Ryuu leads the group along the main street of the capital as they pass through the Bronze District.
He isn’t sure what he expected it to look like, but it’s worse than he could’ve imagined.
All of the houses they pass by have boarded up windows and holes in their roofs.
The air feels heavier, and still, as if no breeze ever passes through here.
It’s a completely opposite atmosphere than what he’d felt living in the Gold District.
In this place, the walls almost feel like a cage.
I’m sure it doesn’t help that the citizens here are forced to watch as the wealthy pass in and out of the city.
Are the other entrances like this too?
The main road stretches through a couple miles of the district, then they reach a slightly smaller wall where more guards wait.
Sherry shows her ID once more and gains them entry to the Silver District, where the three instantly ease up.
The air feels clean again, and although the sleek design of the district feels a bit dreary, it’s certainly better than the Bronze District.
Ryuu guides them onto the nearby sidewalk as mana-fueled vehicles start passing by every so often.
The district is essentially asleep at this late hour, with only a few passing headlights and sparsely placed streetlamps to guide them.
When someone does happen to cross their path, they stare very openly at the Blade, who doesn’t seem to notice it much.
“I’ve been meaning to ask,” Sherry begins.
“Where are you from, Sir Ryuu?”
“You don’t think I’m from here?”
“No. You don’t act like you’re from the capital, nor any city really. I’ve never met someone like you. Besides, your appearance is clearly different from that of anyone else’s in the Northern Reaches.”
“You mean my skin?”
“That dark tan is a result of being born in a harsher environment, right? I know it’s seldom seen up here, but in the Sacred Land there are people from all kinds of locations and cultures that pass through.”
“So someone that looks like me isn’t unusual to you?”
“Not at all. In fact, there are a few members of the Swords of Harmony that share some of your attributes. That’s what’s confusing me though. You don’t act like anybody from the different cultures I’ve met, so where could you have been raised?”
“I’ve been a little curious too…”
Isaac glances at Ryuu from behind him on the sidewalk.
“Well, it’s a long story that I don’t really have an answer to, but I’ve lived in the north my whole life. The place I was raised in doesn’t really exist anymore, so right now, I’m living with Ilene as I sort things out. I kind of agreed to a long-term deal in the heat of the moment, but things are going better than I thought they would, so I’m not complaining.”
“Your home is gone?”
“Yeah. Just another reason I’ve gotta stay ready for the Eternal Order.”
He wordlessly continues further through the empty district, until they reach the final set of walls.
Double the usual amount of guards surround the gate, holding shiny spears while they stare the group down.
Before Sherry can pull her card out, one of the guards steps forward and holds the tip of his spear toward them.
“Halt. What are you doing here at this late hour, covered in blood no less?”
Ugh.
My suit cleaned itself in no time, but my skin and hair aren’t as convenient, unfortunately.
“We’re passing through, of course. I’m trying to get back home.”
“Hah! And where does someone like you live?”
“In the castle.”
“”Hahahaha!””
The guards all break out into laughter, while Isaac and Sherry frown behind their friend.
“Yeah, alright buddy. Sure you do. How about you get going back to whatever village you came from and-”
BANG!
The sound of crumpling metal rings out as the guard’s head shakes, then he falls to the ground unconscious.
The nine others immediately raise their weapons and advance toward the group, while Isaac glares at them with his hand outstretched.
“There’s more where that came from, you pretentious dicks!”
Sherry raises her hands as well, mirroring Isaac as mana churns around her body.
“I won’t allow you to treat Sir Ryuu like that!”
What are they doing?
This kind of thing isn’t worth the hassle.
The guards charge in an instant, still responding like soldiers of Mahora despite their immaturity.
Isaac and Sherry unleash blasts of [Magic Cannon] and send them flying backward, yet most climb to their feet without a problem.
Before things can escalate any further, a young, proud voice calls out from beyond the gate.
“Stand down! What do you think you’re doing, treating a Blade of Mahora in this manner?!”
The guards freeze and turn, finding a young woman with black twintails and thick spectacles standing just behind them.
They immediately set their spears down and stand straight, while their captain opens the gate without making a sound.
Belynda Serafall stands inside of the walls, beckoning Ryuu and his friends to join her.
******
“Thanks a lot, Belynda! You saved us back there.”
The traveling trio follows behind their short savior through the Gold District.
Belynda glances back at Ryuu with a smug smirk before looking ahead again.
“It’s whatever. I was in the area and felt spikes in mana, so I decided to check it out. Those shitty guards… Things are getting weird around here, Ryuu.”
“I had a feeling something was up. I wanted to check in with Ilene first, but it’s probably too late for that. What are you doing out here anyway?”
“I had some business to attend to, that’s all.”
Definitely not suspicious.
Belynda looks back at them again, her eyes moving from side to side.
“Are you going to introduce me to your friends?”
“Oh, right. This one with bags under his eyes is Isaac, and the one with the super-complicated braid is Sherry. They’re the friends I made while I was in Titania.”
The dark-haired noblewoman laughs a little as the other two obviously react to Ryuu’s descriptions, then introduces herself to them.
“I’m Belynda Serafall, daughter of Marquess Maxwell Serafall. It’s nice to meet you.”
Ryuu taps her on the shoulder as a question pops in his mind.
“By the way, what’s with the titles? I know I’m still learning a lot, but in some of the old books I read in Titania, it was suggested that being a duke would’ve given you a lot more to rule than a city.”
“Well, that is true, as long as you’re talking about a time before the creation of the Sacred Land. Once a king was established, both the Northern and Southern Reaches were made to conform to this way of doing things.”
“That’s a lot of effort just for the king to feel like their title is more special.”
“That’s how the cookie crumbles.”‘
Oops, I forgot Sherry’s right behind me.
I wasn’t talking about her dad in particular, but I guess it’s still her distant ancestor.
Belynda guides the group up to the first gate of the Mahora Estate, then turns back the way they came from.
“Bye now. Perhaps I’ll see you sometime tomorrow.”
“Yeah. Goodnight, Belynda.”
