Memories, both far in the past and as recent as a month ago, surge through Ryuu’s brain in a fraction of a second.
As a result, his legs lock into place, and his mouth dries from nausea.
Lucian doesn’t seem to notice while he keeps his questions coming.
“I’ll ask one more time: who are you? Do you realize the gravity of what you’ve stepped into?”
Despite his coolness, a bead of sweat rolls down his face as he asks.
After all, this man had snatched Morrell from under him without even being seen.
The new arrival grins as he carries Morrell by the neck of his armor.
He then runs a hand through his messy dark hair and turns his gaze to Ryuu.
“Why don’t you ask him? Surely you haven’t forgotten me so soon, Ryuu?”
Ryuu’s body trembles as he clenches his fists, pounding them into his legs to stop the shaking.
He meets the man’s eyes with confusion and anger, finally managing to find his voice.
“What the hell is this… How are you alive, and why are you with him?! Hyouma!”
Hyouma’s grin transforms into a sneer as he hears his name.
He makes a show of bringing a hand to his chin and rubbing it as he pretends to mull over something.
“So you do remember me. I was worried that it would take less than two months for you to forget your childhood friend. As you can see, I’m alive and well. No thanks to you.”
“!!!”
“Huh? No comeback? No smart-ass comment? You really have changed, Ryuu.”
“Cut the bullshit! I asked you why the hell you’re with him! I thought he killed you?!”
“Killed me? The way I remember it, you beat me nearly to death and left me behind as you ran away. If anything, Morrell here saved me. Don’t misunderstand, though, this isn’t a case of me paying back a life debt or anything.”
“Then why-”
“Because our interests align. His group wants you, and I want to kill you. I can’t find a reason why not to use their resources and knowledge to get what I want.”
He tosses Morrell onto the ground beside him, cracking his knuckles and twisting his neck.
“While you’ve been playing the good boy to some stuck-up noblewoman, I’ve been learning all about that little trick you beat me with. I must say, being hit so hard with aura made the learning process a lot faster. I’ll thank you for that, if nothing else.”
He raises a hand, palm facing himself, as mana begins circulating through the air in a cyclone.
“I’m not here to talk, though. This is goodbye, Ryuu.”
Before he even spots a twitch of Hyouma’s muscles, Ryuu feels an intense chill spread across his chest.
He comes to his senses, and finds Hyouma and Lucian locked in a struggle directly in front of him.
They had both moved so fast that he couldn’t even sense they were about to move at all.
Hyouma presses down with immense force, his fist wrapped in dense aura that clashes against Lucian’s sword of light.
The two appear to be evenly matched, with neither gaining ground against the other.
“Hmm. I guess you’re not so bad, Glasses,” Hyouma mutters.
“I can see why Morrell got his ass beat now.”
He continues smirking as he loads more aura into his fist, testing the limits of Lucian’s strength.
“Dragon Blade. I’m not yet sure who this man is to you, but don’t forget your standing here. Leave me! You cannot afford to be captured!”
“But-”
Hyouma’s violet eyes flash with malevolence as he takes advantage of Lucian’s slight distraction.
His free hand opens as he chants, “Land of death, absence of life. [Flash Zero]!”
A burst of cold light releases from his palm, blinding both Blades in the process.
Before his eyes can adjust, Ryuu finds himself unable to move.
All he feels is, well, nothing.
Where there should be feeling, all he can sense is an absence of everything.
Then, he sees it.
All of the water around them has been frozen in an instant.
Even the enormous, crashing waves are at a standstill.
Most of his body is frosted over, with ice encasing his joints and torso.
“Seriously? I was trying to get you out of the way though…”
Hyouma narrows his eyes with a slight glimmer of respect as he addresses Lucian, who had managed to avoid the worst of the spell with a last second [Overload].
“H-hah. T-the Blade of L-Lady Evelyn does not fall s-so easily.”
He shivers as he replies, his teeth chattering from the flash freeze, but still manages to properly circulate mana through his body.
Hyouma then glances past his two opponents, catching sight of an approaching crowd of people.
“This is starting to become a pain. After all I went through to keep out interference, Morrell really couldn’t just get the job done.”
He leaps backward across the frozen sea, landing next to his collapsed ally once again.
