The grandiose water fortress sheltered hundreds of individuals. Be it the pampered and capricious bearers of the Thornfield name or the knights, who obeyed every single order they were given, even the most despicable ones, there were plenty of reasons behind the frightened and anxious stares in maids and butlers' eyes, empty gazes which traduced terrifying traumatisms.
Although Drodosis lived his childhood in this water fortress, he couldn't help but feel a sense of alienation. He was no longer weak and useless, he was now an elite knight, and a beginner acolyte. Be it strength, knowledge or status, he was now a worthy member of the Thornfield family. However, he was seeing things which went against his principles, things he never noticed until now, maybe because he was too young or because his perception increased greatly since his successive breakthroughs.
From a distance, he could hear a commotion: mixed screams of horrors and muffled gasps of agony. Running to the scene, he could see his cruel cousin Hannah, a true devil, now fifteen-years-old, and even more diabolic than she used to be.
'People here are afraid…Even knights are shivering at the thought of a war! What is she thinking?', he cursed in his mind. Drodosis had adapted to Alphen, its customs, and how to live as an acolyte. However, there was one thing he still couldn't bear to watch: cruelty.
Ruthlessness was fine. In fact, it was even necessary in most situations. If not ruthless, you would be a fat sheep in the eyes of others, especially in these lands where strength is everything, where analphabetic and ignorant individuals have power. This time, a servant was being beaten up by his own cousin: Hannah.
Her long hair and jade-like skin should suffice to call her a 'beauty', but she lacked the grace and feminism of women. She was akin to a demon, with eyes radiating madness. A servant was entrapped by a hand made of water, but not any kind of water. It was a spell, which Drodosis happened to have in his data base, one he scanned right before heading back home: Water Grasp.
The servant couldn't breathe, as a force of several men was pressing down his throat.
Before Drodosis could react, someone interrupted this ridiculous madness.
"That's enough!", another woman said, while unsheathing her sword and cutting down the hand made of water, freeing the servant from this terrifying torture.
She was the antithesis of Hannah, with a beautiful yet flustered face, red hair, and a mature body covered in a light armour. Her strength could easily be deduced, and Drodosis didn't need his biochip to tell him she was a knight. The fact that she could wield a heavy sword with only one hand was proof of her physique.
"Who the hell are you? Why would you ruin my fun?", Hannah mumbled in a hateful voice.
Since he was born, there were a few people Drodosis never managed to get along with. Hannah and her little brother: Fang.
The two of them were respectively son and daughter of the Ice Elder (Lilly) and the respected Elder Hugo, the two advanced acolytes within the family. Pampered, feared and spoiled, they grew up to be terrible beings. While Fang was on the way to redemption, Hannah was…a true genius. She had already broken through the intermediate realm, at the age of 14. It was a year ago, and until this day, she had never experienced a setback.
"I am the Knight Commander Selene Dawn. I respectfully ask you to stop…", the redhead woman said in a clear voice, but was interrupted by several spells.
It was a brilliant combination of Ice amplification, which added ice damage to the next spell, and water bullets, which were basically droplets of water condensed from water elemental particles, sent flying at such high speed that they were deadlier than arrows, hence its name: water bullets.
However, the spell wasn't cast. Surprisingly, this ingenious display of skill was childish in the eyes of the veteran knight Selene. The latter closed the distance in half a second, and landed a heavy knee strike at her opponent. A defensive spell absorbed most of the damage, but wasn't enough to fully nullify the damage. Hannah tried to get up, but a roundhouse kick smashed her against the wall. Hannah dropped on the ground, desperately trying to catch her breath, and shed tears for the first time in her life. She had been humiliated! In front of everyone!
Drodosis couldn't believe his eyes. Hannah had showed a flawless performance, using a combination of skills which synergised quite well, and she even manage to cast a barrier. Her intermediate acolyte cultivation should have been able to deal with any kind of veteran knight! Yet, Drodosis seemed to have underestimated the power of knights in melees.
Seeing Selene sheathing her sword, Drodosis picked up the collapsed Hannah, and apologised in her stead.
"I am sorry for the disturbance…I will make sure she engraves this lesson in her memories. Thank you for standing up for the servants. I am relieved to see someone of your standard in our family. This virtuous character of yours is praiseworthy, Selene Dawn. I will remember this name", Drodosis said
People were quite surprised. Most of them didn't recognize Drodosis, who had not only grown up, but also grew muscles and lost an eye.
"Who are you?", she said in a surprised tone. The kid in front of her was even younger than the infamous Hannah, but he seemed...dangerous. There was only one genius in the younger generation within the Thornfield family, wasn't it?
"Oh? How rude of me! I am Drodosis Thornfield. At the age of 8, I was sent to the Ivory Tower, where I studied. Since times are difficult for the family and my safety in danger, I was asked to return to the Water Fortress, where I would learn a few things before heading to the Arson Barony, in order to help the baron Rio.", Drodosis explained.
Selene suddenly understood. She indeed heard of a heir coming home…So this was the heir!
"Thank you for your help, then!", she said, "we shall meet again, Drodosis Thornfield", as if she acknowledged him.
[Beep! Selene Dawn is the daughter of Philip Dawn, Viscount of a territory next to the Elysian County, managed by Hubert Thornfield. He is an Elite Knight, and it seems that his daughter, Selene Dawn, is a veteran Knight quite near to breakthrough.]
Drodosis explained everything to Elder Gale, who had nothing better to do, since the library he had to safekeep was empty, most of the time, and could probably comfort the stubborn and unyielding Hannah.
