Another year has passed, Kelly created a routine for me throughout the year. Wakeup eat breakfast with her, followed by studies on the various kingdoms, houses and clans in the world and their customs. Then a break normally lunch, after which Kelly showed me how to use my arcane magic. Apparently I was a unique and rare mage. Typically mages used arcsoul, the power or soul of Vala, the one and only god. I on the other hand used arcsoly, my own soul. This was both a blessing and a curse. My soul could grow stronger the more I used it and manifested in different forms. Yet it could in theory be destroyed killing me. There was no way around it but to strengthen it. So everyday Kelly made me summon my darkness, the same one from the cave and made me expand it as far as I could. It was hard at first but now I could safely fill an entire room with it.
Kelly told me I couldn't learn other ways to manifest it since it was against law to teach unless I was a student and disciple of the tower of arcane. There or should I say here since I live there yet not a part of, I would learn all there is to know. Kelly tells me that the high arcana has found me a teacher with the same type of magic to teach me. It's a unique way of teaching at the tower since most students have been thought together in small groups. A one on one is rare, only granted to high potential disciples.
Then at evening a class of the various types of combat is done with Kelly not holding back any punches. Although she is sorry and heals my wounds after, she assures me it's for my own good. Although gruesome, I expect no one else to come close to beating Kelly other me, her prodigal child as she says .
This all leads to today, the start of the semester. Kelly, high arcana and the queen denied me going to the entrance ceremony. They still value secrecy above all else even if I've been proven to keep a secret. I was stuck in my room waiting for a mage of the tower to guide me to my mentor. Kelly was stuck in the ceremony, she was to be a teacher as it was decided to be easier to keep her relationship with me secret.
A knock on the door occurred and I got up to open it. A mage in a dark green robe that covered his whole face with only his eyes being seen motioned for me to follow. As he guided down the corridor, each twist and turn made me realize he was blind. Surely the workings of high arcana and even blind he knew every step of the tower. He lead to an area I had never seen before, to large ornate door.
He bowed in my direction and left. I took a moment to compose myself before knocking. "Enter" Said a harsh irritated voice.
Upon entering my eyes were greeted with a room the size of a coliseum. In the centre was tall imposing man. His hair was a dark brown patched with a wall kept beard. He was muscular, from more than anyone I've seen in the tower. The feeling he gave was similar to odd wall of old prison. I instinctively felt that this encounter was destined to be unpleasant. The clothes he weared seemed geared for a harsh environment as if expecting to get his hands dirty.
"Stand in position in front of me now creature. Time is of essence."
As instructed ,I stood in front of him. His gaze scrutinizing my being. He began circle around me, eyeing up and down.
"Are you to be my mentor-", a vivid blur appeared for just a heartbeat of a moment knocking me to the floor. My left cheeks burning as if the skin was burnt off.
"Speak when spoken to arcfai." Spitting on the floor as if the name was disgusting to pronounce.
"Get up! You weakling !"
I got up, still bewildered by what was occurring. I looked at him, my left eye seeing bits of stars at it's edges.
"To answer your question creature, yes I was made to be your teacher. As mentor and disciple, complete and utter honestly between us is necessary for this relationship to flourish. I am greatly displeased to be your mentor, the very act of teaching a arcfai will be a tarnished stain on my honor. You will learn everything about arcsoly that there is but do not expect me to rejoice at your progress. Now first lesson, this is a concept you must be familiarized with and one you still failed to grasp. Gather your arcsoly!"
I pulled all darkness I could afraid if it wasn't up to par.
"Dodge!" He said as he formed a fist.
As a reflex I moved backwards to distance myself from yet I didn't see his fist move when my stomach crumble into itself. My vision blurred and I felt vomit coming from throat still unable to register what happened. As if being smacked back to reality my vision returned focus on the ground as I puked over the coliseum floor.
I spent at least three minutes vomiting uncontrollably. I started at my mentor who was at the center while I was lunched near the door of my entry.
"Pathetic, truly pathetic. What has Kelly shown you? Arcfai you movement is lacking almost compared to your existence. Dodge again!"
From this distance I managed to see a small line as he closed the distance. Before I could even breath he had me by the throat held to sky.
"If this is all you can muster, I might as well let myself succumb to shame at being your mentor. If you by chance and I mean by chance you can understand love, if you value Kelly. Keep everything hear a secret, your training not to be some anointed student but thee chosen. Argh disgusting having to count on you to save us."
He threw me to the floor grasping for air.
"If you accept my mentorship I swear that you'll be at least on par to an arc knight. All I ask of you is to grit your teeth and accept what's to come. If you need a incentive, consider the life of Kelly in risk of dying a horrid death if you fail arcfai."
