The Journey To Mythorus Academy, Part 1: Marriage Proposals!
[Corven Umbrovante]:
A few weeks passed since Corven had returned from the Mythos Isles in the blink of an eye.
Corven had managed to pick up his twin long daggers from Maraxes, and, to say that he was impressed with them was an understatement.
The dagger themselves were both 16 inches long, each with a curved, dual blade one one side of the hilt, similar to wolverine claws, minus the middle one. Their curved, claw-like blades were a mix of emerald green and obsidian black while its hilt was just black with emerald green and yellow green etchings etched into them, with a fancy, easy finish.
"They are mid-demigod rank long twin daggers; they are definitely amongst the most hardworked weapons I've ever made, not to mention the intricate engravings and all," Marxes explained when Corven had come to pick them up. "They will be fine when dealing with even a low-level Chaotic rank opposing weapon, and may even tank a few hits from a mid-tier Chaotic rank weapon before giving out, so treat it well."
As Corven examined the weapon, he definitely found himself pleased with the results. He had to mentally thank his own awesomeness for killing that beast… And maybe Cimon, for providing his aid… Oh, who is he kidding? Corven was too awesome! He would've killed that serpent by himself if it were just him by himself.
"It has an active ability to inflict poisonous wounds, which can be built up after every successful cut inflicted on the skin of the opponent," Marxes' voice sounded, making Corven realize he had zoomed out slightly into his own head. He decided to refocus on the boy before him. "It also increases your speed by 5% per blade — 10%, if you're wielding both. What do you think?"
"They are perfect," Corven nodded his approval, calm but happy that he finally had gotten a weapon that suited him best. Now he didn't have to take out Darkstar everytime he was practicing his swordplay or in a confrontation with the 'young master' experience, and deal with the greedy gazes of those stronger than him that would undoubtedly want it, especially if the web novels and mangas he's read about were anything to go by. He'd have to purchase a Dual Wield Sword Arte soon, but Corven was sure he could afford whatever he gets, so he wasn't too worried about it.
"What will you call them?" Marxed asked, nodding to the blades in Corven's hands. "Beautiful works of art like those blades need a name, right? What will you pick?"
Corven thought for a minute. He had already become soul-bound with the blades so, even then, he could feel the power boosts he's receiving because of them. He thought it over before deciding on a name.
"I think they will be… 'Green Viper Fangblades'! Or "Green Fangblade' for short," Corven decided.
Marxes nodded his agreement. "Very on the mark, very fitting. I forged them myself, you know, and I think you named them perfectly."
'Now the only thing I need is the armor,' Corven thought to himself.
Corven had plans for that armor. He needed to acquire it soon, preferably before school started. He needed to somehow get it in order for his plans to be achieved.
"Thanks," Corven nodded, before continuing. "And the armor? Any progress there?"
"I've just pulled the scales we are using to make it from the carcass — I've just begun this morning," Marxes acknowledged. "I plan on beginning the smelting process whenever my shipments of magnesium and light titanium alloy arrive, which will be any day now. I will have your armor done before the start of term, I give you my word."
"I believe you," Corven said, turning to leave, giving a peace sign of farewell. "Thanks, again. Later."
Corven later on bought a low level Chaotic rank Dual Wield Sword Arte manual that he absorbed into his brain later that same day.
Corven spent the next two weeks training his dual wield Green Fangblade with his Dual Wield Sword Arte technique named "Kor'Kon" which seemed like a much more agile oriented combat style that utilized swift and direct strikes with high agility, similar to Star Wars' Jar'Kai and Form V, Djem, but for blades and body, utilizing speed and agility and the blade and body to become a weapon, essentially. And, thanks to Corven's upgrade he's more in-shape and agile than any Olympic athlete, making him extremely compatible with the technique.
