ACT III
THE PARVIAN MESS
As Hans sat across from Walter, he kept his face neutral, heeding Walter's latest advice. But Walter's words had a peculiar tone to them, causing Hans to sense that there was more to this than meets the eye. Sure enough, as Walter handed him a piece of paper, Hans could see that there were strings attached to this offer.
Hans scanned the list of choices, divided into three departments: mage, knight, and production.
From mage department
Spell theory
Mage battle
From knight department
Soul weaponry
Swordsmanship
From production
Agriculture - (Botanical garden facility)
Beast hunting
As Hans continued to scan the paper, his mind raced with other thoughts. The choices presented to him were no coincidence - each option seemed tailor-made for his interests and skillset. But before he could delve any further into his thoughts, Walter interjected. The man had a way of interrupting Hans at the most inconvenient times.
"We made a deal," Walter said firmly, "and now I'm showing you my sincerity by paving your way to the Glory Wars Junior League. But you have to win, Youngest. You have to win that damn thing."
Hans knew that Walter was right. The one thing he could rely on when it came to this man was their exchange deal. Walter had promised to give him the second book, and in exchange, Hans had agreed to compete in the junior league and secure a runner-up position at the very least to enter the treasury of Alliance.
The First-years at Concordia were often kept isolated from their seniors, leading to a lack of knowledge about their accomplishments. But in the sixth month of the year, the event did happen and Concordia secured third position in the senior league and second in the higher league.
It was expected, Concordia had lost the rights to host the event to the Alliance some years ago, and the school had not made much of an effort in the Glory Wars after that. Instead, they focused their attention on the Red Demon Trials, a graduating event for seniors, and most of the under-graduates spent their time developing their skills further rather than showing off in glory wars.
But now, Concordia was determined to reclaim its former glory and the upcoming junior league was the perfect opportunity to do so. The school was buzzing, promoting the events since the beginning of the year and adjusting its schedule to focus on the big event.
Hans left Walter's office and quickly submitted his choice to the Prophets' second-year management. He had Walter's written arrangement in hand making the process quite easier.
As the tenth month came to a close, the first annual holidays were just days away. The Concordia academic year followed a unique schedule, with classes running from the first month to the tenth, followed by a three-month holiday.
With just a week left until the holidays, Hans and his friend met at the Griffin's Nest cafe as they often did. Today, they were there to celebrate their successful promotion to the second year.
As they sipped their drinks, Hans turned to Chris and asked,
So, did you get settled in the Talons?
Chris was holding back for some time and Hans's question poked him like a balloon and he also burst like one. "My roommate is a third-year senior, man. My luck sure sucks. Out of all the seniors, I got stuck with the one with the worst personality." His disappointment was palpable, and Hans and Delimira shared a sympathetic glance.
"Why?" asked Hans, curious to know more.
Chris looked at Hans with annoyance and said,
The first thing that jerk of a senior said was that if I made a girlfriend he would kill me.
Hans couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Well, looks like you'll have to stay single then.
Chris ignored Hans's mockery and turned to Delimira.
So, did you move into the dorms?
Delimira replied indifferently,
No, I'm staying with my mother. It's much more comfortable.
Chris was annoyed at both of them. He was the only one suffering through this ordeal, and it seemed like no one cared. Already knowing the luxurious treatment of the Prophets, no one bothered to ask Hans about his living conditions. Hans was ready to flaunt any moment, but he had to remain silent because no one seemed interested. It left him feeling disappointed.
So he interjected with some small talk.
"When are you guys leaving for the end-term holidays?" he asked casually.
Delimira spoke up first, pointing towards Chris.
"He's leaving in a few days, but I'm staying put," she replied.
Chris couldn't resist teasing her.
"Oh, if she goes now, I'm sure they'll betroth her to some noble prick," he joked.
Hans raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Wait, didn't you say she was already betrothed to some guy named Theodre..?
In a rush, Chris attempted to shut his blabbermouth friend's mouth, but it was too late. The water had already spilt out. Delimira shot a furious glare at Chris, her anger towards him mounting by the second. In frustration, Chris turned to Hans and shouted,
You weren't supposed to say that to her face, man!
Hans tried to mumble a response, but Chris's hand-gag muffled his words. Delimira, on the other hand, spoke in a sharp tone,
What kind of friend are you? You told him that?
For once, Chris found some courage and decided to talk back.
Oh, come on, Deli. He's just a fictional character that your mother made up to make you happy. If he actually existed, she would have found him by now.
As Chris continued to speak, Hans knew that his friend was digging his own grave. He couldn't stand by and watch Chris do something unsalvageable, so he interjected again,
So what was his name again?
