The night falls, and the vultures of war fall quiet as a shadow sweeps across the world, bringing with it, a dreadful silence…
As the war's thick fog clears, you try to see. You hear crows and buzzards cawing in excitement for their next meal. Did you save your empire?
No.
As your vision comes into focus, you see the truth. Your men, your comrades, your brothers-in-arms have all fallen to the Power of Darkness. Their own spears have been used to impale them, the fire from the diabolical hordes seared the flesh from bone. You see miles upon miles of your dead armies. You've failed the world.
''Can you feel it, Hero? Closing in all around you? Staring down at whatever has left of you. Every man, woman, and child you have slaughtered, all these monstrosities you committed in the name of justice, all this blood your hands have shed. Though my heart was one of the first to be devoured by your wickedness, there are millions more out there, bound within this broken body of mine, ready to burn down everything you hold dear... Oh. Do you feel the very earth shake? Do you see their dark souls tremor for release? They will want to destroy the world… consume all that is pure. Barbaric and full of malevolence They will rise above us. Within this body is the injustice of death and evil that will soon cause the end of this world as you know it. They will me to continue, but will I risk my very life to pursue this dark desire? Of course, this Will has sunk deep into my thoughts…I think it's too late now.''
As the war raged on, hope began to dwindle. One by one the heroes fell to the unstoppable onslaught of the fiendish horde until only one remained. All the people prayed for the hero to save them, clinging to their faith in the prophecy. As the final battle commenced, the hero was savagely torn into pieces.
Humankind has fought monsters for centuries. They held but it was certain that soon their defenses will break and humankind will be wiped out. Humans started to lose and everyday victory was becoming nothing more than a dream.
The Emperor is dead, the war has ended, and We have failed. I often wonder what could have been if I had only the strength to fight harder. How many lives I could have saved if my weakness hadn't stopped me? But now, it all means nothing. I will ride out into exile, vanishing into the shadows, waiting for my chance at redemption.
Centuries later on a dark windy day, a figure ascended to the skies.
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''Johnathan, time to get up, you have school in 30 minutes'' A sweet piercing voice, calm enough to soothe your worries yet make you feel like you are about to have your ass whooped if you don't oblige, was all it took for me to get up and get dressed. After I close my eyes for a bit, that is.
'' If you aren't ready in five minutes, there won't be any pc-gaming after you come back home'' My mother screamed this time, ready to make her promise a reality like she did plenty of times in the past.
''Just a sec mom, just looking for my bag'' I lied, trying to buy some more time until I wear the cringy uniform my new school forced upon us.
I could already hear her footsteps up the stairs, ready to drag me by force if needed, to my new school.
After my dad passed away, She believed that a change in our lives was a must, the next step in our adventure called life, trying to deal with our loss by turning a new page, so to speak. It wasn't easy for her, I could tell that much, she truly needed to find a way to keep herself busy, not only for her sake but for mine as well. I respected and loved her for that. It isn't easy losing someone so close to you, yet it was my life that was turned upside down by her impulsive decision to drop everything and go to the capital. She always wanted to see the big city, to witness the tall glassy skyscrapers that seemed like they could touch the sky if given a little push, the busy streets full of people going to and fro to their jobs and visiting all the stores she dreamed of since she was a kid. Growing up in a God-forsaken village near the mountains, where your most promising form of entertainment was a bunch of old people trying to perform various theatrics you have seen a million times can mess up with your psyche sometimes. When you aren't very tech-savvy like most of the grown-ups in the city, it becomes even harder for you to entertain yourself without going nuts. So in a sense, I could understand her. for the most part that is.
With a loud bang, my door opened, revealing the silhouette of a middle-aged woman, ready to give me an earful as she always does when I am late. Light-brown hair, long enough to reach her shoulders but short enough to display a rare form of maturity, the kind moms tend to have, green eyes that could certainly captivate any man was she in her prime, was standing at my now opened door. Not devoid of life yet full of the vicissitudes of time, she was standing as the final boss of a legendary tale, keen on watching me mumble excuses as to why I wasn't up yet.
''You had that dream again, didn't you?'' she suddenly asked, trying to mask the concern that filled her green-lit eyes, praying to whatever God there was out there that it wasn't something to worry about.
