Five months have passed since classes began, and Karlo's class has gone to the coliseum for another practical lesson.
(Silvia): All right everyone. I believe many of you already know this but, the Selenti Academy's annual games begin next week, so today's lesson will be a free period. Decide among yourselves who will participate in each event and start preparing.
The class representative, a boy with short blue hair, red eyes and a scar on his left cheek, steps forward and turns to face his classmates.
(Otavio): Ok everyone. I'll start calling out the events, and I want as many participants as possible. Let's take advantage of the fact that our class is larger than the others so that no one gets overwhelmed. If you want to participate in a particular event, raise your hand when I ask.
(Otavio): We'll start with the events on the first day.
He quickly glances at the clipboard in his hand.
(Otavio): The opening event will be the first round of Mageball. It's an event exclusively for boys, and we need at least eight players: six starters and two substitutes. Anyone willing to volunteer?
(Luen): You guys interested?
(Gabriel): I'm fine with it. It's been a while since I last played anyway.
(Karlo): I'm interested, but I'll stay on the bench. There weren't many kids of our age to play with back in the village where I used to live, so I don't have much experience. (Well, I doubt any of the other classes will have a Vine Gorilla or a Silver Wolf on their team. Maybe playing against other humans will be easier.)
Gabriel, Karlo, and Luen raise their hands, along with four other boys.
(Otavio): All right, including myself, we have exactly enough people for Mageball. The next event is dodgeball, which is exclusively for girls. I need six names!
(Nyua): Count me in!
(Melyssa): I think it'll be fun.
(Lara): Uh... I think I'll sit this one out.
(Melyssa): What about you, Fernanda?
(Fernanda): I've already decided which events I want to participate in, so I'll sit this one out too.
Four more girls volunteer.
(Otavio): The relay race will be the last event on the first day. The course is approximately 1,600 meters long, and each class will have four participants. In other words, each team member will have to run about 400 meters. Anyone can participate.
Luen is the first to raise his hand without a second thought, surprising everyone in the class.
(Otavio): Luen, I'm glad you want to participate, but you do know how long 400 meters is, right? Not to mention, you've already signed up for Mageball. It's not that I doubt you, but let's just say that you...
(Luen): Don't worry, I've got plenty of energy, and I'm completely confident in my speed.
(Gabriel): Considering how much you sleep, you'd better be.
Some of the students in the class start laughing.
(Otavio): Moving on, I still need three more people for the relay race.
A tall girl with brown hair, pink eyes, and a ponytail raises her hand.
(Shiva): I participate in the marathon held in the capital every year. Four hundred meters will be a piece of cake!
Two more boys show interest in participating in the race.
(Otavio): All right, now, for the events on the second day...
After spending a few more minutes deciding who will participate in each event, the class decides to spend the rest of the lesson practicing for the competitions.
Several boys, including Karlo and Luen, engage in friendly duels as a way to train for the grand event that will take place on the final day.
Karlo gets the better of Luen by hitting him in the back with a stone projectile, knocking him to the ground. The blow wasn't particularly strong, so Luen only suffers a few minor scrapes from the fall.
Karlo approaches his friend and helps him back to his feet.
(Karlo): Are you okay?
(Luen): Urgh. I think so, but how do you manage to cast a spell from so far away? Mine only appear a few meters away from me.
(Silvia): Do you remember the first lesson we had after you enrolled in the academy? The one where we learned that we can release the energy produced by our bodies to cast magic?
Silvia approaches them.
(Luen): I think so?
(Silvia): Well, we involuntarily release a small portion of that energy to prevent an accidental overdose. After all, every living being has a limit to how much energy it can store. Since the amount released is relatively insignificant, we can't use it to cast spells. Instead, it spreads out until it eventually dissipates and turns back into mana. However, since it's still part of our own energy, we can gather it together or even reinforce it by releasing a larger amount. This allows us to use it to cast spells. The area over which this energy tends to spread is called the magic zone. The more energy someone can store, the farther that released energy tends to spread.
(Luen): So it's just because Karlo's bladder is bigger than mine, is that it?
(Silvia): Laughs. It's simply a matter of growth and practice, and when it comes to this, no one trains harder than Karlo.
(Karlo): Well, it's not like magic stops working outside your zone. As long as you use enough energy, You should be able to hit someone if you have good aim. However, in my opinion, spending energy on a spell that you won't be able to control after a certain point is a huge waste. It's better to force your opponent to enter your zone and then attack.
(Luen): I see.
(Silvia): I hope you really do, because I already explained this in class two weeks ago, and last week I made sure to review the topic. Remember that your final exams for the first semester begin next month, so I recommend starting to study now.