“I guess you get to live another day, Ryuu. Just remember, the only reason you’re still breathing is because you had to get protected by someone else. Again.”
With that, he grabs Morrell and disappears into the heavy mist.
Lucian lets out a deep breath and slumps down onto his knees, his magic dissipating around him.
Ryuu feels himself entering shock from the cold, his skin burning under the unnatural ice.
As his consciousness fades, he hears familiar voices rush up behind him, calling out his name.
******
Visions play through Ryuu’s head like an endless roll of film.
Memories of ages in the past are stuck on a loop, forcing him to remember his time with Hyouma.
So he’s working with the same people that burned down our home and killed our family.
Hyouma, why?
And how did you get so powerful so fast?
I’ve been doing more training than expected from my classes, but even then, I don’t hold a candle to him in combat.
He’s already reached a high level both as a M’yin and A’yang–I don’t get it!
How could he disrespect Drax’s memory like this?!
…Whatever the reason is, I can’t let it continue.
I’ll have to track him down somehow, and this time, I’ll…
******
His eyes flutter as he finds himself looking at a somewhat familiar ceiling.
The sterile scent of the room, as well as the way his body is propped up, tells him all he needs to know.
Back in the duke’s infirmary.
Didn’t think it would happen again so soon.
“Ryuu, are you awake?”
He turns his head to the right, ignoring the dull aches in his body as he locks eyes with Ilene.
She’s lying in the bed next to his, and looking much better than the last time he had seen her, thankfully.
“You’re here too? I guess you were pretty hurt… I’m sorry.”
“Hm? Keep your apology. It’s not as if I’m skilled enough to come out unscathed against a Master-Tier enemy.”
“But I’m your Blade. I should have been able to protect you, no matter who we were up against.”
She then closes her eyes and gives a soft sigh.
“This isn’t a children’s story, you know. No matter how much potential you have, nobody expected you to deal with that Outlaw by yourself. If anything, everyone was impressed that you even survived. You played an integral part in stopping everything. That’s all that matters.”
Ryuu grips at the soft blanket covering his body.
His fingers tremble and creak as he tightens his fists further and further.
“Logically, that all makes sense, but even so, I can’t help this feeling. People were put in danger because of me, people I’ve unknowingly come to care about. I thought I was getting stronger, though now it feels like there’s an even wider gap between me and my destination than I had thought.”
“And what is your destination, Ryuu?”
“…To find them…”
“Then what?”
“…I’ll tear them down. Whatever group they’re a part of, I’ll stop them for good with my own hands!”
“How are you going to do that? Regardless of how they managed to pull it off, the fact is, they invaded the capital in broad daylight and had a very real chance of killing dozens of high-ranking nobles. The Northern Reaches were just one wrong move away from completely collapsing. I doubt a group capable of such a thing will fall to one man.”
Ryuu squeezes his eyes shut as he tries to find an argument.
He knows she’s right, but he can’t accept it.
He could never accept a future that leaves him powerless against this fate.
“Even so, I’ll do it. I don’t care if everyone calls me an idiot or reckless, I won’t allow Hyouma to run around freely after what he’s done!”
Ilene pushes herself upright in her bed and folds her hands in her lap.
“Hyouma? Lucian came by earlier and mentioned a man you seemed to know, the one who created all of that purple ice. Is that him?”
“…Yeah.”
“What’s your relationship?”
“…I don’t know anymore. If you had asked me a while ago, I would’ve said he’s the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had. Now…”
“I see. He was raised in the Pit of Keld, like you, right? From what I remember, Morrell, the masked man, was the one that destroyed your home. I’m lost as to why they would be working together.”
“Hell if I know. That’s why I’m gonna get stronger and beat some answers out of him.”
Ilene purses her lips.
“Ryuu… I-”
The infirmary doors swing open before she can finish.
The two of them turn their attention to find Dr.
Corna and the duke himself walking toward them.
Dr.
Corna straightens her glasses as she catches Ryuu’s dejected expression, then moves to the side to let the duke speak.
“Good, you’re both awake. We have some matters to discuss. First things first: Ilene, Ryuu, are the two of you okay?”
The two of them immediately respond.
“Yes, Father. I’m fine.”
“I am, Lord Alastair. Thank you.”
