Interlude I – Sacrifices

Emperor Lysenberg sat on his throne, tapping the edge of his armrest as he stared at the sight before him. A map was sprwaled atop a wooden table. His three military strategists frantically jumbled carved figures, akin to chess pieces, across the map. And just like chess, the figures were split into two colors: black and white. The black pieces were his, representing his magnificent empire, Bern. The white belonged to his enemy, the self-proclaimed Principality of Amea. He had fought this nation for four years, with little progress. He knew the end of this long brutal war was approaching. Whether he would claim victory or defeat was left to fate. Fate and careful planning.

His strategists, finally making up their minds, informed him of a plan. Desperate though it was, if it succeeded, a decisive victory would have been won for his country. A country that had grown weary of loss and death.

"Your Excellency, the 4th Army is ready to engage the Amean forces at the Verelis Plains. The 2nd Army will provide cavalry support by targeting the enemy's western flank," said the first strategist.

Emperor Lysenberg merely watched as the first strategist placed black and white pieces at an open stretch of land just outside the northern borders of his empire. The second strategist pointed to various areas adjacent to the Verelis Plains, deep within Amean territory.

"A victory here would give us a firm foothold to launch an offensive. From there we can take Calis, Renval, and Gilzer in less than three months—"

"—then the capital," interrupted the third strategist, "And we'll have finally conquered those barbarians."

Emperor Lysenberg returned his attention from the strategists to the map. He carefully studied its geography. Although it was a highly detailed map, one that took years of expert cartography to produce, it didn't faithfully capture the pure destructive consequences of war. The villages that laid in ruins, the hills of buried men, women, and children, and the survivors who struggled daily to remain among the living.

A sudden outburst disturbed his thoughts.

"Your Excellency!"

A young soldier, carrying a parcel in his hands ran to the center of the throne room. His metal boots clanked on the pristine marble flooring. He quickly genuflected in front of his emperor before speaking,

"I bring terrible news southern front. The Ameans are marching towards Foltan. It's an entire army commanded by General Halthier, herself!" The three strategists erupted with a mix of surprise and rage. They turned their attention back to the map, frantically shuffling pieces around. The border city of Foltan, located on the western edge of the Caradine Province, housed the empire's largest military outpost in the south. But many of the soldiers assigned there were relocated to the north in preparation for the invasion into the Verelis Plains.

"Damn! Did they know about our attack, and how it would leave our borders undefended?" asked the third strategist.

"Should they take Foltan, they'll have a straight road to the capital," said the second strategist, "We have to defend it at all costs. Who do we still have stationed there?"

The first strategist flipped through a collection of papers detailing troop movements and logistics. Upon finding his answer he replied, "Templar-Knight Rachel Wallace and a couple divisions from the 5th Army." He then placed a large number of white figures on the border, while placing a substantially smaller amount of black figures on the outskirts of the city.

"A couple divisions against an entire army! Even with Wallace's abilities…" said the third strategist, "Don't we have any reinforcements?!"

The first strategist scanned the map. "The 3rd Army can come in and set a defensive line, but they're in the Grinswald Province to the east. I suggest we have the 5th Army retreat—"

"No."

All eyes turned towards Emperor Lysenberg. He hadn't spoken in over an hour, for him to suddenly exhibit a response meant that he had determined a course of action. He stood from his throne and moved closer to the map. The magnitude of his presence pressured the three strategists into taking a few steps backward.

"Wallace and her troops will draw the Ameans into the city, giving the 3rd Army the opportunity to surround and crush Halthier's troops." Emperor Lysenberg's voice was devoid of any emotion.

"B-but, Your Excellency, that would put our own soldiers up for slaughter! The 5th Army has only a few hundred troops. Halthier's numbers in the thousands. They'd never hold out long enough," said the second strategist.

The other two strategists were beside themselves. They couldn't fathom why their cohort would have dared questioned their emperor. But to their surprise, he didn't become enraged.

"I appreciate your moral sentiments, but in war… sacrifice have to be made. Wallace knows her duty, what it means to be a Templar-Knight. She will carry out my orders without fail." Emperor Lysenberg then turned to the young messenger and said, "Relay this order to the 5th Army. Have them defend the border until they are relieved by the 3rd Army."

"As you command, Your Excellency." The messenger bowed in reverence before taking his leave.

The chaos from before settled down shortly thereafter as the three strategists began planning for the upcoming battle. As for Emperor Lysenberg, he returned to his throne where he sat in silence, rubbing his temples with coarse fingers.

Sacrifices, the one word that occupied his mind.

…

A sea of fire had swept the city of Foltan, destroying many of the buildings and lands surrounding it. Piles of dead bodies lined the streets as the intense fighting between Bern and Amean soldiers progressed to the heart of the city. The Amean soldiers outnumbered the Imperials ten to one. Even with guns, they were being decimated at an increasing rate.

Templar-Knight Rachel Wallace commanded her musketmen from the city square. Approaching them at a steady pace was a full column of enemy infantry armed with pikes and swords. Her own soldiers, which numbered less than a few hundred, were running short of gunpowder and bullets. To make matters worse, her cannon emplacements had been either destroyed or commandeered by the enemy.

"Do not lose hope! Reinforcements are on their way!" shouted Rachel atop her horse. She knew that the 3rd Army wouldn't arrive in time, and even if they did, they were instructed to surround the Amean Army, which meant surrounding them as well. When the arrows and cannonballs started flying, it would have been almost impossible to distinguish between friend and foe.

"We'll stay and fight!" said a high ranking soldier, "But at least you should retreat to safety, Commander." As soon as the words left his mouth, a stray arrow pierced through his armor and into his chest. He fell to the ground, spitting up blood.

