by Za1d3
“You must be Kaidus, Lord Ravon’s little Paragon.” The student spoke, her smirk prevalent.
“I am Kaidus. Lord Ravon is my patron.” He gave her an honest reply while looking her in the eyes. she had green eyes that matched her hair.
There was no use hiding the fact that Lord Gelrin Ravon was his sponsor. Kaidus had deduced that a good portion of the academy already knows, or that they knew a powerful Lord was behind his admission.
Irritation surfaced on her face. A tip of the mouth, a slight of the eye, Kaidus caught them all in an instant before they quickly vanished.
“I am Prim Ashlin Lithius, of the proud Lithius house of Mages that serve directly under his majesty King Sarjace. Second daughter, and third child to attend this prestigious academy.” Prim spoke out her title and family, then leaned in close to him. “I heard about your deficiencies earlier in your summoning class. You would do well to stay out of our way… peasant.” She warned, her last word filled with malice.
“Pleased to make your acquaintance.” Kaidus replied, his voice calm and undeterred.
Seeing his conduct antagonized her even further.
“You will learn your place soon enough.” She smiled a beautiful smile as she spoke those words, before heading back to the group of students.
“Master…” the ring reverberated in his head.
“Stand down Hasen.” He whispered back.
“The wench… dares to… threaten… you…” it continued.
“Enough.” He ordered.
“Yes… master…” submitting, the ring went quiet.
It was not long before the subjugation master arrived and class was underway.
The master had lectured about the necessity of immobilization and its versatilities, demonstrating one of the various ways to immobile a person by using vexatious students as demonstrations.
It was now group practice, and the master was pitting them against each other.
“I don’t think I need to remind you—having already done this plenty of times already. But, just to be sure, NO offensive magic. As usual, the practice will be elimination. You will get points depending on how many of your opponents you immobilize, and my assessment of their strength.”
“Master Keral, what about the new student?” a male student asked.
“Kaidus will sit out this time to get a feel for the practice. As usual, we will start with miss Lithius first.” Master Keral replied. “Prim!”
“Yes master!” The girl eagerly spoke as she came forward.
The practice was a one on one duel in a separate room right next to the lecture hall.
There was an elongated oval made out of wood in the middle of the room—where the duelists would compete.
The practice encompasses spell incantation, invocation speed, strength of the spell, and most importantly: control.
While speed and strength of the spell came into play, it was the amount of strength put into application of the spell—by the user—that is the most crucial. Too much power, and your opponent could be permanently damaged. Not enough, and the duelist would be unable to resist his opponent’s magic.
Like a flame. Feed it just enough, while properly stoking it, and it and your meal will be cooked to perfection. Too much fuel, and the pyre will swallow everything whole leaving nothing but charred remains.
Having given the class the incantation for a simple paralysis spell, master Keral ushered Prim and a girl onto the stage.
“Looks like you are out of luck this time too Shesal.” Prim spoke, grinning at the other girl.
“I’ll definitely have you on the ground begging at my feet this time, Prim.” The girl Shesal replied back jovially.
“Enough talk you two. Begin!”
“Asiran! Notis valian shis-!” Shesal voiced her incantation out loud, while at the same time, prim was silently muttering hers.
Suddenly Shesal’s incantation stopped and she started twitching. She dropped down on the ground and started writhing and convulsing, trying to break free of the binding. A couple seconds later, the movement stopped. She had given up.
Some of the girls cheered while many clapped.
‘She’s good.’ Kaidus thought to himself, having witnessed the spectacle.
Prim’s magic had power and control behind it. The speed was also quite fast.
“Next, we’ll have Ryker take on prim.” The master spoke, having unbound Shesal from her constricted position.
“HERE!” the student called out as he walked out of the audience onto the stage.
Kaidus watched as Prim easily took down her opponents one by one. Overall, half of the class had already lost to her undefeated streak.
“You guys. What have you been doing out of class?!” Master Keral yelled at the class.
“…” no one spoke up.
“You all need more practice! I had thought at least by the 5th one, you would have taken Miss Prim off of her streak. And here 14 of you, single handedly defeated! How did you go from 8 last time to 14 this time?!”
“Even if you say that… Prim is just too strong…” a defeated boy quietly spoke.
“Enough of the excuses! You are all in this class because all of the masters have deemed you adequate. Don’t even dare try to give me an excuse like ‘she’s just too strong’. You all just lack practice and commitment!” an angry tirade came out of the master.
The boy went quiet.
“Any volunteers to take on Prim?” Master Keral asked, looking at the group of students who had not yet had a turn.
“Master.” Prim spoke.
Everyone turned to look at her.
“I’m sure Kaidus has had enough of spectating? Surely any member of the Academy would understand the rules and conducts for this practice by now.” she spoke, genially.
“Hmm…” Pondering about the idea, Master Keral looked at Kaidus.
“We all already know that Lord Ravon was the one who made the exception for him into Zorin. All of us are exceedingly curious about his abilities. You said so yourself, ‘we are all here because we have been deemed adequate’, won’t you allow us this chance to see Kaidus’s abilities?” Prim spoke coyly.
