I have faced many foul creatures over the short course of my life. I've seen things that children shouldn't. Much less adults.
I've fought and killed monsters.
I just came face to face with a one. A monster. Though one only in name.
Amun was kind to me. But he was fearsome. Still, he never scared me. Even when he used the light or whatever magic he used to... change my light. It was more… shocking. I was surprised. Then, I was relieved.
I wasn't rigid in my beliefs like my family. Deep down, I always knew our power wouldn't be ours forever. Our light had been spread too thin.
While our family remained the purest, Sirius soon became the brightest. Polaris became the most radiant. And Rouge, Drake, and Orion shared our heat.
We were like rabbits in an endless plain. It was only a matter of time before someone else was born with the Light.
But being given it as a magical affinity was another matter entirely. Such things were given by the gods. We mortals weren't ones to object to such things.
Besides, if there was anyone in the Mortal Plane who I wanted to have it- nay, who deserved it. It was Amun. He was wise enough to know when to use it. He was intelligent enough to know how to use it. I knew him enough to know he would not abuse it. And though we both possessed arcana, his Well ran far deeper than mine.
As did his convictions.
But of course, my family wouldn't see it that way.
I've fought and killed monsters. But no monster I've faced was worse than them. More capable of hate than them.
It was them I was afraid of. My father most of all.
Like many parents of his stature had done, he invested his everything in me. His lands were scoured for the best instructors in all facets of everything. All in the hopes that I would accomplish what he couldn't.
All in the hopes that I would conquer Nonus in the name of justice.
Or, in this case.
"Put the Nox back in their place." A pause, then a demeaning sigh poured from his nostrils. "I gave you this one task and all you have to show for it is an embarrassment." He paused again, and I knew to turn my gaze upward to face one of his friendly smiles.
I hated it. The amiability. The generosity that was there, but was also a mask to hide the fury of a star. It was haunting. All I could do to get away from it was kneel, as my father would see turning away from him in any other way as disrespect. But that. Kneeling. That he loved.
"It is alright, my Son."
'Liar.'
"But now, we know the truth."
'Yes. This is what you wanted.'
"Still." He sighed and I felt my heart drop. "You are not yet ready. Return home after you evolve, my Son. There is much work for us yet, and little time. I have found for you, the perfect Aasimar."
***
"Alright. Take your seats."
With a wave, Doyle dismissed us to pick and choose what tables we wished to take and waddled off to join the teachers, instructors, and remaining members of the Optimus Regni in their terraced seating arrangements.
A mere three hours had passed since I healed the class. Since then, we returned to Campus and were released to freshen up and relax until Doyle came to retrieve us for the closing dinner.
It was housed in the same room we drank the Bodhi Tree's sap in. Albeit structured differently to accommodate the larger numbers. Though those present were still sparser than what was seen at the beginning of the week. Dende, his dog, and his subguilds were gone. Evidently making the air a lot lighter for the rest of the Optimus Regni. Though Lance seemed stricken.
In itself, it wasn't a surprise to me. But it was something worth noting. I had nothing against Lance, but if I knew humans, I knew he would or was being forced along with whatever his father's plans were. That much was evident in his face.
"Attention!"
Zorrenor's call served to summon the attention of Page and guildsman alike. With a distasteful groan, I too turned to see him standing at the center of their terrace. His arms spread out to his sides while he turned to face both the Optimus Regni and us students.
"While those of the Light had other business to attend to, their departing words were endless boasts of how the mid-year festival of Class 999 was the most interesting event many had seen in their lives."
"Yeah." I snorted. "Interesting."
"They, and the guilds behind me, all wish to see your growth in the years to come." Zorrenor continued. "Many of them will make contact with you in one year's time. So ensure that you remain focused on your studies going forward.
"Now then." He said after pausing to clear his throat. "For the team battles of Class 999, the winner is. None other than Cooke Party!"
While everyone knew who the winner already was, the obligatory round of applause that ensued was nothing less than what was deserved. Even Lance was seen clapping. Though the fact that his actions were spurred only by his family's absence remained apparent in my mind, it didn't matter to me. I knew he and his father were different people entirely.
Though for how long, was the question.
"As the victors!" Zorrenor continued in an effort to dial the cheers down to a manageable level. "As the victors, each member of Cooke Party is hereby awarded ten thousand points!"
Another wave of cheers ensued. This time from my party, myself included. Ten thousand points was undoubtedly a lot and would become essential to us next year, according to Doyle at least. Regardless, I was sure it gave my party members all the more reason to keep following me and gave the other party members the idea to start. Though they still engaged in another round of applause to show sportsmanship.
"Additionally," Zorrenor said once the clapping faded once more. "Each member, regardless of party, will receive five hundred points for every party member they've incapacitated. In regards to the Free For All, the victor, with a score of fifty-four, is none other than Amun of Cooke Party."
While Zorrenor seemed deflated as he announced my victory, the rest of the room was not. My Party was the loudest of them all. They both congratulated me on gaining over 47,000 points from both matches combined and whined about how scared they were to suffer under Twilight
But eventually, that too died down and the attention was once again focused on Zorrenor Knagh. Standing with an expectant smile as he scanned the class before him. "While the Optimus Regni will be departing on this night, the Class Instructors will remain to give you introductory courses next week."
Turning, he paused to allow our eyes to gaze upon the mostly inhuman instructors in question before returning our gazes to him with a sharp sigh. "Many changes will come to you once those lessons pass. The most notable change will be the release of any restrictions set upon you. From then until the end of the semester, each of you will be free to explore the Wilds or the Mines. You may ask our teachers for guidance. Or you can create tools and weapons in the forge.
