyes and started his training. The boy lifted the sword and placed his left foot in front. He swung down, cleaving empty air, and he rotated his body halfway. Taking another step backwards in the same direction, he raised his sword again as fast as possible and continued to turn his body. After completing a single rotation the boy had raised his sword again in a fluid motion and continued to attack the imaginary opponent in front of him. The motion resembled a whirlwind of cold steel, flashing the sun¡¯s reflection in various directions.


    After repeating the same pattern a few times, the boy returned to his defensive position and prepared for his next sequence of attacks. He took a few breaths and then stepped forward again with his right foot. While doing so he lounged forward with his sword¡¯s tip thrusting forward. Stopping mid motion he raised the hilt of his sword and created a defensive surface in front of his body with the blade. He then proceeded to thrust again and repeated the same actions a few times.


    Sweat was running down his spine, the heat of the sun didn¡¯t make his training any easier. Even the cold aura of his sword was not enough to keep him cool. After completing this sequence a few times he had to stop and rest for a while. He struck the sword in the ground in front of him and sat on the ground again. The sword disappeared and some energy returned to the young swordsman. He sat with his legs crossed and breathed deeply as if in a meditative state. He closed his eyes and went back to observing his surroundings with his hearing.


    He noticed a discrepancy, there was something approaching him at a slow speed. It was obvious the approaching entity tried to conceal their presence, they just weren¡¯t good at it. He kept sitting still as if he didn¡¯t notice anything. He kept waiting patiently and a smile appeared on his face. The moment the lurker was at his back he yelled at the top of his lungs:


    ¡°BOO!¡±


    ¡°AAARGHH!¡± the visitor exclaimed in a girly voice. She fell to the ground with a soft thumping sound.


    The boy turned around and looked at the little girl. She, too, had blue hair cut off at her shoulders. She wore a simple one piece dress that made her look cuter than any other girls her age. Her big blue eyes looked at her brother as if ready to start crying.


    ¡°Ragnar, you¡¯re so mean! At least you could have pretended to not notice me!¡± she said with a quivering voice.


    Ragnar laughed and said, ¡°And miss out the chance to mess with you? Dream on!¡±


    ¡°But my dress is all dirty now! Dad¡¯s going to get mad at me.¡± She stood up and showed the back of her dress which was clearly stained bright green. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell Dad!¡±


    ¡°But Mia, that is all your fault! You should always be ready for the unexpected. Let that be a wise lesson to you on how to survive,¡± said Ragnar as he stood up. He patted of some dirt from his pants and looked his sister. Even though only a year older, he seemed much more mature than her. He had clearly already reached puberty, his body displaying fleshed out muscles while she was still as adorable as any other 10 year old.


    ¡°Not everyone is a military freak as yourself,¡± the little girl said and she stuck out her tongue.


    Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.¡°Oh Mia, how na?ve you are¡­¡± the boy sighed. This was Halram Kingdom, a country that is constantly at war. He was going to protect the village and everyone he cared about. To do so he¡¯d have to become strong, stronger than any enemy he might face.


    ¡°I watched you for a bit from afar. You seem to have gotten much better with your soul sword,¡± Mia had already calmed down a bit.


    ¡°Off course! I train hard every morning just to get better with it! How could I not improve?¡± Ragnar had been doing this kind of training for the past few years. Every morning, before the rooster woke, he¡¯d start his daily routine of push-up and pull-ups. Afterwards, he would always move to a quiet and remote location to practice his swordsmanship. His body had formed very fine muscles in the process.


    ¡°But why a 2 handed sword? Isn¡¯t a one handed sword easier to handle?¡± asked the girl. Ragnar had been training like this since before she could even remember, but she never actually understood her brother¡¯s thinking.


    ¡°A claymore might not be as easy to use as, let¡¯s say, a cutlass, but it is far more destructive. It can cut through enemy armor much nicer and can also provide a defensive surface to protect myself.¡± Ragnar had researched weapons for a long time and had come to the conclusion that longswords were the best.


    ¡°Uhu,¡± the girl nodded. Her brother knew everything about weapons so she didn¡¯t doubt it. ¡°And why did you make it blue?¡±


    Ragnar let out a small laugh and replied, ¡°That¡¯s just for style. I chose to make my sword in the ice element because it just suited my looks.¡± He pointed at his eyes and hair.


    The girl thought about that for a moment. She could understand that last part very well. They were the only ones in the village, apart from their father, with blue hair. Visitors always pointed it out and called them freaks and Mia had cried herself to sleep more than a few times because someone made fun of her hair color. But as they grew older, they grew to accept their difference. Her brother had not only accepted the fact that he was different, but was flaunting it proudly.


    ¡°That¡¯s really cool!¡± the girl exclaimed.


    ¡°Literally,¡± said Ragnar as he winked.


    (Narrator''s  note:Is this a bad pun or what?)


    The girl looked at him blankly, she clearly didn¡¯t understand. The boy sighed and placed his hands in front of him again. He concentrated his energy into the form of his sword. The sword appeared again in the blink of an eye and it instantly started to cool the air around it.


    Then girl then understood and said, ¡°Oh, now I get it!¡± She looked at the sword for a second and asked, ¡°Would it still be this cold in any other shape?¡±


    Ragnar hadn¡¯t really thought about it. He had experimented with various different weapons and shapes, but the cold was only a recent addition. Not knowing the answer, he decided to try it out and concentrated on the sword¡¯s shape. The sword lit up in a bright blue light and started to change shape. Little by little the outlines of an axe could be seen and once it was done changing form, the light disappeared. He now held a double sided axe with a golden handle and light blue head, the head featuring some golden designs on it.


    ¡°So cool! This axe looks really pretty, why don¡¯t you use this one?¡± the girl proclaimed.


    ¡°Because an axe gets stuck too easily,¡± he replied. ¡°An axe might have more attack power, but it just gets stuck after every strike. A sword swings much more fluidly.¡±


    Mia had never seen combat but she imagined the splitting of firewood and she could sort of grasp what her brother was talking about.


    ¡°You¡¯ve asked me these questions before though. Didn¡¯t you know this already?¡± said Ragnar and he made the axe dissolve again. It was kind of heavy.


    ¡°Teehee, I just forgot,¡± said Mia with an innocent smile meaning she just didn¡¯t really care for the answer.


    ¡°Anyways, Ragnar, let¡¯s go visit Ymil in the bookstore. I bet he¡¯s lonely!¡± the girl was hopping up and down.


    ¡°We should let him be. He¡¯s at work,¡± Ragnar replied but he was already getting up to go.


    ¡°You wanna go play with him too, just admit it,¡± said Mia cheerfully and she ran back in the direction of the village.


    Off course he wanted to play, he¡¯s only 11 years old, but he wanted his sister to think of him as mature. ¡°Yeah yeah¡­¡± he said and followed Mia. But as soon as he started to run his competitive side got the better of him.


    ¡°The last one at the book store is a fat little piglet!¡± And he sprinted past his little sister.


    ¡°Hay, that¡¯s not fair! You¡¯re older!¡± And she started to run as fast as she could.


    Edited by Wesley Au (Paradox)

 Chapter 2: Welcome to the Bookstore

    *Ring-eling-ding*


    A slender looking man walked into the book store. He was wearing a bright red toga with a golden snake pattern on his chest, his long yellow hair dangling to the side of his face. He looked around the store uncertainly and spotted a boy sitting behind a desk reading a book. He walked up to the boy and cleared his throat audibly.


    *Ahem*


    The boy raised his finger and said, without looking up:


    ¡°Please wait a moment sir, let me just finish this page.¡±


    The man stood there patiently as the boy continued reading. The man walked further into the dimly lit store and observed the large amount of books that this store had to offer. He could see four bookshelves filled to the brim with various sizes. Most of the books looked incredibly old, the fact that spider webs were dangling from their covers did not make them look any younger either. He could only wonder what kind of knowledge they could contain but alas, this wasn¡¯t a library. He could barely afford the book he came looking for.


    Having finished his page, the boy stands up and is willing to help his client. He was a little short for his age, but that did not bother him. His brown unruly hair and boyish smile were his key selling points, it had helped him sell quite a few books in the past. He wore blue jeans that only reached down to his knees and a perfectly white t-shirt, as if it had just been cleaned.


    ¡°Sorry about just now, sir, I was reading a very intense part. How may I be of service?¡±


    The man turned around and looked at the boy for a bit. This boy looked no older than 9 years old yet he was avidly reading a book just now. A boy his age usually doesn¡¯t know how to read yet, hell, only nobles and scholars took their time to learn such a skill. Then again, this boy grew up surrounded by books so it wasn¡¯t all that illogical.


    ¡°Erm yes, I was looking for a book on a specific subject and I was wondering if you could help me find one.¡±


    ¡°As you well know, this store is but a shadow of the Liberal Library, it only contains but a fraction of the books the library used to have.¡±


    The man was well aware of the circumstances, when the Library burned down, it did not only burn most of its content, but also the surrounding residences. It was also known as the largest fire calamity in the history of Halram Kingdom. The books that were sold here were the only ones that the locals could salvage before the entire library was engulfed in flames.


    The man looked around the store again and points at the bookshelves: ¡°Yes, but considering the amount of books I can see here I can imagine you got some items of interest in here.¡±


    The boy smiled and asked: ¡°And what subject is it you¡¯re looking for, sir?¡±


    The man turned to the boy again and said with a completely serious face: ¡°I¡¯m looking for information about the Soul Dance and Nimrod Remnants.¡±


    The boy thought about it for a while and then said: ¡°Follow me, sir.¡±


    The man was surprised, he had expected the boy to laugh. Nimrod Remnants were the main topic of many fairy tales. To see a grown man show such interest in them would seem extremely odd.


    The boy walked towards a pitch black bookshelf and stopped in front of it. He stood there thinking for a while and then he grasped something in the empty air in front of him and pulled. At that motion a book came flying out of the shelf right into his hand. The man was shocked, did this boy just use telekinesis as well? That¡¯s an advanced magical skill that takes years to practice.


    The boy took the book in his left hand and looked through its content for a bit. Confirming its content, he held the book up to the customer and said: ¡°This is the only book regarding the Soul Dance we have. Mind you, it¡¯s a children¡¯s book with a lot of pictures. I can¡¯t give anything more concrete though.¡±


    The man took the book and flipped through the pages for a bit. What the boy said was true, it¡¯s a picture book that illustrated a man dancing under a blue moon. He was extremely excited, this is the first book he found on the subject and it didn¡¯t matter if it was a children¡¯s book.


    ¡°That is quite alright. Finding actual books on the topic is quite hard. Do you have anything with regards to the Nimrod Remnants?¡±


    The boy looked at his feet for a bit and then said: ¡°I¡¯m sorry sir, we sold the last book on that subject a while ago. It¡¯s a really popular story so they were our best selling product.¡±


    The man understood, the Nimrod Remnants were known worldwide. Most legendary heroes either wielded or consumed a Remnant in order to defeat evil and all of them gained absolute power in doing so. Rumor has it that the king of Halram wielded one such Remnant, but little is known about this.


    ¡°I have quite a few books on that subject already, it should be fine. How much would this¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh wait!¡± The boy exclaimed, hitting the palm of hand with his fist, ¡°there is still one book that could be of interest. Please wait a moment.¡±


    The boy ran up to the fourth bookshelf. He stood still for a bit and then grasped into the air again, making another book come flying out.


    The man, curiosity taking over, couldn¡¯t help but ask:


    ¡°Where¡¯d you learn to do telekinesis at such a young age? It baffles me to see someone as young as you use it with such ease.¡±


    The boy, that was already checking the content of the book, looked up and laughed.


    ¡°That is no telekinesis, sir. That is a handy application of my soul materialization. Check the back of this book,¡± said the boy and he turned over the book to show the cover. ¡°I formed my spirit into countless little threads of strong spidery silk and attached them to every book in the store. That way, whenever I need to reach a book that is too high for me to reach I can just pull on a string and it pops out.¡±


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    The man looked at the book in the boys hand and could see what the boy was talking about. There was a thin white thread attached to the spine of the cover and was dangling there randomly. He looked around again and found that the spider webs he originally saw in the store were all made of the same material. This boy had created over a hundred threads using only soul materialization.


    The man was amazed. He knew that children under the age of 14 were still able to change the shape of their soul materialization. Many children tend to do just this to create toys to play with or weapons to fight, but very few thought of something like this.


    ¡°That¡¯s an awesome way to use your materialization, boy. Where¡¯d you learn a trick like that?¡±


    ¡°Nobody, sir. I was just lazy and didn¡¯t feel like reaching up to the top shelves all the time. Of all the options I could chose, this was definitely the fastest one.¡±


    ¡°Mind if I ask how old you are?¡± the man asked. This boy¡¯s way of thinking was incredibly peculiar so he had to know if he was of noble descent.


    ¡°I¡¯m 10 years old, sir. Turning 11 in a few weeks,¡± the boy replied.


    ¡°Oh, then you¡¯ll be going to the Academy the coming semester! My name¡¯s Jack Niris and I¡¯m a teacher at the Capital Military Academy,¡± the man says.


    ¡°A teacher?!¡± the boy had sparks in his eyes. From what he¡¯s heard, teachers were really smart and were never wrong. Off course, this could have been another one of Uncle Max¡¯s fantasies but he didn¡¯t think so.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be going to that academy! My name¡¯s Ymil Idagni, I really hope you¡¯ll teach me a lot of things, sir!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re lucky, maybe I will,¡± said the man while smiling.


    He took the book from the boy¡¯s hands and looked through it. It contained a few stories of legendary heroes, but only one or 2 of them seemed to relate to the Nimrod Remnants.


    ¡°If you¡¯re a teacher, your soul must have a really cool form. Mind showing it to me?¡±


    The man had expected this question the moment he revealed his status as a teacher. Boys his age were usually very interested in the soul manifestations of others because it was an indication of strength. He smiled and lifted his free hand in front of him. Focusing his mind, he created the form of his soul in his brain, then materialized it in his hand.


    With a flash of bright red, a dark red whip appeared in his hand. Its design was very detailed, there were golden patterns on the handle and a bright red gem shone at the hilt. It radiated heat that the boy could feel on the other side of the counter and he knew what kind of affinity the whip had. This weapon was imbued with the power of fire and by pouring spiritual energy into its frame the owner could create troublesome fire attacks.


    ¡°Woooooow,¡± said Ymil while looking at the whip. It might not be as impressive as a flaming blade or a thunder rod, but it certainly gave a strong impression. This teacher Jack must be really strong.


    Seeing the boy¡¯s amazed reaction, the man smiled. ¡°My soul¡¯s called Latigo, which means whip in an ancient language,¡± he said. ¡°With it I have been able to hunt High class monsters and am able to give severe punishment to anyone that doesn¡¯t listen in class.¡±


    ¡°Boy, do I hope I won¡¯t have to take a whipping.¡± Ymil was looking slightly startled at the idea of getting whipped someday.


    The man¡¯s attention returned to the book in his hands. The man closed his eyes and shook his head. ¡°This isn¡¯t worth the money. I¡¯ll just be buying the children¡¯s book then.¡± And he handed back the book to Ymil.


    ¡°That¡¯s a pity,¡± Ymil said and he laid the book in front of the bookshelf. He looked back at the scholar and said: ¡°My threads only work one way and I¡¯m too lazy to climb up again.¡±


    The man is somewhat amused, this boy¡¯s laziness was really entertaining to say the least. If he¡¯s going to Military Academy next year he¡¯s going to have it rough.


    They both walk back to the front desk and the boy sat down behind the counter. He took a piece of paper and wrote down the transaction bill. Using quill and ink the boy wrote in blocky crow letters the name of the book and its cost. The boy then looked up at the customer and just had to ask:


    ¡°Are teachers really as powerful as they say? My uncle says you guys never lose.¡±


    The man laughed at that remark. ¡°That uncle of yours is very wise, boy. It is true that we teachers are chosen based on our strength, but also on our intelligence. We are meant to prepare our students for their futures, so the job requirements are very high.¡±


    The man took out a purse from his pocket and shook it over his hand. He counted the number of coins and put the rest back in.


    ¡°Here you go.¡±


    The boy counted the coins and nodded.


    ¡°Well, thank you for your patronage, sir. And while you¡¯re in town, I suggest you pass by the Forgeron Blacksmith, They¡¯re the best in town.¡± He carefully hands over the book and the receipt to Jack.


    Jack laughed, ¡°Advertising for the local blacksmith? You guys must really be a tight bunch.¡±


    Ymil smiled and said: ¡°We live in tough times, we gotta help each other whenever we can.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Have a nice day, Ymil. And maybe we¡¯ll see meet again at the academy.¡± And the man walked out of the store.


    ¡°Count on it, sir!¡± shouted Ymil before the door closed. And then the store was quiet once again. Ymil thought about this man for a while and then picked up the book he was reading.


    ¡°Now where was I¡­?¡±


    *Ring-eling-ding*


    ¡°Geez, I don¡¯t even get time to read around here.¡± Ymil looked up with an annoyed expression.


    Edited by Wesley Au (Paradox)

 Chapter 3: Mud Fae

    The person that just ran into the store was none other than Ragnar. He was breathing heavily and the moment he ran into the store he bent down and placed his hands on his knees. His entire face had turned red and his torso was shining brightly with sweat.


    ¡°Look, a tomato just walked in!¡± said Ymil while laughing. Seeing his friend in such an exhausted state was new to him. He was always working out so it was odd to see him out of breath. He quickly walked over to the door to see if he was really alright.


    ¡°Shut,¡± Ragnar was still puffing between every word, ¡°up. Little. Bookworm.¡± He glared at Ymil who was enjoying this sight too much.


    As Ragnar finished his sentence another figure ran into the store.


    *Ring-eding-ling*


    ¡°Ragnar!¡± the new entrant exclaimed, but as she walked into the store the little girl tripped over her own feet and fell to the ground. Her body fell forward, her hands moving to the front to catch her fall. But just as she¡¯s about to hit the ground a slender arm stopped her and pushed her back up. She looked back to see Ymil standing right besides her, grinning like a fool.


    ¡°And there we have tomato number two. Gosh, the second tomato is a clumsy one!¡± Ymil went to a nearby sink and brought back two cups of water. He could already guess what had transpired here, Ragnar challenged his little sister to a race and in the heat of the moment he forgot to hold back. He knew Ragnar was big on competing, but the only one that really stood a chance was Ymil himself as he was the only boy around his age.


    Ragnar had already recovered a little and took the cup Ymil presented to him. He took a big swig and gulfed it all down in one downing.


    ¡°Aaaaah, that hits the spot,¡± he exclaimed and his breathing become much more regular. His face wasn¡¯t as red as it was before.


    Mia, on the other hand, was still gasping quite hard so Ymil stood there with the cup extended. While he was waiting he poured some of his energy into the drink and cooled it significantly. She then accepted the cooled cup.


    ¡°Thanks Ymil,¡± and she greedily drank from the cup.


    After drinking the water, they quickly calmed down. Mia¡¯s face had returned to the pale color she always had and Ragnar¡¯s body went back its normal tanned hue. These two contrasted each other really well. Ragnar looked robust with lean muscles showing clearly on his naked upper body, while Mia¡¯s slender arms and white dress made her look angelic in comparison.


    ¡°Well Mia, looks like I won,¡± said Ragnar with a huge grin on his face. ¡°That means I get to call you fat little piglet.¡±


    ¡°Have you ever seen piglets this cute?¡± she replied and she struck a cutesy pose. She swatted her eyelids heavily, crossed her legs and lifted the front of her dress slightly.


    Seeing this Ragnar barked out a laugh, ¡°That¡¯s true, pigs are way cuter than that. Look, you even wear dirty clothes!¡± In saying so he pointed at the back of her dress where the grass stains were.


    ¡°Not fair!¡± Mia exclaimed, ¡°You¡¯re the one who made me fall!¡±


    ¡°You should know better than to try and creep up on me.¡±


    Mia stuck out her tongue to her brother and turned to Ymil.


    ¡°Ymil! Ymil! You¡¯re on my side right?!¡±


    The boy couldn¡¯t hold his laughter anymore. These two were just too funny, they couldn¡¯t go a day without making fun of each other. They were like the stereotypical siblings described in the books he read, they loved each other but also couldn¡¯t stand each other. Off course, Ymil usually joined in on their charades.


    ¡°Sure, miss piggy, what do you want me to do?¡± he said and looked at Mia with a straight face.


    Mia gave him an angry stare and a moment later she kicked him in the shin. As Ymil hadn¡¯t expected this sudden outburst, he reached for his shin and started jumping up and down in pain.


    ¡°Hmph, who¡¯s the pig now!¡± She exclaimed and ran out of the store again.


    ¡°Why you¡­¡± Ymil started to run after her. He¡¯d totally forgotten that he was supposed to look after the store, he just wanted to get back at Mia.


    Ragnar laughed and walked after them. As he left the store he closed the door and cast the locking spell on it. He¡¯d learned it from Ymil some time ago when Ymil had to go run some errands. He gave the door a good rattle to check if it¡¯s really closed and then ran after the other two.


    ¡ª-


    The East Bridge was one of the two bridges that connected Sophia Village to the rest of the kingdom. The village was located on an island in the Senna River and it was only accessible over these bridges. They only spanned 10 meters in length and 3 meters in width but that was more than enough to cross the shallowest part of the entire river. The grey rock had turned dark green because of the endless moss that had grown all over it as time passed by.


    Mia had run all the way to the East Bridge and she was leaning against the stone railing at the middle. She had already run too much before she ran into the store and now she was exhausted again.


    Ymil came running towards her a moment later and skidded to a halt in front of her. He wasn¡¯t visibly out of breath, but his arms were still all shiny with sweat. He¡¯d been sending spiritual energy to his legs so that he could maintain a fast pace.


    ¡°Can¡¯t escape me!¡± he exclaimed and rushed towards Mia in a final sprint. Not being able to move, Mia prepared herself for what the boy was bound to do. Both Ymil¡¯s hands extended forwards and gave the girl a mighty shove in the middle of her chest. She flew back over the railing, losing most of her breath on impact, but at the last moment she grabbed Ymil¡¯s shirt. Unable to stop himself, he was pulled along and they both fell down into the watery abyss below.


    Ragnar arrived just in time to see Ymil and Mia fall off the railing and he immediately sprinted towards the river edge. Even though both of them could swim, if either one hit their head on the way down they would be in trouble.


    When he reached the riverside his heart was hit with a sudden feeling of relief. Both Mia and Ymil were sitting in the middle of the river staring at each other blankly. They were both covered in mud from head to toe, only their eyes could be distinguished from their brown slimy bodies. Mia¡¯s hair had turned dark blue with sticks and twigs sticking out here and there. Ymil¡¯s hair was just completely covered in goo, not a piece of his original hair could be seen.


    Ragnar sat down on the edge and started to laugh. These two looked like newborn Mud Slimes, creatures that only appeared after stormy nights. Only piglets could compete in dirtiness.


    ¡°Look, two dirty little piglets!¡±


    At these words the other two started to laugh as well. They couldn¡¯t deny it anymore. The pointed at each other and laughed wholeheartedly. Some of the mud then entered Ymil¡¯s mouth and he started to cough in revulsion making the other two laugh even harder.


    They slowly walked back towards Ragnar. The river wasn¡¯t very deep, but the bottom was muddy and slippery. Once they reached the side Ragnar offered them a hand to help them out. Ymil reached out and grabbed him by the wrist. He then pulled with all his might and then Ragnar also flew into the river.


    As Ragnar came back up he spat out some water. He looked at the boy in front of him and wanted to get angry but Ymil was just too dirty, it was hilarious. While Ragnar swam back to the shore Ymil dipped his head underwater and cleaned his face and hair.


    (Narrator¡¯s note: keep in mind, they¡¯re ~10, their sense of humor isn¡¯t very good¡­)


    Ymil climbed out first and Ragnar quickly followed. Ragnar then turned back and held out his hand to help Mia, who took the hand without trying to do anything.


    When they were all out, they heard a slurping sound coming from the water. The trio looked at the spot they were just swimming in just to see the water boiling up. Bubbles formed and the water started to well up. Mud started to come up to the surface and a shape was starting to form on top of the water.


    ¡°Watch out everyone!¡± shouted Ragnar and he took a defensive position. Both hands extended, he summoned his icy blue sword in anticipation for an attack. Taking the same stance he took that morning, he glared at the forming figure in front of him.


    The other two were quick to follow. Mia took a few steps back and materialized a pitch black hammer. It¡¯s design was very delicate, there were golden patterns drawn all over its surface and a green gem protruded brightly at its top. She often used this hammer to ¡°help¡± her father with his work, but more often than not she¡¯d just be in his way.


    Ymil, on the other hand, transformed his soul into a pair of gloves. His uncle had taught him basic forms of unarmed combat ever since the village got raided a while back. The gloves were made of a white silk-like material and single white stone was featured at the back of his left hand. This materialization was another materialization Ymil grew to like over the years. While the strings he used in the bookstore are handy, they are quite ineffective in combat.


    All three of them were watching the water cautiously. The mud had formed a humanoid shape and its big green eyes formed a strange contrast with the muddy sludge that was his body. The creature was standing on top of the water and raised a muddy arm and pointed at himself, sludge dripping everywhere.


    ¡°Hello, I am friend,¡± it said in a low voice. He then pointed at the children and asked, ¡°will you be friends too?¡±


    The children had no idea how to react. They¡¯d encountered Mud Fae before, but none of them were capable of human speech. Every time they ran into one it tried to kill them, so they¡¯ve always had to fight the gooey monsters. They were extremely slippery and most attacks don¡¯t seem to hurt them. Only be imbuing their soul weapons with a lot of spiritual energy were they able to slay these opponents. Off course, it still requires some skill and effort to fight them but that wasn¡¯t much of a problem for these three.


    ¡°Mud fae, how¡¯d you learn to talk?¡± Ragnar asked. Even though the creature claimed to be friendly, their past experiences told them it was very unlikely.


    ¡°I watch people, I hear people, I live under bridge,¡± it tried to explain. It had now completely formed its human shape. Although it was made entirely out of mud, it clearly had the shape of a chubby 8 year old boy. He even had dark brown spikes on top of his hair that looked vaguely like hair. Its big green eyes made him look adorable.


    ¡°I hear you, I watch you, I want play,¡± he said and he walked up to the children. The children strengthened their poses and took a step backwards.


    ¡°Halt, move no further!¡± Ragnar said, but the mud boy did not stop. Once he reached the riverside he climbed out. He stood up and looked at the trio with a big grin on his face. His chubby body was dripping mud all over the place, staining the beautiful grass surface with patches of dark brown.


    Stolen novel; please report.


    ¡°I am friend, I no hurt you,¡± he said and he walked towards the children again.


    When the boy was within 5 meters of the kids, Ragnar shouted ¡°Don¡¯t tell me I didn¡¯t warn you!¡± and he charged towards the boy. The Fae stopped at that moment and laughed loudly.


    ¡°Yes, yes! Let¡¯s play!¡± He was jumping down enthusiastically. When Ragnar was within 2 meters, he struck a defensive pose.


    Ragnar¡¯s first attack was his thrust and parry. He was going to probe the Fae¡¯s movements to determine its fighting abilities. Pointing his sword forwards, he came to a stop in front of the creature and placed all of his weight into a thrust.


    The Fae saw it coming and took one step to the right while turning his body and raised its arms, reducing Ragnar¡¯s striking area. The sword missed him by a hair¡¯s length and the Fae started to drop down his now solid hands.


    Ragnar lifted the hilt of his sword and met the hands with his blade¡¯s side. The blow was surprisingly strong and Ragnar flew back a few steps. This gave Ymil the chance to strike and he quickly moved into the Fae¡¯s range. Having both his hands raised, he poured a significant amount of energy into his gloves, making the white crystal glow brightly.


    The Fae was caught unprepared and Ymil struck it in the back. Most of the blow was dissipated by the Fae¡¯s blubbery body but it still packed quite the punch. The mud creature arched his back in pain and lashed out its arms at the new attacker. But Ymil was already gone, he had retreated the moment he struck so that Mia could take a jab at him as well.


    Mia had seen Ragnar get pushed back so she had a rough estimate of the creature¡¯s strength. That¡¯s why she struck the creature on its legs. Although she was not as agile as Ymil or skilled as Ragnar, her hammer packed the largest punch out of the three of them.


    The head of the hammer came down as fast as a judge¡¯s gavel, the green crystal glowing brightly.


    *WHAM*


    An earth shaking blow hit the toes of her opponent. Mud flew in every direction and caused him to fall backwards. As he fell he tried to hit the little girl but he was soon met with his first opponent again.


    Ragnar had rushed between Mia and the Fae and parried the incoming blow. This time he did not fly back and started the counter-attack immediately. He lifted his sword and poured a large amount of energy into his sword. The air became freezing cold. He then stepped forwards with his left foot, swung down the blade at its opponent and struck the Fae¡¯s knees.


    Unlike before, where the blubbery body had either absorbed the impact or splattered in every direction, it now cracked in place and turned solid at the sword¡¯s touch. This time, the mud Fae cried out in pain.


    ¡°WAAAAH!¡±


    Ragnar didn¡¯t stop there and continued to rotate his body, lifting the blade again to continue his swirling attack. He struck a second time, this time hitting the arms. The same thing happened, the opponent¡¯s arm was cut right off and turned solid as the sword swung through.


    The Fae yelped, but didn¡¯t give up. He recovered his balance and quickly took a few steps back. He wasn¡¯t going to be cut to pieces like this. He started to reshape his body by redistributing the remaining mud.


    The children looked at the sorry state of the Fae and looked at each other. They each gave a slight nod and prepared for their next offensive. Ymil¡¯s gloves turned light blue and Mia¡¯s hammer became even larger.


    Before the Fae could recreate a human form, Ragnar dashed out. He thrust his sword again, this time aiming slightly to the right of the stomach and the Fae tried to dodge again. This time the sword scratched the mud and turned its body solid on impact. The Fae didn¡¯t waste time and raised his counter attack, but this time Ymil reacted faster and hit with full force in its back again. Unlike before, however, the body didn¡¯t not absorb the impact, but turned solid at the touch and shattered at the impact.


    Only the Fae¡¯s upper body was able to move, but not for long. Ragnar had initiated his spin attack and his sword cleaved down upon the creature¡¯s remaining arm. It was cut off in an instant and the boy only had a head left.


    At that point, both Ymil and Ragnar took a step back and Mia jumped in. She had increased her hammer to about 10 times the pervious size, and she swung it down with all her might at the remaining head.


    *WHAM*


    Birds flew out of a nearby tree as a result of the impact, that¡¯s how hard the ground shook. The Fae, or whatever was left of him, splattered in every direction creating dark brown stains on their already dirty clothing.


    When Mia stood back up, she looked at the other two triumphantly. All three of them raised a fist at the same time and yelled;


    ¡°YEAH!¡±


    That was fun! They hadn¡¯t fought a mud Fae in a few months but it was an exhilarating feeling. They remembered how slippery these guys were, how their gooey bodies could absorb most of their blows. The only way to counter them is to evaporate the water in their bodies, or to freeze it and smash them to pieces.


    They chose to do the latter. When the trio realized how Ragnar¡¯s sword made the Fae solidify, they were reminded of its weakness. Ymil changed his glove¡¯s affinity to ice and used his spiritual energy to imbue his attacks with ice. Mia enlarged her hammer to ensure that nothing was left.


    They seemed very satisfied with their work, but after a moment of cheer, Mia realized how dirty they were.


    ¡°Dad¡¯s going to kill us¡­¡± and her face quickly turned sour.


    The other two looked at their clothes as well and made the same face. Their parents weren¡¯t strict, per say, but ruining clothes isn¡¯t something that went unpunished.


    ¡°We should go home for now, it¡¯s almost time for dinner,¡± Ymil said and the other two nodded. The sky had already started to darken and one of the two moons was already visible.


    ¡ª-


    When the Ragnar and Mia tried to sneak into the house, they ran into their father. They planned to clean their clothes and themselves and pretend nothing had happened. The man looked at his children in surprise and started to laugh hysterically.


    ¡°Waahaahaa,¡± said Olaf Forgeron. ¡°Looks like I fathered 2 little piglets!¡±


    He was looking at his two children with slapping his knee. They had his blue-colored hair and gentle face, but the look on their faces right now was just priceless.


    ¡°Dad, don¡¯t laugh at us!¡± exclaimed Mia with a pouting face. She really didn¡¯t like being called a pig.


    ¡°Haha, I¡¯m sorry, honey, but how can I not laugh at this?!¡±


    Olaf tried to calm down and tried to pull a straight face. His massive body was still shivering slightly with laughter, his usually imposingly muscular body was now hunched forward to sustain himself.


    ¡°Dad, we fought and defeated a Mud Fae! We¡¯re not ashamed!¡± proclaimed Ragnar, but he too felt slightly annoyed with their dad¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Oh did you now? Takes one to beat one!¡± Olaf looked at his son with one eye and he started laughing again.


    ¡°Say what you will, we¡¯re going to clean up now,¡± said Ragnar and he quickly tried to walk past their dad to get a change of clothes.


    ¡°Hold it! Those clothes were brand new, don¡¯t think you¡¯re getting away with it scot free,¡± said Olaf as he grabbed Ragnar¡¯s arm.  ¡°You go on ahead, Mia, Ragnar and I need to talk for a bit.¡±


    Mia nodded and she ran past them straight to her room.


    Olaf pulled Ragnar in front of him and lowered his voice:


    ¡°Son, what did I tell you about fighting monsters?¡± he said and he looked him sternly in the eyes.


    ¡°That it¡¯s fine as long as I protect my sister¡­¡± he sighed and hung his head.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, and making her fight a Mud Fae is way too much. Those things could drown you, you know.¡± Olaf¡¯s face turned slightly more gentle.


    ¡°I will be more careful from now on, dad. It just happened,¡± Ragnar tried to sound nonchalant but he, too, knew the dangers of fighting a true Mud Fae. What they fought was just a boy, but if they encountered a fully grown woman they¡¯d be dead within the instant.


    ¡°As long as you understand,¡± the father said and he let his son go. ¡°As punishment you¡¯ll be helping me out at the store for a week.¡±


    Ragnar started to complain but Olaf quickly added:


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll like what we¡¯re going to make.¡±


    And with that Olaf entered the house, quickly followed by Ragnar. He didn¡¯t mind forge duty if he had to help make ¡°that¡±.


    ¡ª-


    ¡°And what is your excuse, little man?¡± asked a tall slender man. ¡°I don¡¯t know about you but I was sure that shirt was white when I left this morning.¡±


    Ymil stood in the middle of the living room and stared at his feet.


    ¡°Not only was the store locked very sloppily, you closed the store 2 hours before actual closing time. You then proceeded to dirty your own clothes and disturb the local Fae. You, young man, won¡¯t have it easy the coming week.¡±


    The man speaking was Ymil¡¯s uncle Max. He had short black hair and was wearing black robes. His green eyes contrasted with his pale skin. He had a handsome face, but his personality left something to be desired.


    ¡°I think I know what your punishment is going to be. I will not let you turn 11 next week. I¡¯ll let you turn 11 whenever you¡¯ve finished cataloguing the archives of our bookstore.¡±


    Ymil gasped. The archives consisted of 2 rooms filled with musky old books, the only remaining books from the Liberal Library that were saved during the disaster. Having to catalogue them would take weeks, if not months! If he didn¡¯t turn 11 next week, how could he go to Military Academy with Ragnar?


    (Narrator¡¯s note: uncle is making fun of Ymil. You can¡¯t stop someone from turning 11, but Ymil is under the impression that Max can do anything. In case you thought this was a world where that IS possible¡­)


    ¡°But uncle!¡± started Ymil, but was interrupted by his uncle.


    ¡°Know what? I know better, I¡¯ll have you follow a special training regimen from now on. It seems as though your punches weren¡¯t enough to harm that mud creature.¡±


    Ymil wanted to protest, but decided that this was the better alternative. The training may be hard, but it isn¡¯t without its benefits. In this world it is essential to be able to fight well. Be it magical creatures, local robbers, enemy infantry or shady spies, it only takes a moment to be killed.


    ¡°Alright, uncle, I¡¯ll do the extra training¡­ What do you want me to do?¡± asked Ymil hunching his shoulders forward.


    The right edge of Max¡¯s lips lifted and he revealed a sinister smile. Ymil swallowed loudly, that smile never meant anything good. He was going to regret this, wasn¡¯t he?


    Edited by Wesley Au (Paradox).

 Chapter 4: Spirit Brace

    Because I keep forgetting to write it at the end, Ill state it at the top of all my chapters: Edited by Wesley Au (Paradox)


    (Can''t show your editor enough appreciation :D )


    ***************************************************


    Helping around the workshop was always a terrible chore. The room was consistently blazing hot, was darkly lit by the single furnace making it smell like sweat. The walls were pitch black with soot and the air inside was musty and damp. There were a few windows here and there, but they were each hatched shut, allowing no light to come in or out. Ragnar really didn¡¯t like workshop duty.


    Today was the fifth day in a row that the Forgeron Household was shaking vividly. Olaf Forgeron had been working on his current project, not even taking time to look up when people entered the workshop, as he was finalizing a very delicate piece of jewelry. Sweat was pouring down his skin and his hair became completely wet. Little droplets of salty water flew through the room as Olaf smashed his majestic hammer on a piece of metal for the 10,000th time. There was a green gem at the top of the hammer that glowed a bright green strike and the flashes of green going up and down was an indicator of how fast the hammer was being swung.


    Small purple orbs started to appear around the anvil at some point and were now moving around the anvil like purple fireflies dancing under two full moons.


    As his father was working vigorously, Ragnar stood on the side to watch him work. He was in charge of maintaining the workshop, his job was to keep the furnace at the right temperature, provide the materials his father needed and at times he¡¯d force his father to stop in order to eat. He usually loathed this kind of work for it was hot and smelly, but today was a special occasion.


    Although it wasn¡¯t rare to see his father get caught up in the making of a product, it is not every day that he got to watch his father¡¯s secret technique. Those purple orbs were mesmerizing and he really wanted to touch one, but he knew he shouldn¡¯t. One by one, the little purple dots disappeared into the red hot metal. For every ball of light that disappeared another showed up. There was an endless supply of them, and Ragnar had no idea where they were coming from.


    Olaf stopped hitting the anvil and placed the piece of metal back in the furnace. The purple sparks disappeared the moment the rhythmical movement of the hammer stopped. Not even Olaf knows exactly what they are, but he does know their effect on his work and that is all that mattered. It was a technique passed down for generations, how could those purple lights be harmful?


    Ragnar was about to approach the anvil to clean it when Olaf stuck out his hand and said:


    ¡°Son, I think you should help Mia with cooking now,¡± and he pointed his thumb at the furnace. ¡°The hardest part is almost done, I should be finished with it in about an hour or so.¡±


    ¡°But dad¡­¡±Ragnar started to protest. He¡¯d never been allowed to see his father finish the technique and he really wanted to see it. He could only imagine what it could look like, sometimes Ragnar would imagine a huge spectacle of light appearing around his dad as he finished the job, how could he not want to see that?


    But his dad shook his head, ¡°Not tonight, boy, you¡¯re still too young to learn the method.¡±


    Ragnar looked down, but he knew that when his father said no, he meant no.


    ¡°Look on the bright side,¡± Olaf said with a gentle smile on the face. ¡°Maybe this time we won¡¯t have to eat Mia¡¯s cooking again.¡±


    Ragnar gave a snort, ¡°You call that stuff food? They¡¯re abominations, I tell you.¡±


    Olaf barked out a laugh at that response. For the past few days both Ragnar and he had been working in the store for entire days to create a present for Ymil¡¯s birthday. This left Mia in charge of the cooking and, to be frank, she was terrible at it. The first day was supposed to be baked tuna with broccoli but what they got were burnt pieces of charcoal. Apparently she tried to roast the broccoli and the tuna was completely forgotten. She was 10, so it was kind of adorable but the guys still liked to eat normal food.


    Ragnar then turned to the door and said to his father, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go make us something edible.¡± and he walked towards the door. He opened it and before he left he asked, ¡°But could you please teach it to me some day?¡±


    ¡°When you¡¯re ready, son. I can¡¯t be more specific than that,¡± Olaf answered.


    (Author¡¯s Note: Collin Johanson has a famous quote for the GW2 expansion: ¡°When it¡¯s ready.¡± It sucks and I love it  )


    Ragnar gave a curt nod and walked out the room, closing the door behind him. Olaf then turned back to the furnace and closed his eyes. He took a few deep breaths and focused on the dancing flames in front of him, only hearing their radiant dance within the constraints of the furnace walls.


    He opened his eyes and proceeds to perform the final step to his secret forging technique, Mj?lnir Strike.


    ¡ª-


    ¡°Hey Mia, do you know father¡¯s secret technique?¡± Ragnar and Mia were both working in the kitchen. Ragnar was making a salad using his soul as a kitchen knife while Mia was mashing up raw potatoes.


    ¡°Nah, dad would let me see it,¡± she replied. Mia usually helped out at the workshop whenever there was an order. She enjoyed working in the furnace¡¯s heat and creating new things. She was sometimes tasked with making metal bricks from the leftovers for them to be reused later. The girl would sometimes even use one of these bricks to make a few things of her own but besides beautiful works of art, she never produced anything useful. It was a good pass-time though, and it occupied her when Ragnar and Ymil were out training.


    Ragnar sighed deeply. ¡°That¡¯s too bad¡­¡± He finished chopping the vegetables and started to marinate chicken fillet in vinegar. He added a few random spices to it and then leaned his back against the kitchen counter to face his sister.


    ¡°Do you think those purple lights are dangerous?¡± he was really curious.


    ¡°No, they don¡¯t seem to hurt you when you touch them.¡± She giggled. ¡°But you know when you¡¯ll get to learn it, right?¡±


    ¡°¡¯When I¡¯m ready¡¯¡­¡± Ragnar said grumpily. This was the tenth time he got this answer and every time it infuriated him even more. It made sense to not teach him the technique when he was a child, but now that he was 11, Ragnar was sure he could handle it.


    Ragnar looked out the window and saw a boy run by.


    ¡°By the way, don¡¯t you think Ymil has been training too hard? He has no time to play with us at all!¡± he said. Although he was busy helping his father with Ymil¡¯s present, he still have some free time and he really wanted to play with his friend.


    Mia stopped mashed the potatoes and looked at Ragnar. ¡°I know! Since both you and Ymil are working so hard I have to play all by myself!¡±


    She too was sad because of Ymil¡¯s absence. Whenever Ragnar was in the workshop, she had to keep herself entertained. She had shaped her soul into her favorite toy, a brown ragdoll with clay colored curly hair and a green gem stuck to its stomach. It was barely the size of a fist so it was perfect for playing house. The problem was that she had no other dolls so it quickly became boring.


    ¡°Uncle Max is way too mean, why would he make Ymil do all that? Isn¡¯t his regular training enough?¡± Mia was referring to Ymil¡¯s daily exercises. Ever since Ymil started to live with his uncle he has been forced to train his martial arts by repeating the core moves every morning. He spent an hour every day training the 5 basic moves of his uncle¡¯s arts, and had the rest of the day to either play around or work at the bookstore.


    But this week had been different. Ymil hadn¡¯t been allowed to go play even once and he was carrying out some intense workout. Like right now, Ymil was running around the village with two buckets of water and he had to do ten push-ups for every drop he spilled.


    Ragnar grimaced, ¡°Yeah, Uncle¡¯s being too strict on him. I mean, it¡¯s almost his birthday!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! What if he¡¯s not allowed to go play on his birthday?! That would suck so much!¡± she exclaimed.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that, little ones,¡± said a deep laughing voice as the big man entered the kitchen. ¡°Uncle Max might be strict, but he isn¡¯t inhumane. He¡¯ll let Ymil play with you guys. I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Dad!¡± shouted Mia and she ran towards the big man. ¡°Did you finish it?¡±


    Olaf smiled and pulled out a thin bracelet from behind his back. Both his children looked at it in amazement, the golden trinket was large enough to fit around one¡¯s wrists and small purple emeralds were embedded within the intricate designs engraved on its surface.


    ¡°Here it is. We won¡¯t know what its effect is until Ymil has bonded to it,¡± he said. He showed the piece to everyone and placed it in his rear pocket.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got more pressing matters at hand though. This old man is hungry as a bear!¡± And the big man stalked into the kitchen.


    That night, the Forgeron family ate something edible for the first time in a week.


    ¡ª-


    Ymil woke up with considerable effort. He¡¯d been training none-stop for the past 6 days and his body ached from all the exercise. His body¡¯s limits were being pushed to the max because Uncle Max thought it would be a valuable lesson, the body has its limits.


    Even though his body was sore, his mind was razor sharp. He looked around his room and observed the scene. Judging from the amount of illumination and the direction of the shadows, it was no later than 7 o¡¯clock in the morning.


    ¡°Got to ask Uncle Max to skip training today, he murmured and he jumped out of bed. Today was a special day and he wanted to celebrate it to the fullest.¡±Ymil picked some clean clothes from his closet and walked down the stairs into the living room. He really didn¡¯t have the energy to run this morning.


    Uncle Max was sitting on the sofa holding his soul formation, a book. It was a black covered tome with a red ruby sparkling on its front. It was in no way a weapon of destruction, but it was much more powerful than it appeared. For this book contained knowledge, all the knowledge Uncle Max had ever obtained in fact, and was stored in this form. His memories, his observations, and even his emotions were all stored in this seemingly inconspicuous tome.


    As Ymil walked into the room, Uncle Max looked up and closed the book in his hands. Ymil was standing in front of his uncle, struggling to find the words to ask for a day off. What if uncle denied his request?


    Seeing the boy¡¯s struggle he smiled a bit. ¡°Yes, boy, what is it?¡± And put down the book to show that the Ymil had his full attention.


    ¡°Erm¡­ Uncle¡­¡± started Ymil, ¡°Would it be possible to¡­ like¡­ get a day¡­ uhm¡­ off?¡± he looked at his uncle shyly.


    ¡°That depends,¡± replied Uncle, ¡°on what you learned over the past six days.¡±


    Ymil sighed, he knew what his uncle meant. Not only was the intense training meant to tax his body, he was supposed to observe his surroundings as much as possible. According to Uncle, knowledge was the true source of power.


    ¡°Off course I can, but it will cost you,¡± Ymil said and a smile appeared on his face.


    Uncle laughed at this reply. ¡°A day off isn¡¯t enough for you? What else would you have me pay for this information?¡±


    ¡°I want the training to stop. It¡¯s boring and I want to play with Ragnar and Mia. Allow me to play around until I go off to the Academy next month and I will give you all the details I uncovered,¡± Ymil said with satisfaction.


    ¡°That is a very big demand you make there, Ymil. Are you sure your info is worth it?¡±


    ¡°Without a doubt,¡± replied the boy and he crossed his arms. ¡°I might have something about Olaf¡¯s smithing technique.¡±


    Uncle taught about this for a moment. He¡¯d intended to keep training Ymil until he was sent off to Military Academy, but learning about the smith¡¯s secret technique was too tempting of a chance for him to let up. Olaf was the only person in the entire country, if not continent, who could forge magically enchanted trinkets. Knowing his secret would open up a lot of possibilities.


    ¡°Alright, spill it. What did you learn?¡±


    ¡°First off there are the new cats that Mrs. Barnaby¡­¡± started Ymil.


    ¡°Not that part, Olaf¡¯s technique!¡± interrupted Uncle. He didn¡¯t even try to hide his interest in Olaf¡¯s work.


    ¡°Oh, well, the details are fairly vague but I can give a rough description of the method,¡± said Ymil.


    Ymil then proceeded to describe the Mj?lnir Strike as he observed it. He had been eavesdropping form under a shut window and concentrated all of his energy into his hearing. The technique consisted of rhythmical beating and tampering while pouring spiritual energy into the tool used.


    ¡°How¡¯d you know he was using spiritual energy?¡± asked Uncle.


    ¡°Using the technique you taught me. I felt a slight disturbance in energy around me and the only logical conclusion was that Olaf was using some,¡± replied Ymil. He¡¯d been taught this technique to sense oncoming attacks from hidden opponents. Using spiritual energy always left some kind of trace and skilled practitioners could sense it. Uncle Max could even see the flow of energy itself.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, carry on,¡± said Uncle. The boy hadn¡¯t said anything he hadn¡¯t learnt himself yet. He¡¯d tried to observe the technique before as well, but failed.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s where it gets interesting,¡± said Ymil. ¡°At some point Olaf sent out Ragnar so that he could work on the final part of the technique. After that, it¡¯s all a blur, apparently I lost consciousness. All I remember is that a crackling sound suddenly rose from the room and light purple sparks flew from the window. It truly felt like an intensely strong attack.¡±


    Uncle sighed. This had happened to him before as well. He¡¯d hidden himself behind the door and heard the crackling, but then he too lost his consciousness. Even though it was only for a few seconds, it was already over when he came to. The lightning was new though, and he contemplated its meaning for a bit.


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    ¡°Was that enough info to get me off the hook?!¡± asked Ymil.


    Uncle Max looked at the boy for a bit and then replied, ¡°Allright, I¡¯ll stop the rigorous training until you go off to Military Academy.¡±


    Ymil jumped in joy. ¡°Huray! This is going to be the best birthday ever!¡± He started dancing around in the middle of the room.


    ¡°Hold your horses!¡± interjected Uncle quickly. ¡°You still got to do your regular training. You get the day off once you¡¯ve done 50 iterations of each of the five core moves.¡±


    ¡°Aw,¡± and Ymil hung his head in defeat. Fifty iterations of each move would take him quite a long time.


    ¡°But look on the bright side, once you¡¯re done we¡¯ll celebrate your birthday.¡±


    This thought cheated the young boy up again. He finally got to play with his friends again, basic training was a small price to pay for this.


    ¡ª-


    It was well past noon when Ymil finished his training. The sun was shining high up in the sky and the summer heat was making all the villagers sweat. The entire village had gathered to celebrate Ymil¡¯s birthday. All 52 inhabitants came to the central plaza to express their congratulations to the birthday boy and to chat with the other adults.  They had each brought some food and a present to celebrate the birthday on one of the three children in the village.


    There weren¡¯t many children in the village, actually there were only Ragnar, Mia and Ymil, but that didn¡¯t mean that the party was boring. The trio was playing tag, but because Ragnar and Ymil were faster than Mia it mainly consisted of her running after them as they kept calling her ¡°little piglet¡± or ¡°monkey brain¡±.


    As evening fell, a large bonfire was lit and everyone gathered around. They all sat at tables facing the fire while eating from the various dishes every villager had made. Ymil sat next to Mia and Ragnar and was eating some delicious stew when Olaf approached their table. Seeing their father approach, Ragnar and Mia quickly grew quite.


    ¡°Hay there, boy,¡± said the big man with a jolly laugh, ¡°I believe it¡¯s time you got an awesome present.¡± And he produced a small yellow box from behind his back. He placed it on the table and looked Ymil in the eyes. ¡°Happy birthday, hope you¡¯ll find it useful.¡±


    Ymil could already guess what was inside the box. He¡¯d already observed the making of it in as much detail as he could, and considering Ragnar had gotten one for his birthday as well, it was only natural to come to the conclusion that he was getting the same.


    But that didn¡¯t mean he wasn¡¯t excited about it, this present as unique for everyone and he¡¯d never actually seen the finished product himself. He therefore greedily threw himself at the box and opened it with all his might. Ragnar and Mia were looking at this scene with huge grins on their faces because they already knew what it was.


    ¡°HELL YEAH!¡± shouted Ymil and he took out the item within. His eyes were sparkling brightly.


    In his hand was a purple-golden bracelet. It was decorated with four purple emeralds and a strange curly pattern was etched all over the surface. The bonfire¡¯s light danced over its surface hiding half the designs it featured in dark shadows. It looked magnificent.


    ¡°Well, boy, you might know this already, but that thing you¡¯re holding is a Spirit Brace. It uses spiritual energy to help in some way or another, but its effects are dependent on the owner,¡± said Olaf. ¡°Do you know how to claim its ownership?¡±


    Of course he remembered.


    ¡°Yeah, I do. I¡¯ll do it right away.¡± Ymil shaped his soul into a sharp white knife and pricked his finger tip on it. A small stream of blood came out and Ymil held his finger above the bracelet. A small droplet fell onto his present.


    Small purple orbs appeared around it as the metal of the bracelet started to glow a soft purple light. The light was steadily growing brighter and started to float in mid air. The floating lights then fused with the bracelet and it started to shake violently. It flashed once more with a vivid purple light and then dropped back in Ymil¡¯s hand.


    ¡°Woooooooow¡±, was Ymil¡¯s reaction.


    Everyone else was staring too. The entire party had gone silent and they were all looking in Ymil¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Well now, looks like it worked splendidly,¡± commented Olaf. ¡°How about you try the thing out?¡±


    Ymil nodded and quickly put the bracelet on. It was slightly too big for him and upon seen that, Olaf commented, ¡°You can adjust its size by pouring energy into its frame. Imagine it smaller.¡±


    Ymil did just that and the bracelet shrunk in size.


    Ragnar got excited as well. His Spirit Brace increased his strength significantly at the cost of constant energy consumption. He really wanted to know what this one did:


    ¡°So Ymil, what does it do?!¡± he asked impatiently.


    Ymil shook his head, he had no idea. He didn¡¯t feel any different.


    ¡°I have no idea. I feel completely normal¡­¡± he couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly disappointed. What if the thing was a dud?


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, little one, it bonded with you therefore it must have some effect on you,¡± said Olaf. ¡°Maybe you should test it out for a bit.¡±


    Ragnar jumped up and said, ¡°Fight me, Ymil! Maybe then we¡¯ll see what it does!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Let¡¯s do that!¡± Ymil said and he ran around the table to an open space near the fire. Ragnar followed him quickly and they stood in front of each other.


    ¡°Same rules as always: Single soul and no hitting the crotch,¡± said Ragnar. Ymil nodded.


    Ragnar summoned his blue claymore and took a defensive position. His feet were facing his opponent.


    Ymil¡¯s hands suddenly wore two white gloves and he lifted his fists to his head. He was skipping in place, ready for any action.


    ¡°Alright!¡± thundered Olaf¡¯s voice, ¡°I shall be the ref for this fight. Just don¡¯t kill each other and we¡¯re all set to go.¡±


    Olaf raised his hand. ¡°On your mark¡­¡± Dropping his hand, he shouted, ¡°Fight!¡±


    At the signal both boys dashed towards each other. Ragnar was pointing his sword at Ymil¡¯s body as he rushed in. He focused his center of gravity slightly forward in order to generate more speed as he leapt ahead. This was his standard opening strike.


    Ymil, on the other hand, noticed something was wrong. As he ran towards his opponent, he noticed that his body was moving much slower than usual. It was not because he was tired from training, it felt more like his body had already hit the limit. Nevertheless, he approached Ragnar as fast as he could.


    Right in front of each other, they came to a halt and Ragnar thrust at Ymil¡¯s stomach. As Ymil anticipated this, he turned his body sideways by taking a step back with his left foot. Strangely enough, he was not quick enough to avoid the attack and the sword grazed the skin of his belly.


    It was freezing cold but it wasn¡¯t as bad as he remembered. He ignored the cut and proceeded to crouch down while Ragnar rushed past his body. He looked up at Ragnar¡¯s body and punched upwards with his right arm, aiming at Ragnar¡¯s face.


