Across Eternity (The Infinite) Book 3 - Chapter 10

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The Second Dish

Ziradith retrieved her clothes and fled the mansion, leaving behind a mixed audience. Many had always loathed and lusted for her, watching their dreams come true and now looking to Noah with unspoken comradery. What do they do? Drink and jabber about what they had just witnessed, as though pinching themselves to make sure they weren?t dreaming? Or go get the nearest whore and try to replicate what they just saw and imagine themselves in Noah?s place?

Others felt threatened upon hearing his name. They knew the story of the prince?s humiliating loss at the academy, of a man named Noah winning his fiancée, and it left them concerned. He was a mere commoner, but the damage he had just inflicted upon the Herald dukedom, as well as the kingdom itself, was immeasurable. This was social terrorism on a national scale.

Someone brave enough to do these things, smart enough to plan them, and capable of achieving them was not to be trifled with. He was so dangerous to the aristocracy that they wished him banished like an evil spirit. Fear kept them in line, fear of retaliation from this man, whose name had gained notoriety in certain circles. His reveal hadn?t been for Ziradith, it was for the audience, so they?d know the face of the man they must never oppose. Perhaps it was better to just keep their distance, as antagonizing him seemed like a rather bad idea.

Regardless of their feelings, many guests decided to leave, whether they were satiated, repulsed, or rushing home to have some fun. The party was winding down, and Noah had gotten what he wanted, but there were still some things he wished to indulge in. He retired to the bar, enjoying a drink and a smoke with Daniel, who was on break. The gonlief they were enjoying was enhanced with alchemically-created THC.

?So, you just memorize all these molecules for fun?? Daniel asked after taking a deep hit. He held it in and then slowly released. ?Oh, this is that GOOD shit!?

?Sort of. I always thought it would be cool stuff to know for when 3D printing improved. I?m just using it for a different kind of printing.? He spoke of it as a possibility, but in truth, it was a reality he had lived in several times before.

?Well keep it up, because this place is now like if Pornhub and Chuck E Cheese had a baby.?

Noah pulled out a deck of cards and began to shuffle it. ?Maybe next, I?ll help Cyrilo open up a casino in here.?

?There could be jello wrestling.?

?I know a lot of cooking techniques I can teach. We could get a strip club buffet in here.?

?It?s a good thing there?s no ye old health inspector. Imagine the health rating a kitchen in a medieval brothel would get.?

?Don?t ask about the special sauce; it?s a family recipe.?

?Rich in vitamin AIDS.?

Noah began passing cards to him and Daniel.

?Oi, deal me in. I?m feeling lucky,? said Foley, approaching the table. He came to the Knight?s Sheath every now and then to get drunk, so he was familiar to Noah and Daniel.

?You know you don?t have to wear that helmet right now, don?t you?? Noah asked.

?Are you kidding? I want to wear it into battle! Anyway, that was quite the spectacle you put on. Impressive as it was to watch, even I have to ask: what the fuck are you thinking? You realize this is going to come back to bite you in the ass, don?t you??

?To be fair, dude, that was a really fucked up thing to do, in more ways than one,? Daniel added.

?Well, my relationship with the Herald family wasn?t quite magnanimous before tonight. If Galvin insists on making me his enemy, then I might as well win this tit-for-tat feud.?

?Oi, Gideon, come join us,? said Foley, seeing his friend approaching.

?Not in the mood,? he grumbled.

?Didn?t you have a good time with Emily??

?Shut up.?

?Ooh, I know that tone,? said Daniel.

?Sounds to me like someone got stage fright,? added Noah.

?Did you shoot your arrow before taking aim?? Foley teased.

?Fuck all three of you!? Gideon barked.

?Relax, man. Don?t take it so personally.? Daniel held up the gonlief pipe. ?Here, try some of this. It?ll make you feel better.?

Gideon gave a resigned mumble and took a deep hit from the pipe. He released his anger with a cloud of smoke. ?Ok, I do feel better.?

?Pull up a chair. The game is elven nox, moon over sun. Lucius, a bottle and four glasses, if you would.? Over time, the party withered, and the four men stayed up late, drinking and playing cards.

The next morning, Noah ignored the pain of his hangover and paid close attention to all the cadets in the mess hall, sharing news and gossip. This world didn?t have social media, and in the academy, isolated from the outside world, the only vectors of information were the cadets recruited to serve at the party. Not all of them were willing to divulge their activities from the previous evening. Still, Noah could see the story being disseminated among a few groups of friends. The way they bowed their heads with hushed voices, the expressions of jealousy, shock, and horror on their faces, and the occasional shouts or laughs from people who could not contain themselves were all better than television.

Alexis and Sophia had yet to be informed of Noah?s indiscretions, so they ate breakfast with him as usual. They didn?t notice him watching Galvin. He didn?t want to miss that beautiful moment. He hoped to see Galvin?s face the moment he found out what had happened the previous night. Henryk was out of the way, and Mark had disappeared, so he only sat with Seraph. Unfortunately, breakfast ended before he could see it.

Noah?s sword class was uneventful. A few cadets were giving him odd looks, but nothing noticeable. The story hadn?t spread far enough. It was in the bathhouse that details were being given. Noah hid his face with a towel and listened to the cadets chattering. With his earlier feats, his role at the Knight Sheath party was believable to most, but when Ziradith?s name was mentioned, almost everyone scoffed at the ridiculous concept.

Alexis arrived when he took his seat in the mess hall and slammed her tray onto the table. ?Is it true?? she asked with cold eyes. Beside her was Sophia, looking like she didn?t know what to think.

?You?re going to have to be more specific.?

Alexis punched the table, drawing the eyes of cadets at other tables. ?Answer me.?

?Yes, it?s true.?

Alexis exhaled with her hand over her face. ?I swear, you are the enemy of all women.?

?Don?t be so dramatic. Look, you hate Ziradith, and we?ve established that I don?t fit your interests, so stop pretending you?re jealous or anything similar. You heard about the Knight?s Sheath burning down, right? Galvin did it. I figured this would be good payback. If anything, you should be applauding the poeticism and my commitment to a theme. I could have just burned his house down, but I put real effort into this.?

?Believe it or not, I have noticed a theme, and it is disgusting. I am honestly curious: are there any limits to your depravity??

?Oh honey, that is not a conversation you want to have.?

?While I do share Alexis?s horror, I would be lying if I said I wasn?t impressed,? said Sophia. Alexis flashed her a look of disbelief. ?What? This is going in the history books. Knights have died for this kind of recognition. And you tell me the last time there was gossip this juicy.?

?Please don?t encourage him.?

?I?m guessing you two heard about last night while in the women?s bath. Who was telling stories??

?Allison Crowberry.?

?Ah, yeah. I think I lit a fire in her. I?ll be surprised if she doesn?t move into the Knight?s Sheath at the end of the year.?

There! He looked past Alexis and Sophia, watching someone approach Galvin and start talking. Noah couldn?t read the cadet?s lips from this distance, but Galvin?s facial expressions were clear as could be. He got mad, thinking that it was just a sick joke the cadet was making at his expense, then tried to dismiss it as a hollow taunt. Next came the details, with Galvin?s barrier of denial crumbling as he learned what had happened, where it happened, and all the people who had been around to see it in all its scandalous glory.

