TBATE - Lightseeker

After exiting the Xyrus main Guild Hall, the four of us put on our cloaks and hats and went our separate ways. Ilya and I walked around the market district, narrowly avoiding the prowling police and made our way to a pier overlooking a large serene lake. "It's peaceful here," I spoke softly, enjoying the downtime. Ilya's pet snake slithered along the pier and up her leg to her shoulder, its pink tongue flicking out of its mouth. "Something's got the local authorities riled up... You think they've found us?" She asked jokingly, clearly unbothered by the fact that third-rate mages who couldn't make the Royal Guard found out we were here. "Possibly. Not that it's important. We just need to make sure they don't tell anyone else. They will probably come to us, trying to get enough 'credit' to join the Royal Guard. I imagine bringing in two members of the most feared organisation in the Beast Glades would do the trick."

We lept up into the thick trees surrounding the lake and waited for the police to show up. As expected, two mages dressed in thin body armour only covering their torsos walked along the pier and stopped in their tracks when we jumped from the trees, landing in front of them. I put my hand out from the inside of my cloak and unbuttoned the top two buttons, sticking my right hand out, a yellow ring drawing their attention and reflecting my Eye.

Gotcha.

"You lot aren't welcome here. Turn back and maybe I won't kill you." A short woman with brown hair and blue eyes spoke all too confidently.

Funny.

"Abigail, Jordan, it's been so long..." Ilya reminisced, sounding purposefully antagonistic. "If you know our names, you must be from here. Who are you!?" The man opposite me demanded.

Neither of us showed our faces, our hats still angled down to hide our looks. "We should make this quick, reinforcements might show up. We don't want a full-blown battle - too much attention drawn our way." I spoke quietly to Ilya, and the four of us got ready to fight. Ilya closed the distance between her and the short woman, wrapping her creepy snake around her neck. "Don't move." Ilya was a silly woman, almost never taking things seriously, but when she was, she was truly terrifying. She had no problems whatsoever feeding a live person to her snake. The man opposite me attempted to cut me with his short sword, but upon contact my figure burst into numerous crows of light and reformed behind him, a blunted dagger pointed at his back. "Dead." 

A small bell noise rang in my head - a sign I had developed along with the awakening of my Sun Eyes - and I jumped out of the way of four daggers that would have pierced my back. Four masked men of varying sizes jumped out of the trees and landed on the water in front of the pier.

Such fine mana control.

"Oh? Look at this, kid, we've earned the attention of the Royal Guard. The assassination division, no less." Ilya mused jokingly, careful not to use my name. "Enough joking around. Either we fight these guys or back out. Your call." I advised Ilya we be careful. Any more noise and we would have half of the Royal Guard on our asses, making the job harder for Jack and Ada as well. "Hmm, as much as I'd love to fight them, it's best we leave for now. I'm calling this off. Let's go." As soon as Ilya finished speaking, the two of us vanished from the eyes of the Royal Guard squad and hopped from tree to tree. "Be careful. Those guys were from the Assassination division, so manoeuvring through terrain quietly and without being seen is their speciality, and many of them can use illusionary arts." Ilya advised me to watch out and we made our way back to the food district, where there are the least amount of police patrols. We sat in a tea shop discussing our plan of action. "We are going to meet with our informant. You may have heard of her. She's the director of Xyrus Academy, Cythina Goodsky. The students shouldn't be on campus right now as they are on their summer break, but the next school year will start up in a few weeks, so we will use this chance to get in contact with her."

"What are we doing there?" I questioned.

"Getting you and Ada a place to start in a few years, and seeing if she has any information for us. Unlikely, but there's no reason not to check." 

"Why do Ada and I need to go to Xyrus Academy? We're already probably far stronger than any of the students."

"Kids should go to school. I know your mana control and manipulation is already incredible, no doubt the best amongst your generation, but you might still learn something, and you'll make another friend your age other than Ada and Jack. Jack will also be attending starting next year as a first year. I still remember my time at Xyrus Academy. It was fun, though a little troublesome."

"Troublesome?"

"Commoners like you and me rarely get the opportunity to attend such a prestigious academy as Xyrus, so when prodigy commoners want to go they must be sponsored by a noble family. I was adopted by a noble family - not a very nice one - and they allowed me to go to school there. They treated me as more of a pest and, even though they adopted me, always acted like they wished I wasn't around. I don't consider them family, but I do still care about my little sister. Well, she isn't so little anymore, but she'll always be my baby sister. I ran away 5 years ago when I was 14, and she was just 8. She should be around 13 now. I only attended Xyrus Academy for two years before running away, and I was considered quite the nerd. I was verbally picked on the majority of my first year before getting fed up and beating everyone into submission and enjoying a quiet second year. I loved learning from my teachers and strayed away from making friends, thinking everyone was out to get me - which I wasn't all too wrong about - and just stuck with books."

