(KALAN)

I stood just inside the gold trimmed gate leading to the arena where I had just defeated Sylas, the roaring of the crowd shaking and reverberating through the surprisingly narrow hall.

The reverent chanting of my name and title left a bitter taste in my mouth, the duel was done in anger. Had I not manipulated my final attack to go completely around his body, I could have easily erased any trace of him. My mana rippled at the memory of the insinuation he had made about Eve and Ryla.

I closed my eyes to take a deep breath and the image of Eve’s stupefied expression appeared. Stifling a laugh, I released my breath. Perhaps it wasn’t so bad. After all, I’d put up with his antics long enough. I was fine with being belittled by him, or anyone else. My strength is more than enough to prove them wrong, however I will not let anyone degrade Ryla or Eve.

I hesitated before leaving and expanded my senses. Instantly the mana signatures of five hundred and sixty two mages came into my focus. Searching through them in a matter of moments I located Eve’s mana signature.

Peaking around the gate, I spotted Eve laughing and smiling as she talked with a young girl with near-white hair that I hadn’t seen before.

‘It seems you’ve finally made a friend, huh?’ I thought to myself, a warmth growing in my chest.

‘I wonder if my daughter would have smiled like that, had she...’ I began to think before an icy chill wrapped around my heart.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Dada!”

“Hey Abby, how’s daddy’s little girl today?”

“I'm great, dad, and I’m happy you’re home!”

“There’s no place I’d rather be.”

“How long are you going to stay this time?”

Before I could answer, I heard the door open and my wife walked out with 3 glasses of iced lemonade.

“Now honey, you know your father is busy. Seeing as he’s just been promoted to the fourth rank, I’m sure he’s got even more on his plate now.” My wife said with a smile as she handed me the glass of lemonade.

“Thank you, Sarah.” I said as I reached up and took the glass from her.

I couldn’t help but think how lucky I was every time I saw her. Such a kind, caring, beautiful woman, with soft, pale skin, and beautiful cherry blossom colored hair. I always felt my heart race every time I saw her, just like it had when we met for the first time while clearing a dungeon as adventurers.

“Of course, darling.” My wife replied as she took a seat in the chair next to me.

“Would you like your glass as well Abby?”

“No, not right now mom, I’m going to play in the yard a little longer.”

I watched my daughter run back into the yard, running circles around the wooden cross I’d put in the backyard, probably in a world all her own. Her short black hair bouncing around, her beautiful green eyes, that transmitted a sense of purity.

“Feels like just yesterday she was born, doesn't it, Kal?”

“Yeah, these last six years have gone by too quickly, I only wish I could be here more.”

A tender, reassuring hand was placed on my own. “Kalan, you’re an amazing husband and father. We both knew how busy you’d be when you passed selections, and that’s okay, Abby and I are truly lucky to have you.”

Just as I was about to answer I heard a knock at the door.

“Let me go see who’s at the door, then we’ll continue this talk.”

As I walked towards the door, and slowly opened it, I saw a young man dressed in chain armor, with a hummingbird on the chest plate. The uniform for the soldiers in the Church of Heaven.

“What can I do for you?” Letting out a hint of annoyance in my tone.

“Sir Paladin! You’re needed at the patrol base, it should only take a few minutes, sir!”

“Why would I be needed there on my day off?”

“I’m unsure, sir, I was just asked to come grab you.”

“It’s okay, honey. We’ll be here when you get back, I promise.” I heard my wife say from behind me.

“Fine, let's get going then.”

“Yes sir, right away sir.”

I walked down the street, side by side with the soldier who was sent to grab me, as I watched the sun slowly set over the mountain.

Around ten minutes had passed, and we had finally reached the building. Then I watched as the soldier opened the door, and saluted, his job finished..

As I entered I was met with a sight, that was anything but what I had been expecting.

Bodies, torsos, and heads. Countless bodies were scattered, in pieces, across the floor. The blood formed a grotesque pond of still pulsating innards beneath them.

Spinning on my heel, I grabbed the scruff of the guard’s armor and pushed him into the unblemished stone wall. He was chuckling.

“W-what happened here?!”

Without a word the man pushed himself slightly away from the wall and raised his arms. He pulled down the sleeve of his left to reveal a newly branded pentagram.

“A satanist?! What are you doing here?!” I asked, immediately drawing my sword from its dark leather sheath.

“It’s too late, Paladin,” he sang the words, “Your family is the-” The nearly inaudible swish of my blade severing his throat cut him off.