Ryuu opens the gate as she walks off and leads his party inside.
The outer layer of the estate is easy to enter, but the castle layer is impossible unless you’re a known member/visitor.
Fortunately, Ryuu has lived here long enough that he’s sure all of the guards know him this time.
They walk through several minutes of intricately designed shrubbery and flower beds, with gold-plated fountains and angel statues placed every fifty steps, until they reach the castle walls.
Yet another row of guards stands in their path right before they’re home free.
Ryuu doesn’t slow his approach even a bit, keeping his hands in his pockets as he gets closer and closer.
The captain of the squad watches them with narrow eyes, then slightly nods his head as his eyes meet the Blade’s.
The tall soldier barks an order to his men, then they step aside and clear a path for the group.
Across the drawbridge, the gate to the castle grounds is opened from somewhere unknown as they continue forward, and they finally reach the inner area of Mahora Castle.
A mile-wide sea of gold-trimmed buildings greets them.
They’re situated inside the large courtyard in a haphazard manner, with numerous stone paths branching throughout the maze.
In the four corners of the walls, as well as the center of the courtyard, large towers of gold stand tall, casting shadows down on the rest of the castle no matter the time.
Ryuu lets them memorize everything for a few moments before bringing them to the South-East Tower.
“I hope it’s not too intimidating. I know this place looks like a maze, but every building is unique enough that you’ll figure it out soon.”
“It’s pretty big…”
“And kind of a mess.”
Ryuu flinches at Sherry’s remark, but keeps his composure while he walks.
I guess their first impression of Mahora is rough.
Belynda was right, though, something’s definitely changed during the weeks I’ve been gone.
They reach the door of the tower and step inside, where Ryuu guides them up a spiraling stone staircase to the top floor.
At the top of the landing is a small, square-shaped foyer, with the far wall holding a stained-glass window.
The window depicts two images split in half: a black sun rising over the horizon, and a man leading an army against a dragon.
Two hallways move in opposite directions in front of the window, with the left being a place that must not be intruded upon.
“…We’ve been seeing a lot of this kind of imagery,” Isaac observes.
“You’re right,” Sherry hums with a finger on her chin.
“It’s similar to what was in Miss Lucy’s home.”
Ryuu raises a brow and replies, “Isn’t the dragon the only similarity?”
Isaac shakes his head and points at the left half of the window.
“That sun could be interpreted as a representation of the black dragon… If so, then it would match the last window we saw of a black dragon coming from the sky and blessing the lands. Sort of…”
“I guess you’re right. I’d never thought of it that way. Not like I’d seen any other window before, though.”
They quickly move through the right hallway and reach Ryuu’s room.
He opens the door and brings them into his humble abode, where not much personality can be found.
The same four-poster bed, desk, and wardrobe sit where he’d found them, and an ornate mirror hangs on a wall next to a mid-sized window.
Ryuu sets his bag down with a sigh and closes the door behind them.
“Welp, here we are. Sorry for the lack of, well, anything, but I at least have a place where we can wash up.”
“Perfect. I’m first!”
Sherry immediately moves next to Ryuu and waits to be led to the washroom.
He points her to a door in the corner of the room, half-hidden by the large wardrobe, and she hauls her bag inside within moments.
“Wow. I guess she really needed to wash off.”
“Who knows… She’s always acting weird…” Isaac mumbles.
“You think so?”
“Yeah… She better hurry up though. There’s no way I’m sleeping in these clothes again.”
“Agreed. Even though mine are clean.”
They wait for almost an hour before Sherry finally comes out in a fresh set of nightwear and sighs with satisfaction.
Ryuu offers her the bed while shuffling into the washroom, then he and Isaac are back out in a third of the time.
Although Sherry insists on taking the floor, Ryuu forces her to sleep in his bed.
After taking an extra blanket and making a small layer over the wooden flooring, he lays down on his back and closes his eyes, while Isaac passes out under his desk.
The princess squad rests deeply and quietly as they’ve reached their destination at last.
Moonlight fills a section of the room through the rectangular window in the corner, giving a soft ambiance to calm their frayed nerves.
Mahora’s mighty walls–and not-so-friendly soldiers–have put Isaac and Sherry on edge, but they’re determined to do what they can to help Ryuu during their journey.
******
Morning arrives quicker than the group would’ve liked, yet Ryuu hops up and dashes out of the room.
He hesitates just outside of the left hallway, then pushes himself ahead and knocks on the thick doors at the end.
“Ilene? Are you awake?”
He knocks again, then a third time, but there’s no answer.
Left without a choice, he goes to open the door just a crack, then freezes.
No.
I’d like to keep my life, actually.
The Blade turns away and retreats back to his room, where his friends sit up and rub their eyes with confused expressions.
“Sorry about that. I was trying to catch Ilene, but there was no answer. She’s probably already out doing something, but there’s no way I’m opening her door to find out.”
“Okay… Then what should we do for now?” Isaac groggily asks.
“Sleep?”
“I second that,” Sherry yawns.
Ryuu shakes his head and pulls a protesting Isaac up to his feet.
“No way, we’ve still got a bunch to do. I need to look into getting some kind of ID apparently, and we need to figure out housing for you two.”
Sherry fully sits up and pulls the blanket off her legs as she swings out of bed.
“Aren’t both of those something you’ll need Lady Ilene’s help with?”
“Uhhh-”
“They are. I’d rather actually plan something out instead of wandering around aimlessly, Sir Ryuu.”
“Fine, then we’ll go somewhere that might interest you two, at least. There’s a class going on later, but the Magic Tower should be free right now.”
Everyone takes turns getting dressed, then follows Ryuu down to the courtyard.
It feels much more vibrant in the daylight, with gold trim shining as it soaks in the ambient mana.
Castle staff and official visitors roam the many stone pathways, moving in orderly chaos as they seamlessly cross paths without colliding.
The party merges with the traffic and heads in a straight line for the North-West Tower.
Strong aromas of baked goods and fresh breakfast pull at them as they move along, then they make a short, thirty minute detour.
