Part 1

Everyone was astonished. Youm could do nothing but look around with an expression stuck on his face that said “ What the hell happened?!”. Sora, on the other hand, had her eyes fixed on a single target. Ever since she stepped into the clearing she couldn’t take her eyes off my brother’s roughed up body. Though I wasn’t really able to understand what kind of feelings and thoughts she was having at that time. Shock, anger and relief. Those three seemed like mixed together...a fearsome combination. She kept on trying to speak but it seemed like no words were able to come out of her mouth, only short muffled sounds.

“Just...what the hell happened here?”

The first one to talk was Youm. With his wide opened eyes fixed on the huge carcass of the previously black-furred monster. Now the only things that remained of it were the seemingly intact upper half of its body with a sword piercing though one of eyes and a charcoaled burned lower half with crumbling bones and flesh turning to dust. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that the state the monster was in and the torrent of thunder were connected.

“A fight?” Replied Raphael with a tone expressing the obvious.

“No, I mean, yeah I get that but I mean like...how? That fiend it's literally half burned! It’s even turning to dust! Plus those thund-”

“That doesn’t matter right now!”

A loud high pitched scream interrupted Youm words before he could finish the phrase. Sora had finally decided to speak. Though unfortunately the first emotion that erupted seemed anger. I already knew that judging from the way her face turned livid and her fists clenched that Raphael was in for an end of the world scolding. She was literally stomping her feet as hard as she could with her arms straight like sticks on her sides and her eyes dangerously glaring towards him.

[Good luck brother! You’ll be remembered…]

“You, you, yoouuuu-” She shouted as she kept her furious march until she reached my brother’s face “- You are an idiot!”

“Mh? Are you mad about something? Oohhh, were you perhaps worried about me?” Replied that idiot of my brother with a smug face.

[No no no no no no! Why are you digging your own grave you damn imbecile! You had the chance to play the card of the injured soldier to get away from her scolding and you just fucked it up!]

“Do you see me laughing, Raphael Bluescale?” Replied Sora with the coldest glare in her eyes and a frightenedly cold anger air around her. Her arms were now crossed and she was looking down on him. When he realized the gravity of the situation it was too late.

“*gulp* Ehm...sorry?”

“Sorry? What are you sorry for?”

“For...ehm for...ah! I’m sorry about taking so long to kill the fiend!” Replied him with a satisfied expression as if he’d just solved a difficult riddle.

[So you really are an idiot after all!]

There was a moment of silence as if the forest itself dared not to interrupt this moment. What followed was the firm sound of a full palm slap. All across my brother’s left cheek was now Sora’s red shape of her hand.

“Do you think it’s funny? Do you think we joyfully rode in the middle of the lessons just to come here and have a picnic?”

“...”

“When Lucas-san told me what happened I thought my heart stopped for a second, I thought you’d have already died. D-Do you realize how worried I was? Fight a gold-tier monster all by yourself, stranded in a forest...I could only picture your death. All of us could only picture your death…”

“Ehm..it’s more of a silver ti-”

“It's borderline gold! AHH for fucks sake we thought you died! Doesn’t this tell you anything or are we just not that important?” At this point Sora was screaming directly at his face. Her white hair danced around the place as she shook her head in anger, breaking apart that image of a fine and collected young lady.

“No, it’s exactly because I care about you all that I fought the fiend in the first place. I’m sorry, really sorry, that you all went through this all because of me but I don’t regret it. If I ran with Lucas and Astar-san we possibly would have all died. I would have stood behind if any of you took Lucas or Astar-san’s place”

“B-but look at you! Your clothes are in tatters, you are covered in wounds and blood, you are pale and your face looks as if you haven’t slept for a week!”

“This is the part that I’m sorry about. At one point I could have ran out of the forest after both me and the fiend suffered some injuries but I decided not to. I’m not ashamed to say that it all became something like a challenge. For that I’m truly sorry”

“For that? Only for that?! Y-y-you -”

“Sora that’s enough scolding-” Interrupted Youm “-you stated your point and he looks genuinely sorry, I believe that’s enough for today. He needs healing and fast, he looks as if he could collapse any time. I know you are angry and worried but please postpone your scolding for a better time, ok?”

