"Markus Windwave. Court Attendant to Her Majesty. I am 14 years old and a rank 4: expert of the wind." Markus replied casually
"And the previous president of the student body of The Tuatri Academy in the Crimson region. You're quite accomplished at your age." Langley said
"Why do I sense you take my presence as an insult, Mr President?" Markus asked
"I take your presence as a blessing. You see, I did not want to bully a mere rank 3 from a backwater city like Tuatri. We only accepted your request due to optics. But to think that we were almost defeated. Your people really put up a fight." Langley said
"And now that I'm an accomplished rank 4?" Markus asked
"Would you do me the honour of sparring with me?" Langley asked
"I will not honour you." Markus replied
"Then you will do it for your girlfriend. I can make her life very misereable here." Langley threatened
"(Sigh) fine." Markus said plainly
"So that is your weakness." Langley said, looking over Markus' shoulder to Amy
Langley led Markus— and a massive crowd followed— to a sparring hall.
"Are you ready?" Langley asked Markus
"Sure." Markus replied
The wind tensed and pushed up slightly below Markus feet. From this, he knew to jump upward and do a front flip as a spike rose from the ground. Markus used the spike as a wall to proper himself from as if he were swimming and he threaded the air whilst increasing the air resistance around Langley.
Markus shot forth like a javelin and punched Langley square in the jaw. An audible crack could be heard. Then the stone around Langley's jaw crumbled.
"Quite a strong punch for a wind attuned." Langley said
Markus' hand meanwhile twitched as he tried to hold back the pain of his broken hand.
Then Markus withdrew his hand and coated his knee with a whirlwind blast before knee slamming Langley right in his stomach.
The force send the elite young man flying back through the crowd who moved back last second.
"So you're worth my time after all." Langley said from the ground as orange enduring stone wrapped him like a ragged suit of armour.
Instantly, the area around Markus grew uneven with pillar peaks rising and falling without a pattern. Every moment the battlefield shifted in a way that Markus could not predict.
"Spears of whirlwinds." Markus muttered below his breath
Several spears formed at his command and shot down devastating the entire battlefield, turning the shifting pillars to rubble.
Langley had read of this move and expected it to come eventually. Now that all had been turned to rubble, he used the rubble instead.
Turning the rubble into ammunition, Markus was chased hundreds of stone fragments.
"Vortex!" Markus shouted
The stone fragments were all instantly swilled into one spot and Markus could finally reach his target without further nuisances.
Langley was still under the air resistance effect and his movements were restricted. Meanwhile his own element was not particularly made for speed.
Markus on the other hand was already upon him.
'Not using the phantom step slows me down a whole lot huh.' Markus thought
Turning his own essence shell into volatile whirlwind, Markus dared to approach at close range and proceeded to front kick Langley with an explosive strike.
Langley in his suit of armour was only send back half a metre and seemed largely unaffected.
"Oh crap." Markus thought as he knew what would happen
Langley grabbed his leg and ragdoll threw him around against freshly raised pillars.
The whirlwind shell destroyed these pillars and protected Markus but when his shell eventually came undone, Markus would be defenceless and wide open. Within just a few seconds, Markus' essence shell was gone and Langley threw him into the ground jumped on top of him, swinging his arm ready to pummel him.
Markus had no alternative but to strike the ground and create a dust screen and used the phantom step to get away from under him.
"What!?" Langley said in confusion as Markus vanished from under him
Markus meanwhile was on his back and concentrated his essence in one precise location.
"How do you do against piercing attacks?" Markus asked him as he unleashed a needle right through his armour and into his chest, not hitting anything vital.
"You… drew my blood? You dared to spill the blood of a Lustrada? I will have you hanged for the world to see—" he began to shout before Markus cut him off
"You know I can turn my constructs into whirlwind right? Think twice before threatening to kill me." Markus warned
"Get off me!" Langley shouted and sent his whole essence shell flying into bits in all directions.
As the dust settled, Markus floated in the air whilst Langley was holding the left side of his upper chest, trying to pull a wind spike from it.
"Woah… Markus Windwave beat the president?" Some of the students murmured
"Let's call it a draw. If we continue we will only cause casualties." Markus said
"You— what did you do!" Langley pointed his finger in the sky toward Markus, aggravated by the situation
"Don't be unreasonable. If anything I'm losing face. After all, the crown would never tolerate a draw." Markus said smugly
"You think you can beat me?" Langley asked, insulte
"How could I dare to dream of beating an elite like you?" Markus replied sarcastically
The crowd broke in murmurs
"Is that guy really taunting the president!?"
"I think he just did."
"The president is weaker?"
"Are we witnessing a coup?"
"Looks like your reputation is falling apart by the second." Markus taunted
"You're dead—" Langley growled
"Halt." A man's commanding voice resounded in the room.
His steps echoed as everyone fell silent and he approached the two young men.
"You are not a student of this academy." The man said. His golden eyes and golden hair resembled someone Markus had come to know slightly. A very regal someone. He was tall and sharply dressed. Most importantly, his aura was imposing. Imposing on the world itself.
"He is a guest of the student council… headmaster." Langley quickly said
"Is that so? Speak up boy." The headmaster of the academy said
"The queen has a brother..?" Markus thought, confused
"You insolent boy. I shall teach you obedience." The headmaster said
Crystals rose form the ground toward Markus and without a thought, on pure instinct, Markus let himself be carried by the wind paths, narrowly avoiding the crystal pillar.
'T…the wind's path..?' The headmaster thought, incredulous
The students murmured at the vanishing.
"Who is he?" He asked
"Markus Windwave. An attendant of the Queen's Court. Fourteen years old. Expert of the Wind." Langley obediently replied
'A fourteen year old expert… using the Wind's Path… I've met masters of Windbourne who could never step into the paths. And here is an expert at just fourteen… doing it. How is it even possible— blood techniques usually awaken around maturity. He is still a growing boy— what the hell is going on. And why is my sister harbouring the most talented Windbourne in history?' The headmaster's thoughts raced
"Clean this place up and go to classes." He commanded before leaving
Several hours later, Markus slowly returned to the Royal Palace.
Once he entered however, a voice resounded down the halls despite nobody being there but himself.
"There you are." A man's voice boomed
A mirror rose in front of Markus. His own reflection spoke to him.
"Stay."
But in the next moment, Markus' eyes lit up ever so slightly.
'It's not me… I don't want to stay. He wants me to stay…' Markus thought, breaking the mind control
From behind the crystal mirror, the headmaster stepped forth and stood in front of Markus.
"I see why my sister keeps you around." He said, examining Markus
"Who is your father? Answer me." He spoke calmly
"I…" Markus began to say
His thoughts swirled as his pictures flashed through his mind.
A mountain peak. A white haired man. A… wyvern.
"I don't know…" Markus said
"You're a bastard then. Explains the black hair." He said
"What?" Markus asked
"??" The headmaster was confused on how Markus just questioned what was going on
"Cut your own throat." He commanded
"…" Markus awkwardly looked at him
"You're… resisting? How interesting—" he said
Then Markus manifested a dagger and brought it to his neck.
'Or maybe not…' the headmaster thought
"What are you waiting for?" He asked, seeing Markus hesitate
"Seriously?" Markus asked back, incredulous that he would actually be commanded to kill himself.
"So you are not affected after all." He said, raising his hand