    But Ragnar was initiating his next move. He¡¯d used the momentum from his thrust to spin his entire body around. Before Ymil¡¯s punch even began, he was already swinging his sword to aim at Ymil¡¯s arm.


    The punch hit empty space and Ymil jumped into the air. He¡¯d seen Ragnar¡¯s move countless times and was ready for it. As Ragnar¡¯s sword spun around, Ymil jumped over the blade and jabbed Ragnar in the back. His opponent lost his balance and he tumbled forwards.


    Wanting to follow Ragnar¡¯s falling body, he quickly realized that Ragnar hadn¡¯t stopped spinning, but it was too late. The ice cold blade hit him directly in the right shoulder.


    Ymil cried out on impact, but quickly realized that he wasn¡¯t hurt. The sword hadn¡¯t cut his skin at all.


    Ragnar had fallen to the ground and he was quickly scrambling to his feet. He resumed his defensive position as he faced Ymil again. Ymil also lifted his hands again and jumped slightly up and down. They stared at each other for a while.


    It was Ragnar who took the initiative, he took a step forward and lifted his sword from his left hip to above his shoulder. Ymil reacted immediately and took a step to the left. It was obvious Ragnar was starting his spinning attack and Ymil knew that it left his sides open.


    But the incoming attack wasn¡¯t the spinning technique he knew. Instead of thrusting the sword back down in an arc, the blade curved over his head and a diagonal cut came right at Ymil¡¯s shoulder. The boy saw the blade coming at him and lifted his hands to deflect the attack. But he was too slow and because of it the blade hit him squarely on the right arm.


    ¡°HALT!¡± yelled Olaf and he ran over to the duo. Such an attack would leave serious injuries on even the strongest of soldiers. This fight was meant to be a friendly spar, not a debilitating fight.


    Ragnar was shocked too and quickly took a few steps back.  He normally wouldn¡¯t be able to hit his friend this easily. He was always too fast to react to all his motions. It¡¯s true that he had just tried out a new move, but Ymil should have been able to block that easily.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, really!¡± said Ymil as he saw a worried Olaf running in their direction. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s just a small cut. See?¡± And he held out his arm.


    Olaf looked at it and sighed in relief.


    ¡°Geez, boy, don¡¯t scare us like that. It seriously looked like he had you.¡± Olaf said.


    ¡°But he did, that¡¯s the cool part!¡± shrieked Ymil excitedly. ¡°I think it¡¯s the bracelet! I feel very slow, but at the same time it makes me a lot tougher!¡±


    Ragnar was still uncertain.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re all right?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Yeah! Just take a look yourself!¡± And Ymil ran towards Ragnar. Ragnar dropped his sword and it vanished in an instant. He observed the wound for a bit saw that it really was just a small cut.


    ¡°Wow, that¡¯s quite the amazing ability then!¡± he said.


    ¡°Yeah, but it makes me really slow so I¡¯m not too sure if it¡¯s too handy¡­¡± Ymil was staring at the bracelet.


    ¡°That only means you have to train more, my boy,¡± said an ominous voice. Uncle Max suddenly materialized next to Ymil and looked at the wound. ¡°You should thank the kind smith for this present.¡± His sudden appearance startled everyone besides Ymil, they never saw him come closer.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡± exclaimed Ymil. ¡°Thank you sooooooo much for such a wonderful gift, uncle Olaf!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s quite alright, Ymil, it seems only fair that you¡¯d get one as well,¡± Olaf had a big gentle smile on his face. ¡°Alright, I think you guys have sparred enough for tonight! I think we should go on to the final act!¡±


    the boys looked at each other and nodded. It was clear that if the fight dragged on, Ragnar would have won. Unarmed fighting techniques just weren¡¯t able to compete with weapons in terms of strength.


    Mia, who had been watching the fight with amazement in her eyes, rushed towards Ymil¡¯s side and grabbed his hand.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Ymil! You¡¯ve got to dance tonight or else you won¡¯t get a year older!¡±


    it was tradition to dance around the large bonfire at the end of the evening to celebrate the fact that they were alive. The dance was accompanied by lively music and peculiar dance moves and it was customary to dance with someone of the opposite sex. Those that didn¡¯t dance had to stand on the side and clap to the beat.


    Mia pulled Ymil along and they settled in a bright spot next to the fire. They looked at each other, shadows flickering over their faces as they wait for the music to start. Ragnar went to the sides as he had nobody to dance with.


    There was only a single instrument and one singer. As the guitar started to play its tune, Mia gave Ymil a short bow and he returned it. They started to dance in place, the hands swinging from side to side and their feet dancing tapping the ground on the beat of the music.


    ¡°You know, we should do this more often,¡± she said and she smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider that after we¡¯re done fumbling around,¡± he said with a large grin.


    And then the music became alive. The dancing people were being caught up in the melodies, laughter coming for every participant. The crowd was clapping enthusiastically to the beat of the music.


    Mia and Ymil were no exception, they were laughing loudly as they spun in place, hooked arms as they passed each other and their feet shuffled to the beat. They were dancing enthusiastically and were releasing all of their childish energies into the movements of their dance. There was no ¡®true¡¯ way to perform this dance, but that didn¡¯t matter. As long as both dancers didn¡¯t trip, it was all fine.


    They were completely caught up in the moment, they didn¡¯t notice the onlookers anymore, nor did they hear Ragnar¡¯s cheering from the sidelines. They only saw each other as they wanted to outperform the other¡¯s moves, unwilling to admit defeat.


    ¡ª-


    Two figures were looking at this scene from the side. The big one had a huge grin on his face as he was watching his girl twirling around the fire. The shadier looking one was looking gravely at the scene in front of him.


    ¡°You know, I seriously doubt your surname is Forgeron,¡± said the shady figure without looking away.


    the big man also didn¡¯t look away, but his grin became grim.


    ¡°I also don¡¯t believe you¡¯re an ordinary book clerk,¡± he replied.


    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡±


    And they continued to watch the scene in silence.

 Chapter 4.5: After the Party

    Narrator¡¯s note: Apparently I wasn¡¯t clear on this and it would have confused a few people. I add this little scene to set up the next chapter :)


    ---


    Everyone was tired the day after the party, they had danced throughout the night. Only when daylight lit the horizon did everyone return home.


    On their way back home, Ragnar and Ymil were walking together. Mia¡¯d returned home earlier because she was just too tired.


    ¡°Hay Ragnar,¡± said Ymil at some point. ¡°I¡¯m almost older than you!¡±


    Ragnar snorted, ¡°Sure, it¡¯s not like I grow any older or anything¡­¡±


    This joke was a running gag between the two. Ragnar was only 3 months older than Ymil but whenever it was his birthday Ragnar¡¯d say he¡¯s a year older than him. Off course, on Ymil¡¯s birthday Ymil would say he was catching up in age.


    ¡°But you know? I¡¯m looking forward to going to the Academy,¡± said Ymil.


    ¡°Yeah, me too,¡± said Ragnar with a grin on his face. ¡°I mean, we¡¯ll finally become adults!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll happen overnight¡­¡± responded Ymil with doubt on his face. ¡°But we will learn a lot about history and politics!¡±


    ¡°Dude, we¡¯re going to learn how to fight properly!¡± exclaimed Ragnar. ¡°And we¡¯ll be able to fight people our age!¡±


    Military Academy was a mandatory form of education that prepared the children of Halram Kingdom to cope with the world they live in. It primarily focused on war, teaching them history, politics, ethics, magic and fighting. Fighting was such an integral part of their education that the Academy had incorporated a year-long fighting schedule. Every week you¡¯d have to face a new opponent.


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    ¡°Doesn¡¯t that sound amazing?!¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°It does, but the cost might be a bit too high,¡± answered Ymil as he looked down for a moment.


    ¡°Aw come on! We¡¯re only leaving in a month! We got more than enough time to spend with everyone here!¡± Ragnar tried to say cheerfully, but he too knew that, once they left, they wouldn¡¯t see their families for an entire semester (6 months).


    ¡°That¡¯s true, I guess,¡± Ymil was going to miss the village. He¡¯s made a lot of memories here.


    ¡°And look on the bright side! We¡¯re going on an adventure with Uncle Max and Mia! We¡¯ve never gone to the capital before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Ymil said and a smile appeared on his face. ¡°We¡¯re going to see the world!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Ragnar hit Ymil on the back.


    They reached Ragnar¡¯s house and stopped in front of the door for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep for an entire day. See ya tomorrow!¡± said Ragnar and he dashed into the house.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ll do the same.¡±


    And so their peaceful days continued. The three children played a lot together, sometimes even fighting the odd monster in the village¡¯s vicinity. The boys kept on training as they were preparing to travel to the academy.


    That month passed by extremely quickly and before they knew it they were preparing to leave Sophia Village forever.

 Chapter 5: Road Trip

    This story was lovingly edited by Wesley Au, you''re the boss!


    ***********************************


    The sun was shining brightly and the wind was blowing softly through the grass.  The river was flowing soundlessly and the birds were chirping with delight. Summer had gifted them with yet another beautiful day.


    At the entrance of Sophia Village stood five people, backpacks stuck to their backs full of clothing and food. Two of the children present would not see the village for a long time and they were giving the town a good farewell. The brown haired boy stood on top of the East Bridge as he looked at the majestic entrance of his childhood home. The blue haired boy was stuck in the embrace of his father, who sadly couldn¡¯t join them on their journey.


    ¡°It is time,¡± said Uncle Max who was looking at this scene with some annoyance.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said Olaf and the big man squeezed his boy tightly one last time before letting go. He took a step back and looked at his son. ¡°Ragnar, know that whatever happens at the Academy, always remember that you¡¯ve got a home to return to.¡± His face was serious and his eyes were reflecting the surroundings brightly.


    ¡°Off course I will, dad, this place will always be my home,¡± said the young boy with a quivering voice. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t see his father for the next year.


    ¡°And Mia, please listen to Uncle Max on the trip,¡± continued Olaf as he looked at his daughter. ¡°Also make sure to come home right away, or else papa is going to be lonely.¡± It was painfully obvious that he was trying to stay strong in front of his children, but he never shed a tear.


    ¡°I will dad, I¡¯m not enrolling in the academy just yet, don¡¯t you worry,¡± said the little girl with a large smile on her face. She didn¡¯t have to say her goodbyes just yet as she would return soon after, but she knew that her father was crying in his heart.


    ¡°Got your things, Ragnar?¡± asked Uncle Max.


    Ragnar looked back at his backpack and nodded.


    ¡°Alright, then we¡¯re off. We¡¯ll be back in 10 days, Olaf,¡± said Uncle Max. ¡°I¡¯ll keep your little princess safe. You¡¯ve got my word.¡±


    And with these words the group of travelers, led by Uncle Max, started to walk away from Sophia Village across the East Bridge. When they reached the other side both boys stopped to turn around and wave at Olaf. He waved back. They each took a deep breath and turned around again and never looked back.


    The big blue haired man was watching the childrens¡¯ backs until they went over the horizon and kept staring at the road until the sun went down. His heart was trembling, his eyes had started to water up and small streams of water reflected from the man¡¯s angular cheeks.


    His only son was just sent to the Academy to learn how to kill. His youthful innocence would be lost forever, turning him into a true man of war. Would any parent wish for this?


    ¡ª-


    Three Days Later


    ¡°Are we there yet?¡± asked Mia as she was happily skipping next to Uncle Max.


    ¡°For the thousandth time, no!¡± he said with an agitated voice. ¡°We¡¯ve still got two days of walking left, now stop asking!¡± And he shooed her away by waving both his hands. The girl took the hint and ran over to the two boys that were walking a few meters behind.


    Ragnar and Ymil were already bored with their road trip. It had been three days since they left Sophia Village and they hadn¡¯t encountered anyone else. They were traveling through a forest but no magical beast had attacked them yet. That would have been much more entertaining than just walking along the road.


    ¡°Geez, why is this part of the country so empty?¡± asked Ragnar. ¡°Where are all the beasts?¡±


    ¡°They have all been hunted down. This forest is really close to the capital and wild beasts are a luxurious commodity,¡± answered Ymil.


    ¡°Then why are there so few travelers on this road?¡±


    ¡°Because this road leads to peaceful places where no fighting occurs. Apparently the borders are much more populated,¡± replied Ymil. He¡¯d read a few books on the subject and Uncle Max had explained some of it in more detail when he asked about it.


    ¡°Why would those places be so much livelier?¡± asked Mia. She¡¯d always wondered why Sophia was such a peaceful village.


    ¡°Because they¡¯re fighting, I guess?¡± answered Ymil as he held up both his hands.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Uncle Max had apparently heard their conversation. ¡°The border with the Xenth Empire is an economical hotspot because there is a constant need for food and weaponry. The seaside cities have the same problem, their constant fighting with the sea creatures consumes a lot of supplies.¡±


    The children thought about that for a second. In their entire lives, they¡¯d only encountered the odd few monsters and bandits, but none were truly devastatingly strong. According to Ymil¡¯s books, the sea creatures attack humans in order to eat their flesh. It isn¡¯t a necessity for them, but apparently they got to taste a pirate¡¯s hand at some point and found it to their liking. They were rough, deadly and merciless. The seaside cities had to make sure those creatures didn¡¯t attack the rest of the country.


    As they were discussing the state of the country, three specks of black contrasted with the light brown of the dirt road. Three hooded figures were standing on the middle of the road barring the way for any travelers.


    ¡°Children, please listen up,¡± said Uncle Max as he eyed the three men. He slowed down to meet their pace and whispered, ¡°Those guys don¡¯t seem to be up to anything good. Be prepared to run into the forest on my command. I¡¯ll try to handle them.¡±


    The three children nodded. Uncle Max might be a stick in the mud, but he knew his stuff.


    As the group approached the three figures, their outlines because much more defined. They each wore the same black robe and covered their faces with a black cloth. A sword was dangling from two of their belts, the middle one appeared to be unarmed.


    ¡°Halt, travelers,¡± said the middle man and he took a step forward. ¡°This is New Halram territory, if you want to proceed you¡¯ll have to pay up.¡±


    Uncle Max¡¯s face grimaced and motioned the children to take a step back. He looked around him and then faced the man, asking ¡°Alright, kind sir. What might that price be?¡±


    ¡°1 gold per adult, 20 silver per child,¡± said the middle man as he was looking at the slender man in front of him.


    ¡°That price seems to be a bit too high,¡± said Uncle Max, astonished. Twenty silver was enough to feed an entire family for a month and one gold was five times that amount.


    ¡°Prices are what they are,¡± said the man. He then took a stance and a blade appeared in his hands. It was a pink bladed cutlass, the hilt was made of brass and a yellow stone was stuck to the bottom of the hilt.


    The other two men unsheathed their weapons and also took a defensive stance.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t make this harder than it has to be,¡± said the man with the pink sword.


    ¡°Kids, I believe this is your cue to get out of here,¡± said Uncle Max and he lifted his hands to his head. His soul was a book, it wouldn¡¯t help him in combat.


    Before turning around to sprint into the forest, Ymil quickly asked, ¡°What do we do with the other two?¡±


    ¡°I leave those guys to you,¡± replied Uncle Max as he looked back at the boy. His face revealed a sinister smile. Seeing the kids nod and run away, he turned back to his opponent and asked, ¡°So, kind sir, want me to play with your little pink sword? Can¡¯t imagine you can please a woman with that.¡± Uncle looked at them as if to provoke them.


    The man was surprised, did that kid¡­ Wait a minute, did this man just make fun of his soul?!


    Mad with anger, he charged at the man in front of him. His sword extended, he intended to finish the fight in a single blow.


    But Uncle Max took a single step to the side and avoided the thrust effortlessly.


    ¡°Are you always this forceful?¡± he asked as he gracefully turned his body. ¡°No wonder you¡¯re not popular with the ladies.¡±


    The man stumbled further and fell to the ground. His comrades had seen this happening and started their attack as well. The kids didn¡¯t matter, this man had just insulted their friend!


    ¡ª-


    The children rushed between the trees as fast as they could. The woods were densely forested and they swallowed a few bugs as they ran.


    Ragnar slowed his pace a bit. ¡°Alright, Mia, you keep running,¡± commanded Ragnar. ¡°Ymil and I stay back for a bit.¡±


    ¡°But why?¡± Mia asked.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to take care of the other two,¡± replied Ymil who stood beside her.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, there were two more men hidden in the forest, probably to help their comrades in case of emergency. They started to pursue us the moment we ran,¡± said Ragnar. ¡°So we¡¯re going to take care of them.¡±


    ¡°Please let me help!¡± pleaded Mia.


    Ymil shook his head, ¡°No Mia, these guys are dangerous. I know you¡¯re good with your hammer but these guys aren¡¯t like any monsters we¡¯ve fought.¡±


    ¡°But I¡­¡± Mia didn¡¯t like feeling useless in these situations. She was always considered the weakest because she¡¯s both the youngest and the only girl.


    ¡°Look, we don¡¯t have time for this. You can come with me,¡± said Ragnar. ¡°Just be prepared to defend yourself.¡±


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°Alright!¡± She exclaimed cheerfully.


    ¡°Okay, Ymil, you go left, Mia and I go right. That way our pursuers are forced to split up.¡± He looked at Ymil with a serious look.


    ¡°Yes, I can handle myself. Good luck to you guys!¡± And he dashed off into the woods.


    ¡°Mia, we¡¯re running too. I fight better in open places,¡± said Ragnar. Mia nodded and they quickly ran in the other direction.


    ¡ª-


    There was barely any sunlight in this forest, the large canopy overhead blocked most of light that would come in, leaving the ground dark and humid. It was also fairly warm, hot enough for tropical trees to have grown in the odd places. Birds were flying in every direction and bugs were making chirping sounds. Some monkeys could even be seen swinging in the tree tops as the two blue haired children tried to outrun their pursuer.


    Although Mia was heavily focused on her running, Ragnar was observing his surroundings whenever he could. Unlike Ymil, who sensed people through spiritual fluctuations, Ragnar used his ability to sense any movement. He had trained his senses to the best of his abilities in order to be able to receive and counter any incoming attacks.


    As he was absorbing the forest into his mind, he would also sense the presence of their pursuer. He was really good at concealing his movements and Ragnar had lost track of him on multiple occasions. They were a rough 50 meters ahead of him but this distance was rapidly closing.


    As he was contemplating what to do, he felt a cold breeze of wind brush against his cheeks.


    ¡°This way!¡± he shouted and darted in the direction the wind had come from. Mia followed her brother without question, quietly following.


    As they ran, they exited the forest and were blinded by the bright light they encountered. Momentarily blinded, Ragnar lost track of their pursuer again.


    ¡°Alright, this spot seems all right,¡± he shouted and took a few step away from the forest. He took one step forward and summoned his icy blade. Mia rushed behind him and quickly summoned her favorite weapon, the hammer with golden patterns.


    They stood there, facing the forest for a few seconds when a big-bellied man came walking out of the forest. He was nothing like the three bandits they had just met, this man was wearing khaki baggy pants and an open red vest that is clearly too small for his size. His chest was fully visible and there was a forest of hair on it. He had dark brown hair and a dirty mustache that made him look older than he actually was.


    ¡°There you are, lil¡¯ brats!¡± shouted the man. ¡°You kids sure know how to make a grown man run for his money.¡±


    ¡°Looks like you could use the exercise,¡± shouted Mia over Ragnar¡¯s shoulder.


    The man sneered, ¡°what did you say, little girl?!¡± His eyes narrowed as he looked at the two children.


    ¡°She said that you are fat, little piglet,¡± said Ragnar while raising his sword slightly. The man could attack at any moment.


    ¡°Aw bollocks, and here I was sure I¡¯d let you live because you were cute lil¡¯ pugs,¡± said the man and he placed both his hands in front of him, gripping the air as if it were the hilt of a sword. ¡°But now I won¡¯t feel bad for killing you.¡±


    As he said that, he summoned his soul to his hands. With a flash of red, a large steel colored machete appeared in his hands. The surroundings reflected from the blade¡¯s sides because the surface was extremely well polished.


    ¡°See kids, I used to be a butcher. Pigs, cows, horses, you name it. Then my village was ransacked by bandits,¡± said the man as he took a similar stance as Ragnar, they were both wielding large sword-like weapons after all.


    ¡°And I regret to say this, but this blade has cut nothing but humans for a while,¡± he said with a sad look on his face as he looked at his blade. He then stood upright and proclaimed: ¡°But it¡¯s all for a good cause! With this weapon I will cleave my way to a brighter future!¡±


    Seeing the man¡¯s attention shift a bit he started to advance. He rushed forward with his sword extended. Mia still stood on the side, watching her brother rush towards the oversized man.


    ¡°Woah!¡± shouted the man. ¡°At least let me finish!¡±


    As he saw Ragnar approach he took a step back, preparing to parry the blow. Lifting the hilt of his sword to his shoulder, he looked at the youth that was painstakingly going to thrust his sword forward.


    Ragnar stopped in front of his opponent, but instead of thrusting his blade forward, he rotated his entire body. Creating momentum with his spinning body, Ragnar initiated an overhead cleave, aiming for the man¡¯s shoulders.


    He didn¡¯t expect this blow, but that didn¡¯t really matter. He only shifted the edge of his blade slightly and the mirror like surface of his soul reflected the sunlight in Ragnar¡¯s eyes. Blinded by the sudden light, Ragnar slowed down just slightly, enough for his opponent to drop down and kick him in his stomach.


    The kick was extremely powerful. It contained enough force to not only cause Ragnar to stop his attack, he was also sent flying backwards for two meters falling into a pile of dirt.


    ¡°That¡¯s dirty!¡± shouted Mia, who had seen it happen.


    (Narrator: Involuntary pun, I swear!)


    The man didn¡¯t react to her, his counter-offensive had started. No that Ragnar was on the ground, the man raised his machete over his head and swung it down at the downed boy.


    Ragnar didn¡¯t waste a moment, his sword started to glow bright blue.


    ¡ª-


    Ymil¡¯s pursuer was different from the fat man. This attacker was clad entirely in dark green drapes, the colors blending well with the leaves of surrounding trees. His hair was dark brown, just like the butcher, but he had it tied in a ponytail at the back of his head.


    After seeing the kids split up, he gave up all pretense of subterfuge and pursued Ymil openly. They had run around the forest for a while before Ymil was out of breath.


    ¡°I have to admit, boy,¡± said the green clad man as he approached the tired boy. ¡°I was surprised you guys had figured us out. How¡¯d you know?¡±


    ¡°Your,¡± puffed Ymil. ¡°internal. Energies.¡±


    The man was surprised. Detecting others using their energy flows wasn¡¯t commonly taught to commoners, let alone a mere boy. If he truly learned it at this age, he must have an exceptional tutor.


    ¡°Boy, we could use men like you,¡± said the man as he pointed his hand at Ymil. ¡°You¡¯ve got the potential to be the greatest missionary for the New Halram Army.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t think that the word of a bandit would convince me,¡± Ymil had apparently recovered somewhat. He was preparing to face his opponent. He lifted his fists to his head.


    The man sighed, ¡°I guess we started off on the wrong foot. Don¡¯t hate me for this.¡±


    The stranger lifted both his hands in front of him and two black blades appeared. The two knives were made of pitch black metal, a single yellow stone stuck to the hilt of the knife in his right hand.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you materialize your soul, boy?¡± asked the man as he saw Ymil prepare to fight bare-handed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t right now,¡± replied Ymil and he lunged forward.


    Ymil was within the man¡¯s range within three seconds, which gave the bandit barely enough time to react. Ymil¡¯s first punch was directed at the man¡¯s face, which seemed the least protected. A normal opponent would have been struck, but this man¡¯s weapons were light and his reaction speed was quick.


    The punch met the hilt of his dagger, deflecting the force past his body. Ymil¡¯s body rushed past but never lost balance. As he passed his opponent he bent forward and lifted his hind leg, the foot aiming for his head again.


    This time it connected, the blow hit the man fully in the face and he was pushed out of balance. It created a deadly opening in the opponent¡¯s defenses.


    But one should not forget that the man was wielding knives and Ymil quickly took a step away from his opponent, avoiding the wild slashes the man was dishing out as he was falling down.


    *plof*


    Ymil watched the man land on his butt, smiling faintly at the fact that he was a match for this adult.


    *swoosh*


    His amusement was quickly replaced with surprise when the man threw one of his daggers. He couldn¡¯t dodge the blade and it hit him on his right hip.


    ¡°ARGH!¡± screamed Ymil as he grasped for the wound. The knife was already gone, but the wound was definitely still there. It wasn¡¯t a very deep wound, but Ymil would be limping for days.


    ¡°Give up, boy,¡± said the man as he sat up. ¡°Nobody survives a puncture wound like that.¡±


    But Ymil didn¡¯t give up, he knew that his Spirit Brace had lessened the impact quite heavily, the wound wasn¡¯t as severe as the man thought.


    ¡°Aye ¡®tis but a scratch,¡± said Ymil as he stuck a thumb in the wound. The bleeding stopped considerably.


    ¡°Allow me to kill you off swiftly,¡± the man stood up and readied his knives.


    Knowing he couldn¡¯t fight head to head in his current state, Ymil chose to retreat. He ran into the forest, as fast as he could, leaving a small trail of blood behind.


    The man in green smiled and started to follow his prey at a leisurely pace.

 Chapter 6: Road Trip (end)

    Edited by Wesley Au (Paradox), the one and only.


    By god, formatting on Royal Road is the devil''s work, I tell you! Almost up to date though...


    ******************************************************


    *Clachenk*


    The downward thrust was met with a light blue shield in Ragnar¡¯s hands. With a loud clanking noise the swing was intercepted, the force of which made the man stagger back for a bit.


    Ragnar took this moment to get to his feet at quickly as possible and took a few steps away. He lifted his hands to his head, his weapon was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°Not bad, brat. You¡¯re lucky you can still change your soul, or else that¡¯d have been the end of you.¡± Said the man as he looked at the boy. He hadn¡¯t expected that shield.


    ¡°Not bad yourself, mister pig,¡± said Ragnar as he regained his posture.


    ¡°Can I give it a go now?¡± asked Mia as she saw her brother panting. She increased the size of her hammer to a size where the head could compare to an anvil.


    ¡°Sure,¡± said Ragnar and he retreated back a bit more.


    The man barked out a laugh. ¡°You sure you want this little girl to protect you? She doesn¡¯t look any older than 10!¡±


    But his laughing face quickly turned ugly as he saw the little girl slam the ground with her hammer. The impact of the force caused the entire ground to shake and the little girl flew up into the sky.


    Unable to hide his surprise, the man¡¯s mouth opened involuntarily. Did that girl just hit the ground with that much force?


    He didn¡¯t gawk for too long as he could see the trajectory of the girl would make her land to his left. In order to avoid her incoming blow, he took a few step to the right and lifted his machete.


    Mia¡¯s target, however, was not the man but a boulder the size of a bear. She knew that he wouldn¡¯t stay in the same place. Her aim was to make him step aside a bit.


    The man could not understand why she would aim for that rock. He looked back at the boy who was still standing over twenty meters away from him, but all the boy did was smile as he saw the man look in his direction.


    Only then did the man realize the problem, his feet were stuck to the ground. He quickly looked at his feet and found that they were encased by solid ice. The ground he had just stepped on had frozen solid. That sneaky brat!


    Mia knew that this would happen and prepared to actually attack her opponent now. She hit the boulder she had landed on, smashing the massive solid to little pieces. Yet this force did not push her into the sky, it propulsed her small body directly at the immobile target. Her body flew at an astonishing speed, the hammer facing forward to bash into the bandit.


    The robber broke out in cold sweat. He couldn¡¯t move so he had to face this incoming threat head on. If it were a sword attack he could parry it with his blade, but this hammer was just too massive. He did the only thing he could think of, he ducked.


    Mia had predicted this move, but she did not change her charge. The hammer was currently also protecting her body. Instead, she flew right over the man with a swooshing sound, but behind his back she slammed the hammer into the ground. Her body followed the motion and both her feet landed on the ground.


    Her next move followed quickly, Mia raised her hammer over her shoulder and mimicked Ragnar¡¯s spinning blade creating a devastating blow.


    *Clachanck*


    The hammer clashed with the man¡¯s machete. The moment she had passed by him, the bandit prepared to protect himself from the next attack.


    Yet the man did not think this blow would pack such a punch. His frozen feet detached from the ground and he was sent flying in Ragnar¡¯s direction. He landed on his back, unable to maintain his balance.


    The bandit tried to get up as quickly as possible, but on his way up he felt something sharp touching his neck.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± said Ragnar.


    Ragnar was standing next to the man, a position where the bandit could not try any sudden moves, and pointing his icy blade at the man¡¯s neck. As he saw the man fly in his direction he moved forward and summoned his soul sword to his hands.


    ¡°Haha,¡± laughed the man, ¡°I guess this is my loss. Here I thought I¡¯d be able to handle two little kids.¡±


    Ragnar smiled, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the first thing you learn at the academy? ¡®Don¡¯t underestimate your enemy¡¯?¡±


    The man spat on the ground, ¡°Bah, the academy. That propaganda filled brainwashing machine has taught me nothing. Trust me brat, don¡¯t listen to a word they say over there.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I¡¯m that stupid?¡± said Ragnar as moved his sword slightly to remind the guy he had a sword in his neck. ¡°I won¡¯t accept everything people tell me, I¡¯m not that naive. Now tell me, why are you robbing travelers?¡±


    ¡°Simple, we need the money. Our New Halram Army has¡­¡± the man started to say.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about your petty little group of bandits,¡± said Ragnar angrily.


    ¡°Don¡¯t hurt him!¡± shouted Mia as she was running towards the scene.


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s rich coming from the girl that just pummeled me with all her might,¡± said the man as he noticed the girl approach them. He then looked up at Ragnar.


    ¡°How¡¯d you freeze the ground like that? You shouldn¡¯t have learned magic yet at your age, let alone one of this intensity. Or did the Academy change their teaching policies?¡±


    Ragnar grinned at that remark. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m not a student yet. I turned 11 just over three months ago. What you saw there was my soul at work.¡±


    The man thought about that for a moment, but it was visible on his face that he didn¡¯t understand.


    Ragnar sighed. ¡°After you hit me on the ground I dropped my soul into the sand and made it stay there. My soul currently has an ice attribute, so the rest was fairly simple.¡±


    The man suddenly understood what had happened. When the girl had leapt into the sky, she didn¡¯t intend to attack him from above, but to make him move towards this specific spot. Once he was in place, the boy used his energy to freeze the ground, along with the man¡¯s feet.


    ¡°That¡¯s quite cheeky, you brat. Now what are you gonna do with me?¡± asked the man.


    ¡°Well, we¡¯re going to tie you up and we go back to our uncle.  I¡¯m sure your friends will be able to find you here.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s fair,¡± said the man, not mentioning the fact that he had every intention to kill them at the start.


    Ragnar didn¡¯t waste any time. He formed his soul into a thick bluish rope and proceeded to tie his hands together.


    ¡°Now be a good boy and sit tight. I¡¯ll recall my soul once we¡¯re back on the road,¡± explained Ragnar.


    ¡°Hay mister, got a name?¡± asked Mia.


    The tied up man turned around and looked at the girl. ¡°The name¡¯s Kreop, might I ask yours?¡±


    The little girl stuck out her tongue. ¡°Nope, you may not. Let¡¯s go Ragnar! Ymil might need our help!¡± She turned around and ran off into the forest as quickly as she could.


    ¡°Hay Mia,¡± Ragnar shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t fight when I¡¯m binding him like this! You go on ahead!¡± He was also slowly walking away from the man called Kreop.


    Mia turned around and shouted, ¡°I¡¯ll go ahead then. See you back on the road!¡± And she disappeared into the forest.


    ¡°Hey boy, you guys are way too nice, you know.¡± Said the man as Ragnar walked towards the forest.


    Without turning to look at the man, Ragnar replied, ¡°The world is shaped by our actions, and we want the world to be a friendly place.¡± And he too disappeared into the forest.


    The man just sat on the ground, looking at forest the two kids just ran off to. He shook his head:


    ¡°Na?ve, that kid is just too na?ve¡­¡±


    ¡ª-


    Ragnar wasn¡¯t hurrying to meet up with Ymil. He knew that he would just drag him down because he¡¯s unarmed. He was just strolling through the forest at a walking pace. He enjoyed the sounds of nature, the smell of flowers in bloom and the soothing swaying of the tree tops.


    ¡°Ragnar Aesir, I finally get to meet you,¡± said a childish voice from behind him.


    Ragnar turned around as quickly as he could. He hadn¡¯t sensed anything, what if it were hostile?


    ¡°Relax, relax!¡± said the voice, and a small fairy appeared in front of him. The fairy was about the size of an egg. He had a round little face and a brown stubby beard. His outfit was entirely green and he was holding a lily pad as if it were an umbrella. His big round eyes were looking up at Ragnar.


    ¡°I mean you no harm, Ragnar Aesir,¡± said the little fairy. ¡°I am here to help you.¡±


    Ragnar didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Why do you keep calling me Aesir? My name is Ragnar Forgeron. And what would you help me with?¡±


    ¡°Ah, my apologies. I guess I was misinformed,¡± said the little man. ¡°I am offering you my services as a fairy. You¡¯ll find that I can be very useful to you.¡± The fairy gave a curt bow.


    ¡°And why would you want to help me?¡± asked Ragnar doubtfully.


    ¡°Because it would be my honor to help serve the chosen one, off course.¡±


    ¡ª-


    Things weren¡¯t going so smoothly on Ymil¡¯s end. He was running through the forest with an injured hip while being chased by a trained killer. Unlike the Forgeron siblings¡¯ opponent, this guy had finished Military Academy and was proficient in the arts of combat.


    The man was confident, he knew that his fighting abilities were much better than this youth in front of him, which is why he was taking his time to pursue his target. He just jogged along at his own pace, knowing that an injury to the hip would severely decrease the victim¡¯s mobility.


    But Ymil wasn¡¯t running away, he was initiating his second plan. The reason he could not summon his soul earlier was simple, he was already using it.


    When they were running through the forest Ymil didn¡¯t run around without a goal in thought. He actually materialized his soul as hundreds of tiny silken threads and stuck them to each tree he passed. The threads were as long as he wanted them to be and as strong as iron. He had, in fact, enclosed the area entirely with threads. He¡¯d used them quite often in the bookstore to make his life easier, but Uncle Max had taught him the offensive capabilities of this form as well.


    Ymil ran towards the edge of his web and hid behind the tree. He cautiously looked around it and saw the green figure approaching him slowly.


    ¡®This is perfect¡¯, thought Ymil. ¡®I should test the thread¡¯s strength before actually ensnaring him.¡¯


    Ymil retracted his head and thought for a bit about which thread to pull, he had quite a few of them. Once decided, he pulled at it gently, creating a trip wire on the man¡¯s path.


    ¡°Boy, you can¡¯t hide from me!¡± said the man with a smile on his face. ¡°I can see much clearer than you, you kno~¡± As he was talking he suddenly tripped over a thin wire. He lost his balance for a bit but quickly recovered. Ymil¡¯s test had been a success, even though he could sense that the thread had snapped, he also knew the man had lost his balance.


    ¡°What the?¡± asked the man puzzled and he looked at the spot he nearly tripped. One of the life lessons you learn at the academy, ¡°Never lose your balance,¡± was deeply ingrained in every student that goes there. To lose one¡¯s balance was the equivalent of losing one¡¯s life.


    Ymil used this distraction to run up to the next tree without being seen. For his next move he¡¯d need a bit more time so it would be better that the opponent doesn¡¯t know where he is.


    The man clad in green shrugged and walked towards Ymil again. ¡°That was an opening, boy. You should have taken it.¡± The man was clearly assured of his own might.


    He sat down and focused on his threads again. Identifying the ones he needed, he pulled at them according to the effect he wanted. Thin threads were strung in front of the man, not over the ground but much higher. Now that the trap was set, Ymil got ready to attack his opponent once the opportunity sprung. His breath was heavy and his hip wound was stinging like hell.


    One, two, three¡­ It took ages for the man to actually set off the trap. Four, five¡­


    *Snap*


    With a loud noise the threads snapped as the man tried to walk through it. The man became completely entangled in the threads Ymil had sown around. Threads came from every direction, pinning his arms to his side and he was about to fall over.


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    This was what Ymil was waiting for and he rushed towards his target. Unable to summon his soul, Ymil intended to give the man a debilitating chop to the neck while he was immobilized by the string. Every step became increasingly painful as he dashed in.


    ¡°What is this?¡± asked the man with a stupefied look. He looked at the incoming boy and realized that this was his doing. ¡°Very sneaky, boy, I like the way you think.¡±


    And with those words he closed his eyes, focusing entirely on his next move. His entire body tensed up and started to shake slightly.


    Ymil didn¡¯t stop, he had to reach his opponent before he could break free. Trying break out of the threads by brute force would take a significant amount of energy, not to mention time. Ymil would have finished him off by then.


    But as Ymil was within five meters away from his target he sensed a great amount of heat emanating from the body in front of him. He slowed down a bit to find where the heat was coming from, but it was too late.


    ¡°RAAAAAH!¡± roared the thief and his entire body became engulfed in flames. Bright red flames were dancing on the surface of his skin. Every thread on his body was turned to ashes in an instant, the restraints were gone within a flash.


    This caught Ymil by surprise. When Ymil was about to land his final strike, the fire had flashed so abruptly that Ymil was blinded for a second. His instincts screaming, Ymil had no choice but to take a step away from the fiery man in front of him.


    The fire vanished just as quickly as it appeared and the thief launched himself at Ymil. Caught off guard, Ymil fell to the ground, unable to react. The man placed his weight on the boy¡¯s chest and quickly summoned his pitch black dagger to his right hand as he placed it near Ymil¡¯s neck.


    ¡°This is the end, boy,¡± said the man and he smiled. ¡°Clever trick you had there, but you should know that I graduated from the Academy.¡±


    ¡®This can¡¯t be the end,¡¯ thought Ymil frantically. ¡®But if I move this guy will slit my throat.¡¯


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now?¡± asked Ymil, trying to sound brave.


    The man was clearly enjoying himself, so he thought he¡¯d play with this boy¡¯s hope for a bit longer.


    ¡°I let you have a last few words and then I send you to your maker,¡± said the man. ¡°There¡¯s no point in keeping you alive other than to jeopardize our operation.¡±


    Unable to think rationally anymore, Ymil started to panic hysterically.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, I want to live. I want to~¡±


    As Ymil started to struggle against the man on top of him, he suddenly felt a spray of warm liquid splash over his face. Some of it even got into his mouth, a metallic taste overpowering all other senses. He didn¡¯t even realize he¡¯d emptied his bladder.


    Blood.


    ¡°Ymil, what the hell were you thinking?!¡± asked an angry voice.


    Ymil looked at his assailant and found a bloodstained hand protruding from the center of the chest. The man¡¯s eyes had gone wide open, eyeballs rolling back into the man¡¯s skull and blood had gushed out of his mouth. He¡¯d died instantly.


    The hand was then pulled out of the man¡¯s chest and the body was thrown to the side. Ymil could see Uncle Max standing at his feet but it took him a while to calm his mind.


    ¡°Did you really think you could handle him alone?¡± continued Uncle Max as he wiped his hand clean on his black coat. ¡°The odds are both bandits that followed you finished Military Academy. Did you really think you could beat them?¡±


    Ymil had recovered quite a bit. ¡°But Uncle, we thought¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the problem!¡± shouted Uncle. ¡°You guys didn¡¯t think! You guys thought you could just casually beat two trained killers? Those guys are taught to kill! You¡¯re lucky he was unprofessional and took pleasure in torturing you. For Christ¡¯s sake, you¡­.¡±


    Uncle Max stopped mid sentence as he noticed someone else approaching. He quickly stood up and picked up the dead man¡¯s body. He quickly disappeared into thin air, not leaving a trace behind.


    Mia came running to the scene. She had been running around the forest, not knowing where to go, but was led here by the sudden flash of light that the thief had made.


    ¡°Ymil, are you alright?!¡± she asked as she ran up to the boy. She looked at his face and saw that it was covered in blood. Her face quickly turned to worry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Ymil as he sat up. ¡°This isn¡¯t my blood.¡± He looked at himself and realized he had wet himself. His pants had become completely soaked and his shirt features large drops of blood.


    ¡°You look like a mess!¡± she exclaimed. ¡°I ran past a little lake just now, you can clean up there.¡± She helped Ymil back up and pointed in the direction she came from.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ymil said a bit absentmindedly. He hoped she wouldn¡¯t see his pants right now. ¡°You should go help Ragnar, he might not be able to handle the pursuer.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about that, we dealt with him without much of a problem. He was no match for Ragnar¡¯s ice control,¡± she said cheerfully.


    ¡®I should have known that,¡¯ he thought, ¡®or else Mia wouldn¡¯t be here.¡¯


    They walked to the nearby lake and Mia gave Ymil some privacy as he took off his clothes. Ymil quickly washed his clothes and then soaked his body in the clear water. He floated in the water for a while, the man¡¯s death replaying in his head over and over. This was the first time he¡¯d seen a dead body.


    He quickly recovered his composure and put his clothes back on and walked towards Mia. Together they walked back to the road to meet up with the others.


    ¡ª-


    Ragnar was the last to arrive back at the road. He had been¡­ distracted by the little fairy that had offered him his help.


    ¡°I heard from Mia, good job on defeating that butcher,¡± said Uncle Max as Ragnar approached them. ¡°Everything else has been settled here as well.¡±


    Ragnar looked around and noticed that they were alone. ¡±What¡¯d you do to the robbers,¡± he asked.


    ¡°They ran away the moment I disabled their leader. That guy¡¯s not going to walk for a good long time,¡± said Uncle Max. ¡°Alright, since we¡¯re all here, we should get moving now. We will stop at a nearby inn to recover.¡±


    Civilization began at the end of the forest. As the group left the woods, they were suddenly overwhelmed by activity on the street, chickens roaming the road, goats standing idly on the side and country men trying to sell their fresh local produce.


    They asked for directions from a passerby and they walked towards the nearest inn. They were assigned two rooms, one for the kids and one for Uncle Max and they quickly went to bed.


    ¡°Remember kids, stay in your room until I come get you,¡± said Uncle Max before he entered his room. The kids nodded and went in their room to get ready to sleep as well. The room was fairly standard, it was big enough to accommodate three adults, a cute little balcony to look at the beautiful scenery and three wooden sleeping beds. The room looked quite comfortable.


    ¡ª-


    Ragnar fell asleep soundly that night, but Ymil was having some troubles. After lying in bed for about two hours, he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the dead man on top of him. It had happened so fast and suddenly that it just seemed so surreal. Every time he closed his eyes he was reminded of the smell of blood.


    Unable to sleep, he decided to go out on the balcony to get some fresh air. He rested his arms on the railing and looked up at the sky. It was very quiet, all activity on the street had subsided and all the animals had gone to sleep.


    ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep either, could you?¡± asked a girly voice from behind him. Mia appeared next to him and leaned on the railing. Her eyes were glittering in the night as she was looking at scenery.


    ¡°No¡­¡± said Ymil.


    ¡°Wanna talk about it?¡± she asked without diverting her attention from the sky.


    ¡°No¡­¡± responded Ymil. How could he want to share such a horrific scene with his friend?


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°What about you? Why can¡¯t you sleep?¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t like the idea that this is our last night together. You know¡­¡± said Mia.


    She didn¡¯t have to continue, he understood her problem completely. Even though he was going to military academy with Ragnar, Mia would be left all alone in Sophia village. They had been the only children in the entire village ever since the great Liberal Library Fire. She would be all alone, without friends for the next two years.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to be alright,¡± said Ymil trying to sound reassuring. A comfortable silence surrounded the two children as they were looking up at the sky.


    ¡°Do you know the legend of the blue moon?¡± he asked suddenly.


    ¡°No,¡± answered Mia. ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I read this in a children¡¯s book the other day. It goes as followed:


    The Sun is the source of all life, space and time,


    A powerful being with no equal and two daughters:


    Hecate the mage, Artemis the hunter,


    Yet who are their mothers?


    It is the bright blue moon, Selene, that no one knows.


    Her beauty is so stunning you freeze at her sight,


    The water stops flowing and the world turns silent.


    Not a soul can move under her bright blue light.


    As the Sun in the master of the future,


    Selene the blue moon is master of the past.


    Living outside the flow of time,


    Nobody knows when she was seen last.


    And I don¡¯t remember the rest very well,¡± admitted Ymil.


    ¡°That¡¯s so sad!¡± sighed Mia. ¡°Did she love the sun? I mean, she did bear him two daughters.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± answered Ymil. ¡±However sad it might be, she loved the sun dearly. It¡¯s just that they were born to be polar opposites.¡± When he had read the story he hadn¡¯t thought about it for too long. He was more interested in the story that followed, of the woman dancing under the blue moon.


    ¡°The story says that the blue moon is able to reverse time,¡± added Ymil. ¡°It was a children¡¯s story about a woman trying to get her husband back.¡±


    ¡°And did she get him back?¡± asked Mia as she turned around to face Ymil.


    ¡°Well, the last pages were missing, but I can guarantee it worked!¡± Ymil didn¡¯t know for certain, but it was a children¡¯s story, they always had good endings.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Mia and they both went back to stare at the starry night sky.


    They were quiet for a moment, both imagining a big blue moon hanging in the air.


    ¡°Promise me, don¡¯t ever leave me behind like that,¡± said Mia suddenly.


    ¡°But aren¡¯t we getting separated tomorrow?¡± asked Ymil. Wasn¡¯t it inevitable that they would separate?


    ¡°I mean, don¡¯t ever go someplace where I can¡¯t reach you. I don¡¯t want us to end up like that.¡± Mia was looking at Ymil with glittering eyes. It was clear that she was on the verge of tears.


    ¡°I promise. I will never go someplace where you cannot reach me,¡± promised Ymil and he meant it. He also didn¡¯t want to be in a world without Mia, or Ragnar, or Olaf¡­ He¡¯d even miss Uncle Max.


    ¡°That¡¯s good,¡± said Mia and she scooched over a bit. He shoulder leaned against Ymil¡¯s and they both went back to staring at the night sky. This gentle touch was enough to provide the comfort in both of their hearts.


    They would remember this night as a night with a warm, summer breeze. Crickets had started chirping in the background and the streets were completely quiet. Shoulder to shoulder, they were watching the starry sky in the moonlight of the two moons. Neither of them dared to move, afraid that it would break this gentle feeling of peace they felt at that moment.


    It was only when the sun illuminated the horizon that they returned to their beds.


    Some rest was better than none, right?

 Chapter 7: Registration

    Edited by.... Wesley Au, surprise! (No, not really :P )


    Also, this is the last one I had to upload. After this you''ll just have to wait another week for the next chapter :)


    *****************************************


    White and silence.


    Those are the two words that best describe this scene. Everything was colored in a monochrome white, no shadows, no outlines, no horizon, nothing. A vast space of white emptiness engulfed the entire field of vision.


    In the middle of this vast, white universe sat a boy. Naked, cross-legged and eyes closed, this boy was in a state of trance. His pale flawless skin shining brightly and dark blue hair resting motionlessly on his head.


    ¡°Ragnar, wake up,¡± said a high pitched male voice.


    The boy grimaced and opened his eyes. As he saw the white world he was in, he wondered whether this was another dream.


    ¡°Ragnar Aesir, we don¡¯t have all day, you know!¡± exclaimed the same voice and out of nowhere a small little foot kicked Ragnar in the knee.


    ¡°Ow!¡± shouted Ragnar and he quickly got up. He was immediately kicked out of his morning stupor and his mind had a flash of understanding. This was definitely not a dream. He looked around him to observe his surroundings but he could only see white nothingness in every direction.


    As Ragnar was looking around a small gnome-shaped fairy materialized in front of him. It was the same one Ragnar had met the day before: short, chubby and with an ugly beard.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said the little man, ¡°now that I have your attention, I¡¯d like to speak to you for a bit about what we¡¯re going to do. We couldn¡¯t talk when we met in forest so I couldn¡¯t fully explain to you what you are destined to do.¡±


    Ragnar remembered meeting the little fairy as he walked back to the road. He was in a hurry and had no time to listen to the fairy¡¯s story. The fairy kept begging him to take him along and so he stuffed the little man in his backpack. To be honest, he¡¯d completely forgotten about the little guy.


    ¡°Ah yes, you called me the ¡®chosen one¡¯, didn¡¯t you? Have you perhaps read a few fairy tales too many? Oh wait, you ARE a fairy so I guess that just make them ¡®tales¡¯ for you?¡± said Ragnar and he laughed at his own joke.


    ¡°Haha, very funny,¡± said the fairy grumpily, ¡°but the fact remains that prophecy has foretold of a blue haired, sword wielding boy that will save the world from certain doom.¡±


    ¡°Fairy Tale one-oh-one, let me guess: I got to save a princess from a dragon or something?¡± asked Ragnar mockingly.


    The fairy smiled and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯d believe me unless I showed you. Allow me.¡±


    And with those words the little gnome lifted both his hands above his head. The white world instantly vanished and was replaced with endless piles of mossy rubble and broken marble pillars. Moss had started to grow on the piles of stones. gross was growing in the remaining skeletons of buildings that used to be called ¡®houses¡¯. A soft wind was blowing through the ruins, creating an eerily silent aura of this desolate area. It was obvious that this place used to be a town but every home, every road, every building has been torn to shreds.


    Ragnar was looked at the new scene with surprise. It didn¡¯t matter where he looked, the entire landscape was littered with the remains of a fallen city.


    ¡°What is this place?¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°This place used to be called Lefkopolis. It means city of white in an ancient tongue and it truly was a remarkable place. The entire city was grey stone and white marble. All citizens were thriving as the war had brought a lot of commerce to the area. They were a happy bunch back then¡­.¡± Said the fairy and he looked a bit sad.


    ¡°So what happened?¡± asked Ragnar, paying full attention to the fairy.


    ¡°Xenth Empire released one of their Gladium, master of his soul and elite unit of the empire. They can control their element with devastating powers: Thunderstorms, Volcanic Eruptions, Tsunamis, you name it. These men wield such terrifying power that only a squad of Nobles would stand a chance of survival.¡±


    ¡°Our country¡¯s Nobles are the strongest there are, or else they wouldn¡¯t be Nobles!¡± protested Ragnar, and it was true. You could only be a Noble in Halram Kingdom by defeating the previous one. The ones with the mightiest strength are given the most luxuries in the entire kingdom.


    ¡°But that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong. Look around you,¡± said the fairy. ¡°This place was destroyed while Lord Nero was patrolling the city. Not only did he fail to protect the city, he was the first to be killed by the incoming attack of the Gladium.¡±


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right!¡± exclaimed Ragnar, ¡°Lord Nero died on the battlefield in Kafta Desert. It is written in literally every history book.¡±


    ¡°Is that how the books tell it? I can guarantee you Lord Nero was here during the attack. Look over there.¡± The fairy pointed at a particularly square stone slab that had been overwhelmed by growing moss and vines. Ragnar walked towards it and cleaned off the surface a bit.


    ¡®Here lies Lord Nero, the first to fall during the attack on Lefkopolis.¡¯


    ¡°I know for a fact that he died in Kafta Desert,¡± said Ragnar. He¡¯d argued with Ymil dozens of times as to whether Lord Nero was a true hero or just some schmuck with power.


    ¡°But his grave lies here, for whatever reason. Don¡¯t worry though, this is exactly why we¡¯re here now and not at, let¡¯s say, the time the city got destroyed,¡± said the fairy with a huge grin on his face. The little man held up his hand, indicating that Ragnar should shut up and look at their surroundings.


    Ragnar fell silent. How could a human being become so strong to destroy an entire city? And why would this fairy show him the city when it¡¯s already in ruins? Wouldn¡¯t it make more sense to show how it got destroyed in order to show what he¡¯d have to fight against?


    But as Ragnar was pondering this blue orbs of light started to appear. At first there were but a few, rising steadily from the ground as if they were air bubbles in a mud pool. But the amount of light orbs increased at an alarming rate, little spheres had even started to pour from under Ragnar¡¯s feet, startling him.


    ¡°Relax, Ragnar,¡± laughed the fairy as he saw this, ¡°this is only a memory. We can¡¯t interact with this world. Just relax and pay attention.¡±


    Ragnar regained his composure and nodded. He looked at the ruins around him but it became increasingly difficult to see. The small orbs had littered the entire view and it was neigh impossible to see past them. At some point he couldn¡¯t even see his own hands anymore.


    A large blue flash suddenly appeared and the entire world they were just in had disappeared.


    In its stead was a city, made entirely of white and grey stones. The tiled roofs had been painted green and windows all contained first rate glass, a commodity that symbolized the wealth of a city. The roads were well maintained, merchants were standing in every corner of the city trying to sell their goods. People were walking in every direction. There were even some kids running around playing tag. The silence that had dominated the previous scene became a loud rumbling bustling with crowds of people.


    ¡°What did you just¡­.¡± Ragnar started to ask.


    ¡°I did nothing, and therein lies the problem,¡± answered the fairy. ¡°This isn¡¯t my memory, it is the memory of the earth and she has no control over this phenomenon.¡±


    ¡°What just happened then?¡±


    ¡°Take a look over there,¡± said the gnome and he pointed in the direction of tall man with white hair. His tanned skin and clear blue eyes would be recognized by anyone.


    ¡°But that¡¯s Lord Nero!¡± gasped Ragnar. ¡°What on earth?¡±


    ¡°To put it simply, time has been reversed. It was set back exactly 47 years into the past, to a point where Lefkopolis was still a thriving city,¡± explained the fairy.


    ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± said Ragnar as he shook his head. ¡°The God of Death wouldn¡¯t allow this.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s just as mad as everyone else about it, trust me. But that isn¡¯t the biggest problem.¡± The fairy flew up to Ragnar¡¯s face and looked him dead in the eyes. ¡°Those blue spheres you just saw were the Earth¡¯s own energy, someone is using the Earth¡¯s energy to reverse time.¡±


    ¡°Nope, I don¡¯t believe it. How would people notice it otherwise?¡± asked Ragnar, still not believing this fairy¡¯s tale.


    ¡°But it isn¡¯t the entire world, only Halram Kingdom seems to be affected by this. All other countries keep on going as nothing has happened.¡±


    ¡°But why would anybody do this? And why do you need me to stop this?¡±


    ¡°The reason isn¡¯t very clear, but the consequences are. Every time Halram Kingdom goes back in time the earth loses some of its energy. If this keeps up long enough the entire world¡¯s energy, its essence of life, will be depleted.¡±


    ¡°And that means?¡±


    ¡°It means that the earth, along with every living thing on it, will die.¡±


    ¡ª-


    When Uncle Max came to fetch the children the next day he was met with three grumpy kids. They each had bags under their eyes and they didn¡¯t radiate the youthful energy that usually annoyed this old man. When he saw how tired the children were, he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    ¡°You guys look like disheveled piles of dirt. Go wash yourselves,¡± said Uncle Max as he motioned them to go clean themselves up. ¡°Today will be your first day at the Academy and first impressions are crucial.¡±


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The three kids nodded and went to get ready. Mia started by combing her messy hair in front of the mirror, Ragnar decided to take the first shower and Ymil looked through his clothes to find his best outfit.


