merry christmas my dear readers. I know this chapter is 3 days late, which is why i've made it 4 times as long. This is a christmas special, so i hope you enjoy reading it as much as i had writing it.

P.S. Sorry for the ending.

Kiefer took a good look around, studying the landscape from up high as he made his way to his little home on the cliff. The once empty grasslands were now teeming with activity. Uncountable rows of neatly planted trees filled up half the field. Unlike the Agrean forest where the temperature never dropped low enough, the fields were already covered in a soft sprinkle of snow that signified the start of winter.

His little port city of Mutatis had in itself grown beyond the cove, with docks lining both sides of the cove beyond the cliffs. The biggest building at the time he left felt so insignificant now compared to the sheer size of the city. By his rough estimates, Kiefer approximated mutatis to be no smaller than Diantes, except with greater organisation and uniformity.

90% of the buildings had been built or rebuilt out of bricks, and Kiefer could only assume them to have steel skeletons considering that some rose to above 5 storeys tall. The cove is relatively empty, with the exception of Alwin’s red/gold fleet and a handful of other smaller lavishly decorated boats. Most of the merchant cargo vessels and small transport boats were docked outside the cove, which could only mean that the security of the cove was for special privileged members only.

Despite the dropping temperatures and the light snowfall that melts ever so tenderly upon contact with skin, the streets were bustling with life as Kiefer, Isana and Sher walked through the gates. Thick black smoke rose from chimneys all over the city while peddlers sold their wares under thin cloth tarps hung over their heads to keep out the snow.

The city had developed nicely, and Alwin had done a magnificent job following Kiefer’s instructions. There were no distinct districts that separated the nobles from the peasants. There were, however, bigger mansions with extensive courtyards in prime locations that overlooked the cove or out into the sea. Kiefer saw a lot more variety of races, with even some wolf, cat and fox tribe members strolling down the streets and mingle with humans.

A utopia without discrimination of race and social standing, where everyone had an equal shot at life and earned for what they worked. That was a city that Kiefer dreamed Mutatis would become. Unrealistic as it was, and Kiefer knew it to be impossible, Alwin had developed Mutatis along the path to such a dream. Where there are differences, there will be discrimination, and where there are a variety of people, there will always be the greedy, the cunning, and the despicable. It was a matter of fact and Kiefer had accepted such things long ago.

Nevertheless, it was heart-warming to see the human and lamia guard stationed at the gates welcome Kiefer, Isana and Sher to through the gates despite their suspicious getup. To almost any guard in any city, a family of 3 dressed in weird clothes walking through a gate from a road that is supposedly at least 3 weeks travel time from the nearest settlement is sufficient reason to be suspicious. And yet, the well-mannered guards offered the family some warm drinks to soothe their throat while they prepared the required documents to get the family registered within the city.

This was no doubt a new process of inviting new residents while keeping track of their identities and whereabouts that Alwin and his team had come up with. It would seem that he had also drilled into the guards the mentality of ‘innocent until proven guilty’, which only made the registration process all that much smoother.

By the time Kiefer sat himself down on his bed in his room, the sun was already starting its descent from the middle of the sky. While the rest of the city grew and changed over the past 5 years, only Kiefer’s home and the area of the cliff around had remained unchanged. The path leading up to his home was already overgrown with grass that had withered from the cold. Weeds littered the back and front yard and dust had collected on the roof and on any flat surface within the house.

“I wonder where Feir is…” Kiefer thought silently as he undressed from his urban earth attire of a T-shirt and jeans into one more appropriate for Aioa. Isana was also doing the same only without removing the resplendent necklace around her neck. Putting on a nice thick coat to stay toasty, Kiefer left the house once again, hand in hand with Isana.

“Let’s go meet Alwin and the rest of his committee shall we? Inform them of our return. I hope Sher manages to find Feir.” Kiefer hushly whispered as the cold air dug into his throat with every breath.

Walking down the streets, Kiefer seemed to have become invisible, with everyone’s eyes stuck on the goddess that had descended to walk amongst them, and a piece of jewellery that seemed so intricately designed that it must have been crafted by other worldly gods. The goddess herself seemed unabashed, proudly lifting her chin to showcase the treasure that laid on her ample bosom for all to see.

Finally arriving at the clocktower, Kiefer was stopped by the guards stationed at the door and asked to state his purpose of visit. Kiefer smiled and decided to test them on a whim, seeing if they were indeed fit for their jobs.

