The next morning, Kiett woke up to a familiar scent. With some difficulty, he got out of bed and walked to the window, watching as the rain continued to fall. His bare chest showed the wound on his left shoulder—the scar left by a lethal bite from a Scarlet. He grabbed a vest and slipped it on before heading downstairs, following the aroma that had stirred him awake. As he reached the kitchen, he found his sister, Claire, frantically trying to extinguish a small fire on the cutting board where she had been chopping lettuce.
"What are you doing, Claire?" Kiett asked. Claire blushed, quickly hiding a partially burned towel.
"Kiett! You're awake! I was trying to make you a good meal" Claire replied, embarrassed, her face smudged with soot from the tiny fire.
"How did you even set lettuce on fire?" Kiett asked, laughing at the absurdity of the situation. Claire scowled at him.
"Don't make fun of me! You know I'm terrible at cooking!" Claire snapped. Kiett continued to chuckle, but their sibling banter was interrupted by a knock at the door. Kiett walked over and opened it to find Marth, Lucas, Sakura, Cosette, and Margott visiting. He welcomed them inside.
"What an amazing smell! Kiett, what are you cooking?" Cosette asked, eyes shining with excitement.
Sakura, Lucas, Marth, and Cosette eagerly headed to the kitchen, only to be shocked at the sight of Claire wielding a knife with superhuman skill. Meanwhile, Kiett and Margott remained alone.
"How are you feeling?" Margott asked, gently caressing Kiett's cheek. The young man blushed and timidly placed his hand over hers.
"I've had better days… it still hurts, and I haven't been sleeping well." Kiett admitted.
Margott moved closer, intertwining her fingers with his before pressing a tender kiss on his lips. Kiett kissed her back.
"I was terrified… I thought you wouldn't survive!" Margott whispered, hugging him tightly. Kiett embraced her firmly.
"I was afraid too, I thought I'd never see you both again… but I'm here, and now I know I need to strengthen my skills even more!" Kiett declared. Margott gazed at him, and Kiett noticed tears welling up in her eyes, so he gently wiped them away.
"Too much sweetness in the air, don't you think?" Claire was teased, watching the couple with mild irritation. Kiett and Margott blushed, realizing the others had been spying on them.
As Cosette examined Kiett's wound, the others prepared the table for breakfast.
"It's healing incredibly well. I have to admit, I didn't expect it to recover this quickly!" Cosette exclaimed. Kiett was surprised.
"What do you mean by that?" Kiett asked. Cosette chuckled, noticing his worried expression.
"Sorry for scaring you! The wound was deep, and those damn creatures are extremely venomous. Their poison is almost impossible to remove… but we, the sentinels managed it!" Cosette said proudly. Kiett pondered for a moment, and Cosette noticed his thoughtful expression.
"What's on your mind, Kiett?" Cosette asked. Kiett hesitated before closing his vest.
"Cosette, is there any way I could learn from the Sentinels?" he finally asked. Cosette was taken aback.
"Well, I don't know… but I could find out for you!" Cosette offered. Kiett's face lit up, and he eagerly grabbed her by the shoulders.
"You'd do that for me? I can't thank you enough!" Kiett exclaimed, shaking her excitedly. Cosette, dizzy from the sudden movement, stumbled onto the couch.
"Everything's ready! Let's eat" Claire called. As Cosette grabbed her things, preparing to leave, Margott stopped her.
"And where do you think you're going?" Margott asked. Cosette insisted she had only come to check on the wound, but Claire approached and invited her to stay for breakfast. After much insistence, Cosette finally agreed.
Seated at the table, they shared stories of how they met in their early years at the academy. Despite the lingering sadness among them, they smiled as much as their thoughts allowed.
Marth remained silent, deep in thought. He took a long sip of orange juice.
"Marth… you seem tense. Are you okay?" Cosette asked.
Marth hesitated before speaking. "I just… I can't stop thinking about how close Kiett and I were to dying." The group fell into silence, reflecting on his words.
"Marth… what exactly happened when you were attacked? Why was Kiett the only one injured?" Claire questioned. Kiett, noticing the heavy atmosphere, shot her a look of discomfort.
Marth sighed. "We were surrounded. The dragons had us completely trapped. Kiett's original spell protected us from their fire, but one of them emerged from beneath us and wounded him. I managed to kill it before it finished him off… but then the others were upon us."
A fervent fear shone in Marth's eyes as he continued. "It happened in a blink of an eye… but someone wiped out all the dragons with a single, devastating attack."
Margott and the others were stunned. Marth had kept this information to himself, trying to comprehend who or what had such immense power.
"No doubt about it! It was Queen Fiora who saved you!" Claire responded.
