"Are you sure this is a good idea, Grand Elder?" Laila asked.
"Don't you think this is a great way to convince the Elders? A battle of beliefs?" The woman happily hummed.
Everyone was at a wide training ground a little northeast of Frigiod. The area was surrounded by massive stone walls, each one towering over the five rectangular arenas in the center. Each arena had a humanoid dummy made of Matorenite with its face painted red, resembling that of a target. To the left were the barracks that apparently houses warriors in training. On the right were the armory and storage area that stores weapons, armor, crates of food, and even a smithery. Isaac and Elder Quilon occupied the middle arena, each one standing tall on opposite ends. A layer of snow filled the entire ground beneath us.
The icy wind that whipped around Isaac was less intense than he had expected. When he first entered South Osmen, he would shiver like he was thrown into a meat locker, stripped of his clothes. Now, he would have the occasional shakes. Isaac was still cold, yes, but because of the System, he was slowly getting used to it. If he wanted to, he could even warm his body up using [Mana Manipulation], but he chose not to. He'd rather face the numbing cold than give in and take the easy way.
"Hey old man!" Isaac shouted, resting his Torqinite Sword on his shoulder. "Where's your weapon at? Do you really think you can beat me with just your ugly looks? Don't count on it!" He laughed into the late afternoon air. That provocation only made Elder Quilon seethe even more.
"A weapon for the likes of you?" He hissed. "This will be child's play."
"Really now? Then let's start already!"
Laila and the other Elders surrounded the rectangular arena, the ground beneath them trembling with anticipation as they waited for the upcoming battle. The Grand Elder glided toward the middle of the arena, her white robes fluttering.
"This will be a fair fight, meaning no killing or maiming. The first to be incapacitated or verbally forfeit will lose the bout. Questions?"
"Nope."
"No, Grand Elder."
"Alright. You may begin."
As soon as the Grand Elder was off the premises, Elder Quilon was the first to react. The old man sauntered toward Isaac with a maniacal grin on his face. The Elder was most definitely underestimating Isaac as the man sees him as little more than a child throwing a tantrum. That line of thinking would be his downfall, and both siblings knew that very well.
"Worried about your brother, human girl~" Naton happily strolled next to Laila. She gave the Elder a brief glance and turned her focus back to the fight.
"I'm not worried about my brother in his fight at all," Laila curtly answered.
"Hm? Then why the long face?"
"… I'm worried about the outcome of the fight once Elder Quilon loses."
"Oh? Is that so~" Naton grinned. After hearing Laila's thoughts, Naton was even more enthusiastic about the fight. The confidence this little girl has for her brother… What makes them so special that Sir Solgen, a person known to have never accepted a disciple, would bring these two under her tutelage? She just had to find out!
"You made a mistake, boy. Don't think I'll go easy on you just because you curried the favor of Sir Solgen and the Grand Elder! I'll show you the-"
"-difference between us is like heaven and earth blah-blah-blah." Isaac mocked the Elder by flapping one of his hands. "That was totally a villain monologue you just said out loud. Don't you feel embarrassed by that, dude? With how dumb and old you are, I'm sure you're the weakest member of the Elders."
Elder Quilon's face was aflame, his cheeks blooming a deep, fiery red. Soon after, the Elder released every ounce of mana he had inside his body. His eyes shone with a brilliant blue that mimicked the ocean, and the surrounding mana crackled like a blazing flame. Laila was pretty far back, but every hair on her body stood on ends from sheer ferocity. The mana was erratic and untamed, like a wild beast. And like a wild beast blinded by bloodlust, he charged. While Isaac was the closest to the Elder and was receiving the full brunt of this wave of mana, the boy grinned ear to ear.
"Too easy."
Elder Quilon infused as much mana as he could muster into his right fist. The energy swirled around fiercely like wheels on a speeding muscle car. The man in his enraged state was fast, like a cheetah, and was already near Isaac's position. With an outstretched arm brimming with mana, the Elder swung, aiming for Isaac's face.
Snap!
The blue aura around Elder Quilon's body vanished in the blink of an eye, as if someone had flicked off a lightbulb.
