Chapter 5: Crescent Manor, 22 years before present
The master watched the two teenagers stand apart from each other. Here, on his estate, he beheld the duel that decided the one worthy to be his pupil. As the only master of the Order of the White Dragon Knights, he was bound by tradition to select only one student to succeed him. The selection process was simple. All who claimed to be worthy for the honor fought to the death. The survivor earned his place as the student. After training the student, the master would put the student to the final test; a duel to the death against the master. To date, no student has failed. The master was slain as proof that his student was the superior warrior. This was a millennia-old tradition, dating before the current Burmecian dynasty. It is said that in those ancient days, there were many students to the single master. This order was one of six that served the ancient kingdom. Only the Order of the White Dragon Knights has survived to the present. History altered the succession process. As the old kingdom vanished, and later kingdoms passed by, the order dwindled as a survival mechanism. With only one master and student of elite choice, the order intensified its heirs to supernatural levels.
Recent times have softened the succession process. The competition to select the student changed such that the master ended the match just before the finishing blow was dealt. Even the duel between master and student allows for the survival of the master, but only as a retired mentor. Sir Freyr Crescent is the current master. His daughter still too young, Freyr decided to select one of the two best students in the military academy, the best youths in all of Burmecia, that would succeed him.
The two boys were opposite in character. Gary was the serious, quiet student. He dedicated himself to be the best warrior in the country. Consequently, he had no friends and peers found him quite boring. Fratley, whom only went by his surname, was laid-back and care-free. Despite his lazy, class-clown attitude, he still managed to outperform his peers in every field. Undoubtedly, this was a contest of a genius against an ascetic.
Fratley casually held his bardiche over his shoulder. He taunted Gary, whom stood ready with his gladius and buckler. Freyr gave the signal, and both began their duel. The master observed each boy's style, his trained eyes able to dissect their movements and read their flaws. Gary, although relentless, was too rigid in his motions, enough to telegraph to a competent opponent. Fratley was drunk. A delinquent, he frequently cut school to gamble and drink. This very morning of the duel was no different than a school day to him. Logically, Fratley wasn't in fighting condition, yet he proved an even match to Gary.
"You're too slow! Quit moving like a stiff one and start moving like a smooth one!" Fratley taunted as he avoided a thrust. His posture looked as if he simply lost balance rather than intentionally dodge. He flicked a finger on Gary's nose.
"Quit being so arrogant!" Gary pressed his buckler into Fratley's face. Both froze in position for a moment. Fratley leaned back from the blow, but remained still. "What? You've finally come to your senses?" When a grin cracked on his face, Gary noticed a flicker on the back of his buckler. The flicker grew to radiance. Freyr watched as the buckler was penetrated not by a weapon, but by the very tip of Fratley's tail.
Fratley pulled the tail back, and saw blood on the tip. He only look confused about another matter when Gary broke down in agony. How easy was it for the tail to continue to the brain? The bloody mess that was the eyeball gushed from the socket. Unwilling to take this demeaning blow, Gary raised his gladius to Fratley. However, at the sight of blood on his tail, he childishly exclaimed "Ew, blood!" Fratley flicked the blood off his tail, but slapped the gladius away as well. By sheer dumb luck he disarmed Gary.
Freyr ended the duel. He judged the superior. "It is decided. Fratley shall be my student." He approached, and both boys found him of far greater, kingly stature than King Burmecia.
"No! It can't be! This drunken asshole mocks us all!"
"Even drunk, he still overwhelmed you. He has no scruples in combat, and used his own body as a weapon. If he is only half as good as he can be today, he's proven himself twice as capable than anyone else in your generation."