Harbinger: The Four Knights

Overwork

BOOOM! c***k!

Abel immediately heals Marcus’ broken and fractured arms after taking five of Amon’s punches head on. “I told you this is stupid. I have already seen this coming and it’s only been 15 minutes. If you continue this stupidity your body will start to break before your mind does.” Abel warned as the stubborn Marcus flashes a weak smile. “This is just the beginning-ah!” Marcus groan in pain after Abel smack his head. “Beginning my a*s. If Mr. Mark sees this, I don’t know what he’ll do.” Abel said with an angry tone.

[Ah! I was enthusiastic at first because he looks so excited before we started this but to think that his bones already gave out after 15 minutes which is still impressive but the damage is still massive. I did not think that without the bracers I would be producing such strong blows.] Amon thought to himself while Abel is treating Marcus’ injuries. “Let’s stop here today. I can no longer bear to hear your bones creak, it irritates me a lot. Let’s just think of something else that would be more useful than this.” Abel said as he walks out of the training room. The two then followed behind him, Amon ask Marcus how were his injuries. The latter said it was fine because Abel had already healed every injuries.

They went straight to the dining room where Kassandra and Mark were already waiting for them to eat together. “I heard you three are training so I did not ask the attendants to disturb you but you should eat first ad take care of yourselves. That is the most important and basic thing to remember when training, and that is eating well.” Mark reminded as the three nod their heads and sat down to eat and while eating, Marcus conjured two types of barrier that he knows so far and tries to test their durability. As expected, the one that he modified barrier using plates that are interconnected with each other showed the best result from the durability test.

His parents, Amon and Abel sees him and stares as they watch him try to figure something out. When seeing that he can’t imagine a new type of barrier, he dispersed his experimentation and that is when he saw his father’s chainmail, his eyes widen after realizing that the answer that he’s been looking for is staring at him in the face. “I got it!” he exclaimed as he tries to imagine what the new barrier would look like in his mind and started creating it immediately.

His newly created barrier took shape of chains linked together and wraps around the subject that he wants. His father sees this and flashes a smile and turns to his wife who is equally surprised of her son’s improvement. A huge smile flashes on Marcus’ face as he turns to Amon and Abel with an enthusiastic expression. “Let’s finish eating and rest before we go train again.” He said with a smile.

The three then immediately finish their food and went to the training room and rest before they go train again, Marcus told them the new barrier that he has in mind which baffled Amon and Abel at his discovery. “That might really work, I never thought that you would be able to think about that kind of barrier at all.” Abel said as he tries the barrier that Marcus said. His barrier envelop the dummy that was standing in front if them as he conjures a bow made of wind magic and shot an arrow.

FWOOOOOO! TRINGGGGG! BOOM!

The dust around the area covered and concealed the dummy but by the time the dust cleared and found that the dummy is unscathed. Abel immediately turned to Amon with his eyes widened while Marcus on the other hand has a huge grin on his face. “Effective right? I have seen your attacks from the guild testing room and it is really powerful, are you sure you used the most powerful arrow you have?” Marcus dared Abel to use his powerful attacks like that time, the latter then felt the challenge and immediately use his move that almost obliterated Nero.

“Now I feel a little riled up!” Abel whispered to himself as the space behind him gets distorted and countless magical arrows appeared behind him through the distorted space but before he can go on with his attack, Marcus stopped him saying that it would be pointless since his defense and attack are the same because he is owner of both and said that it would be a different story if the defensive barrier around the dummy is from another person. “Take the barrier off from the dummy. I will reinforce it with my barrier.” Abel agreed and dispersed his barrier as Marcus wrap the dummy with his own barrier. After seeing that the dummy had successfully been wrapped in Marcus’ barrier, Abel immediately proceeded to use his attack against the dummy.             

SHEEEEEEE! TRINGGGG! CRASH!

               Excited of the results, Abel swept the dust and cleared the area immediately. A smile crept on Marcus’ face yet again, the dummy is unscathed even with his attack that almost destroyed Nero. A smile also crept on Abel’s face after seeing the results of Marcus’ barrier and gave a thumbs up. “That is some sick and powerful barrier, I think you will be able to withstand most of the young master’s strength now so why don’t we give it ta try?” Abel said with an enthusiastic expression while Amon stares at them with a surprisingly happy expression that immediately gave Marcus and Abel a bad feeling about his happiness.

“Hey Abel, why do I feel a little restless after seeing that smile on his face? Amon looks like he is planning something.” Marcus whispered to Abel who knows exactly what Amon is thinking right now. “Well, the young master found someone formidable right now and I also feel the same. I have seen the result of your barrier which makes me wonder, how strong will that barrier be? I’m sure that is what the young master is thinking right now.” Abel said with a creepy smile.

Marcus felt a little uneasy after hearing what Abel said and at the same time excited to use it against Amon during their training later. “Well, I feel a little excited. Lets get into it!” the three enthusiastically jumped in and started the training in an instant as they fought with smiles on their faces. Their training kept sending shockwaves to the entire residence which made everyone else worried about what is happening.