    ¡°I¡¯ll meet you guys downstairs once you¡¯re done. We¡¯ll be having breakfast and leave for the Academy right away.¡±


    Ymil was kind of surprised. They were at the Capital now so he¡¯d hoped to see the city for himself before going to the academy.


    ¡°We¡¯re not going into the city then?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, today is the day of the opening ceremony so there is no time to dilly dally. Get ready and we¡¯re going to the academy right away,¡± answered Uncle Max and he walked down stairs.


    The reason they didn¡¯t come earlier was because Uncle Max didn¡¯t want to babysit three children while walking through such a crowded city as the Capital. There were quite a few predators lurking in the shady streets and he had no way to keep these children in sight twenty four/seven.


    ¡ª-


    The Capital¡¯s Military Academy was located on the outskirts of the Capital City in order to accommodate the numerous students that attend it. The campus was a large complex of a variety of buildings that each serve a specific purpose. There were sport halls, magic convents and normal classrooms, but even the teachers didn¡¯t know what some of the buildings were used for.


    The entrance was particularly beautiful. Anyone that came through the front be met with the sight a beautiful marble road with colorful flowers decorating the sides. The white road and colorful flowers made a sharp contrast and made for a lively yet orderly beauty. The road itself led to a single white building. The building¡¯s roof was in the shape of a dome and the way inside was led by majestic statues of various magical beasts.


    ¡°Wow,¡± exclaimed the three kids as they stepped through the front gate. Ragnar, Ymil and Mia had grown up in a small rural village and were used to dirty houses and messy wildlife, but this scene looked beautiful and clean. It went against all their expectations. It was even enough to make them forget that they were exhausted.


    ¡°Don¡¯t gawk for too long, we still have to register you guys,¡± said Uncle Max and he walked past the children. ¡°Come on, we don¡¯t have all day.¡±


    The kids hurriedly followed Uncle Max along to the domed building. When they walked inside they stopped once again. The roof was covered entirely in vivid drawings of historic battles. Magical beasts, enemy invaders, powerful knights, they were all depicted on the ceiling of this buildings in amazing, if a bit crude, paintings.


    ¡°Move along,¡± said Uncle Max irritably, these kids were so predictable.


    The room itself was filled with multiple desks in order to help children enroll into the academy. There were a lot of people, both adults and children, talking with the clerks behind the desks. Uncle Max stalked to the nearest unoccupied one and addressed the girl sitting behind it. She was reading a magazine called ¡°Love Daily¡± and didn¡¯t see the tall dark man approach her desk.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± coughed Uncle Max gently as he knocked on the table. The girl looked up for a bit and shrugged for a bit. She then went back to read her magazine.


    *BANG*


    ¡°Eek!¡± yelped the girl and she fell from her chair.


    Uncle max had driven a fist through the desk in front of him, there was now a fist shaped hole in it. He didn¡¯t like being ignored, especially not by such a pesky teenager.


    ¡°H-How may I b-be of service, s-sir?¡± she stuttered as she got up from the ground. She was staring at the hole this man had just made in her desk.


    ¡°I want to enroll these two¡­.¡± Uncle Max started to say and wanted to point at the two boys he brought along but then found that they weren¡¯t there. ¡°For goodness¡¯s sake! Where did those brats go this time?!¡±


    ¡ª-


    While the kids were gawking at the paintings on the ceiling, a young girl walked past them and pointed at the Forgeron siblings.


    ¡°Haha, they¡¯ve got blue hair!¡± exclaimed the girl and she started to laugh. ¡°Where are you from, a circus?¡±


    Hearing this girl make fun of his hair made Ragnar incredibly angry. He¡¯d always known blue hair was abnormal but to be mocked because of it?!


    Ragnar took an offensive stance and summoned his blue claymore to his hand. He glared at the girl in front of him, observing her entire figure.


    (Narrator¡¯s Note: Ragnar¡¯s got a short temper apparently. Ironic, as you wouldn¡¯t expect someone with Ice affinity to explode so easily.)


    The girl had fiery red hair, another peculiar color, and beautiful flaming eyes. She looked as though she was there to enroll into the academy but her physique was incredibly well developed for an 11 year old. She was even taller than Ragnar, and he wasn¡¯t all that short for his age. Her figure was well defined in the red dress she wore and it would attract the attention of almost any boy hitting puberty.


    ¡°I dare you to say that again, Miss Tomato,¡± said Ragnar somewhat impressed. The only girl he¡¯d ever known was his sister so seeing this beauty was kind of refreshing.


    ¡°Tomato?!¡± she exclaimed and her face turned red as well. ¡°Don¡¯t you DARE call me a tomato, you blue freak!¡± As she said this she summoned her own soul. It was shaped like short staff with a yellow gem at its top, it looked like a magic wand as they are portrayed in fairytales. She was obviously a mage.


    ¡°Look at that,¡± said Ragnar mockingly, ¡°her face even turns red! Yup, definitely a tomato. Where are your parents? In tonight¡¯s stew, I presume?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll burn you to cinders!¡± she yelled. The yellow gem started to glow brightly and she muttered a few incomprehensible words.


    ¡°Guys, stay out of this,¡± said Ragnar as he motioned Mia and Ymil to step back.  They did, they knew that Ragnar¡¯s pride wouldn¡¯t allow them to step in. That, and Mia was all too happy to see Ragnar defend their hair-color.


    Two little fires had started to float around the girl¡¯s body, it was clear that the spell was about to be unleashed.


    But before she could direct the energy at her opponent, Ragnar had already rushed towards her. He took a step forward and started to initiate his spinning attack on the girl. She was slightly startled at the speed of the boy and the only thing she could do was parry the incoming blow. She lifted her wand to block the blade but she was pushed back a few steps.


    Ragnar¡¯s first move was to stop her incantation, for it is common knowledge that a mage¡¯s weakness is their casting time. He looked at the girl but what he saw surprised him. The two flames that were orbiting her had not disappeared.


    In that instant the girl pointed the wand at him and shouted:


    ¡°Fi¨¨rum Fotia!¡±


    One of the two flares shot in Ragnar¡¯s direction at an incredible pace. He had no time to react and was left wide open as the firebolt came rushing at his body.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    The bolt hit him in the right shoulder with a flashy explosion. It was nowhere near a deadly strike, but it made Ragnar take a step back. It stung like hell.


    Ragnar looked at the girl and saw a smug smile on her face. This angered him even more and he rushed towards her again. He was going to show her what pain felt like!


    Her smile quickly faded as she saw the boy charging again, she hadn¡¯t expected this. She prepared to shoot another bolt at him with more energy than she did before.


    ¡°Fi¨¨rum Fotia!¡±


    ¡°HALT!¡± yelled a familiar voice.


    Out of nowhere the black figure of Uncle Max appeared between the two. He abruptly held Ragnar back with one hand while holding his other hand out to the girl. The firebolt she¡¯d released hit the center of his palm and it exploded with a blinding explosion, but Uncle Max wasn¡¯t even bothered by it. He was looking at Ragnar with furrowed brows.


    ¡°What the hell are you thinking?¡± he said angrily. ¡°Challenging a noble on your first day, you¡¯ve got a death wish or something?¡±


    Ragnar was somewhat startled, Uncle Max had appeared out of thin air. When he finally processed the words Uncle Max had said, he looked at the girl he was fighting earlier. She looked a bit pale but as she saw him look in her direction she stuck out her tongue.


    ¡°But Uncle Max¡­¡± began Ragnar.


    ¡°No buts, you¡¯re coming with me,¡± he said and he dragged Ragnar away by the collar. Ragnar didn¡¯t even try to fight it, Uncle Max was just too strong.


    ¡°And you two, get your asses over here. You¡¯re equally to blame in all this,¡± said Uncle Max as he turned around. Both Ymil and Mia turned pale and quickly followed the dark man.


    The girl just stood there, watching this scene in silence. She knew her firebolts were strong enough to even pierce through sheets of steel, yet this boy shrugged it off as a minor annoyance. And that man, who on earth is he?


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you forgetting something?¡± she said as the man dragged the boy away.


    ¡°You¡¯re expecting an apology, I presume?¡± said the man as he stopped to look at her.


    She nodded quickly.


    ¡°Not happening,¡± said Uncle Max and he walked back towards the registration desk together with his entourage.


    The girl just stood there at a loss of words. Nobody had ever treated her like that. Only when her attendants had come to check on her did she come back to her senses.


    ¡®Those guys are dangerous,¡¯ she thought. ¡®I should keep my eye on them.¡¯

 Chapter 8: School and short-tempered Nobles

    Sorry for the slow start, but this is my first story so I''m still learning the ropes :) Things should become much more active/fast-paced than before. Less walls of text and more dialogue (as there are more people to speak to, duuuh :P )


    **************************


    After registration was completed, the group met up for one last time in front of the academy. It was time for the kids to go their separate ways. Ragnar and Ymil would be staying at the Academy while Mia would return home with Uncle Max, back to Sophia Village.


    ¡°So¡­¡± said Ragnar hesitantly, ¡°is this where we say our goodbyes?¡± His eyes went towards Ymil, who could only shrug in response. How was he supposed to know?


    ¡°Yes, this is where we leave you,¡± answered Uncle Max and he stepped up to the two boys. He crouched down to look them straight in the eyes and said, ¡°You guys will be fine, just don¡¯t mess with the wrong people.¡±


    ¡°How was I supposed to know that she was a Noble?!¡±


    ¡°Good looking people have the tendency to be of noble lineage. That girl would have vaporized you if she had the chance,¡± said Uncle Max. He ruffled the boy¡¯s hair a bit and then went on to Ymil.


    ¡°And you, you should know better. Never start a fight with someone you don¡¯t know,¡± Uncle Max said while looking at him sternly. Ymil looked down and started to shuffle his feet a little.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t though, that¡¯s why I let Ragnar handle it¡­¡± he said softly.


    Those words made Uncle Max smile. ¡°That¡¯s my boy,¡± he said and then he ruffled Ymil¡¯s hair too. Ymil looked up and it was now possible to see how watery they had become.


    ¡°Do you have to leave?! Can¡¯t you stay here with us?¡± he asked.


    ¡°No, this is an important part of your training. I won¡¯t be there to protect you your entire life.¡±


    ¡°But but but I¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts, Ymil, this is where we part ways. And get rid of those tears, how is Mia supposed to take all this?¡±


    Hearing those words, Ymil wiped his eyes and looked at Mia who was standing behind Uncle Max. The girl was standing there silently, her eyes cast to the ground. Her hair was dangling to the front and it was impossible to see her face, but it was obvious from her posture. She was crying.


    ¡°Mia¡­,¡± said Ymil as he approached her. He tried to put his hand on her shoulder but she pulled him in a tight embrace before he could. At this point her silent weeping had turned into a full wail. She buried her face in Ymil¡¯s shirt and hugged him with all her might. Her fragile little body was shaking with every sob that came out.


    Even though Uncle told him to hold it in, he couldn¡¯t. The moment she held onto him he started to weep just as hard. Tears were rolling down his face and his entire body was shaking. Why did they have to split up?


    Ragnar was standing on the side, he¡¯d vowed to himself that he¡¯d stay strong. He stood there, watching his friend and sister weeping without restraint. He couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore, he ran up to the two and clasped both his arms around them. The tears were rolling of his face as well, dripping onto the two in his embrace. His crying joined in with the others, his wail the loudest of the three.


    As the three were huddled together, they didn¡¯t seem to notice that everyone was looking at them. They didn¡¯t notice how they had become the center of attention. The only ones in their world, at that moment, were themselves and their sorrow. Swimming, no, drowning in the sadness of having to depart, the trio didn¡¯t let go until someone intruded into their little bubble.


    ¡°Ahem,¡± coughed Uncle Max as he clasped Ragnar¡¯s shoulder. ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Ragnar looked up and noticed that Uncle Max was towering over them. He quickly let go and took a step back, wiping his eyes dry. The other two quickly recovered as well. The crying had stopped but Mia was still holding onto Ymil tightly. Their eyes had gone red and they look each other in the eyes. They remained that way for a bit longer until they both regained their composure and then parted from each other.


    ¡°Look at us,¡± said Ymil, ¡°crying like little babies.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, and you thought you were grown-ups,¡± added Ragnar mockingly.


    ¡°Hay, you joined in as well!¡± exclaimed Mia.


    ¡°Nah, I was only pretending to cry, off course I didn¡¯t,¡± said Ragnar as he looked to the side.


    ¡°Liar!¡± said Ymil and Mia at the same time.


    ¡°Kids, get over it,¡± intervened Uncle Max. ¡°You guys¡¯ve had your goodbye now. Mia, we¡¯re leaving. Remember, you¡¯re supposed to go to the Big Theatre for the entrance ceremony, it¡¯s really important.¡±


    Mia looked at the boys with a sad look on her face and nodded.


    ¡°Remember, this isn¡¯t goodbye. I¡¯ll come get you when the semester ends,¡± said Uncle Max and he started to walk away.


    Mia quickly ran up to Ymil and gave him a kiss on the cheek. That melancholic feeling left him entirely and he started to blush intensely.


    ¡°That is so you don¡¯t forget me,¡± she said shyly and she ran after Uncle Max.


    ¡°Hay, where¡¯s my kiss?!¡± exclaimed Ragnar.


    ¡°Ew, you want a kiss from your own sister? Gross!¡± She said and started to laugh. ¡°Go find someone else¡¯s sister to kiss.¡±


    And with those words she disappeared around the corner.


    **************************************


    The entire room was abuzz with the low murmurs of excited eleven year olds. All the new students had gathered in this huge theatre where an introductory meeting was supposed to take place. In front of them was a large podium with a speaker stand standing prominently in the middle.


    Without any sign or warning the entire room fell silent. An incredible presence had just walked onto the stage that caught everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡°It is with great honor that I, Delilah Roseblood, welcome you to my humble establishment. I am the principle of Capital Military Academy and would like to share something with all of you before we start the school year.¡±


    The woman that had just addressed the students was as beautiful as they came. She had slightly dark tanned skin and dark long hair tied to the back in a knot, in her hands a few pieces of paper with, what appeared to be, her speech notes. Her dress was especially beautiful, a burgundy silken robe with golden patterns imbued at the bottom. She had the body that any man would dream and all women would be jealous of. Her dark purple eyes were looking through rimless glasses at the crowd in front of her.


    ¡°This year we got 12,326 new students coming to the academy. Yes, there are 12,326 people sitting in this room as we speak. Those that could not attend have been expelled the moment I started speaking,¡± she said with a serious tone. The children were shocked by this announcement, they weren¡¯t told that this meeting was mandatory.


    ¡°Now that you guys have gone entirely silent, I¡¯ll be taking my leave. Master Wux, please continue this meeting.¡±


    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    As she said that the woman walked off the stage. Nobody knew if they had to clap or not, but they decided not to. What if they got expelled for that too?


    An elderly looking man appeared in the silence the principle had just caused. He walked with a cane, his back was hunched forward quite dramatically. Every step he took made a loud ticking noise as it crashed into the ground. For some reason he exuded a powerful aura but nobody could really tell why this old man radiated strength.


    *Ahem*


    ¡°My name is Wux Paliogar, and I am the head of the History Department,¡± said the man. ¡°This academy has been established by Mrs. Roseblood herself and she¡¯s always busy, please do excuse her¡­odd behavior.¡±


    ¡°But what she said is true,¡± he continued, ¡°This academy does not tolerate such foolish behavior. Yes, Military Academy is mandatory but you don¡¯t have to do it here by any means. We are a proud academy that is known as the best in the entire country. Allow me to tell you about our history.¡±


    The old man started to tap the cane lightly on the ground as he started to explain how the school was founded.


    ¡°It all started over 400 years ago, when the country¡­.¡±


    **************


    Ragnar and Ymil were sitting somewhere in the audience. They had been instructed to go so they had no reason to skip it. When they entered it was already fairly crowded with students but only half the seats had been filled then. The first thing Ragnar did, off course, was to look for the red haired girl he fought earlier. He at least wanted to know her name.


    But he couldn¡¯t find her and Ymil had to force him to sit down. Ymil was a bit overwhelmed by the vast amount of people around them, they had grown up in a remote little village and he¡¯d never seen this many people in his entire life. He was really uncomfortable in this alien setting.


    As the man was talking about the ¡®glorious¡¯ past of the Academy, Ragnar started to get bored.


    ¡°Hay Ymil, think lessons are going to be as boring as this?¡± he said as he looked to his side. But to his surprise, Ymil was listening attentively to the old man¡¯s rambling.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious, you actual¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh, I¡¯m trying to listen,¡± said Ymil, still facing the stage.


    ¡°Fine¡­¡± said Ragnar with a grimace. He thought about what he could do and decided to play with his soul manifestation. He focused his energy and in his hands appeared a tiny dagger modelled after his claymore. He couldn¡¯t summon his entire sword but he could still play with the miniature one in secret.


    Ragnar looked around and found that everyone else was also getting bored, but they didn¡¯t dare do anything outrageous as they might get expelled. He smiled at this and decided to just practice his knife handling skills. Those could come in handy someday.


    ******************


    The old man talked for about 2 hours about the proud history of the academy before he would dismiss the students. Almost all students had either fallen asleep or were doing something else entirely, with very few exceptions. The man hadn¡¯t stop ticking his rod onto the floor the entire time and some people had started to imagine musical themes to it.


    At the end of the meeting the children were assigned a place to stay. As most students came from throughout the country it was only natural that they had to live on campus. Everyone would be living in one of the six general dormitories. They could pick their own beds, it was on a first pick first serve basis. The only restriction was that the girls and boys had different buildings.


    Ragnar and Ymil made sure to sleep together off course. They ran through the large bunk beds and claimed the first beds near the bathroom. They were lucky as most students were still admiring the large room they had just entered.


    ¡°I call dibs on the top bunk!¡± called Ragnar as he jumped onto the top bed.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± said Ymil as he dropped his stuff on the lower bed. ¡°This way I won¡¯t have to listen to your snoring.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t snore!¡± exclaimed Ragnar and he threw his pillow down.


    ¡°Thanks! I sleep much better with 2 pillows,¡± laughed Ymil and he fell down onto his matrass.


    ¡°You little¡­,¡± started Ragnar and he jumped down from his bed again. He was going to get that pillow back, no matter what.


    ¡°Oh look, two babies fighting over a pillow,¡± said a voice mockingly from behind them.


    Ragnar and Ymil looked up and saw three boys standing next to their bed. The one standing the closest had a yellow bob-cut and blue eyes. His clothes seemed to scream ¡®rich¡¯ and the two boys behind him looked like shady henchmen. This was obviously a noble.


    Ragnar got up and looked at the boy in front of him. Ragnar was a few centimeters taller and looked down at the boy who just called him a baby.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, midget, but I think you¡¯re a bit too young to stay here,¡± Ragnar said.


    The boy didn¡¯t let that slide though, and he punched Ragnar full on in the chin. Ragnar flew back, his back arching as he fell a few meters back. He hadn¡¯t expected such a quick action.


    The boy had a smug smile on his face as he watched the blue haired boy fall to the ground, but before Ragnar hit the ground the boy¡¯s smile vanished. In its place appeared a sour grimace as a fist had just found its way into his stomach, it hit him with an incredible force. His entire body was thrown at the two boys behind him who were barely able to catch him.


    This was Ymil¡¯s doing, he wasn¡¯t going to let some random maniac hit his friend. He hadn¡¯t even summoned his gloves but his barehanded punch was enough to make the boy cough up some blood.


    ¡°You dare hit me, Alex Chrysos? My father is a noble you know!¡±


    ¡°Oh, is he? And why would you assume Ragnar¡¯s not a noble?¡± replied Ymil as he looked at his fist. ¡°His blue hair should be a good indicator of that, shouldn¡¯t it?¡±


    That was true, odd colored hair was usually attributed to nobility. Even though a blue-haired noble was unheard of in the south, it was more than possible that Ragnar was the son a northern noble.


    Not wanting to displease another noble, Alex decided to back down. He¡¯d already thrown the first punch and there were quite a few witnesses.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go boys, looks like these ¡®gentlemen¡¯ don¡¯t appreciate our presence.¡± And he turned around to walk away. The two other boys hurriedly followed the egotistical young man, afraid of the potential repercussions for punch this noble¡¯s son.


    Ragnar got up quickly and looked at Ymil quizzically. ¡°What just happened? I was sure we¡¯d have a good fight here.¡±


    ¡°That guy was obviously a noble. One of the things I noticed is that Nobility seems to think they are untouchable. He won¡¯t try that again as long as he thinks you¡¯re nobility.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not nobility. How long do you think that will take?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s hope for the next few years,¡± sighed Ymil.

 Chapter 9: The Boy and his Djinn

    ¡°Ragnar Aesir, welcome back.¡±


    As Ragnar opened his eyes he saw a scene he¡¯d dreamt of before. He found himself in the world of white from the previous night. He looked down and saw his own naked body floating in the endless pale ocean.


    ¡°You know, this place is really odd,¡± said Ragnar to the disembodied voice.


    ¡°You think?¡± replied the voice. ¡°This so happens to be a part of your mind. We are in your subconscious.¡±


    ¡°Why is my subconscious so white?¡±


    ¡°Because Tabula Rasa, young man. Tabula Rasa.¡±


    Ragnar didn¡¯t understand. ¡°What the heck is Tabula Rasha?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t break your pretty little head over it, we¡¯re here to discuss your course of action,¡± answered the voice and the fairy¡¯s body started to materialize in front of Ragnar. He was still shaped like a chubby gnome with a cute round bearded face. It was hard to believe that this little guy was, in fact, a fairy.


    Ragnar looked at the fairy¡¯s face and wondered about something.


    ¡°Before we continue, could you tell me what you actually are? You never introduced yourself and I don¡¯t believe in fairies.¡±


    The fairy looked at the boy and smiled. He¡¯d left out that part on purpose because it was hard to take such claims seriously. Yet, because he is what he is, he cannot lie to this young man.


    ¡°Very well, I am not a fairy, as you might have guessed. They do exist, by the way, I¡¯m just not one of them. I am a being called a Djinn by the Ancients, but we are known by a different name in your books.¡±


    Ragnar¡¯s face showed a faint trace of recognition, but he couldn¡¯t remember the exact details. One thing he did know, however, is that they only appeared in very old books. Ymil had read him an excerpt from such a book, but all he could remember was that the Hero didn¡¯t get the girl in the end, so he lost interest really quickly.


    ¡°Oh, so you¡¯ve heard of us? You¡¯re more educated than most children nowadays,¡± said the Djinn as he saw Ragnar¡¯s reaction.


    ¡°Djinns were mentioned in a few books back in our village,¡± replied Ragnar. ¡°But those stories were always too grim and dark. Only Ymil found them fascinating.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s how the Ancients wrote. They were a gloomy bunch,¡± said the Djinn and a wry smile appeared on his face. ¡°But we appear in more recent works too. Tell me, have you heard of the Nimrod Remnants?¡±


    Off course Ragnar had heard of the Nimrod Fragments. Who, in this day and age, had not heard of the all-powerful weapons that can only be wielded by heroes?


    ¡°Off course! Thaddeus the Great, Heracles and every other hero in literature got their powers through the Nimrod Fragments. Are you telling me¡­.?¡±


    ¡°Yup!¡± said the Djinn triumphantly. ¡°That was our handiwork. We are the Oracle fullfillers, as you will.¡±


    Ragnar couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. Nimrod Fragments, the ideal weapons and tools for justice, were something any child would dream about. When he was younger, Ragnar had hoped to one day become the owner of such a remnant. To save the world and save princesses, that was his childhood ambition.


    ¡°Although Thaddeus never existed, he¡¯s made up,¡± added the Djinn, carefully observing Ragnar¡¯s face.


    But Ragnar had long since grown past the point where he could believe in such fictitious nonsense. Every boy would someday realize that heroes only existed in stories, that princesses nowadays could fight better than most men and that such mythical powers as Nimrod Remnants didn¡¯t exist.


    ¡°Very funny,¡± said Ragnar, disbelieve written all over his face. ¡°If you are a Remnant, then I am the son of god.¡±


    The little man¡¯s eyes stared at Ragnar for a second and then he started laughing. Laughing really hard, so hard that he was flailing about in the midair. ¡®What¡¯s so funny about that?¡¯ thought Ragnar.


    It took the Djinn a few seconds to come back to himself, tears could be seen in the corners of his eyes.


    ¡°The irony of that statement, Ragnar Aesir, is not lost on me. But no, you are not the son of a god. I have to prove I am what I claim I am, do I?¡±


    Ragnar nodded. How was this little being going to prove that he was the mightiest tool in all of history?


    The little gnome started to glow a bright green light. Its shape started to elongate and the little fairy that flew in front of him was replaced by a muscular middle aged man. He still wore a green outfit and his hair was oaken brown. The beard made the man look even more rugged and his face had some rough edges. He wasn¡¯t handsome, but he had this kind of thuggish charm about him.


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll believe me when you see my abilities,¡± said the man. The high pitched voice from the little gnome had been replaced by a big burly thunderous voice.


    Ragnar checked the man¡¯s entire body but he wasn¡¯t entirely impressed. He¡¯d seen the fairy change the entire landscape before, how could this be compared to that? But then he remembered that this was supposed to be his subconscious, so how was this Djinn able to change things at will?


    ¡°Not very impressive. But if this is my subconscious, how are you able to change things at your whim?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s one of my powers, I am able to project memories to your mind and you are able to interpret them. I cannot send falsehoods or lies, your subconscious would be able to detect them.¡±


    ¡°So basically, this is your true form? This ugly looking old man?¡±


    The bearded man looked at Ragnar and laughed again. This boy had quite the attitude. He didn¡¯t mind, this would make the journey a lot more enjoyable than if his partner was a stick in the mud.


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    The man stood still and closed his eyes. His shape lit up again but it didn¡¯t elongate. Instead, the muscular figure started to form a bodacious body with pale skin. The green clothing had disappeared into nothingness and the Djinn had turned into a naked woman with sparkling skin. Its skin was so fair that the surroundings illuminated the entire body, radiating like a flawless pearl in the moonlight. The Djinn¡¯s hair had turned golden and was combed into braids and decorated with flowers. The only thing that didn¡¯t change were the eyes, they were still the same vibrant green as before.


    ¡°Would this form please you better then, Ragnar Aesir?¡± The voice this time was much smoother, much more feminine and somewhat arousing.


    ¡°That¡¯s just creepy, I know you¡¯re a dude,¡± said Ragnar but he still averted his eyes. This was a time where being stark naked would lead to embarrassing situations. He awkwardly turned away with a small blush on his face.


    ¡°Very well,¡± said the voice, chuckling loudly. The Djinn changed back to the man¡¯s form and was mischievously looking at the boy.


    ¡°To prove that I am a Djinn, I would like you to fuse your Soul with mine,¡± said the man.


    Ragnar looked up and saw that the Djinn was still grinning. ¡®Haha, very funny.¡¯


    ¡°And how do you propose we do that, Mr. Oh-So-Funny?¡±


    ¡°Well, as you could see, I can change my shape at will. One of these shapes is also known as my ¡®True Form¡¯.¡±


    The man came to stand next to Ragnar and Ragnar was surprised that they were at the same height.


    ¡°First, I must assume my True Form, and then you will have to merge with it as such,¡± said the Djinn and he put out his right hand. Ragnar copied the motion.


    ¡°I will appear as a green ball of light and I¡¯ll be floating in midair,¡± and with those words a green sphere appeared in the palm of his hand. ¡°You will then pour your spiritual energy into your hand and grab me. After you did that, you go like this.¡±


    The Djinn grabbed the green sphere and pulled it to his stomach. He pushed the ball into his belly and he entire body started to glow slightly for a few seconds. After that, it looked as though nothing had happened.


    ¡°Understood?¡± asked the Djinn and he looked at the boy next to him.


    ¡°Off course, don¡¯t think I¡¯m stupid,¡± answered Ragnar.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll try it once. Here we go!¡±


    And the man suddenly transformed into a brilliant green orb of light. It floated in midair, right in front of Ragnar. Ragnar took the orb and quickly pushed it into his stomach. His entire body started to itch and he could sense the presence of another being in his body. He felt as if an incredible power was coursing through his veins.


    Alright, said the man¡¯s voice. Now that we¡¯ve fused I can communicate directly to your conscious. We will be able to stay fused for about 5 minutes. After that I¡¯ve exhausted all of my energy. Try stuff out!


    How? We¡¯re still in this white world of yours, answered Ragnar telepathically. Figuring how to talk internally wasn¡¯t that hard.


    This is your subconscious, it will take any shape you give it!


    Ragnar closed his eyes and tried to imagine a Mud Fae in his mind. It was one of the latest creature he¡¯d beaten so it was still fresh in his memories.


    Out of nowhere a little Mud Fae appeared. Its dark brown gooey body contrasted heavily with the white surroundings. It was the little boy Fae that they had beaten a while ago, just as he remembered it. The brown boy stood about twelve meters away and was watching the surroundings in astonishment.


    Now go on and slice it with your Soul!


    Ragnar summoned his Soul. The blue claymore appeared in his hands in the blink of an eye and Ragnar rushed towards the creature in front of him. The Mud Fae¡¯s eyes widened as he saw Ragnar come in, but he tried to avoid the blow nonetheless. He took a step back and shifted his entire body.


    Alas, it was for naught as Ragnar¡¯s sprint had already taken him within range. He had just covered 10 meters in a matter of microseconds. Ragnar lifted his blade and sliced through the entire Fae¡¯s body before it could let out a sound. The body was split in half and the boy¡¯s torso was flying off.


    This, off course, was not enough to kill a Mud Fae, but what happened next was even more astonishing. The upper half of the body started to freeze as it flew through the air. The Fae¡¯s face looked at the spreading ice and horror appeared onto his face, only to be frozen there as the ice spread throughout the entire body. As it fell on the ground, the body shattered into a million pieces.


    Ragnar stood still for a moment to take in what had just happened. Since when was he this powerful?


    See that? That¡¯s the power of a Djinn. We are useless on our own but we are able to greatly amplify spiritual power.


    Still looking at the shattered pieces in awe, Ragnar came to the most logical conclusion.


    I still don¡¯t believe you, this is a dream after all. He said to the Djinn.


    As you will, you may try this out in your next fight. Maybe then you¡¯ll believe me.


    And with those words the white world disappeared. The feeling of power flowing through his body vanished and his consciousness fell back into the dark abyss of sleep. He¡¯d have to test this power once he woke up, it was time for rest now.

 Chapter 10: History 101

    The Next Morning


    ¡°So where do you want to sit, Ragnar?¡±


    ¡°Somewhere in the back and next to the window. That way the teacher won¡¯t notice when I¡¯m ¡®admiring the view¡¯.¡±


    Ymil sighed. ¡°How could I expect anything less?¡­¡±


    When Ragnar and Ymil woke up that morning they found a notice assigning everyone to a specific classroom. Each student was expected to go to their designated classroom on their own and wait for further instructions. Luckily they were assigned to the same classroom. but that was probably because Uncle Max arranged it.


    ¡°I guess these seats will do,¡± said Ragnar as he sat down in the chair furthest back.


    ¡°Good lord,¡± said Ymil as he took the seat next to him. ¡°The teacher will look like an ant from back here.¡±


    ¡°Deal with it,¡± said Ragnar as he looked around the room. The classroom itself was fairly small considering the size of the student body, there were about 300 small wooden desks spread throughout the room and there was a chalk board mounted on the front wall. Next to the board stood a larger desk, obviously dedicated to the teacher, where lots of books and papers littered its surface. There were only two doorways, one in the front and one in the back, and the entire wall opposite them was made of glass.


    What this classroom was lacking was students. Ragnar and Ymil had woken up early that morning and had decided to go to class right away.


    ¡°Got any idea as to what kind of classmates we¡¯ll have?¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°No clue. Let¡¯s just hope it¡¯s not some Noble,¡± answered Ymil, carefully observing the front entrance.


    The first student to walk in was a boy with rough, blonde hair. His face was covered with freckles and his eyes were silver grey. He walked in with nonchalance and exuded an aura of boldness that only an eleven year old would wear proudly. As he walked in he immediately noticed the two boys staring in the back.


    ¡®Talk about bad luck,¡¯ they both thought. The run-in with the blonde Noble yesterday had left a bad taste in their mouths. Their hearts sank even more when the boy came walking in their direction with a large grin on his face.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re early,¡± said the boy.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Ragnar with a grimace. ¡°We just claimed the best spot. The early bird gets the worm, so don¡¯t go pulling rank on us to get it.¡± He held his desk tightly as he said this.


    The boy was amused by this. ¡°Haha, what makes you think I could do that?¡±


    Ragnar looked the boy in the eyes and scowled, ¡°Because nobility scum has the tendency to do stuff like that.¡±


    The boy¡¯s amusement had been replaced by full on laughter. He was laughing heartily, much to the confusion of the other two.


    ¡°Hay Lance, you hear that? These guys think we¡¯re Nobles!¡± shouted the boy to the entrance.


    With those words another student appeared in the doorway. This was also a blonde boy with silver eyes, but whereas the first boy had unruly golden hair, this boy¡¯s hair was neatly combed and a lot longer. He also wore blue-brimmed glasses that made him look infinitely more intelligent.


    ¡°N-Nobles?¡± stuttered this boy called Lance. He stood in front of the classroom and shook his head violently.


    ¡°N-No, you a-are mis-staken. We are b-but s-sons of a l-local farmer,¡± said Lance. ¡°W-we don¡¯t h-have a p-penny to our n-name.¡±


    ¡°Aw, come on Lance. How are you gonna make friends if you¡¯re shy like that? Come over here!¡±


    The first boy motioned his brother to come hither. Ragnar and Ymil¡¯s displeasured looks had already vanished entirely. ¡®Even if they¡¯re nobles,¡¯ thought Ragnar, ¡®they don¡¯t look as arrogant as the other ones.¡¯


    ¡°So yeah, this is my brother Lance,¡± said the first boy. ¡°And I am Theo.  We¡¯re the Katharos brothers. Nice to meet you.¡± He reached out his hand out to Ragnar.


    Ragnar stood up and grabbed the extended hand. ¡°Hi Theo. I¡¯m Ragnar and this here¡¯s Ymil.¡±


    Ymil nodded in confirmation but stayed seated. ¡°We¡¯re from a remote village called Sophia Village so we don¡¯t really know how to deal with nobility.¡±


    Theo laughed, ¡°Then I¡¯ll give you a tip. Don¡¯t say stuff like that to actual nobility. They¡¯ll have your head for it.¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± said Ragnar with a slight smile. ¡°Since I have blue hair people assume I¡¯m a Noble too. Ymil will just have to become my lackey.¡±


    Ymil stared daggers at Ragnar. What was the point of pretending to be a Noble if you¡¯re going to tell everyone anyways?


    ¡°Sure, right after you grow a brain, numbskull. That¡¯s supposed to stay a secret.¡±


    ¡°Who are you calling a numbskull?!¡± exclaimed Ragnar, nudging his fist against Ymil¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Y-you can d-do that?¡± asked Lance. He¡¯d been worried about upsetting a Noble for a long time. Upset the wrong Noble and you could be cleaning toilets for the rest of your life.


    ¡°Is there a law that says you can¡¯t?¡± asked Ragnar as he looked at the stuttering boy.


    ¡°You know, that¡¯s actually pretty smart,¡± said Theo. ¡°Mind if we join in on this? You did think I was a Noble in the first place, right?¡±


    ¡°I think you¡¯d pass, but your brother? He¡¯s not arrogant enough,¡± said Ragnar while pointing at Lance.


    ¡°Oh, he¡¯ll come around. I know he might seem shy right now, but once he gets to know you he¡¯ll get better.¡±


    ¡°S-sure,¡± said lance as he looked at his feet.


    ¡°Then it¡¯s settled, we¡¯re all Nobles from now on,¡± said Ragnar as extended his hand to Theo again.


    ¡°Yeah, let¡¯s make the most of it,¡± replied Theo and he shook it.


    ¡°With the exception of Ymil, off course,¡± said Ragnar. ¡°You¡¯re just too plain to be a noble.¡±


    ¡°I can live with that, oh great Lord Ragnar,¡± answered Ymil. ¡°Go on guys, take a seat.¡± Both Theo and Lance sat down in front of the two boys they had just met. At least they made some allies on their first day.


    As new people started to stream into to classroom they stopped mentioning the ¡®pretend to be Noble¡¯ plan and went on to talk about their personal lives. The Katharos brothers lived under very similar circumstances as Ragnar and Ymil: they grew up in a remote village and were the sons of a local farmer. Their father had taken care of them since they can remember, their mother had apparently died in childbirth. Ragnar and Ymil explained that they came from Sophia Village, a peaceful but remote little town. When they mentioned that they fought a few Fae back in the day the Katharos brothers were in awe. The only kinds of Fae they had even encountered were those that would suck your intestines. They very interested in the Fae so Ragnar explained some of them in more detail.


    ¡°Well, you see. Mud Fae are actually quite stupid creature that¡­¡± he said but his voice trailed off into the distance as he saw one of the new students walk into the room.


    Seeing Ragnar¡¯s gaze, the other three all looked in the same direction and saw a beautiful red haired girl walk in. Her fiery hair and blazing eyes attracted the attention of everyone in the room. Even Lance, the stuttering shy boy, couldn¡¯t help but stare.


    But Ragnar and Ymil weren¡¯t staring because of that. The girl that just walked in was the same person Ragnar had fought the day before.


    ¡°See something you like?¡± asked Theo to Ragnar with a sly grin.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s just that we fought yesterday and she seemed to handle herself quite well in a fight,¡± answered Ragnar.


    ¡°What do you expect? She¡¯s obviously nobility, like an actual noble,¡± replied Theo. ¡°I¡¯m amazed you¡¯re not dead.¡±


    ¡°Are they really that powerful? Ragnar was hit by her magic but he didn¡¯t seem fazed by it,¡± asked Ymil, diverting his gaze from the girl. ¡°Stop staring guys, she might notice.¡± Everybody started to look in a different direction.


    The girl had noticed the band of boys the moment she walked in. It was not every day that you met someone with blue hair. She wanted to walk up to them and get to know the guy that took her magic as if it were nothing.


    *KACHOW*


    Before the girl could reach the back she stopped as a loud snapping noise resonated throughout the room. The entire class fell silent and looked in the direction the sound came from.


    In front of the classroom stood a man Ymil recognized in an instant. This man had ventured into his bookstore not too long ago and had left quite the impression on him. The golden dragon embroidered onto his toga looked as majestic as ever and the fiery whip was still incredibly intimidating.


    ¡°Please sit down, everyone,¡± said the man, obviously the teacher. The red haired girl shot a glance towards the boys but decided that now¡¯s not the time to confront them so she sat down in the seat closest to her. Everyone followed suit and the entire class was sitting, watching this whip wielding adult with awe in their eyes. That whip looked painful.


    Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.


    The teacher looked around and he noticed the fair amount of odd hair colors in the classroom. ¡®Good god,¡¯ he thought, ¡®I got a lot of Nobles this year. Let¡¯s see how this¡¯ll turn out.¡¯ He then noticed Ymil sitting in the back and couldn¡¯t help but reveal a slight smile. ¡®At least one of them has brains, so maybe I¡¯m in luck.¡¯


    ¡°Alright everyone. Listen up,¡± said the man with a loud but gentle voice. ¡°My name is Jack Niris and I will be your main teacher from today onwards. Other than taking¡­¡±


    As teacher Jack was talking a new student walked into the classroom. The little girl came in dressed in a bright yellow dress and her eyes cast to the ground. Her short green hair was a mess and her shoelace were untied. She had clearly overslept.


    ¡°Ah, look what the cat dragged in,¡± said Jack as he saw the girl. ¡°A noble should know proper etiquette. You can go pack your things. Go home.¡± he waved his hands in dismissal as he returned his attention to the class. The little girl looked up at the tall man and her eyes started to water up. She came here because she promised her grandmother she would graduate from this school. Was she really going to get expelled on the first day over something so minor?!


    ¡°You¡¯re being unfair!¡± exclaimed a voice from the middle of the classroom. Everyone¡¯s attention turned to the middle and saw the red-haired girl standing behind her desk. ¡°She¡¯s done nothing wrong, why would she get expelled over something so trivial?¡±


    Jack looked at the girl in surprise. ¡°Oh? Let¡¯s see¡­¡± he said as he looked through the names of the students. ¡°Miss Kafsi, was it?¡±


    ¡°Amalia Kafsi, daughter of Kelvin Kafsi, high lord of the north-eastern borders. I demand you give her a fair chance.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not just any noble, but a high lord¡¯s daughter? Alright, if you feel like I¡¯m being unfair you should just say so. Little girl, come on in and take a seat.¡±


    The girl¡¯s eyes grew wide and relief was painted all over her face. She looked at the girl that stood up for her and mouthed a quiet ¡°Thank you¡± as she sat down in the nearest empty seat.


    ¡°Miss Kafsi, please get up and go home. You¡¯ll be taking her place.¡±


    The red-haired girl¡¯s face contorted and her mouth fell open, as did the mouths of everyone else in the classroom.


    ¡°Pardon me?¡± She said. ¡°You call this being ¡®fair¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Fair has nothing to do with it. We are an elite school without the ability to pick our students. In order to uphold our image we have to maintain a strict set of regulations. Letting you take her place is a flexibility on my part. Now go on,¡± said teacher Jack, shooing her away with his hands.


    ¡°Fine, if that¡¯s how it is,¡± said Amalia and she walked towards the exit. The entire class was dead silent as nobody knew how they should react. Everyone stared as the girl strode towards the exit.


    When she was almost out the door, the teacher let out a sigh. ¡°I guess we can make an exception just this once¡­¡± He didn¡¯t think she¡¯d actually go through with it. This girl was willing to sacrifice her own future for the sake of another, how could he not want a student like this.


    ¡°But let this be the last one, any other late comers are out, you understand?¡±


    The girl turned around and started to complain. ¡°That¡¯s not the issue h¡­.¡±


    ¡°YOU UNDERSTAND?!¡± thundered Jack as he tightened the whip in his hand.


    *gulp*


    ¡°I understand,¡± said the girl in defeat.


    ¡°Now go back to your seat.¡±


    Amalia walked back to her seat at a high pace and sat down. All eyes were back on the teacher as he was about to continue his introduction.


    ¡°Now where was I¡­? Oh yeah, I was about to tell you the rules of our school.


    Rule number one, teachers know best. You might think you¡¯re smarter than a teacher, but you¡¯re not. We¡¯ve had years of experience and tons of combat experience more than you little twerps. When we say you¡¯re wrong, you are.


    Rule number two, everyone has to participate in the scheduled competition. You will all be assigned an opponent from another class and will have to fight them at the designated time and place. If you lose you will automatically be expelled from the Academy. You will be assigned 5 fights over the course of the first semester so please be ready for them.


    Rule number three, do not provoke the local Fae. You will encounter a few of them, heck you will probably have to fight some of them at some point, but do not provoke them yourselves. We have a non aggression pact with them but it will not uphold if you¡¯re the one taunting them. Some of these Fae are eons old and would destroy you in a matter of seconds.


    Rule number four, do not cripple your classmates. You will be sparring with one another during your martial training but you are never to use excessive force. You¡¯ll be needing your killing intent for the competition.


    Did I make myself clear?¡±


    All the kids in the room nodded. Teacher knows best, fight for a chance to stay in the Academy, don¡¯t disturb the local Fae and do not hurt your classmates. Those seem simple enough.


    ¡°Alright, the n¡­¡± continued teacher Jack when suddenly a little boy came walking through the door. His bright orange hair and freckled face looked mischievous and somewhat arrogant. He wore high quality clothes and he wore a smug look on his face as he nonchalantly walked into the room.


    ¡°Ah, another late comer? You must have a good excuse to come waltzing in so late.¡±


    ¡°I overslept,¡± said the boy with raised chin. ¡°I deemed it necessary to sleep some more so I did. Please go on.¡±


    Jack face contorted into a grimace but it was soon replaced by a gentle smile.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry sir, but would you like me to get you a pillow?¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be necessary,¡± replied the boy. ¡°I think I¡¯ve slept enough, thank you very much.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but you¡¯ll be sleeping a lot more the coming year. I mean, what else would a grand Noble like yourself do when he¡¯s at home?¡±


    ¡°Home? I have no intention of leaving this place.¡±


    ¡°Au contraire, you have every reason to. You either go home or die by my hands,¡± said teacher Jack as he tightened his grip on his whip. ¡°Which one is it?¡±


    ¡°I chose neither,¡± said the boy calmly. ¡°I am the son of¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give a rats ass about your father,¡± said Jack, somewhat losing his cool.¡±This is my domain, my word is the law around here. You are going back to the dorm, pack your things and head on home. Do you understand?¡±


    ¡°No, I will sit right here and follow your classes,¡± the boy said while pointing at a desk in the middle of the room.  ¡°My dad will¡­¡±


    *KACHOW*


    The desk the boy just pointed at spliced in two. The two pieces flew into the air and the wooden top started to catch fire. All the students around it backed away as fast as they could.


    ¡°Oh, but there is no desk there. Now go home.¡±


    ¡°Y-you c-can¡¯t be¡­¡± stammered the boy.


    ¡°GO HOME¡± thundered teacher Jack. He made a feint in the boy¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Kyaa!¡± screamed the youth and he ran out the door.


    ¡°That¡¯s good, shall I continue now?¡± said the teacher as he addressed the classroom again.


    ¡°My dad will hear about this!¡± screamed the boy from outside. This fell on deaf ears as teacher Jack continued as if the boy¡¯s words were howling wind.


    ¡°So as I said earlier, my name is Jack Niris. I am your homeroom teacher as well as your history teacher. You will find me a reasonable guy as long as you don¡¯t upset me. Some of you might think you¡¯re better than the rest of us but the truth is, you¡¯re not. Your parents are. I will not tolerate cocky or condescending behavior. You are all equal in my class, no matter your social ranking, is that understood?¡±


    The whole classroom stayed silent.


    ¡°I said: UNDERSTOOD?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± screamed the children as they saw their teacher¡¯s angry face.


    ¡°That¡¯s better,¡± said Jack and he walked towards his desk to pick up a seemingly old book.


    ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll start this class with an easy topic: the founding of Halram Kingdom. In approximately 1000AB our ancestors¡­¡±

 Chapter 11: This Years Royal Finals

    ¡°And that concludes my lecture for today. Are there any questions?¡± Jack put down the book in his hands as he surveyed the classroom.


    The entire classroom was silent. Not because they didn¡¯t have any questions but because most of them had fallen asleep. They had just listened to this man prattle on about the ¡°great¡± history of Halram Kingdom and how it was founded. It was a miracle they hadn¡¯t died of boredom.


    Upon seeing the listless children in front of him he couldn¡¯t help but sigh. These kids had no idea how interesting this subject really was. Fools learn from experience, wise men from those of others.


    *KACHOW*


    The entire classroom woke up at the snap of Jack¡¯s whip. The fiery string lashed out into the air and created a flash flare in the middle of the air.


    ¡°It would appear that my lecture wasn¡¯t interesting enough. Please write a three page essay on the three founding members of the country. Due by next week.¡±


    With those parting words Jack strode out of the room to teach his next class. This time of the year was always the busiest of all as there were just too many students. Most of them will be expelled due to the competition in a few weeks but Jack¡¯d have to endure this workload until then.


    ¡°Hay Ragnar. Wake up. The lesson¡¯s over.¡± Ymil shook Ragnar awake.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± responded Ragnar with sleepy eyes. ¡°Did he say something interesting?¡±


    ¡°Geez, I don¡¯t get how you could sleep through that,¡± said Theo with a huge grin on his face. ¡°It even woke me up and I¡¯m a heavy sleeper.¡±


    ¡°I can confirm t-that,¡± added Lance. ¡°It¡¯s impossible to wake him up in the morning. W-worst thing is, he snores¡­.¡±


    ¡°No I don¡¯t!¡± Theo jabbed Lance playfully. ¡°But you seriously didn¡¯t hear teacher Jack snap his whip just now?¡±


    ¡°No¡­ guess I¡¯m still tired from last night¡­¡± Ragnar rubbed his eyes sleepily.


    ¡°Yes, because we totally didn¡¯t go to bed at the same time¡­¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t help it! I¡¯m having these incredibly tiring dreams and I don¡¯t know why!¡±


    ¡°What is it you dream about then?¡± asked Theo.


    ¡°Frankly, I don¡¯t know. All I remember is this vast world of white and that I¡¯m naked, but everything else is just hazy.¡±


    ¡°That sounds lame. Why couldn¡¯t you dream of some beautiful woman or something?¡± Theo was visibly disappointed by that answer.


    ¡°Yes, why don¡¯t you tell us all about your dirty little dreams, Ragnar Forgeron.¡±


    All four boys turned around when they heard this familiar voice. Amalia Kafsi, the red-haired girl from before, was standing next to their desks. She¡¯d came the moment Jack had left the room as she wanted to get to know this blue-haired boy better. He was obviously the son of a Noble, she just had to figure out which one.


    ¡°My my,¡± said Ragnar with a smug smile on his face. ¡°Looks like tomato-girl just couldn¡¯t stay away. What brings you back here?¡±


    ¡°I came to finish what we started yesterday. Feel like going at it again?¡±


    ¡°It was obvious who was gonna win. No need to ask for a rematch,¡± Ragnar shot backsaid, his smug smile growing even wider.


    Amalia couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°You only survived because that shady old man got in the way. You wouldn¡¯t be able to handle my heat.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re so confident in your abilities you shouldn¡¯t be afraid to make a little bet, right?¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°Off course not, what did you have in mind?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s see¡­ I think that the loser will have to be the other¡¯s slave for the rest of the semester.¡±


    Amalia had to think about that one. Considering the fact that he could take her magic head on meant that her earlier methods wouldn¡¯t work. She had other alternatives though, she was the daughter of a Noble after all. Amalia was well versed in many forms of combat, fire magic just happened to be her favorite.


    ¡°Deal.¡± She stuck out her hand for Ragnar to shake. But instead of shaking it Ragnar took the hand to his mouth and brushed his lips gently on her knuckles.


    ¡°Then I look forward to fighting you again,¡± said Ragnar as he looked her in the eyes.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you the gentleman.¡± Amalia answered unphased. ¡°When and where shall we settle this?¡± She¡¯d sensed the sarcasm in the gesture but she couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly flattered. Even though she¡¯s always been treated like a princess, only few dared to be this bold.


    ¡°We should see how the rest of the day works out. We still don¡¯t know what the schedule¡¯s like.¡±


    ¡°Fine by me. Come find me when you¡¯ve figured out a time,¡± Amalia walked away as she said that. The four boys couldn¡¯t help but stare as her green dress swayed behind her. She moved with as much grace as any high lady and the boys couldn¡¯t help thinking that this was one fine lady. She walked towards the girl with green hair she¡¯d saved earlier.


    ¡°Dude, you¡¯ve got to have the devil¡¯s luck,¡± proclaimed Theo.


    ¡°How so?¡± asked Ragnar quizzically.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t you see how that girl looked at you? She¡¯s definitely got the hots for you!¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± responded Ymil. ¡°She seems to be more interested in his ability to withstand her magic. But considering she¡¯s still willing to bet on your fight, I¡¯m sure that wasn¡¯t her only form of attack.¡±


    Ragnar thought about what Ymil said for a moment. When he heard Theo¡¯s words he could feel his cheeks turn red but Ymil¡¯s explanation was much more realistic. Love at first sight? That only happened in fairy tales.


    ¡°I think Ymil¡¯s correct why on earth would she be interested in me?¡±


    ¡°B-because she remembered y-your name,¡±stammered Lance. ¡°She must have heard it when professorteacher Jack took a-attendance.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on now,¡± said Ragnar. ¡°There is no way that¡­.¡±


    Good morning, children!


    Ragnar was interrupted by the most soothing voice he¡¯d ever heard. The voice hadn¡¯t originated from anywhere, it just appeared into his mind. As he looked to the front of the room he saw a woman holding a seashell in her hands. She had long blue hair and sparkling cat-like eyes peering at the students in front of her. The clothes she wore were extremely plain that looked like something you¡¯d sleep in.


    Alright children,  please sit down.


    The entire class did as they were ¡®told¡¯ and silence reigned over the room again.


    ¡°Alright, now that I have your attention I¡¯ll resume with my Real Voice. Allow me to introduce myself, I am Miss Gorgona. I will be teaching you the arts of magic and soul materialization in this course. What you just witnessed just now was called the True Voice. You¡¯ll be learning about it soon, but not today.


    Does anyone know what we¡¯re going to do today?¡± she asked to the students.


    A girl with short brown hair and freckles stood up and answered:


    ¡°Today is the day of the Royal Finals. It¡¯s the fight that determines which class will stay in the Chambers. My brothers are taking part in it today.¡±


    ¡°Then your brothers must be a mighty good combatants, sweetie. Yes, today is the day for the Royal Finals. We hold a competition at the end of the year to determine which class has the most combat potential. There are no penalties for losing, but winning means you¡¯ve earned the right to live in the Chambers. Has anyone ever seen the Royal Finals before?¡±


    A few hands rose into the air in response. It was a local event that most people knew about. It was not only a beautiful fight to watch but also a recruitment ground for the higher-ups. Many of the participants, whether winners or losers, are offered future prospects with the spectating Nobles.


    ¡°So few of you? Well then you¡¯re in luck. Today¡¯s lesson will be to watch today¡¯s fight. The combatants each have their own specialties but all of them are masters of their Souls. I want you to observe and learn from those that came before you. You will find that your current skills are quite lacking in comparison. Any questions?


    No? Then let¡¯s get going! To the Arena!¡±


    *********************************


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 412th Royal Finals of the Capital Military Academy! I am proud to present to you this year¡¯s finalists.¡±


    The Royal Finals took place in the Academy¡¯s Stadium, a large arena with enough space for 100,000 spectators. Tall marble rows of seats were built around the battle pit to accommodate the largest crowd possible. Every seat would have a perfect view of the battlefield and it should be possible to observe all combatants, albeit from fairly far away. The best view would be from the Private Balcony, a place reserved for only the strongest of Nobles who came to watch. The fighting pit itself was a wide grassy plain with a few boulders spread around to provide cover from incoming attacks. It was an open field in order to provide the best view for the spectators.


    The stadium was entirely filled with people and people were cheering and laughing as the announcer introduced this year¡¯s combatants. The combatants themselves couldn¡¯t hear them though, a magical barrier was set to prevent stray spells from hitting the spectators. It also served as a one-way sound-barrier so that the combatants could only hear the referee¡¯s voice. It had happened before that a team got an unfair advantage when the audience kept pointing out where the opponent was.


    ¡°To the right side we have team Chrysos! They are the representatives of class C and are a force to be reckoned with. This is to be expected as their team captain is Max Chrysos, son of lord Chrysos himself and master of his lightning spear. He will rain the bolts of defeat on their enemies while maintaining keeping their orb safe. How he does it? Nobody knows!


    Orca Psari is the team cleric, her water magic is able to cleanse even the nastiest of wounds!


    Myria Arkouda is our prettiest but don¡¯t let her looks fool you. Her claws can cut through iron as if it were paper!


    Annika Streidi is the team¡¯s defendant. She can block any attacks from any range with her might Pearl Shield, the most beautiful Soul manifestation in this competition yet!


    And last but not least we have Lena Choma, the mage. Her magic will make even the earth tremble in fear!


