In the middle of the forest, a forest with such dark history, the Dimlit forest, a group of people including me are hanging out in this dark forest. As to why..
"Today is our final training day. So young'uns, are you excited?" Giving the brightest smile I can, my enthusiasm is answered by a.. yawn.
"*Yawn." A kid named Ben yawns so loud that it was so contagious and the other kids around are about to follow his lead.
"Ben, am I boring you?"
Ben's mouth forcefully closes and slaps his cheeks to wake himself up. "If you're that sleepy, I can help by adding some other morning activities for you? Hmm, how about aside from 10km run around the forest, 300 push ups, Iet's make your task today 3x?"
Others who got the Contagious yawn start making faces to hide their yawn. Such a funny sight but I have to hold on and not laugh. The atmosphere have to be serious in this last task of theirs. This is their final exam before their coming of age ceremony as well.
I call them kids but they are actually teens around 16-17 years olds. Every year, the academy prepares the senior batch for their ceremony, one such training camp like this. During the event, the rankings of these seniors will be tallied. They will be drafted to the royal army of course the top rankers are the first to get invited higher legions such as royal guards and royal Brigade.
"No, sir! I ahhh.. I wasn't able to sleep early because of.. uhh pesks and uhmm.. yeah! Guss! He snores a lot and talks in his sleeps! How could we sleep, sir? Right, guys?"
"Un!!"
"Yes sir?"
These kids, being serious is really not yet in their vocabulary. The scapegoat on the other hand has incredulous expression on his face,
"I talk in my sleep?" That's what he was talking about? How about try to save himself?
His reply and expression made the other kids around laugh. The supposed serious atmosphere I planned to build for this last day flew away just like that. It can't blame these kids for choosing him as their scapegoat. As to why? What Benjamin said was true.
I remember at the first day when I was doing my patrol around the camp, i heard a couple of noise from the tent of the boys. They seem to be talking in the dead of the night instead of sleeping.
Opening the front cover the tent, the giggles and murmurs stops and all the boys who are still awake looks at me.
"Hey! It's nighttime. Have you forgotten there's a penalty if you werent there in the Quad on -." And while I was busy talking, a voice kept on distrupting me
One of the students points with his finger towards the left side of the tent. There I saw the kid, named Guss, sleeping without any care in the world and dreaming.
"Iyahhh.. shmmm. Good food! Yumm. Ahmmmm.. you want some? Ive finished everything.. hehehehehe..." He faces on the side but his murmurs didnt stop at all.
Looking at the boys in the middle, they gave me a look as if saying, "can you sleep here?"
Yeah yeah I understand.
"Just sleep whenever you can, we have a lot of things to do."
They nodded and went back to their boys talks.
After leaving the tent, the louddest snore i've ever heard in my whole life. It's much worse than my old pal back home.
It's gonna be a long night for them. I thought.
And yes, the next morning, they all went to the quad with eyebags on their eyes and Guss the only one looking refreshed among the boys. So it was decided secretly that Guss should be the last one to sleep but I can see that they failed to do that last night.
Haaaaa... This is the hardest class to tame for me.
Anyways, I'm Marna. A former soldier from the Royal Front who defends the land, the people and the crown. Due to my high military Honors, I was given an offer from the Academy to teach students, specially the senior's who mostly be gonna be drafted to the military. Somehow, the raids against the land died down since the past few years so I decided to accept it. And also, I'll get to spend more time with my parents who's already past retirement age. And also, I get to check on the meat business.
And seeig these kids, no.. monsters in front of me, they may be hard to tame but I didnt regret even by a bit taking the role of beig their teacher. This batch of Eccentrics and Prodigies.
"Alright, with your teams, your final tasks are to hunt boars, wolves and stags. For the next 5 hours, you have to hunt as much as you can. You're final grade will determine your final grade for the exam. We still have half an hour to spare, use these time to ready your body and your things to fight. So I wish you all goodluck."