Galvin, his face becoming paler by the second, looked around and realized how many cadets were shooting him glances as they guffawed at the sinful tale. By that point, it was still possible to remain in denial, but then, he looked to Noah. Upon seeing the smirk on his face as he raised his goblet in celebration, Galvin snapped.

?NOOOOAAAAAAH!?

He climbed up onto the table and drew his weapon, a magic staff, then pointed it at Noah with a tan-colored magic circle appearing. He didn?t bother naming the spell, just released a crazed scream and forced it to activate. The floor was torn apart as the earth beneath Galvin?s feet was pulled up and fused to create a massive orb. Noah thought back to Mira, a dead mage specializing in earth magic that he had been acquainted with, and wondered if she could?ve matched Galvin?s spell.

Everyone between Noah and Galvin instinctively ducked down, and the sphere was launched, shooting across the mess hall like a runaway semi. Noah dodged one way while Alexis grabbed Sophia and pulled her the other way. The orb smashed through the brick wall like it was nothing. Everyone was hit by the resulting shockwave as the air was forced out of the room.

Noah stood up and dusted himself off. ?You got something you want to say to me, Princess? Please say it softly, as I?m a bit hungover from the party last night.?

?I?LL FUCKING KILL YOU!? Galvin created another magic circle, this one blue, and swung his staff.

All the liquid in everyone?s cups rose into the air and shot towards Noah like a load of buckshot, each one flying with the kinetic force of a 90mph fastball. Noah didn?t get out of the way; at least, that?s what it looked like to everyone. He had already activated both his spells and let his clone take the attack. For those watching, it looked like every single orb simply missed him by a hair?s breadth while he stood calmly.

?You?re aim is terrible. Me, I always get my target, like when I shot my load across your mother?s face. Considering how you burned down the old Knight?s Sheath, I think it?s only fitting she work at the new one. After all, she?s been bailing you out of trouble since the day you started walking.? He spoke loud enough for everyone in the mess hall to hear him. Galvin screamed at the top of his lungs and lunged towards Noah, jumping from table to table with his staff raised high and a blade of water forming around the tip.

?Catch me if you can,? Noah taunted before running out of the hole in the wall.

Galvin chased Noah across the academy grounds, to the main gate, and down into the city, all while Noah continued to taunt him. Rapid blasts of earth and water were launched, none of them ever hitting him. Noah led him to the abandoned slums, where nobody would intervene. When they were completely alone, he finally stopped and turned to Galvin, the prince gasping for air and furious beyond all measure.

?Tell me something, when Mark gave you the idea to burn down the Knight?s Sheath, did it ever occur to you that it would be a bad idea? Did you stop and think about what would happen afterward? What I would do to you? You killed eighteen people and wounded another twenty. Did you really think there would be no repercussions just because you?re a royal bastard??

?All I could think of was you and all those whores screaming in agony! My only regret was that you wouldn?t have the sense to curse my name while the flames turned your bones to ash!?

Surprising Galvin, Noah began to laugh, which turned into a mad cackle. ?I?ll admit, Princess, you did manage to wound me with that fire, perhaps more than anyone else ever has. Crazy as it may sound, I should be congratulating you, maybe even thanking you. I can?t remember the last time I got to feel the vibrancy, the ecstasy, of such blinding rage. To chance to cast logic and reason aside, to have this genuine hatred that I feel in my bones and enjoy the rush, comes along oh so rarely for me. These emotions, these feelings, they?re so wonderfully intoxicating.

You did it, Galvin. Well done. You succeeded in something that few have accomplished: You pissed me off.? Noah reached out into his pocket and pulled out a small cloth bundle, tossing it to Galvin. ?Here?s your reward for such a stunning accomplishment, as well as a ?thank you? for this interesting experience.?

Galvin caught it and looked at it. It was his mother?s monogrammed handkerchief, drenched in semen. The smell hit Galvin, and he dropped it, then vomited his half-eaten breakfast onto the ground. ?I?LL KILL YOU!? he screamed. His temper had already cost him all of his mana, so Galvin charged and began swinging at Noah with his staff like a madman. His moves were feral and obvious, and Noah had no trouble avoiding them, never even needing to draw his sword.

?Your friend Mark told me all about you and your failures. Every time you?d fuck up, your mother would pull strings to clean up the mess. She ran your life to try and keep you from embarrassing her any further, but you couldn?t even do that right, and she despised you for it. The power, the authority, the wealth, everything you think you have came from your parents, neither of whom ever loved you. I?m guessing you probably had a wet nurse as a baby. How does it feel knowing I sucked on your mom?s tits more than you did??

?Shut the fuck up!? Galvin yelled, continuing to attack Noah like a rabid animal.

?What are you going to do now, Princess? You think she can keep bailing you out of trouble after last night? All her political power, her ability to intimidate and leverage, it all disappeared when she stepped on that stage, eager for me to use her like a piece of meat. I?ll be surprised if she can even retain her territory after this. You, the cucked prince, son of the whore duchess, you?ll have nothing, you?ll be nothing, just like always. Even your shithead brother Seraph has more prospects than you.?

Galvin could no longer swing his weapon. He was gasping for air, barely able to stand. Having failed to land a single hit, he released a howl of frustration. One of his eyes had turned red, the result of a blood vessel rupturing from stress.

?It?s a shame you couldn?t be there to watch, Galvin, hear how much she loved to take it up the ass. It was like she was singing a beautiful song. The majesty of her voice could have brought the gods themselves to tears. Oh wait, I know how we can fix this. You see, I?ve discovered this nifty kind of magic, time magic. I can?t travel to different time periods or anything like that, but I can show you events from the past. Take a look.?

He opened up his grimoire to a specific page, where a magic circle had been drawn. It was a monster-summoning circle, but Noah had altered specific runes and parts of the formula, and rather than a piece of a monster, a lock of Ziradith?s hair had been glued to the page. In his other hand, Noah held a magic wand, one he had bought before entering the academy. It had the ability to duplicate the effects of spells, such as launching two fireballs when the caster only summoned one.

The power of the wand allowed him to create a second clone, and with the magic circle and Ziradith?s hair, he cast her likeness upon it. Now, standing before Noah were two illusory clones of him and Ziradith. Normally, he could only copy someone?s appearance after killing them, but the summoning circle provided an excellent alternative. As long as he had their DNA and properly calibrated the circle, he could summon perfect copies that he could control. The only problem was that this method didn?t replicate clothes, but that was rather a blessing right now.

Noah manipulated the two illusions like puppets on strings, having his doppelganger kiss and fondle the nude clone of Ziradith. Galvin turned away and began to dry-heave.

?You really think I?ll let you block this out?? Noah asked.

He stormed over and punched the prince in the throat, bringing him to his knees. From there, the savage beating began. Galvin shrieked in agony as Noah snapped bones and dislocated joints, all so that he couldn?t fight back and lay helpless on the ground. Noah pulled Galvin?s head back and forced his eyes open, so he had to watch the two illusions fuck like porn stars. Galvin screamed and thrashed, doing whatever he could to try and look away, but Noah was devoid of mercy.

