- A wielder does not wield a weapon - a wielder becomes the weapon...

5 years later...

"You, the one holding pairs of weaponized scythes, kindly proceed."

The man sitting on a chair with a long desk in front of him called the attention of Fate.

Unsure whether that person is referring to him or another person, Fate did not respond and continued staring blankly into the wall.

The person who called Fate gave a long sigh. "If you are not going to come here, you might as well give up being a peer's summon." He then scratched his head, disappointed with what Fate responded.

Fate looked at the person who had just spoken. Seeing that person stare at him disappointedly made Fate immediately rush towards the room.

"I thought you won't come here anymore," mumbles the same person wearing a suit made out of fine, high-quality materials.

Shocked by what he saw, Fate shouted for a split second. "Wait, sir?" he asked.

Fate and his former educator crossed paths once again. At that moment, though, Fate has everything to prove himself to his former educator. If it wasn't for him, Fate would've never moved up to a higher grade.

"So, it appears you have finished the Fifth Grade," Fate's educator commended. "Was it tough?" he added.

"I thought I will never graduate from the Fifth Grade," Fate replied. "Thanks to Caeruleus, if it wasn't for him, I would've never reached this point."

"You finally realized it, Fate. As your former educator, I am glad to say I am proud of the results of what you had to overcome."

"I should have taken every year seriously, huh? Talk about repetition."

"Talk about repetition."

"Sir, you do know that your comedy is not funny at all."

"Come on now, Fate. I was just trying to make you smile. You know, Fate, I have always seen you smile back when I was one of your educators. You were a very active kid, but now, it appears that it's gone. It's as if you forgot yourself trying to achieve something."

It took a while before Fate reacted. His face went blank after what his former educator said. It was as if he had a sudden flashback of what he had to overcome just for him to reach where he currently is.

"I will never be my father, sir, mind you," Fate coldly replied.

"What's with that voice, Fate?" his former educator asked. "May I ask if I said something wrong?"

"No, no, no!" Fate exclaimed. "I assure you that you never said anything that crossed the line."

"So be it, then."

Fate's former educator stood up. He briefly groomed his clothes.

"I am afraid I haven't formally introduced myself to you, Fate," the educator said. "If I remember it correctly, none of my former students know my name, nor my identity."

"To be honest, sir, you are right." Fate wonders why though. "Why is that?"

"It is stated here - the Teran Academy - that none of the educators should introduce themselves to the students under any circumstances, but more on that later."

The educator cleared his throat. "My name is

Tallure, a former Level S Wizard. I formerly served and protected the kingdom, but time has passed, and I became a veteran." He added, "But I truly believe that age is never enough to be a burden on serving this kingdom. Hence, I became an educator."

"I am glad you are still continuing serving this kingdom, despite your age," Fate praised Tallure.

"To love is to serve, Fate. I am glad you are doing the same thing."

"I guess so, sir. It's always been a dream to be able to serve this kingdom."

This time, Tallure's voice became serious. "Just a thing, Fate," he asked. He then put both his palms on his desk and asked, "Why?"

Fate became nervous. Tallure only asked Fate a simple question, yet he wonders why it made him nervous. Why are Tallure's eyes like that? It is as though answering that question will reflect on him.

He gulped. "I-I suppose I want to make a difference..."

Fate almost stuttered, but he managed to keep his composure.

Tallure looked into Fate's eyes. "Did you know that I can tell if someone is lying or not?"

"H-how so, sir?" Fate became curious.

"By looking into an individual's eyes. Even if the words they spoke are convincing enough for another individual, I am certainly sure that I can tell they're lying."

Fate's heart almost jumped out of his chest, but why? He knows he is telling Tallure the truth, yet it feels like he just told his former educator a lie.

"I know you are telling the truth, Fate." He immediately snapped back to reality after Tallure spoke. "There is no need to be nervous. Your anxiety is visible even in my naked eyes."

Fate felt relief, but he cannot be relieved yet knowing that Tallure became intense. This is just the beginning, yet he felt as if he was about to explode in fear.

"I want you to follow this fair maid here, Fate." Tallure introduced a woman wearing an elegant dress. Even he did not believe that the woman in front of him is just a maid.

"Nice to meet you, aspiring servant of this kingdom," the maid said. Her voice and the expression her face is showing are somewhat emotionless.

