Empire Of Noct, 26th Day 5th Phase 1454th Set.
"Your Majesty, Emperor Desion! Our ally Empire of Persidius has replied to us!" pronounced the secretary eagerly.
"Heh, I see I see. What did they say?" replied Desion enthusiastically like a child anticipating a present from his parents.
"They suggested us to prepare each of our armies for the invasion of Alantieus. Because the invasion will trigger an all out war across the continent and we must be prepared for it."
"Very well, we shall build up our army for 3 Sets. But tell Emperor Nelsin of Persidius that I propose that we conduct a meeting every 6 Phases for updates."
"Acknowledged, your majesty. I shall inform the Information Branch in Peacius to relay the message to Persidius with a few of our elite soldiers guarding the informers."
***
Ura Mansion, Prosarea, Peacius, 26th Day 5th Phase 1454th Set.
"My son Teiga, I've seen to your drastic improvement in Mana manipulation. As a graduation gift, I shall teach you my original Mana manipulation spell."
"Yes my mother, I am always willing to learn new things from you. Please guide me on the right path."
"This original manipulation will help you 'slow down' time around you by letting your brain absorb some mana," informed Henestia. "But take note, prolonged usage will damage you psychologically in a permanent sense!"
Teiga nodded his head subserviently without any doubts about his mother's words of warning. While Henestia walked onto the grass patch where she first introduced Mana manipulation to the then young and frail Teiga.
"Teiga, throw anything at me. Do it as though you are trying to kill me." Henestia said with utmost confidence in her skills.
"But mother.."
"No 'buts', only 'yes'." corrected Henestia with a stern look on her gentle face.
"Yes, my mother."
Teiga looked around him, surveying his surroundings for anything to throw at the feminine witch. Turning his head around, he shot his eyes onto a hand sized rock that was resting on the front porch of the mansion. He picked it up while contemplating the action of throwing it at his beloved mother, each finger wrapped around the rock with hesitation. The young nobleman stared down on the rock giving it a piercing stare warning it to not hit his mother. Teiga slowly added strength to his right arm that grasped the rock tightly as he pulled the catapult arm back to gain momentum when throwing the rock.
With a swift movement of his upper body swinging forward followed by his arm, his arm flew forward and he released the choking rock at Henestia. As the rock pushed through the air, hurtling towards her, the feminine witch whispered under her breath another magic code.
"Ad opprisus deh merobar."
Her irises turned teal blue with a miniature mana flame burning passionately. Teiga looked at Henestia and blinked, at the moment he opened his eyes, she stood 1 feet away from her original position. The rock slept on the grass patch while the young man stood rooted to the ground in amazement.
"By the heavens mother, your original spell is...SO COOL!"
"Hmph. Of course, who am I? I am Henestia Niphia a great magic user." exclaimed Henestia proudly while swinging her braided hair to behind her back.
"Mother, please teach me your excellent original mana manipulation technique!"
"Alright alright. Now repeat after me. Ad opprisus deh merobar. Say this calmly."
"Ad opprisus deh merobar."
As his mouth pronounced the last syllabus of 'bar', a wave of mana particles invaded the brown eyes of Teiga. Teal flames burned ferociously in the eyes, while his brain was encased in mana particles. With this much mana particles, the world around the young boy seemed to slow down by 10 times, a snail world basically. Within 20 seconds, Teiga felt 5 minutes of information being absorbed by his brain. Those information included trivial things such as the thickness of a single blade of grass beside the sleeping rock.
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"Now for the real test of whether you are capable of using this technique!"
"I am always ready for any test you throw at me mother!"
Henestia walked towards the sleeping rock and picked it up. The moment the adoring hands of her's touched the snoozing rock, she flung the rock at the speed of sound. Noticing the movement of her hands, Teiga whispered the magic code under his breath and the flames re-ignited in his eyes. The rock that moved at the speed of sound is now sleeping again, but this time in the air. Calculating the direction at which the rock is flying in, Teiga moved his body in the opposite direction. What seemed to be normal speed in the eyes and brain of his, is actually 10 times faster in real life. But this technique only lasted for 50 seconds before the ferocious blue flames died out in his eyes, returning the brown colour to his irises. Everything fast forward back to their original speed in real time.
