The next school year started off the same as the previous year with us attending the new student orientation in the large building. I met the kids outside to catch up before we went in. Many older kids kept staring at us or were looking in our general direction as we caught up.
Amari: Welcome back Dana to the wondrous school of stares and unneeded attention.
Dana: Yeah you may be right about that. How was your vacations? Did ya do anything fun?
Maeve: We spent the majority of it training then we visited the city and we able to see some cool stuff.
Amari: We even found some cool shops and cafes off the beaten path.
Dana: Sounds like a nice couple of days.
Amari: It was longer than that. How long was your vacation?
Dana: Ah I see. Mine was only a week due to traveling to various places.
Amari: Wait how does that work. That doesn't make sense.
Maeve: Wait I read about this. Time Differentiation and Distortion or TDD. It happens when local world time and time zones don't match the galactic time so calculations are made.
Dana: Correct 10 points to Maeve. I went home and slept and got to see my parents for a bit before I left to go to my capital world and check on things there before an alarm went off which had me return here for school.
Amari: Interesting. That would explain why there's more tribes in the empire than I thought originally.
Vidor: Yo what's up my guys.
Dana: You seem chipper Vidor. Totally different then last year.
Vidor: Hey man I can grow and change. It also doesn't help I lost to Maeve and she's the weaker of the two.
Maeve: You just gotta get good bright bro. Work hard and get better then you won't fail so much.
Vidor: Listen here little girl. You and I both know I'm actually stronger now.
Maeve: All bark and no bite. We will see at the first arena match of the year.
Amari: Come on you two me and Dana are gonna leave you behind.
We all enter the large dome once more and sit up front in the 2nd year section to listen to the same old boring introduction for the first years.
Afterwards we head around campus to meet our teachers then grab some lunch before and immediately heading towards the training grounds and unleashing hell.
The 3 of them challenged me to a bout with full magic power and this battle went ham.
Onlookers gathered as huge whirlwinds and blizzards raged across the dirt filled arena.
I made sure to delicately read my book while I took a single stomp shaking the earth breaking their concentration for their spell channeling dispelling their active magics, what surprised me was the stealth sneak attack from behind which I dodged last minute. The three of them worked hard to bring me down but I played with them with ease while they worked their frustrations out in combat until they were tired and out of magic. I flash healed their wounds and began to leave while they sat around a little longer.
Amari: What was that?
Midi: The no chant super heal to all 3 of us instantly or the complete defeat without her even looking up from her book?
Vidor: Both! The hell man. How can we overcome that.
Maeve: I get the feeling that she didn't compete last year and was asked to be a chaperone cause she's like super strong.
The next day classes begin like normal and for my third class I have the same teacher to teach me advanced magic with the three of them joining as well. We have many more kids joining in our training sessions while not allowing the first years to join in. The fourth years are to good to join us however most of the third years are all on board especially since they can't beat even Maeve at their current level in combat. We get a new transfer kid into like the third month of the year, The Lightning Princess Midi from the finals before. Her school the Balkon Academy wasn't happy with her leaving but they couldn't stop her. Apparently she wanted to become much stronger and was impressed by how our school out of know where got some powerful contenders when their school was on track to win. Classes continue as normal but she begins to join in and immediately has three rivals to contend with. She didn't like how I was handling the training but Maeve got fed up with her calm, cool, icey remarks and attitude and put her in her place in a grudge match totally wiping the floor with her. She had a change of heart and began sparing and training with Maeve in a more one on one sort developing a personal and warrior relationship with her. I didn't expect that to happen since during the final match it seemed like her and Amari would of made a good couple but what do I know, I only really like Vulcan anyways. We continued training and rose their combat levels pretty high before the festival approached us once again only 2 months away.
A local lord was visiting from another world to judge which of the various schools his younger children should attend. They were pompous and stuck up nobels, exactly like you would see in fantasy. They approached us while we were in the hallway talking about what form of training we should do for the days regiment.
Noble: Hey.
Noble: Hey you kids.
Noble: You peasant children hey.
Maeve: What do you want? Can't you see we are having a conversation right now. Shooo shooo go away.
She waves them off. Apparently they took great offense to that and immediately stormed over to us.
Noble: How date you speak to me that way. I am the son of Count Chongulet, the direct voice of Marquis Andercal.
