KINGDOM OF MAGIC

Langnon Village. More of a county than a village, but it was my home. And I saw it burn... I saw my family burn. And I couldn't do anything. My family did their best to save me, using their magic to protect me till their last breath. All I did was cry silently, tears evaporating before they reached my cheeks due to the fire Laying there, helpless, unable to help. . ∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ My buddy xero survived, cant say the same about Sheila. We were the village's troublemaker trio. We even had a fort. *Sighs*... At least her younger sister Jolie's alive. She looks a lot like her too That was the gory experience I was exposed to years ago. Since then, I vowed I won't let anyone dear to me die again... . Just then, Xero interrupted Castro , whose eyes were already watery. Like he was going to cry. "Let me guess... The audience?". Castro scoffed. "They're right there! Why can't you see them?!". "Castro, youve been hit wayyyy too many times in the head". Xero said, smirking. "I agree." Jolie seconded "But we love you that way." Jolie and Xero said while hugging him. Castro struggled to hold back tears that were about falling from his eyes. When he gained emotional stability, he streched his hand towards the castle gate in front of them. "Now, off to Rein kingdom!." . ∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ Castro, Xero and Jolie joined the line and waited for their pass to be checked. They gave a glass like card to the security guard, who used a light magic artifact to illuminate the object. The king of Rein kingdom's insignia appeared on the card, showing it's validity. Thus, they were allowed to pass. They all passed through a dark tunnel poorly illuminated by dim lighted lanterns hanging on the walls. They saw nothing but a bright light at the end, thus adding to the suspense of the appearance of Rein kingdom. The speck of light grew bigger and bigger, until they passed through it. They were greeted by the view of the marketplace. People buying and selling, the smell of freshly baked sweets filled the air. They made their way through the marketplace and got to the school of magic, where they've intended to go. This was the place where Rein kingdom decided to let commoners apply to become magic knights, or mages. They need all the help they can get against the orc invasion. "So this is the place huh?" Castro looked at the gold gate and pushed it open, letting them pass through... They passed the hallway and kept walking downward, not seeing anyone. "No one's here... Castro, are you sure this is the place?" Xero said. "Yeah, I know this is the place. It's on the flyer". Castro replied. Jolie just kept walking, avoiding them putting her in the matter when she stopped and turned at them. "Ummmmmm, this room leads to the registration point" Jolie opened the door and walked through. Castro and Xero could only do the same. Mediately, they were transported to a colosseum somewhere in the forest with a barrier covering it. "Then why did we need to go to the magic school in the first place?!". Castro blurted. "Because this barrier doesn't allow anyone in or out". A soldier said. "Now get in line for registration" Three hours later... ∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ "Can you believe we stood for hours just to receive a number?!" Castro shouted. "I can tell you aren't talking to me... Or jolie. So, the audience". Xero suggested. "Yeah, they'd know what we're feeling right now...". "At least the tournament is in three days...". Xero sighed. "We're going to train our hearts out!". Jolie said, after hours of silence out of hunger and tiredness. "At least the tournament is in three days...". Xero sighed. "We're going to train our hearts out!". Jolie said, after hours of silence out of hunger and tiredness. ∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ "We're about to train ourselves to become stronger!... We just need to find a place, like a magic school!" "Quit talking to the audience and get over here". Xero shouted at Castro, who was about getting immersed in telling the audience what they're about to do... "Umm... What am I supposed to be looking at?". Castro said while looking around. "This sign says: Zora's institute of magic is offering assistance in training for magic knights. Please come with creditable proof that you are a magic knight in training." Xero said. "That means we can still do this?". Jolie asked. "Yeah, and we're gonna beat those small fry". Castro replied assertively. ∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆ Zora's institute of magic.... Castro, Xero and Jolie showed the paper having the general and king's insignia, with their images that looked like a mugshot.... "Hey! Don't insult our pictures!". "Hey, Castro. We're outside! Stop that". Xero whispered to Castro, who is still pointing his hand to the sky. "Who's that?" "He's crazy!" "Are those his friends?" "Commoners, am I right?". People whispering, left and right. All around him.... And then that voice came... "Kill them" "Ill them" "L them" "Them" "Em" Over and over again... Getting louder with every second passing.... The hatred he felt for those boys, he felt for them all! "They don't deserve to exist" "Do away with them" Silently, poisoning his mind... His body succumbed. Clenching his fists, he felt ominous mana flow through his body. He coalesced and compressed fire and lightning together, intending to end them in one fell swoop... "Mama, what's he doing?". A little girl asked her mother while tugging on her mother's skirt. He felt warmth after hearing the little girl. He remembered that this was the reason he wants to be a