“All of you?” Master Keral looked back at her students. Everyone nodded at him. “Ha… so much for keeping that under wrap.”
“Kaidus, will you please join Prim in the exercise?” Master Keral asked Kaidus. He himself was quite eager to see the potential of the one who the Lord Knight Commander had hastily admitted into Zorin.
“Of course.” Kaidus voiced, as he stepped forward from the audience.
“Don’t go and have a panic attack this time.” A boy jeered out.
“Do you at least remember the incantation?” One of the Kovus boy’s yelled out.
“Go easy on the kid, Prim.” One of the girls chimed in.
“SHOW HIM NO MERCY!” another one yelled out.
Walking into the arena, Prim’s gaze was on him the whole time.
‘So this is what she meant by “you will learn your place”…’ he thought to himself.
A conniving grin appeared on Prim’s face as he took his position and turned to face her.
“Both contestants ready?” Master Keral checked.
“YES!” Prim exclaimed excitedly.
“Yes.” Kaidus spoke.
“Begin!”
As soon as the signal came, Kaidus extended his left hand towards Prim.
The room stopped. The duel was over.
Prim was solidly frozen in place. Her mouth never even had time to mutter a single line of the paralysis incantation.
She was so firmly in place, that even her eyes were unable to blink.
Kaidus lowered his left hand, and calmly turned to look at Master Keral for the duel’s conclusion.
“What’s going on?” The onlookers asked each other, unable to explain what just happened.
“W-winner. Kaidus…” Master Keral spoke, his voice filled with fear and awe.
‘Incredible�
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In that instant after he had signaled to begin the duel, a single blast of condensed mana erupted from the child—Following along his outstretched arm and assaulted Prim. There had been no invocation or anything, his magic had been perfect. Every single ounce of the mana employed had been solely towards the complete immobilization of Prim.
The paralysis magic itself was leagues beyond the simple incantation he had relayed to the class. Even he himself a Malgin would have to take time to invoke such a spell, whilst the child did it without muttering a single word.
‘A Malizur…’ he thought to himself. But in the depths of his mind, he remembers the legendary mages of ages past whose title has fallen into obscurity. Mages who bound spirits to their wills, as easily as breathing. Sorcerers who wove and shaped the world, Tyrants who overthrew Kingdoms with their extraordinary strength, Warlocks who enslaved continents, Enigmas with the power to establish their own kingdoms.
‘Dvitus…’ the word rang sharply in his head.
“Class dismissed…” He called out, requiring time to calm down and collect his thoughts.
All the students had puzzled looks on their faces.
Kaidus made a curt bow towards him, and simply walked out of the room.
It took Keral a combination of three advance incantations to unbind the frozen Prim.
—————
“UNFORGIVABLE! UNFORGIVABLE! UNFORGIVABLE!!!!!!” In her room in one of the female boarding house, Prim was loudly cursing Kaidus.
Born from a family with exceedingly good magical pedigree, she was the youngest of five children and had the most overwhelming amount of mana. She had awoken to her powers two years ago when she was 15, and after having developed her magic to an extent via a home teacher, enrolled into Zorin Academy last year.
Establishing herself as a formidable student, she was quickly elevated to the intermediate courses after only a single year in beginners.
She was always one of the top—if not the top student—in all of her classes.
Especially in subjugation, she was unrivaled ever since the beginning of the new term. But, as abruptly as she rose to the top, some nobody had come and toppled her out of her position.
When the match started, glaring at him, she had caught his eyes. In that instant, a deep fear gripped her and before she knew it, she was already frozen.
She had been powerless in his binding—unable to even cry out at the humiliation. She had tried a counter immobilization-cancel like those her elder siblings had taught her, even attempting an offensive ice spell in her desperation, but her mouth had refused to invoke the incantations.
The humiliation she had to suffer through as he walked out of the class like it was none of his business. The snickering of her classmates as they watched while the master carefully undid the bindings.
“CURSE HIM!! NEVER! I WILL NEVER FORGIVE HIM!!” She screamed.
———–
Four days later, and word had started to spread.
Having taken down Prim, the students from the subjugation class was keeping their distance, and whispers were flying around.
Mirat caught him between one of his classes yesterday and asked him about it.
Having confirmed the rumors, Mirat had warned Kaidus that Prim has lots of friends in high places, and that she may retaliate.
There had been many looks of aggression, but no one had opted to come out and openly assault him.
Possibly until today.
“Can I help you?” He spoke to his stalker.
Ever since the first day where he defeated Prim, there was always two presence following him out of his room and to his classes.
He had decided to confront his stalkers today. Turning the corner of one of the practical buildings to get out of sight of other people, he stood there waiting until his pursuers thought him far enough to follow.
“Uhk!” the boy made a noise, almost bumping into Kaidus.
There were two of them. A male and female student. Both of them were students in his subjugation class, and Kaidus knew them to be of Prim’s inner circle.