Delimira's anger quickly turned towards Hans, as he stuck his thumb into someone else's pie. She shot him a cold and dismissive look, saying,
None of your business.
Hans knew that Delimira might not consider him a true friend, but he still cared deeply about Chris. He thought that diverting her anger towards him was the right thing to do. So, he tried to lighten the mood by joking, "Noneofyourbusiness, that's a long name."
Delimira was about to express her true feelings of anger towards both of them, but something suddenly happened that made her stay silent. Ever since her toddler days, she had always been very sensitive, perhaps something she inherited from her father. She could feel her senses going haywire, and it was enough to leave her speechless.
Hans braced himself for Delimira's lash-out, expecting her to spare Chris. But as she fell silent, an odd feeling started to creep up on him too, as if something was off about the situation. Chris could sense the tension building between his two friends and feared they might come to blows. But before he could say anything, both Delimira and Hans covered his mouth with their hands.
"Shhhh..." Delimira whispered, "Something's not right here. We need to leave."
Hans nodded in agreement, acknowledging Delimira's sharp judgement. Chris followed their lead, and as they exited the building, the eerie silence that had surrounded them was broken, as if they had just stepped out of a vacuum.
Delimira's quick senses kicked in, and she cast a spell to shield them from any possible danger.
A spherical ball of rotating wind enveloped the three, shielding them from all directions.
Suddenly, a bomb went off right behind the cafe, engulfing everything in the vicinity. The building was destroyed, but Delimira's spell remained unwavering. When the shockwave stopped, she looked past her WindShield and was ready to head towards the bomb blast. However, Hans grabbed her hand and stopped her in her tracks.
Delimira frantically shook off his grip, asking him,
What are you doing? We need to help people!
Hans stood firm, and shouted back at her,
Stop, you idiot! No one is insane enough to kill someone in Concordia!
Delimira was about to refute his claim, but as she looked at the still-standing WindShield, she realized that the bomb was not lethal. Then Hans added words with confidence,
It's a distraction.
Hans scanned the area with his ManaVision, but there was no sign of life. Had everyone in the cafe been killed, or was there no one there to begin with? He realized they hadn't seen any staff fleeing the scene.
"There is no one there," Hans concluded.
Chris was still fixated on their previous conversation. "Distraction for whom?" he yelled.
Delmira shook her head.
Certainly not us. We need to alert the people rushing here.
Suddenly, another bomb exploded nearby, and several more followed in quick succession. The trio hurried to Concordia, where they ran into their seniors. Hans tried to speak to them, but they were too shocked and panicked to listen to a first-year student when bombs were going off here and there.
But Delmira was different. Her words made sense to some of the seniors, and they divided into groups. Half of them went to investigate the bombing, while the others accompanied Delmira to Sentinels to brief Aredhel on the possibility of a distraction.
Chris chose to split up with Hans and head to Talon's castle, while Hans made his way towards Prophets. As he sprinted towards Walter's office, he noticed the guards giving him a wide berth, not wanting to disturb the high-end noble. He burst into the unlocked office and was met with a scene of utter chaos - the place had been completely ransacked.
His mind immediately went to The Solar Mage book, and he hurried to the drawer where he had seen Walter keep it. But his heart sank when he found it missing, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Hans had never considered Walter to be foolish enough to leave such a valuable book lying around, but the fact that it was nowhere to be found made him uneasy. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts and noticing the absence of powerful people from the castle. He pondered, Just what the heck happened during their time in the cafe?
With a growing sense of unease, Hans left the office and made his way towards the only person he could trust to give him the answers he needed. He burst into Vanessa's office and blurted out,
Hey sis, did something happen?
Vanessa greeted her brother with a warm smile,
Oh my, you are visiting quite often, dear brother, not that I mind.
But Hans wasn't there for a friendly chat. He pressed on,
Oh, come on don't change the subject.
Seeing Hans this anxious, Vanessa spoke the truth,
We captured a spy from Eclipse this morning, that's why the higher-ups are in Area 11
Hans's heart skipped a beat as he remembered the forbidden island of Floatlands where the most dangerous criminals were held. And the name Eclipse only added to the gravity of the situation - they were the notorious secret organization that had split from their mother nation "PARV" under the leadership of Xandor.
Vanessa furrowed her brow in thought before responding,
That's not enough of a distraction. If people get hurt, it will negatively impact the negotiations.
Hans still seemed unsure, so he asked her,
What does that mean?
It means it wasn't a distraction. Were you with your friends?
"Damn it", she cursed, "Then your friends are in trouble. It wasn't a distraction, but an attack. All three of you are special enough to be used as bargaining chips."