"Colonel Nelson!" cried out Rachel, who rushed to his aid. A sergeant by the name of John Oxley also joined them.

"Let me pull this thing out of you," said John, gingerly trying to grasp the arrow with his shaking hands. The colonel grabbed his hand and stared straight into his eyes.

"John, get the Commander out of here! Don't worry about the rest of us!" His words were muffled as blood poured into his throat. A few moments later, the light escaped his eyes and he passed away.

The next in command after him, Major Brightwood, rushed beside Rachel and John.

"Commander, we'll hold the line here and buy you two enough time to escape. Sergeant, protect her at all cost," he said. Then turning to his troops he shouted, "Everyone, drop your muskets and pick up a pike! We won't let a single Amean past us."

John looked at Rachel and said, "Quickly, we have to go!" But before she could turn her horse around, an arrow struck her leg.

"Gah!" she cried as she fell to the floor. The frightened horse, no longer held back by its master, took off through a cloud of smoke and disappeared from sight.

"I'll carry you out of here if I have to," said John. He broke the arrow in half and helped her to her feet, wrapping her arm around his neck to support her. The two limped as quickly as they could, but a volley of cannon fire erupted behind them, immediately followed by the screams of men and women being pulverized by hot lead.

"J-John, just leave me…" said Rachel, her breath was getting heavier by the second.

"C'mon, the Rachel I know wouldn't give up so easily. Look, we're almost at edge of the city. We'll hide in one of the houses until reinforcements arrive." His strained voice revealed his faltering optimism. "Besides, you promised me that when we get home from this lousy war, you and little Stephanie were to come by my place for dinner with my son and me. I have to warn you though, I make a mean potato stew."

John's attempt at humor contradicted the fighting and death around them. Rachel barely had the strength to chuckle, but she was able to crack a faint smile.

"A-and, w-what of my husband?" she asks.

"Oh, well, he can have the maids cook for him," John replied, chuckling softly.

He stopped for a moment to readjust his hold on her only to hear a voice cry out, "Over there! It's the Commander!"

Their momentary relief was shattered by the clamoring of enemy soldiers surrounding them. There were at least thirty men, pointing the tips of their spears and blades at the two of them. Rachel pushed herself off of John, standing before her enemy with the utmost pride and bravado. Her time had come, but that didn't mean she'd go down without a fight.

She raised her hand before her and called upon her powerful Companion.

"Come to me, Fia. I need your strength one last time."

A helix of flames engulfed her entire body, and a mighty halberd of fire and heat materialized before her. She grabbed the halberd, wielding it expertly, but she wouldn't last long with her left leg nearly disabled.

Beside her, John unsheathed his sword. Unlike the halberd Rachel held, the blade possessed no unique qualities other than a small inscription etched on the surface of the steel. "Temperance."

"This is it," said Rachel, "Never retreat—"

"—and never surrender," said John.

The two of them stood, back to back, holding their weapons before them as if opposing death to the very end. The enemy soldiers pointed their own weapons against the two. With the signal of an officer, they charged in, enclosing the circle.

John closed his eyes and for the last time, thought of his son.

Ryan.

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2: Chapter 1A - The Academy

Chapter 1A – The Academy

"Ryan, are you going to stand there all day?"

I was shaken from my bewilderment of the enormous buildings before me. The snarky voice belonged to a young woman named Stephanie Wallace; believe it or not, a close friend of mine. We had known each other for as long as I could remember. In response to her words, I turned to face her. Her brilliant, crimson hair swayed in the wind, and her fiery, red eyes locked onto mine. Dozens of other cadets, wearing black and silver uniforms just like us, passed by, hurrying to reach their destination in time. Although they didn't pay much attention to me, they certainly stared a great deal at her.

"Sorry, let's head in," I said.

"Always making me wait on you," replied Steph with a cheeky smirk.

We walked through the front gates, entering an impressive courtyard. There was no question about where to go from there as a bunch of cadets, piled together into a mass, were making their way through a pair of wooden doors. We joined the others, and after much shoving and pushing, we found ourselves inside the main hallway. But after going a bit further in, the hallway split into two, only adding to the confusion.

"Which way should we go?" Steph asked. I shrugged my shoulders. I was as lost and clueless as the other new-arrivals, who simply stood in the hallway like a flock of timid sheep. Fortunately for us, a shepherd arrived.

"All nobles to the right! All commoners to the left! Get to your assigned classes as soon as possible!" shouted a young man who seemed to be much older than the rest of us.

I looked at Steph and said, "I guess this is where we split up. Do you think we'll be able to meet up later?"

"I'm sure I'll see you at the cafeteria," she replied before departing towards the right hallway.

"Wait, Steph!" I called out. She turned her head just enough to look at me from the corner of her eye. "Try to make some friends, okay?" Steph listlessly raised her hand to me as if to say, "Yeah, yeah."

I breathed a short sigh. What am I going to do with her? I thought. Well, there was no point in brooding over her; I had to get to my own classroom.

I went down the left hallway, taking in some of the sights along the way. The academy was designed so that classrooms were on one side of the hallway with windows on the opposite end, to let in natural light. This made it easier as I only need to look at the classroom side.

I grabbed a crumbled piece of paper from my pocket, unfolded it, and read the contents: Class F-5. I scanned each door looking for the right room. Finally, I came across the door at the far end of the hall that matched the description on the paper. I reached for the doorknob and pushed it open. A small amount of anxiety welled up inside me as I wondered what my new classmates would be like; friendly, I hoped. To my surprise, the classroom was mostly empty, save for a few cadets talking among themselves.