    Please give them a round of applause!¡±


    As the announcer finished the introduction of Team Chrysos the entire stadium started to clap. People were yelling and swearing all over the place, it was a sight Ragnar and Ymil had never seen before. They were sitting somewhere in the back but the sheer volume of the yelling and clapping was enough to make these rural boys flinch.


    At the center of all the cheering stood team Chrysos, a group where each member had a strange hair color. The tallest was a blonde long-haired boy with sparkling blue eyes. His handsome features would make the boy stand out in any crowd, not to mention his winner smile. He was obviously very popular with the ladies, as his entire team consisted of girls, but you could also see the envious looks in his teammates¡¯ eyes as this boy winked at a nearby girl flirtatiously.


    As the cheering dimmed down a bit the announcer continued with the introductions.


    ¡°And on the left side, ladies and gentlemen, we have our other contestants who have worked just as hard to get here. Please welcome team Woodpeckers!¡±


    The noise picked up again as the second group walked onto the stage. This one was more evenly distributed qua gender, there were 3 men and 2 women who each had dark brown hair. The girls each wore armguards and had their hair combed back into ponytails. The boys all wore dark green outfits and wore face paint that made them indistinguishable.


    ¡°This team has triumphed over many challenges in order to stand here, today. Their team captain in Bart Xylo, the eldest of the Xylo triplets. His soul might not be very intimidating but his strategies sure are.


    To his sides are Lart and Hart Xylos, the defenders of their team. They have proven to be flexible fighters when it comes to hand to hand combat!


    And last but not least we have the Toxo twins! Their mastery of the bow has often paved the path to their victory, so be warned!


    One last round of applause for the two teams, please!¡±


    ***************************


    ¡°So, Lord Chrysos, are you happy to see your eldest son in the Royal Finals?¡± asked a red-haired Noble in the Private Balcony.


    ¡°Hmph, it was only to be expected,¡± answered the white haired man as he observed the two competing teams. ¡°If he hadn¡¯t reached this stage I would have disowned him on the spot. Heck, I think I still will if he doesn¡¯t win today.¡±


    The red-haired lord¡¯s face revealed a little smile, how could this man be so arrogant? ¡°But off course, he is the spawn of a Chrysos, after all. What is your opinion on the other team though?¡±


    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    The old man sneered. ¡°Those ugly peasants are obviously not from Noble lineage. There is no way that they can win over my son. Or do you think otherwise, Lord Kafsi?¡±


    ¡°I think that you shouldn¡¯t rule them out just yet. They¡¯ve had to win every fight in order to get this far and they were bound to have run into strong opponents at some point. I think that¡­¡±


    ¡°Just luck,¡± Lord Chrysos interrupted impatiently. ¡°Those peasants will know how lucky they were once they feel the wrath of Max.¡±


    ¡®Poor bastard,¡¯ thought Lord Kafsi. ¡®He must have great generals if this is how far his foresight gets him.¡¯


    And with that they stayed silent until the end of the match.


    *******************************


    ¡°Let me explain the rules again for our new students,¡± echoed the announcer¡¯s voice as the crowd quieted down. ¡°The two competing teams will be playing a game of Capture the Orb. The aim is simple, each team has to get the enemy¡¯s orb to their home base while protecting their own. There are few limits:


    One, the contestants are not allowed to leave the pit.


    Two, only a single soul manifestation is allowed. Seems only fair to your opponents.


    Three, no poison mists. We¡¯ve had some joker do this before and it was no pretty sight.


    Four, do not attack opponents that have surrendered. By dispelling your Soul manifestation and holding up both hands you will be asked to leave the pit as fast as possible. This might save your life.


    Other than those four, you are free to do as you wish. Contestants, are you ready?¡±


    The two teams summoned their Souls and with a wave of released spirit power every combatant was armed with their own unique weapon. Team Chrysos¡¯ team summoned the weapons just as announced, a majestic spear, a shield, two staves and one pair of claws.


    Team Xylo, however, summoned the peculiar objects of their own. Their leader, Bart, had materialized a pitch black staff with a brown striped gem on top that had no clear elemental affinity. The girls held two simple longbows which, when pulled back, would generate arrows out of spiritual energy. The two vanguards, Hart and Lart, both summoned black helmets with odd designs and wore a sword and shield in each hand. Each member also wore a wooden rod on their back, poles that could be used as mid-range weapons when facing someone with a spear. This wasn¡¯t against the rules as they did not specifically forbid the use of external weapons, but crafted weaponry could never stand a chance against a Soul manifestation.


    Right before the start, Max Chrysos did something most of the crowd would not notice. He held out his hand and a small purple sphere started to float in his palm. He grabbed the sphere and pushed it into his stomach and his entire body glowed for just a moment. The spear in his hand started to crackle and some sparks were visibly flying off of this already intimidating weapon.


    ¡°On your marks¡­. FIGHT!¡±


    Both teams were quick to act. Team Chrysos started by raising a barrier, three girls stood around the orb and began chanting an inaudible mantra. They would set up a physical barrier around the orb to prevent sneak attacks on the orb. Max Chrysos dashed forward with his spear extended forward, each step he took left residual sparks in his footprints. He was followed closely by the shield wielding Annika, she would act as his protector for any incoming attacks. While Chrysos might be powerful, he was not invulnerable. Once the barrier was set up the other three girls would rush ahead to join the fray.


    The members on the other side did something of a similar nature, Bart sat down in front of the orb and closed his eyes. The gem at the end of his staff started to glow and condensed spiritual power started to flow out of his body as a blue transparent bubble formed around the platform. The two girls took their positions and aimed their bows at the incoming enemy.


    A storm of arrows rained upon the incoming Max and if it were not for Annika, he would have been seriously injured. Annika ran in front, her shield creating an impenetrable force field that blocked the incoming projectiles. Even though the duo had to slow down, the arrows didn¡¯t reach them at all. As the boy watched the arrows bounce off of the invisible wall he couldn¡¯t help but smile.


    Halfway on in the field both charging parties finally met. The rain of arrows stopped as to not hit their allies and the two green clad men brandished their Soul swords in preparation for the incoming attack. Shield up high, they were ready to parry any attacks and riposte if necessary.


    But the Noble¡¯s son had no intention of striking them. His father was watching and he was going to finish this as fast as possible.


    Get out of the way, said Max in his True Voice. I¡¯m going to use Astrapi.


    The voice was directed at Annika as the other girls were already out of range. She dropped the force field and dove to the right to give Max the space he needed. Max then leapt up into the sky and spun his spear around.


    ¡°TAKE THIS!¡±


    With a thunderous roar Max jammed his spear into the ground. Massive pillars of lightning spread out from the point of impact and the ground trembled under the sheer force Max had just released.


    The green clad boys¡¯ eyes grew wide as they saw the incoming lightning approach but could not react in time. Their bodies were hit full on by the striking lightning and they began to spasm uncontrollably. Their eyes rolled back into their sockets and dropped to the ground, apparently unconscious. Their Soul swords disappeared almost synchronously and their shields dropped to the ground making a lot of noise.


    *Clachenck*


    Max stood up as he checked the result. 2 enemies down, 3 to go. He said to his teammates and he laughed a bit. If this fight continues, the win is in our bag.


    Seeing both their teammates down, the two archers resumed their barrage of arrows. The chanting boy, the one that set up the barrier, was now dashing towards the scene. The barrier he¡¯d set up would last for a while and he had to go help his teammates now. He took his staff in hand and ran as fast as he could.


    The arrows were met by Annika¡¯s force field again, she¡¯d regained her position to Max¡¯s front as she saw the incoming arrows. The duo started walking towards the enemy again as they left the two boys behind.


    ¡°Halt!¡± screamed the boy from Team Xylo. ¡°Why did you have to fry my teammates?¡±


    The duo stopped running and stood in front of this single man.


    Let¡¯s humor this guy, shall we, said Max to his shield. Make sure the arrows won¡¯t reach us. He waved his hands for a bit and answered:


    ¡°This is war, why would I show mercy to my enemies?¡±


    ¡°Because we¡¯re fellow citizens of Halram. We are the very people nobility has vowed to protect. Would you dishonor your family like that?¡±


    ¡°Honor? Wahahaha,¡± laughed Max. Annika chuckled a bit too. ¡°There is no such thing as ¡®honor¡¯. There is only strength. Strength maketh the man, my father always says. And I really doubt you can beat me with that silly little rod in your hand.¡±


    The boy looked at the staff in his hands. It was true that it paled in comparison to the sparking staff of his opponent, but it had quite a few uses. It was made of iron, for instance.


    ¡°Then what about the poor, the weak and the luckless? Why is it that society only rewards strength and nothing else? Why is it that¡­¡±


    ¡°Enough of your rambling, let¡¯s finish this,¡± said Max as he raised his spear.


    ¡°Feel the wrath of the Chosen One!¡±


    Without leaping, Max slammed his spear into the ground again. Pillars of electricity shot out, directly at the boy in front of him. As he saw the bolts hit home his mouth formed into a smug smile. The boy started to shake violently but never let go of his staff.


    Alright, I¡¯ve wasted enough time. Protect me from the arrows, Annika!


    They continued their trek to the opponent¡¯s side as the green boy was still spasming violently. As they passed the boy Max couldn¡¯t help but think it went all a bit too easy, even if they weren¡¯t of Noble lineage.


    ¡°Psych!¡± yelled the green boy and his spasms disappeared in the blink of an eye. He spun his entire body and swung his staff at the passing boy with full momentum. Max had no time to defend himself and he was square in the stomach.


    *bonk*


    The impact made the Max¡¯s body fold over and fly back a few steps. Max fell to his knees and looked up at the boy. He was panting heavily but unarmed otherwise. How on earth did he negate that attack?!


    ¡°You know¡­ what your¡­ problem¡­is?¡± said the boy while gasping for air. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ too¡­ arrogant.¡±


    Max stood up and observed the situation. The boy in front of him was holding a block rod and other than being slightly out of breath, he seemed fine. They couldn¡¯t have grounded his attack, right?


    Max, watch out! Exclaimed a voice in his head. The girls had finally set up the barrier so Lena, the mage, had dashed to Max¡¯s aid.


    Crap! They did! Max turned his head and saw a blade swipe in his direction from the corner of his eyes.


    *swish*


    The knife passed over Max¡¯s head as he dropped himself to the ground. The assailant followed up on the attack by thrusting the blade down at the falling Max, but Max was already preparing his counter. He swung his spear frantically around him as he swatted at the attacker¡¯s feet. The attacker lost his footing and the attack fell to ruin.


    Max was quick to recover and took a few steps backwards. He looked at his attacker and saw that it was one of the two boys he¡¯d just electrocuted earlier. It dawned on him that those guys only faked the electrocution to get behind him. He looked past the boy and saw the other one engaging Lena, he shielded himself from her barrage of magic spells while slinging a few spells back. Annika was busy shielding him from the never-ending barrage of arrows, the enemy¡¯s archer were shooting relentlessly at the shield-wielding girl. They weren¡¯t reaching her but it pinned her in place, or the arrows would find their way to Max. They had successfully separated him from the rest of his group.


    ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve isolated me from the rest,¡± said Max with an arrogant smile. ¡°Do you really think that¡­ what the hell are you doing?¡±


    Bart had started to chant a magic spell but it was unlike anything Max had ever heard. He wanted to stop his casting but he couldn¡¯t just ignore the brother. He turned his gaze towards the dagger wielding boy and took an offensive stance, all the while never letting the caster out of his sight.


    ¡°Do you think your tiny little knife can hurt me?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Off course, oh great Lord Chrysos. It is the very thing that will take your life,¡± answered the boy as he crossed his hands in front of him and placed his weight on his hind leg. This boy was Lart, the most serious of the triplets and the one assigned the distraction role.


    Max was the first to attack. He jumped up and poured a lot of energy into his spear. Blinding sparks of lightning shot in every direction and the audience could only witness a white blob in the middle of the air. Even though the lightning was unlikely to impact his opponent, as he¡¯d already proven that he can negate it, but the blinding effect should provide a good advantage.


    The moment Max jumped, Lart started to move. He took the pole from his back stuck one end in the ground and turned violently, creating a large circle around him. Bart ran up with the stored energy and placed his hand onto the edge of this circle.


    ¡°Eat dirt, you cocky bastard!¡± yelled Bart and the newly drawn circle started to glow. The earth within quickly grew darker and within just a few microseconds water had started to ooze out of the surface. The ground started to loosen and the whole area turned into a big puddle of mud. It was a technique they¡¯d learned in history class, a basic magic circle that allowed farmers to find a temporary water source.


    Lart used this as a queue to jump back, skidding over the slippery surface to the edge of the mud pool.


    ¡®Sneaky bastards!¡¯ Max thought to himself and he quickly dispelled the lighting on his spear. If he used electricity to attack on this terrain he¡¯d only fry himself.


    He landed in the mud and the impact made dirt fly in every direction. But more importantly, he lost his balance. The moment Max¡¯s feet touched the ground he found them slipping out from under him and his body fell flat in the mud.


    ¡®Crap, this ain¡¯t going to be pretty,¡¯ he thought as he braced himself for what was about to come.


    Edited by: Wesley Au (Paradox) and 1Jayds

 Chapter 12: The Nature of Combat

    Somewhere behind the sparring trio there was another pair battling it off. At least, it¡¯s supposed to be a battle but it appeared to be a one sided massacre from the Chrysos side of the fight.


    ¡°You should just give up, little man!¡± shouted the purple-haired girl from Team Chrysos. ¡°There is no way for you to beat me with that puny little shield of yours.¡± Little bolts of sharp stone edges flew in her opponent¡¯s direction as she said this.


    ¡°Not really,¡± answered Hart honestly, shielding himself from the projectiles. ¡°But then again, I don¡¯t intend to.¡±


    It was a strange fight to watch. On one side stood a mystical beauty, clad in a traditional white toga and surrounded by numerous rocks. In her hand was a wooden staff, obviously her soul as seen by the green gem embedded in it. She had stockpiled a large sum of projectiles before entering the fray, as preparation was the weakness of any caster.


    Opposing her stood a simple young lad, armed with a shield and sword. Only the helmet on Hart¡¯s head was unique as it featured some truly odd design choices. Two long strands of iron protruded from the top and disappeared in the nape of his shirt. He¡¯d ditched the wooden pole earlier as it would only hinder his movements and was now protecting himself from the incoming missiles.


    Hart tried to approach the girl but it proved to be very difficult. She was aiming at different parts of the body which made it hard to preserve his balance so he was forced to approach carefully. If he lost his balance he¡¯d be dead within seconds.


    ¡°I got to say, you guys are pretty interesting,¡± shouted the girl, still slinging the sharp rocks at the boy. ¡°You guys are the first opponents to have been lucky enough to survive Lord Chrysos¡¯s attack.¡±


    Hart smiled. That wasn¡¯t luck, that was the result of careful observation and planning. They had watched all of their opponent¡¯s fights before the match and had devised a way to counter the sure-kill attack that Lord Chrysos wasn¡¯t shy to use. His attack not only paralyzed the poor victims, it sometimes roasted them to a crisp. Who¡¯d have thought that wearing copper wires would reduce the attack so significantly?


    ¡°But you know?¡± taunted the girl. ¡°It¡¯d take more than just a bit of dumb luck to best our Lord, he is the Chosen One after all.¡±


    Hart had no idea what the girl was talking about but he really couldn¡¯t be bothered by it. The incoming missiles didn¡¯t seem to stop and he was sure they were getting larger by the minute. He really wished his brothers would finish the job soon.


    ********************


    The plan to limit Max¡¯s movements was a success. Bart had watched all of their fights and drew the conclusion that their opponent had two weaknesses. The most obvious one was that Max imbued all of his actions with electricity. Be it fighting, charging or defending, the guy always relied on his electrical affinity. Sure his electrical attacks were strong but they had a glaring weakness. Anything that is conductive. the mud pool was a great way to limit it. The mud would disperse every attack Max used into the surrounding area limiting his damage output greatly, potentially even damaging himself. Without his lighting, Max was just a guy with a spear.


    The two brothers attacked the fallen Noble without mercy. Lart had cast aside his shield and jumped in Max¡¯s direction with dagger in hand. Bart took a few steps back and murmured an inaudible incantation and small balls of water started to revolve around his body. Lart aimed for the throat, an open target as Max had completely lost his balance.


    *Splash*


    Before Lart could even reach his opponent his face was hit by a wave of mud. Startled by the unexpected attack, some got into his eyes and blinded him momentarily.


    But that moment was enough. With inhumane reflexes, Max stabbed his spear into the ground and used it as a base to jump into the air. Moving with amazing feline grace as his feet swept up into the sky, Max used both his hands to  grab the spear tightly and balance his weight on top of it. He poured energy into the spear and screamed:


    ¡°Screw you!¡±


    With those words he unleashed a massive electrical jolt into the puddle. Since he was in the air, he wasn¡¯t affected, but his assailant felt the whole thing.


    Lart¡¯s body started to genuinely spasm this time. His mouth foamed violently and his eyes were moving erratically. He dropped his knife and fell to his knees, his entire body unable to sustain his weight anymore. The boy just sat in the mud, breathing heavily. He was still conscious, but barely.


    Max dropped his feet back into the mud and took out his spear. He cleaved the empty air in front of him and swatted the dirt off his weapon. He then looked at his fried opponent.


    ¡®This little bastard will suffer,¡¯ thought Max. He gripped his spear tightly and aimed for the boy¡¯s right leg.


    ¡°RAAAH!¡± screamed Lart as he grabbed for his leg, but all he found air. Max had cut off the leg entirely and blood was oozing out of the stump. A piece of white bone protruded from the bleeding flesh and small slivers of fat decorated the red meat. Lart¡¯s back arched in pain.


    But Max wa still not done, he was going to give this boy the most painful death he could imagine. He took his spear and stabbed it right in his abdomen.


    Blood came gushing out of Lart¡¯s mouth and his entire body fell forward. His mind had gone entirely numb but still hadn¡¯t lost consciousness. The piercing pain scrambled all of his thoughts and he desperately tried to grab the object that impaled him.


    ¡°NOOOOOOO!¡± screamed Bart from a distance.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± said Max as he removed the spear. ¡°He won¡¯t die quickly. I guess he¡¯s got a few more minutes to live. More than enough for me to take care of you, I recon.¡± Lart was still breathing heavily but he¡¯d come back to his senses. He knew his life was over, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t prepare the next attack.


    ¡°Bastard, take this! Fi¨¨rum Nero!¡± shouted Bart angrily and he sent out the orbs of water he¡¯d been gathering. He shot them in Max¡¯s direction, eight projectiles launched at once.


    Max spun his spear in front of him and the entire volley of orbs splashed into a million droplets, dowsing Max entirely. Even if the mud had soaked his pants, his entire body was now covered in water.


    ¡®Oh shit!¡¯ thought Max as he realized his mistake. Since his entire body was now drenched he couldn¡¯t use his lightning at all anymore. Max didn¡¯t know exactly how a wet body would react to electricity but it certainly wouldn¡¯t be beneficial.


    ¡°Clever,¡± said Max with a condescending smile. He jumped into the air once again and aimed straight for the remaining boy¡¯s location. He spun his body and slammed down the spear onto the remaining boy.


    *Clachenk*


    The spear met with the black staff and Bart was thrown back a few meters. His back arched and he coughed up a bit of blood, the blow was just that hard. Bart dropped into a barrel roll to safely stop his unfavorable momentum, certain Max was not done with him yet. Looking forward, Bart saw his opponent  running towards him at a speed he didn¡¯t think was humanly possible.


    As Max came within range he thrust his spear, using the momentum of his rush to enhance his attack. Yet all he hit was empty air because Bart had dropped his entire body to the ground to dodge the blow. Unwilling to trip over his opponent, Max used the tip of his spear to push his body into the air and land a few meters away.


    Shit! That hurts! Time for our backup plan, Bart. Resounded a voice in Bart¡¯s head. Bart looked back at the puddle and saw Lart had successfully crawled out of the pit.


    You sure? Don¡¯t you need medical attention?


    It¡¯s too late for me, all I can do is make sure this plan works out.


    Alright, throw the vials into the puddle evenly. That way we¡¯ll be sure to hit him.


    Bart ran back towards the puddle as Lart took a few vials on a clear liquid from his pockets, opened their lids and threw them in various directions.


    Max quickly turned around when he landed on his feet and saw Bart run back to the mud pool. With the problems that particular spot gave him Max didn¡¯t want to deal with it again.  He sprinted as hard as he could but the boy was already on the other side of the middle before he arrived. Max looked around and saw that Lart was lying on the side, breathing heavily. ¡®Still holding onto your dear life?¡¯ thought Max. ¡®How pathetic.¡± And then Lart vanished from his consciousness entirely, he focussed entirely on the magic casting boy. Lart was of no threat anymore, he would die in due time.


    But as Max decided this, he felt the power in him ebb away. The constant flow of energy and power flowing through is veins disappeared and he was left to his own devices. The time limit had run out.


    Uncertain as to what his next course of action should be, he decided to aim straight for the caster. Going around the mud field would give the boy too much time to prepare and Max wasn¡¯t entirely sure if he could block another barrage of spells on his own. He jumped into the mud and started to run as fast as possible. ¡®What is this smell?¡¯


    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    *Swish*


    ¡°OW!¡± screamed Max as a painful object penetrated right leg and fell to the ground. He looked at his leg and saw a knife stuck in his calf.


    *Swish*


    ¡°OUCH!¡± exclaimed Max as his other leg was hit. His mind went numb with pain and he grabbed both of his legs instinctively. He looked in the direction the knives had come from and his gaze rested on the half dead boy. In his hands were little knives like the one he¡¯d threatened him with and realized why it had been such a small knife. They were throwing knife.


    Max tried to stand back up using his spear as support. His mind screamed in agony as he placed the weight on his wounds but he was not going to give up. He looked at Lart again but saw that he had fallen unconscious. Even though the smile on the guy¡¯s face irked him, Max quickly turned to the guy with the staff.


    A single flame floated around the grinning boy and Max realized with horror what that smell was.


    Gasoline.


    Max knew he couldn¡¯t win anymore and took the spear into his hand. He tried to quickly change the shape of his spear into a white flag to show he surrendered.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry Max, but there are people who don¡¯t want to see you alive. Nothing personal.¡±


    And with those words Bart flung the single fireball into the mud. The gasoline caught fire instantly and the entire pool was engulfed in flames.


    ¡°RAAAAAAAAH!¡±


    Red hot flames surrounded Max¡¯s body as he screamed in agony. In his hand was a white flag and he waved it frantically but it was too late. His body fell to the ground, the pain in his leg only amplified by the sensation of burning flesh. Max watched the hair on his arms catch fire and saw how the skin started to melt away. At some point he could see bright white bone surrounded by charred meat. He became paralyzed with pain and his screams faded away. It was only when his eyes started to bleed incessantly that he lost consciousness. He fell into a blackness from which he¡¯d never wake up.


    Bart watched his opponent burn alive and couldn¡¯t help but feel slightly nauseous. He¡¯d killed opponents before, sure, but this was the most excruciating and slow death he¡¯d ever dished out. This wasn¡¯t something classes could prepare you for. He also wanted to desperately check on his brother but he knew he couldn¡¯t. Bart had another job to do.


    He ran towards girl with the shield and summoned 3 little flames around him. She was still protecting her Lord by stopping the endless barrage of arrows. Her entire focus was on the incoming projectiles and couldn¡¯t follow the fight between Max and the boys but she knew that Max was too strong to be bested by those two peasants. How could a Chrysos lose?


    ¡°If you value your life you¡¯d better surrender.¡±


    Annika jumped in surprise as a metallic edge touched her throat. She tried to look around but Bart pushed the knife harder against her chest.


    ¡°I can¡¯t, these arrows would pierce us both,¡± she answered as she tried to remain calm.


    Bart shot the three little orbs into the air and the girls from his team stopped shooting immediately.


    ¡°Now, please be so kind as to make a white flag.¡±


    Annika didn¡¯t have a choice and she held her shield in her hand, forcing it to change shape. A small white flag appeared and she held it up high.


    ¡°That¡¯s better, now go to the edge, please.¡±


    Annika stepped away as Bart removed the knife and looked around. She noticed the smoking circle and the dead boy lying next to it. She was frantically looking for her beloved Lord but she couldn¡¯t find anything. She turned around and walked towards the edge, wondering where Lord Chrysos might have been.


    Bart walked back to the circle to check up on his brother. The two girls protecting the enemy¡¯s orb were sure to come for them soon and he could really use his brother¡¯s help.


    The first thing he did was check his brother¡¯s pulse but it was too late.  Bart shook his brother violently, hoping to wake him up but there is no waking the dead. His brother had paid the ultimate price, and for what? Better lodging arrangements?


    Bart sat down and stared into the emptiness in front of him. His eyes wandered over the half  dried puddle he and his brother had created. Patches of land had dried out as the fire evaporated the water. The smell of charred meat reached his nose and his eyes went straight towards the remains of Max.


    A pile of burnt bones and meat lay half buried in the middle of the circle. The eyes were eerily white and the charred hair was the source for many nightmares to come. Bart thought about the scene he¡¯d just witnessed and his stomach turned upside down. He emptied the contents of his stomach next to his brother and didn¡¯t stop until there was nothing left to throw up.


    He stood up and wiped the corner of his mouth. He had to get himself together. There were three more girls that they had to beat. Weeping for his brother would have to come another time.


    **************************


    Ragnar and Ymil were lying on their beds as they were fantasizing about the fight they¡¯d just witnessed. They had never seen such ferocity and strength before and it was really awe inspiring.


    ¡°Hay Ymil, do you think that Lart guy is still alive?¡± asked Ragnar hesitantly.


    ¡°I highly doubt it,¡± answered Ymil and he sat up. ¡°Max impaled his stomach and cut off the leg. He must have died from blood loss.¡±


    ¡°Geez, Team Xylos paid the ultimate price to win then, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Well yes, but considering the strength of their opponent I¡¯m amazed they were able to win at all. I mean, Team Chrysos consisted entirely of nobility.¡±


    ¡°Tell me about it, did you see Max¡¯s moves?! He was shooting lightning all over the place!¡± Ragnar found Max¡¯s actions to be incredibly captivating. Such strength!


    ¡°Yeah, and I think that¡¯s why the Xylos brothers targeted him first, he was obviously the leader and the strongest opponent. Without him they¡¯d just be fighting an unorganized group of nobles.¡±


    ¡°It was obvious Max¡¯s team consisted entirely of girls that liked the guy. If he were to fall then the girls would give up in a heart beat.¡±


    ¡°And they did, didn¡¯t they?¡± replied Ymil matter-of-factly. ¡°The moment they realized Max was out they lost most of their confidence. It was a major blow to their morale.¡±


    ¡° But still, why didn¡¯t the two girls at their home base not come help Max once they set up the barrier? Team Xylos had their girls constantly shoot arrows at their enemy.¡±


    ¡°Because they needed people to protect the orb itself. Don¡¯t forget that it was a game of capture the orb, if even one enemy slipped past them they would have lost.¡±


    ¡° True¡­¡± said Ragnar pensively and the two fell quiet for a moment. ¡°Do you think it was worth it? I mean, team Xylos lost their brother just to get better sleeping arrangements.¡±


    Ymil had thought about that too, but couldn¡¯t come up with a real answer. ¡° I wouldn¡¯t know, but I can imagine the victors get some other added benefit, like sponsorships from nobility for example.¡±


    ¡°If Max were still alive he¡¯d probably have raked in a lot of sponsors for himself. I mean, look at that power!¡±


    ¡°No, he was the son of an existing lord so he couldn¡¯t be affiliated with anyone else. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if some rich Noble actually arranged for Max¡¯s death just because he couldn¡¯t have him himself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s dirty¡­¡± replied Ragnar but he knew that that was a very likely scenario.


    ¡°If you ever get your hands on so much power, Ragnar, do me a favor and don¡¯t show it off like that. It¡¯d only attract the wrong kind of attention.¡±


    Ragnar thought about that for a moment. He knew how Max was able to display such strength, it was that little purple orb he summoned at the beginning of the fight. But how did he know this? It didn¡¯t seem like it was common knowledge as even the commentator didn¡¯t know about it.


    ¡° I don¡¯t think people would care very much¡­¡± Ragnar answered.


    ¡°Blue hair and strong powers? People will automatically assume you¡¯re the son of a strong Noble. Just be careful, okay?¡±


    ¡°Psshhhh, as if I¡¯d ever get that strong,¡± said Ragnar and turned his body. Silence fell over the two boys again and their minds started to wander to different subjects. Ragnar was imagining the life of a Noble whereas Ymil was thinking about his next activity.


    ¡°Hey Ymil,¡± whispered Ragnar. ¡°Think we can get Theo and Lance to sleep over here? I think it¡¯d be a lot more fun that way.¡±


    ¡°How are you gonna do that?¡± asked Ymil. ¡°The bunks around here are completely filled.¡±


    ¡°Leave that to me,¡± said Ragnar and he turned around to fall asleep. Within a few moments a soft snoring noise came from above Ymil¡¯s head and Ymil knew Ragnar was sleeping soundly.


    ¡®Perfect,¡¯ thought Ymil and he quietly jumped out of bed. He slowly  made his way towards the exit. He looked around and saw that almost all students were sleeping so he didn¡¯t have to worry about being seen.


    ¡®Well then, it¡¯s time to meet up with Master Wux.¡¯


    Edited by: Paradox, 1Jayds

 Chapter 13: Nightly Activity

    Author''s note: Sorry for the delayed chapter, I had very limited internet yesterday. Enjoy!


    As Ymil walked through the doorway he noticed he wasn¡¯t the first person to arrive. He found himself in a strange round room with cylindrical pillars holding up the ceiling and a stage had been set up in the middle for some reason. There were approximately 30 students gathered around the stage and they were each waiting for Master Wux to make his appearance.


    ¡°Name please,¡± said a monotone voice and Ymil turned around to see a man standing by the door.


    ¡°Ymil Idagni,¡±answered Ymil. The man looked at the boy for a moment and nodded to himself. He scribbled something on a piece of paper and motioned Ymil to move forward.


    ¡°Please go to the middle of the room. The Assembly is about to begin.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, sir,¡± and Ymil started walking towards the mass of students. There were children of every kind: dark skinned southerners, pale northerners and even the odd few Nobles strew throughout the crowd. The Nobles had formed their own clique and were blatantly ignoring the other Non-Noble attendants who were just standing about, not knowing what to do.


    Among these people was a girl Ymil recognized. The girl who¡¯d almost been expelled earlier.  With short green hair and wearing a bright yellow dress, the girl was standing to the side, silently observing the people in the room. She was fidgeting with her fingers and it was obvious she felt a little uneasy. A small peculiar creature sat on her shoulder and looked at the crowd with its hazy purple eyes. Ymil couldn¡¯t really tell what kind of creature it was.


    Ymil thought he¡¯d talk to the girl and walked over to her.


    ¡°Hey there,¡± said Ymil as he reached her side.


    ¡°EEK!¡± she shrieked and everyone in the room turned to look at her. She had physically jumped up out of surprise. The entire room started to laugh while the girl turned and hid her blushing face.


    ¡°Haha, very funny guys!¡± yelled Ymil and then turned to the girl with a gentle smile on his face ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to startle you.¡±


    The girl calmed down a bit as she saw Ymil¡¯s soothing smile and she straightened her posture.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± she whispered. ¡°I just didn¡¯t see you coming.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I was hiding myself,¡± answered Ymil honestly.¡±I just thought it¡¯d be nice to talk to a classmate while we wait.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re classmates?¡± she asked surprised. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ Wait, are you that guy that hangs with those Nobles?¡±


    ¡°The one and only,¡± said Ymi boastfully. ¡°My name¡¯s Ymil, what¡¯s yours?¡±


    ¡°Erm, my name is Rena, and this little fellow is Gin. Nice to meet you¡­.¡± She pointed at the purple eyes ball of fur on her shoulder. Gin had light brown fur and big round eyes, but nothing else. It was just a cute little furball that looked like it couldn¡¯t survive in the wild.


    ¡°Puu puu!¡± it screeched enthusiastically as it jumped up and down.


    ¡°Awww, how cute!¡± Ymil reached out to the creature and petted it. Its soft brown hair brushed through his hands as if Ymil were caressing water. A soft purring noise emanated from Gin¡¯s body and it looked very pleased.


    ¡°How does it eat?¡±


    ¡°He has a mouth, he just doesn¡¯t show it.¡±


    ¡°What kind of creature is it anyways? I¡¯ve never seen anything like it,¡± wondered Ymil as he was petting Gin. He¡¯d read a few bestiaries back in the bookstore and none of them had featured a creature quite like this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I found it today and it looked so helpless I had to help the little guy. Look at him, what would you do if you found him?¡±


    ¡®Probably sell it,¡¯ thought Ymil but he kept that thought to himself. This little creature was sure to cause headaches as it grew, so it was best to just get rid of it while it was still cute and fluffy. Nothing wrong with earning a few extra cents, right?


    ¡°I¡¯d pick it up and cuddle it to death,¡± answered Ymil with a wry smile on his face.


    ¡°See?! That¡¯s exactly wh¡­¡±


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen! Wait, no¡­ boys and girls! Please be so kind as to turn your attention to the center of the room.¡±


    Before Rena could finish her sentence a familiar voice had reached out to every attendant. As Ymil and Rena turned around they saw teacher Jack standing on the stage, he was urging everyone to move in closer.


    ¡°You have all gathered here because you were able to decipher Master Wux¡¯s message. This means that you are all capable candidates to join the Night Courses. In order to do so, you will be asked to complete a gruesome task, a mission that will scar you for life. If there any students that do not wish to participate, please leave the room now.¡±


    The entire crowd was silent. Nobody knew what the Night Courses actually meant, but the excitement of following special courses was more than enough to motivate these children.


    ¡°Nobody? Then porters, please close the doors.¡±


    The men near the doors pushed the heavy doors close and with heavy thumps the room was locked away from the outside world.


    ¡°Good, I will now give the stage to Master Wux.¡± And with those words Jack walked off the stage as the grizzly old man from the entrance ceremony walked onto the stage.


    *Ahem*


    Master Wux looked around the room and he was getting ready to give his speech.


    ¡°Before I start this meeting, I want to make one thing very clear. I do not tolerate traitors in my classes.¡± Wux pointed at a young boy somewhere in the middle of the crowd and the boy¡¯s eyes grew wide with shock.


    ¡°Remove him,¡± said Wux with a calm but commanding voice.


    Within the blink of an eye one of the porters had reached the boy¡¯s side and stuck a knife in his throat. His lungs filled up with blood as he reached for his severed artery, he coughed violently and fell to the ground. After a few seconds of spasming on the floor and drowning on his own blood, the boy fell limp and his eyes stared into nothingness.


    ¡°And her.¡±


    Master Wux pointed towards a girl who was already backing away slowly. As she saw him pointing in her direction, the girl immediately ran towards the nearest window but one of the porters suddenly appeared in front of her. She reached for something on her belt but the porter was much faster. With a clean swoop, the porter had taken off her entire head using only a dagger. The girl¡¯s lifeless eyes were wide open as the head rolled on the floor.


    ¡°That should cover the intruder issue. Let¡¯s move on to the main event.¡±


    Every student present in the room had turned pale. Those children had stood among them as if they were normal students and they were killed in mere moments. Most of the students had never seen someone actually die, and those that did never saw it happen so fast, so efficiently. These guys were not to be trifled with.


    ¡°Allow me to explain your current position to you guys. You are here because you were able to decipher my coded message. I congratulate you on that, only 31 students were able to do so.¡± Master Wux looked at the two corpses and showed a slight grimace. ¡°Make that 29. The point is that you all possess enough curiosity, ingenuity or intelligence for you to be here. It could be all three, or maybe you were just lucky, but the fact remains that you are here.¡±


    The code Master Wux had used was fairly simple. As he was talking about the founding of Capital Halram Military Academy during the entrance ceremony, he¡¯d tapped his cane on the floor at specific times. Every time he tapped his cane the next sentence would contain information with regards to this secret meeting. It was a straightforward cipher that wasn¡¯t used in actual application, but it was a good way to communicate with the students that either had prior experience or those that were intelligent or creative enough to decipher it on their own.


    ¡°The Night Courses are a special program that are only available to those that can pass the two tests we set before you. The first one you¡¯ve conquered, as is evident by your presence. Your second test will begin the moment you leave this room. Before I tell you what you will have to do, are there any questions?¡±


    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.


    A single hand went up. Rena had a question she¡¯d been wondering about ever since the entrance ceremony.


    ¡°What is it that we learn exactly, in those Night Courses?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Very good question, young lady. It is not something I can tell you though. You will first have to pass the second test. Any other questions?¡±


    Even though everyone was brimming with curiosity, nobody had any questions that were likely to be answered.


    ¡°No? Then I will now tell you what you will be doing in order to enter these classes.¡±


    And so Master Wux explained to the children what it was they were expected to do. Most of them turned pale, other grinned slightly, but they all knew it wouldn¡¯t be an easy task. Were the Night Courses really worth the risks?


    *****************************


    Ragnar opened his eyes and found himself in the white world of his subconscious again. He looked around calmly as his memories of the place returned to him.


    ¡°Hay Djinn, we need to talk,¡± he shouted at the empty space, he knew it was in there somewhere.


    A slight breeze brushed against his naked body and the small green ball of light appeared in front of him. The orb transformed into a more humanoid figure, assuming the form of the green clad gnome the Djinn seemed to prefer.


    ¡°What is it, Ragnar Aesir?¡± said the Djinn as he looked the boy in the eyes.


    ¡°First of all, stop with the Aesir thing. My name is Ragnar Forgeron, it¡¯s starting to annoy me. Why on earth do you call me that?¡±


    The Djinn revealed a faint smile but didn¡¯t say anything else. He just floated calmly in front of Ragnar, observing the boy with his clear green eyes.


    Seeing that the Djinn wasn¡¯t going to answer, Ragnar continued:


    ¡°Whatever. There¡¯s more pressing stuff to talk about. How many Djinns are there?¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯ve noticed?¡± The smile on the Djinn¡¯s face never wavered and he looked at Ragnar with playful eyes.


    ¡°Off course I have. That guy Chrysos was obviously using a Djinn during the fight. He even called himself the Chosen One. How many of us are there?¡±


    The djinn turned around and floated away slowly. His finger was scratching his neck, as if he were thinking about how he should respond.


    ¡°How should I tell you this¡­¡± started the Djinn and he turned around. ¡°The world is in mortal peril, I¡¯ve told you this, right?¡±


    Ragnar nodded. He recalled their previous talk about him being the Chosen One and that he should save the world.


    ¡°Well, there are more than one ways for the world to come to an end.¡±


    Ragnar was surprised. ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°I mean that the time-loop thing is just one threat of many. You were chosen to find the culprit behind the Halram Reset phenomenon, but others are tasked with killing evil dragons and such.¡±


    ¡°Dragons?! There¡¯s no way, those only exist in fairyta-¡­ I¡¯m starting to see a pattern here¡­.¡±


    The Djinn smiled. ¡°You catch on quickly. Yes, fairytales are all based off of reality. Most of them even depict century old threads that could have ended the world eons ago if it were not for the Chosen Ones.¡±


    ¡°So Thaddeus the Great¡­¡±


    ¡°Thaddeus didn¡¯t exist, how many times do I have to tell you?!¡± exclaimed the Djinn in irritation. Ragnar could have sworn there was some anger hidden in those words, but it might have been his imagination.


    ¡°Okay okay, but what other threads are out there right now? How many Chosen Ones are there?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The Djinn shrugged and he started to hover off to the right. ¡°I only know about the one I was assigned. The one where I find you and help you on your quest.¡±


    Ragnar thought about that for a moment. He¡¯d always dreamt of being the hero that saves the world, but apparently that wasn¡¯t all that special. The whole idea of being the Chosen One kind of felt arbitrary at that point.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we help each other out then?¡± asked Ragnar. ¡°We could form a hero party and destroy every threat together!¡±


    The Djinn grimaced and turned to Ragnar abruptly. ¡°Oh heavens, no. It¡¯s essential that you don¡¯t tell others about being a Chosen One, much less that you got my help.¡±


    ¡°Why is that? I mean, wouldn¡¯t it make sense to bundle together such great strength to defeat the evils of the world?¡± It seemed like the perfect solution to Ragnar.


    ¡°Because there are some Djinns out there that don¡¯t share our point of view. They would rather see the world burn. You can¡¯t trust anyone.¡±


    ¡°Oh come on! What¡¯s the point of saving the world when nobody¡¯s allowed to know about it?!¡±


    ¡°The point is,¡± answered the Djinn calmly, ¡°that I want to keep you alive. I¡¯ve restricted your memories of me for the time being because I knew you¡¯d blab about it to that shady Ymil character.¡±


    ¡°Ymil isn¡¯t shady!¡± protested Ragnar. ¡°I admit his uncle¡¯s shady, but Ymil¡¯s my best friend. He wouldn¡¯t hurt a fly!¡±


    ¡°If he were trustworthy he¡¯d be in his bed right now.¡±


    ¡°Eh¡­ What do you mean?¡± asked Ragnar confused.


    ¡°I mean, you cannot tell anyone about my existence. I don¡¯t want you to die because someone got jealous. Human kind has so many issues, I¡¯d rather avoid them altogether.¡±


    ¡°And what about the other Chosen Ones? Why can¡¯t I talk to them?¡±


    The Djinn sighed. ¡°Because not all Djinns are ¡®good¡¯. Some Djinns would just attack you in order to consume my power.¡±


    ¡°Is that even possible?¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°Yup, if our host dies while we¡¯re fused, our True Form gets exposed. It is the only time a Djinn is vulnerable. If someone were to eat it he¡¯d gain the powers of that Djinn.¡±


    ¡°And you can¡¯t eat them otherwise?¡±


    The Djinn shrugged. ¡°Yeah, because we totally don¡¯t have the ability to shapeshift. I might be eating it as a mouse, but I guarantee you I¡¯d have an elephant in my stomach in no time.¡±


    ¡°I see¡­.¡± If what the Djinn said was true, then Ragnar was on his own when it came to saving the world. He wasn¡¯t allowed to trust anyone, not even his closest friends.


    ¡°Are you going to lock my memories again tonight?¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°Nah, I think you understand how important it is you don¡¯t tell anyone about me,¡± answered the Djinn and he floated back towards the boy. ¡°I¡¯ll even come with you wherever I can.¡±


    The Djinn¡¯s small body illuminated and started to change shape. The humanoid form became rounder and smoother, slowly forming a bright green bracelet in mid air. The bracelet flashed brightly and Ragnar had to shield his eyes with his arms to not be blinded by the light.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be here when you need me,¡± said a voice from Ragnar¡¯s wrist and Ragnar looked at the newly formed bracelet on his left arm. It was shaped much like the Spirit Brace on his right arm and created a sense of symmetry to both his aesthetics as well as balance. It was a green golden armband with a few green beads stuck to it. It didn¡¯t look incredibly expensive but had a simple charm to it.


    ¡°And remember, don¡¯t tell anyone.¡±


    And with those words the white world crashed into the black nothingness of sleep.


    Edited by: Wesley Au (Paradox), 1Jayds

 Chapter 14: Magic 101

    Both Ragnar and Ymil were very tired the next morning, neither of them had had much rest. The first class they had was Magic with Miss Gorgona. The entire class of 300 students had gathered in the same room as yesterday and everybody sat in the same seats as before. They were patiently waiting for Miss Gorgona to arrive.


    Ragnar, Theo, Ymil and Lance sat in the back of the room and were happily discussing the fight of the day before, when all of a sudden:


    Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!


    A high pitched voice echoed through everybody¡¯s mind. Every student dropped what he or she was doing and grabbed their heads as the shrill shriek resonated through their being. Some students even started to bleed out of their noses, others fell to the floor.


    And then it stopped as abruptly as it started. The children were all panting heavily and looked in every direction, looking for the source of the sound.


    ¡°Good morning children,¡± said a calm voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to the front of the room and saw the sloppy figure of their teacher. She wore a light grey woolen sweater and baggy pants that made it look like she was wearing pajamas. Her hair and eyes were still beautifully blue and mysterious, but the clothes did nothing to highlight this fact.


    ¡°I see that none of you are able to block my True Voice yet,¡± she said as she looked at everyone in the room. She smiled. ¡°That¡¯s too bad though, it is one of the easiest ways to attack your opponent. People that cannot block out a person¡¯s True Voice are easy targets for this kind of mental assault. Every day from now on I will test your ability to block my True Voice in a way similar to just now. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± shouted the class in unison.


    ¡°Gooooood. Now then, I¡¯d like to start the lesson. Yesterday, we went to see the Royal Finals. What did you guys notice?¡±


    All the students started to talk at the same time.


    ¡°It was soooo cool!¡±


    ¡°They went like bif, and then baff, and like¡­¡±


    SILENCE!


    The entire classroom quietened immediately. The strength of the word that Miss Gorgona had just transmitted was enough to make their heads throb.


    ¡°It would appear that this class is full of monkeys. Are you all little monkeys?¡± she asked the class.


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am!¡± they shouted in unison.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Monkeys don¡¯t belong in this class, they belong on the dissection table for your seniors to cut open as they scream for their lives. Do any of you feel like joining them?¡±


    A few children swallowed audibly. She couldn¡¯t be serious, could she? I mean, there must be a rule against that.


    ¡°No ma¡¯am!¡±


    ¡°Good, from now on I expect all of you to raise your hand when you¡¯re answering a question. I will point to that student and he, or she, will be allowed to talk. Now, let¡¯s try again. What can you tell me about the fight from yesterday? I¡¯m mostly interested in the magic they used.¡±


    Almost nobody rose their hand. Many of them had seen the magic that was used but nobody could actually say what it was. All except a certain red-haired girl and the green haired girl next to her. They slowly raised their hands and Miss Gorgona¡¯s smile turned wry. ¡®Always Nobility,¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°You there,¡± said Miss Gorgona while pointing at Rena. ¡°What types of magic did team Chrysos and team Xylos use in their fight.¡±


    Rena stood up and looked around the room. Everyone¡¯s eyes were staring at her.


    ¡°I, erm, think that, ehm, team Chrysos used, ehm, some form of¡­¡± mumbled Rena as she rolled Gin around on the table. The furball didn¡¯t seem to enjoy it very much but it kept quiet as he was spinning in every direction.


    ¡°Stop right there, sweetie. If I can barely hear you then I doubt others can either. Can¡¯t you speak up a little?¡±


    Rena blushed a little and started to roll Gin a bit more intensively as she tried to speak again.


    ¡°I think that, erm, team Chrysos¡­ EEK!¡± Rena jumped up and fell to the ground, knocking down her table on the way. Gin was biting down on her hand as he¡¯d had enough of the tumbling about.


    The entire classroom giggled as Rena got back up and brushed the dirt from her clothes. Her entire face was red and sat down as fast as she could, hiding her face in her hands.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll ask the missus next to you then,¡± said Miss Gorgona, only slightly amused. ¡°Miss Kafsi, please enlighten us with your wisdom.¡±


    Amalia tapped Rena on the shoulder, hoping to ease her unease, and stood up.


    ¡°I can only identify three of the magic types that they used yesterday. The most obvious one was the use of External Magic. The casters on both sides surrounded themselves with pieces of their surroundings that they flung at their enemies using magic. One of them used stone dart, the other used water orbs.¡±


    Miss Gorgona nodded. ¡°That is correct, what about the other two?¡±


    ¡°The next most obvious one was the force field created by the shield on Team Chrysos¡¯s side. They used a type of magic that is unique to the shape and strength of someone¡¯s soul manifestation and is therefore called Soul Magic.¡±


    Miss Gorgona looked at the girl with praising eyes. ¡®This girl knows more than the average noble.¡¯


    ¡°And what about the third type?¡± the teacher urged on.


    ¡°The last one was the large circle that team Xylos used to ensnare Max Chrysos and to limit his abilities. They are slow to cast and require a circle to be activated, which is why it is commonly called Circle Magic. They often have devastating effects and last for as long as the circle in unbroken, if not longer.¡±


    ¡°And what about the magic that max Chrysos used,¡± asked Miss Gorgona. ¡°What kind of magic did he use?¡± This was a trick question as even she could not answer this question.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, teacher. That was the strangest ability I¡¯ve ever seen. It looked like it was a type of Soul Magic but it was much too potent for that. Electricity is supposed to need a conductive medium, but Max completely ignored that rule.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Kafsi. Please sit down or you¡¯ll be teaching these children more than I am.¡±


    Amalia sat down and wore a satisfied smile on her face. Rena had recovered and had heard the entire thing. She was going to say the exact same thing but couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it for some reason.


    ¡°Alright, today I will explain the basics of the four types of magic that we use in today¡¯s society. The four types are as followed.¡± Miss Gorgona stuck up and hand a raised a finger for every type. ¡°We have External Magic, Soul magic, Circle Magic and Runic Magic.


    Of all the types, Runic Magic is the hardest to come by. It allows a caster to store a spell by binding it with runic inscriptions, but it can only be used once. The creation of such a device is incredibly intensive and there are only a few practitioners that can use it.¡±


    Someone in the back of the room raised his hand.


    ¡°Yes, boy with the blue hair. What do you want to ask?¡±


    ¡°I have two questions,¡± said Ragnar. ¡°First, in what category do Spirit Braces fall? They have unlimited uses, right?¡±


    The teacher¡¯s eyes looked at the boy intensively, examining the things he was wearing. ¡®By god,¡¯ she thought as she saw the two bracelets on his arms. ¡®Two Spirit Braces? How rich can you be?¡¯


    ¡°Spirit Braces fall under the category of Runic Magic. For those of you that don¡¯t know, Spirit Braces are items found in ancient tombs and contain ability enhancing effects. They are artefacts of incredibly high value that only the Ancients knew how to make. Sadly enough, the Ancients took all of their secrets with them to their graves.¡±


    Ragnar listened to that but doubted what the woman was saying. Did his father make his from scratch? He didn¡¯t think about it for too long as his next question was quite a bit more urgent.


    ¡°That cool, but I have one more question.¡±


    ¡°Ask away.¡± The boy was jumping up and down, holding his hands in front of him of his pants.


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    ¡°Can I pleeeaaaase go to the bathroom?!¡±


    ******************************


    The entire class had gathered on one of the training grounds that surrounded the school. It consisted mainly of grass fields and sheds to store weaponry, as well as a few training dummies placed on the sides. The first combat class was being held here and the students had been told to wait there until the teacher arrived.


    ¡°Hey Theo and Lance, what kind of weapons do you guys prefer?¡± Ragnar had been wondering about that question all morning. He was curious to know what kind of weapons they used and how strong they were with them.


    Theo¡¯s face turned into a big grin and answered, ¡°I¡¯ll show you mine if you show me yours.¡±


    Ragnar smiled as well and readied himself to summon his soul. He was actually quite proud of it.


    ¡°Sure, take a look.¡±


    He channeled his energy into his hands and the light blue claymore appeared in his hands. The air immediately turned frigid and Ragnar¡¯s entire body contracted as the weight appeared in his hands. The golden patterns swirled around the hilt and green gem looked magnificent at the end of the handle.


    ¡°Wow,¡± exclaimed Theo and Lance at the same time. ¡°It¡¯s so big!¡± This was indeed a magnificent sword and if they didn¡¯t know Ragnar was from Sophia Village, they¡¯d have thought he was a Noble for sure.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s all that impressive,¡± said Ragnar but he¡¯d seen the brothers¡¯ reaction. He couldn¡¯t help but feel proud. ¡°Now show me yours.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but don¡¯t expect them to be anything like yours.¡±


    Theo raised both his hands to his face and summoned his soul. In his hands appeared two wooden batons in a shape Ragnar had never seen before. Each hand held a handle that was attached to a longer stick. One of the handles had a yellow gem stuck to it, but the rest of the weapon was made entirely of oaken wood.


    ¡°What kind of weapon is that?¡± asked Ymil who¡¯d been standing to the side. They¡¯d never appeared in any books he¡¯d read.


    ¡°They¡¯re called tonfas,¡± answered Theo and he started to spin them in his hand. ¡°They are quite strong if you know how to use them. I once saw a traveler destroy a boulder with these things.¡± He looked at Ragnar and said with sly grin, ¡°Size doesn¡¯t matter, ask the girls around here.¡±


    Ragnar looked with some surprise at the weapons but couldn¡¯t see how these things could compare to a normal weapon.


    ¡°But they¡¯re made out of wood!¡± he exclaimed.


    Theo smiled. ¡°Don¡¯t judge a book by its cover. Just wait, you¡¯ll see how strong these babies are when I have to actually fight. Now show them yours, Lance.¡±


    Lance nodded and pointed his fist at the ground, as if to punch someone in the crotch. He circulated the energy through his arm and a small round buckler appeared on his forearm. It was a simple design with an iron rim and simple attachment. The only difference with a real bucker was that a yellow gem was stuck to the middle of it.


    ¡°Th-this is my soul,¡± stammered Lance and he looked away shyly. Both Ragnar and Ymil doubted its strength but they kept quiet about it. They didn¡¯t want to hurt his feelings.


    ¡°Not bad¡­,¡± said Ragnar but his face showed a bit of concern.


    ¡°I-it is enough to block any incoming attacks. Did you see that shield in the f-fight yesterday? I can do exactly the same.¡±


    Ragnar and Ymil were surprised by that. This little shield could be that strong?


    ¡°I still think you might have to change it a little,¡± said Ymil as he looked at both the tonfas and the shield. ¡°You are pretending to be Nobles and nobody would believe you if you used wooden souls.¡±


    That was very true. Theo and Lance had used wood because they were afraid to limit their options in the future. Using metallic souls would make them significantly stronger but would also reduce their magical capabilities. Sure, they didn¡¯t know magic yet but that was about to change.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, you guys are better off changing it to something different,¡± added Ragnar. ¡°Like maybe some kind of golden metal? It¡¯s fit well with your gems.¡±


    Theo and Lance looked at each other and then they focused their energy onto their souls. Both sets of weapons started to glow in an intense golden light. Their shapes didn¡¯t change but it the composition of the soul changed substantially. Once they were done, Theo held a white wooden pair of sticks and Lance¡¯s shield had turned completely golden. They both looked quite out of place and impractical.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think this is an improvement,¡± said Ymil as he saw the new weapons. ¡°Maybe you guys should work on it at night. Refine the designs a bit.¡±


    ¡°While we¡¯re on the subject,¡± said Ragnar enthusiastically, ¡°why don¡¯t you guys sleep with us? We¡¯ve got a nice sp¡­.¡±


    ¡°Silence!¡±


    Ragnar was interrupted by yelling of the teacher. Everyone turned around and looked at the short man standing in front of the group. He had a bad case of dwarfism and most students were taller than him, but he was definitely not a student. He had very broad shoulders and a robust face, his brown hair braided to the back and his eyes looking at the students like a hawk.


    ¡°Students, my name is Michael Nanos. I will be your combat instructor for this year. Got that?¡±


    ¡°Yes sir!¡± yelled the children in unison. They didn¡¯t want the same reaction as Teacher Jack had.


    ¡°Good, looks like you guys were properly educated. Let me tell you this right now, if any of you mess up, or so much as complain, you will be expelled. Is that clear?!¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡±


    Michael Nanos looked at the children in front of him and saw that there were about 5 nobles in his class. ¡®What bad luck,¡¯ he thought.


