“Gaius are you okay?” Bray and Dante asked simultaneously as they observed their cousin.

Regardless of not needing to sleep as an Antimage, he had never been so tired in his life. He has not slept in 5 days since he began training with the Guild Master, and it has been brutal to say the least. Thankfully the twins’ birthday party was held on a Sunday, as it was his day of rest from training. He smiled meekly as he replied to his cousins, “Yeah I’m fine. Just a bit tired lately from guild stuff.”

“That’s so cool that you’re in a guild! I can’t wait until I can join one when I grow up!” Bray said with enthusiasm.

Gaius smiled sadly at his cousin’s impending disappointment when he becomes a Novitiate. “What guild do you want to join?” Gaius asked to make conversation.

“The Artificer’s Guild!” Bray responded with glee.

“Oh? I’ve never heard of them, what do they do?” Dante asked from the side.

“Artificers are master tinkers, they create things by combining their knowledge of alchemy, blacksmithing, or even runeweaving. I guess they’re like a jack-of-all trades!” Bray responded.

“Wow, that sounds pretty cool,” Gaius said while suppressing a yawn.

“Ah if it isn’t the Princes of Mischief,” a voice sounded nearby.

Two teenagers strolled over to the three cousins.

A boy with dark brown hair smiled and said, “Hello Prince Dante, Prince Bray. Happy 7th birthday.”

A teenage girl with blonde hair besides him also gave her congratulations. 

“Hello, Loris. Cecille. Thank you for coming,” Bray recited.

“This is my friend, Gaius,” Dante introduced the strangers to each other.

“Ah, pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Loris said as he struck a handshake.

“Gaius, this is Loris Copeland and Cecille Burton. Their noble houses have supported the crown since its Founding,” Dante explained.

Cecille smiled as she also shook Gaius’s hand, “Did I hear correctly, that you wish to join the Artificer’s Guild, Bray?”

“Yup, they’re the only guild that interests me,” Bray replied confidently.

“One of my friends just became their Initiate not too long ago. She brings such curious trinkets. Take a look at one she just gave me,” Cecille said while taking out a small flat metallic disk.

Bray’s and Dante’s eyes gleamed as they eyed the strange metallic disk, one of them whispers, “What does it do?”

“It’s called an Echo, and she said that it can store messages, and” . . .  suddenly her voice was projected from the metallic disk and it continued her explanation, “You just need to condense a bit of aspect into. Here try it out,” she said while she handed the disk over to them.

After holding the disk within his palms and concentrating for a bit, Bray’s voice was projected from the disk and said, “Hello. Hello. This is Bray Alir. Hello.” Bray’s and Dante’s eyes and face lit up as they heard the projection.

“Let me try it,” Dante said as he took the disk from his brother’s hand. Laughter and giggling can be heard from the group of 5 as they played around with the Echo.

In another part of the palace.

“Sorry to pull you away from your sons’ party, but this is urgent,” a calm voice sounded.

Viktor’s and Gem’s face turned solemn at the severe tone. “Well, don’t keep us in suspense any longer,” Viktor barked.

Two middle-aged people gave each other a short look before one of them continued, “Our Farseer predicts a world-level calamity.”

After a few moments of shock, Viktor gathered his composure and asked, “When?”

“She doesn’t know but within the next century,” a man replied.

“What is the nature of the calamity?” Gem asked from the side.

“Though the specifics elude her, she said that the wheel of fate is churning in the south,” the same man replied.

“Is there anything else that she saw?” Viktor asked seriously.

“No, but she believes as time passes she will have a better glimpse. But the more time passes the harder it will be to prevent or change this calamity,” the man softly spoke.

“Thank you Volmar, Bodin. Your two houses have always safe-guarded the kingdom. I just hope that it is not already too late. Let us prepare the best we can,” Viktor said as he nodded at the two men standing before him.

Volmar and Bodin nodded. They both bowed slightly and turned to leave the king and queen alone.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“Master Ordos, please inform your master of what you’ve heard here tonight,” Viktor instructed after they were alone. It was not that he did not trust Volmar and Bodin with Ordos’s identity, but the fewer people who know the existence of the Antimage’s Guild the better.

The next day within the training room of the Antimage’s Guild.

Gaius stood across Jahani, his frame was average as well as his height. “Guild Master Elric had some matters to attend to, so he instructed me to train you,” Jahani said with an exasperated sigh.

Earlier when Guild Master Elric informed him of Gaius’s special training regimen, Jahani was shocked.

“I remember them being pretty tough on me during my training,” he thought to himself, “but this is a bit overboard. I’m sorry Gaius, I hope you can one day forgive me,” Jahani continued his silent prayer before he charged with a sword strike.

Training with Guild Master Elric during the past week couldn’t even be considered training through the eyes of many. It was more accurate to describe Gaius as Elric’s punching bag. Each sword strike knocked Gaius to the floor as he tried to resist the force. 18 hours a day, Elric would casually swing his sword at Gaius and he would be sent flying to the ground or the wall. Over and over.

Elric came up with the training program after his discussion with Farai about instilling humility while improving his Antimagic abilities.

And now it was up to Jahani to carry out this sacred duty. Days and weeks passed as Gaius continued to be a punching bag for Jahani. He came to deeply cherish his Sundays as his day of rest. Autumn turned into winter and the New Year came and went. There was a lavish party thrown within the capital. Streets were filled with food stalls and crowded with all shapes of people and animals.