I assumed it was open seating, so I sat down at a desk around the center. I noticed a small compartment underneath it. Inside was a set of textbooks neatly stacked in alphabetical order by title. At least I don't have to buy anything, I thought to myself. Curious about what I'd be learning in the future, I grabbed the top book, which had the title, The Bern Empire, A History, 4th Edition. I opened it to a random page and skimmed its contents. Before I could actually get into it though, I was interrupted by a rather rambunctious sounding voice.

"Hey, uh, hi there! I saw you sittin' here by yourself and just thought, 'huh, this guy seems kinda lonely, maybe I'll talk to him,' but, um, oh—I don't mean that in a bad way!"

I looked up from the book to see a young woman towering over me. She was a behemoth of lady, easily taller than me by a head. Her icy, blue hair tied into a ponytail and her cool sapphire like eyes, contrasted her bubbly expression. I was so taken back by her appearance that I didn't respond right away. I had forgotten for a moment that those people possessed specific traits with regards to their hair and eyes.

She fidgeted uncomfortably by what she must have thought was a negative reaction.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I probably got in the way of your readin'. I'll just go now," she said, slowly walking away.

I snapped back to my senses and called after her, "W-wait! Why don't we start with our names? Mine's Ryan, what's yours?"

She squealed with delight and grabbed my hand, shaking it violently to the point where I feared it might snap off.

"I'm Amelia! But you can call me Mia, if ya like!" she shouted, "So where'd ya come from? Is it a nice place? How'd ya get here?"

"I'm from Parisia," I replied.

"Oh, ain't that up north from here, right next to the ocean?" Her eyes suddenly widened. "By the way, have you ever been to the ocean before? Is it nice and pretty?" she asked.

"Actually, my hometown's pretty close to the beach, so I have been there a couple of times."

Amelia's eyes sparkled, and she moved in closer as though waiting for me to divulge the juicy details. But before I could say another word, I was interrupted by a familiar voice.

"Pardon me, but are you two talking about the Parisian Province?"

I knew that voice anywhere. I turned my head to greet an old friend.

"Charles! I haven't seen you in almost two years. How have you been?" I said.

The young man before me was Charles Grant. He was a bit of a scrawny fellow and didn't really stand out much other than his lavender hair and eyes. His parents were the only doctors in town, so naturally almost everyone knew the Grants. Whenever they did a house visit, they'd always bring him along, which is how Steph and I first him. If I remembered correctly, he joined the academy to become a doctor like his parents.

Charles smiled warmly and replied, "Quite well, Ryan. Congratulations on being accepted. I presume Lady Stephanie is present here, as well?"

"Yeah, she's in the noble classes. But enough of that, we've got to catch up," I said.

The two of us began talking about our old hometown. Every now and then, I'd turn to Amelia to explain something in case she got lost by our conversation. She simply nodded, fascinated by our stories. Before long, the instructor came in to start the morning class. The cadets who were still standing scrambled to find seats as the instructor made his way to the front podium.

"Morning everyone, I'm Instructor Johnson. I'll be in charge of history and military strategy." Instructor Johnson had this very apathetic tone as though he didn't really care much for anything, almost like a sloth.

"I'm going to start with roll call and point allocations. For those of you who don't know, every cadet is assigned a specific number of points based on their results on the written and practical entrance exam."

The point system was the academy's way of tracking a cadet's achievements. A cadet could gain or lose points based on their performance on exams, field assignments, or even the instructor's whim. Losing all of your points meant immediate expulsion. On the flip side though, you could have a maximum of 9999 points. Only one cadet in the history of this academy has ever accomplished that feat.

"I'll start with the highest score first," he said shuffling some papers around trying to find the right sheet.

"Jerrold Hunter, 982 points."

That was an impressive score. To put it into context, the maximum points for the entrance exam was a thousand. Unsurprisingly, the other cadets began whispering among themselves trying to find out who this guy was. Judging by head movements, he sat in the back corner of the room, but I wasn't able to get a good look at him.

"Natalie Hunter, 934 points."

I assumed that she was probably Jerrold's sister. Once again, all heads turned to the same corner. Instructor Johnson continued calling out names, eventually reaching a familiar one.

"Amelia Travers, 675 points."

I gave Amelia a thumbs up. She scratched the back of her head in embarrassment.

"Charles Grant, 508 points."

This time, I turned to Charles and gave him a congratulatory nod. He nodded back with a warm smile.

Instructor Johnson kept calling out names and their points until he eventually reached the last name on his list.

"And finally... Ryan Oxley, 50 points."

There was a wide mix of emotions in the room when he said that. From laughter to confusion. Everyone was trying to find out who I was. Amelia and Charles refrained from looking in my direction so as to avoid any unwanted attention towards me.

"Settle down, everyone," said Instructor Johnson, yawning as though uninterested, "Let's get started with our lecture today, shall we?"

He moved from the podium to the chalkboard, still facing in our direction.

"You all have spent countless hours training and studying to get into the grand Lysenberg Military Academy. But for what purpose, can anyone tell me?"

Charles's hand shot straight up. Instructor Johnson pointed at him.

"To become Templars, sir," he answered.

"Correct you are," he said while writing the word Templar on the chalkboard. "And what is a Templar?"

He looked at Charles to give him an answer.

"An elite soldier of Bern," he said.

Instructor Johnson merely smiled at his answer and replied, "A soldier? Perhaps... Elite? Could be…" We would later come to realize that this was his polite way of saying we were wrong.

