The Everlasting

Vol. 1: Eye of the Wise

Biako

THE EVERLASTING, VOL. 1: EYE OF THE WISE

Published by Vic’s Lab, LLC

Copyright © 2016 Biako

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the publisher except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Cover art by vzilefreak. Cover design by James Ryan.

Editors: Amy Li, Carol Thompson, and Vic Adams.

Copyright © 2016 Biako

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1-942178-04-0

Vic’s Lab, LLC

www.VicsLab.com

A community for fans of light novels and superhero stories.

DEDICATION

For Syngetsu, Nirogen, Koala, 3osfor, Wuuna, and Shan Hyuga. They are the reason I wrote this story, and are my inspiration. Also, for Vic, who made all of this possible.

PROLOGUE

The Everlasting—a title given to those who’ve reached a state closest to godhood. Be it with sheer strength and power or love and compassion, those beings hold great influence over the realm of mankind, the underworld, and the void. This honor is a dream to all novice mages and warriors but a fearsome and thorny goal to those more knowledgeable in the art of war. For their experience has taught them that it is not something to aim at halfheartedly. They would not dare utter the names of those beings. If sought, such a task will bring misery and sadness to the one attempting to claim it as he or she will have to step on the corpses of their families, friends, and foes. Though a mighty title it may be, it may not be worth seeking.

After the Age of War ended, mankind, the victorious race, secluded themselves in areas where survivors of the demonic forces couldn’t penetrate. It had been a glorious victory, but plenty of blood had been shed. Mankind had won, but too many lives had been lost, and a large plot of land was also destroyed with forbidden magic to create a home for the wandering ghosts of fallen warriors. Men were now on the brink of extinction, awaiting their savior. That savior was said to be the guardian of mankind, the champion of the Crucible, the mightiest and the strongest—Alsa, The Everlasting Might. When mankind was on the brink of doom, she led them back on track, giving them the tools and foundation to defend themselves. After she was no longer needed, she disappeared. Some say she died, and others say she sought the realm of the gods to claim her seat beside the deities. With time, stories became legends and legends became myths. The last Great War did indeed happen, and the effects of its destruction remain, but what was it that saved mankind from complete annihilation? Was it really the power of the Everlastings or was it something else? Only time will tell but, until then, let’s follow the story of a young man who defied the boundaries of reason and destroyed the concept of logic.

***

The majestic city of Alsa was named after the woman who bore the same name. It was one of the few cities that remained, and she was the strongest person to have walked the land of man. It was beautiful, prosperous, vast, and home to the most powerful mages and warriors. With the best technology in the entire country of Albion, the city sits on top of a cliff, allowing it to be visible throughout the entire continent. At the side of the cliff hangs the sculpture of a maiden with her back pressed against the rock and her right hand reaching for the sun. In her other hand, she clutches a book to her chest. The city is guarded by a deep forest, filled with fearsome monsters and creatures, preventing unwelcomed visitors from entering. Within the clean city streets lie marvelous fountains and spotless buildings—a true utopia where one can hear the laughter of children playing at every corner.

The city is divided into four prefectures. The strongest of the four, which boasts a following that contains sixty percent of the city’s population, is the Fire Prefecture owned by the Blazing Fire Dragon Sect. Next in power is the Raging Water Dragon Sect, followed by twenty percent of the city’s population. The third position is shared by the Earth Golem Sect and the Lightning Beast Sect, followed by ten percent each. In terms of power, all sects are equal but the fire sect’s higher following puts it at an advantage, allowing it to dominate the city and have a major impact on the high council and state affairs. The leaders of these sects may share different opinions on certain issues, but they all agree on one common goal: the protection of the people of Alsa.

Another important part of the city is the academic school, which could be considered a “city within a city.” It’s a great school that has educated the strongest leaders of the current age.

ACT I

CHAPTER 1

With a sweaty hand, he wiped his forehead.

“Huff … finally! I’ve reached this place … huff. Damn you, Master … couldn’t you have made these instructions a bit clearer … It’s as if it was written by a four-year-old …” he mumbled to himself.

He looked around and spotted the school’s entrance: a ten-meter-high steel door, decorated at the center with the image of two dragons whose bodies wrapped around each other. They looked as if they were about to jump off at any second.

