CHAPTER 78 - THE ACT III
The sound of the birds chirping and the elven people talking in the background became louder as the silence between us grew heavier.
"I know I am asking for too much Elder Virion but this is what I wish to do before things become more stressful than what they are now. There will be a time where I need this authority, the stance of a Lance in this continent." I still kneeled before him like I had rehearsed in my past life. I always thought that this was something I would do if I was ever reincarnated here and then here we are. "I need the authority of a Lance, even if it's for a day, it is something I need. The current plan I have will not advance if I don't have the title of a Lance, a general of this continent. I have… I need to send a message to Agrona and to Keezes when the time comes."
Virion didn't let a word out and instead I could feel his gaze linger on me.
I don't know if it was because of the armor I suddenly made appear out of thin air or my sudden request. Either way, I needed something from him, an expression, an action, something.
"It's okay if you can't give me an answer now, I will wait two days if possible, that is the only time we– I have left. I don't know when they will make their move but I assure you that I will be there and end it before things get out of hand."
My nanotechnology-like suit was drawn back as I got to my feet, meeting with the former elf king with my bare intentions showing. He knew now that I was ready for whatever they had on their table, their ace was going to be destroyed solely by me. That is the reason why I need the title and authority of a Lance. To keep the officials out of the academy when the invasion begins.
The brown eyed elf looked at me with a decision already.
My eyes widened when his words entered my ears.
"I cannot give you this title Luke. If it were to my discretion I would give it to you but such a sudden ascendence just when we lost one Lance would be too chaotic. I am sorry that I can't fulfill this last condition."
"I feared that you would say that." I said truthfully with a wry smile of pure defeat. "Well I guess now I need to use another method to get the Lances not to go to Xyrus." I bluntly said in front of the elf.
Now that my condition and my pure wish was shot down, I began to have many other plans in my head. Multiple where there was no death of the Students or the Professors but it seemed to be easy to execute.
Even with my Tachyon ability, I don't think I would be able to reach Xyrus academy without the loss of mana. Tachyon takes too much mana and concentration to even keep activated even within a short amount of time.
I don't have the flight ability either but I just needed some meditation before I could unlock it.
Just as I began to form some plans, Elder Virion brought me out of my mind. "How long have you been a white core mage brat?"
I stood quiet for a couple of seconds, taken aback by his question. "Not that long ago, surprisingly I wasn't really reaching for a core stage this soon but it works in my favor now."
"Hm. How did you hide this incredible astonishment? I doubt you were just walking around with the white core stage all over Xyrus academy and this city. Did Aya know? Does Alea know?"
"Woah, hold it there Elder Virion. There are too many questions that you seek the answers to but trust me, you and Aya are the only ones that know about this. No one else and please keep it like that, I don't want people knowing that I am a white core mage with just 14 years of age." I replied, holding both of my palms up like a defense against his questions.
Virion let out a soft scoff. "And here I thought that Arthur was the one to reach the white core stage first but who would have thought." His hand was holding his head like it was going to fall off entirely from the sudden discovery of my achievement. "Now boy, tell me, what do you mean when you only have two days left?"
***
It was a cold feeling. Walking around Elshire city, I had only one thing in my mind. What could I do?
What were the things I needed to do? To save those poor lives at the academy?
Could I just stay there at Xyrus?
Or could I leave it to Arthur? No, that would be too selfish on my part. Leaving everything to him while I sat somewhere with my family, away from the front lines and all the chaos. I could just take them to the underground, where the dwarves live, and perhaps get a living there as a mineral miner or something.
I didn't want my family–or Luke's family–to be near a battle where their lives are at stake. I couldn't have what happened to Arthur's father happen to mine.
Dammit…
What can I do?
I thought, eating a meal from one of the vendors I passed by. The view was amazing like always, just like the novel described but it still seemed surreal to be here. I now had the power that I had always dreamed of, the white core. I was now on the same turf as the Lances, but much less experienced in battle and complete warfare. Yet I have no doubt that I could last about 7 minutes against each Lance before admitting defeat.
My eyes trailed off to the crowd of elves walking like nothing was about to happen. That's when I saw a boy with auburn hair, dressed in a black and formal. His black long coat waved with the light breeze.
"He's here." My words were not loud enough for anyone that passed by five feet from me to hear.
He was following a maid, perhaps an elf attendee of the Eraliths.
I finished my meal peacefully before I decided to leave.
Leaving Elenoir, I headed towards the Beasts Glades, where Elder Mordain resided. I needed to have a word with him before I headed to the battle.
Packs of wolven breeds were hostile towards me but they didn't know how strong I was. One of the grey wolven breeds jumped towards me with his jaw open ready to bite me and injure me. Big mistake.
I dodged him by three inches before grabbing his foot, spiking the wolf on the ground with half of the strength I had. The sound of the mutt hitting the floor was louder than its own cry. The others had seen this and it angered them, hatred fired from their white eyes as they furrowed.