“That was delicious!”
“Indeed! Those sausages were amazing!”
They resume their journey to the Magic Tower, soon climbing a small, winding path of stairs to the door.
Once they’re inside, Isaac and Sherry glance around with obvious amazement.
Floors and walls of cleanly cut marble, endless tapestries showing epic battles and unbelievable magic, as well as numerous trophies and trinkets in waist-high display cases.
The doors lining the hall in front of them are all made of wood, but their knobs are constructed from different gemstones, cut to perfection.
“Wow! Is this where you studied magic before?!”
Ryuu grins at Sherry and waves around.
“Yeah. I thought magical buildings were all like this when I first got here, but now I see that it really is something special.”
Isaac peers over a display case filled with old scrolls and whispers, “I’ve never seen so much cool stuff out on display like this… Does every floor have this setup?”
“More or less. I’ve only been in a few rooms, but I’m sure this tower holds a lot of secrets.”
“Nice…”
Ryuu leads them down the first-floor hall, all the way to the end where a door with a diamond knob sits comfortably.
He raises his hand to knock and hears, “Come in” then smirks and twists it open.
The party steps inside of Master Darius’s office, where rows upon rows of shelves are stocked with thick tomes and odd ingredients.
The Master himself sits behind a thick desk at the center of the room, waving his hand through the air as three chairs slide into place in front of him.
“Have a seat, Ryuu. Your two friends, as well.”
They comply, with Isaac and Sherry sitting on either side of their friend as they steel themselves.
The man across from them has pale skin and impossibly dark hair–though it’s graying at the temples–that give him a cold, distant vibe.
His eyes sweep over them, chilling the pair with his sullen, gray gaze.
“Hey there, Master Darius. Are you free for a second?” Ryuu inquires with a friendly tone.
“If I wasn’t, you wouldn’t be sitting there. I see you’ve returned from Titania. Did you learn anything?”
“Yeah, I got a lot stronger!”
“Is that so? It appears I must redouble my efforts as an instructor. Now then, why are you here so early in the morning? Are you hoping to enroll these two in one of our classes, perhaps?”
“No no, they’ve already learned just about everything they can from a book. I was hoping you’d have an idea of what they could do around here to help out during the day. They’re going to be staying in Mahora for a little while and won’t have much to do in the meantime, so it’d be a big favor if you could give them a job. They’re extremely capable M’yin!”
“I wondered what you would say, but you’re just pushing your friends onto me. Very well, I’ll see what I can do, but they’ll have to show me what they’re capable of.”
Master Darius pushes out from his desk and stands, his obsidian robes shimmering faintly as he passes by.
“Come with me. We will verify your abilities in the training room.”
Sherry and Isaac glance at Ryuu, who gives them an encouraging nod before they follow the dark-haired man.
Ryuu starts to move with them, but is shut down.
“I don’t need you. I’ll send them back when they’re done.”
Oh.
That went better than I thought. You are reading on g.com, the official source.
I just hope he won’t be too hard on them… Too late to worry about that now.
******
The Blade leaves the Magic Tower and heads in a straight path for the Aura Tower.
Giving his friends something to do had moved faster than planned, leaving him some time to catch the end of an early lesson.
As he steps inside, he thinks to himself that the tower is as plain as he remembered it, although it’s comforting in comparison to the Magic Tower.
The simplicity keeps his mind focused as he climbs the stairs to the large metal doors leading into the training room.
Sounds of heavy breathing and loud crashes can be heard through the entrance, bringing a small smile to Ryuu’s face as he pushes inside.
The weighted doors give in with a slight heave, depositing him into the stark white area full of sweating A’yang.
Master Nolan stands among a group in the far corner, and Ryuu spots a familiar head of red hair by the water station.
“Ryuu! How’s it been!”
Leon sprints over and brings his arm back, slapping his hand into Ryuu’s as they greet each other.
“I didn’t know you were back from Titania! You must’ve just gotten home!”
“Yeah, I got in pretty late last night. How have things been while I was gone?”
Leon scratches his face before responding.
“Pretty much the same! I spend a lot of my time here, so you’re better off asking Lady Ilene!”
“Trust me, I’d love to, but I’ve got no clue where she is. Knowing her, I won’t find her until she finds me.”
“Haha! That’s true! Oh, but she has been visiting the Science Room in the mornings! I’m not sure what time it is, but she might still be there!”
“Thanks! I’ll go check it out! Central Tower, right?”
“Yep!”
Ryuu raises a thumbs-up and promises to meet up again later as he dashes out of the training room.
He arrives in front of the Central Tower in less than a minute, searching around for any kind of indicator for where he’s going.
It doesn’t take long to conclude that the staircase rising up the side of the tower is his best guess, then he climbs it while watching the castle grounds shrink below.
He soon reaches a metal door with no sign of a way to be opened.
After patting around for a few minutes, he turns to give up, then the hissing of the door unlocking behind him makes the Blade stop in his tracks.
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Grisha. Thank you for the update.”
Ryuu turns to find a woman with platinum-blonde hair, red irises akin to rubies, and smooth, porcelain skin stepping out of the Science Room.
She speaks with someone inside, then turns down the stairs as the door closes.
The two of them make eye contact, red meeting yellow, and the world slows for just a few seconds.
Ilene’s mouth curves into the smallest of smiles as she tilts her head at her Blade.
“You’re back. I was expecting your return sometime soon, but isn’t this a bit early?”
“Probably. The attacks from you-know-who sped things up. I’m here to pick up where I left off, and I brought a couple of friends along for the ride.”
The two of them descend the staircase side-by-side, talking as comfortably as if Ryuu had never left.
He fills her in on the full details of the attack on Titania, including the S-grade artifact, Lady Evelyn’s information about the Chosen, and his retained memories after she cast her magic.
In return, Ilene shares her own adventures, connecting the dots with where Andromeda was sent, and the enemy’s progress in hunting down the artifacts.
The pair find a bench under the shade of a large tree and sit off to the side of the courtyard as they continue.