He nods and signals for them to relax.
“It’s been three days since the attack. Most of the guests have returned to their homes–after some proper apologies and compensation–and thankfully, there were no fatalities. The damage to the city is also nearly repaired, so all in all, this was essentially the best-case scenario. The Acer family has already been rewarded for their contributions in the matter, as well as Sir Lucian Freed, but the two of you were the main factors in everyone’s survival.”
He turns to address Ilene first.
“I heard from Leon Acer that you were the one who figured out a plan to restore everyone’s connection to mana.”
“Yes, but it’s not as if it was some grand mystery. Any capable M’yin could’ve come to the same conclusion, but only an A’yang like Leon had the ability to take care of it in that situation.”
“Hmm. Well, be that as it may, the facts can’t be rewritten, You were the one that allowed us to defend ourselves and turn the situation on its head. Although I can’t say I’m too fond of you running into danger like that… I’m proud of you, Ilene.”
She casts her gaze downward, seemingly hiding her embarrassment at the praise.
Duke Alastair then turns to Ryuu.
“And you, Dragon Blade. Any doubts I may have harbored have been thoroughly erased, and I’m sure many people feel the same.”
“What do you mean, my lord?”
“It’s no secret that someone as…inexperienced as yourself is a new precedent for a Blade. Yet, you’ve continued to prove yourself in battle against people undoubtedly stronger than the average Intermediate-Tier. It’s a quality that quite a few people have come to respect, myself included. I’ve already spoken with Masters Nolan and Darius, and they’ve agreed that you’re ready. I hereby officially grant you the titles of Intermediate A’yang and Intermediate M’yin.”
Ryuu’s eyes slightly widen in surprise.
“Woah, just like that? I don’t have to take some kind of test or something?”
“Haha! A test? Boy, the things you’ve gone through were far more grueling than any kind of intermediate test you would ever be given. I think it’s safe to say that your mastery over your abilities has reached this level. There’s usually a ceremony, but circulating your name through the papers should be fine enough.”
“Thanks… I guess I’ll have to thank the two Masters as well.”
“Indeed. Now then, onto the main issue at hand. We’ve already gotten all the info we could from Sir Lucian, but the two of you were in contact with this masked individual longer than anyone. Particularly you, Ryuu, as the two of you seemed to know each other from sometime before. What can you tell me about them?”
Ryuu hesitates for a second, not sure how much he should reveal about his past.
He glances at Ilene, and she clears her throat.
“It seems the person that led the attack was a man named Morrell. He happened to let his name slip, but not much else. What we did learn is that he possesses a Talent capable of conjuring and manipulating multiple elements, and that he is likely always covered in enchanted Omni-Steel.”
“Is that so? Morrell, huh… The fact that one man has equipment of that quality suggests that their group is well-funded. We’ll have to find out all that we can before another incident occurs.”
Ryuu decides to speak up before he’s forgotten.
“Um, my lord, Morrell suggested that he wanted to destroy the Northern Reaches as a whole, not just the city of Mahora. He also said that if I came with him, I would become the key to making that possible. Do you have any idea what he meant?”
Duke Alastair taps his golden staff against the floor a few times as he strokes his short beard.
“No, I’m afraid not. I’m sure the other cities and territories are already putting their guards up, but I’ll be sure to pass this information on to them. Finding these people and putting a stop to whatever it is they’re planning is our top priority.”
He taps his staff once more, a bit forcefully.
“Because of that, I’ve decided to go ahead and set up a little excursion for you, Dragon Blade.”
“Hm?”
“Now that you’re at the Intermediate-Tier, you can go out on official missions for the city. Usually, as per the Blade’s oath, you can’t be apart from Ilene for more than a week at a time, but if either of us give you direct orders, that rule can be overlooked. I want you to travel with Duchess Evelyn Gris and her Blade back to their city, Titania.”
Ryuu and Ilene wear clear expressions of shock, but remain silent as he continues to explain.
“After the battle, Sir Lucian expressed a great deal of curiosity in you. It seems that Lady Evelyn shares his opinion, since she personally requested this arrangement. To be clear, you’ll be accompanying them back to her palace, where you’ll likely undergo more specialized training than we can offer here.”
