Elias shakes his head no and walks forward to inspect the would-be assassin.
His face grimaces as he looks at what I've done to him and I feel my shame burn as he realizes I'm no man, but a murderous animal.
I'm startled when his claps my shoulder.
"Kelric, you just saved my life. You're definitely my best friend now."
"I didn't know we were even friends yet."
Elias laughs loudly, despite the groaning man in front of us.
Kathlyn's reaction was more appropriate, and she shuddered when she looked from me to the assassin.
Marinah is the greatest surprise as she just rushes up to me, almost stumbling over her extravagant dress.
She reached her hands up to hold my face and turns me from side to side, inspecting it.
Then she pulls my hand up and her eyes go wide at my bloody thumbs.
Or at least that's what I thought at first. She turns to Elias and snaps at him.
"Stop being an idiot and fetch me a bandage, Kelric's hurt because of you jackass!"
Elias looks a little downcast and doesn't resist her order as he sprints away.
Marinah is still holding my hand, and I wonder why she's making such a big deal out of a small wound.
"Marinah, I'm fine. You don't have-"
I could've dodged her hand, but I didn't want to injure her. Her fingers grab towards my face and pinch my lips shut.
She turned her eyes up to meet mine and the commanding passion in them makes my heart thunder.
She yanks her hand back like a snake when Kathlyn's voice drifts over.
"You're pretty bold Marinah…"
She was a stuttering mess as she tried to respond.
"I- no! It's just that- arrggh! Shut up Kat!"
Standing so close to Marinah as her face's reddens does something to me. I use all my willpower to shake my meaningless desires clear from my head.
Elias returns a short while later with a retinue of staff and a few soldiers.
Marinah patches my hand, and the soldiers take away the assassin as the staff excessively apologizes.
We apparently are all honored guests now and can dine for free. This was a very good trade in my opinion, I only had to get stabbed once for delicious food.
When we leave and part with the girls, I can't help myself from staring at Marinah as she walks away.
"Ooooo someone's in-"
I punch his gut before he finishes the words that have been stirring inside me.
'I do not have the luxury to afford spending my attention on this. I can't crush the Empire with such a soft heart.'
I sigh and turn to leave.
"All right, I'll see you at the exam tomorrow."
Elias grabs onto me and takes a moment to speak. I might've hit him too hard.
"You should just come with me… I'm sure my accommodations are nicer than whatever inn you're staying in. It's the least I could do to repay you."
His words make me realize something important. I've just gained a debt of gratitude with a noble. I'm another step closer to my goal now.
"Okay, let's go."
Elias was stunned at my readiness to accept his offer.
"Oh, alright then. Follow me."
Then sun had dipped below the city walls now and the streetlamps pulsed a soft glow, lighting our path.
Elias looks like he's chewing on something, and his face is serious as he speaks to me.
"Kelric, what you did earlier was impressive and honorable. From today onwards you have earned my everlasting gratitude, I say this on my name as Elias Hayford."
All I could do was nod solemnly at his declaration.
I'm not so sure I agree about the part of what I did being honorable, but his words are a confirmation of my small success in making connections.
We round a corner of the residential district we were walking through, and I see the houses become larger and larger.
Elais walks up to one of the biggest ones and turns towards me.
"Come on in brother and let me thank you once more."
"When did we become brothers?"
Elais laughs loudly.
"Just now!"
The interior of the home is something that I can't comprehend. Everything is too pristine and shiny. A butler greets Elias at the door and gives me a decidedly disapproving look.
"We have a guest..?"
"Yeah, this is Kelric. Treat him as you would me, he saved my life half an hour ago from an assassin."
The butlers attitude changed towards me instantly.
"Very well. Master Kelric, please allow me to take your jacket."
The change in opinion creeps me out a little and his eyes go wide as he sees my arms. His eyes snap back up to my face and he stares at me for a long time. I'm shocked when he mouths a word at me.
"Champion?"
My face apparently gives away the answer as he nods.
Elias doesn't notice our exchange and walks deep into the house, disappearing. I turn to look at the butler again, he was currently using a knife to delicately scrape the blood of my jacket.
"How do you know who I am?"
He takes a minute to respond as he slowly works.
"The young masters father sends me on various 'missions'. One of them happened to be in Kalabar ohh.. perhaps a year or so ago. After completing my assignment, I thought it would be nice to see what those wretched people classify as entertainment. I attended an arena match, since it was the talk of the city at the time. The champion was to take on two abyss panthers at once. Imagine my surprise when the so-called champion was no older than a mere boy. I was even more surprised when he won. I still remember how fanatical the crowd was when they shouted your name, Kelric Bladebane."
His story makes my hand involuntarily move my hand to my chest. That fight had almost cost me my second life.
"I see.." was the only response I could muster.
The butler turns toward me now.
"You should go find the young master, it's not good to leave him alone for too long."
I nod and start walking towards the door Elias slipped through, before I enter, I call out to the butler one last time.
"Who is Elias? Rather.. who's his father, I know he's a noble, but I don't know what rank."
The butler look's bewildered that I don't know.
"Young master Elias is the son of Simon Hayford, Duke of Blackgulch."
My mouth drops open in shock and every time I've hit Elias today flashes through my mind. I could be strung up by a noose for such an offense.
I can feel my body stiffen as I enter the room Elais went into.
He's setting up some sort of board and there's a deck of cards and small marble figures scattered about.