Ignoring the guards, Kiefer walked right past them, with Isana in hand and stepping into the warm lobby of the government building. The guards were astonished at first, but promptly entered after the 2, still requesting that they stop.

“Sir, madam, please stop. This is a restricted area. There are important personal and documents here and we have been instructed not to let any strangers in without prior notification. Acting as you wish is making our jobs difficult and we would like to refrain from using force.” The first guard politely informed them.

“I see. Then bring me Alwin. I shall wait right here. Tell him Kiefer is back.” Kiefer replied, honestly impressed by the courteous attitude he is witnessing for the first time on Aioa. Most guards would have threatened him on the spot without any sort of explanation had he been in another city 5 years ago. Much has changed, and for the better it would seem. The guards are more civilised, and hopefully not any less skilful than what they were 5 years ago.

“Thank you sir. Please wait here while we contact the relevant authorities.” The first guard bowed, before turning and barking out orders to his subordinates. They began rushing around hecticly and before long, a familiar sight appeared through the doors on the second floor above the flight of stairs.

“Lord Kiefer, Elder Titan Isana, please follow me. General alwin is a little preoccupied in his study and is unable to leave at the moment. I shall guide you to him.” Alwin’s secretary bowed. The mention of Elder titan Isana seem to have struck some fear and relief into the guards at the door, glad that they had followed instructions to be polite and had thrown away their slightly more barbaric and rash attitudes from a while back.

Strolling up the stairs and through a long stretch of corridor, Alwin’s secretary knocked on a door thrice before opening it and allowing Kiefer and Isana to step in. He then promptly shut the door gently from the outside to allow the mayor and the founders of Mutatis some privacy.

“It’s been a while, Alwin. You don’t look that much different.” Kiefer commented, looking at the smiling man seated behind a mountain of paperwork. He still looked as young as always, except with a haggard and unkempt look that probably was a result of overwork.

“Well, we elves live for a few hundred years on average, some even growing past a thousand. 5 years is nothing to us. I can say the same to you too, you might have grown a stubble but you haven’t aged a bit. Time has been kind to you.” Alwin returned the compliment as he put down the quill and stood up to greet Kiefer. “So how have you been?”

“Not bad. Not bad at all. I’ve had quite a fruitful time at my destination. We met a few bumps along the way, but there was nothing a little force couldn’t fix.” Kiefer grinned.

“I see you are the same as always, enforcing your logic onto other people. Well, what do you think of the city? It’s changed quite a bit when you were gone. I was actually hoping you’d have left Icarus for us to use but seeing as you said u needed it just before you left, I’ve left the Alluvian plains to the farmers to use at their own discretion.” Alwin asked, hoping he had scratched even the surface of the grand plan that is Kiefer’s vision for Mutatis.

“You’ve done a magnificent job Alwin. Much better than I could have, given the short time span. Have you had any problems with the city?” Kiefer asked, while praising Alwin. It seemed to put a pleasing smile on his face, as if all the troubles he had up till now were worth it.

“Yes there are a few problems actually. The most glaring one would be the lack of a proper army. While we do have an army and a general, unlike the other countries, they do not serve under a king, and hence lack leadership. It is currently very generalised as we do not know the specific route with which to train the army in. While cities such as Diantes focus on physical might and military strategy, others such as Rashael’s Latiase focus on magic abilities to defend their city. Right now, Mutatis has a little of everything, but nothing that we can really call our own style that sets us aside from others.” General Alwin reported, rummaging through a stack of parchment on his desk and pulling out a few relevant pieces on the army’s structure.

“I see. I just might have a solution for your problem. I was actually thinking of discussing this with you. My intention was for Mutatis to have a small but efficient army that is able to deploy anywhere in almost an instant and be capable of neutralising any threats to the city. I just happen to have the resources to make that happen but I need to be able to choose the soldiers individually. They have to be able to fend off an army on their own with the limited resources they have at hand, while being able to work well as a team or alone. Of course this doesn’t mean you have to retrench the rest of the current army. They will serve as the people’s army, serving the civilians instead of the city. You can keep the guards and patrol groups as such, but we will have a rapid response team that is deadly and fast enough to respond to emergencies and powerful enough to act as a deterrent to outside threats.” Kiefer explained his suggestion.

“So you are saying that the current army will remain as they are while you select an elite few for your special program to train them to react to any threats to the city?” Alwin asked, trying to clarify what Kiefer had just said.

“Yes, and I will provide the elite forces with the resources necessary to make them formidable. Are there any other problems with the city development?” Kiefer continued.