“So the Eternal Order has two S-grade artifacts, and we have one that we know of,” Ryuu summarizes.
“And they’re after people like me, Chosen: those who are born able to wield the artifacts. I’m even more confused than before on why they let me escape.”
“It sounds like Hyouma didn’t want to. It’s still creeping me out that he was staying so close to the capital.”
“You’re telling me. I’ve had to stay quiet about all of this while constantly keeping a patrol at night. Only Leon and Belynda know about the incident, other than us.”
“From what you told me, there’s no point in returning to that place. Are you sure you don’t know where another artifact is?”
Ilene shakes her head.
“I’m still not completely sure what my rapier is, much less the whereabouts of other weapons like it. I think it’s safe to say we’ve fallen behind in this race.”
“Well, with three of them here in the north, and one in the Sacred Land, it’s possible that the final artifact is far out of reach… Maybe they’ll aim to find a Chosen next?”
“Perhaps, but we have no way of going out to search for one right now. I’m buried in work preparing for this election, and my father is hearing nothing in the meantime. My brother, Xander, has been spending more and more time in the castle’s library as well… I don’t know what’s been going on lately, but it’s not good.”
Ryuu smirks and bumps her shoulder with his fist.
“Cheer up! I’m back and ready to get shit done. What’s first on the list? Just point the way!”
“That kind of attitude still leaves a load on my plate, you know.”
Ilene pulls out a small journal despite her words and flips through half the pages.
“Right now… It’s mostly small jobs around the capital. With only about three weeks until the election, there’s not much time to go out on a mission or anything like that.”
“Are you saying I’m not gonna be able to just beat something up?”
“Yes, that’s the gist of it.”
Ilene leads Ryuu around the Gold and Silver Districts for the afternoon, and most of the evening.
They handle civil disputes, find lost items, and even help with a few petty crimes.
By the time they return to the castle grounds, the moon has started to peek over the city’s walls.
The pair has only just reentered the courtyard when a couple of voices call out Ryuu’s name.
“Ryuu!”
“Sir Ryuu!”
Isaac and Sherry crash into him from the left side, knocking him to the ground while looking completely worn out.
“Master Darius didn’t give us a moment of rest!” Sherry cries “I was casting [Barrier] over and over again as target practice for his classes! I thought it would never end!”
“No more… Books… Scrolls… No more…”
“He made Isaac clean out an entire floor of rooms. Apparently, he only finished two rooms by the time the day was finished.”
Ryuu pushes them off and climbs to his feet with what looks like a hint of sympathy.
“I’m sure it was a hard time. In other news, I want you guys to meet the person you should be sucking up to. This is Ilene. Ilene, these two are Isaac and Sherry, my friends.”
I’m still not sure if I should freely expose Sherry’s identity.
I mentioned to Ilene that she’s being targeted for her power, but I think revealing the secret of a princess is outside of my jurisdiction.
“I see. Isaac and Sherry, was it? I heard you two were a big help to Ryuu during his time away. Thank you.”
“It was no big deal,” the gloomy-eyed boy mutters.
“No, thank you for welcoming us so graciously,” Sherry replies.
“We were actually wondering if we could get some help finding a place to stay for the short-term. The three of us sharing a room will get troublesome very fast.”
Ilene listens to her concerns and rests a finger on her chin.
“There should be some spare rooms in the basement of the tower, but they’re not really meant to be used as bedrooms. I can get some people to clean them up, though it might not be comfortable.”
“That’s more than enough, Lady Ilene.”
“Just call me Ilene. I reckon we’ll be seeing a lot of each other from now on, and I’m already used to it from Ryuu.”
“I-if you insist, Ilene.”
Isaac lifts his gaze from under his hood.
“Me too?”
“Yes, you may do so as well.”
He nods, then Ilene gathers everyone’s attention once more.
“I take it the two of you will be working with Master Darius for the foreseeable future? Then while you use that opportunity to get comfortable in Mahora, Ryuu and I will continue to boost our odds in the Succession Election. The unclosable gap that was present two months ago has been significantly reduced, but my brother still holds a clear lead over me. I cannot allow him to become the duke, or the capital will never prosper again.”
Ryuu raises a brow at Ilene’s remark.
“What’s Xander planning that will make things so bad?”
“It’s not about what he’ll do, it’s what he won’t. The current way of life inside of Mahora is one that Xander intends to keep for as long as he can. He won’t incite any kind of change or growth, the city will simply plummet into ruin shortly after his fall in the future.”
“Gotcha. We just have to make sure you win. Anything else?”
“No, that’s all. Now then, let’s have a nice reunion with some dinner. I’m starving.”
“Now you’re speaking my language!”
Ilene leads the group into the maze-like structures of the castle courtyard.
The four of them find a building with a particularly appetizing scent and enjoy a satisfying dinner together.
Ryuu and Ilene sit shoulder-to-shoulder as they continue to catch up with each other, while Sherry and Isaac become as familiar with the composed beauty as they can.
After all, she’s their leader’s leader, in a way.
After their meal, they return to the South-East Tower, where Ilene guides them to the basement level.
Ryuu had never bothered visiting down here before, but it’s a wide, rectangular space of stone with four halls extending out.
One hall opens on each wall, though there are two directly ahead, leading into darkness on all sides.
“Any of the halls are fine; they’re more or less the same room. You should find that they’ve already been cleaned with a bed prepared.”
Did she set that up while we were eating?
“Thank you, Ilene,” Sherry says with a light bow.
“Yeah, thanks…” Isaac adds.
“Don’t mention it. Ryuu, follow me. I’d like to continue our discussion from earlier.”
“Alright. Good night, you two.”
“”Goodnight!””
******
Ryuu sits across from Ilene on a sofa in her room.
She sips a cup of herbal tea, and the aroma makes the Blade scrunch his nose.
They sit silently for a moment, then Ilene sets her cup down and crosses her legs.
“So, Lady Evelyn is in critical condition… And you said you lost to the enemy commander? That was the woman I met before… Andromeda, right?”