He didn?t have all morning to torment the prince, so he had his illusions speed through the reenactment, but he was thorough. He perfectly recreated Ziradith?s lewd moans and how she begged him to go harder and deeper, as well as all her movements, from how she rubbed her breasts while riding on top, to playing with her clit as she was sodomized. He even managed to recreate the finale, when Ziradith regained her senses and cursed Noah, just to clear up any lingering doubts in Galvin?s mind that it wasn?t true.

?In Eskişehir Escort our fight, you laughed about my magic abilities, and it?s true, I can?t turn armies to ash, level buildings, or heal wounds, but it doesn?t matter. I already have all the power I need to tear your reality to shreds.? Noah flipped Galvin over, his face now a mess of tears and vomit, and drew a knife. ?Now you?re going to spend the rest of your life remembering me fucking your mother as the last thing you ever saw.?

The prince released a bloodcurdling scream and tried to fight back, but he couldn?t stop Noah from gouging out his eyes. Healing magic and potions were great for restoring what was damaged, like burns, cuts, and broken bones. They couldn?t replace what was stolen, like severed limbs and missing organs, so Noah had to completely remove the orbs from their sockets. An iron grip around Galvin?s throat helped keep him still and lower all the noise he was making. Noah brought his Ziradith illusion over and spoke through it with her voice, continuing his malicious torment.

?You pathetic little worm. You?ve always been a failure.?

?Urk? Mother?? Galvin wheezed.

?From the day you were born, all you?ve done is disappoint me. I wish Seraph had been my son; he has talent. At least if you were a girl, I could have married you off and gotten something in exchange, but no, you destroy everything you touch. You?re worse than worthless. You will never be king; you?ll never be anything. In fact, you won?t be needing any of this??

Noah went to work once more with the dagger, and even while strangling the prince, a deep, guttural howl of agony echoed over the slums, as well as the squelching of flesh being sawn through. His penis and testicles were removed, then thrown into a nearby alley and seized by rats. The sound of his scream was what Noah had been aiming for, that particular pitch. It was the sound of a mental tendon snapping, a foundation of his sanity breaking beyond any possibility of healing. He would never recover from this, ever.

When Noah was done, he finally let Galvin breathe and then stood up. ?Can you hear me, Princess? Pay close attention, because it?s the last warning you?ll ever get. This is what happens when you pick a fight with me, when you get bored and try to play with fire. Remember this moment, and every sensation you?ve experienced, and know that you brought it all upon yourself with your idiocy. I don?t want you to ever forget the pain I?ve inflicted on you. I don?t want it to dull. I want those wounds on your soul to bleed and never scab over. Every night, you?re going to wake up in a cold sweat, sobbing in terror from your nightmares of this day.

From now on, if you ever so much as speak my name, enter the same room I?m in, or point in my general direction, I will hurt you in the most unholy ways imaginable. If I am ever attacked, incriminated, arrested, or even mildly inconvenienced because of you, something you did, or someone you know, I will come after you and your mother, and there will be nowhere safe to hide. No dungeon will hold me, and no fortress will protect you. There could be a hundred knights with swords and wands pointed at me, and it wouldn?t matter. They?ll just be the audience, there to witness the myriad tortures I have planned for you. There is still so much pain I can inflict, pain you can?t even imagine. Do you understand?? Galvin nodded while sobbing in pain and terror. Without his eyes, any tears he produced simply fell into the empty sockets. ?Good. Now, when you?re found, here?s what you?re going to tell them??

Noah crafted a cover story, ensuring the details were forever burned into Galvin?s memory. If he had simply killed the prince and returned from the slums alone, no one would ever believe he was innocent. He needed Galvin to be found alive, throwing out a false lead. Besides, he wouldn?t have gone through all that effort to torment this punk just to put him out of his misery. He soon heard soldiers approaching, likely dispatched to search for Galvin or simply investigating all of the horrific screams. Noah left him where he was and turned invisible, then made his walk back to the academy.

Upon returning, he first went to get a new uniform and wash off Galvin?s blood. Witnesses would confirm he left the grounds with the prince in pursuit, but he could still deny inflicting those injuries. Next, he went to see the commandant. He figured it best to get it out of the way.

?Where is the prince??

?I was wondering what you?d bring up first when I got here. I led him into the empty slums and then gave him the slip. He?s probably still out there, looking for me.?

?That means I can move on to the second question. Do you have any idea what you?ve done??

?Of course.?

?If even half the things about last night I?ve heard are true, you have tarnished the reputation and dignity of this academy and this country. Forget just the Herald family; the people you?ve angered with this are as many as they are powerful. At the moment, I?m still adhering to our agreement for your continued stay at this academy, but the authority I wield, the tiny bit of protection you have, if not soon taken, will be rendered pointless by your fast-approaching execution. However this blows over, it is no longer possible for me to survive unscathed. You have successfully ruined my career. I might not even last to the end of the year.?

?So, the duchess takes second place on your priorities list. I?m guessing your third question will be about the fight and the damage to the mess hall. Do you still want to ask it, or have I ruined the reveal?

The commandant slammed his fist onto the table. ?Have you heard nothing I?ve told you?!?

?I heard everything. What I have yet to hear is a problem that can?t be dismissed or swept under the carpet with proper incentive. You talk about my list of enemies, but I don?t think you?re aware of my list of allies; countless businessmen, nobles, and knights who hated the duchess. And even if they fall flat, do you really think I?d go against the Herald family without making preparations? I survived their first attempt on my life, and I?ll survive the last.

If you receive orders to expel me, then do so, just on paper. I still have things to take care of here, so I?ll be sticking around, and I?ll leave you a nice payout in case you do lose your job. If anyone from the palace comes to arrest me, feel free to tell them where I am. Any shackles they put on me won?t stay for very long. I just stopped by to make sure you understood this.?

?Damn you, Noah. You?re not even a cadet anymore; you?re just an affliction. You?re a disease destroying this academy.?

?Well the year is almost finished, so I won?t be around much longer.?

Noah left the commandant?s office and made his way to the library. His enrollment at the academy was soon to expire, and he had to take advantage of the library while he still had access. However, he had already speed-read through just about every useful book available, and at this point, he had little hope of finding any diamonds in the rough. It was only because of this certainty that he would risk jeopardizing his stay by exacting his revenge.

There, he found Alexis and Sophia, both shocked to see him. ?Where have you been?!? Alexis exclaimed.

?I led Galvin for a merry chase through the slums and then ditched him.?

?So what?s going to happen to you?? Sophia asked.

?I?ll be fine. The kingdom may blow smoke, but I haven?t broken any actual laws, and I?m not afraid of the Herald family.?

?Back at the mess hall, you said Galvin burned down the Knight?s Sheath. Is that true??

?It is. He started the fire while I was inside to try and kill me. Suffice to say, I took the act a bit personally. Last night was my retaliation.?

?Henryk was struck with paralysis, and no one knows where Mark is. Your doing?? Alexis asked.

Noah thought back to his last interaction with Mark.

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Before burning down, the Knight?s Sheath had been the premier brothel in Colbrand, but it had competition. Numerous operations were spread throughout the city, but if the Knight?s Sheath was the city?s best, then Noah had just arrived at its worst. The building was at the edge of the slums, a drab box with iron bars on its few windows and a desperate need for either renovation or demolition. It didn?t have a name like the other quaint establishments, formal or otherwise, for it operated on the lowest rung of society.

