Hey guys! Quick author's note. Just wanted to let you all know that I'm going to be trying our present tense more often! I've always struggled with tenses, between switching back and forth from past to present, so I'm really going to try my hardest to just stick with present as it flows more easily (according to a colleague of mine).

Please bear with any mistakes and be sure to leave me feedback.

What's Atlas Thinking About?

Atlas here. Sorry if I seem a little less energetic today; I've just had something on my mind…

I realized that now that Aurora and I are going to become Sorcerer Soldiers: I'll never get to partake in all the fun stuff that the Magic Knights do! No gambling with Captain Magna, no frolicking with Captain Kirsch, and certainly no weight lifting competitions with Captain Sol!

Ugh, Aurora and I really did get screwed over! There's no way the captains of the Sorcerer Soldiers are as fun as the captains back home…

Right?

Atlas and Aurora stare at Father Orfai in awe.

"This is the man who raised the Wizard King…" Atlas remarks, pinching his arm to make sure he's not dreaming.

"And the King King." Aurora adds, quickly fixing her ponytail in an effort to look more composed.

Murmurs of excitement erupt from the crowd as people express their amazement at getting to meet Father Orsi Orfai himself.

However, not everyone was starstruck.

"Aw man, I was hoping we'd get to meet Sister Lily." Pollo sighs, crossing his arms. "I heard she's the real one who took care of Asta and Yuno."

Father Orfai's eye twitches at the statement but he quickly puts a smile on his face and sighs. "It may be true that Sister Lily raised Asta and Yuno when they were children after she arrived in Hage Village, but I'm the one who single handedly raised them when they were babies."

"Raising a child is far more difficult than raising a babe." Kandy remarks. "I mean, babies don't even have any sense of magical power yet. Sister Lily had to deal with when Yuno's magic emerged while also dealing with the repercussions from Asta's lack of magical power."

"Oh, and she also had to deal with the other kids in the orphanage too!" Jasper says. "I can't remember how many of them are, but I do know that it was quite a few she had to juggle by herself."

Father Orfai's eye twitches again and this time he looks a little more annoyed. "Now, is that any way to speak of an old man who's nearing the end of his life? Come on guys, I helped Sister Lily out! It's just I also had other duties to attend to as the only priest in the village!"

"No one ones saying you didn't do anything, we're just trying to say that it seems like Sister Lily did a lot more." Joel brings up. "Plus given Asta's...fascination with her, it's a little strange to not see her here as the High Priestess."

That's when Father Orfai broke down, falling to his knees and beginning to cry. "...She was supposed to, ok?! She just chose to stay in Hage, so Asta offered the position to me…"

"That explains it," Admetus snorts, stifling a laugh and putting a hand in front of his mouth. "You were the second choice."

"If it makes you feel any better, I do know my father preferred you as the first choice." Sherry sighs. "However Asta was rather insistent in offering it to Sister Lily first. Even after all these years, he still harbors an attachment towards her. Thankfully, it's one of respect and not of obsession like in the past."

Aim raises a brow. "I should hope not. Lady Noelle would not be pleased if so…"

"Huh, I wonder how that works." Ru wonders aloud. "Asta has so many admirers! It must be hard for Noelle to see them all fawning over her husband."

Sherry blushes, laughing softly. "Don't worry. Noelle has nothing to worry about, Asta is practically head over heels for her, and if he does anything stupid Noelle would make him live to regret it…"

As the others discuss Sister Lily, Father Orfai, Asta, and Yuno, (with Father Orfai helplessly watching teenagers bully him) Aurora pulls Atlas and Matsu to the side.

"What's up sis?" Atlas questions, "Don't you want to pay attention to what's happening?"

Aurora nods. "Yes of course, however, I did just think of something." She adds with a frown.

"What's wrong?" Matsu asks. "Is it about me…?"

Aurora sighs, nervously glancing around. "...Yes actually. Matsu, Atlas may have made you look a little older but you're still forever 14 years old. Plus, your soul is dead. The mana in this world does not respond to you and as such, you more than likely won't be able to obtain a grimoire."