"I know that all of you want to become a Templar for different reasons. For some, it's to fulfill a tradition. Others, in pursuit of ambition. There are even those who seek security, understandable given the hard times," he said. By this time, he had the complete attention of everyone in the class, including me.

"But do not forget our most important role. We are guardians, protectors of the people and the Empire. You'll hear this a lot from the other instructors, but when an enemy attacks, we are the first to fight… and the last to surrender."

He paused for a moment to let the words sink in. If this was a motivational speech, he certainly succeeded in his task.

"Alright, that's enough rambling from me. You're all dismissed for the day. Go ahead and enjoy yourselves."

With that said, he gathered his papers from the podium and walked out the classroom door.

 

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3: Chapter 1B - Tense Introductions

Chapter 1B – Tense Introductions

With class done for the day, most of the cadets rushed out of the classroom to avoid the crowd at the cafeteria. I was still putting my textbooks away when Amelia asked, "Hey, you guys want to get some food?"

I nodded and said, "Sounds good to me. Charles?"

"Oh, I'm famished," he replied.

Having agreed to the plan, the three of us stood from our seats and left for the hallway. We had Charles lead the group as he was the only one who had memorized the school map.

"If I recall correctly, the cafeteria should be this way," he said, pointing to the left at a fork in the hallway. Amelia and I exchanged impressed glances. If there was one thing I could trust about Charles, it was his incredible memory. As we continued walking, there was an awkward silence between us. I could tell that they were worried about me, most likely my lack of points. But they kept to themselves.

We strolled towards our destination, admiring the marble colored walls lined with portraits of past Templars, many of whom were famous for their accomplishments in battle. When we came to the end of the hallway, I couldn't help but stop when I saw the last portrait.

Amelia, having noticed my absence a bit later, tapped on Charles's shoulder, and the two quickly doubled back. The portrait in question was the painting of an older woman, probably in her early thirties, with brilliant crimson hair and fiery eyes.

"No way! That the late Templar-Knight Rachel Wallace? Shoot, I heard she once took down an entire company of soldiers by herself! All armed with guns and everything." She stared up at the portrait, her eyes glowing like she was staring at her personal hero—which, in all honesty, she probably was.

"Must've been, like, a hundred guys or something. Pretty awesome if you ask me," said Amelia.

I said nothing and remained staring at the portrait. Painful, sorrowful memories resurfaced against my will. I tried my best to look away, but something about it captivated me, held me hostage with its bitter nostalgia. I noticed under the nameplate was the quotation, "Never Retreat and Never Surrender."

"I suppose 'pretty awesome' is one way to describe her," a familiar voice cried out from behind us. I turned my attention away from the portrait to see Steph admiring it.

"Lady Stephanie!" Charles exclaimed in surprise. He immediately welcomed her with a small bow. "It is an honor to meet you again. Your presence is as powerful as ever."

"Likewise, Charles. You seem more…" Steph hesitated over her words, obviously racking her head for a compliment, "smart than last I saw you."

I quietly chuckled over her words and she shot me an irritated glance to shut me up. Charles, however, bowed even deeper.

"I do not deserve them, but I thank you for your kind words," he added.

"I-It's nothing," Steph murmured.

She then walked up to me, placing both hands on her hips. This was her usual sign of annoyance.

"I got so tired of waiting for you at the cafeteria, I thought you got lost," she said.

I snapped back to my normal self and replied, "I just wanted to teach you the virtue of patience."

Stephanie gave a cocky grin and said, "Is that so? As punishment for being late, you can wait in line for me. Patiently."

She then proceeded to walk ahead, only to stop in front of Amelia.

"You," she said curtly, "What is your name?"

Amelia, caught off guard, was barely able to say the words, "A-Amelia T-Travers, ma'am!" She stood up straight, almost as though she were in the presence of a superior officer. Steph took a hard look at her, examining the frightened Amelia from head to toe. Having satisfied her curiosity, she continued saying,

"Hmm…very good. You may call me Lady Stephanie." With that, she strutted off, holding her head high. Although she acted high and mighty, the portrait had probably disturbed her more than me. Charles and Amelia couldn't see it, but from the corner of her eye, I'm certain I saw a tear.

The three of us quickly followed Steph to the cafeteria, but our little stop had major consequences. The entire room was packed with cadets. It seemed as though every line went on for an eternity. Unshaken, Steph took a seat at a table in the back corner.

"What are you waiting for?" she asked me, "Go and get my food." Steph shooed me away with a couple flicks of her hand.

"Do I look like your servant?" I joked back at her. An interesting fact about the academy was that they forbade cadets from bringing personal servants. Though I doubt the commoners were affected much by this.

"Of course not, servant implies payment."

How could I say no to that cheeky grin? I sighed and resigned myself to being her pack mule. I turned around to see that Charles and Amelia had gone ahead, and they were already halfway through the line.

"You better hurry before all the food runs out," she said, straightening her hair without a care in the world.

"That's okay," I replied, "I'm sure they'll have some rice porridge left for us."

The disgruntled look on her face made me chuckle as I walked to the end a line. I popped my head out to the side, trying to gauge how many cadets there were before me. There had to be at least thirty of them. I was thinking about what meal to order for the both of us when I received a gentle tap on my left shoulder.

"Pardon me, but do you know what this line is serving?"

The voice sounded polite but stern. As I turned to see the person addressing me, my eyes gazed upon a beautiful young woman. She stood upright in a rigid manner, which seemed to accentuate her graceful figure. I took notice of her smooth, long hair and bright eyes as green as an emerald. She had a powerful aura about her, as though she were an important individual. Whoever she was, she was no ordinary woman.

