He threaded the mud, with each step he felt as if he was groing weaker, the only thing that made him continue threading through the empty battlefield, headfirst into the fog were the blue flames dancing across his body, slowly shifitng from his arems to his chest and over his eyes, making his vision blurry.
Leif: [M-ma... ma...]
He continues, step by step, his feet sinking into the mud, from the fog, shadowy figures seemed to rise from the earth, he maintained his resolve, walking towards them as they walked towards him, as they emerged from the fog Leif didnt raised his eyes from the ground.
???: [Bruuuhhh.... big bruuhh...]
???: [Tho.. those... P-Pallaccian... b-bastards..]
He slowly looked up, the figures where twisted, darkened and mangled, he felt a deep sense of shame, a terrible panic swelling in his heart as he gaze at their rotten and torn apart faces, felling a sense of recognition.
???: [B-Bastard... ready... to... d-die...?]
They raised their blades made of black iron, shifting like shadows, Leif reached to his own sword, but there was nothing there at all.
Leif: [Pa.. papa..? Papa?!]
The shadowy figures bringed down their swords, the shifting edges of the blades piercing his body, again and again as he screamed and cried, until his body was a mangled mess of blood and guts, the shadows seemed to take over his body, everything came to darkness, he opened his eyes once more to the complete depravation of his senses, he could see, hear, smell, touch, everything was pure darkness, he felt nothing, then from the darkness a pair of eyes opened to stare at him, inhuman eyes like deep void of nothing, then they sharpened, like a pair of cat eyes, a mixture of a deep scarlet red and sharp black pupils staring at him from the darkness.
???: [Child... Touched by the blue flames of hell.]
He jolted up from his bed, his chest tightening, a scream exploding out of his throat and his body covered in a cold sweat, he looked around confused and scared, he realised he was in his room on Sunfort, he lowered his hand into his palms, rubbing his eyes.
Kastro: [Mr.Crows!?]
Shouted the man as he pushed the door open as as fast as he could.
Leif: [Ah.. Kastro..]
Kastro: [What happened?]
Leif: [Ah.. no... its... this happens, when i sleep without my sword, for some reason.]
The man's eyes seemed to soften over the distressed boy.
Leif: [How... long have i been asleep.]
Kastro: [For 2 days, ever since the entrance exam was finiahed.]
Leif's expression darkened, he felt a discomfort in his chest knowing he had been eliminated.
Kastro: [Master Allera gave me the order to tell her once you wake, are you well?]
Leif: [Uhh... yeah, you can go.]
Kastro left, closing the door behind him, Leif continued on his bed, he couldnt believe himself, not only he was betrayed and stabbed on the back by that wretched blonde, but he also got knocked out and lost the chance to collect any stones for a chance at passing the test, he ceirtainly got eliminated, Allera eould definitely beat him up once she got her hands on him.
Katlyn: [Leif..?]
He noticed the girl standing on the door to his room.
Katlyn: [Are you ok?]
She asked, stepping closer to his bed and stitting by his side.
Katlyn: [Do your wounds hurt? Bandages itching?]
Leif: [N-no its just... im a bit disappointed thats it.]
Katlyn: [Disappointed? Why?]
Leif: [Because... i tried.. so hard, but in the end..]
Allera: [You where accepted dipshit.]
The tall imposing woman stood on the same place as Katlyn was before, tall and imposing as always but without the Rocky Lion pelt over her shoulder.
Leif: [W-what?]
Allera: [They said you where accepted into the Academy.]
She said, throwing a latter at him, he took it and opened, the seal had already been broken, pulling out the folded paper from inside.
"To the Esteemed Candidate,
We are honored to inform you that you have successfully passed entrance examination for the Pallaccian Academy of Runic Studies..."
The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Leif: [I... passed?]
Allera: [Seems like it.]
Leif: [But... but i had no stones...]
Katlyn: [The tests are not always what you think they are, you must have done something to catch their attention if you didn't meet the tests requirements.]
Leif: [I see..]
He couldnt think of anything he could've done to make them interested, Allera silently walked away when Kastro entered the room once more.
Kastro: [Now, Mr.Crows, its time we check your wounds to see if they're healing nicely.]
He stepped closer to the bed, Katlyn seemed to be surprised and her cheeks grew a little pink, she quickly got up and begun to step away.
Katlyn: [Im going then, see you later.]
Leif: [Huh.. wait, why?]
He tried to ask but she was already out, closing the door behind her, Leif had been put in comfortable linen clothes, once he took them off he realized how much he had been hurt, his arms and chest where both covered in bandages, he was sore all around and coud barely move effectively, Kastro opened a drawer from the bedside cabinet, talking out a small bag and opening it.
Kastro: [Its time we change your bandages, but first lets take care of these.]
He said, taking out a small glass bottle and piece of cotton, he lathered the cotton with a reddish oil and slowly rubbed it on the boy's cheek, Leif haddnt even noticed but his face was covered in tiny little cuts and scratches, he had no idea when he got them, and when Kastro unraveled the rolls of bandages covering his arms he realized most of his body was covered in those small cuts, some where still open, the butler took another piece if cotton, leathering it in a clear liquid that burned when in contact with the cuts.
Leif: [W-what... the hell..]
Kastro: [Please remain still.]