Atlas bites his lip and glances downward, while Matsu is quiet for a moment. He glances at his hands. "...I am dead. An undeniable fact. However, even if my soul is dead, I think the attributes Atlas and you have given me will allow me to get a grimoire."

Aurora blinks in surprise, not expecting that response. "...You really think so? But how? Grimoires are only handed out to 15 year old mages whose grimoires have been prepared."

"Yeah, and do you even need one, Matsu?" Atlas asks. "You're pretty strong all on your own."

Matsu shakes his head. "I will get one today. I can tell." He says in a stern voice.

Matsu is usually a very blank and quiet boy with a monotone voice and an extreme lack of energy (due to being dead and all). However, this time, Atlas and Aurora noticed a very different air about him: serious and firm. It was honestly a little scary to see him act so differently.

Matsu quickly returned to his usual self though, his expression softening. "There is no need to worry, brother and sister. Our guise will not fail."

Atlas breathes a sigh of relief, feeling less concerned than Aurora. "Phew, that's good to hear! See Aurora, nothing to worry about."

Aurora slowly nodded. "...Ok then! I suppose we're fine then. Let's go back to the audience."

The trio return to the audience, catching a couple of stares from those who noticed their absence.

"What's up with those two?" Admetus frowns. "Weirdos."

Glynis giggles. "That's nice of you to say!"

Admetus sighs. "Dumbass…"

Meanwhile, Father Orfai has successfully recovered from earlier, bringing back the attention to the discussion of the grimoires.

"Ahem," He clears his throat. "Anyways. The Grimoire distribution will begin in just a few minutes here! As you all know, these grimoires have been being prepared for months for you.

After some words from myself, the grimoires will automatically go to their owner. With these grimoires, you will begin your journey as a mage, and do with it whatever you choose. Most of you will use them as a Sorcerer Soldier.

Now, at long last, please step inside!"

The doors to the GDC swing open, and the eager mages quickly begin to pour into the building.

"H-Hey, watch it!" Kandy yells after being pushed by Ru.

"Sorry, I'm just so excited!" He laughs.

"Push me again and I fuck you up." Admetus snarls.

"Chill out dude!" Pollo frowns. "No need to be so mean!"

Syla grunts over and over as he is pushed in, with a helpless Joel trying to fend people off.

"One at a time guys!" Joel pleads. "We'll all make it in eventually!"

Despite many protests, the irrelevant background characters continued pushing each other along with the actual cast, scrambling to get inside.

Aurora and Atlas, however, found themselves in a much different boat.

Matsu grasped both of their hands as soon as the chaos began, and he, along with Aurora and Atlas, became completely impenetrable.

Atlas laughs, enjoying the tranquil stroll through the doorway of the GDC. "One of the several perks of being a spirit! Thank you, Matsu!"

Aurora rolls her eyes. "Being a spirit is not a 'perk'."

Atlas' smile drops. "Oh yeah...sorry Matsu!"

Matsu shakes his head. "I do not mind. After being dead for dozens of years, you begin to get used to it."

Atlas and Aurora awkwardly laughed.

"Haha, good point Matsu…" Atlas smiled, twiddling his thumbs.

Matsu was unphased, of course.

The Grimoire Distribution Center (better known as the GDC), being on the newer side of things, is a very fancy and elegant building. As one walks in, they experience the waiting room, where prospective mages await entry into the great room.

Of course, seeing as the GDC is only used once a year for the annual Grimoire Handing Out Ceremony Thing (as Atlas would call it), the building also serves as a meeting place for important mages throughout the Ace Kingdom to gather. Frequently the captains will visit the GDC whenever there is a problem with an existing sorcerer soldier, as they are able to examine the records kept by the officials like Father Orfai which are made up as the mages obtain their grimoires.

The great room, just past the waiting room, is exactly what it sounds like: a huge room full of grimoires, some of which won't be touched by some mages for years. The grimoires have been taken care of by Father Orfai, and the mana imbued into them has slowly adapted to both atmospheric mana, the mana found in the world, as well as physical mana, the mana found in a person. That way when a mage is 15 years old, their grimoire is ready for them.