''So I was shouting again, huh?'' I lashed back in a pathetic attempt to brush it off as fast as I could. The last thing I wanted was my mom to worry about me as well, especially during this challenging period in our lives.
''It's okay honey, we all miss him'' she said while hugging me tightly, trying in her way to help me get over this nightmare that has been haunting me since That day.
I was at school when he died. I remember the knock the teacher gave before entering our class to announce his presence, his pity-filled eyes when he asked me to come with him to the principal's office.
Who would have thought that in mere moments my world as I knew it would crumble down, washed away like a castle built in the sand. .. They said it was a working accident, fell from some stairs while he was trying to place some books back to their shelves. You see, he was a librarian, and a fine one too I might add. at least that's what his friends and colleagues kept saying. Maybe it was true, maybe they tried to console me in their distinctive way. Who knows? I certainly don't. He never truly talked about his work with us and we never truly asked, or cared, as long as he was happy there.
From the moment he passed away, the world somehow changed for me, like a switch was turned on and now everything was different. Something was off, yet I couldn't figure out what. Then just like that, the dreams happened. At first, I thought they were just a nightmare, a way my mind tried to convey the deep sadness and pain I felt. With time the dreams became more vivid, more detailed, and of course, scarier. With the dreams came the anxiety. Imagine walking around in the woods at night, your gut screaming that something is watching you, that something is out there, yet when you find the strength to look, you only see the dark-engulfed trees swaying gently in the night breeze. This feeling of uneasiness has been tormenting me for over four months now and I don't know how to get rid of it.
This stupid dream keeps repeating in my head every time I try to sleep. Like a broken record in a haunted asylum, only this asylum is in my head and I can't find the way out no matter how hard I try. A soft pang snapped me back to reality and away from these miserable thoughts.
''It's okay mom, you don't have to worry about it ''I quickly said with a slight hint of annoyance, begging for her to release me from the bear hug that was taking away my breath.
''how many times do I have to tell you?'' she replied, smacking me lightly on my shoulder, ''it's an academy, a quite prestigious one as well, so don't mess this up, young man. It cost me a lot to sign you up there so you will be in a world of pain if you cause trouble to your poor old mother on your first day there.''
'' Do I have to wear the uniform though? it looks…weird'' I mumbled, preparing myself for my new school life, or should I say, academy life.
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Saint Joseph's Academy, known as the go-to academy for all those who wish to make a name for themselves, is an elite establishment meant to nurture the next generation of young leaders. Be it politicians, scientists, doctors, and yes, even farmers, Saint Joseph's Academy is the place you need to go if you wish to succeed in life. Do you want to be the best in your field? That is the academy from which you need to learn from. Enrolling there isn't an easy task. Apart from the perfect academic scores one must require to apply, you must also possess a certain amount of influence that will help you pave the way towards your ultimate goal, getting accepted there that is.
Being one of the most prominent schools in the country, producing elites after elites each year, for a mere commoner to join is something difficult to outright ridiculous to accomplish.
Wearing the handmade tailored uniform of the academy, sporting its crest on my back as some low-budget anime hero, I stepped towards the entrance hoping the rumours of it being a viper nest were untrue.
I sure as hell didn't want my first day at this pompous school to be a total disaster. Just keep walking, reach the entrance, say my name, give them the necessary papers and move on. how hard can it be?
Boy oh boy was I wrong…
Five guardsmen dressed in black, sporting their crest on their shoulders, huffing their chests like some proud roosters, were standing watch at the gate, blocking the entrance while looking down on all those who came by foot or bus.
''Stop young man'' a guardsman proudly said, pointing his baton towards me, making some swinging motions.
''papers and ID'' he continued while his colleagues tried to stifle their laughter, thinking I was just like one of the numerous kids whose parents forced to sneak in hoping to get accepted by sheer luck.
''Here you go sir'' I replied, handing him my ID along with a file that had the documents needed for my enrollment. Even though they looked quite ridiculous in their outfits, at least they were professionals, I guessed.
''Jonathan Conrad? your name appears familiar. Hey Marcus, check this name for me real quick'' he barked to one of the guys standing a bit beside me, annoyed he had to close his phone call to do his job.
