Chapter 22 - "The day was coming"
It was now around 4 months since I came to this weird boot camp, in this time I grew much more stronger, I trained myself like crazy to be able to defend myself even without magic...
Even what my father and brother taught me wasn't enough, as what happened near 5 months ago made it clear. When those knights and this bald champion came, me and my mother who depended too much on our magic got ourselves kidnapped without being able to do anything, before that I didn't know enchanted shields against magic existed, when they approached, we tried to beat them using force magic, but our attacks were too weak against those shields and when we tried to chant aria, the bald champion beat us before we could do anything. For me who was quite proud of my magic it was quite the shock...
But, now that I'm stronger I can say it even more clearly, that bald guy was insanely strong, even more than Jim, if not for his quirk. And my brother was even better than him as he killed that very same guy, since then I kept questioning Jim about my brother when he was in the mood to talk. When he's happy that guy have a really loose tongue, so it was easy to make him talk, and like that I learned a lot about some of my brother sides I didn't even knew about.
When I was living with him I never thought he could be this blood-thirsty and merciless against his enemies. There was also the thing about him being a cannibal, well if I didn't heard about that directly from the mad knight who saw it with his very own eyes I would have seriously doubted all that, but his testimony and what I learned from Jim seemed to confirm all that. Well about him eating flesh, from the spy report it seem to be his quirk, something about him regenerating from that, the mad knight did say something about that too. It's no wonder he didn't want me to see his birthcard if his quirk was something this weird...
But Jim seem to doubt this, as the quirk of every generation of champion is the same as it's predecessor, and the quirk of the cursed swordsman seem to always had been about being able to use the true strength of the cursed blades, but the irony is that, before my brother nobody was ever able to survive after coming in contact with a cursed blade and get their body possessed. As expected of Shun he's really amazing! And I know that it's strange, but knowing that my brother had such dark sides to him just made me even more infatuated with him, the gap of a gentle brother who was full of blood-lust was really sexy to my eyes... I wonder who he was in our previous world...
Anyway, back to the present, something weird happened today... After we all finished our training, Jim gathered us all around him and started to talk in his habitual 'instructor tone'.
"Good job at your training today! I must say that all of you came far from the parasite you were before coming here! Know that I'm proud of all of you!" (Jim)
As he said that, a lot of the kids he brainwashed started to sob from pride and happiness at his words, what a band of dumbass... Even Selena started to snicker when she saw that some of us was sobbing. But unlike me, Jim, started to have teary eyes... Are you kidding me? Anyway I don't like where this is going...
"I have an important announcement to make to all of you! Tomorrow all of you will have to pass a test! And if you do pass it, you will be acknowledged by me as a human and I will give you your very first mission!" (Jim)
Hearing that, the same kids who was tearing up before where now all smiling happily to have the chance to prove their worth. As for me...
Shit... It wasn't supposed to happen before some time yet! Why is he in such a hurry?
"Anyway! Until then you have free time, rest well for tomorrow! That's all!" (Jim)
After telling us to rest, Jim got inside his own cabin and we didn't saw him for the rest of the day. Now that we were alone Selena approached me with a smirk.
"Hey Eva! I count on you for tomorrow!" Or so she said while patting my shoulder.
"Of course Selena! I won't disappoint you!" (Eva)
"Good!" (Selena)
That dumbass of Selena made plan to be helped by all her follower for the test, not knowing what it was going to be. But as for me I already knew what it was, as a lot of thing pointed at it. Well the most obvious clue was Jim love for stereotype...
As the others girls and boys was talking among themselves excited about tomorrow, I decided it would be better to rest early for tomorrow, like that I would be able to wake up early in the morning and would have the time to prepare myself for the test.
As I entered my bed trying to sleep, I wasn't able to... So I started to think back on what could have made us pass the test this early, it was most likely linked to the mission Jim talked about... Does this have something to do with big brother and the second prince? The last I heard of him it was two weeks ago and he was currently holed up in uncle Arllan mansion, with his adopted daughter. I was really curious about that when I heard of her from Jim, but even his spy seem to not really have a clue about her or why she was adopted...
