Magnus woke up feeling refreshed, thanks to the off days on his hands he was able to sleep in late and wake up whenever he wanted to.

Magnus did a few stretches to get his muscles loosened up and then went over to the barrel filled with freshwater out back to clean up. Oww, how much he missed taking a warm bath with soaps on hand!

It is a real luxury that the orphanage could not afford to have baths drawn up for everyone hence all that they could do was splash water onto themselves for the most basic and cold showers.

Once Magnus was done washing up, he made it down to the dining hall, right now they were in the process of cleaning up.

“Oh, you are up late,” Mother Nevra observed as she finished mopping up the hall. “Aren't you going to work, today?”

“Nope,” Magnus answered back, “Got a few days off, actually.”

“That is good,” Mother Nevra voiced, “Well, if you are hungry, there is a bit of porridge left out back in the kitchen.”

Magnus gave his thanks to the Mother, and went into the kitchen to get himself something to eat.

Once he came back into the dining hall with the last dregs of breakfast, kids were sitting down at the table with the Mothers, Matron, and older girls. They had out their stone writing desks, and were having personal one on one lessons.

Without a word, he sat himself at an empty section in the corner, and with the quiet academic chit chat going on here and there, it set a relaxing and comfortable mood and Magnus sat back and enjoyed the atmosphere.

At times he feels like an old man among children, which he actually is in fact, but these kids are so mature he could at times feel the opposite as well.

Magnus sighed deeply when that impression flickered through his mind, it immediately hurled him out of his pleasant mood and brought forth ponderings on the decision awaiting him. However, before he could proceed further along that upsetting path, somebody’s voice butted in.

“I see that you have finally decided to grace us with your presence, huh, boy?”

Magnus looked up from his now empty bowl and meet eye to eye with the Matron, “Aww, good morning to you, Matron.” he uttered in polite greeting.

But the Matron ever so polite as always, cut to the chase and got right down to business, “I heard from Mother Nevra that you are off, so are you here to finally learn a thing or two?”

“Ahh, no thanks,” Magnus said, politely refusing the best way he could.

Magnus knew that there was nothing that he could pick up from anyone really, and even if it sounded arrogant, they could learn much from him, in fact.

He already had the finest and most advanced formal education there could be had in this world! Also, thanks to the patchy memories he gained from his previous host, contrary subjects like history and languages were up to date and at a good level.

“However there was something I could use your wisdom to shed some light upon,” Magnus declared before the Matron could turn away in a huff.

“What is it?” the Matron asked, already get impatient with his dilly dallying.

“Well, I sort of came to a crossroads in life,” Magnus phrased the best way he could without getting into unspeakable territory that infringed on the magical contract. “I have two choices set before me, and I really have no idea which one to choose.”

“You gotta give me more than that, boy, if you want any sort of advice from me,” the Matron insisted. “I am not some mind reader that can understand your problem with just a single look and a few words!”

“Fine,” Magnus said as he put his arms up in the air. Anyways he wouldn’t put it up against the Matron if she could do exactly that. “I am faced with a moral dilemma, two paths lay before me, one of pragmatism and principle!”

“Ahh,” the Matron uttered as recognition blossomed on her face and a flicker of sadness that he could have sworn passed through her face. “The age old question, huh. What to do? What to do?”

“YES,” Magnus shouted as the Matron exactly described his circumstances, then sighed in defeat and turned to face the Matron. “I could really use your help!”

“I am sorry, boy, but this is something I can not advise you on. You will have to find the answer on your own.”

“WHAT!” Magnus yelled out, totally not expecting this turn of events.

The Matron held her hand out to calm him, “This might seem unsympathetic of me, but this is something that you alone could decide for yourself. If I gave you a direct and frank answer on what to do, there will always be regret and trouble in your heart.”

Magnus turned silent once he heard the Matron explanation, he already knew that was the case, deep down inside, but a part of him wanted to take the easy way out. Now that it was denied for him, he was back at base one, with his choices set right before him.

“The only thing I could suggest for you is, do not listen to your head. It will put everything in a nice, neat, order but it is the heart that you should follow.”

Magnus wanted to ask what she meant by that, however, she prepared herself to leave and only left him with, “Though remember this when you are about to make a decision; this is a cruel world with monsters prowling its surface. They do not care for right and wrong, all that matters to them is power, wealth, and fame!”

Once more Magnus turned silent, this was also a fact he knew and understood. He just started down this path of power and already he could see how powerful you can become. With those power near at hand, would you need to care about those feebler than you, or right and wrong?

The answer was clear when you looked at human nature, power tends to corrupt all men!

"Well, I leave you to it," the Matron said pronounce. "Oh, and since you are off today, try to relax and go see some sights. You deserve it more than anyone else! Or you could stay with us and have those giggling girls watch you all day and try to attract your attention."

Magnus craned his head around, and just like the Matron said there were a few girls looking his way and quickly turned around once he gazed at them. He rubbed his head to alleviate the headache coming on, he just felt sick to the core whenever his mind wanders to what is expected of him.

