by Michael Sisa
Dan's eyes flickered at the mention of the title. It was the title of the man he was oddly familiar with. It was the magician that he had met back in his village. It was the magician that declared Dan's lack of talent in magic.
Dan softly mumbled, "Merlot... the Lord of a Thousand Blades."
Yvette glanced at him. "Oh, so you're familiar with that monster. That one's really nasty... two years ago... he..." Yvette's words turned grim as she tried to continue with her words. "He killed the Royal Magician, Theolfo the Beheader."
Another memory ran through Dan's head. "Isn't that the magician that was tasked to be the commanding general of the entire Empire? I read a newspaper that time... he's supposed to confront the monsters that had infiltrated the walls at a certain mountain range."
"Yes. He failed." Yvette reminisced. "Half of the magicians that joined the battle that day were killed. If only your father joined the fight that time... he would have prevented the deaths of so many."
Dan was silent as Yvette continued, "Merlot used the failure as excuse to execute Theolfo. Quite unfair I must say," Yvette's voice was filled with utter bitterness. "The Lord of the Thousand Blades did not join the fight, yet he blamed Theolfo for the failure. Moreover, he suddenly appeared after the monsters mysteriously disappeared."
"What did the Emperor say? That's a serious blow against the Empire. I'm sure," Dan asked. A Royal Magician was strong enough to annihilate an entire army by himself. Killing one was synonymous to cutting off a leg of the Empire.
"Nothing," Yvette said. "The Emperor was afraid that the loss of such massive army will be attributed to his impotence. The execution of Theolfo served as a scapegoat." Yvette balled her fists. "The Lord of the Thousand Blade's not even a Royal Magician! He refused to be one, so why is the Emperor...." Her voice trailed off.
"You said before... that the army of Krukas suddenly disappeared after that event?"
"Yes. They've won that encounter, but somehow, they mysteriously disappeared. After that, Merlot appeared and pushed all the blame on Theolfo. The Royal Magician's body was battered after the fight, and the execution by Merlot became swift and fluid. Theolfo hardly put up a fight."
Dan said, "I see. I’m not really informed of such things. I've spent the last two years in isolation. Mastery of the basics, I should say."
Yvette knew that although the technique of Anito was synonymous to the technique of Gods, it was also the hardest to master. Just the mere fact that Dan was capable of utilizing its potential was already a great feat.
"Young Master, the Lord wishes to see you," a voice suddenly said. Yvette and Dan were startled and immediately shot a look at the source. It was the Roshaila Family's butler, Kurt.
"You...," Dan said. "Since when?"
"I've been here since the two of you began playing snow balls with each other," Kurt said. He coughed. Using his index finger, he wiped his beard. In a mischievous tone, he added, "I've been here since the start. I've seen everything... even the part when the lady asked the young master about their marriage." His voice stuttered on purpose.
Dan dusted his garb and walked towards the butler. He lightly turned his head towards Yvette. "Are you coming? I'll be going back inside."
"Oh! As expected of the young master! Even with the lady's alluring charm, he stands calm and tall!" Kurt lightly shook his hips. He then tilted his head as he tried to imitate Yvette's 'leaning' act.
"Kurt, stop." Dan gazed at Yvette. Somehow, her cheeks seemed redder than before, but Dan paid no notice. "Lead me to where father is."
Immediately, Kurt assumed a serious expression. He bowed his head. "Of course. Please come with me, Young Master."
***
The moment Dan stepped into the grand hall of the castle, a voice boomed at him. The voice was raspy and loud.
"Finally. Yvette's been with you, huh?" An old man said. It was one of the three men from before. Edward, Wellter and the two others were at his side. He coughed once and cleared his throat. "Child, we have decided. The Roshaila and the Prochson Family shall become the sponsors for your growth."
Dan shot a look at Edward. The man lightly averted its eyes upon contact. "Before that... father--" There was an almost awkward silence. "What's your conclusion? Are you still willing to continue your plans?"
Edward paused before his reply. His eyes were unreadable. "I will. I have decided on this path... I shall not back down."
Dan sighed. He walked towards the group and stood face-to-face with Edward. With a voice that without doubt addressing everyone, he asked, "Tell me. How do you plan to achieve that?" He dropped his eyes for a second and resumed his gaze. "I'll tell all of you this now—I have no plans in participating in such things. I'm content with things as they are. As long as—"
"As long as your family's safe, correct?" Edward completed his words for him. "Child, you are strong but at the same time naive. Even if you wish for such things wholeheartedly, the world wills the opposite. You are an Anito—that is a fact that cannot be changed. No matter where you go, chaos would surely follow. The only way for you to live properly for so long is to become strong and hold power enough to shake the Emperors themselves."
Dan's eyes glimmered with annoyance. "You do realize that I agreed to be under the wing of the Roshailas because of my mother, right? I respect her decision, and I do believe that her happiness is tantamount to mine."
Dan and Edward's conversation seemed not that of a father and child, but the Prochsons did not relate it to the both of them being completely unrelated. To them, it was an argument. Edward combed his hair backwards. "Krukas—they will soon come in flocks and overtake this continent. I don't know if you've heard what happened to the Royal Magician, Theolfo."
