Over the past several months, Mariel learned the skills from the Kehal Sword Bureau at an extremely fast pace. Her Qi control was noticeably better, and the fire magic sword was also more advanced. Mariel was able to use more and more moves in succession, until her skills began to approach those of the other pupils.
One day, when the time had come, many pupils had to leave the swordman bureau to study for 3 years of basic subjects in school before preparing to enter a higher-level magic academy in the future.
Cell, Kanti, and Sakal, 3 of pupils must move to a distant city to study, while the 3 Milgard brothers, Mix, Magus, and Martial, must prepare to enter basic subjects at a famous school called Wizz Kurzil: School of Magic, where has only wealthy families or the nobles only sent their children to study. They all hugged each other and said goodbye with tears in their eyes.
"All of you must study hard and do not forget the teachings of our swordman bureau. Be determined to study, be resourceful, never falter and move towards to achieve your goal." Kehal said one last time and gives invaluable teachings to his 6 pupils.
After the parents and 6 disciples left the swordman bureau to go their own ways. At this time, there were only 5 pupils left who were still training in the Swordsman Bureau.
Kees, Carl, and Kale were 3 twins who always trained together. Their training was to randomly attack each other with their Fire Magic Sword. It was like fighting for real, one person sometimes must receive an attack from the other two people, without any preparation at all.
As for Mariel, Kehal could be her sparring partner. When it was time to rest after every 30 minutes of training, it was Segal's turn to continue fighting with Kehal. They took turns practicing like this regularly.
One day after finished their training at 3 p.m., when Kees, Carl, and Kale were already traveling home with their family. Kehal had urgent business to go see the village headman near the bureau. Before leaving the swordman bureau, he gave orders to Mariel and Segal.
"Teacher had urgent business today. Segal waited for Mariel's parents to come pick her up at first before you returned home. Then I'll be back again after 4:00 p.m. In the meantime, take care of Mariel." Kehal said.
"Yes, Master Kehal." Segal answered.
When Segal promised, Kehal felt relieved. Then he quickly changed his clothes and left the swordman bureau with his wife's Midaran.
Mariel finished her additional sword training and sat down to rest while waiting for Deric and Claudia to come and take her home. Segal, who had looked after her nearby, slowly gathered his courage. Then he walked over and sat next to Mariel on a chair under a big tree.
"You've improved a lot, Mariel." Segal praised but the expression was calm.
"Thank you, Brother Segal as well. Many times, I tried to remember your attack patterns for applying it to my own approach as well," Mariel replied.
"I really couldn't imagine that Marielle would be interested in my fighting movements. These were the things that my father trained me as a guide.... before...." Segal's voice trembled and then fell silent. Then he lowered his head, as he was trying to keep his sadness inside.
Mariel began to realize that things were not going well. When she joined to this swordman bureau, Segal didn't usually hang out with anyone. When other people talked about their family and told their own stories. It's only Segal who tended to withdraw to be alone and quiet. He almost never came to sit and talk with other people.
(In my mind, I thought Segal might definitely had a bad past. It reminded me of when I was an orphan in a previous life in which you didn't see your parents' faces. There wasn't even a sibling to talk to, did various activities together. When thinking about those stories from the past, it made me feel even more sympathy for Segal.) (Chai thinking)
Mariel slowly extended her right hand and touched Segal's left knee in encouragement because he still was sad about his stories from the past. Segal slowly raised his head, tears streamed down both cheeks and it was the first time that Mariel had ever seen him shed tears in front of her. This made Mariel speechless.
"Calm down, Brother Segal." Mariel tried to encourage him. Segal slowly turned to look at her with worried eyes.
"You knew, you were look like my little sister. She had a strong mind and always gave me an encouragement." Segal said, confessing what was lingering in his heart.
"Eh?" Mariel was shocked.
Segal slowly closed his eyes. Thinking of memories from the past and slowly told her.
"Many years ago, we had a warm family, 4 people, parents and 2 children. We had a younger sister named Serena. We often traveled to different cities and did our missions together. Our father and mother would hunt for items that were dropped by various monsters, including collecting various raw materials to be exchanged for gold for our living.
We always inherited swordsmanship from our father until I had a certain level of skill. One day, we stopped to rest in a city in the north area. Our father and mother went into a store to buy various materials for the next quest which was quite heavy. While they were choosing to buy various magic scriptures and other potions. I and Serena looked at various things on the shelf items. Serena seemed to have stumbled upon something, then she counted the money in her own pocket in a hurry. After a while, she took the item to the checkout table and poured out all the money. When we were about to leave, I asked what she was buying but Serena immediately picked up the item and put it into her shoulder bag." Segal said.
"I tried to ask many times what did she buy? Could I look? But Serena kept quiet, Shaked your head and refused. Then she smiled and said that it was a gift for my lovely brother Segal, but she didn't say what it was. And then came the day." Segal said and his tears began to flow again.
Mariel could only sit next to him, feeling sympathy and understanding what he had been through.