They began to scatter around with their groups. Some start examining their battle uniforms if there are some fault on it. Compared to the other classes I supervised with, these batch knows their stuffs.
According to the other teachers fr their early years, it wasn't like this.
Some of them lags behind the monsters within the group. There are some that can't even cast their spells properly, and at worst, doesnt know how to hold a weapon nor wear their battle uniform properly. But somehow the hidden monsters of thesr batch are not your typical selfish young masters.
Over the years they lend a helping hand and these started the rise of their overall power. In paper, only around 6 of them are the real monsters but they did something that only their batch throughout the history have done.
"Strength in numbers."
They divided themselves according to their compability, a total of 6 groups. But it didn't end there, they are so flexible that even if you change, merge or divide it more, they could atleast go toe to toe with the groups with the geniuses.
These batch might be a bunch of eccentrics and just do whatever they want, but the academy couldn't say no nor stop them due to a single reason, they produce good results. Good results that are well enough to be a model to the future batches.
Seeing them having so much fun while they are fixing their stuffs.
"Ami! Have you done your warm up?"
"Not yet?"
"Let's spar?"
"Sure!"
This kid who asked for spar is a commoner who awakened her wind element, she might be good but compared to Ami, she would be no match atleast in a normal convention.
Ami on the other hand is one of the geniuses in this batch.
She was the adopted daughter of the most powerful fire elementalist during my era sadly she passed away with unknown reason. thankfully, she left something for the world that will continue her Legacy. Her Golden flame that passed down to Ami.
*Ting*
The sound came from my back, this high pitch sound irks me. Not because it hurts for my ear or anything. Simple reason, someone taps on my wok which is hanging on my back. The sound becomes also became the sign as start of the spar.
Looking behind me, an Old military colleague is there smiling stupiditly. The culprit.
"It's been a while, Turtle."
"Drakos, huh? You bored or something?"
Taking away my gaze from him, my vision focuses on the two's sparing. The golden flames is so majestic that it's like a beacon or a magical wisp in this Dimlit Forest.
"Hooo. So the news is real regarding the Gold flame? I thought it would be history for us who only catches a glimpse of it for a short span of time."
"Fate did wonders this time around. History said, the Golden Flames are from the Age of Beginning, the First lord of Fire Clan."
Ami punches in the air in the direction where her opponent is. Then the Golden flame appears as her arm extension.
"I don't think this Wind elementalist will win against the Golden flame. Those flames will engulf her in just a second if she won't try to even dodge."
What he said is right. Aside from Ami bring a good fighter. The wind is in fact weak against Fire. Wind helps the fire Grow stronger. So in the normal instance, the conventional Wind Elementalist has to dodge at this point of time.
But like I said, these batch is filled with monsters, Eccentrics, and the last thing I forgot to Mention, the hard working risk takers. And this Wind Elementalist might lose but i bet with just a small margin.
The flame is just meters apart from her face and instead of dodging, she smirks. Air starts to condense around her and spins her body clockwise. A thin looking barrier appear and absorbs the golden flame which results to Flame combusting. The wind elementalist then controls it beautifully control it and send it back to Ami.
"Oh wow. This kid is awesome. I've never heard anything about this kid."
The combusted flame reaches the place whsre Ami is and the big explosion becomes her smoke to hide herself from everyone's sight.
*Tik*
Everyone around me for sure hesr that familiar sound of sticks.
"It's done." I know Ami is now serious.
A second after I speak, Ami appears like a phanther in the dark, so fast that only the traces of her golden flame are the sign of her presence.
Her Opponent dodges up right before Ami reaches her position to attack her with her pair of sticks.
"Haaa. I almost got hit there." The opponent sighs in relief. She already saw how those sticks gave pain to those who tried to receive it. Even I myself felt a slight tingle in my back. i doubt my defense will be unscathe from it.