    ¡°The next semester you will all be trained to fight with a sword and shield. After that, you will be assigned groups depending on your personal choice in weapons. Bows, axes, throwing knives, you name it. By the end of this course I expect you to have mastered at least two weapons. Is that clear?¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡±


    ¡°But before we start training, I want to see you guys fight. No killing your opponents, just spar with one another so that I can gauge your strength. Pick your opponent and come forward, please.¡±


    The group of students began to murmur softly and many children were starting to shake in fear. Many of them hadn¡¯t actually been in a fight before, they had only played around like most children did at their age. They knew they had to win five fights in order to stay in the school, but it had seemed like a distant concept to them. Now that they were facing a real fight, they were starting to lose their nerve.


    ¡°Hey Ragnar,¡± said a voice from behind. The boys turned around and saw Amalia walking in their direction, closely followed by Rena, the green haired girl. They must have become friends after yesterday¡¯s incident.


    ¡°Ah, just the person I was looking for, what do you think?¡± said Ragnar with a big smile on his face.


    ¡°I think this is the perfect time, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Then I hereby challenge you to a fight, Miss Kafsi. The loser will be the other¡¯s slave until the next semester.¡±


    Amalia grabbed her dress and gave Ragnar a courteous bow.


    ¡°I accept.¡±


    They both just stood there for a moment, looking each other in the eyes. Neither of them spoke, they were just grinning like fools. Ymil, Theo and Lance took a step back and joined Rena on the side.


    ¡°Wanna make a bet on who wins?¡± asked Theo.


    ¡°My money¡¯s on Ragnar,¡± said Ymil and he help up 10 silver pieces. Rena and Lance¡¯s eyes grew wide as they saw how much Ymil was willing to bet. They couldn¡¯t match that.


    ¡°I¡¯ll take you up on that,¡± answered Theo and he also took out 10 silver pieces. ¡°My money¡¯s on Amalia.¡±


    Theo and Ymil looked at each other and nodded. They gave the money to Lance to hold and then they shook hands. They then went on to look for their own sparring partners as fighting among themselves was sure to lead to some bad blood.

 Chapter 15: Lets Fight

    The outdoor field had been divided into three sections where the matches would take place. By making three pairs fight at once it would considerably shorten the time needed to assess every student in the class. The rules were fairly simple: no use of deadly force, no changing soul manifestation and if you step out of the boundaries, you lose.


    Unbeknownst to the students, this was one of the five required battles that determined if they were allowed to stay. The teacher was carefully observing each students¡¯ combat ability and based on the fighting ability they¡¯d be allowed to stay or not. This was primarily done for safety reasons, students have been known to die in the preliminary rounds. This is why those that could not fight were automatically filtered out. Most students enrolled to Halram Military Academy for prestigious reasons, but those children are often more suited to go to the neighboring schools that taught baking or smithing.


    After the initial few duels had occurred, Ragnar and Amalia had walked onto the field and prepared themselves for their match. Amalia took a quick sip of water from a cup of water she brought along and she placed the cup gently on the ground. She faced Ragnar and prepared herself for combat. They both leered at each other as they waited for the start signal.


    ¡°So, Miss Tomato, are you ready?¡± taunted Ragnar.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m ready all right,¡± answered Amalia with a sly smile. ¡°To burn your blueberry ass to the ground.¡±


    Ragnar grabbed his butt and said, ¡°Oh no! She knows my only weakness! What will I do now?!¡±


    The spectators laughed and jeered at the obvious tension. The entire class was getting excited for this duel. Nobody was paying attention to the other bouts because they were far less interesting, this was the fight was going to be the fight they¡¯d remember.


    Even Teacher Michael had shown visible interest in this duel. Throughout the previous matches he had shown little to no interest in the bouts themselves, only scribbling into a notebook as the fights began and ended. He never praised or reprimanded a person on their actions either, he would just tell the next group to come up. But this time was different, this time he was carefully observing the way both combatants stood, the way they interacted. And judging from their behavior, he was certain they¡¯d both been trained in combat.


    ¡°Ragnar Forgeron and Amalia Kafsi, are you ready?¡± said Teacher Michael with a loud voice.


    ¡°Yes!¡± they both shouted.


    ¡°Then begin!¡±


    Ragnar immediately summoned his light blue claymore and assumed a defensive position. He knew that she could use magic so he was prepared to deflect any incoming spells. As he looked up, Ragnar saw that Amalia chose to increase the distance between them and had ran towards to edge of the designated battle field.


    She channeled her spiritual energy into her hands and a large wooden spear appeared. It was made almost entirely of walnut wood, a deep brown pole with a red gem on the one end, a light-red blade on the other. She immediately started to chant inaudibly, preparing spells to sling at her opponent.


    Ragnar, off course, wasn¡¯t going to let her finish. He immediately ran towards her, and even though his speed was no match to Ymil¡¯s, he was still a lot faster than your average Joe. It took him about 5 seconds to reach her and in that time Amalia only had time to prepare a single spell. He thrust his sword at her hips, but Amalia was prepared for that. She took her spear and swung it down on the blade, deflecting its path just enough for it to pass by her body.


    Ragnar¡¯s entire body flew past her, his momentum making it hard to stop. He spun around as quickly as he could to change his thrust into a downward slash. The blade arced through the air, over his head, and then fell down on the red-haired girl to deal a devastating blow.


    *Cachink*


    With bright red sparks, the tip of Amalia¡¯s spear deflected the trajectory of the blow, barely missing her head. The blade struck the ground and Amalia jumped away from Ragnar once again. Ragnar looked up, looked at the girl who¡¯d deflected his attacks so easily and smiled.


    ¡°Not bad, Miss Tomato. I have to admit, you¡¯ve got some moves.¡±


    Amalia gave him a curt bow. ¡°But off course, I am the daughter of Leonard Kafsi, after all.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t think you¡¯ve won just because you deflected my initial attack,¡± said Ragnar.


    ¡°Oh no, I wouldn¡¯t be that conceited,¡± answered Amalia with a sly smile, and then she winked at Ragnar. ¡°I think I¡¯ll win because of where you¡¯re standing.¡±


    Ragnar¡¯s eyes shot down to his feet and realized he was standing on the edge of their battle field. If he¡¯d taken one more step he¡¯d be out of bounds and thus disqualified. He looked back at the girl in front of him, thinking he should charge at her again.


    But then the three small fiery embers caught Ragnar¡¯s eye, the little flames that were floating around her body. ¡®She kept on chanting while I attacked?!¡¯ Ragnar thought. ¡®Oh crap, I think she¡¯s going to¡­.¡±


    Before Ragnar could finish that though, Amalia pointed the tip of her spear at him and yelled:


    ¡°Fi¨¨rum Fotia!¡±


    A sizzling sphere of burning embers headed straight for Ragnar at a speed he could not dodge. He looked at the incoming ball of fire and braced himself for impact. He poured energy into his feet and thought: ¡®Spirit brace, don¡¯t fail on me now!¡¯


    **********************************


    Theo, Ymil, Lance and Rena had each found a sparring partner to fight against. Most children tried to refuse their requests, as they were afraid to get their butts kicked, but there were some brave souls that wanted to see why having a different color hair was such an advantage.


    The first fights ended fairly quickly. Most students had never held a weapon in their lives and it was painfully obvious who the ones who had prior training were. Many kids tried to summon the largest weapon they could think of: hammers, swords, axes¡­ you name it, they probably thought that bigger equal stronger. They always lost big time to the ones wielding smaller weapons as they couldn¡¯t handle the weight of the weapons they¡¯d summoned.


    One such instance was particularly interesting sight to see. Two boys were facing each other, about 10 meters apart, and were waiting for the teacher to give the start signal. On the one end stood a pale boy clad in green, carefully observing his opponent with narrowed eyes. On the other end stood a boy with dark brown skin, obviously a southerner, with shaven hair and big brown eyes, wearing only a pair of dark brown pants. He just looked at his opponent with a big smile on his face, his half naked body calm and relaxed.


    The teacher himself was sitting on the side with a book in his hand. He was carefully observing the fighting styles and soul manifestations of all of his students for future reference. As soon as he saw the two boys were ready to duel, he announced the beginning of their fight.


    ¡°Emmanuel Psomi vs Ariel Panthira, fight!¡±


    With sudden flashes of light, both boys summoned their souls at the same time. The boy in green held a large axe in his hand, it was a weapon that a lot of heroes used to vanquish their foes in fairytales. It was a large, bulky weapon made entirely of black iron, with the exception of the orange gem in the hilt.


    The other boy had summoned a peculiar weapon, a sword with a curved blade. It was made of a magnificent white metal and the hilt was made of gold, adorned with intricate patterns and a single pink gem.


    ¡°A pink gem?¡± shouted his opponent. ¡°Look everyone! That guy¡¯s got a girly weapon!¡±


    The surrounding students laughed, that weapon did look like something a girl would think of. Other students didn¡¯t take notice as they were observing the other two fights in the pit.


    ¡°Ah yes, how could a man with a girly little sword with a girly little gem ever hope to defeat such a manly weapon as the one you¡¯re holding?¡± said the southerner, his smile never wavering. ¡°Why not make fun of my name while you¡¯re at it?¡±


    ¡°Ariel? That¡¯s the girliest name I¡¯ve he-¡­.¡±


    Before the boy could finish, Ariel started to sprint towards his opponent. His speed was incredible, he covered the distance between them in a mere second and his sword swung down on at the axe wielding boy.


    *Clachenk*


    With a loud noise, the blade was repelled by heavy axe. The boy had been caught by surprise but the sword had been directed at his weapon, not at his body.


    Ariel continued his attack with fluid feline motions. The sword did not bounce back but slid across the surface of his opponent¡¯s weapon. His entire body turned gracefully past his opponent and his sword swung around, slicing through the air, only to come to a complete halt at his opponent¡¯s neck.


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    ¡°But if I am so girly, what does that make you?¡± whispered Ariel in the boy¡¯s ear. His opponent¡¯s eyes grew wide as he felt the blade at his neck.


    ¡°¡­.¡±


    ¡°That makes you my bitch,¡± whispered Ariel and he kicked the boy in the back. The boy flew forward, dropping his black axe and catching his weight with both arms. Ariel calmly walked up to the boy on the ground, playing around with his sword until he reached the boy¡¯s side. He then calmly placed the sword in the boy¡¯s neck again.


    ¡°I think this is my win,¡± said Ariel as he looked at the teacher.


    The teacher nodded and wrote down the results. This fight had also caught his attention, as the weapon the boy summoned was a southern classic, a Scimitar. It was a curved blade with a short range but with deadly fluid motions. It was a hard weapon to master but this boy had wielded it skillfully. That, together with the fact that his Soul Gem was pink, was enough to tell teacher Michael what this boy¡¯s heritage was.


    *************************


    *BANG*


    The large ball of fire exploded against Ragnar¡¯s claymore and heat washed over his entire body. The sudden burst of energy tore at Ragnar¡¯s clothing, burning a few patches here and there, revealing the smooth skin underneath. Some areas even got slightly burnt as flares flew past but none of them were serious.


    Ragnar wasn¡¯t pushed back though. The energy he¡¯d poured into his feet had frozen his feet to the ground, immobilizing him completely. This wouldn¡¯t have worked if he received the full force of the attack, but his spirit brace mitigated most of fireball¡¯s power.


    ¡°Hey, if you wanted me to undress, you should have just said so,¡± said Ragnar with a sly smile as he started to take off the tattered shirt. Amalia was surprised at how well built his body was, he didn¡¯t appear to have a single piece of fat on him. His body was covered in lean muscle and he was taller than the average eleven year old. He then threw the rags to the side and he removed the energy in his feet, freeing him from the ground.


    ¡°Haha,¡± replied Amalia. ¡°I¡¯m way too refined for your boorish methods. If I wanted you undressed, you¡¯d be naked before you could say ¡®blueberry¡¯.¡±


    Ragnar looked at his blade, then at Amalia, and then he rushed at her as fast as he could. His sword pointing at the girl, he placed all his weight behind this charge. The girl took her spear and braced herself for another thrust and was ready to deflect the incoming stab, but it never came.


    Right at the last moment, Ragnar spun his body and swung his frozen sword at the fiery girl. Unlike before, the attack aimed for her chest. She couldn¡¯t propagate the attack this time and blocked the attack head on, forcing her spear to stand between her and the incoming sword.


    *THUD*


    The heavy blow threw Amalia back a few meters and she landed on her feet. She immediately took a few steps back and started to chant again, preparing more spells.


    But Ragnar wasn¡¯t going to let her do that, he ran after the girl the moment his attack landed. He was going to make sure she didn¡¯t have enough time to cast that annoying magic of hers. Even though their power was largely reduced against him, they were still a hindrance.


    ¡®She¡¯s good,¡¯ Ragnar thought. ¡®Not only is she good with magic, she¡¯s also able to handle that spear very well. I¡¯d better not let my guard down.¡¯


    He could already see one spark of fire surrounding her body and he didn¡¯t want that to increase. More flares meant more power, as was seen from the previous firebolt. Ragnar could only lament the amount of power he¡¯d have to endure if she used 6 of those buggers.


    Ragnar initiated his thrust attack again but unlike before, he didn¡¯t use the momentum of his charge. He stopped in front of her and thrust his blade at her thighs. Like he expected, she deflected the blow by hitting the sword on the side, but this time Ragnar was prepared. He pulled back his sword and raised the blade to parry an attack to the chest.


    Amalia didn¡¯t do that though, she bent down on her legs and swept at Ragnar¡¯s feet. He lost his balance for just a second and she pushed against his blade as hard as she could. Ragnar fell backwards onto his butt, his sword still ready to parry any blows. Amalia took a few steps back and continued to chant her spells, disregarding her fallen opponent.


    Ragnar got up and looked at Amalia with a quizzical look. Another spell had started to float around her, but this one was different. A large orb of water was hanging in mid-air, the same kind he¡¯d seen in the Royal Finals the day before.


    ¡°You¡¯ve got some good defensive moves,¡± he yelled. ¡°But your offense needs a bit of work.¡±


    ¡°You have no idea¡­¡± she said with a smug face.


    She made the sparkling ember and orb of water float on top of her right and she made them float around each other with increasing speed. The distance between the two decreased as they were spiraling faster and faster.


    Right before they collided, Amalia threw the spells to the ground and closed her eyes.


    *BANG*


    A small explosion happened as the two orbs collided, releasing a massive amount of steam at their location. A white hot mist expanded quickly and engulfed both Ragnar and Amalia obscuring the entire area. Both Ragnar and Amalia were unable to see anything as the water vapor obstructed their view. They were both unperceivable by the spectators, but more importantly, each other.


    *************************


    Theo was facing an opponent he¡¯d only just met. When he went around, looking for an opponent, this was the only boy that would agree to fight him. He was a fairly muscular boy with shaggy brown hair and wore a simple brown overall. Puberty was taking its toll on this boy¡¯s appearance as his face was a riddled with zits.


    ¡°Theo Katharos vs Luke Skylos, fight!¡±


    They both concentrated their spiritual power and their souls appeared in their hands. Theo placed both his hands in front of his face as his two tonfas materialized, while the other boy, Luke, got ready as a massive tortoise shell appeared in his hand. It was a large green shield that was as large as the boy¡¯s chest.


    Seeing his opponent¡¯s choice of materialization, Theo couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡®This will be easy,¡± he thought. He¡¯d sparred with his brother enough to know the way a shield wielder would fight. Shield bashes, swipes or just simple blows, they were fairly easy to evade when your weapons were as light as Theo¡¯s.


    Luke immediately came rushing at the blonde boy. He didn¡¯t want to give his opponent the first attack. His shield arm extended, he dashed towards the boy by placing his entire weight behind his shield. He¡¯d trained this technique on trees and he¡¯d even been able to snap a tree in half using this technique.


    But Theo was no tree, trees are immobile. Theo took a step to the side and stuck out a foot in the boy¡¯s path. Luke saw this and immediately jumped, unable to stop himself from moving forward. He desperately tried to turn his body in midair as his opponent was now behind him.


    *BANG*


    One of Theo¡¯s tonfas hit Luke¡¯s shield with a loud noise, indicating that Luke had succeeded. This wasn¡¯t enough though, as a second blow quickly followed the first, only to attack from the other side.


    There was no shield to mitigate the blow and the wooden weapon hit the boy square on the hip.


    ¡°Ow!¡±


    Luke lost his balance and fell to the ground as he landed back down. He dispelled his shield and was holding onto his hip while rolling on the floor, tears appearing in his eyes.


    ¡®Crap, I think I broke his hip,¡¯ thought Theo as he watched his opponent flailing about. He went up to the guy and tried to calm him up. He helped the boy up and provided support as the boy started to walk away. He asked a few students the way to the infirmary and then he started to walk his opponent to the nurse.


    The teacher looked at the spectacle and wrote down the results, indifferent to the pain of his student. He was more interested in the weapons that Theo had just used. There was only one person in the entire kingdom that used Tonfas as their weapon of choice, and that woman had been missing for 10 years. If this boy was her pupil, or worse, her son, then this boy had the potential to become one of the best fighters in the entire country.

 Chapter 16: Youre mine!

    Author''s Note: Sorry for the late chapter. It took me a while to get feedback from my editors. It''s longer than usual though ;)


    ***************************************


    Next up was Ymil, he was about to face an opponent that seemed to have some prior combat experience. The girl in front of him wore tight clothing and had her pitch black hair tied in a ponytail. She was calmly observing the boy she had challenged. This girl had walked up to Ymil to ask him to be his sparring partner, hoping that defeating him would be her ticket into the Noble clique. She was proud of her fighting style and she was certain that this normal-looking boy would be no match for her.


    Ymil, on the other hand, accepted her challenge for completely different reasons.


    Both children stood in front of each other, both hands raised to their faces and their feet were jumping up and down. Neither one of them looked at the cloud of vapor that had appeared next to them, they were both fully focused on each other. The girl was somewhat surprised by the boy¡¯s actions, it looked as though her opponent was imitating her movements. She just assumed he was mimicking her movements because he had no idea how to actually fight, it¡¯d make the fight so much easier for her.


    ¡°Ymil Idagni vs Kyra Grothia, fight!¡±


    The girl¡¯s spiritual power surged towards her fists and a pair of bright red boxing gloves materialized around her hands, a light blue gem stuck to her right hand. She slammed the two gloves together and fiery sparks flew up from the impact. Her weapon was clearly imbued with the fire element.


    But as she looked up she was surprised to see what her opponent had summoned. His hands were covered in thin white cloth and a pearl white gem was imbued on the back of his hand. Before she could realize that this boy was just like her, trained in the art of unarmed combat, her opponent had started to make his move.


    Ymil came rushing forward with both his hands covering his face. Just like Ariel, his speed was incredible and in a matter of a second he¡¯d closed the gap between the two. He immediately launched his first jab and thrust his left fist at the girl¡¯s face.


    She quickly ducked, her arms raised to defend herself from a downwards blow that was sure it follow, but Ymil did no such thing. His entire body flew past her and he spun his entire body around at a leisurely pace.


    While spinning, Ymil dropped his defenses to preserve his momentum and the girl immediately reacted. It was a rooky mistake any martial artist would recognize, so she jabbed her right arm at Ymil¡¯s unprotected hips. She put her weight behind the punch and shielded her eyes in preparation for the sparks that would fly up as a result of the impact.


    The blow never landed though, she had reacted exactly as Ymil had anticipated. He¡¯d left the opening with the intention of drawing her attack to his hips. The moment she jabbed in his direction he shifted his weight to the side and his body started to fall in a different direction. As the girl hit empty air, Ymil grabbed the extended arm and jumped away with all his might.


    The girl flew up into the air as she was being pulled along by Ymil and her eyes shot wide open. She looked at her opponent and saw him holding onto her arm. She frantically tried to get loose but Ymil¡¯s grip was just too tight.


    As Ymil landed on the ground he used the girl¡¯s arm to pivot her flailing body over him, slamming her into the ground.


    *BANG*


    The girl quickly recovered from this attack and got up as fast as she could. She immediately prepared for another incoming blow, but once again, it didn¡¯t come. She stood up and looked around, only to find Ymil standing to the side with his hands raised to his head, his feet shuffling about.


    The girl gave him an ugly look and she prepared to attack again. This boy was stronger than she¡¯d anticipated.


    5 minutes of fighting later


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± shouted teacher Michael. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a draw. Make way for the next combatants.¡± He quickly scribbled down a few notes and then motioned the next students to take their places.


    ¡°That¡¯s not fair!¡± shouted Kyra angrily. ¡°Those two have been going at it for at least 10 minutes.¡± She pointed at the place where Ragnar and Amalia were fighting. The fog still hadn¡¯t lifted since it had been summoned.


    ¡°Stand down or I will have to expel you,¡± replied Teacher Michael. ¡°Those two need to fight it out in order to assess their strength.¡± This was the truth to some extent, but that wasn¡¯t the real reason. He¡¯d seen how Ymil and Kyra had fought and he knew that it had been a one sided match.


    Ymil had a few burn marks covering his face and there were holes burnt into his shirt. The girl, on the other hand, didn¡¯t seem to be injured at all. Besides that initial attack, Ymil hadn¡¯t landed a single punch on her.


    ¡°That was a good fight,¡± said Ymil as he stuck out his hand to shake her hand.


    ¡°Why did you hold back?¡± Kyra asked, refusing to take it.


    Ymil looked at her and gave her the straightest face he could muster. ¡°I think you¡¯re mistaken, that was all I got.¡±


    And with those words Ymil turned around and walked towards his friends on the side. He took a look at the large mist that had formed around the area Ragnar and Amalia were fighting.


    ¡°Hay Ragnar,¡± he shouted, ¡°use the cold of your blade to condense the water around you!¡± And he then ran to the side to watch the rest of his friend¡¯s fight, not once looking back at the girl he just fought. He gave Lance a quick high five as they passed each other, Lance was walking up to fight his own battle..


    The girl just stood there as she saw Ymil walk away as if their fight meant nothing to him. It was true that she had landed a few punches on him, but she was certain those were not by accident. The mistakes Ymil had made were too easy, mistakes that even new trainees wouldn¡¯t make. She was certain that this boy had gone easy on her and his nonchalant behavior afterwards proved it.


    The thought of that irritated her so much that she couldn¡¯t help but stare daggers into Ymil¡¯s back. She was the best unarmed combatant of her generation. She was called the Northern Star of the Fist, the Grothia prodigy. Yet this boy had the audacity to go easy on her?


    She was going to crush him to a pulp, she¡¯d show him who the strongest was.


    *************************


    Ragnar was blinded. He had no idea what to do because the mist blocked his vision completely. He cautiously took a few step forward and kept his eyes cast to the ground to look for any boundary marks, it¡¯d really suck if he walked out of bounds right now. His mind was imagining the most horrible assaults that Amalia was planning. What if she could see in this mist? What if she were to attack him from behind?! The mist was enough to make him paranoid and wary of everything.


    Amalia, on the otherhand, was casually sitting down a few steps away from where she¡¯d been earlier. She was quietly chanting and summoned various orbs of fire and electricity around her. Using physical projectiles such as water and earth were out of the question because the ground was too soft and there was no water in sight. Fire and electricity were forms of energy that spiritual energy could be transformed into, but earth and water required the actual substance to be present. The water she¡¯d used earlier was from the cup of water she¡¯d brought with her onto the field with the foresight of using this mist technique.


    So what was the point of this mist technique? To stall, off course. While Ragnar was panicking and walking around blinded, Amalia was carefully building up a lot of spells. She was already surrounded by two balls of fire and a spark of electricity and she was preparing the second. The mist would fade over time but she¡¯d have enough orbs ready to blast Ragnar to smithereens by then.


    ¡°Hay Ragnar,¡± shouted a voice from the sidelines, ¡°use the cold of your blade to condense the water around you!¡±


    Ragnar¡¯s eyes shot in the voice¡¯s direction just to see the endless white fog he was still trapped in. He then looked at his blade, the ice cold claymore that he was so proud of and understood what the boy was saying. The reason dew formed in the morning was because the cold temperature condensed the water from the air. If he were to apply that to this mist, it should clear up in no time.


    The sword extended in front of him, Ragnar closed his eyes and tried to channel all of his energy into it. It started to glow softly and the visibility around him became much clearer. He opened his eyes and saw that he could almost see 2 meters ahead and stopped channeling his energy. The instant he stopped the fog returned again and he was engulfed by the white world of fog.


    ¡®White world¡­.¡¯ he thought and then an idea came to his mind.


    ¡°Pssh, Djinn,¡± he whispered to his bracelet. ¡°Think you can remove this fog for me?¡±


    ¡°Only if we fuse,¡± answered the Djinn. ¡°I¡¯m powerless otherwise.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s fuse!¡±


    The green bracelet started to glow faintly and a sparkling orb of green light started to hover in front of Ragnar¡¯s eyes. He grabbed the light and pushed it into his stomach. His entire body started to glow an intense green light and energy started to flow through every vein. He could feel the connection to the world, to his surroundings, and he could feel the strength that his companion had given him.


    Four minutes, right? he asked his Djinn.


    That¡¯s right, you got 4 minutes.


    Ragnar readied his sword again, closed his eyes and tried to push all of energy into the sword. The entire blade glowed an intensely bright light and icicles started to form. The air around him turned frigid and the ground underneath him froze over instantly. The water vapor condensed immediately and the entire cloud of fog had turned into water droplets, making the entire field visible again.


    He opened his eyes as the cold water fell onto his face and looked around. Amalia was sitting about eight meters away, visibly shocked at the sudden loss of the fog, entirely exposed.


    Ragnar smiled. ¡®I should have done this sooner,¡¯ he thought and he rushed towards the defenseless girl.


    ******************************


    Lance¡¯s fight was right after Ymil¡¯s and when he walked onto the stage he was still enthralled by Ragnar and Amalia¡¯s fight. They both fought entirely differently: Ragnar used his swordsmanship to gain the upper hand while Amalia employed various tactics with her magic. That last spell, the mist wall, was especially impressive and he couldn¡¯t help but wonder how Ragnar was going to get out of it.


    But Lance¡¯d have to forget about that for now. In front of him stood the boy that he¡¯d challenged for a fight. Being of ¡®Noble¡¯ lineage made it hard to find an opponent, and his shyness didn¡¯t really help, but this opponent walked up to Lance as he saw how inarticulate the boy was. Lance¡¯s opponent was tall for an 11 year old and had rough spiky hair. His eyes were dark brown and the clothes he wore were torn in a few places but were obviously of extremely high quality, a quality only a Noble could afford. He wasn¡¯t a Noble though, he obtained it in a less conventional way.


    ¡°Lance Katharos vs. Luke Bellua, fight!¡±


    Lance and Luke instantly summoned their souls. Lance¡¯s shield took shape as the he poured his spiritual energy into his arms and he immediately assumed a defensive position. It was the golden shield he¡¯d tried out earlier, he hadn¡¯t had enough time to revert it back to its original state. Lance looked up to his opponent but he was surprised when he couldn¡¯t see his opponent¡¯s soul. The boy was skipping up and down with his bare hands covering his face but there was no visible weapon on him.


    Luke Bellua was covered in black stripes and his eyes had started to glow golden. The nails on his hands had extended and his back was arched. A golden gem shone in the middle of his chest and that¡¯s when Lance realized where Luke¡¯s soul was. He¡¯d shaped it into the form of an animal and fused with it.


    It wasn¡¯t a common practice in Halram Kingdom to fuse with animal spirits but it was possible. The person would gain the characteristics of the animal their soul was shaped as and fight accordingly. The reason most citizens of Halram were wary of such a manifestation was that it could corrode the mind, the animal instincts would become second nature to the human itself. Slowly but surely, the summoner would turn into a beast.


    Luke immediately leapt at his opponent with full force. His entire body flew meters into the sky and he raised his right¡­paw up high. He landed next to Lance in mere moments and the clawed hand swatted down at the blond boy.


    *THUD*


    Lance, momentarily stunned by the strange soul manifestation, had recovered enough to block this single attack. The golden shield came between Lance and the paw and was able to repel the attack successfully.


    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    That wasn¡¯t enough though, Luke immediately followed up with a second strike with his left paw. Seeing the incoming hand, Lance ducked, causing the paw to barely miss his head. He quickly took a few steps away from his opponent as the striped boy seemed to be proficient in close quarter combat.


    A bright blue light suddenly shone over the entire field and Lance couldn¡¯t help but look at the source of it. His eyes ran towards the blue haired boy holding a magnificent glowing sword standing in the middle of a large field of ice. The entire field of mist had disappeared and Lance could see rain drops falling to the ground.


    *slash*


    Before Lance realized it, Luke had opened a cut on his cheek and was standing behind him. Luke was holding one of his clawed hands to Lance¡¯s throat and it was clear that he was ready to slice it at any moment.


    ¡°Alright, I give,¡± said Lance as he raised both hands, unsummoning his shield.


    Luke withdrew his claw and nodded. He then turned around and walked to the side, not saying a word.


    Teacher Michael, of course, had seen the entire fight. One of the boys had used a fighting style he¡¯d seen way too often to be a coincidence. He wrote down the observations of the fight into his little booklet and then returned his attention to the area where Ragnar and Amalia were fighting.


    *******************************


    Rena¡¯s luck was much better than Lance. When she went out to find an opponent she found a friendly girl that approached Rena of her own volition. The girl told her she didn¡¯t want to fight an actual battle but all her friends had already picked someone.


    ¡°Hay Lexi,¡± said Rena as she got ready, ¡°we¡¯re not going to fight for real, right?¡±


    ¡°Nah,¡± answered the girl, ¡± I wouldn¡¯t dream of beating a Noble. What is that little fur ball anyways?¡± She nodded towards Gin, the creature Rena was always carrying on her shoulder.


    ¡°Ah, but I¡¯m not a N¡­. Yeah, it¡¯d be unfair.¡±


    ¡®I¡¯d tell her I¡¯m not a Noble anymore,¡¯ thought Rena, ¡®but that could ruin everything. Nobles have it so easy around here¡­¡¯


    Rena picked up Gin and showed it to the girl. ¡°This little guy is called Gin, he¡¯s my companion. Here Gin, you should sit this one out.¡± She placed the creature to the side of the fighting field.


    ¡°Puu puuu!¡± The round fluffy creature understood and jumped up and down energetically. He was going to watch the scene in front of him with his big purple eyes, probably not understanding most of what was happening.


    While the girls were chatting, Teacher Michael started their fight:


    ¡°Rena Deuteri vs Lexi Pseftis, fight!¡±


    Rena poured all her spiritual energy into her hands and her soul manifested with a bright green flash. In her hands appeared a coiled whip made of light brown leather with five different strands attached to the end. The whip could snap a tree, albeit a very thin one, from five meters away and it was obviously a powerful tool. A lime colored gem was stuck to the handle of the whip, a color that matched her hair quite nicely.


    Her opponent had another type of weapon. In Lexi¡¯s hand rested a light brown bow with no impressive features. The frame of the weapon was fairly small and it didn¡¯t seem to have much range but if it was handled well it could have an incredibly destructive force.


    ¡°By the way,¡± said Lexi as she pulled back the string, an arrow appearing as it is being strung. ¡°I lied.¡± She released the arrow and with a swishing sound it rapidly approached the green haired girl.


    ¡®Really?¡¯ thought Rena, ¡®you¡¯re a like one of those bullies my dad warned me about.¡¯ She¡¯d been trained for this kind of attack by her father, this seemed like child¡¯s play to her. Rena released three coils of her whip and started to spin them violently. The incoming arrow crashed against the spinning whip and disintegrated into nothingness.


    Lexi didn¡¯t give up though, she immediately fired another arrow, and another. She started to fire as many arrows as she could, using spiritual energy for every arrow she sent out. None of them hit though, they were all being blocked by the spinning whip in front of Rena. She couldn¡¯t keep this up for long though, and she knew it. She would soon be depleted of energy and then she¡¯d have to forfeit. She was only hoping that Rena was using much more energy to block her attacks to she was using to create them.


    Rena had no problems with energy management though. Her defensive move consisted entirely of the physical presence of her whip and nothing more. Sure, it was hard to continuously spin her whip to block the entire barrage, but it wasn¡¯t something she hadn¡¯t done before. Her dad had used every trick in his book to train her, he wanted her to become the best fighter there ever was. Arrows, spells and even bombs, he¡¯d thrown them all at her, ridiculed her whenever she made the slightest mistake. Compared to her father¡¯s attack, the incoming arrows were mere mosquito bites.


    The bow wielding girl¡¯s face slowly turned pale as she ran out of energy, the rate at which she was firing arrows decreased as the fight dragged on, only to stop entirely at the end. She didn¡¯t want to stop, she knew that if she gave Rena the chance to attack, she¡¯d be done for, but she just couldn¡¯t hold it any more. She stopped attacking and dropped to the ground, arms by her side in defeat.


    ¡°That was it?¡± said Rena, slightly annoyed by this girl¡¯s lie. ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn to attack.¡±


    Rena looked at the whip in her hand and thought, ¡®I think 5 coils should be enough. I don¡¯t want to kill her, but she definitely needs to learn a lesson.¡¯ She released another 2 coils from her whip and poured spiritual energy into it. The lime green gem started to shine brightly and Rena pulled the unleashed whip to her back, the five strands lying loosely on the floor. She then snapped the entire cord forward with an incredibly fast motion of the arms making the whip move at a speed invisible to the untrained eye.


    *KACHOW*


    The five ends of Rena¡¯s whip made loud snapping noises as they broke through the sound barrier at the end of its reach.


    ¡°RAAAAAAAH!¡±


    Lexi hands reached for her left eye and she started to sprawl on the floor. Of the five strands on Rena¡¯s whip, only one had actually made contact.


    ¡°My eye! I lost my freaking eye, I think I can¡¯t see!¡±


    Rena hurriedly walked up to the injured girl. She¡¯d aimed for the left arm, hoping to cut it slightly and scare her off. Seeing the girl in so much pain she started to feel an immense amount of guilt, her mind starting to scream in empathic agony.


    ¡°Someone!¡± shouted Rena, ¡°Help me get her to the infirmary!¡±


    A nearby boy came walking onto the field and helped lift Lexi from the ground. Rena and the boy both supported one of Lexi¡¯s shoulders and slowly walked away from the fighting area.


    Teacher Michael didn¡¯t say much, he just wrote down what he¡¯d observed. The girl called Lexi had shown some promise with the bow but would not be able to fight well with only a single eye. That other girl, Rena Deuteri, was definitely the daughter of Sir Ehren Deuteri, the Noble that was defeated by the love of his life. She definitely had the qualities of becoming a great fighter.


    *************************************


    Seeing Ragnar approach, Amalia used her spear to try and get up as fast as possible.


    Ragnar was much faster though. He swatted the side of his blade upwards at the red-haired girl as he reached her side before she had time to get up.


    *THUD*


    The blade was met with Amalia¡¯s spear but it was not enough to block the attack entirely. Unlike before, Amalia¡¯s body was sent up into the air, meters above the ground. The impact of the blow was significantly higher than Ragnar had used before.


    Once the girl was in the air, Ragnar jumped after girl, sword raised high above his head. He was going to finish this with a single blow.


    But Amalia wasn¡¯t unarmed, the orbs of fire and electricity were still floating around her flying body. She¡¯d stockpiles 4 fire orbs and 2 sparks, all ready to be released. She looked at the incoming threat but did not panic.


    ¡°Fi¨¨rum Fotia!¡±


    The four flames that surrounded her flew together and fused into a single entity. A fireball larger than the one she cast before formed and flew at Ragnar.


    Ragnar hadn¡¯t anticipated this. He knew fairly little of magic use and didn¡¯t know she could still cast magic even when she was completely off balance. He looked at the fireball rush towards him but it was too late. He¡¯d created a huge opening in his defenses the moment he jumped into the air with his sword raised.


    *BOOM*


    The fireball exploded as it hit Ragnar in the stomach. A large cloud of fiery destruction formed engulfed Ragnar¡¯s entire body and the heat of the blast tore of the rest of his shirt. The explosion cause Ragnar to be shot back to the ground at an incredible speed.


    Amalia looked at the explosion. ¡®That must have hurt him, at least a little,¡¯ she thought. She felt a pang of guilt wash over her, as this was the most destructive spell she could muster. The cloud of fire blocked her view but she was certain Ragnar was hurt.


    *Swoosh*


    Before the fiery cloud could even dissipate, the blue silhouette of Ragnar shot at her once again, his sword extended in front of him to ward off another attack.


    ¡®That¡¯s impossible!¡¯ she thought.


    ¡°Fi¨¨rum Astrapi! Fi¨¨rum Astrapi! Fi¨¨rum Astrapi!¡±


    She launched the three sparks in quick succession at the incoming boy. Small orbs of sparkling electricity shot out at incredible rates, a speed that most people could not match.


    But Ragnar had no problem with them. He simply swatted the orbs away with his blade.


    ¡®Why aren¡¯t they having any effect?¡¯ she thought. ¡®That sword is clearly metal, he should¡­¡¯


    Before Amalia could finish her thought, Ragnar was already by her side. He didn¡¯t use his sword to hit her, he simply grabbed her from behind.


    ¡°Let go!¡± yelled Amalia, struggling against Ragnar¡¯s lock.


    ¡°Nope, not unless you admit defeat,¡± replied Ragnar with smile.


    ¡°Never, you blue haired monkey ape!¡±


    ¡°Wow, aren¡¯t we articulate, Miss Tomato. I¡¯m sorry missy, but I want to win this one.¡±


    And with those words Ragnar threw Amalia as far as he could.


    *************************


    ¡°That was lame,¡± said Amalia as she walked back to the ring. She was covered in mud, her entire outfit was drenched and her fiery red hair was decorated with twigs and dirt.


    ¡°How so? Wasn¡¯t that how you planned to win in the first place?¡± Ragnar laughed as he saw Amalia¡¯s angry face.


    ¡°Throwing your opponent out of the field is a valid strategy.¡±


    ¡°Throwing me out of bounds in one thing, throwing me in a mud pool in something entirely different.¡±


    Ragnar laughed even harder. ¡°I swear that wasn¡¯t on purpose. No need to look so sour.¡±


    ¡°I can look any way I want, thank you very much¡­.¡± Amalia grabbed the front of her shirt and tried to wrench it dry. Small droplets fell to the ground and the shirt got all wrinkly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you too much. You¡¯ll get another chance next semester.¡±


    ¡°Oh ho ho, you¡¯re enjoying this aren¡¯t you?¡± Amalia dusted some dirt from her pants.


    ¡°Oh definitely. I just won myself a personal servant.¡± Ragnar¡¯s face was covered with a grin going from ear to ear.


    ¡°Yeah yeah¡­ As long as it isn¡¯t anything indecent, I¡¯ll do it¡­¡± Amalia was too proud to pretend the bet never happened. She believed Nobility always came through on their promises, so she did. She never expected to lose this bet though, she¡¯d been trained in the art of combat since she was 5 years old.


    ¡°So what is it that you, oh great blueberry of boys-ville, want me to do for you?¡±


    Ragnar didn¡¯t have to think about that for a moment. He¡¯d already thought of his first command the moment they made that bet.


    ¡°That¡¯s easy. I, Ragnar Forgeron, hereby command you: You will be my girlfriend.¡±


    Edited by: Wesley Au (Paradox), 1Jayds

 Chapter 17: Sleeping 101

    ¡°Take it back.¡±


    ¡°Nu-huh.¡±


    ¡°Pleeeeaaaaaase!¡±


    ¡°Nope, no take backsies.¡±


    It was lunch time and the squad had taken a table in the cafeteria. Amalia was begging Ragnar to rescind his command but he wouldn¡¯t allow it.


    ¡°Anything but that, please!¡±


    ¡°Nope, you will be my girlfriend for the next semester. Don¡¯t like it? Beat me next semester.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s still 5 months away!¡±


    ¡°Deal with it, sweetie,¡± said Ragnar with a large smile. Amalia¡¯s over the top reaction was exactly what he¡¯d anticipated and it was incredibly fun to watch. He liked that side of her.


    ¡°Well, I think you should go along with it,¡± said Rena. ¡°If this is his only command, I don¡¯t think it should be that hard to follow.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, what she said,¡± added Theo. ¡°he¡¯s not asking for sex or anything. Just the occasional hand holding and probably a kiss or two¡­¡±


    ¡°Gross!¡± Amalia was not at all happy with the arrangement, but she had to accept it. She¡¯d have to be Ragnar¡¯s girlfriend for the next five months. He never said what it entailed though, so she planned on the relationship to be in name only.


    ¡°Nah, I can respect boundaries,¡± responded Ragnar. ¡°We¡¯ll only take it as far as you¡¯ll allow it, but I¡¯d really like it if you gave it a real chance.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it¡­.¡±


    ¡°While on the topic of gross,¡± interjected Ymil, ¡°don¡¯t you guys think this food is kind of terrible?¡±


    The cafeteria was a large hall with a single option on the menu. Every grade had a timeslot for when they were allowed to get food. The hall could fit at most 5,000 students, forcing half the students to eat their meals outside. The amount of students would go down drastically once the entrance fights start to take place.


    The lunch they were served that day was not worth writing home about. Every student was given a piece of white bread and something that appeared to have been ham at some point. It was a thin translucent slice of pink meat of unknown origin with a peculiar taste.


    ¡°Y-yeah,¡± stuttered Lance, ¡°I-I¡¯ve never r-really been a f-fan of b-bear meat.¡±


    ¡°This ¡®thing¡¯ is considered meat?!¡± exclaimed Ragnar as he poked a hole in his slice.


    ¡°Yeah, Lance and I used to eat it on a regular basis,¡± said Theo. ¡°It¡¯s a cheap alternative to actual proteins, but even  I must admit this is cutting it very thin¡­.¡±


    ¡°Never heard of a noble eating bear meat,¡± responded Amalia. ¡°Most Nobles would consider it too plebeian.¡±


    Upon realizing his mistake, Theo quickly added: ¡°Ah yes, that¡¯s because our father wanted us to learn the ways of the people. That way we can protect them better, haha.¡± Theo laughed nervously.


    ¡°Anyways, the food here is ter¡­¡±


    ¡°Ola! Mind if I join you?!¡± said someone other than the group, cutting the comment off before it finished.


    Everyone at the table turned simultaneously to look at the boy that had just spoken up. It was the pink-gem wielding boy from earlier. He¡¯d put on a shirt this time and was currently holding a piece of bread in his hands. He walked up behind Ymil and placed his hands on his shoulders.


    ¡°Erm¡­.¡± Hesitated Amalia. Southerners had the reputation of being uncivilized and, on some occasions, cannibals. Those that knew the rumors were usually very wary of any dark skinned person.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think there¡¯s enough place for someone else. Look, all the tables are taken,¡± added Theo.


    The dark boy revealed a very big smile and moved closer to Ymil¡¯s ears. Everyone at the table could see his lips moving but were unable to hear what he was saying to Ymil. When the boy pulled away, Ymil simply nodded and said:


    ¡°I think we can add another chair, can¡¯t we?¡±


    ¡°Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about.¡± The southern boy took an empty chair from a nearby table and seated himself between Ragnar and Theo.


    ¡°Let me introduce myself. The name¡¯s Ariel Panthira, nice to meet you.¡± The grin on his face never wavered. ¡°I decided that you guys would be the best group to try and fit in with, people seem to have weird preconceptions on black people. But you guys are wise Nobles, so you certainly know those rumors are false, right?¡±


    ¡°O-off course we do,¡± said Amalia. ¡°My name is Amalia Kafsi, my father is indeed a Noble. Nice to meet you, Ariel.¡±


    ¡°My name¡¯s Ragnar Forgeron. Nice to meet you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Theo, and this shy boy is Lance. Can I ask you a question?¡±


    ¡°Sure, go ahead.¡±


    Theo leaned in closer and asked in a soft voice. ¡°I can¡¯t really tell, are you a boy or a girl?¡±


    This made Ariel laugh. ¡°Haha, are you serious?! You¡¯re the first guy to actually be so blunt about it. I like you already. I¡¯m a dude, don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Theo sat back in his chair and sighed. ¡°Darn it, and here I was hoping you¡¯d even things out some more.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean?¡±


    ¡°Well, our group currently consists of 4 guys and 2 girls. If you¡¯d been a girl the ratio¡¯d have been more even¡­¡±


    ¡°I could wear dresses, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re into¡­.¡± Ariel leaned forward and winked provocatively. Theo¡¯s face turned red but everyone else laughed. It released a bit of the tension that made Ariel¡¯s arrival somewhat awkward.


    ¡°Haha, I could lend you some of my dresses,¡± said Amalia while laughing.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯d be perfect. I also haven¡¯t quite developed in those area¡¯s either. They¡¯d fit perfectly.¡±


    ¡°HEY!¡± Amalia cheeks also turned bright red, crossing her arms to hide her chest. This caused the rest to laugh even harder. Theo also joined in this time.


    ¡°Anyways, I¡¯m Rena. Welcome to the group.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m Ymil, but apparently you already knew that.¡±


    Lance didn¡¯t speak up. Although he laughed along with the others, he was way too shy to interact as casually as Ariel just did. Couple that with the common perception of southerners, Lance really couldn¡¯t find a way to talk openly.


    ¡°So have you guys seen the bread they serve here?!¡± asked Ariel.


    ¡°We were just discussing that! It¡¯s just so terrible!¡±


    The rest of the lunch was actually quite fun, considering the way Ariel had joined their table. The initial awkwardness aside, Ariel fit in really well with the rest. The children discussed the various fights they saw that morning and they all concluded that Ragnar and Amalia¡¯s fight was by far the most impressive.


    As they were about to leave for their next history class, Rena tugged on Ymil¡¯s shirt and whispered:


    ¡°So what is it that Ariel whispered in your ear, earlier?¡±


    Ymil turned around and whispered back:


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°He said that, if we didn¡¯t let him sit with us, he¡¯d reveal what we were doing last night.¡±


    If he did that, they¡¯d be removed from the Night Courses, whatever they might be. The first rule they had to adhere to was that nobody was allowed to know about the night courses. If someone was known to be a member, they¡¯d immediately be kicked out.


    ¡°But that¡¯s not all, he also mentioned he had a way to pass the second entrance test.¡± Ymil then hurried along, not wanting to be raise attention to the two of them. He¡¯d explain it in more detail later.


    *******************


    Teacher Jack stood in front of the classroom and looked at all the students in his class. He was holding a book in his hand and his long blond hair was neatly combed to the side. He was pacing back and forth as he was giving his lecture.


    ¡°¡­ and because Halram Kingdom is always in a state of turmoil, every citizen is obligated to follow at least one semester of Military Academy. Ah yes, I see we got a question?¡± Teacher Jack pointed at the hand that was extended into the air. The owner of this hand was none other than Ymil.


    Ymil stood up and asked, ¡°Could you please explain why Halram Kingdom is always at war? Why does it favor military strength over knowledge and intelligence?¡±


    ¡°That is because we are surrounded by enemies. We have the Xenth Empire to the East that threatens to take over our land, the Sea Creatures from the north that yearn for human flesh and the Anthropofagos in South. We are lucky to have stricken a peace treaty with Sumire, or else we¡¯d be assaulted from every side.¡±


    ¡°And what about the New Halram Army?¡±


    ¡°Heavens, lord. Where did you hear a name like that?¡±


    ¡°We ran into a few on the way to the academy. Do those guys pose a threat to us?¡±


    ¡± For those of you that do not know, the New Halram Army is a group of revolutionary mercenaries that believe Halram Kingdom is rotten. They don¡¯t agree with the current King¡¯s commands and actions and thus decided to rebel against him. They¡¯re hardly any threat though. Can I continue with my lecture now?¡±


    ¡°Just one more question, why is it that we fight the Xenth empire?¡±


    That was a question that really couldn¡¯t be answered in a single lecture. The war with the Xenth empire had raged for centuries and most documents from those days had been lost in time. It was commonly believed that the Ancients had started the war and the monarchy kept it going.


    But that was then, the reason to fight now was entirely economic. The whole kingdom was built around the incessant fighting and the whole economy would collapse if peace were to be made between the two countries. Without the constant need for metal and supplies, the country would be bankrupt in no time and famine would spread across its lands.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t something I can answer in a single lecture. We¡¯ll go over that next week.¡± said Teacher Jack. ¡°Now please sit down, Ymil, I want to continue with my lecture.¡±


    Ymil did as he was instructed and sat down. He picked up his quill and dipped it in the pot of ink besides him.


    ¡°Well, where was I. Oh yes, I was about to talk to you about the founding of Halram Kingdom. It happened around 300 years¡­.¡±


    ************************


    ¡°Argh!¡± shouted Ragnar as the class finally finished. ¡°Could this class get any more boring?!¡±


    The students had just endured a four hour lecture about the founding members of Halram Kingdom. Jack Niris had talked as if it were the most interesting subject in the world, but half the class had fallen asleep anyways. As Teacher Jack walked out of the room people started to rouse from their slumbers.


    ¡°I thought it was an interesting lecture,¡± said Ymil as he put down his quill and paper. ¡°Did you know that Miss Roseblood actually witnessed the founding of this country?¡±


    ¡°Soo?¡±


    ¡°Well, that means she¡¯s over 400 years old, is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°I noticed that too,¡± added Rena, she and Amalia had taken the seats behind the boys. ¡°The headmaster of our school is over 400 years old, doesn¡¯t that strike you as odd? Is that even possible?¡±


    ¡°Must be a coincidence.¡± Theo just woke up. ¡°That woman can¡¯t be that old, I mean, did you look at her? She¡¯s too hot to be 400 years old¡±


    ¡°I-I think that s-she might just b-be her descendant, t-that¡¯s all.¡± Lance had stayed awake throughout the lecture.


    ¡°Who cares?!¡± exclaimed Ragnar, obviously bored with this talk. ¡°Let¡¯s go grab some dinner, I¡¯m starving.¡±


    ¡°Shall we wake up the other two,¡± asked Ymil as he pointed at the sleeping Amalia and Ariel.


    Ragnar grinned. ¡°I¡¯ll wake up Amalia, just wait.¡±


    Ragnar took dipped his finger in a pot of ink and smeared some of it on Amalia¡¯s forehead. He drew a large blue stripe on her forehead, then proceeded to draw cat whiskers around her nose. Once he was done he wipes his hands on a piece of paper and leaned in closer to her ear.


    ¡°Oh honey,¡± he whispered quietly, ¡°it¡¯s time to wake up.¡± He gently shook her arm and Amalia¡¯s eyes opened, staring drowsily into empty space.


    As she realized where she was, she straightened herself and said:


    ¡°That was very gentlemanly of you, Ragnar. I thought you¡¯d pull a prank on me for sure.¡±


    ¡°Me, pull a prank? Never!¡± Ragnar tried to feign innocence by looking in every direction. ¡°Oh, and by the way. Could you meow for me a bit?¡±


    ¡°Meow?¡± She had no idea what he was talking about.


    The moment she said that word the rest couldn¡¯t help but laugh. The quizzical look on Amalia¡¯s face made the ink-drawn whiskers look even more hilarious. Even Ragnar couldn¡¯t hold a straight face and laughed as loud as he could.


    ¡°What the heck is so funny?!¡±


    ¡°Nothing, nothing. Just make sure to wash your face tonight.¡±


    ¡°What did you do, Ragnar?!¡± Amalia grabbed her face with both her hands but couldn¡¯t feel anything wrong. When she withdrew her hands she noticed a smear of ink on her fingers. Upon realizing what had happened, her face turned bright red with anger.


    ¡°RAGNAR!¡±


    But Ragnar was already for gone by then. He ran out of the classroom the moment she grabbed her face.


    ¡°GET BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE PIECE OF¡­¡±


    ¡°Watch your language,¡± said a drowsy voice from beside her. The loud laughter had awoken Ariel. ¡°Cursing isn¡¯t very lady-like.¡± He looked at Amalia and saw the blue smears on her face.


    ¡°Pfft, but neither is that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯m going to fry him to smithereens. Rena, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Amalia stalked out of the classroom while stomping her feet onto the floor. Rena quietly followed after her, she was afraid of what Amalia might do next.

 Chapter 18: Missing Name

    ¡°Come Ragnar, take a seat!¡±


    ¡°No thank you, I¡¯m comfortable here as it is.¡±


    The gang had gathered in the cafeteria hall and had claimed a table for themselves. Amalia had tried to wipe off the ink on her face but there were still a few smears here and there. They were all eating dinner, some kind of rice porridge, but Ragnar didn¡¯t join them.


    ¡°Serves you right,¡± said Amalia, still upset about what had happened. ¡°That¡¯s what you get when you mess with me.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to actually fry my butt, you know!¡± But Ragnar knew he got what he deserved. ¡°Those were my best pants!¡±


    ¡°When you play with fire, you will get burned,¡± said Ariel with a sly smile. ¡°I think this is the most appropriate saying for this situation, isn¡¯t that right, Miss Burns?¡±


    Amalia looked at the boy and didn¡¯t understand what he was getting at. Sure, she favored fire magic, but that wasn¡¯t really a big deal, was it?


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know? Your family name, Kafsi, it means ¡®burning¡¯ in the language of the Ancients.¡±


    ¡°Are you serious?¡±


    ¡°Yup, just like my name means ¡®panther¡¯ and the Rena¡¯s name means ¡®second¡¯. All Halram family names are based off of the language of the Ancients.¡±


    ¡°Awefome! What doef our name mean?¡± asked Theo with his mouth full.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know every name, sorry¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all right,¡± said Rena, ¡°it¡¯s pretty cool that you knew some of ours. What do you think it means?¡±


    ¡°I got no clue, it might be so-¡°


    ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the blue haired dweeb and his lackeys.¡± Before Ariel could finish he was interrupted by the voice of a cocky Noble youth.


    Everybody at the table turned around and looked at the source of the voice. Ragnar and Ymil immediately recognized him as the boy who they¡¯d fought with in the dorms two days ago. Aleks¡­. They really couldn¡¯t remember his name.


    Behind the boy stood two other students that Ymil and Lance recognized instantly. One of them was the black haired beauty Kyra Grothia, the girl Ymil had fought. The other person was the beastly Luke Bellua, the one that had beaten Lance. Kyra was staring daggers at Ymil as she stood behind the blond Noble, she still hadn¡¯t forgiven him.


    ¡°Oh my, it¡¯s the great Aleks of puddingsville. Come here to get a proper beating, did you?¡± Ragnar walked in front of the boy and looked him straight in the eyes. ¡°What happened to your lackeys? Did they drown in your cockiness?¡±


    Alex¡¯s face turned bright red as this boy insulted him. Did anyone really dare to insult Alex Chrysos? With great effort he was able to maintain his composure and the red in his face faded.


    ¡°Oh those two,¡± he said. ¡°They went to check our next matches. Honestly, that¡¯s all those goons are good for. I told them that, if they didn¡¯t make the first cut, they didn¡¯t have to bother coming back to me.¡±


    ¡°First cut?¡± asked Ragnar, honestly not knowing what he was talking about..


    ¡°Yeah, those that¡­ wait a minute, you really don¡¯t know? What kind of peasants are you?!¡± Alex faced the two behind him and said, ¡°Look at these losers, they don¡¯t even know how this thing works! Hahaha.¡± The trio started to laugh at the group¡¯s incompetence.


    ¡°I¡¯m willing to tell you, but it¡¯ll cost you.¡±


    Ragnar didn¡¯t really feel like striking a deal. Neither did the rest of the group for that matter.