magic knight... To protect people like this. He felt that primordial evil etched in him gradually dissipate, until it was no more. "Castro, you okay?". Jolie asked "Yeah, I'm fine, at least I think I am." Castro wore a distraught face. ∆∆∆∆∆ Two hours after they had submitted their credentials.... They had seen some spectacular battles. Some took time, some ended quickly. Thus, the two-hours space. Suddenly, Xero's name was mentioned and he stood up, walking into the hallway leading to the battleground. "Yeah! You can do it Xero!." Castro cheered him on. "Yeah, kick that guy's butt!." A fired up jolie said. A trumpet sounded, indicating the introduction of the knights about to fight. A man, clad in white and looking like a roman, came out of the shadows. This was the commentator, who will introduce the fighters and declare the winner. "Who's ready for this exciting matchup?!" The commentator shouted with dexterity The whole crowd, which consisted of the general citizens of Rein kingdom, shouted and cheered, signifying their dexterity. "Ok, this matchup and battle is to determine who will be allowed to train under Zora's institute of magic in preparation for the coming magic knight battle". The commentator cleared his throat. "On the left side, we have one of the best talents of the Sol empire. One of the royal nobles, he has quite the skill set. And another fun fact, he defeats his opponents in one strike... I present, Prima deus!" The crowd cheered Prima to come out... He did, but in style. He wore a royal robe plated with gold, built men dressed like tarzan carried him out of the shadows into the centre of the stage. The crowd kept cheering until Prima raised his hand up. Then, the whole arena became silent. The commentator cleared his throat. "On the right side, we have an indigen of Langnon Village, one of the remaining survivors, the unlucky person that is to fight Prima. Xe... Ro!!!!." Only a few people cheered him on, those people being the minority. Xero walked to Prima and stretched his hand towards him. "Let's have a great match" "I don't interact with commoners, they'll give me rabies." Prima scoffed. The crowd went wild with cheers. The commentator adjusted his glasses, he kind of felt bad for Xero. "Now that's a taunt from Prima! Remember it's still anyone's game. Who will emerge the winner?...." The air was intense, the colosseum was so silent, you could hear a pin drop!. "FIGHT!!!!!!!!!" Both parties' grimoires started floating next to them... They stood, looking at each other to find an opening where their defense is weak. "I think I'll test him a bit." Prima thought. He streched his hand towards Xero and a thin ray of light projected from his finger. Xero saw the light and reacted quickly to dodge it, but he wasn't fast enough. The ray cut his face. "What! Light? Could it be he uses light magic?" Xero wondered. He flipped sideways. "You've shown me your skills, it's only fair if I return the favour" Xero said while raising his hand up, coalescing a big ball of water with his magic. He then forms a fist, causing the water ball to become truncated. It kept truncating until it burst into minute droplets, spreading around the colosseum and forming a rainbow. Everyone:........ Castro and Jasmine:.......... Prima:......... Prima laughed hysterically. "Is that the best you can do, mongrel?" Suddenly, a thin stream of water scratched his cheek, cutting it in the process. "What?!" Prima exclaimed. "I've been cut! By a mongrel no less!" Prima started floating in the air and a magic circle appeared under him. Chains made of condensed light came out of the circle. "Light magic: Holy chain" Streams of chains went through the fog with tremendous speeds, forcefully clearing it, capturing Xero and smashing him to the ground. "A clone?" The mist clears and the water clone turns into a puddle, making Prima infuriated. Streams of chains went in every direction, wiping out almost all the water clones until a figure dodges one of the chain's attacks. "Gotcha!" Prima exclaimed. He redirected all the chains to move and attack in that direction. "Holy chain actually tracks mana emanating from one's body. Specifically, the object with denser mana emanation. This will be a cakewalk!" Xero created wings out of water in an attempt to have a better range for defense. He flew in a circular path so the chains would create a spiral, causing them to converge. He made a hard turn to the left, making the spiral diverge, which was delaying. Giving him time to create a gap between him and the chains. The chains moved with light speed and caught Xero, smashing him to the ground with even greater force. "Direct hit!" The commentator shouted. "But it is still anyone's game!" Xero blitzed from the debris in an attempt to defeat Prima from behind. "Fool! Your mine!" Prima scoffed. He turned back, releasing chains to capture him when suddenly, he felt a presence. "Impossible!" Prima turned back to see Xero holding a broadsword to his neck. "I win." Xero whispered to Prima. The crowd was wild with applause as this match was like one they've never seen... "The water droplets played a really big role in my victory. Using light reflecting from me, I created a mirror image of myself, resulting in the water clone. Then, I noticed the chains only followed whoever has the greater mana emanation, so I gave my water clone the greater half of my mana, giving it greater endurance. Then I created a mirage of me closing in on Prima when I was still on the other side of the colosseum. Him turning back to attack the mirage was my opening to speed up and reach him on time to win!" Xero raised his hands in victory and the crowd cheered him on.