Maeve: My name's Maeve. What's your point?
Noble: You dare stand against me? I can have you thrown in prison for treason!
Maeve: Treason you say. Someone so weak as you would not stand a chance against me. You are being a nuisance so get lost will ya?
Noble: How dare you! Know your place little girl!
The noble immediately shot a powerful arcane spear at Maeve which she took the hit taking no damage and patted her shirt where it hit.
Maeve: Is that it. Like I expected you would try and engage in violence but I thought you would be somewhat powerful and not a terrible disgrace and piece of trash to boot.
Noble: You son of a.
Maeve glares at him then sends a fire blast at him throwing him and his 2 annoying siblings out the window.
Maeve: Know your place boy. You are not a student here so stop antagonizing students and get out. Pay for the window since that's all trash like you is good for.
We leave and head to our normal training grounds for some anger release training. Apparently the student council president came to deliver a summons for us to go to the office. I took it and had the kids keep training. I approached the office and knocked and was told to enter.
Dana: I have entered due to your summons, headmaster.
Mrs. Skal: This matter doesn't concern you. It concerns Maeve. You may leave and send her here.
I look and see the bratty noble kids and their father in the room.
Dana: I was present when this snot nosed brat started harassing us and he decided open hostilities was the way to go about things.
Mrs. Skal: He is requesting you pay for emotional and physical damages.
Count Chongulet: Your friend hurt my son. Therefore she will be held accountable.
Dana: Your child made openly negative remarks towards us. Then your child engaged in open hostilities towards us. Why the hell should I or Maeve pay your for emotional and physical damages?
Count Chongulet: You dare stand against the nobles of the empire. You will be held in prison for treason.
I was irritated. I was mad. This guy thinks he is powerful and being a noble is the only thing he can do. Only the supremes can wield such power anyway we want. No nobles have this power or authority. Screw this guy. He deserves what he gets.
Dana: Adjutant strip this noble of his rank and position and drain him off all his funds and land. Donate it to the school.
Adjutant: It shall be done.
Dana: Headmaster explain to these little nobles what that means and who I am. If they question me they will be executed.
I turned and left and headed back to train with the others.
Amari: Welcome back master.
Dana: Thanks I'm back now.
Maeve: How did it go master, what happened?
Dana: The noble and his sons wanted you to pay for emotional and physical damages delt to the noble kid.
Maeve: He started it though.
Dana: That is what I stated but he was so adamant that his son did nothing wrong. Even wanted to put me in prison for treason.
Maeve: What happened then?
Dana: Nothing, I stripped him of his rank and position. He will not bother us anymore.
Midi: Wait what?
Vidor: You can do that?
Dana: I am more powerful than you think I am.
Amari: Wait, are you a foreign princess or something?
Dana: I am no princess. I am a Jarl of a world though.
Midi: Ooo what's that, what's a Jarl?
Dana: It's the leader of a clan of warriors.
Maeve: So you're someone important.
Dana: I guess.
We continue training and finish the day before we turn in. The next few weeks pass by all the same. I received a letter from the noble and one from his son as an apology but since I don't really care about them I just trashed them both.
Once more I was called into the headmasters office.
Mrs. Skal: Dana I have called you here to introduce you to the Student Council President Salara.
Salara: Hello Dana, I am Salara. I heard you help the festival last year and it went very smoothly after you stepped in. We were wondering if we can make you our Treasurer and have you help us once more.
Dana: I can assist you this year as well. What is it you need me to do?
Salara: We would like you to help us procure all the goods and materials for this next festival as well as help us stay in budget and keep us organized.
Dana: So basically you want me to do most of the work so you can focus on managing the students and classrooms for the event.
Salara: When you put it that way it seems horrible.
Dana: I just want to make sure that is the request you are making that is all. I will help you on this but I ask that myself, Amari, Maeve, Vidor, and the new girl Midi are excused from the festival.
Mrs. Skal: I will grant that request so long as you can acquire all the needed goods and materials without going over budget. We have a problem procuring the needed supplies for everyone to get the proper tools and supplies. I'm tired of the complaints and if we can get everything at a low or reasonable cost then I can get more funding for the festival. Make sure to keep in budget so we can make a profit instead of breaking even or having a loss.
Dana: Very when make sure to send me all the date and requests and I will get them organized and ready for the festival.