The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

My vision narrowed as a torrent of mana flooded my body. I spun to face the direction of my house and dashed, sending a cloud of debris and rocks into the world around me. I was out of sight by the time the man’s limp body had crumpled to the floor.

‘Please, by the gods, let me make it in time! Abby, Sarah, I’m coming!’

I had made it back to the house, in an eternal instant, and immediately opened the door, tearing it off its hinges.

But I was met with an eerily quiet house. No sounds of movements, no screams of fear, nothing at all.

Step by step, I slowly made my way through the house that had only a few minutes ago felt so comforting, now felt lifeless.

Half way through the kitchen, I felt a droplet land on my shoulder. My whole body tensed. Turning my head just until my shoulder was in view, I saw it. A small red drop of blood splattered on my shoulder. Swallowing hard, I slowly looked up, only to be proven right. Above me was a growing puddle of blood, seeping through from the upper floor.

The bedroom.

As I stared another droplet fell and landed on my cheek, tracing down like a tear of blood. I was at the stairs in a moment, on the second floor in another. Three paces and a left, four paces and I was at the door.

I reached for the knob but hesitated. I dared not to expand my mana senses afraid of what I might find, or more specifically what I won’t. The rush of blood through my body, the only sound I could hear.

I opened the door. Everything came in flashes.

There was my wife, impaled through the stomach and into the wall with the cross I had put outside, and next to the bed was a man covered in a black, tattered, shredded robe with an ax, that had blood curling around it in one hand, and in the other hand my daughter.

“You’re just in time, Paladin.” He hissed, turning his head to face me, a sick smirk etched on his blood stained lips.

At his words, Abby raised her head, allowing me to take in the gashes and peeled sections of flesh that covered her entire body, the bloody pits where her beautiful green eyes used to be, the trickling of blood down her inner thighs.

He dropped her and arched his back, ax raised to the ceiling. Abby hit the floor and buckled to the ground, shivering on her hands and knees. Struggling, she reached out her remaining good arm in my direction.

“Da…”

The ax fell.

“..da,” less than a whisper as the blade had severed her neck and remaining arm.

I felt the anger, the sadness, the shock, all build up inside me at once until something shattered, and then I felt nothing except an electric fury threatening to burst from my flesh.

“Y-you bastard!” I roared, rushing towards this monster, intending to make him pay for what he had done to my family, wanting to show this thing what true pain was like, what it truly means to prefer death.

I swung down my sword, but found no purchase except for the wooden frame of our bed. The man appeared to my right and kicked.

I woke up, flying through the air just in time to crash through a large maple outside. Groaning, I tried to get up but a searing pain through my chest stopped me. I knelt back on the ground, coughing up blood and found something familiar beneath my feet. The swingset I had built for Abby a little over a year ago. Pain dulled as my fury once again surged.

I forced my body to stand and was met by the man a single step away. Before I could even register what was happening, I was flying again. The pain in my chest tearing through my body, as my ribs most likely were broken.

As I recovered from another impact with a tree, I could hear him sigh.

“Is this really all the fourth Paladin can do?” I heard him mock. “This is truly disappointing.”

I wanted to do something, but I could tell I wasn’t strong enough.

“Who…. Who… are you?” I asked through gasping breaths.

He laughed.

“Interesting..” I heard him let out an evil laugh before he continued. “Why should I tell you?”

“So I know.. Who to kill..” I managed to say.

Laughing again, he appeared before me.

“Pity you will not get the chance, little Paladin, it’s time for you to die.”

As he said this, I looked up and watched as he raised his ax with the blood of my wife and daughter curling around the blackened blade.

He froze and his eyes went wide, a moment later I felt why. A massive aura spike was coming this way, moving at speeds I couldn’t comprehend.

“Tsk, so you are coming, then? You’re saved today little paladin. I guess you are getting that chance, my name is Shezmu.” he chuckled, bowing like he just finished a performance. Then he was gone, only the lingering smell of blood remaining..

The world faded to black as my pain and internal blood loss caught up to me.

After what felt like years, I heard footsteps coming towards me, as a voice spoke out to me, but I wasn’t able to understand them, and I could feel my conscience slipping again.

‘Shezmu…’.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(AMELIA)

I stood in the shade of a sectioned off alcove of the courtyard designated to all the participants of this year's selections.

The scenery was vivid, however it was a playground compared to my family’s garden. To be honest, standing here brought too many old, unwanted memories to the forefront of my mind.

‘Where is she?’ I thought as I continued messing with a stray strand of hair.

I watched as a Blue-Winged Spyrik landed in a nest in a nearby tree, feeding its nestlings with bounties from the day. The innocent display of such a wholesome family made me sick to the core with envy.