(Luen): Nervously. Y-You can relax, Professor. What happened during the midterm exams won't happen again. (I'm so screwed...)
(Elena): How did he even pass the entrance exam?
(Gabriel): Sighs. I have no idea... (I can already see myself staying up all night helping him study again.)
Classes continue as usual throughout the week, until Saturday arrives. Once again, Karlo finds himself standing in front of the mercenary guild's quest board.
(Karlo): (Damn it, why are there no gathering quests left today of all days? I knew I shouldn't have bought that new shirt. But I can't keep wearing the same shirt every time I go out, and I didn't want to keep borrowing Silvia's clothes either. Not that she minds... Should I ask Henri to pay me my wages in advance? Wait, he's visiting a friend in the capital. I'd forgotten about that.)
He sighs in disappointment.
While Karlo stands in front of the quest board, struggling to figure out what to do, someone recognizes him.
(Melyssa): Looking for a quest?
Karlo turns around and sees Melyssa wearing a leather cuirass over a long-sleeved shirt, iron pauldrons, cloth gloves with iron plates covering the backs of her hands and part of her forearms, cloth trousers with iron plates attached to her thighs, a long skirt over her trousers, tall leather boots, and an open-faced helmet.
(Karlo): Oh, hey Melyssa.
(Melyssa): Hi. It's been a while since I've seen you around the guild. Looks like you're broke again, huh?
(Karlo): Yep. I was planning to spend the entire weekend doing a bunch of quests, but there aren't any gathering quests available today.
(Melyssa): I still don't understand why you only take gathering quests. You're strong enough to hunt certain types of monsters on your own.
(Karlo): I really don't like hunting quests. To me, killing something doesn't make sense unless it's a matter of survival.
(Melyssa): I understand your point, but hunting quests are necessary to keep the monster population from growing too large. Every month, there are cases of monster groups invading villages or ambushing caravans in search of food when their territories no longer have enough to sustain them.
(???): Speaking of ambushes...
Two young adults approach them. One is a fair-skinned man about 1.80 meters tall, with short blond hair, a thin beard, and orange eyes. He wears a suit of iron armor that completely covers his head, torso, legs, and arms, along with a longsword at his waist and a shield strapped to his left arm.
The other is a woman about 1.70 meters tall, with white hair tied into a long braid that hangs over her shoulder and blue eyes. She wears a short hooded tunic over a leather cuirass, long gloves that reach her elbows, and leather boots. A small crossbow hangs from her shoulder, a quiver is attached to her waist, and a dagger is sheathed in her thigh.
(Melyssa): What kind of monster is it this time, Tom?
(Thomas): The human kind. Apparently, a group of bandits has been ambushing and robbing caravans in the area for some time now. There have been three attacks in just the past two weeks.
(???): They're offering a good reward to anyone who captures their leader. It's likely other groups will go after them soon enough.
Thomas looks at Karlo.
(Thomas): A friend of yours?
(Melyssa): This is Karlo, the one I told you about a while ago. And Karlo, these are Thomas and Sabrina, my teammates.
(Karlo): It's a pleasure to meet you.
(Sabrina): The pleasure is ours.
(Thomas): So you're the one who beat Mel up in a friendly duel a few months ago. He laughs.
(Melyssa): I-I wouldn't call it a beating. Although, I suppose it wasn't exactly an even fight either...
Sabrina suddenly wraps her arms around Melyssa and gently pats her head.
(Sabrina): Don't be sad, Mel. You can't win every time.
(Melyssa): I'm not sad! Honestly, I've already told you to stop treating me like a child!
(Karlo): Looks like you guys have known each other for a long time.
(Thomas): We used to be part of the platoon commanded by Mel's father. One day, during a training session, Captain Bland brought his little eleven-year-old daughter along to observe the daily routine of an army soldier. We ended up being responsible for looking after her while he attended a high-ranking officers' meeting. From that day on, whenever Mel came by, she'd seek us out and stick around, no matter what we were doing.
(Sabrina): There was a time when she used to call us her big brothers. It was adorable.
Melyssa looks somewhat embarrassed as she remembers those days.
(Karlo): Your father is an army captain? That explains why you have a surname. But if your father is a captain, then why...
(Melyssa): It's a long story. Both my parents came from poor families, and since they never had the opportunity to study, they joined the army when they were young. During the war between the Kingdom of Meiten and the Empire of Vancroz, about twenty years ago, my father distinguished himself on the battlefield. To reward his achievements, the kingdom granted him the right to become an officer, which also gave him the opportunity to acquire a surname. From what he told me once, Bland was the name of the village where he was born. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during the conflict, so he took the village's name to honor the place where he came from. Even now, as a captain, he has never forgotten his roots, and I decided to follow his example. That's why I made a point of enrolling in the regular class instead of the aristocratic classes.
