Markus walked into combat class late, with Helen.
All of a sudden, every student turned to look at them and stopped whatever they were doing.
Not paying them any mind, they paired up and waited for an instructor to set up a combat zone.
"It's a shame they never let us spar." Helen said, summoning her aqua blade.
"I didn't have time to spar- unlike you who finished a whole week early and could just laze around while I was getting whacked around by two elites." Markus said, wincing from his most recent bruises.
Miss Fallie came over.
"If it isn't the two mystery students who disappeared for a month. Didn't you two do this some time ago?" Miss Fallie asked, wondering why they were seriously duelling again
"Yes. We did- but things have changed since." Markus said with a smirk
"Is that so? Well then, I look forward to seeing your progress." She said before enclosing a space around them.
"Begin." She announced
In Markus' right hand a handle appeared. Then he slammed his left hand into the bladeless handle and channelled the essence required. Moving this right hand away, a sharp wind blade was slowly constructed until the blade was just over a metre long.
Miss Fallie's jaw slacked and dropped as far as it could.
Helen summoned several tentacles, a water wave below her feet and a few ice shards in the air. All in a swift motion, she rushed forward and shot forward the ice shards like bullets.
Markus created his own wind bullets which directly hit and deviated the ice shards. He moved forward however, he felt a shift in the wind. That was right when the ice shards exploded, hurling toward Markus several sharp fragments.
He turned around and in a swift motion released from his sword a powerful wind blast which destroyed the fragments and send Markus flying backward with intention.
He flew back and landed behind Helen. She turned around, only to barely raise the tide and turn it to ice before Markus released a wind thrust.
'A strong thrust attack will pierce a large defensive shield!' Markus thought, putting a substantial amount of force in the attack
The wind thrust tore through the ice, shattering it with great force. The impact sent Helen back and delivered a bit of damage but not enough to end the fight.
Whilst she was sent back, the tentacles around her shot forward toward Markus.
He took a stance and cut through the tentacles. Due to his inferior rank, it took a lot of force to cut through the tentacles and he could not do it easily or seamlessly, requiring time to cut it down and barely managing to cleave through one tentacle before the next was already on him. Only through narrow timing and dodging did he manage to cut the tentacles down. However before he could go on the offensive, Helen was already on him with an upward cut from down below.
He weaved the slash and spun around with his own slash which was blocked by the downward slash. They locked their blades together. In the standstill, wind and aqua tentacles shot forward and clashed against each other, creating a mist around them.
'Damn my rank- I'm losing this! She is freely changing her essence around. Meanwhile I can just barely keep up with the attacks!' Markus thought, frustration seeping into his soul
"What's with that look Mark? Realising you'll lose?" Helen asked, a smirk on her face as she realised her attacks were steadily overpowering his.
"Shut up. It's not over yet!" Markus said, trying to think of something
"Yes. It is. Now take your loss windy boy!" Said said as two tentacles from behind grabbed Markus and yanked him back with great force that he ended up being brutally thrown into a wall.
"Winner: Helen Aquabourne." Miss Fallie declared
"Ha! I told you I'd win!" Helen shouted, coming over to Markus
She saw he was still on the ground
"Stop sulking. You improved a lot in the last month. Elemental sword, thrust attacks and basic swordsmanship! I think it might be a challenge to beat you when you advance to learned!" Helen said, extending her hand down to him.
But Markus did not reach for her hand.
"Mark?" Helen asked, crouching down to him.
His eyes were closed. His breathing slow.
"MISS FALLIE—" Helen shouted in panic
A few hours later, in the infirmary.
"It's not your fault, Helen…" Charlotte said, squeezing her shoulder.
"… I- I nearly killed him… the doctor said he took the blow directly… that means I used a rank 3 attack on a mundane body… that would kill most people!" She said, her voice quivering
"That was his fault for not using shell. You are not to blame- and his combat suit further failed to absorb the damage. What happened to Markus is not your fault—" she said
"HOW COULD IT NOT BE! If I had just restrained him then I would've won! But I—" Helen tried to say before crying again
They were just children. Most children were meant to remain learners until the age of 15… until they were more mature to responsibly use their powers.
But Helen was a bastard. She yearned to be accepted and the only global currency was strength. So she advanced as fast as she could… and from her training with Bailey, she could try her hardest. But her opponent this time was not a battle hardened Elite…
Markus on the other hand had a world of pressure resting on his shoulders. He had to advance at neck breaking speed to stay alive. So he became careless- taking fights he had no business taking just so he could learn through failures. But now one of his failures broke him.
Neither of the children were mature enough to handle their powers. But now they had learned an important lesson.
"Markus being in a coma is not your fault. The fault lies within this world which prizes strength above all… above your safety. Above your lives. Markus will recover, the doctor confirmed it earlier. But it may be a while. For now just return to lessons."
"Will you let me know as soon as he wakes up?" Helen asked
"Ofcourse. Now go, learning waits for no one." Charlotte said with a soft smile on her face
Helen left adamantly.
As soon as she left, the far wall in the darkness shifted out of the way of a tall man. Enrique Ballion.
Charlotte kneeled before him as he approached Markus.