***
AnnouncementNEXT : THE FIFTH BOOKHOLDER
ACT III
THE PARVIAN MESS
As Hans sat across from Walter, he kept his face neutral, heeding Walter's latest advice. But Walter's words had a peculiar tone to them, causing Hans to sense that there was more to this than meets the eye. Sure enough, as Walter handed him a piece of paper, Hans could see that there were strings attached to this offer.
Hans scanned the list of choices, divided into three departments: mage, knight, and production.
From mage department
Spell theory
Mage battle
From knight department
Soul weaponry
Swordsmanship
From production
Agriculture - (Botanical garden facility)
Beast hunting
As Hans continued to scan the paper, his mind raced with other thoughts. The choices presented to him were no coincidence - each option seemed tailor-made for his interests and skillset. But before he could delve any further into his thoughts, Walter interjected. The man had a way of interrupting Hans at the most inconvenient times.
"We made a deal," Walter said firmly, "and now I'm showing you my sincerity by paving your way to the Glory Wars Junior League. But you have to win, Youngest. You have to win that damn thing."
Hans knew that Walter was right. The one thing he could rely on when it came to this man was their exchange deal. Walter had promised to give him the second book, and in exchange, Hans had agreed to compete in the junior league and secure a runner-up position at the very least to enter the treasury of Alliance.
The First-years at Concordia were often kept isolated from their seniors, leading to a lack of knowledge about their accomplishments. But in the sixth month of the year, the event did happen and Concordia secured third position in the senior league and second in the higher league.
It was expected, Concordia had lost the rights to host the event to the Alliance some years ago, and the school had not made much of an effort in the Glory Wars after that. Instead, they focused their attention on the Red Demon Trials, a graduating event for seniors, and most of the under-graduates spent their time developing their skills further rather than showing off in glory wars.
But now, Concordia was determined to reclaim its former glory and the upcoming junior league was the perfect opportunity to do so. The school was buzzing, promoting the events since the beginning of the year and adjusting its schedule to focus on the big event.
Hans left Walter's office and quickly submitted his choice to the Prophets' second-year management. He had Walter's written arrangement in hand making the process quite easier.
As the tenth month came to a close, the first annual holidays were just days away. The Concordia academic year followed a unique schedule, with classes running from the first month to the tenth, followed by a three-month holiday.
With just a week left until the holidays, Hans and his friend met at the Griffin's Nest cafe as they often did. Today, they were there to celebrate their successful promotion to the second year.
As they sipped their drinks, Hans turned to Chris and asked,
So, did you get settled in the Talons?
Chris was holding back for some time and Hans's question poked him like a balloon and he also burst like one. "My roommate is a third-year senior, man. My luck sure sucks. Out of all the seniors, I got stuck with the one with the worst personality." His disappointment was palpable, and Hans and Delimira shared a sympathetic glance.
"Why?" asked Hans, curious to know more.
Chris looked at Hans with annoyance and said,
The first thing that jerk of a senior said was that if I made a girlfriend he would kill me.
Hans couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Well, looks like you'll have to stay single then.
Chris ignored Hans's mockery and turned to Delimira.
So, did you move into the dorms?
Delimira replied indifferently,
No, I'm staying with my mother. It's much more comfortable.
Chris was annoyed at both of them. He was the only one suffering through this ordeal, and it seemed like no one cared. Already knowing the luxurious treatment of the Prophets, no one bothered to ask Hans about his living conditions. Hans was ready to flaunt any moment, but he had to remain silent because no one seemed interested. It left him feeling disappointed.
So he interjected with some small talk.
"When are you guys leaving for the end-term holidays?" he asked casually.
Delimira spoke up first, pointing towards Chris.
"He's leaving in a few days, but I'm staying put," she replied.
Chris couldn't resist teasing her.
"Oh, if she goes now, I'm sure they'll betroth her to some noble prick," he joked.
Hans raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Wait, didn't you say she was already betrothed to some guy named Theodre..?
In a rush, Chris attempted to shut his blabbermouth friend's mouth, but it was too late. The water had already spilt out. Delimira shot a furious glare at Chris, her anger towards him mounting by the second. In frustration, Chris turned to Hans and shouted,
You weren't supposed to say that to her face, man!
Hans tried to mumble a response, but Chris's hand-gag muffled his words. Delimira, on the other hand, spoke in a sharp tone,
What kind of friend are you? You told him that?
For once, Chris found some courage and decided to talk back.
Oh, come on, Deli. He's just a fictional character that your mother made up to make you happy. If he actually existed, she would have found him by now.
As Chris continued to speak, Hans knew that his friend was digging his own grave. He couldn't stand by and watch Chris do something unsalvageable, so he interjected again,
So what was his name again?
