Chapter 62: Return.

The field trip ended abruptly and they rushed back to the tunnel. Along the way, the students were faced with powered up version of the boars and chickens and other evolved beasts. They were greatly struggling against them and require the entire class to act upon one beast at a time.

Ming may have stopped the bleeding, but Crule’s wound still required first aid. She disinfected it and wrapper it in bandages. Crule rested in the wagon so Ming was the only one keeping the students in check as the horde of beasts attack them on the way back.

Four days later, they finally made it back. The students looked like a platoon of injured soldiers that just barely survived a week long fire fight. Some students were unconscious, covered in bandages, and lying on stretchers in the wagon.

The bystanders stared in wonder at the rag tag group that limped their way back into the tunnel.

[Lawks]: So tired…But it was quite satisfying.

Standing next to her was a two foot tall golem made of cobblestone. After reaching third gate, she had enough control over her energy to form simple golems that could simply tasks like moving heavy things or acting as a shield.

The entire Lawks clan were what people call “doll makers.” Having several thousand years of history, they started out making dolls during the Sengoku era in japan. Having survived into the post-cold war era, they evolved into a clan that made life size androids that perform simple tasks.

Upon surviving to the rift era, a major branch of the Lawks clan joined the pioneers that settled on Noxia. Using the new found metals and energy, they have developed some of the most powerful combat androids and golems. One can see their work in all shipment yards and most aristocrat have at least one Lawks Android by them at all times to prevent assassinations.

Since most of them look so realistic, one would simply mistake them for real humans. Elders of the Lawks clan can imbed titanic portions of energy into an android and allow them to use martial skills and spells. These advanced androids where the strongest war potential as they do not tire and injuries doesn’t hinder them. The only problem was their energy cells do require charging but they can also absorb energy from nature like humans can. It was just slower so they could only stay in combat continuously for so long before they have to wait to refill their energy.

As the second child of the Lawks clan, Camille Lawks didn’t have the pressure of leading the prestigious clan. That job was left to her older brother. Most people just call her by her last name in the academy as she was the only one of the Lawks clan there. She also hated people calling her by her first name. Her golems were not at the point of becoming life like yet, but she looks forward to the day she can make her own combat android.

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Donovan Thunes was the third little master of the Thunes clan. The Thunes clan specialized in metal dealings. They were a clan that control a liquid metal that could immediately form into powerful weapons and armors. They were an elite knight’s clan that survived since the monarchy of Britain. They would serve the queen until their dying breath, but as the British monarchy moved on, they had to find a new master. They followed master after master until today, they have become a noble clan themselves. The Thunes clan’s knights were called Mercury Knights due to the liquid nature of their metal coatings.

Upon reaching ten, members of the clan that were found to have exceptional talent, were tested. They would find the highest affinity with a certain metal, and that metal would be the metal they received. On that day, they familiarize themselves with the metal fully. Over time, the metal slowly recognizes its master. Upon reaching a certain point, the metal could be called forth from summoning circles. These metals were normally stored in twenty meter sized vats the Thunes clan kept under their main branch. Each vat was labeled by the name of the knight. No two knights use the same metal.

Donovan’s metal was the shining magnetic alloy found on one of the moons. He currently doesn’t have enough power to call forth it from the vat so therefore he keeps a supply of it on him at all time, whether it’s the sole of his shoes, the bucket on his belt, or the metal plate he keeps in his pocket, they were all made out of the magnetic alloy called Sirenium. It was a metal that beckon other metal like a siren and the magnetic power it holds was not small. They were several times more powerful than neodymium magnets once activated.

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Now that he was third gate, he could finally summon metal from his vat, although the amount was still limited.

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George Shepard was a common child. He was a part of no clan and represented the common people in A class. He got in with talent alone. In the entirety of A class, there was only eight clans. The other twenty four were all children of nobles who wanted their kid to get some training. George represented to top of these twenty four. The others looked up to him as he bridges the gap between the highly prestigious and at times arrogant clans to the nobles and common folks.

He learned he had talent when one day his childhood friend was attacked by a low ranked beast. He beat it after feeling a sort of power welling up within him. A bypassing warrior saw the kid had potential and took him on as a disciple. But George quickly far surpassed the low ranked warrior. With nothing left to teach him, the warrior sent George to try for the Shining Radiance Academy. Being able to get in with talent alone, and on scholarship, he quickly rose in ranks through the classes until he ended up in A class.

With his third gate established, he finally have enough control over his sand to form pure glass and with certain other metals in his sand, he could even form mirrors now.

What he control over was silicon. As long as the sand contains silicon, he could control it.

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With the constant life and death battles during the last four days, some people have made major breakthroughs. Lawks, Thune, and Shepard all established their third gate. They can no longer be considered beginners in the world of warriors and mages, finally becoming virtuosos. But due to the sudden explosion in power the beasts have, the ranking system that the Beauxi auction uses can no longer apply. A ranking system won’t be in place until after the Antagonist games have started.

The students now both respect and fear Crule and Ming. But with them, they felt secure. Like everything will be fine. Even if they were the same age, they felt Crule and Ming would settle all problems. In the future, they would be of use for Crule.

They finally got back to the academy and the students dispersed back to their dorms or homes.

Crule and Ming went to see Grisly. Upon entered the office and seeing the silly grin on his face, Crule understood what happened.

[Crule]: So it was you…

[Grisly]: I see you have been injured. So how was it?

[Crule]: I will not be stopped.

[Grisly]: And I won’t stop you.

[Crule]: Why? Isn’t Grimly your brother?

[Grisly]: Half-brother. But I no longer consider him family after what he’s done. I’m glad someone finally will do what I couldn’t do myself due to a promise.

[Crule]: I see… Will you support me then?

[Grisly]: As a way to satisfy my revenge? Definitely.

[Crule]: Then I require a temporary leave.

[Grisly]: Go for it. The academy doesn’t tie down their professors. Most professors are out in the world doing their own research. That’s why only Ghestle and Yukino are here on campus. Every year, two professors return and replace them. Having you two here was just a bonus.

[Crule]: I see…Then we shall be going then.

[Grisly]: You sure you don’t need some help with that injury of yours?

Grisly stared at the bandaged nub where Crule’s hand use to be.

[Crule]: I got my own plans.

[Grisly]: I see…good luck then.

He waved them good bye and they set off.

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After they left, Grisly whispered to himself in a melancholy tone.

[Grisly]: Mother…I didn’t want to do this, but brother had gone too far…I will have my revenge. He had no right to kill you…

He looked out his window up at the moons that were still slightly visible during the day time.

[Grisly]: Soon….