"In front of you is a woman hardened by her dark past," Tallure said. "Unlike my experience outside, her experience in life will always be tougher than mine. I had the privilege of serving, yet she did not acquire any treatment from the government." He added, "Her service is much greater than mine, so you should always give her the respect she deserves."

Fate nodded as his response.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

Out of the blue, the maid immediately held Fate's left hand. Fate froze in shock and did not attempt to remove the maid's hand off of his hand.

"A Peer's Summon is waiting for you," the maid told Fate. "We should not waste his time. Please come with me in a hurry," she added.

Fate never had the chance to reply as the maid started running with him.

They went to a hidden staircase behind the bookshelves. The staircase revealed a hallway that leads to what the maid referred to as "The Room Of Beginning."

"The room of what, you say?" Fate asks.

"The room of beginning, aspiring knight," the maid replied. "Once you enter that room, you are now obligated to be a servant of this kingdom." She added, "As the name suggests, it is where aspiring Summons start their first day."

The distance between them and The Room Of Beginning seems to get closer, but it also seems that they are not moving at all.

"What's happening? Why aren't we getting closer?" Fate asked.

"The reason is confidential, unfortunately," the maid replied. She started to run faster, and Fate appears to barely keep up. "I cannot answer such questions," she added.

A few seconds later, Fate and the maid who held him finally arrived. Fate never realized it; he kept running and bumped his head into a wall.

"Next time, you have to control yourself better," a man replied.

Fate fell on his back but immediately stood up. Right then and there, he saw a tall, slender man wearing a coat that appears to shimmer. The coat extended just barely a foot away from the ground.

"And who are you again?" Fate caressed his head. "You sure look like a maid to me."

"And who are you to speak to me that way?" The same man then drew his sword and pointed it at Fate. "I cannot tolerate such an attitude."

The maid intervened. "We both know he is a fool, but please do not forget the rules inside this Academy."

The man complained. "If it weren't for the rules, I could've beheaded you right here and right now." He then drew his sword back.

"So it appears that everyone is already here," the man in the coat said. "Allow me to introduce myself."

He then cleared his throat. "My name is Ylarde, a Peer's Summon under knights. Though my skills prove that I am mightier than any Swordsman Summons, I will never accept the offer of higher ranks to become a Level S."

Ylarde walked around as he speak. "The Fifth Grade was the easiest to complete, yet only two of you remained."

Fate told himself, "This man has to be jesting around."

"Kisei Azumaora. Despite the Eternal Primes taking away your ability to see, you proved yourself that having a disability will never be a burden to fight."

Ylarde pointed his fingers, "Fate. If I remember it correctly, you were the student who repeated the Third Grade almost nine times over, right? Huh, you are a persistent aspirant. I'll give you a credit for that."

Ylarde stopped walking and held his head up high. "Starting this day, both of you - Kisei, the blind warrior, and Fate - will be under my supervision. Both of you shall swear that from this day, you are now a servant of this kingdom. Whether you like it or not, a servant cannot back down. Do you understand?"

"Affirmative, sir!" Kisei and Fate shouted in unison.

"Wow," Fate gasped. "So Kisei can already speak better?"

Ylarde went for the desk behind him and opened a compartment. He then took something that resembles a badge. Something that looks like a medallion.

"Kisei, Fate, I want you to tell me the details of these three insignias." He then put it on top of the desk individually.

Kisei cannot see, so he had to use his feelings of touch to familiarize the details and visualize them inside his head.

Fate, despite being able to see things clearly, did not give the correct details Ylarde wanted. "The symbols are indistinguishable from each other. It is as though they are the same," he exclaimed.

"They are entirely different from each other, Fate. You have to analyze it deeply."

It took him and Kisei a while as they analyze the details of the insignia.

Kisei finished analyzing the insignias before Fate finishes analyzing one of them. "Sword... Scythe... Warhammer..." he said as he touches each insignia.

Fate was surprised by how Kisei was able to give the exact details Ylarde wanted, despite being blind. He could only assume that Kisei perfected each individual sense he has due to the fact that he is blind and cannot see even a ray of light.

This time, though, Fate answered. "Those are the weapons used by the heroes of existence, am I right?"

"You are correct, Fate," Ylarde remarked, "though your answer is a bit shallow. The insignias I have shown you have a deeper meaning."