“Right. She was pretty strong even without the artifact, but I, as well as Lucian, landed some solid hits on her. The spear gave her some kind of super-enhanced resilience. It was like trying to cut a hole out of the ocean.”
“Which caused Lady Evelyn to get involved, casting her spell at what was likely maximum output. In order to restore all of the lost lives in Titania, as well as move the attackers away, it would’ve cost an exorbitant amount of mana. If what you said about her being unconscious is true, then she was likely already weakened on top of that, and the taxing spell is what drove her over the edge.”
“It’s because I was too weak…” he mutters.
“You’re still on about that?”
“No… I’m past feeling sorry for myself. I’m not letting another failure like that happen again. I don’t care if they bring all of their commanders at once, or even if their boss shows up!”
“That’s better, but are you really prepared for that, Ryuu? I’m sure you’re tired of constantly training and fighting, but let’s face the facts. Both you and the strongest Blade in this region were defeated by a single commander of the Eternal Order. A duchess is out of commission after defending against the attack coordinated by said commander. Meanwhile, on my end, I was unable to win against a mere member of the group in a three-on-one, and a kill-shot I aimed at someone I’d already beaten didn’t finish the job. It sounds to me like we’re still lacking.”
“…Even so, what can we do? No matter how unreasonably fast I am at learning new things, they still take some time to master. You’re an artifact-wielding Chosen, but you don’t know the full capabilities of what’s on your belt. It’d be different if we had another month to spend training, but that’s not the case.”
“That reminds me, we’ve never fought, have we?”
“…No, I guess not.”
“This is perfect. We’ll use the Magic Tower’s training room. We can go all-out there.”
“Woah. What’s this about, so suddenly? One fight isn’t gonna make us any stronger.”
“You’re wrong about that, but also, that’s not what this is about. Think back to the short time we spent side-by-side against Morrell. We hesitated, and were caught off guard because we weren’t confident in each other’s capabilities. We need to know our limits if we’re to fight together efficiently.”
“…Okay, I can understand that much. I’m in, but try not to get hurt too badly. You can’t heal yourself.”
Ilene stands from the sofa and smirks, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
“Who do you think I am? Need I remind you that I’m known as Illusive Blade, a legend who doesn’t yet know defeat?”
“Hah, we’ll see how the legend holds up.”
The two soon arrive on the second floor of the Magic Tower, and Ilene places her hand on a plain wall.
Her mana seeps into an invisible pattern, then the wall flips inward, revealing a blank white space.
The door/wall seals behind them as Ilene shouts out a few commands.
After a few moments, the space around them contorts and blurs, then refocuses into a wide patch of blue.
The two fighters stand on a large, circular surface of sand in the middle of a raging ocean.
This “Sailor’s Oasis” setting usually creates water-breathing Fallen to attack, but that feature has been disabled for their match.
“Interesting choice,” Ryuu comments.
“I think I’ve only ever seen some plains and a desert.”
“This one gets my blood pumping. Are you ready?”
“Hell yeah! Let’s find out who’s stronger: the lady, or the Blade.”
******
Ilene draws her rapier and holds it up close to her chest.
Her legs are a shoulder-length apart, allowing the sword-wielder to move her weight anywhere with the slightest tilt of her body.
Ryuu studies the lady while casting [Piercing Claws] on both arms, then holds a hand out as he inches forward.
He slowly figures out her range, testing her speed and precision.
I’ve faced hundreds of swordsmen in my life.
People that use light swords, like her rapier, usually share some habits, such as heavily relying on their initial speed.
I just have to avoid the first strike.
His lead foot scoots closer and closer, while his hand rests in the air.
Ilene’s gaze remains unchanging as she watches him every step of the way.
The point of her sword stays aimed at the sky, while the water around them churns as lightning blasts down from above.
CHING!
Sparks fly as Ilene steps forward and thrusts her sword at Ryuu’s ribs.
He’s able to react just enough to tuck his elbow, causing the rapier to glance off of his golden gauntlet.
“Tsk!”
Ilene narrows her eyes as she readjusts her stance and slowly circles her opponent.
The Blade watches her, turning as she gets around him, then flares his aura.
A silent {In-step} carries him inside Ilene’s guard, who leaps back while slashing diagonally.
Ryuu is already on the move, predicting the direction she’d flee in, and slides under the slash.
He grabs Ilene by the ankle and twists as he reaches his feet, then pulls her into the air and spins her around.
The woman tries to slash at his arm, but her sword isn’t able to push against the inertia of her direction.
She’s sent flying into the surrounding ocean as Ryuu releases her, and a wave crashes directly on top of the noblewoman, smashing Ilene’s arms and legs in an instant.
“Oh shit! Ilene!”
Ryuu drops to his knees as a feeling of despair washes over him, then his mind blanks, and the emotions inside of him threaten to overflow.
Drip.
Drip.
Drip.
His fuzzy vision starts to refocus as the sound of dripping pulls him awake.
The constant noise of liquid hitting the ground comes from somewhere nearby, but he can’t find it.
Ryuu’s stomach feels warm, and itchy, but also cold.
He goes to rub it, then pulls his hand back after it feels like something bites him.
It’s there again, that warm, itchy feeling.
“Are you waking up?”
Ryuu looks up as his vision clears, then finds Ilene looking down at him from above.
Apparently he’s still on his knees, but Ilene is okay after all.
“Thank good-”
He’s interrupted as blood pours out of his mouth, then he looks down and finds a sword sticking through his gut.
“It’s better if you don’t talk right now. My curse hit you pretty hard.”
Curse?
What does that mean?
“It affects everyone a little differently, but you probably don’t even remember getting hit. You know my Talent, but you still weren’t prepared for an attack like that?”
“That’s…cheating…”
Ilene smirks as she bends down and pulls her sword out of her Blade.
He falls forward and coughs while aura immediately begins wisping around the wound.
“I know you don’t mean that. Using my magic is only to be expected.”
“Yeah… I’m just mad I lost so fast. Let’s go one more time.”
“I was already prepared to. I wanted to mess with you a little, but I still haven’t seen what you can really do. I won’t use my Talent this time, so show me if you can surpass my sword.”