“The next issue isn’t so much a problem as it is a worry. While Mutatis had been growing well, I’ve noticed a decrease in its population growth rate the past year. I’m not sure if it’s going to be just this year, or if it will continue. If it’s the latter, that will indeed be a problem since the lack of a workforce will seriously hinder the growth and development of the city.” Alwin reported once more.

“I see. So you are saying that we need something to either improve birth rates or attract more people from other cities to move here. Have you considered giving out incentive packages for people moving and settling in Mutatis from other cities?” Kiefer asked, pointing at one of the instructions in the plan for increasing Mutatis’s population.

“Yes, but sadly, that is not where our main problem lies. Even if people do move in and receive the incentives package, word does not get out easily to encourage more people to move to Mutatis. I think what we need is an attraction of sorts to lure outsiders in and give them a proper view of what living in Mutatis is like. For example, Alluviate has held regular tournaments in her Arena and that alone attracts thousands from other cities to go and either to watch or participate in the tournament. I feel that it is something like this that Mutatis is lacking in.” Alwin described.

“I think I just might have an idea to tackle that problem too, although I’m going to have to move quite a bit of manpower to achieve the results I want. Let’s move on. Anything else?” Kiefer pondered and gave a slight reassurance to Alwin.

“No nothing else really. Other smaller issues I will be able to fix on my own. I do have to thank you though. As you instructed, titan Feir had been keeping the outskirts of the city safe. We are quite famous amongst merchants for being the safest city to travel to. It would seem that somehow, Titan Feir is capable of conjuring a duplicate of himself and guard any and all merchant caravan within the outskirts of Mutatis.” Alwin thanked.

“You’re welcome, but I feel it should be directed towards Feir rather than me. I suppose he interpreted my instructions a little differently than what I expected but it worked out fine too. So since there are no other pressing issues, I’m going to get going now. I will begin preparations to select the elite force as well as design an attraction for the city. For now, I need you to issue an order to clear out the city square though. I am going to need that space for my plans.” Kiefer waved his hand as he left the room and returned to the lobby with Isana.

“So where are we going now Kiefer? What plans do you have in mind?” Isana asked as she strolled along side Kiefer, his right arm tucked away snuggly between her two mountains.

“For now, I want you to help me put up several notices in the adventurer’s guild. Seeing how pretty you are and that necklace you are wearing, that attention that you attract will be much needed if we are to act quickly. I will return home and make some minor renovations to improve our home.” Kiefer then proceeded to explain to Isana what notices to put up in the adventurer’s guild.

The first notice was to gather as many glassblowers and metalworkers as possible for an event never before celebrated on Aioa. Of course, the reward for their work would be substantial and would scale according to how much each participant contributed. Kiefer’s aim with this request was to create a variety of ornaments ranging from glass balls to intricately designed animals. The most significant being a large star that would be placed atop a tree.

Kiefer’s next request though, was targeted at the city guards as well as any adventurer parties interested in partaking in the event. The criteria being that the participants must form squads of 5 to 10 people and they will have to work together in a mock battle. The request though, was divided into sub-categories where the other casual non-competitive category was targeted towards the general audience. Naturally, there would be an unknown reward for the top 5 teams in the competitive section while participation gifts would be handed out to everyone else in the casual category.

Leaving out the key details to entice the masses with a sense of mystery, Isana made sure that word of her requests spread quickly. Registration for the squads would be conducted on the day of the event itself. The final request though, Isana chose not to pin it up on the board since she felt that she had a much faster avenue of recruiting the required members of the society to help arrange matters.

While Isana was out and about running errands, Kiefer had already dug up a 2nd basement level in their home, where he pulled out a generator from his PD. He had stripped the electrical generator from one of the smaller pirate ships that he happened by while raiding the numerous pirate bases on earth. Finally, he would have a home run not solely on mana but combined with electricity as well.

The generator was remodified so that Kiefer did not need to supply it with the required plutonium or uranium cores for nuclear fission. Instead, Kiefer made short work of the pistons and their respective cylinders, carving a small Repulsion rune that causes each piston head to automatically blast away from the end of the cylinder once it comes within close proximity. Bypassing the fuel input altogether, the piston sprung to life and started churning away at an axle which spun a series of magnets in coils of wires. The Generator pumped out AC supply like there was no tomorrow and after some time, the power fluctuations stabilised enough for Kiefer to start installing the computer and lighting systems within his home.