I want to walk away no run, this man no this monster didn't care for my well being. But Kelly, what risk could their be, I still have little understanding of my position in this world. The thought of the woman who gave me freedom dying do my fear of this man. I can't allow it.
I stood again, still exhausted and in need of air. "I accept your mentorship"
His gaze of disgust and hatred remained under changed. "My name is Jonathan Prolyvass, brother to queen Nora Prolyvass. For the following evening, your being is under my protection. Failure to do so will result in death as order by the queen. Now let us resume the lesson."
He grabbed me by the shoulder, his nails digging into my flesh. In swift motion he infused us in his arcsoly, the color a dark red and slammed into the wall of the other side.
I fell once more to the ground dazed by the impact. "Now is not the time for rest arcfai you useless piece of shit! Get up!"
I tried with all my might to stand but legs kept giving in and I came crumbling to the floor again.
"This is a sad sight arcfai, if I opened the door and let the world see this sorry sight the masses will roll over and strangle themselves to death. Get your act together, this is nothing compared for what's to come, get up! Or do I need to use Kelly as a incentive? Hmm?"
He kept mocking me until I stood up. "My name is Ruv-" A quick knee to the stomach silenced me.
"Everytime that name is pronounced in this coliseum, pain will accompany it. Now then let's resume the lesson."
Time rolled differently, distorted by the pain he inflicted upon me. My mind stopped processing the ridiculousness of the act of staying rather then fleeing. All my thoughts were made up one sentence "get up!", followed by the slurs Jonathan threw at me.
This painful agony, when will it end? My body has drenched the sand of the coliseum in shade of red. How long can I continue?
My vision was dark, unable to see what was happening. All engery was spent on standing what use was sight? Then I felt a warm rich liquid flow down my throat.
Every inch of my being felt reborn, and I turned on my side vomiting again. A black liquid came out, filling my mouth a sour bitter taste.
"That is the end of the today's lesson." Said Jonathan.
He crouched next to me, as I laid on the floor puking. "In case you haven't learned today's lesson, it's pain. Pain is not real arcfai, it's nothing more but a signal sent by your mind to notify about damage done your body. Pain is a illusion that clouds the mind in battle. I suggest you learn to differentiate real pain from that of the flesh or else learning anything in my class will be impossible. Your dismissed."
With a sway of his hand, a wave of arcsol pushed me without a care outside the door from which I came. I heard a soft "fa" as he did the movement.
I ramed my body into the opening it wide open with rapid lunch of it. The aura of arcsol around broke part of the impact I still manged to bang my knee on it.
The doors closed with a bang once outside. I took a couple of seconds to breathe in and out to calm myself. I checked my recently injured knee and saw it start to bruise. I checked the rest of my body yet not a scratch was left. My clothes had no tears either, I'm sure I bleed out a river of blood how is this possible.
I scanned the large ornate door, upon closer inspection I saw hieroglyphics similar to the ones on the artifact that made me the chosen.
Out of curiosity I touched the door this time leaving my palm on it. This time nothing, I tried pushing it open to no avail. Perhaps this room is an artifact, one who's purpose is to train or something more. Otherwise there would be a line of people waiting to enter but the corridor it resides in is dirty. With dust accumulating at the corners and a lack of life, something felt only in abandoned places.
I waited in the corridor for the same man who brought me to apear. Minutes passed by as I realized no one would come so I decided to leave.
I exited the corridor and turned left not knowing what area of the tower I was. I walked about twenty feet until i hit a dead end around the corner. I turned around and headed the other direction yet I didn't cross the corridor with door. Turning yet again to see if by chance I missed it I was greeted by a wall five feet behind me.
The tower, it's as if it were alive guiding me to the exit. I continued to walk the long hallway it laid before me. Their were sounds and echos close now and knew the end of the hall was near. Louder and Louder they grew until i heard them just around the corner. When I was met in a instance to a hallway filled with students who enrolled here.
I backed away from the new environment, being in a crowd was still beyond my social skills. One step back trying to retreat in the comfort of the mysterious corridor but I hit the wall an inch behind me now. To hell with these accursed walls!
I felt my heart rate accelerate rapidly, the sounds, no the echos just like back then. Cave the cavren they stuck me in, no wrong again Ruvan us. Us who the others where in there. I can hear their echos again, please no more. I silence!
"Hey, you alright? John I found him, tell Juliana. Come with me Ruvan ."
He put his hand on my shoulder and it was only then that I realized I was crouched on the floor holding my legs to my ears to block out the noise.
"Just focus on my voice I'll guide you out of here." The man said as he grabbed my arm and lifted me to my feet supporting my weight. We walked through the hallway each step disorienting, the echos bouncing off the walls, these bloody walls.