(Thomas): Gaion Bland's story is quite famous among soldiers. Many claim they joined the army hoping to become someone like him one day. We were among those soldiers ourselves, but it turned out that military life wasn't for us, so we left after two years and became mercenaries instead.
(Sabrina): You should've seen how happy she was when she first joined the guild and the first thing she saw was us standing in the reception counter.
(Melyssa): How about we change the subject? When are we leaving for the quest?
(Thomas): The sooner, the better, but I suggest we buy a few supplies first. After all, we don't know what might happen.
(Karlo): Looks like it's time for me to leave. I don't want to take up any more of your time. Good luck with the quest.
Karlo starts heading toward the exit. Melyssa looks at Thomas, who immediately understands what she has in mind.
(Thomas): Hey, kid, wait a minute!
(Karlo): What is it?
(Melyssa): Would you like to join our group, at least until we complete this quest?
(Karlo): Are you sure? Your share of the reward will be smaller with another person joining.
(Sabrina): We're doing fine financially at the moment. Besides, any help is welcome, especially if we end up in a fight.
(Karlo): If you don't mind, then I'd be happy to join.
(Thomas): But first, we need to buy you some equipment.
He says this while looking at Karlo, who is wearing nothing more than a gray shirt, brown trousers, and the bag that always hangs from his waist, regardless of the situation.
They split up. The girls go to buy everything they'll need for the journey, while Thomas takes Karlo to a shop to buy some armor. Fifteen minutes later, they leave the store.
(Thomas): Are you sure a leather cuirass is enough? Not even a small blade in case things get complicated?
(Karlo): It's fine. My fighting style focuses more on mobility, so the less my movements are restricted, the better. And if things get complicated, I just have to hit harder.
(Thomas): Heh, you're the first mage I've ever met who prefers fighting hand-to-hand. I'm liking you more and more, kid.
He slaps Karlo on the back, and the two laugh. Some time later, the group reunites at the city's main gate.
(Thomas): Got everything?
(Sabrina): Bandages, supplements, magic-suppressing shackles... Everything is packed in our bags.
(Melyssa): Which direction are we heading?
Thomas takes a regional map out of his pocket.
(Thomas): Well, the last two attacks happened a few dozen kilometers to the south, but I seriously doubt they're still in that area. They're almost certainly hiding in the forest to the west. The problem will be finding them.
(Karlo): That won't be much of a problem.
(Sabrina): What do you mean?
(Karlo): I know a certain group that will definitely know where those bandits are. Nothing happens in that forest without them finding out.
They follow Karlo into the forest.
(Melyssa): Karlo, we're going pretty deep into the forest. Are you sure they're around here?
(Karlo): Don't worry. It's just beyond that tree up ahead.
Karlo approaches the tree and performs the same sequence of knocks as he did last time.
A sudden gust of wind blows, and two sakis appear in front of them.
(Saki): Sa Sa?
(Sabrina): Sakis? Are these the ones you were looking for?
(Thomas): Interesting.
(Karlo): Potestisne mihi dicere si aliquis grex suspectus hominum his proximis hebdomadibus in silva lateat? Grex qui e silva exeat atque redeat magna copia rerum quae furtivae esse videntur? "Vocês poderiam me dizer se algum grupo suspeito de humanos está se escondendo na floresta nas últimas semanas? Um grupo que saia da floresta e volte com uma grande quantidade de itens que aparentam ser roubados?"
The sakis respond with an affirmative gesture.
Karlo then hands a bag to one of the sakis. The creature peeks inside before storing it in a magic circle. The saki then gestures for them to follow.
(Melyssa): Since when do you speak Litam?
(Karlo): It's something everyone in my village learns during childhood. Thanks to that, we're able to coexist with spirits and certain other creatures that live nearby.
(Thomas): You never run out of ways to surprise us, do you, kid? He bursts into laughter.
(Sabrina): By the way, what was inside that bag?
Karlo takes another bag out of his own and shows Thomas and Sabrina what's inside.
(Thomas): Ohhh, that's some strong stuff...
(Melyssa): What's in there?
Sabrina quickly closes the bag and hands it back to Karlo.
(Sabrina): Nothing someone your age should know about.
(Melyssa): But he's the same age as me...
They follow the sakis for about two hours, avoiding confrontations with the creatures they encounter along the way. Eventually, they spot the entrance to a cave a few meters ahead. As Karlo approaches, he feels an unpleasant sensation creeping through his body.
The entrance is covered in vines, and animal bones are scattered across the ground. There are no apparent signs that anyone is inside.
(Thomas): This looks more like a monster's lair than a bandit hideout. What are the odds those little guys tricked us?