Fate's curiosity piqued. "Enlighten us, sir."

However, Fate got a different response. A response that he did not expect to have.

Ylarde laughed hysterically as he heard Fate's reply. It broke the awkward silence of the room.

"What are you, A jester?!" He laughed once again. "I swear to the entities above, I've had enough of your stupidity! This is literally - and I cannot stress this enough for you - the most foolish reply I have ever got!!"

Ylarde smashed onto the desk as he continues to laugh. Fate was overwhelmed by shock and did not react any further.

The maid intervened once again. "If I may intervene, Sir Ylarde, it is dishonorable for knights to look down on such a lowly creature." She added, "If the Knight Summons saw such an act, your honor will be no more."

Ylarde gradually stopped laughing. "I do apologize, my fair maid."

But even when he apologized, he still cannot help but laugh. "It's just that... how come this man right here doesn't know the meaning behind the three insignias?!"

"Whatever that reason is, I am afraid it is none of your business. I apologize for the disrespect." The maid then bowed her head down in respect.

This time, Ylarde finally stopped laughing. He gave a deep sigh before speaking.

"The insignias you see are not real. They are just the mere replicas of the insignias forged by Graletz Paladias. The insignias are preserved by the kingdom. I am afraid I cannot tell you where exactly it is preserved as it is confidential."

Ylarde cleared his throat. "This insignia you see here" he then picked up the insignia from the left, "is the insignia of strength."

He flashed the insignia. The insignia has a carved Warhammer extending outside of the insignia. "This insignia represents strength, as the name suggests. It would take a sheer amount of superhuman strength should anyone lift the Warhammer of Time. Even the strongest humans cannot lift such Warhammer. Should someone acquire a superhuman strength, then it would mean that they are worthy of the Warhammer."

Ylarde dropped the insignia. "Knights who wield heavy weapons such as a Warhammer, or let's say... a long-blade, could be a contender of that insignia."

Ylarde picked up the insignia from the middle. The insignia seems to have the same symbol in the middle, but it suddenly changed - from being a Warhammer to a double-edged sword -when Ylarde caressed the insignia.

"This insignia here is called the Insignia of Existence. Swan Tazelt - the wielder of the Sword of Existence - once said that 'the way of the sword should be graceful.' The way of swords shows no mercy, but even with such a violent act, its wielder should be as graceful as a river penetrating through rocks. An individual should act graceful and elegant should he or she wield the Sword of Existence."

Ylarde dropped the insignia once again. "One of the contenders of such sword are the ones who act passively when fighting. Swan Tazelt literally lived to her name as she fought like a swan defending this kingdom. Like a swan, the contender should be graceful, yet merciless."

Ylarde finally picked the last insignia. Just like the second insignia Ylarde flashed, it had the same Warhammer symbol. But the moment Ylarde flipped the insignia up in the air, the insignia's symbol changed; from a Warhammer to a pair of reapers.

"And finally, this is the last insignia: the Insignia of Space. Amakagi came from a clan of the greatest assassins: the Jinriyu Society. Amakagi told us that being aware of your surroundings is everything. You must become the light. You should always react quickly before the threat realizes it. Speed will always win against strength. 'Strength without speed is nonsense. Speed without strength, however, is the thing that anyone should be afraid of,' she once told us. An individual should act like a flash of light should he or she wield the Reaper of Space."

Ylarde took the insignias carefully and put them back inside the compartment of his desk. "An individual possessing such speed can be a potential contender for the Reaper of Space - one that attacks so quickly that the time basically stops around them. Such contenders use light weapons such as weaponized scythes - or let's say sickles."

Ylarde then looked behind him. "Fate, can you explain why you wield a scythe?"

Fate was shocked. "Come again, sir?" he asked.

"Oh, I apologize. It is silly of me," Ylarde replied. "I have seen your results, Fate. It says here that you lack speed, yet you possess such strength despite your... experience. That scythe also appears to be heavier than it looks. Can you explain why is your weapon like that?"

Fate then replied, "It was from my father. I don't know exactly the reason, but he told me this thing."

"Oh, Escarion? I have heard he retired from the service and... no, that is such a rude word. Can you tell us what was that 'thing' Escarion told you?"

"Before my father gave this to me, he told me this thing...

"A weapon has no any way to be used by its wielder. Only the wielder itself knows the way to use it as a weapon."