Dan silently listened as Edward continued, "He died two years ago without much of a fight. He's one of my archenemies back in my youth, and I know how strong that magician is. Child, the invading army of the Great Demon Lord is not as simple as you think. Why did they suddenly attack now of all things? As far as we know, three of the five descendants of the Great Demon Lord are currently in deep hibernation. Then who is controlling the monsters? Are two descendants enough to overtake all four Empires in the Continent of Tal? No. There is more to the war than what you think. There is more to it than what meets the eye."
Edward took out a pipe and lit it using fire magic. The smoke swirled upwards and vanished into obscurity. "The current Emperor is obsessed with age. He is too afraid of dying." He paused and looked up. He touched the end of the pipe with his lips and puffed out a smoke. "His previous wisdom had been long gone. Now, he is nothing but a doll filled with nothing but greed and ambition."
One of the Elders spoke, "The time of assault from Krukas came earlier than expected, but we do believe that the current army of monsters is not enough to overtake the Empire. We still have time to reform the Empire as we know it."
Wellter took a step forward and joined the conversation. “Edward told us that you have no ambition of becoming a Royal Magician, but that will surely change through time. Somehow, someday… the heavens itself will grant you a reason to become one. That is the fate of those that wield power, especially for an Anito like you. We will gamble and rear you with the might of two Great Families.”
Edward took out an envelope from his silver tux. He handed it to Dan. The envelope itself was a polished bronze, and the seal was a crimson stamp with twirling gold marks that spiraled towards the center. At the right portion was an insignia of a trident and a shield.
“Inside is the admission plate for students,” Edward said as he watched Dan scrutinize the envelope. “I don’t think you’ll have qualms about this proposal: you shall enter the Sky Adacemy, Ilian.”
Dan pondered. He said, “My mana is—”
“It’s fine,” Edward interjected. “The purpose of sending you there is not for you to become a high ranking magician. At least, not for now. The test of becoming a Royal Magician is more on the practical side. There’s no real need fo
r you to attain the highest rank while inside Ilian Academy.”
Wellter coughed and added, “Edward is right. We do realize that you’ll probably have a hard time once you enter inside… you having little mana and all… but child, there is a limit on what we can teach you. There are a lot of things you’ll learn inside that academy that you won’t learn from us. Take this chance and hone yourself.”
Dan carefully tore open the envelope and took out the plate inside. It was silver and the letters embossed were in gold.
Daniek Bhlot Roshaila
First Year Student
Aside from it, the plate was blank. Edward said, “Two weeks from now, you shall enter the Sky Academy.”
Chapter 16: Entrance Exam
It had been two weeks since the Roshaila Family visited the Prochsons. Dan was currently in front of the city’s temple. Eight pillars that served as foundation were seen at the entrance, spanning thirty meters in height. The statue of the God of Water, Neresh, stood proud next to the arched opening that led deeper into the Sacred Hall. The flights of steps were low, and it gave the temple’s entrance a pedestal-like appearance.
“You look dashing today, honey,” Minerva said as she straightened the tie twined around Dan’s neck. Her son wore a crimson coat with a long-sleeved white garb underneath. The buttons lined up in array were gold, and a silver insignia of a trident and spear were embossed on the chest.
“I’m sure the girls will flock over you.” Minerva was grinning as she gently gazed at her son.
“I’ll be sure to come back home after six months. Mother, please take good care of yourself,” Dan said. His eyes drooped down and stared at the child beside Minerva. After more than a year since its birth, the child was now able to walk.
“You too, Muan. Be good, okay?”
Dan bent down and patted the child’s head. The child closed her eyes like a pleased cat and made purr sounds. He picked up the black suitcase on the ground. At the corner of his eyes, he could see Edward’s gaze. He stood a few steps behind Minerva, and he motionlessly watched as the family of three bid farewell to each other. Somehow, after the meeting with the Prochsons, Edward became more silent than usual. Dan made a light bow towards Edward’s direction. Afterwards, he turned around and went inside the temple.
The temple was dimly lit, and only the medium-sized torches that adorned the walls were what illuminated it. The air was stale and humid. His steps lightly echoed as he went his way towards the teleportation hall. It took him a couple of minutes till he reached his destination.
“Welcome,” a priest wearing a white chasuble spoke. His eyes landed on the crest on Dan’s chest. “The Sky Academy?”
Dan gently smiled. “Yes. I would like to teleport to Ilian Academy.”
“I see. I would need an Identification Plate.”
Dan took out the plate and handed it to the priest. Afterwards, the priest chanted inaudible words to confirm its authenticity. He handed it back to the child before him. “Very well, the teleportation fee shall be added to the total tuition amount.” He made a hand gesture pointing towards the circle at the middle. Numerous symbols were engraved inside, creating a circular pattern. “Please step inside the magic circle.”
Dad did as was told. The moment his foot touched the edge of the magical circle, the symbols engraved glowed a violent hue. It was bright to the point of blinding.