Ami punches and sends her flame towards the spot where her opponent will land. Such tactic is easy to cope with. And like I said, the Opponent just uses her wind technique to make herself float and easily turn sideways. But what she didnt expect was Ami is already there. She's one step ahead of her opponent.
With a stick pointed on her opponent's neck, "I won."
It was nothing but a diversion tactics. For a normal person, the tactic that been used was nothing but easy but for someone like me, i Can see the details regarding the attack.
Ami use diverted her opponent's attention into thr flame pool she made. And while her opponent is in the air turning, she used a path towards her opponent where she would be unseen, her opponent,'s blind spot.
If her adopted mother is the Brute Force, she is the Intellectual one.
"Oh wow. These batch really are bunch of monsters. I'm so envious." He nods in satisfaction. Even me wants to do same, but first things first.
"So, how come you're here? I thought you still serve in the army as platoon leader?" It's been a while since i had a news about our old platoon.
"Of course, i am. The salary is just too much to retire from. And as to why we are here, we are tasked to guard the premises, there seems to be a plan for expansion here in the dimlit forest?"
"Here? In this forest? You're kidding me? This place is so dim, specially at night." Thankfully we were given a lot of torches these time, and the students themselve brought more than what's needed. Unless they are into something secret.
"I'm not sure as well. Orders are Orders."
What he said was true. Orders are orders. There are mission that I had which i had some sort of ptoblems with, but i cant reallly do much about it. It's part of the oath I took as a soldier.
Drakos on my side then smiles as he taps the wok in my back again,
"Hey, are you gonna cook tonight?"
Just as expected, he's here to eat.
"Idunno yet." Showing him a smile of teasing.
...
"High grade Wolf pack in 10:00. Please check."
"You guys can still fight? We already got our killing."
"I have something more powet to spend for this, but after that, we have to retire now."
"I see. Let's finish this quick then?,
""""Yes!""""
As I prepare the things on my side, Ben's group appears near the camp and targets the High Grade Wolf lurking around. He's becoming a good leader now, huh?
Ben is an earth elementalist. If Im gonna rate him with the whole group, he's one of those monsters. But not really in terms of strength, but his defense is impenetratable. Even me an Earth elementalist is envious of his talent. But also is his weakness, all he could do is defend, but it all changed when they finally synergize as a team.
Ben is the one to lead the group in front. He threw a rock towards the leader of the pack to anger it and this interaction is successfull that they pack ran after them.
"Silvie, we need some boost."
"I know!!" The wind elementalist in their group then breathes in before breathing the accumulated air towards everyone. Air condenses around their bodies and their speed increases drastically.
"There's an open space there. Merlin, on your queue like always."
"Leave it to me."
Once they've reach the open space, the wolf pack comes a second late.
"Make the earth soft!"
Ben stomps on the floor and the earth beneath them slightly crumble. I can feel it with my element, the former strong and rocky floor became like sand dunes. Such technique is easy but not because it's easy, it's useless.
Merlin, the Water mage of the group then accumulates water from the trees and ground and the air moisture around them.
The wolves probably felt that what Merlin is doing is an attack being prepared for them, so without hesitation, the pack pounces towards the direction of Merlin. But Ben didnt let this happen.
He appears in front of Merlin and rocks starts to breakaway from the floor and cover his body with it. In a second, he finally transforemed himself into an Earth Golem.
He is big enough yo cover the front of Merlin. Ben tries to attack the incoming leader of the pack but misses because his Golem moves so slow and the wolves are just too fast.
On the other side, Merlin fully trusted his defense and never did look towards the direction of the wolves and just work on his part. He controlled the water he accumulated in the end before finally combining it with the sands made by Ben.
Merlin smiles and with a heavy throwing gesture, the former water became mud and are reaches their target, the wolf bodies.
Upon impact, there seem to be no power nor force with it. But I can see from here that those mud are movig fast around the body of the wolf.
"It's done!!"
The remaining 2 from their group start their move.