Noah, his head wrapped in bandages, approached the door, heavy on its hinges and solid construction, but now rotting. He gave a hard knock, and a slot opened up. ?Who are you?? a man asked.

?A businessman, here to speak with your boss. I was given directions by someone from the Knight?s Sheath.

The door opened, the fat guard looking at Noah and grinning. ?You?re a long way from the Knight?s Sheath, but you got a pretty mouth.?

Noah tossed the man a bronze coin. ?I have something your boss will be interested in. Take me to him.?

?Yes sir,? the man said with renewed spirit.

He let Noah inside, and the first thing that hit him was the smell, putrid enough to bring tears to his eyes. If a sunbaked public outhouse had sex with semen-drenched roadkill and gave birth inside a goblin tunnel, the resulting stillborn abomination would be hung up like an air freshener to make the house bearable. Noah followed the man deeper into the building while sparing glances into the various rooms.

The customers were the seediest in the city and could have anything they wanted as long as they had money; slaves of every sex, age, and race, animals, and even corpses. The slaves here were bought dirt-cheap and kept perpetually chained, sleeping on straw mattresses that were either damp or crusted with filth. Semen, urine, feces, and just about every other bodily fluid formed a greasy patina on the floor and was smeared on the walls in many places. Somewhere in the building, a person was screaming. They were young.

Noah was brought into a dingy office where a man was sitting behind a desk with a glass and a bottle of liquor. He had a nice coat, but it needed a wash, same with the room. It was probably the cleanest in the building, but the smell had lost little of its pungency. Noah instinctively knew that multiple people had died in this room.

?Boss, this guy says he wants to talk to you.?

?Oh? And what can I do for you this evening, sir??

There was a chair in front of the desk, but Noah decided to stand. ?I have a business opportunity for you.? He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small sack of Elutrin, tossing it onto the man?s desk.

?What?s this??

?Medicine, for a certain sick individual.?

?I don?t understand.?

?After I leave, another young man is going to come in here, asking for a job. That right there is what you will pay him with. It?ll make him work harder than any of your slaves. Use him however you see fit; just try to avoid working him to death. When you run out, go to the Knight?s Sheath. I?ve arranged for you to be able to buy more from the bartender, but only enough for you to give to your new model employee. If he dies, let them know.?

?I still don?t understand what?s going on. Why are you doing this??

?He has a debt to pay, and I figure this is the most fitting way for him to pay it back.?

After hashing out the details, Noah left the brothel and met Mark outside. He had lost weight, now appearing gaunt and sickly, as well as prematurely aged. Like all heavy drugs, Elutrin ate away at the lifespan of its users, and a severe addict like Mark was burning the candle at both ends.

?It?s done. Since you can no longer pay me, I?ve passed the buck.?

?Look, I?ll get you the money! I may have been disowned, but I still have assets!?

?You don?t have to buy from me anymore. The boss inside is who I buy from, and he?s willing to sell directly to you in exchange for working for him. Do whatever he says, and you?ll get as much as you want.?

?What kind of place did you say this was??

?You?ll find out soon enough. This is the only option you have, understand??

?Yeah, yeah, sure,? he said with a nod, his whole body shaking. He hadn?t had a hit all day, and he was aching all over.

?Good, now go in and get to work.?

Mark nodded once more and entered the brothel. After that, no one from his old life ever saw him again.

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?I have no clue what happened to Henryk and Mark,? said Noah to Alexis, ?but I won?t shed a tear for them. Perhaps the gods have a sense of humor.?

After his study session ended, Noah went to his next class, only to be pulled out halfway and sent to the commandant?s office. When he arrived, he found Ford waiting for him and an old dwarf that Noah recognized. He was a gold-ranked knight sent to enact the king?s will, often in the form of investigations. The last time Noah saw him, he was leaving the Knight?s Sheath and accompanied by ordinary troops, but this time, a squad of knights was stationed in the hall, and two of them were silver-rank. It seemed someone at the palace was smart enough not to use the kid gloves if things went south.

?Cadet Noah,? the dwarf said.

?Sir Marcus Berholm, correct? On top of being the royal adjudicator, you?re a gold-ranked knight, correct? It?s a great honor.?

?That?s right, lad. If you know me, you know what I do.?

?I assume you?re here regarding the events from either last night or this morning.?

?Were His Highness not found before I came here, it would be the former. He had been beaten and tortured half to death. The commandant has been filling me in on the details leading up to his disappearance.?

?Wait, wait, wait, wait, I had nothing to do with him getting roughed up. The prince went on a bloody rampage, so I just led him into the slums and then ditched him. I assumed he?d spend all day running around down there, looking for me. He was fine, last I saw him.?

?Given your past interactions with his family, I?m hard-pressed to believe you wished him no harm.?

?I had already done everything I needed to last night, and anything more would have just been gratuitous. My idea was to just let him keep digging himself into a deeper and deeper hole. He probably used up all his mana and got attacked by someone living in the slums.?

?Well, until His Highness?s attackers are identified and captured, you will be sitting in a dungeon. That?s not even counting what will happen to you regarding last night.?

?I didn?t break any laws last night. It?s a scandal, sure, maybe something the church would object to, but nothing illegal. As for the prince, you said you found him alive, right? Just ask him who or what did it.?

?We did.?

?And did he tell you I attacked him??

Sir Berholm hesitated. ?No, he said he was maimed by several beggars, crazed and bloodthirsty.?

?You knew that, and you still accuse me? I?ll bet he screamed his name at them, tried to order them around, called them a bunch of filthy commoners, and they didn?t take too kindly to it. I?ll admit, the prince and I don?t get along, and I?m no saint, but I have my ways of doing things. I believe in a light touch.?

?Fair enough. We?ll hold off on hauling you away until everything is confirmed, but I still have questions for you.?

Berholm interrogated Noah for a while, but this wasn?t Noah?s first rodeo. He knew how to hide guilt and fake sincerity perfectly. He was eventually released, and wandering the halls, he crossed paths with Prince Seraph, appearing to be in a foul mood.

?You son of a bitch! I?ve been looking everywhere for you! Tell me what you did to my brother!?

?I ditched him in the slums, and he made the mistake of antagonizing the local vagrants. It doesn?t sound like he?ll be making a return to the academy any time soon.?

Seraph stormed over, getting ready to swing his hammer. ?I?m gonna cave your skull in!?

?You?re not going to wait until I go to my room and then burn the dorms down??

His words halted Seraph?s attack. ?I wasn?t even involved in that. I had no interest in helping him get revenge when he lost his woman through his own weakness.?

?But still, you knew about it, didn?t you? You knew what he planned to do, and you did nothing to prevent it.?

?Like I said, I didn?t care either way.?

?Then you?re just as guilty as they are, and truth be told, you and I are in complete agreement that this feud needs to be settled. However, a regular duel won?t cut it, and there is no way we can fight the way we want to here on the academy grounds. Someone will get in the way, and life will become very unpleasant for the both of us. So let?s say we put this on hold until Knight?s Day, immediately after the knighting ceremony. Everyone will either be too tired from stopping the Red Revelries, or too busy providing security for the festival. We?ll meet in the slums, in front of the destroyed fountain on the western side, and have ourselves a good old-fashioned battle to the death. No help, no rules, no bullshit; just you dying in an alley.?

