Harbinger: The Four Knights

Defective Artifact

[Ugh! I’m getting really embarrassed. To think that I would be walking in the halls of the academy once again. What a pain in the ass.] Marcus thought to himself as they walk in the wide halls of the academy. “Big brother, what do you think we will learn today?” Amon turned to Marcus with an enthusiastic expression but Abel responded to that question himself. “From what I read from the letter, today is just measuring our abilities so that we can be put in proper classes.” Abel spoke then a young lady approached them saying that if they are a new student, they need to go to the room at the end of the hallway and offers to guide them. “It’s okay, we can manage. I am quite aware of the places we need to go.”

Marcus step up and the young lady immediately recognizes him and bows her head. “So they were your acquaintance young master Marcus. I’m sorry for my ignorance.” She said as Marcus brush her off. “Yeah- there is no need to be doing that.” The three then proceeded to the room that they need to go as the young lady stares at the three’s broad backs. [Young master Marcus returned? Have he recovered from her death then? But why di I not recognize him immediately? Even the aura that he is giving off is entirely different from what he used to have.] the young lady is puzzled by the Marcus that she just met that she could not believe that it was him entirely.

“I can’t believe older brother is quite famous. Mr. Lee told us that you were once a heart throb in the academy and was followed by so many girls.” Amon said as he pat Marcus’ back. [Mr. Lee what have  you been telling them?] he got irritated by the nonsense that the head merchant told the two as they started talking to themselves while Marcus is lost in thought and forgot that they arrived at the room and bumps his head on the door.

The people on the other side of the door thought someone was knocking and opened the door and recognizes Marcus along with other two who seem to be with him. “Good morning Instructor Brit. I came here to bring my younger siblings for measuring.” The instructor nods her head. “Its good to have you back Marcus, leave them to me. There are others here who are measuring as well. It would be great if they see kids their age and get acquainted with them.” Marcus nods his head and told Amon and Abel that he will be waiting outside.

[Woah! So they are also here to get measured?] Amon is in awe of the number of new students that are getting measure. The measuring tool that they are using is a huge crystal which the students are placing their hand unto the crystal as it shines a different color basing on the student’s affinity, expertise and ability level. Such artifact that Amon and Abel have not seen even from their lands full of ancient artifacts.

The instructor Brit tell the two to line up along with the other students who were surprised to see that two more added to the line but what surprised them more is their handsome faces that girls could not help but look twice to see if they are not girls. Amon waved his hand to them with a smile on his face not knowing that he is attracting their attention and distracting them for the measuring, Abel realizes this and tells Amon that it would be bad if they are evaluated poorly because of what he is doing so Amon refrain from doing anything more that would distract them.

Those who have finished measuring themselves did not leave immediately and stare at the two who are ignorant of what is happening behind them. “Woah- those two are really handsome if you take a closer look!” a girl whispers to the others beside her who immediately agrees to what she said. “I can’t believe that I would not regret attending the academy if I were to stay here with those handsome faces.” The girls could not contain their excitement and lets out a suppressed scream. “KYAAA!” everyone else heard this and turned to them as they cover their faces in embarrassment when Abel and Amon turn to look at them. “Those girls- they got overexcited.” The one in front of Amon said as she turns to the girls that made the noise  and accidentally made eye contact with Amon who flashes a smile at her and she immediately blushes.

[Huh? Why are they reacting like that? I thought Mr. Lee and Harry said that waving and smiling would make them think of me in a different but pleasant way but why are they looking away from me?] Amon sighs out of frustration and drops his shoulders. Abel pats his back and tells him that everything will be fine. “There is no need to worry about something like that young master.” The girl in front of Amon was the one that is being measured, Amon sees the artifact working and is astonished about how the artifact works. [Woah! So it scans our hands just like that? What an amazing artifact, I wonder if there are things like that from the storage. I should ask great grandfather about that later.] Amon’s discouragement immediately gets lifted after seeing the artifact and now it was his turn to get measured.

Everyone is waiting anxiously for their results that almost everyone from the moment the two stepped inside the room did not leave only to know their results. Amon placed his hand onto the crystal and waits for his measurement but nothing happened. The crystal only flicker a series of random lights and eventually stops in black and then white but do not show his expertise nor his ability level. Everyone else is puzzled by the result that that instructor had to come to Amon’s side just to know what happened and ask Amon to do the measuring again and the same thing happened, nothing. Seeing that there is no hope the instructor ended Amon’s measuring there.