I excuse myself and head out to join the kids in training. In the next following days we held an assembly to reveal the festival and I took the stage with the student council as well surprising Maeve since I was sitting next to her then just teleported away before she noticed. I think she is gonna be mad about it later. After the reveal and heading back to class I talked to her and then they went to practice while I took the funds and Salara with me to the deep, dark, slum part of the city. I had her follow me as we walked the back alleyways towards our destination.
Salara: Where are we going? Why are we in the slums? What are we doing?
Dana: Shhh just be quiet and follow me. You don't want to be to loud and stand out as someone that doesn't belong here to the onlookers, trust me.
Salara: What is that supposed to even mean?
Dana: A pretty uptight young girl like you is ripe for the picking.
Salara: ...
Dana: Ah the peace and quiet. Unfortunately it ends, we have reached our destination.
Salara: Where are we?
Dana: The black market. Lets go.
We enter the large shoddy looking doors into what looks like a beautiful paradise. The floors and walls are a nice radiant yellowish white color adorned with various expensive decorations. Suits are everywhere handling all types of matters from simple and exotic deals to murder and kidnapping requests. A Suit catches my eye and approaches us.
Suit: Hey there girls is this where you belong or should be? Maybe you should come with…
He got immediately punched in the face ending his thought in an instant. The suit that stands before us half bows and instructs us to follow him into a private room. I tell her to be quiet as we sit and wait a bit before more suits and the don enters.
Joander: Sorry to keep you waiting Dana, my name is Joander the Unkept. I was handling some other requests but I came immediately once I was informed you were here. I want to apologize for the one who was rude to you when you first entered, he has received a brutal lashing for his mistake.
Dana: No need to fret or worry, his punishment is enough.
Joander: Thank you for your wisdom and mercy. To what do I owe this pleasure?
Dana: I am here to acquire this list of supplies and materials. Deliver them to my academy AMI in the next week. Use all of these funds and any additional funds needed I will pay the rest.
Joander: It shall be done with haste and vigor. Is there anything else you need from us?
Dana: No this will be all thanks.
Joander: We have a deal, my guys will have it delivered in the next three days.
We take our leave and Salara stays completely quiet the entire way back to school. I spend my night training and go to class the next morning. She had reported to the headmaster and someone overheard the entire conversation. Somehow i have a new reputation with the students as one who makes a mob boss and his mafia bow and pamper me. I mean they arn't wrong but they arn't completely right either, oh well. They arrived three days later with the headmaster opening the gates and I was there directing them on where to put the items as they were quick and responsive. Seeing the rude guy and the mafia mob boss come and bow to apologize before leaving seemed to ignite the fires of rumors to the entire school.
This festival comes once again and it went even more smoothly due to my plans and organization. We spent the festival walking around enjoying the sights and delicious foods to eat. These are good times, seeing the siblings handling Vidor and Midi while still enjoying the festivities in smiles is a really nice peaceful sight. But as Astar says. Enjoy yourself while you can for there is always darkness looming on the horizon. You can resist and deflect it, but unless you deal with it expansion always follows. Now I need to plan and rally my warriors. Another force consisting of many unified clans from the nest world over threatens my clan. I will make a bloody mess of them for their transgressions. The next week I took off informing my instructor of what has happened for me and the siblings and received all the lectures and homework via email as the early morning light hits my face I gather to meet them. I do not dress in my school uniform but instead wear my leather and fur armor with my twin axes at my side and shield on my back. The four of them see me leave my room and look at me with wonder and worry, Midi is very confused and definitely doesn't understand this situation.
Amari: Where are you going master?
Maeve: You look as if your leaving for war.
Dana: Another world of united clans threatens my own and I am heading off to war.
Maeve: What?!? Why?
Dana: I do not know why someone would invade my lands.
Amari: When are the three of us leaving?
Maeve: I don't have armor yet but I'll go burrow some real fast.
Dana: Don't worry I'll have some basic Skal armor prep wires for you. I've informed the staff. We leave now.
Dana opens a small gate and she pulls 2 katana style swords with magic crystals within the blade to allow for magic to take hold. She gives one to each sibling for their payment in the war.
Dana: Do not cry Midi, for I will be back before you know it.
Vidor: Good luck master, may fortune shine upon you this day. Good luck Maeve and Amari you will need it.