"Eh?" He squeaked, the agitation in his face now gone. Now momentarily confused by the sudden development, Isaac went to work. He lurched toward the man and moved his leg outward, tripping the Elder and having him land on a pile of snow. Isaac lifted his leg and planted his foot firmly on the Elder's butt and leveled the Torqinite blade on his neck.
"And just like that, I win." Isaac said with a triumphant smirk.
"Isaac is the winner!" Grand Elder announced as she made her way to Isaac and Elder Quilon. Laila rushed to her brother's side and wrapped her arm around his shoulder, ruffling his hair with a smile.
"Great job there Isaac! I knew you would win." Laila chuckled.
"It was way too easy! You should've seen the look on his face!" He laughed cheerfully. The Elders arrived one by one, some of them with astonished looks on their face.
"You got quite the mouth, don't you, boy?" Naton giggled as she hovered over Isaac. Taligen was by her side.
"All that bravado wasn't for show after all. Impressive." He smiled faintly. Astren, Gozan, Yala, and Matarath stood by Elder Quilon who had yet to move from his spot.
"A shame, Quilon. For a one-hundred and twenty-four-year-old to lose to a mere kid. I thought you knew better…" Matarath said, shaking his head.
"…I lost?" Quilon mumbled; his face still pressed into the snow. "I, Elder Quilon, lost?"
"Come on Quilon. Get up and save face by apologizing to the kid," Astren sighed. She reached down and left her arm dangling, waiting for Quilon to accept it. Quilon smacked it away as his body lurched upward, sprinkles of snow dropping like droplets. The man quietly patted down his beard and clothes until he was mostly free of snow. After taking a deep breath, Elder Quilon marched toward Isaac with an emotionless face.
"Elder Quilon…" Matarath warned. "Consider your next course of action carefully."
Instead of replying verbally, Quilon just waved Matarath off and continued walking ahead, kicking up small fluffs of snow. Everyone spun their heads around at the approaching Quilon. Laila and the other Elders felt uneasy. Isaac on the other hand, wasn't worried as he gently pushed Laila away and stood tall. Well, as tall as he could since Quilon was around one-hundred and ninety-five cm tall and Isaac about one-hundred and eighty. Now face to face, the two glared at each other like UFC fighters at an official weigh-in. The Elders sucked in their breaths as they watched their colleague while the Grand Elder observed from the sidelines. Laila was behind Isaac's back, ready to pull out her rapier any moment now.
The stare-down went on for a couple of seconds. Isaac, getting bored with the old geezer, was just about to open his mouth when Elder Quilon abruptly moved his body. Isaacs' instincts took over as he drew his sword, but what happened next shocked him to the core.
The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.
"Dude… really?" Isaac mumbled. Elder Quilon was now kneeling in front of Isaac, his head bowed deeply.
"I would like to apologize for my actions. I acted in a manner unfit for my position and age and have made a mockery of the Council of Elders and would like to apologize. I will accept any punishment you give me."
This gesture had Isaac frozen in shock. He hadn't expected this proud old geezer to actually apologize to him, especially in front of everyone! Isaac thought long and hard about the type of punishment to inflict on the Elder.
"…Any punishment you say?" Isaac said, pocketing the Torqinite sword. The Elder nodded solemnly. Isaac took one quick peek over his shoulder and saw Laila gazing at him expectantly. That was when an idea popped up.
"Apologize to my sister too and I'll call it even." Isaac pointed out. Elder Quilon glanced at Laila's puzzled face and abruptly stood up to reposition himself in front of Laila without even thinking of questioning Isaac.
"I would like to humbly apologize for my words and actions. I have made a fool of myself and will do better in the future," Elder Quilon finished; head still hung.
Laila stumbled upon her words, still weirded out from Quilon's change of demeanor. "Er… yea. Water under the bridge. Don't worry about it."
"Thank you. And, as for Grand Elder and my peers…" Quilon directed his body to face the people lined up near him. "…Would you be so kind as to-"
"You've already been forgiven, Elder Quilon," the Grand Elder interjected. She glided over to the kneeling man and placed her hand on his shoulder, smiling warmly.
