Log 8:
Date: July 6th, 2190 I.C.
Time: 09:50
Location: Royal Court - Training Field
>>>
Alistar guided us through the grand double doors of the Peralia Palace. The elegant arch of the twenty-story structure loomed over my head imposingly. Upon passing through the archway, I was greeted with an enormous square courtyard that could rival stadiums where tens of Guards had been training. Their sweaty bodies, well-toned skin, and a six-pack plus crisp hair that dazzled in the sunlight caught the attention of the maids' and butlers' wandering eyes as they ogled at the magnificent sight before them but were shortly averted upon the presence of the Third Prince and the Duke.
"Hey, look at that. Isn't it the Third Prince and the Duke of Lengeheim?" One of the maids whispered to another.
Another maid silently squealed.
"Yeah, you're right. Aren't they dreamy?"
"They are the top Bachelors in Imperium City." A third maid chimed in. "But who's that girl standing with them? She isn't the Vice-Captain of the Royal Guards?"
"I know, right? The audacity of this girl to stand with those two hunks, and she's a common Receptionist." The second maid fumed, spotting my Guild jacket. "It makes me envious."
To me, whose seen their fair share of good-looking people over the years, the guards were nothing more than cabbages in a field. Plus, I'm standing between two men at the top of Imperium City's Bachelor's list. At the same time, I couldn't perceive Alistar as any more than my annoying neighbor friend and Alan as a socially awkward dude. However, I know one of them has been indirectly taken, but not by me. Sorry girls, as envious as you are, you don't have a chance.
A butler who overheard their conversation scoffed.
"You don't know who she is?! She's-"
The butler only talked to them for a few seconds, yet upon seeing the maids' faces pale at realizing who I was, I couldn't help but laugh. They must be new, so they wouldn't have known my history in the Royal Court.
I step onto the courtyard. The Guards parted away the moment they saw Alistar and Alan. The floor, coated in gravel and sand, grits under my boots every time I take a step. Wooden racks containing every weapon known to man and even some mundane objects like cups and pencils were present, lining the courtyard area near the lush bushes that separated the walkway, hidden behind marble pillars providing contrast to the Peralia from the field. The scent of cool towels in an Ether-powered bin with a splash of citrus oil wafted through my nose. The smell reminded me of my training days at the Academy.
"You remember this training field?"
"As clear as day," I replied, picking up a practice Gleafaver with its edges dulled down. It fits nicely in my hands. "Good balance."
While I was warming up with the Gleafaver, twirling it and thrusting it in all different directions, Alistar pulled Alan aside for a short conversation which I could only recall went something along the lines of this:
"Alan, you know Ari isn't as delicate as she seems. She could've easily caught that knife I threw earlier."
Alan nodded.
"I know. We competed together in Imperium Academy's Senior Tournament. The Unranked Ranker is what they called her."
>>>
In Imperium City Academy, 7th-year students or Seniors are required to compete in an annual tournament known as the Academy Senior Tournament. These students would form a team of four and compete in the tournament, but the tournament wasn't simply a tournament. It was a scouting area. The true purpose of the competition was for a student to showcase their abilities to a recruiter to get hired, be it an Adventurer, a Guard, a Medic, and so on. Essentially it was a job-hunting event. Of course, the better one performed in the tournament, the better job they could get upon graduation.
Almost two years ago, I competed in that tournament along with Alistar, Alan, and the current Vice-Captain of the Royal Guard, Hailey Summers. We were the winners that year, but it wasn't all that surprising, considering Alistar, Alan, and Hailey were the top students in their respective classes. What was more surprising was that I was on that team.
I was unknown at the Academy since garnering attention wasn't my thing. When the tournament came around, no one expected me to be on the 'Third Prince's' team, but Alistar personally came to recruit me. I couldn't refuse his offer since he did it before the whole school, but I accepted. Yet, it made sense when I thought it through from Alistar's perspective.
He lacked a Supporter who could patch all the flaws his team had. Most Supporters could only cover one or two of those areas since they specialized in certain aspects such as healing, long-distance attacking, or domain setup. However, what Alistar needed wasn't a specialist but someone who could adapt to every situation, and being someone he knew some extent of their abilities, I just happened to fit that bill.
The fact that I wasn't specialized in any aspect of Support made it hard to climb the ranks at Imperium City Academy. However, the tournament changed all of that.
In the end, when our team won, the students gave me a nickname.
The Unranked Ranker.