Youm’s usual calm tone seemed like a sedative for his sister. As he spoke, the anger-painted face of the white haired girl became more and more relaxed until all the anger seemed to have disappeared. In its place, tears started to fall followed by loud sniffs and sobbing.

“I was *sniff* worried that you couldn’t come back!” Shouted Sora as she fell on the ground on her knees. Her hands were covering her face, trying to mask her tear painted expression. With a gentle movement unbefitting of his injured condition, Raphael dashed towards her before her brother could put his hand on her shoulder. Instead, it was him who put his hand on top of Sora’s head, attracting her attention. With teary eyes she looked up at the one who was now stroking her hair.

“Once this is over I’ll let you vent out as much as you want, I’ll listen to it all. So please, can you give me some time? There’s still something I must do”

Unable to speak clear words, Sora went back to covering her face with her hands muttering what sounded like acknowledging sounds.

“You have to do something, brother?”

“Mhm we gotta get back to school before classes are finished but before that…”

As he said that he began walking towards the corpse, a slow and trembling walk. I didn’t know what kind of injuries he sustained but for sure something had happened to his legs, though it didn’t look like he had any external ones. Once he reached the corpse he first of all extracted his sword, still stuck into the fiend’s skull. With a swift movement he cleaned the majority of the blood that was staining the blade. He then proceeded to use that same blade to chop down the fiend’s antlers, which proved to be quite difficult in his condition.

“Why the antlers?” Asked confused Youm.

“Trophy” I replied almost instantly.

“Haha you are right Lucas-” Said Raphael with a cheerful tone in his voice “- I have a trophy of every difficult foe I’ve faced. Or you could say one for every time I risked my life!”

“It happened more than once?”

“Not too proud of it...My first trophy is the scar on my left eye given to me by a pack of Silvertooth wolves. Then there’s the string I use to tie my hair which is made of a firestep tiger’s fur. And now I’ll have to make something out of this bastard’s antlers...ok, I’m ready”

As he finished gathering the antlers and tying them on his back we slowly began walking towards our horses. Youm and Sora stood at the front while I helped my staggering brother in the back. It was as if we were reenacting the scenes we saw out of our town's tavern, all the drunkards getting carried away by their friends and lovers, wobbling, staggering and falling on the cold stone of the street.

With Youm’s help we were able to raise him onto the back of my horse. It wasn’t comfortable for neither me, him or the horse but we had to make do.

“Soo, you said you have to do one more thing right, Raphael-san?”

“Yeah about that, when will we reach the academy?”

“With how tired the horses are and ours having more weight to carry, I’d say one hours fater lunch maybe?” I replied.

“Good, there are still some lessons going”

“But what is it that you have to do?” Asked Youm.

“You’ll see...if I told you now...you’d stop me...but now I need to...sleep”

With those last words, Raphael laid his head on my back and immediately started sleeping soundly. For the whole three hours that followed he stood completely still as if paralized. No matter what sound we made, how bumpy the road was, not even if we accelerated or slowed down, he just kept sleeping.

“I don’t know what you’ve been through in that forest brother but good job, and thanks for getting out alive” I whispered.

Part 2

- RAPHAEL BLUESCALE’S POV -

“Oi Raph-” Said a familiar voice as someone kept shaking my shoulder “- wake up Raph we’ve arrived!”

As I regretfully opened my eyes still clad in the drowsiness of my sleep, a lancinating shock of pain struck my whole body. It felt like my body was way heavier than I ever experienced, especially legs and torso. It was a strange feeling. I knew that my body healed, I had seen with my own eyes that the torn flesh where the antlers pierced me was back in place. However, I could still feel as if the holes were there. Strange feeling indeed.

“Are you sure you’re ok, Raphael-san? Isn’t it better to go straight to the infirmary?”

“I promise I’ll go to the infirmary as soon as I’ve dealt with this, Youm-san”

All around me was the noise of the city. Judging by the height of the sun it was just a little later than noon but the city was still very much alive and rowdy. It was now the time for taverns and restaurants to take the spot over the small shops who ruled the morning shift of the city. Cute maids and refined burtlers were standing in front of their respective establishment, trying to get the passersby to choose them.