''His father used to work here as one of the librarians, Rogal Conrad, died some months ago on the job. poor fellow. He was a good man, kid'' Marcus said, getting a bit touchy-feely, before handing me over the papers.
''Seems the academy decided to compensate you for your loss with a spot here, your luck is pretty good I dare say, considering the death and all. Most kids here wouldn't hesitate to kill their whole family, much less their parents just for a chance here'' Marcus mumbled before receiving a light jab on his shoulders from one of the guardsmen.
''Move on young man, there are plenty more kids we need to check, we don't have the time right now.'' a big muscular guy snapped, shooing me away so they could continue their work.
The author's content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
Wandering around the campus for over thirty minutes must have done the trick since I could finally witness for myself the first academy buildings that I hoped would spell the end of this charade.
''Such a prestigious school, no, academy, and they couldn't have arranged for a minibus or something? you have to be kidding me,'' I grumbled, moving myself to what seemed like the report office or something.
Had to walk for so long, getting sweaty all over only so I could sign up and enlist myself. They better have some water at least or I will be even more pissed, I said almost out loud, attracting the gazes of some snob-looking guys like I was some kind of peasant.
Maybe I am but that's not the point here, I thought before the loud toot of a horn suddenly roused me up from my trance allowing me to jump away from its speedy way, landing head first into some well-trimmed bushes.
Not today truck-Kun, not today, I mused before getting up, trying to clean my now sullied uniform as best as I could.
''Didn't your parents teach you not to walk in the middle of the road?'' An angry moustache-wielding guy screamed while simultaneously trying to park the minivan full of kids of various ages just a couple of meters in front of me.
''THERE WAS A MINIVAN? ''
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After wasting one hour of my life waiting for my turn to enlist, which by the way, the angry moustache dude saw as an opportunity to lecture me about safety regulations and such, I finally managed to enter the dorm entrance.
Have you ever been to a gallery? well, ill be damned, the moment I set foot in the dormitory, searching for any clue as to where my assigned room was, I had to be stared at by hundreds of paintings of the so-called elites that have graduated from this place and got a name for themselves.
If my mother wasn't insisting on me enrolling here, I would be out of this cringy hell hole already. If I wanted to be dressed as a pretentious
spoiled brat, I could have easily visited the local carnival they have now and then and even enjoy myself a little.
Trying to navigate my way towards the notice board while being surrounded by snobs and elitists that think the world should be grateful for their presence didn't make my life any easier as I tried to squeeze my path towards freedom. Not even sardines are this close and stuck with each other, FFS.
Took me five agonizing minutes to reach the notice board only to realize I was in the wrong section of the building. It appears that I had to cross the hall, pass the library and go towards the reception where all the newcomers were given some general advice and, of course, a map to help guide them towards the numerous classes you had to attend.
After walking 10 minutes in a hall filled with portraits of former students that managed to shock the world, either by solving a difficult agricultural problem or outright preventing a nuclear war with some not-so-ethical ways, I was finally about to reach my destination.
''Hooray for me I guess, I am almost there!''
Passing the library I suddenly stopped. ''So this is where my dad used to work'' I mumbled before stopping. A door made out of bronze with some weird-looking silver patterns was the only thing that stood before me, like a silent guardian judging all those who chose to cross it.
''I must be overthinking things again'' I thought, before deciding to push open the door.
My father used to say that the library is a growing, evolving organism. Without change, the library will cease to be relevant. Eras may pass, and humanity may crumble but the concept of the library will always stay alive, waiting for its new successor to continue its undying work of preserving the knowledge of the sapient.
As I entered the library, what welcomed me wasn't the familiar smell of decaying wood and paper but the friendly embrace of endless rows of books, ready to be picked up, expanding the horizon of the ones destined to learn from them.
If heaven is real, I just encountered it. The number of books in this library must at least be over the million mark. It looks like the top academy isn't at the top for no reason.
Strolling between the selves, trying to smell the distinct aroma that books tend to emit yet fail, probably because of the air filters that were used to preserve the books in their pristine condition, I made my way towards the stairs. Greedy and full of curiosity about what this library had to offer, I couldn't help but tread sneakily, afraid of getting kicked out were I to make noise or disturb the eerie silence libraries were so famous for.
