Ch. 3 Zerin's True Power
"Sire? Sire? You called a Demonic Sire? Why Reazin?" Zerin asks Reazin in a hostile and confused tone.
"Because I have chosen my side. The Veroer are my allies Zerin, and I suggest you join them too. Unless you want another… incident... like yesterday to happen."
"Incident!? I would have killed him if you weren't such a fool of a brother!"
"And then what? Have a bounty on your head from Lord Rey's men? Getting hunted by those Demonics constantly? Not to mention all the other groups that have formed and will gladly take your head for the money? I saved your life!" Reazin tries to turn the conversation onto Zerin.
"I fear no others, I have chosen a side, the Fideli. God will protect me, and ensure this war is won by those with true justice."
"Your God will mean nothing, pain ensures our men will not fail. Narsis has even joined the Vereor."
"Narsis is a fool, he will follow you off a end of the Earth if you want him too! You will gain no aid in his joining, he is too weak to fight."
"Wisdom is all one needs to win a war Zerin you should know that. strength is useless when compared to wisdom and numbers." Reazin grins because he knows he is smarter than Zerin.
"You think I meant physical strength? Come now Reazin, I thought you were the smart one. Strength of heart, spirit, cannot be defeated by wisdom." Zerin knows Reazin is more book smart than he is, not by much, but a little is all that is needed. But he also knows Reazin does not use logic, and Zerin does, which will be much more advantageous. Zerin is physically stronger than Reazin, but Reazin was right, strength of muscle will do no good if Zerin cannot get to him.
"So then, I guess this is where we part." Reazin backs into the doorway in the back of the house.
"So it would seem. A rightly manner, this is where we were birthed and met as two brothers into this world, it would only be right it is where we split as enemies." Zerin knocks over a vial full of flammable liquid and back into the doorway in the front of the house. Reazin hits the lantern down and the house bursts into a coldhearted flame.
"I will always love you brother!" They both yell as they turn to run to their faction's base.
THE NEXT DAY
"And your name is?" The Fideli recruiter asked Zerin.
"Zerin, sir, Zerin is my name." Zerin answers enthusiastically.
"Well Mr. Zerin, you need to be tested for your combat skills. We need to know what type of fighter you are, if at all. We are hoping to end this war quickly with as little casualties as possible. The steps to your right will lead you to our training facility." The man makes a gesture with his head toward the stairs. "The doctors and Masters will evaluate you health and skill." The man hands Zerin a paper with writing on it. "That is your pass, put that word to good memory, it is proof you are one of us, congratulations, you are now a Fideli."
"Thank you sir, but may I ask who these Masters are?" Zerin didn't know how the ranking system worked, and he didn't want to show any disrespect.
"Masters are high ranked officials, they are just under Guardians. Guardians are all Angelics, they protect Madam Celenia at all times, she too is an Angelic. Masters are those who train the different classes, many are Angelics themselves they are wise and teach those who go into combat, Guardians have the ability to sense auras in people, most people have weak auras, others have strong auras allowing for much harder training. Anything else you would like to know?" The man was glad to answer any question Zerin had for him. Which was good because Zerin wanted to learn all he could think of.
"Yes, what do you mean by class? Is there a set rank for those who are stronger than others?" Zerin was confused at why, when the man said different classes, he knew than man didn't mean rank.
"Classes branch off onto their own categories, you are wise, but you are also strong, depending on your fighting prowess I think you'll head into the Hybrid category. There are the Arcane, Physic, and Hybrid categories. Hybrids use magiks and physical strength. They are also slightly higher rank than those of Arcane or Physic of who are of equal rank. After being sent to a specific category, determined by the high-ranking Master of each category and a Guardian, you will be taught to use certain types of that category. It is a bit confusing, but you will see and learn more as you stay. By the way, Madam Celenia is up there now, so don't make a fool of yourself. Show them what you are made of!" The man gave an inspiring good luck to Zerin and waved him off.
Zerin walked up the steps and waited in the line and watched the men train. "Why is he just standing there?" He asked the woman in front of him as he stared into the room where a man stood as if he was praying.
"He is channeling a spell, channeling spells are hard to conjure. If he succeeds he will be in the Arcane Magiks rank of the Arcane class, it is a hard rank to get into." She turned around to Zerin and he realized how beautiful she was. Long pure white hair and sky-blue eyes with an almost silver sheen, deep natural red lips, and a smooth face that was full of compassion and love.