She says that like it’s easy, but there was another wound on my leg that I had to heal just now.
I’d say I lost the first trade against her and got hit, which is what allowed her to activate her “curse”.
It’s not surprising, but she must be one of the better swordsmen I’ve come across.
I lost even though she can’t use aura.
Ryuu stands once his wounds have healed and pats the nearly-reconstructed tie around his neck.
After casting [Piercing Claws] once more, he faces Ilene and raises his arms. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
“Bring it.”
The Blade holds nothing back this time, pushing off the sand with enough force to create a massive cloud behind him.
Claws immediately clash with a slender blade as Ilene comfortably parries his rush.
She blocks and sidesteps while moving backward, working to create some distance between them, but Ryuu doesn’t let up.
His abnormal stamina enables him to keep a chain of attacks going and create constant pressure on his opponent.
If this continues, it’s only a matter of time until she slips up.
A sharp uppercut flies under Ilene’s guard and pushes wind into her face with a near miss.
A thin line of blood wells on her cheek where the tip of a claw managed to reach her, then she’s kicked back by a spinning heel.
The noblewoman rolls a few yards before flipping back onto her feet in a perfect defensive stance.
Sea water surges just behind her as she closely watches her Blade, the magical borders of the small island keeping the storm at bay.
Ryuu spots her eyes widen as he suddenly aims his palm forward and shouts, “{Charge Burst}!” sending a ball of aura the size of a head careening towards her.
Ilene lightly crouches before dodging to the side, but Ryuu reads the subtle turning of her feet, and uses {In-step} to move into her path before she can fully commit.
Caught off guard, she now has mere moments to choose between intercepting the aura blast, or her opponent.
Naturally, she chooses the latter, committing to her movement as she lunges at Ryuu.
He grins and crosses his arms, handily blocking her thrust with his gauntlets.
The ball of aura passes behind her and crashes into the ocean, exploding and sending salty water raining down on the fighters.
Ilene attempts to put pressure on her opponent as he’d done before–by showering him with rapid, precise attacks–but the Blade seems to read her movements in a way that’s unlike anything she’s experienced before.
They break apart, allowing the lady a moment to think things through.
“Ryuu’s movements are coming fast, almost always before my own. He must be predicting my attacks, but how is that possible for someone that doesn’t practice swordsmanship? Is it simply a gap in experience? I’ve never directly asked how many fights he’s been in, but he did live there for twenty years. I’m sure he started fighting about halfway through that time.”
Ilene keeps her gaze trained on the man in front of her, who smirks while waiting for her next move.
“If he’s truly capable of reading me so well, then it’s possible that his attacks are a deadly mixture of instinct and muscle memory. That means he’s able to distribute much more of his focus to what I’m doing, and planning out a path to victory. On top of all of that, there’s the insurmountable difference of possessing aura in a close-range fight… The odds are certainly against me here.”
“In that case!”
Ilene holds her sword out flat in front of her, resting her free hand over the thin blade.
“Awaken, Heroic Will! Lend me your strength so that I may overcome this trial before me!”
A powerful aura surges through Ilene, manifesting in a torrent of white energy that pours out from the artifact and cloaks her figure.
The ruby embedded on the hilt glows as Ilene awakens her rapier and unleashes her full power.
She then drops into a low stance and holds her sword over her head, pointing it toward Ryuu.
“I’ll show you that this relationship isn’t as one-sided as you may have believed, Ryuu!”
His grin widens as he moves back a couple steps and slams his gauntlets together.
“Alright, then let me show off what I learned from my hard times in Titania!”
Aura and mana surge around the Blade in tandem as he builds his power, then the bright lights shrink.
“[Shredding Talons]! {Boost}!”
His set of golden armaments is completed as an intense white energy covers him.
The sand around the fighters is slowly pushed away by the pressure rolling off of their bodies, though Ryuu’s still lacks in comparison to Ilene’s display.
“Do you think you can do better against me than Lucian did?” he asks.
“I may not have as powerful of a Talent, but I won’t lose when it comes to swordplay!”
Ilene quickly soars through the air toward Ryuu, who sidesteps and watches her fly by.
The noblewoman is able to flip around in the air and land on her feet, but she slides back through the sand for several yards.
That intense energy is giving her a crazy boost, but she’s not used to manipulating aura.
Although, it looks as if the sheer amount of aura at her disposal is allowing her to roughly replicate techniques…
Ryuu digs his talons into the ground and kicks a massive cloud of sand at Ilene, using [Mana Sense] to track her through it.
Before he can make any moves, the entire cloud is parted down the middle by a flash of white light, and Ilene stands unfazed ahead.
She tilts her sword again, then slashes, sending an enormous crescent blade of aura straight for Ryuu.
He meets it with his claws, burying his heels in the ground as he drives his weight forward.
The force of the flying slash makes his elbow creak as he pushes against it with all of his strength, then a sharp crack rings through the air, and Ryuu’s gauntlet shatters as the attack slams into his chest.
“Geh-! Huff! Huff!”
Ilene’s slash carries Ryuu for thirty feet before he falls to the ground.
The impact shoves the air out of his lungs as he’s scooped off the ground, causing his vision to instantly go black.
The young man catches his breath as his sight recovers, while lying flat on his back in coarse sand.
That’s the first time that’s ever happened.
I was beginning to think my magic was unbreakable.
He’s forced to roll back several times as Ilene appears in the air above, and soon comes crashing down.
Her sword buries into the ground just behind him, causing the surrounding sand to erupt all at once.
Dragon Blade is shot high into the sky as a result, watching from a bird’s eye view as lightning strikes the ocean as far as the eye can see.
He keeps his cool, taking shallow breaths as he draws in mana from the atmosphere while falling.
From below, Ilene focuses her power into her rapier, aiming to pierce through anything Ryuu tries.
The ground quickly rushes up to meet Ryuu as he continues drawing in mana, then he grins and holds his palm out while gripping his wrist.