“How’s that possible? I thought the Mahora family was one of the closest to the origin of magic?”
“In terms of history, that is correct. However, it can be said that Lady Evelyn is currently the most powerful person in the Northern Reaches. As you can imagine, that also suggests that Sir Lucian is the most capable Blade in the region. You will learn what you can from them over a short period of time, then you will return here once you’ve grown. You have twenty-four hours to prepare for the journey. That is all.”
Duke Alastair strides out of the room without a moment’s pause and leaves the other three behind.
Ryuu and Ilene continue to process everything as Doctor Corna settles into a chair between them.
“I take it the two of you are caught a bit off guard at all of this. I certainly don’t blame you; you’ve been through a lot over these past few days.”
She studies them as they remain silent, then claps her hands together to shock them awake.
“Okay, let me check you over once more. If everything seems to be working, then you’ll be free to go.”
******
Soon enough, they’re released from the infirmary, and make their way across the castle’s courtyard.
Less guards are milling about than usual, an undeniable result of the recent attack.
Ryuu silently vows to become stronger once more, and Ilene slows down as she nudges his arm.
“I have something important to discuss. We’ll go to my room, where I can be sure nobody is listening.”
He shrugs, knowing better than to press for more at this point.
“Sure.”
The South-East Tower greets the two of them with a homely feel.
Despite only being away from it for a few days, the scent of the dusty stairwells and soft glow of chandeliers induce a feeling of nostalgia.
A few minutes later, they shut the tall doors of Ilene’s room behind them and settle down across from each other near a far window.
Ilene seems to be a bit on edge, so Ryuu compensates by trying to stay relaxed.
She doesn’t respond at first, steepling her fingers for a short while before looking up at Ryuu.
“Eternal Order.”
“Huh?”
“That’s the name of the organization Morrell and Hyouma belong to.”
Ryuu’s chair falls backward as he surges to his feet.
“What?! How do you know that?!”
She presses a finger to her lips.
“The same way I figured out Morrell’s name: a spell. I kept quiet about it earlier because I would have had to explain to my father how I learned this information, which means my magic would be exposed. Since you already know my Talent, I can safely share this with you.”
Ryuu pulls his chair back upright as he forcibly sits himself down.
His brows are intensely furrowed, making it obvious he’s struggling to remember when she cast a spell.
“My spells are special. It would be hard to trick someone if I was always chanting, after all. For most of my spells, I simply need to meet certain requirements in order to cast them. Whether that be reading someone’s mental state, or earning a certain amount of trust–something must be obtained first. The spell I used for this, [Soul Scribe], allows me to mentally record rough, entry-level information on a person I come into prolonged contact with.”
“Ah. I get it. You used that when he stomped on you.”
She nods.
“Correct. It certainly hurt, but I’d say learning what I did made everything worth it.”
“There’s no doubt that this is useful information, but what good is it if only the two of us know about it? Nobody else will be able to keep an ear out for the name.”
“I’m aware, which is where the next part comes in. The Succession Election is about a month and a half away now. Between your time at Titania, as well as the journey to and from, it’s hard to tell if you’ll make it back in time or not. It’s safe to say that our actions in this past incident have greatly boosted my standing in the race against my brother, but I’ll have to continue on my own for the remaining time.”
“…My bad. I promised to help you with that.”
“It can’t be helped. I don’t expect you to defy the wishes of both a duke and duchess.”
“Well then, where does the name Eternal Order come in?”
“I’ll leave it up to you whether you want to bring your friends into this or not, but I’d like you to investigate while you can during your time out. This kind of talk doesn’t circulate around the Gold District unless you know where to look, so it’d be a great help if you can find anything. In the meantime, I’ll investigate as well, while finding ways to gain more of the peoples’ favor.”
Ryuu smirks and tilts back in his chair.
“Sounds like we’re gonna be busy for a while. I hope you won’t miss me too much while I’m gone.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Right. Try it with someone else. Who knows, maybe you’ll find the love of your life while you’re out and about?”
A short silence fills the space between them, then they break out into a fit of laughter.
It’s an odd thing to laugh so hard over, but the stresses and worries over their heads seem to ease up with every breath.
******
The sun begins to dip over the horizon as Ryuu shovels some vegetables into his mouth.
