Arene "Ren" Maxwell's POV
"I know. You're a War God, aren't you?"
Professor Garrison gave a weak smile and shrugged his shoulders. "Once upon a time, yes. I like to think of myself as being retired nowadays."
Voker scanned the professor up and down once. "You don't look retired to me."
Lauren chuckled next to me despite the tense atmosphere. It was true that Professor Garrison didn't seem like the retired soldiers I saw all the time at parties. Maybe if he wore a uniform that fit him, he wouldn't appear so muscular? Or perhaps he just likes looking like that?
Either way, that wasn't the issue. What the problem was…
"Well, if you understand what you are getting yourself into, then I won't complain, Voker. Just don't hate me after this, promise?"
Voker nodded while jumping over the barrier into the arena. There was a perfectly good set of stairs for him to use just beside him. Boys are… dumb.
Voker started warming up as the Professor casually walked to the other side of the arena. Lauren poked me to pay attention to her as she called out to Sylvia. "Hey, are you worried about him?"
Sylvia didn't even bother looking over at us initially. "Yes. Kind of… not real—" Sylvia stopped herself short and looked at us for a moment before turning back to face the arena with red Elven ears.
My sister started laughing so hard I thought she might pass out. "Soo interesting!"
"Lauren stop teasing them… we only just met these people…" I whispered while giving her a swift poke to the ribs.
She gave me a pouty face that turned deadly serious. "I'm just taking a look at them, that's all. These two are more than just interesting, Ren."
I felt terrible for the two Elves as it seems Lauren has set her sights on them. They didn't seem like the two that would cooperate with her agenda, but maybe they would. I suppose getting to know them would help but the two masked High Elves seemed unapproachable, not to mention ridiculously strong.
But was Voker strong enough to take on the Professor?
"Princess Laurena, would you mind starting this match?" Professor Garrison's booming voice carried across the stadium with ease.
"Ooo, guess it's my turn," Lauren chuckled.
Lauren stood and dusted off her shorts which didn't need any dusting. She cleared her throat and waggled her eyebrows at me. She always did this right before she put on her big girl voice… most people have only ever heard this version of my sister.
The Professor crouched down in a low stance and put his arms above his head. Suddenly, a long black sword with jagged edges appeared in his grip out of thin air. The wicked-looking Mythril blade shined brightly in the morning sun, and the golden handle shimmered along with the Dwarven Runes etched into the blade.
Voker took his usual upright stance and kept the Dwarven practice sword close to his chest. I personally didn't think it was all that fair for the Professor to be using his sword, but I knew he knew how to hold back. And Voker doesn't seem like the type of person to want a handicap.
With a single loud clap of her tiny hands, Lauren's voice rang out even more prominent than the professors.
"Begin."
The Professor was a blur as he shot off towards Voker. But I wasn't surprised at his speed. I was shocked by what my eyes were witnessing. Voker had his hand outstretched as nearly a dozen Fireballs formed around him. The balls of orange fire grew in size and raced off towards the Professor in brilliant streaks of light.
I barely managed to see the wide grin on Professor Garrison's face before the first Fireball exploded. The Fireballs continued their onslaught, but a quick black blur shot out of the smoke cloud as the Professor started running around the arena's edges.
However, Voker wasn't just watching as more Fireballs formed around him and launched with blinding speeds. This Elf must be an Expert mage on top of having ridiculous body enhancement.
There was no way some simple adventurer could pull off this kind of feat.
Professor Garrison continued his dodging and weaving as he slid underneath some Fireballs and cut others in half. Voker, seeing that this wasn't going to work, switched tactics. A much larger ball of fire floated from his outstretched hand into the air. The spell was bright, but it lasted only a second as flaming tendrils left the primary ball and fell around the encroaching War God.
Small explosions shook the ground as the streaks of fire exploded upon impact. The dust hadn't even settled as Professor Garrison burst through the cloud of smoke and closed the distance on Voker. I had to blink a few times to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me when I saw a jagged lance of white fire had sprung to life from Voker's outstretched hands.