"I see. I'm sorry for bringing that up."

"Don't be. It doesn't bother me anymore. Anyway, let's go. We'll find Jack and Ada and the four of us will go to Xyrus Academy to meet with Director Goodsky."

....

I flashed my Eyes at the academy guards as we approached, the prolonged eye contact making them unusually welcome to commands. "Open the gate," I ordered flatly. "Oh..kay." He pushed a button on his terminal and the metal gate to Xyrus Academy swung open slowly, allowing us passage. As we walked to the entrance of Xyrus Academy, I was shocked by the sheer size of the school. We walked up to the main entrance and through the halls devoid of any students. I heard a rumble to my right and quietly opened a door into the classroom. I saw a few students in white uniforms duelling in the classroom's large duelling platform, unaware of my presence. I shut the door and followed after my comrades.

We finally reached the director's office, two large white doors signifying her location. Ilya knocked on the door and I heard a soft "Come in". Entering the office, I saw many photos of students in white uniforms and small capes, teachers and the like. At the desk in the back of the room sat an elderly woman with a welcoming aura. She wore a simple conjurer's robe and hat and had a deep green owl-looking creature perched on her shoulder. 

So this is Cynthia Goodsky.

"It's a pleasure to see you again, Madam Cynthia," Ilya stated with a rare, genuine smile on her face.

"No need to be so formal, come, come." She opened her arms and walked up to Ilya, giving her a warm hug." We all took our seats on the couches in the middle of the room, and a maid brought us some tea. "Who are these three?" She asked.

Jack, Ada and I took off our hats, showed our faces and introduced ourselves. Ilya told Madam Goodsky about how she wanted us three to eventually all attend the academy, to which Madam Goodsky seemed delighted. "I would love for members of the New Dawn to attend my academy." I was slightly alarmed before remembering she is our main informant, and would naturally know who we are, especially considering the police force recognised us with a glance. 

Ilya asked her if she had any important information, to which Goodsky responded with a shocking revelation. According to her trusted Alacryan source, the Alacryans are planning to plant spies in the academy and even drag Dicathen citizens over to their side, eventually launching an attack on the academy. Fortunately, this wouldn't be for at least four years, probably more. She did give us a good piece of news, too. Apparently, according to her old friend, the three Royal families were trying to unify the three races for the first time in history. She also told us about a boy we may want to consider recruiting in the future - a boy with the power to wield all four natural elements, as well as two deviants! - Arthur Leywin.

.....

After the meeting with the director, we explored the academy. Ada and I walked to the room with the sparring students - the Student Council, according to Goodsky. We entered the room silently and sat down in one of the seats. A large whiteboard with the letters 'P.M.M' written on it sat behind the sparring arena. I blinked and activated my Eyes, observing the students down below. I watch a student standing in line, a girl roughly 14 years old, about to turn around. I deactivated my Eyes and she looked over at me and Ada curiously. She walked over and stood in front of our long desk, "And who might you be? Weird costume you've got on... Don't you know you shouldn't wear hats inside? It's bad manners." She scolded us, less aggressively than I would expect from someone of her standing. Director Goodsky had told me that the Student Council was picked based on birth and blood instead of strength, which disappointed me. Still, these few mages don't seem weak by student standards - they were weak compared to Ada and I of course. "We are just observing. Is that such a crime?" Ada asked calmly. The other members of the student council looked our way, finally noticing us. Many had shocked expressions on their faces, likely wondering how we snuck in so easily. "Who are you!? Come down here!" A tall boy with short brown hair and brown eyes called out angrily. "That guy must be the president," Ada observed. "Mm." I was again disappointed by how weak he looked, and I hoped he had something interesting up his sleeve. Ada and I left our seats and walked down to the arena, facing the Student Council. "Take off your hat, boy!" The annoying fool yelled again.

"Raise your voice at me again and I'll send you home in a wheelchair." Ada threatened. "Ten, enough," I whispered under my breath at her, careful not to reveal her real name and using her adventurer alias instead in case these people remember us when we start attending. "We aren't here to cause trouble, just to see what the Student Council is made of, that's all." I spoke to the students around us.

"You think I care? I am the Student Council President, how dare you threaten me. For the last time, show your faces!"