It didn't take me long to find my way down the stairs and up to a new set of corridors waiting to be explored by yours truly.
Even since I was young, I wanted to see for myself why my dad was so passionate about books, and this passion of his, combined with my need of being closer to him, shaped me into the average bookworm I am today.
Walking down the corridors, enjoying myself reading the titles of various books that caught my interest, I stumbled upon a tiny gap that could barely fit my hand on one of the walls. With various books not catalogued yet thrown beside it in a failed attempt to conceal it, I couldn't help but reach my hand and see if there was anything in it.
Looks like I got some adventurous spirit from my mom as well, I mused, before a mechanical click was heard and the gap revealed itself to be a weird-looking handle of a door. ''Who is up for a new adventure,'' I said quite proudly, using all of my strength to push open the door.
To my dismay, there weren't any piles of gold, skeleton guards ready to defend the secrets this room had to offer, cow webs the size of a stadium above my head, ready to devour me.
''A chair a desk and a book? that's it?'' I grumbled before grabbing the black-leathered book ready to unlock its secrets!
''No title? that's strange. how do I open you, little guy?'' I said with a grin on my face before a sudden pain in my chest followed by blood spilling all over the book greeted me instead.
Trying desperately with all my might to turn around to see who was the one who shot me, only to collapse on the desk instead, knocking down the chair and the now blood-soaked book to the floor, I tried to catch my breath.
'Let's get rid of his mother as well, we don't want any noise from the media'' whispered a voice before another loud bang turned my vision black.
The book opened, unveiling a red snake circulating a hand trying to reach the sky, vanishing in the air along with the fresh blood that painted it.
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''We need to complete it now, Margaret, we can't afford to mess this up'' said the injured warrior, trying to keep the door shut with all his strength, exhausted from the constant battles he had to face until this very moment. It was clear from his face that his mana was about to be spent.
''They are about to break the door, finish the ritual already '' he yelled, barely holding on.
'' How were we discovered? there has to be a snitch in our ranks'' replied another, trying to paint the walls with the blood of his open palm as fast as he could, barely avoiding any critical mistakes that would lead him and his companions to the afterlife before their time.
Chanting in a language that sounded oddly familiar to Latin, Margaret started twitching before clear-cut wounds began appearing all over her body, forcing her blood to go towards the mystical symbols that were painted all across the room.
'' I think it's finished, we finally succeeded'' she whispered tiredly, witnessing the symbols in the room glowing in a peculiar golden colour before ultimately dissipating in the air…
Suddenly a loud bang was heard, sending the wounded man across the room, crashing headfirst on the wall, never to get up again.
'' By the orders of the supreme pontiff, you are hereby sentenced to death for the usage of forbidden magic and the murder of his excellency the archbishop of Erkinstone.''
A high priest dressed in purple and white, ready to unleash another spell on the rest of the heretics were they to move, said with clear contempt in his eyes. He took a good look across the room, his eyes attracted to the bloody symbols on the walls. ''This is some sort of Blood Magick'', he muttered, before shifting his attention to the two people that were left bleeding on the hard floor, visibly exhausted yet satisfied.
''By the Gods, what have you done, What have you done?'' Rage that turned into a heavy sigh enveloped him as a fireball the size of a basketball was conjured into his hands before looking at the thousand-cut corpse of the woman, which seemed to have already breathed her last.
''It appears you made your choice a long time ago, old friend'' he sighed with pity in his eyes before turning all the people that were in it to ashes.
''Immediately report this to the Supreme Pontiff and send me a copy of these symbols as well'' he commanded the soldiers kneeling outside the room, waiting for his instructions.
The cry of a humongous eagle, easily spanning over 7 meters wide, followed by the clear image of an armoured man landing 5 meters behind him with a loud thud disturbed the silence after the short battle.
''What are your thoughts on this? '' asked general Allen, commander of the Eagle Brigade and the one responsible for tracking down these occultists while observing the now scorched room. He rushed as fast as he could the instant he got wind of their location, yet, someone was even faster than he was, already taking charge of the situation.
'' Why is he in these parts of the Kingdom, as far as I know, he was dealing with the uprising near our borders'' Allen silently thought, trying to make sense of the scene in front of him.