Maeve and Amari: Thanks.
I open a gate and we arrive to my long house, most of my warriors gather encompassing the entire longhouse and area. We immediately rally our forces as they get the siblings armor and are surprised by their resolve to kill another. We planned and begin the rushing battle charge to the outskirts where the enemy ships have docks and their forces gather. We number only 5 thousand hardened warriors while the enemy is made up of simple farmers, militia, peasants, and mercenaries numbering close to 140,000. I immediately call some of my swarm creatures which begin wrecking havoc on the enemy lines startling the siblings. A large burrowing wyrm made up of thousands of spikes and sharp claws begin rolling and thrashing around, tossing soil and crushing the enemy forces. A large brutish terror inducing brute the size of a longhouse itself charges through the enemy lines, his massive legs crush enemy soldiers and his large body and massive height allows for it to dash and fall into enemies slicing them in half with the giant razor sharp blades on its head and body. The siblings watch in awe and horror as the creatures thrash the battlefield.
Maeve: What the hell is that?
Korven: That is one of the super elite swarm creatures in service to Jarl Dana.
Maeve: Why does she have such a creature under her control?
Korven: She breeds them. They are the strongest off all the swarm creatures of any supreme and each one is worth a 100,000.
Amari: That must mean they are very strong. Strong enough to take the entire world I take it?
Korven: Not one of them but 3 easily could.
Maeve: I'm glad they are on our side, they are reducing the enemy numbers greatly.
Our lines clash with the enemy and we charge the enemy. Maeve: Welp looks like it's time to charge.
Amari: That it does. Stay strong sister.
Maeve: Always. I'm not weak like before.
The Flare Knight Maeve steps forward and raises her hand and with a single chant a huge powerful magic circle appears beneath her.
Maeve: Flaming Weapons
And all the soldiers' weapons immediately became engulfed with flames dealing fire damage on attacks. The metal was so hot they could feel its power in the weapons. They were stunned that even their most powerful shamen couldn't do such a feat but this girl is trained by the Jarl herself.
Maeve stepped forward and took with a flick of her thumb she opened the sword from the sheath as a wave of heat magic pressure ripples through the allied ranks. She dazzled and awed the crowed of warriors as she charged the enemy head fast cutting down many with each passing strike.
The Icy Fortress Amari waited for a minute casting his large area frost armor buff on the allied troops enchanting their armor with damage reductions while giving it a cool chilling feeling. It helped combat the heated weapons and allowed the warriors to keep fighting without getting hot and sweaty while also boosting durability and endurance. He joined his sister in their new sibling bonding ritual of needless slaughter of all enemies who stand in their way. They took many small and minor injuries while retreating back to get their wounds closed and the bleeding to stop before heading back into the fray. They came out on top of some major heavy hitting elite opponents but their body's have tons of scars to prove their victory.
My axes slide through many like hot knives into cream. I release massive magical blasts but some of the enemy mercenaries have set up magical rods reducing the damage and blocking my attacks with their magic shields. Eventually my powers break through their rods and their magic shields killing most of them at the cost of almost all of my remaining magic. 7 hours into battle and we have wrecked over 100,000 only loosing about 2000 ourselves. We fight with vigor and honor at our fallen and begin to drive the enemy back. Towards the end of the fighting a single lucky strike broke through my defenses and took my arm as many arrows and magical blasts rip through my body. My vision goes black as I rip through the last remaining enemy soldiers before me in a beast like fury before the enemy retreats. I am badly wounded and damaged and immediately call my swarm. A swarm weaver takes me into a pod as I send out orders to my swarm located deep in space behind a small moon hidden from prying eyes. They follow the enemy as they retreat to their home world, and they begin their assault. Maeve and Amari gather beside me and watch the process that takes place. They recover themselves and start to do their homework once they are in a safe space. Many soldiers welcome them with open arms and acknowledge their achievements and bravery. They, who were trained by Korven and Duren, are far stronger then most and the warriors see their mistake in keeping them at arm's length upon meeting them. They are but simple children, high schoolers who are strong and gained the favor of their general. I lay in a pod of fluid as a weaver begins to rip the skin from my body, shreds the muscles and tissues, breaks my bones, and begins to reform me, all but my wonderful head and braids. I take a swarm queen larvae and fuse it with my spine and