"You are the most prideful of the Apithiens, Quilon. Pride for the Apithiens. For someone such as yourself to toss that pride away and seek forgiveness is punishment enough. Now, rise. Your knees must be crying out in agony."
As he listened to the Grand Elder's instruction, Elder Quilon slowly rose from his crouched position, a slight smile playing on his lips before his expression returned to one of neutrality.
Grand Elder clapped her hands together. "Well, today has been an eventful day! The sun has just begun to set. We have much to do! Elders, you are formerly dismissed!"
"Yes, Grand Elder!" they shouted simultaneously. One by one, the Elders disappeared in the blink of an eye, traveling at speeds that even Laila couldn't follow with her own eyes. Naton waved goodbye to the siblings with a cheerful face while Gozan grumbled, unhappy he had to watch the fight outdoors. Matarath bowed to the siblings and Grand Elder before disappearing along with Astren and Yala. Finally, Quilon gave Isaac one last nod before he headed off, leaving behind a trail of snow and air in his wake.
"Taligen, please escort Laila and Isaac to their rooms. They are our guests and Solgen's disciples. They require the utmost respect and the best facilities we offer."
"I'll get right on it, Grand Elder," Taligen said with a salute.
The Grand Elder nodded and said, "Thank you. Now then, have fun you two!"
The Grand Elder disappeared in a blink of an eye, and the air was left shimmering in her wake.
"Follow me, esteemed guests. I will take you to your living quarters," Taligen said. After donning the mask back on, the man trudged toward the gate, with Isaac and Laila following along. The entire walking experience was quiet as neither of them made small talk. They followed along the black pavement and quickly returned to the log houses. There were a lot fewer people milling around compared to this morning as they prepared to hit the sack. One kid looked up from their book and waved at Laila with a toothy grin. She returned the favor without missing a beat.
After walking around for about ten minutes, the group finally arrived at their destination, a log building half the size of the lodge, but still larger than the log cabins of the Apithien folk.The buildings were of a similar architecture with sloped roofs, smoke trickling out of the chimneys, a small deck with a screen door that allowed you to keep the chill out, and glass windows that sparkled in the sunlight. Each house was about a thousand and three hundred square feet, the space being much like a condo, but in cottage form. This area was located northeast of Frigiod, right near the lodge.
"Damn! We get to live here?" Isaac whistled, admiring the view.
"Do we get separate houses or no, Taligen?" Laila wondered.
"You are to occupy the same house for now since the others are reserved for the Elders. The Elders live in these houses for their bi-weekly meetings. Do not worry about the accommodation. This is a three-bedroom space fitted with two bathrooms, a kitchen, a deck, and even a small training area at the back. You will also not run out of water as water spirits provide a near infinite supply so long as they have the mana."
"That is totally awesome," Isaac whispered.
"If you need nothing else, then I'll take my leave."
Taligen paused for a moment, waiting for anyone to speak up. With a bow, Taligen trudged away from the compound, the sound of his footfalls fading into the distance. After making sure he was gone, they both hurriedly made their way to the front of the door, the handle of the door cold to the touch as they slammed it shut behind them. A wave of warmth washed over the siblings as they took it all in.
"Finally! I thought I would never get out of the damn cold!" Isaac huffed.
"Right back at you… I was holding it in, just silently thinking when we'll be done." Laila sighed, removing her wet shoes and dropping them into a nearby square cubby. She was standing on a rectangular carpet with intricate, individual strands along the edges. To her right was an empty coatrack near the door, and beyond that was the living room, complete with a white sofa and armchair, a bookshelf, and a coffee table in the middle that had a zebra carpet, inviting her in. There was also a large rectangular window where rays of sunlight beamed, illuminating the coffee table. In front of the doorway was the kitchen, which had a counter and a few cushioned stools. Little cabinets, a stove, and a gray ice box sat in the kitchen, making it feel complete.
"Wow…" Laila muttered as she silently explored the cottage further. Small bulbs hung from the ceiling, yet they were empty. There was a little paper on one wall that read:
Snap fingers to activate the electro spirits.