Slowly as I was thinking, the exhaustion of the day made fell unconscious.
So I will have most likely to kill tomorrow... It's okay I readied myself for months, I won't let anyone block my path... I can do it...
...
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"Wake up already!" (Selena)
"Wha?!" (Eva)
As I was sleeping someone suddenly shouted in my ear waking me up in shock, as I looked around wondering what was happening I saw Selena standing there a grin on her face.
"Why did you do that?!" (Eva)
Oops, I kinda forgot to keep playing my role here...
"Because we're all waiting for you! You idiot!" (Selena)
Hopefully she didn't see through me but... Wait what? It's already time?! It seem like my thinking kept me awake for more time than I first thought... Damn...
"Sorry about that..." (Eva)
I got out of my bed while bowing my head to Selena, and she nodded back, satisfied of my attitude...
"Let's go before the instructor get angry!" (Selena)
"Right..." (Eva)
Without saying another word I followed her out of the cabin, where everyone were currently walking in direction of the training field as ordered by Jim. As I saw I was getting late I ran to walk among them, so Jim don't see my blunder. And as we arrived to the training field, our instructor was there waiting beside the arena where two knifes were planted on the floor... As expected uh...
"Good you're all here! Now, I want you all to get in rank, pairing with your partner!"
So far it was as expected, good thing I guessed right and didn't get friendly with Selena.
Waiting for us to do as instructed, his eyes scrutinized every kids while taking a thinking pose. And as we finished getting in position he nodded as if he made a decision and pointed at me and Selena.
"Selena, Eva! Get into the arena and take one of the knifes on the floor!" (Jim)
Selena was surprised at the order since she wasn't expecting that kind of trial. As we entered the arena... Well we call that the arena but it's just a rectangle draw on the floor... Anyway as we entered the arena, we each took a knife and faced each other, waiting for further instruction, keeping my role of a naive girl I didn't took a stance and just looked at Selena in a daze. I already know what kind of girl is Selena and it's pretty simple to predict what her first move will be, so I'm gonna use that against her.
"Good! Now listen well! Your first test is to... Kill each other! The one to survive is the human the other one is only a pest. Now get in position!" (Jim)
Hearing what he said all the kids made a gasp of shock, myself included, and everyone was now looking at their partners in despair and fear.
Neither of us took a stance and just looked at each other eyes.
"Start!" (Jim)
When Jim gave the signal we didn't charge at each other, and as expected Selena started to weep crocodile tears.
"Eva! *Sob* We're friend right?! *Sob* You won't do something as cruel as killing a friend right?!" (Selena)
Like I thought she wanted me to drop my guard completely before attacking, well that's also my plan bitch!
"*Sob* Of course I won't! I can't attack you Selena! *Sob*" I said while throwing my knife at Selena feet.
As I did I could see a small grin appearing on her face but she quickly wiped it of her face, before opening her arms while having teary eyes, as if she was asking me to jump into her arms... Yeah right.
"Eva!" (Selena)
"... Shut up." (Eva)
*Tchak*
"Wha?! *Glurg*" (Selena)
She couldn't understand what was happening, as she started to vomit blood, she put her hand on her neck as she was feeling something painful blocking her throat, as her hand touched the handle of a knife her legs started to shake from panic, she still couldn't acknowledge what was happening. My knife who was previously on the floor was now in her neck without me making any move.
It was what I trained for every nights, in order to fill in where I lacked as a mage, it was simply force magic. Since I learned the hard way that aria was a big weakness when fighting on the front line. I trained my only chantless magic, and since their was a lot of way to defend from direct magic manipulation I trained myself to use a weapon with it. It's sound simple, but I only was able to use it efficiently recently after a lot of training! And that's how I waited for Selena to open her guard to trap me, using this chance to plunge the knife I dropped on the floor at her feet in her neck while she was unable to see anything or predict it as she didn't know I could use magic.
Slowly you could saw life quitting her eyes as she was loosing blood, and soon, she dropped to the floor face first into a puddle of blood...
*Splash*
The other kid were all shaking unable to believe I was able to kill her in cold blood. But Jim just nodded satisfied at the result.
