Two months later.
X didn't take very long to cross the Apline Mountain Range and the Great Europan Plains. It was astonishingly fast compared to most regular people, and even knights. It took longer on horseback. The bitter cold of the mountains made even the hardiest warrior shiver from the chill that ran down their bones. Hundreds of different tribes lived in these harsh climates, and not all of them were friendly to travelers. Wolves occupied the lower regions of the wide expanse of highlands, their packs ready to rip apart anything in search of food. Higher up though, there were other beings, terrifying monsters hidden away from human civilization for years, creatures that were bigger and larger than any other of the species. It was similar to the Giant Centipedes and Scorpions of the Rahasan Desert and to the Thunderbirds of the North. Overall, the Apline Mountains were not a place most people would want to be in.
But for X, it was merely a casual walk through some beautiful scenery due to his body's ability to heat up. The cold made no difference to him. He felt like he had never stepped out of Terlem. He had even discarded his countless robes, not because he felt warm in them, but because it was too stuffy and uncomfortable, sweat making the clothes stick to his skin. There were too many, but the thought of throwing them away did not feel right to X, so he stuffed them all in his pack. For him, the scenery was all that mattered, and in that aspect, the Apline Mountains delivered. Snowy white peaks that stretched on and on, sights so beautiful X knew that words could not express them properly.
The Great Plains also had quite the view, fields of wheat that stretched to the horizon, smooth and undulating, covered with ripe stalks of wheat. Golden-brown and ready for harvest, swaying in the breeze. The sunset looked absolutely fascinating there, especially when he was walking slowly towards the setting sun while his thin fingers moved through the stalks of wheat. X loved brushing his fingers through the wheat as he walked, and once, unknowingly burnt a stalk to a crisp.
X was surprised by the lack of settlements in these regions. He could barely see any houses, and even though all this land was agricultural, and crops were growing here in regular patterns, there was not a single house in sight. It was only after he had traveled for a week or so after the one-month journey over the mountains that he met other people. A small village, similar in population to Terlem but only half in size, most of the shabby buildings looking so poorly constructed that they seemed to be temporary shelters. The people of the village were kind enough, giving him a place to stay and food to eat, but never disclosed the name of the village. According to them, this place had no name.
X kept walking, coming across many other villages like this one, and even hitching a horsecart ride from some of them, and after a long, boring month, he finally reached his destination. Or rather, he heard someone speak of it in one of the tiny villages and knew that it was nearly. That night he was taken in by an old couple, who told him many things about the Fortress City. They seemed to like him, especially since he did not say anything back other than his name and the reason he was going to the city, and only listened to the elders speak.
They gave him some freshly made hard bread and a roasted beef dish. After spending nearly two months lasting mostly on rations, this dish made X's mouth water. The next day he set off, the old couple helping in dealing with a farmer who happened to be going in the direction of the Capital city. When X tried giving the two of them gold coins for their help, they only pushed it aside and pulled him into a hug, and told him that if he were to ever become a Royal knight, he should check on their daughter, Hester. X promised to do so, although he did not know what a Royal Knight was.
The farmer dropped him off quite a distance away from Rossenberg as promised, but X barely could tell him a quiet "Thank you", mesmerized by the sight he was witnessing. In the middle of the Plains, surrounded by a sea of wheat, stood a massive circular stone wall. It rose up to the sky, a mountain taken away from the Aplines and placed in the middle of the Plains. Huge pillars ran along its surface, slabs of granite that were so polished they reflected the wheat stalks back to the Plains.
It was very well defended, with multiple mounted turrets with tens of knights on constant patrol, each armed with an arsenal of weapons like swords, hammers, and, multiple quivers of arrows hanging on their back. Loaded ballistae aimed outwards, ready to rain death over the enemies of the nation. There were other things as well, massive pointy things X had never heard of, not even from Frederick or the old couple. The most secure place in the entire Kingdom, housing both the Royal Palace and the Tower. The Fortress City, Capital of the Kingdom of Europa, the Final Shield, Rossenberg.