>>>
"Hey, Alan, what do you think is the most dangerous thing about Ari?"
"Her ability to dispel Arcmagia?" Alan replied as if it were obvious.
"No." Alistar chuckled, picking up a pair of daggers from the rack. "You haven't known her as long as Hailey and I have, so you wouldn't know. Plus, she didn't even directly fight in the tournament. She was a Supporter. Just watch and learn."
"You ready?" I hollered, propping the dull-edged Gleafaver on my shoulder as I walked to the middle of the courtyard. The gazes of onlookers focused on the prince and me, excited to see the show before them.
"Ready than ever. Alan, mind proctoring us?"
Alan bowed, then walked over to one side of the field, far enough away from Alistar and me, as we readied ourselves in combat position. A circle had begun to form around us from the pathway obscured by bushes and pillars. From guards, maids, butlers, and even a few ministers loitering in the area, everyone wanted a piece of the action.
"It'd be my honor. When I say go, you may begin. The spar will end when one person has their weapon at their opponent's vitals which cannot be avoided."
Raising his arm into the air, Alan began his countdown.
"Three."
I clenched my Gleafaver hard, attempting to predict Alistar's move.
"Two."
Alistar pointed his knives at me, ready to engage in combat at a moment's notice.
"One."
I steady my breathing, carefully planting my feet into the gravel. The Gleafaver's head pointed straight at Alistar's face.
"Go!"
Dust kicked up from the training field. Alistar sped towards me without holding back. He made the first move, closing the distance between him and me in the blink of an eye. A wise choice considering the weapon I use requires some range. He throws his first knife in his right hand with devil precision toward my head—a trace of Ether guiding its course. I dodged right of the blade holding my Gleafaver in a slanted position to where I could feel the cool metal body touching my head and the tip digging into the ground.
Clang.
The shrill sound of the knife contacting the steel weapon could be heard. More dust from the training field kicked up as I parried Alistar's attack, shifting the top part of my Gleafaver to the left, pushing Alistar's knife away from my head.
"Hahah, I knew it!" Alistar laughed excitedly. "You still recall how to block my attacks."
"You give yourself too much praise! Who do you think taught you that trick in the first place?"
I twirled my Gleafaver around, taking advantage of its engravings to lock in Alistar's knife. He retracts his left hand from my Gleafaver, readying for a second strike. But before he could do that, I released my Gleafaver tip from the ground. With the power contained in my legs, I jump back. Craning my body till it was nearly parallel to the floor as the knife he tossed earlier whizzed past my cheek. In mid-air, I plant my Gleafaver in the ground again, swinging my petite body around until I could hear my foot connect with something, Alistar's arm reinforced with Ether. His hand was outstretched as he pulled back the training knife to his right hand. I retract my leg and cast a small barrier Sigil with a shield emblem near my head connected with Alistar's strike.
I push down on my Gleafaver, the tip flipping up again, but this time gravel got picked up, obscuring Alistar's vision momentarily.
A chance!
It was my turn to attack.
Without wasting a breath, I thrust my Gleafaver at Alistar, to which he predicted that I was aiming for his head amidst dust.
Sorry, Alistar. I'm afraid you're wrong.
I lower my Gleafaver down slightly towards the gap between Alistar's abdomen and his knives. I swang up to take advantage of the moment Alistar was caught off guard, but I figured he would shift his blades down to intercept the attack.
Clang.
Once again, I was right.
"Her reaction time is as fast as always." I hear Alistar say before picking up the pace more, my body growing accustomed to the weapon in my hand. I retract the spear back, crouching down before kicking Alistar's legs, causing him to lose his balance. Yet before he could fall, he threw the knife in his left hand toward my wrist.
He was trying to disarm me.
I pour Ether in my Gleafaver, the training core embedded into its body glowing a soft golden hue. An ethereal gray flag approximately 60 inches in length materialized. The knife Alistar had thrown stopped by the flag's fabric which I had reinforced with a Strengthening Sigil. The flag fades away as I catch the blade midair while Alistar attempts to recover his footing. However, he was just in range of my Gleafaver.
I charge at Alistar, swinging the Gleafaver to his weaponless left side. But I activate the ethereal gray flag in the middle of my swing.
Meanwhile, on the sideline, Alan was watching the spat intensely. His eyes darted from left to right as he attempted to anticipate what Alistar and I would do next. Yet, what would happen in the last five seconds would be unforgettable.
