Over The Years
Days turned to weeks, weeks to month, and months to years. The seasons flew by as a backdrop, as I was experiencing the final seasons of my my tenth year in this world.
My abilities had grown drastically throughout the period; my Mental Core and cognitive abilities surpassed multiple limits, and my experience in magic grew alongside all of it.
I succeeded in tailoring my own personal spells, and I experienced vast growth in swordsmanship. Enough so, I would be joining the guards voluntarily.
Since establishing my Mental Core, my adaptability and flexibility experienced drastic changes — by my seventh year, the range of my Mental Waves easily surpassed thirty meters, and i could hold over fifteen spells before succumbing to the added pressure that would weigh my mind.
My Mana Core evolved, and the purity of my Mana increased the vast range and potency of each of my spells.
By my eight year, I made new discoveries as the overall quality of my mental wave and Mana flow control and sensitivity grew.
I could double the effectiveness and attack power of my spells, and even physical attributes of my body by coating the spells and my attacks in a thick layer of mental energy. The older I grew, the more my base attributes and abilities improved as well.
Five years had passed since I started swordsmanship and magic training. I had grown a little taller, without a doubt, and my facial features were substantially maturing.
It took less longer for kids to reach maturity in this world, so the vast changes I experienced in my ten years old body wasn't all that surprising. And the older I got, the more I was forced to acknowledge my own charms.
I have always had a full head of black hair, and now it had began to grow just slightly. Each lustrous black strand, glistened more clearly underneath the right light now than before. My black hair had become more darker and silkier, giving a striking contrast to my clear ivory skin, and black pools for eyes.
My body, toned over the years, stood more sturdier than when I was five. The heavy body building exercises I had been forced through caused substantial changes in my build and even affected my height.
At ten years old, I stood at a height of 148cm, taller than than average ten year old kid, even by this world's standards. I had even almost caught up and surpassed Leon, who used to be at least a head taller than me.
While I reflected on the vast changes my body had undergone during the past years, I finally arrived at the eastern guard post in the village, with a small group of people already waiting outside.
"Ah." One of them, a golden -blond boy, about my age turned towards my direction.
He had pierceing blue eyes, sharp and exceedingly charming features, and he stood only a few inches slightly still taller than me. Leon had vastly matured over the past years, his crystal eyes now held a deep and clear gaze, with intensity almost as heavy as Mr. Ridge, his father.
He was only just ten, but there were barely any traces of childish naivety in his eyes or actions. His figure and gaze now oozed a strange and reassuring charisma, and each of his actions held a deep fluency that made it almost hard for anyone to look away or refuse to listen to him.
Just like his father.
Leon turned to me and gestured to the others next to him.
"Sorry, I've kept you guys waiting." I first of all said with a small helpless smile at the boys.
The one to the left of Leon, had short brown hair, and sparkling green eyes. Despite five years having passed, Don's expression still held their usual vibrant vigour, side by side the evident maturity, being a resident of this word provided him. Despite the innate playfulness in his nature, there was a sense of clarity and a willful spirit behind his form.
Don already had immense charisma from when he was younger, but that spirit had only been accentuated by his willful spirit.
Don plastered his characteristic grin when he saw me.
"Yo, Reo. Feelin' lively?"
"You finally made it," the young boy by Leon's right, added. Kyle had grown a few meters taller. He had creamish-grey hair and eyes, and stood with a bow and arrow hanging down his back, and a short sword by his waist.
Kyle was actually a son to one of the village's finest hunter, and as he was quickly getting older, he had decided to take up the family trade. It was around the same time Mr. Ridge realized Kyle actually had a surprising talent for the bow.
By seven, Kyle began learning under his father and older brother about hunting and using a bow and arrow, and swordsmanship from Mr. Ridge. It's only been three years since he began, but his talent and experience with the bow sharply surpassed the talent he showed for swordsmanship.
"All of you have arrived already, I see," while I was catching up with the guys, a familiar amiable voice called out to us from behind.
Mr. Roan walked up to our little group with a friendly smile and a gentle gaze. He had hair the color of moss, and pale green eyes. Mr. Roan was dressed in pieces of leather armor, and a long bastard sword hung down his left waist.