Silvie breathes in And blows. the sand becomes a smokescreen enough to cover everyone.
Everyone felt 2 heavy stomps on the ground and when the 3rd time the ground shakes, the one of the wolf in the pack gets flattened by the earth golem. Only it's arm can be seen, but the surface of the golem is different. It looks like a molten rock that are being spewed by volcano during eruption.
This is a technique based on combining 2 elements and produce something new.
"Dan! On the left one this time."
"Alright!"
Only there voice are visible to me. The whole golem is still under the veil of the sand. Silvie is doing a great job covering their tracks and the wolves couldnt sense their movement even with it's keen eyes.
The ground shakes again and the wolf on the left probably saw the golem's hand appearing from the the smokescreen. The wolf tried to dodge but it's body froze, unmoveable.
"I won't let you." Merlin's voice said.
The mud he controlled earlier was the key for these wolves to slow down and temporarily stun for the golem to flatten them with it's attack.
"Only the leader remains, bud!" Ben said.
"You think we can do our new technique?" Hm? Dan and Ben made a new techniqaue? How come i didnt know about it?
"There's only one way to know it." Even if they are inside the veil, i can see Ben smirking.
Light shines from the smokescreen. Even with the thick smokescreen, it wasnt able to fully hide this technique of theirs.
"Now!"
The light moves onto the direction of the final wolf. And before wolf can get away, it's body gets stun again with Merlin's technique and finally, the technique reveals itself.
It's a ball of lava around the height of an average human. If I'm not mistaken, this technique is a combination of High grade Fireball and high grade Hurling Rock of respective element. Both are beginner class techniques. Even with both casted and aimed to this leader wolf seperstely, these two attacks won't be enough. But as they are combined, Im pretty sure, im one of those who will see these technique in it's infacy. Will it be enough to topple the leader?
Seeing his body can't move, the wolf erects it's protective barrier. It's an innate protective skill of theirs, which is why some beast tamers likes Wolves as their mount or pet because of this additional defensive mechanism.
Will the technique enough to defeat the shied and the Wolf's body?
The lava ball, if I may call it, touches the barrier. The two forces get into stalement before finally, the barrier dispersed into nothing.
Fear starts to appear on the wolf's face but it still can't move from it's position.
The ball finally reaches it's target and the lava ball broke apart upon it's impact on the ground.
The smokescreen disappeared, Merlin on the back, Silvie in the middle and finally the Golem in the fron with dan Mounting on the nack of the Golem.
They really know how their battle position is. Merlin being yhe Controller of the battle stands at the very back, the one who provides the most assistance is in the middle and lastly, the attackers and defenders in the front.
Fascinating. Is all I can say.
But nevermind that, looking st the former location where the Wolf leader was, there seem to be no trace of it. Aside from the mud that has some burnt furs on it.
These is just one of the wonders these batch has made.
Sadly, this guy beside me was sleeping without any care in the world. Looking at the time on my watch, it's about time to end their final task.
Picking up my woo from my back, i slap it with my spatula and produces a loud metal gong.
Not even my Gong woke this guy up.
Ben and his group was the first to reach the camp as they are the nearest one. And not long after, the other groups came and they all seem like they just finished their warm ups.
"So, we are already complete here. How many pojnts did you guys have?"
"43." Silvie said from their group.
Another one raise it's hands, it's Ami. "55."
"Oh wow. Impressive."
"Uwahhh! And you look like you can do some more?" Ben said as he slump on the ground.
"Hehehe. Thanks for the compliment, Ben." Ami said.
"So, david, how about your group?" Im mo44 interested with how these group went along. After all, he is one of the top of the pyramid on this batch. He's the prince of the Water clan after all and the so called stoic Monster.
"63." He replied without much expression on his face.
"Oh wowwww! I wonder how much Guss's group got?" One of the students ask. Even me I'm curious about it. And the face Guss is making raises more questions. He seems not satisfied with their points.
