The Summons from King Jacob came late at night of the third cycle, in springtime in other words. Princess Irene was to conduct the 7th tier spatial magic, Heroes Summoning. All of the kingdoms top warriors, mages and closest allied forces were to be present in the royal hall within a week's time.
As the leaders of the various forces gathered into the Royal hall, one by one. The Saint Rani made her appearance last. Striding into the royal hall proudly beside her close friend and mentor, Master Lito. Having saved the kingdom from a massive pandemic and situating multiple medical aid stores, as well as her contributions to the medical field. She was hailed and anointed as a Saint, an entity in the kingdom on par with that of the ruling monarchy.
Master of the Mages tower, Arch-mage Lito a researcher of magical theory. A 40 year old mage with long flowing black hair, generally tied back into a pony tail. The only mage in the country to have ever successfully cast rank 8 destructive magic's. The leading hero in the previous battles against the Demonic invasion 20 years prior, who singlehandedly decimated half of the demons initial force.
Elaine Kersnov, only daughter of the ducal house. A short beauty with brown and blonde highlighted hair. The leader of the Summoners association. As a spirit contractor to multiple tier 5 beasts, she wields enough force to raze the populace of several cities by her lonesome.
Raphael Colane, A man of but 25 years of age. With a lean build, short cropped brown hair and tanned skin. His body riddled with scars both ghastly and small, and a body honed for physical combat, second only to Queen Valeria of the Barbarians. The only one in the kingdom to have crossed swords with a Demon General. An expert spell-sword, and captain to King Jacob's Royal guard.
Princess Irene Esparia, Princess of the Kingdom of Esparia, and the only individual in the past century to have been blessed with a spatial affinity. Summoner of the heroes, and single to boot.
As Rani speaks, and walks towards Ezekiel, her mind is filled with thoughts and images flashing behind her beautiful deep blue eyes. This group of gifted and astounding representatives from the Kingdom of Esparia all stood in awe as the Spatial fluctuations from the mana raged within the throne room. When the air eventually fell still, a small group of individuals lay on the floor.
Silence fills the room, as doubt, fear and apprehension grip the members. Just as Saint Rani begins to walk forward to check if weather they live or not, A young man's eyes open with a gasp. His back arcing upward off the floor before he goes limp again. His eyes flutter open, as his body absorbs mana and spiritual energy in a massive whirlpool of energy.
The group in the throne room takes a step back under the heavy pressure emitted from the massive flow of energy. Invisible mana barriers appear throughout the room to stave off the pressure. The individual stands up, at first a look of confusion flashes on his face for a split second before fading away.
Rani's eye twitches lightly, after he finishes placing his companions into more comfortable positions. The look on his face entirely different from when he first awoke, 'I wonder what lies beneath that?' Rani thinks slowly as the conversation continues on. 'To be summoned to another world, take it in stride, what kind of life has this person lived? what has he seen to have such a stable foundation and mask in a situation like this?'
As his companions awake around him, he interrupts the monarch as if it's second nature. With a smooth interjection of the conversation, before turning away and conferring with his companions. 'Yes, that's the look one would expect to see on some ones faces. Fear, curiosity, hostility, at being uprooted from where you belong. Not to mention the look on his face now, a smile that doesn't reach the eyes, Kindness in action alone. Is this but a calculation?'
After the extensive questions and answers back and forth, eventually the king finally dismissed them to be lead to their villa. Perhaps in order to curry favor, the King selected his only Daughter to do the honors. However Rani caught her longtime friends eye, conveying her wish to visit with but a glance. Which Irene had returned with but a nod.
During their affinity test, to Rani's surprise, Ezekiel expressed a hunger to training in everything they had to offer. Through countless days of sparring with new recruits, to sparring with city guards, even making enough progress to hold his own against the lowest ranking Royal guards at length.
His studious nature in both Contractual and Spiritual travel, which lead them to their current predicament showed no abate. The number of days he spent in other realms, to simply explore and travel again and again.
The first day he arrived, he immediately absorbed all of the information presented by Master Lito about Affinities and utilization methods. The ideal to form not only a mana core but to connect it to mana veins in all of his limbs was a long and toilsome project that increased not only his own powers in the end, but many other mages. The only draw-back to this is the increased amount of time it takes the average mage to rank their mana core up.
