Author's Note: Okay firstly, I'm going to be keeping the Notes to a minimum for this story, don't wanna screw up the word count. I will still be doing review Responses however. Read, Review, Favourite and Enjoy!
Mylyne Rapha Holfort: I'm afraid I haven't heard of this woman.
James Fia Marmoria: Nor would you have. The circles that she moves in are made up of people who value their secrets. You may however have heard of her work. The Destruction of House Karkinos of Rochelle. The sinking of Repard's Patrol Fleet. The theft of the Ancient Hourglass from Alzer's museum. Most recently, the death of the Ancient Monster that attacked our borders a few months ago.
Mylene: A resume of Note. The work of one woman?
James: Be it her alone or working together with a group of others, the methods matter less than the results. Though I won't deny that the manner of delivery has its own appeal.
Mylene: Attractive I take it?
James: Your husband would spend months obsessed with her, not only for her stunning looks but also because she moonlights as a bi-sexual dominatrix, one who is already in a dedicated relationship with another equally attractive woman, which is why you are the one I'm having this conversation with instead of him.
Mylene: And you believe we can recruit her or her forces into our own?
James: For the time being, the Island Fortress turned air ship that she and her group use as their base of operations has been parked in our borders, and one of her sons are old enough to attend the academy at the same time our own sons will be joining.
Mylene: You mean to prepare a second scholarship? We already have the Saintess Candidate to consider-
James: Their family is more than well off to pay for their own schooling. No, I've prepared a letter to invite the boy to the academy, The considerably large dungeon at the centre of their territory should more than meet the requirements to shut up any naysayers.
Transcript of a conversation Between the Queen of Holfort and one of her retainers.
To those whom it may concern in the Blackmore Family.
It has come to our attention that the territory that you own has recently moved across the border of the Kingdom of Holfort. Whereas Other country's might send a formal notice that the aforementioned Island fortress be moved back outside of our borders we of the Holfort Kingdom instead extend an offer. A formal acknowledgement of Nobility of the Viscount Rank, as well as enrolment of your third child Leon Blackmore into the advanced course of the Holfort Royal Academy with all the benefits therein including connections to the various noble families of Holfort, promise of mutual aid should your family come under assault and sanctuary should your house be destroyed. I Genuinely hope to learn of your son's attendance, and if he has any questions he may ask my own son Jilk Fia Marmoria
Sincerely James Fia Marmoria.
Sky Piracy was a lucrative business. Most of the time you fly up to the place you wanna raid in question and act all intimidating, in the ideal scenario the presence of heavily armed warships escorted by a contingent of Armours is enough to make people hand over their goods 'A shattered island offers no tribue' as the old saying goes. Right now the word running around the rumour mill was that some punk kid went out and scooped up their own sky island. Now normally Pirates such as them merely settle for taking resources from islands, food, materials for their ships or whole ships, weapons, occasionally personnel or entertainment, however the opportunity to claim a fresh untouched island is simply too good to resist. Control over an island of this size is an instant meal ticket to nobility, a Baroncy at minimum, they can push for Viscount if they get lucky. Living under the yoke of their 'Noble Masters' is something they can only stand for so long after-all.
"Target in sight captain." The leader of the pirates looked forward to the direction indicated by his first mate, a mass of floating rock covered in fertile green grass was within sight. If this wasn't their intended target then it was just as good.
"Prepare to land on the island! Kill the Brat and plant our flag!"
Getting closer the group could tell that there were a total of three inhabitants on the island, one man and two demi-humans dressed in maid clothing, well they would at least be entertained at least. The pirates made land, ten grown men to kill one young man was maybe little overkill, but they were looking forward to what comes after. Surprisingly it wasn't one of the two maids who was the one preparing dinner for the three of them, rather it was the tall young man with black hair inbetween them, even sitting down he was a full head above the other two.