Having proven that the generator works while running on rune controlled mana, Kiefer immediately got to work on his main project. He sprinted towards the northern forest that separated Mutatis from the mountains. Picking the biggest fir tree he could find, he uprooted the entire tree and carried it back to the city square where he planted it right in the middle.

Pulling out a second generator, Kiefer’s work at modifying the generator and stringing the lengthy LED bulbs on the tree attracted quite a bit of attention. Most of the attention though, came from disgruntled shop owners who were asked to vacate the lot without any prior notice or explanation. As the generator hummed to life, everybody left out audible gasps of admiration as the towering Fir tree lit up in bright lights that changed colours in an organised pattern every few seconds.

Kiefer admired his work from afar, watching various people gather to inspect and observe the new attraction. However, thanks to a simple barrier rune, none could approach the tree close enough to touch and mess with the electrical circuitry. It helped greatly that the electricals were all water-proof, evidence that humanity had been living in the seas for generations long enough to adapt their technology. This made contact with snowfall harmless and Kiefer had no need to worry about leaving the lights and generator on in his absence.

Very quickly, the next 2 weeks passed by in a flash, with a sudden increase in imports within the city of Mutatis. The neighbouring cities were of course delighted with the business while at the same time intrigued by the sudden change. Mutatis had always been self-sufficient and focused on export. But to suddenly switch to import of food stuff and building materials such as sand and metals only meant that there was a sudden and big change going on in Mutatis.

Feir and Sher had returned shortly after the Christmas tree went up and they helped Kiefer in organising the different parties involved in hosting the event. Several families of blacksmiths, jewellers, glass craftsmen and merchants were deeply involved in the event preparation and guards were employed in the troves to ensure the safety of the people and merchandise.

Finally, it was the morning of the first day of the event. Kiefer had already set up everything and the brightly lit Christmas tree had already become a local attraction and a landmark of sorts or outsiders. Humans and Demi-humans alike swarmed in from other cities to see the spectacle of lights dancing around on a tree. Wooden stalls had been set-up along the perimeter of the square, surrounding the tree.

It was barely a few hours after sunrise and yet, people had started packing the place and streets so densely that guards had to stop carriages from 10 streets away for the safety of the passers-by. Kiefer was calm as ever, prepared to announce the start of the event and the itinerary for the days to follow. The titans however could not keep their excitement in as they had already been briefed on what was about to happen.

Stepping up to the podium, Kiefer spoke into the mic that he had installed, with his voice booming through the speakers installed on the corners of the square. Taking a look around, he estimated that at least 90% of the population of Mutatis had gathered in the streets and a fraction more from various other cities at least.

*tap tap tap*

Kiefer tested the mic as the tapping sound resounded from the speakers. People huddled next and close to the speakers covered their ears and desperately tried to move away. Quickly, a small circle formed around each speaker as people refrained from going near the unusual equipment.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, dear valued citizens of Mutatis and other cities alike. I formally welcome all of you to the first ever Winter Games festival on Aioa. While it may have a different meaning from where it originated from, the purpose behind this event, which will be held annually from this day forth, is for everyone to have fun and to embrace the spirit of giving and generosity. I know times are hard and resources are scarce at times, but we must always remember to help each other in dire times. My father used to say this to me when I was younger. ‘The only time you should look into your neighbour’s bowl, is to make sure that he has enough. You don’t look into your neighbour’s bowl to see if you have as much as he does.’ I feel that this should apply to us not only in times of need, but in times of happiness as well. So go forth and spread your warmth and happiness, for sharing is caring.”

Kiefer paused as the crowd exploded into applause. Waiting for the applause to die down, secretly glad that he had such a great turn out, Kiefer continued his speech.

“Our first event today is a combination of a few smaller events that will occur simultaneously. Over the past 2 weeks, I have employed and paid for several of our finest craftsmen to come up with ornaments that you can purchase for a small fee. The ornaments’ price range from 1 copper coin for the smallest to 5 copper coins for the largest and most intricately designed. As you all know, 5 copper coins can get you a simple meal at a small inn, or 2 loaves of bread at a bakery. This is but a small price to pay to have your own unique ornament hung up on this giant tree for the rest of winter. All proceedings will go towards the construction of the first ever public school in Mutatis that allows anyone to join, regardless of social standing.”

Having said that, Kiefer willed his mana into a large red metal block which transformed quickly and magnificently into a scaffolding that surrounded the giant tree on 5 levels. This stunned and awed the entire crowd and they went up into cheers again at the delightful spectacle.