"Good! It was excellent Eva! Now come to my side, from now on you're human!" (Jim)
"Yes Sir!" (Eva)
Doing as instructed I walked to him to stand at his side, but as I did, you could saw hate and fear in the children eyes.
After that, the pair who was after me were killed by Jim as they refused to fight... Leaving their bodies on the arena floor the ones after them had to fight while stepping on them...
And in the end only seven of us, 4 girls and 3 boys were still alive after the test.
We all get in a row as Jim instructed us, but most of us were crying as we did... Even I wanted to, but I couldn't permit myself such luxury, we never know when Jim will kill one of us to make an example now that he shown his true face.
"Good! Your seven did well on this test! From now on you can all call yourselves human! You all be part of a unique unit from now on, we call it the 'Majin' Unit!" (Jim)
Are we supposed to draw a M* on our forehead too?... (DBZ reference)
"From now on the Majin unit going to go on it's first mission! I have a lot of hope in you, as do the king! And he will be the one to brief you on your mission so don't shame me or your unit! Understood?!"
"Sir! Yes Sir!" (Majin unit)
As we answered you couldn't hear a cry anymore, I guess those kids made their decision... But still that bastard king going to be briefing us? Could it really be about my brother?!
"Good! Now follow me! A carriage is waiting for us to brought us to the castle! Move on!" (Jim)
"Sir! Yes Sir!" (Majin Unit)
As we did as instructed we all walked in line not making any wasted move. And when we arrived to the entrance of this boot camp, a carriage guarded by soldiers was really waiting for us there. We all boarded it and sat inside without making a sound, after confirming we were all there Jim instructed the one driving the carriage to depart, and like that we were now going to the castle. Since the forest wasn't far from the capital it only took a hour or so to make it there, and as we entered the castle while walking in a line behind Jim in a 'Duckling following their mother' manner, you could see all the guards we passed in front of, making a salute as they saw who was at the head of it.
After walking for a while we finally reached the throne room... I was pretty reluctant to enter it, as it was where my mother died, but unable to disobey I followed Jim as we got permission to enter... There he was, like last time, on his throne was the bastard king.
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"Finally here uh? You made me wait!" (Henry the fourth)
Henry looked quite nervous when he said that.
"I'm sorry about that my king, we came as fast as we could." (Jim)
"Tch! So are they usable?!" (Henry)
"Yes sir! Even if they are still young, they are most capable! But I would have preferred to train them more than that. Also..." (Jim)
"What?!" (Henry)
I don't know why but the king was really angry and looked almost scarred of something...
"That is, most of the 'Majin unit' won't be a problem, but do you really intent to use her for this mission?" Said Jim while turning his head to me.
"You're a fool Jim! She's our best chance against that bastard! As long as she have that collar around her neck she won't be able to disobey me!" (Henry)
Jim grimaced at the king proclamation not convinced in the least...
But anyway it seem they're most likely talking about my brother, so he's really coming?!
"My king, don't you think it would be simpler to use all your champions to attack him? I heard he even had a hard time against Duran, if we all attack together he won't be able to do anything." (Jim)
"That's why I tell you you're a fool! Sure he would die, but he won't go down without taking one or more of you with him! He's not our only enemy, after killing him we will have to deal with Sarius ans his men too." (Henry)
"Understood my king I won't say anything more..." (Jim)
Finishing his discussion with Jim, the king looked one by one every member of the Majin(lol) unit and didn't really look satisfied of what he was seeing... After giving a sigh he started to brief us on our mission.
"Well you don't look that useful but I will put my faith on Jim... Here your mission! My brother, prince Sarius who is a dirty traitor is actually after my head, my spy revealed me that he's actually on his way to the capital to assassinate me! And the thing is that no matter how much men I send after them they either die or desert me!" (Henry)
*Pfttt*
I almost laughed hard here, I had a hard time to control myself but did it anyway. But it seem that Jim heard me and was now looking at me with a angry glare...
"Those fool going to use a secret passage that they think I don't know about, to invade the castle. Now, your mission will be to wait in this said passage, and use any mean necessary to assassinate my brother and kill his bastard of champion!" (Henry)
Talk about a order, if we were to translate what he just said it would go like this, just go in this passage and kill my brother even if I don't know how...