    ¡°Screw you, we¡¯ll go check ourselves. Guys, let¡¯s go!¡±


    Everyone at the table quickly got up and stormed past the blond boy and his friends. As Ragnar walked past him, Alex stuck out a foot, hoping to trip the guy. Alas, Ragnar saw it coming and kicked it as hard as he could.


    ¡°Ouch! Why you¡­.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± said Ragnar as he feigned innocence, ¡°I didn¡¯t see you there.¡± The group walked away without paying any more attention to the blond boy stomping his feet in rage. They walked straight to the bulletin board to see who their next opponent were going to be.


    *******************


    ¡°Yes!¡± shouted Theo and Ariel as they saw their names on the board. Everyone¡¯s name and picture hung on the board and were matched with other students. To avoid internal conflict, no matches would happen between students of the same classroom. When Theo and Ariel saw the pictures of their opponents they were relieved to find out they weren¡¯t nobles.


    ¡°Seems like you guys got good picks, let me see¡­.¡± Amalia scoured the entire board for her name and picture. It wasn¡¯t incredibly hard to find as she was the only one with red hair in the entire student body. ¡°Found me, looks like I got lucky as well.¡±


    ¡°Same here,¡± said Ragnar, ¡°I get to fight some country bumpkin. Just look at his face!¡±


    ¡°My opponent isn¡¯t noteworthy either,¡± said Rena, secretly relieved that her first fight wasn¡¯t going to be difficult.


    ¡°Puu puu!¡± Gin was jumping excitedly on Rena¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°Well this is strange,¡± said Ymil as he found his name. ¡°I thought we wouldn¡¯t be paired up with someone from our own class.¡±


    ¡°How on earth would you¡­ Oh, I see¡­.¡± Theo¡¯s words trailed off as he saw the opponent Ymil would be facing. He didn¡¯t think Ymil would recognize a random face from their class, but this one kind of stood out.


    ¡°Who¡¯s he fighting?¡± Theo¡¯s reaction only made Amalia that much more curious. She didn¡¯t recognize the face on the photo though. ¡°Who is he?¡±


    Everyone gathered round to see who it was, but only Amalia and Ragnar didn¡¯t recognize him.


    ¡°Yup, that¡¯s Luke alright,¡± said Ariel as he took a step back. ¡°Talk about good luck.¡±


    ¡°Good luck? Didn¡¯t you see how badly he beat Lance this morning?! How is Ymil supposed to fight that?¡± Rena had seen the fight and she¡¯d felt sorry for Lance who was getting his ass handed to him. Lance had lost in a mere instant.


    ¡°H-hey g-guys¡­.¡± Said a soft voice from behind.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes turned to Lance, the blond boy had turned completely pale. ¡°W-what happens to you i-if your n-name isn¡¯t o-on t-there?¡±


    There was no way, was there? Everyone immediately turned to the board and started looking for Lance¡¯s name and picture. They each ran to a specific column and frantically looked for Lance¡¯s name.


    After ten minutes of searching they still hadn¡¯t found Lance¡¯s name yet. How difficult could it be to find the picture of a blond boy among a world of brown and black haired youths?


    ¡°I think this is what that Alex dude was getting at,¡± said Ymil as he looked over the same column a billionth time. ¡°I guess that means this morning¡¯s fights actually did matter¡­.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no way right?¡± Theo was beginning to get desperate, he even took  to scratching the pictures to see if there was blond hair underneath. ¡°I mean, they would have told us, right? They must have told us, right?!¡±


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    ¡°Calm down, we should go ask a teacher about this.¡±


    ¡°Yes, we¡¯ll ask the teacher and he¡¯ll tell us it¡¯s all a mistake. He¡¯ll make sure that Lance gets his fight and then¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Theo, there¡¯s no point in talking like that. We have to find teacher Michael, right now.¡±


    ****************************


    ¡°Is Teacher Michael available right now?¡± asked Ymil to the girl behind the desk.


    The group had gone to the Teacher¡¯s Building, an office building where every teacher held office. It was a magnificently white building featuring marble pillars and exquisite sculptures. Every teacher had a sculpture made of them and were all featured in the waiting hall of the building.


    The girl behind the building¡¯s desk wasn¡¯t very helpful though. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m afraid Teacher Michael is out of office today. Please leave a message after the beep. BEEP!¡±


    ¡°Could you tell us when he¡¯s available again?¡±


    ¡°Not until next week, I¡¯m afraid. There are rumors of wild fae running around the city and Teacher Michael was assigned to clean it up.¡±


    ¡°Are there any other teachers that could help us, then? We¡¯re here to talk about a missing name from the Bulletin Board.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not possible, most teachers¡­.¡±


    As the girl was talking, she suddenly stopped mid sentence as a man and woman walk into the room. The woman wore an elegant dress that ran all the way to the ground. Her bare shoulders displayed the tanned smooth skin of the black haired beauty that wore it. She walked with a straight back and every step exuded with so much feminine grace that everyone in the waiting room fell silent. It was a woman they all remembered from their entrance ceremony, this was Delilah Roseblood, headmaster of the school.


    ¡°Welcome back, Master Roseblood. Master Berserk.¡± The girl fell to her knees instantly and kneeled in respect to the people before her.


    ¡°How many times do I have to tell you, Dorothy, just call me Ted. It sounds so much nicer.¡±


    This voice came from Miss Roseblood¡¯s chaperone, a tall handsome man with combed back hair. He was wearing pitch black clothes and bright white shirt. If the children knew any better, they¡¯d have known this was called a Tuxedo, but that was far beyond them. This dark blue eyes and small scar on his left cheek only made the man look that much more handsome, and mysterious.


    ¡°I could never¡­¡± began the cleric girl.


    ¡°You worry too much,¡± said Delilah and a faint smile appeared on her face. ¡°Don¡¯t treat him as a stranger. He¡¯s my husband, after all.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, milady. I apologize. How may I be of service?¡±


    Ted looked around the room and observed the seven children sitting in the room. He looked at each student individually, his eyes taking in every detail about these students as they could.


    ¡°PUUUUUUU!¡±


    Gin screeched as Ted¡¯s eyes looked in Rena¡¯s direction. The little creature fell to the ground and dashed towards the nearest statue to hide.


    A soft and gentle smile appeared on Ted¡¯s face and then his attention shot to Ragnar. The bracelet around Ragnar¡¯s wrist started to shake heavily as the man stared at the blue haired boy.


    Ted nodded and turned to Delilah. ¡°It would seem that these children were before us, why not let them go first?¡±


    Delilah also looked at the children and noticed the same things Ted had. The bracelet on Ragnar¡¯s arm started to shake even more as Delilah looked in Ragnar¡¯s direction. Gin was nowhere to be found.


    ¡°That would only be fair,¡± she said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you help them first, Dorothy?¡±


    ¡°But madam, these kids are looking for Teacher Michael. They¡¯re here about a missing name¡­.¡±


    ¡°A missing name, you say? I can explain that to them, it isn¡¯t all that hard.¡±


    She turned around and walked up to Lance. Her dress swaying back and forth with every step. She pressed a finger to his lips and said:


    ¡°It means, little one, that you were deemed unfit for combat. It isn¡¯t anything bad, you could always enroll into a gardening school, for example. You could even live the life you were meant to live.¡±


    ¡°That, or you could switch places with your brother when no-one is looking,¡± added Ted. He too walked into the room.


    Lance¡¯s mind had gone completely numb. He already had difficulty dealing with strangers as it is, but these two were such overwhelming presences that he could not say anything to what the woman was saying.


    ¡°There¡¯s got to be another way!¡± shouted Theo.


    ¡°Not really, sweetie,¡± said Delilah, ¡°These rules were implemented to minimize casualties in the future. It¡¯s really for your own good.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Theo really wanted to protest but he couldn¡¯t find the words. He¡¯d known the school was incredibly strict in this regard but he never imagined that his twin brother would be kicked out so easily.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s all right, Theo. I was never fit t-to become a fighter anyways.¡± Lance place a hand on Theo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I-I think I¡¯ll be better o-off going to a-another school.¡±


    ¡°Alright,¡± said Theo and he hung his head in defeat.


    ¡°Glad that you¡¯re taking it so well, kid,¡± said Ted.


    ¡°If that¡¯s all, Ted and I will be going now.¡± Delilah turned around and walked towards the well-dressed man. Ted held out his arm and said:


    ¡°Madam?¡±


    The woman linked her arm in his and together they walked away from the waiting area. But just as they¡¯re about to leave, Delilah turned around and said, ¡°And don¡¯t worry, ¡®Lance¡¯, the future isn¡¯t set in stone.¡± And they disappeared into the hallway.


    When the duo left, the children realized they¡¯d been holding their breaths the whole time. They all took long deep breaths and looked at each other confusedly.


    ¡°What just happened?¡± asked Rena, gasping between words.


    ¡°I have no idea,¡± said Ariel, ¡°I¡¯ve never met people with so much¡­ presence before.¡±


    ¡°They were Master Roseblood and Master Berserk,¡± answered the clerical girl. ¡°I¡¯ve only seen pictures of them before. This is the first time in ages that they¡¯ve come back to campus. The fact that she was there for the entrance ceremony was unheard off. But you got your answer, off you go.¡±


    The girl shooed the children away and they all left quietly. They were all contemplating the things that were said. Lance would have to leave, and there was no way around it.

 Chapter 19: Nightly Activity 2

    Edited by: Wesley Au (Paradox)


    The boys and girls had split up as they went back to the dormitories. They were all going to see Lance off tomorrow but they also decided it was best to get a good night¡¯s rest. They still had to beat their assigned opponents.


    While they were at it, Ragnar arranged for Theo, Lance and Ariel to sleep in the bunks next to him and Ymil.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± said Ragnar to the children lying in the beds next to theirs. ¡°Would you mind giving us these bunks? We¡¯d really appreciate it.¡±


    ¡°Who do you think you are? Ordering us out of our beds like this?!¡±


    ¡°See my hair color, you don¡¯t want to upset a Noble, now would you?¡± Ragnar revealed a sly smile.


    ¡°Urgh,¡± said one of the boys. ¡°Alright¡­ Stupid Nobility¡­.¡±


    ¡°What was that?¡±


    ¡°I mean, off course, my liege¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s better, now off you go.¡±


    When the three boys walked away with their things packed, Ymil whispered in Ragnar¡¯s ear:


    ¡°I really hope this won¡¯t bite you in the butt later.¡±


    Ragnar turned round and said, ¡°If I¡¯m going to be a Noble, I¡¯ll have to act like one. Being a pompous ass is a necessity.¡±


    ¡°Sure, but what if they find out you¡¯re not?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see when the time comes.¡± Ragnar turned to his friends and said, ¡°Here, take these bunks. Those gentlemen were nice enough to warm them up for you.¡±


    Theo, Lance and Ariel looked at each other and nodded. Theo and Lance crept into the same bed while Ariel lay on the bottom bunk.


    ¡°Why not take your own bed?¡± asked Ragnar as he looked at the empty bunk.


    ¡°Habit,¡± said Theo, ¡°Lance and I have always slept in the same bed, we tend to prefer it this way. It reminds us that we will always have each other.¡± As he said that he tightened his embrace around his brother. Small streams of water fell down Theo¡¯s face as he looked up at the ceiling.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s going to b-be all right,¡± said Lance, seeing his brother weep for his sake. ¡°W-we always said I-I¡¯d go to Kipos School i-if this didn¡¯t w-work out.¡±


    ¡°I know, it doesn¡¯t mean it makes this easier. I should come with you! I¡¯ll drop out and¡­¡±


    ¡°No, Theo, you really shouldn¡¯t. D-don¡¯t give up your future for my sake. You¡¯ve already done s-so much for me.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°No buts, I-I can handle myself. Kolimpri c-can¡¯t find us here.¡±


    ¡°It just isn¡¯t fair! Why must this happen to us?! I Swore I¡¯d protect you!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± said Ariel, ¡°did you just say Kolimpri? Does that mean¡­?¡±


    ¡°You recognize the bastard¡¯s name?¡± Theo got angry at just the thought of Kolimpri again. He released his brother, sat up and cleared the tears from his eyes.


    ¡°I guess that means you know where we¡¯re from. Could you keep that a secret for now? We don¡¯t want our past to start haunting us.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± said Ariel, nodding understandingly.


    ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Ragnar had no idea what was going on.


    Ymil could understand Theo¡¯s point of view. ¡°We should really get some sleep. Tomorrow will be an important day for us. Theo can explain it to us some other time.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Ragnar looked at Ymil and was met with a pair of eyes that said to shut up. He immediately understood and dropped the subject.


    ¡°I guess sleeping sounds like a good idea¡­.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll tell you about it some other time. Let¡¯s sleep for now.¡±


    ¡°Good night!¡± they all said and then lay on their beds hoping to fall asleep.


    Ragnar was imagining how he was going to beat his opponent of the next day while Ymil was wondering what Kolumpri could actually mean. Theo and Lance, on the other hand, tried to think of happy things to drown out the sorrowful memories from their childhood.


    It took a while but soon everyone was sound asleep. Well, almost everyone.


    ¡°Pshh, Ymil,¡± whispered a soft voice.


    Ymil turned around and found that Ariel was standing next to his bed.


    ¡°Hey mister sleepyhead, we got something to discuss.¡±


    It took Ymil a moment to realize what was happening, but as the words came through he sat up.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to explain the Night Course test, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Shhh, yes, I already told Rena to wait for us outside. We should discuss this where no one can hear us.¡±


    Ymil nodded and got out of bed. He placed his pillow underneath his sheets and checked to see if anyone was watching. To his relief they were all asleep.


    ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go.¡±


    ***************************


    A world of white and silence.


    Ragnar was floating in this familiar space. The vast white surroundings made even Ragnar¡¯s pale skin look dark. He was stark naked again, as always, and eyes were staring at the back of his eyelids.


    As Ragnar opened his eyes he noticed something was wrong.


    ¡°Djinn?¡± he screamed.


    No reply.


    ¡°Hey Djinn, are you there?¡±


    There was still no answer.


    It was then that Ragnar remembered how his bracelet had shaken when the headmaster and her husband looked in their direction.


    ¡°Hey Djinn, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid of two humans?¡±


    ¡°Those were not mere mortals,¡± answered the Djinn at last. He didn¡¯t appear, his voice just resonated through the air. ¡°Now could you please leave me be? I need to re-evaluate our strategy.¡±


    ¡°What are you talking about? Are they really that powerful?¡±


    But there was no answer. The Djinn¡¯s presence had completely vanished.


    ¡°You¡¯re useless, you know that?¡± said Ragnar passively. He looked around and realized that the Djinn hadn¡¯t called him there. He¡¯d always assumed that the Djinn summoned him to the white world, but judging from the Djinn¡¯s reaction just now it seemed unlikely that he did.


    He looked down and saw that he was still floating in the air.


    ¡®What if I could fly?!¡¯ Ragnar thought. He was already hovering in place, how hard should it be to fly in this world?


    So he tried. At first he tried to swing his entire body. He swung his arms back and forth and hoped that he could use the momentum to propel himself forward. Sadly enough, that didn¡¯t work.


    He extended his arms and flapped them really hard. He felt like an idiot, but he knew nobody was watching. That didn¡¯t work either though.


    Ragnar stopped for a moment and thought of other ways to fly. He was certain it was possible, this was the dream world, after all.


    He extended his arms again but this time he didn¡¯t flap them. He imagined his feet propelling him upwards through some magical force.


    *sigh*


    ¡®What do I have to lose¡­¡¯ thought Ragnar as this attempt failed as well. He started to flap his arms again as wildly as he could and said:


    ¡°Tweet tweeeet tweeeeeeeeet.¡± (Read this as bird noises)


    He could have sworn that he moved for a moment! So he tried again.


    ¡°Tweeeeeet tweet tweet tweet tweet tweeeeeeeeet!¡±


    Nope, he didn¡¯t move an inch. And so he tried it again and again, but all attempts resulted in failure. A normal human being would have stopped out of shame and humiliation, but Ragnar had none of that. Although he was stark naked and looked like a nutcase, he also knew that nobody would be watching. Apart from maybe the Djinn, but who cared about him?


    ****************************


    The entire area was dark and mysterious. The usually bright white buildings were dimly lit by the two moons in the sky. The vivid green gardens cast mysterious shadows onto the ground, creating a spooky atmosphere. Howls and hoots resonated through the area, cicadas were chirping loudly in the summer night.


    And in this darkness a girl was leaning against one of the marble pillars that supported the architectures. She was quietly observing her surroundings, ready to hide herself when a stranger would pass by. If she were to get caught at that hour, she¡¯d have been in a world of trouble.


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    ¡°Hey, Rena,¡± whispered a voice next to her.


    ¡°Eek!¡± She shrieked at the sudden noise besides her and immediately took a step sideways. When she looked at the source of the voice she realized that Ymil and Ariel had arrived. It was a good thing it was so dark, or the boys might have noticed how hard she was blushing.


    ¡°Geez, I didn¡¯t mean to scare you,¡± said Ymil, sighing to himself.


    ¡°Pfft, I¡¯m getting a sense of D¨¦j¨¤ vu here,¡± said Ariel was he tried to stifle his laughter. ¡°Anyways, this place isn¡¯t entirely safe, let¡¯s go find ourselves a classroom.¡±


    Ymil and Rena nodded and followed the black boy as he led the way. The hallways were dimly lit and shadows made the path look like a pathway to the underworld. A normal eleven year old would have run to their parents to seek the comfort of their love.


    *tug*


    Ymil turned around as he felt something tugging at his shirt. To his surprise he found Rena holding onto his clothes, hiding behind Ymil as to hide herself from the spooky scenery in front. It reminded Ymil of this one time Mia held onto him the exact same way, it made him feel kind of fuzzy inside.


    But he ignored that feeling. ¡°Hey Rena,¡± he whispered as softly as he could. ¡°If you can¡¯t handle this then I don¡¯t think you should do the Night Courses. You¡¯ll be surrounded in darkness if you enroll there.¡±


    Upon hearing that, she let go of Ymil¡¯s shirt. It is true that the Night Courses would be a lot scarier than this. She¡¯d have to be stronger than that if she wanted to follow them.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she said quietly, ¡°thanks.¡±


    And so they quietly walked until they reached a classroom they recognized. Ariel checked the door and looked around the room before entering. He then turned back and motioned the other two to enter the classroom. They quickly walked inside and Ariel locked the door behind them.


    The classroom was even creepier than the hallways. The moons shone light through the windows, creating countless of shadows in the classroom. The chairs and tables were dimly lit and the back of the room was shrouded in complete darkness.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said Ariel, ¡°it should be safe to talk here.¡±


    ¡°Why take such precautions,¡± asked Ymil as he looked around the room.


    ¡°That¡¯s because this is some sensitive information. Remember that thing I told you about family names having meaning?¡±


    ¡°Erm, yeah,¡± said Rena. ¡°You said my name meant Second, and Amalia¡¯s name is Burning, or something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Ariel, ¡°What I didn¡¯t tell you is that every, literally every Halram surname follows this principle. Katharos means clean, Chrysos means gold, et cetera.¡±


    ¡°And this is relevant because¡­?¡± Ymil didn¡¯t understand.


    Ariel smiled at his impatience. ¡°Well, it kind of singles out the ones whose names don¡¯t have a meaning. It means they are from a different heritage.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± said Rena as she realized what he was getting at. ¡°That means that, if their names aren¡¯t Halramian, they are most likely of Xenth heritage.¡±


    Ariel nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right, this means that casts suspicion on anyone with a different surname.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± said Ymil. If they could identify outsiders this easily then the Night Course test was going to be easy. ¡°Have you found anyone that qualifies yet?¡±


    ¡°Well, therein lies the problem. I¡¯ve found a few candidates but they¡¯re not all viable.¡± Ariel looked Ymil right in the eyes. ¡°Sir Snores-a-Lot is one of them.¡±


    It took Ymil a while to realize who he meant. ¡°Ragnar? Like hell! We¡¯ve been friends since we were babies! There¡¯s no way he¡¯s a spy!¡±


    Ariel shook his head. ¡°I assumed you¡¯d react this way. But that¡¯s not all.¡± Ariel took a step away from Ymil. In his hands appeared a bright scimitar with pink gem and he aimed it at Ymil. ¡°Your name also doesn¡¯t match up.¡±


    Upon seeing Ariel¡¯s actions, he immediately summoned his own soul and also took a step back. The two silken gloves appeared on his hand and he assumed a defensive position.


    ¡°What the hell is this about?¡± Ymil suddenly understood why Ariel had led him to a remote location.


    ¡°You see, your name doesn¡¯t have a meaning in the language of the Ancients. This means that you¡¯re either a spy or the son of one. Either way, you¡¯re not from around here.¡± Ariel¡¯s eyes were focussed entirely on Ymil. He was ready to react to anything.


    This was the first Ymil heard of this though. He¡¯d always assumed his parents were normal historians that worked in the Great Library until their deaths in the Great Fire. Uncle Max had told that story countless of times and the villagers had all told him the same. He was the son of your standard Halramian family, right?


    But that didn¡¯t matter right now. ¡°That¡¯s a retarded reason to suspect me,¡± said Ymil from behind his gloves. ¡°If I were truly a spy then I wouldn¡¯t have taken a name that is so easily recognized. Any Xenth spy should know about this name thing, or else we¡¯re fighting an empire of morons.¡±


    ¡°Hay guys¡­¡± Rena tried to interject but Ariel just talked over her.


    ¡°Cool story.¡± Ariel didn¡¯t let his guard down. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t explain why you¡¯re so apt at fighting. I saw you fight little Miss Kyra. Did you know she¡¯s heralded as the greatest hand to hand combatant of our generation? Did you know that she could single-handedly beat any disciple twice her size?¡±


    Ymil hadn¡¯t known that. As he came from a small remote village he didn¡¯t know a lot about the world, much less the people in it. He¡¯d just assumed the girl was decent in a fight.


    ¡°And you were leisurely beating her. Sure, you made it look like she hit you, but I¡¯m no fool. You left a few openings for her to make it seem as if she were winning. It¡¯s suspicious, I tell you. Why on earth would you do something like that?¡±


    ¡°Why, you ask?¡± Ymil spat on the floor. ¡°I thought you¡¯d understand. ¡®Knowledge is power,¡¯ these are the words I live by. I don¡¯t want people to know my full potential, I don¡¯t want to attract the wrong kind of attention. But apparently, I appeared on someone else¡¯s radar¡­.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s nice and all, but¡­.¡±


    *SNAP*


    ¡°Shut up!¡± Rena¡¯d summoned her whip and lashed it into the air. She walked between the boys and was prepared to hit anyone that wanted to attack.


    ¡°You¡¯re being such a retard!¡± She turned to Ariel and stared him in the eyes. ¡°Ariel, why are you so set on him being a spy? Hasn¡¯t there been enough proof that said otherwise?


    ¡°But¡­.¡±


    ¡°No buts. Ymil was with us in the room when Master Wux killed the two spies in the room. Wux didn¡¯t target him, so it must mean he¡¯s clean. Think about it, would the head spy of the Halram Kingdom make such a rookie mistake?!¡±


    Master Wux was the head spy? That was the first they heard of it. This wasn¡¯t readily available information.


    ¡°How did you¡­¡± Ymil wanted to ask how she knew this, but she just talked over him.


    ¡°We¡¯re all allies here, so please, stow away your weapons. We need to discuss this test we¡¯re facing.¡±


    Ariel thought about what Rena had just said. It is true that Master Wux had mercilessly disposed of any spies in the crowd, and obviously he¡¯d spared Ymil¡¯s life. This meant that either Ymil was a really good spy, or not a spy at all.


    ¡°Alright, Missy, I concede.¡± Ariel dropped his arms to his side and his weapons disappeared into thin air.


    Upon seeing that, Ymil¡¯s pose also relaxed and the two gloves vanished. He walked forward and extended his hand to Ariel.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll learn to trust me over time,¡± said Ymil.


    Ariel took the hand and shook it. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Miss Second over here made a fair point.¡±


    Rena looked at the boys and smiled. ¡°Now that¡¯s better. Shall we talk about the things we actually came here to talk about?¡±


    The two boys nodded and sat down in on the nearest chairs around. Ariel decided to take the lead:


    ¡°Well, there are a few other suspects that fit the bill. Let¡¯s see, we got¡­.¡±


    The trio kept talking into the depth of the night. It took them almost two hours to decide upon their next course of action. Once they were done, they silently crept back into the dormitories and slept for the remaining time. They each had a few hours of sleep, but they didn¡¯t mind. This wouldn¡¯t be the first, nor the last time that they¡¯d be skipping out on sleep.


    Only when Ymil lay in bed again he realized Ariel never intended to hurt him. Why would he have brought Rena along otherwise?

 Chapter 20: Farewell

    It was the morning of Lance¡¯s departure. No matter how sad it made the kids, there was no way around it. The rules were explicit, once you lost, you¡¯re out.


    The children had gathered at the main entrance of the academy, the place where Ragnar and Ymil had departed with Max and Mia. It was the perfect place for goodbyes, the marble road and vibrant flowers made the otherwise solemn occasion a tab more tolerable.


    ¡°I-I g-guess this i-is g-goodbye¡­¡± Lance was standing at the Academy¡¯s front, one more step and he¡¯d be standing on the dirt roads of the Capital. On his back was a small leather bag that contained all his stuff. Compared to Ragnar and Ymil¡¯s bags when they arrived, this bag looked like it had anorexia. Apparently he didn¡¯t have a lot of possessions.


    The rest of the gang as standing around him, they each wanted to say goodbye to their friend.


    Ariel was the first to walk up. ¡°Well, seeing as I don¡¯t know you very well, I¡¯ll go first. You¡¯re a swell guy, I like you. Hope you¡¯ll do alright in gardening school.¡± He took Lance by the hand and shook it. Lance¡¯s hand was weakly going up and down and Ariel felt how sad this boy actually was. Ariel released Lance and made way for the next person to say goodbye.


    ¡°Then allow me to be next,¡± said Ymil as he stepped forward. He grabbed Lance¡¯s hand and looked him straight in the eyes. ¡°You were the first friend I made other than Ragnar and I really appreciate it. I¡¯m sad to see you go, but I¡¯m sure gardening school will suit you better.¡±


    ¡°T-thanks Ymil,¡± said Lance with a soft voice, surprised by Ymil¡¯s straight forward goodbye.


    ¡°Same goes for me,¡± said Ragnar, ¡°You were the first friend I made other than this doofus over here. I can¡¯t tell you how much of an improvement you are.¡± Ragnar pointed at Ymil as he said that.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m standing right here, you know!¡±


    Ragnar ignored Ymil¡¯s reaction. ¡°Don¡¯t let it bother you, Lance. The world doesn¡¯t only consist of warriors. Farmers are the ones that keep us alive!¡±


    This made Lance chuckle slightly. It seemed like it lifted his sadness just a little.


    ¡°Y-yeah, thanks R-Ragnar.¡±


    Ragnar then tugged Ymil by the shoulder and he pulled him along as he stepped away again.


    ¡°I guess it¡¯s my turn next,¡± said Rena. ¡°We never really talked much, but I can tell you¡¯re a sweet guy. Come visit us some time!¡±


    Amalia stepped up besides her. ¡°I guess I didn¡¯t know you very well either, but you were a very welcome addition to the group.¡± She leaned closer and whispered in Lance¡¯s ear. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re the only respectable boy among them.¡±


    Lance blushed at these words. He quietly shied away as the two girls made space for the last person.


    Theo was just standing there, staring at his brother. It was painfully obvious that he was trying really hard to keep his tears in but everyone knew how he must truly feel. Everyone here¡¯d only known Lance for a few days, but this was Theo¡¯s brother. They¡¯d known each other since birth, and gone through so much together ever since. Theo was completely immobilized by his attempt to stay strong.


    ¡°I-I think you¡¯ll be fine,¡± said Theo. ¡°You¡¯re a grown up now, so go out and be free. Now go on, I don¡¯t want to see your sorry mug around here!¡±


    Lance understood what his brother was trying to say. Instead of walking away, Lance gave Theo the tightest hug he could muster. His brother, completely tense from trying to hold everything in, immediately fumbled in his arms. Theo¡¯s entire body went limp and clung onto Lance. Tears started to roll uncontrollably from the boy¡¯s eyes, his body shaking is his brother¡¯s arms.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to let you go!¡± Theo cried. ¡°I want to go with you! I want us to be together forever!¡±


    Lance, also on the verge of tears, said:


    ¡°N-no, brother. Y-you know j-just as well a-as I do that y-you need t-to stay here. W-we promised, r-right?¡±


    ¡°But whyyyyy!¡± wailed Theo. ¡°This isn¡¯t how it¡¯s supposed to happen. We were supposed to work together, kill that bastard Ben and destroy Kolimpri. How am I supposed to do that without you?!¡±


    Lance padded his brother on the back. ¡°Y-you¡¯ll have t-to be s-strong in o-order to get s-strong. I-it should only t-take one o-of us.¡±


    ¡°But but but waaaaaaaaah!¡± The salty streams of water flowed endlessly, drenching Lance¡¯s shoulders. Theo was not ready for this.


    And the two boys just stood there for a few minutes, one of them wailing as if there was no tomorrow, the other gently patting him on the back. The others were standing by the side, they all felt terrible for Theo. Being separated from your sibling was heart wrenching, they all knew that. Yet there was no other way, Lance hadn¡¯t made the first cut.


    ¡°T-this isn¡¯t g-goodbye, you k-know. I-I¡¯ll probably go t-to the Kipos G-Gardening School. R-remember? W-we talked a-about it as our s-second option.¡±


    Upon hearing that, Theo gave Lance one last squeeze and then took a step back. He raised his hand and pointed at his brother:


    ¡°I swear, on our mother¡¯s grave, that I will take revenge for the both of us, or die trying. Now go, I don¡¯t want to see your sorry face ever again!¡±


    And with those words Theo ran off as fast as he could. Within a few seconds he was already out of sight.


    ¡°Theo¡­,¡± mumbled Lance, but he knew this was for the best. His brother had some difficulty coping with these kinds of things.


    Lance then turned around, looked at the entrance and sighed. He tightened the straps of his backpack and took one big step over the gate¡¯s threshold. He looked at his friends and said:


    ¡°I-I guess I-I¡¯ll be g-going now.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you want to leave like that?¡± Amalia was saying what everyone else was thinking. Leaving Theo in such a state?


    ¡°I-It¡¯s fine. H-he¡¯s always b-been like that.¡±


    And with those words he started to walk. He walked with his head up high and looking at the horizon, barely registering the continuous wave of goodbyes his friends were yelling at him. He walked towards the horizon where a new future awaited him, away from his friends, away from his brother.


    ************************************


    It was time for Ymil to start his battle. The fight had been set to take place in a secluded area so that both fighters could fight in relative secrecy. All fights were done like that, it gives both parties the same handicap of not knowing the fighting style of your opponent. If you¡¯re not from the same class, that is.


    The place was somewhere in the furthest corner of the Academy¡¯s grounds, behind a large white building that Ymil didn¡¯t recognize. The place was so remote that nobody would be able to hear it if anyone screamed.


    ¡®That only works in my favor,¡¯ thought Ymil as he realized this. He was sitting cross legged underneath a tree, waiting for Luke Bellua. Next to him stood a large pot that he¡¯d brought along, the lid was concealing the chemical smell of the contents.


    Luke arrived right on time, he cautiously looked around the building and saw Ymil sitting there. Ymil stood up and extended his hand to Luke.


    ¡°Hello Luke,¡± said Ymil. ¡°I think we never had the pleasure to meet before. I¡¯m Ymil Adagni.¡±


    Luke took the hand and shook it. ¡°Luke,¡± he said in a low voice. ¡°Bellua.¡±


    The two released each other and then walked 10 meters away from each other, the standard starting distance for any fair duel. The two stood still for a moment and looked each other in the eyes.


    ¡°Adagni. Not Idagni?¡± asked Luke as he realized how much it sounded like a name he knew.


    ¡°I think my uncle uses that name from time to time, but no. How do we decided when to start?¡±


    Luke reached for his pocket and drew out a coin. He then said with his low grumbling voice.


    ¡°I throw, coin fall ground, we start.¡± He mimicked the movements of a coin falling to the ground as he said this.


    ¡°Sounds fair,¡± said Ymil, understanding Luke¡¯s meaning. ¡°Toss it whenever you want.¡±


    Luke nodded and threw the coin into the air. They both stared intensely at each other, the coin falling only in the edges of their sight.


    *ping*


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Two flashes of spiritual energy occurred the moment the coin hit the pavement. Neither combatants summoned their soul in a weapon shape though. Luke had fused with his soul and his nails had hardened exponentially. His face was covered in stripes and one could almost see whiskers coming from his nose. Ymil¡¯s soul, on the other hand, was completely untraceable, there were no physical changes to him, nor was he holding onto a weapon.


    When he looked at Ymil he was surprised to see that his opponents hadn¡¯t summoned anything. He¡¯d clearly felt the sudden wave of energy coming from the boy, or was that just his imagination.


    He didn¡¯t have much time to think about this though, Ymil came charging at him right away.


    Ymil¡¯s first strike was a uppercut punch, aiming right for Luke¡¯s face. It didn¡¯t hit though, as Luke had moved back ever so slightly. It was what Ymil expected though, and followed his initial attack with an open palm strike at the boy¡¯s stomach. This blow was blocked by Luke¡¯s clawed hands, and Ymil dropped his raised hand down on the defending boy. This too, was blocked and Ymil took a step back.


    But Luke didn¡¯t like fighting defensively. He immediately started his counter offensive and thrust one of his clawed hands at Ymil¡¯s ribcage but it was deflected by one of Ymil¡¯s hands. His second attack was a sideways slash with his nails and Ymil dropped to the floor in order to avoid the hit. Ymil miscalculated though, and Luke¡¯s clawed hand cut him on the cheek.


    Ymil, now on the ground, used his entire body to deliver a kick at his opponent and hit him squarely in the stomach. Luke flew back a few steps, far enough for Ymil to come back up to his feet.


    They stood in front of each other for a moment and then Luke charged at Ymil again. First a thrust, then a swipe, he wasn¡¯t very original in his attacking pattern. Ymil was able to deflect both attacks this time and responded with a few open palm strikes directed at Luke¡¯s body, which he then tried to block.


    This went on for quite a while, the two each took turns on being offensive and defensive. Sometimes Luke¡¯s claws would hit Ymil, scratching his skin, and other times Ymil would land a strike, hitting his opponent in various places.


    After a few minutes, the two boys jumped backwards and stared at each other while panting heavily.


    ¡°You¡¯re¡­good,¡± said Ymil in between breaths.


    ¡°Yourself¡­not bad,¡± responded Luke.


    ¡°So¡­ tell me, why¡¯d you come to Halram Kingdom?¡±


    That wasn¡¯t a question Luke had expected to hear. His face revealed his surprise quite splendidly. It wasn¡¯t something he wanted to hide, it¡¯s just something he wasn¡¯t too proud of.


    ¡°I¡­ehm¡­ Xenth no good place¡­,¡± started Luke. ¡°Halram better. Future¡­here¡­.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯re not going to hide the fact that you¡¯re from Xenth?¡±


    ¡°No, I Halram now.¡± Luke spat on the floor. ¡°Screw Xenth.¡±


    This surprised Ymil, he hadn¡¯t expected the boy to be so open about it. This would make his next actions a lot more harder for him.


    ¡°But why Military Academy? You¡¯ll be forced to fight your own country some day.¡±


    ¡°Exactly why,¡± answered the whiskered boy and then he leapt up at Ymil.


    Ymil blocked that first attack, and the blow that followed, but instead of initiating a counter attack he took a step backwards.


    ¡®I think I should finish this,¡¯ thought Ymil, ¡®before I start to actually like this guy.¡¯


    Ymil didn¡¯t dash at his opponent to strike again but instead, he ran towards the tree he was sitting under earlier. He ran around it and hid behind the trunk.


    Puzzled at the boy¡¯s sudden cowardice, Luke tried to figure out just why Ymil would do that. He looked at the tree and noticed the closed pot sitting at its roots and couldn¡¯t help but be wary of the thing. What could this pot mean?


    But Ymil wasn¡¯t going to give him time to think. He¡¯d finally finished his preparations and was going to execute the trick he¡¯d been building up to. He reached both his hands in front of him and grabbed onto his soul manifestation and pulled really hard at it. Althoughto the untrained eye, it would seem as though he was pulling empty space.


    Luke¡¯s body, caught completely off guard, was pulled into the air, right at where Ymil was. Ymil repeated the motion a few times and Luke came flying at the boy.


    *wham*


    Luke hit his head hard as he collided with the tree Ymil was hiding behind. He noticed that something was pulling him towards the tree and that he could barely move. He flailed around frantically and tried to pry himself away from the tree. He could hear soft snapping noises as his hand tore whatever was holding him.


    As Luke was trying to get loose, Ymil was running circles around the tree. After he¡¯d completed three full circles around the boy and the tree, he stopped and looked as he saw that Luke had almost broken free.


    ¡®Now then,¡¯ thought Ymil, ¡®for the final act¡­.¡¯


    Ymil grabbed the seemingly empty air again and tugged at it. Luke could immediately feel his entire body get restrained and found that he was unable to move his limbs any more. Something was tightly binding him to the tree.


    Completely immobile, Luke had no choice but to resign.


    ¡°I¡­give¡­¡± he said. He was unable to see Ymil anymore but he knew the boy was still behind him. He¡¯d soon release these strange ropes and then¡­.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take this personally,¡± said a Ymil.


    *Swish*


    The first thing Luke felt was a sudden wave of liquid slipping down his throat. This warm substance started to slither down and filled up his lungs. Hot blood started to ooze out of his neck and soaked the clothes he was wearing. The clean cut had been so precise that it had barely ripped any unnecessary tissue and Luke only felt it moments after he¡¯d been cut. His sight started to fog up and his thought became a jumble. He started to desperately wheeze for air but his lungs were already filled with blood. He was drowning in his own blood.


    In his last moments, he turned his head to look at his killer and was able to see Ymil standing behind him with a bloodied knife. It was the last thing he ever saw.


    Ymil stood there, trembling as he watched the life drain out of this boy. This is what he was tasked to do, this is what the Night Courses required of him. Kill a Xenth citizen and bring its head. It was all okay in theory, he hadn¡¯t really thought about it too much. Killing had seemed more like a game than anything, really. It had just seemed natural. But to actually do it was something entirely different. He hadn¡¯t expected it to feel so¡­real, so¡­disturbing. This was going to haunt him the rest of his life.


    Ymil couldn¡¯t hold it any longer and he dropped to the ground and threw up. His entire breakfast spilled to the ground underneath Luke¡¯s corpse.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± shouted Ymil. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready for this!¡± He slammed his fist onto the ground. ¡°Why is this so hard?!¡±


    It took Ymil a few moments to gather himself, for the shaking to subside enough so that Ymil could continue. He looked at the lifeless boy and analyzed his handiwork. During that fight he had indeed called onto his soul, but not in the traditional form. He¡¯d summoned it as the endless number of threads he used to use in the Bookstore. Every time he¡¯d hit Luke with an open palm strike he¡¯d attached one end of the threads to Luke¡¯s body and, in the end, he¡¯d attached enough for him to be able to pull Luke¡¯s entire body. Once Luke was stuck to the tree, the used those same threads to bind his opponent entirely, leaving him completely immobile.


    Ymil stood up and grabbed the pot he¡¯d brought with him. He opened it and the strong chemical smell flew into his face. He placed it on the ground and approached Luke¡¯s body. He placed the knife in the boy¡¯s neck.


    ¡°Well, here goes nothing,¡± said Ymil meekly and he started to cut into the corpse¡¯s neck. Every time the knife went deeper Ymil¡¯s resolve became stronger and stronger. By the time he got to Luke¡¯s bones, he¡¯d hardened himself so much that he was able to hack into it with all of his might. It took a few swings but the head eventually came off.


    Ymil took the head and quickly put it in the jar and closed the lid. The chemical smell lingered for quite a bit and Ymil fell down to the ground again. He sat against the tree¡¯s trunk and closed his eyes for just a moment.


    ¡®This is what it means to take a life,¡¯ Ymil thought, ¡®I can never take this back.¡¯

 Chapter 21: Goats and Hotsprings

    Author''s Note: There were some concerns about my last chapter being fairly dark/grim. It will never be all dark or all grim, I will usually follow such a scene with something more light-hearted :) Just a heads up though, those scenes are essential to the plot and atmosphere I''m trying to create.


    ***********************


    While Ymil was out fighting Luke, the rest of the gang went looking for Theo. It took them awhile but in the end Ariel was able to find him in the library, reading a book on External Magic.


    ¡°Hey Theo,¡± said Ariel as he quietly approached the reading guy. ¡°I know you want to succeed as quickly as possible, but I don¡¯t think cramming will help right now. Not in the state you¡¯re in.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, I won¡¯t know unless I try.¡± Theo kept reading the book as intensely as he could. His eyes were bright red from all the crying he¡¯d done before.


    ¡°Come Theo, the others are worried about you.¡± Ariel placed his hand on Theo¡¯s book and tried to slowly close it.


    Theo pulled his book away and continued reading. ¡°No! I will not fail! Leave me alone!¡±


    Ariel didn¡¯t give up though, he reached out to the book again and calmly pressed it close.


    ¡°NOOO!!!¡± Theo¡¯s hand flew towards Ariel¡¯s face.


    *Thud*


    The blow was caught by Ariel¡¯s hand and Ariel used this opportunity to snatch the book out of Theo¡¯s hands.


    ¡°There,¡± said Ariel. ¡°You¡¯ll get this back once you¡¯ve calmed down a bit.¡±


    Theo¡¯s eyes fixated on Ariel, fury sparking from his pupils.


    ¡°Screw you, we¡¯re in a library, you know?!¡± Theo immediately reached out to a book on another shelf.


    *Smack*


    ¡°Ouch!¡± Ariel smacked Theo¡¯s hand away before it could reach a book.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me get angry,¡± said the southerner with a calm voice. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here and discuss our next plan of action.¡±


    ¡°Like hell!¡±


    A flash of spiritual energy emanated from Theo and two tonfas materialized in his hands. They were made of light wood again, a material Theo was more accustomed to.


    But before Theo could assume a defensive position Ariel was already standing behind him. He felt the surge of energy coming from behind and a cold metallic object pressed against his neck. It was Ariel¡¯s scimitar.


    ¡°What the¡­?!¡± exclaimed Theo.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± whispered Ariel. ¡°You might shrink a head in size.¡±


    ¡°How did you¡­¡±


    Theo was interrupted by another library goer. ¡°Shut up, you two! We¡¯re in a library! Go fight somewhere else.¡±


    Both boys turned around and saw a young boy holding a candle in his hand. The boy was sitting on a goat, a real, live, goat. The animal was looking dully in front of him and looked incredibly bored.


    The two of them fell silent for just a moment but then they burst out laughing. Their arms and weapons fell to the side as they started to laugh hysterically.


    ¡°Wahaha, what the heck is that thing?!¡± shouted Theo as he pointed at the goat. ¡°Is that thing a student here?¡±


    ¡°No, man, I bet that¡¯s his brother!¡± exclaimed Ariel. ¡°I see the resemblance.¡±


    ¡°What?! How dare you! This is Jinny, my trusty companion!¡± The boy looked visibly upset.


    This made the two laugh even harder. So hard that they couldn¡¯t even utter another word.


    ¡°Now you¡¯ve done it!¡± shouted the boy and with a sudden flash of energy he summoned his soul. In his hands appeared a wooden bow, decorated by a single orange gemstone. The wood was light brown and the string was practically invisible. He drew the bow and an arrow materialized in place, aiming right for Theo¡¯s head.


    This sobered the two up immediately and Theo raised his tonfas to his head. Ariel quickly raised his weapon and stood beside Theo. They both leered at the bow wielding boy and were ready to react at any moment.


    ¡°Mehehehehe!¡± exclaimed the goat and the animal lifted his front feet. The boy on top of him fell to the ground, his arrow flying out towards the ceiling.


    Ariel and Theo were both surprised by this sudden action of the beast. It was truly weird to see an overly confident boy be knocked to the ground by such a dumb looking creature. The boy¡¯s face made the scene even more comedic than it already was.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± shouted a nearby voice and an elderly man came hurrying towards the children. As the man saw the bow wielding boy lying next to his goat, the open flame of his candle exposed to the floor, he became bright red with anger.


    ¡°Why you, what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing?! This isn¡¯t a circus, you know! You will¡­¡± The man started to rant at the boy with everything he got. Apparently, flames were not permitted in the library, and neither were animals.


    ¡°But Jinny isn¡¯t just any¡­.¡±


    ¡°No buts, young man! You will be¡­¡± The man didn¡¯t give the boy a chance to speak. He obviously didn¡¯t see the two guys standing nearby with their weapons drawn.


    ¡°Pshh, Theo. I think we should bail.¡±


    ¡°Good idea,¡± whispered Theo.


    The two boys dematerialized their souls and quickly ran out of the Library. Only when they were outside did they stop to rest, they still heard the man ranting all the way outside. They looked at each other and started to laugh. So hard that they were literally rolling on the floor. That whole scene just now was the most ridiculous thing they¡¯d ever seen.


    ¡°Did that really just happen?!¡± asked Theo.


    ¡°You tell me!¡± exclaimed Ariel.


    ¡°We¡¯ve got to tell the others about this!¡±


    Recovering from that laughter, the two of them sprinted towards the cafeteria where everyone else would meet up sooner or later.


    Theo couldn¡¯t wait to tell Lance about all this, but then he remembered that his brother wouldn¡¯t be there. Sad as though as it was, he realised that he¡¯d have to hide those feelings as to not worry his friends. He vowed never to cry again in front of other people, it could only lead to misery. Only when no-one was paying attention would he allow himself to wallow in self pity. The wounds would heal eventually.


    ¡­


    Once the librarian was done with his spiel, the boy was tossed out of the library. It didn¡¯t matter how much he tried to tell the man he wasn¡¯t the one at fault, it didn¡¯t matter. This had been so humiliating that he felt like sinking through the ground. He got up quickly and dusted off his clothes.


    ¡°You should have let me beat them,¡± he said to his goat. ¡°That man wouldn¡¯t have come if you didn¡¯t make a scene.¡±


    ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have won,¡± answered the goat in a low grave voice.


    ¡°How so? Aren¡¯t I the Chosen One?¡±


    The goat shook its head.


    ¡°Yes, and when the time is right you will be the strongest man on earth.  But that boy isn¡¯t someone you can beat just yet. His lineage is far scarier than the things you¡¯ve faced up until now.¡±


    ¡°Bah, as if a Noble would scare me. I know I¡¯m stronger than most of them.¡±


    The goat shook his head. ¡°Not the blond guy, the black one. He¡¯s the one you should be wary of. He¡¯s Anthropofagos.¡±


    ************************************


    ¡°¡­And then this guy riding a goat walked in and¡­,¡± explained Theo to everyone at their table.


    ¡°Wait¡­ did you just say goat?¡± asked Ragnar.


    ¡°Yeah! It was the weirdest thing ever. This normal looking guy riding a goat in the middle of the library, it was hilarious!¡±¡¯


    Only the boys had gathered together to eat lunch together. Ymil was back from his fight Amalia and Rena were both fighting their own opponents.


    ¡°To be honest, I expected you to be a lot more depressed than this,¡± said Ymil as he looked at the pieces of bread in front of him. They were each given two pieces of stale bread and another paper thin slice of bear meat. After what had just happened, he really didn¡¯t have an appetite.


    ¡°Nah,¡± answered Theo and he gave Ymil the brightest smile he could muster. ¡°You just told me you beat the guy that sent my brother away. Can¡¯t get any better than that. No use crying over spilt milk, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± exclaimed Ragnar. ¡°That¡¯s exactly how you should face this. Don¡¯t live in the past, live in the future!¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡± said Theo and he bumped his fist to his chest in salute.


    ¡°That¡¯s the way!¡± Ragnar padded Theo on the back.


    ¡°So what¡¯s the plan now?¡± asked Ymil, still ignoring his food.


    ¡°I think we should form an alliance,¡± said Theo. ¡°We need to form a group for the Royal Finals!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re really going to aim for the Finals, are you?¡± Ariel smiled at the notion.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Why not? We¡¯re all good in a fight, right?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah, but we¡¯re fairly monotone. All of us are offensive weapon users. I really don¡¯t think we¡¯ll get very far,¡± answered Ariel and then he took another bite from his bread. ¡°Yuck¡­¡±


    ¡°That, and there are only four of us,¡± added Ragnar. ¡°Or do you mean to ask Amalia or Rena to join us?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. Amalia¡¯s flame magic could be really useful to our team.¡±


    ¡°Our team composition would still be imbalanced,¡± said Ariel. ¡°Four melee fighters and one cast isn¡¯t going to cut it.¡±


    ¡°Well,¡± said Theo, ¡°I could always pick up the shield as a secondary weapon. I¡¯ve seen Lance use his techniques quite a few times.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯ll act as support,¡± added Ymil. ¡°I¡¯ll provide backup support for those that need it. I could pick a bow or something. I think it¡¯s a great idea.¡±


    ¡°I like it!¡± exclaimed Ragnar. He¡¯d thought about it for a while but considering the brutality of the fights they¡¯d witnessed, he wasn¡¯t sure how he was going to convince his friends.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll join too,¡± said Ariel. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to end up being someone¡¯s sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re all in this together.¡± Ragnar had a huge smile on his face.


    At this point both Rena and Amalia walked in. They both seemed unharmed and were carrying their lunches on a plate.


    ¡°Hi there, hun!¡± Ragnar got up and offered her his seat. She took it without as much as a thank you. Ragnar sat next to her. Rena took an empty chair and sat down between Ymil and Theo.


    ¡°Hey guys,¡± said Rena. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re in for another round.¡±


    ¡°Seriously, that fight was too easy. I expected something more.¡± Amalia looked at the food on her plate and grimaced. ¡°I find this food to be much more dangerous.¡±


    Rena looked at Ymil. ¡°How was your fight?¡±


    Ymil immediately froze and turned towards her. He said, as calmly as he could. ¡°It went fine. I won.¡±


    ¡°Really? Congratulations!¡±


    ¡°Uhm, yeah. You too¡­.¡±


    Everyone at the table started to talk about their fights that day, Theo explaining to the girls about the guy on the goat and Amalia and Rena talked a lot about their own fights. They were all listening carefully and the girls laughed when they heard the guy fell off his mount after threatening them. It was all jolly until¡­.


    ¡°Hey dweebs!¡± said a familiar voice. ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not rid of you yet.¡±


    Everyone turned around and saw Alex Chrysos standing at the end of the table. Behind him were his two goons and Kyra, chuckling at Alex¡¯s lame jokes.


    ¡°Get lost, Alex.¡± Amalia was the first to react.


    ¡°Oh, have I hurt your pride, princess? You should hang out with us, you know you¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°Hey! Don¡¯t talk to my girlfriend that way!¡± Ragnar shot up and spread his arms in front of Amalia.


    ¡°Your girlfriend? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me. Look at her, there¡¯s no way someone like you could be her boyfriend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m his girlfriend for this semester,¡± she said without looking up.


    ¡°This semester only? Then allow me to invite you to the hotspring with me once you¡¯ve dumped this loser.¡± He gave Amalia a seductive wink. His entourage laughed.


    Rena looked up in surprise. ¡°They have hot springs around here?¡±


    ¡°Why yes, little green riding hood, the Academy¡¯s got some of¡­ darn it! Why am I telling you this?!¡±


    Theo, Ymil and Ariel snickered as they saw Alex¡¯s flustered face. He had the tendency to talk too much.


    ¡°Well, thanks for the offer, oh great lord strawhead, but I think I¡¯d rather die than show myself naked to you. I¡¯m far too pretty for you.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see about that.¡± Alex turned around and looked back over his shoulder. ¡±I¡¯ve got to go now, I have to beat down some loser into submission. Later, dweebs!¡± He walked away and his ¡®friends¡¯ followed closely behind him.


    ¡°What was up with that?¡± asked Ragnar as he sat back down.


    ¡°I think he was fishing,¡± said Ariel. ¡°Ymil just beat one of his henchmen, after all.¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah! The guy Ymil fought was one of his friends. That¡¯s why he wasn¡¯t there just now.¡±


    Ariel¡¯s mouth turned into a sly smile and said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll ever see the guy again¡­.Ouch!¡± Ymil was pinching Ariel¡¯s thighs.


    ¡°More importantly,¡± said Theo. ¡°That guy just mentioned hot springs at the Academy. Are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?¡±


    ¡°Peeking at the bathing girls?!¡± exclaimed Ragnar. ¡°Ouch!¡± Amalia kicked him in the shin as well.


    ¡°Off course not,¡± said Theo as he looked up at the ceiling. ¡°Hot springs have good healing properties, that¡¯s all!¡±


    ¡°Well then, what are we waiting for?¡± Ragnar got up and started beckoned everyone to follow him. ¡°Let¡¯s find that place!¡±


    Even though Ragnar¡¯s motivations were somewhat dubious, they all thought that bathing would be very refreshing after a fight. They all got up and decided to help with the search for the hot springs.


    ¡°And besides, I think bathing in hot water is ideal to prepare for a fight.¡±


    *****************************


    3 weeks later, Halram Academy Hot Springs


    ¡°Wow, this feels great¡­¡±


    Once they set out to find the academy¡¯s hot springs it didn¡¯t take long for them to find them. Ever since then they decided to go there after each fight. Everyone one of them had won their fights in the past 3 weeks and were getting ready for their last fight, the final acceptance fight. The guys had gone to the hot springs to release some tension. Theo was right, hot springs did soothe their aching muscles.


    ¡°We really gotta thank Alex for this tip someday,¡± said Ragnar as he laid back in the water. He wore a single cloth around his crotch.


    ¡°He¡¯d totally laugh at you if he ever heard that,¡± said Ymil, also enjoying the warm water. He¡¯d also covered his nether regions with a cloth.


    ¡°Ain¡¯t that the truth? Why must he be such a¡­ twat?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s full blown Nobility, I think it comes with the territory.¡± Theo was sitting on the edge, his feet dangling in the water. He was still wearing his clothes though.


    ¡°Geez, Theo, get in here!¡± Ragnar got up and splashed some water at Theo. Theo immediately covered his face and then splashed some back.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine right here, thank you very much. I don¡¯t like to be seen naked, even if you¡¯re guys.¡±


    ¡°Then at least take off your shirt!¡± said Ragnar, splashing some more water at the guy.


    ¡°Hay Ragnar, I think that¡¯s enough.¡± Ariel got up and stood between Theo and Ragnar. Theo had never gone in the water with them and Ariel could somewhat understand why.


    ¡°Duuuude, at least cover yourself!¡± Ragnar turned away and shielded his eyes. Ariel obviously had no qualms being seen ¡®au naturel¡¯. The black boy was standing stark naked in front of Ragnar.


    Ariel grinned. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with a little piece of nature?¡±


    Ymil snorted. ¡°Nothing little about that.¡±


    ¡°Pfft.¡± This made Theo laugh. ¡°Agreed, that thing is a freak of nature.¡±


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re just jealous,¡± said Ariel. ¡°But don¡¯t worry guys, you¡¯ll hit puberty at some point.¡± He turned around to Theo and winked.