Unlike Earth, people here get married really young, say between fourteen, fifteen, and sixteen at the latest. With a life expectancy of anywhere between thirty to forty, you can't be taking the leisurely road.

But when he puts it into perspective these kids are literally half his age mentally and this whole thing of getting married when you are a middle schooler is demented when put against modern standards.

Magnus hastily looked up to face the Matron and asked in a hesitant voice, "What is there for entertainment, in this city?" He had no clue what these people get up for fun, there was no television or internet so what was there that passed the time?

Ahh, at times he really remembers that he is a man out of his time!

Still, though it was way better than staying here and feeling grossed out of himself for attracting the attention of little girls.

“Go see a mummery show or one of those bloody spectacles that they like to put on,” the Matron said with a wave of her hand.

“What do you mean by bloody spectacles?” Magnus asked, curious about what she meant.

--------------------------------------------

Inside a large stone amphitheater found in a well to do district on Mountainside, Magnus sat among the raucous, sweaty crowd. Vendors were going up and down the stone steps offering food, drinks, and small wares.

Magnus got himself half a dozen mini lemon cakes and honey wine then got back to waiting for the show to start. He still had no idea what this whole affair was about since the Matron refused to tell him anything. All she offered was, you have to see it for yourself.

Still, he did not want to go see some dry affair like a mummery show, he was never into the whole stage acting business. Thus in his opinion; best to see the mysterious business that caught his intrigue.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Commoners and Guilders, Fine Folks of Exastrand!” a large, booming, and eccentric voice shouted-- silencing the clamorous mass.

“Is not a good day, for BATTLE!”

“What?” Magnus asked, gaining a sneaking suspicion where this was heading as the crowd with mad all around him.

“HAHAHA! I thought so. Well, let’s get started then, aye!”

Once more the crowd went absolutely mad, though Magnus glanced around until he spotting the speaker. He was a round little man, wearing baggy trousers, a long richly embroidered vest, and a large white turban. Other than that Magnus couldn’t make out his features but what caught his attention was the retro microphone in the man’s hand.

That immediately caught Magnus by surprise and hurled him out of the experience, ‘wasn’t this world similar to a medieval period?’ he asked himself.

From there many questions started to swirl inside his head about this baffling enigma, he didn’t come back to the present until the announcer shouted. “We all know him, we all love him! Today we have our most daring and fearless champion, Alpeeeeeer!”

Then walked in a shirtless man from the gate on the right waving to the wild mob and sporting a grin. He was a tall and lanky man, with neon green hair and carrying two daggers at his hip.

“On the other end of the field is a newly caught beast,” the man said, drawing out the tension as the left gate swung wide open. “A Sword Beaked Hummingbird!”

Magnus’s mouth hung wide open when he stared at the beast that zipped right into the field. Instead of being as big as a man’s hand it was as big as a MAN! He could also tell where the creature got its name, the thing had a beak shaped like a long sword and with its reach.

It zoomed around the place, glancing to and fro getting a feel for the arena and its situation while also looking for an escape like all cornered beast would. Then it saw the open air and thrilled out loud in happiness, and zoomed for it.

Yet as it got halfway up, it came to a sudden stop and let loose a cry of pain. Magnus looked closer at the creature, perplexed about what caused it sudden pain. Then noticed a strange collar around its neck with strange syllables written on it that Magnus could have sworn he seen somewhere.

Suddenly it hit him like a sledgehammer and he cursed his idiocy for not noticing it immediately, those letters where Arretic!

The Hummingbird darting around looking for what caused it that jolt of suffering, then its small beady eyes landed on the upper podium were the reserved seats were at. It stared down at a richly dressed man bring poured wine by servants at his ready, and what hitched Magnus’s breath was the mask he was wearing.

There was only one group of people who wore masks, True Guilders!

Not those prancing fools who think so much of themselves, but truly are nothing but little dogs that the Guilds keep around and stuck in the Mountainside like the rest of us.

As the beast stared down at the Guilder with so much hate and hostility the clamoring crowd hushed down and even the announcer who was endlessly yammering turned silent.

Suddenly the beast did the unthinkable, or more like the most logical, Magnus had no idea why they did not think about a contingency plan if the beast they made the fight for sport did what it just did right now.

And that was attacking the Guilder!

However, Magnus was once more jolted out of his seat, just as the bird got a few meters in front of the Guilder, ready to close the remaining distance it got bounced back.

Then it shook its head to shake off the recoil damage, and still not getting the message it struck once more. This time Magnus was able to see what prevented the bird from ramming its beak into the Guilder. It was so minute and difficult to catch but Magnus was finally able to see invisible ripples that spread around the amphitheater like a dome.

“Is that a freaking force field?” Codex shout indignantly.

“I think so,” Magnus said, to dumbfounding to say anything more. Shield generators were created only a few years ago on Earth, but here it was or some variant of it on this world he thought was so backward.

It was a massive hit against his hopes and ego, here he thought that one day when he is in a position of great power and responsibility he will be able to bring this world to the modern age and enlighten it.