We slowly made our way from the stables to the academy gates, occasionally getting stopped by one of said maids or by some guy working at a food stall. Our slow pace was completely my fault. With every step I could feel both my bones and muscles scream, begging me to just lay down and rest. I truly wished I could do that, however I had already started my mind back at the forest. This was something I needed to do.

“Ehm...do you need us for whatever thing you have to do Raph?” Asked Lucas as soon as we reached the academy's gates.

“Not particularly, no. But it would be best if you stood nearby”

“Worried something might happen?”

“Yes, he might take it very bad”

“He?” Asked Sora, her voice wavering as if she figured who I was talking about.

“Gallher” Was my reply.

Without explaining further I began walking towards the inner garden of the academy where almost anyone could hear me due to it being surrounded by classes. The three behind me followed in silence though I could feel a tense air around them. However, what was worrying me the most was my condition. Even though I slept soundly for the whole trip the feeling of emptiness, resulting from mana deprivation, made my consciousness waver at every step I took. It felt as if my being was getting pulled deep into me the more I moved.

With my mind filled with such thoughts I unconsciously reached the inner garden. A small circular square made out of light grey gravel was the center of said garden. From it, four paths diverged in a cross-like shape, three of them leading into the three wings of the academy and the fourth leading to the training facility. In the middle of the square stood a small black obelisk with the names of the founders of the academy carved on each side. The remaining empty spaces of the garden were filled with well trimmed bushes, small trees, some gazebos and some colourful flower beds, not to mention pure white benches on the side of the paths. With a look and a gesture of my hand I signaled my three friends to stand near one gazebo, roughly out of the looks of students. I, on the other hand, walked towards the middle of the square, right in front of the obelisk. Fixing the previously borrowed from my brother academy’s jacket I cleared my voice and took one deep breath of air, filling my lungs for what was to come.

“DELVIN GALLHER!” I shouted as loud as I could.

I stood as tall as I could, helping myself stand with the use of my sheathed sword. The previous silence of the garden suddenly broke by my shout attracted the attention of the students closer to the windows. As the looks gathered, so did the sound of people speaking and teachers raising their voices to recall order. I didn’t like the idea of interrupting the lessons but I didn’t have much choice in that regard, there was no better time when the whole school would be listening then when all the students gathered in the same place.

“Delvin Gallher I know you are there somewhere!-” I kept shouting, rallying more and more people as my witness.

Throughout the various voices in the crowd on the windows some were loud and clear enough for me to understand. Phrases like “Who’s that guy?”, “Delvin Ghaller as in THAT Ghaller?” or “Isn’t he that commoner...ah right the weakest of the first years” were the most common, other than curses from the various teachers.

“-Is your cowardice so strong that it won’t even let you answer my calls, Delvin Ghaller?” I shouted once again in a taunting tone accompanied by the gesture of spreading one arm to the side, as if to welcome him.

[I’ve rallied enough] I thought as I looked around the students' packed windows.

“Well not that it really matters to me anyway, I just need you and your people to listen well!-” I continued, reclaiming my standing position “-I’ve been awfully busy in the last few months looking out for you lackeys’, mhh…shall we say “greetings”? They’ve all been very kind and welcoming you know! Sending adventurers my way, spying on me and then, just yesterday, they’ve even organized one hell of a big party! Though it didn’t end as you expected since I’m here, eh Gallher?”

The voices on the windows grew louder and louder, some were even shouting. Even teachers started to look out from the windows and forget about their lessons.

“But you already know all of this, right? Or perhaps has your green haired friend already disappeared? If that is the case let this lowly commoner fill you up on the big news...her whole plan was a big ugly failure! I even left her a gift thinking about you. I hope you’ll appreciate it. Now, I’m not really knowledgeable about your relationship with your friends nor do I care, but it seems that you are not one to trust them so easily since you left a surprise for me once the party finished. I was really shocked, you know! That ocarina guy really did his job truthfully, frighteningly so, to the point where I almost lost my neck!”

I said as I took off the jacket and showed my tattered and bloody clothes, purposely left as they were to inspire shock in the crowd. As expected, results came right after. shocked gasps and random shouting started to fill the entire place.