“Good luck,” he heard the Temple Priest say. His surroundings distorted, and a familiar feeling of nausea hit him. After a few more seconds, he found himself inside a large hall.
A large banner hanged on his right, and the same trident and shield insignia was imprinted on it. A large statue of an old man wearing a robe stood proud beside it. His beard was cut a little bit past the chin, and his smiling face seemed so gentle that one was able to feel comfort from the mere sight of it. Though made of pure silver stone, the body seemed real that it would move at a moment’s notice. The words “Walker Vont Ilian” were imprinted on the stone at its feet.
A gargantuan chandelier that housed a thousand candles illuminated the vicinity, and the thousand tiny embers that resided on its top were absurdly still. It did not flicker even once. Dan aimlessly looked around until his eyes landed on the clustered group of students on his left. They were flocking to a certain black counter. Dan walked towards it.
“One at a time!” a female voice snarled. She wore a loosely-fitted robe that hanged past her ankles. Her hair was cut short till her shoulders, and a smug look was plastered on her face. A subtle hint of wrinkle mark was seen across her cheeks. “You there! What’s this?! You think I can read that crap?!” She tossed a piece of parchment towards a student’s face. “Do it again!”
“She’s really grumpy. Damn luck… why’s professor Quittle not around?” a student said.
“I heard she’s got divorced with her husband a few months ago,” another one whispered.
“Ah! That’s why!”
Murmurs enveloped the area as Dan made his way towards the counter. He spotted a few students holding the same status plate as him. The woman behind the counter growled, “Imbeciles! Stop snuffing into my life! The entrance test for first years will commence soon! Hurry up!”
A light bump to the shoulder made Dan look around. The source was a man taller than him by two feet. His hair was bright amber, and his cheeks seemed hollow. He gave off the impression of a man that had not eaten breakfast for weeks.
The man seemed to have noticed Dan’s stare, and with a shrug, he wordlessly went towards the counter. Dan shot a quizzical look but resumed his way towards the woman. At his rear, he heard the arrival of other students through portal magic.
After a few minutes of patiently waiting for his turn, Dan finally got to the front most portion of the line. He took out his status plate and said to the woman, “Daniek, madam. A first year. I should sign up for the entrance test I suppose?”
The woman glared. “Madam? You think I’m that old, child?! Damn it, kids thes—” She stopped the moment her eyes read the words ‘Roshaila.’ She said in a bewildered tone, “Daniek Bhlot Roshaila?”
Dan was a bit surprised of the sudden change in tone. “Yes.”
“How are you related to the Emperor of Fire?” Her voice was loud enough for everyone to hear.
Dan paused. “He’s my father.”
The moment he mumbled such words, half of the noisy students at his back became silent. They gazed at him with surprised looks. Some of them scrutinized his finely-woven set of uniform. Suddenly, a voice rang out from his left. It was the voice of a young man in his teens. “A Roshaila? Heh~” the man said with a smug smile. “How old are you?”
Dan reluctantly replied, “Eight. Why?”
“I see… most of the First Year Students start at age of ten. I am nine myself, and am already considered a young prodigy!” The owner of the voice wore the same crimson attire as Dan. His hair was ash white, complementing his ivory skin. His lips were thin and they were currently curled sideways, forming an arrogant look upon his face. He disregarded the queue and walked towards Dan. “I am Ryle Monfort. The first son of Marcus Monfort, the head of the Monfort Family. I suggest that we become friends. It is only befitting to those of us that carries the blood of the Great Families.”
“I see,” Dan simply said. He turned towards the woman at the counter, ignoring the declaration of the young man beside him. He said in a careful tone, “Miss… the entrance exam?”
“Haha! Ryle got ignored by the Roshaila!” a student jeered.
The student named Ryle turned red but kept his mouth shut. He glared at Dan with fierce eyes.
The tone of the woman behind the counter turned an opposite direction. With a calm and soothing tone, she said, “Young master~ please take the left wing and you’ll eventually arrive at the testing ground. All instructions shall be given at the site. I’ve checked the status plate. It has already been completed prior.”
Dan gently smiled. “I see. Thank you.”
Dan made a light bow towards the student named Ryle, and he then went his way towards the testing grounds.
***
To his surprise, the testing ground for the first years was just a single large room devoid of any ornaments and décor. It was dimly lit and gave a gloomy atmosphere. Hundreds of students were already inside the moment Dan arrived. A man wearing purple robe stood at the very front. Behind him was an arched entrance blockaded by an iron door. Before him was a large orb that was without doubt familiar, though larger in size. It was an Orb of Mana.
He coughed. “Listen! I am Professor Janus, and I shall be the one to conduct the entrance tests! There are three parts of the entrance examination! Mana Manipulation! Intellectual! And Potential!” He roughly placed his hand on the large orb, and it instantly glowed a bright yellow color. “This thing here will glow depending on your ability to control mana! As I said before, ‘ability’ to control mana! The amount of mana matters, but so does the ability to properly control it! Unlike the usual Orb of Mana found in the temples, this is an Orb of Mana Manipulation! It is only proper that a rank shall be dictated not but the amount of mana but also by the ability to wield it!”