"No… I saw it… in the sky, riding one of those creatures—half bird, half lion… a hippogriff!" Marth revealed.
"The Queen arrived later. She found me crying… struggling to stop Kiett's bleeding, trying to save him!!" he added, his voice trembling with a mixture of fear and gratitude. The others were left speechless. Marth's revelation was truly incredible.
―Meanwhile, in the Ruins of Aldelviewreld―
Once the greatest and most powerful kingdom, Aldelviewreld now lay in ruins. Its shattered walls were blanketed in snow, its colossal castle collapsed into rubble. Amidst the debris of what seemed to be the castle's main plaza, a destroyed golden eagle statue remained partially visible. A blizzard raged through the ruins, and in the distance, large torches illuminated the entrance to a massive cave.
This cave, however, was unlike any other—it was completely sealed by two enormous golden doors, adorned with eight seals from the base to the top. The area was bustling with soldiers, preparing to repel any attack from the Scarlets, who continuously tried to reach the legendary "Eighth Gate".
Before the thirteen-meter tall and seven-meter-wide doors of solid gold, a group of scholars analyzed the seals, attempting to unlock the secrets hidden behind the colossal gates.
Suddenly, a young woman rushed through the crowd, nearly knocking over several people.
"Everard!" she shouted.
"What's wrong, Woodrow? Why are you yelling?" Everard asked. Woodrow, out of breath, tried to speak.
"The portals are active! You told me to warn you when they lit up!" she exclaimed. Everard's expression turned serious, "They are coming" he stated. He dashed off, motioning for Woodrow to follow.
"Running again?" Woodrow groaned.
They reached the hilltop, where four portals glowed intensely. From three of them, four figures emerged—three men and one woman.
Everard and Woodrow bowed deeply.
"Welcome, Your Majesties—Aurora Colden, Queen of Eircloft; Ezequiel Blackmour, King of Zuria; Argus and Dracus Downmore, Lords of Vrath. May the Light of Throme guide you."
The rulers looked imposing and powerful.
"Alright, Everard—we're here as you requested. What's the situation?" demanded the beautiful Queen Aurora.
Everard walked among the swordsmen and mages stationed at the Eighth Gate, his expression laced with concern. Behind him, the kings followed closely, listening intently as he spoke.
"The weather has gone mad these past three days. Many sentries have reported sightings of abnormal Scarlets lurking within the thick fog that has formed!" Everard explained. The kings exchanged uneasy glances.
"I can feel it too. They're preparing for something. The air is heavy, and this place is in complete disarray!" Queen Aurora exclaimed, scanning her surroundings. Scrolls were scattered across the ground, and swords, bows, and staff lay out of place.
"I apologize, Your Majesty, but order has been the least of our concerns these past few days!" Everard replied. Aurora observed him before offering a faint smile. Meanwhile, the Downmore brothers stood before the Eighth Gate, awestruck by its immense and imposing presence.
"It's massive, brother! I've been waiting forever to see it in person!" Dracus remarked to his older sibling, Lord Argus, who chuckled and lightly patted his younger brother's left shoulder.
"Look at all those seals. We've spent three years trying to decipher them, and we haven't even figured out the smallest one. It's said that this gate was constructed long before the birth of Aldelviewreld. The seals are written in Ancient Elvish!" Argus explained. Darcus's eyes widened in amazement.
"That's the worst part!" King Ezequiel interjected as he approached the brothers. Their expressions shifted to confusion.
"Of course… Elvish is a dead language!" Aurora remarked from afar. The three kings turned toward her, visibly impressed.
"Your Majesty has sharp ears!" Argus exclaimed. Aurora smirked slightly. The three kings then gathered around Aurora and Everard.
"We have a lot of work ahead of us, gentlemen. We must also prepare for a possible attack!" Queen Aurora declared. However, they were abruptly interrupted as Woodrow came rushing toward them, breathless, collapsing to her knees.
"What's wrong, woman? You look like a madwoman!" Ezequiel exclaimed as he and the other kings hurried toward her.
"I am sorry for interrupting, Your Majesty, but the fourth portal has been activated!" Woodrow announced. At the mention of this, everyone immediately assumed that King Mustaffa was arriving. Without hesitation, they all dashed toward the portals, Everard ordering Woodrow to keep up.
"Everard is right… I'm in terrible shape!" Woodrow gasped between heavy breaths.
Upon reaching the top of the hill, they saw the portal glowing intensely, but something was off—it looked as if it were overloading.
"What's happening with the portal? It looks like it's about to collapse!" Everard exclaimed. Woodrow, the last to arrive, caught her breath and confirmed that this was why she had run into such a panic.