“Please…-” I said while raising a hand signaling them to stop “-Gallher, I will now speak to you directly. You are a coward. A lame fucking coward! Are you not the one who’s been saying left and right that you’re gonna be leading the strongest group in the school? Are you not the one who sent his little lap dog to bark at me after the pitiful scene you displayed in front of a lady? As I said, you are nothing but a coward flaunting your father’s title! Let me guess, the reason why you’ve been pestering me is because of the rumors that came after that day in the gazebo, right? So what, are you looking for revenge? Honour? To silence those rumors? Yet all of those could be easily resolved with a simple duel. So why not? Why not a duel between me and you? I’ll gladly accept it if it’s your highness, the son of Duke Gallher, you know!”

The spectators kept on increasing and with them were the sound of people laughing, shocked and annoyed or angry. I kept looking around, searching for that ugly face of his, yet he did not appear.

[A coward indeed…]

“But you all know better...what prideful noble would ever accept a duel with one low such as myself? Instead you decided to send you lackeys. You thought of yourself too high and mighty to deal with a commoner. So other than a coward you are also an idiot!-” As I said that I took out from the bag I carried on my back the two antlers of the fiend and displayed them right in front of the whole crowd “-You don’t understand just how much I would pay to see your face right now! And if you are asking, yes, those are the antlers of that “surprise” of yours...I’ll say it once and I’ll say it now: you will never beat me! You can send my way whatever you want, try your hand with whatever tricks you may think and cook up whatever scheme your little pitiful mind could think of. I’ll just blast them all off! The reason? Easy...BECAUSE I’M WAY STRONGER THAN YOU-” I screamed out of my lungs, asserting as much presence as I could in that state “-I am and will alway be stronger! A noble? The son of a duke? Pfft don’t make me laugh! You are nothing but a snotty brat with only his name to back him up! In all honesty you make me sick and I wouldn’t want to have nothing to do with people like you. However you started this. You not only went against me but also jeopardized my brother’s well being...so, if you want war...war you’ll get!”

An awful silence fell as soon as I delivered my words. The faces of my fellow students were all expressing the same feeling: pure and utter shock. Their silence was proof of it. Maybe they were waiting for something to happen, for Gallher to answer, but nothing happened and in the midst of that silence I left the scene. With the help of my waiting friends, whose expressions copied those of the other students, I walked all the way to the infirmary with my body screaming for rest and a sensation of accomplishment.

Before falling asleep on the infirmary bed I strongly grabbed an antler, remembering about the vision of the colossal eye I had.

“Let this fight...begin…” I whispered to myself as I slowly shifted into the comfort of the bed.

Part 3

- CROWD’S POV -

Danthe Hannes

“..I’ll say it once and I’ll say it now…”

His voice echoed all over the place. Even from where I stood I could hear every single word clearly. All the way up to the corridor of the second floor, just outside of our history class.

It was thanks to a random girl from a closeby class. She came running into our classroom almost out of breath claiming someone was in the inner garden taunting and making fun of Gallher. I was the first one who ran out of the class. It’s not as if I didn’t know who was the one shouting, I knew full well that the only one crazy enough to challenge Gallher was him. The commoner who Gallher so strongly hated. Raphael Bluescale.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to listen to the whole speech and as I ran out I saw people already jostling their way to a window to get a good look at the garden. I did the same as I attentively listened to his words. Once I reached a window and looked down on the garden my heart pounded so hard I believed it could jump out of my chest.

He was there, standing in front of the obelisk with his clothes in tatters and different stains of blood all over him. Though what caught my attention the most was his face. The black bags under his eyes and the pale color of his skin told me that he was near his limit. The fight with the fiend orchestrated by Gallher must have taken it’s pricey toll on him. Even amidst all this he was showing that cheeky smile of his, as if he was excited about the current development of the events.

[He’s just like me...hehe does the fight excite you that much, Bluescale?]

“...so, if you want war...war you’ll get!”