That's when two out of the four coordinated an attack towards me, one aimed for my legs while the other aimed for my stomach.
Smart.
I didn't need to activate any abilities or techniques, all I needed was pure raw strength and strategies to kill the mana beasts here in the terrain.
The brown fur wolf rushed from behind me at such a speed, but I cocked my leg like I was about to hit a soccer ball while standing still and let go of it once the time was right. The tip of my foot hit the head of the brown wolf, breaking its skull upon being sandwiched by my foot and the ground. The red wolf that aimed at my stomach was caught by my bare hands. Struggling and fearing its capture, I pried its mouth open and pulled on opposite sides. Its bones could be heard breaking as the blood spilled onto the ground. The organs and its feces spilled all over the place and even towards the two remaining. Thankfully I had a mana barrier protecting me at all times.
The rest of the pack watched, their expression clearly changing from anger to fear as they saw their companion get pulled apart into two.
After they realized that I was no easy prey, they began to run from me. "Foolish." I said lightly with a tone of anger from the recent events I had gone through.
Activating Tachyon, I walked towards them with no rush at all. The seemingly colorful sword cut their heads without much force. The heads of the white wolf and the black wolf rolled opposite to me when I deactivated my ability.
Their blood spilled from their body like some open container of liquid. At first when I did this to the alacryans, I felt sick about it. Killing other beings that have intelligence like us was wrong but as time went on I realized that it's either us or them, and I chose us.
Having no more reminiscences about the past, I continued to walk towards a certain cave where I had been the first time I achieved a mana core.
I wonder if he is expecting me? That thought crossed my mind as I thought about Elder Rinia who had been present at the Elenoir Castle without my need to ask her, perhaps she saw that I needed her help in between one of her visions.
Well, it doesn't matter.
Since I still have some distance to achieve here, I decided to learn mana rotation once more, the perfect version if I do say so myself. The one I tried using and the very same that made me lose my breath every time I deactivated it was annoying me. The much more perfected version was like breathing, a second nature if you would.
I could have asked Art about how it could be learned but it just flew past my mind to even consider asking someone who is a prodigy.
"You seem to be lost in deep thought, young man." A lady's voice went through my clouded mind of pure thoughts.
I gave her a confused and surprised look. Why was she here outside the dungeon?
Paying attention to her movements and my current situation, I retracted my sword back into my dimension ring. Lady Dawn had seen this and let out a sigh of relief but I knew that she was just acting like that, in reality she could have subdued me without much of a fight.
"Wouldn't you being outside compromise the hideout of Elder Mordain with the Asuras?" I questioned, eyeing the surroundings in any case that the Asuras did really find this place and were setting a trap to me. Even as a white core mage, sensing mana signatures of the asura was impossible right now. If they were not releasing their killing intent or something else, I would not be able to ensure my own safety.
Lady Dawn shook her head before signaling for me to follow her inside.
"No. That no longer matters to Elder Mordain or to anyone inside this hideout. We now look for a peaceful way to come to terms with them, especially the Indraths."
"No kidding. The Indraths are just in another level of pure worst negotiations when it comes to other lives."
"Hm. You speak as if you met Kezess and Myre Indrath."
Her brows raised questions about my own nature. I would too but there was too much on my plate to tell lies or half truths. "I have only met one member of the Indrath clan, as for the other two I haven't yet landed an official meeting."
Starring around and giving my greetings to the beings that helped me during my time here for my proper training, I was able to tell that they have come to terms with their current situation. It was a sad reality but nothing could be done now that things have changed.
We stayed in silence as we walked up to where Mordain's chambers were. I knew that Mordain wanted to see me but there was a little stick poking out saying there was something else in play. I needed to be careful and play my cards well if I wanted things to play out good with my current request.
When we arrived outside the door, the phoenix lady turned to me with a facial expression I haven't seen.
"Young lad, I–... I don't know what you are going through right now. There are probably no words that I can say to you now that will help you come out of the grievance but do know that you have my gratitude. You helped me when I was on death's door, when I was sure that I would die in Agrona's jail as an experiment, you helped me." Just before she opened the single wooden door, she spoke once more. "I am here if you need my help. After all, I am in your debt."
"Thank you, Lady Dawn."
I managed to say in a low voice before walking inside and seeing both Mordain and Chul waiting for me to arrive like I was the important figure here.
"Welcome back, Luke Hodges." Elder Mordain said in a well mannered tone unlike before when he would speak in a more soft and calm tone.
Chul was next to speak, saying, "I am sorry for your lost Luke."
I accepted Chul's condolences with a simple nod. I was hoping that they knew I wanted nothing more than to just weep in a room alone as I processed the truth and the reality check I was given by Fate.
"I am sorry for saying this when you came here looking for me but I need to discuss some things with you."
Elder Mordain lifted his hand and opened his palm, revealing the Keystone that Arthur Leywin is supposed to get in a few years from now.