"Kill the Brat, leave the women for later." The men laughed at it, so did the leader, even as he looked at the 'brat' in question. Normally that would at least get a response out of them, some kind of acknowledgement that death was imminent, not... this.
"Do yah mind?" The unusually tall you man asked looking at the group of pirates like they just spat in his sandwich instead of pulled a gun on him.
"Don't worry we won't be bothering you for long!" The Various pirates opened fire, the next thing that they new their prospective target and Demi-human toys were gone. A loud Squelching noise accompanied the death of the Squad leader, the Young man had appeared and several black spikes had been rammed through the head of the Squad leader.
Devil Arm: Shadow Boxer
The Shadow Boxer is a unique set of arm and leg guards with spiked knuckles and toes, when a punch or kick is sent various spikes and blades are grown in order to maximise the the potential Lethality of the blows utilising the unique shape shifting powers of the weapons. Alternatively when it's decided that distance is needed the Shadow Boxer makes for devastating blade launchers. When pushed on the back foot the Shadow Boxer makes for highly effective shields to block incoming blows and absorb impacts with the soft but strong material that makes up the demon's bodies.
Excerpt from Rodin's Weapons Catalogue
Demon: Left and Right Shadows
Envy Demons, or Shadows, aren't the strongest of demons though no less dangerous for it. Their base form resembles a Black Panther, and is about as dangerous, but their main ability is to shapeshift, which they usually use to turn into various sharp or pointy masses to more effectively kill their target. The Envious part comes into play when they meet more effective hunters, in ancient times they would clash with human warriors and soldiers and mimic their forms and skills in order to become more effective killers. The most dangerous Shadow's are the ones that have smoothly integrated their newly acquired weapon skills with their shape-shifting, though the forms that they can assume are generally limited to beings and forms of a similar size to them. Left and Right are unique Demons that have been placed into the bodies of specially crafted China Dolls in order to give them a even more human like appearance, and thus usually take the form of Felinid Demi-human Maids, the idea is to domesticate them by teaching them human behaviour outside of battle.
Excerpt from the Lemegeton Guidebook of Demons
The Spikes of the Arm Guard was retracted back into the weapon itself, once again going back into the smooth form of a set of arm armour as the weapon's wielder turned around to face the pirates that had shot at him.
"I don't have time to deal with this." A massive bulge appeared below one of the Adventurer's feet and pushed him forward as it expanded into a spring, naturally the pirates opened fire once more as the Adventurer disappeared again.
"Where does he keep-!" The Question was interrupted as the adventurer slammed the back of his spike covered hand into the back of the persons head crushing it in the process. The pirates wasted no time in opening fire on their comrade in the hopes of hitting the monster behind him. How unfortunate that they were fighting against a mage.
"It's getting annoying to dodge your shots all the time." A magic circle appeared below their feet and unleashing what resembled thorny vines to tangle up and bind the hapless pirates. "This should make things much faster for both of us!" The next thing the pirates knew they were staring down the barrels of the guns from their dead comrades.
"Wait Wait!"
And a few moments later the Pirates were dead, killed by their comrades own weapons having tore through the hapless fools with several times the force than necessary. To the Adventurer this was less than satisfactory result, the magic power that he put into the weapons led to their self destruction, a rather common occurrence it was sad to say. For now though he had greater priorities to deal with. The Adventurer turned to face the pirate's ship as it turned around to aim its main cannons at him, before several shots released barrel sized projectiles at him. A loud crash echoed out as the first shot hit the island where the Adventurer was standing. The rest of the projectiles on the other hand were scattered, and the man operating the main gun was in for a rather rude surprise when he saw the young man he was aiming at appear before his eyes.
"Stop shooting at my island!" The declaration was likely more so made out of frustration than being strictly necessary, as it was immediately followed up by the pirate having his head grabbed and squeezed, several black spikes gutting from around the head in various different directions. "Now then, Where are the rest of you hiding?" What followed wasn't a battle, it was a one sided massacre. Various pirates were stabbed slashed, and skewered as they were hunted down and killed by the Adventurer one by one. Armours the height of one story buildings were deployed to try and kill the Adventurer when he appeared on deck, and promptly fled after the first was caught by the binding thorns that had made it possible to massacre the group that had originally appeared on the ground.
