Overlooking Hallion, the city seemed as lively as ever. Gaius took a long look at the streets below, the familiar sights of his home etched into his mind. After a moment, he turned away, taking his final steps away from the hillside the trio had been standing on.
“Missing your family already?” Hugo asked, his tone casual but curious.
“Nah, it’s nothing. Let’s go,” Gaius responded nonchalantly, his voice flat.
“It’s okay to miss them, you know,” Hugo continued, smirking slightly. “Abell cried when he left his hometown.”
“Well, I’m not him,” Gaius shot back, not bothering to look at Hugo.
“Indeed, you’re not,” he said, his smirk widening. “But I do know the reason why you want to become a Luminary. You say it’s for money, right?”
“Yeah, it is,” Gaius replied without hesitation. “I want to live an easy life after I’m done. That’s it.”
“Hmm… interesting, but is it really for yourself only?”
Gaius stopped for just a moment, the question hanging in the air. He didn’t look back. “Yeah. It is,” he said, his voice clipped. “Why else would I do this?”
Hugo didn’t respond immediately, watching as Gaius continued down the path ahead. A faint smile crossed his lips. “If you say so,” he muttered to himself before following.
Walking toward their destination, Abell was filled with impatience and frustration. The warm air of the marsh clung to his skin, sticky and suffocating during the day, while the nights brought a cold. They had been trudging through this forsaken wetland for two days, with no clear end in sight. The constant threat of Malignants lurking on every path, coupled with Hugo’s cryptic reassurances, only added to Abell’s anger.
“Hugo, are we close?” Abell asked, his voice laced with irritation.
“For the last time, Abell, we’re almost there. Please be patient,” Hugo replied, his tone calm as he walked ahead of them, seemingly unbothered by the discomfort of the journey.
“You’ve been saying that since we left Hallion—and that was two days ago,” Abell snapped. “I thought the exam starts soon.”
“Could you stop complaining?” Gaius interjected. “He’ll get us there on time. Quit asking so many questions.”
“Quit the games, Gaius. I can tell you’re annoyed too,” Abell shot back.
Gaius didn’t respond immediately, but the subtle twitch of his jaw betrayed his agreement. The journey had been grueling for both of them, and the never-ending wetland was testing even his patience.
“We’ve been wandering around this damn forest marsh for days,” Abell continued, his voice rising. “Fighting Malignant after Malignant… this is like torture.”
Gaius shook his head, his daggers jangling softly at his sides. “Yeah, but whining about it isn’t gonna help, is it?”
Abell growled under his breath, kicking at a loose patch of mud that splashed onto his boots. The swampy terrain had slowed them down, with uneven ground and thick patches of moss making every step an effort.
Hugo sighed heavily and stopped, turning back to face them. “I hear your complaints, and I get it. But right now, you need to focus. We’re not far, but there’s something more pressing to deal with first.”
“What are you talking about?” Abell asked.
Before Hugo could respond, Gaius stiffened and unsheathed his daggers, his sharp eyes scanning the thick trees ahead. “Something’s coming,” he said quietly, his voice tense.
“There’s a Malignant nearby—and it’s massive,” Hugo confirmed. “So, stop complaining and get ready. You boys can handle this one, right? I believe in you.”
“You believe in us huh” Abell echoed
“Yea that means I’m not stepping in,” Hugo replied casually, “Consider it a warm-up before the exam. Show me what you’ve got.”
The air grew heavy as a low, guttural growl echoed through the trees, shaking the damp ground beneath their feet, something big was coming, and fast.
Ahead, the water exploded with a wet roar, mud and reeds flying as the creature rose from the murky depths. It stood nearly seven feet tall, its grotesque form hunched and waterlogged. Its sinewy limbs dripped with black sludge, moss clinging to its skin like a sickly second layer. Hollow, faintly glowing eyes locked onto the group, and a guttural snarl escaped its gaping maw.
“That’s a Malignant?” Gaius muttered, stepping back instinctively. His daggers were already in hand, and his sharp eyes darted for an opening.
Abell gritted his teeth, feeling a spark of adrenaline. “Guess this is what Hugo meant by ‘get ready.’” He said bracing himself.
The Malignant didn’t wait for further argument. It lunged forward with surprising speed, its claws tearing through the mud. Abell stepped forward instinctively, summoning his Luminous Blade with a flash of light. The weapon materialized in his hand, glowing faintly in the dim swamp. He gripped it tightly, its warmth steadying his nerves as he braced for the attack.
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The malignant roared again, its long claws tearing through the mud as it lunged toward them. Abell charged forward to meet it. His boots slid slightly in the wet ground, but he steadied himself and swung with all his might.
“Damn it!” Abell said, scrambling to his feet. His heart pounded, and frustration burned in his chest. “This thing is strong.” He said with a smile.
Gaius, meanwhile, darted around the creature, his movements quick and precise despite the slippery terrain. His Trait, Mirage Arts flickered to life, creating two shimmering afterimages of himself that danced in the shadows. The Malignant growled, turning its head back and forth as it tried to track its prey.
“I’ll keep it busy,” Gaius called, his voice echoing unnaturally as the illusions moved.
The creature swiped at one of Gaius’s afterimages, its claws cutting through nothing but air. Gaius darted forward, slashing at its legs with his daggers. The blades bit into the creature’s flesh, leaving shallow gashes that oozed black liquid.
But the Malignant didn’t falter—it roared and spun with terrifying speed, its massive arm swinging wide.