As I was laughing internally at the king he looked my way before making a grin.
"That's right Eva, the said champion is your dear brother!" (Henry)
It seem the king misunderstood what I was thinking about, but at least now I'm sure that my big brother is coming!
"And you be the one to kill him!" (Henry)
Tch! So he really intent to use me to kill him, the conversation he had with Jim kinda raised my doubt but they were really talking about that... And the problem is that even as I tried a lot of thing in those last months to by-pass that goddamn collar I wasn't able to find anything. Every time I did something that would make me able to do it, the mage that have my charge send me a threat, saying that he would activate the fire crystal if I were to continue. But it's okay, I have nothing to prove it, but I know my brother would be able to do something about it. After all, that's all I can do right now to not fall to despair... Believe in him...
Please... Come save me...
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° 2 Week before that...
It was one month now since I came back to Mellanor with Elivera and Wyndy...
It was a month that was interesting for me. It was the first time in my two lives that I simply lived my life in family without training or doing 'suspicious' things... In the day we all enjoyed our time together by playing with Wyndy or teaching her thing like words she didn't know or I personally taught her manners fitting a noble family. Yeah I know that it's out of character, but I don't want to give peoples any reason to look down on my girl. And well I guess I kinda took my strictness about the manner of my child from my mother who was really peculiar about that... Enough to beat me with magic if I did something wrong, wait, I remember saying that as a joke but wasn't that really D.V?! Anyway in the day we passed time in family and at the night... We exhausted ourselves in a good way, I wonder where they learned about my fetish for bunny-girl? And double the bunny-girl... Double the fun...
Thankfully when I asked Wyndy to sleep with someone else for the night, she simply answered.
"Don't worry... Melinda told me... Papa wanted be spoiled by mama... Wyndy a good girl!" (Wyndy)
... Melinda what are you teaching to my daughter. Not that it was really wrong.
As so Wyndy passed the nights sharing a bed with one of the women in the house, by that I mean either, Melinda, Lucia, Sarius who I learned was in truth called Sarrina and the head-maid... Well I was kinda reluctant with the head-maid, as when she asked me if she could watch over Wyndy for the night she was almost drooling and had scary eyes. But when I asked her what she really wanted, she admitted she wanted to make Wyndy wear all kind of cloths and take 'print' of it with a camera-crystal.
A camera-crystal is as the name imply, a magic item that is like a numeric camera that can display the pictures you took with it... You need more mana than there is in the air to use it, but a cheap mana stone can be used if you're not a mage.
Since she didn't really had wicked intent I let her keep her for the night, with the condition she make a copy of all the pictures she take, for me. And now I have 3 camera-crystal full of a hundred pictures each, of Wyndy in different dress, good job head-maid! I also have another one that should not fall in anyone hands, as the pictures in it weren't of Wyndy, but of her mothers in cosplay... Or not, if you know what I mean...
Also, I need to mention that I read a lot about Dragonkin, and now I know at least that she won't destroy the city by accident for now as she need to open her mana channel before that. Yeah to use their breath the Dragonkin need to put mana into a organ in their throat, this organ is the reason why people don't think they are Beastmen as magic organ are something unique to the Magicalkin, for example Elves can infuse mana into their eyes to be able to see in the dark or far away. Anyway, my sister was able to open hers this young because she's a champion, but for the most talented apart from them they open their channel at 5 at the youngest so I don't have to worry for now. Well that's how it is for Human or Magicalkin, I hope that's also the case for Dragonkin...
And back to now, after enjoying my time for a month, that bastard was finally here!
"ARLLAN! You fucking son of a bitch! I'm so gonna punch you in the face until you don't have any teeth left!" (Shun)
"BWHAHAHAHAHA! Calm down there Shun my boy! Don't you want to hear what I have to say before that? I even have news about your sister you know!" (Arllan)
Goddammit... That guy really know how to handle me now...