Their mistake.
"Target locked." It wasn't hard to hijack the guns of the ship. They were designed to be simple to use, and their previous wielders were so very dead at this point. A loud bang echoed out with each firing of the guns, sniping distant targets out of the sky one by one with no remorse. Thus the pirate threat in this area was eliminated.
RISING STARS: LEON FOU BLACKMORE
This generation is blessed with many a promising adventurer talents, there are of course Alzer's infamous Serge Sara Rault, our own Greg Fou Seberg however at this time this reporter would like to draw attention to one Leon Foe Blackmore. Being the son of wandering Merchants hasn't done much to slow down this young mage. His initial adventurer assessment exam has shown a clear preference towards the rarely used branch of Summoning Magic producing such creatures such as fiery Basilisks to fight a range, Sharp Shadows at Close Range, or support with a Icy Baphomet. Contrary to the summoner stereotype Young Leon is also more than willing and able to enter close quarter combat to deal with enemies, demonstrating a clear preference for close quarters combat with a pair of Spiky Gauntlet Drops, while his various summons fill in the roles traditionally assigned to other adventurers in a party.
With his own prodigious power and his array of different summons Leon shows all the hallmarks of a general use adventurer valuable in any party. And then not a month after setting sail on his first Adventure Young Leon arrives back in Holfort proper with a new sky Island added to its borders! And not days after applying for Noble Status the young newly promoted adventurer had to fend off a attack by the Vicious Sky Wolf Pirates seeking to seize his claim massacring the crew in the process and claiming their ship! With Young Leon's formal enrolment into the Royal Academy one wonders how far this Rising Star will Rise.
Excerpt from the Daily Adventure News Paper
It was a few days before the Adventurer Leon was picked up from the floating island and was welcomed back to his family's home inside of their island fortress. Leon's god father was attending the bar as usual, the black mountain of a man known as Rodin.
"How're my girls doing?" To Rodin's question the arm and leg armour on Leon's body came off, melting into shadows and reforming into the familiar pair of Demi Humans from the island.
""Good day Master."" Leon sat at the bar as he prepared for some decent food. "Now you remember what you're supposed to do while you're at the academy?" Rodin cocked a brow, his sun glasses lowered to the point of his nose as he levelled a glare with unnaturally red eyes.
"'Make connections to high ranking nobility that I can use to start a business in Holfort.'" Leon sounded like he had rehearsed this conversation. A lot.
"Why?"
"'Because Diversity in Currency is Key.'" Leon stated letting out a sigh. "'And you never know when or where inflation might hit.'"
"Good boy. What business are you planning to start with your island?" Rodin put his sunglasses back onto his face as he began cleaning various glasses.
"I dunno I just got it." The Young Warlock stated scratching the back of his head. "It's covered in Grass so I can grow crops of some kind."
"Cash or food?" Rodin asked bluntly.
"I can Grow money?" Leon was only made more confused by the question. Rodin Glared at him in response. "'Crops are grown for one of two reasons, one is for someone to consume, the other is because they are valuable. The three most famous cash crops are Cotton, which is used in clothing production, Coffee Beans and Sugar Cane which are both used to make food but has little nutritional value.'" Leon thought about it for a moment. "I don't know what the people of Holfort consider to be popular or in high demand though, so that's one thing I have to figure out after I get there though correct?"
"Correct. Speaking of I got your school supplies ready." Rodin tossed a bracelet onto the bar, a length of purple golf ball sized crystals with the vague outlines of faces engraved on the crystal. "I seem to remember that standard policy is to capture Pirates alive so that we can send them into the Forest. Clearly you still haven't learned how to hold back yet." In Leon's opinion compared to sending them into that den of nightmares just offing the poor bastards is the far more humane option. "So until such a time that you do learn to show some self restraint these little bad boys will endlessly siphon and compress all the mana you're constantly giving off and reduce your physical stats down to something within the restraints of your average human of Holfort."