Once inside, Aurora, Atlas, and Matsu, along with the other sorcerer soldier hopefuls, are organized into three separate lines.

"Class and last names?" A woman with glasses questions as soon as the trio enter.

"Er, nobles." Atlas frowns. "Why does that matter?"

"Because you nobles always expect the 'best quality treatment'." The woman says in a snide tone. She then laughs once Atlas and Aurora's faces drop. "Just kidding. We're sorting between the three classes: royalty/nobility/really super wealthy commoners, regular old commoners, and the poorest of the poor peasants, for both data reasons and the fact that we want you to get to know a Sorcerer Soldier captain of your standing. So you can relate to them and all that!"

The twins glance past the woman and look at the front of the line and sure enough, they can spot what looks like a Sorcerer Soldier captain with intense magic energy. They're speaking with each and every person in the line, before letting them through to the great room.

"The power of being both a noble and a captain." Matsu wonders aloud. "I wonder what it feels like."

The woman smiles. "Well, perhaps you can find out one day! For now though, please wait in line for a few minutes before you receive your grimoire."

The trio nod and are placed into the noble line.

Aurora sighs. "This is so anticlimactic! It all feels so mechanical. We do things so much more excitingly in the Clover Kingdom."

"No kidding," Atlas nods. "All we do here is wait in this line and get our grimoire handed to us like some kind of library book!"

Matsu shrugs. "Does it make a difference…? We are still getting our grimoires after all."

"Yes, but in such a boring way." Aurora protests. "In the Clover Kingdom, it's this super fun thing where we all get our grimoires at once. It's so exciting to see everyone's different sized grimoires with all the different designs and the like. Here it sounds like you just get it and go."

Suddenly, a girl turns around and faces the trio.

"For a good reason." Kandy says, putting her hands on her hips. "Haven't you heard?"

"Heard what?" Matsu asks. "I've heard many things."

"So have I," Kandy says. "But I'm talking about something in particular. Us all being here is super dangerous. Let alone the fact that it looks like there's only three captains and a couple of Sorcerer Soldiers on the premises. Honestly, they should be more prepared given the recent attempted attacks."

"Ah, I see." Aurora nods, putting a finger on her chin. "You're talking about The Apostles, right?"

"Yes." Kandy answers. "The radical religious group from the country of Desedenia."

Matsu looks uninterested while Atlas looks completely confused.

"What are you talking about?" Atlas asks. "I've never heard anything about that."

Aurora immediately rolls her eyes. "Because you never listen to anything other than 'how to be the strongest' and 'how to become the Wizard King'. Kandy, why don't you explain it?"

Kandy nods with a smug smile. "Gladly.

So, as the story goes, there are supposedly ten individuals, each 'brought back to life'. And not with Reincarnation Magic or Soul Magic, and not brought back to life in the way you'd think…

They are known as The Apostles. And they aren't heavenly, good people with pure intentions, but people with an immensely distorted view on what is right and what is wrong.

They hail from the country of Desedenia, an extremely old country that existed far before Clover, Spade, Diamond, and Heart. It's said the first spurs of magic erupted from there, and the first mages of the world were executed due to paranoia of devilry - despite magic first coming into this world to be used for good.

The gods took pity on the first mage to be executed, and gave her a second shot at life.

I'm not sure what exactly happened next, but eventually a group known as The Apostles began to come into the scene. They took over Desedenia and are now attempting to spread their ideals to the rest of the world - starting with a country they see as impure: The Ace Kingdom."

Atlas took all this in, frowning as Kandy continued. He glanced at the eyes on his hand, gulping. "...What are the ideals that you're talking about? That The Apostles have?"

"Oh, Aurora told me this one time." Matsu speaks up. "They want to cleanse the world of sin. Their methods are unknown for now, but that's what I've heard…"

Aurora nods. "He's right."

"And what do you mean 'and not brought back to life in the way you'd think'?" Atlas asks, gulping again. "It isn't possible to bring somebody back to life unless you're some sort of God."

"Well, like I said, the gods did have some sort of part in it." Kandy replies. "But what I meant is that each member of The Apostles found themselves in deadly situations. They should've died, point blank period. However, by some divine intervention or miraculous stroke of luck, they all came out unscathed. They should've died then but someone had other plans for them."

