"You're going to love it at the Institute!" Ciara's handmaiden told her.
"A distant relative of mine studied there before joining the Imperial Mage Court. There's no better place to be."
"I know, I know." Ciara let out with a sigh, frustrated.
Her father, her guards and all her attendants—at least those permitted to speak to her—kept telling her the same thing.
The Magic Institute of the Southern Empire was the best place for her to be… and she was sick of hearing that.
"When will we arrive?" Ciara retorted to the coachman who was at the helm of the carriage, reining the horses.
"Before nightfall, I believe." The Coachman answered.
"Goodness, I wonder why we couldn't use a Rune stone or scroll to just teleport to the Institute. These three days have been grueling for me." Ciara complained.
"I apologize for the inconvenience, but the supply of the objects you speak of were delayed.
Your entrance exams are in two day, and any further delay might cause you to miss it."
Ciara rolled her eyes as the man rambled on.
"I assure you, however, that we will get to our destination soon." The coachman let out an awkward smile.
"Hmph" The young lady responded ruefully.
Her butt was sore, and she didn't like being idle for too long.
There was nothing entertaining for her to do other than watching as the the carriage she was in passed by countless trees, and as they faded into the horizon.
Her name was Ciara Versace Dunroe, and she was on her way to study magic in the United Southern Empire Magic Institute, or U.S.E.M.I for short.
Magic was everything in this world, especially for her, a member of High Nobility.
The Magic Institute boasted countless geniuses and a rich history. While it was open to anyone with a sufficient Mana Pool and adequate skill, it remained an unspoken rule that nobles and the rich dominated the Institutes.
The commoners who managed to get in were usually subject to countless discrimination and prejudice.
Ciara didn't care about any of that though. She didn't even care about the Institute's achievements.
She knew the real reason her father enrolled her in the Institute, but it was too long a story to think about at the moment.
>VWUUSHH!!!BZZZTTTZZZZZ!!!WHOOOOOSSSSHHHHBOOOOOOMMMM!!!BOOOOOOOOOOMMMM!!!<
Suddenly, a loud roar and explosion were heard, louder and more devastating than any of the battle noises she had previously heard. Ciara covered her ears in response to the noise.
Suddenly, everywhere went silent. Ciara heaved a sigh of relief. It was finally over… or so she thought.
"Open the doors!" She heard a thick, rough voice say.
Suddenly, the doors were torn from their hinges, revealing the attackers who wore a disgusting smile on their faces.
"N-no way…" Ciara uttered in disbelief.
"Yo, miss… we are here to escort you somewhere. If you don't want to die, you better cooperate." The Boss said with a wicked smile, forcing Ciara to forcefully nod as she covered her mouth.
"Good… good girl!" He said as he smiled. "Now come out of there. You too, maid!" He ordered.
Ciara and the maid descended from the carriage, and what they saw was a sight too grim to be fathomed.
"EEEEEKKKK!"
Blood was everywhere. The corpses of the soldiers filled the floor, and as Ciara turned her face to the right… she saw him!
The Captain of the guards.
His entire body had been dismembered, and his head lay on the ground, separated from his body. His mangled flesh was also messed up beyond recognition.
Ciara saw lots of large potholes and chasms as well as countless damages to the ground, showing a very grave battle had just been fought.
The sight of the Captain's head was too traumatizing for Ciara. As she saw his bloodied eyes which were wide open and his mouth slightly curved, she felt sick to her stomach.
'H-he's dead… he lost?!."
She saw the mage by the corner, and while his body remained intact, he was injured badly and was unconscious.
The smell of blood, the gory sight before her, the sounds of the attackers and their ugly expressions—they were too much for Ciara to process.
"A-ahhh…"
She passed out, and as her sight blurred, she saw the Boss mentioning something…
… About her father, about her 'Bloodline', and about money.
Then everything went pitch black.
A cart approached the destroyed and damaged road. It slowly halted, and the coachman, who also was the owner of the contraption stepped down.
He walked slowly to the scene and observed everything calmly.
"Y-Young man, please help me…"
The handmaiden—who had been left behind and alive—said as she laid on the floor, barely able to move.
The young man observed her posture, and realized that she must have just been raped by some attackers.
By looking around him, he had a fair idea of what had transpired before his arrival.
"I'll help you…" The young man stated.
"… But after I do, tell me what happened here."
The dark eyes of the mysterious man lit up, showing interest in the current situation and a dangerous foreboding regarding the perpetrators of the incident.
*
*
*
[JOIN OUR DISCORD]
https://discord.gg/yMPNRURZJh