High Priest Abramelin, One of the three hands of the Pontiff, a high realm Purified Warrior of the Kingdom, was one of the spearheads tasked with the subjugation of the rebels that were causing uproars near the borders. Providing the necessary backup that was needed in exterminating once and for all the various elemental warriors that were hidden in the slums, he was a key part of the operation. ''Why was he here?'' Allen pondered.
''The symbols and the way they were drawn on the walls makes it quite difficult for me to decipher them'' The priest said. ''If I were to make a wild guess, It has something to do with summoning. As to what or who, that I don't know''. This isn't the first time he stumbled across these scenes but it sure as hell is the first time he saw one completed.
''These rituals have spread across the Kingdom this year and combined with the delicate situation at our borders, this will only get worse if we don't put a stop to it soon'' the High Priest continued, glancing at Allen, wondering how he would deal with the situation.
He knew that the general wasn't interested in cases involving forbidden magic. These cases rarely provide any coin for him after all. If not forced to accept the degree issued by the Pontiff to help track these occultists, he wouldn't even have bothered to take a look.
'' Has the supreme Pontiff been notified of this?'' he asked the Priest,
preparing to go towards The Principality of Sirene, as if not caring if he was going to get a response from him or not. Meeting with the second prince was more important to him than bothering himself with this case.
Only a fool would not attend the Prince's party, especially when it was highly likely he would succeed to the throne in the years to come. As far as he was concerned, he did his job, the occultists in the area were all found and killed so if that priest wanted to involve himself more, that was his business.
Johnathan felt as if someone was calling him.
''My Lord, please wake up…''
a head-splitting headache engulfed me, making me want to vomit non-stop but it seemed that was the least of my worries, as I was trying to realize where I was.
''wasn't I shot?'' I asked before noticing an old man staring at me with relief written on his face.
''quickly my Lord, get dressed, your father will be greatly displeased if you were to attend the party dressed like that'' he continued, trying to pull the blankets off the bed.
I sneaked a glance around the room, only to notice a round shield with a crest depicting a wolf eating the moon hung on the walls alongside a well-polished armour.
'' How am I not dead? what is this place? ''
A sharp pain, like the hammering of a nail, overwhelmed me once again as foreign waves of memories flooded my soul and almost caused me to faint.
''It appears I got killed after all'' I thought, trying to process my current situation. Taking a deep breath, I did my best to understand what was going on.
''It looks like I am the oldest son of the noble Curze family, Ciaphas Curze. My father is the Baron of the Kingdom of Tirisea and owns the northwest lands of Evramas near the borders with the Dead Plain. My grandfather fought valiantly against the Kingdom of Falonde, driving them away and got rewarded with the hereditary title of a Baron and the lands my father currently holds under his rule. Most of the land is used for farming and inhabited by approximately eight hundred peasants. I have a sister, currently working under a duke as the head secretary there. My mother died of an illness 8 years ago. The old man in front of me is a rank 2 battle warrior and also the butler of our household, currently holding the duties of helping me be a proper Lord.
'' By the looks of it, I transmigrated into the body of Ciaphas Curze, who probably died somehow in his sleep? Having read a lot of novels, I somehow knew how all of this works, or at least thought as such. There must be a reason this happened to me, right? A damsel in distress, a powerful villain threatening to destroy this world or something cliche similar. Someone needs my help! It is finally my time to shine! Maybe I got a system to help me out, a powerful ability or something that will give me an edge over the rest of this world''.
A silent cough coming from the corner of the room snapped me back to reality.
''My Lord, I ordered a maid to make some tea for you, It seems that you are quite….spent''.
Even though the family wasn't in a good position thanks to the uprising near the borders, we still had some luxuries that allowed us to lead a comfortable life. There was no such thing as electricity or technology in general in this world, yet we still had access to necessities such as light or water, all thanks to magic! The world I transmigrated into was magic-driven!
''It looks like I can't avoid this gathering for the time being. Are my clothes ready?'' I asked Nathan, surprised I showed some interest in matters he had to beg and plead for days before finally forcing me to attend.
''Yes my Lord, I will immediately call a maid to assist you'' he answered, hurriedly running out of the room fearing I would change my mind.