The unknown man dragged Laudis to the body of water. Each of his heavy steps scared off the nearby animals. It was a sunrise; the light reflected on the lake's surface. The birds were singing, and bees pollinated the flowers. The kid was blindfolded, so he fell a few times. After a while, they stopped, standing on the small, wooden pier. The lake had a size of around one hectare, with an oval shape. The water was fairly clear, yet cold despite the warm morning.
'Judging by the sounds, I'm near water. He probably wants to get rid of me, yet I don't recall anyone I've insulted or made angry,' thought Laudis, trying to free himself from the blindfold.
"You can't take it off. I made sure of that. Anyway, do you have any last words, kid?" the aggressor said with a satisfied voice.
"Even if I die today, I won't be forgotten," the boy responded calmly.
"Good joke on you! Now you've got anything else to say?"
"..."
"I consider it as an approval."
Laudis was thrown into the lake, blindfolded, and locked in handcuffs. The kid exhaled underwater. Judging by the sound of escaping bubbles, he rotated himself into the right position and swam to the surface. Then the boy moved about ten meters to the opposite side of the throwing point. Using the nearby tree branch, he ripped the blindfold.
"Shit, he took off my eye patch. I guess that is the end of my camouflage,' Laudis thought with some kind of anger.
The kid decided to look at the attacker. The threat was tall, muscular, and didn't seem to be a novice. His face was hidden behind a black mask. On it was a poorly drawn frown made with red chalk.
"W—What are you?! Why the hell is your eye the same as the vampire's?!" the clown mask asked with a terrified voice.
His eye, which was constantly covered by the material, indeed resembled a devil's. It was black with a red pupil; the blood strokes were caused by its rare use. Unlike vampires, he was immune to the sun, which disqualified him from being one.
"So you know my secret. Let's keep it between us, or I will have to silence you," he responded quietly.
"Ha! You are still in the lake, did you forget? Besides, as soon as you leave the water, I will finish you off," he stated, holding a two-meter-long battle axe.
"You talk, but you don't engage. You are pretty unorthodox for a thug."
"I may be a murderer, but I'm not a thug. I still have my honour."
'I have to leave the water soon or I will experience hypothermia and become unconscious. Think, think, think... No weapons, no way to free myself or even to run away. Hell's scenario if you would ask me. Or is it? I hid it somewhere in my pocket... I found it! The knife with the fly line! The perfect utility. I just need to get a steady position and to saw it,' thought Laudis with a neutral face.
The kid slowly swam up to the shore. He secured his position at the shore and started using the fisherman's equipment to free his hands. After three minutes, the boy cut through them. Laudis finally left the water after being in it for twelve minutes. His hair was wet, and his wrists were red from the handcuffs. He took off his coat and boots to lighten his weight. The kid kept the trousers and shirt to protect himself from cuts. The kid finally took an unusual fighting stance. No guard, his hands were swinging freely, and his right leg was placed in front.
"You know what it means, you freak?"
"I am aware," he replied, stripped of emotions.
"See you in hell."
The man charged into him with an axe swing. Swoosh — Laudis rolled to the left, dodging the attack. Shlick — the knife extended with a fly line cut the attacker's leg. Again, the weapon swung, but this time from the side. The kid jumped backward, yet he was too slow. His left arm was slashed, causing him to lose control over it. Now the arm was only a burden, not useful, slowing him down.
'If I had a sword, I could cut off my arm to have greater speed. Sadly, I won't be able to cut it with this mere knife. I have no chance of beating this ogre. A kill or be killed situation. I have to play va banque,' thought Laudis, breathing heavily.
The boy threw his knife into the wounded leg. The attacker lost concentration for a moment. When he tried to look back at the opponent, it was already too late. The kid delivered a kick to his chin. The tall man stood still for a second with no response, then fell on his back. The axe, which he let go of, was coming right at his neck. Laudis had caught it quickly and threw it away.
"Let's see your real face..."
Behind the mask was the guard, the guard who disapproved of his carefree attitude toward the king. The kid cut off his left sleeve and covered the unusual eye with it. Then Laudis dragged him to the guards. The band, from drinking beer and shouting, went silent in a moment. Before them stood their captain with a knife stuck in his right leg. Next to them was a seventeen-year-old whose arm was limp and bleeding.
"Give me the bandages, then take care of him. He tried to silence me, yet he lacked one important thing. He lacked respect for his opponent. You should never go easy, especially against the unknown ones," stated Laudis, resting on the wall.
