Chapter 552: Onwards to Reforge
A tip of the head from the back row – the na called into the class left Jen and Rena awestruck. A jolt of regret and embarrassnt coursed through their veins. Leonard and Lampard were more or less neutral to the matter at hand. Graduation ant fighting or taking an exam, ti wasn’t abundant, thus, said outco was predictable. ‘How should I act, do I say hi, do I smile, do I show that we’re acquaintances?’
Question riddled the tedious relation. Without much effort, a single smile from Igna had the class representative in shambles. She nervously guided him to their lockers at the back. Oily, grimy, not a very lady-like status of their items.
“Could you help us pack?” asked she knelt before a big case.
He passed Jen’s table, gave a single glance, and faced forward as if strangers. It stung, she carelessly stared at Rena who hid behind her hands. Leonard and Lampard held breaths; the hilarious state of the girls made it harder to think anything else.
“Why’s a mber of the Trader’s Guild in the Adventuring Class?” argued one emanating a strong aura. “-Igna Haggard, who are you?”
“Didn’t I introduce myself earlier?” fired he nonchalantly. “Alright, let help,” he knelt and aided in cleaning the used equipnt. The way the girls looked with shy gaze and subtle coyness. One could have guessed the feeling brewing in the hearts of the ‘prideful’.
“Thank you so much,” said they softly and nicely.
.....
“Listen here boy,” said the tall and broad man, “-I asked a question, give an answer,” he walked over.
“...Yes, that goes over there,” instructed he.
“Don’t ignore ,” voiced he loudly.
“Do apologize for my lack of interest,” glaring back, “-my ears aren’t well accustod to the blabbering of a drilling ox who’d strike another without so much as saying his na.”
“What do you an ox!”
“Oh, dear ,” he sighed, “-kind gentleman, a waxing of thine ear is in order. Well, considering their god-awful size, I’d have figured elsewise. Must be a paradox, big ears who can’t perceive sound. Will lobbing them off satisfy the minor inconvenience?”
“Grr,”
“Growling?” he chuckled, “-Mr. Big ears, do make thyself scarce. If not, lend us a hand.”
“Mister Big Ears?” the cheeks reddened, the class laughed, so hid, so out loud, “-the humiliation,” he cried, “-I’ll cut your tongue!”
“There, there,” he stood, “-there’s no need for violence. What can’t be resolve through words, and be done so in a battle.”
“Are you going to fight ,” ard crossed, steam emanated off the shoulders, “-fighting a weakling doesn’t seem too bad.” The class mauled over the proposition.
“Yes, a battle to the death,” said he leaning close.
“To the death?” he gulped, “-n-now?”
“Yes, the worst kind of battle.” The tension builds, distraught stares fly to one another, ‘soone should stop them,’ wrote across the nurous faces. “Would you like the na?”
“P-please...” the breathing grew erratic.
“Rock, paper, scissors,” turning back, “-co on, there’s no need to fight between comrades.”
“Rock, paper, scissors, ah yes, the worst kind of battle,” eyes shut and the face of ultimate control,” WAIT WHAT!” the shoulders dropped.
“Ahahahahaha...” the class broke into hysteria. Heads to desks, others holding stomach, the tension of a battle to the death turned to a childish bout. “Drop the act,” said a whisper, “-there’s no need to fight. Let’s just get along until the graduation is over. Besides, I don’t have any interest in the ladies here. You like the class-representative, don’t you? Just bend down and help , she’ll see you as a caring person. Not better heart-tucker than the kindness of a harsh man.” Returned to help, he realized one thing, Igna wasn’t as good as he portraited.
“Fine, let help,” to everyone’s surprise, he joined the fray.
“I didn’t know you were such a caring person,” cleaned and ready, “-forgot to introduce myself,” giving a curtsy, “-I’m Ling Kole. Call Lingling, the class representative.” Black short hair, almond eyes, and rosy cheeks. Pimples dotted about the cheeks and forehead. “Good to have you with us.”
