" I heard Lan is back, you know?," Ellena sneaked into Zenora's room. She was reading a book under a candle lamp.
" Oh, nice," she replied.
Ellena shut the door behind her and creeped beside Zenora and sat on her bed.
" Why is your room so dark?, " asked Ellena as she looked around.
" I was about to sleep, " she replied.
Ellena climbed on Zenora's bed and made herself comfortable.
" ohhh, you know what? I have been wondering ever since that day, Lan doesn't seem like a normal person, " Ellena said.
Zenora stopped reading and her eyes looked at the wall in front of her.
" I think so too, at first I thought he was some guy leeching off from you guys since you and Dan are nobles but I think I'm mistaken, there is more to him as a person, " Zenora then contemplated for a while waiting for Ellena reply who was deep in thought.
" You are mistaken about that, Zenora but that's not what I came to talk about! '' she rushed her voice.
" Don't you think he is kind of strange? When he beat up Gira, I was scared that he was going to kill him for sure. "
" Yes, it's almost like he is used to such violence," replied Zenora. Now she was looking at Ellena turning halfway around from her sitting position.
" I wanted to stop him!," Ellena exclaimed, " but when I saw his eyes, I couldn't approach him. We have been friends and when he is around us, he doesn't seem like that type of person. Now, I feel like I don't know him anymore, "
" He doesn't have any magic yet I can't help feel he is way ahead of us, " Zenora said.
" Exactly! he is not an average person, " said Ellena.
" I'm quite impressed," remarked Zenora while letting out an unusual smile.
" What is this girl?, " Ellena teased. " What's that unfair smile for?, "
She just smiled again tucking a strain of her pitch black hair above her ear gracefully. Ellena kept sending glances of curiosity and nudged her from behind to unseal the new found secret.
" Ellena, please stop. It's nothing, " Zenora replied while trying to conceal a shy and suppressed laugh or rather a joy to a face which was ruled by a monotonous queen for years, the queen poker face.
" Tell me or I'll keep poking until you can't handle it anymore, " Ellena threatened her. Just like Dan, Ellena was a true fighter of curiosity, sometimes she resembled Dan a lot, driven by pure youth and innocence.
" You like him ?, " as Ellena creeped closer to Zenora's face.
" No - No!, " Zenora almost screamed. Ellena looked in her eyes with excitement.
" You are so adorable Zenora! there is nothing to be shy about, " Ellena sympathized with her. Zenora smiled again as if she had finally admitted to the truth but she was skeptical of her feelings. It was just admiration and attraction, she convinced her it was nothing than her own thoughts.
" Do you like him too?, " Zenora asked. That's not what Ellena expected, her eyes widened in an instant as if she did not expect such an attack.
" I do like him as a person, as a friend, he is unique and has an air of mystery, I won't lie, he is attractive as a person but love? No, Zenora. I can assure you that, " Ellena replied confidently.
" You know Ellena, you are quite attractive, you are tall and you stand proud. I think that's what's attractive about you, " Zenora praised her. It caught Ellena off guard and she blushed.
" Oh my !, " Ellena jumped at Zenora and cuddled her. " Let me love you, "
Zenora cackled for the first time ever since she came to the academy.
" Though, I'm already engaged back when I was even born, so I can't enjoy such things as romance and love, " Ellena revealed some of her story which she hardly tells anyone. Presumably, as one of the pillars, Dan may have known about it but he never dared speak about it infront of her.
" To whom?, " Zenora stopped laughing and looked at her. Ellena averted her eyes away from her.
"Frallen Willingland, " uttered Ellena.
" The first son of the Willingland household?, " said Zenora. Willingland, one of the four pillars. The four pillars of Pheonix kingdom; Raskira, Vonter, Lezzlod and Willingland.
Without their contributions and administration, Pheonix kingdom wouldn't have thrive as much as it was today, the kingdom development owes alot to these four families especially. Pillars were also the majesty's most trusted vessels. King Kandorac Bon Ardrae, a true bloodline of Kalaz descendent but unfortunately his bloodline was not promised with his reincarnation. Werem was still a mystery and ever since his announcement to the world, the royal has been keeping a close eye on Werem which he was not aware of.
" Yes, I don't want it but I can't go against my father, " said Ellena with her eyes cast downwards.
" Have you ever tried?, " said Zenora.
" No," replied Ellena.
" I think you should, " Zenora said if she felt the frustration of a familiar nostalgia.
Ellena returned back to the bed and didn't say anything. She lay down on the bed and while staring at the ceiling for a while she said, " The marriage is in four years, when I turn twenty, "
" Become a great slayer meanwhile and I hope everything should turn for better, " said Zenora like an elder sister giving advice to her younger sister.
" That's a good plan, I guess." replied Ellena, still laid flat on the bed.
" Simple but not easy, " added Zenora.
Ellena looked at her and smiled, " I think I should go, "
" I was about to say you should cause I'm getting sleepy. " said Zenora with her emotionless tone.
" So bold! bold!. So cruel!. " and she ran out.