"And this group is attacking the Ace Kingdom as of late." Matsu adds. "Isn't that right?"

"Attacking is a harsh word." Aurora laughs. "There have been reports of them trying to send people undercover into the Ace Kingdom to try and infiltrate it."

"You're not from here Aurora," Kandy deadpans. "There have been attacks. The Sorcerer Soldiers are trying to cover it up and handle it internally to keep the peace, but the fact is The Apostles are already here in the Ace Kingdom."

Aurora's smile drops and Atlas looks even more worried. Matsu is unphased as usual.

"The other day, a Sorcerer Soldier was taken into custody after appearing extremely erratic. People believe he's connected to the Apostles - one of their followers, or what they call 'disciples'." Kandy explains, speaking in a low tone. "Additionally, it's been said that- OUGH!"

As Kandy was speaking, something flew its way into her mouth and she began to cough.

"Kandy!" Atlas quickly approaches her and pats her on the back. "Cough it out!"

Some people begin to notice and take a look at the scene. Kandy coughs one last time, a small bug flying out of her mouth. She gasps for air, clutching her throat.

"That...was a fly!" She exclaims in horror. "Gross!"

"Are you alright at least?" Atlas asks, concerned. "That came from nowhere."

Kandy shakes her head. "I'm fine, just need to go rinse out my mouth with bleach now. I'll be back…"

The purple haired girl steps out of line and goes to speak with a nearby Sorcerer Soldier, presumably about getting something to wash out her mouth with.

"That was strange." Matsu remarks. "That fly came from nowhere."

"It's just a fly," Aurora shrugs, yawning. "A gross insect but nothing more."

Atlas sighs, going back to his place in line. "I guess you're right. I really wanted to hear more about The Apostles though…"

"We'll learn more about them later." Matsu says. "After all, we will be in this kingdom for quite a while…"

"Ugh, don't remind me…" Aurora groans, facepalming.

After a few more minutes, Aurora, Atlas and Matsu finally arrive at the front of the line.

When they get there, they're finally able to clearly see the Sorcerer Soldier captain representing nobility.

He looks rather young in age, probably only about 20 to 25 years old. He has short spiky pink hair, bright green eyes, and tanned skin. He stands at the impressive height of 6'1".

The most striking part about his was his outfit. Because despite representing the rich and wealthy nobility of the realm, he is wearing...a black shirt with blue shorts.

Aurora almost fainted upon first laying eyes on him, appalled by his appearance. Even Atlas felt a little disgusted, his face turning a bit green at the sight of such a poorly dressed man.

Matsu is the only one who doesn't seem to care.

"Hello." He says. "My name is Matsu Edelias. What is your name?" He asks, holding a hand out (something which surprises the twins and quickly snaps them out of their horrified state).

"Hiya!" The boy smiles, quickly grabbing a hold of Matsu's hand and violently shaking it. "My name is Yuma Kudo! The Vice Captain of the Jade Bears squad! I'm here to represent the nobles and speak to you all! It's so very, very, very, very, very nice to meet you!"

Yuma Kudo is the energetic and childish vice captain of the Jade Bears squad: a squad known for being relatively lazy compared to the other squads of the Sorcerer Soldiers.

Yuma hails from the Diamond Kingdom but left due to unknown reasons despite his previous status as a Shining General. He is a man child with an unprofessional attitude in most situations. However, there is a more serious side to him seen during fighting: one of his favorite things to do.

"I regret to inform you, you three are to be arrested shortly," Yuma sighs. "Please say your last goodbyes to one another as you will be taken to three separate prisons in the Ace Kingdom."

Aurora's jaw drops. "WHAT?! WHY?!"

Atlas' eyes widened. "N-No way! I can't go to prison before I become the Wizard King!"

Matsu shrugs his shoulders. "It may be nice to have a change of scenery."

Yuma than bursts out laughing, pointing his finger at the twins and cackling at their expressions. "Ah man, I'm totally joking! You should've seen the look on your faces, HAHAHA!"

Oh, and another thing: Yuma is a massive prankster.