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As he approached the door, he sensed someone was watching him. Suddenly, a hologram of a young maid projected between him and the door.

The maid bowed slightly and welcomed him.

“Welcome, dear guest, to our humble establishment. Can you please identify yourself?” she asked.

Like all maids, her robes were incredibly plain and simple, but she still looked extremely elegant. With short hair in a shade of dark green and snow-white skin, she stood before him with dignity and confidence.

He scratched his head contemplatively.

“My name is Asura Shirogami,” he told her, “and I am here because—” The boy was interrupted before he could continue.

“Of course. We have been expecting you, Sir Asura Shirogami. Would you please follow me?” the maid responded softly as she took a step back toward the door.

Hmm, that old man must have notified them that I’d be coming … He certainly isn’t someone to be taken lightly … Asura thought to himself.

The maid’s projection disappeared, and the door screeched loudly as the two coiled dragons slowly disintegrated from view. They must have been locks of some sort. The door swung open, revealing a vast field with a paved passageway decorated with large green bushes and huge metallic statues of heavily armed soldiers at the side. Across from the bushes and statues stood mages who were busy practicing their magic, holding their staffs in one hand and summoning a flame with the other. It was quite beautiful, and Asura was overwhelmed with excitement as he walked along the paved ground to reach the main buildings.

After walking for what felt like hours, I reached the end of the paved road and arrived at the first building, where the principal’s office was located. There was someone at the door: the same maid who welcomed me at the gate. She was now leading me into the office. The hall leading up to his office was adorned with crystal chandeliers, ornate vases, and large painted portraits.

 “Mr. Shirogami. What brought you to an institute like ours?” she asked, taking me by surprise. “From the letter we received, it is not likely that this is the best place to improve yourself if we are talking about your personal attributes.”

The first thought that crossed my mind was, What the hell did that old man write in that letter …

Then I remembered that I had to answer her.

“Well, it was my master’s idea to come here. He told me that he had nothing more to teach me, so I better start learning new things.”

Upon hearing that, she fidgeted a bit and turned her head. Her face wrinkled into an expression of nonbelief.

“W-what? You mean to say that Sir Ainz Greetman already taught you all he knows? The letter says you are sixteen years old! How is that possible?

Before I could answer, we were in front of the principal’s door.

The maid excused herself and left.

“I never got to know her name. She was quite cute,” I mumbled.

“Is the name of my secretary the only thing you want to know? Or did you come here for another reason?” a sharp, vivid, and somewhat gentle-toned woman answered my offhanded comment.

I turned and turned and didn’t see anyone, but I could feel a faint presence in the air.

I took a defensive posture and shouted, “Show yourself; I have no time for games …” This should be the principal’s office. Where is he?

Out of nowhere, I suddenly felt an intense malicious intent in the air directed toward me. It shook the very foundations of my soul. Instinctively, I leaped backward, propelling myself to the middle of the hallway.

What did I get myself into? Is this master’s idea of learning new arts? Damn it! Why did master have to take my weapon? I need something to defend myself with. Shit!

Suddenly, I felt all of my energy being drained as if I had become nothing but an empty shell. Even standing still was unimaginably hard. I had no strength left. I was done for. A hand gently brushed my cheek and moved to hold my chin in place. A beautiful woman appeared in front of me. With her long red hair and formal attire, it was obvious that she was someone who held a very high and respectable position.

The last thing I remember was her saying, “Boy, you are the first to ever evade my initial attack. I expect great things from you.”

Then everything turned black …

I woke up to a gentle hand caressing my head. It was the same woman I had seen before I passed out. I was lying on a couch in an office filled with modern décor, the woman’s thighs cushioning my head. I tried to stand, but my body wouldn’t listen. I was still weak. My body fought against my will, refusing to budge.

In a caring voice, she said, “Do not try to struggle. You are not in any danger. This is my office, and I am this school’s principal.”

With nothing I could do, I let my body lie limply across her lap and stared up at her. I felt helpless, and I tried to make sense of my current predicament. This woman was the principal of the school. So far, so good. But why did she try to assault me?

As if she heard my thoughts, she said, “If you are wondering why I attacked you, it was because I wanted to test for myself if you truly did finish Ainz Greetman’s training. And it seems that you have.”