"Before we ask him, Mila, how about your group?"
"41, sir. Is there a punishment for the lowest one?"
"Don't worry, there is none. You're points will just be adjusted for your final grade in your final exam."
"Phew. Thank God." Mila said. Her relief resonates with her group as they finally breath well.
"So, guss?" I ask.
"63." He replies while staring dagger to David.
David smirks slightly before walking onto the opposite direction of guss.
"That's high tho? What's with the long face?"
"That sht's group stole some of our kills!!"
"Well, never did Prof said it's not allowed, right sir?"
Thinking about it, never did I really said something abojt it. And also I can understand why his group did it. After all their fighting style is like assassination and guerilla tactics. Unlike Guss' group who's attack is like a castle wall breaker.
"Hmm, right. Never did I say that it's not allowed. Oh well. 63 it is. Job well done, everyone! Did you collect all the monster you killed?"
"Yes!!!" Everyone replied.
"Alright, as to celebrate our final day here, I'll cook a feast for everyone!",
Everyone cheers. They probably knew about my cooking huh? Well, seeing they did their hardships. I really want to pay them back with a good reward.
"Finally you will cook now."
A familiar voice talks beside me. It's drakos.
"Are you a cat or something?" Unbelievable. Leaving him, I started looking at the monster meats the students are presenting.
Everything is in good shape, except.
"Guss, what's this?"
"Monster meat, sir?"
"How come it looks like this?"
He looks at me with a embarrassed smile. The meat he just presented are either charred or unusable. That's 63 points worth of monster meat.
"Haaa. If you guys wants to eat. Go hunt again, but these time, don't make them unusable okay? Go ask some help as well."
"Hehehe. Alright. Come on guys. Ben! Can you go eith us?"
"No way! Im so tired you know!"
Not minding these kids anymore, i think it's time for me to show thr Monster in me?
...
"Wow!!!"
That's all they could say everytime they see my work.
"The scent of it is just enough to make my tummy churn. Sir!! When can we dig in?"
"I'm about to finish this last dish of mine, then after than, we can finally start digging."
"Sir! How long?"
"It's about damn time!"
Carrying my walk with a fried rice on it. I can see the kid's eyes shine brightly.
"Is that the military Legend, "Turtle's Spicy fried rice?"
"It seems so. I'll take that first."
"Me too."
"Me three."
These kids, even that title didnt gdt away from their network, huh? These jids are scary.
"Okay now, dig in!"
Everyone flocks on the food they want to taste first. I highly doubt that they will finish everything. Afterall, Guss and mila's group came back with almost 150 points worth kf monsters and in perfect state. Everyone of them return with a wish, "sir. Please cook all of them!"
How can I say no to that?
I took my own share beforr seating on a side, watchigg the fun over the feast I made.
"Drakos! Why don't you call the other platoon? I think there are still some share for them."
"Alright. Thanks.. friend!"
What's with the sudden melancholy feeling in the end?
After he left, half an hour have past and drakos still havent gone back while the students already had their fill.
Carefully concentrating on the rumblings i feel from the depths of the earth, I can feel a lot of presence coming to our direction.
"Everyone! Be alert!"
Everyone probably felt the tension in my voice and immediately they all revealed their weapons and went to their battle form and positions.
"Enemies are coming."
*Pshhh*
Smokes starts to appear from around the camp, the smoke's color is kind of reddish. If I,'m not mistaken, it is made from the Sleep inducing flower.
"Don't let the smoke reach us. And don't breath it in!"
The wind mages did their work by pushing these smokes away.
What is happening, did Drakos group didn't see these people attacking? Or maybe?
My battle instinct pitches in and a sound of an arrow towards our direction perks my ears up. With a stomp, a giant wok made of earth appeared and shielded everyoje from the incoming arrows.
"It's the jackals. The arrow tips are rlemental stones."