"That night, our parents took us to stay at a wooden hut outside the city. Then the nightmare came, because an army of approximately 30 demons suddenly invaded. From what we know that night, the entire city was invaded by demons and monsters. Many people died. Our parents hurriedly woke up and prepared to fight the demons, then hurriedly ordered us to escape to the second floor and prepared to use the teleportation scriptures to teleport to the center of another city. But...unfortunately, our bag containing the two teleportation scriptures were destroyed by a demon that using dark magic and turned it into dust. So, I hurriedly took Serena up to hide in a small room on the 2nd floor..." Segal said as tears began to flow without stopping.
"We used all the magic power that we had to fight off the demons that tried to reach 2 of us, but they couldn't. In the end, we used the remaining power to create a fire magic wall to prevent the demons from entering the room. Even if it could resist for just a moment. After that, I and Serena heard our father and mother's cries of pain coming from downstairs. Then the voice went silent. There was only the roar of the demons and more of them came to us and we knew that Father and mother have died already. The last day of us must have arrived, we could only hold each other and cried, waiting for the death that was slowly approaching. The demons outside the room began to destroy the fire magic wall until it was almost completely extinguished.
Serena suddenly took out an item from her shoulder bag. It was a rare scripture called the Self-Disguising Scripture which made a person who could turn off every part of one's own nerves Plus, you can hide yourself from things around you for a while. But you were unable to move anywhere. Serena pushed me under the empty fireplace inside. Then she used the Self-Disguising scripture to conjure a white light to cover me. At that time, I felt that my body gradually became one with the fireplace."
"Serena, why are you doing this? No!" Segal asked.
The younger sister slowly caressed her brother's face through tears. It was like saying goodbye for the last time. Serena's eyes looked very strong and there was no fear at all. She could only think that she would no longer be able to be with her brother anymore.
"Brother Segal, thank you for taking care of me and you always protected me well. I love you." Serena said in a trembling voice with tears flowing down both her cheeks.
"You had to be strong. Please get revenge on demons for our father, mother, and me. Goodbye." Serena said goodbye for the last time.
* The sound of the room door being broken into*
Segal was now hidden inside the fireplace, invisible to the demons. In front of them it was a young girl waiting to face death.
Gazzz!! (Kill her, don't leave any left!) A large demon roared loudly.
"No, no!! Don't do that to her, please, don't!!!" No matter how loudly Segal shouted, demons couldn't stop their actions. With Self-Disguising magic causing things around him not to hear him at all.
The sight in front of him was terrifying. The girl's body was torn to pieces by demons, her blood splattered everywhere in the small room. The demons had devoured the girl's body until almost no bones could be seen.
Segal looked at those demons with hatred in his eyes. His hand was clenched so tightly that blood was dripping out.
"I vowed to exterminate all demons. I promised in front of my sister's soul, including my father and mother as well." Segal said with anger and his both eyes were bloodshot.
When the demons flew away. The Self-Disguising magic wore off after this. Segal slowly carried his broken-hearted body down from the second floor. The scene in front of him was Blood stains scattered throughout the first floor, broken equipment, and various items which scattered all over. His parents were also killed and eaten until almost nothing was left too.
Segal slowly picked up some supplies that were still usable. A small amount of healing potion, a sum of money, and then put them into Mother's bag, which was still can be used. and then we set off without a destination.
"Then I would be entrusted as pupils of Master Kehal here for another 4 years until I was skilled and proficient. Then when I am almost 16 years old, I will be entrusted as pupil to the Shalaman Shield Academy, which is a shield-swordman Bureau where is famous in this class that was recommended by Master Kehal because if we learn from many academies, we will get even more skills to fight." Segal said.
"Mariel believed that Brother Segal might be a strong shield-swordman and you will get rid of the demons as the promise to your sister," Mariel said with encouragement.
"Thank you very much...If possible...Can you be my sister? From the past, I always been alone and my house not far from here which is a small house that father bought a long time ago. I live alone and rarely talk to anyone. When I met you, I felt like I was seeing my sister Serena again. I must apologize for the past. If I may seem cold to you because the scene from the past come back to hurt me and it made me not dare to talk with you." Segal said.
"Sure! I'll be a good little sister to you, my brother's Segal." Mariel responded with a smile.
(In my mind, I think I would like to have a brother or sister in my life. Getting to know this person is considered a very good thing. When Segal became an older brother of mine. It's like a strange connection. Even though they weren't born from the same family but it's like they've known each other for a long time.) (Chai thinking)
Segal was silent for a moment. His tears slowly flowed down and a smile that hadn't been seen in a long time.
They hugged each other tightly, encouraging each other. Then they swore an oath to be brother and sister from this day forward.
"If there's a chance, brother Segal will have to go to My house. How's about next week? Mom and Dad will be having a party with several neighboring families. You are coming with me in the car after the training session is finished in the evening. I'll talk to my parents too." Mariel said and invited him.
"Sure, Mariel. I will go and it wouldn't be a bother, would I?" Segal responded.
"What's bothering you? You're my brother now." Mariel said.
"That's true, Hahaha!" Segal laughed lightly.
They waited until Deric and Claudia come to take Mariel home. Mariel waved goodbye to Segal and then, the car slowly moved out of the bureau until it was out of sight.
After that, Segal walked back to his home with a smile.