He also practiced his Legendary tier single sword arte technique "Blade of Erebus " in his spare time and even had the head of House luminaris, Peter Luminaris, train him in hand-to-hand combat personally, much to Sean Luminaris' obvious odium. And Corven was a sponge for the knowledge, absorbing everything he could at an alarmingly swift rate, thanks to his comprehension abilities. He even reached High special level on his Chaotic grade Dual wild technique and high mid level on his legendary grade single wield technique. His hand-to-hand combat skills were also greatly benefited from training with Peter Luminaris.
Because it was a legendary ranked and incomplete arte, it moves were only the first, second and third arte forms. The sword arte's first form worked on foot work and positioning. It focused on becoming faster with the blade while also becoming a weapon in body and shape. It focused on building momentum as well as strength with each strike through becoming more and more like a sword, swift and deadly, through both footwork and flow.
The other two forms were only comprehensible to those who mastered the first form, which Corven hadn't yet managed to do.
Corven did managed to get even closer with Celeste, who mysteriously attained a Legendary rank saber art that she had only revealed to Corven after telling him about her dream of meeting the goddess Luna the day following said night.
At first, Corven was perplexed. He knew the Shadow realm was essentially a whole realm that supposedly was ever expanding, so the concept that there'd be species there he never even heard of, like the Moonborn Elves, wasn't lost on him. And he was perfectly okay with Celeste essentially being an elf herself that hasn't awakened her elf bloodline. If anything, that makes sense and it, inarguably, made her hotter and more attractive in Corven's eyes… Not that he was looking at her in that way, of course.
No, what Corven was disturbed about was the forces of Chaos being inside the realm he is supposed to inherit whenever he unseals the Shadow Realm. It disturbed Corven that the forces of Chaos were in his realm — his domain — when he could not even be there. And he could not do a thing about it at that moment. It was otherwise frustrating.
The fact that the Shadow Realm was being invaded meant that when he returned to his birthplace, he will have to rid it of all the forces of Chaos that's infecting it,and then he can reclaim his throne. He was okay with it though, as he could only do this when he achieved great enough strength, power and influence as well as an army to aid him.he already planned to become strong, and he had already decided that when he create his new species, he knew what he would call them:
He just had to add Celeste's mission on his to-do list of goals to achieve in the process he's already on the road to achieving.
Anyway, he had begun to get close to Celeste. She was funny and cute, yet just as fierce, just as stubborn as he was, and maybe a tad bit insane at times. She is also gifted with healing magic as well as light manipulation from what Corven has seen. He reckoned he saw her manipulating heat, too, maybe it was an energy thing? Either way, Corven decided she was worth getting close to. 'This girl has way too many hax!' he thought to himself. He'd be an idiot not to build some kind of relationship with her.
He also read upon the histories of the cultivation world as much as he could as well as the cultivation levels and anything else he could need to know about in this new world he's entered before school could start.
Another thing he picked up on was that Sean hated Celeste, and he did not like Corven much either. Corven did not care too much, though. He was not worried about Sean. if worse comes to worst, he could always sick his Shadow beasts on him and have him killed and eaten. He honestly did not care about the dumbass. In fact, Corven wanted him to do something just so he could have a justifiable reason to murk his ass. Something about that boy had Corven thinking he wasn't normal — His instincts told him the boy was bad news, and any move he make on Corven, Corven would not hesitate to kill him. He was not gonna let some idiot adolescent get in the way of his plans, and that was a definality.
Corven wondered for a brief minute second if he was in the wrong for thinking this way. Morally, he felt something was missing; he just could not figure out what exactly it was. Eventually, though, he figured he would have figured out what it was he missing morally about this situation, so he chucked it down to him just overthinking and overanalyzing his situation.
"I'm perfect, in every way, and, yes, that includes being morally superior," Corven muttered to himself. "I'm too awesome to have made a mistake, obviously. I'm just overthinking shit again, evidently."
Corven decided that he was going to go use the sauna room later that evening after all his training. Maybe that should allow him to ease his nerves and stop his overthinking. It would definitely at least help him to relax, that was for sure.
Eventually, there was only two days before school would start, and Corven was surprised to see Marxes stop by to drop off his armor in-person. He figured he would have had someone under him do it, considering he was a noble. From what he read on 'young masters' in novels and manga, that was what would typically happen. Either way, the armor was delivered in-person.