I could hardly focus on anything she was saying. The fact that I was lying across her lap was far too distracting. So, I mustered whatever strength I had and tried to stand. My embarrassment would have exposed me otherwise.

But she pushed me down again. “I said don’t struggle,” she explained. “I siphoned almost all of your mana. You need to rest a bit more if you want to regain the ability to stand.”

I tried to process what she had just told me. Mana? I wasn’t sure what that was. I didn’t know very much about magic. It was strange that master sent me here in the first place, but why did this person say I have something called “mana?”

She grabbed the file sitting on top of the coffee table. “This file contains all of your information. I’ve read it, and it clearly states that you do not possess high levels of mana. You are meant to be a warrior, not a mage. But why did Ainz send you here? We will have to find that out ourselves. Won’t we?”

I didn’t like where this was going. A file containing my personal information …? This can’t be good. My past is something only my master and I know about. I don’t want people sniffing around. It will only cause trouble.

The principal combed one hand through her hair. “Before you met Ainz Greetman, you came from the orphanage of Saint Herman.” There it was. That little tidbit about me that no one else had any business knowing. Just hearing the name of “that place” sends shivers down my spine. Oblivious to my discomfort, the principal continued, “I was quite surprised by that little fact. I never thought that I’d meet one of the survivors of that horrible incident.”

“Ma’am, can I ask you how you know about that place? I am more than certain that records of it have been dismissed and most likely been disposed of.”

She smirked mischievously. “Oh, we have our own intelligence team. Don’t underestimate us just because we appear to be a school on the outside,” she retorted proudly.

After sighing, I responded, “If you know what happened at Saint Herman’s orphanage, I would appreciate it if you could keep it to yourself. I do not want my private information to become public knowledge.”

“Don’t worry about anything. As long as there are is no trouble, you have nothing to worry about.” She smiled brightly. “I hope that you spend your time with us in the most befitting way you see. Also, I wish that you enjoy your youth.”

She took a deep breath and added, “Now then, I officially welcome you to Albion, the best school of magic in Alsa. You are dismissed. Your class is about to start. Have a good day, boy.”

Her last sentence took me by surprise. “What do you mean by class? I just got here.”

“All of your registration paperwork has been handled, and all your personal luggage has been sent to your dorm room. You just need to change into the uniform and attend your class, which is starting in about ten minutes.”

What, already? They sure do work fast. I attempted to stand again, but my body still felt heavy and drained of energy.

“Ah, I forgot …” the principal said, noticing the way my body flopped back against her lap as I attempted to sit up. She kissed my cheek, and I felt all of my strength returning.

“Umm … What did you do?”

“I gave you back your mana. It’s not a lot. That is why you lost consciousness. Mana is strongly tied to the human spirit, and losing a hefty sum of it will eventually lead to fainting. But losing all of it will mostly result in death, so be careful.”

Feeling vitalized, yet a bit flushed from the sudden kiss, I stood up and excused myself. “Then I shall take my leave. Have a good day.”

As I opened the door to leave, I saw the maid waiting for me with my uniform in her hand. “This was prepared for you. Would you please enter this room and try it on?”

At this point, nothing surprised me. I grabbed the uniform, thanked the maid, and proceeded toward the fitting room. She said something to me as I walked in, but I didn’t hear her.

The room was small and had only two changing stalls, just like the ones you see in malls. There were tons of clothes hanging in front of the stalls on a steel pole. I walked inside one of the chambers and started taking my pants off. I could hear shuffling noises from the stall next to mine. I am not alone; someone else is trying out his outfit on the other side.

Just as I finished taking my clothes off, I realized that I left my school uniform outside. I got out of the chamber to grab my uniform, only to notice that most of the clothes in front of me were women’s clothes and girls’ uniforms.

“W-what are you doing here?” a shaky voice asked.

As I turned back, I saw a girl standing in front of me, her face red, pointing at me with a shaking hand. She was gorgeous with short blonde hair, a slender body, and beautiful blue eyes. She was wearing only her undergarments. I couldn’t help but notice that she was very well developed for someone her age.

Suddenly, I noticed that I, too, was only wearing my underwear. This was not a good situation.

Before I could utter a word, a lightning-charged slap smacked me out cold. The last word I heard was “PERVERT.”

Not a good way to start the day.