His words pierced my ears as arrows and sent shivers of excitement all over my body. My blood was running through my veins at the sole thought of a battle with him. He had been refusing my duels this whole time, probably trying not to get involved with Gallher more than necessary...but now? Now there was no way he would refuse a duel! My muscles were trembling as I was losing myself in the thought of finally getting a real challenge when the conversation between two of my classmates distracted me.

“Isn’t that the weakest of the first years?” Siad the tall ginger one.

“Haha yes he is, Bluescafe or something. How stupid can he be to challenge Gallher-san?” Replied the fatty with sweat all over his face.

“Hahaha yes...those are commoners for you”

“I bet Gallher-san’s gonna beat his ass for good! At least he’d teach those annoying commoners why we are nobles, right?”

“Oh really?-” I said placing both my elbows on each classmate’s shoulder “- So you geniuses think that Gallher will have an easy time dealing with that guy?”

“H-H-Hannes-san? O-of course! Gallher-san is clearly stronger s-so he’ll teach that peasant a lesson!”

“Pfftt HAHAHA you two should really focus on your studies if you can’t assert that “peasant’s” strength!-” I said as I walked towards my class “-An exciting war is about to break out...better choose your opponents carefully”

Student’s council president

“Is it really ok to let him continue, president?” Said with his unusual high pitched voice my assistant.

“If it’s about the disturbance he caused it’s already too late, he already caught the attention of the whole academy”

“N-no that’s not it”

“Mh? Then what?”

“What do you mean “what”? H-he’s saying that stuff to Gallher-san! That Gallher-san! He’s gonna get beat up really badly...isn't it also our job to make sure that every student is safe?”

“Mh? Why are you worried about that though?”

“C-c-council president!”

“What!? I’m trying to listen, stop bothering me!”

“ He’s the weakest of the first year! Of course I’m worried!”

“Oh? So he’s the one with that stupid title uh...what utter bullshit! Even though this academy is supposed to be so popular that even nobles from other kingdoms send their children to study, everyone here is soo damn blind!”

“I-I don’t under-”

“You too are blind”

“What?”

“Can’t you see what he’s holding?”

“Mmhhh...aren’t those reindeer's antlers? They are big for sure but I don’t see what they have to do with all this”

“A reindeer’s you say? Have you been studying monstrology just to get some points or what?”

“Eh?”

“Those are not reindeer’s antlers...the shape, the size, the peculiar while colour and rough texture...those are fiend’s antlers”

“A-a-a-are you saying that he slew a fiend?!”

“Well, he’s holding them, ain't he?”

“I mean, yes, but how can he-”

“*sigh* It looks like we’ll be having some tough work to do...that crazy fucker just declared war on that oh-so-prideful noble...HAHAHA I like that guy! What’s his name?”

“Ehm, Raphael Bluescale, president”

Black haired guy

“...BECAUSE I’M WAY STRONGER THAN YOU…”

I was watching from a window of the training facility, as all the others did. The guy who’s been labeled as the weakest of the first year and has been targeted by Gallher’s group was standing in the middle of the square declaring war on Gallher himself.

[Pretty gutsy that guy isn’t he?]

Said the voice in my head who’s been torturing me ever since I could remember.

[Shut up! No one asked your opinion!]

[And here I was in a good mood...you really have to ruin everything eh?]

[Just get out of my head! I’m trying to listen!]

[What, you like the guy? Wanna confess your undying love for him and live the rest of your days kissing his ass? HESHESHESHE]

[...]

[Tch..as always you are no fun]

“...so, if you want war...war you’ll get!”

[HESHESHE he really went and did it! What a crazy fucker...though at least things will be a hell lot more interesting. Maybe blood will finally be spilled! All those snotty brats ready to harvest...all those big breasted nobles ready to be fucked! Aren’t you getting excited too?]

[It’ll happen no such thing you shitty bastard!]

[HESHESHE you really think so?]

[What do you mean?]

[He’s more similar to us than you think...]

A shiver ran down my spine as he said those words. All of my life’s memories flashed in front of my eyes. All those dark moments filled with nothing but sadness, solitude and despair. Someone similar to me...to us. They couldn’t exist.

[What do you mean?]

[...]

[WHAT DO YOU MEAN?]

[...]

[FUCKER ANSWER ME!]

[HESHESHE, you’ll see soon enough...]