?That sounds fucking perfect to me. Eskişehir Escort Bayan I?m going to grind you into the dirt, just like I promised you all those months ago. By the time I?m finished, there won?t be enough of you left behind to even feed the maggots.?

?Whatever you say, tough guy. Whatever you say.?

----------



After dinner, Noah returned to his bedroom to find that the door was unlocked. With his hand on his sword, he opened the door and stepped inside, seeing Valia sitting at the dining table in his room. She looked far from happy.

?I figured this is the last place you?d want anyone finding you,? Noah said as he closed the door behind him.

?Getting in and out without being noticed is easy for me. I bet it?s easy for you as well.?

Noah turned to a device on the wall, small and round, like a thermostat. It was made of wood with two lines of runes inscribed on the sides of the two components. It was a single runic formula, broken until he turned the top piece, and the two halves of the formula came together. Upon activation, a shimmer of mana moved through every surface of the room.

?You like it? It?s a magic tool I invented. It prevents sound from entering or leaving a room.?

?I?m sure it helps when you have female company.?

?It?s for magic experiments. I don?t want people knocking on my door every time there is an explosion. It might shock you to know that I?m not the hedonist you think me to be.?

?You could have fooled me. In fact, you did. As your teacher and as a woman, I was willing to overlook your affair with the Rosege girl because you said it was what she wanted, but for you to humiliate the duchess like that, all because your favorite brothel burned down is atrocious. I?ve been in Colbrand for a long time, and I know Ziradith. I don?t like her, but for you to be the kind of person who would do that to someone??

?You honestly think I went through all that effort over a brothel? If I just want to drink and fuck, I don?t even have to leave my room, not to mention the only people of any importance got out unharmed.?

?But then why??

?You know of Madam Cyrilo, right? She?s a magic researcher like Valon. You?ve probably even met her through him. She has an aging curse that she?s been trying to dispel for years. Her office was a treasure trove of research into curse-breaking, research I could have used! The academy hasn?t given me the answers I need, so she was my next best hope! Imagine searching for your brother for thousands of years, THOUSANDS, without any credible leads, until finally, you find a genuine hope, only for it to be incinerated by some psychotic little pissant, mad at you over his own fuckup!?

Noah wasn?t sure how long it had been since he last yelled like this. It was honestly a conversation he?d never had before. What he had said to Galvin earlier about the hatred he felt in his bones was not an exaggeration. Valia just huffed in dispute and looked away.

?You seem unconvinced. You don?t believe me, do you? Did you ever believe me? When we were at Covington?s, you just pretended you believed me while thinking I was some young punk, either out of my mind or just trying to get you into bed.?

?I believed you then, but no longer. Now I look at you, and I see a deranged punk who lies right to my face, but it doesn?t matter. Isn?t that what you always say? Whether or not I believed you then is a moot point. Besides, you told me then that you would fake every tear, smile, and relationship. So why should I have believed you then or believe you now??

Noah got up and walked over to his desk, then pulled a stack of notebooks out of one of the drawers. He dropped them loudly in front of Valia. ?I trust you can read runecrafting? Open any one of them to any page and take a look.?

Valia humored him and opened up one of the books to a page displaying a theoretical magic circle. Immediately, her brow furrowed as she read the runes. She flipped through the pages, studying the long chain of similar circles and spells, then checked the other books.

?All these spells are to kill yourself??

?No, killing myself is what brought me to this world in the first place. I need a spell to erase my existence. No flesh, no soul, I completely cease to exist in any form. Every night, I sit at my desk and run through the numbers, trying to figure out a way to break my curse. My magic won?t let me perform the spell itself, but once the runic formula is perfected, someone else can perform it on me. Every time I try a new spell, I do so with the full intent of dying in that very seat, hoping that there is no afterlife or next world, and I?m going to try again tonight.

As soon as you leave, I?m going to get back to work, check my math for the thousandth time, and give it another go. If before the year ends, I should disappear in the middle of the night, and you find one of these books open on my desk, you?ll know that I finally succeeded. You?ll be the only one to know too because I won?t leave a note. I can?t even remember how long it?s been since I actually bothered writing my suicide note.

Now, because of Galvin, that might never happen. Even if I die in this world, whether I get stabbed, hanged, or lit on fire, I?ll just be reborn in another one. It might be a thousand years before I get another chance to break free of this cycle. Do you understand what I?m saying? Existence is suffering, and if I have to live and suffer because of Galvin, it?s only fitting he should as well.?

Noah sat back down and watched as Valia continued to look through the books. She was fast, but her sharp eyes didn?t miss any details. The calligraphy and lines of the circles were painstakingly perfect, the runic equations were well-thought-out, and he had used numerous different materials and inks for his attempts. No effort had been spared in his quest.

?Your determination may be genuine, but your actions are still appalling. What did you think my reaction would be when you planned all this??

?At Covington?s, we made a deal, a deal that you swore on. I?d help you find your brother, and you?d help me break my curse. You?re not the kind of person to go back on your word or give up on your family, and you?re not petty enough to make hollow threats about quitting on me.?

?So you thought you could do whatever you want, even if it made me angry, because you were sure I didn?t have it in me to turn my back on you.?

?You may not agree with my choices. You may even find my actions offensive. But tell me something, who are you here as? Are you here as my swordsmanship teacher, come to lecture me about honor? Are you here as my partner, worried that my actions may jeopardize finding your brother? Are you here as a friend, feeling that we can discuss personal topics in a casual manner? Or are you here as a woman, wanting to define this thing going on between us? Because if it?s the last one? I?m sorry. I?m sorry for hurting you and betraying your feelings.?

The response that Valia had been chewing on, all the razor-sharp words she had arranged to answer him with, disappeared upon hearing those words. She bit her lip and paused for a moment. ?I suppose that is a conversation we should have had by now, but? I was afraid of what would be said. I knew you were different from the other cadets on the day we fought, and you didn?t look at me the way they did. It was far from love at first sight, but I knew, and you probably knew as well, that things between us would inevitably get complicated.?

?I felt it as well. We had both been fallen into each other?s orbit.?

?And yet I look at you, and deep down, I see a boy in an academy uniform. You told me what you are, what you?ve experienced, but part of me still sees you as my student, someone I?ve been entrusted to teach and look after, and the feelings I have for you turn to guilt. I look at you and wonder? if my brother was here, if my life wasn?t falling apart, would I still have these feelings? It?s obvious where this leads for us, we?ve known it since the day we met, and I don?t want to look back on it as a stupid decision I made at a desperate time in my life.?

?I understand. I know things are difficult for you right now, and my recent actions haven?t made them easier. I won?t apologize for hurting the duchess, or Galvin, or this country, but I will apologize for hurting you.?

Valia stood up and walked over to him. ?You and I aren?t in a relationship, so it?s not my place to be angry with you for how you live your life. Just, if that?s ever to change, can I please not hear any more lewd stories about you?? She then lowered her head and kissed him on the spot between his cheek and his lips. ?Let?s finish this conversation when we?re out of Colbrand, and no longer student and teacher.?