Still, it did raise the question of why commoners were still squatting in shit and also why the technology here so skewed and non-linear.

Magnus rubbed at his forehead, who knew that learning something new every day was an absolute curse and so agonizing.

“Hey, bird brain,” Alper shouted as he waved his dagger menacingly at the Hummingbird, which instantly got the bird’s attention, and it looked ready to pent up all its rage on the human bellow it.

As the bird zoomed down to peck the human, Alper got into a stance with a bend of his knees and crossed his daggers in front of him in a protective gesture. With great precision that would have got Bulut dancing up and down, the man blocked the strike at the perfect causing the bird to barrel back.

They keep up the steady flow combat for a few rounds with the bird hurling down for a death defying stab and jab, and Alper constantly blocking with perfect precision then sending it reeling back.

The crowd held their breath as they watched the beautiful and deadly display. The only person who prattle one was the announcer who made side comments here and there, but other than that everyone including Magnus was paying close attention to the fight.

“Codex,” Magnus whispered while his eyes stayed glued to the fight.

“You want a Perception check?” Codex asked, already guess what Magnus wanted and staying a step ahead.

[Name: Alper | Highest Stat: Speed(14.75)]

[Name: Sword Beaked Hummingbird | Highest Stat: Speed(15.04)]

“Thanks,” Magnus uttered as he focused on the screen right before him. “You are the best!” he added offhandedly, he now knew why Alper stayed on the defence. The man was at a slight disadvantage!

Even so, the man stat’s told one thing, he was a practitioner, most likely of the Speed type or better said as the Agility focus!

However what unnerved Magnus was the Hummingbird, how was the beast able to get its stats so dang high? Did it practice a technique, was that even possible?

“Well can’t you be sweet when you want to,” Codex remarked playfully.

Magnus rolled his eyes and got back to the battle which was good timing since there was finally a change.

Alper went on the offensive!

The bird swooped down was more going for the lanky man, but this time Magnus noticed a slight shift in Alper’s stance. When the bird was almost in spitting distance, the agile man dodged to the left, being only a hair breath away when the bird passed by.

No wonder the man was titled fearless and brave, you had to have a lot of guts to make that doodge.

The bird who was going too many kph to even count was unable to come to a halt, so it when head first, or is it beak first into the ground, creating a dust cloud all around it as it crash landed.

With that the announcer called it Alper win and the crowd went wild again!

From the left gate, Magnus noticed a group of men came running it they dragging away the bird which was out cold and had it beak totally shattered with chunks laying around the arena floor, and also creating a ghastly sight since there was a large hole in its mouth.

“Ha ha! That is what I am talking about,” the man next to Magnus shouted as he raised his drink in toast and took a swig of it.

“I could drink to that,” Magnus uttered, making small talk with the man. Even though he usually never talk to anybody, anymore, since his new survival policy was to avoid everyone except his family, the orphanage.

The man looked like the friendly, boisterous, and amiable type even though when he turned around to face Magnus he had a long jagged scar on his left eye, making him look dangerous. Anyways Magnus likes to think of himself a good judge of character, and there was no ill will or sinister goals coming off of the man.

“You could say that again,” the man said as he took another swing. “It was beautifully played how he made that stupid bird fall into complacency, plus he also won me a pretty penny,” the man added as he gripped a ticket in hand and waved it.

“Well, you sure stuff, aye?” Magnus asked, noticing that the man knew his jargon pretty well.

“I have been in the Protective for all my life and that was the real sorts, if you are wondering. Guarding outlying towns and villages, and not sitting on my ass and growing fat like ones here.”

Magnus looked more closely at the man, he heard about the towns and villages lying a few mountains away, but it was a first for him to meet a rural folk. It is a bloody and dangerous affair trying to living anywhere other than the cities that make up the Starry Mountains, and for good reasons too.

You never know when you will be overrun by hoards of beasts!

However before they could carry on with their conversation the next match started. This time champion that walked into the field was a large man carrying a hammer and his opponent was an Acid Spitting Sparrow.

Just like the Hummingbird before the Sparrow was not as small as its Earth counterpart, it was chucked full with hormones and as big as a grown human. Also he could see where the beast got its name from, it literally spat out green oozing acid, that burned and dissolved the stone that it landed on.

Anyways this bird looked way more domesticated with the way it immediately got into the fight and did not act up. It must be because it was not new to this and knew how things worked. That must have been partially why it won.

Without stopping for a single second, the Sparrow spat out an endless amount of acid and the champion had no choice but to dodge. It was clear that was not his strong suit, since only after a few rounds he was already panting and wheezing.

The bird seeing that thrilled in happiness as its victory was close at hand and unleashed its final barrages. The man tried his best to dodge, but it looked like the bird truly knew what it was doing since every inch of the field was covered in acid.

With no choice left, the man stepped onto an area that the acid slightly dispersed from. Though it still caused the man some damage of pain since he yelped and did a mad hop around the arena from one foot to the other.

Magnus noticed a cruel gleam in the bird's eyes and before he could shout out, the bird released a final shot of acid.