"That was your last chance." Ada vanished from her place, and reappeared with her augmented fist deep within the pompous moron's gut, sending him flying into the corner of the room.

This caused an outburst of voices inside the room, and all of the Student Council members prepared to attack us.

"Enough." I released the accumulated pressure from my Radiant Heart and froze all of the students in place, shutting down any attempt at attacking me. "Ten, these people aren't worth our time. Let's go."

"I-I-I'll tell the Director!" A pained, frightened voice came from off to my right where the Student Council members were standing.

"Who do you think let us in?" I stated bluntly. All remaining colour drained from her face, realising she let her President threaten a guest of the Director, and that she had no hope of getting help if I wanted to harm her. Ada and I left the room, politely apologising for our inconvenience and advising to Student Council members to be less arrogant, reminding them they were picked based on familial ties and not strength.

We continued to walk around the halls until we heard more commotion in another random training room. "Wanna go in?" I asked.

"Sure."

We opened the door and quietly sat down next to each other. A young elven girl roughly our age snapped her gaze straight to us and eyed us suspiciously. 

A sensory-type mage?

The taller girl she was sparring with, roughly 15, followed her gaze and looked at us warmly. She stood roughly 5'9, had short red hair and had an ornate rapier in her right hand. "They seem friendlier than the last group."

"Mm. It's only fair we introduce ourselves, then." We walked down to the arena and stood in front of the other two. "My name's Claire. Claire Bladeheart. And this is Princess Tessia Eralith. Mind introducing yourselves?" The girl with red hair said confidently. She seemed like a nice person.

"Ten."

"Apollo. Nice to meet you, too."

The Princess still eyed us suspiciously, though she likely didn't know who we were. I'm more surprised Claire doesn't look shocked or scared. If she's related to Kaspian Bladeheart in any way, I find it hard to believe she hasn't heard of the New Dawn.

"Are you perhaps related to Kaspian Bladeheart?" I asked politely.

"I am! He's my uncle. You know him?" She seemed very proud to be the niece of the Xyrus Guild Hall leader. "I did my rank examination a few hours ago. He's very strong." 

"Oh yeah? What rank did you get?"

"A. That's the highest you can get placed." She didn't need to know I defeated him.

"That's incredible! Though it is a little hard to believe, you know considering your...small stature. I'm not calling you a liar or anything. Just..you know." I showed her my ID card and she apologised for doubting me.

"Have you ever heard of the New Dawn?" Ada asked suspiciously. 

"That organisation of powerful criminals? I mean, I know they exist, but I don't know anything more than that."

"Neither." The Princess added simply.

That's good.

"Hmmm. You two up for a spar? 2v2." Claire asked us enthusiastically, and the two of us both agreed. "You sure you're capable of duelling two A-class adventurers. I should note that we are both waiting for the next AA-rank examination. We're stronger than most A-ranks." I asked them, to which they both still seemed eager to fight.

We stood on opposing ends of the arena, roughly 7 meters apart, and Claire counted down from 3. After the count, Ada and I waited in place for the other two to make the first moves. Claire shot out bullets of wind mana at our bodies. It was impressive seeing as wind mana is the hardest natural element to mould, but was still lacklustre compared to her uncle. I decided to show off a little, transforming into light and letting the air bullets phase through me. "W-what the-!?" Claire was naturally very shocked, as what I did defied all logic. Princess Tessia's vines closed around Ada's body, and she blinked out of the husk of vines attempting to unravel her. She reappeared behind Princess Tessia, wrapping her arm around the Princess' neck, "You're dead." It was quite a funny sight, considering the Princess was slightly taller than Ada, so she had to stand on her tippy toes to lock her arm around the Princess' neck. Claire closed in on me with her rapier in hand and tried for my neck, but I parried her strike with a rod of light and created a tiny explosion under my feet, propelling me into the air and I landed on her head.

"I think I win, no?" I said teasingly.

"How are you so light? I can barely feel you on my head?"

"Light has no mass..." I said mysteriously, trying to sound as cool as possible.

I hopped down from her head and we all stopped sparring. "You two are strong. You beat us in seconds without even trying." Claire said, not ashamed to have lost.

"It was just a friendly spar. I doubt you two were trying either." I responded, and the Princess looked down at her shoes.

...

We returned to the front entrance where Jack and Ilya were waiting for us, and we all departed from the Academy. We decided to stay in Xyrus for another three months so that Jack, Ada and I could attend the next AA-rank assessment. Jack was already going to stay since he starts attending Xyrus Academy in about 3 weeks, anyway.