He can cast such destructive area of effect spells and do it so quickly? Could he be a Master mage as well? And what kind of magic is this…
The heat was noticeable from here and I felt like my eyes were burning from looking directly into the spell's intense inferno. White flames dripped off the lance and scorched the ground black. The spell was gone in a blink of an eye as it streaked towards the Professor, who didn't bother dodging its raging heat.
The Professor swung his blade across his body, sliced the spell into two halves, which split off and exploded with a deafening boom. People covered their ears as the shockwave rolled past us. The explosion was followed by a laugh that echoed throughout the arena.
"I can't believe it! I thought the Headmaster was lying through his teeth when he said you were special! But I guess not everyone makes it to Ruby for a reason!"
A Ruby adventurer…
The Professor was laughing, and the only noticeable difference about him was the small amount of dirt covering his black uniform. Voker merely grunted in frustration as he raised his sword and prepared another grouping of Fireballs for the retired War God.
By the time the third Fireball reached its mark Voker was already locked in battle with the Professor. Voker was moving even faster now than he was during our fight. I watched as the lines of Voker's muscles bulged from underneath his shirt as mana flowed through him.
He was holding back.
Blow after blow was traded between the two, and sometimes it was hard to tell what was going on. A giant black blur would impact with a smaller gray one, making sparks fly. Voker would send out quick punches or leg sweeps but Professor Garrison sidestepped them with ease. The sound of metal on metal echoed off the stone walls, and everyone was watching with bated breath.
I even found myself on the edge of my seat as I stared wide-eyed at the two warriors. Much to my surprise, Voker was keeping up, a feat I didn't think was possible for somebody who was supposedly only two years younger than me. I thought the Elf was lying when he said he was fourteen, but he seemed far too serious to lie.
Never in my life did I imagine I would witness such a spectacle. But I knew better. Despite my heart racing and the thrill of the fight clouding my mind, I knew.
I knew that Professor Garrison was holding back.
Voker took a quick step back as yellow lightning danced around his blade. I knew Elves were capable of two, sometimes even four, schools of magic, but I was not expecting him to be able to use lightning, something typical of the Tel'an'duth royal bloodline.
I spared my sister and friends a glance, and nearly all of them were mouths agape and eyes wide as they watched on. Even Professor Garrison had to take a step back and raise his eyebrows for a moment.
Is he… a royal?
Could he be the bastard of some High Elf noble, and that's why he wears the mask? Or maybe he is some prince so far down the line they sent him here? Does that mean Sylvia is royalty as well? But that didn't make sense… the class already has a royal from Tel'an'duth.
So why would they send two more? Maybe some internal strife amongst the factions?
My brain was working overtime as I tried to figure out what was going on. But I was drawn back into the fight as the student and teacher clashed once again. Lightning arced off the two blades, but Professor Garrison never once took a step back. Voker desperately swung his sword around, only for it to be blocked effortlessly.
The Professor caught a punch into the gut from Voker but instead of recoiling, he merely reached out and grabbed Voker by the collar. Then, with a great heave, he sent Voker flying across the arena and into the wall.
While Voker was flying through the air, my ears popped from a sudden burst of sound, and my vision flashed. A giant yellow lightning bolt arced across the arena towards the War God. Professor Garrison barely managed to bring the flat of the long sword up to block it, but the yellow lighting snaked across the metal and was about to reach his exposed hands. That was until Professor Garrison thrust his sword into the earth with blinding speed and enough strength to make a small shockwave and kick up a dirt cloud.
My eyes feel like they were about to fall out of my head. Are my ears bleeding now?
Not only did I just witness high-level magic, but I witnessed high-level magic while Voker was maintaining body enhancement. This Elf… he is no ordinary adventurer or some random noble. He must be a Sentinel candidate. Maybe even a royal turned into a Sentinel…
I… I have to speak with him. The way he fights… I just can't stop watching him. If I could even be half as strong as him… I'd never have to worry about things again.
"Just when I thought you were showing it all too." Professor Garrison's friendly voice had vanished and was replaced with a more neutral one.
But doing that made him seem all the more frightening.
The hair on my arms and neck stood on end as the feeling of someone's bloodlust washed over me. They weren't directing it at me, but it was so strong it didn't matter. I had to strain my neck to look at Professor Garrison, who was leaking his bloodlust intentionally. But despite that, Voker didn't even seem bothered or injured as he slowly got up from the ruined barrier of the arena.