    ¡°But in all seriousness, how do you guys estimate your chances of winning the last match?¡± Ymil tried to save Ragnar who was clearly uncomfortable with the topic.


    Ariel looked at Ymil and sat back down in the water. ¡°I think everyone¡¯s got a good chance. Nobody¡¯s been paired up with a Noble.¡±


    ¡°If only I was paired with that Alex guy, that would have been amazing.¡± Ragnar could already picture himself beating the crap out of that snobby dude.


    ¡°I actually think Rena¡¯s got a tough fight,¡± said Ymil. ¡°She¡¯s set to fight Kyle Bellua.¡±


    ¡°You mean Luke Bellua¡¯s brother, the brother of the guy that beat my brother?¡± Hearing this made Theo sit up straight again.


    ¡°Yup, the one and only. I think Rena can beat him, but I don¡¯t think she¡¯s got what it takes to do ¡®it¡¯.¡± Ymil looked at Ariel as he said that.


    ¡°Hmm, we¡¯ll see,¡± said Ariel. Both he and Ymil had already finished their test for the Night Courses but Rena still had to complete hers. Ariel didn¡¯t exactly say how he completed it but when he showed Ymil the head of a Xenthian boy, he didn¡¯t doubt. With the due date approaching rapidly, this was Rena¡¯s last chance to complete the task.


    ¡°You don¡¯t think she can do it?¡± asked Theo, thinking they were talking about the fight itself.


    ¡°Like I said, we¡¯ll see.¡±


    Edited By: Wesley Au (Paradox), 1Jayds, Codra

 Announcement

    Hello dear readers,


    It saddens me to announce that I will be taking a 3 week break from writing to focus on my study. Those Lyapunov Equations won''t solve themselves...


    While I''m at it though, I thought I''d ask who your favorite character is. I''ll try and to get a poll thin working on this thread.


    Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.


    Also, notice that Mia is in there, that''s right! She''ll be back in 3-4 chapters.


    Cya in 3 weeks!

 Chapter 22: Last Acceptance Fight

    Author''s note: I''m back! My writing feels a little rusty again but it''ll pick up as I go along :)


    Rena was sitting at the designated spot, sitting down and looking at the flowers on the floor. The place was fairly desolate, like all the previous locations, but this time the battleground featured a few beautiful colors. Butterflies were flying frantically from flower to flower, bees were buzzing without break. It felt like a place of tranquility.


    It made the next part all that much harder for her.


    When Kyle finally arrived, she had made up her mind, she was going to bring Kyle''s head back, even if it cost her her innocence. She wanted to join the Night Courses in order to gain as much strength as she can to regain the status of nobility.


    "Hello, little lady."


    The young man extended his hand to help her get up. She looked at him in surprise, but took it anyway. She got up and quickly dusted off her clothes. She wore dark jeans with a black shirt, clothes that could be easily moved around in, unlike the dress she usually wears to class, but more importantly: clothes that could be stained.


    "Thank you," she said but she didn''t dare look him in the eyes.


    "Well then, I''m fairly sure you know the drill."


    Rena was taken by surprise. After hearing Ymil''s story, she''d thought that the Bellua brothers could barely speak their language, but Kyle seemed to have no problem conversing.


    "I''m sorry, but I''ve got to ask, how did you learn our language so fast?"


    This time it was Kyle''s turn to be surprised. Not many people had noticed that he was not Halramian.


    "Oh, so you''ve noticed? Yeah, it took some getting used to but your language is fairly simple, you only have 26 letters in your alphabet." Kyle revealed a big grin. "That''s nothing compared to the 42 letter base we use back in Xenth."


    "Wow, that''s a lot..."


    "And I used to think this place was a lot better than Xenth, but then my brother disappeared and someone stole all my money..."


    "Really, your brother disappeared?" Rena tried to sound like she didn''t know anything, but she felt as though he''d see right through her.


    "Yeah, it''s the strangest thing. After his first official match-up he just disappeared, poof. I talked to the guy he fought and he said that he beat my brother and that he went home."


    ''Well, Ymil did beat him but he didn''t let him go home...'' thought Rena as she listened to his explanation.


    "I find it odd that he never told me he left. Sure, we weren''t on the best of terms as we enrolled due to various ''circumstances'', but he really should have told me."


    "Circumstances?" What kind of circumstances could tear brothers apart?


    "It doesn''t matter, I think we should get started. If we talk for too long I might not be able to hurt you anymore."


    ''Tell me about it,'' thought Rena. The more she talked to him, the more he appeared human. Killing a Xenthian had just been a concept to her, but killing someone she actually knows might prove to be something entirely different.


    "Yes, let''s get started. Shall we toss a coin?"


    "And start when it strikes the floor? Sure!"


    They both walked away and stopped at around 10 paces from each other. They turned around and looked in each other''s direction but Rena still could not look the boy in the eyes.


    "Pre-summon, I presume?" asked Kyle. It was a standard question: start with or without souls summoned.


    "Sure, sounds good."


    They both released their Souls at the same time. Rena''s Soul was still shaped as a five-tailed whip with a lime colored gem stuck to the handle. It was as vicious as ever.


    Kyle''s Soul, on the other hand, was much more like his brother''s. When he summoned it, his entire body started to transform and two large tusks came from his mouth. His skin became darker and leathery, his eyes slightly more focused.


    "A pig?"


    "No, a warthog," answered the transformed boy. "They''re really strong, you know."


    "If you say so. Will you toss the coin?"


    "Look at my hands, do they look like they can toss anything?" Rena looked and saw that they had transformed into pig feet.


    ¡°Right....¡±


    Rena took a coin from her pocket and flipped it up into the air. They both fell silent as the coin was ringing through the air, both focused entirely on their opponent. A bee buzzed past Kyle''s face and...


    *ping*


    With a soft metallic sound the coin fell to the ground. Kyle rushed towards Rena immediately, but she took steps back herself.


    "Hey, get back here, you slippery little weasel!" yelled the storming boar-guy.


    ¡°As if!¡±


    The reason she picked the whip as her weapon of choice was because it worked at a range. Perfect for fights such as these. She was carefully observing Kyle''s movements before she decided to take action. Kyle was very straight forward. His leathery skin and big bones probably made him a lot more durable so he just charged straight in.


    ''Looks like I should just hit and run,'' she thought and she unleashed the coils of her whip.


    *Snap*


    She aimed her first attack at Kyle''s legs but before they reached his limbs his speed increased and she missed by a hair''s length. Kyle was slowly gaining on her in the process.


    "That won''t work, missy! Ranged combat on the run is a lot harder!"


    He was right, but she still had to try.


    *Snap*


    She tried whipping his head this time but once again he was able to dodge it at the last second. It wasn''t that he was being incredibly fast or evasive, her accuracy just dropped a lot because she had to keep running away from the boy.


    *Snap*


    Once again she missed. Rena was getting really tired and she wasn¡¯t landing any hits.


    ''Guess I have no choice,'' she thought to herself. She really didn¡¯t want to do this, but she had no choice. No opponent had stuck to her so closely. She prided herself in her speed but for this pig boy was keeping up with her.


    Rena stopped in the middle of her tracks and faced Kyle head on. She used both hands to hold the whip and poured a lot of spiritual energy into her weapon. The lime gem started to glow brightly and the five ends of her whip started to levitate.


    "Now we''re talking!" said Kyle as he saw her face his direction. He placed both his arms in front of him to shield his face from the whip and continued dashing towards her.


    But that would not be enough.


    When Rena lashed out her whip it didn''t make a snapping noise, it exploded. The five tails flew out in Kyle''s direction but on one of them hit and one flew closely past his head. Thinking that was the worst of it, Kyle knew he had a few seconds before she could reel in her whip and attack again so he dropped his defenses.


    *BANG!*


    The remaining four tails reached the end of their trajectory and broke the speed barrier. The energy Rena had stored into her whip was released at that exact moment, creating a small vacuum at the whip''s ends and causing implosions.


    The shockwaves of the ends caught Kyle completely off guard. Not only did he lose his balance and flew head first in Rena''s direction, that whip that lashed past his head had imploded near his ears. As Kyle fell to the ground his entire body went limp. His eyes were closed and once his body slid to a halt he started to drool out of his mouth.


    "Oh god, I''m really sorry!" This was why she barely ever used this attack. It was fairly simple to use but it was incredibly destructive to those without countermeasures. She didn''t want to hurt her enemies this badly.


    Rena hurried over the Kyle to check if he was alright but she found that he was unconscious.


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    She turned Kyle''s body around and looked at the poor guy''s face. The tusks in his mouth looked really out of place and the leathery skin made him look tanned.


    ''I guess I should do it then.''


    Rena took her whip and coiled it up. She then forced it to change shape and a small dagger appeared in her hand. She placed the dagger to Kyle''s face and took a last good look at the boy''s face. She then looked around again to make sure that nobody was watching. Of course not, not in a place as remote as this. Her eyes went back to the boy''s face and almost flinched.


    A pair of big brown eyes were staring right at her. Kyle had woken up.


    ************************************


    Let¡¯s give Ragnar a moment in the spotlight as well. His last fight also didn¡¯t go as he anticipated.


    When Ragnar arrived at the location his opponent was already waiting for him. Arwin Ropalo, Ragnar¡¯s last opponent, was standing against a wall. The location was as desolate as every other fight, there had to be a reason for that. This time it was some alley that nobody would would even think of entering. It greatly inhibited motion though, so Ragnar had to be careful.


    ¡°G-good afternoon,¡± said the boy.


    ¡°Good afternoon.¡± Ragnar shook the boy¡¯s hand and observed him carefully. For someone that looked as unassuming as this boy did, he must have something up his sleeve to be able to get this far. ¡°My name¡¯s Ragnar, I come from Sophia Village.¡±


    ¡°N-nice to m-meet you, R-ragnar.¡± Was it because he was shy or did he genuinely have a stutter? Ragnar couldn¡¯t tell. He had that same problem with Lance, but he liked that part of the guy. It made him unique in his own way. ¡°I-I¡¯m from¡­.¡±


    The boy¡¯s words trailed off as his attention turned to something else. It seemed like he was listening to something, or someone, and nodded in response.


    ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, but c-could you resign from t-this fight?¡±


    ¡°Hell no, I fought hard to get to this point.¡± Was he being serious?


    ¡°Please, I-I really don¡¯t w-want to hurt you.¡±


    The nerve of this guy, why¡¯d he think he could beat Ragnar so easily?!


    ¡°I think we should fight and see who wins, then you can worry about hurting me.¡± Ragnar tried to remain composed but he was obviously agitated.


    ¡°Okay¡­ How do we s-start?¡±


    ¡°Like usual, 10 steps away from each other and a coin toss.¡±


    Arwin nodded. He then proceeded to take a few steps back and faced Ragnar.


    ¡°I-is this f-far enough?¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡± Could this kid be any more helpless?


    Ragnar took a coin from his pocket and flipped it in the air. Dead silence followed, not even the wind made a noise (Ragnar still hadn¡¯t learned how to make it ring like others do). They both started at each other intensely. Neither of them had summoned their souls yet.


    *Ping*


    As soon as Ragnar heard the coin hitting the ground he summoned his claymore. The weight of the sword appeared in both his hands and the cold blue blade was dangling in the air. It was the same as always.


    As he looked up at his opponent he saw that Arwin had summoned a cudgel of some kind. It looked like a primitive version of a mace made entirely out of wood. The orange gem was stuck to the top. It truly was an ugly weapon.


    But what Arwin did next took Ragnar completely by surprise. Arwin extended his right hand and a blue orb suddenly appeared in his palm. The boy then took it to his stomach and pushed it in as hard as he could.


    ¡°Oh crap,¡± said Ragnar as he stared in disbelief, he recognized what his opponent had done. It was something he himself had done when he fought Amalia. His opponent had fused with a Djinn.


    ¡°Ragnar, fuse with me!¡± said Ragnar¡¯s bracelet. ¡°You can¡¯t hope to defeat him!¡±


    ¡°Won¡¯t know unless I try. Hey Arwin, you also own a Djinn?¡±


    The boy on the other side looked up and Arwin¡¯s eyes had turned bright yellow.


    ¡°Nobody owns a Djinn, you fool,¡± said Arwin¡¯s distorted voice. ¡°Djinn¡¯s are free to do as they please.¡±


    What the heck was that? What had happened to the sweet stuttering boy from just a moment ago?


    ¡°Is that still you, Arwin?¡±


    ¡°That fool is nothing but a retainer. When we fuse I am me and no one else. Foolish mortal, you will perish!¡±


    With those words Arwin¡¯s body flew at Ragnar at an alarming speed. It took the Djinn a single step to get to Ragnar¡¯s side and then swung the cudgel at Ragnar with full force.


    Ragnar was barely able to block that attack but the impact was way too large. Ragnar skidded over the ground, dust flying up as his feet stayed under his body. It was a miracle that he hadn¡¯t lost his balance.


    But that wasn¡¯t the end, the Djinn immediately followed his attack up with another dash and slammed his weapon down towards the ground. This time Ragnar was prepared and the following blow was parried to the side.


    *BAM*


    A small crater appeared at the place of impact. Dirt flew up everywhere and the whole place disappeared in a cloud of dust. It was impossible to see anything.


    Ragnar used this opportunity to get away from his opponent. This boy was a maniac, he couldn¡¯t tackle him head on.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you fuse with your mortal, Player. Show me your true form so I can feast on it!¡±


    ¡°Ragnar, fuse with me!¡± shouted Ragnar¡¯s Djinn. ¡°You stand no chance otherwise!¡±


    ¡°No, I can do this!¡± said Ragnar. There had to be a way to beat this guy without relying on the Djinn¡¯s power. The last time he¡¯d used the Djinn he felt dirty, as if he didn¡¯t deserve to have won that fight. He got Amalia do be his girlfriend but it doesn¡¯t feel real. That, and the Djinn¡¯s power has a time limit¡­


    ¡°Wait, that¡¯s it!¡± shouted Ragnar as he realized the Djinn¡¯s major weakness, time. The Djinn has a limited amount of time it can fuse with its host, so if Ragnar could stay hidden until the Djinn¡¯s power expired he should be just fine.


    ¡°You can¡¯t hide!¡± shouted Arwin¡¯s distorted voice and it was followed by a massive blow into a wall.


    *BAM*


    Luckily it wasn¡¯t even close to where Ragnar had hidden and debris flew all over the place. More dust flew into the air, making the dust cloud last even longer. He obviously wasn¡¯t the brightest of Djinns.


    ¡°Hay Djinn,¡± Ragnar whispered to his bracelet. ¡°How long do you think those two can stay fused?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have the time, fuse with me, now!¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m going to win this fair and square!¡±


    ¡°Fool, stop wasting time!¡±


    ¡°Come on, I¡¯ll owe you one.¡±


    The bracelet was silent for a moment, but then answered: ¡°Judging from the amount of power he¡¯s exerting, I¡¯d say about 2 minutes.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, that¡¯s all I needed to hear.¡±


    ¡°Be careful though, Djinn¡¯s are masters of combat. He¡¯s sure to have a few trick up his sleeve.¡±


    The Djinn had barely uttered those words as the dirt started to blow be blown away by a draft. That hole in the wall his opponent had made caused wind to flow through the alley. He wasn¡¯t all that stupid after all.


    As the dirt lifted, Arwin¡¯s body became visible again. He was standing in the middle of the alley, surrounded by rubble. The boy looked incredibly menacing, the yellow eyes staring right into the soul. But that wasn¡¯t the worst of it, the true terror came from what was flying around him.


    He was surrounded by a sea flames.


    ¡°Ragnar, fuse with me, NOW!¡±


    Upon seeing such overwhelming power, Ragnar nodded. Pride was of no consequence when you''re dead.

 Chapter 23: Last Enrollment

    Author''s Note: Hiya readers,


    sorry for the delayed chapter but Study stuff came in the way and I never found the time to write. Heck, I expect to still be busy over the next few weeks so I¡¯m adopting a bi-weekly release schedule from now on.


    Enjoy!


    ****************************


    ¡°Ragnar, fuse with me, NOW!¡±


    Ragnar really didn¡¯t have a choice anymore, his opponent had gathered such an overwhelming amount of energy that it would be impossible to withstand his attacks for two minutes.


    Ragnar¡¯s bracelet lit up and changed into a floating orb of bright green. Ragnar grabbed it and pushed it into his stomach the same way his opponent had done earlier.


    He immediately felt the effects. Power started coursing through his veins, energy poured through every ounce of his body. He could feel the strange yet incredible strength the Djinn was providing him wash through his very being. It was a sensation slightly short of euphoria.


    Ragnar, we¡¯re up!


    As exhilarating as this power was, he still had to face his opponent. He grabbed his claymore with both his hands and poured energy into his Soul. The hilt¡¯s green gem started to illuminate and the air around him grew frigid.


    ¡°Wise decision, but it¡¯s too late! You will be mine!¡±


    Arwin took the initiative. He raised his cudgel above his head and jumped at Ragnar. A trail of fire followed him as he approached his opponent through the air.


    Ragnar didn¡¯t stand still through, he took a few steps to the side and stuck his sword into the ground, pouring more energy into his Soul. The ice of his blade spread all over the floor and the entire area was covered in ice in a mere instant. A common technique, but it usually required a lot of time to prepare.


    Arwin, knowing that he¡¯d slip if he tried to land on the ice, threw his weapon to the ground, smashing up the ice formation.


    *BAM*


    Ice shard flew in every direction, scraping both Arwin and Ragnar as they shielded themselves from the blast.


    Arwin landed in the middle of the newly formed crater and the sea of flame quickly surrounded him again. The blazing heat of the fire quickly turned the surrounding ice to water again, rendering Ragnar¡¯s earlier efforts futile.


    ¡°Did you really think that¡¯d work?¡± said Arwin¡¯s distorted voice as he picked up his cudgel again.


    ¡°Well, it was worth a try.¡± Ragnar pulled his sword out of the ground again and faced the yellow eyed fiend. Even though they were more than 10 meters apart, he could still feel the heat of the flames.


    ¡°It sounds like your mortal is still in control! Are you not taking me seriously?¡±


    Arwin initiated his next attack as he said that. He rushed towards Ragnar at an alarming speed, his weapon held to the side. As he reached within Ragnar¡¯s range, he swung the weapon with all his might.


    *clachank*


    The weapon was blocked by Ragnar¡¯s blade but the blow didn¡¯t send Ragnar flying this time. Instead, Ragnar used this moment to lift his knee and kicked Arwin right in the stomach. The blow, laced with the strength of Ragnar¡¯s own Djinn, caught the enemy off guard and sent him flying backwards. Ragnar set out immediately to follow up on the blow as his opponent was defenseless.


    That wasn¡¯t the case though, Arwin¡¯s sea of flames were not there just for show. As his body flew through the air the boy muttered a few incomprehensible words and the fire started to take a life of its own. The mass of bright red embers coagulated into a big blue ball of fire and shot out towards the approaching Ragnar.


    Ragnar broke off his pursuit and prepared to avoid the incoming projectile. He threw himself out of the way, making a quick roll to return to his feet as quickly as possible. He looked at Arwin and saw that he¡¯d risen to his feet again as well.


    Duck!


    Without thought, Ragnar did as the Djinn said and he could feel a burning heat sear over his head. He looked up and saw that the blue ball of fire was already arching back towards him.


    The fiend noticed Ragnar¡¯s surprise and a sly smile appeared on his face. Not the smirky kind either, the totally evil kind.


    But he wasn¡¯t going to let such an easy opportunity pass by. Using Ragnar¡¯s confusion to his advantage, he decided to throw his cudgel at the boy. The weapon flew at an amazing speed, whizzing through the air.


    Even though Ragnar was still entirely focused on fireball, his body moved with amazingly fluid grace. Before Ragnar could even realize what had happened, his body had already swatted away the incoming projectile with his claymore.


    ¡°What the hell?¡± exclaimed Ragnar in surprise. What had just happened?


    Don¡¯t mind it for now, focus on your enemy. However eerie he found that moment just now, he still had an opponent to face. He could ask his Djinn about it later.


    Ragnar took his claymore in both hands and faced the yellow-eyed fiend. His opponent was weaponless, so it gave him the opportunity he needed. He then saw the fireball whizzing at him again and prepared to dodge again.


    But as the ball was approaching it started to shrink. The blue flames were slowly dying out and the entire spell vanished into thin air before it could reach Ragnar.


    Ragnar looked at his opponent and saw that Arwin¡¯s eyes had returned to normal. The boy slowly fell to the ground and it was visible that he was entirely drained of energy.


    ¡° I-I give¡­.¡± He said in his own voice again.


    Ragnar lowered his weapon. He approached the boy and offered him a hand.


    ¡°T-thanks¡­¡± He took the hand and Ragnar yanked him up. Ragnar supported his shoulder and started to walk back with him. As he did so he noticed the area around them.


    ¡°Geez, we really wrecked this place¡­.¡± Rubble was lying everywhere and the buildings around them had collapsed entirely. Scorch marks decorated the area and rubble was littered everywhere. ¡°Do you think they¡¯ll be mad at us?¡±


    ¡°N-no idea, but I-I think most of these buildings aren¡¯t used anyways.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s true, I guess¡­.¡± Ragnar hadn¡¯t really thought about it, but why did the school own so many buildings in the first place? They both walked in silence for a while when Ragnar asked:


    ¡°Why do you let the Djinn control your entire body? You don¡¯t trust your own skill?¡±


    ¡°I-I grew up on a farm, I have no training in combat at all.¡±


    ¡°Then why would you apply to this place in the first place? I know school is mandatory but there are so many other schools out there that could suit you.¡±


    ¡°Nobles wouldn¡¯t understand what it¡¯s like out there¡­,¡± said the boy. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to find another way to fulfill my destiny now¡­.¡±


    ¡°Your destiny?¡±


    ¡°Oh yeah, apparently I¡¯m the Chosen One and I have to save the world from certain doom.¡±


    ¡°You also got that story? I guess all Djinn¡¯s come with some kind of quest. What doom did he show you?¡±


    Arwin was somewhat surprised. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re also a Chosen One? My Djinn assured me I was the only one.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I¡¯ve seen a few of us around but apparently we¡¯re all tasked with a different doom. Mine is to prevent the rewinding of time, apparently people are using the Earth¡¯s energy to restore lost cities or something.¡±


    ¡°Really? That sounds cool! My quest was so much vaguer than that, all the guy showed me was a forest that stood still in time.¡±


    ¡°That sound pretty awesome if you ask me. How are you supposed to stop it?¡±


    ¡°I really don¡¯t know, the only clue I have is the blue moon that was hanging in the sky. It was strange because I couldn¡¯t see the yellow or red moon anywhere.¡±


    ¡°Haha, I got the same problem. All I got is some blue orbs appearing out of nowhere.¡±


    The two boys discussed their quests at length as they walked back. Neither of them had any information that either could use, other than the fact that Arwin¡¯s Djinn could leave control to him but had decided not to. At some point Ragnar¡¯s fusion ended and the bracelet appeared back on his wrist. Ragnar was relieved that he wouldn¡¯t end up as exhausted as Arwin did.


    When they arrived at the dormitory they had to part ways.


    ¡°Stay in touch, okay?¡± shouted Ragnar as Arwin walked away.


    ¡°Sure! We should share any information we can find, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay! See ya around!¡±


    And then Ragnar went to his own bunk. He really wanted to share the fight with everyone, especially Amalia, but he knew that he couldn¡¯t. His Djinn had specifically told him not to tell anyone about the existence of Djinns, so he had to keep quiet about it.


    Well, that sucks, I just had the best fight of my life and I can¡¯t share it¡­


    ****************************


    That evening


    Two figures were creeping through the night, each holding their own respective containers. Any onlooker would have noted their suspicious behavior as they were trying really hard to blend with the shadows, to remain unseen to the common eye. This is, off course, because their jars contained ¡®unorthodox¡¯ materials.


    ¡°Hey Ariel,¡± whispered one to the other. ¡°Do you have any idea what the Night Courses are actually about?¡±


    Ariel turned around and looked at the jar in the boy¡¯s hands. ¡°Ha, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s a bit late to have regrets? You probably know as much as I do about it.¡±


    Ymil sighed. ¡°I guess¡­ I was more interested in what you thought about the courses itself. I mean, the acceptance tests were all quite grim. Look at us, 11 years old and already murderers.¡±


    ¡°Meh, it was bound to happen sooner or later. I think it was a proper way to determine whether we got the qualities needed to become spies. Look at Rena, do you really think she¡¯d have lasted very long in these classes?¡±


    When Ariel said that Ymil thought of the na?ve little girl that whipped her opponents into submission. She was too straight forward to be an accomplished spy, she would have any opponent head on. She was also too kind-hearted, considering she didn¡¯t actually finish off her opponent.


    ¡°That is true¡­¡±


    ¡°See it this way, because she was unable to kill of that Kyle she will remain an innocent little flower. Shouldn¡¯t you rejoice at that?¡±


    ¡°Why would I¡­. Oh I see what you mean. Sorry to break your illusion but I don¡¯t see her that way.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t? The way she always jumps to your defense whenever people doubt you, the way she looks at you when you say something smart¡­¡± Ariel was thoroughly enjoying this, teasing someone about matters of the heart was one of his favorite pass-times.


    ¡°Shh, I think we¡¯re here.¡± Ymil had no intention of indulging his probing. They stood in front of a large abandoned building, shining brightly in the moonlight of the two moons. Half of it was in ruin and scorch marks could be seen here and there, there were even a few craters in the ground. It looked as though a demon had run rampant. They opened the door and entered into the dark room.


    Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re the first ones to arrive,¡± said Ymil as he eyed the rubble. ¡°Why would the Academy have a place like this?¡±


    Ariel, however chipper he was before, had gone completely silent. ¡°Ymil, I think you should shut up for a moment.¡±


    They both fell silent and darkness enveloped the two boys. The doorway was the only source of light, the dim moonlight illuminating the floor in front of them. The rest of the room was a sea of darkness, an ocean of oppressive black. The night¡¯s noises dances around them as they slowly walked further into the room. Something was amiss, but Ymil couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it.


    But before they could realize what it was, two shadows formed on the bright floor they were treading on. They quickly turned around and saw two shady figures standing in the doorway.


    ¡°Looks like we¡¯re not the only ones,¡± said one of the two figures, obviously a girl.


    ¡°Or they¡¯re another test. Should I erase them?¡± said the other shade and he quickly assumed an offensive position.


    ¡°Hey now,¡± said Ariel, ¡°No need to be so hasty, we¡¯re all friends aren¡¯t we?¡±


    The quick-to-draw boy sneered. ¡°As if we can make friend with the likes of you, Southerner.¡± He wasn¡¯t going to let his guard down around an Anthropofagos.


    ¡°Relax, Cain. We¡¯ll be spending a lot of time with these two. You¡¯d better play nice.¡±


    ¡°But but but¡­¡± said the boy but he stowed way his weapons nonetheless.


    ¡°That¡¯s better, now how about we introduce ourselves?¡± The girl walked into the room.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid those introductions will have to wait,¡± said Ymil as he quietly glared around at the darkness around them. ¡°We¡¯re not alone.¡±


    The girl froze mid step and looked around. It took her a moment what Ymil was getting at, there was a certain ¡®presence¡¯ in the room that could easily be overlooked.


    ¡°Well I¡¯ll be,¡± said the boy called Cain and he rushed towards the girl¡¯s side, drawing his weapons again.


    ¡°Hey you,¡± shouted Ariel, ¡°no need to hide yourself from us. We¡¯re probably here for the same reason as you.¡±


    ¡°I was wondering how long it¡¯d take you guys,¡± said a familiar voice.


    A candle lit up at the edge of the darkness, revealing the figure of the man holding it. Then another candle lit up, and then another. The three candles were each held by a person in black, their faces hidden in shadows. And in the middle of the room stood a figure they both recognized from the first meeting. It was Teacher Jack.


    ¡°I believe congratulations are in place,¡± said the blond man as he slowly started to clap his hands. Even though they had sensed a presence, the boys hadn¡¯t anticipated there to be 4 of them.


    ¡°What about the others?¡± Ariel asked, referring to the other attendants during the first meeting.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry,¡± said Jack. ¡°You are the only ones that passed.¡±


    Was that even possible? They remembered very clearly that there were some Nobles in the room when they entered, how did they not pass this test?


    ¡°So you¡¯re probably wondering: ¡®What about the Nobles that were here that night?¡¯¡± continued Jack. ¡°Well, as you can see, they didn¡¯t make it. You guys are the only ones that were able to pass the entrance fights and fill their jars.¡± He pointed at the things the children were carrying. ¡°How do you feel about them, anyways?¡±


    ¡°Terrible off course,¡± said the girl. The three candles revealed what she actually looked like. She bad brown hair and wore pitch black clothes. Her eyes reflected the candlelight, revealing a caring yet unforgiving nature. ¡°Nobody our age should be forced to kill someone, even if they¡¯re form an enemy nation.¡±


    ¡°I agree.¡± Ymil nodded. ¡°Even if we¡¯ll be taught how to kill in the Night Courses, this was way too extreme.¡±


    ¡°I agree with those two,¡± said Ariel.


    ¡°Ha, that¡¯s a laugh,¡± said Cain. ¡°There is no way a Fagos like you would mind killing a human.¡±


    Ariel put his arm around the boy and said: ¡°Watch it, you might be on the menu next.¡±


    But Cain would have none of that. He quickly his blade to Ariel¡¯s side, ready to wound the boy.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that if I were you,¡± said the girl. ¡°I¡¯m sure a stick in the mud like Cain¡¯d taste terribly bitter.¡±


    Ymil looked at Cain and saw that the boy looked as though he never slept. His clothes were all ragged, his hair was a big brown fuzz and his eyes peered at the world with such hate that Ymil couldn¡¯t help but wonder what had made the boy the way he was.


    Ariel winked. ¡°I¡¯m sure I can add enough salt to make up for that.¡± He then released Cain and took a few steps back. Cain was staring daggers at Ariel, who returned the glare with a smile.


    ¡°Hey now, boys and girl, you¡¯ll be working together from now on so you¡¯d better play nice.¡± Teacher Jack was also smiling. Anyone that knew of Ariel¡¯s background would have seen the irony in this. ¡°Today we¡¯ll be explaining to you what the Night Courses are about. Master Wux, if you¡¯d please?¡±


    The children looked at the three candle bearing figures but none of them reacted. Master Wux was there?


    *Ahem*


    Everyone turned around instantly as they heard someone scraping his throat. They were all surprised to find Master Wux standing right next to Teacher Jack. He hadn¡¯t been there before and there was no place nearby to hide behind. How did that man conceal himself?


    ¡°Greetings, students,¡± said the grizzly old man. ¡°My name is Wux Paliogar, as all of you know. I will be your instructor for the coming years. Porters, close the doors.¡± He motioned the candleholders to close the door that was still open.


    ¡°You are hereby enrolled in the Academy¡¯s Night Courses. None of you should know what it is about so I will now confirm that what you have probably already surmised. The Night Courses are secret classes that train you to be a spy and assassin.¡± He inhaled deeply. ¡°I have a question for you children: ¡®What makes one strong?¡¯¡±


    As Master Wux stopped talking an oppressive silence fell onto the room. Apparently he was expecting an answer.


    ¡°Deceit?¡± The girl answered first.


    ¡°Subterfuge¡­¡± said Cain.


    ¡°Knowledge,¡± added Ymil.


    ¡°I agree with the deceit,¡± said Ariel, carefully eying the seemingly normal girl.


    Master Wux nodded. ¡°Good answers, but I have to agree with Idagni: Knowledge is Power. Know thine enemy, know thyself. Know when to forfeit, know when to push. Know.¡±


    The man was spouting some weird nonsense, but they all listened nonetheless. They all understood that if Master Wux said anything, they¡¯d better listen.


    ¡°This course will teach you how to gain knowledge in all forms and shapes. You will be training your eyes, your touch, your taste, your ears and every other sense. You will become unstoppable information machines that will be able to figure out how fast a bee is flying from a mile away.


    But that is not all, you will learn how to process this information. You will have to be able to make decisions in split seconds. Do you think you are ready for this?¡±


    Silence fell back onto the room.


    ¡°I asked: DO YOU THINK YOU ARE READY FOR THIS?¡±


    ¡°YESSIR!¡± They all screamed in unison. It didn¡¯t matter how composed a person is, Master Wux¡¯s voice contained so much energy just now that anyone would have been startled.


    ¡°Alright,¡± Wux turned around and motioned Teacher Jack to move forward. The latter took the containers every child was carrying and placed them on the ground. He then produced four jars of green liquid from his pockets and handed them to every child.


    ¡°Then you will start with a training of taste,¡± continued Master Wux. ¡°For the next 4 hours you will be holding the contents of this jar in your mouth. If you fail you will be doing pushups. Is that understood?¡±


    ¡°Yessir!¡± they all shouted, anxiously looking at the jars in their hands. The liquid inside did not look appetizing at all.


    ¡°Then you may begin. Teacher Jack will be supervising you.¡± And with those words he disappeared into nothingness.


    The children each opened their jars and were met with the horrid stench. The putrid air made everyone¡¯s stomach flip upside down. Imagine what it must taste like.


    ¡°Come on, kids,¡± said Jack, ¡°we don¡¯t have all day. Go!¡±


    Ymil looked at Ariel, who shrugged in response.


    ¡°Here goes nothing,¡± said Ymil and he poured the foul smelling liquid into the mouth. The others, encouraged by his action, followed suit.


    *Blergh*


    The girl immediately threw up the contents of her stomach. Ymil didn¡¯t blame her, this thing was horrible. It was a good thing he was used to Mia¡¯s cooking, or else he¡¯d have regurgitated everything right away. Not that it mattered much, the substance became much fouler and disgusting the longer it was in the mouth.


    ¡°Aaah, Evelyne Kanonikos, it would seem that you¡¯ll be doing pushups the rest of the night.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± The girl, apparently called Evelyne, wanted to protest but she wasn¡¯t feeling well enough to.


    ¡°No buts, you¡¯ll get to try the liquid thing again in half an hour. For now, it¡¯s push-ups. Or do you want me to get my Soul out?¡±


    Upon hearing that last threat she did as she was told. Apparently Jack had used it to intimidate every class before, not just theirs. But why would¡­.


    *Blergh*


    Cain and Ymil both threw up at almost the same time. They managed to last an entire 30 seconds but that foul substance was turning more disgusting by the second.


    ¡°It looks like Cain and Ymil will be joining you. How about it, guys, are you ready for some push-ups?¡±


    Ymil looked at Cain but he just grunted. He got into push-up position and started to do push-ups. Ymil knew he had no choice and so he began as well.


    *Blergh*


    ¡°And that¡¯s number 4, come on down, Ariel, we¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡±


    Ymil looked up and saw that Ariel was looking somewhat green, which was impressive considering his skin color.


    But he too went down on all 4 and started to do pushups without complaints. I think everyone came to the same conclusion in the end, pushups were much nicer than having that liquid in your mouth.


    ¡°No worries,¡± said Teacher Jack, ¡°in half an hour you¡¯ll all try again. Until then I expect you to do at least 100 pushups each.¡±


    The pushups were easy, they all had trained hard enough to be able to do that much. The problem lied with the liquid. Every time they had to keep that stuff in their mouths they would lose almost half of their strength. It was just that nauseating. Sure, they recovered after a while, but it didn¡¯t help that they knew they had to ingest it again later.


    It was this very first training that they would all remember as the worst night of their lives.

 Chapter 24: Enrollment Party

    Author''s note: This marks the end of this arc. I learned quite a lot from this and will make sure that my next arc will have a main baddy, as well as a real climax :P. The Kolimpri arc is something I''m actually looking forward to to write! Enjoy!


    Edited by: 1Jayds, Paradox


    ***************************************


    The enrollment fights have come to an end. Of the more than ten thousand children that enrolled, only 385 members remained. It was quite the achievement to have passed all 5 fights but then again, Halram Academy only wants the best of the best.


    In order to celebrate the ending of the fall-out period the staff had organized a little party. They had emptied one of the class rooms and decorated the white marble walls with colorful and festive riffraffs. Candles were shining in abundance throughout the room and small tables had been set up to contain snacks and drinks. There were even people playing instruments to the side, some of which the children had never seen before. Heck, most children in attendance had never been to something as big as this.


    ¡°Well, you can see where they spend all their money¡­¡± said Theo as he chomped onto a dried squid. The gang had claimed a table with lots of different types of food. They also made sure it was as far away from a certain someone¡¯s table.


    ¡°Are things always like this in the Capital?¡± asked Ymil as he looked around the room with deadbeat eyes. He was severely drained from the night before, that night had been hell¡¯s incarnate to him. Nevertheless, he was impressed by the size of the party. The parties they¡¯d had back in Sophia Village were much different from this.


    ¡°Ay,¡± said Ariel. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Nobility often hold parties like this to showcase their wealth. Although, if you compare this to an actual Noble¡¯s party, you¡¯d find this pale in comparison. Isn¡¯t that so, Amalia?¡± He showed little signs of being tired but Ymil knew that he was dead on the inside too.


    Amalia was silently staring at the woman playing harp on the side. She was nibbling on a stir fried chicken wing as she became one with the music.


    ¡°Yoohoo, Amaliaaaaa!¡± shouted Ragnar as he waved his hand his front of her face.


    ¡°Urgh, can¡¯t you see I¡¯m admiring the music here, simpleton?¡± She turned back to the table. ¡°That woman is quite phenomenal, I wonder who her patron is¡­.¡±


    ¡°Earth to Amalia,¡± continued Ragnar, ¡°We were wondering how this part compares to what you¡¯re used to.¡±


    ¡°I find that woman quite amazing as well,¡± added Rena. ¡°Every stroke of her hand is as if she¡¯s tugging at my heart strings.¡±


    Everyone fell silent and listened to the woman¡¯s harp. Only then did the boys realize the magic of her music. Every note was soothing to the heart, every chord would lift the spirit into a state of trance.


    ¡°Wow,¡± sighed Ragnar, ¡°that is beautiful. I mean the music, not the woman!¡±


    ¡°Pshh, see if I care,¡± said Amalia. ¡°Not like she¡¯s got anything on me.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be so sure about that,¡± said Theo and made cupping movements in front of his chest. Upon seeing that Amalia¡¯s face turned beet red, it matched her hair quite nicely.


    Ragnar placed his hand on her shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you worry, I heard that they¡¯ll grow bigger if someone massages them for you. I will, as your boyfriend, reluctantly accept this devious task and¡­¡±


    *Slap*


    ¡°I saw that one coming from miles away¡­.¡± Ariel laughed bitterly.


    ¡°Aw come on. I was just kidding.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you are so very funny, Ragnar Forgeron.¡± Amalia¡¯s face looked as if she was boiling on the inside. ¡±Almost as funny as this chicken here. Do you know what I do to people that are as funny as this chicken, Ragnar Forgeron?¡±


    ¡°You cuddle them to death?¡± said Ragnar as he popped an innocent smile.


    ¡°No. I do this!¡± Amalia took the chicken to her mouth and took a violent bite. She chewed the meat loudly and then spat it out.


    ¡°Kinky,¡± said Theo as he reached for a piece of cheese-bread.


    ¡°Looks like she doesn¡¯t swallow, Ragnar. Dump her while you can.¡± Ariel looked expectantly at the already furious Amalia but was surprised not to get a reaction from her. ¡°What, too mature for you?¡±


    ¡°Erm, Ariel, I don¡¯t think anyone understood that one¡­¡± said Rena softly.


    ¡°I did, but it¡¯d be best you don¡¯t know the details,¡± said Theo as he tried to stifle his laughter. ¡°Hey Ragnar, how is this dating Amalia business going?¡±


    ¡°Quite fine,¡± said Ragnar without hesitation. ¡°She almost agreed to hold hands!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not what I said!¡± rebuked Amalia. ¡°I said that I¡¯d need to be a corpse for that to happen.¡±


    ¡°See? Progress!¡± Ragnar revealed a big grin on his face. ¡°Before, she¡¯d have told me to go die in a corner.¡± This mode everyone laugh, besides Amalia off course.


    ¡°Well, I guess you¡¯re more tolerable than my ¡®other¡¯ suitor¡­,¡± sighed Amalia.


    ¡°You rang?¡± asked a cocky voice. Everyone turned around at the same time and found Alex Chrysos standing near their table. Naturally, they abruptly stopped talking.


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t our favorite little swine,¡± answered Ragnar as he stood up. ¡°I was wondering what that smell was but you just solved that mystery.¡±


    ¡°Oh really,¡±rebuked Alex, ¡°are you sure you¡¯re not smelling yourself, you piece of shit?¡±


    Ragnar feigned horror. ¡°Oh my, you really hit me where it hurts. What can we do for you, Lord Swineston?¡±


    ¡°Tssk, I didn¡¯t come here for you. I came to ask Amalia if she¡¯d be my dance partner later this evening.¡±


    Amalia looked genuinely surprised. ¡°Wait, they¡¯re playing a Waltz tonight?¡±


    ¡°But off course, and I would really appreciate your lovely self to be my partner.¡±


    ¡°I might consider it,¡± she said, ¡°if you get rid of your cocky attitude and got rid of that smell. Ragnar is right, you smell like a donkey¡¯s excrement.¡±


    Alex¡¯s face started to twitch. ¡°Are you sure, m¡¯lady? It seems befitting of our statures that we would¡­.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t give about statures, my dad always told me to dance with the men I hold dear. You, m¡¯lord, are nothing but a pompous pig.¡±


    Alex¡¯s face was getting entirely red, he was obviously angry. ¡°Thank you, miss, I shall remember this.¡± He was barely able to contain his anger and stormed off to his side of the room again. He was greeted by a few members of Nobility and even the gang could hear them laughing.


    ¡°What was up with that?¡± asked Theo.


    ¡°Well, he¡¯s her other suitor¡­,¡± answered Rena.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, that Nobleman¡¯s son thinks I am his destined partner as yellow and red are supposedly fated colors. What kind of bull is that?¡±


    ¡°His attempts at being romantic are quite¡­ interesting¡­.¡± said Rena as she knew all about Alex¡¯s antics. She knew that his intentions weren¡¯t bad, it¡¯s just that his methods were just so despicable, so unimaginative, so lame.


    ¡°Then tell me,¡± asked Amalia, ¡°what part of offering me a slave as dowry would you find attractive?¡±


    ¡°He offered you a slave?¡± asked Theo as he angrily put down the food in his hand. ¡°You don¡¯t do slaves, do you Amalia?¡±


    ¡°Off course not! My family¡¯s not that barbaric.¡±


    ¡°Then you should have accepted and let the slave go.¡± Theo¡¯s tone changed the entire mood of the conversation instantly.


    ¡°What¡¯s with you, Theo? Why so serious all of a sudden? Why would I accept a gift from that poser?¡±


    ¡°Because this is a man¡¯s life he¡¯s toying with,¡± said Theo, ¡°slaves are not tradeable goods.¡±


    ¡°We all agree with you, Theo,¡± said Rena softly, ¡°but if she¡¯d accepted she¡¯d be forced to marry Alex. That¡¯s the idea of a dowry present.¡±


    Amalia quickly nodded to support Rena¡¯s case. Everyone silently looked at Theo who had just gone from his usual carefree self to an entirely serious persona, something that happened very rarely. A few seconds passed and Theo¡¯s face suddenly reverted to his gleeful self.


    ¡°But hey, if you ever get bored of Ragnar or Alex, I¡¯ll always be available.¡±


    Everyone understood he didn¡¯t want to continue on the topic so they just dropped it.


    ¡°You know? If you were a bit more decent I might actually fall for you,¡± said Amalia as she pointed a chickendrum at Theo.


    ¡°Hey, no flirting with other people¡¯s girls, man. Not cool!¡± Ragnar was mockingly staring at Theo.


    Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.


    ¡°Haha, don¡¯t worry. I wouldn¡¯t dare flirt with her without your permission, oh great Lord Forgeron.¡± Theo made the best bow he could make from a seated position.


    ¡°Why you!¡± Ragnar slung the piece of sausage he was about to eat at Theo.


    *hap*


    It went right into Theo¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Fank you fery much!¡± said Theo and then he chewed on his newly obtained sausage. This prompted everyone at the table to laugh, even Ragnar forgot he was being mock-angry. They then went on to talk about other things such as the teachers that they have and the other students that they¡¯ve fought. They were all enjoying themselves immensely.


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


    Later that evening, Ymil whispered something to Ragnar. ¡°Pshh Ragnar. I think you should ask Amalia to dance with you.¡±


    Why would I¡­¡± started Ragnar but then he noticed the change in music. The musicians had started to play a soft instrumental song that often accompanied an certain dance. Even though Ragnar and Ymil never learned the steps, they do recognize the type of music.


    Ragnar promptly stood up and walked over towards Amalia¡¯s chair. She looked up at him in surprise, a piece of crab still dangling from her mouth as she realized what the boy was about to do.


    ¡°Proper etiquette dictates that a dashingly handsome youngman has the right to ask such a wonderful lady as yourself for a dance. Would m¡¯lady give me the honor?¡± Ragnar gave a curt bow and offered his hand.


    Amalia put down the crab and cleaned her hands with a napkin. She then took Ragnar¡¯s hand and stood up. ¡°It would appear that you¡¯re not that barbaric after all. Please lead the way.¡±


    Ragnar took her by the hand and with a huge grin on his face he walked her to the largest open space available. He led her to his front and posed in a way he¡¯d seen in picture books.


    ¡°You know,¡± he said as he took a good look at Amalia¡¯s dress, ¡°You look quite stunning tonight.¡±


    ¡°But off course.¡± She had picked that dress especially for that occasion. The dress she wore was a mix of both black and red silk that outlines the curves of her maturing body. She had developed quite well in several areas and this dress emphasized this growth. She wanted to leave a lasting impression on anyone that would see her that night, as she was a Noble after all.


    She slid into Ragnar¡¯s arms and held the posture that she had been taught. Unlike Ragnar, she had been trained in the arts of etiquette and dancing and was much more apt at dancing than the average girl.


    And so they began. Ragnar listened to the beat of the music and tried to find a good rhythm. He then took a step forward with his left foot and he hit Amalia¡¯s shin.


    ¡°Ouch! Who on earth starts a waltz with their left?¡±


    Ragnar shrugged. ¡°I never paid much attention to dance classes. I never thought them that useful.¡± That was a lie, off course, but he had to maintain the appearance of a Noble.


    ¡°Tsk, all you Noble boys are the same. Here, allow me to lead.¡± She slid out of Ragnar¡¯s embrace and assumed the stance of a man. Her left arm was hooked and right extended, the position Ragnar had just mimicked.


    ¡°Wait, you want me to be the woman?!¡± exclaimed Ragnar.


    ¡°It¡¯s either that or I¡¯m going to dance with Theo.¡± A smug smile appeared on her face.


    ¡°Fiiiiine.¡± Ragnar had no choice but to give in.


    ¡°So first you take a step back with your left,¡± she whispered and she gently pushed Ragnar¡¯s body backwards. ¡°Then you take a step to the side and close¡­.¡± She gently guided Ragnar through the basic steps of the English Waltz and soon she stopped talking altogether. Once Ragnar had figured out the steps he simply followed the instructions Amalia¡¯s body gave. A push, a pull, a nudge, anything really, Amalia was leading brilliantly.


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


    The rest of the group was looking at the pair dancing with smug smiles on their faces. They couldn¡¯t hear what they were saying but when they saw that Amalia took on the role of the man both Theo and Ariel had a laughing fit. Even Ymil had to work had to stifle his laughter, but he didn¡¯t want to seem disrespectful to his friend.


    But once the pair started to really dance, the guys couldn¡¯t help but be envious of Ragnar. To hold a girl that closely for so long, it felt so intimate, so personal. Too bad that there was nobody that¡­


    *prod*


    Ymil turned around as someone was poking him on the shoulder. Behind him stood Rena and she was nervously staring at the ground. It was only then that Ymil realized that she was also wearing a high-quality dress that, although it didn¡¯t stick to the body as Amalia¡¯s did, it added a certain innocent charm to the wearer. She looked outright adorable.


    ¡°Erm¡­¡± she stammered as she shuffled her feet nervously. ¡°W-would you like to dance w-with me?¡±


    Theo and Ariel turned around instantly and looked at the two at the edge of the table. Their eyes were filled with envy and jealousy, but they also egged Ymil on. ¡®Go for it!¡¯ said their eyes.


    ¡°Why not,¡± he said as he stood up and took Rena by the hand. He then walked her next to where Ragnar and Amalia were dancing and placed Rena in front of him.


    He gave her a curt bow and assumed the male position by extending his right arm. She accepted it and they both moved closer, arms entwining as they prepared to dance.


    ¡°Do keep in mind though,¡± whispered Ymil, ¡°that I only know the theory. I might be a bit¡­ stiff.¡±


    Rena laughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve only learned the basics myself.¡±


    And so they began. Forward, side, close. Backwards, side, close¡­. They went through the steps like a pair of stiff robots and eventually finished the figure eight that forms the basis of the dance. They then repeated the steps, much more fluidly this time, and again, and again, and at some point they completely forgot that they were supposed to be bad at this.


    But unlike in the fairytales, Ymil did not get absorbed by the music, his thought did not go blank as they danced. As they were sliding across the dancefloor he couldn¡¯t help himself from thinking about what this dance might imply, how others would perceive it and how different it felt from when he danced with Mia back in the village. He really wanted to enjoy the moment but his mind just wouldn¡¯t shut up!


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


    ¡°So Ariel,¡± said Theo to the last remaining member of their gang. ¡°I feel kinda left out. Couldn¡¯t you have been a girl?¡±


    ¡°Ha, and then I¡¯d be yours by default? As if!¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯d only be fair!¡±


    ¡°No way dude, why is it that everyone should be paired up like that? The world doesn¡¯t work that way.¡±


    Theo sighed. ¡°But look at them! Don¡¯t they look like they¡¯re having fun?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not too late yet, if you really want we can dance together.¡± Ariel winked provocatively as he said that.


    ¡°Eeeeew! No! I just want a magical moment like those guys are having! Dancing with a dude would totally destroy the moment.¡±


    Upon seeing Theo¡¯s reaction he couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°Haha, I¡¯m only kidding! But look at them, do you really think they¡¯re having such magical times themselves?¡±


    Theo looked but saw no problems. Ragnar and Amalia were waltzing over the dancefloor like a magnificent rose, their movement flowing together naturally and they were both smiling ceaselessly. Ymil and Rena¡¯s dance was also quite beautiful but not quite as graceful. Rena was entirely entranced by the music, he couldn¡¯t make out Ymil¡¯s face though.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d give the world to be in their position,¡± said Theo finally.


    But Ariel sighed. ¡°Funny, I wouldn¡¯t want to be in their shoes for the world.¡±


    And with those words the duo kept looking at the two dancing pairs on the dancefloor. A few other pairs took to the floor as well but most of them stayed as far away from the children with colored hair. Most pairs didn¡¯t know how to actually dance the waltz though so their dances were not as mesmerizing as our main heroes.


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


    That had been a successful night for our heroes as they didn¡¯t have to deal with unpleasantness at all. Most people didn¡¯t dare to approach them and the other Nobles had kept their distance, probably at the behest of Alex Chrysos.


    The rest of the year went by really quickly. Although it didn''t go by as smoothly as a normal school year would, everything pales in comparison with what they had to face at the end of their first year. After training hard together and triumphing over most obstacles, our heroes found themselves in the Royal Finals. And guess who they are facing?

 Interlude - Kings Castle

    ¡°...The weather is terrible I tell you, the rains have destroyed my crops, the winds have....¡±


    The audience chamber was a majestically large room made for civilians and militants to get an audience with the king. In the middle of the room stood a large golden throne, decorated with red tapestry and timeless jewels. On the throne sat the king himself. Clad in red, he was listening to a civilian complaining about the bad weather. There were only three people in the room: the king, the civilian and a woman.


    ¡°Are you done yet,¡± interrupted the king, looking bored. ¡°What on earth can I do to make the weather better?¡±


    The civilian looked up, disoriented by the sudden interruption. ¡°Y-you could e-employ magicians to manipulate the weather, right?¡± stammered the man.


    ¡°Pointless, your bad crops are a result of your own ineptitude. My sources tell me your neighbor was able to produce twice as many crops as the year before. Go learn from him. Next!¡±


    The civilian¡¯s face showed signs of anger as he walked back out of the room.


    ¡°Hi hi hi.¡±


    The man turned to the side and saw the beautiful woman sitting on a couch. She was playfully waving her bright green fans around, her pitch black hair swaying in the wind these tools made. She was smiling at the man as he looked at her.


    ¡°Do not fret,¡± said the woman. ¡°Next time around you will make the same mistake again.¡± And her smile broadened.


    Not knowing what she meant, he simply walked out of the room, past the next man to gain an audience.


    The new civilian knelt in front of the king and saluted.


    ¡°Greetings, great king,¡± said the man as he bumped his fist to his chest. ¡°I have come here with a very simple request, one that is of a fairly personal matter.¡± He eyed the woman on the sofa, meaning that what he was about to say was not meant for her ears.


    ¡°Alright,¡± said the king and allowed the man to come closer.


    The man walked up to the throne and bent over towards the king¡¯s ears. ¡°I wish for you to die.¡± The man immediately thrust a knife in the king¡¯s head. Feeling as though it made contact, he quickly took a few steps back to observe the result.


    ¡°Oh my,¡± said the king. ¡°Looks like you pierced my skull, how neat.¡± The king took the knife with one of his hands and pulled it out. Blood spattered onto the red tapestry and half the king¡¯s face was covered in gore. His eyes had changed from the gentle blue eyes he usually wore to a deep dark crimson that revealed bloodlust. He took a look at the knife he was holding and observed the pink colored gem.


    ¡°Anthropofagos?¡± asked the king with disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re the first white cannibal I¡¯ve ever met, congratulations.¡± He swung the little knife around to clear off the blood. The wound on his head had already healed completely.


    The man, not knowing how the king had just survived, was ready to act at any time. He had other methods to finish the job, and more to finish himself.


    But the king paid the man¡¯s wariness little heed. ¡°You know what?¡± The king looked at the man,¡± I¡¯ll be keeping this. A nice souvenir, thank you.¡±


    The dagger immediately lost its form and in the king¡¯s hand lay the pink color gem. He put the gem to his mouth and swallowed it whole.


    The man turned pale. He immediately tried to recall his soul but he found that he couldn¡¯t. He looked at the king and asked:


    ¡°What kind of monster are you?!¡±


    The king sighed. ¡°You guys are all the same¡­. Aren¡¯t you going to try to take your own life next?¡±


    The man was indeed planning to do just that.


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow that,¡± said a soft voice from behind him. The man quickly turned around and found the black haired woman standing right behind him. He had no time to admire the revealing black dress the woman was wearing as her hands were already squeezing the air out of his lungs. He struggled desperately against the woman¡¯s hands but she was surprisingly strong. She whispered a few unknown words into his ears and the man¡¯s body went limp.


    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°There there,¡± she said as she laid the man on the floor. ¡°I can¡¯t have you die on me just yet. I have far too many experiments I need to run on you.¡± She was carefully checking his pockets for any hidden weapons or contraptions.


    ¡°Do with him what you want, he lost my protection the moment he tried to kill me,¡± said the king as he watched the woman do her thing.


    The woman looked up at the king and smiled.