Lovely. Leon knew where this was going already and wrapped the bracelet onto his wrist and he knew from how it clicked and the magic that it started to give off that it wasn't coming undone.
"Do I at least get a Key?" Leon stated already tugging at the mana draining contraption as he felt his body weaken dramatically.
"Umbra does." Leon's face visibly soured at the mention of the demon.
"Why did it have to be that one?"
"That reaction." Rodin stated as if the answer was obvious. "Now Go talk to your parents and then get ready to leave with Umbra." Leon sighed as he slid off of the bar stool Slovenly walking away as he let out a sigh.
"This gonna take some getting used to."
"And 2 And 4! And Scene!" Leon's Mother was a Umbran witch by the name of Jeanne, a woman with long white hair worn straight and a red jumpsuit in lieu of the body suit favoured by other witches. Taught in a school in her younger days and still teaches now, trying her best to try and rebuild the clan, recruiting anyone that she can with the talent for magic that they can teach the old ways, which at the moment included casting through dance.
"Good see your back love." Cereza was Leon's Mum, wears her hair in a short bob cut and has glasses on her face, use to be part of some church but the church went under, so now she goes out and hunts instead picking off whatever Angel Demon or whatever in between abomination that pokes around the base.
Both of them are giants among normal women though, where Leon and the rest of his siblings get their outrageous height from, right now she was reading in the library.
"Mom. Mum. Rodin said you wanted to see me off?" Leon looked around as he watched his Mom's students disperse for the afternoon. "You aren't going to give me lecture about the pirates too are you?"
"No Rodin should have done that by now." Cereza stated as she looked down at the Bracelet on Leon's wrist.
"We are however going to spend some time with you before you leave for the school." Jeanne reached over and picked up a bell, seemingly plucking it from the void of space itself, and rang it. Various shadows swarmed in from multiple directions and put various food on the table that the two women were sitting at. That said something was missing.
"Where's Nicholas?" Cereza starting off the line of questioning.
"The Workshop." The nearest of the demonic butlers stated without hesitation.
"Jenna?"
"She was setting up her store in the capital the last we heard."
"Finley?"
"Avalon Forest. She is after all at roughly the same age as the other three when they, and you, first entered the forest."
"Colin?"
"We do not yet know." Cereza and Jeanne made identical face palm's at that.
"Should I-?"
""Sit!"" Neither woman seemed to be in a particularly good mood. Leon joined the two women as the servant demons poured coffee for the three of them.
"You should know that once you have arrived at the academy your mother and I will be leaving for Repard for at least a year." Cereza stated as she began to daintily dig into her meal.
"Why?" Leon looked more concern than anything else.
"There's an old demonic bio-weapon that's lying around from the old war that we've managed to get a lead on. It's been little over a thousand years since the last time it would've been active, so it could be dead already, or it's simply dormant waiting to be woken up." Jeanne gave a light shrug of her shoulders as she explained and made her exasperation known. "We would like to spend some time with family before we leave but..."
"Got it. I'll make sure I punch Nicks and Jenna for you when I find them." Leon stated looking oddly proud of himself for the contents that just came out of his mouth.
"Don't punch your siblings." Jeanne stated looking like she's had to have this lecture far too many times before.
"Outside of sparring matches." Cereza added and Jeanne glared at her like she wanted to give her a lecture too. "It's simple, go to the academy, make some friends, try not to kill anybody? Please!"
On paper? Holfort's Royal academy Is exactly as the Brochures describe it: a place of higher learning, a facility to teach it's various students, the sons and daughters of nobility ranging from the lowliest knight up to the crown prince himself, every thing they could possibly need in the future. Melee weapons such as swords, Spears and Shields, guns and rifles of all kinds, magic of various shapes and forms, it even has its very own dungeons for its students to get hands on experience with.
