CHAPTER 2: KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Neil stared at the window, its been three days since he reside at the Iceberg’s home, yet he is not seem in good mood when suddenly a soft and plump mounds pressing at the back of his head, annoyance is here once again.

“Lil' Neil, staring so much will lose your will of sight, come with big sister, she prepare some goodies” It was Faye speaking, she seems adore Neil so much that she become his aggressive predator lunging for a weak prey.

Faye, eldest daughter of Iceberg family, her face are very lovely and fair complexion, her eyes is always closed but she was not blind, just hiding the beauty of it, her hair is long silver with a two small braids that encircle to the each side or her head reaching to the back part and knitted very well, a well proportion body with a well develop chest, a well trim winter dress that giving a vibes of a loving and caring beauty.

“Kay, big sis,,,” Neil bored reply as he been dragged by Faye by gripped by her delicate fingers, Neil just sigh, deep inside he is shivering on this Shota hunter.

“Ah~ Lil' Neil, big sister doesn’t like grumpy young boy, please smile or else,,,” Faye smooth and soothing voice echoed in Neil's ear as the young lad's heart suddenly palpitate in sensing danger coming.

As Neil look to Faye, she is smiling charmingly, yet absolute zero aura is coming from her and about to devour Neil, Neil feeling suffocated in such cold presence, forced himself to make a smile but he is already dead deep inside, Faye become overjoyed upon seeing Neil smiling and give a drowning cuddle to the poor young man, pressing her well develop bosom to smudge Neil's face passionately.

Neil trying to resist but the grip strength of cuddling maniac big sister is very powerful, added by her delicate and alluring scent that making Neil flustered and weakened to the point that steamy fumes are bursting out of Neil's overloaded head.

“Big sister! Again? Look at Neil, he is suffocating!” another femine voice that Neil consider the savior of his life for such soft and tempting torment he gone through, it was the second eldest daughter of Iceberg family, Leah, if Faye is sweet and warm, Leah on the other hand is sensitive and straight. “Can you please let him go”

“Oh my~ Sorry Lil' Neil, big sister can’t resist it ehehehe~” Faye snap out of her wild fantasies as she saw Neil's struggling breathing while being sandwiched in her twin delicate perks. “Good morning Lil' Leah, got a good sleep?”

“Yes, and to be honest, Neil is really need to be freed” Leah speak with disbelief as she look on the very poor condition of Neil in being pressed by Faye’s chest, begging for mercy to be save as it written all over his face.

“Oh, I see” Faye suddenly realized as she freed Neil and the young guy gasping for air and giving a thumbs up for Leah for saving him. “My bad Lil’ Neil, how about we shall proceed to kitchen and taste my baked goodies”

“Phew, finally,,, thanks for it big sis Leah” Neil finally sigh with relief as he finally free from such tighten to core cuddle of Faye.

“Forgive my elder sister's behavior, young Simmons, and also your welcome” direct answer from Leah with a deep glare at Faye, Faye just bluntly smile in response.

The three entered the kitchen, Neil and Leah sit on the opposite side of the tables, while Faye is preparing hot chocolate drink for the two, Neil remain pale and blunt as ever, this caught the curiosity of Leah who is quiet slowly wants to understand more of Neil's condition and situation.

“Are you fine, young Simmons? Your complexion was quiet dull and distress, what’s the matter?” Leah's worried tone as her eyes studying the distracted complexion of Neil.

“Truth to be told, big sis Leah, I’m still recovering my composure in sudden turn of events, I-I just can’t believe it at all on what’s happening around me” Neil start to talk with contemplation, thinking what will be his next move.

“Well about that, try to relax yourself and think of positive, its effective, don’t lose hope yet, young Simmons” Leah replied straight, reaching her right arm to the left cheek of Neil. “Besides, you can stay with us for a long time, father and mother don’t mind it at all, until you find your home”

“Aw~ Leah is concern? How charming~” Faye cut in as she put the hot chocolate drinks and baked goodies she make as she join the two in their seat, position herself between them.

“Knock it off big sister! Your teasing is not helping” Leah retort, giving a cold glare at Faye.