A savage grin spread across the Professor's face as he ran his hand through his hair. He started chuckling lightly to himself, and his glasses disappeared from his face with a quick touch of his finger. His dark green eyes stared at Voker intensely, and his grin grew even wider.
"To think I would have to take one of my students seriously. But, rejoice, Voker Winterheart, you are the first student I have ever faced that deserves my full attention. However… I just hope you will keep your promise to me."
Professor Garrison removed his sword from the ground with a single hand and gave the great Mithril weapon a swing, knocking all the dirt off his sword and causing a small wave of air. The Dwarven Runes glowed a light blue color while Professor Garrison dropped into his low stance again. His sword above his head pointing at Voker and his free arm doing the same.
The white fire from earlier snaked across Voker's sword and started morphing into a blue flame. The flame seemed to stop, and it took on the appearance of some kind of blue and white glass that covered the sword's edge. The heat was intense enough that it warped the air around the blade, and it hurt to look at it.
I blinked for only a moment to clear my eyes from the intense heat, so I missed what had happened. When I looked back to the arena, Voker's blade was missing, and Professor Garrison had appeared in front of the Elf suddenly as a pressure wave rolled past me. The Professor's free hand gripped Voker by the mask while his sword tip was pressed against the boy's heart. The Dwarven Steel blade fell out of the sky and landed in the dirt with a thud.
Voker's shoulders slumped, dropping the rest of the blade onto the ground. "I lose," Voker stated.
Professor Garrison slowly retracted his hand while his sword disappeared from existence and back into his Spatial Ring. Voker took a deep breath, and I was expecting him to roar in anger, maybe even shout profanities, but instead, he continued returning the Professor's intense stare.
"What magic was that? I don't understand how you can be so fast," Voker asked seriously.
The Professor gave his student a weak smile. "Magic? I didn't cast a single spell. As a matter of fact, I can't use any magic at all. But uh… what was that magic at the end there? I've never seen blue fire like that before…"
Voker shook his head like he didn't believe his words. "Don't worry about it… but how are you capable of doing… whatever it is that you did? What did you do differently after you got 'serious'?"
Professor Garrison shrugged. "I didn't do anything all that different if I'm being completely honest with you. I only put more mana into my body enhancement. Same as I've always done."
"That's… you mean to tell me the difference in our mana is that large?" Voker asked in disbelief.
"Maybe. I couldn't tell you, Voker. It's not like I can see mana, and I can't cast magic to find out," Professor Garrison answered back in a warm voice.
"That doesn't make any sense…" Voker mumbled out loud.
The Professor gave the troubled Elf a warm smile and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I wish I could tell you that I have some ability that was passed down from one generation to the next or that I went through some extensive training by another War God. But the truth is when I was conscripted with the other seventy-nine men of my centuria, I was just a son of a fisherman. I learned mana enhancement and control from the same instructors as everyone else. However, by the time I was fifteen, I was a War God aspirant, and by eighteen, I was given the title of War God by the Emperor. Sorry, Voker."
Voker nodded his head weakly and mumbled something I couldn't hear. After that, the stadium grounds had to be repaired, and we were sent back to class.
Varnir ended up in the infirmary. And I was left with a burning desire.
—
Varnir Shadowstone's POV
I finished changing and tossed my clothes into the basket. I rolled my shoulders and gently touched my sore jaw. It's been almost a week since the start of school, and sometimes I can feel the phantom pain of that girl's punch.
And the embarrassment. Never did I imagine I would get knocked out by a girl…
When I saw Voker fight Ren, I never once imagined that his companion would be as strong as him. I expected it to be a brother-sister-type deal where one supported the other, kind of like Sylas and Linnetia.
Ah, but I was dead wrong. And what is with those two?
I've never struggled to figure out the age of another Elf before. I couldn't place their age at all. Part of me told me they were close to my age, give or take a few years. Then another part thinks they are far older than I expect.
Sylvia and Voker are… odd. I wonder if it's because they are wearing those masks all the time? Why are they wearing those masks? Can Voker even see?
