How'd yours go? Able to display runes?" Lute inquired.

"Um, I was just reading, I'll attempt it later when I get the basics down." Zephyr blushed and lied his way out. He then made his way to the dorms and just laid in his bed for the rest of the afternoon, lamenting his weakness.

***

How's it going young master Kaiser?" A man in a mask laughed as he approached a young boy in an oni mask sitting down in a dark room.

"What was the point in father making me come here, these people barely awakened." The boy asked for an explanation immediately.

"Ahaha! That bad huh? Don't worry, we have reports that while Liandry is peaceful, there has been way too many times its stepped on the toes of the other nations and I heard some are gearing for war. I think the master has something planned." The masked man cackled again.

"Reeves, there's going to be war?" Kaiser slowly asked.

"Not now, but hehe, maybe in the next few years something can occur. After all, things are just boiling, it'll take a bit more to cause things to reach its breaking point." Reeves voice sounded like he was having fun talking about war.

Kaiser seeped into silence and went back to practicing his skills as three rings of darkness enshrouded him.

Upon seeing this, Reeves turned around but was stopped.

"Transfer me to a different school, there is none talented here. Maybe the battle academy's can show some promise."

"How about this, I've heard that there's this one elementary academy that houses two graceful girls who are the pearl of their grade. There is also Duke's Hartwell's son who is apparently coming back to the school in a week. Many talented youngsters your age are showing up there, It'd be much more enjoyable to observe them than kids way older than you right?" Reeves suggested.

"Do as you wish." With that Kaiser closed his eyes and his aura disappeared.

***

Zephyr was getting prepared for school with Aqua and Magma and the scene looked kind of awkward.

"What's wrong guys?" Zephyr had to speak up since the other two seemed pretty moody.

"Well, since you and Lute awakened it got us thinking why we aren't able to yet and have to wait for the church to send an awakening ceremony in two years." Aqua mumbled.

"Don't worry about it guys! All you have to do is practice your body and your energy cultivation, that's how I got my power. I believe you two will also succeed.

"You think so?" Aqua finally looked OK while Magma clenched his fists in determination.

"Trust me, I know so." Now that they got better they started chatting and a thing that sparked Zephyr's interest was that there apparently was two transfer students coming at the same time.

They had went as a group and when they showed up the class was bustling. Linus was already there and had two kids by his side as he was speaking some words to them.

Zephyr made his way to his seat and after a minute Lute also arrived followed by a bunch of other girls.

Then the boys started streaming In. While all that was happening Zephyr was observing the two new kids. One had blazing red hair and crimson red eyes and wore completely red and looked good-natured while the other was just... Weird.

He had a mask on and wore baggy pants and a cloak for a shirt which covered his entire upper body.

The oni mask was white with dashes of green all over it and the oni mask was barring it's fangs and looked menacing. His eyes were from what Zephyr could see was a lifeless gray and his hair was a sleek black.

After all the kids settled in Linus finally stood up and explained the situation.

"We apparently have two new students. They are Rory Sopri and Kaiser Orients. Do try to get along with each other.

Tell us something about yourselves." Linus spoke to the two boys.

"I uh, come from the small kingdom, Sopri, and just came to this country about a couple months ago but there were problems so I had to stay home for a bit longer. do forgive my tardiness." Rory made a small quick bow which Linus accepted and then he looked at Kaiser.

Kaiser on the other hand silently stood there and observed the students in turn.

"You want to tell them something about yourself?" Linus asked nicely.

"..."

"Where are you from then" Linus prompted.

"I live in a village south of Liandry and only migrated here four months ago." Kaiser stated.

"I guess that's it for today, I heard Simon is coming back in a week so I'll postpone our workout in order to give these two boys some time to adjust and take care of Simon all at once." Just like that Linus went right to work but what bothered Zephyr was that he felt Kaiser's eyes on Lute despite sitting completely on the other side of the class with Rory.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Zephyr sensed something was amiss with that gaze but he sensed a thirst for battle and was actually fed up. Selene had an easy obedient class while his class was rowdy and caused problems all the time.

Zephyr could sense that Kaiser's power was strong, maybe on par with his while Rory was kind of weaker but Rory was kind of approaching Lute's level.

"They really beefed up the quality this time." Zephyr sighed as he got up. He and Lute spent two hours in the library just reading the books in the library while Lute was making progress with her Rune making.

***

In the palace of Oswald, there was a grand meeting and even the least important ministers were in attendance, the place was overflowing yet was oddly silent.

In the middle of everybody was a longtime legend, a lost hero, the Grand Marshal, the war god of Liandry, Renault Reinhardt!

He kept his gaze strongly on the aged man sitting on the throne, yet did not kneel. "So you have returned, welcome back."