X walked forward in a trance, and by the time he neared the gates, he noticed around ten guards standing at the entrance, searching the visitors for weapons and other dangerous items. One of the travelers, a merchant probably had a sword in his sack and was dragged away from the queue by a muscular man with thick mustaches. The merchant begged for the officer to let him go, but the guard ignored his pleas and handcuffed the poor man, the pulled out a crystal shard from his pocket and pressed it on the merchant's skin. Nothing happened, and the guard let the merchant go with a sigh, warning him not to repeat his behavior and giving him a fine of three hundred gold coins.
X joined the queue while searching through his pack for the small pouch in which he carried his 200 gold coins, and slowly moved forward, his steps and confidence getting smaller and smaller. After around half an hour of dreadful waiting, X was next in line. The guards saw the young teenager, presumably 15 years old, and were surprised to see that there were no accompanying adults with him. The sons of rich merchants usually came here around this time every year, trying to secure a position for themselves in bidding for setting up temporary shops during the Academy Entrance Exam that occurs four months later, but they all had armed guards and maybe even a paid knight with them.
'Where are you from kid, and why are you here?'
'My...X...Ter...Aca...Exam'
X stammered a couple of incomplete words, having swallowed the rest of them. The guards were in complete shock and were unable to decipher his unintentionally coded message. As the guards mused over his response and the queue behind X bristled with impatience, the guard was nudged on his shoulder from the back. He turned around, and upon seeing a higher-up, Sir Ken, one of the Stage 2 knights who had returned from a deadly scouting mission, gave the knight a salute and left his post.
'Why are you here? You have a hatchet, a weapon, which is not legally allowed inside the outer gates of Rossenberg. You also lack the skills to actually maintain a conversation, which might not be important in your village, but within the extremely social city of Rossenberg, it is very important. Even if I let you in, which I won't unless you clearly tell me why you are here, there is no use of you entering here.'
X struggled to frame a sentence, unable to grasp at even the last straw of confidence that was left behind the moment he saw the knight, or rather, felt his presence. X thought that since he had spent five years with a retired Stage 3 knight, he would be used to the aura of a knight's strength, the pressure applied on everyone simply by being in their presence, which pulled the air out of his lungs and the senses out of his brain. But Frederick seemed to have held back, his presence being only a shroud of pure strength which gave a sense of confidence to everyone around him. This knight on the other hand had an aura of rapid energy, powerful vibrations in the air that displayed his enthusiasm and curiosity.
X suddenly remembered one of the other things in the pack. Good thing he thought about Frederick. He put his hand into it, and a few moments later pulled out a letter. Running the nail of his index finger through the tape that stuck the envelope, he ripped it open and plucked out the actual letter, then passed it to the knight.
'Hmm...Talented young fighter from the village of Terlem, trained by a retired knight, going to Rossenberg to participate in the Royal Academy's Entrance Exam. Well, now the hatchet makes sense. A little too early, if you ask me, but you can go in kid, and a small piece of advice from a senior, please fix your conversation skills.'
X walked forward, not having any reason to linger there anymore. The longer he stayed, the more embarrassed he would become. Well, it was not like these people were more important than the reason why he was here. As he walked forward, he felt an itch on his hand, and as he looked at it, he noticed something that looked like a broken mirror shard. It was the same thing that was pushed to the skin of that merchant when X joined the queue.
The other knights were shocked to learn that this kid was a participant in the prestigious event where trained prodigies from various rich clans and military families. They almost felt bad for the poor kid, who would probably lose the first round itself. The Tower Master, also Headmaster of the Academy, was a perfect person, completely against corruption, but even he could not hold back the fact that despite nobility having been banned ever since the crowning of the King decades ago, the rich were still superior.
'Wait, Sir Ken, wasn't your son also participating in the Exam.'
'Well yeah. He's not really my son, and I am sure you all know this already, but still, I am so proud of that boy. I like this kid as well, I hope both of them get to enter into the Academy and become friends.'
'Maybe you should get friends first, sir.'
The other knights laughed out loud, suddenly forgetting about the dilemma of the kid and his potential struggle fighting against the upper echelons of society. All except Ken, who was staring at the back of the young blond kid as he walked through the massive gates with an open mouth. At least he was not a demon in disguise, that much was sure.
X looked at the massive, glorious, wonderful, city of Rossenberg. His mouth dropped in shock as he gazed upon the city.