----------

Prince Galvin never came back to the academy. Supposedly, he and his mother fled the capital in shame, returning to their territory. Word had gotten out that he had been found gravely wounded, but there were no details, and Noah was selling his bloodthirsty homeless theory. On the other hand, details of the party were flooding the city and the academy, raising his infamy to new heights. Many young men looked at him like a god, and more women were flirting with him than before, but there were several women like Alexis who found his depravity horrifying. Sodomizing a duchess on stage tended to earn weird looks from people.

The year was coming to a close, the cadets having reached their final week of lessons. In Sir Elyot?s class, they exhibited the projects they had each been researching. At the moment, Sophia was providing her dissertation and giving the class a crash course on human anatomy, with several sketches and diagrams put up. Noah assisted her, providing a different kind of demonstration from his usual style. He was holding a large rock in his outstretched hands, which should have been a difficult task, but it was pretty easy in this case.

?By cycling the holy energy through the blood vessels, nerves, and muscle threads, rather than simply applying it to the surface like an ointment, its potency and longevity are enhanced, improving not only the overall restorative effects, but the physical abilities and attributes of the recipient. In essence, through the use of healing, I can apply monk enhancements to people who cannot use them on their own. As you can see, I?ve given Cadet Noah a strength enhancement in his arms, allowing him to lift great weights with little effort.?

Soon enough, though, Noah had to put down the boulder. ?The effects are short-lasting, but the potential for further development cannot be understated,? he said.

?Amazing,? said Sir Elyot. ?What do you call this magic??

?I call it blessing magic, or applying blessings, but Noah came up with the idea to call them ?buffs,? I believe,? said Sophia. Noah had mumbled the phrase under his breath, and she pounced on it.

?And where did you get all this anatomic information??

Under normal circumstances, Noah would have preferred to remain unknown. He would have looked at Sophia, hoping she?d come up with a lie or expecting her to recite one he?d given her. However, at this point, it didn?t matter. His protective wall of anonymity was broken on the first day, and the rubble had been continuously crushed into smaller and smaller pieces. Still, he could save himself a little bit of trouble later.

?I learned it from elven books my parents kept and passed it on to her,? said Noah, ?but she figured out all the rune work.?

?Well done, Cadet Rosege. I can wholeheartedly endorse your full entrance into the Utheric Knight Order.?

A wide smile appeared on her face, and Noah almost expected her to squeal in delight. However, she contained herself and instead gave one of her deep bows with a loud word of thanks. Noah had seen it enough times to chalk it up as a personality quirk.

?Cadet Noah, since you?re already standing, why don?t you go next??

Noah retrieved some scrolls and a glass of water. He ran through his alchemy lecture, with Sophia helping him perform the spells. It was basically a dumbed-down chemistry lesson, embroidered with a believable dose of mysticism and speculation. The spells were more basic than those he showed Cyrilo, simply turning water into ice and steam by fiddling with its molecular structure. He wanted everyone to believe he had taken a big first step, and that was it. It worked, and he got his passing grade as well.

This final class ended with Elyot giving a speech about the power of magic, the importance of intellect over strength, and the endless journey for knowledge that awaited researchers and sages. Noah and the other cadets sat through it, and after class, he met Elyot in his office.

?Any luck?? Noah asked.

?Unfortunately, no. I sent three letters to fellow researchers, asking about illusion magic, and none of them could make heads or tails of it. What you have is either lost forever or entirely new.? It was very disappointing, but not beyond his expectations. While he had discovered new uses for his illusions over the year, his knowledge about the ability itself was still insufficient. ?I remember you telling me you were meditating to try and unlock your spiritual sense. How has that been working??

?So-so. I feel like I?ve made a small amount of progress, but it?s such slow going that it?ll take years to show real results.?

?Unfortunately, that?s how it is in this line of work.?

?By the way, you?ve heard about my ties to the Knight Sheath, right? Well there is someone there with another unique power. He uses music to cancel out the spells of other people.?

?Yes, I?ve heard of this man. He stopped the riots last year, didn?t he??

?He did, but that?s not all. He claimed to have come from another world, a world without magic. He said he died over there and woke up here with his new magic. I believe he?s telling the truth, but I can?t make sense of it.?

Elyot leaned back in his chair. ?Is this why you were asking me about time magic a while ago??

?That?s right. Has something like this ever happened before? Someone dying and being reborn or appearing somewhere else? Traveling across the cosmos??

?Well, according to legend, the mighty phoenix is said to die in flames and be reborn from the ashes.?

?This seems more complicated than that, crossing time and space to? Wait a second. Can I see your ring??

?Excuse me??

?Your knight ring, it has the ability to store items in an isolated space, correct? Vali?Lady Zodiac told me that it was her brother who devised the formula.?

?Yes, that?s true. It was a lost Enochian technique that he discovered and altered, allowing knights to carry their equipment and supplies without needing bags or anything of the sort. You normally don?t get one until your promotion to silver-rank.?

?May I please see the runic formula on your ring? I want to know how it?s written, the glyphs used.?

?I?m not supposed to show it to you, but I can?t in good conscience refuse an honest desire to learn. Here.?

Elyot passed his ring to Noah, and he examined the runes inscribed on the band. He already had a knight ring of his own, found in a goblin den, but as ownership of said item was illegal, he had concealed the runes with gold leaf and covered the crest with an enhancement gem. This was the first time he had been able to actually read the runes of a knight?s ring. The runes were inscribed with avenium, and the formula was long and complex, like the line of black speech on the One Ring. However, Noah was able to mostly understand it.

?There it is.?

The space rune, he had found it. While not quite the same as the rune of time, it was close enough to provide the next hint to his research. In the wide world of magic, powerful runes like these were seldom used. Distance, area, volume, these were all synonyms used to refer to space, variables that were easy enough to change. This was the only runic formula Noah had ever seen that regarded space as a universal foundation, something that could be warped by cosmic forces. In this instance, the ring acted as a portal to a section of space that had been folded to create a pocket dimension.

Noah recorded the formula and returned the ring, then got up and bowed with gratitude. ?Thank you, Sir Elyot, for everything.?

Elyot stood up and extended his hand to shake Noah?s. ?You have been one of my best students, Noah. I wish you luck in your search for answers.?

The rest of the week was much like Sir Elyot?s class, focusing on tying loose ends and reviewing old lessons rather than teaching anything new. Eventually, the sword class gathered before Valia one last time.

?The pride I feel cannot be put into words. I have watched you grow from fledgling warriors into disciplined knights. There is still so much more for you to learn, but it is not for me to teach you. You are now at the age and skill level where you must learn through experience. Starting tomorrow night, you will be dispatched to help prevent the Red Revelries. They will be your final test, to prove you have what it takes to be knights. As for today, we started this class Escort Eskişehir with sparring, and we should end it the same way. I want to see how much each of you has improved since the beginning of the year. Cadet Rilgis, you?re up first.?

Everyone had been expecting this and stood ready and fearless. Ken stepped forward and faced Valia, his sword in hand. Like in the winter sparing lesson, Valia used an academy sword. ?We don?t stop until one of our blades breaks, understand? No magic, just skill.?

