Chapter 18

It was today when we will be moving toward the royal capital and join Visania.

I woke up from the void feeling ragged and lethargic, it was mental exhaustion. It was morning, and I don’t know how much time had passed, looking at my state I was once again covered in sweat

I took care of it by going to the showers and taking a bath.

The servant house was bustling where several people walked around carrying different chores. I just walked by looking for Melinda who was supervising the staff.

“Finally you decided to join us, very good. You should eat. First, we will be going to the capital by noon.” She said.

“So it is time,” I said

“Yes, it is time for you to see a new world and a newer perspective.” She said with a genuine smile

I smiled back as I headed back to the kitchen where I was to have my last breakfast in this house.

So much changed. I was but an orphaned child that roamed the streets looking for a piece of bread to fill my daily needs and now I am destined to study at the highest academy of magic and swordsmanship in the country. I can’t be more thankful

The carriages soon appeared near the mansion’s entrance. There were three of them.

Each of them was being pulled by two horses while one of them looked more glamorous. This one should be where Lady Aakari would be sitting. While the two others were probably for her luggage and the servants that will accompany her to the royal school.

I waited in front of the door until Master Shen and Lord Ling showed up. They looked like a strange due, two of opposite nature but they were brothers in soul.

Approaching the lord I gave a slight bow before speaking but he was first to say.

“Basara, I need not tell you, take good care of my daughter and learn as much as you can. It is the least I can do for your child.”

“Your words honor me, sir, I know for a fact that your kindness far exceeds my worth,” I replied.

“Don’t be so humble in accepting gratitude child.” Said the Lord while he smiled. “Work hard so that you may be one of the elites. You must claim a spot amongst the Enforces, with your talent I know you can do it.” He said giving me hope and renewing my sense of objective.

Indeed, I need to be one of those so that I turn around my origin. So that I become something other than an unfortunate orphan.

“Don’t neglect your Assimilation training, and practice the forms in the book I gave you. I will be coming to Visania in three months to check on your progress and will be a teacher there, I will be looking after the two of you but in the meantime make sure that you serve your Lady well and with no problems Basara” Said Lord Shen.

“Remember, do not seek trouble but if a challenge comes to you never back down. It is our slogan.” Said Lord Ling.

“You can count on me, sir,” I replied with firm resolve.

Lady Akari then came forward, she was last to arrive.

She was wearing cotton made long sleeved shirt due to the still warm weather. And a skirt that showed her beautiful figure swaying in view. She was as old as I was but she looked mature and had an air of nobility around her.

Her red hair would sway on the occasional breeze and would make her seem divine.

I wouldn’t mind staring at her for all eternity, but I know my place. The difference between our social stands is large as heaven is from earth. And she was already taken…

“Close your mouth, Basara.” Said Master Shen in a playful tone as I just noticed myself to be starring too much.

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Lord Ling could only give a grin at the situation but decided to not say anything.

“My Lady,” I said while bowing while Lady Akari passed me by.

She didn’t say anything, no she didn’t even register my existence. Sigh, she probably thinks that I am here out of Lord Ling’s pity… but whatever, I will still take this chance and learn more and many things.

Lady Akari entered the first caravan, and I was left standing.

Melinda came by and entered the second caravan and signaled for me to follow her.

Once inside I saw the spacious and luxurious looking caravan from inside, I even felt a bit of aw and believed that I would taint it by my presence.

“Stop acting all giddy and sit down we have a long road ahead.” Said, Melinda, as she took a seat.

“Won’t the Lord accompany his daughter?” I asked.

“No, there are guards inside her Caravan, and they will be protecting her. The Lord has a city to run and can’t leave it just to attend his daughter’s school admission.

Indeed, Lord Ling was a busy man.

The caravan moved forward, and I began to enjoy the scenery.

Lady Melinda took a book and began reading. She wore glasses for reading that gave her a more allure, a mature lady was before me.

The ride will probably take a lot of time, to reach the capital. A couple of days at most, I cannot train my magic nor martial arts inside this caravan. So I will be using this time to train with Nocturne.

I closed my eyes and entered my sea of consciousness.

The floating black orb remained as always swirling and gathering minuscule amounts of energy.

Nocturne seemed to be waiting for my arrival, and before I could even speak, he brought his weapon and charged at me with astonishing speed.

I was used to his ambushed, so I instantly summoned the book and brought the scythe from within it.

There was no need for words, I know well what this meant.

The floating glob began to slow down as time dilation took effect. And with that, our never-ending battle began.

Using wind magic Haste, I pushed myself back to gain some distance. I know this won’t be enough, but it should just give me enough time to cast

“Fire that burns all, Fireball!” I chanted. And a black fireball that turned red in an instant shot forward threatening to scorch anything before it.

This was, of course, a diversion, and I knew for a fact that It would do nothing to stop the advance of the grim reaper.

Nocturne smirked and slashed at the orb cutting it in half. The sphere broke, and his figure appeared from within the flames.

“Earth’s blessing, entangle.” I chanted once again, and a wave of roots sprouted from the white void threatening to entrap anything that it catches.

However, a dark aura that soon engulfed Nocturne was enough to burn the root into nothingness.

I just need a split second to distract him.

“Water that submerges all, water geyser!” I chanted. However nothing seemed to emerge out of my hand, Nocturne looked a bit annoyed.

Then I moved forward holding my scythe wanting to clash blade against Nocturne.

In any time of the day, I would be split in half. However, there was a reason why I did this. I held my hand forward, and a torrent of water burst towards the now barely surprised skeleton.

I then swung my scythe after creating a distraction trying to hit him.

‘Clang’

Metal hit metal, and I knew that my distraction failed.

I was prepared to be destroyed, but Nocturne was first to speak

“Delayed cast… when did you learn that?” he said.

I responded while trying to recover my scythe that was stuck to his.

“I learned that a few days ago but I never found the chance to use it. It seems that it was useless” I said then I was sent tumbling on the ground. It was not that I succeeded in retrieving my weapon, but it was that Nocturne pushed me away using his inhuman strength.

“Rapid cast and dual cast are still too hard to use right now though,” I said as I stood back up.

“Indeed, they are,” he said with an eerie laugh that accompanied his words. “You should probably use a demonstration. You might get inspired.” He said then swirled the scythe on his left as he brought his hand forward.

Two voiced rungs at once, he spoke, but it was like two people speaking at once!

“Fire that burns all, firestorm!”

“Ice that freezes all, blizzard!”

Two waves one of heat and fire charged forward, one that emerged from his right hand and the other from the swirling scythe.

They threatened to both freeze and burn me to nothingness.

I then jumped and ran trying to dodge the mad man’s attack as he laughed like a maniac trying to obliterate me.

How do you fight against this!

I thought to myself as my futile attempt at escape was met with an end.

I was too focused on escaping his magic that he appeared before me and with a violent swing of his scythe I was cut apart.

“No rest for you Basara rise again.” He said

And I stood back reluctantly.

How was he able to do that? Cast two different elements with a huge difference in size, and nature like if it was nothing…

And that dual voice… is that a special ability?

“How did you use the dual cast? It is not like just casting two spells differently… you spoke like if you were two persons at the same time.” I asked

“You will learn that in time.” He said then charged forward.

“Shit!”

And our sparring session continued. There was no rest and no fatigue, we could go with our all here, and there was nothing to interrupt us.

I learned something from our several days of sparring. Nocturne is strong… his strength is immeasurable. Yet he failed in his mission he said, he failed to defeat something that proved to be stronger than him? How high are the heavens for that people are this powerful yet they still find something that is greater than them… what is the limit, if there is one?