In reality though?
The Academy is in it's own way a trap, a place built on generations of peer pressure and indoctrination to ensure that loyalty would be maintained to the crown, with various students going there less so for the educational opportunities that they will be receiving and more so for the need to find various spouses and to serve as political hostages. Marriage is the oldest way of forging alliances between families, failure to secure a spouse for yourself is the same thing as announcing to the entire country and any prospective criminals inside of it that you are both vulnerable and without allies waiting to be plundered for all you're worth. Instead, lower ranking nobles can be expected to be plundered for all they're worth by higher ranking nobles, students have to earn protection from blatant harassment and danger through another of the oldest methods of forging alliances, blatant bribery!
A Review on the Holfort Royal Academy by an Concerned Alzeran Student
The First day of the school Year at Holfort's royal Academy is always busy, swarms of noble born students, half of whom accompanied by various demi-human servants, run about trying to get to various classes/generally wreak chaos as they interact/bully one another. Through the front Gates a tall young man of Seven feet walked, his Blazer tied around his waist, sunglasses under dark black hair, a bangle of beads the size of golf balls on one wrist, flanked on either side by Black haired Feline Type Demi-human maids carrying his luggage and greeted by adoring crowds of young Noble Women.
Looking in the other direction.
Pulling his sunglasses down off of icy blue eyes The Very Tall Young man noted five heads of differently coloured hair: Dark Navy Blue, Booger Green, Bright Cyan, Crimson Red and Peacock Purple.
"Huu. Everyone's a critic." Leon pushed his glasses back onto his face as he walked forward none the less.
"Waka. We have to go to the main building to register our arrival." The Maid on the Left stated simply.
"I know." Leon stated in reply.
"And after that we're supposed to go to the Auditorium to listen to the speech from the prince." The one on the Right gave the follow up.
"Of course we are." The Young Master of the two maids could only let out a sigh as he went for sign in.
Leon, more specifically his huge stature and his two demi-human maids, got more attention as the crowd around the five multicoloured heads of hair dispersed. There was a line leading up to the registration desk, but it disappeared as Leon approached it, giving way to terrified stares and awkward gasps.
"Name pleee-" Observing a shadow indicating another student had lined up the man at the desk turned to face the new arrival and naturally had to adjust where he was looking upon realising the size of the individual in question.
"Leon Fou Blackmore." The giant of a student stated. "Hello?" Leon Tapped the desk, producing a loud *Thunk.*
"Ah yes! Yes! Sign your name here, this is your room number. Are these your...?"
"Yes these are my maids. Left, Right." Leon stated indicating the two at his sides.
"Er. Right. We need to register them as part of the staff." The clerk produced two more forms for exclusive servants.
"One of them can take your belongings to your room for you, where you will find your class schedule. This is the room number and key." The clerk held up a Key with room number attached.
"Leave that to me master." Left stated as she took the key. "We'll meet later at that Gazebo."
"Then I will escort Waka to the Auditorium." Right naturally gave the follow up two three soon going in two different directions.
The trip to the Auditorium was mildly eventful, a loud slap accompanied the head of navy blue hair from earlier flying across the courtyard in front of the auditorium, said slap having been done by a girl half the bloke's size, and by the looks of thing's age group. Mildly amusing. In the mean time The demon Summoner and his two demons entered the Auditorium and sat down at the back. The few times Leon has had the chance to attend one of Alzer's movie theatres left the impression that sitting anywhere but the back was mildly inconvenient to everyone else.
"Greetings my fellow students. I am Julius Rapha Holfort." So Leon had a name to go with the mop of navy coloured hair he saw earlier. "Though I am prince of this nation I hope to be treated as you would any other student here, after all our many founding ancestors all had the same start: Adventurers! And it is from these humble beginnings that I believe we can all rise! Thank you very much!"