Probably because they are royalty, or maybe Voker is…
I've never seen lightning magic before, but my father was very detailed in his stories about Tel'an'duth's lightning mages. I'm not sure what's more impressive… that he can use it or that the Professor was able to block it.
Either way, I sighed and dipped myself into the hot bath. "Amazing…" I groaned in pleasure.
Being told to take the job as a "Bath Guardian" was the best advice I'd ever gotten. I was supposed to help new students figure out the public hot bath timings and customs, but the reality was students didn't even know this place existed. It wasn't a part of the guided tour for students, so you had to be in the know.
Not to mention I got paid for this. Although, I didn't need the extra money considering the Shadowclan doesn't have to pay for schooling, a post-war bonus given by the king.
I sank neck-deep into the pool of hot water and let all the stress out of my tired body. This place was less of a bath and more of a giant pool. Stone Gryphons poured water from their mouths, and the whole place radiated luxury fit for a king. Water was pumped from under the ground and warmed with Dwarven Runes, or at least that's the explanation I got. How does it work?
I couldn't care less as long as it keeps feeling this good.
I poked my sore ribs and winced slightly. It was taking longer than usual for them to feel better. Remembering the fight against Sylvia only added to the pain I was feeling. I even thought about sinking my head into the water and never coming back up.
The Shadowstones weren't known for being great warriors. It's been generations since we produced a capable fighter, let alone a Shadow Dancer. We are typically the maintenance family, as others are so kind as to remind me…
Despite that, I managed to reach the single-digit rankings in the class. I might not be as strong as Terstus or as gifted in magic as Sededa, but I can at least hold my own in a fight. They might think using magic items is unfair, but I think being able to use magic is unfair. It's not like I got to choose my abilities at birth. At least I can choose my battle gear… idiots.
"Screw it…"
I kicked off the stone wall of the bath and floated towards the center. It was technically against the rules to swim here and I was the one that was supposed to be enforcing the rules this late at night. However, Elves tended to choose the late-night jobs since they paid more, and we didn't need to sleep as much as everyone else.
But I can't get caught if I'm the one who is supposed to be doing the catching.
The steam at the center of the bath was more concentrated since the pipes let the water out here. I may or may not have bumped up the heat more… but I'll turn it back down before I leave like I always do. The Dwarf told me I could do it so I didn't see a problem with it. I guess most people just didn't like the heat.
While floating towards the center, I swear I heard someone exhale slightly, and I shot up. "Who's there!" I yelled.
My heart was thumping in my ears from the sudden surprise. I had checked before I got in the bath, and there was no one here… not to mention I didn't hear a single person let alone sense them.
"Hello," a deep, even voice rang out.
I snapped towards the voice and focused my eyes on the sound. The steam rolled away, revealing a man with his muscular arms stretched wide across the edge of the bath. He was chest-deep in the water, but I could still see the long deep scar running across his chest and a plethora of smaller ones. His gray and gold mask glimmered with water and reflected the candlelight of the bath.
Voker… how… how long has he been here?
I could tell he was watching me from the other side of his mask. In the entire week, I've been in class with him, I haven't spoken to him once. Sometimes I even forgot he was here; he had such a minor presence. It was to the point where I thought he was purposely suppressing himself especially since I knew how strong he was.
Voker didn't talk much either and only spoke when spoken to. When he did speak he always seemed uninterested and standoffish. From what I could tell, the only person he interacted with regularly was his masked companion.
Both of them are… scary in a way. I can't just ignore him, though. I've been staring back at him without saying a word and I can't just leave now…
"Hi… Voker. When did you get here?" I asked with a nervous chuckle.
"I've been here the whole time, Varnir. You just never spoke to me the last few times. But I've been meaning to thank you for increasing the water's temperature," he said flatly.
Huh?! The last few times? You mean to tell me this isn't the first time he has been in here? That's… not…possible…
"Something the matter? Your name is Varnir, right?" Voker asked.
"Ah… no I'm fine. I was just surprised that you knew my name," I lied.
"I see. I've been trying to remember everyone's name. But I haven't had a chance to speak with many people," Voker stated.
That's because you don't talk to anyone…
"I'm sure you will get it. After all, it's only been a week," I said, trying to reassure him.
"You're right. Anyways… why are you standing in the bath like you are about to fight me? You don't usually do that."