(Karlo): Practically zero. The moment they accepted the request, a temporary contract was formed. That means both sides are obligated to fulfill their part of the agreement if they don't want to be punished. And since they're spirits, you won't see them breaking a contract. After all, they value these agreements above almost anything else. Betraying someone they've made a contract with goes against their very nature.
(Karlo): Oh! Before I forget, the worst thing you can do is break a contract with a spirit. Not only will you face the punishment, but you'll also have to deal with their wrath. And among spirits, sakis are known for having absolutely no mercy...
(Thomas): I-I see...
(Sabrina): So, what's the plan? Do we sneak in and take them out one by one, or lure them outside and ambush them?
(Melyssa): Going inside is too risky. We don't know how many there are or how the cave is laid out, so there's a high chance of being caught off guard. Setting a trap is a good idea, but I'd say it's better to wait for them to come out. If we try to lure them out, we might put them on alert.
(Thomas): The problem is how long we'll have to wait. Our supplies are limited.
(Karlo): I think we can do both. I can get inside without drawing attention and take a look around while you come up with a trap.
(Sabrina): How are you going to do that?
(Karlo): I've got a few more tricks up my sleeve.
(Thomas): Then we're counting on you.
Karlo begins approaching the entrance. He opens a portal and quickly steps back into that silent world. A small blue light watches him from nearby.
(Karlo): I hope you'll forgive me for taking advantage of you like this. I'll help you find peace as soon as I'm finished here.
The small light remains still, watching him. Karlo then heads toward the cave.
He begins exploring the cave, mentally mapping every passage, open area, and dead end he comes across.
(Karlo): This cave is pretty big and has a lot of passages. We probably would've been ambushed if we'd gone inside together. Now I just need to find some way to figure out how many of them there are. But there's only one soul around here, and it's the one at the entrance, so I won't be able to open a portal inside the cave. Maybe if I read that soul, I'll find a clue.
Karlo returns to the cave entrance, where the soul is waiting.
(Karlo): Hey, I'll need your help one more time, If you don't mind. It'll be a little painful, but believe me, it'll hurt me more than it'll hurt you.
The soul remains motionless, showing no reaction.
(Karlo): All right. I promise it'll be quick.
Karlo reaches out and touches the soul. A memory suddenly surfaces in his mind.
The creature lies on the ground, breathing weakly. Blood can be seen trickling from beneath its paws, and it can barely make out the figures of its attackers.
(Voice 1): Panting. We finally took that bastard down...
(Voice 2): Irritated. Did we really have to go through all that just for a hideout?! Couldn't we have picked somewhere else?
(Voice 1): Quit complaining. It's unlikely we'd find a better hideout than this one. Almost no one would dare venture this deep into the forest, especially if they came across the lair of a Thorn Bear.
(Voice 3): Panting. Could someone help me get these spikes out of my stomach? I'm not liking how much blood I'm losing...
(Voice 2): Just hold on a little longer. We're not in much better shape than you are, so we can't help you right now. Just try not to move too much, and you probably won't die. I think.
(Voice 4): We're back. Did you kill that thing?
(Voice 1): It's still alive, but I doubt it can do anything in this condition. Did you manage to catch the ones that escaped?
(Voice 5): Unfortunately, no. The female was injured, but she still managed to escape with her cubs. Though I doubt she'll survive in that condition.
(Voice 1): We missed out on a golden opportunity, but at least the hide and meat from this one will fetch a good price. Let's get organized. You two, deal with those complainers over there. The rest of you, help me move everything inside. Move it!
(Everyone): Yes, boss!
A large man with white hair, a beard, and a tattoo on his right arm approaches the bear. The tattoo depicts a spear piercing a skull through its eye socket.
(Voice 1): Thanks for letting us stay at your place.
He then takes his spear and drives the blade into the bear's skull. The moment it happens, Karlo regains consciousness.
(Karlo): Argh! Son of a bitch... I wasn't expecting that...
Karlo looks at the bear's soul again.
(Karlo): I promise I'll beat they up twice as badly as I normally would anyone else. No, three times as badly! I'll also look for your family. That's why you haven't moved on yet, isn't it?
The soul distorts slightly.
(Karlo): Then I'd better finish what I came here to do as quickly as possible. I'll be back soon.
He then opens a portal back to his world.
Melyssa, Thomas, and Sabrina are devising a plan to deal with the bandits when they see a portal open and Karlo step out of it. Instead of joining them, however, Karlo stops a few meters in front of the cave entrance.
(Melyssa): What's he doing? Weren't we supposed to discuss a plan while he investigated?
Thomas simply smiles.
(Thomas): Looks like he's already investigated the place and come up with a plan too.
(Karlo): All right, time to kick some unwanted squatters out!