The main event however, was the New Year’s Competition. A batch of warriors and mages from each noble house, school, guild, or random citizen entered to earn glory and riches. The competition was open to all. The royal family hosted the competition each year to identify talented youths that may one day serve the kingdom. Gaius and his family, to conceal their noble bloodline, were given the status of being foreign wards. Many thought them to be nothing better than political prisoners sent as bargaining chips from foreign lands, though they were still treated with a modicum of respect that their position accords them.

One day after the New Year and the exciting competition, Gen brought up a peculiar topic at the breakfast table.  

“Mom, Dad. When will I start going to school?” Gen asked innocently.

“Oh? Why do you want to go to school?” Duncan asked in between bites.

“Lauren’s school goes on camping trips and have huge competitions like the New Year’s fight, it sounds like a lot of fun!” Gen said in one breath.

“Who’s Lauren?” Tulia asked with a curious smile.

“She’s one of my friends, we met her during the New Year’s festival,” Dante replied. “She was telling us how her first year at the Academy was.”

“Hmm, it would be a good experience for the lad. You should consider it sister,” Viktor said with a smile.

“What about you? Are you going to let your kids attend the Royal Academy?” Tulia rebutted.

“You know how it is, bunch of sycophants when they see my kids. The tutors we provide are more than adequate,” Gem said while looking at her childhood friend. “You remember how it was when we were kids, all of those brown-nosers,” she added.

“Haha, yes that is true I suppose. Good thing Gen and Gaius are rather innocuous. Let me discuss it with your father,” Tulia answered her son and then turned her gaze to Gaius. “What about you? Do you want to attend the academy too?”

“Hmm, no. From what Lauren described you have a lot of responsibilities as a student. You have to attend classes and pass tests. And since can’t condense an Aspect, I don’t think I’ll pass any of the courses—even the beginner ones,” Gaius quickly analyzed aloud.

“If you want to join the academy, Gaius. You can enter the Warrior’s Wing. The Royal Academy is split in two. The Warrior’s Wing and the Mage’s Branch. The Wing is all about martial prowess and the studying of all weapon styles. Though I don’t believe you’d gain as much as what your guild is currently providing you,” Viktor replied.

“Thanks uncle, but the guild is already taking up so much of my time. I cannot fathom taking on the responsibilities that comes with being a student,” Gaius replied.

“Hmm. Well put, how are things within the guild? You haven’t been eating much these past few weeks.” Duncan changed the subject.

“Yeah, it’s part of my training. I’m trying to ‘ween myself off earthly sustenance’,” Gaius recited.

“Not eating is part of your training? How will you grow properly?!” Tulia asked surprised.

“I’m sure the guild supplies him with alternative methods,” Duncan interjected, saving Gaius from lying to his mother.

Within the training room.

“You know Gaius, your improvement is quite decent. You can take up to 100 strikes now before you need a break,” Jahani complimented. Though it isn’t 100 consecutive sword strikes, but rather 100 single-knockout sword strikes.

Sweat was dripping from his face like a steady stream. After 100 strikes, Gaius needed to specifically concentrate on siphoning the surrounding essences to replenish his strength. After a few breaths of time he recovered completely. He stood up with renewed vigor as he readied his stance for the inevitable sword strike. At this point of his training his mind was completely blank as he relentlessly took each strike.

Jahani smiled as he saw his junior’s blank eyes stare back at him, “It didn’t take him too long, not bad,” he thought to himself. With the wooden training sword in his hands he dashed forward delivering an immense amount of force. Gaius deflected the sword strike and remained steady as Mt. Tai.

With a devilish smile, Jahani did not miss a step and followed up with another sword strike, but this one was also deflected. Jahani exerted 100% control over each and every sword strike, sometimes pulling his punches—and each one was expertly deflected. “I didn’t think he’d reach the state of no-mind so quickly. This is a rare chance,” Jahani thought to himself.

Gaius’s eyes still remained empty as his body moved subconsciously expertly deflecting all of Jahani’s strike. This continued for several dozen exchanges, when suddenly Gaius fluidly countered after a deflection, Jahani unconsciously also countered and unleashed more of his power. As the sword clashed with the spear, Gaius was sent flying to the other side of the training hall. The impact shook the whole room. Gaius fell unconscious as he slumped to the floor.

“Well, I guess I went a bit overboard,” a smile appeared on his face, “it’ll be okay for him to rest.” Jahani sat down in a meditative posture as he waited for his junior to regain consciousness.

“What happened?” Gaius woke up after several minutes.

“You got knocked out,” Jahani responded flatly.

“Ugh. Not only am I not getting better, but I’m getting worse?” Gaius thought to himself. It has been a point of pride with him that this past week he has not been knocked unconscious, now he has to restart his streak.

Seeing his junior’s face slump with disappointment, Jahani had a sudden impulse to reassure him about his no-mind state. Jahani suppressed the urge by recalling the Guild Master’s stern instruction, so he kept a stoic face as he waited for his junior to ready himself.

“What do you remember before you took a rest?” Jahani ask.

“Um, nothing. I don’t even remember getting struck,” Gaius answered after trying to recall.

“That’s okay, hurry up and get ready. I’m going to take it up a notch,” Jahani said. “The more often he enters the state of no-mind the more beneficial,” he thought to himself, “and Master said that the best way to enter that state is from the brink of death.”