"And seriously I thought you would be happy about the fact a lot of strong people came your way. When my scout that you brutalized came back I was really surprised you know." (Arllan)
"With Wyndy looking, I couldn't kill... And they were weak as hell. All you did was make my wives pissed at me for being late! And also because of you there are crazy peoples who want me to step on them or impregnate them, that was a fucking pain in the ass!" (Shun)
Since their was only me and Arllan here I could talk without fear of my family hearing that...
Hearing that, Arllan made a surprised face. What was so surprising?
"Uh? Aren't you happy about that too? I mean with your lust I was sure you would do every girl that came to you?" (Arllan)
"Like hell I would! I'm not interested in human!" (Shun)
"... PfffBWHAHAHAHA OH MY GOD!" (Arllan)
Arllan was holding his side while laughing like mad.
"Would you stop already?! I'm serious here! Anyway it doesn't matter anymore! I'm still pissed, but I want to hear what you learned about my sister, so talk already." (Shun)
"Fyuuu... Fine, first the good news. She's fine and healthy and aren't really treated badly, she was sent to some weird training place where she is trained personally by the War-chief*, Jim Lodok, with other kids her age. It's seem to be some weird plan to form a assassination unit that was proposed to the king by the said champion, but well, I can't be sure as there only rumor about it. Now for the bad news..." (Arllan)
(*In the humans kingdom of Asfellana and Nalldam, the War-chief is the strongest man and a symbol of absolute power in the kingdom.)
Arllan looked at me while grimacing not sure if it was a good idea to tell it to me. What can be so bad if she is healthy?
"Talk, before I get angry..." (Shun)
"*Sigh* The king put a collar on her, if it was a normal one that wouldn't be a problem, but it's a magical device that was made by one of the court magician." (Arllan)
"And? Does it control her mind or something?" (Shun)
"No, nothing as complicated as that, a mana stone full of fire magic is embedded in it, so that if she were to betray the king it would be activated by a magician and burn her to ashes... Do you understand what that mean?" (Arllan)
Arllan looked really depressed when he said that.
"Do you imply that I won't be able to save her? And most of all he's going to use her against me and so one of us while have to die?" (Shun)
He looked at me wide eyed as I said that nonchalantly not looking in despair in the least.
"Shun my boy?! Why do you sound so carefree?! It's exactly as you said! The king most likely don't know about our plan, but he will know when we will depart from here in direction of the capital, and knowing that he will keep your sister as a bodyguard against you knowing that! That mean that as long we fight against the king she will die either way!" (Arllan)
...
"You finished? Uncle Arllan I appreciate the fact you're this worried about me and my sister but you don't have to. Do you think something like that will be enough against me? I have a plan, you don't have to worry about that, just leave my sister to me, I won't let any harm come to her, and don't worry I sure as hell not going to sacrifice myself! Oh also I won't betray you if you're worried about that, that king going to die, that's how it must be." (Shun)
It was bound to happen anyway, that mana stone with a lot a magic inside was embedded to my sister neck of all people, was that due to luck? No I don't think so, it's get clearer by the day that someone is manipulating me... I wanted to avoid using that, and being manipulated really anger me, but I don't have a choice here.
Hearing my resolve Arllan was surprised, sure, but most of all he was reassured that it seem I had a plan in mind to save my sister without having to betray them.
"Good... I leave that matter in your hands then. Also, everything ready for our plan. We should be able to leave tomorrow, I wanted to talk to you in private before that, but after we finished I'm going to make my report to the prince and then prepare for our travel, so also prepare yourselves for it. Also don't worry about your little girl, Melinda seem to have grow attached to her so you should be able to leave her in her care." (Arllan)
"That was my intent anyway, she's a little too young to go to the battle field and Melinda already took care of her a lot this last month, so I don't have any worry... We're finally going uh?" (Shun)
When he heard my last line Uncle Arllan made a grin while showing me his fist.
"Right! Let's go kill that fucker to avenge your family and save your sister!" (Arllan)
*Bump*
I bumped my fist against his before smiling back at him.
"Let's also avenge your best friend!" (Shun)
No matter what, I can't seem to hate that bastard, it's no wonder he was the best friend of someone as weird as my father...
Time to hit the road again uh?
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Next chapter Shun make acquaintance of a funny pair of brother and sister, before going back to killing after such a long time! Stay tuned!