Dreiki hit the ground with a thud, groaning as he pushed himself up. He was in a forest of twisted trunks and knee-deep snow. His head was swimming as he tried to maintain his sense of self. His name was Dreiki Iriik. His mother was Zesa Iriik. He was the final disciple of Savekio Riinukura. He had just read an incredibly powerful Ux scroll hidden under the roots of an Ingen tree.

For this past week, he had been preparing for the final confrontation with the nobility in the Tibur camp. In that time, he had directed Rixam and Gornax to help gather intel while they trained with Tadios. The leader of the opposing army was Dekadimus Alveridan, one of the hundreds of sons of The Emperor himself. Not only that, but it was the very same Vilkus had advocated for. Dreiki could see why. Awakened Ux, a royal bloodline, and a direct connection to The First King. His lightning magic was proof enough of his birthright to rule.

What a coincidence that Dreiki would end up on the opposing side to him in a mock war. He did not yet know if it was a lucky coincidence or not.

Dreiki saw a faint light in the distance. He walked towards it. Pain shot up his right leg. His pant leg was soaked through with blood and it was not healing. He stopped in his tracks. This was a test. That light in the distance was likely not the hope he wanted it to be, and even if it was it would still be there if he approached it later. It was best to make sure he could still run if he needed to. He dressed his wound feeling ‘Dreiki’ slowly fading away into someone else. In an effort to maintain his sense of self, Dreiki ran through what he had learned outside the dream in the past week.

Deka had recruited numerous high value combatants to work under him. Paxia, the direct descendent of a god slayer from a hundred years ago. Her pedigree was not just for show, either. She was a highly skilled fighter considered to be one of the best earth magic users of her generation. Apparently she had only ever lost to Deka and his retainer Vilka in battle.

There was also Fealux, the heir to the Muuaji clan. Dreiki recalled from his history books that they rose to power through assassination. Judging by how she skulked about, it was clear the family maintained those skills through the years. Lucky for him, Fealux did not seem to anticipate that someone would be watching her closely instead. She possessed fire magic, and watching her fight had given Dreiki a few new ideas for spells of his own.

Finally, there was a water user by the name of Miiruka Kuzama. Her father was known as ‘The Roaming Ocean’. A king in his own right, who never bothered to sit on a throne and instead ran campaign after campaign. King Kuzama was one of the many reasons Dreiki could not see his mother. Unlike Luna, who preferred ice and summoning magic, Miiruka used blood magic. Apparently it was more difficult to manipulate the blood of others than one’s own, but Miiruka did not seem to have any issues. Resisting such magic was likely tied to Ux in some way, considering she had also lost to Deka at some point.

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Vilka was one of the most terrifying threats, not only for who her father was, but also her overwhelming power. She was one of the only metal magic users in camp, and her command of that element was immaculate. Dreiki had a theory that she could potentially defeat Deka in battle. Where Deka may have been the strongest overall between the two of them, Vilka possessed magic which could directly counter his own. Deka’s biggest threat was also his greatest protector. Perhaps her father had intended to raise her that way from the beginning?

The pain had subsided a little bit on his leg. He remembered he had healing magic, although it was only first Aid in the end. If he spent the next ten minutes, his leg would be good as new. He hovered his hand over the gash in his thigh and summoned his mana. A warming relief washed over the pain. He was glad he had learned it back in the guild, healing magic really helped in a pinch. Dreiki shook his head, steering his thoughts back to his real self.

Kaara, Arika, and Rorik Tibur. They were seen as three of the most powerful children in camp by the standards of the other Tibur. Each possessed a high level of magic beyond their years. Dreiki had observed it in action more than a few times. Kaara fought with very little restraint, and even put Luna to shame with what she could summon. On the opposite end, Arika was one who liked to hold back her strength to match her opponent. Even if Dreiki had watched her fight several times already, he still believed she had not yet shown her full power. It was a smart strategy, almost like she knew she was being watched. It was more likely she was looking to enjoy the thrill of battle, though.

Then there was Rorik Tibur. A masterful hunter whom Dreiki needed to observe from a further distance. His senses were keen, and his instincts were sharp. Not to mention, he never let his guard down. Always acting as if someone was over his shoulder watching him. In this case, he was right. His fighting style was centered around traps and triggers. His hunting axe and the other weapons on his person were all made of stone so that they could be freely manipulated and used in a pinch. He had supreme control over his magic which allowed him to accurately direct each weapon as if it were an extension of himself.

Dreiki looked over his wound to see it had closed up now. He took a deep breath, trying to not remember too much about what had recently happened. Both to keep his sense of self, and also because Rudy did not want to remember those traumatic events. He stood up, and brushed himself off. It was time to start moving.