CHAPTER 10: DECISIVE

Alric returned to the training space, within the training space two and a half months had passed, while only a month had passed in the real world.

Alric had placed one of his prized possessions at the centre of the training space.

It was the next step up from his x-ray crystal. The x-ray crystal in its most basic form absorbed mana and converted it to gravity magic, which inturn affected the light rays surrounding the crystal.

However this crystal exuded gravity magic on a larger scale, enough to affect the entire training space. It would absorb the surrounding mana and convert it to sheer gravity.

The down side being that the collecting and emitting rates greatly differed so the crystal would have to be regularly ‘refilled’ so to speak.

The gravity crystal that Alric had come to power up had now reached three times that of the outside world’s gravity but the people within the space had hardly noticed the increase due to the slow gradual increase that they experienced.

The people that before were nothing but dried corpses and skeletons now gleamed with vigor and life. They spent the days sparing and teaching each other how to fight while some spent the days practicing magic or reading some of the books that Alric had borrowed from the school library.

Alric had ordered that they spend the month learning to read and write from those who could among them and also to learn to use magic either as magicians or paladins.

Upon returning to the space Alric greeted a woman. The woman’s deep red hair flowed as she bowed respectfully.

“Master Alric, so nice of you to join us today.”

Despite her common behaviour her eyes held a deadly expression.

Alric always felt a dark pressure emanating from this woman. She was only about seventeen or so but she burnt with a hatred that not even her deepest smile could cover. Despite this her attitude towards him had always been the most courteous.

This may have been because of the darkness magic that was her specialty; however it was uncertain.

“Freya, gather the others. I have an announcement.”

[Freya’s POV]

I had been here practicing my darkness magic. A new spell I learnt from one of the copied books.

A tentacle of darkness magic danced around me. I loved them, they embodied my desire to watch this world be sucked dry of all life, especially all male life I hated them all.

These tentacles would be as avaricious with their souls as they were with my body. One touch was all I would need to suck them dry.

I smirked as I watched my darkness magic climb taller and taller as it danced and as the grass around it faded into dust, until my concentration was broken by a voice.

“Hello again Freya, so nice to see you.”

The moment I heard that soft alluring voice my inner hatred crumbled.

I despised how that voice made me feel. His voice, unlike the other men whose voices were filled with thirst and lust was filled with a purpose that excited me to my deepest womanly crevices.

I despised that a man could make me feel so weak with just a greeting. I had spent the last few years of my life being powerless to men unwillingly.

How could I again find myself powerless before this brat?

I hated him for how he made me feel powerless again. But at the same time my inner joy for the opportunity to be free and powerful again conflicted me without end.

My conflicted stupor was broken as he sounded his request, I bowed and went to gather the others.

I called one of my dearest friends, Merrik. He was sweaty and dirty, and amongst the most skilled men here in terms of fighting prowess.

I watched for a second as he sparred with two other men that were a little younger than himself. I had to stop and admire as the sweat dripped from his body and drizzled down his thick brown facial hair.

I had almost forgotten the skeleton he was before while we were locked up.

Looking now at his muscular physique and abs rich body it would leave any other woman in a torpor maybe even myself if it wasn’t for my dislike of men… well most men it would seem.

I shouted once again and all the others gathered in the main hall of the cabin.

-

“Firstly I would like to thank you all for helping me to copy over one hundred books from the forbidden sections of the library.

I know it was tedious due to the anti-magic runes on them forcing us to do it manually but the payoff was worth it.

Now we have our own library of rare books to help us grow even stronger.”

Alric looked at each of the former prisoners and paused as he continued to speak.

“Now that the majority of you are fully healed, it is time to move on to the next phase of my plan.

Of the twenty five of you, fourteen of you will be joining my main forces on the outside world as my troop leaders.

Another seven of you will remain here and train the new recruits that I will be inviting later.

And the final four will act as my reserve forces who continue to train here within the space here.”

Alric looked at the gathering then spoke, “I appoint Klause as commander of Training, you may organize your men as you see fit.”

“Me, Me Sir?”

Klause was dumbfounded by the sudden appointment. He had spent the last few months only sparing and eating. He had displayed no leadership qualities so how could the boss appoint someone as quiet as himself to lead, he thought.

“Klause, you are the most dedicated person I have seen when it comes to learning the basics and practice, and despite being an intermediate mage you have knowledge of the basics of paladin combat. Enough to teach the fundamentals.”

Alric praised and ended the matter.

“With that dealt with, I now appoint Merrik as the Commander of the reserved special forces. Merrik you are the strongest Paladin in my charge.

I have sparred with you a few times and I must admit you are a monster. You are the only one I see powerful enough to lead my special forces in the most dangerous situations.”

A smirk of pride appeared on Merrik’s face as he clenched his fist and smiled brightly.

“Freya and Gideon, you two will be my first and second division commanders respectively.”

Freya licked her lips at the thought of being dominant over a division of men while Gideon simply nodded his head in agreement.

Alric finished up by dividing the remaining prisoners and then teleported with the fourteen new members.