“Ok, Ok,,, sheesh my lovely little sister can’t take my jest so much” Faye respond while smile sluggishly, not minding her little sister irritation. “Lil’ Neil, don’t worry too much of anything that can’t help you achieve your goal, big sister Leah and me are here to help you”

“Thanks, I-I appreciated it so much, if so, all problems has origin point right?” Neil thanked and then ask with his complexion back to normal.

“Uhumm~ you got it right Lil' Neil, every problem can be solve just finding its origin and cause” Faye answered as she take then take a good sip of her cup.

“Lost is the problem, then my solution is-“ Neil concluded, everything become in serious atmosphere.

Neil begin his asking for knowledge about the world he currently walking in, Leah and Faye answered her delightfully, guiding this young one to their common sense is a good start, after an hour, the youngest son of Iceberg family joins in, Michael, he looks like a younger version of Mark, He joins the conversation of the three, Neil learn a lot about the world.

This world, Lighten-Rune, is a world of mystic and magic, where monsters labeled as Voids because of certain mutation that too unsightly in transformation, exceeding the capabilities of a squad of soldier to a destructive and catastrophic giants, Humans who adapt during this ancient era that Neil currently exist are forming kingdoms and empire to build resistance against them.

By studying the magic and exceeding the limits of humanity through spirit energy augmentation, Humanity develops the resistance force called Battle Sages, their capabilities are quiet the real deal, they can fight toe to toe with the voids or even kill the Void Giants if they breakthrough to higher power levels, numerous schools, academies and Institutes are build to forged students to become a fully pledge Battle Sages.

Faye and Leah also want to become one and they are waiting for further announcement of arrival of recruiters to join available schools, by this path, they can elevate their family status and gain pleasant family life they wish for, also to become a Battle Sage, one must have a lingering power of elemental affinity or an augmented soul, elemental affinity Battle Sage are truly blessed one since birth.

Elemental affinity consist of basic elements such as earth, water, fire and air, very rare and few in a hundreds of people gain it by chances, but the chances increase if the clan or family has an element bloodline inheritance, the advance elements which is super rare and only appears in a thousand of people by chance is Ice, thunder, light and nature, darkness is once also belong to advance elemental affinity, but due to its corruptive power, everyone consider it a curse rather than elemental affinity blessing.

As for soul augmentation Battle Sage, although they lack the blessing of elemental affinity, their soul has an abnormal content of rich energy that strengthened their bodies, exceeding normal and even trained humans capabilities such as strength, agility and endurance, both Elemental affinity and soul Augmentation Battle Sage must undergoes training and gain insights in their power discovery in order to maintain their body and power.

Leah has an elemental affinity of water, as for Faye, she has an elemental affinity of Ice, both of the girls inherit it from their mother, Eliah, Mark's beloved wife and the sole survivor of her small clan of Battle Sage that been wiped out by the powerful Void Giant that appeared few years ago, her life on the verge of death body was found by Mark accidentally on a burning forest while coming from one of his business trip.

Taking a very good care, give shelter and love, Eliah can’t repay Mark’s kindness and hospitality thus making her fall in love with Mark and begin their journey of simplicity and quiet life, but Eliah was still suffering from nightmares, flashbacks and vision of the Void Giant that slay her whole clan, thus when Faye and Leah was born, Eliah decided to train her daughters with a gifted talent by heavens to become a fully pledge Battle Sages for their future.

Mark is very understanding man, he knew that years may pass and he can’t watch over forever his growing family to be protected and care by him and Eliah, thus he approved the request of his beloved wife, Eliah's elemental affinity is water too, thus teaching Leah is very easy for her, but for the circumstances of Faye, Eliah seems having a difficulties on what to do, because she is a water Battle Sage and her forte is every liquid base, structures of water to be exact.

Thus in terms of learning and experience capabilities, Leah is much ahead to her elder sister, but for Faye, she accept it as a fated challenge, thus she trained hard and try to understand her element structure and asking her mother for additional energy flow advices on how to control her magic, few years of training and studying alone, she gain insights of her elemental affinity but it still not enough comparison to her younger sister Leah.

As for Michael, he grew just a normal person, no elemental affinity or soul augmentation properties, so Mark and Eliah decide that the young man will become a trader just like his father when he grew enough and will be reached by Mark himself about how to become an expert trader and teached some business tactics that Mark mastered over the years since he start his business career.