"Who are you and why did you do that?!"
"I am in charge and not you, weakling. Now, give me the damn bandages or I will butcher him!" he responded by incising his arm with the knife.
"Okay, okay! Here, take them and go away, weirdo."
The guards gave him bandages. The kid left the room and went straight to the bathroom. Sitting in the corner, he poured the water bucket on his head. His hair was again all wet, blocking his vision. The droplets hit the brick floor, almost rhythmically. The water mixed with the blood, creating a light red puddle around him. Fsh — he ignited a match to light the cigarette.
'It is a good remedy for my stress.' Puff... 'I was right to steal some yesterday. The cigarettes are probably the best lesser evil for me. They only weaken my endurance, but they don't affect my concentration. The smoke is almost identical to the chimney's. A chimney from a home, which I never had... The fire, source of life and death. I'm surrounded by contradictions. Now look at me. Naked, wet, and smoking. Almost like some depressed guy. Ha. I'd better move on,' thought Laudis, smoking.
He threw away the butt through the window. The kid tightened up the wound with the bandages and dressed up. His black shirt was cut, yet he still wore it. Laudis didn't care for the paintings or the sun; he only cared to acquire more knowledge and leave this place as soon as possible. He entered the library.
"Oh! You are here, it's good to see yo—" greeted Elisabeth with a smile.
"Yeah..."
"What happened? Why is your left sleeve cut? What happened to your eye? Did someone try to hurt you? I—If so, then I will apprise it to the king," she responded, stuttering.
"It's not a big deal. I sparred with a guard, and we went a little overboard. No need to worry about me," he replied, walking past her. Then he laid his hand on her shoulder to calm her.
'Despite his wounds, he still reads. Despite his exhaustion, he still reads. Despite the sadness in his eyes, he still reads. But that isn't about reading; it is about everything. He doesn't seem to care what he has to do to achieve something; he's solely focused on the goal. Laudis, you truly are an embodiment of human willpower,' Elisabeth thought, looking at the ceiling. A small tear went down her cheek.
Laudis went to the magic aisle. The book awaited him, the 'Magic basics'. Now he went over for the auras and started reading in the same corner.
"There are things called auras. They are a type of curse, but unlike it, everyone can invoke them. You can only activate them on yourself. They are also split into four categories:
Rare. They are cast by the incantation formula only. They cost from up to five percent of your total mana capacity per minute. They are either weak or situational, for example, the Aura of Sea. It grants the user a small boost to water attacks and immunity to drowning (in the normal water).
Epic. They require an item (it is fully consumed, but easy to obtain) costing you up to ten percent of your total mana capacity per minute. They are pretty good, but even more situational than rare ones, for example, Aura of Gold Fever. It grants the user better luck and the ability to turn things into gold (items return to their original forms after the aura is deactivated).
Mythical. For them, you need to acquire a scroll containing the full incantation and read it. After the first activation, you can say its name to activate it; they cost up to fifteen percent of your total mana capacity per minute. They grant you a great power boost, but most are even more situational, for example, Aura of Divine Tree. It enhances the user's healing and boosts the power of every Plant or Earth element offensive spell up to twenty-five percent.
Legendary Aura. They have the same requirement as the Mythical one, but with a twist. It is required to sacrifice something after every use. It can range from a part of your body to a skill you have learned (it cannot be something that kills you indirectly, for example, heart, brain, ability to breathe, or to pump blood). They cost you up to fifty percent (fifteen percent is the most draining mana aura documented in history; there is no limit to them) of your total mana capacity per minute. The only one that I saw directly was the Aura of Phoenix. The user was granted fire wings, which allowed him to fly. His Fire spells' power was massively increased, but there was a thing greater than those things. In the middle of the battle, he was decapitated. In that moment, his body evaporated, and a strange egg was summoned. It was not possible to break it, even a dragon could not do it. From it, the user emerged, yet he lacked his right arm. The aura was deactivated with a moment of his death.
To activate the aura, you must say the basic incantation (of course, you must read the full incantation if needed), that is, '[Name of the aura] activare'; it has to be said, not thought about. To deactivate it, you say, '[Name of the aura] deactivare'."
'Yeah... That would make the end of reading— Wait. I skipped the mana part? Pretty strange, but I guess I have to understand it,' thought Laudis with resentment.