The armor itself was light armor that was reminiscent of assassin armor with an armored hood and accessory. It was scaly green and dark black, made of scales, metal and leather with cuffs, one shoulder guard on the right shoulder, complete with a light chestplate of dark green and black scale-y steel that interwoven itself with dark black cloth and the dark black scarf that came with the armor. The legging was also made of green and black scale-y steel. The scales themselves on the armor itself were gradients of black, emerald green and, in some areas, yellow-ish green.
"I call it 'Greenfang Armor,' after your blades,"Marxes explained. "It has an active ability to camouflage automatically at night or blend in automatically when its wearer is in a forested environment. Additionally, it has an amazing synergy with the shadow element somehow; it also increases the Stealth of the wearer by 11.5%, enhances Agility by 15% when worn, Durability by 7% and Poison/Venom Resistence by 30%. It is at the high level Demigod Rank, and I believe, when it is equipped with your daggers, it increases Agility, Stealth and Durability all by x1.5 of their original boosting. For instance, Agility, when wielding the daggers while wearing the armor, would, instead of being boosted by 25%[including the boost from both daggers: 10% + 15% = 25%], would be boosted by 37.5%."
"Impressive, most impressive," Corven praised Marxes skills with the smithing.
Marxes eventually left, saying he had to prepare for school, but Corven was beyond satisfied with his armor. He put it and his twin long daggers in his Shadow Space. He then ade his way over to the head of House Luminaris, at the Dining Hall. "You called for me?"
"Ah, yes, Corven, please, come in and take a seat," Peter said, taking his seat. "I just want to talk. It is nothing bad, of course."
After a fit of coughs that left him slightly heavy breathing, Peter watched as Corven took his seat, Corven's face showing the slightest hint of concern, but he said nothing about Peter's condition.
"In case you have not figured it out yet, I am very sick," Peter stated, helpless. "My own daughter's healing powers — known to be the best even amongst the nobles of our own house — can do nothing for me, despite her mother being a Primordial, and, with Sean's clear opposition to me naming Celeste my heiress, my leaving the living world… I fear that perhaps there will be a power grab in my absence…"
Corven, ever the direct person, had to fight not to roll his eyes at this old man's pause. He preferred when people were straight with what they wanted. He did not like guessing or assuming what others wanted, not that he couldn't, just that he would rather not, of course.
Raising an eyebrow, Corven spoke. "And? I do not see what this has to do with me? I am not of House Luminaris nor am I its 'heiress'," Corven stated, his face frowning ever so slightly.
Corven was never the most social of individuals; he honestly felt that he had no reason to being told House Luminaris business when he hailed from House Umbrovante. He did not see what any of this had to do with him. And honestly, he was little interested in the drama.
Peter seemed to consider this. He coughed into his fist before explaining himself. "I want to solidify her claim to the throne of my house. To do this, there must be a child bored and a marriage… Particularly in the reversed order of what I just said… Preferably."
"Get to the point, Old man!" snapped Corven, impatiently, causing Peter to shift on his toes, before continuing.
"I wanted to ask your hand in marriage," answered Peter, his eyebrow twitching at Corven's blatant disrespect of him. "I want you to marry my daughter, join our houses as one."
Corven considered this over for a moment. He did find Celeste beautiful and attractive. She isn't the worst person to be around, either, which, when Corven compared her to other people, was definitely amongst the highest things he could say about another human being. Plus she was strong, so it wasn't like she would hold him back if there were ever a situation they found themselves in that required them to fight their way out. He turned to Peter, who was watching him tentatively, waiting for his answer. "What is in it for me? Just marriage?"
"What?!" Peter was flabbergasted.
"I said, what's in it for me? Just marriage?" Corven repeated, raising his chin high in pride. "I am the prince of the Shadow Realm, Peter, and the heir to a much greater House than your own. If I take your daughter's hand, I will be bringing myself down to a lesser level than my worth. So I ask again, what incentive would I get to marrying your daughter?"
