Early the next morning, when the first rays of light burst through the training hall, Neo arrived. He smiled upon seeing Amarok, who was currently lying on the ground with his sword in hand, as if holding a beloved woman.
Neo felt a wave of pride rise in him. He seemed to be able to see himself in Amarok; whenever he had a goal, he became unstable. "Exhausting yourself would not make you win, you know," he said.
Amarok jolted, slashing with his sword. Neo smiled; he was way out of the sword range but nodded in his mind. It was fast, precise, and sharp. "I can't slack off if I want the first place," Amarok said with a smile. His eyes were still half open, and his vision unclear, but his senses were stimulated to the maximum; he could clearly feel everything: the sounds of birds flying far above, the running water from the man-made lake behind the town, and the rising and falling breathing of his master. He exhaled as he opened his eyes, his mind at ease; his heart seemed to be moving in synchrony with the world.
"What's with that smile? Too eager to get your ass kicked?" Neo mocked.
"Just wait for me to grow a little, master, then we shall see who will beat whose ass," Amarok said with confidence. It wasn't words, and Neo knew it; he smiled.
Without warning, he dashed toward Amarok, crushing the distance between them. "Master, don't; it's not wise to charge like that," Amarok waved his sword, drawing a beautiful arc in the void.
Neo scoffed, "Don't forget I am the one who taught you everything." He slid past the arc, closing in. Amarok wasn't surprised; he smirked; the first move was a preparation for the next. His sword moved in one swift motion, crushing the void as it moved diagonally.
Neo's body moved; he seemed to be covered in a familiar ethereal white aura. He spun, finding his way behind Amarok before the sword fell. He was sent biting the ground face first. "Ouch... You could have gone a little easy. You want me to stand my whole life?" Amarok almost cried, caressing his backside as he got up.
"I know I told you to get the first place. But it was just to motivate you. Even if you're eliminated in the first round, don't get too disappointed," Neo said about to leave.
"What confidence you have in your disciple," Amarok was baffled; even his master didn't believe in him. Was he that weak?
"The people at the Golden Season's exam will be far stronger than anything you have faced till date. Stay here today and train," Neo explained before turning to leave. His words were clear. "Thank you, master. If I had known I could avoid working in the farms like this, I would have trained even harder," he murmured in an inaudible voice.
"Little rascal, don't get too cocky; the exam will not last forever."
"Oh, one last thing: we need to go and pay with the first golden flowers to the town Lord this evening. Get back here before dusk," after those words, he then left.
Amarok peeked outside to check if Neo was really gone. He smiled finally. He covered his swords in a leather sword sheet, hoisting it at his waist. Amarok was delighted as he moved through the streets.
A castle expense of building could be seen; people moving to their occupations - a blend of normal people and adventurers holding swords, axes, wands, and many different weapons. Wandleaf was not usually this busy with people; it certainly had to do with the exam. It was organized by the powerhouse of Lower Elysium under the King's order; it was to recruit talented Rune sorcerers and warriors that would reinforce the army.
Thus quite a lot of resources were used to entice enough participants. In the sky, a group stood out. They were the only people riding a flying beast—a winged tiger.
According to legends, its claws could tear through the void, its wings could cover the sky, and its roar could destroy mountains. To think that someone could have it as a mount was a testament to their strength and power. Although it was just a baby winged tiger, it was nonetheless impressive.
The people on its back were calm and elegantly dressed. A teenager, probably in the same age range as Amarok, stood at the forefront. Its majestic wings flapped, almost covering the sky. Powerful gusts of wind swept through, caressing his skin, his black hair fluttering in the air. He frowned—these people were clearly trying to make it clear who they were, flying directly above the City Lord's manor.
"None of my business," he shook his head. He had earned the possibility to loiter today, and he wouldn't set it to waste. He seldom visited the town; most of the time, he was working in the farms or training with his master.
He moved to a huge place at the center of the town. There were three important attractions in Wandleaf: the Golden Garden where he worked, the man-made lake behind the town, and the Rune Master Platz. At its center, there was a statue of a woman. It was almost ten feet tall.
Amarok felt insignificant before it. He smiled in awe; she had a proud smile and perfectly carved features. He couldn't help but compliment the person who created such a masterpiece. Despite its beauty, it was not the main reason why people came here. It was because of the legend attached to it.
The Platz was full of people, but it was clear from the lineup that they were all from different statuses. Amarok stood at the far end with the people of Wandleaf. Meanwhile, in front of the statue, there was a group of people—elegantly dressed and chatting without reserve.
"It's said ElaraWizeldof Grimgar was the strongest Rune Master that ever existed," one of them said with awe. "Yeah, she was indeed impressive. Legends say she was among the legendary Rune Masters that defeated the noble who turned into a demon," another said, still even more impressed. "I wonder how strong that person could be to force Rune Masters to gang up on him," another added.
"No matter, it wasn't his. His entire clan was sullied because of their greed, having to resort to a curse to reach the noble rank. But fortunately, retribution fell in due time. They were all wiped out before their curse took over the world. My father was part of the punitive expedition," the apparent leader said as he approached the statue. He was full of pride and smiled at the looks of admiration from the crowd—who didn't know about that story.
"Senior Kleid is so talented; it's only normal with such a father," his friends started sucking up. "You're right. Senior Kleid is the best. Even if one of them was still alive, they would be no match," another said. Kleid was full of smiles as he stared at the statue.