I instantly fell back into the bath and realized I had been exposing myself to Voker the entire time. I thought he was trying to sneak up on me, so I didn't even think twice. My ears burned even hotter, and it wasn't because I dipped them into the water…
"Sorry…" I mumbled into the water.
Voker tilted his head to the side. "Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong."
Why is he so serious? And I mean I was just… whatever…
"Sure." I didn't know what else to say, and I felt like leaving but at the same time, a part of me wanted to keep talking to this mysterious man. "Sooo… Voker…"
"Yes?"
"What uh… what are you doing at this school?" I asked curiously.
Voker slowly sank into the water so only his neck and mask were sticking out. "I have… many reasons. I suppose you can say I'm waiting for someone."
"Waiting for someone?" I repeated.
"Mhm," he mumbled.
"I see…"
"What about you, Varnir? Why are you going to school?" Voker asked.
"Ah… well…"
I can't just drop my life story on this guy all of a sudden… uh…
"To find love!" I shouted.
Voker twitched his head back slightly like he was surprised. "Love? Well, if that's your goal, that's as good as any, I suppose."
Why is he acting like this is normal? Well, maybe I can connect with him on this level at least…
"So… is there anyone like that for you?" I asked, not expecting an answer.
Voker let out a small chuckle and raised himself out of the water again. "Of course there is."
He sounded almost excited?
"Wait… for real? Are you—" I stopped and looked at Voker for a long time. I paid attention to his ears and what little of his head I could see. "Why do I get the feeling you and I aren't talking about the same thing…" I mumbled.
"What do you mean?"
I sighed and let my breath push some of the steam away as I joined Voker on the wall. "So you are willing to tell me who you love?"
"Of course? Why wouldn't I?" Voker asked with genuine confusion in his voice.
"Then go ahead and tell me…"
"Well, I love my mother and father—"
"Stop…just stop…" I said slowly. "Were you raised in a cave or something?"
This guy… he isn't scary… just weird. Unless…
"Well, of course not," Voker said defensively.
"Do you understand that there are different types of love, Voker?"
Voker turned to face me, and despite not being able to see his face, I could practically imagine the absolute baffled look he had on. "Huh? What… the word is the same… surely the feeling is the same? Explain."
Oh…he is dead serious. Isn't he?
"Okay, Voker… surely you understand that your mother and father love you, right?" I asked, hoping I wasn't accidentally stepping into a trap.
"Well, I hope so. They told me so at least…" Voker mumbled while scratching his head.
Okay…arrow dodged. Go me.
"And you understand that your parents love each other, right?"
"I imagine they do, yes," Voker said with a head nod.
"Surely you can understand that their love for you and each other is completely different while also being somewhat similar?" I asked.
"I mean… I… I suppose there could be a difference…" Voker said, sounding uncertain. His early enthusiasm was practically nonexistent.
"There absolutely is. The love two people have for each other making them want to start a family is different from their love for their family… at least I think it's different."
"But… similar?" Voker mumbled.
"Yes, but similar," I said back to him.
Voker let out a deep breath and sunk into the water slightly. "Then, how do you know the difference?" he whispered to himself.
"That's a question that has many different answers for many different people," I said back with a smile.
How can this person stand in front of a War God and give him a fair fight and not understand these things? Just what kind of life has he lived to get this strong so fast? I feel bad for him…
Voker isn't scary or weird… he's just really awkward. Wow, things somehow make more sense while making even less sense now.
"I see. I'll have to think ab—" Voker stopped himself short, and his neck snapped towards the entrance to the bath.
I followed his eyes, and Parker Ruse was standing there. He gave us a friendly wave and jogged over to us, his silver pendant of Amon-Ra bouncing off his chest. The symbol was two knights crossing blades, if I remember correctly its supposed to be something about two people coming together and becoming Amon-Ra… or something like that.
"No running in the bath!" I shouted playfully.
Parker merely gave me his typical pearly white smile and a soft laugh. I've been going to school with this guy for seven years and there was a reason every girl in this school was fawning over him. A noble from the Holy Kingdom of Arotal, fourth-ranked in the entire school, along with the skills and brains to match. Not to mention unbelievably handsome.