Lan entered the classroom while being aware of the attention he was going to attract, there they were looking at him curiously and sending smiles of ' we have been waiting for you '. Lan sighed internally and smiled at them. He went ahead and seated himself in his seat without saying anything.
" So, how have you been doing?," said Ellena.
" It's been more or less good," I replied.
" Oh, nice-" she uttered, " nice "
Dan was poking at her as if they are about to unfold a massive revelation. I looked at them trying to figure what they were on about.
" What's wrong, Ellena?," I said.
" Oh, oh nothing! anything happened out there while you were away?," she said, this was the first time I felt that Ellena was so awkward, she didn't seem like herself.
" Ahhhh,, we fought with an Alpha red hound. " I responded.
" What?!, " she shouted.
" Yeah, Me and gira were taken along to serve as handymen to one of their hunter class training missions. Jeral, Werem, Nyaka, senior Najaki and grandmaster Arilyne we all went to sage village to exterminate some red hounds attacking the village, it turned out that this unatural behaviour was in fact due to the presence of an alpha red hound. It's an anomaly division varae capable of fighting toe to toe with a grandmaster level slayer. Although, grandmaster Arilyne slayed it, it was a tough fight, " I described briefly ignoring all the bits here and there, especially my part and the shame of those hunter class students.
Ellena was in awe, her eyes as wide as the full moon. Zenora's expression remained unchanged, I would never know what sort of expression she was hiding under that unchanging terrain. Dan was smirking as if he was there in the battle, from his expression I heard an inaudible voice saying ' Didn't I tell you guys? huh! there was an alpha red hound! '
" Woooooah, your punishment served better than you could ever have wished for, " remarked Ellena.
" It was, " I said and laughed slightly. It was true, it turned out extremely good, I didn't know whether it was intentional or was it just out of pure kindness or was it just random? I would never know.
After Master class training, when I was in the library. One of the seniors came to inform me that I was summoned by grandmaster Arilyne in her office.
In eastern court, somewhere in an unknown building filled with vacant rooms and corridors, I walked towards a room with the grandmaster Arilyne name tag hanging above the door. Before entering, I knocked the door twice.
" Come in, " a voice leaked through the door. It was grandmaster Arilyne.
I opened the door and entered the room, it was more like a scholarly chamber than a slayer office, books and papers stacked here and there, her robe was hanging on a chair, the sunlight entered through the window and hit her back creating a silhouette of her frontal features. One of her swords was casually tossed aside near a book shelf and there she was sitting in front of me behind her desk with papers and an ink pen in her hand.
" Have a seat, Lan. " she said.
I nodded and did so as she said. " So how are you now?, " she was still checking the papers.
" I'm fine, grandmaster " I responded.
" I heard you were recommended by Master Senx, " she stated.
" Yes, he was one of the instructors during the entrance test, " I replied calmly.
" Have you heard of the apprenticeship program we have in this academy?, " she asked while still flipping the papers and not looking at him.
" Do we? I have no idea, " I replied not sure what she was implying.
" Yes we do but there is a requirement, first you have to become one of the top seven in the upcoming Wingless tournament, " she said and finally stopped flipping the papers.
" Wingless tournament? the name is terrible, " I replied impulsively as if I was talking to a friend.
She smiled slightly and said, " It's an inter slayer school fighting tournament for first years, "
" Other schools will be there?," I asked.
" Yes, it is held every year in our academy, Schools such as Raven Black from west, Wolferian academy from the city of Grondia, Bhaz Al academy from the Herean Tribe province and Order of Echona, " she said names which I have never heard before except one.
" Order of Echona???! That's not even an academy. They are just an ordinary knight order, " I said, surprised by the fact that the Order of Echona was recognized as a slayer institution.
" Of course, they are just knights but they are still recognized by superiors since they can perform similar to us slayers in many accounts, They have been here long before slayers first establishment and they have protected innocents with or without magic for long, so we don't have any right to not dignify them as a protector, which is every slayer duty. "
" They use magic now?, " I asked curiously.
" Yes, they do and you would be surprised to know that there are many high ranking magic users among them, who knows how many Yen affinity or even Zen affinity are hiding in their brotherhood." Now she was poking my curiosity.
" Wow, this is new. " I settled myself back in the state of calm.
" Plus, there is something interesting for you if you join, " She was looking at my eyes, feeling like a blackmail to make me join.
" and that is?, " I replied.
" You'll know, " She was smiling.
" Can't you just tell me?, " I said.
" That would ruin the fun, " she was a crafty woman." and I'm still a grandmaster, boy " a smile that said " Give me some respect, you brat! I'm a grandmaster of high calibre, "
" Ahh- then I'll be leaving, " I was about to get up from my seat when she stopped me, " where are you going?, "
I returned back to my seat and explained calmly, " you have too high expectations of me, grandmaster. You know I'm a cripple, I can't use any magic nor wield any slayer weapon so what's the point of me participating in this grand magic show off tournament?, "
" If you get into the top seven, I would choose you as my apprentice, " she declared. Her intention was pure, I could see it in her eyes and she wasn't lying about it but still I didn't understand why me? I'm the worst candidate she can find in the whole academy, I hadn't even shown any extraordinary skills yet not even my trump card, so where was her confidence coming from?