"52..60..64..70.. sir, they are alot." Ben said he's probably using the pulse of the earth to count the incoming enemies. If only he knew there are much more people coming, i doubt he could still be as calm as he is right now.
"Leaders. I can't risk out lives to wait for some help. As to why, I'm not really sure, there is somethig more to this i just can't fathom what it is. But I hope you could help everyone to get out of the Forest. I trust all of you. I'll buy you all time as much as I can. Don't look back. Wait for me outside."
"But sir-." Ben looks at me with determination. I know he wants to fight. But Guss taps his shoulders, i can see Guss' hands trembling. There is a pain in his face but he is a much logical person in this batch. The 70 that Ben said is just too much for them. Specially that thr opponent we are facing are much powerful in numbers.
He then looks at me and smiles. A small tear in his eyes is in verge of breaking. "Sir, can we have your spicy fried rice on next week's homeroom?"
Ive never thought I'll have this kind of moment in my life. The fact they stayed here to say goodbye, is already making me proud. I am proud to be their teacher and mentor in life. Everything will be worth it. "You gotta bring the ingredients."
"Okay! You guys heard him! Let's go find some ingredients! Make sure to find the best quality, okay?"
.."yes!"
Everyone then start leaving the camp they kept their formation.
From the pulse of the earth, i can feel only a small number of the group followed rhe group. Most of them stayed, but almost half of them went towards the incoming group.
*Whooosh*
An incoming spear hurl towards me and of course my giant woks protects me.
After a couple ot second, 10 or so people clad in dark suit appears, The normal attire jackals wear.
"Hoo. So you are the Infamous Rock Turtle. You're fast compared to your moniker."
A voice of a woman said behind her mask. She picks up the spear that I deflected and does her stance.
"Such a pleasure for such esteemed group to know me. But you seem to not respect me at all? Only bringing 10 of you against me."
"Oh.. you're an Earth elementalist after all. You can feel the pulse of the earth. The 10 of us are equivalent to 10 of you. So you don't have to be worried about it and your beloved students, they are not our target. We are just scarying them out of danger."
"Danger you mean.." i dont wanna believe such thing.
"Ho.. i like those eyes. Those betrayed eyes. i once had those. You probably had your own thoughts about this. Having a change of heart I guess? Finally connected the dots, I guess?"
"Orders are Orders."
"True.. I took that oath as well." Wait.. he's a former soldier of the empire as well? "You might be asking yourself if im also a former soldier. Due to my curiousness, I'm here now standing before you, in a different identity. We are 10 here, same as powerful as you. But tbh, we only need 3 to kill you. We are 10 for a single reason." Her hands grips her spear. I can hear a bow being pulled in my back, each of the 10 are now ready to fight. "We are here, to save you."
In just a second, our 25 or so distance became a single digit in less than a second. Her spear instead of performinh a stab extends and she plans to hit me with the blunt partnof the weapon.
I can feel 2 other enemies in my back so with the Wok in my back, i defended the blunt spear with it and directs 2 giant wokes against the 2 attackers.
"Your defense is the best." Said by the woman.
"Thanks for the compliment."
..
The fight went on but against 10, it's really impossible for me to fight and force it into stalemate. I got punched and kicked around couple of times now, but also fought back a lot as well. But just like I said, against 10 who's only job is to wear me out, i can't really do about it.
My knees are out of fuel. It lost it's strength drops onto the floor.
So I lost, huh? Atleast, the kids are safe If they really are saying the truth. It's probably time to know the other side.
The woman then comes near me raises her fist.
"Good night for now."
I can only smile and close my eyes and my thoughts got disrupted upon impact.
...
"Ei! Ei! Let me have those too!!!"
"No way!! I like this food!"
"You took everything!"
"But there are nore, its all yours!"
"Uncle! Look she took everything!"
Ughh. My head is painful.. my jaw as well.
The voices of the kids woke me up. Looking around, I am Inside a small room. Surprisingly, Im not tied up. I was given a thick quilt for the night and a soft bed.