Gaius barely managed to jump back, his boots skidding in the mud as the claw passed inches from his chest. One of his daggers slipped from his grip, landing with a soft splash.
“Great,” Gaius muttered, his breathing ragged. “This thing is stronger than us.” He thought. He pondered why Hugo would make them fight this thing.
Abell took the opening, charging in with his blade. He aimed for the creature’s torso, the radiant edge slicing cleanly through its waterlogged hide. The creature howled, staggering back slightly as glowing scars burned along its flesh. But the Malignant recovered quickly, lunging forward with renewed fury.
Abell swung again, but the creature anticipated his move this time. Its claw caught the flat of his blade, forcing it to the side. The sheer force of the impact rattled Abell’s arms, and he stumbled as the Malignant brought its other claw around in a wide arc.
“Look out!” Hugo yelled.
Gaius watched in disbelief, as Abell left himself wide open.
Abell tried to duck, but he wasn’t fast enough. The claw clipped his shoulder, sending him sprawling into the mud. His Luminous Blade flickered, threatening to extinguish as his focus wavered.
The Malignant turned its attention to Gaius, its glowing eyes narrowing as it stomped toward him. Gaius moved to retreat, but his legs slipped in the slick mud, and he cursed under his breath. His illusions flickered and faded, leaving him exposed.
“Hmph” Gaius muttered, raising his remaining dagger defensively.
The Malignant roared and lunged, its claws tearing through the ground. Before it could reach Gaius, the air seemed to shift. A wave of pressure rippled through the swamp, and the Malignant froze mid-attack.
Hugo stood a few feet away, one hand extended casually toward the creature. His expression was calm, almost bored. The Malignant snarled and writhed.
“That’s enough,” Hugo said simply, stepping forward. He clenched his fist, and the pressure around the Malignant intensified. The creature let out one final, echoing roar before collapsing into the mud, its body dissolving into black sludge.
Abell pushed himself to his feet, panting as he wiped mud from his face. “In just one motion? What did you do?”
“Can’t really tell you that now,” Hugo said with a smirk, lowering his hand.
Gaius groaned, leaning heavily on his remaining dagger. “Is this the power of the country’s number one?” He thought to himself.
Hugo shrugged. “You boys need to figure out how to fight together—and how to adapt. You’re not ready to handle everything on your own yet, during a fight always assess your enemy's strength to your own skill,
“But you two are talented you’ll get there Eventually.”
“Anyways, I was looking for that Malignant,” he said, nodding at the dissolving remains. “It’s been causing trouble. This marsh is a trading route between Hallion and Britoria.”
Abell froze, turning sharply toward him. “So… this whole time, we were here for that?”
Hugo smirked. “Yup. Handled it. Oh, and we’ve still got a day to reach the exam site.”
“A day?” Abell clenched his fists, glaring before finally lowering his head. “Fine. Whatever. What you did was impressive, so I’ll let it go.”
Hugo raised an eyebrow as Gaius wiped mud off his arm, glancing at him with a stern expression.
“What was that Malignant? I’ve never seen anything like it,” Gaius said.
“It’s some kind of mutation, we’re assuming,” Hugo replied, his tone calm but thoughtful. “It somehow got acclimated to the environment. But honestly? We’re not sure.”
“Hmm.” Gaius narrowed his eyes. “I feel like you’re holding back, but I guess you have your reasons.”
Hugo chuckled, brushing past him. “Let’s keep moving. The exam site won’t wait.”
A Few Hours Later
The monotony of the swamp started to set in as they trudged forward. The mud clung to their boots, pulling with every step, and the air was still thick with the smell of decay.
Abell was in his mind still replaying the fight. He gripped his sisters’s hilt tightly, the faint warmth of it grounding him. He didn’t like how reliant they’d been on Hugo, and the reminder of how far behind he still was gnawed at him.
He glanced at Gaius, who was busy muttering complaints about the swamp, and then at Hugo, who walked confidently ahead as if the environment didn’t faze him at all.
Hugo,” Abell called out.
“Yes, what now?” Hugo replied without looking back.
“Tell me about the academy. I realized I know nothing about it.”
Gaius scoffed, shaking his head. “You were so passionate about something you knew nothing about? Figures.”
Hugo chuckled. “I don’t want to spoil too much because you’ll need to pass the exam to really see what it’s all about, but…” He glanced over his shoulder. “The academy was created to train people who awakened special traits from the luminous orb—and to regulate them.”
“Regulate?” Abell frowned.
“See, after the Liberator passed, there was this awkward period of peace. No more Malignants, no big wars… and suddenly, all these people with traits started causing trouble. Theft, violence, you name it.” Regular guards could not keep up anymore.
“Seriously?” Abell asked, struggling to picture it.
“Yes,” Hugo said. “The 4 families stepped in. They created the academy to develop young talent to stop the chaos. The first graduating class are legends. They helped stabilized the country and founded the Shining Order—my Order now.”
Abell’s brow furrowed. “And then the Malignants came back?”
“Exactly. Once they reappeared, the academy shifted its focus. To, training young Luminaries to protect everyone.”
“Do the 4 families still regulate people with abilities?” Gaius asked, raising an eyebrow.
Hugo smirked. “What do you think?”
Gaius opened his mouth to reply but stopped as Hugo gestured ahead. “Anyways, here we are, boys. Welcome to Britoria—the small town you might be calling home for the next few years.”
The boys stared ahead, the edge of the swamp giving way to cobblestone streets and humble houses. The sight filled them with both anticipation and unease.