"Mana is quite a strange thing. We do not know how it works precisely, but we know its rough concept. The mana is produced by your heart. Everyone has a limit on the amount of mana that they can hold up — mana capacity. It can be expanded by mana training or even by physical exercises, but not as well. Every magic usage changes mana into the chosen substance or the effect — transfusion. It is advised not to drain your mana completely, because of the consequences — nausea, fever, coma, or even death. You cannot collect mana from the surroundings, contrary to the teachings of some hermits. Everything emits energy (mana) — animals, insects, or even plants. You can hide your emissions, but not entirely (as far as we are concerned right now). Nonetheless, we still do not know most things about it, which is why some people choose not to use it — vendors, bakers, farmers, and such. There is a gossip, saying that every time you use magic, your lifespan shortens or you become less potent. Honestly, it holds up because the great sorcerers do not live to their forties. Monarchs agreed on one thing (that is, the rulers of Carola, Luxaris, Terminara, Piscaria, and the State of Insulareum). Every magic user has to be enlisted in official records, or he becomes an outlaw — criminal. In short, it is a great weapon, but with an unknown cost."
'Ha! Every time I learn, the less I want to know. Damn, this whole thing is pretty messed up. Also, the book is pretty outdated, published seventy-three years ago. My hunger is growing stronger. It's better to ask Thomas for some food. I haven't eaten since yesterday. Maybe he will spare me some leftovers,' thought Laudis, leaving the library.
The boy placed the book in its place. Then he headed to the doors.
"See you! I'm gonna return after I eat something," he stated with a raised hand.
"Yeah... See you too," she replied calmly.
The kid walked through the corridors; today, they looked the same to him. The sight wasn't as great as the first time he walked here. After a seven-minute walk, the boy was at his destination. He knocked on the Thomas' room. Silence... The door was shut.
'Great, now I have to look for him or go to the king. Shit... Both are idiotic choices, but I'd opt for the king. At least I won't be looking all around the bloody castle,' Laudis thought with an unpleasant expression.
Laudis took off to the throne room. The halls were empty, no servants, no guards, and no sound was present. He thought that the king might be in another place. As he met his destination again, disappointment struck him. The space was empty; only light was present.
'No one is present. Damn... Now, if that's the case, then I will go to the kitchen and help myself,' thought Laudis, irritated.
As soon as he entered the kitchen, someone stopped him from grabbing food.
"What do ya think ya doing, boy?!" shouted a man stopping him in the entrance.
It was a man in his late twenties, with a glass eye and short brown hair. He was around the same height as Laudis, yet double his size.
"I wanted to ask Thomas or the king for the food, but they aren't in the castle," Laudis responded with a stoic face.
"Duh, they are in the city at the guild. Why are ya all cut, kid? Also, I don't recall ya face, can ya introduce yaself?"
"Laudis, candidate for the Crusaders. The cuts are from the sparing I've had this morning with a guard."
"I see, the sparing and candidate for the Crusaders, ya say... Here, you can help yourself with that," the man passed down a plate with rabbit meat and potatoes.
"Thanks. Do you mind sharing your name, Chef?"
"Chef? Ha! Ya got that joke for sure. I am just a cook. Ya see, I was rescued when I was two years old. When Leopold was still a prince, he took me to the king and asked him whether I could stay here. The king didn't approve of the idea of a prince taking care of a peasant, yet somehow he pulled that off. I couldn't communicate, so he taught me how to speak, write, and such. When I turned ten, the king gave me an ultimatum: 'You can stay here and work or go away and don't come back'. I started working here, but whatever I touched, I destroyed. I couldn't clean, saw, scribe, or even play the trumpet. I didn't want to leave the castle, I liked being in here. I asked for a last try. If I can try cooking. To everyone's surprise, I wasn't bad. My meals were edible, but not that tasty. Of course, with time, I've become better. "
"And what's your name?" he responded, a bit annoyed.
"Ah! Right, my name is Leon, Leon Becker."
"You have a last name? Didn't you say you were an orphan?"
"That's right, but ya see everyone has to have a last name. They picked a random one and I stuck to it."
"Is it mandatory?
"Yeah? Why do ya ask?"
"For no reason, I am just surprised. Thanks for the meal, chief," he left the kitchen with a raised hand.
"Yeah, come back anytime ya want some," the cook replied by waving a hand
'Ha! He is almost like my past self. I also tried to become a Crusader. However, the third trial almost finished me for good. That time, I had lost only one eye. Still, he has something that I lacked. That is the necessary will,' Leon thought with a nostalgic smile.