"I don't feel like I'm a prisoner at all." If it wasn't fRw3eeor the pain in my jaw, I would probably forget that I got captured before I lost consciousness.
Standing up from the bed, the strength that I lost are now back.
The noise outside doubles with the 2 kid' fogjt reaching jt's climax. Reaching the door, i push the door open and see the two kids who were arguing and the supposedly, "uncle."
The fight stops and both kids hide behind the uncle.
"Oh. hi, i'm supposed to be your supervisor. I'm Ed. You might not know me but I was the one who was shooting arrows towards you."
"Oh.. uhh.." that was kind of awkward, I guess? "I'm Marna, "Marna, Who got Caught."
"Hahahaha. Sorry about that brother. It's all part of the plan after all. Don't worry, I'll my best to repay my faults."
"Yeah.. sure... Sure."
Never did this happen in my entire life, so this is just a way crazy happening.
"Anyways, I almost forgot. Rissa is told me to bring you as early as possible, she said you have a lot of things to talk about."
"Rissa.. the Spear Weilder, right?"
"Eh? How didnyou know?"
"Instincts, I guess? And she seems to be the leader of the team that captured me."
"Oh yes. That's true. Anyways, come on. and we may as well bring these two to their respective parents."
We walk towards a place that looking like a bazaar. I can see some that still wears the jackal uniform but for others, they judt wear they common everyday clothes.
"Anyways, ed right? Where are we?"
"We are.. in the city of jackals. It's on the other side of the volcano that seperates the thick forests."
"Wait, if you are in that forest, how come the empire never catches this base?" The fight of the army and the jackals span through almost 4 centuries. But never did the army find this place.
"Simple. The forest fauna helps us.onky those who are accepted by the forest can be lead here. Those who are not get astray."
"I see."
Not befote long, we arrived in a place that looks like a sort of palace.
There a red haired woman stands as she lectures the younger ones.
"Your elements has been suppressed, so stop acting like a disabled man. So keep practicing!"
"She's fierce like always." He steps back and slowly turn away and say, "you're on your own from now own. Goodluck!"
He run away just like that. Is she really that scary?
"Uhh.. uhmmm... Miss.. uhh.."
"What? Who dares to interrupt me!?"
She then faces towards my direction and her raging athmosphere envelops me. She really is a scary woman.
"Oh. You. Tsk, we have to talk. Okay you newbies start running. 10km go go go!!"
The heck? 10km? With those thin looking bodies?
"What? You want to run 10km as well?"
She's unreasonable.
...
"Nox! Come here!"
A kid around the age of my students came, he seems to be the sad kid you will see in the sideline.
"Did you know it's the second time you have cross path with that kid?"
"Huh? How come?"
"Well, remeber your rookie mission when you awakened your earth element?"
"Yeah. That day is fresh in my mind. How could I not forget about it."
She pats the head of the kid and teases him by pinchig his cheeks.
"For sure, it's not the fact that it was the day of your awakening but because of a certain detail on that day which kept that memory fresh on your head. The stench."
Yes, that was the mission I took ss a rookie. We were supposed to bring the caravan filed with gross and rotten meat. But as a person who grew up from a butchery, I know for sure that rotten meat doesnt give that stench. But only after years when I finally saw a decaying corpse did I realize what I have smell during that mission.
"I led a group to kill all the solfiers in that caravan and save the remaining alive kids inside but when you finally retreated, only him was the remaining alive inside, every supposed kids that will be transfered died from the bad stench."
Giving the kid a pat in the head, he gives me a vibe that he's not connected to anyone, a loner per se.
"Kid, I hope you open your heart. One day, i hope you meet my students, thwy will show you what happiness is. Specially my fiery tupid student, you will get along with him. He's just stupid sometimes i hope you will get along aith him."