"Not funny at all." Aurora pouts. "Aren't you supposed to be a vice captain? Actually, what's going on with that?! We were told we'd be meeting a captain."

Atlas sighs a sigh of relief. "I saw my life flash before my eyes…"

Yuma stops laughing and wipes tears from his eyes. He sighs happily before regaining his composure. "Well, I was called upon to replace Sagi! He is a noble captain, but he's currently missing so they sent me instead since I don't have anything better to do this afternoon. I know it may be hard to believe, but I am a noble, just not a captain like you were hoping for."

"A missing captain and a childish vice captain...both of noble status." Matsu says. "The Ace Kingdom has proven to be a very interesting place."

"I know you were expecting someone more 'important' than me, but don't worry!" Yuma smiles. "You'll get the opportunity tomorrow during the Opening Ceremony and the exam! All the captains and their vice captains will be present, so I hope you're ready!"

"Cool, but you're seriously a noble?" Atlas nervously laughs. "You look like you're wearing pajamas or something."

Yuma rubs the back of his head and laughs. "Aw come on, that hurts! I'm actually headed out on an unofficial mission after this and this is what I'll be wearing. Figured it'd just make more sense to wear this now than have to go allll the way back home just to change."

"Sure, sure, but you couldn't have chosen something better?" Aurora sadly frowns. "It hurts to see such a plain, drab sense of style."

Yuma put a hand on his heart. "Ok, now you're really hurting me...I can't take your harsh words anymore, get in there!"

The vice captain shook his head in disappointment, shoving the three into the next room.

"Kids these days…" He sighs, then smiles as soon as he sees the next mage.

"Hi there! You're set to be executed for crimes against the Ace Kingdom. Any questions?"

Atlas, Aurora, and Matsu are shoved through the door by Yuma, ending up in the Great Room.

With its fancy carpets and oak brown walls, the Great Room is a clean and elegant room, with just a handful of people inside. The trio instantly spot Sherry, Ru, Aim, and Pollo, along with Father Orfai and a few irrelevant looking sorcerer soldiers. They approach the group.

"Hi there, nice to meet you." Aurora says to Ru, Aim, and Pollo. She introduces herself along with Atlas.

"Hey guys, nice to see a familiar face!" Pollo grins, waving at Matsu.

Matsu waves back, but looks curiously at Sherry, who is shyly staring at the ground. "Hello. You have very strong magic energy."

Sherry looks up, instantly blushing. "H-huh?! Strong magic energy?"

Matsu nods. "You are a royal, of the Vermillion bloodline. What is your name?"

"You could tell all of that just from my magic energy?" She gasps. "Um, well, my name is Princess Sherry Vermillion. W-what's yours?" She asks a little flustered.

"I've met several royals before, and they have energy unlike any other." He says. "My name is Matsu Edelias. These are my siblings, Atlas and Aurora."

"Oh, we've already met." Aurora says. "But these three are unfamiliar to us, but known to you."

Aim nods, twirling a lock of her short hair. "Your brother here is very smart. Nothing like some of these other idiotic nobles."

"You know, I am glad we ended up in the same group as Matsu and you all." Ru smiles. "Some of the other people here take this thing a little too seriously, if I do so say myself."

"This thing, are you talking about the grimoire ceremony?" Atlas asks.

Ru nods. "Mhm! I've seen some people walk out with their grimoires in hand, and they're judging each other so harshly! Based on the size and quality of each other's grimoires. I trust you all won't be like that?"

Aurora shakes her head. "Of course not. I judge based on character, not based on someone's grimoire that they just obtained."

"Good," Aim smirks. "Although I won't have to worry about that. I can already tell my grimoire is going to be one of the best!" She says confidently.

As the others speak, Matsu can't help but notice Sherry yet again, looking overly anxious.

"What is the matter?" He asks her privately as the others are distracted. "You are nervous."

Sherry looks surprised yet again to see Matsu talking with her, but she musters a smile. "It's nothing...just a little bit of worry over how my grimoire will look. My father is the king of the Clover Kingdom, with a four leaf grimoire. I just hope I'm able to live up to his expectations."