I quickly regained my composure and answered her question.

"Sorry. I just went into the shortest line," I said.

Not wanting to pass up a chance to become acquainted with someone new, I continued.

"My name's Ryan Oxley. What's yours?" I extended my right hand.

"Julia… Stalwart. It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Oxley." She grabbed my hand, shaking it firmly. As expected from her noble-like exterior, her hand was soft, though I could feel some rough patches along the tips of her palm and fingers.

"No need for the formalities," I said, "I'm not a noble."

"Likewise, I would prefer it if you called me Julia."

The line inched forward a bit, but there was still a long way to go. I decided to engage in some light conversation to pass the time.

"So, Julia, are you a first year like me?" I asked.

She nodded and replied, "Yes, I am. Unfortunately, my carriage arrived late and I was unable to attend the morning classes. Quite regrettable."

"Once she mentioned a carriage, I took that as an indication that she was indeed a noble. Curious, I probed further. Out of all the noble families I could recall, I didn't remember the name "Stalwart." I thought perhaps her family was only recently bestowed a title.

"I take it you're in one of the noble classes, then?" I asked.

"That's correct," she said.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's your family's rank?"

It was a simple question, but the way her eyes darted from side to side made me suspicious about her coming answer.

"…W-we are Counts. That is all." She was obviously hiding something, but I believed it would have been rude to pry any further. So I decided to go with it.

"Ah, I was only asking because I have a friend who's also a noble. I just thought that if you two were in the same class, maybe you could become acquaintances." I didn't say anything about Steph being the daughter of Duke so as to not intimidate her. In the Empire, the title of Duke is second only to the Emperor and his children.

"Speaking of my friend," I said, "Would you like to join me and some others at our table? Not all of us are nobles, but..."

She immediately replied, "I'd be delighted to join you."

We kept talking and in no time at all, we were at the front of the line ready to order. I made sure to get two trays, though it was rather difficult carrying both of them.

"Follow me," I said to Julia trying my best to balance the two trays. We made our way to the back of the cafeteria where Steph, Charles, and Amelia were already sitting. Steph steadily tapped her finger on the table, waiting impatiently for my return. Amelia and Charles hadn't touched their food yet, probably so as not to test Steph's patience any further.

"I bring food and a new friend. Everyone say hello to Lady Julia Stalwart; she'll be joining us." I set Steph's and my tray down on the table next to each other and proceeded to continue the introductions.

"Julia, meet Charles, Amelia, and the girl I was telling you about before, Stephanie."

Julia bowed politely before saying, "I hope we can all get along."

Once Julia and I sat down, we all began to dig in. Amelia wolfed down her food as though she'd been starved for days. Scraps of meat and bread were stuck to her face. In contrast, Charles ate in a more refined manner, using his utensils as they were designed for. On the opposite end of the table, Julia and Steph seemed to be hitting it off. Steph was informing Julia of what she had missed in the morning classes. As for me, I quietly enjoyed my meal in the company of friends; both old and new. I would have enjoyed it longer, too, if it wasn't so abruptly destroyed by one man.

"Lady Julia, please forgive the interruption, but might I ask that you and Lady Wallace join me and the other nobles at the front table?" There was a hint of arrogance cleverly disguised within the polite inquiry. I looked up from my tray to see who was speaking to us. Standing behind Julia was a young man, hair blacker than a crow's feathers and piercing black eyes showing nothing but contempt for everyone at the table except Steph and Julia.

"L-Lance! I didn't know you were here—wait, did you say 'Wallace'?" asked Julia. For a moment, her stoic face faltered as she realized who Steph was.

"Yes, my father's the Duke of Parisia," said Steph, "And as for you, your presence here is a bother. Leave us."

Despite the clear order from Steph, the man named Lance stayed and replied, "I was merely suggesting that you'd do best not to associate with… common rabble." His seething words were directed at the three of us sitting on the opposite end.

"For commoners, they provide far better company than a churlish gentleman as yourself," Steph replied.

Unshaken by her words, Lance continued.

"I would not presume to understand your intentions, Lady Wallace. But you should pay better attention to your reputation, considering your father's recently obtained title. There are those who say he only received his rank out of pity for his late wife."

I was ready to get up from my seat and punch him in the face, but Steph spoke before I could move..

"How dare you speak to me in such a manner?! State your name at once!" she shouted. All eyes in the cafeteria were now on us.

"If you had paid any attention in class, Lady Wallace, then you would know that I am Lance Conrad, son of the illustrious Duke of Lyston," he said. My family has proudly served the Empire and the Imperial Family for generations. Including, her Royal Highness, Princess Julia."

At that moment, Amelia spat out soup from her mouth, Charles nearly choked on a piece of bread, and Steph's eyes widened beyond belief. So much for being a Countess.

"You have gone too far, Lance. Cease this at once," she said. She then turned to address us.

"My true name is Julia Lysenberg. Please forgive me for the deception; it was not my intention to cause discomfort." She gently bowed her head toward us.

This meant she was related to Emperor Lysenberg, supreme ruler of Bern. And as Lance implied before, a princess as well.

Charles, Amelia, and I stumbled out of our seats and bowed in reverence. Julia shook her head, saying, "Please, there's no need for any formalities. In fact, I would much prefer if you still called me Julia."

Charles and Amelia hesitantly returned to their seats, although they moved over a bit so as not to be so close to her as they were before. She then turned to Lance and said, "I shall remain here. Why don't you go on and enjoy your lunch in peace? Without me?"

Lance bowed to her, saying in reply, "My most sincere apologies, Lady Julia. I only had your best intentions at heart." His words had absolutely no sincerity.