After that, We talk about couple of things like how she became a member of this party. Then did I remember she is Rissa the storm. The former leader in the Royal Guards. If I'm not mistaken, the story was she died during the assassination of the king in the palace.
"When I first step into the kingdom, i thought i already reach my dream. But I was wrong. It was nightmare. Some of the leaders are turning blind eye to the atrocities the Royal family are doing. For fear of my life, I did my best to do the same even as the days passes by my conscience is clouding every seconds pass."
"So, what pushed you?"
"Nothing to be honest. Or maybe my last escort mission. It was a commoner from the slums who awakened her life element. And like always, she automatically became part of the royal family by marrying the Prince who's still not wedded. But during the process of escort, I saw the girl being sad that she is now on her deathrow. Awakening the life element is equivalent to short lifespan. She had more plans for her life but it all turn into dust. But in hindsight his family will climb the society from the poor commoner unto a mercahnt noble level. So she doesn't mind it anymore."
"I know, right? I have this student of mine who's a daughter of the crown prince. And to get away from the sadness that creeps onto her, she tries to blend in with the group of monsters in my class. Those students you tried to scare away."
She looks at me with an expressionthat I couldnt understand.
"That's where you are wrong." She stops and look towards the floor. "I befriended this girl and everytime she has free time, we always spend our time together. Giving her news about what's happening around outside the castle walls. And one day, her wedding started. And you know, what happens after the wedding, right?"
"Of course.." my face hests up idunno why. All I can do is face the other way to hide my face away, as she's wearing a very serious one. I dont wanna be rude to this scary woman.
"Inwas guarding their chamber At the nifht of their consummasion when auddenly I heard her screaming so loud. To be honest, i heard how about you know how... Painful it is.. but it was a different kind of scream. So in impulse, I went inside the chamber and there I saw my friend on verge of death, i somehow saw her life get suck out of her onto the man she got wed to and seconds after, she lay down on the bed lifeless."
"What?" What is she talking about?
"At first i couldn't understand what happened to and just pick up my spear in rage. But the Prince got away from me and call other guards and eventually they caught me. I was hid away from the public until my supposed day of private execution. But thankfully, the group of Jackals led by the leader, Primo saved me. And they also saved my family as well."
"Primo? Who is this primo?"
"No one dares to call her name, and if you saw her you might know who she is. I don't remember anyone who didn't know her."
"How could such popular person hide?"
"We don't know. And she's the second person we will meet. She's behind that door at the end of the hallway."
There's this feeling of excitement and also fear regarding the "her" behind those doors.
*Knock*
"Primo, we are here now."
She open the door and the person finally reveal herself.
"You are A-." No doubt. She is said to be as beautiful as the flowers she cultivated on her backyard. The beauty behind the famous Royal castle's Garden.
"Nevermind that name, I am called by the name Primo, so i hope you do the same."
She spoke in such a mild manner but i don't knoe why she gives such overwhelming pressure.
"Anyways, have you bid farewell to some people?"
"No, i havent."
"Don't worry, ill let you do that next homeroom session."
...
The students of the senior batch are all staying in the the quad. No one has the strength to come inside their room during their homeroom session.
When suddenly, a stone hurled towards them which is covered by a paper.
David picks it up and opens the paper from the stone.
His body shakes and immediately did he run towards the the direction where their room is.
"David?"
Everyone looks at the hurrying back of david. Ben picks up the paper and her previous sad face turns to a happy one, an excited one. "Everyone, follow me!"
Like he said, everyone follows him and finally all of them are inside the room. Once they reach there, they saw DVid reading a parchment. He then gave it to Ami, the consensus builder and the one who acts as the leader of the group.
..
Don't be sad. I'm okay. One day I will see you, my students again. I trust in the process that we will stand on the same side again. But for now I can't tell you where I am. But I think Ami has a gist about it. So take it slow, and please take care of my parents who i have to leave. I hope this letter will never be known by other, i trust you all. And as payment. I left my specialty and the table, enjoy!
..