“You can also have a warm meal served at any of the food stalls for 5 coppers throughout the duration of this event. My beautiful wife has arranged for the best chefs in the city to band together to cook you meals deserving of a King. Of course, that is not all. Our main event is still the tournament which I’m sure most if not all of you have been waiting for. For the whole of today, and tomorrow morning, the tournament will be open for public and anyone can join anytime they wished to. It will be a massive snowball fight on 4 arenas and every and all participants will receive a small token of appreciation from us, the hosts. The key thing though, is to make sure you do not injure other people intentionally or accidentally, and also to have fun while you are at it.”

Kiefer paused once again as the crowd stirred into a mummur about the tournament. It seemed simple enough, but they had no idea why there was a competitive section for professionals at all.

“Now, you must all be wondering where this event will be happening. You can’t possibly play in the streets and risk damaging properties. Hence, we shall be playing on… THIS!” Kiefer announce wildly, as he extended his mana to the furthest reaches he could. It had been a while since he could manipulate his mana like this and it felt strangely satisfying to be able to finally expend his mana without limits.

With a thought, the ground shook as people began looking around. All their feet had been secured firmly to something by silvery threads as the tree, the city square, the stalls, the generator and everybody present began rising up through the air. With the exception of the town square where even the ground was dug up and lifted up, everybody soon realised they were standing on a massive floating silver platform that was shaped in a circle. There was a silvery wall that circumvented the platform to prevent anyone from dropping off the platform to their deaths.

Snow had begun gathering at their feet and people began rousing up in cheers at the performance. Throughout the floating platform, red streaks began snaking their way between the crowd’s now free legs and formed numerous vertical doors with runes inscribed on the edges.

“Should anyone want to leave the platform, you only need to walk through the door and it will take you back to the surface. Similarly, if you want to come back to the platform, you only need to enter through the doors on the surface, however, only after a security check by the city guards to ensure you have not brought any weapons with you.” Kiefer stressed the importance of safety.

“With this, I announce the beginning of the winter festival and I hope all of you have fun! OH and one last thing! Make sure you do not miss out the dance party at the end of the day after sunset. Everybody is welcome to join in.” Kiefer concluded his speech as the crowd roared once again with enthusiasm, all of them scurrying about with their own agendas.

Almost immediately, a snowball whizzed past Kiefer’s ear as he saw a small child grinning widely at him. This sparked the start of the snowball fight as white puffs exploded all over the place, with uncountable balls exploding and dispersing off the barriers erected to protect the tree, stalls and equipment. People began bending down and packing fist-sized snowballs and hurling at each other. The crowd slowly spread out from the original packed street layout into a uniform is not a little messy flood of hands, feet, claws, and tails.

As Sher and Feir joined in the fray to play with the children and adults alike, a snowball landed cleanly on the back of Kiefer’s head. Turning around, Kiefer spotted a grinning Isana who was already in a stance to lob another one in his direction. Not wanting to miss out on the fun, Kiefer chased Isana into the skies, conjuring and shooting snowballs like a machine gun at the fleeing Isana. Isana also occasionally switched to attack and did the same, creating snowballs from thin air and firing them in Kiefer’s direction. With the heated battle going on in the air, snowballs began raining down on the participants down below as most of Kiefer’s and Isana’s attacks were dodged by the opposing party. Many people stopped dead in their tracks and watched the close intense battle between their hosts before once again, someone reignited the fight with a snowball into another’s face.

The snowball fight persisted through the day, dying down during lunch and teatime. The civilians meanwhile also took intermittent breaks from the fun to have their chance at decorating the brightly lit tree, with many children bugging their parents to buy them the cute glass tarsus and wooden fientrals.

As evening came around, the snowball fights finally died down and people were huddling together in the cold to get their meals. As a token, Kiefer and the guards began distributing simple yet warm cloaks to everyone present. The cloaks were made of wool and leather; with a Christmas tree design sewn onto the back to indicate that this was the present from the first ever winter festival. Children received smaller versions of the cloaks that were nonetheless, still warm.

Seeing as everybody had gathered around the brightly lit tree, Kiefer pulled out a small black hexagon shaped device from his pocket. Staring intently at the thumbnail sized device, Kiefer smiled and thought silently to himself, “I can’t believe this actually can hold 4 petabyte of information.”

Slotting the little thumbdrive into the side of the primary speaker, the touchscreen lit up on the side and Kiefer began doodling on it for quite some time. After a while, a soft hum began filling the platform as the speakers came to life once again. The soft hum eventually turned into the sound of bells clinking and soon, an instrumental melody of Jingle bells came on.

