Demon Village, Thirn

“This is it boy. This is how you properly hold an axe.” A muscular man was instructing a young boy on the empty space behind his house. The man, full of vigour holding a heavy broad axe in his right hand while showing it to the boy. Swinging the broad axe effortlessly, the man clearly trying to educate the youngster on ways to handle a broad axe. The boy, outwardly is approximately 5 to 6 turns in age according to his small child figure. However, the truth is far further than the assumption, the boy; Lsyn only aged 1 turn old yesterday. He was born last Rjutal to Ashia and Hrutt in the Freir Demon tribe. Due to racial trait of the demon tribe especially the Freir, the demons quickly mature and can become a fully fearsome warrior in just few short turns with proper training. However this doesn’t come without a price. The demons has a very long lifespan compare to humans and beast men however their birth rate is far inferior to the other races.

“Yes, father.” The boy tried swinging his miniature broad axe imitating his large father. Compare to the others of his age, his figure was slightly smaller and this causing him having difficulties in handling broad axes; the mark and main weapon of the Freir. Aside from his small figure, one other difference that separate him from the other demon in his tribe was his horn. Since birth, his horn has not growing accordingly with his growth. The others have already manifested magnificent display of horns compare to his. His envy was based on the pride that comes with the horns. Horns is the pride of the demons, it represented the blessing of the Four Gods towards the individual and the larger the horns the more blessed the individual by the gods.

Succumbed by his small body, he crashed to the ground after losing his balance to manoeuvre a follow through after swinging the apparently enormous broad axe. In the battlefield, a slight misstep or misjudgement can cause you your life. His father always remind him of the matter frequently in each of their numerous training sessions.

“Oww….oww…oww,” he groaned as he tried to lift himself from the ground.

“Come on boy. You can’t be tired already? We just started.” Hrutt motioned his hand to lift the boy.

“No, father. I just can’t handle the broad axe. Is there any other weapon that I can use aside from the broad axe?” Lsyn asked.

“NO!” Hrutt answered immediately. His face tense and stern.

“iiip…sorry father.” Scared, Lsyn apologized to his father. His voice trembled due to the sudden change in his father tone and demeanour. Lsyn dropped on his bottom to the shock from his father. From the edge of his yellow eyes, tears started to accumulate out of fear.

Returning to his calm expression, Hrutt regretted his previous action on his only son. Trying to fix the situation, Hrutt kneeled next to Lsyn.

“The Freir tribe is a blessed tribe by the gods. The axe symbolised the embodiment of the blessings that reached and passed from one generation to one generation in the Frier tribe.” Hrutt sat down next to Lsyn. He corrected his seating slightly as he placed his broad axe next to him. Lsyn now seated next to his father fascinated upon hearing the origin of his tribe.

“The world started as a playground of the gods. The gods created the trees, mountains and animals that filled the world. However, each gods have an equal amount of domain to work with. That’s why you can see different terrains on our continent. However, the black god; Izmuth unsatisfied with his domain created an abomination out of the black clay of his domain. The humans.” Hrutt stressed his voice as he mentioned human. He want his child to recognise the main enemy of the demons.

“His creation started to spread and violate the other four god’s domain. He made sure that the abomination continue to bring havoc by making them cursed with the ability to erm……multiply with an abysmal rate. The other creatures created by the other gods quickly being overpowered by their numbers even though the creatures are much stronger.” Like telling a scary story, Hrutt varied his facial expression to give a dramatic effect to the story.

“The Four Gods; Ymir; The God of Bounty, Slica; The God of Prosperity, Trift; The God of Healing and Qwan; The God of Fertility had picked champions among their creations and bestowed them artefacts and skills to fight and stop the humans’ invasion.”

“Why did the other gods come together against the black god? Isn’t that a little bit unfair?” Lsyn stopped his father in the middle of the story. Ever since he was born, he was taught to honour the code of battle.

“Well, the gods themselves were not involved in the battle. They are not directly involved with the battles. They bestowed weapons and skills but didn’t involve in the war. Furthermore, Izmuth, the black god was cunning and sneaky. A one-on-one battle was not possible for them against him. The Four Gods made a wager with Izmuth; if their champions win the war Izmuth is to be exile until he can be reborn again through a vassal. Izmuth, filled with pride agreed to the condition.” Explained Hrutt answering the question proposed by his son.

“Oooo……I think that is also okay.” Satisfied with his father’s answer, Lsyn grinned and looked at his father.

“Well, obviously the Four Gods won but the most important part of the story is when the gods selected their champions. Our predecessor; the first Frier was chosen and given an artefact in order to win the war against the humans by the gods. The artefact was an enchanted battle axe. It is said that the battle axe imbued with the souls it had taken and fused with its master’s soul. A slash from the axe can destroy a whole mountain. That’s why we, the Frier tribe are keen on using axes in battle. It brings forth the same pride from the first Frier and it symbolises that our ancestors are with us in the battlefield.” Hrutt mentioned as he finished his story.

“Wow, so that’s why you taught me how to use an axe.” The story told by his father clearly gave an impression on the boy. Gripping his axe tight, he started to think on methods to handle the axe.

“So, how should I make this work?” He stared to the axe and a smile started to appear on his face.