He threw the two cotton pieces away inside his bag and pulled some more, rubbing another one with the reddish oil on the cuts, then pulling out some new bandages and rolling them tightly around his arms, once he was finished he passed on to Leif's chest, taking out the bandahes crossed around each other, his chest was even more criss-crossed with cuts, bruises and scratches, after following the same pattern, cleaning the cuts, leathering them with the reddish oil and covering them with new bandages, he mad Leif pull his hair up to check his nape.
Kastro: [Hmmm... its still quite bruised, maybe a week or so until it fully heals.]
Leif felt a flash of anger cross his mind, that bastard Thorne, batrayed him, hit his nape so hard it bruised and covered his body in cuts and scratches, some time after Kastro had left he got up from his bed, shoving his feet into his boots and taking his sword wich rested on the wall by the door, he gave the sword a squeeze as he walked along the corridors of the pallace.
Adelise: [You seem well.]
He looked to find her standing outside on the balcony, watching the garden, she turned to him with the same kind but somewhat teasing smile.
Adelise: [I had planned om visiting you, but only now my schedule allowed a break, so you've been accepted huh?]
Leif: [Yeah, somehow.]
He said, stepping on to the baclony alongside her.
Adelise: [And why is that?]
Leif: [Well, in the test i needed to take these stones, everyone was given one and you had to take atleast one other then yours.]
Lis chuckled.
Adelise: [Ah, the good old name stones.]
Leif: [You know?]
Adelise: [Of course, its not always the same but they are always there.]
Leif: [I partnered with this guy, Kallun, but he stabbed my back and took my stones.]
Adelise: [Kallun? Kallun Thorne?]
Leif: [Uh... yeah.. you know him?]
He looked at her with surprise.
Adelise: [Well, not know him, we've talked. He's the bastard son of the Second Prince.]
He remembered some callling the blonde a bastard but in his mind they where simply cussing him out.
Kastro: [Mr.Crows.]
They both looked back to see the butler holding a letter, sealed with the Academy's seal.
Kastro: [This has just arrived.]
Leif quickly took it and broke the seal, puling out the paper from inside.
"To the Esteemed Student,
We, the Pallaccian Academy of Runic Studies welcome you with a warm embrance. The acceptance cerimony to welcome both new and returning students will occur in the first day of the year..."
He felt a wave of relief wash over his heart, he had really been accepted, he almost couldnt believe it.
Adelise: [This is the first time i've seen you smile, i didnt know you could make a face like that.]
He realised she was looking at him, and even less that a smile had crept on his face, he quickly looked away, trying to fix his fave and wondering if he looked weird.
Adelise: [Aw c'mon dont look away...]
As the night fell and he returned to his room Lastro was already waiting there to change his bandages.
Leif: [You did this everyday i was asleep?]
Kastro: [Its important to prevent infections and guarantee a quick healing.]
Sadly for some reason Leif's energy was depleted ever since he had woken up, he had no idea why, this had never happpened to him before, he couldnt even use healing or ÍlHy at all, he couldnt help but feel a little pathetic having to relly on others so heavily, once Kastro had finished changing his bandages and left he just sat on the egdge of his bed, looking out of the window into the darkness, he had more then a week before the next year started but he felt as if it was tomorrow, like always he felt a bit confused at the emotions he felt, none of wixh he was used to feeling at all, then someone knocked on his door.
Katlyn: [Umm... Can i come in?]
Leif: [Yeah.]
She slowly pushed the door in, she seemed a little nervous, glancing away and back at him.
Leif: [What is it?]
Katlyn: [Can i sit with you?]
Leif: [Sure.]
She stepped closer and once she sat by his sid he could only notice two things, her smell, a sweet flowery scent and the necklace around her neck, the same polished blue stone that remembered him of the color of her eyes.
Katlyn: [Allera said we've been invited to the Emperor’s ball to celebrate the new year.]
Leif: [The Emperor?]
Katlyn: [I... um... wanted to ask you if... you.. would want to go.. with me?]
He looked at her face as she glanced away, her cheeks and ears where red, he felt a strange flutter in his heart.
Leif: [Sure..]
Katlyn: [There was also something... i'd like you to do...]
Leif: [What?]
Katlyn: [Just... close your eyes first..]
He didnt really understand why but he did as she ordered, everything was silent and he couldn't see anything, he heard something shifting across his bed and felt her get closer, and closer, and closer, he could feel the heat from her body and his heart pumped harder and harder, then he felt some thing brush against his lips, a soft and quick touch for a little longer then a second, when he opened his eyes Katlyn had gotten up and had dashed for the door.
Katlyn: [G-good night!]
He got a glinpse of her red hot face as she closed the door, he could only imagine what he looked like himself, with how his heart was pulsing in his chest, all he could remember about where the crude stories the mercenaries and soldiers used to tell him about when they where drunk, he knew ehat had happened, a kiss, but he never even thought it would happen to him, this meant she liked him, right?
Leif: [G-god...]
He burried his face on his palms, he was so happy, he had no idea what liking a girl was meant to look like but he was almost completely sure he liked her aswell, he laid on his bed and turned off the light that iluminated his room by pulling the stone engraved with a light rune and putting it on the bedside cabinet, he laid on his bed, feeling the itch of the cratches and cuts on his body, strangely he felt at peace, a peaceful feeling he never really got the chance to feel, he squeeze the sheathed sword, laid under the covers by his side, closing his eyes and drifting into a dreamless sleep.