As if they had not seen enough things to shock their senses, there was this catchy melody that filled their heads from instruments they only knew not to exist on Aioa. Everybody soon got the gist of the song and were humming along to various Christmas melodies as they enjoyed their slow dance and dinner.

As the night drew on, the Christmas tree remain lit while the stall owners all began packing up. Residents were streaming out of the platform through the doors and by midnight, the guards finally had a break for the night. Kiefer and the titans also retreated back home as they had another busy day ahead of them.

The next day came around and saw less fighting that the day before. Nevertheless, less fighting did not mean no fighting and there were still plenty of snowballs flying through the air. A new stall had been set up this time and guards were busy jotting down names of all the participants for the competitive side. The morning flew by and soon, the square was filled with men and women who had registered for the competitive section.

All snowball fights had been stopped since before lunch time and the entire platform had been re-lowered into the ground. The men and women gathered were now crowding the streets, all dressed heavily with axes and swords strapped to their backs. There were even a few mages mixed in with the lot and tension was growing higher by the second as rivals began eyeing each other in a challenging stare.

“Ladies and Gentlemen! If I can have your attention please! Right now, we currently have 47 teams signed up for the competition, with a total of 451 people. Now that the registration period is over, Will all of you kindly gather your equipment and walk through the red metal doors that are now being formed? It will take you to the venue for the battle. For those of you not taking part, I would advise you to stay here. There will be a large screen that will broadcast the entire battlefield to you from the safety of the city.” Kiefer’s voice boomed through the city square and captured the attention of everyone.

As the red doors formed, the eager participants began trudging through the portals and finding themselves floating above a vast expanse of empty land on a platform maybe 1 or 2 building height above the ground. The endless field of white seemed to pierce their eyes as many squinted from the sun’s rays reflected into their pupils from the white snow. They were now standing on a piece of land cleared specifically for this battle northeast of Mutatis.

“Now if you will all gather into your groups and assemble at the flag where your group’s number is seen, we can start the war games.” Kiefer instructed, and soon, all 47 teams were spread farm and equally wide apart from each other in strategically placed flags.

“Now that everyone is in position, I will explain the rules of the game.” Kiefer’s magically enhanced voice was carried through the field to the 46 teams in a cold chilly wind. “The aim of the game is to protect your own flag while capturing the other team’s flag. The last 5 teams remaining will qualify for the grand prize. The rules are that you cannot injure other players with whatever weapons you are carrying. You can use whatever resources you have brought with you, however you like, but you cannot hurt or injure other people with those weapons and equipment. The only way you can kick another player out of the game is by hitting them with a snowball. As you can see, you are all a fair bit of distance from each other, and it will be difficult to tread through the 1m thick soft snow that has piled up on the ground. You can choose to move out to attack or stay back around your flag to defend. Work as a team to persevere and you will be rewarded greatly.” Kiefer explained as everyone was shocked by the rules.

Most had assumed this would be a simple match of weapons and strength, and yet now that using the weapons to harm others were forbidden, their heavy war axes and large cumbering broadswords were useless. The teams immediately began discussing plans before they heard Kiefer’s voice again.

“I will now lower all of you and your flags back down to the surface. Feel free to discuss your strategies in the meantime. The game will begin the moment the meteor shatters and you can start moving away from your flag then.” Kiefer explained.

Soon, the platform began its descent back down to the ground as the teams started eyeing each other and discussing plans. Isana flew across the battlefield in her dragon form, the air screaming and howling as she zipped past them in great speeds. This caught all their attention as the giant white dragon summoned a runic circle in mid-air, causing a gigantic Ice shard to slowly form out of the runic circle. Within moments, the ice meteor was rushing down towards the land as 4 drones circled the battlefield to broadcast the event back onto the screens in the city square.

The moment the very lowest tip of the meteor touched the first layer of soft snow on the ground, the meteor shattered in a large sparkle of miniscule ice crystals that gradually floated down into the snow. Roars of excitement erupted from the participants and the viewers alike as the start of the war games began.

Several teams with mages cleared the land of snow around their flag while others were busy hacking away at the thick soft snow with their weapons-made-tools.one particularly large built man packed a tight snowball and lobbed it high into the air in the direction of another team, only to watch the snowball disintegrate in the air from the speed of the launch. Long distance artillery seemed like a good idea, if only the integrity of the hand-packed snowballs could hold up.