Mr. Roan was vice-captain of the village guards, and one of the many subordinates of Mr. Ridge. He had a carefree and easygoing attitude, a charisma that could drive the most upfront of people to feel familiarized within mere minutes of being around him.
Many a times during our training with Mr. Ridge had we come across Mr. Roan and many of the other guards. As there were times Mr. Ridge would be out on his duty, we would instead be left in the care of the guards, deepening our connections and bonds, side by side our strengths along with them.
As such, there was already a deep sense of familiarity between us and the village guards.
His gaze going through each of us, Mr. Roan then added.
"Ridge isn't here yet, but you guys should come with me. I'll begin the briefing soon, the others are waiting." Saying so, he led us deeper into the guard's grounds.
Outside of the station were already a number of armed veterans surrounding a long table and chatting away as they waited.
"Well if it isn't our little runts... glad you could make it! Hahaha!"
" Oh? I almost thought you four would chicken out. What a pleasant surprise. "
"Hey, Don, how's your older sister doing...she received my bouquet yet?"
The guards teased at us upon our arrival, each with their own comments. Despite the way it might have seemed or sounded, there was no actual hostility laced within their words or actions, it was just a mutual exchange of familiarity. Rather than just guards, most of these men present were more like uncles to the four of us after everything.
Don made a bright smile and approached some of the men. His expression turned smug and he threw out a thumbs up at them.
"She did," he said and the guards faces lit up and a they exclaimed — "then she burnt it."
"..." ×4
'Why did you lead with that and a thumbs up! '
I found out Don actually had a sister who was almost ten years older, Lucia. Far contrary to her spontaneous and sporadic little brother, Lucia was far more mannered and reserved.
Ladylike, at a glance. But more like a mother when it came to Don. She was a stunning young lady, who's charms were enough to have a vast majority of the guards as her not-so-secret admirers and fans. It also kind of wasn't helping that she was finally of marriageable age now.
So the guards found themselves Don as a wingman. But the kid was as dense as a rock.
At the end of it all, there actually was no harm in it, and the men were just hitting on a pretty lady.
"I'll begin since Ridge has yet to arrive," Mr Roan's voice cut through the chatter and drew the attention of all those present.
At the same moment, the boys and I joined the large group round the long table. At the opposite end of it was Mr. Roan giving the briefing, and all eyes laid on him.
All of a sudden, the usual carefree aura surrounding the young man was replaced by a more formal and professional one. The exact same could be said for the guards.
"It's that time of the year again, boys. Our most recent scout teams have discovered a few monster dens too close for comfort; we'll be splitting into different groups to eradicate and dissolve the packs. And while at it, we'll exterminate all monsters and wild beast within ten to twelve kilometer radius of the village. "Mr. Roan explained then studeid the attentive expressions of his men.
He shrugged, smiled then continued.
"Aside from the located monster dens, it's the usual annual subjugation, you all know what that means.."
"Huh?" Immediately, I noticed the various expressions of the guards changed and light up with twisting grins and chuckles. And at the same time, I heard Leon sigh deeply from my side.
Then someone from the group, jovially announced.
"It's a festival! Hahaha!"
As if responded to our obvious confusion, Mr. Roan took the reins once more and took it upon himself to clarify.
Turning to us, he said, smiling.
"You see, each year, we host an event where we exterminate all monsters between 10-12 kilometer radius around the village, as split groups. But to make this mundane duty much more interesting and encouraging, we developed a little competition amongst ourselves."
One of the guards interjected heartily.
"The group with the most kills gets to have the Boss place a petition and demand for any one thing from the Local lord of our region as compensation and prize," he said, clenching his fist with excitement.
Mr. Roan didn't seem to mind the interruption and nodded equally with a grin of his own.
"But remember to be guided about what you ask for. It's already amazing enough we actually managed to get the local Lord to agree on our competition, but we can't ask them for anything too absurd." He mildly cautioned, and his men all responded, well aware of all of that.
Watching the excitement among the guards, Mr. Roan's smile inched wider, then he turned to us, his green eyes held and anticipating light.
"Then I'll explain the rules..."