Some even decided to take a look inside the training grounds and saw how intense their training were, most of the employees at the residence are well versed in combat and magic but after seeing how the three are doing, even the best fighter out of all of them in terms of both magic and sheer strength will not fail in keeping up with the three.

Marcus observes his son standing in the same ground with his friend’s son who is partially a demon and is destined to be a lot stronger than humans in terms of magical and physical ability. [Looks like they are having fun during their training, something that we did not get to experience even if we wanted to back in our days. Kids these days are really odd, if they exist in the same times from the past, we might have thought of them as weird and different. What a generation.] he thought to himself as he stands beside the marble walls while listening to the rumbles and the sound of fists landing on each other’s bodies.

Meanwhile

“Kairon, do you have any idea why the prince is so riled up after your arrival? He had been training nonstop for almost a week now and he is only taking breaks when it is time to eat. Did something happen during your travels perhaps?” a royal guard ask Kairon as they watch over the prince training his body. “Well, if I see someone as strong as that kid. I, myself would have been influenced like that as well.” Kairon muttered softly that the other royal guard did not hear it properly. “What? What did you say? Hey! Come on tell me! Now I am really interested in what happened.”

The royal family decided to keep the incident from getting out of the royal palace, with only a few number of people aware of what really happened after the report of Kairon, which both royal prince and princess testified as the truth when the emperor himself did not believe Kairon’s words and sent him to jail while they investigate the truth even thought Kairon was telling them the same thing. After the royal prince and princess testified for Kairon, he was taken out of the prison and returned to his work immediately.

A few minutes later

“My prince, it is already time for lunch. Please relax and take some rest before you eat. You will become stronger, you just need to wait and train diligently.” Kairon said as he hands over a towel to the prince who is covered in sweat. “Thanks Kairon but I think I will skip lunch today, if I take a break for more than an hour, I might not catch up to Amon at all.” The prince said as he only drinks water and was about to head back into training when his trainer also suggest him to eat before going back otherwise he will not be trained. “But I need to get stronger immediately!” the prince cried with a stern tone.

Kairon and the trainer understands what he feels but his health is one of their priorities. “My prince, getting strong takes time. There is no other possible way that could make a man stronger in an instant. And the most important ingredient in getting stronger is a strong body, a body with malnutrition will not stand a chance against someone who has a healthy body. Please remember that.” Kairon said with a calm tone as the trainer himself nodded. “What he says is true my prince. No strong and powerful person in the  history of the empire had a weak constitution but if you continue your behavior like that, you will be the first one to be so.” The trainer said trying convince the prince.

“If you say so Master Herrin then I will be taking care of my body as well.” The prince said as he walks inside to eat lunch and the trainer then turns to Kairon with a concerned expression written all over his face. “Just what kind of person was the prince wanted to be as strong as for him to push himself that much? Even the vitality pills cannot keep up with the way he does things!” Herrin pointed out and gave Kairon a gist of what is about to happen to the prince if he continues his behavior.

“I wish I could tell you myself but the prince told me not to say anything at all after testifying for my innocence. I’m really sorry Mr. Herrin, I will try to convince him about things so that you don’t have to worry about him at all, you are at the age after all.” Kairon bows his head as an apology for the current behavior of the prince, the old man Herrin accepted his apology and ask Kairon to have lunch with him and discuss about the future training of the prince which the latter agreed to go.

TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK! TAK!

[I will catch up to you Amon- I will not waste any time in chit chat anymore. Those who looked down on me after all these years will definitely see my efforts and will get acknowledge as strong, just like you.] Prince Japeth told himself as he walks into the dining hall where his sister and his father already waiting for him. “What is taking you so long brother?! Father said that we wouldn’t start eating without you so I have to delay my training because of you.” Joana let out a disappointed expression as she looks at his brother walking to the table. “Calm down, Joanna. Your brother is also doing everything he can for training so there is no need to be that angry, am I right son?” the king of Turlan Empire, Julius Turlan said with a comforting smile.

“I’m surprised you both are doing well in your trainings, both instructors told me nothing but praises about your improvements within just a week of intense training. The empire had not seen such talents as your for a hundred of years after your grand father.” The king said as he with a smile but both of his children did not take it as a compliment and told him that they are still lacking instead and boast of the person that they met at the hunting grounds instead.

“There is no way that my talent has not been seen in the last hundred years father, my talent will pale in comparison to that person’s immense talent.”  The prince said in disbelief. “If the person like that is unheard of then I will start to suspect the people with higher rankings to be the ones behind it. People in politics tend to get rid of persons whom they see as threat after all, am I right father?” he added which gave the king a little surprise.