The players worked swiftly, with some groups choosing to build a fortress out of the snow around their flag and play a defensive game. Others with the advantage of a mage in their team started moving out, leaving behind a few members of their team to guard their flag. Kiefer observed a rather curious team who had broken their own flag and carried it with them as they moved out to attack, essentially removing the need to split their team into attack and defence sub-groups.

Naturally, 45 minutes into the game, most of the other teams had caught wind of this technique and began copying it, save for those that had chosen to abandon attack altogether and reinforce their now formidable looking fortress of ice walls and domes.

The battle heated up 50 minutes into the game when the first snowball flew through the air and claimed the ‘life’ of an unguarded swordsman who had difficulty manoeuvring in the soft snow. However, even with the fierce battle that ensued, ‘deaths’ were far and few between.

The really professional began showing their skills as they sliced and diced through the hail storm of snowballs while their teammates returned the attack. There was even a fire mage who matched each incoming snowball with a fire arrow that landed on their target snowballs with pinpoint accuracy. The vanguards sliced through as much of the snowballs, some using their tower shields to block the majority of the attacks.

Other notable achievements that caught Kiefer’s eyes were a particular sharpshooter with his longbow. The wood elves were a team that had fortified themselves behind layers of walls and they were easily shooting down snowballs mid-trajectory. They were conservative enough to only target the snowballs that would otherwise hit their team mates. Part of their attacking force was responsible for firing snowballs to keep the approach of enemy teams at bay.

Teamwork and cooperation was key as many of the teams began falling apart the moment a few of their members fell to the onslaught of mercilessly thrown snowballs. While some teams remained barely functional, others crumbled outright once a key member of their team was taken out. A rare few managed to maintain their performance even with the loss of a few members, with the remaining members automatically stepping up to fill in the duties of those that had fallen.

Very quickly, only 10 teams were left after 2 hours and an interesting but expected thing was happening. Alliances began forming between the remaining teams as half killed squads merged to fill in each other’s weaknesses. By the time there were only 8 flags left, it comprised of 3 alliances working against each other.

Each alliance comprised of a defensive fortress where all the team’s flags were held, and one to two attacking squads. The battles were drawn out as each player showcased their persistence and explosive battle capabilities, unleashing skill after skill against an endless barrage of snowballs. The crucial moment where one more team fell, Kiefer had noticed a small but clear signal between the would-be winners of the competition.

It would seem that 5 teams had actually already formed an alliance mid-way and they were secretly working with the remaining three to bring them down in one crucial moment. The battle seemed evenly spread but was actually carefully orchestrated by the leader of team 31 to overwhelm the one team out of 8 in the heat of the battle.

What happened next was quick and decisive. The members of 2 of the defensive fortress teams suddenly turned on their attacking counterparts within their fake ‘alliance’ and backstabbed the players, quickly eliminating 2 more squads and bringing the war games to an abrupt and unexpected end.

Loud cheers and jeers went up within the city square as countless civilians witnessed the clever manipulation of the battle and betrayal of the winning teams. However, their anger were quelled upon a short interview with the captains of the winning teams after the battle. A familiar sight greeted Kiefer as he stepped up onto the stage in the city square after all the participants and the winners had returned via the portal doors.

“Hello again Varn. Nice to see you again, my old teacher.” Kiefer spoke softly as he shook the hands of his old instructor.

“Same here Kiefer.” Varn smiled back, his hair turning grey from old age and wrinkles forming on his face. “You left the necromancer school so abruptly I did not get a chance to really talk with you back in Diantes.”

“I know. I’m sorry about that, but we will have to catch up another time. For now, please explain what happened during the war games.” Kiefer replied, smiling warmly back, a quick glance revealing that amongst the winners were a few of Varn’s old team and some familiar recruits from the Alluvan knight’s academy.

“The truth is, we already formed this 5 team alliance even before the games started. We had no idea what the games would be like, so we decided it would be best if we acted like we did not know each other and infiltrated other teams in our ‘fake alliance’ to spread thin their forces. It worked out well in the end but it was mainly thanks to the abilities of our individual members.” Varn explained to the crowd as all 50 members of the 5 winning teams bowed courteously on the stage.

“I see. Well there you have it Ladies and gentlemen. It would seem that all the other participants played right into the hands of this brilliant strategist. Their team had skilful infiltrators who managed to keep their covers during the battle and won out in the end. How about a round of applause for this brilliant 50 man team for their unbelievable coordination and skill shown in the war games?” Kiefer announced loudly as the crowd went wild with cheers.

