Just like 3 months ago Reon, approached the south gate of crux, but this time he came in a carriage.
The carriage was stopped, he'd assumed by a guard.
"I never thought about this before, but Crux seems to be heavily guarded for some reason. Perhaps there is some kind of threat to the village that I don't know about?" Reon wondered.
He closed his eyes and focused Kinshi.
Almost as if he entered a void he saw and heard nothing for a moment before so many subtle lights appeared around him.
Thousands of small lights, connected by a sort of string so thin that they were not visible unless he focused on them.
The lights were of varying sizes, colors, and degrees. Some were clumped together, while some were more spread out.
He could see the tiny lights that meant him to be. His energy, his body, his intention, and subtly his own spirit.
He could also see the lights of the carriage, which were more spread out around him, not alive in the same manor of speaking as he was, but still there, and still there was a subtle spirit. Perhaps from the carriages creator, or its own will, but a subtle spirit there none the less.
His view of these lights was concentrated to only around 10 feet around him while past that range, his view of the lights dampened significantly.
Suddenly as he expected, a clump of lights approached that Reon knew was a person.
"Their intention is to understand who is coming into the village, and they are ready to fight if there is a threat. Overall I would say they are on gaurd. I'd bet that it's a guard, haha." thought Reon.
"Their body is tall and muscular, well trained. They have the body of seasoned warrior."
"Their energy is. . . powerful! I don't think I've see someone like this before who's energy runs past their body. This person must be a peak 4-Star warrior or even a 5-Star warrior of Akram!" Reon got excited.
The person checking the carriage got within 10 feet of Reon, so Reon wanted to try to detect their subtle spirit.
As he did, he stopped focusing on Kinshi because rather than a subtle spirit he saw the image of powerful creature on a mountain top, making a blood curdling roar.
Instant Reon opened his eyes as sweat dripped down his face.
"What the hell was that!?" Reon thought.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen. Like a giant blue lizard with wings, and sharp teeth.
"That was just like the stories of dragons that Grandfather told me!" said Reon.
"What does that mean thought, instead of seeing a regular spirit I saw a dragon?" thought Reon.
The ability to detect subtle spirit, was something that Reon had only just learned about from Wolf.
He took an unnaturally low amount of time to learn how to do this which impressed Wolf alot, but that was thanks to having practiced with Kinshi aswell.
After already having learned from his family how to sense energy qualities and mental intentions, learning to sense subtle spirit from Wolf, was not as difficult for Reon. He was still very much a novice in the spiritual world however, which seemed to him, even more complex than magic.
Calmer now, Reon opened the door of the carriage and saw the Lord of Crux, Dai GrayAllen.
"Oh, it's you, Reon. Come to think of it, I have not seen you in a while, I suppose you were on a mission for the Flyers guild?" said Dai.
"Yes, I was out for a couple of months, but I just got back." Reon explained. "Out of curiosity has anything happened in the village recently? You always seem heavily on guard as if there is a threat?"
"Hmm, well, it's not necassarily because of a threat but just nature." said Dai.
"What do you mean." asked Reon.
"In Akram, the weak are bullied, the strong are resented by the weak, but they are also targeted by others who wish to prove themselves. For example, if I wanted to take control of all of the surrounding villages and make my own sub-province of Aldera, I could do it, if I had the strength and the will to. And so anyone could. That is understood by everyone. And so Civil War is common in Akram, because war is the common language. The challengers challenge, and the challenged either win or die. The Kingdom and Grand Marshallate do not stop things like that from happening as long as they are authorized."
"Ah, I think I understand now." said Reon with a look of slight confusion.
"How are things where you are from?" asked Dai.
"Hmm, I'm from an Island where there are a few big cities and villages, and everyone is ruled over by the Queen. It's a peaceful place, people train and compete for the love of it but there is no civil war. People of my island only kill those who attack us first. We primarily trade our recourses and we thrive on the island. We believe we are connected to the island and pray to the island for strength, health, and longevity." said Reon smiling thinking of home.
"It sounds lovely, so why did you choose to come to Akram?" said Dai.