“Ughhh, forget it!” I pouted as I began walking back into the main lobby and towards the door connecting the plethora of rooms the participants were housed in. I opened the door and followed the signs to group D.

The rooms themselves each had the names of the participants on them to indicate where they were expected to stay. I rounded the corner and began scanning the doors, looking for Eve’s room.

‘Eve, Eve, Eve… ah, there it is!’

Her room was the ninth down on the left after rounding the corner. I walked up to it and was about to knock when I heard the sound of talking from the other side.

“-tulations, Eve, I knew you’d be able to do it. You were even able to pass all the exams.”

“Thank you. To be honest, I wouldn’t have been here without your or Ryla’s help. Without you guys, I’m not too sure if I’d even still be alive.”

“Hey, don’t sell yourself too short. This victory has more to do with the effort you put in than any of the things we taught you. You’re much more resilient and persistent than you might realize.”

“Thanks… Wait, are you calling me stubborn?”

The man cleared his throat and gracelessly changed the subject.

“I saw that you were with someone else in the stands, did you make a new friend here?”

“Yep… to be honest, it kind of just happened.”

“What’s her name?”

“Mayla.”

“Mayla, hm? I believe I remember seeing her taking an independent exam the other day before the fight. Her choice of weapon is very unique.”

“Oh? What was it like? I haven’t really been able to see how she fights or what her affinity might be, despite my efforts and hopes.”

“Why don’t you ask her for yourself? She’s standing outside your door right now, actually.”

“Wait, what?!”

My face burned as I heard Eve noisily make her way to the door.

‘H-huh? Shi-’ I tried to back away from the door, but I was too late.

“Mayla? Where do you think you’re going?”

Eve opened the door and grabbed my arm before I could leave.

“A-Ah… I was just passing by, that’s all.”

“Uh huh… of course you were. Well, come in. I apologize for being a bit late, but I got occupied with something else.”

“If you say so.”

I followed Eve into the quaint yet sparse room, almost identical to mine. Before I could look around anymore, however, I was met with the sight of someone I didn’t think I’d see in Eve’s room.

“Good afternoon, Mayla, my name is Kalan. It’s a pleasure to meet a friend of Eve’s. She doesn’t have too many of those, so I hope you can understand how special you just might be.”

“...What?”

“Pardon?”

“O-oh, uh. I, uh. Kalan? As in the first paladin, Kalan Indarus?”

He raised a brow, “The one and only, is there a problem?”

“N-no, it’s just… you know Eve?”

“Why, yes. I guess you can say we are well acquainted. ”

I looked to Eve who was sporting a goofy grin and then back to Kalan who just stood there with a smile on his face as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

“Now that you’re both here, let me get to the main point at hand. You both passed and I will be officially taking both of you in as my disciples and retainers. That is, if you want to, of course?”

“Wait, you were expecting to meet us both here?!”

“Yes, Eve, I figured she’d come looking for you sooner or later.”

“That’s what you’re surprised about? That he expected us both here? Eve, he just offered to make us his disciples! That is literally unheard of for the First Paladin!”

I was practically brimming with questions, excitement and shock filling every inch of my body.

“Wait, you’ve never taken someone in?”

“That is correct.”

“You didn’t know that?! You are apparently acquainted with the First Paladin enough so that he visits you personally from time to time, and you didn’t even know that?”

“I-is it really that known…?” Eve asked, a little shocked.

“...”

I didn’t know what to say. I was at a loss for words. How could she not know about the First Paladin?

More importantly, who exactly was Eve? She doesn’t seem to be of noble birth or from a noble family, cause if she was, I’d most likely know of her, and she doesn’t seem to be all that different from any other talented individual… So what was the catch?

“In any case, to do this, you both will be taking part in the tournament that will take place in two weeks. It was initially supposed to happen next week, but we’ve decided to… delay it.” He said, slightly trailing off a bit.

“Wait, you’re kidding?”

“No, Mayla, I don’t think he is.”

“...”

“I know this might be big news for you both and so I’ll leave you both to have time to think things over, although I’m sure I know what your answers will be.” He said, turning his smiling face towards me.

“It was nice meeting a friend of Eve’s.”

With that, the First Paladin casually made his way to the door and out the room.

We both sat there in absolute silence, my eyes practically piercing into Eve’s soul. She was seemingly able to notice my gaze as she visibly shivered before turning to face me completely.

“Hey Ame-”

“I have so many questions for you and you’re not getting out of them this time!”

“...”

She giggled before agreeing.

“As do I.”