'What do you mean "Just" and "incentive"?'Peter thought to himself, realizing just how shameless Corven could be. 'I'm offering my precious daughter's hand in marriage, and you want more?! There are countless houses that would want her, including most of the 8 Great Noble Houses! But this boy's audacity is boundless!'
Corven, unaware of Peter's internal struggle, simply raised an eyebrow at Peter's silence, before getting up, ready to go.
"Ok, ok, wait," Peter gritted his teeth, pausing Corven with his relention. "If you marry my daughter, and she bores a daughter from your union, that daughter will inherit House Luminaris as its next head, including all of its wealth, power and status. And, should you unseal the Shadow Realm, they will rule House Luminaris from their seat on Lunaris."
Corven was surprised. He had every intention of getting something valuable off marrying Celeste, but control over a Great House through a daughter was not what he expected. It was better. Who would've believed his luck? But he did not let his glee show. He did nod, though.
"That sounds appealing," Corven acknowledged, causing Peter to sigh in relief, however quite too soon. "But I may not have any intention to stay loyal to just one woman, Peter. What will you do should I have other concubines? As long as you are okay with that, I'll agree to marry your daughter and drop a baby or two, maybe three, in her, and, in return, she will have my protection and House Luminaris, my favor."
Corven knew how he sounded. He was actually self-aware just how much of an asshole that came out as, but, as with his dull his emotions have become, so too has his tolerance for his inner asshole. In fact, he's come to embrace it. He sensed a madness in it that he was beginning to welcome.
That said, he will have concubines, but they most likely won't match up to Celeste. At best, they will just satiate his desires — Celeste, though, he could see making her his queen. She was definitely worthy of the position, but he'll have to actually be strong enough to free the Shadow Realm after unsealing it. According to what Celeste told him, there were going to be hurdles to face when unsealing the realm — Chaos forces located throughout the Shadow Realm that needed clearing.
Peter was internally enraged, but he did not let it show. He knew first hand that heirs of powerful families usually took more than one mate — especially nobles from the Great Houses.
'But to essentially treat my baby sunshine daughter Celeste like a mere concubine? The audacity!' Peter thought. 'She's a princess in the literal sense, damn it!'
Nevertheless, Peter was in no position to refuse Corven's terms. He was not sure how long he had until he would meet the hereafter, and, through agreeing with this young man's terms, he pretty much ensured Celeste's protection. And, so long as his baby girl was protected, she'll survive and he'll pass in peace, knowing she will be ok.
Peter eventually summoned a lawyer into the Dining Hall to write up this in blood contract, to which both signed in their own blood after reading it and rereading it.
"It was nice doing business with you, Peter," Corven said, walking away after receiving his copy of the blood contract.
'Business? This is extortion!' Peter was crying internally.
Corven spent that night studying and cultivating, and the early morning the following day, using the specialized gym for cultivators of the House Luminaris in the manor to workout. This gym was built to help legacies achieve optimal workout results by increasing the gravity inside by however many times the user wants it to be. It was essentially a Planet Fitness inside a Gravity Chamber, that adjusted the pressure to the user's desired number.
Corven had been using the gym to practice his sword technique and workout away from prying eyes the last two weeks. It kept him feeling at the peak of his abilities.
As he was finishing up his x3 gravity pressured workout and training, he put everything back and returned the gravity settings to their normal state. As he began heading out, wanting to take a shower and eat something after, he was thinking to himself. 'The ride to Mythorus Academy begins pickup today. I should go find Cimon this afternot. Perhaps after checking in on the griffins, of course.'
He had just exitted the gym, heading to the showers around the corner when he spotted Sean, immediately locking eyes with the young man who happened to be leading a handful of guards… somewhere. Corven did not care too much where. He was just hoping the guy wouldn't start something with him; he was not in the optimum mood for conflict nor did he have the care or energy to deal with his grievances.