“That could work.” He spoke to himself silently before he could hear his mother calling for them.

“Come on, one last spar before we eat supper.” His father suggested as he signalled to his wife for one last sparring session between the father and son.

“Yes!!” Lsyn answered full of enthusiasm with a devious smile plastered on his face.

Amarath

“What do you mean that I can’t enrolled into the academy?” A resound voice heard from the Amarath School of Divinity. Prince Faris was standing at the front of the administration desk astonished with the fact given by the lady in front of him.

“Prince Faris Irvin was it? Amarath School of Divinity doesn’t discriminate its student intake whether from the commoner or royalty. The school only interested in the magic that possess in each individual student. However, it seems that the king of Drummend Empire got the wrong information. The school didn’t offer you a place but an opportunity to get a place inside.” The bespectacled lady said while adjusting her glasses. The lady was at least 50 turns old with a slightly overweight figure holding up the prince's confirmation letter in front of her. However it is a big mistake to pry on a mage’s age. Mages can manipulate the magic essence in nature and harness them to retain their youth by slowing the aging process. That is why nigh impossible to guess a mage’s age.

“Pardon me, can you further explain the situation here? What should we do in order for the prince to enter the school?” A tall lanky gentleman interject the conversation while instructing the young prince to let him handle the current situation. The prince gave in and nod in agreement. From outward appearance; his attire and mannerism suggested that the gentleman was of noble’s blood. He has a fair face with a short wavy auburn hair equipped with greyish blue eyes.

“Okay. Well, there is nothing you can do to help the prince Lord Gustav. Meaning that the prince have to get this done by himself without anyone’s interference or else he can’t enrol into the school. Upon leaving you will head to the Magi Association at the edge of the Styr Quarters. I hope you can navigate yourself there right or do you need a guide to lead you?”

“I think we’ll be just fine.” Answered the lord concisely.

“Then you walk up to the counter and purchase a beginner’s spell; Elemental barrier. Elemental barrier is a spell that usually given to new enrollers so your details have already being delivered to the association. After that you have all the time you need to master the spell by yourself. Once you are ready, then you can return to this desk to get evaluated by one of the magus before you can enrol into the school. Any questions?” The lady explained to the pair. Upon finished she sealed the prince’s details into an envelope and chanting a spell on it. The envelope flashes and disappear right in front of the duo.

“Done. The details have been delivered. They are expecting you at the Magi Association.” Said the lady giddily with a smile appeared from her face.

“How can I learn a new spell by myself? Is there any tips or clue given by the association? How long would I take to master this spell? A week, a month, a season or even years by myself?” The prince monologue within himself about the terms that had been laid before him. He pondered why this school has given would-be students an impossible task even before they been taught anything about magic. He was unaware that his inner monologue was easily read by others through his long silence and the frustration shown on his face.

“One question I would like to ask?” Lord Gustav chirped in after realising the strained face of the young prince upon hearing the terms given by the school the latter is about to enter.

“Sure. Go ahead.” Replied the sitting women nonchalantly.

“When the prince mastered the spell, would he be directly taught by the magus and how long usually new enrollers need to master this spell by themselves? Technically that was 2 questions but I hope you can answer both of the questions.” Gustav was asking the questions that clearly bothered the prince. His spot-on questions return the prince facial expression back to normal. A sense of relief started to waft around the pair.

“Yes. After the prince manage to master the spell, he will be placed directly under a magus in this school with the others. For your second question, average enrollers took about 1 week to master the spell. However most of them give up after a month or two and enrol in other magic school. The shortest period recorded was last year student with a record of 3 days. Well, it had took her far less if she focus more.” The lady explained answering both of the questions from Lord Gustav. A sense of pride clearly shown in her words pertaining the young mage.

“3 days? 3 days, can I do it or should I just give up and return to the empire.” The prince thought more to himself before he decided to ask the lady a question.

“Why do the school ask us to master the spell beforehand and not after we enter the school?” His question raised a smile across the lady face. Her grin bring curiosity and awkwardness for the pair.

“Well, aren’t you a smart one. That’s the second time that question was asked and I wasn’t expecting the same question came from you Prince Faris. I do have to apologize for my rude personal opinion and the answer for that question will appear once you’re finished with the spell mastery.” The lady now looking intensely on the prince with curious eyes. Sensing the uneasiness started to rise from the lock-on stare, Lord Gustav quickly excused themselves from the school and ushered the prince out heading to the Magi Association.

“I’ll be hoping to hear good news from you soon.” Said the lady to the pair before leaving the premises.

“Who would have thought? Two oddities back to back.” She said to herself before grabbing a new sheet of paper and writing something on it.

Somewhere

I can feel again. I’m no longer numb from the darkness that already envelope me. Instead, I’m gaining from them. What seems to be enemies at first now like a long lost friend. I still don’t know my story and why am I here but I’m sure that I can remember in time. I lost track of time in this void. How many days, months or turns I’ve been here.

Wait a minute?

Concept of time? I started to remember again. It seems the more I’ve been envelope by the increasing darkness the more I remember. I laugh at the concept. Darkness is truly my friend and I’m basked in it. There’s another piece of info came across my mind. I got a name. I have a name. Happiness swelled inside my chest; not that I have one at the moment.

I am Izmuth.