"Direct your apologies at the lady you have offended. Not me," she replied.

Just as he was about to turn around to leave us, Steph shot up from her seat. We were all taken aback by her sudden action, but before we could recover, she shouted, "A fine charade you have displayed for us, Princess. No doubt you hid your identity so as to insult and ridicule me!"

With her brows furrowed, Julia replied, "I-I would never—"

"You have tarnished my honor, and I would seek to redeem it."

Taking a deep breath, she uttered the words that would soon set in motion the coming events.

"Julia Lysenberg, I challenge you to a duel!"

At that moment, I think everyone in the cafeteria gasped. Lance placed himself before Julia as though to protect her.

"Lady Julia, there is no need for you to partake in this ridiculous farce. I would gladly accept in your stead," he said.

"The duel was addressed to me," replied Julia, "It is Lady Stephanie's right to seek out justice, if I have wronged her." Her emerald eyes stared unwaveringly at Steph's. "State a date and location."

I attempted to ease Steph by placing a hand on her shoulder. I wanted to make sure she didn't do something she'd regret later. However, she immediately shook it off.

"Do not touch me, Ryan! I have no need for your coddling right now!" she shouted. Then, she turned to Julia and said, "We shall have our duel this instant. In the arena!"

Steph then marched out of the cafeteria. I followed her through the door, taking one last glance at Julia. Her eyes were cold, and her face seemed emotionless.

 

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4: Chapter 1C - A Heated Battle

Chapter 1C – A Heated Duel

I caught up with Steph, who stormed down the hall. She expressed all the telltale signs of anger: balled up fists, a rigid back, and a piercing stare. I cautiously placed my hand on her shoulder to which she shrugged off without saying a word. Amelia and Charles came running from behind.

"Hey, what's going on?" whispered Amelia to Charles. Her cheerful demeanor was replaced with a worried pout. Charles's lips twitched into a thin line as he sighed through his nose.

"All I can say is that the world of the gentry is quite different from our own and infinitely more complicated," he replied.

"What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Amelia muttered with a raised eyebrow.

"Even if I could explain it, it still would not make sense to either of us. Now hush, those two have a lot to discuss and would be better off without a couple of interlopers chiming in."

I appreciated his tact in this delicate situation. I had the nearly impossible task of persuading Steph out of this foolish duel, and my time limit was quickly approaching.

"Do you honestly believe that the Princess was trying to embarrass you?" I asked.

"Don't be led astray by that witch, Ryan. She set the whole thing up. Insulting me and my father…" Steph narrowed her eyes at some unknown spot in front of her. "Hasn't her family already done enough harm?"

I had known Steph for many years, but this was the first time I had ever seen her so irate. Her normal level of anger usually just involved a lot of yelling. But her tone just then sounded eerily calm.

"Even if the Princess did plan all this, is a duel really necessary?" I asked.

"And what would you have me do?" she scoffed back.

"I'm just saying, there are more amicable options available."

Steph stopped dead in her tracks. She quickly turned to face me and shouted,

"You would have me be friends with the likes of her?! Have you gone mad!?"

"Think about it, Steph," I insisted. "Wouldn't making friends with 'the likes of her' be better than creating an enemy? You may not like Lysenbergs, but there are plenty of cadets loyal to the Imperial Family."

She turned around in disgust and continued walking at an increasing pace.

"I've heard your counsel, but it's too late now," she said.

She was right. At that moment, we were already in the arena.

The arena was a large facility constructed for one purpose: combat. It consisted of the fighting grounds and an elevated area for seating that wrapped around the grounds.

There were four entrances to the arena, with two on each level. The bottom entrance we walked through, led straight to the fighting grounds.

We had arrived before Julia, but soon enough a large crowd gathered in the stands above us. After all, this was a celebrity duel between the youngest daughter of the Imperial Family and the soon to be Duchess of Parisia. The outcome of this battle was highly anticipated.

Charles and Amelia had already made their way to the stands. I stayed behind for a bit longer.

"Good luck," I said before taking my leave. She didn't reply, instead she nodded her head ever so slightly.

Steph stood motionless at the center of the fighting grounds, anxiously awaiting the woman she had challenged. She didn't have to wait long, because Julia and Lance soon appeared from the opposite tunnel entrance. Lance whispered something into Julia's ear, probably also trying to dissuade her from taking part in the duel. She dismissed him with a slight motion, and he reluctantly climbed the stairs to take a seat. She then walked to the center, stopping within a few steps of Steph.

"Took you long enough," said Steph, crossing her arms.

"A Lysenberg never backs down from a challenge. Now, state your wager," replied Julia matter-of-factly. Whether or not she truly planned to tarnish Steph's honor was beyond me, but the way she acted, as though this duel was just an obstacle to overcome, would only serve to enrage Steph further.

"300 points!" exclaimed Steph. The entire crowd murmured with surprise. It was almost unthinkable that she would wager almost half of her own points. I had no idea what she was trying to accomplish.

"I accept," nodded Julia. The flustered expression on Lance's face was priceless. I guessed he didn't expect things to get this out of hand as well.

Amelia scratched her head saying, "So, can someone explain how this 'duel' thing works?"

"The information on duels can be found in the first years' guidebook," replied Charles, "But judging by your expression, I'm surmising that you haven't read it yet, have you?"

Amelia chuckled like she'd just been caught red-handed. Seizing the opportunity, Charles immediately shifted into lecture mode.

"Sometimes disputes occur between cadets, with the only possible resolution being a direct confrontation. Because we all have tremendous powers, fighting in an unregulated environment would be disastrous. Thus, duels were conceived, and the arena was built to contain such fights."