The aged man looked decrepit and even his voice was raspy. That man was the current Emperor, Thyme Thurswald Liandry.

He had two remarkable sons in line for the throne, Caspar and Theo. Caspar and Theo were oddly similar too, they both had a love for war and combat and took a different battlefront of Liandry, staving off enemies of the kingdom.

They were both well liked by the citizens and were equal in their pursuit of knowledge, gaining the favor of their teachers and ministers alike.

They crushed the other princes into obscurity and so there was only two main factions which people put their stakes in, Caspar and Theo. To try to announce a crown Prince, the king tried making a competition but Theo would win the knowledge part just barely while Caspar was a bit more talented during combat. While a ruler would be glad having a competent inheritor, having two equal ones causes great migraines. Even their summonings were extremely similar!

The two were off in the east and north of Liandry for now to ward off any problems but the threat of civil war was looming closer and closer as well as invasions from opposing countries. The stress was showing on the kings face as he greeted Renault.

"How have you been living in self exile?" The Emperor jokingly said.

"It was an enriching experience, but I have returned." Renault spoke.

"Do you plan on reenlisting and supporting this country on your shoulders once again as Grand Marshal?" The king questioned while everyone else focused their ears on this subtle yet game changing incident.

The war god of Liandry was still a significant figure of Liandry and he was completely able to decide who ruled the country as he was in charge of the empires entire military. It was a trusted position the emperor only gave to the Reinhardt's, their closest aide and most loyal house.

"Allow me to speak out about the successor situation." Renault said something completely out of the situation.

"Speak." The king motioned him along.

"To have me become Marshal would be equivalent to them just giving up on showing their excellence and just focus on me and try to bring me over, which is something none of us wish to see. Therefore I recommend that the situation become fixed before I take the mantle." Renault slowly explained.

"Hmm, ahahha, you caught me Renault, I was trying to pass this off to you, after all they did learn their basics briefly from you." The king chuckled a bit and stopped speaking as he rubbed his beard.

"Any preference Renault, I don't think I have long left and I do not wish to see this land fall in my time, help an old friend out." The king was around fifty yet was already some how pale and sickly, unlike his previous boisterous self.

"Allow me some time to observe the situation." That was all Renault said in response to the plea.

"Very well, act on your own discretion, now as for the matters of Authmus, I heard they are gearing up for something?" The king started his strategic meeting with his ministers.

"There have been reports from our informants they have been raising an army and are preparing supplies, but they are not rushing and this seems to be in a few months if they're intent on war immediately and a couple years at the latest." A minister stepped out and informed.

"Good work Roderick, continue monitoring the situation there. Where Is my Sopri assault force, we need them to have a change in the throne effective immediately." Thyme spoke somberly.

"We have information that they have paired up with a mysterious organization that provided men and weapons, especially 'Gears'." Roderick stepped out again before the general could say a word and dropped another shock to the group.

"Hmm, if I may ask your highness, what's a gear?" A fat minister spoke out and questioned.

"Gears are designed for slaughter and war. They are basically light armor equipment fully decked out in runes so it provides mobility and is completely destructive if given to the right people. Whoever is providing them this must be pretty rich to support these funds. Alright, I guess we can ease up a bit with our military but we do indeed need a taskforce, who do you all recommend should be sent in to observe Sopri?"

The group of ministers and military generals broke out in murmurs for a bit, each discussing promising units and candidates to take on the job.

Then Oregon stepped out once again and recommended a name that caused silence.

"I have full trust on the completion of this mission if we hand it to Siegmund Reinhardt."

"..!.."

"..."

"What did he say?!"

"Isn't he still a boy?"

The group looked at the kneeling fatty then at the quiet serious Renault and observed in silence.

The King looked towards Renault to ask for his input.

"I too, am also confident in his ability, but if there are multiple gears available for the enemy, this better not be a unit mission but a whole force being put to his disposal." Renault put forth his condition to allow his boy which the king easily allowed.

"He will have a two hundred man unit with twenty commanders to advise and protect him." The king consented.

"Then I shall allow his travel." Renault also believed this was enough accommodation and left the meeting to inform his son.

"Why is he so disrespectful to the King?" A random minister quietly whispered.

"He's not, this is normally how the Grand Marshal usually is, calm, cool and collected while possessing a strong heart and even stronger spine."

Another explained to him and the crowd got heated as they started talking about all kinds of information. 

As Renault was leaving the palace a voice called out to him.

"Do you require me to also deploy my forces in the area?"

"No need, only lend a hand when the situation gets dire enough for Siegmund, but I am sure he can handle it." Renault closed his eyes and kept walking. 

"Roger" the voice disappeared as fast as it came, just like a breezing wind.