"You did well, woman!" Ezequiel praised her.
They all braced themselves, expecting the worst. Weapons were drawn as the portal flickered erratically—until, suddenly, a line of horses emerged, pulling carts filled with supplies and weapons. The kings finally relaxed. Everard and Woodrow rushed to help. At last, King Mustaffa appeared at the end of the caravan. Compared to the other rulers, he was twice their age, his presence commanded deep respect.
"Your Majesty, we feared you wouldn't come to our meeting!" Queen Aurora said as she and the other kings bowed in admiration.
"Majesties, I've brought supplies and weapons. Everard's message was concerning, so I wasted no time in preparing all of this to assist you!" Mustaffa declared. Everard approached and bowed deeply before him.
"Your Majesty, welcome. Thank you for bringing these supplies!" Everard expressed his gratitude. Mustaffa nodded.
"Everard, I must ask you to leave us now. I have an important matter to discuss with the Monarchs!" King Mustaffa stated. Everard looked at the other rulers, who gave him a reassuring nod. Understanding, he and Woodrow departed.
Once alone, Aurora broke the silence.
"Now that we're alone, what is this urgent matter?" she inquired.
Mustaffa, however, appeared restless. Pacing nervously, He drew the other kings wary attention.
"You must understand something… what is happening here is bigger than all of us!" Mustaffa declared with absolute certainty.
―Meanwhile, in Averford―
All the young aspirants hoping to become Legionnaires had gathered in the training arena. Their objective: to face off against the two most talented swordsmen of their generation. The crowd watched, enthralled, as an evenly matched duel unfolded between Claire and Prince Lon, the most outstanding fencers of their class.
Spectators marveled at Claire's skill, as she defended herself flawlessly against Lon's precise strikes. Carefully positioning her feet, Claire managed to slip behind him and deliver an upward strike to his right shoulder, unbalancing him and securing her victory.
"That was incredible! I barely saw that coming!" Prince Lon exclaimed as he got back on his feet.
"You fought well. Your attacks were strong and precise!" Claire praised him. Both exchanged a respectful bow. Before they could speak further, Margott approached them.
"That was an excellent duel—you left everyone speechless!" Margott remarked as she walked up to them.
"Margott, what are you doing here? Weren't you with my brother?" Claire asked, surprised. Lon took a few steps back as he noticed Margott carrying a wooden sword.
"Kiett is in the library with Cosette. He suddenly felt like reading!" Margott replied.
"And why are you holding a wooden sword?" Claire questioned.
Meanwhile, Lon left the arena and was immediately greeted by Amber and Blumiere.
"What's wrong, Lon? You look exhausted!" Amber commented. Blumiere eyed him up and down before laughing.
"Claire wiped the floor with him again!" Blumiere teased. Amber jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow, leaving him winded.
"Behave, you two! It looks like those two are finally going to settle things!" Lon interjected. Amber turned her attention toward the arena, where the crowd was now focused on Claire and Margott, both poised to face off.
"Alright, Claire—it's time to find out who's the best!" Margott declared, assuming a defensive stance.
"Judging by that stance, you don't seem to have much confidence in yourself!" Claire smirked as she took an offensive stance.
―At the Great Library of Averford―
The young Kiett walked through a massive hallway filled with books. The towering bookshelves housed countless volumes of ancient stories and historical accounts. Cosette guided him, leading him to the correct section.
"Alright, if you want to learn something from us Sentinels, start with this book!" Cosette exclaimed, pulling out a blue-covered book titled "Chants of the Wanderer."
"That's a strange title, don't you think?" Kiett remarked, taking the book and feeling its silk-bound cover.
"This book will teach you things beyond what the Legion instructors have taught you in these past three years, trust me!" Cosette declared as she turned and walked toward another shelf, Kiett immediately following her.
"Tell me something… How long have you been studying this?" Kiett asked. Cosette wandered through the aisles, scanning the shelves for another book.
"I've been studying since I was ten years old, yet I still haven't advanced as much as I'd like!" Cosette admitted. Kiett's expression faltered slightly, a hint of discouragement on his face.
"Don't feel down, Kiett. Everyone must start somewhere!" Cosette reassured him as she noticed his expression.
"How can I not feel like this? The Mystic Duels are coming up, and my energy is more attuned to defense. I'm not a good swordsman!!" Kiett exclaimed. Cosette finally found the second book.
"Don't underestimate yourself. You survived that ambush in Threnafell. The duels don't matter—what matters is what happens beyond these walls!!" Cosette said, which lifted Kiett's spirits a little.
"Besides, someone must protect your reckless sister. Here, take this book too!" Cosette added, handing Kiett another book with a damaged cover. Despite its worn state, the name Akerhill could still be read on it.
