CHAPTER 37

A PARVIAN HOMEWORK

After the incredible display of Hans’s sanctuary-level spell, Hera was left scratching her head with more questions than answers. She sent Hans back to his duties and asked her trusted aide, “Kai, did you finish what I asked you to?”

“Yes, Master.” He quickly answered, “It’s good that you sent Zephyr to culling the Red demons. I don’t know the guy well, but even a saint would turn into a devil if someone ran over their pride that badly.”

“I know,” Hera nodded, adding, “Thats why I asked you to take care of it. Zephyr is a prodigy produced by Concordia after Rudolf. He even broke his records, and is almost a warlord. Adding his young age on top of it makes you quite prideful and arrogant. And arrogant people don’t take it lightly when someone touches their pride. I hope it won’t escalate much further..” She thought her teacher, the Chairman was right, “The boy does not fear consequences.”

“I see there is reason for it master.” Kai once again glanced the death spread over what was Hans’s sanctuary before, even soil died there. “This is some ridiculous power he lords over. Generating sunstone energy in time when everyone is ready to kill over an ounce of it.” He forced a chuckle thinking of what Hans would become capable of when he tame this power fully.

“I thought that too at first.” Hera broke his wary thoughts, “But I don’t think he is generating sunstone energy, he too was surprised by the effect, as if it was his first time achieving this.”

“Then—”

“Follow me.” Hera lead Kai into the control chamber, their most secured facility in the fortress, it was located in deep underground, filled with dispellium so none can use mana or aura inside. The arrangement was like dual edge sword but until this time, it never fell on node people.

“Show me the records of energy production of last hour. ” She commanded and a hunchback old woman brought her a roll of paper, with a spiked graph and several values pointing a surge.

“See this kai.” She pointed at the spike in the chart. “He is not generating the energy just extracting it in several folds. It was our sunstone crystal’s energy doing his bidding.”

“Thank god. It would’ve been a world defying concept if he could produce the sunstone energy—”

“But what if he can do this when there is no sunstone. These orange crystals are what broke from the sun so evidently the sun is just a very big source of power, what if the kid can call upon that energy—”

“Stop it master. That is ridiculous thinking even for you.” Kai quickly dismissed the idea, but a hint of doubt still remained in his psyche as Hera. Troubled, he quickly asked his master, “Just what is he, a mage without circles, a behemoth of a monster or an artefact—”

“None. He is just a man of prophecy.” A forced chuckle left from her, “Our ancestors littered the world with a lot of nonsense, One of them mentions A PARVIAN SUN.”

“So its finally coming true: a parvian suns is set to rise, filling the world with dread” Kai quoted the long passed prophetic words, their ancestor’s warning against the knight country Parv.

“Yes, he is the protagonist of that prophecy. His father did his best to change it but we all know. Elven words always turns true. Lets just see how much Samson’s effort delayed it.”

“But master.” Kai interrupted her, “Isn’t there another prophecy where an elven demigod stops the ascend of the Parvian sun…” he thought hard, remembering the exact words, “In shadow’s keep a light is born. To quell the sun’s ascension sworn… bright saviour’s destined fight. Stops the parvian sun with elven might.”

“You are well versed in our myths, Kai. Didn’t expect you to be knowledgeable in folklore.”

“You can’t blame me master. The elven demigod is coined as the hero of elf folks, his coming out of shadows signifies the elven utopia, where even commoners of Clandor like me live a graceful life.”

“Prophecies are harder to deduce kai. What they say might actually means something else entirely.”

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

“Maybe the elven demigod you mentioned, will unite our elven land and finally we can put away this internal struggle—”

“But if the young prince is Parvian sun, where is ours the elven demigod?” Kai interrupted her, perplexed, but after a brief pause he assured himself, “He must be present somewhere else, isn’t he master? Light and darkness are born together after all.”

“Calling the Parvian sun as darkness, isn’t it too conflicting Kai? Its light vs light. A battle destined for ages. But I hope it won’t turn true.” She looked far, “This world is in a great debt to Hans, the people just don’t know it.”