Sean glared as Corven passed, heading towards Corven, much to Corven's annoyance. Corven released the most obvious sigh of frustration he could muster, rolling his eyes, thinking 'Fucking Hell, this guy never knows when to leave me the fuck alone…'. Sean stopped directly in front of him, his small battalion of guards doing their best to look intimidating. Corven found their attempts at intimidation lacking.
Sean towered over Corven, even with Corven's recent physical makeover. Sean's bulky, jockish build taller than Corven by that of an inch or two. And Sean, ever the asshole,spoke. "Corven."
"Steven," Corven replied, his face blank, giving nothing away.
"Sean," Steven said.
"Corven," Corven introduced.
"What?"
"What?"
"...."
"What do you want, Stephanie," sighed an exasperated Corven.
"Sean!" Stephanie snapped. "My name… is Sean!"
Sean was red in the face… Well, even more so than usual. He should honestly do something about that. Corven reckons that is not good for skin care routines or, you know, aesthetics.
"Whatever, Stewart," Corven said, clearly disinterested. "Why the ambush, Stewart Little?"
'Little?! I'm both taller and older than you, maggot!' Stewart's eyes twitched, but he released a heavy sigh, calming himself down the best he could. Veins still stuck out from his head and his nostrils still flared, as he spoke. "I hear you signed a contract to marry my sister…"
For a moment, Corven was silent. He briefly wondered how this guy could have found out about this bit of information before shaking his head in dismissiveness internally. This guy fits all the cliche niches for a secondary antagonist in a novel… High status, asshole behavior and narcissistic tendencies were just to name a few of the boxes checked.
'Of course he would find out about this,' Corven realized. 'He probably has the lawyer on his payroll for information…'
"What's it to you, mouse?" Corven asked, engaging Sean even more. He looked about ready to pop a cork, and he was as red as a balloon, too. 'He makes this way too easy,' Corven thought internally. 'Even more than Josh Allen.'
"Do you really believe that marrying my sister will change anything? That you could ensure her ascension when the time comes?" Sean sneered, his face scrunched up into an ugly expression. "When Father falls, and he will fall, the men here, who are of my House, are loyal to me. Those that are loyal to Celeste are of the minority. When Father dies, I will, naturally, take over the House and all its assets."
"Right, cause I clearly care about this, why again?" Corven asked, his disinterest evident.
This seemed to just really piss Sean off. He stepped up to Corven, threateningly releasing his High level Demigod rank aura in Corven, sneering as Corven found it suddenly difficult to breathe. He felt the faint urge to submit… to fall on his knees and beg for forgiveness for whatever he did that was wrong. He ignored it though. He still felt the urge to fall on his knees, the air becoming much more suffocating than he'd like to have admitted.
Or, at least, he did before Night Viper, who was inside his Shadow, exited, shrunken in size to the height the high ceiling, 1/9th the size of its original size, coiled around Corven protectively, hissing at a horrified Sean, as it warded off Sean's High level Demigod rank aura with it's own Tier A aura.
"Wha-what is that thing?" Sean managed to get out, his legs trembling even as he looked up at Corven's shadow serpent. "I-it's protecting him…" he realized, his voice shake-y. "What kind of m-monster is he to command such a beast?"
Sean fell on his ass, his small squadron of goon guards already running away by the time he found his legs doing the same.
"This isn't over, Corven!" shouted a retreating Sean. "I'll pay you back for this!"
Night Viper hissed one last time at Sean's retreating form, as Corven rubbed under its neck, watching Sean round a corner, disappearing from view. "Good girl…."
The serpent released small, comforted hiss, its tongue scenting the air before Corven then continued to the bathroom after de-summoning the shadow serpent. He showered, thinking about Sean's earlier words over.
"He was so certain that Peter would die… almost as if he knew something no one else did…," Corven said to himself. "I wonder if he's got something to do with Peter's condition…Curiouser and Curiouser."
Corven eventually shrugged it off, thinking that thinking too much about this would give him a migraine, so instead, he figured he would think it over some more at a later time. He eventually checked to make sure all his stuff was packed and stored in his Shadow Space before entering his Shadow Space itself.