Delimira's anger quickly turned towards Hans, as he stuck his thumb into someone else's pie. She shot him a cold and dismissive look, saying,
None of your business.
Hans knew that Delimira might not consider him a true friend, but he still cared deeply about Chris. He thought that diverting her anger towards him was the right thing to do. So, he tried to lighten the mood by joking, "Noneofyourbusiness, that's a long name."
Delimira was about to express her true feelings of anger towards both of them, but something suddenly happened that made her stay silent. Ever since her toddler days, she had always been very sensitive, perhaps something she inherited from her father. She could feel her senses going haywire, and it was enough to leave her speechless.
Hans braced himself for Delimira's lash-out, expecting her to spare Chris. But as she fell silent, an odd feeling started to creep up on him too, as if something was off about the situation. Chris could sense the tension building between his two friends and feared they might come to blows. But before he could say anything, both Delimira and Hans covered his mouth with their hands.
"Shhhh..." Delimira whispered, "Something's not right here. We need to leave."
Hans nodded in agreement, acknowledging Delimira's sharp judgement. Chris followed their lead, and as they exited the building, the eerie silence that had surrounded them was broken, as if they had just stepped out of a vacuum.
Delimira's quick senses kicked in, and she cast a spell to shield them from any possible danger.
A spherical ball of rotating wind enveloped the three, shielding them from all directions.
Suddenly, a bomb went off right behind the cafe, engulfing everything in the vicinity. The building was destroyed, but Delimira's spell remained unwavering. When the shockwave stopped, she looked past her WindShield and was ready to head towards the bomb blast. However, Hans grabbed her hand and stopped her in her tracks.
Delimira frantically shook off his grip, asking him,
What are you doing? We need to help people!
Hans stood firm, and shouted back at her,
Stop, you idiot! No one is insane enough to kill someone in Concordia!
Delimira was about to refute his claim, but as she looked at the still-standing WindShield, she realized that the bomb was not lethal. Then Hans added words with confidence,
It's a distraction.
Hans scanned the area with his ManaVision, but there was no sign of life. Had everyone in the cafe been killed, or was there no one there to begin with? He realized they hadn't seen any staff fleeing the scene.
"There is no one there," Hans concluded.
Chris was still fixated on their previous conversation. "Distraction for whom?" he yelled.
Delmira shook her head.
Certainly not us. We need to alert the people rushing here.
Suddenly, another bomb exploded nearby, and several more followed in quick succession. The trio hurried to Concordia, where they ran into their seniors. Hans tried to speak to them, but they were too shocked and panicked to listen to a first-year student when bombs were going off here and there.
But Delmira was different. Her words made sense to some of the seniors, and they divided into groups. Half of them went to investigate the bombing, while the others accompanied Delmira to Sentinels to brief Aredhel on the possibility of a distraction.
Chris chose to split up with Hans and head to Talon's castle, while Hans made his way towards Prophets. As he sprinted towards Walter's office, he noticed the guards giving him a wide berth, not wanting to disturb the high-end noble. He burst into the unlocked office and was met with a scene of utter chaos - the place had been completely ransacked.
His mind immediately went to The Solar Mage book, and he hurried to the drawer where he had seen Walter keep it. But his heart sank when he found it missing, and he couldn't help but curse under his breath.
Hans had never considered Walter to be foolish enough to leave such a valuable book lying around, but the fact that it was nowhere to be found made him uneasy. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his racing thoughts and noticing the absence of powerful people from the castle. He pondered, Just what the heck happened during their time in the cafe?
With a growing sense of unease, Hans left the office and made his way towards the only person he could trust to give him the answers he needed. He burst into Vanessa's office and blurted out,
Hey sis, did something happen?
Vanessa greeted her brother with a warm smile,
Oh my, you are visiting quite often, dear brother, not that I mind.
But Hans wasn't there for a friendly chat. He pressed on,
Oh, come on don't change the subject.
Seeing Hans this anxious, Vanessa spoke the truth,
We captured a spy from Eclipse this morning, that's why the higher-ups are in Area 11
Hans's heart skipped a beat as he remembered the forbidden island of Floatlands where the most dangerous criminals were held. And the name Eclipse only added to the gravity of the situation - they were the notorious secret organization that had split from their mother nation "PARV" under the leadership of Xandor.
Vanessa furrowed her brow in thought before responding,
That's not enough of a distraction. If people get hurt, it will negatively impact the negotiations.
Hans still seemed unsure, so he asked her,
What does that mean?
It means it wasn't a distraction. Were you with your friends?
"Damn it", she cursed, "Then your friends are in trouble. It wasn't a distraction, but an attack. All three of you are special enough to be used as bargaining chips."
***
AnnouncementNEXT : THE FIFTH BOOKHOLDER