" I'm grateful that you would choose me but that's not possible, won't you be better off if you chose one of the candidates such as the pillar candidates?, if not Zen, they are Yen rankers at the least. " I said, trying to argue her absurd idea of recruiting me.
Her bewitching stare transfixed upon me as if she had already decided, " Why are so stubborn, boy? Most kids would already be on their knees just to be trained by me and you are here refuting my proposal. " she laid back on her chair.
" What can you possibly teach someone like me? you are a master of magic and I'm someone who can't learn any of that, " I was still not convinced with her decision.
" I understand your point, magic is essential for becoming a high level slayer, I was also ignorant thinking people with lower magic affinity should just give up on their dreams of becoming a grandmaster level slayer or that was I believed but I was wrong, I knew there are people who defy these natural laws and still becomes one of the greatest slayers through hard work and perseverance, Take Master Senx for example, he was my master even now, he is a better slayer than me in many aspects. He was born with a Qen affinity but even with basic spells, he can outclass many master slayers. Why? cause he has mastered the fundamentals and little of what he knows. I bet only few are as refined as Master Senx in the whole academy. I do believe that Master Senx didn't just let you in out of pity, he has sharp eyes for people and I trust his instincts, "
" Why is he still a master level slayer not a grandmaster then?, " I argued.
" That's because of some criteria of becoming a grandmaster slayer. Since, slayers strength has been embedded around magic and its system. To become a grandmaster one has to master magic integration and to master magic integration with Qen affinity it would take decades of training so many just remain at Master level but that doesn't mean he is not strong. He is strong and known throughout the world of slayers. " her chin was resting on her joined palms.
" But still I'm not even a Qen affinity, so why me?, "
" Are you afraid that you won't be able to live up to my expectation or you seriously don't want to become my apprentice?, " She read clearly through my fears, subconsciously I was trying to run away from her that even if I do become her apprentice and don't become someone amazing as she hope from me? I wouldn't be able to face myself then. That's what I was afraid of. I was clearly defeated, I had no words to prove myself right in my argument.
" It's just the truth, I don't have any magic and you know how far I can go with only that, " I replied with rather a depressing voice.
"But you still came to the academy," she said.
Simple words but those words pried my heart open, yes I did come here to live my dream, to challenge my destiny, regardless of how uncircumcised I was , so when did I become so tiny? along the way, I had forgotten why I ever came to this academy? was it driven by my instincts of survival or was it something else? Did I really come here just to make a living or to become something? I had forgotten to almost abandon it too, lost and deviated from my original motive, that was I had been doing. From becoming one of the greatest slayers I had downgraded my dream to just becoming a good slayer, that's how I deviated from my original goal. Somehow along the way, the failure of my debut, the revelations, I had forgotten why even I came here but when she said those words, a new flame, more like an old ember bursted out into a full blown fire blazing every doubt and weakness away, a conflagration of spirit.
After being dumbfounded and silent for a moment, I smiled as if I have been reawakened.
" No matter what you'll still want me as your apprentice?, " I asked one more time, a new found fire has been ignited within me. She knew just from my eyes that something has changed just now.
She smiled confidently and said, " I have said it!, "
" Alright then, Grandmaster. I won't go easy from now on, I have been trying to live a life of normalcy ever since I came here but I guess that won't do, " I said.
" Ohhooo, sounds like you have the confidence to challenge my hunter class students, " she smirked.
" I forgot that they would be participating too, haha " I replied laughing in excitement.
" Regardless of school, even the same school participants will compete for the top spot. So, there is a chance that you could be fighting against one of our hunter class candidates too, considering that you keep on winning " she said.
" Even if it's our academy students, I won't hold back, grandmaster. " I declared.
She laughed hysterically as if I sounded stupid. " So, where is this confidence coming from? "
I just smiled and said nothing.
" Even if it's your sister, Nyaka ?, " she added.
" Nyaka? she would be fine. She is much tougher than you guys think, " I said.
" Haaaah ! Are you sure you can win everyone of them?, " she said.
"I never said I'm better than anyone, I just said I won't hold back and I'm also curious how far I can take myself, " I have never tested my skills and arsenal of techniques against other slayers, so I was also curious how far I can push them.
" Alright, then. Lan Gwen Ethren! If you even make it into the top seven, I will make you my apprentice regardless of what others say and I'll teach you everything I know within these four years of learning, " she announced.
" Fair deal, grandmaster Arilyne, " I got up from my chair and bent my head in appreciation.
" One more thing, Grandmaster. Ask Nyaka about ' The demon of the black forest'. " I said as I opened the door halfway.
" Why? " she said.
" Just so you'll get to know more about your apprentice, " and with a smile I left her chamber and headed back to central court.