As for information of Battle Sage, according to Eliah, the ranking system of battle sage are easy to understand and to comprehend, power is important to see what is your power levels and standings, it also decide your career capabilities and authority, Eliah describe the ranking system like this:

20 = Normal/Average well grown human.

30 = Well trained soldiers.

70 = Newbie-Class Battle Sage.

200= Intermediate-Class Battle Sage.

400 = High-Class Battle Sage.

1000 = Fighter Battle Sage.

4000 = General Battle Sage.

10000 = Legendary Battle Sage.

20000 = Mythical Battle Sage.

50000 = Primordial Battle Sage

100000 = Heavenly Battle Sage.

The power of Newbie-Class to High-Class are capable of fighting toe to toe the squadrons to battalion of soldiers, Fighter to General can wipe out a whole to combine army, as for Legendary to Primordial, wiping a city to wiping a small country is quiet the feat, for Heavenly, they are the peak of level chain, a small continent is enough to be erased in full throttle of power released by these hidden monsters.

Scary indeed, but that’s how it works, Eliah's current power is on Fighter level total of 3000 energy power, few steps to General Battle Sage, her masteries in water magic arts are also not mediocre, it was well refine from offensive to defensive skills in combat, thus Leah is truly blessed to gain an elemental affinity that same to her mother and easily to grasp every ability that her mother teaches and guidance.

According to Eliah, as she pass her teachings to the two in her free time, there is only three individuals that reached the realm of Heavenly Battle Sage that been record in history, two of them are died already after living for a thousand years, yes, with enough energy power, Battle Sage age regression is possible, they can appear in youthful appearance if they want, but alas death is inevitable, all existence has always an ending story and struggle.

As for the last one, that Heavenly Battle Sage discover a new world and transcend to that world, it says that world is mysterious and probably more dangerous than this world that Neil stepping in, also they also learn from their mother about few individuals manage to breakthrough to Mythical Battle Sage and now become the over seer of the world, gaining name and fame for themselves.

For the Voids, there is also ranking stages of classification of these monsters threat levels, rank from Class F to Class SSS, Class F voids are primarily weakest but can fought a lone soldier toe to toe, Class E to D are battalion to army size threat, C and A are City to Country threat, Class S up to SSS are continental threats, Faye remember that a Class B Void giant is the one who wiped out their mother's clan place and leaving Eliah the sole survivor.

If the Battle Sage ominous strength is quiet the feat when they breakthrough from ranks to top most rank scale, the Void with very high Class threat is very scary to imagine, even the Battle sage with this same level that fight with The Void, that Battle Sage needs more help to take down one, because monstrosity is always surpassing humanity in strength, Agility and endurances, while humanity use their craftiness and coordination with fellow humans to succeed in taking down ones on the same level.

So Neil realize that he really is transferred to another reality that includes fantasy base and magical warfare, Leah also revealed that Battle Sage can sense their fellow Battle Sage aura, let alone normal humans that can detect easily, its also revealed to Neil that he is a Soul Augmentation Battle Sage but his power is not awaken yet due to not undergoing training.

Now Neil realize in recent days he stay at the Iceberg Family, only Michael and him are always left alone and the mother trio are always leaving before afternoon and returning before night fall, wearing with only training suits, the third day right now is their resting day, so that’s as to why they delved themselves to have a conversation with Neil.

As of now, Leah is approaching closely to Intermediate-Class Battle Sage and Faye is tailing her slowly in energy force, although they also want Neil to discover his Soul Augmentation talent, they are helpless because they don’t have a knowledge how to train a newbie Soul Augmentation Battle Sage, even their mother Eliah has a limited knowledge about these kind of Battle Sages.

Furthermore, Eliah is belong to the Water Elemental affinity clan and no Soul Augmentation Battle sage is being trained in her clan's home back when she was at the same age as Leah, thus the only thing Neil can do is wait to join school recruiting month to come and unlock his sleeping potential by the guide of those experts at the school that will recruit him.

Well, not bad for a treatment for Neil, based on Faye's scaling of power measurement of Neil, Neil's energy power is 35, surpass the individual soldier's strength limit, Now Neil remembers it, he now realize how he manage to escaped the looming death of the avalanche via Parkour and craftiness in making an improvised parachute so fast, fighting a pack of normal wolves without having a problems to deal with them and easily mimics the move set of anime characters he visualize in handling spears.