“And now, for the prize for the 5 winning teams. This is the first instalment of the full prize, 10 platinum coins per team for a total of 1 platinum coin per person.” Kiefer yelled as he took out 5 brown leather sacks of coins and presented one to the leader of each team. The crowd cheered even louder at the realisation that the prize was such a significant amount.

“Unfortunately, the 2nd part of your rewards will come later and we will be giving it out in secret. However, feel free to enjoy the rest of the festival and please keep the snowball fights to a minimum. The stalls will be open in the city square for another 3 more days, so be sure to grab a bite and buy some souvenirs to commemorate this wonderful event. I will now conclude the end of the Winter festival event!” Kiefer yelled as the festival drew to a close.

The winning teams were led back to the clock tower and they formed up 5 neat rows of 10 men and women in the lobby. Kiefer stood in front of them and finally, announced their true rewards.

“Now, as im sure all of you already know, the coin you received earlier was merely a gesture of goodwill on my part. The true motive of the winter war games was to find and recruit an elite team of soldiers who can handle any situation with any resources they have on hand. If you so choose to accept this one time job offer, you will become the first generation of a new type of soldiers on Aioa – the Spartans. Each of you will be equipped with weapons beyond anything this world has ever seen, trained to utilise those new equipment and essentially, turning every one of you into a one man army. You will be sent on missions either alone, or in a team and you will return alive each and every time. You will be able to resolve any crisis or threats to this city at the drop of a hat while minimising civilian and collateral damage. You are the tip of the spear.” Kiefer explained, watching each and every one of their reactions.

“Who here, is not willing to put their lives on the line to serve this city and its people? If you are unwillingly, you will be presented with a sizeable reward and you can choose to leave now. But remember, this is a onetime only offer and once you leave, there is no chance for you to join this elite force again.” Kiefer warned, watching if anyone makes a move. And yet, all 50 people under Varn’s command stood strict and still, with determined looks in their eyes. Varn only nodded firmly at Kiefer, signalling him to continue.

“Very well then. Go home, pack your things. I know most of you do not live in Mutatis, so I will allow you 2 months to get your affairs together. I will see you all back here on the first weekend of spring, ready to start your training. That is all. You are dismissed.” Kiefer concluded, satisfied with the result.

Varn had already rushed off, seemingly having forgotten about their agreement to catch up with each other. Kiefer shrugged it off and returned home to find Isana and Sher had cooked him a nice meal to warm his belly. Dinner was over quickly and Sher was already snoozing in her own room.

“Mmm….” Kiefer yawned, stretching his arms out like a lazy cat in his warm bedroom. “Sana, thanks for all your help coordinating the people. It’s great that people listen to you so easily. Most of them seem to be intimidated by me though.” Kiefer sighed as he watched Isana crawl under the sheets next to him.

“Of course. That because I’m so beautiful.” Isana joked back shamelessly, grinning at Kiefer.

“Mmmhmm. Yes you are beautiful.” Kiefer replied to Isana’s joke, causing her to blush. He then proceeded to plant a long and passionate kiss on her lips, which Isana returned just as passionately. The kissing eventually grew more intense, with a battle of tongues and mind going on furiously. Each side was not willing to back down and by them time they parted, both were out of breath, panting from the excitement.

Kiefer looked Isana gently in the eyes, stroking the side of her face before resuming the kiss that he had ended abruptly to catch a breath. Slowly but firmly, he undressed the dragoness who seemed just as willing to pull his pants down. A hot and passionate night followed the couple and Kiefer barely managed to keep up with his enhanced body.

The night ended on a sweet lull as both were exhausted and snuggled up to each other. Isana laid her head on Kiefer’s chest, listening for his reassuring heartbeat as Kiefer tightly embraced her entire being.

“We are going to have to clean up this mess before Sher wakes up.” Isana whispered as she began dozing off. She could make out Kiefer’s chuckle before she drifted off into her dreams.

As quickly as she fell asleep, Isana was rudely awakened by Kiefer’s violent thrashing. His whole body was convulsing as he started foaming from his mouth, his face contorted into an agonising frown. Kiefer’s violent rocking seemed to have alarmed Sher and Feir as well who came rushing through the door. Isana was panicking visibly, tears rolling down her cheek as she tried desperately to restrain Kiefer’s body.

“Quick…” Isana sobbed, as she turned to Sher. “Quickly go get Rashael! I don’t know what is happening to Kii... quickly before it’s too late..” Isana cried pitifully as Sher immediately shot through the roof and transformed into her serpent form, bolting through the sky so fast she left a blurry white streak with her wings.