He turns towards me when he hears the door.
"There you are Kelric, gods I thought you got lost."
His laugh is easy and makes me forget about his status for a moment as I walk over to him.
"What are you doing?"
"Setting up a game of Glory War obviously? Let's play before we sleep."
"I don't know how to play."
Elias turns towards me with a face of shock.
"Well then you're going to learn! Sit quickly while I explain some beginner friendly rules."
Elias's words enter and exit my ears in a torrent of information.
"Did you get all that?"
"Uhh.. sure."
He begins the game then, but we soon run into a problem.
I can't read.
The command cards that are supposed to dictate the entire game are useless in front of me.
"Kelric! If you can't read, how do you expect to pass the exam tomorrow!?"
"Only three of the tests require knowing how to read and write. I can pass by doing the other two."
He looks at me in horror.
"Kelric.. you're not thinking of doing.."
I nod to his unasked question.
"I'm taking the 'Battle Tactics' and 'Subjugation' test."
"B-but! Kelric, do you know how strict the battle 'Battle Tactics' test is? And don't get me started on the 'Subjugation' test, you have to defeat an EVOVLED beast! A beast that's mastered its god's damn affinity!"
"I know. I'm fairly confident I can pass each easily."
Elias just stared at me until he deflated.
"You're insane.."
I feel a slight smile come to again.
"Never been told otherwise."
He lets out a laugh and stands up then.
"Well, let's head to bed then. Not much we can do about you being illiterate right now."
"Sounds good to me."
He takes me up to the second floor and shows me to a room of my own. It's large.
Elias tells me that I shouldn't worry about sleeping in because the butler will wake us in the morning.
When he leaves and I'm alone in the room, I strip and collapse into the bed and think about the day's events.
Thoughts wander and my hand raises so I can stare at the bandage Marinah put on me.
My eyes grow heavy as I lay on the most comfortable bed I've ever slept on and soon fall asleep.
———————————————————
(1 year 5 months ago- Month of Fury, Year of the Crane) (Kabalar Empire, Arena of Death)
I scramble backwards as the black beast swipes a paw towards me. My rage hasn't fully burst forth and my strength is lacking.
Blood pours out of my chest from where it had struck me earlier and the pain is terrible.
"Kelric! Kelric! Kelric!"
The crowd is swept up in a frenzy and I let it wash over me, fueling my anger to flare hotter. I sense the other one behind me and duck as it flies over my head.
The madness of my wicked anger takes control, and my sword whips out and takes a hind leg off the abyss panther.
I'm screaming now and blind to the pain as the other panther dashes at me, both paws reaching towards me with claws extended.
It's shadowed power making a mirage in my vision. Rolling to the side, a rush of growling air passes by. Looking down, the maimed beast who was missing a leg was biting into my own.
I hack my sword down and sever its neck and fountain of blood sprays onto me.
"KELRIC! KELRIC! KELRIC!"
I'm rocked forward as the alive one pounces on my back and knocks me into the ground.
Pinned beneath its weight now, teeth sink into my neck. My rage burns with a terrible wrath now and I flip over on to my back, claws ripping skin where they had punctured me.
I reach my hand up and shove it down the beast's mouth. Plunging into it shoulder deep, my hands to grab its insides, pulling them out its mouth.
There are new and deep wounds where the beast had been trying to bite down on my arm.
I'm yelling in madness again and the crowd screams my name as I step on the dead beasts.
———————————————————
"Master Kelric, it's time to wake up. I've set out some clothes for you on the dresser over there. You have about twenty minutes to get dressed and eat before you have to leave."
My dream and the bed I were currently lying in, made my response unintelligible.
"Uuugggrrgg"
"Very good master Kelric, young master Elias is waiting for you downstairs."
I hear the door close and begrudgingly get up.
The clothes I'm given are pretty comfortable and easy to move in. It's all black and long sleeved like the ones I left at the tailor's shop.
When I make my way downstairs, I see Elias already digging into breakfast. He turns towards me with a smile wat too big for how early it is.
"Hey there Kelric, get enough beauty sleep?"
I ignore him as I sit down and eat. I feel very awake after tasting the food, it's as wonderful as what I had last night.
"This is so good." I say with my mouth full.
The butler responds to compliment.
"Thank you master Kelric, but I believe you should leave soon, or you might be late."
I nod and scoop everything into my mouth at once.
Elias makes a disgusted face at me.
"You're so uncouth.."
I feel a smile coming to me and a little egg falls out of my mouth between my parted lips.
"I know."
The city streets are still lit by the soft light of the lamps, and we soon make our way to the academy entrance.
There's a huge crowd of people already and we join the ever-expanding group.
To my surprise, I estimate there to be about three hundred people. I don't see Marinah in the mass of bodies and I'm shocked by how disappointed I am at this fact.
Eventually a man I've never seen before exits from the academy and heads towards us.
He waits for the murmur to die down before he speaks.
"Before the written tests begin, is there anyone who is illiterate? If so, step forward to take the alternate tests."
I turn and give a look to Elias before I make my way through the crowd.
When I do, I feel stares burn into my back. After I reach the front, I notice no one else came forward with me.
The man from the academy watches me quizzically before speaking again.
"Head inside and find instructor Zyre. He'll guide you to your test areas."
I nod and walk forward to finish the last step to being accepted into Elomburg.