“How could this happen? I have not heard nor see something like this happened before.” She mutters to herself as Amon proceeds at the back. [That is impossible, young master is the strongest out of these people and yet his ability level cannot be read?] Abel thought to himself as he grits hi teeth in anger as he place his hand onto the crystal and the same thing happened to his results. Nothing happened and the crystal just flicker and eventually stops in green color. Abel wanted to destroy the crystal for it’s faulty results but stops himself before he does anything. The teacher told him to do the measuring again but he refused. “There is no need, I’m sure the result would be the same over and over again.” Abel then walk to Amon who is waiting for him at the back and gets out of the room after.

All the girls that were admiring them were in shock to learn the results and felt sorry for the two. “Their results did not show up then does that mean that they are weaker than we are? What a pity, their looks doesn’t amount to their abilities.” A girl muttered and discouraged everyone but some still admire the two regardless.

Marcus who heard what happened from the two of them is furious and wanted to demand the academy to change the crystal to measure the two’s ability level accurately. But Amon and Abel stops him before he does anything rush. “Don’t bother big brother, this will just give us even more attention. We will just settle with what the academy will give us, getting into a high class is not our goal anyway so anything is fine.” Amon said to his big brother but is hesitant to leave it be. Amon and Abel has a vague idea and maybe it is because of their real identities.

Amon talks to Abel through their minds and gave Abel an idea of what the artifact is. [I’m sure that artifact is made like an imitation of  our original artifact just like the orb that controlled uncle Mark.] / [Yes, I think that is also the case. Being made by humans, the crystal is limited to only reading those who the artifact can only read.] Amon nods his head in agreement as Marcus stares at them with a puzzled expression. Respecting his younger siblings’ decision, he lets the result be, at least in front of them. They then proceeded to  the next room where they will wait for their evaluations, right after entering the room, they saw a large amount of students waiting for their evaluations as well. The room seems to be a large auditorium filled with seats and only a half of it is occupied.

Some of the students have heard of the results and were silently whispering to each other but Amon and Abel ignores them, knowing that their results don’t matter since they have an idea why it turned out that way. They sat near the door where three seats are not occupied, some of the students inside the room are returnee just like Marcus and immediately recognize him after taking a second look at his face. “No wonder they are weak, they are with that loser Marcus.” One of the student who recognize him whispered with a smirk to his friends who seemed to have attended the academy for the first time. They started talking to each other and made deductions why they were influenced by Marcus’ weakness and laughed about it then all of the sudden, an instructor entered the room, carrying the results in her hands. It was the same instructor who was responsible for overseeing the measuring room.

She immediately saw Amon and Abel sitting next to the furious looking Marcus. [For him to be like that, he seems to evaluate those two differently.]  she thought to herself as she stands in front of the students and calls Amon and Abel’s name immediately. “I am really sorry about the inconvenience, I will tell the headmaster to conduct a special test the two of you to get a proper result-“ her apology and proposal was then halted when she sees that Amon raised his hand. “There is no need to go that far Ms. Instructor, we are to take what the academy evaluates us.” Amon said with a humble tone but Marcus was about to say something when one of the students that recognizes Marcus speak up.

“it is just as he says instructor, there is no need to go that far since he had already acknowledge their weakness and if you put into account that they are with that loser than that all makes sense.” A sudden nerve bulge on Marcus’ forehead in anger but the instructor refrained the student to say such thing. “What I am saying is true, that is only because of what-“ his speech was then interrupted when something grazed his cheeks and blood immediately flows from the wound.

FWOOSH!

“Don’t misunderstand what my young master is trying to say you fool. Your artifacts are just inferior enough that it can’t give a proper result.” They all turned to where the voice came from only to see Abel holding a bow made of wind and a huge number of magical arrow swirling above his head. Amon immediately scolds Abel and instantly released his magic and sat down. Everyone was dazed by the sudden event that they could not even sense Abel using magic. [Eh? When did he shot an arrow?] the student turned back and saw the seat beside him completely destroyed by the force of the arrow. [If that were to hit me directly- gulp!] the instructor, thought dazed of what she just witnessed warned Able not to use magic without supervision or permission from any of the instructors.

“I apologize, but my point still stands.”  Abel said with a calm and collected tone. Everyone inside the room saw how stubborn Abel is and start to admire his arrogance, especially the girls who also agrees to what he said after seeing his ability first hand.