?Yes, ma?am!? he countered as he assumed an offensive stance.

?Now come at me!?

Thus, Valia went down the line, sparring with each cadet. Suffice to say, all of their skills had dramatically improved. Originally, even the best swordsmen in the academy could only fight her for a minute, at most, and that was when she was just playing around. Now, each cadet was holding their own for several minutes at a time, and she wasn?t going easy on them. Their speed, their dexterity, their technique, all were worlds beyond what they had been a year ago. Still, each match ended with the cadets? swords breaking while Valia?s remained pristine.

Finally, it was Alexis?s turn. She had spent the class mentally preparing to face Valia once again, to fight without her attraction getting in the way. The order was given, and Alexis launched herself towards Valia, her glass sword near-invisible from the speed of her swings, as though she was wielding a blade made of nothing but air. The attacks rained down on Valia, and she blocked and deflected every swing. Their swift movements resembled two circular saws grinding together, but their grips and angles were perfect, and the glass never so much as cracked.

The two of them fighting was poetry in motion. Their rapid movements almost looked like the swirling of oil and water. Through determination and hard work, Alexis had reached incredible skill, and now it was on display for everyone to see. Her footwork, rapid and light, reminded Noah of when they were dodging ogre arrows, and her archer?s eye gave her pinpoint accuracy with every movement. For those watching, it was much like when Noah and Valia had dueled on that first day.

After several intense minutes, the match finally ended with Alexis? sword snapping. For the sake of her dignity, she didn?t break her posture until Valia gave the word, at which point, she started sucking air greedily.

?Well done, cadet. You have grown more powerful than I ever dared dream, and I feel confident leaving the nation?s future in your hands.?

Alexis assumed a deep awkward bow. It was the same quirk Noah had seen in Sophia. It seemed when they wanted to, they could do a prim and proper curtsy, but when their emotions welled, this habit appeared. Who picked it up from whom?

?Lady Zodiac, I want you to know that it has been the greatest honor of my life to learn from you. You?ve always been my inspiration, and this past year as your student has been a dream come true. You?ve taught me so much, opened my mind, and made me stronger. Thank you for everything.? Noah could hear it, how hard she was working to keep her voice steady, and how close she came to breaking.

Valia sheathed her sword and approached, then, surprising everyone, she embraced Alexis in a tight hug. ?L-L-L-Lady Zodiac?? Alexis stammered with a vibrant blush, feeling the dark elf?s full breasts smoosh against her own.

?Today, we are not saying goodbye, only good luck. We will meet again, little one.? She then pulled away, chuckling to herself. ?Oh my, I?m sorry. I suppose I shouldn?t be giving out hugs after fighting in the summer heat.?

?N-no, it?s fine. You smell? nice.? Alexis was just barely keeping it together, but she stared at Valia, her heart racing. ?I, I uh??

?What is it?? Valia asked, her hands still on Alexis?s shoulders.

?It would be so easy,? Alexis thought, her eyes falling from Valia?s gleaming eyes to her soft lips. ?All I have to do is lean forward and steal a kiss. Training under Valia has been a dream come true, but to feel her lips against mine would be a fantasy come to life. Besides, the year is over, and after Noah?s scandals, this would hardly register to the other cadets. I could even pretend it was an accident.?

She gathered her courage, ready to throw everything aside for a flash of happiness, but stopped. Valia?s face, beautiful beyond measure, had a tender expression of pride and care, but it was not the look of love that Alexis wanted, the look of love she was so used to seeing on Sophia. At that moment, staring into Valia?s eyes, all Alexis wanted was to gaze into Sophia?s.

?I? I promise you that when we meet again, outside of the academy, I will be stronger. On that day, let?s fight again.?

?I look forward to it. Now, go rejoin the others.? Still shaking from head to toe, Alexis walked back to the other cadets. Each had had their turn to fight, all but one. ?Cadet Noah,? Valia said with a smile, ?you?re up.?

Noah stepped forward, and all the cadets got excited. His fights were always a sight to behold, and today, they hoped to witness something truly incredible. Noah, wearing a smile of his own, took the spot all the others had started at, but rather than revealing his sword, he assumed the same pose Valia took in their last clash. He widened his stance and prepared himself for a quick-draw attack.

?So that?s how you want to do it, huh?? Valia asked with intrigue.

?Careful, or you?ll get more than just a scratch on your cheek,? he taunted.

?Very well. Let?s do this.?

Sword in hand, she began to approach, while Noah heightened his awareness to imitate her from all those months ago. Valia had described spiritual senses as something that was honed during life or death situations, when a warrior truly walked the razor?s edge. Noah had more than his fair share of experiences like that, fighting within an inch of death, but he had never experienced true spiritual awareness. He didn't know whether it was because no other world had magic, or it was something that had to be physically trained. If it indeed was possible to achieve, he was going to try with everything he had and give his all for a single moment.

Noah tightened and relaxed all of his muscles, raising his heartbeat and sending mana crackling along his nerves. Both of his spells were active to expand his spiritual sense as much as possible. He watched every movement she made, his eyes focused on every minute detail. The summer sun on his skin felt like a bonfire, while the gentle breeze cut like an icy gale. He smelled the grass and sweat like a bloodhound while his beating heart thundered in his ears like a .50 caliber machine gun.

Finally, Valia stepped within his range, and the two of them lunged towards each other with deadly intent. They swung their swords at maximum speed and strength, the glass blades colliding like two shooting stars and producing a chime so clear and pristine that it was almost silent. The exchange was perfect, every move was flawless, and it was over in the blink of an eye.

The two now stood like statues, each holding a broken sword in their outstretched hands. One of the blades had been launched so high in the air that it had yet to land, while one of the cadets was gripping his ear, lightly nicked when the other blade shot past his face faster than the human eye could catch.

Valia looked at her sword and began to laugh. ?I wanted to see what your level was, and I can?t think of any way it could be clearer than that.?

?All thanks to you, Lady Zodiac. Like Alexis said, it has been a great honor.?

?No, cadet. The honor is mine.?

----------

Like the classes, the academy duels were wrapping up with the end of the year. It was still several days until Knight?s Day, but the cadets would be too busy until then for dueling, so many were trying to rack up as many wins as possible in the short amount of time. And of course, Gideon was once more staring down Seraph.

?How many times am I going to have to teach you this lesson? You can?t beat me!? the prince taunted.

?I?m stronger today than I was yesterday, and I?ll be even stronger tomorrow. The time has finally come when I?ll knock you on your ass. Get ready.?

A gold mantle surrounded Seraph, while Gideon?s hands and feet came alight with roaring torrents of mana. Sir Reyns raised his hand, and all the cadets stood ready to watch the final bout.

?Begin!?

Seraph discarded his hammer and charged towards Gideon, swinging his fist in a wide haymaker. Gideon dodged the first attack and the ones that came after, remaining firmly out of Seraph?s reach without breaking his form. The punches kept coming, but they were all dodged or deflected, and no matter how many times he tried to close the distance, his fists never reached him. He didn?t understand how it was possible, how Gideon was avoided him when the gap between their speed and strength was still so vast.

?Fight back!? Seraph yelled. ?Or at least stand still like a good punching bag!?

