It was July 8th.
The day of the first semester.
In the cold horizon of the training ground, two swords sparked against each other. Slash upon slash clashed, sending a loud metal clang with each one.
The sun shone somberly at the two swordsmen battling each other.
One was a 16 y/o boy, white-haired with deep golden eyes, looking like he had not even dropped a single ounce of sweat. The boy was wearing a whiteish, skin-tight training gear that showcased his sculpted muscles
As for the other, it was a boy with deep black hair and crystal blue eyes, showing a fearsome gaze towards the white-haired boy. He wore a deep blue, skin-tight training gear, absorbing the sweat his body produced.
The two battling were Veritas and Bello.
And standing a distance away from them was a distinguished man with white hair and white beard. He looked like the white-haired boy that was battling.
It was King Julius.
Upon the clashes of blades, Veritas moved as if he were dancing with the winds. He casually dodged Bello's attacks, and received some of them. For the whole entirety of their battle, Veritas had not even dropped a sweat.
Contrary to this, Bello looked desperate yet there was a flame of desperation within his eyes.
As the two blades clashed upon each other, Veritas spun back and struck a surprise slash towards Bello.
He reacted quickly yet Bello noticed that his stance was incapacitated. Thus.. he lost his step and fell to the ground.
Veritas wasted no time and pointed his blade towards Bello.
A resounding voice soon echoed amidst the training ground.
"Halt! It is Veritas' win!"
Veritas sighed deeply and reached his hands towards Bello.
Bello grabbed the hand and stood up, making his way towards the King.
"You two have done well."
Both of them nodded.
"For these past 30 days, I have seen drastic improvement in your swordsmanship, Bello. You truly are capable of being a pillar for this kingdom one day."
Bello bowed and tapped his chest.
"It is my honor."
After that, Julius stared at Veritas and gave him his words of approval.
"As for you, Prince Veritas. You have grown considerably well. Truly, befitting a leader for the future."
Julius breathed deeply and added:
"You two no longer need my Guidance, go forth and challenge your future!"
Veritas and Bello showed their gratitude with a deep bow.
"Go on and prepare. The Academy awaits you both.."
Although it was only the orientation for the semester, Veritas and Bello still needed to attend. The real day that the Academy starts is still up until next week.
The orientation could be said as a means to acquaint better with one's peers. This could also help greatly in assisting Veritas to learn more about the mysterious assailant.
With that, Julius left and shortly after.. the two of them headed in the same direction.
Veritas and Bello headed for the baths to cleanse themselves of dirt and sweat.
It did not take quite long though.
The both of them dressed formally and prepared their items for the orientation day.
"You look quite toned now Bello!"
Veritas teased.
"Don't patronize me."
"I'm serious!"
Bello thought about his statement for a second and then continued:
"I guess it's the fruit of continuous training.."
Veritas merely nodded and smiled softly.
The past 30 days could be said to have been hell for Bello. Not only did he exert his body to its utmost limits, but he was constantly fighting against the two most powerful swordsmen in the Kingdom!
That in itself bore an abundance of blessings. Not only did he get considerably better in handling blades, but he also gained new insight for battle.
Usually, Beasttamers stood back when commencing in battle. They were the command of an army, and that served as their main source of strength.
However, Bello was not only a Beasttamers but also an esteemed swordsman, trained by the King and Prince himself!
Not many gain the honor of being trained by royalty...
With that, the two of them got dressed in their best attires.
Naturally, Veritas was wearing his usual white mantle. Inside was a pure white suit, complimented by a black necktie. Veritas went for the all out noble prince attire, wearing expensive garments and accessories.
Bello was the opposite, his best attire consisted of a black turtleneck shirt, layered by an obsidian black suit, and layered again with a dark trench coat. His shoes were leathery and black, shining greatly by the reflection of light.
All in all, Veritas looked like the center of attention and Bello seemed like a shadow.
That.. was the purpose of their mission after all.
"You actually look like a Prince!"
Bello's eyes were in shock at the unusual sight in front of him.
To which Veritas replied by conjuring a near-perfect illusion of Bello beside him.
It then spoke mockingly:
"YOu ActuaLly lOoK liKe a PriNce!"
Veritas burst out in laughter while Bello stared at him with disdain.
"See how stupid you sound!"
He laughed some more, leaving Bello thinking some scary thoughts.
'I'll kill him.'
Veritas then dismissed the illusion.
"A month ago you were struggling to even summon a single illusion! Now you have the balls to use it as mockery?!"