"Akerhill? That ruined village?" Kiett asked, puzzled by such an unusual book.
"It was written based on ancient scrolls found in a forgotten cave. During that incident, everything was lost… except for this!" Cosette explained as Kiett observed the book carefully.
"I have to go now! I'm expected to be at the academy. Read these and practice!" Cosette exclaimed before running off. In her hurry, she bumped into a young woman carrying two stacks of books. Without even apologizing, Cosette disappeared down the corridor as the girl shouted after her, "Watch it, idiot!!"
―At the Hunter's Guild Tavern―
General Joel Montecristo sat at a corner table, drinking liquor. The tavern was mostly empty, as it was still too early for the hunters to start getting drunk. Alistar entered and took a seat across from him.
"General, drunk this early?" Alistar remarked. Montecristo barely glanced at him and remained silent.
"What's wrong, Joel? You look lost. I know you're angry about what happened, but neither of us could have prevented it!" Alistar said, trying to lift his friend's spirits.
"Alistar… do you know how many lives we lost that day?" Montecristo asked solemnly. Alistar hesitated.
"Joel, what could we have done? We were ambushed—those creatures weren't supposed to be there!" Alistar responded. Montecristo downed his bottle in a single gulp and immediately ordered another. The young woman tending the tavern hurried to fetch it, but Alistar stopped her.
"How many bottles has he had already?" Alistar asked.
"This would be his eleventh bottle, sir!" the woman replied. Hearing this, Alistar turned to Montecristo with concern.
"You've had enough, Joel. Stop. You're too drunk already!" Alistar scolded. Montecristo ignored him and reached for the bottle, but Alistar ordered the waitress not to serve it.
"Leave me be, Alistar. Just let me be!" Montecristo snapped, irritation in his voice. Alistar didn't back down.
"How are your nephews doing? That young man was gravely injured. Do you even know if he's recovering?" Alistar challenged him. The question made Montecristo furious. He stood up abruptly, though he staggered from the alcohol.
"My Nephews are fine. I trained them well. I don't need to hover over them all the time!" Montecristo growled before losing his balance. Alistar caught him by the shoulder and helped him stand.
"You can't even stay on your feet. Put it all on my tab—I'll take him home!" Alistar announced. The young bartender nodded in understanding.
―Back at the Library―
Kiett sat at a table, ready to read, when he was suddenly interrupted. A Legionnaire recruit approached him, accompanied by three others. Kael, the leader of the group, smirked as he spoke.
"Well, well… Looks like the kingdom's filth doesn't know its place!" Kael sneered, prompting his friends to laugh. Kiett remained silent, continuing his reading.
"How dare you ignore me, you disgusting orphan!" Kael snapped, yanking the book from Kiett's hands. Kiett's patience finally wore thin. He stood up. One of Kael's companions walked behind Kiett and shoved his stack of books to the ground.
"Give me back the book, Kael!" Kiett demanded coldly, his voice laced with warning.
"Don't call me by my name, filthy orphan! You and I were never meant to stand on equal ground!" Kael spat.
"Sir, could you please return the book?" Kiett asked, trying to avoid conflict.
"That's better. See? It's not that hard to recognize your betters!" Kael scoffed before tossing the book into the air. As Kiett reached to catch it, Kael drew his sword and struck Kiett's stomach with the pommel, sending him to his knees as he gasped for breath.
"That's your place, commoner. You shouldn't even be allowed here. You disgust me. Though your sister… well, she's much more enjoyable!" Kael taunted, a vile grin on his face.
Kiett clenched his teeth in fury, pain burning through his gut. But it wasn't the physical blow that stung the most, it was the shame, the helplessness. The fury that boiled inside him found no escape. But before he could react, a strong female voice interrupted.
"What's going on here!?"
Kael froze as he turned around—his face turned pale when he saw her.
"Y-Your Majesty!!" he stammered. It was Princess Sonia.
"Once again, I catch you tormenting this young man. I'll have to report you to the academy instructors!" Sonia warned.
"I-I'm sorry, Your Majesty! It won't happen again, I swear!" Kael pleaded as he and his companions dropped to their knees.
"Out of my sight!" Sonia commanded. The bullies fled immediately. Kiett, still on his knees, lowered his head in respect.
"Your Majesty, it is an honor to have you in the library!" Kiett said. Sonia approached him and helped him pick up his books.
"No need to trouble yourself, your highness. I'll do it!" Kiett insisted, but Sonia ignored him, gathering the books.
"Relax. I enjoy helping. I see you've been reading a lot!" Sonia remarked, genuine curiosity in her eyes as she looked at Kiett.
TO BE CONTINUED…