“Igna Haggard,” returned he once more, “-call Igna.”
“I’m Hado,” said the boy of before, “-nice to et you,” said he reluctantly. A face of hardship and sternness, flat and large nose, small eyes with the body of a bear. One by one, the class introduced themselves, each took to Igna easily. A charming and handso boy without pride or a condescending attitude. He ca off as soone they could relate to, the dark-jokes muddied the nice-boy act – an added bonus to relatability.
“Alright!” the door slid to a slam, “-to the battle arena!” shouted Fletcher.
“Yes sir,” they exited in line.
“Igna, wait up a mont,” to which he nodded. The class emptied, multiple glanced for a sneak peek.
“Anything the matter, sir?”
“Yes,” said he, “-we’ve got trouble. I’ll explain it in more details at the Azure Walls. Are you sure about this, you’re wearing Kniq’s uniform. Not hard to put one and one together, is it, now, Xenos’s Nephew,” shadows overlaid the man’s stare.
“If that’s everything, I’ll take my leave.”
“Kinless. A word of advice, be careful of the monsters. They’re stronger than ever before. You defeated the top of our class; don’t get a big head, they’re nothing more than childsplay compared to the damned invaders.”
“Not to worry,” said he, “-as long as I graduate, there’s nothing more to it. If people die, sad, if so survive, good, if monsters kill , I was weak. No more, no less, it’s a cruel place out there,” staring the outside, “-people are far worst monsters than they themselves.”
The words struck a chord, the hefty weight of said sentence brought the battle-hardened Fletcher into doubt. The profoundness of a Wiseman, for soone recently turned twenty, the way of thinking was more of an elder than the impulse of the youth.
The arena stood cleaner, there wasn’t any sign of the prior battle. Fletcher, Lady Haru, and a few other instructors stood in the middle.
“Stand straight!” cried Fletcher, “-teams of five will be assigned to different adventuring parties at the Azure walls. Take your pick and make rows of the assigned teams. One more thing, Igna, you’re the exception, co here.”
And so, the class divided into teams of five. “-You’ll be fighting alone,” said Fletcher, “-it’s a harsh world, those are your words. I can’t risk the team-work of my students on soone who fights better alone. Rember, this is for the good of my students, I will not hold anything back.”
“Better that way,” said he, “-the graduation?”
“More on that at the Walls.” And so, the journey south began by train. The arrival of ke was short-lived. The Adventuring town’s cacophony reached the station. The differing teams made for the respective guilds, each assigned at other outposts.
“You get it now,” said Fletcher, “-the students are allied to their guilds,” they stood before Pegasus’s headquarters. Frost walked in to joyfully et the workers inside. “I don’t have much to say,” he handed a letter, “-that’s the assigned position. Go, the path ahead is yours alone. Forge it well.”
‘Graduation?’ the streets soon forced him out to the sidelines. ‘-what’s this?’ the letter read, ‘-all review and testing will be handled by individual parties. They’ve been notified, head for Reforge.’
“Hey, Igna!” waved a cheerful girl.
“Hello,” he returned, “-Lingling?”
“Why say it like a question?” her lips tightened, “-anyway, et my team. From left to right, Anne, Lucia, Goldie, Kein, and lastly . We’re part of Ordan’s Guild.”
“Ordan’s Guild?”
“Yes, a mid-tier guild,” she breathed as if rembering troubleso mories, “-the guild leader is a bit of a nutcase. Want to join us?”
“I’m headed to Reforge.”
“Better,” flicking a thumbs-up, “-we’re stationed there for the trip.”
“I don’t see an escort...’
“We’ve already gotten our Tier-8 Steel ranking. Makes us eligible for independent expeditions. Less chitchat, more moving.”
“It’s good to make your acquaintance,” said Anne, “-Lingling’s been going on and on about this charming prince.” Dark-brown hair tied in a pony-tail, a shorter stature, and standard adventuring attire. Longing eyes, glistening lips, and a perky nose. “-I’m Anne.’
‘Self-introductions again?’