Kai couldn’t understand Hera’s words but he knew since Hera was also a high elf, a superior breed than he, she was loved by mana and had a special connection with it. So deciphering her thoughts was something no one can do.

He sighed and lead Hera to her office to finish her task which were out on hold due to Hans, and the day passed without any events.

In next day, Hans was called as usual to Hera’s training ground. “Now what did I do?” He asked, seriously recalling his every activity which could give him this familiar feeling of summoning to Walter’s office after making a mess.

“Nothing, I just wanna see your cute face—”

“Ma’am you are giving me creeps.”

“I haven’t given up kiddo.” Hera grinned, “You’ll become my family one way or another. Its just a matter of time.”

Hans could see, her words turning true since he could see how her words were affecting him. He would have jolted by the mere idea but he was just letting her say again and again.

Seeing him quiet, Hera asked, “You told me you wished to join Red Monks. You do know what kind of missions we carry, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do not wish to but I have to. This is something I can’t overrule.” Hans said, his words clearly meant just how much Dietrich had sway on him. “You generally carry out rescue mission, from retrieval of objects to life, you do all sort of things similar to this, right?” Hans asked.

“Yes you are right. But is it what you see doing yourself in the future?” Hera genuinely asked.

“Frankly, I do not. Espionage, assassination, infiltration. That kind of things where I shine.”

“I agree, you are a canon ball not meant to blast away his foes, and frankly I like to keep it that way. Red Monks are the best but its not a place where you can grow.”

“Am I being rejected?” Hans asked, concerned.

“No, there are rules and test. Anyone clearing it is eligible to join our ranks. But I have to ask, why are you here Hans Parv and don’t give me that teacher asked you to. There must be another reason—”

“I need power. There is something I have to achieve. And I was told that there is only one person who can help me grow, you.” Hans pointed at Hera.

“Care to elaborate your ambition?” Hera asked.

However, before answering, Hans glanced at Kai. So Hera told him trusting Kai was same as trusting her. But Hans wasn’t convinced, “I understand that he will never betray you. But he will backstab me if that endangers you, isn’t that right, Mr Kai?” Hans asked turning to him.

Kai nodded, “Yes, I don’t think there will be ever a day when she is in danger but if it happens by some mishap, I’ll not think once and betray you or any other person.”

“You have a good subordinate, Ma’am. He reminds of mine.” Hans smiled at stunned Hera.

Kai was also surprised seeing her startled. “I’ll leave you to it master. Just don’t promise which I won’t.” He left saying his piece.

“So, kiddo. Now you’ve sent my Aide back. Care to elaborate?” Hera sat at the stool and urged Hans to spill the beans.

“Xandor has something of mine, I need it back. To which I need Parvian knight force and I can’t access it even though I’m their prince. I need Homar, the commander’s acknowledgement to command them, it has always been like this in Parv.”

“So you need to prove yourself, am I understanding correctly?” Hera rested her chin into back of her palm while her elbow rested on her closed leg.

“Yes, the knight commander Homar asked me to best any ranked knight under top ten.”

“Thats it! He is being generous.” Hera responded nonchalantly as if her expectations were broken.

Meanwhile, Hans was startled, he thought Hera would say it was impossible dream but she looked at ranked knights as if they were nothing. “Truly, strong people think differently.”

“Then why are you dead set in joining Red monks? It has no relation to beat top ranked knight—”

“Chairman said, there is only one way I can join Red monks and that is when I’m truly strong and Ms Hera is the one who could teach me how to become one.”

“Pft..” She chuckled, “Teacher overestimated me. I can’t teach you something you don’t have. See.” She pointed at herself, her mana surge out from her. It was a ridiculous amount. He had seen some warlocks till now, but none held a candle against her. “This is something I was born with. I can’t teach you this. I don’t want sound arrogant but I was just born stronger.”

“Me, I was born different too.” Hans didn’t give up, his control over mana stretched all over the node, taking control over every single particle of oscillating mana. A tremor felt when he let go of the mana. “I was born strong too ma’am.”

“Then I guess you are due for some thorough teaching little one.” She stood up stretching, “So tell me how much you know about the ranked knights?”

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