Then they focused themselves now in location of their hometown, the Smoke Bone Village at the south, there are various villages and town, few cities to be count, all of it are settled at this big island call Crystal Peak, and there is only one Institute that reigns in this lonely big island that training and nurturing Battle Sage, Millennium Crystal Palace, settled in the farther north of the island.

According to Faye, when she talk about this institute, her mother’s complexion turn solemn and cold, Eliah confess to her fist born daughter that institute are place of beautiful but Cold arrogant Battle Sage with only female members that cultivating the Ice arts and magic, although their institute palace are aren’t that big, their reputation and achievements are very respected by larger schools and institutes.

Even Eliah knows that Faye's elemental affinity is I've element, she wouldn’t allow her daughter to join that said cruel Institute, because once you entered that said Institute, there is no more way of turning back, you will accept their laws and rules, bind to their will and forever be a beauty within the lifeless frozen cage, forever till you blew your last breath or you decide to retire and face their means of breaking your Ice Arts infused energy and make you crippled back into normal human forever in order to protect the secrets of their Ice arts.

But the problem is,,, the Millennium Crystal Palace is the only school exclusively teaching the Ice arts path, no schools in the neighboring mainland are proficient in a super rare ice arts, often there are few schools that also have an Ice arts path, they are very far away in distance, needs a years of travel to reach such school while bracing dangers on the way.

Such cruel fate of Faye, even Leah can’t help to pitied her elder sister’s burden, even their mother Eliah is truly helpless in her beloved first born daughter's situation, as for the said neighboring schools, there is Evergreen Academy, Arklight Divine Hall, Mist and Fog School, Carefree and Leisure School and Crimson Chaos Institute, both schools use warships to recruit and protect new recruits from Water Based Voids, as their ships are armed with powerful magic cannons and artillery to protect the recruited passengers from water based void that lurking below the depths and attacking the ships to be sinked.

The Crystal Peak is also one of the main source of student recruitment of each schools, even for Millennium Crystal Palace, since each day new babies are born and rarely some of them are gifted with Elemental affinity or Soul Augmentation via miracle born or Bloodline Inheritance.

Neil learn a lot from such a long talk as Eliah arrive along with fully recovered Mark, paying his respect to the lovers along with Faye, Leah and Michael, Neil revealed to Mark that he is a legitimate boy that has facial and body similarities to a girl.

Mark laugh so hard in such confession but he accept it, even Leah and Michael thought at first that Neil is a girl but Neil confess it to them earlier to avoid unnecessary accidents and confusion, as for Eliah and Faye, their instincts are already telling that Neil is a boy even from his arrival at their home despite her femine voice.

Neil remain staying at the Iceberg's home in the following days and help them in simplest way to avoid being a lazy freeloader, along with Faye and Leah, Neil train too by the guidance of Eliah, but not in magic arts since he is not an elemental affinity Battle Sage, he train using his wooden spear and wooden knives, mimicking as always the moves of the anime character's move set that he still remember perfectly.

His concentration and stillness makes the mother and daughter trio amaze and praise him in such coordinated and sharp spear practices, even Eliah is curious and ask Neil where did he learn such speed and powerful form of Spear arts, Neil smiled as he confessed the half truth about it, the details before he arrives in the said island, he was living in the city with a normal life of an academic student and watch the some people practice it diligently.

Along with his ridiculous photographic memory and calculative predictions, he is ascertain of such move set's strong points, weaknesses and blind spot, by training himself to find his weak point and blind spot, he learn more to adapt properly to the skill he mimics in perfection, making him more efficient than a simple soldier or battle expert, also Eliah saw Neil’s calm and composed complexion, his battle stance are fully guarded his whole area of battle reach.

His skills with knives is very good too, he is fast and agile enough to outrun a well trained soldier and fight with a swift but deadly strikes and nimbleness evasion, if Neil becomes a fully pledge Soul Augmentation Battle Sage, he is truly a powerful force to reckoned with, just watching his progress, he is just starting but his presence enough is quiet pressuring.

The Iceberg sisters can’t help to admire Neil's determination and his willingness to learn, there are time that Neil got a spar with Faye and Eliah, thus the experienced of three in Battle Sage battles is growing and developing, for so much days have pass, Leah breakthrough to Intermediate-Class, as for Faye, a little development but its still a good process of leveling.