“We… we want you to tell everyone the truth!” the boy screamed, a tinge of hesitation and fear in his eyes.
“What truth?” Kaidus replied, uninterested.
“That you cheated.” A prompt reply by the female student.
“The truth is, we had a practice duel, and I won.” Kaidus replied, he was calmer than the two who confronted him.
“We know you cheated! There’s no way a commoner brat like you could have defeated Prim!” the female answered, anger and accusation in her voice.
“…master…” the ring resounded in his head. Kaidus paid no mind to it.
“Do you have proof?” he inquired.
“…” the students had no reply.
“If there is no proof, then please do not falsely accuse me of something I did not do.” He spoke, before turning and starting to walk away.
After a good distance, he hears –
“YOUR DEFEAT IS PROOF ENOUGH!” the girl called out.
Looking back, a raging torrent of flame stormed towards him.
It was a combination attack, swirling about the flame was wind—encircling the fire and keeping it from diffusing into an area while heading straight for him.
A wall of smoke exploded out of the ring on his finger and shielded him.
Before the flame and wind could strike Kaidus, the wall of smoke had swallowed it.
“YOU… DARE…AT MY MASTER…” the cloud had formed into a figure.
Before him stood Hasen, Lord of Shadows, and Ruler of Darkness.
Chapter 18 – Inherent Darkness
“Stand down Hasen! These two are MINE.” A livid tone escaped his mouth—quelling the familiar’s anger instantly.
Memories of past oppression by the same type of people filled his cool calculating mind.
-torture
-death of loved ones
-powerlessly begging
-the darkness
-THE CARNAGE
-the emptiness…
‘Never again.’ he had promised himself. It was time…
“Master…” Hasen muttered, dissipating and retreating into the ring out of fear. The bloodlust emitted by his master was one he had not felt ever since that fateful day outside of Veratoraliz.
Having seen what just happened, the two students were frozen in place. Terror like never before constricted them and refuse to let them escape. Their previous feasible outlook of defeating the child—via ambush—had evaporated. An oppressive presence now coiled about and encircled the two, as if to choke the life out of them.
Watching the child slowly stalk towards them, they noticed.
His usual calm demeanor, all but gone. His body was enveloped by a thin visible film of pure mana—streaking a pale blue here and there as it reflected the sun. His previously childish eyes were dark and lacked any innocence. Inside them, lurked the broken shadow of death.
Powerless as the child closed in on them, the female student started to cry while the male student tightly shut his eyes, unwilling to look at Kaidus any longer.
They did not even have the capacity to think about using their status to bargain, nor the name of their houses.
It was like being in the tight jaws of a Drakall. No matter how much a person begs and plea, in the end, they were just food.
“Open your eyes.” Kaidus spoke to the male student whose knees had given out and was currently eye level with him.
Looking at Kaidus, the student started tearing up.
“Please. *sob* we… we didn’t mean to!” the female inserted in between her sobbing.
“You DARE, lie to me?” Kaidus retorted, his voice emotionless. “Such blatant aggression cannot be construed as “ACCIDENTAL’.”
“P-Please!!! We’re sorry!!” the male student cried out in anguish.
“Do not presume for even a second that—being a child, I do not understand the scorn from all of
you “Elites”. That I will just lie down and be trampled upon for your amusement!”
“Please… please… please… please… please… please… please…” the boy was whimpering as he pleaded, while the girl’s sobbing grew louder.
“Why should I spare cowards, who conspire against me behind my back? Why should I spare you two?” he angrily retorted at the incessant pleading.
“Please forgive us… we *sob* we’re sorry… *sob* we won’t ever do it again *hic*” the female student begged.
Kaidus drew away from staring them down.
“Consider yourselves lucky, for this life has taken too much already.” Kaidus spoke, grinding his teeth to suppress the urge to obliterate the two in front of him.
“Know that your insignificant lives mean NOTHING to me. I am here for answers, not to join in on your petty squabbles. Leave me be, or there will BE no next time.” He advised, before walking away.
Wails of relief exploded behind him.
———————
A good distance away from the event that had just taken place, an academy master had been watching.
Ever since Kaidus’s duel with Prim, Keral had paid close attention to the boy.
It was two days ago when he noticed something peculiar going on.
He kept seeing Lisin and Jorva whenever he spied Kaidus walking about the academy grounds.
He had been waiting until after class today to discuss what was going on in private, but as soon as class was over, they had disappeared.
It was sheer coincidence that he saw them behind one of the practical buildings on his way back to his room.
From a distance, it looked like the three were talking, and then Kaidus walked away.
Suddenly without provocation, Lisin and Jorva ambushed the boy with magic.
Keral was surprised at the sudden attack, and started invoking a barrier hoping to make it in time. Before he even finished the incantation, a cloud of black smoke suddenly erupted from the boy’s vicinity and swallowed the two intermediate student’s magic—like dousing an ember with a tub of water.
What came next was even more startling.
The smoke then formed into a figure, and spoke. It was unlike anything he had ever seen before.