“My brother is right father, we cannot compare to the one we saw that day even if you combine both of our talents.” Joana said with a flustered expression as she slowly eats her food. His brother flashes a smile and turns to his sister and teases her. “No way- the ice queen Joana seems to like that person. I never thought you could like other persons besides yourself.” He said in a very teasing way but his sister did not say anything put pointed the fork to her brother and warned him not to continue what he was doing.

Their father marvel at the sight of his children talking to each other, something that both of them hate doing from the moment they started to think for themselves. Prince Japeth is a person that doesn’t care of formalities and just want to live like any normal citizen and despises politician and officials of the palace while Princess Joana is a person that tend to hate crowds of people and doesn’t give an ounce of care in politics like his brother but the difference is that she hates talking to people and likes to stay in her room often.

The king saw the changes in the behavior of his children that he silently thanks the person who changed them the way they are right now. [Kesha, your children grew up quite magnificently. I would like to thank the person who turned them this way personally but none of them wants to tell me that person’s identity, saying that it would not bring any good thing for that person. They are still kids but to think that they already have an idea how the world of adults work, they are quite sharp for their age.]  the king though to himself as he continues to watch his children bickering.

A few days later

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

“Zhuge? What are you doing here?” Mark asked the instant he saw Zhuge standing beside the door of the training room. “Greetings my lord, I am just observing them my lord. They have been in inside the training room for a few days without even eating so the lady got a little worried about them over working themselves and wants me to watch other them and report what I saw but seeing them act like that even without eating seems like they can last an for a few more days.” Zhuge said as she bows her head as Mark lets out a laugh. “Ahahaha! That is so typical of Kassandra, do tell her not to worry. I gave those guys a pill that could sustain them enough nutrients while training!” he said with a smile as Zhuge nods her head and walks away  to report to Kassandra.

[Well, I was not the one who bought it thought, interestingly the head merchant wants me to give this to them saying that they are going to need this if they w ere to train hard, I did not think that it would be useful at all.] he thought to himself as he enters the training room and at that same time, all three of them fell flat on the floor, exhausted and panting heavily. “Okay that’s it. We got so riles up that we did not even take an ounce of sleep. We shouldn’t be ding this unless we want to die young. That’s what my mother would say!” Abel cried while panting hard.

“Geez, I would have wanted to rest if Amon here didn’t go all out form the beginning! I can’t just tell him to stop while throwing a barrage of punches right?” Marcus said with a quite exhausted expression as they fill the entire floor with their sweat. “The floor is really slippery, did we just fill the entire training room with sweat?” he added as his hand slides down the instant he wants to sit down. Abel nodded as Amon marvel at how they were able to fight like there is no end to it. “No wonder I slipped 3 times- er- I can’t remember. I lost track of time dang it! Tsk!” Marcus clicks his tongue but then they felt a little warmth around them and saw that Mark was there staring at them as he gets  rid of the sweat all over the room.

“I can see t hat you three are enjoying yourselves. I bought snacks if you want to eat actual food, that is.” The three did not waste any time and sprinted towards him after hearing that mark brought them food and chowed it down in just a matter of minutes. [Looks at these guys- they must be that hungry for real food while inside the training room for days. But to think they can last that long without food, that pill is really something. Where the heck did the head merchant get that pill I wonder.]

“So that was it huh? I can’t believe Mark would give them something like that. Young boys need rest after all since they are all still growing kids but what are those three planning in training that hard for a long time. Do you have any idea about this Zhuge? I also heard that the head merchant frequently visits the residence, it must be connected to the head merchant. I want you to investigate everything that is going on. Knowing Marcus’ personality, he tends to plan something like he did in the past.” Kassandra said as Zhuge bows her head and disappeared out of thin air.

“This room is a wonder in it’s self. To be able to repair itself that easily without any human intervention, this is a first for me.” Amon said as he tries to inspect the walls and floor of the training room while Marcus explains the mechanism behind it. “There is an artifact that makes a dimension that can easily repair itself from damages which can be bought by a hefty amount of money.” Abel and Amon immediately understood why they have to do some more hunting and expedition. It was to be able to afford to buy an artifact the same as this so that they can train to their hearts’ content.

“Well, let’s rest for today. Its bad to overwork after all.” Marcus said as he grabs the other two by their hands. “Yup, a proper warrior needs an ample amount of time to rest to be able to fight in his prime condition after all.” Marcus agreed and opens the door for them but after getting out of the room, they saw that it was already in the middle of the night and that their perception of time had been long lost. “What a coincidence, we are going to be forced to sleep. Haha!” Marcus lets out a laugh at the timing.

[To think that big brother would be able to stand against my attacks like that. He  really is a genius after discovering that kind of barrier. I wonder how many else he can show me!] Amon thought to himself as they walk to their rooms. “Hey- Abel, I feel uneasy again. Do you have any idea about it? Wait- don’t tell me.” Marcus slowly turns his head to Amon and saw the latter flashing a huge grin on his face. “I didn’t want to see that but to think that my thought is spot on. I think I might not want to discover things any more.” Marcus muttered to himself as Abel pats his back.