"Well, I want to be a great warrior like my uncle Ken, and he told me some of the fiercest warriors come from Akram." Reon explained. "I figured if I came here I could grow and become stronger, and also have stories to tell my family when I return home."
"Haha, your such a kid, its funny to think that you could brutally kill Sujin in a duel, hahahahaha." Dai laughed heartily.
"He attacked me first though. Like I said, my people usually only kill those who try to kill us first. Those who do. we don't forgive, or let them off lightly." said Reon.
"And that is justice. But listen. Not everyone who has friends and families behind them are good people. Someone might unjustly attack you, and you retaliate and kill them, but then their family and friends might come to get revenge. That is how things work sometimes. If your strong enough you get through it unscathed." said Dai.
"Yes, I know. I wan't to be that strong and also be honorable, or else no matter how strong I am, I wouldn't be great, only strong." Reon replied.
"Good, good. That is the right mentality. I hope you have the strength to uphold that ideal. Soon there will be a tournament happening called 'The Trial of 10'."
"Across the land of Akram, in every village and city all warriors are preparing for it. The 10 strongest fighters, besides the lords of every village, town, and city estate, will be decided through a combat tournament."
"The winners are titled the 'Fangs' of their respective estate."
"It's a battle not just for honor and prestige but for resources, power, and opportunity." said Dai.
This all highly peaked Reon's interest. This was the perfect opportunity he'd been looking for. A place where he could test the limits of his strength at the highest level.
"What kind of oppurtunity?" said Reon excitedly.
"All of the winners, will get the chance to move on to the District-Regional tournament where only the fangs of estates in each region will compete for higher stakes, and rewards.
The regions are split from North, South, East, and West. From there, 10 Strongest of each region will compete in the District tournament in the capitol city of the district. And finally, the last 110 competitors, the 10 strongest of each district of Akram compete to settle the 10 Strongest in the Kingdom of Akram."
"If you wan't to see where you stand then this is your best chance. It is a tournament held by the Grand Marshallate every few years to gauge the new talents, as such only warriors of 4-Star and below are allowed to enter, or else the established power houses and clan's would win every year."
"If I win this tournament, that would prove that I'm a great warrior in Akram, and it would be one hell of a story to tell!" said Reon.
"Haha, yes but still lets not get ahead of ourselves, the first stage of the tournament is in 5-days. You made it back almost in the nick of time. One thing to note is that the tournament is a individual opportunity, not a group one. Although some groups might collude to try garner more success and opportunity for the overall group. Its up to you. So no matter what anyone in the guild says or thinks, you may have to fight some of your own guild mates to win." said Dai.
"What do you mean no matter what they say or think?" asked Reon.
"I mean that usually the guilds will organize to have their lower ranked members forfeit to the higher ranked members beforehand. This is all to put their best foot forward, and not have the higher ranked members waste energy or risk injury against the lower ranks."
"Right now as the tournament is soon approaching most members of each guild are returning home to compete. That means every elite Flyers guild member is here right now, and they may expect or pressure you as the 10th to forfeit your match if you go against one of the higher ranked."
"Oh, I'd never, I wan't to compete and see where I stand." said Reon flat out.
"Ha! Good. I never respected that course anyways. Oh yeah, and those horned badger cubs you left with Silva are doing well by the way. They are growing bigger and bigger everyday. They are almost as big as a dog now." said Dai.
"That's good to hear, I was going to ask her when I saw her, about that and my new weapon but thanks for telling me." Reon responded.
"And one more thing, before you go Reon." said Dai.
"Yes?" said Reon.
"Isha who is the guildmaster of Flyers Guild is back now. You hadn't met her before because she was out on a 4-Star mission, so be sure to greet her with your full respect, and explain the situation with Sujin honestly. I say this because he was like a younger brother to her and many of the ranked members of Flyers guild, and had been their for years. Now that she is back, who knows what stories, Sujin's closest friends might might have made up to provoke her against you. That is why I was telling you about being careful who you kill." said Dai.
"I understand village lord. Thank you." Reon bowed and started walking in to town.