Amelia nodded and said, "Okay, I get that. So do these duels have rules or something?"

Charles continued his lecture, "Well, when one cadet challenges someone to a duel, the challenger has the right to accept or decline it. If they do accept, then both parties settle on a wager. Points are typically the most common bet. However, there is an exception to this rule."

Amelia's eyes widened with curiosity, "Really? What's that?"

"If the challenger wagers more than half of the other person's points, they are forced to fight."

Steph's wager was probably not more than half of Julia's points. That meant she accepted this duel of her own accord.

"Hold on," Amelia said, "If that's the case, then the upperclassmen would force all of us into duels and kick our butts. So what's stopping them?"

Charles was dumbfounded by Amelia's argument. He didn't have an immediate answer. I'd read the rulebook, as well, and there wasn't a clause restricting upperclassmen from dueling us. But there was a sort of unspoken rule that protected us.

"Pride," I said, "That's why."

Now by this time, Steph and Julia had receded back to the starting positions outlined by white markings on the ground. They maintained their intense staring contest. To them, it was as though the crowd didn't even exist.

"Why are they just staring?" Amelia whispered.

"It's an intimidation tactic," Charles attempted to explain. She wrinkled her nose at this statement.

"Is this another one of those 'world of gentry' things I wouldn't understand?"

"Probably," I muttered.

The length of silence was starting to worry even me.

Out of nowhere, Steph began laughing.

"Is something funny?" asked Julia, her voice sounded emotionless and empty.

With a wicked grin, Steph said, "I was just thinking about your pretty little face being pummeled into the ground. Repeatedly."

Those were some… provocative fighting words.

Steph widened her stance and placed her arms to her side. Everyone knew she was about to summon her Companion.

"Adeena, come to me!"

A vortex of fire enveloped her entire body. I could feel the blast of heat from where I was sitting. If it were me in those flames, I would have burned up in a matter of seconds. Yet a moment later, the firestorm disappeared, revealing Steph unharmed. She now held pair of hatchets; sharp, deadly, and covered from blade to hilt in fire. The audience cheered her on, excited by the fiery display.

"So Lady Stephanie is an Ignis," said Amelia. Charles and I nodded as we had already known beforehand.

"Impressive," said Julia, "Now it is my turn."

Julia stretched out her right hand and recited her own incantation.

"Eurus, grant me power over the wind."

An invisible gust of air smothered her right arm like a blanket. I could only tell there was wind because of the dirt being pushed aside by its sheer force. A bright green light appeared from its center. It began as a small flicker, but quickly morphed into a longer shape and that finally materialized into a bow.

As they had for Steph, the audience cheered for Julia's summoning. Ignoring them, she pulled back on the string to check its tension. Satisfied with the result, she adopted a stance indicative of an archer; feet shoulder width apart and aligned parallel with her target.

"Julia's a Ventus," I said, "This'll be interesting."

The two opponents stood face to face, neither one saying a word. The time for talk had passed. Their dispute could only be solved with violence.

We held our breaths, waiting for one of them to make the first move.

Without warning, wind filled the missing gap between the bow and string in Julia's hands. She released this arrow formed from wind magic. Though her ability to cast it without so much as an incantation was astonishing.

The arrow soared through the air at incredible speed, aimed perfectly at Steph's heart. I imagined that it didn't have nearly enough power to puncture the skin, but an impact would have certainly left a sizeable bruise.

Steph deflected the arrow with ease, then gave an "hmph" like she just swatted a fly. Undaunted by this, Julia let another arrow fly, and another, and so on. The outcome remained the same as Steph knocked away each arrow with a simple swipe of her hatchet.

At this point in time, Julia had the clear advantage because of her range. As long as she kept her distance from Steph, she could control the pace of the battle to her liking. Steph knew this, but from the look on her eye I could tell she was going to try a risky maneuver to close the gap between them as quickly as possible. She was willing to gamble her speed against Julia's arrows.

"Your Companion seems tough," Steph said, planting both feet firmly on the ground. She was trying to buy some time while she built up her energy.

"Yours as well, but what matters more is the user's skill," replied Julia. "A child can create a forest fire, but that does not mean it is more powerful." That was not a very nice burn—pardon the pun.

She readied her bow, wary of Steph's true intentions.

"We'll see who's the child," Steph hissed out between her teeth.

Julia shot another arrow. As if waiting for this opportunity, Steph sprinted towards Julia like a lightning bolt. She blocked the arrow as it came in range, doing little to slow her down.

"Whoa, she's fast!" said Amelia.

"Yes, and reckless," I replied, biting my lip. If this were any other battle, she would have used her greatest attribute, speed, to flank around her opponent. She'd never launch a direct assault.

Returning to the battle at hand, Steph had already cleared more than half of the original distance between her and Julia. I thought it strange that in this entire time, Julia had not moved from where she stood. Perhaps it was stubbornness that kept her there. Regardless, Steph only had a few more steps before she could finally switch to the offensive. As a last resort, Julia aimed an arrow at Steph's legs, hoping to slow her down.

Steph launched herself into the air, barely avoiding the arrow. She raised her hatchets high above her head and descended just as quickly. A trail of fire marked her descent as the twin hatchets connected with the emerald bow.

Steph summoned all of her strength to push Julia back, but her opponent would not relent. Sparks flickered and flew into the air as the hatchets grinded against the surface of the bow.

In the midst of their struggle, a sickening crack emerged from the bow's base. Julia had to do something, but Steph kept up the pressure. With one more push, she shattered the bow in half, which disintegrated into particles of light. Donning a wide smirk, Steph swung the final blow.