He tried another broad attack, but as his fist hit nothing but air, Gideon moved into Seraph?s blind spot, and a magic circle appeared around his wrist. ?Monk Spear!?

Gideon pierced Seraph under the arm with his hand flattened like a blade, and a cry of pain was released as blood was spilled. Seraph staggered back, his arm hanging limp and useless, as though struck in the shoulder with a deer slug. Instead of simple monk magic, Gideon had used a martial art, a spell that shaped the user?s mana into a precise form for maximum damage in tandem with a physical blow. Unlike regular spells, which primarily relied on mana and mental focus, martial arts required intense physical training, discipline, and muscle memory. Regular strength enhancements could let users crush bricks, but martial arts could pierce steel.

?You think of me as your punching bag, but I always thought the same of you,? said Gideon, now the subject of awed stares. ?My master taught me that the road of self-improvement is paved with failures, and that the best way to get stronger isn?t to win fights, but to lose them. A close defeat will teach you more than an easy victory ever could. Every time we dueled, you pushed me to my limits, and I had to learn to adapt and survive. But you, who only knows victory, have you grown at all? You have power, but I have strength.?

?Shut up,? Seraph growled. The holy energy that shrouded him, having withered to a faint aura with the injury he suffered, now became a flame-like torrent. ?Spare me your self-righteous babbling. So what if you got a lucky shot? You?re still a loser, and the losers should just keep their mouths shut and know their place!?

Gideon?s eyes widened as Seraph?s flesh regenerated and his bones regained their proper shape and placement. ?I thought that Adwith Tarnas was the only male paladin capable of healing himself. You mean to tell me the prince can do it too??

?No matter how much you train or grow, you?ll never surpass me! No amount of hard work can change the fact that I am Light?s Emissary, chosen by the Almighty to reign over you and cast His judgment! I am fated to be the greatest warrior! Not you, me! Now I?ll show you the vast chasm you can never hope to cross!?

Seraph charged, moving so fast that he was almost a blur. Gideon acted on instinct, swinging his leg for a wide kick. ?Cyclone Impact!?

Seraph countered with a kick of his own, but their legs were repelled from each other on impact, each receiving a fracture in their shin. Gideon forced himself forward through the pain and closed in. He couldn?t give Seraph time to heal or room to speed up.

?Iron Palm!? he cast, creating two magic circles around his hands.

He began hurling rapid-fire attacks at Seraph, not the sharp stabbing moves he?d usually use, but powerful palm strikes, each one hitting like a sledgehammer. What attacks Seraph couldn?t dodge, he blocked, and every time, Gideon could feel the prince?s arms break from the force of the blows, but they were healing continuously. Finally, Seraph grabbed Gideon?s wrist and crushed it in his grip, then pointed his other hand at his face.

?Searing Radiance!?

A torrent of holy energy erupted from his palm, hitting Gideon point-blank. He had never received an attack so painful in all of his fights. The light had the physical properties of both liquid and flame, but it also pierced deep under the skin like an x-ray. For Gideon, it felt like every single nerve ending was being simultaneously fried throughout his head and neck. Blinded, and with all his thoughts erased by pain, Gideon collapsed, no longer able to fight. Sir Reyns declared Seraph the winner to a frightened audience.

?Weakling,? the prince muttered in disgust, as Gideon was tended to by healers.

?That?s my friend you?re talking about,? a voice said. Seraph turned around, but didn?t see anyone. ?Down here.? It was Foley, glaring with an academy shield on his crossed arms.

?You got something you want to say, stumpy?? Seraph taunted.

?Talk is cheap. How about you and I settle this the old-fashioned way??

?You?re going to fight me??

?It?s the end of the year. I figure I?ve put it off long enough. I?m overdo for something stupid.?

Foley took Gideon?s place in the ring, while Seraph retrieved his discarded hammer. ?I?m going to crush you under my heel like a roach.?

?The oceans will dry up, and the mountains will be reduced to dust before I yield.?

Sir Reyns raised and dropped his arm. ?Begin!?

Foley held up his shield. ?Steel Rampart!? Mana flowed from his arm and into the shield, reinforcing it by several magnitudes and creating a protective energy barrier. ?Come and get me, you son of a bitch!?

?Too easy!? Seraph laughed.

He charged over and brought down his hammer with the full intent of shattering Foley?s arm, but when it struck the shield, it released a loud gong, like the hitting of a church bell. Foley?s posture was unbroken, the same with his shield.

?You were saying??

Now scowling, Seraph raised his hammer and delivered a strike at full power, but once again, Foley withstood the blow. Over and over again, Seraph swung at Foley, each attack becoming more feral with the failure of the one before. It was a sight to behold for the other cadets, as well as painfully loud. No matter how hard he struck or what angle he attacked from, none of Seraph?s swings could bring Foley down or even knock him off balance. The ground in front of his feet was opening into two deep skid marks from his boots pushing through the topsoil, with each impact sending him back another few centimeters. Though the ground was buckling, he wasn?t.

?Why won?t you die?!? Seraph yelled.

Foley spat out a mouthful of blood. While he was withstanding the attacks, it was wrong to think he wasn?t taking damage. His body was absorbing the force of each blow, and he had to brace his shield with his whole body, or else his arm would have been shattered. Still, he had withstood more than anyone thought possible.

?We dwarves are thickheaded, and you?ll never find a skull thicker than mine! You claim to be blessed by God, but God himself can?t get past me!?

With a roar of anger, Seraph once more discarded his hammer and aimed his hand at Foley. ?Searing Radiance!?

The holy blast hit Foley?s shield like a fire hose, casting mana in all directions and forcing the cadets to back away in terror. It was a continuous ray, now making it a competition to see who would run out of strength first. Holy spells were most effective at dissolving enemy spells, and Foley?s ward of protection was peeled away, only to be repeatedly recast in between dwarfish curses. He was managing to deflect most of the power, but a great deal was still coming through and frying him. He was vomiting blood and struggling to stay on his feet.

Seraph momentarily faltered, struck by a sudden wave of fatigue. His fight with Gideon had taken more out of him than he thought, and what strength he had was fading fast. In his desperation, he fired a second blast with his other hand, hurling all of his power at Foley to burn through his defenses. Both of them were on the brink of passing out, and the cadets watching desperately wanted to see who would fall first.

?That?s enough! This match is finished!? Reyns announced, stopping the fight and bleeding the moment of its excitement.

?What?!? Seraph exclaimed.

?The dueling period is over; it?s time for dinner. Since a winner has not been determined, I?m declaring this a draw.?

The cadets groaned in disappointment, but knew there was no point in trying to argue. Even if the match was allowed to resume, the tension was gone. That was the last duel of the year, and of course, it was a draw. All the cadets and teachers began heading back inside. Seraph mumbled his own curse and went to follow them, but upon taking a step, he fell to his knees, his head spinning. He couldn?t remember the last time he was so exhausted.

He turned to Foley, still standing and even managing to laugh, despite his mouth being full of blood. ?They?ll call it a draw, but we both know whose victory this was. I outlasted you. I never yielded.?

?You?re crazy,? Seraph hissed.

?You didn?t stop your blast after his announcement; it petered out just a split second before. You have no strength left, but I still stand, the world?s smallest mountain.?