“Let’s see how you like it! [Magic Cannon]!”
Ryuu dumps the entirety of his stored mana into the blast, aiming for the center of the small island.
All of the sand beneath them shoots up in one massive plume, carrying Ilene farther above him with a shocked expression.
His body slams into the rising sand with a sharp pain as he’s launched up once again, but now he’s brought Ilene into his territory.
The Blade silently casts [Barrier] {In-step}, using the walls of sand in the sky to hide his approach across the air.
He maneuvers directly into Ilene’s blind spot past four walls of sand and deeply crouches atop his barrier.
I don’t have enough mana for a big spell or art–which is thankfully hiding my presence–but with the last of my {Boost}-!
Ryuu explodes forward and flips through the air, then brings his heel down in a heavy {Charge Point} axe-kick that crunches down on Ilene’s right shoulder.
She yelps as her sword instantly falls from her hand, and is shot back down to what remains of the island below.
The lady lands immediately after with a loud crash–alive, yet injured without a doubt.
Ryuu uses the last of his stored mana to create a few barriers as he descends next to the now-falling sand, then casts a protective [Barrier] over his head as he crouches over Ilene.
“I think that settles this match. Are you alright? I had to hit you pretty hard.”
Before she can answer, Ryuu watches her shoulder pull itself back into socket and seemingly repair any fractures.
Automatic {Recovery}?
It’s nowhere near as potent as Andromeda’s, but…
Ilene opens her eyes and finds Ryuu standing above her with a hand outstretched.
“Ah, you’re awake. Good match, Ilene. You’re definitely stronger than I thought.”
She frowns for a moment, then gives a wry smirk and takes his hand.
Her Blade pulls her off the ground, then she looks him up and down.
“And you’re definitely crazier than I thought. No wonder you’ve somehow survived two encounters with Masters, using unpredictable behavior like that.”
“What do you mean? Isn’t it natural to think of making a bigger version of what just hit you?”
“No, it’s not. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Ryuu, but most people are one-trick ponies. A’yang have nothing but martial arts and aura techniques to navigate a fight. Obviously, they’re still extremely powerful in some cases, but there’s not much the average A’yang can do to someone fifty feet away. M’yin have it worse, since most M’yin that enter combat have a Talent, something that assigns a label to you from the moment you awaken. What I’m saying is, most people find two or three strategies that work with their skill set and repeat them without end. When a person is forced to adapt, it usually ends in death. With you, however, it seems that adapting is your bread and butter. It’s what your whole style is about.”
“Is that a good thing?”
“Stop playing dumb with me. I’m not one of your little friends who have yet to see it. I know what you’re capable of, Ryuu.”
“Thinking makes me tired, though.”
“As if. You know, it’s really obvious that every moment you’re not speaking, you’re actively breaking down about five different scenarios in your head.”
“Again, is that not normal?”
“Again, it’s not. There’s clearly more to your upbringing that you’ve left out, but I don’t intend to press you for it. Just know that I’m not stupid enough to believe that someone as capable as you got to this point simply by fighting and reading random books. I wouldn’t have lost if that was the case.”
“Sheesh, where’s the trust?”
“I trust you, the Ryuu that I spent two weeks with. Who I’m questioning is the Ryuu I don’t know, who spent twenty years in the Pit of Keld. I want to know exactly how both you and Hyouma were raised there at the same time, were targeted by the Eternal Order, and have quickly amassed frightening strength. I mean, as of right now, we’re still under the impression that Hyouma is stronger than even you. Do you really think two generational prodigies appearing in the same place, at the same time, and getting caught up in all of this is really a coincidence?”
Ryuu averts his gaze, watching the sand crash around them with his barrier still overhead.
“Of course not… I just didn’t want to think about it too much. I’m already missing enough answers with everything going on. I figured my backstory wasn’t very important at the moment.”
“Well you’re wrong. It’s extremely likely that your past holds a lot of the answers we’re looking for. We have to really ask ourselves why the Eternal Order is doing all of this. Gathering Chosen and S-grade artifacts, taking in Hyouma as a member, and aiming for you and Sherry. If it’s simply military force, then fine, but I don’t see them being so hellbent on you if that’s the case. You’re strong, but it’s clear that they already have multiple Masters at their disposal.”
“All I know is that they call me the “key”. Apparently, capturing me will open the path for them to truly accomplish their goals, but I don’t know how I have such a big role in tearing down the Northern Reaches.”
“Once again, the answers likely lie within your past. Or at the very least, the circumstances of your birth.”
“I couldn’t tell you anything about that if I wanted. I was in the Pit from the moment I realized I was playing with shards of bone and bent daggers. Nobody ever told me any different.”
“I-I see…”
“Anyway, I really don’t have anything special for you on why Hyouma and I are so different from others, other than the obvious. I mean, I won against everyone that wasn’t him, but Hyouma beat me the few times we actually had an official fight. It got worse each time, and by the last one, he seemed almost superhuman. This was back when I thought aura was some kind of weird miracle unique to me.”
“So Hyouma has always had an odd power to him?”
“Yeah, I guess. I felt something similar to it from Lucian, but it was still a little different. What matters is that his body was already superhuman before he learned how to use aura. Something tells me mixing the two of them together would make him dangerous enough, but he has a Talent too…”
“Let’s get back on topic. Do you know of anything he did that may have created this difference between you?”
“We pretty much shared the same daily schedule…but I guess he would venture deep into the Pit before a fight, or when he was feeling particularly bored.”
“What does that mean?”
“It’s hard to explain, but the Pit was set up so that everything took place on the top level. Toward the far end of the main chamber, you could descend to lower levels, but there was no telling what you’d find. I was forbidden from ever going down, since the guy in charge said I would get lost. It’s rumored to be endless.”
“And yet, Hyouma could go down no problem?”
“Every parent has their favorite. More like a parental figure, I guess.”
“I can relate to that. So you think that the lower levels of the Pit may hold some sort of secret?”
“There’s only one way to find out. It’s not like there’s anyone alive to stop me now.”