He had looked around for Masters Nolan and Darius, but instead, ended up talking with Leon and Belynda earlier in the day.
He made plans with each of them to meet up for dinner, and is now awaiting their arrival.
Belynda makes her way over first, dressed in her usual emerald robes as she slides into the booth opposite of Ryuu.
“Sorry, have you been waiting long? My parents called me home this afternoon and it took a while to escape.”
Ryuu loudly gulps as he washes down his mouthful of grub.
“Nah, I’ve just been eating while I wait. I figured I may as well get a head start.”
“Yeah, I kind of caught that. Anyway, where’s the mountain of muscle? I figured someone like him would be early for dinner.”
On cue, a tall, muscular figure pushes through the saloon-style doors.
His crimson hair doesn’t help him avoid attention as he slides in right next to Ryuu.
“Hah! Are you talking about me?!”
Leon beams at Belynda after getting settled, and manages to place his own order almost immediately.
Within a few minutes, everyone is fed and talking, then Belynda sparks the main topic.
“So, Ryuu, you’re going away for a while? Do you think you’ll be able to keep up with your M’yin studies?”
“Yeah, there shouldn’t be much trouble there. If anything, I’m afraid I’ll fall behind on my progress as an A’yang.”
Leon chirps in while munching on something crunchy.
“You’d better hope not! Now that I’ve experienced such a shameful defeat, I’m going to train ten times harder than before! Just wait, when you get back, I’ll be a full-fledged Advanced A’yang!”
The three of them share a light laugh, with Ryuu finding himself lost in thought halfway through.
“…You two… If you could do something to fight against the people from the other day, would you?”
Belynda narrows her eyes behind her spectacles.
“Why do you ask? Do you have some kind of lead..?”
“It’s hard to say. I just want to know if I should include you guys in the event I do learn something. Truthfully, I could use all the help I can get, but these people have proven themselves to be particularly dangerous.”
She mulls over his words for a moment, while Leon speaks his mind almost immediately.
“Of course I’ll help! Why else would I be training so hard to become a powerful A’yang?!”
Ryuu smiles.
“Thanks, Leon. I appreciate it.”
“Haha! That’s what friends are for! I fell short this time, but our next battle will go much differently!”
Green fabric rustles as Belynda stands over the table and glares at Leon.
“Ahhh… You meathead! Now that you’ve gone and agreed so easily, it makes me seem like a coward for thinking everything over!”
“How’s that my fault?! Aren’t you the one with the highest mastery here?! If you’re scared, just say so!”
The two of them growl at each other over the table, until Ryuu butts in with, “Thank you, Belynda.”
“Hm? Oh, yes, of course. It’s only natural that I help a friend, as Leon said. That being the case, don’t assume I’ll go putting my neck on the line for anything crazy. I’ll simply help out when I can.”
He nods.
“That’s more than enough. As long as I can be sure I have some close connections here, then being away for some time won’t be so bad.”
Another plate of food arrives as he finishes speaking, pulling his attention back to the present.
“Alright! I’m gonna stuff myself full of Mahora’s best food before I go!”
The new group of friends shares a hearty dinner, laughing the night away as they recount their past couple of weeks together.
******
Morning greets Ryuu through the large window of his room.
A quick morning wash wakes him up as he gets dressed in the now-comfortable uniform Ilene had bought for him the day they met.
After packing up his few belongings, he moves out onto the landing, where she waits in her classic outfit.
She’s staring out of the same stained-glass window as usual, running her gaze across the cityscape with a distant longing in her eyes.
“Have you come to send me off?”
“No, I’m just wasting my time standing here.”
She turns and faces him with a jokingly exasperated expression, then strolls over until they’re face-to-face.
“I’ll take you to the gate where Lady Evelyn is waiting. I don’t know if you’re aware, but since Mahora is essentially at the center of the region, there are four gates leading out of the city’s walls. You’ll be leaving from the north gate, since Titania is toward the north-east of the Northern Reaches.”
“Got it. How long do you think the journey will be?”
“It’s about four days on average, but there’s a tricky region close to the borders of Titania.”
“Tricky?”
“You’re better off hearing it from them.”
She steps past him and straightens a clip in her hair.
“Let’s get going. We don’t want to keep them waiting.”