Bello sounded annoyed but he was actually impressed by the Prince's rapid growth.
For 30 days all Veritas did was quite mundane, except for some other parts.
In the morning, he ate breakfast along with his family and Bello. After that, he went straight to Copper Borough to handle some "business".
Then, when the sun struck high and mighty, Veritas made his way back to the castle to eat and train with his Father.
After the sun had set, he would spend his time studying various researchers.
After that, he would make his way towards Bello's room to train. Occasionally, Veritas trained outside because Bello was scared that he would destroy the things inside.
Veritas trained his Path until his mind felt like it would split in half. Additionally, he also explored his various skills.
He explored more of the creativity that Will of the Winds and Windsong can bring. He used Galebreathe as a way to train the blade better, due to its nature of never running out of breath. Lastly, he used the three to practice the devastation brought by his innovations, practicing the usage of storm cut and other various things.
All-in-all, the 30 days of training was quite fruitful. Not only in terms of physically and mentally, but also intellectually.. The researchers actually helped Veritas confirm some theories that he had. Moreover, Veritas actually contributed greatly in researching the ranks above Beyond.
There was still a minority in related literature regarding the ranks, but the new ranking had been updated due to his contribution.
Before, people only knew about Untouched, Impure, Pure, and Beyond.
But now! Two new ranks were added.
They were Hallowed, and Empyrean.
Thanks to being a witness to the ascension of a Divine Being, Veritas obtained some credibility. Researchers were still on the way to prove or disprove his claims but as of now.. it was the only reliable piece of information that they had.
His status as a Prince also helped with his credibility.
"Ready to go?"
Both Veritas and Bello were standing near the main door of the castle, they were both asked by Julius..
"Yes, Father."
"Yes, your majesty.."
Thus, the two of them went out of the door and were met by two carriages.
One was luxurious and looked regal, and is the epitome of elegance. This was the carriage that Veritas was assigned to ride on.
The other was a similar carriage of luxury yet if it were to be compared with Veritas' carriage, then it would be considered as an ant to an elephant.
"I'll see you later, Bello"
With a wide smile on Veritas face, he bumped his fists towards Bello's.
Bello looked calm yet he was greatly ecstatic on the inside. This was the first step in his new life!
"Yeah!"
With that, the two respectively entered their carriages and made their way to Gold Borough where the Knights Academy resided.
It was a quick trip, not taking more than half an hour.
Along the way, many people stared at the luxury of his carriage. Crowds formed when it strolled through the streets, and Veritas greeted them with a warm smile on his face.
He soon reached the gates of the Knights Academy. Veritas looked around before going out.
He saw students that were attending the Academy. Although it was only the day of orientation, many were still wearing their respective uniforms.
The uniform consisted of a deep black coat that stretched far down the knee. Then, a long sleeved white shirt along with a striped gold and black tie was located inside the coat.
For girls, they wore frilled long black skirts, the length depended on the request of the wearer.
For boys, a black slacks were needed along with a deep-blue belt.
Both wore shining black shoes, and were required to wear white socks.
As for the Knights Academy, a huge daunting black gate guarded the entrance inside. It was designed impeccably, with striking lines and edges that looked intimidating.
Two ivory pillars were located on the sides of the gates; they served as outposts for guards and Knights.
At the middle of the pillar, there was a great arc that stretched above the gate. In it, there were words written.
{Knights Academy.}
{Virtus et Fortiter}
Crowds then started to gather near the luxurious carriage. They were at awe due to the sheer eminence of the imposing figure inside.
"Prince Veritas?!"
"Why is he here..."
"Is that really him?"
"There's no way that's him!"
Gossips and whispers were heard outside.
Hearing this, Veritas steeled his resolve and remembered his goal.
'Seek the Puppeteer'
With a heavy breath, Veritas stood up and got out of the carriage, a black-suited knight opening the door.
The moment he stepped out, the people were exposed to splendor. Their eyes gleamed at the mere sight of his elegant face, his royal mantle and excellent suit complimented his aura.
However, Veritas was already used to crowds gathering around him. He smiled warmly at the ground and waved his hand with benevolence.
In the corner of his eye, Veritas saw a figure wearing a long black trench coat, his crystal blue eyes gleaming across the crowds.
'Bello is already mixed in quite well.'
He gave a word of affirmation in his head and walked towards the entrance to the Knight's academy.
With elegance, Veritas' graceful figure shone amidst the group of crowding students.
He smiled warmly and shone even more radiantly.