After this impromptus and unexpected event, Drodosis headed to the training grounds, and realized for the first time how badly he was putting his scimitar mastery to use. He had seen a veteran knight beating up an intermediate acolyte, something which completely upset his view on the incoming war.
'Maybe the main force in this war isn't acolytes…but knights?'
However, after Drodosis remembered the scene which happened six years ago, when his aunt got in a fight with Hubert...he shook his head. Acolytes weren't necessarily stronger than knights, but their power was more suited for large-scale conflicts, such as wars. A single spell can take out dozens of enemies, crippling twice more. As for a knight, he would have to take the risk of being surrounded, rushing in, and it wasn't even sure whether he wouldn't run out of stamina in the middle of the fight.
In the next few days, Drodosis thus tried different ways to merge his swordplay with his spells, while also attending the lessons of Elder Gale, who taught him tactics, and explained grand battles which took place in the past. The more he learnt, the more ignorant he felt. This was the paradox of erudition.
His dedication to training inspired several knights to come, watch and join.
One became two. Two became three, and before he knew it, there were a few dozen people sparring and training with him, exchanging their experience and knowledge. Drodosis didn't know who they were, except that they were loyal and fine men and women, and they didn't know Drodosis either, or else they wouldn't have been so honest with him, instead trying not to anger him in fear of punishment.
In the next days, he trained with these knights. He meditated on 'automatic mode' whenever he could, and he listened to his biochip's pedagogic daily lessons. The accumulation of epiphanies led him to make tremendous progress. His swordplay didn't improve significantly, although it made a bit progress. His spirit didn't increase either, and his other stats barely budged. However, he knew that his fighting prowess had increased by at least 20%.
Before, he could only brag and say he was a scimitar master. Now, it wouldn't be just bragging, it would be the truth. He could say that he was knight, a warrior. He could affirm that he could fight, and as a war was incoming, he could say he was ready to go to battle. These were not empty words.
(...)
In the meantime, things were going south in the Elysian County.
The Galan Village, famed for the fire bear honey it produced and sold to the most popular cuisines of the Phuinem Kingdom, was plundered by soldiers and knights. They weren't numerous, only a handful of knights, and slightly more than 30 soldiers. Yet, it was enough to defeat the militia without any casualties.
Women were covering their children's eyes in order to hide how frightened they were. Most of the men tried to stand up and defend the village they built their life in…but they didn't receive training. Even if they did, they weren't properly armed anyway. The outcome was easy to guess: the Galan Village was razed, plundered, massacred.
This story repeated itself at Greenhill Outpost, Waterfall Village, Borg…and more villages, lacking defence and obviously unprepared for these acts of banditry. The women would be sold, while the men enslaved and taken to mines. Children would either be executed, or brainwashed to become new blood in order to make up for future casualties.
War…was scary. Many people rejoiced at the thought of war, but it was only beautifying hell itself. The agonies, the injuries, the losses…There was nothing beautiful in such scenes, painted so many times by great artists, depressed and sad because they saw war for what it was. As the famous saying goes, ignorant men are happier than scholars.
When news reached the Water Fortress, it was time to retaliate. The war had officially begun.
Panic gained butlers, cooks and servants, not to mention the various villages near the Water fortress and near the Elysian County. Knights prepared, bidding farewell to their families. Soldiers spent their savings in alcohol, food and women, before going, as they didn't know whether they would come back.
Acolytes, like Drodosis and Hannah, didn't change their strange routines. One continued to go through his training, workouts, and meditation. He still listened to his biochip's courses, and summaries. Hannah didn't stop studying and bullying whoever crossed her path and dared occur her wrath. He had nothing more to do, nothing less.
A few days later, Drodosis was at the Water Fortress gate, followed by four acolytes, magical beasts which would transport them to Baron Rio's territory, and elder Gale, who grew fond of this curious and surprisingly wise child.
"This is an ethereal red Deer, a beginner-grade magical beast. Its corns, similar to branches, can emit light in darkness, and heal you in case you get injured. Its teeth are as sharp as daggers and their eyes…", Elder Gale said before being interrupted.
"Can emit a laser piercing through heavens! I know, I know. Thanks for everything you did for me, Elder Gale. It was pleasure to get to know you. We will have the opportunity to exchange pointers and knowledge in the near future, don't worry!", Drodosis said, right after interrupting his elder.
"Haha! You guys, take care of him, alright?", the elder asked the four silent acolytes in a military yet fatherly tone.
"Yes, master!", the four acolytes said in unison. Each one of them was in the Thornfield Acolyte uniform, a blue scholarly robe, with a dark hood preventing the scorching light from blinding them.
These acolytes were found, raised and educated by the Thornfield family, and most of the time they passed was spent studying and meditating under Elder Gale's guidance. To him, they were disciples. But, to them, Gale was a god.
They were absolutely loyal to those who gave them names, food, strength and a reason to live. Today, and in the future, they would give their lives if it was what it took to complete Elder Gale's order. This time, they were asked to protect the young master. Tomorrow, maybe they would kill someone. But it didn't matter, as long as they could repay the limitless debt they owed to the Thornfield family.
Each one of them was nearing 16 years old, and they were mounting fire horses, beginner-grade magical beasts capable of travelling 50 miles without stopping. With such fine mounts – fire horses and ethereal red deer – reaching the Arson Barony, which was only 60 miles away from the Water fortress, was only a matter of days. At noon, the bells rang, but the group of five had already departed a long time ago.