"Does your father judge you harshly?" Matsu questions.

Sherry quickly shakes her head. "Oh no, nothing like that. He does have high standards, but he doesn't reprimand me for not meeting them. I guess my worries are more derived from having the entire kingdom's eyes on me. They don't want me to let my father down, so I don't want to let him down."

Matsu looks a bit confused. "Why do you care what people think of you?"

Sherry blushes once again. "Well, I-I mean it's a basic human instinct. Don't you ever worry about what people think?"

Matsu shrugs. "Maybe. When I was...younger. But you are the princess of the Clover Kingdom. You are far better than most people, so do not let the opinions of those lesser than you affect your outlook on yourself. That is something you must change for when you become the next ruler. Confidence is the best quality in a leader. That is all."

Matsu turns around to focus on the ongoing conversation, while Sherry is left stunned.

"He just told me...a princess...what to do." She mumbles, her face a deep tomato red.

Everyone's conversation is halted by a certain someone's voice.

"Ahem!" Father Orfai calls. "Group 23, it is time for you to get your grimoires! Please pay attention up here."

Everyone instantly quiets down, turning their attention to Father Orfai.

"As you all may know, grimoires will automatically find their owner as soon as I release the command! Even now they are eagerly awaiting to meet you," He laughs. "Once you get your grimoire, please stick around for just a few moments so a team of sorcerer soldiers can look them over. I apologize for the inconvenience, but it's simply a countermeasure to make sure you're all good to go!"

"This is why not everyone is being let in at once," Aurora realizes, whispering to Atlas. "They need to look over everyone's grimoires and it'd be much quicker to do so in a smaller group."

"And the reason they need to look them over is because of the recent attacks Kandy was talking about…" Atlas adds with a nervous frown.

Aurora nods, glancing over at Matsu. She still appears worried that he won't get a grimoire, especially in front of all these people. She can't help but imagine the worst case scenario: Matsu's true identity is found out and the Edelias "triplets" get into some major trouble.

"Now, it is time!" Father Orfai announces. Everyone snaps to attention, their eyes looking at the grimoires on the shelves. "Without further ado, grimoires: find your owner!"

ZOOM

ZOOM

ZOOM

Grimoire after grimoire begins to fly off the shelf.

"Ah!" Aim gasps, her grimoire landing in her hands. "I love it!"

"Cool!" Pollo laughs as he catches his.

"Ooo, nice!" Ru smiles when he gets his.

Sherry bites her lip as she spots a grimoire flying toward her. She catches it and for a brief moment, looks it over, looking concerned. But she then smiles and clutches the grimoire to her chest.

Aurora catches hers first and instantly smiles when she looks it over. It's a dull purple color with the Ace Kingdom symbol on the front in white. It is nice and thick, perfect for the many souls she will be storing in it.

Atlas catches his and looks a little unsettled at first, but ultimately smiles as he looks it over. It's a black color with a green Ace Kingdom symbol, and a reasonable size, a bit smaller than Aurora's.

Aim, Pollo, Ru, Sherry, Aurora, and Atlas all appear to be happy with their grimoires, excited to finally be done and over with a moment they've waited for all their lives.

However, one person was left standing without one, mirroring a very familiar situation.

Matsu's blank expression is a severe contrast to a certain someone's frantic one.

"Well," He says. "I'm not sure what's the matter, but I do believe there's been some sort of mistake here…"

TO BE CONTINUED

One Fateful Day (Part 6)

ACE CLIPSSS #4

Yuma: Who has pink hair and is the greatest mage in the entire Ace Kingdom?

Atlas: I dunno, who is it?

Aurora: I've never heard of someone befitting of that description.

Matsu: I'm blind.

Yuma: Why do you all hate me so...?

...

...

...

Ademetus: Hey, did someone say greatest mage but didn't refer to me?!

A/N: Nothing really to say. Sorry for the long break between each chapter, but don't worry: school is almost over and I will have more time to write! Just a few more weeks guys.

Also yes, I know I need to update part 1 with some info LMAO, I've just been procrastinating :rofllmao:

As always, be sure to leave a review if you liked it :)