"This is indeed a misfortunate accident." The man said, looking over Markus
"Please… he has done everything he was asked." Charlotte begged on Markus' behalf.
"Indeed. But he will no longer be able to continue doing so. Whilst Markus will wake up, he has suffered substantial spinal damage and will never be able to walk again. He is now useless and a liability. Therefore he must be terminated and replaced. It is the way of the world." Enrique said, his face or tone not betraying a single emotion.
"Is this your will or the will of her majesty?" Charlotte asked defiantly
"It is mine. I do not need to disturb her majesty with such simple decisions." He said coldly, turning a tile from underneath his feet into a dagger.
"Then I suggest you consult her majesty! You do not make decisions like this on a whim!" She said, standing up
"Suggestion ignored. Know your place Windbourne." He said, twitching his finger and thrusting the dagger down into Markus' heart.
As the dagger moved down, Markus' body flew out of bed and onto the cold hard tiles.
!!
Both Charlotte and Enrique were stunned.
"Wretched creature! How dare you try to kill this vessel!" Markus said with a coarse voice
"What the fu—" Enrique mumbled as he observed the child. Even though the body was that of a child, the demeanour, aura and spirit was not.
Significantly aged, full of hatred and evil.
"Markus— no. Who are you?" Charlotte asked, on guard
"Pffthahhahahahaha!" Enrique laughter heartily
"What is so funny?" Charlotte asked
"He finally came out. The mysterious entity that has attached itself to every imperial vessel for the last five hundred and thirteen years. We should greet him Charlotte- we are in imperial presence." Enrique said with humour
"What—" she said, refusing to believe it.
"Greetings, fallen emperor Anax. In all my years of killing your kind, you've hidden yourself. Of course they spoke of you- but you never exposed yourself. Not like this. What makes him so special?" Enrique asked
"You know who I am yet you address me like this you wretch? I should cut your tongue out and feed it back to you!" The ghost of the late emperor Anax said with fury
"By all means try- but a learner will never scratch a master on guard and in his prime." Enrique said with amusement
"Hmm. You really piss me off. Alas- you speak the truth. In this current state, there is nothing I can do against you. Either way—" Anax said as he stood up.
"This body has healed. The doctor was wrong." Anax spoke with pride.
"How..?" Charlotte mumbled under her breath.
"You think those madmen experimented on the vessel for 5 years and were fruitless? The constitution of the body allowed them to unlock self healing of critical areas. Nerves included. Albeit at the cost of corruption. The more he was forced to heal- the more he ran the risk of corruption. Eventually- they broke him. Just in time for your puppet master to swoop in and take him." Anax said, standing up straight with dignified poise fit for an emperor.
"Why did Markus mention nothing of this?" Charlotte asked, thinking Markus was too normal in light of these experiences
"Simple self preservation. His psyche could not tolerate the memory so his memories were suppressed. He knows nothing about his awakening, his corruption, healing or origin. But of course, as his witness, I have seen it all. Meaning- my hand of the Queen, I know more about Markus than anyone else. And unless you want me to inform the boy about his true heritage, past and powers, may I suggest you keep some things secret." Anax said, proposing an agreement to Enrique
"… what do you want Anax?" Enrique asked, his body more tense
"First, this conversation never happened. I will not have Markus know I can take over. Second, I will not tell him any critical secrets so long as he remains protected. Lastly, I want a direct answer to a question." Anax stated.
"Ask it." Enrique said sternly
"Why does the Queen want to tame an imperial vessel and risk ascension?" Anax asked
"… damn it all. Whilst now she is in her prime, in a decade her powers will begin to weaken even if just slightly. Over time her power will be corroded. The dukes, her brother, other nations— will try to usurp her authority as her power wanes. An imperial vessel- an ascended one at that- will suppress them. As for the risk… if she fails to tame the vessel upon ascension then her parting gift to the treacherous contenders will be a newly ascended emperor." He said with a serious tone
"… she'd doom the world for threatening her power?" Charlotte asked with shaking breaths
"She doesn't plan to doom it. But it is a treacherous plan indeed. If she succeeds, then she will have the ultimate weapon for the rest of her life. If she fails to tame him, then she loses her authority all the same as if she were to do nothing… but in exchange she dooms the others to lose their authority too. If she did not have the blood of that cowardly bastard I would be impressed." Anax admitted
He was in fact impressed at the plan. It was insane. It was a gamble- but should the gamble pay off- she would turn from queen to empress.
"Then I assume we have a deal?" Anax asked
"Naturally. Now lay back down in bed and return the vessel." Enrique said, looking at the bed.
"Very well. It is a deal well struck. It is a pity however- that I won't be able to see the face of your master as you tell her these developments. It would be a memorable expression!" Anax said with a chuckle, getting into bed and fading himself away.
Before long the body was completely unconscious and back to normal.
"Is he gone?" Charlotte asked
"For now. He needed to fade away regardless. This vessel is too young for him to possess without adverse effects. I need to… report this. May this not be the last time we see each other alive." Enrique said as he bid Charlotte farewell.
The man left the infirmary and undertook a long trip to the capital region. He was going to make use of this long trip back to think of the best way to say what happened.