while rebuilding muscle and skin tissue into a more thin carapace to act and function like skin. I keep the humanoid form but I am larger, bigger, and more bulky due to my increase in muscle mass, going from a small skinny child to the size of a large sport playing teenager. While the process finishes with the weaver working in front of my throne with wounded warriors looking over me I enjoy the sight before me. My swarm forces release their pods blacking out the sun as they rain down. Enemy primitive projectiles and magical blasts shoot up from the world but they kill only a few thousand drop pods. A handful of dirt doesn't weigh the same as a mountain of dirt. The pods slam onto the ground exploding in a mass of biomass gel which is an all purpose swarm goo. It allows various swarms to move faster while walking upon it. It is slightly toxic releasing into the air above it causing hallucinations and causing the body to begin rapidly heating up causing death to the victim as it contains a slew of various genetically enhanced viruses and toxins to ensure rapid death to non swarm like creatures in designated areas. It is acidic allowing it to dissolve through most if not all materials with steal and other tougher materials only dissolving a small amount. It heals swarms forces by fusing with their skin stopping wounds and rapidly healing them. They are rolled and scooped up to be formed into a food source. It is volatile in some swarm when mixed and can explode splashing outward onto targets. It is made up of biomass and is an organism itself made up of millions of small cells working together to move and stretch. It transmits orders and thoughts to the swarm creatures as well as enhance their weapons with the biomass gel like substance as it rips through the enemy. It is a wonder application used in many different ways to accomplish one single goal, death to the swarms enemy. Many different creatures can carry it or even make it on the battlefield allowing for complete nutrient rich biomass on the go. After the swarm leaves many in the empire will turn that area into a biomass sludge to reduce all structures and other objects into the sludge to then be turned into a super field of harvestable crops for the new colonized world. This biomass gels soaks into the enemy world spewing and raining down onto the enemy. The creatures burst from the pods fast 6 legged large feline like creatures with a long armored tail and sharp claws and fangs begins to tear through the enemy line in untold millions. Larger plant snake like creatures begin to launce biomass as heavy artillery deep into enemy territory and more large lizard elephant hybrid creatures begin launching high powered barbed spiked can sized spines into enemy units. A complete flood of swarm forces launched from a giant leviathan class swarm ship which is on average 800 meters long 200 meters tall. They are an entire world conquering and colony establishing mass encompassed in a single living ship, and a swarm usually has 3-5 hundred of them. I enjoyed the bloodied onslaught as my pod began to open and I emerged anew. Before me my warriors and friends gather.
Maeve: Master! Your Okay! Your back!
Dana: Yes i am back Maeve. Sorry to have worried you.
Maeve: I didn't think you would make it with those serious injuries.
Dana: You would be surprised. I am very hard to kill.
Amari: You look different. Less human and more like those swarm creatures that are currently cleaning the battlefield.
Dana: Ah yes I have mixed more swarm into my genetic structure to enhance myself and to become more resilient.
Maeve: That sounds like an entire process.
Dana: It is it really is. The weaver bends and breaks you. It tears flesh and rips muscles to rebuild you and make you stronger. It is a very long and painful process to do it from scratch.
Maeve: God that sounds horrible. I'm glad your okay master.
Dana: I am fine. I'll be okay once the pain goes away.
Maeve: Master, I have a request?
Dana: What is it Maeve?
Maeve: I wish to have a form like yours. I sense great power from you.
The rest: I want one as well, master.
Dana: Alright fine. The weaver will see each of you. However you can only have the first form, nothing more.
Maeve: Why master?
Dana: I want you all to keep having a human form for the time being. Later on if you want to get a more swarm form that would be acceptable. If you all wish to partake, stand before the swarm weaver and he will change you.
Each take turns standing before the swarm weaver which under careful yet precise orders it rips them apart and rebuilds them. Once they all emerge in great pain and agony I tell them how to transform and that they can only do it when faced with much more powerful opponents since it will greatly even the playing field. It is a surprise weapon and should be used as such. Your transformation will entail you proclaiming with absolute power and terror "Swarm Form Release". Make sure you yell it to invoke as much fear and awesomeness that you can.
Korven approaches once my conversation ends with them.
Korven: Welcome back my Jarl, I am glad to see you safe even in a new form. As well as your new forms.