My eyes widened when I realized Steph's intentions. Whenever she sparred, she would always use the blunt side of her hatchet, but this strike of hers was with the bladed edge.

Amelia shielded her eyes with her hands, unwilling to witness the outcome. Even Charles couldn't stand to watch and averted his eyes. I clenched my fists, praying that this would end without bloodshed.

Julia took a single step back. The moment right before Steph's hatchet would rip through her body, she muttered a couple of words that only she could hear.

A mysterious force deflected what was meant to be the killing stroke. Steph herself didn't understand what had happened, and neither did I. Victory had been within her grasp, yet her opponent remained standing. She attacked again, thinking it must have been a fluke.

Julia swung her arm towards the hatchet, and repelled it with a blast of wind. Somehow, Julia had manipulated the wind around her hands to create a makeshift blade. Those words she spoke earlier must have been an incantation. She may have lost her bow, but that didn't leave her completely defenseless.

Looking at Steph's face, I could tell that she had also figured out what happened, but she didn't care. She launched a flurry of strikes, all of which were deftly blocked by Julia's Wind Blades.

She tried to push her opponent back, but Julia remained firm. She was simply biding her time, waiting for Steph to tire out and slip up. If Steph were at the top of her game, she would have realized this and shifted her tactics. But rage and bitter stubbornness refused to let her mind think of anything else.

"Dammit! Why can't I hit you?!" she cried out. At that exact moment, her strike missed Julia completely. Her entire body was left exposed. Julia aimed the palm of her hand at Steph's chest and recited another spell.

A surge of wind propelled Steph off her feet, and she flew back halfway across the fighting grounds. It took all of her dexterity to land on her feet.

Still recovering from the last blow, Steph could only watch as Julia took two steps forward. One to regain her lost ground. The other to show who was winning this battle.

The two stopped fighting for a moment to catch their breaths. Both of them showed sweat and fatigue on their faces. The battle was almost over. Steph had exhausted most of her strength. Julia had consumed most of her mana. But these women were too proud to throw in the towel without a clear victor.

"I'll admit, you're somewhat strong," said Steph, breathing heavily.

"Shall we declare a tie, then?" replied Julia in a similar manner.

Steph shook her head, "Not when I'm about to win."

Steph took her hatchets and connected their hilts together into an "S" shape. Then, bringing her arm back, she began twirling the new weapon at an increasing rate. Intense flames formed from the center of the weapon only to be rung out to the sides, creating a wheel of fire. When she was satisfied, she let the weapon loose shouting,

"Take this, Burning Cyclone!"

A column of fire advanced towards Julia, leaving nothing but scorched dirt in the wake of its path. The flames were so bright and hot that many of the audience members cried out in fear. I had to squint my eyes to avoid the brunt of the intense light.

Despite the obstacle before her, Julia remained calm. She took a deep breath, lifted both arms, and stared at the whirlwind of fire without fear. She then opened her mouth to recite an incantation.

"Wind Blast!"

An even stronger gust of wind than before shot out of Julia's hands, colliding with the pillar of flame. The extreme heat was being pushed aside by the wind, and the fire waned to the point where the original hatchets could now be seen. But the weapons still had enough momentum to strike their intended target. Julia's answer was—

"Wind Blade."

A precise strike at the center where the two hatchets were connected was enough to split them apart. They flew in opposite directions and narrowly missed her. When they collided against the walls of the arena, the crimson hatchets disintegrated in a similar fashion to the emerald bow.

"We are both weaponless," said Julia, "I believe that makes it a tie."

Steph grit her teeth in contempt, but Julia was right; the duel was over.

"I'll settle for a tie this once, but you won't be so lucky next time," she replied before walking off with her signature, "hmph."

Back in the stands, an ecstatic Amelia could barely hold in her excitement.

"That was awesome! Lady Stephanie was so fast, I could barely keep my eye on her. And the Princess was so cool and calm the whole time!"

"Lady Stephanie has certainly improved since the last time I saw her fight," said Charles.

"Wait, so if this is a tie, does that mean no one gets any points?" asked Amelia.

Charles rubbed his chin, trying to come up with an answer, "I'd assume so, yes."

Steph stared up at me as she walked into the tunnel below.

"I think Steph's waiting for me downstairs," I said getting up from my seat, "I'll see you two at dinner."

They waved goodbye as I headed down the steps to the fighting grounds. I looked across the way to see that a crowd of cadets had swarmed around Julia, showering her with praise and adoration. For a split second our eyes met, and in that short span of time, I felt a distinct tinge of sorrow coming from those emerald eyes of hers.

I continued into the tunnel. There I found Steph leaning against the wall. Arms crossed, head down, scowled expression; although they tied, she took it as a complete defeat. Upon seeing my approach, she pushed herself off the wall and faced me.

"Honestly, Ryan. You always make me wait," she said.

I shook my head in disbelief, "Is that the only thing you have to say to me?"

"No," she replied, "I'm hungry. Let's get something to eat."

This was classic Steph. Whenever she did something wrong, she'd always try to change the subject.

"You just ate, and dinner's not for a couple more hours."

"Aw, just a little snack. Please?" She gave me a this cutesy look that would have swooned over at least a hundred men.

"Fine, let's go," I sighed.

Steph grinned like a spoiled child after getting what she wanted. She pulled on my apathetic arm, trying to force me to move faster. For someone who just fought an intense battle, she sure had an overabundance of energy.

I sighed once again and together we left the arena.

 

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Thanks for reading and please review.