“Lucia,” said another with blueish hair straddling down her face, her dulled blue eyes complinted the hair color.”
“Goldie,” added she with a wink, “-feels nice to be walking with a prince.” Blonde hair covered by a cap, “-looking forward to our ti-fighting.”
“Kein,” said the last clad in black.
Transit for Reforge arrived in haste. Lingling’s party was very talkative. They forced him into the conversations and laughed. Hardened adventurers glared back in envy, those who hadn’t witnessed the true terror were always bright.
Camp jumped in sight after the tall-vegetations. More than that, the robust wall stood ever strong over yonder. The outpost grew larger and wider, more buildings laid about to even accommodate a proper bus-station and military trucks. Guards were strong on standby.
Walking down the sa path many took to their deaths gave courage and excitent. “Co on,” said Lingling, “-we need to et with Corporal Tommy.”
“Corporal Tommy?”
“No questions,” said she, “-just follow us.” Skipping normal pathways, dipping into alleys, they soon arrived at the military-quarters. An inn-like building stood guarded by two ard soldiers.
“Hello,” waved Lingling.
“Excuse ?” glared the soldier, “-what do you want?”
“We’re from the Adventuring Academy,” said she confidently.
“Oh,” facing the other soldier, “-See, I told you they would be coming here sooner or later. Guess it’s that ti of the week. Alright, go in, Corporal Tommy’s inside.”
“Thanks,” she skippe into the tight building.
“For a student, that’s a very nicely shaped ass.”
“Thank you for the complint,” winked she, “-not that you’d ever have a chance.” They followed one by one.
“Not so fast, hotshot,” blocking Igna’s entrance,”-I’ve never seen you around here.”
“Will this suffice?” he pulled out an adventuring tag.
“-P-Plat-t-ium,” they gulped, “-please, go in.”
“Huh?” stood inside, ‘-what about my tag?’ staring the porcelain-tag, ‘-oh, shit, they must have confused the old one for mine.’
“Igna, stop wasting ti, co here!” voiced Lingling.
A small office, a single window, an old fan churning away in the background, and a load of paperwork, “-Lingling, didn’t think they’d send the recruits here so quickly. You could have always gone to the walls directly, I’m certain the academy’s inford of the arrival.”
“No,” she snickered, “-I’ll never miss the chance to et my big-brother before heading out.”
“Stop it,” he facepald, “-so embarrassing.”
.....
“Oh, co on, big bro, I know you missed .”
“Enough, go away, you’re annoying.”
“Stop giving the cold shoulder,” she pouted, “-you sang another tune when we were alone...”
“STOP,” he jumped, “-there’s no need for that mory. Go, go,” pushing them out the office, “-good luck,” sweat poured.
‘Did she?’
‘Don’t,’ said Goldie with her expression alone.
“I feel refreshed,” said she, “-let’s head to the walls!”
A walk led to the feet of the beast. Roads linking each outpost usually held trucks carrying injured fighters or support for the other side.
“Lingling’s adventuring party,” said a sternly dressed lady, “-climb on up, the other students are already here,” facing Igna, “-you stop there a mont.” The elevators lifted without a second thought.
“Who are you?” asked she, other adventurers used the not-so-stable ladders.
“Kinless, I’ve co for the graduation.”
“Oh, it’s you, give a mont,” she signaled to another officer.
“Security’s quite tight,” comnted he.
“Yes, we ought to be,” voiced she, “-there have been stronger monsters prowling on the other side. Can’t be too careful.”
“Anything the matter?” spoke the uniford man.
“Here’s Kinless, take him to the lieutenant.”
“Oh please,” he begged, “-not him,” a tired exhale escaped.
“I know, I know. He’s a bit of a slacker, still, orders are orders. Take Kinless to him.”
“He threw a guard off the wall for disturbing the nap. I don’t want to die like that.”
“Those are rumors,” she facepald, “-besides, the guard who fell was pushed by a gust of wind.”
“Yeah... a gust of wind that has arms.”
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