Laila did what was told and snapped her fingers. The bulbs flickered to life as small arcs of electricity ran rampant inside the bulbs. It was like a mini thunderstorm was happening before her eyes. Laila felt a wave of awe wash over her as she raced through the hall, replaced with a sense of adventurous curiosity. The wooden door to the right opened to a closet area filled with spare blankets, neatly tucked away in individual bins. Clothes and robes of a variety of colors and styles hung on hangers. Laila shut the door and continued further, stopping at the next open room to her left. It was a laundry room with no appliances other than a couple of wide buckets.
Guess you gotta wash your clothes the old fashion way, she grumbled, venturing deeper. Once again, to the right of the hallway was where the first bedroom lay. The queen-sized bed was positioned in the middle of the wall, with a dresser to its left and an empty table in front of it. Above the table was a painting depicting a black road with no end in sight, with the yellow sun being the only company it had. The painting invoked a lonely feeling inside Laila, but she ignored it as she exited, walking into a small bathroom to the left. It had a sink, a mirror, a toilet, and a bathtub; the usual things a bathroom would have.
Laila wondered if they had plumbing in Frigiod. I mean, they have a toilet and a sink...
Laila waved off the thought and continued exploring until she was finished. The last three rooms included two regular bedrooms and a spacious master bedroom. The master bedroom also had the final bathroom that was much bigger than the previous one.
As Laila was just exiting the master bedroom, she found Isaac sitting on a kitchen stool. His eyes were transfixed by a little flame that had been conjured on the tip of his finger. Isaac had a vacant look on his face, as if he was in a trance as the small flame's shadow danced in his pupils. Laila plopped herself right next to Isaac.
"Isaac," Laila said, squeezing his shoulder. Isaac's body jolted in surprise at the sudden action, bringing him back to reality.
"Hm? What's up?" He asked, willing the flame to extinguish.
"A few minutes ago, you were excited about the house. Just now, you had an empty look on your face. What's the matter?"
"Oh, that? It's nothing. Just thinking about some stuff," he brushed off. That only made Laila frown.
"Is it about the fight with Quilon?" She probed. "Or is it about what happened in the throne room?"
Laila's question caused Isaac to flinch.
"Perceptive as always, aren't you?" He sighed, staring at the ball of electricity up above. Its body of electrons whirled around its enclosure nonstop like it was allergic to taking a small break.
"Laila, don't you feel like we could've done more in that fight?" Isaac said, breaking the silence. "Like, if we worked together with everyone, we could've stopped Luna from causing further harm?"
Laila gazed into her brother's eyes as she thought deeply about his worries. "Don't you remember what Solgen said before she teleported us away? She told us to stay back and run away. Do you know why?"
Isaac faced his sister. "It's because she thought we were useless in the f-"
"Wrong."
Laila lightly tapped the middle of Isaac's forehead. "It's because she wanted to see her pupils live on. Not to throw their lives away for her sake. You know Solgen wouldn't want us to die at the hands of the Pillars. Solgen knew that we weren't meant to die. That we are to live on… Not only Solgen, but Morgac, too. And even that basta- I mean Volken."
"…"
"We're meant for something bigger, Isaac. You and me. The deaths of our friends and our master Solgen are on us, to be honest. They died for us, and their deaths and will weigh heavily in our hearts. But that doesn't mean that's a bad thing. It just means we have to grow stronger to support that weight in our hearts. We grow stronger just so we don't lose anyone close to us ever again, you understand me?"
Laila hazel-nut eyes shone with passion and conviction- eyes Isaac has seen many times in his life. He was glad that it never lost its luster, even up till now. He was happy that Laila was with him.
He accidentally let out a snicker. "Pfft."
"The hell? Are you laughing?"
"I can't take you seriously when you talk like that," he mumbled, covering his mouth. Laila scowled and threw a powerful punch that landed squarely on his shoulder.
"OW!"
"This will be the last time I cheer you up," she huffed, removing herself from the kitchen and entering the bathroom. Laila shut the door with a loud bang and an audible click was heard.
"What a temper. Just where does she get it from?" He mumbled, lighting his finger aflame again.