    ¡°Am I glad that I found you, my king. How is the wound?¡±


    The king snorted. ¡°That minor scrape? You know mortals can¡¯t hurt me.¡±


    ¡°You, maybe not, but your human host is another story.¡± The woman continued to work on the unconscious man. He¡¯d already lost most of his clothes.


    ¡°You have a room for that, you know,¡± said the king. ¡°I need to continue with the public meetings or they might suspect something.¡±


    The woman stopped. ¡°That is true¡­¡± She quickly got up and dusted off the dirt from her dress. She looked at the half naked man on the floor and held out her hands. With a quick burst of energy she summoned two green fans. She closed her eyes and murmured some kind of incantation. The man¡¯s body started to glow green and then vanished into thin air.


    The woman was gasping for air once she finished her incantation.


    ¡°You could just have fused, you know,¡± said the king.


    ¡°I¡¯m not¡­.like you¡­¡± puffed the woman between breaths. ¡°I can¡­ only fuse for¡­ 4 minutes¡­.¡±


    ¡°And what would you need those 4 minutes for?¡±


    The woman smiled. ¡°Dancing....¡±


    The king sighed. ¡°Incorrigible¡­. Still got enough energy for a cameo spell?¡±


    The woman didn¡¯t waver. ¡°Off course.¡± She put her fans in front of her again and started to do a pirouette. As her body was turning her physique changed drastically, her dress turned into civilian clothes, her hair shortened, and once she was done she looked like the man who just tried to assassinate the king.


    ¡°What do you think?¡± she asked as she pumped a first to her chest.


    ¡°Looks good, now get going.¡±


    The woman walked towards the door and right before she opened it she turned around. ¡°Oh, and just a small remark. Your eyes are still red.¡±


    She then opened the door and walked out. There was a row of civilians standing in a row in front of the door and guards were keeping a close watch on them. At first she¡¯d wondered why there were no guards inside but she quickly found out that this king was anything but normal. He didn¡¯t want people to know about his secret.


    I mean, who would want to protect an immortal king?


    *******************************************


    Author''s Note: Here''s the lady from the prologue, as some have asked about her. She will, along with the king, appear in intermissions and interludes. They usually happen at the end of every arc :) Also, Mia''s coming back next chapter. WOOHOO! (Sorry, she''s my favorite :P )


    Notice: It was pointed out to me that some chapters were unreadable with the white background. I''ve fixed that.


    Edited by: 1Jayds, Paradox

 Chapter 25: Th New Year Starts

    Edited by: 1Jayds


    Down by the entrance to the Academy stood a little blue haired girl, anxiously jumping up and down as she kept looking at everyone that passed by. The little girl had just enrolled into the Academy and was about to witness her first Royal Finals, a major fight that was sure to put one at the edge of their seat, but that mattered little to the girl, unless¡­


    ¡°Come on, dad, hurry uuup!¡± she said to herself. ¡°Ragnar¡¯s fight is about to start you know!¡±


    But alas, her father¡¯s distinct blue hair wasn¡¯t visible among all the people on the streets and the cheers from the stadium were growing louder. Yes, the crowd could be heard from miles away.


    ¡°What wrong, little girl,¡± said a soft gentle voice from behind. When she turned around she found a tall black haired man standing behind her. His face was smoothly shaven and his eyes were so gentle one would almost trust the man instantly. Almost¡­


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just waiting for my daddy,¡± answered Mia. ¡°He should be here any minute now. If he doesn¡¯t hurry up he¡¯ll be too late.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯d be dreadful, do you want me to help you look for him?¡± suggested the stranger.


    ¡°Pfft, how would you do that?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fairly adept with magic, you know.¡±


    ¡°No thank you sir, I think Uncle Max will kick daddy¡¯s ass if they were to come late. He wouldn¡¯t want to miss Ymil¡¯s fight either.¡±


    The man raised an eyebrow in thought. ¡°Ymil¡­. Now where have I heard that name¡­.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s fighting in the Royal Finals today! Off course you¡¯ve heard of him! He and my brother are going to beat them all!¡±


    The man smiled again. Sure sure, little girl.¡± He put his hand on Mia¡¯s head and ruffled her hair a bit.


    ¡°Hands off the girl,¡± said a familiar voice from behind them and they both turned around to look at the source. Uncle Max was standing right behind them with Olaf quickly running down the street.


    ¡°Ah, so it¡¯s THAT Ymil,¡± said the stranger, ¡°good afternoon, Shadow.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t make me repeat myself,¡± said Max. ¡°Hands off.¡±


    The man withdrew his hand. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Max, I wasn¡¯t going to hurt her.¡±


    Max sneered. ¡°Your definition of ¡®hurting¡¯ is vastly different from mine, Kolimpri.¡±


    ¡°Geez, you have no sense of humor, do you Max? You shouldn¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already set my eyes on someone else, and I couldn¡¯t possibly cheat on her, you know what I mean?¡±


    Max spat on the floor. ¡°You¡¯ve got one hell of a twisted sense of loyalty.¡±


    At this point Olaf reached them but was completely out of breath. He stood next to Uncle Max and bent down to catch his breath.


    ¡°I take it this is her father?¡± said the man named Kolimpri as he looked at big muscular man.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Max just glared at Kolimpri.


    Kolimpri sighed. ¡°I guess I can take a hint. I¡¯ll get going now.¡±


    And with those words the gentle looking man turned around and walked into the direction of the cheers, towards the stadium.


    ¡°What¡­¡± wheezed Olaf between breaths, ¡°was that about?¡±


    ¡°That man used to be my colleague,¡± answered Max without looking away from Kolimpri. ¡°We used to call him Thousand Feathers.¡±


    ¡°Why do you hate that man so much, Uncle Max? He looked nice.¡± Mia didn¡¯t understanding Max¡¯s hate.


    ¡°Should I be worried?¡± asked Olaf as he pulled his daughter closer. He understood what kind of man Kolimpri actually was.


    ¡°No, from what I¡¯ve heard he¡¯s only got eyes for one of his escaped slaves.¡± Max turned back to the blue haired duo once he confirmed Kolimpri had gone inside. ¡°Whatever you do, don¡¯t trust that man.¡±


    Mia didn¡¯t understand but she knew that Uncle Max knew more about the world than anyone else, so she nodded slowly. ¡°Okay!¡±


    Max looked at Olaf and then nodded. ¡°Shall we get going?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s gooooo!¡± shouted Mia and she ran straight towards the stadium.


    Olaf sighed. ¡°That girl¡¯s got far too much energy¡­¡±


    ¡°Enjoy it,¡± said Max as he started to walk towards the arena. ¡°Soon she¡¯ll become a rebellious teenager.¡±


    ¡°Brrrrr, don¡¯t remind me¡­.¡± That sent a chill down Olaf¡¯s spine. ¡°If she¡¯s going to be anything like her mother¡­.¡±


    ¡°Nobody can match that, I¡¯m afraid.¡±


    ¡°True that.¡± And the two men walked silently after the little girl.


    But before they could walk very far someone else decided to talk to them.


    ¡°Well well, if it isn¡¯t Mr. Bluebeard,¡± said an unfamiliar voice from behind them. Olaf and Max turned around and saw a plainly dressed man standing behind them. He had a dashingly handsome face though, one that would melt any woman¡¯s heart but that didn¡¯t matter too much. His posture and red hair revealed it all, this man was a Noble.


    Max fell to his knees instantly and offered his salute. ¡°Greeting, Lord Kafsi. It is an honor.¡±


    Olaf, on the other hand, had no idea that this man was Noble so he just casually gave the man a hand. ¡°Hi there, how are you doing?¡±


    Lord kafsi looked at the extended hand and smiled. ¡°Greetings, Lord Forgeron.¡± He then took the hand and shook it.


    ¡°Oho, you can drop the ¡®lord¡¯¡­ ouch! What did you do that for?!¡± Max just punched him in the shin.


    He thinks you¡¯re a Nobleman, it might be in your best interest to pretend to be one, said Max with his internal voice.


    Oh really? And why is that? Olaf had no intention of pretending to be something he¡¯s not.


    Because your hair color makes you and Ragnar targets.


    A target of what?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what was that?¡± asked Lord Kafsi as the two suddenly fell silent.


    ¡°I mean, just Olaf will do fine,¡± said Olaf in the end.


    ¡°Haha, quite the commoner, aren¡¯t you Olaf? You may call me Leo.¡±


    ¡°Well Leo, nice to meet you but I think I should get going, my son is fighting today and¡­.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but so is my daughter. Amalia is in the same team as your son. Off course, she¡¯s not nearly as skilled as him but I think she¡¯s a good addition to their team.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you think Ragnar is good?¡± That self-taught boy who wield such a clumsy sword, good? Olaf had to see it to believe it. But then again, he did make it to the Royal Finals.


    ¡°Yeah, he even beat my daughter at the beginning of the year. That¡¯s quite impressive, considering she can beat opponents twice her age. Off course, she handed his ass back to him when they had a rematch the next semester.¡± This made lord Kafsi smile a bit and Olaf laughed nervously.


    Was it really such a big deal? Ragnar had written about it in letters but it had all seemed like child¡¯s play to him. I mean, they¡¯re just two kids fighting.


    ¡°But why don¡¯t you join me on the Private Balcony? I¡¯m sure you prefer to do things as a commoner but trust me, the view on there is spectacular.¡±


    Olaf hesitated. The trip had really worn him out and he just wanted to watch his son¡¯s fight and¡­.


    ¡°We¡¯ll gladly accept your offer,¡± said Max in Olaf¡¯s stead. He turned to Olaf and nudged his head.


    This is a once in a lifetime opportunity. Call Mia and let¡¯s go.


    Olaf nodded. ¡°Mia! Come here!¡±


    When Mia heard her father calling she quickly ran back. She wasn¡¯t alone though, she was pulling a blond boy along with her. It was obvious that the boy had no idea what was going on.


    ¡°Look daddy! Look what I found hiding in the bushes!¡± She was skipping happily as the boy solemnly followed. Her grip on his arm was just that strong.


    Olaf sighed. ¡°Oh god, I can¡¯t let you out of my sight, now can I?!¡±


    ¡°Can I keep him, pleeeeaaaaase?!¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m n-not someone¡¯s p-property!¡± stuttered the boy. ¡°Can y-you please let me g-go?¡±


    ¡°I think you should let the boy go, he¡¯s not some kind of lost animal¡­.¡± Max sighed. What was to become of this girl? Olaf was trying really hard not to laugh though and Lord Kafsi looked fairly amused as well.


    Mia let go, but she wasn¡¯t done with him yet. ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t you come watch the fight with us? I bet it¡¯ll be more fun if there are many of us!¡±


    ¡°I-I don¡¯t t-think that is s-such a good idea¡­.¡±


    ¡°Aw come on! It¡¯s gonna be fun, I just know it!¡±


    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°B-but but¡­¡± The boy was completely at a loss of words. Where did this girl get her energy from?


    ¡°So it¡¯s decided then! Daddy, he¡¯s coming with us!¡±


    ¡°Haha, that all depends on the benevolent Leo here. Think we can bring this guy along?¡±


    The Noble smiled. ¡°Off course, the more the merrier. But we really need to get going or we¡¯re going to miss the fight.¡±


    ¡°Righty!¡± Mia grabbed the boy by the hand again. Let¡¯s go.... You know, I never got your name¡­ My name¡¯s Mia by the way.¡±


    The boy had completely given up at this point and so he just walked together with the girl. ¡°I¡¯m L-Lance.¡±


    ¡°Well Lance, has anyone ever told you that you look very pretty? You could almost pass as a girl!¡±


    ¡°T-thank you, I-I think?¡±


    And with those words the kids rushed towards the stadium again, followed closely by the three grown-ups that were quietly laughing at the girl¡¯s hyper activity.


    But who was to blame her, she was about to see Ragnar and Ymil again for the first time in months.


    ****************************


    ¡°Listen up, children. Come closer.¡±


    Our heroes had gathered in a remote waiting room where they were supposed to prepare for the battle they were about to fight. Teacher Jack was standing in the middle of the room and motioned all six of them to move in closer, which they did.


    ¡°As we all know, today is going to be a matter of life and death,¡± began Jack. ¡°But with the amount of training you kids have gone through this should be a piece of cake.¡±


    ¡°Ha,¡± shouted Theo, ¡°would you like your cake frozen or burnt to a crisp, Teacher?! We can serve both!¡±


    Everyone laughed. In the face of such an important fight they really wanted to latch onto anything. Even Techer Jack revealed a smile on his face.


    ¡°Let¡¯s not get ahead of ourselves,¡± said Ariel. ¡°We¡¯re facing Chrysos, remember?¡±


    ¡°Burnt eel it is!¡±


    Everyone laughed again but this time their attentions went back to Jack. They knew that this discussion might be routine but it could very well save their lives.


    ¡°Let¡¯s discuss our opponent¡¯s again,¡± said Jack.


    The people they were facing was a group of Noble and, as you might have guessed it, Alex Chrysos was their leader. The gang really didn¡¯t like this arrogant twat and so they were really motivated to kick his ass.


    ¡°First we have Alex,¡± said Ymil as he recalled his combat style. ¡°We fights using a halberd and, just like the rest of his family, tends to prefer electrical energy as main medium.¡±


    ¡°Tssk, you¡¯d think he learned from his brother¡¯s mistakes,¡± said Amalia. ¡°Can we use the same tactics the Xylos brothers used back then? That water pool thing?¡±


    ¡°Doubtful,¡± answered Ymil. ¡°I bet Alex won¡¯t fall for that since he¡¯s already seen it. All we can do is try to use these metal wires to conduct the electricity from our weapons to the ground. We can¡¯t protect the rest of our bodies though.¡±


    ¡°Why not wear full metal armor then,¡± asked Rena as that seemed to be a logical thing to do.


    ¡°No can do, I¡¯m afraid, ¡°said Ariel and sighed. ¡°We tested that but those things were more cumbersome than protective.¡±


    ¡°Secondly there are there is Kyra, the Star of the Northern Fist. She was hailed as martial arts prodigy back in her hometown and we don¡¯t really know what her weakness is, other than pride.¡±


    ¡°Oh sure you do,¡± said Theo and he jabbed Ymil in the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure she has a weak spot for you.¡±


    ¡°Yeah dude, have you seen the way she looks at you?¡± Ariel loved these kinds of topics.


    ¡°Out of the question, she hates my guts. I mean, isn¡¯t that obvious? She challenges me to a fight almost every month!¡±


    Ariel smiled. ¡°Ah, but are you sure she doesn¡¯t want to ¡®hit you¡¯, but ¡®hit on you¡¯?¡±


    ¡°Children, we¡¯re getting of topic,¡± interjected Jack. ¡°Continue with the other members, Ymil.¡±


    ¡°Off course, sir. We then have the Antalagi twins. We know that they share their Souls and have the tendency to stick together in a fight. They are the mage and archer on the team but we can¡¯t really say which is which.¡±


    ¡°Lisa is the one with the bow, Mona is the one with the Staff,¡± said Ariel as he looked to the side, bored. ¡°Not that it matters¡­.¡±


    ¡°How would you¡­.¡± Rena wanted to ask how he would know such a thing but Ymil continued on.


    ¡°And last but not least there is Anne Podi. She is the Shield of their team and uses a tower shield to cover herself and her teammates. She¡¯s quite adept at making force fields and her ability to wield a sword is quite admirable.¡±


    ¡°Meh, as if her shield could match my claymore,¡± said Ragnar nonchalantly.


    ¡°Hey Mr. Oh-So-Powerful. If I¡¯m able to beat that puny little knife of yours, so can others.¡± Amalia was referring to their second fight. At the start of the second semester she challenged him to another duel where the same rules applied as before. He accepted off course but lost in the end. She too had only one demand: That if he wanted her as his girlfriend, he¡¯d have to woo her over.


    ¡°Yeah yeah,¡± said Ragnar. He didn¡¯t mind the loss all that much actually. The novelty had gone pretty quickly and he quickly grew bored of trying to chase her. That was all the relationship truly was, a relationship by name only. ¡°But I think I can handle Chrysos, will you deal with Kyra Theo?¡±


    ¡°No problem! Leave the girl to me!¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, they¡¯re all girls. He does take after his brother, doesn¡¯t he¡­.¡± Amalia found this to be another of Alex¡¯s annoying traits, he was always surrounded by girls.


    Ragnar sneered. ¡°That¡¯ll make it that much sweeter when I finally get to stick my blade in his neck.¡±


    ¡°No need to be morbid, Ragnar. Remember that you¡¯ll be fighting with only four people.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I still think I count towards the fight!¡± exclaimed Ymil.


    ¡°Oh yes you do, you¡¯re central to it all, but you can¡¯t say you¡¯ll be fighting much, now can you?¡± said Jack. The gang had devised a plan that was slightly unorthodox. Instead of using the standard setup used in most 5v5 fights, they had opted to make only four of them fight head on while the last, Ymil in this case, would supervise. They had tested and practiced the techniques quite extensively and Teacher Jack said that they should use it in this upcoming battle.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry Ymil, we trust in you,¡± said Rena.


    Theo slapped Ymil on the shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re literally putting our lives in your hands, dude!¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but I still feel uncomfortable with the responsibilities¡­¡±


    Teacher Jack looked at the boy and couldn¡¯t help but praise him inwardly. This boy was acting all humble and shy but he knew better. The Night Courses have made this boy one of the most reliable warriors of their age. If only the others knew¡­.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s enough dilly-dallying for now. You kids¡¯d better get out there or they might disqualify you.¡± Jack urged them to go on.


    ¡°Good luck, guys!¡± Ariel waved the others goodbye walked towards the Arena. ¡°I¡¯ll be watching from the sidelines.¡±


    ¡°It really sucks that it isn¡¯t a 6v6¡­¡± said Theo.


    Ariel laughed. ¡°Even then I couldn¡¯t compete. Pink gems being kind of a taboo in this part of the world, remember?¡±


    Anthropofagos, the man eaters of the South. Everybody knew that Ariel was a descendent from these barbarians but nobody actually knew the full story. Why was he even allowed to attend the Academy in the first place?


    ¡°I guess so,¡± said Theo and they walked further. He then turned to Ragnar and started to use his Inner Voice so only he could hear it.


    Hey Ragnar, remember our deal, okay? If we win this I''m allowed to ask her.


    Ragnar looked at his friend and revealed a hint of dislike. Heck, his entire face went sour. He really didn''t want to admit it but he really didn''t like what Theo was planning. He simply nodded back.


    Ariel must have noticed Ragnar''s face because he suddenly yelled out to him.¡°Ragnar! Make sure to bring me Alex¡¯s head!¡±


    Ragnar''s frown suddenly transformed into a wide grin. He turned around and gave him the thumbs up. ¡°No problem!¡± He''d worry about Theo''s plans later, he had an opponent to face.


    And then he faced the Arena again, the field where he was about to fight with fellow students. The Royal Finals were about to begin.


    Author''s Note: The next chapter will be released a week later due to exams. Not sorry about that :P Also, Mia''s finally back! She''s one of the more fun characters to write :)

 Chapter 26: Royal Finals - Team Alex

    Edited by 1Jayds


    Team Alex (a truly original name, if I say so myself) was waiting on the field for their opponents to walk up. The group had gathered around their orb and were watching our heroes walk towards their side. It was obvious that Alex was getting impatient as he was playing wildly with some black sphere. He was surrounded by four beautiful women but he really didn¡¯t care. Not when he¡¯s facing ¡°those guys.¡±


    ¡°Come on! Let¡¯s get this party started! I want to kick some scrawny ass!¡±


    ¡°Calm down, Alex,¡± said the brown haired girl. ¡°You¡¯re going to lose that¡­ toy of yours if you don¡¯t watch out.¡± This girl was Anne, the Shield of their team and the calmest of the three. She might not be nobility but she had plenty of combat experience up in the North. She¡¯s wielded her shield ever since she could walk.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m calm?!¡± shouted Alex back. ¡°If I were any not-calmer I would be a corpse!¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, very eloquently put, master Alex.¡±


    ¡°Shut up, Anne,¡± said a girl who stepped towards her. ¡°Let Alex do as he pleases. We¡¯re all a bit jittery.¡± This was Kyra, Star of the Northern Fist, master of unarmed combat. She wasn¡¯t particularly calm, considering she was about to face that vile boy again, but she was much more in control than their leader. She had been watching Alex play with that black thing for a while now and she still had no idea what it was.


    ¡°Aye.¡± Anne decided to shut up altogether. She sat down and concentrated on herself.


    ¡°So Alex, who should we focus on first?¡± asked Kyra. She walked up to Alex and stood by his side as they watched Team Bluefire get ready. She couldn¡¯t help but stare at the boy who had repeatedly made a fool of her, no matter how often she challenged him.


    ¡°How should I know?!¡±


    ¡°Well, considering you¡¯re the leader¡­.¡±


    ¡°So? I chose you because you can think on your own. You tell me who we should target first!¡± Alex was obviously not very good when it came to planning. That, and his nerves were really getting to him.


    ¡®I¡¯m pretty sure you picked us because we make you look good,¡¯ thought Kyra but she kept that to herself. She had prepared for this fight much more than Alex did, she¡¯d watched all of their fights beforehand and knew the strengths and weaknesses of most of its members. Except Ymil, she could not get a read on the guy.


    ¡°Well, if we were to go according to strength we should try to remove their ranged attackers first, so Amalia and Rena should be our top priority.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I was thinking, good job!¡±


    ¡°But,¡± she continued, ¡°their Shield has proven to be quite apt at his job and has blocked all ranged attacks so far.  Getting to them will be difficult.¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± said Alex and he smiled viciously. ¡°That Shield shouldn¡¯t be a problem¡­.¡±


    Kyra sighed. ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re planning but even then we still wouldn¡¯t be done. You know who follows behind their Shield, right?¡±


    Alex knew, of course he knew. He hated the guy¡¯s guts. ¡°All the more reason to do it then, don¡¯t you agree?¡± His smiled broadened even more at the thought of fighting that blue-haired freak.


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think we have much choice in the matter anyways. You, Anne and I will have to get past Ragnar and his gang in order to get to their backline. We should not forget that Ymil will also join the fray as well.¡±


    ¡°Ah yes, that blueberry dweeb¡¯s lackey. You can beat him like always, right?¡±


    *Slap*


    ¡°What the?!¡± Alex looked in surprise at his assailant. Kyra had just slapped their leader before she realized it. How ignorant could someone be?!


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve beaten Ymil is every fight so far, but do you know why, oh great lord Alex?¡±


    Kyra started to emanate an tyranical aura that would intimidate any man. Her was went dark and she leered at their valued leader. Was it his imagination or did her hair start to fly up?


    ¡°No¡­¡± answered Alex uncertainly.


    ¡°Because he¡­ because he!!!!!¡± Her entire face was turning redder and redder.


    ¡®Uh oh,¡¯ thought Alex to himself and he shielded himself from the girl that was about to explode.


    ¡°BECAUSE HE FUCKING HELD BACK, YOU RETARD!¡± Kyra¡¯s face was beat red as she yelled at he top of her lungs. ¡°THAT LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT THINKS HE NEEDS TO GO EASY ON ME. ME OF ALL PEOPLE! I AM THE STAR OF THE¡­.¡±


    ¡°Chill out, Kyra. We all know you have a crush on the guy. The match is about to start.¡± Anne got up and she looked in the direction of their opponent. ¡°Everyone, get your Souls out, the match is about to begin.¡±


    Kyra urgently tried to suppress her anger and gathered her thoughts together. She put her hands in front of her and poured energy into her Soul. Her bright red boxing gloves appeared around her hands and she pounded them together, creating a small spark.


    She looked at the rest of their group and assessed their strength for the zillionth time. The Antalagi twins were such quiet members of their team that most people often didn¡¯t notice them. They excelled at long ranged combat and their magical attacks were truly a force to be reckoned with. The bow and staff they wielded (she still had no idea who was whom) were simple yet effective. They both shared the same gem color as well, cyan.


    Anne was the most down to earth member of their team. She really didn¡¯t seem all that special, considering her hair color, but apparently she¡¯s fought against Sea Creatures ever since she was 7. She still didn¡¯t believe those things existed but she¡¯d witnessed Anne¡¯s prowess with the shield so she could at least believe in her skill.


    Then there is Alex. He¡¯s...unique, as they say. It¡¯s true that his strength is incredible but he¡¯s as hotblooded as they come. Sure, it might be because he¡¯s a boy but really, there¡¯s got to be a limit to someone¡¯s stupidity. His ability with his Soul was quite impressive though, he was a genuine anti-personnel soldier. He wielded the electric element as though he were born to it and his skill with the Halberd was second to none.


    And then there was Kyra. She thought of herself as the team¡¯s most valuable asset but she never really said it out loud. She was certain in her fighting skills and knew she could best almost anyone in their opponent''s team, even with the disadvantage of being unarmed. The only person she could not predict was Ymil, that boy infuriated her to no end.


    Off course, all of this was about to be tested as the announcer began announcing the team compositions.


    ***********************************


    The Private Balcony was a lot livelier than it usually was. When Mia and Lance entered the VIP lounge they immediately noticed the large buffet standing in the back of the room. Being impulsive as ever, Mia ran for the yummy looking food right away. Lance, albeit a bit more restrained, followed closely. Was that lobster he saw there?!


    ¡°Hey Lance, take a look at this!¡± Mia shoved a piece of turkey in Lance¡¯s mouth and laughed. ¡°It¡¯s a huge chicken!¡±


    ¡°Erm¡­ I f-fink it¡¯s c-called furkey,¡± said Lance with his mouth full. He took the piece in his hands and chewed slowly. ¡°I-it taste¡¯s pretty b-bland¡­.¡±


    ¡°How about this?!¡± Mia was waving a piece of pheasant in his face. ¡°It¡¯s another weird chicken!¡±


    ¡°T-that¡¯s not¡­¡± started Lance but he was interrupted by someone else.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this?!¡± shouted a blond man, well in his late years. ¡°Who allowed these brats to come in here?!¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± said a red haired noble as he walked into the room. ¡°These people were invited by me. No objections I presume, Lord Chrysos?¡±


    Two more men quietly walked into the room. Lord Chrysos¡¯s eyes shot directly towards the blue-haired man. The muscular build and hair color must mean he was a powerful lord indeed. Even though he didn¡¯t recognise the man, he knew he had to be cautious.


    ¡°No...no problems,¡± said Lord Chrysos and he sat back down in his seat.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, mister,¡± said Mia as she walked up to him. ¡°We¡¯ll be quiet from now on.¡±


    ¡°Hmmph,¡± grunted the man but he didn¡¯t look at her. He focussed on the field below, the place where his son was about to fight. Alex¡¯d better win this year, he was the last of his spawn . The family name had been disgraced enough as it was.


    The field itself was the same as the year before, very open with several rocks and boulders strewn about. It helped make the fights more visible to the audience and gave each team an equal vantage point. There should be no terrain benefits to either side except with the few large boulders to hide behind.


    Everyone else in the room also came to sit down as the announcer started to introduce the contestants.


    ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the 413th edition of Halram¡¯s Royal Final! We all know what this means and¡­.¡±


    ¡°Hey daddy,¡± whispered Mia as she looked down at the two teams. ¡°Why is that man so grumpy?¡±


    Olaf shrugged. ¡°Who knows. Some people are just grouchy that way, I guess.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know?¡± asked Lord Kafsi in surprise as he heard their whispers. ¡°This is Lord Chrysos¡¯s 13th child to fight in the Royal Finals, of which the previous 12 all lost their lives in the process. It is a well know fact that Lord Chrysos is one of the strongest men in the country and there are too many people that don¡¯t wish to see his power grow any further.¡±


    Olaf looked at the man in shock and disbelief. ¡°Wait, are you telling me that this man has watched his children die 12 times already?¡±


    Lord Kafsi nodded. ¡°Yes, so I don¡¯t think his behavior is all that unjustified.¡±


    Olaf couldn¡¯t begin to contemplate how that must feel. He could barely watch his children leave for school, what would he do if he were to witness his son¡¯s death? Twelve times at that?


    ¡°I can¡¯t imagine how¡­.¡±


    ¡°Shh, daddy, they¡¯re introducing Ragnar¡¯s team!¡±


    Everyone fell silent and listened to the announcer.


    ¡°...And on the right side we have team Bluefire! Led by the one and only blueberry! I mean Ragnar, Ragnar Forgeron!...¡±


    ¡°Pffft, they¡¯re not very original with their jokes, are they?¡± Olaf had heard that word a gazillion times when he moved to Tharkia. These people had a terrible naming sense.


    ¡°Quiet, daddy!¡± Mia didn¡¯t want to miss a thing about the fight. Her dad¡¯s stupidity didn¡¯t have to come in the way.


    ¡°...He wields a magnificent blue claymore that can slice any opponent to bits. And standing right next to him is Tomato, also known as Amalia Kafsi! I have yet to see anyone best her when it comes to feats of magic!¡±


    ¡°Meh,¡± said Lord Kafsi. ¡°I¡¯ve heard worse.¡± He subconsciously started to play with his hair.


    ¡°And then we have Rena Deuteri. Don¡¯t let her fool you, she will whip you and not in the kinky way! Next to her stands Ymil Idagni, man of few words but many punches. Will he be able to be a match to Kyra this year? Who knows?!¡±


    Max revealed a faint smile on his usual straight face. Was this the man¡¯s son, thought Lord Kafsi. Now that he thought about it, the man hadn¡¯t introduced himself. He looked vaguely familiar but he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it. Oh well, it probably wasn¡¯t important.


    The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    ¡°And last but not least we have the team¡¯s life line, the shield that none can pass: Theo Katharos! Give the two teams a round of applause people!¡±


    ¡°Woohoo!¡± shouted Olaf and Mia at the same time. ¡°GO RAGNAR! GO YMIL!¡±


    Lord Kafsi smiled and decided to join in. ¡°Go Amalia, you can do it!¡± Nothing wrong with cutting loose from time to time, right?


    And Lance? Off course he cheered for everyone on the team. I mean, how could he not cheer for all his friends?


    But on the side sat Lord Chrysos, not saying a word. He couldn¡¯t stand the rowdiness of the people next to him but he had to endure it, Lord Kafsi had quite a bit of influence. But that wasn¡¯t the reason he stayed silent, something else was on his mind. Katharos, yes, Katharos, that was the name of that woman! How did she ever manage to raise a child?!


    But his gloominess didn¡¯t affect the others on the balcony though, they were all actively supporting team Bluefire. With the exception of Max, off course, but he too silently wished for Ymil¡¯s fight to go well. People tended to die in these fights.


    ***************************


    ¡°On your marks....FIGHT!¡±


    Team Alex¡¯s vanguard moved out the moment the announcer began the contest. The fighting trio (Alex, Kyra and Anne) rushed towards the center of the field while the Antalagi twins set up protective barriers around their orb. In a game where the orb meant winning or losing it was essential to place protective wards around it. The opponent might just steal it without them noticing.


    The trio ran in a formation they¡¯d practiced millions of times. Anne, the shield, was dashing up front with her field extended and exuding a force field to repel any projectile attacks. She was then closely followed by Alex, their anti-personnel, and Kyra, their poke. What is a poke you ask? Someone who occupies everyone else so that Alex and Anne could fight unhindered. It was truly a difficult task, especially considering how team Bluefire used the exact same strategy.


    At least, that¡¯s what they expected. They first noticed something was different when team Bluefire didn¡¯t immediately rush towards the battlefield.


    What do you think¡¯s up with that? asked Kyra on their private channel. Although they were too far out for the twins to hear her, she only really needed to talk to the two besides her.


    No idea, responded Anne, but take a look at that!


    When team Bluefire did move out they didn¡¯t move as they¡¯d anticipated. They¡¯d assumed that their opponent would use the same strategy as them, three in the vanguard. But there were only two of them running to meet them, the blue-haired twat and their shield. What had happened to Ymil?


    Ymil had stayed behind to help the girls set up the magical protections around the orb. He was silently sitting in the middle of a circle they¡¯d drawn and colors started to pour into the barrier. The girls on his side were doing the same.


    What kind of barrier is that? asked Kyra as she saw the rainbow colors surround their enemies. We never learned anything like THAT!


    Shut up, Kyra! repsonded Alex. You take care of Ymil, I¡¯ll get rid of Ragnar.


    Everyone else agreed, that spell must require three people to cast and so Ymil would join the fight later on. That had to be the only explanation.


    Brace yourselves! Anne strengthened her bash and ran right into their opponent¡¯s shield.


    *FLASH*


    A bright flash of light illuminated battlefield, blinding everyone at the epicenter. It took team Alex a while to recover and when they looked they saw the two Shield pushing against each other. Small sparks flew off between them as metal clashed and both were visibly trying hard to outpush the other. For now, the shields would not be able to move.


    They had little time to admire the scene though as Ragnar was quick to act. He was in Alex¡¯s range within an instant and slashed at the boy with his frigid claymore. The action happened so fast that Alex was barely able to block it, his body flying into the air.


    Ragnar quickly followed up by jumping after Alex, his sword held above his head, ready to swing down.


    But Kyra would have none of that. She was there to protect the young lord. She quickly moved between the flying Alex and Ragnar and planned to attack Ragnar in the stomach. I mean, he¡¯d left that part completely open! She readied her punch as Ragnar flew right at her.


    And then the impossible happened. Ragnar evaded her attack. For some reason Ragnar¡¯s trajectory had changed mid flight and thus she missed her mark completely. No normal human being could do that, right?


    She had to adapt quickly though as Ragnar landed behind her. She turned around as fast as she could and prepared herself for any incoming blows, but they never came. Instead, Ragnar had taken a few steps away from his opponents and leered at them.


    ¡°Well well well,¡± said the blue-haired boy. ¡°Looks like you need a little girl to save your ass. Congratulations Alex, you¡¯ve just lost your manhood.¡±


    Alex got up and took his soul in both hands. The awe-inspiring halberd was a magnificent masterpiece that featured golden patterns on its blue hilt, its blade made of pure gold. Gold isn¡¯t exactly high grade material but it did have something else going for it. It was one of the best conductors in the world.


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± asked Alex, his face beat red.


    ¡°Awwww, did I hurt little Alex¡¯s feelings? Would poor little Alexandra like to cry?¡± Ragnar was obviously enjoying this.


    Don¡¯t listen to him! warned Kyra as she saw how Alex was reacting. He¡¯s only taunting you!


    Well, I guess it¡¯s working. You stay out of this one, Kyra! Go sneak around and take care of their girls.


    What about Ymil? she asked and then she looked at their enemy¡¯s base. Ymil was standing in front of their orb with his arms extended and looking right at them. What on earth was he doing?


    He¡¯s not coming, said Alex. Now go before I kick your ass myself.


    Kyra nodded and quickly ran for cover. There were a few large boulders here and there so she was able to hide herself from their opponents. If she stayed hidden she could sneak past the shield and then stealthily take care of Rena and Amalia. In that order off course, Rena¡¯s whip was far too powerful to ignore.


    Not much later and both teams started their ranged offensive. Team Alex was first and a large barrage of arrows flew from their base towards the enemy¡¯s girls. It was the strategy they¡¯d come up with before the fight. The moment their vanguard disabled their opponent¡¯s shield they would crush their enemies with an overwhelming amount of spells and arrows. They could not communicate with their vanguard as the range of telepathy was too limited but they¡¯d agreed that the twins should use their trump card if the situation required it.


    The volley coming from team Bluefire was very much the same but instead of arrows and spells it was whiplashes and spells.


    Hrrnnnggghhhh! communicated Anne. Those whiplashes are much stronger than anticipated. I don¡¯t know how many of these I can endure! Anne and Theo were exchanging blows with their shields while making sure to block any incoming projectiles. Neither one of them was able to get the advantage.


    Kyra understood the hint. She had to take care of Rena as fast as possible or else Anne would lose her composure. If their shield were to lose her barrier they¡¯d be done for. Good thing that she was a master at hiding herself from far away opponents.


    She quietly snuck past the force field that Theo was exuding and hid herself behind another boulder. She could clearly see how Ragnar and Alex were fighting it out and saw much to her satisfaction that Alex seemed to have the upperhand. Now she only had to sneak up to that green-haired girl and¡­


    *BANG!*


    The boulder in front of her split in two. What just happened? Kyra looked through the cracks and saw Rena readying another attack.


    ¡®No way!¡¯ she thought and she quickly withdrew to move out of her range. ¡®How on earth did she know I was here? She shouldn¡¯t be able to communicate with their vanguard, right?¡¯


    She hid behind another boulder, far out of Rena¡¯s reach and took out an object she¡¯d planned to use against Ymil. A smokebomb. She only had 2 of them.


    Kyra threw the bomb onto the ground and she was quickly surrounded by smoke. The entire area around her was covered and not even Alex could see his team mate.


    Be careful! communicated Anne as she saw what Kyra¡¯d just done.


    No worries, was the reply, I¡¯ll just use this smoke to move around so she won¡¯t know where I am.


    By god, shouted Alex in his inner voice, Blueberry¡¯s movements are inhumane I tell you! He¡¯s able to move in mid air!


    I noticed that too, answered Kyra. Just don¡¯t let him land a hit.


    Don¡¯t tell me what to do!


    And with that they broke all contact again. Kyra moved a little closer to Rena and hid behind a boulder until the smoke blew away. She was too far too communicate with them but she gave Alex a thumb¡¯s up. He didn¡¯t react though, he had just pushed Ragnar to the ground. This was his big chance!


    But before Alex could land the finishing strike it happened again. The boy that should be unable to block the attack moved in a way that should not be possible. As Alex was about to impale his chest, Ragnar¡¯s body slid to the right. That¡¯s right, slid.


    ¡®What on earth?¡¯ thought Kyra, but before she could realize what had just happened¡­.


    *BOOM!*


    The boulder between her and Rena split in two again.


    ¡®This isn¡¯t human!¡¯ she thought and she quickly retreated again. ¡®How on earth are they doing this?!¡¯


    ¡°SCREW THIS!!¡± shouted Alex out of rage. He was completely fed up with this weird crap their opponents were pulling. ¡°I¡¯ve had it up to here with your little freak show! Kyra, Anne, step back!¡±


    Not understanding what is happening, both Kyra and Anne moved back at the same time. This gave Theo the chance to dash forward again and came rushing at Anne with great speed. But before he could reach her Alex threw something into his forcefield. A normal projectile wouldn¡¯t have any effect on the field but this one had been prepared especially for this occasion. The black ball Alex had been playing with was no mere toy.


    *KABOOM!*


    Before either Theo or Ragnar could react, a huge wall of flames swallowed the both of them.

 Chapter 27: Royal Finals - Team Bluefire

    Edited by: 1Jayds


    Let¡¯s rewind a little, to the point where the two teams are about to engage. As the two groups of vanguards charge towards each other, Ymil had stayed behind to take care of business over on his end. Not only was he supposed to help erect the Grounding field, he also had other duties to attend to.


    Be careful, guys! He said through his inner voice. We don¡¯t know how Alex and Kyra will react to only facing two vanguards.


    Don¡¯t worry! said Ragnar in reply. Leave those two to me. I¡¯m putting my life in your hands here.


    Oh please, I¡¯ve been holding it in my the palm of my hands since the moment we started this.


    Touch¨¦. Ragnar took a look at his bracelet and said to his Djinn. ¡°Think we should fuse?¡±


    The Djinn did not hesitate. ¡°Yes!¡± And he immediately turned into the green orb of light and floated in the palm of Ragnar¡¯s hand. The orb was so small that only Ragnar could see it. Ragnar understood all too well that fighting two on one would be suicidal without the Djinn¡¯s help so he took the ball and pushed it into his stomach.


    Moments later Theo and Ragnar began to engage their opponents. Theo was already bashing shields with Anne and was able to quickly match her movements. His grey-green shield looked like a tortoise shell and was made specifically to ward of metal. Luckily for him, Anne¡¯s shield was made of steel.


    Things went rather smoothly on Rangar¡¯s side as well. Not only was he able to land the first blow, he also managed to send Alex flying. Talk about good luck! He quickly followed through with the follow up attack, completely forgetting that Kyra was still around, and jumped after the guy. But just before Kyra was able to land a hit, Ragnar was slightly pulled backwards allowing him to adjust and change his position in midair.


    Thanks Ymil! said Ragnar using his inner voice and he observed his two opponents. Normally his voice would not reach that far but this time was different, this time they were ¡®connected¡¯.


    ¡°Well well well,¡± he said. ¡°Looks like you need a little girl to save your ass. Congratulations Alex, you¡¯ve just lost your manhood.¡±


    ¡°What did you say?!¡± shouted Alex, his face beat red.


    ¡®Good lord,¡¯ thought Ragnar. ¡®He really is a simpleton. Let¡¯s see how far we can push this.¡¯


    ¡°Awwww, did I hurt little Alex¡¯s feelings? Would poor Alexandra like to cry?¡± Ragnar was obviously enjoying himself but that was only an added bonus. The real objective was create a situation where Ragnar had to only fight one of the two enemies in front of him. The other one would have to take care of their ranged attackers, namely Amalia and Rena. If the girls were doing going all out, their Shield should be having some difficulties maintaining their field.


    Yes! It seems to have worked! shouted Ragnar in his inner voice. Kyra¡¯s going towards Rena!


    Aye! replied Ymil, just make sure to keep Alex occupied. I¡¯ll help Rena out.


    At that point both Amalia and Rena started to dish out their ranged attacks. In previous fights they had proven themselves to be much stronger than most people would anticipate and people started to call them the relentless duo. Their attacks never stopped, no matter the problem.


    Ragnar really didn¡¯t mind having to fight Alex. Heck, it was the highlight of the day for him. He really wanted to kick this snobby bastard¡¯s ass.


    *************************************


    Ymil was carefully observing the field as the fight was going on. Amalia¡¯s side was fairly mild, she was amassing a lot of magical power around her but only sent out a few every now and then towards the enemy¡¯s forcefield. The number of orbs around her steadily increase as she was chanting non-stop.


    The other side of the field was much more spectacular to see. Rena was dishing out a non-stop barrage of terrifying whip-lashes at a speed that an untrained eye could not see. The team had decided that Rena should provide the initial pressure on the shield in order to lure our Kyra. It looked like it was working.


    Kyra is hiding behind the rock closest to me! said Ragnar towards Ymil and Ymil quickly looked towards the middle. He couldn¡¯t see the girl for himself so he knew that Rena wouldn¡¯t be able to see her either.


    Rena, Kyra is behind the rock next to Ragnar. Be careful!


    Ayay, capt¡¯n! was her reply and she immediately smashed the rock Kyra was hiding behind. This made Ymil smile a bit.


    I want to throw Alex a bit off, communicated Ragnar, can you pull when I tell you to?


    Sure, replied Ymil and his focused entirely on Ragnar¡¯s fight. Ragnar ran towards his opponent at full speed and smashed his weapon into Alex¡¯s halberd. Alex¡¯s flew back but he never lost his center of gravity. Nevertheless, Ragnar jumped after him and held his weapon above his head. Alex took the opportunity to ready his spear to thrust it into Ragnar¡¯s defenseless stomach.


    NOW!


    Ymil reacted as fast as he could. The moment he heard Ragnar¡¯s words he yanked the air in front of him with all his might. Well, not air, actually, his Soul.


    You see, Ymil had materialized his Soul as the silver threads that he¡¯d used before and attached them to every member on his team. Not only did that allow them to communicate over long distances, as the threads provided a medium for the thought-messages to go through, it also allowed Ymil to manipulate his teammates whenever it was required. By simply yanking at the string that was attached to Ragnar he was able to pull him out of harm¡¯s way and provide Ragnar with another opening.


    Thanks! shouted Ragnar through the line and he continued to engage Alex.


    Hey Amalia, how many orbs do you have now? asked Ymil. He wanted to see if they could move on to the next phase of their plan.


    Almost done, I¡¯ve gathered 22 orbs for now. I can manage another 6 or so. Although Amalia¡¯s offensive had been slightly lackluster, she¡¯d been stockpiling those magical orbs like there was no tomorrow. Releasing them all at once could result in a catastrophe.


    Good, how about you, Theo, how you holding up? The entire plan would be pointless if their Shield was unable to protect them.


    Meh, replied Theo. I¡¯m not gaining anything here, but then again, neither is she.


    That was good news for them. It was only a matter of time before they could initiate phase 2 of their plan. Ymil was pretty proud of himself to watch the plan work out this smoothly. Considering the current situation, what could still go wrong?


    *************************


    *KABOOM!*


    As the entire fight went according to plan, something unexpected happened. At some point their enemies disengaged from battle and retreated towards their side. Alex then threw a black ball right at Theo and the whole place exploded.


    Ragnar, Theo! resounded Ymil¡¯s voice through Ragnar¡¯s head. Can you guys hear me?!


    Ragnar shook his head and looked around him. He was standing at the edge of a large crater. All the vegetation had been burned to a crisp and fires were burning everywhere. His ears were ringing non stop and his sight was slightly blurred but it was nothing he couldn¡¯t handle.


    Urgh, responded Ragnar, I think I¡¯m alive. What happened?


    I can only assume Alex threw a Runic Bomb at us. How¡¯s Theo? My connection to him has been severed.


    Ragnar started searching for his yellow haired friend and saw him lying a few meters behind him. The boy was trying to get up. He was putting all of his weight on his shield (right) arm and his left was dangling at the side lifelessly.


    Theo, how¡¯re you feeling? asked Ragnar.


    Just dandy, replied Theo grumpily. I think my left arm¡¯s been dislocated and my ears are screaming like an overreacting Amalia. I can still maintain the forcefield though.


    Now that¡¯s a description I can relate to. Get ready, they¡¯re about to initiate again.


    Ragnar got up on both feet and took his blue claymore in both hands. He took on a defensive position and looked at his opponent. As he had guessed, Alex was already charging in. Kyra, although not reacting as quickly, ran towards the disabled. The blast had pushed the Ragnar and Theo so far apart that it was nigh impossible for any normal human to defend his friend and ward of the incoming Alex.


    But Ragnar is not any normal human though.


    Remember Ragnar, said Ragnar¡¯s Djinn, you¡¯ve only got 30 seconds left!


    That¡¯s more than enough!


    That¡¯s when Ymil¡¯s voice came through. Amalia and I are on our way, just keep Theo safe until then!


    Ragnar nodded and dashed towards Theo as fast as he could. Without their Shield, they would be left open to ranged attacks from the enemy. It was not only a matter of saving his friend, it was a matter of saving all of his friends.


    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    He held his blade behind him and lashed out his blade the moment he arrived at Kyra¡¯s location. The incredible speed combined with the immense power of the blow would have cut through Kyra¡¯s body like a piece of paper if she hadn¡¯t dropped herself to the ground at the last minute. Even she hadn¡¯t predicted that Ragnar could move this quickly.


    But Ragnar wasn¡¯t done yet. He quickly followed up his attack by swinging his sword down onto the girl. She rolled to the side and the blade¡¯s impact with the ground made rubble fly in all direction, dust flying up into the air.


    10 seconds Ragnar! urged the Djinn.


    Slippery slime! Come here! Ragnar was losing his patience as the girl avoided or deflected most of his attacks. As the girl avoided his blow for a 10th time he lost his temper.


    ¡°SCREW THIS!¡± shouted Ragnar and he poured every last ounce of energy into his sword. The air immediately turned frigid.


    ¡°HyaaaaaAAAAAAAAAA!¡±


    Ragnar¡¯s hair started to stand up straight, his eyes became dark green. Pulses of green energy emanated from his body, rubble flying up into the sky.


    Kyra had no idea what was going on. According to their data Ragnar only had some mediocre magical skills, but this energy, this power emanating from the boy¡¯s body. It was abnormal, this wasn¡¯t the power a human should be able to manage.


    Ragnar, what the hell are you doing?! shouted Ymil for even he did not anticipate this turn of events.


    But Ragnar didn¡¯t listen. He closed his eyes for a moment and bright blue energy flew out of his hair. His entire concentration went into this one move.


    And then he opened his eyes.


    *FLASH*


    A bright flash of green and blue blinded everyone on the battlefield. The enemy¡¯s ranged attacks stopped for a moment, Amalia and Ymil stopped in their tracks, Rena stopped whipping Anne¡¯s forcefield. Everyone had their eyes closed as that light surprised them all.


    And when they opened their eyes again they saw something unreal. The middle of the field had been frozen over. Pillars of ice had sprouted from the ground, large spiky constructs of frozen water shot out in every direction. It looked as though something had exploded, the ice all pointing away from the epicenter. And in this epicenter stood Ragnar, holding his blade with both his hands, staring at his opponents.


    *******************************


    When the explosion happened Ymil barely had any time to react. The moment he saw the flames erupt near his friends he pulled at their cords as hard as he could. He was able to keep Ragnar out of the blast that way but Theo was not as lucky. Theo was at the center of the explosion and was blasted off meters to the back.


    In those few moments Theo had released his forcefield. A large swarm of projectiles broke through to their backlines.


    Rena, Amalia, take cover! he shouted.


    The immediately understood what kind of situation they were in. Both of them dropped their offensive and hid behind a boulder.


    The barrage ended quickly as Theo got back up. ¡®Good,¡¯ thought Ymil as he saw the forcefield come back up. Rena, you keep whipping their field. Amalia, you come with me towards the center! Keep those bolts at the ready!


    What was that? asked Amalia as she ran towards the middle.


    I can only assume it was some kind of runic device, a bomb, probably.


    How low can you go?! scowled Amalia. She knew how powerful runic devices were but they were also super expensive. Did Alex really want to win that badly?


    Alex is a slime, we already established that. Ymil was running as fast as he could but even he knew that he was unlikely to arrive in time.


    There¡¯s a difference between a slime and a¡­ What on earth is Ragnar doing? Amalia¡¯s message was cut off as she noticed the strange aura emanating from Ragnar.


    Ragnar, what the hell are you doing?! Ymil was close enough to use the open channel again. Since when did Ragnar pack this much energy?


    And that when it happened.


    *FLASH*


    Ymil stopped running as he was blinded by the light Ragnar had just emitted. When he reopened them he saw Ragnar standing in the middle of a sea of ice, an explosion of frozen particles with Ragnar as the epicenter.


    Ymil had no idea what was going on but he continued to dash forward.


    Amalia, keep running! he shouted at the immobilized girl.


    He carefully observed the state of the field and saw that both Anne and Kyra were enveloped in ice. Both girls were stuck in the ice up to the waist and had no of breaking out.


    He saw Ragnar move towards Kyra and pressed the blade at her throat. ¡®What on earth is he doing?! What do you gain from threatening your opponent like that?¡¯ thought Ymil but then he realized what was going on.


    Alex was standing next to Theo and was aiming his halberd at Theo¡¯s neck. If he took Theo¡¯s head it would be checkmate.


    **********************************


    ¡°Let Theo go and I might let your girlfriend here live!¡± shouted Ragnar as he pressed his sword to Kyra¡¯s neck. Her arms and legs were all encased in ice, she couldn¡¯t move anything but her mouth.


    ¡°Are you sure that¡¯s a fair trade?¡± asked Alex and he kicked Theo to the ground. ¡°She¡¯s just a vanguard, this is your Shield. Everyone knows that a team is finished without their Shield.¡±


    Ragnar knew that off course, the trade was not exactly fair but he couldn¡¯t help it. He looked at the other girl encased in his ice but she was too far back for him to use her as a bargaining tool. She was still able to move her arms and would just try to fend him off long enough for Alex to knock out Theo and come to her aid.


    ¡°Like I said!¡± shouted Ragnar again. ¡°Let him go or she becomes a head shorter.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t listen to him!¡± shouted Kyra, ¡°he¡¯s a pussy, do what we were paid to do, kill the Katharos kid!¡±


    Wait a minute, paid to do? Did Ragnar hear that right? Someone paid them to kill of Theo?


    ¡°As if I care about money,¡± said Alex nonchalantly. ¡°I just want to see Ragnar¡¯s tortured face for a while. We both know I¡¯ll end up killing him anyways.¡±


    ¡°Why you!¡± started Ragnar but then he saw Amalia and Ymil coming up from behind.


    Ymil, what do we do? he asked desperately.


    Keep him busy for a while longer, answered Ymil. The moment Amalia¡¯s in range she¡¯ll blast him with all she¡¯s got.


    Roger!


    ¡°So Alex, you¡¯d rather be paid than get laid? That¡¯s rather sad, man!¡± taunted Ragnar and he moved his sword a bit.


    ¡°A?e,¡± said Alex without any sign of anger. ¡°Why on earth would I want to get laid by ¡®that¡¯?¡±


    ¡°What the?!¡± Kyra was obviously not happy with that response. ¡°Do you really think your ¡®boyish¡¯ charms will get you in anyone¡¯s pants?!¡±


    ¡°Oh shut up, you know you dig it,¡± answered Alex. He was getting slightly annoyed here. ¡°But that¡¯s not the point! I want to see Ragnar beg! Ragnar, go on your knees and I might let him live.¡±


    Amalia, duo blasts, fire!


    Ayay, capt¡¯n!


    Amalia stopped in her tracks and released her orbs all at once.


    ¡°Fierum Didymo!¡±


    It was a spell she that she¡¯d been working on by herself. An orb of crackling electrical and burning energy sizzled through the air, right at Alex¡¯s smug face. The heat emanating from this orb was intense and anyone caught unaware would be burned to a crisp.


    ¡°Ha, did you really think we didn¡¯t notice?!¡± shouted Alex and he turned around to face the incoming ball of flames. Off course Kyra had noticed the incoming aid and she¡¯d warned Alex of the fire coming his direction. She didn¡¯t recognize the spell though.


    Alex took his weapon in his hands and swatted the big orb of flaming electricity away as if it were nothing. The problem with such a huge ball of energy is that it was very easy to fend off.


    ¡°See? Easy, peas-.... Holy shit!¡± started Alex but was interrupted as a second orb became visible.


    The problem was that most people grow overconfident after deflecting such a large attack and leave an opening in their defence for a short moment. Alex, being as confident as he is, was no exception to this. This was key to the concept of the Duo Blast, a spell Ymil and Amalia had thought of together.


    *BAM*


    Alex wasn¡¯t able to deflect the second orb completely and he took it magical bolt in the shoulder.


    ¡°Raaaaah!¡± The impact made him fly backwards and he completely lost his balance. He knew that he¡¯d lost the advantage but he wasn¡¯t going to give up. He saw that Ymil was still too far away from Theo to protect the guy and realized that Ragnar was coming in his direction. He knew that he had only one shot at this and took his weapon in both hands. He focussed on his target and threw his halberd as hard as he could.


    The weapon flew through the air, soundlessly searching for its target. It was only when Alex fell to the ground that it reached its destination. Ymil slowed down and Ragnar stopped altogether. Amalia couldn¡¯t help but blink a few more times as she saw what had happened.


    Theo was sitting upright, his eyes peeled open.  He could feel liquids flowing over his skin, his entire lower body getting soaked. Unable to feel the pain at first, Theo reached for his stomach only to find his fingers stained red. That¡¯s when the pain started to kick in. His entire body felt as if it were on fire, his breathing becoming irregular and tears started to flow out his eyes. His mind went into a frenzy, thinking of all things that could have been, that would not be and everything else. And then his mind went dark, his consciousness faded, his thoughts up in smoke.


    Alex¡¯s weapon was sticking out of Theo¡¯s back, piercing his entire body. His life¡¯s blood was dripping down its blade, trickling into the large pool of bodily fluids that had escaped Theo¡¯s body.