With Alistar's vision blocked by the flag, I could see his body tense up from the unexpected move. I let go of my Gleafaver, casting a Boost Sigil behind it. A small green symbol with an image of the wind inscribed in a circle emerged behind the butt of the Gleafaver. In less than a second, the flag aligned with the tip of the Gleafaver.
Now!
With the snap of my fingers, the Gleafaver pierced through the ethereal flag towards Alistar, who had one of his hands planted in the ground.
"I won't let you, Ari!"
Alistar channeled Ether into the ground. The smooth training field was covered in sand and gravel, rumbling like bubbles in boiling water. Instead of hot water, sharp spikes the same color as the floor and as tall as me emerged from the field in the blink of an eye, decreasing the speed of the Ether-boosted Gleafaver that was decimating the spikes as soon as Alistar could create them.
He rolled out of the way of the Gleafaver's trajectory, which eventually hit the invisible barrier preventing weapons from leaving its vicinity. However, before he could even throw his knife, he realized the petite girl he sought was no longer in that spot.
With his quick reflexes, Alistar pulled his knife up to his head, the blade making contact with mine. I smirk, knowing that Alistar's instincts haven't dulled either. In that exchange, I created a distraction using my Gleafaver to create an opportunity circle around Alistar's attack so I could hit his blind spot.
But I had overestimated myself.
A direct knife confrontation wouldn't do me any good. Alistar swung an Ether punch at my abdomen. A wise choice since I was airborne. Unfortunately, it was a poor choice. Using all the strength in my core, I swing my right leg towards his punch, but instead of intercepting it, I push his arm away with the side of my boot. Taking the opportunity to retract my knife away from his.
He was completely open!
I tossed my knife toward his throat, but his freaking fast reflexes allowed him to catch it.
My eyes widened. Alistar had gotten even faster than the last time I sparred against him. What a complete monster.
"Thanks for the free weapon, Ari. It looks like it's my win."
As I fall back, my feet landing hard on the ground and his knife pointed at my throat, I chuckle.
"You celebrate too soon."
Alistar's face turned to sheer horror as soon as I finished speaking. He cranes his neck to find the Gleafaver I had thrown away early pointed at his back. My finger is coated in Ether as the Gleafaver hovers inches away from penetrating his spine. The verdict had been made.
Alister cracked a smile.
"You used that trick against me."
"We have a tie." Alan clapped his hands together while Alistar and I dropped our weapons.
"Damn, Ari. Are you sure you've been out of service for almost half a year?"
"I'm not rusty yet!" I snicker at Alistar. "Man. That felt good! I'm gonna tell Hailey she must beat you for me."
Alistar shook his head furiously.
"No, please. If I spar with her, the next place you'll see me is the graveyard."
"You're just a simp for her," I whisper. "Everyone knows that. Why don't you get your act together and confess to her?"
"Because-"
Before Alistar could give me an answer, the onlookers had broken out into applause.
"Nice spar!"
"I can't believe she was on par with the Third Prince! Was she a Royal Guard before?"
Alistar chuckled.
"Haha. If only they knew, they'd faint from shock. But seriously, your feints are my worst nightmare besides Hailey herself. You mind teaching me a few more?"
"You're quick reflexes should pick it up fast. All you need is a few more brain cells."
"Wow," Alistar rolled his eyes. "Your mouth is still as sharp as always."
"Hey, are you forgetting who had to tutor you in Advanced Sigil Theory so you could keep your ranking in the top ten?"
"She's got you there," Alan scoffed, joining our conversation.
"Alan, why are you siding with Ari?!" Alistar wailed.
"It's fun."
"You bastard! I'm gonna fire you!"
"You've said the last 250 times, but you know you can't."
Alistar let out a heavy sigh.
"Ari, you're rubbing off on him too much! What have you done?!"
"Nothing." I laughed, watching their banter, when suddenly I heard footsteps coming into the courtyard.
"My wasn't that an excellent display." A distorted voice said with amusement. "I see your skills haven't dulled."
I spin on my heel to find a figure dressed in a white suit with a red mantle strung across with golden braids draped on top of their immaculate coat, their hair covered by the black fabric attached to the back of the golden mask. Brown leather loafers covered their feet, leaving great indents in the training field, and their jeweled cane tapping rhythmically against the ground. A middle-aged attendant wearing a plain black suit followed them behind with a Tabloid, but he wasn't of anyone's concern. What mattered was the figure standing on the field whom everyone in Oriar knew.
"We great the Emperor of Oriar, His Royal Highness Magnus!"