Dana: Thanks, I am in pain but I will survive. My bones hurt, but i'm not old.
Korven: How goes the swarm force?
Dana: It just finished completely destroying the enemy world, they are returning in the next few days. Once it is safe head there and begin to set it up as a farming world. Take any survivors from the rest of the world as prisoners and take some swarm enforcers and runners to help track down and purge those who are hidden.
Korven: It shall be done my Jarl.
I open a gate and then we leave for school once more. We were gone for 6 days but I know what is on tomorrow's quiz and I share it with the others. I shower and head to bed to sleep off the pain I feel and to get the strength I need for class tomorrow.
I enter my first classroom and the class falls silent as I take my seat just before the final bell rings. My classes went like this all day long. We take the quiz and go over the lecture before we got some free time, most likely for the teacher to listen in but no matter.
Midi: Welcome back master. You look how do you say, well enough.
Vidor: You look different master. What happened?
Midi and Vidor lean in as close as possible to me.
Dana: We were successful on the battlefield but I lost and arm and took many fatal wounds. I went into a swarm weaver to become something far greater than you would ever understand or comprehend.
Midi: It looks painful. Are you okay master?
Dana: I am fine, a ton of newly formed bones after they were broken and reformed but all in all I am alive.
Vidor: Well I'm glad you are okay, you sure wont be winning any beauty awards.
Midi: Vidor what the hell man. That was terribly mean and rude.
Dana: You may be right about that, beauty is not everything I can promise you that.
Maeve: Master is still beautiful even if she's more swarm like.
Dana: Thanks Maeve it puts my heart at ease to hear you say that.
Maeve: Of course master anything for you. Think nothing of it.
Amari: Power and strength are the most important. People follow those who are strong and lead regardless of if they are good looking or not.
Dana: That's very true. Thank you both for your kind words.
His comment put a smile on my face and eased my pain even if only for a moment.
After all of my classes were awkward and quiet we head to train as we always do.
It took some time but eventually everyone went back to normal since I am still me.
I did receive a swarm letter from Vulkan so that was a nice read. I reply to him I wonder what he would look like if he was more humanoid like, and that my recent conquest was successful.
Maeve looked at me with a raised eyebrow to my overly cheerful and smiling expression.
Maeve: Oh my master, what have we here? Is it a love letter by chance?
Amari: A love letter, in this day and age?
Midi: Oooo a secret admirer? I mean you are very powerful so it is very likely.
Maeve: Master only thinks about strength and power. I doubt it would really be a love letter.
Midi: It could be a love letter from a super body builder or a powerful warrior though.
Maeve: I mean it really could be. Everyone has something and someone they enjoy. Even if it's workout weights or a training weapon am I right?
Vidor: Everyone has someone they hold dear and cherish right?
Maeve: I mean it could be a funny letter from master's parents.
Midi: So master what kind of letter is it?
Dana: It is a romantic letter.
Maeve: …
Dana: …
Amari: …
Maeve: Oh crap really! Thats great master!
Amari: What are they like master?
Vidor and Midi lean in super close to hear all the juicy details.
Dana: He is very strong, a leader to his people, and is feared by his entire empire.
Maeve: Thats it?
Dana: Thats it.
Amari: Is there anything else?
Dana: Like what?
Midi: Maybe something about his personality or how well he fights?
Dana: He is terrifying and rips through his enemies with ease.
Maeve: …
Dana: …
Dana: Anyways lets get back to training.
I spend the remaining of the year training them in magic power and control. Since we are to represent the school as an elite team we get to skip this year's competition and solely focus on building power. Magic is like a muscle and has to be worked in order to grow and develop so I decided to put them through a military training regiment for the rest of the year and through the break. These few months flew by especially with our crazy new routine. We wake up at 4 and begin magic endurance and enhancement training as we run obstacle courses. We eat breakfast at 8 and then immediately go into a hardcore condensed training keeping the smallest yet most potent magic power into a super reinforced anti magic training bead. They struggled very badly to even get it to flicker or hold a little light for even a second, now the light is constant and bright for 4 straight hours. We have lunch at 12:30 and then begin intense obstacle course training again until 6 for dinner. We then do the super condensed training again until 10. We then all go home to shower and sleep to repeat this process. They became extremely strong. At this point they for sure are stronger than any other student at this school now and past.