As Ezekiel continued to study magic side by side with Saint Rani and Master Lito, Saint Rani in turn studied him. His lighthearted teasing seemingly following a script, the few things he'd done in frustration shone through his mask of tranquility and peace like a beacon. His way of hiding his face with his hand for a split second before sweeping hair from his eyes, to feigning to wipe away nonexistent beads of sweat. After days of continuously studying him, Rani finally blurted out, "Would you stop doing that?"
Ezekiel paused, his hand resting on the back of his head, having yet again swept his hair from his face. "Uh, What do you mean?" Confusion shone in his eyes, through the mask of a wry smile.
Master Lito paused, looking up at the two of them, "Has he done something wrong...?" Lito asks, studying Rani's frustrated expression, before a slight twitch of surprise appears on his lips.
"May I speak with him in private, Master Lito?" Rani asks formally, slightly lowering her head.
Lito looks at Ezekiel with widened eyes, "I suppose..." he replies hesitantly, "Please don't lower your head for something so trivial, you are the Saint, Rani. I'm not sure what he did....but go easy on him?" He shrugs his shoulders helplessly as Ezekiel meets his eyes, before he walks from the room.
"Okaaay, we're alone now?" Ezekiel turns to look at Rani, and pauses as he meets her fiery gaze. "What is it you needed to discuss?"
Rani raises onto the bench with her knee's, reaching out she presses a finger against his forehead. "I swear to you, I will break through this mask of yours. I know not what life you lived before this, to leave you with such empty facial expressions."
Ezekiel holds her gaze, before closing his eyes for a brief moment. His nose twitches, "You want to know why I've pressed my emotions so low? You want to know what caused such a thing?" His jaw clenches and unclenches, as he lowers his head.
When he looks back up at her, a fiery gaze filled with rage meets her own. The skin tingling, hair raising amounts of anger repressed from his life rages in his eyes. His lips twist into a slight frown, "This is what you wanted to see?" His voice comes out in a lowered tone, almost a growl.
Rani remained in the same position, cold sweat dripping down her back. As she struggles to speak under the weight of his gaze. Her chest tightens in sadness, he hand falls limply to her thigh from his forehead, "Just...what did you go through..." she whispers, as her eyes moisten with unfallen tears.
Ezekiel reaches up, his hand following a familiar trail over his face and through his hair. The familiar look of peace returns to his face, "I would tell you, but I'm afraid those tear filled eyes would overflow." He reaches out gently wiping his thumb over her eyelids, "I'm sorry if that scared you, but this is something I've kept locked away in my heart for years. I'll be going to make a contract with a spirit after this, I'll tell you all about it if I'm ready to."
Rani sits frozen in place, her eyes following him as he makes his way from the room. "I'm sorry," she whispers, clutching her chest.
Lito slowly walks to her side, placing a hand on her shoulder, a gentle smile on his face. "You may return to your room, think about what you want to do. Make sure to prepare yourself for next time."
Rani's soft sobs echoed through the room for a short time, before she gather's her self up, and leaves to her room.
The next day, she sit's waiting patiently for Ezekiel for their daily lesson's, when Lito rushes into the doorway. "Have you seen Ezekiel!?" His impatient voice rings through the room, startling Rani.
She turns to the doorway, "Not since he left yesterday, he was to go looking for a spirit contract with Elaine..."
"They must be in a spiritual plane that has a different timeflow then our own, they may be gone for a few days in that case. Just stay here and study the planned materials." Leto moves through the hall, Raphael crosses his path.
"Have you seen Ezekiel today? He wasn't at practice today and Zandria reported that he wasn't at the Villa." Raphael walks alongside Leto.
"I have not seen him since yesterday, Rani says that him and Elaine were to go make a spirit contract. My thought's are they've delved into a realm with a different time ratio than ours." Lito responds, "I'm currently heading to the throne room to inform his majesty."
"In that case, I shall accompany you." Raphael nod's when his gaze meet's Leto's, "This could be a massive issue if they remain gone for too long.