"In here, yes that's it nice and easy now, sit right there. Don't move I'll be right back don't be startled I'll bring my siblings with me. We've been wanting to see you and you have my word as prince John of Alayren that no harm will come to you here. Well at least not in our bedroom."
I finally opened my eyes, just now noticing I had them closed and used my ears for sight like in the pass again. I looked at the man who was actually a teenager like myself. Vibrant blonde hair, his hair was curly and in disarray yet manged to remain elegant. He his dark blue eyes where gentle and matched perfectly with his kind face. His appearance was very approachable somehow radiating a sense of calmness and kindness, as if you could the trust the man in front of me with your sorrows.
I nodded, failing to register that he knew who I was and that I just met a prince, member of the royal family and forgot my etiquette. Kelly would be disappointed of my lack of manners and my secret being figured out on the first day of the semester.
I heard a knock on the door after a sort moment passed, "it's me Ruvan, don't be frightened. I brought my brother and sister okay? Were coming in."
"Okay" blurted out of my mouth, not yes prince or your royal highness. I really am a sorry sight today and I'm in their room to top it off while their asking to enter it.
John entered first offering me a reassuring smile. Then entered both his siblings. The man was broader then John with well kept muscles. Handsome with a haircut cut short at the sides with top of his hair combed back with the glow of their natural blonde hair paired with same dark blue as John. The sister was the same height as them with long blonde hair coming down to her shoulders in waves. She had her mother's hazel eyes and yet instead of having that prideful look, it was exchanged by intelligence. She was beautiful but what I found most remarkable were the dots on her face the Kelly once described as freckles. Her appearance was so unique to me I couldn't stop staring until I heard a cough.
It came from the other prince who suddenly was next to me offering his hand for a handshake. "A pleasure to finally meet you, please call me Harrison but I prefer if you called me Harry. That way we can get the formalities out of the way."
I shook his hand, "my names Ruvan Braxe, a pleasure your highness."
He grinned and backed up so his sister could greet me. "Hello Ruvan, we've heard much about you, much being warnings of what you are but I'm pleased to see the rumors where fake. Please call me Juliana. "
I shook her hand but couldn't help asking "rumors? About me, how?"
They looked at each other, seemingly coming to a conclusion on how to approach to topic.
John spoke first, "take a seat please, matter as fact we all should." To which we followed. He continued, "our mother, the queen. Spoke to us or should I say the rest of the family about you, well the chosen to be precise. Mother's hope was that we could be candidates for being one of you sentinels, best case we all are to which we can all agree would be lovely. At least that's what we hope the decision would be yours. "
Harry joined in "Ruvan if your worried that your secret was leaked, it wasn't but that doesn't mean it won't. If you let us we will prove to be worthy sentinels and if you want as well, friends."
John mirrored that sentiment "Ruvan, I can tell we'll do great things together. First off allow us to invite you to dinner, not here but outside. From what I understand you haven't left the tower do your discomfort of crowds, don't worry I have a location. It's discreet and perfect for us all to get to know each other we'll go right away-"
Juliana interrupted, "Ruvan there is no need to accept yet. We still have time, if it feels like, we didn't mean to push this on. Feel free to reject us no harm done." Her voice was kind and understanding.
Although the thought or concept of a sentinel is still unknown to me, the outside world. I was hoping to go yet my anguish of crowds and noise kept me from those dreams. The thought of save secure location never appeared in my head.
I looked at them, I may not know them but I do feel a sort of instinct that they can be trusted. "Um how but dinner first before we do anything else we might regret."
Harry chuckled, "it wouldn't be the first time I skipped dinner for dessert." To which Juliana smacked his arm lightly "don't corrupt the chosen with your tastes."
I failed to understand the hidden meaning and wanted more clarification on the subject, "are desserts worth eating out first?"
Laughter erupted from Harry, "Always Ruvan, I could say other wise or I would be called a liar from the fair maidens of the kingdom."
Juliana began to discuss with Harry on his manners and place as prince while John got up to take a few things from his desk.
"Come Ruvan, if it gets to loud, please speak out I'd hate to make a mess of things, after all mother doesn't know of our little excursion. " He guided me into the hallway once more while holding his hand to my back to show me the way.
They took me to the lower floors until we reached the ground floor were a carriage waited. The ground floor was built to house all manner of guests along their modes of transportation and luggage. It sported tall ceiling and was open without any walls other than the ones blocking the outside world.
We got on their luxurious carriage furnished with comfortable seating and polished wood.
"Don't worry Ruvan, while we make our way to the location planned, the sounds of the people shouldn't be enough to harm you." Said John while offering a warm smile.
I gazed to the exist of the tower nervous as the carriage started moving. Will the outside be the same as in here or does it simply make no reason as the various concepts of society Kelly taught. All those thoughts diminished as the door open revealing the grand kingdom of Alayren.