"I guess it's true when they say Elves like staying up late. So why are you two on the far side of the bath?" Parker asked while disrobing and sliding into the bath.
"We were just talking about some stuff," I answered.
Voker nodded along with me, and Parker gave a hearty laugh. "You don't talk very much, huh, Voker?"
"So I've been told," Voker said nonchalantly.
Well, if you heard what he said, you would probably understand why…
"Are you two… friends?" Parker asked hesitantly.
Voker turned his head slightly to me, and I shrugged my shoulders. "I guess we are now," I said.
Parker gave Voker a questioning look. "I believe so. Varnir was helping me think through some things," Voker answered.
Parker quickly dipped his curly blonde hair into the bath. He resurfaced quickly and ran his hands through his hair. "Interesting. Would you like to be friends, Voker?"
Voker shrugged his shoulders. "Sure. If you want to be friends with me."
Parker gave me a side glance with his piercing light blue eyes, and I merely gave him a wry smile and a slight shrug.
"Then it's settled…" Parker said with a shrug and slightly surprised face. "Sooo, Voker… why do you wear that mask all the time?"
"Because I'm hideous," he stated dryly.
Huh…
Parker and I exchanged confused looks and looked back to Voker. Finally, he just let out a sad sigh. "It was a joke…mostly…"
I could see the Barn Rats churn in Parker's head as he tried to find a question to ask Voker. "Oh…okay then. Well… how old are you?" Parker asked.
"Fourteen."
"Voker… I'm asking you a genuine question," Parker said weakly.
"I know, I wasn't joking. I really did just turn fourteen a few months ago," Voker said seriously.
"You mean to tell me… that I am three years older than you?" I muttered.
"If you say it's true then it must be," Parker said with a shrug.
When I imagined him being younger than me, I thought it would be by a year at the most… not three.
I looked over Voker one more time and I just couldn't believe what I was seeing. I can't say I've seen too many High Elves without their shirts on, but I'm confident they didn't have nearly as much muscle as him. If anything, he was closer to us Dark Elves, and I barely had more muscle than him. It took me almost three years to look like this…
Could he be a half-Elf? Maybe he has a bit of Human in him? I had heard that Tel'an'duth was encouraging Humans and Elves to mix to repopulate. Maybe his mask is just hiding his Human heritage?
Parker cleared his throat and gave Voker a smile. "I heard you say that you got strong because you almost died a few times… is that true?"
Voker shrugged. "Partially. I train a lot. I actually trained before I came here. But as an adventurer, I had to… learn the hard way. If that makes any sense?"
"You just had to adapt to your situation?" I asked.
Voker nodded. "Yeah, that would be the best way to put it. It was very much do or die for me."
Huh… I don't get the impression that Voker is lying. Maybe he isn't some random High Elf royal? Perhaps he really is a bastard.
I felt the sludge in my confused brain break away as I came to the most obvious conclusion. The answer was smacking me in my face. Voker probably was a noble's bastard! And that would explain why he is so big because he is half-Human! That mask probably hides his Human features, which would show on his face.
But how would a bastard know about Tel'an'duth's lightning magic? Did he just… figure it out? Or maybe he got his hands on a book or something? Ah, man…
However, I just realized something. "Voker, are you blind?" I asked carefully.
"Huh? No, I can see."
"Wait, really?!" Parker shouted. "Does that mean you are just looking into darkness?"
"What? No, I can see through the mask. You have curly blonde hair, and Varnir has long black hair," Voker said seriously.
"So it's a magic item?" Parker asked.
"Yes."
"Where did you get it?" I asked.
"From a benefactor." Parker and I just exchanged confused glances.
Why do I get the feeling this is all we are going to get out of Voker tonight?
"I shall judge your silence by this being the end of the conversation. I have been in here far too long anyway and don't want to pass out. Thank you for giving me something to think about, Varnir. Parker, I will see you after the break."
"Yeah, see you around, Voker," Parker said with a slight wave.
"Mhm. We can continue our conversation later," I said.
Voker nodded at both of us and forced himself out of the bath using only his arms. I had to make sure what I saw was real. I checked Parker's face and he was looking at me in disbelief as well.
"That's just not fair," Parker mumbled.
"Agreed…"