Ilene sighs before calling out a few commands and returning the training room to normal.
The raging sea and sand disappears around them as the blank white space returns, then she opens the hidden door and leads them out.
They wait until they’re out in the moonlight to continue further.
“I’ll see what I can do about arranging you some time off after the Succession Election. I’m curious about it as well, so I won’t make a fuss about you leaving again so soon.”
“I’m sorry. I know you missed me.”
“Yes, and I see you missed me so much that you got a replacement. Tell me, is Sherry the only woman you’ve picked up in your time away? You do know we’re supposed to be lovers, right?”
“Sherry and I aren’t like that. I’m not like that with anybody for that matter! Jealous much?”
Ilene playfully scoffs and turns her head away.
“As if.”
The two of them continue to mess with each other as they walk along the stone path toward the South-East Tower.
They cut through the maze of buildings in the center of the courtyard on their way home, still bantering, then Ilene suddenly stops as if she’s been struck.
“What’s wrong?”
Ryuu glances at her as she touches her forehead and looks up at the sky.
“Rain… It surprised me.”
Droplets begin falling through the sky faster and faster, and before they know it, rain comes down in sheets as they’re instantly soaked.
“Ugh, what the-?”
“This is rare. The first rain of the warmer seasons.”
Just as they start to move again, a shout rings out from the Central Tower, right outside of the main entrance.
“HELP! ANYBODY, PLEASE!”
Ryuu and Ilene take off without a word, their inner alarms blaring “Danger!” as they barrel toward the Central Tower.
The noblewoman breaks past the man shouting for help and beelines directly for a wide staircase to the right of the Throne Hall.
Her Blade follows close behind as they reach the top and move down a long hall, where two heavily-decorated doors sit slightly ajar.
“It can’t be… Please…”
Ilene mutters a few words as she busts through the doors and glances around, finding her father’s bed against a far wall.
Most of it is covered by drapes and curtains, but she rushes to the side and parts it anyway.
Ryuu waits in the doorway as the man that shouted for help catches up and waits behind him.
Ilene gasps as she takes hold of her father’s hand, feeling no warmth at all.
Duke Alastair lies still in the grand bed with his eyes wide open, and his mouth frozen in the middle of saying something.
“Why..? How..? Who did this..? Eternal Order… ETERNAL ORDER!!!”
Is this real?
The day I return, and right after Ilene and I were having a good time…
Ilene stands, her clothes still sopping wet as her hair drips onto the floor.
She tightly grips the hilt of her sword as tears roll down her face, then moves right up to the man behind Ryuu.
“What happened here?”
Her voice is disturbingly calm as she questions the guard, who visibly shakes in his armor.
“I-I-I don’t know, Lady Ilene! I was standing guard in this hall, as usual, when I heard a crash in Lord Alastair’s room! I tried to investigate, but the door was barred! It wasn’t until a few minutes after that I was able to break through, but by then…”
The guard hangs their head, clearly too ashamed to speak any further.
“Fine. Then I’ll figure this out myself.”
Ilene turns to walk out, but Ryuu grabs her upper arm and stops her.
“What do you think you’re doing?” she mutters.
“Stopping you from making a mistake. We need to investigate this further before we lose our heads. Being the rash one is my job.”
“What are you saying?! Isn’t it obvious who’s behind this?!”
“Maybe not. You need to let yourself think straight, or we’ll never get anywhere. I know you won’t be able to sit still, so how about directing that energy into looking around the room.”
Ilene glares at him for a moment, then pulls her arm free and walks back into the room.
Ryuu watches her before turning to the downcast guard.
“I need you to find Doctor Corna. Now.”
“Y-yes, Sir Ryuu! Please leave it to me!”
As soon as he takes off, Ryuu follows Ilene into the room and joins the investigation.
The first thing he notices is the broken window on the left wall.
If he envisions the room’s arrangement from above, the doors are at the bottom, while the bed is against the top wall.
A few shelves, a desk, and a large stained-glass window make up the left side, while some chests and a display case are on the right.
The window is now partly broken, allowing wind and rain to carry inside of the room.
That must be the crash that the guard heard.
There are no signs of a struggle from what I can tell, but we’ll have to wait on the doc for a reliable conclusion.
Ryuu watches Ilene out of the corner of his eye as she idly wanders around the room.
The adrenaline seems to have slowed down, leaving a shocked husk of a person in its place.
This timing, it’s way too convenient.
Whoever did this clearly wants to avoid the Succession Election.
The problem is that this death will only prolong the inevitable.
There still needs to be someone in power.
If we think about who this death directly benefits…
He glances at her again, his eyes narrowing as Ilene picks a frame up and studies it closely.
I can’t suggest her brother did this.
I’m sure she already suspects it somewhere in her heart, but she’s unconsciously denying it with her immediate accusation against the Eternal Order.
I’ll wait to hear what Doctor Corna says, but I’m almost certain it was Xander.
After hearing what kind of stunt he’s been pulling with Belynda…
Within a few minutes, the clank of armor is heard rushing down the hall, as well as the clack of heels slapping the ground.
The guard and Doctor Corna arrive at the scene of the crime, and the doctor quickly rushes to the duke’s bedside.
Her hands glow with intense yellow mana as she runs her hands over Lord Alastair’s body, then after a short while, she stands and sighs.
Her eyes are a little red as she turns to face Ryuu and Ilene, but she manages to maintain professionalism.
“It appears the duke suffered a deep injury to the base of the skull. It would’ve been enough to paralyze him, but the cause of death remains unknown. Until further testing is complete, my current hypothesis is poison, or a Talent, both of which may be untraceable.”
Ilene listens with her gaze focused on the ground, then mumbles, “Understood.”
Ryuu nods his head and thanks the doctor for the information, then turns to leave the room.
He figures it’s best if he lets Ilene have some final moments with her father.
A tug on the back of his jacket stops him in place, and he turns to see Ilene frowning at him with tears welling in her eyes.
Ah.
I chose the wrong option.
The Blade moves back next to his partner, who stands motionlessly and lightly weeps for hours into the night.