"Amazing" Zerin said but referring to the woman's beauty rather than her response. He looked back toward the man. "I would imagine that they take a lot of energy, to cast a spell."
The woman laughs. "Yes, they do, channeling spells are the most draining. Only those with strong will and spirit can cast them. My name is Valsima by the way. And his," she points to the man channeling the spell, "is Iceaire."
"My name is Zerin, it is a pleasure to meet you madam." Zerin bows as he introduces himself.
"Look, that's what he is casting, Blizzard Storm." Valsima points at the man in the training room. Shards of ice fell from a dark cloud that formed from nothing. The targets in the room started to move about everywhere, Zerin realized the room was much bigger than first anticipated. But no matter where the targets moved, the spell followed. "That is why channeling spells are so hard. They follow the target, most spells the target must be in sight range and in a specific path for them to be cast, though once cast most follow the target, channeling can be done even from behind cover, allowing the caster to hit an unseen target. The downside to channeling is it leaves the caster in a weakened state, if they are subjected to any physical touch, pain, or even a loud enough noise, the spell dissipates and the caster is left drained with no accomplishment. This is why Arcane Magiks' never go out alone." She gave a full explanation to the magik. It fascinated Zerin how she could know so much. The man walked out of the room and was directed to his destination. The door opened for the next person, which to Zerin's surprise was Valsima. "Well, I'm next. I like you Zerin, I hope we meet again," she shook his hand and went inside.
"Well, lets see what you do then, shall we?" Zerin spoke to himself as he watched Valsima ready herself for the test. A table raised from the back of the room with a multitude of what seemed to be different types of bows. She picked the center bow, a compound recurve bow. She didn't grab any arrows though, which intrigued Zerin, because he knew she wouldn't make such a mistake. Valsima aimed at the target and pulled back the string, when she found her target a glimmer appeared in front of her face, she let loose the string and an arrow of what Zerin supposed was arcane magik bolted across the room, hitting dead center into the target. The targets appeared en masse and once again, she shot the arcane arrow from nowhere, but instead this time it broke into a wall of arrows and hit multiple targets at once. "I think I'm in love" Zerin said to himself blankly.
Valsima stepped out and the door opened. Zerin didn't notice whether Valsima was taken upstairs like Iceaire or was lead down to the barracks, he was too concentrated on the task at hand. "Do you have a weapon of choice?" The Physic Master asked Zerin.
"Swords" Zerin had always wanted to try using a sword, this was his chance. The table rose from the back and held two shelves of a diversity of swords. He grabbed a katana in each hand.
"Duel wielding katana? It is impossible!" The Physic Master shouted at Zerin.
"I'll make it possible." Zerin stood in a battle ready stance perfectly wielding the katana in each hand. How he knew how to use them, he didn't know, but as soon as he grabbed them, he felt he could do any task. When the first target came up, he attacked it with such ferocity and speed, he surprised even the Physic Master. The Guardian came down from the upper floor and watched Zerin. Zerin was confident he would impress even the Guardian. When the multiple targets came up Zerin clashed his swords together and started channeling a spell, how he wasn't sure, but he wanted to surpass everyone he's seen the past few days and now was the time to make it count. The swords glowed blue and white, Zerin lifted his head and opened his eyes. They were engulfed in a sky-blue aura like trance and the room filled with ice. Every target froze in place and suddenly Zerin teleported target to target slashing each one and shattering them into pieces. He knew his spells were going to be rare because of the immense energy he felt leave his body before he was even finished casting it. After finishing the last target, his feet touched ground again and he collapsed to his knees, "told you I'd make it work," and then passed out lying on the floor.
The Guardian walked into the room and stood over him. "His aura is amazing, it is more potent than Madam Celenia's at his age. Take him to the upper floor and get him cleaned and healed, his training must start soon. Make sure Madam Valsima sees him, she requested he be in her barracks should he be at the same level. Tell her we cannot…"
"I felt the energy from the room, who was that?" Valsima ran into the training room and kneeled nest to Zerin. "Who did this to him?"
"He did it to himself Madam, he has surpassed even Sir Dreadnot." His aura passed Madam Celenia's at its climax." The Guardian told her still astonished himself.
"He surpassed Dreadnot? Celenia's husband Dreadnot? How? I felt he was strong, but not this strong. I'll take care of him for now, I'll contact you when he awakes." Valsima had to Angelics bring Zerin to the top room.