For Neil, he is few steps to become a Newbie-Class, his comprehension was drastically fast, as his Soul Augmentation abilities are starting to work, once he push through his limiter and surpass his binders, his hidden potential will be awaken, a leap of a man to step of a giant as per say.

Everything seems fine when the nightfall comes, everyone was quiet, when suddenly Eliah was awakened on sensing of coming danger, a very big one, her forehead is sweating heavily, her sudden shaking also awaken Mark, Mark saw his quiet terrified wife and hug her to calm down.

“It is here Mark, I feared it is coming to us, Mark! The children!” Eliah scared voice while worried about the incoming abomination.

“Ok, I will take care of them, let’s packed now while its still far away from us” Mark calmed Eliah, kissing her soft checks and letting her go to wake the children while Mark begins his preparation for packing up.

Eliah start to wake the children including Neil who is sleeping on a long sofa in the loving room, Neil brows furrowed and his eyes grow sharper upon seeing the trembling expression of Eliah and Mark, something’s gonna happen, such kind of fate will tie him up to a raging storm of dangers.

Neil, without further ado, pack his small things he needed in a flash and get his weaponry that Mark bought for him as an appreciation gift of his help to his family, consisting of Low-tier runic spear and knives, a few set of low-tier runic armor plates, Neil knew this things will go handy if everything turn south in unexpected situations.

Faye and Leah are also on hurry to pack their belongings, Michael is helping his father in bringing all necessary stuff to their new and big snow cart that Mark bought few days ago with his save earnings from his trading, it was pulled by six mature and well trained Snow Deer, Mark will drive this big one while Michael will drive his father old small snow cart pulled by seven hounds.

Outside of the village, a bell of emergency rungs, a call for evacuation is signal to begin, such pandemonium happen all of the sudden as the people of Smoke Bone Village are starting to panic and everyone is packing their belongings fast as they could, young innocent children are crying while being carried or drag by their older family member to safety.

So much snow carts are moving out from village, going to the left side of the island to avoid the incoming danger from the right side, such tension are very unnerving to see, far away from village, a giant abomination is coming, walking with heavy steps as it stomped the trees and leave a corrupted miasma on the grounds, it has the built of human with four arms, with many corals and water stones on its skin, a huge shark fin at its back, tail of a manta ray and a squid head.

It's head are producing lightning strikes that hit any random nearby areas or animals, it hands produce like a laser beams as it shoots to every random areas as well, leaving a burning road of flames, it's eyes are full of hate and unobtainable anger and fury, like a coming natural disaster on its way.

A guard who caught the powerful Void on his telescope are starting to request a distress signal for the Millennium Crystal Palace aid, thus the head guard nod in response and signal the launch of distress call for the said Institute, some of the village guards set now the signal and waiting for the incoming response help.

The behemoth is getting closer and closer to the Smoke Bone Village, while Neil and company is just about to leave and they almost reach the outer gates with other escaping evacuees, a powerful beam scorched their left side, burning and vaporizing the unlucky evacuees that hit by the powerful beam, leaving only a trail of fire and scorched flesh and bones, scattered innards and oozing fountain of blood.

“Jesus Christ!!” Neil shrieked in deep shock, witnessing the gruesome end of the unlucky villagers.

Even Eliah and the sisters face turned blue, as they follow their fellow villagers escape while witnessing such killing madness, but the behemoth is not done yet, followed by numerous thunder strikes coming from its head as it shots to the random escaping random individuals, shocking them with intense lighting till their body turned black or burst by the impact shock.

“Keep moving! Don’t be distracted!” Neil roar with full vigor, awakening the total shocked people to their senses and run for their lives, Neil and the others about to reach the outside of the village. “The exit is there! Move! Move!”

Suddenly, powerful snow bolts launches at the side of the Void giant, explode on contacting with its skin and gather the behemoth's attention for the incoming enemies, that snow bolt didn’t damage the behemoth badly, as the Void Giant face now its new adversary.

“Worm! You dare to step on our land!” the gallant voice coming from a lady in blue, she, along with other five ladies in blue readied their weapons. “Perish and be a cold statue we break!”