The Prince gave a bow to the student body after finishing his speech. Too Short. Too Humble. Too Dependant on the Good Will of Others. Fantastic, a Prince that doesn't know how to run a country. On the stage with the prince were familiar masses of Green, Cyan, Red and Purple hair. So other high ranking and influential nobles then, this day just got better and better. The Teachers laid down some ground rules for the students conduct and left instructions to everyone to remember to show up for their classes bright eyed and bushy tailed tomorrow.
"This is... Humble." Cramped was the more accurate description, it had not escaped Leon's notice that he was little over two feet taller than literally every other student in his year, if not the tallest person in the entire school, after having to get his Uniform tailored to fit with his height it should come as no surprise that everything in his room was meant for someone equally as short, and that includes the room itself.
"My apologies Waka." Left was in the process of making the room acceptable, but she only had so much time that she could work with after all.
"It's fine, Right will help you in the mean time." The second maid nodded her head and joined her sister in the process of carving magical runes in the doorway.
"In the mean time I found these waiting for you Waka." Left Handed Leon three items, the first was the class schedule, the second the map of the school, the third was a letter.
"Great, the last time I got a letter from this kingdom I got shipped off to some third rate school." Leon let out a sigh as he sat on the bed, which creaked under his weight, and used his finger to open the envelope before cocking his brow in mild interest.
"Something the matter Waka?"
"An invitation. Apparently some students of similar rank to myself are holding a Party and this is my invitation." Leon stood up as he went to the so-called full length mirror in a corner of the room that much like everything else was two feet short. Leon took a pocket watch out of his pocket and opened it up, several bullet casings and a mirrored back for the watch lid was in full view. "Think I should dress up?"
"You already stand out too much Waka." Left explained, and seeing as how he has to duck just to get in here Leon has to agree with her.
"True. You two stay here and finish the prep work on my room then."
""Yes Waka!"" The two maids stated simply as Leon walked forward to greet his fellow noble men.
The so called welcome party had been a disappointment so far. Leon had been told that the men of the Kingdom were warriors hardened by hard ship and with nerves of steel, what he met instead? A room full of drunkards bitching and whining about their lousy marriage prospects. Worst yet he and his fellow first years were apparently expected to fall into this same trap of despair. Well all that he can really say to that is 'screw that!'
"So the Etiquette classes are mandatory?" To begin with, Leon learned about what would be his biggest obstacles in the school year to come, namely the idiotically mandatory etiquette and tea ceremony classes.
"The school wants to make sure that we don't embarrass the kingdom with bad behaviour!" One of Leon's upper Classmen did a very good job of doing exactly that his face flushed with booze.
"Frig off man! Those classes are for picking up girls!" Another student loudly complained as he slammed his face into a table and started sobbing.
"What's his problem?" Leon asked looking at the pitiful individual suspiciously.
"What's all of our problem!" Another individual seemed to scream into the sky wailing in frustration. "The girls at this school are demons I tell you! DEMONS! Each and everyone of them will take you for everything you own just for the chance to talk with them! Then when you run out of money for them to spend they throw your sucked dry corpse to the side of the road like you are nothing! Nothing!"
"Every day we have to throw ourselves into that pit full of monsters just to keep up with their outrageous demands!" One of the students was repeatedly slamming his fist against the table with frustration!
"I'd rather deal with the monsters than the Demi-human Servants!" Like they were all taking turns voicing their grievances another student proceeded to make more complaints. "At least when the monsters try to kill you you're allowed to fight back! But when the Servants do it! They all tell each other about what you did and they all conspire to get back at you!"
"Huh. So this is probably a bad time to mention my Demi-human maids then?" Leon stated while he scratched the side of his head awkwardly. The entire bar erupted into silence for a few moments, then all at once the entire room erupted into one massive bar room brawl, all aimed at one singular person in the vicinity.