"Whatever it is the Class you seek dictates you need to do, you will be free to do it." Zorrenor spread his arms and smiled greatly. "The second change is that attendance for your studies going forward is hereby optional. However." He added with a raised claw. "Completing the projects for Ms. Godzuik's workshop class and accomplishing the tasks given by Miss Licht in her healing class are both mandatory.
"You all will learn more at the start of the week. For now and until then, I implore you to feast. Celebrate your accomplishments. Relax, explore and enjoy yourselves for the rest of the week. You've earned it." With a final bow, Zorrenor returned to the small throne set behind the first-year teachers and summoned the crystals with a wave of his hands.
As always, the dinner was nice. But the cogs in my mind were working on things that took the time away. With our schedule for the coming semester confirmed, I finalized the butte's design in Terranaut and created a training regimen in the Legions app.
The endeavor wound up taking up the majority of the time to complete. The Optimus Regni had long since departed, followed by Zorrenor and the other Class Instructors. Leaving our teachers and the students to file out in groups as the minutes ticked on.
With my work done, however, I motioned around the room to assemble my friends. Then dragged them, Peter and Zakira outside and deep into the woods for a talk.
As I hoped, Zakira and Peter introduced themselves to everyone else while we walked to an ambiguous clearing. Allowing me to get right down to business upon our arrival.
With light in my thumb and darkness in my middle finger, I snapped a domain of Twilight around us for concealment.
"Toril. Ed. Roheisa. Lucia. Jaimess." I looked at them in turn, then stopped at Jaimess to study a feathered bracelet on his left wrist. "Nice bracelet."
"Eh?" His eyes snapped down at once. Then he brought his arm up to study the piece. "Huh." He muttered so softly, yet it was as clear as spoken word to my ears. "That was real."
"Hahaha!" I bellowed, causing Peter and Zakira to jump in place and exchange a curious look. "It's good to see you. All of you."
"Yeah. You too." Roheisa giggled.
"Same." Ed sighed. "I just wish everyone else could be here."
Everyone else. As in, Hill Base. "Yeah." I looked away, nodding. "I wonder how they're doing…
"Anyway." I turned back to them. "I'm sure you're curious about my encounter."
"Definitely." Toril nodded.
"I made a deal with the dragon. And, as you can see." I motioned to the other two. "I made some friends. I'm sure you have as well, and we'll all be able to share our stories soon. But…" I sighed. "Things are about to get serious."
"How serious?" Roheisa asked.
"Lance's dad and one of his dogs appeared before me when I returned from my encounter, along with a few others. Doyle, Olga, and the three elven Class instructors. Long story short, Dende Morningstar was rude so I was rude back. His dog, Titus, threatened me, so I threatened him back. I then told Dende about himself. And now that he knows I can use light. So, if he didn't hate me before, I'm surely on his shit list now.
"But he's on mine as well." I continued before anyone could speak. "That said, I'm not going to start a war just because of that. But should he or his dogs threaten me again, I won't hesitate."
"How did they threaten you?" Roheisa curiously asked.
"Titus stepped up to me, baring his teeth and flashing his lightning magic. So." I shrugged. "I did the same with death lightning."
"Wow." Roheisa shook her head. "I knew I wouldn't like them. So, what happens now?"
"Well, firstly. I won't make my subordinates fight my battles for me," I said. "You all will have the choice if you wish to fight or not. That goes for any conflict we engage in. Regardless, we begin training like never before.
"I've copied the Tomes and Paths from the library." I tapped at my head and grinned. "With that information, we'll gather any of our classmates who wants to join the guild and take their pledges. Then we'll train them to awaken Master Classes and later become your first officers." I gestured to the lot of them before I made a holographic map of the southern peninsula with pale light. "Through Doyle, I learned that we'll be given Wise Rock Pebbles after our rituals and be sent off here to level our classes on our own."
"I thought that was a reward for the Guildmaster course?" Peter asked.
"The pebble we get then will be for our Guilds," I said. "These are for our mage towers. They'll give us a place to live while we roam this place. Additionally, we'll be given a brooch that'll give us access to campus.
"That aside, I learned that towers can be un-rooted or rooted," I explained with holographs of two towers, one smaller and unassuming and the other larger and grandiose. "The former is portable but lacks a permanent design. Each time it expands to size, it will use whatever materials are nearby to create the design in your head. On the contrary, the latter comes with an outer yard and has a permanent design, but cannot be moved.
"Here's my plan." I sent out an orb of moonlight with a wave and watched it split apart into a dozen different shapes. "While you all take the few steps down your paths, I'll be in Bakewia, learning how to make enchantments. Once I do, I'll be making these." I pointed at the orbs.
"Holy fucking shit." Ed gasped.
"Yeah." I snorted. "With this, we get the best of both worlds. At that point, I want you all to roam the lands whenever you find yourselves able to recruit subordinates of your own. Have them pledge their loyalties and send them to your towers for training. Keep them there- have them work for you until our time here is done.
"And if we have to go to war after that, we will." I sighed. "But I'd much rather return to Maru."
"Hopefully Polaris doesn't fuck everything up." Jaimess sighed. "Unlikely though that may seem."
"The only things we can do for now are train and continue gathering information. You all can leave the latter to me and focus on the former. Here's the second step to that." I changed the hologram to the surviving Butte we started the day at, albeit rendered in its completed state. "My Doppelganger and the undead are still there, working. After next week, we'll be joining them along with anyone who wants to join.
"So spread the word. The deadline to join as an officer candidate is the day of our evolution."
"Easy enough." Toril nodded. "But, uh... what's the first task?"
"That's also my responsibility." I grinned at him, then turned my smile to Jaimess. "All I need is about a thousand sheets of paper."