"Ahahahaha, well done my little genius!" shouted Henestia as she stood 15 feet from Teiga. "You will definitely be an exemplary magic user!"
"I will not disappoint you, my mother!" shouted Teiga in reply to his mother's compliment and a smile formed on the innocent face.
"By the way, I believe it is about time that you consult Levi about learning the Ura blade."
The smile soon turned into a depressed look, the brown eyes looked to the ground for suggestions on what to do to deal with this situation. The pride posture of Teiga began to slouch into uncertainty. Noticing the dramatic change in facial expression, Henestia's motherly qualities hurriedly expressed themselves.
"Oh ignore what I just said. I was joking about the Ura blade. No need to rush. Okay?" comforted Henestia in an evermore gentle tone.
Hearing the consolation from his mother, Teiga felt as though he disappointed her even though he just told her that he would not. Trying his best to muster up enough courage to make a promise to his mother that he will learn the Ura blade, Teiga closed his eyes and breathed in deeply.
"No, my mother. For the past 6 sets, I have trained day after day in mana manipulation, I believe it is time."
"If you say so... Don't push yourself too hard alright? It is acceptable to quit, so don't push yourself too hard."
"I will not quit no matter what, as the next Ura clan head, I cannot allow myself such luxury."
***
Later on into the day, at dinner time...
In the dining room, a scrumptious feast was laid onto a long polished mahogany wood table; Charcoal-roasted whole chicken, alfredo chicken, beef with Espagnole sauce, raw lettuce with cherry tomato and lemon juice topping sat upon the leaves, fried salmon fillets and peach juice. Levi sat at the head on the table while Henestia and Teiga sat by his side. Butlers and maids stood behind them on alert mode, ready to entertain any requests made by the small family. Total silence was observed by the family during dinner time but Teiga decided to break this interminable silence.
"My father, I want to and need to learn the Ura blade."
"Why the sudden request?" replied Levi as he slides a slice of beef into his mouth.
"I am already 13 Sets old, I must learn the Ura blade to pass it down to the next generation." said Teiga with a sincere look.
"That's it? You'd better have better rationales," mumbled Levi as he stuffs a piece of roasted chicken into his already full mouth.
"Of course not. The Ura blade is for protecting those you love and help those in need. Not for a childish cause."
"Hmm..kay. Aright. I'll each u te Ura bade." said Levi as he tried to force those words out of his stuffed mouth.
Teiga gave a dumbfounded look at Levi not expecting an acceptance. "Really, my father!?"
"BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I've been waiting for you to ask me. It is a tradition for a Ura clansman to learn Ura blade after their coming of age ceremony." exclaimed Levi with pieces of meat flying out due to his violent laughter. He raised up his hands to cover his mouth to prevent food wastage.
Silence followed after the sentence that Levi said. Teiga finally understood why Levi rejected him 6 Sets ago, the reason was simple, "Oh the time is not ripe yet.". He felt like he was fooled by his stern father, who has never uttered a single joke in anyone's face before. "Well, I still managed to learn mana manipulation in the past 6 Sets," Teiga thought to himself he gobble up 3 slices of beef in frustrated happiness.
"By the way, we will start tomorrow." informed Levi with a slight tint of zeal.
"Yes my father, I look forward to your lesson."
***
Beino, Empire of Noct, 27th Day 5th Phase 1454th Set.
A battalion of 100,000 armoured Noctian soldiers was in picture perfect battle formation on the plain fields of Beino, a plateau of never ending wild grass. These soldiers unsheathed each of their glinting silver long swords. 10,000 shiny swords were thrust towards the front in unison on the command of a muscular and daunting veteran general, General Kogher. He wore a glossy black full body armour with 2 dragon heads protruding at his shoulders, each head representing his unwavering authority in the army. To add on his general aura, his face displayed multiple scars from previous wars in Pacifia. But one particular scar stood out, the scar was the longest and deepest of them all, stretching from the top left of his head down to his left eye and finally to the right side of his jaw. Every scar represented a sound reason for him to be a general. And those scars are lessons that he learned such that he can now lead the 100,000 men battalion of Xenis, the strongest army in all of Noct, maybe even Pacifia.
The preparation for a savage and long war has finally begun...