Inside the private training room, Emily and Oscar sat down to talk.
"Is everything alright except for that ear?" Emily started.
"My hearing is still working, but the sounds are slightly lower than usual. I can still hear, but if someone wants to whisper, that might be an issue." Oscar rubbed his left side with no ear.
"That's good. I was worried something worse may have happened to you. It's good to see you back." Emily seemed relieved, and her shoulder drooped as if a massi...
2022-09-27 23:00:59 +0000 UTC
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The morning arrived.
At the break of dawn, Oscar got up from his small bed, rubbing his eyes. He hadn't felt this relaxed in a while. It had been a wild set of events since the Grand Gathering.
After many tense nights in the tent at Hurin Plains, the nightmares of Frederick's demise, and the anxiousness of seeing his family, Oscar finally felt refreshed in the morning.
"You're up? Just wait a little; let's have breakfast before you leave." Gwen told her son. "Your father is ...
2022-09-23 22:50:09 +0000 UTC
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Oscar and his father, Henry, returned after their emotional father-son moment. The day slowly darkened as the birds flew off to return to their nests.
In the small home, many food dishes lined up on the table. They were all of Oscar's favorites, like his mom's cheese soup, meat pie, and fruit salad.
"You're back in time." Gwen took off her apron. "Hurry up and sit. The food's going to get cold." She urged the men to eat. It had been over a year since they'd eaten together.
O...
2022-09-23 00:34:38 +0000 UTC
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Sandwiched between two wide plains of golden grass was a deep blue river, flowing slow and lazy, unbothered by anything outside its borders.
Bubble
The tranquil surfaces of the waters were ruined by a burst of force that made its way out, sending chaotic ripples and waves. In the center of the disturbance was a man standing half-naked.
He had a modest face that wasn't bad but not eye-catching, but his eyes and hair were deep obsidian black that one could lose themselves in. ...
2022-09-21 23:06:31 +0000 UTC
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The Eggs of the Rainbow Didus. The goal of Nicholas's mission.
They were smaller than Oscar expected, only at the size of his head. But they glimmered like jewels with the many colors that adorned their surface.
If they were sold as trinkets, they would certainly be sold for a high price, though the unsuspecting buyer would be shocked to have an Exalt Beast hatch out of it.
Oscar picked one up and eyed it with wonder.
It was lucky that there were two eggs. One could be...
2022-09-21 00:04:14 +0000 UTC
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The combination attack of Oscar and his Anima was unlike any of the attacks so far. The synchronized movement of Oscar and the Anima made it so that Oscar didn't need to try to move two things simultaneously.
It was all one motion, two beings acting as one, that allowed him to do simultaneous Ein concentration on both attacks as they landed in the same spot. The double attack of Ein was especially hurtful to the Rainbow Didus.
"No need for any thoughts. Only a singular motive to h...
2022-09-16 23:42:02 +0000 UTC
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His left ear was gone. Torn off by whatever attacked Oscar.
He stumbled a little because of the loss of balance caused by missing an ear. Clinging to his Anima, Oscar soon regained his bearings and managed to get up.
"What is this?"
For some reason, everything seemed to quiet down. The rocks rumbling, the echoes expanding, his Anima's cries. Their sounds were getting lower until they were half as audible.
Oscar vomited.
The strange balance and warped hearing were...
2022-09-15 23:11:45 +0000 UTC
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"A second Rainbow Didus?" Oscar exclaimed. "I read that Rainbow Diduses are solitary beasts who only come together for mating season. If you were hunting for eggs, it's past that time."
Unbelievable. Incomprehensible.
For an unknown reason, these Exalt beasts had somehow turned against their nature on their own. It's not like tamed beasts that follow their masters; these were wild beasts and true to their nature.
"It's true. This Rainbow Didus caught us off-guard and immedia...
2022-09-14 20:12:45 +0000 UTC
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Deeper into the Hurin Plains, the fields of golden grass were slowly fading away; instead, there were fields of brownish-red ferns that covered the landscape. Within this field of dull red was Oscar, treading carefully.
These ferns were thicker and longer than the clean golden grass. Oscar was worried that an enemy could be waiting or hiding inside. He observed his surroundings every step of the way.
"They said it was straight ahead, but I've seen nothing resembling cliffs. Just h...
2022-09-13 20:31:46 +0000 UTC
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In the pot held above the campfire, a stew was boiling. It was filled with vegetables and meat and had an orange color.
"Let's eat." Oscar clumsily took the pot out of the flames with his fragile fingers and pinched a spoon.
A week had passed since his battle against the Rock Ankylon; Oscar's hands were still healing from the damage. Life since then had been difficult without proper use of his hands. But Oscar managed to make do.
Oscar held up the spoonful of hot, steamy sou...
2022-09-09 18:18:56 +0000 UTC
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Oscar carefully wafted through the golden grass, lowering his body to blend in.
It was the break of dawn. The Exalt beasts were waking up and walking off their drowsiness. It was the best time for Oscar to find one to fight.
But it was a matter of choosing the right target.
Oscar watched with hawk-like eyes, observing one beast to the next. Nearly all of them were part of their packs and herds and a considerable distance away.
However, Emily had taught him the basics o...
2022-09-09 00:08:12 +0000 UTC
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A road of arched pillars stood along the pathway to a large building. It was a large castle of great oak wood reaching ten stories tall, giving off an ancient and imposing aura—the headquarters of the Alchemist's Guild branch in Tufall.
Two rows of guards were lined on the sides of the path. They looked intimidating and powerful, far different from the gate guards. These were the select chosen by the Alchemist's Guild to protect this important place.
Their armor was made of whit...
2022-09-07 23:35:20 +0000 UTC
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The tall golden grass of the Hurin Plains swayed lightly with a cool breeze. The various Exalt beasts were moving around and grazing on the fields. This would be the epitome of serenity if not for the rough sounds coming from the river.
The source of the disruptive noise was Oscar's heavy breathing and bursts of sound from his movements.
For hours, he's repeated the same motions. First, Oscar took a stance, ready to strike. Next, his face tensed up as he bit his lip, and veins cov...
2022-09-06 16:28:06 +0000 UTC
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The sheer vastness of the Hurin Plains amazed Oscar. He moved through the tall grass in wonder and interest. Off in the distance were many Exalt Beasts that lived on the plains and minded their own business.
Occasionally, Oscar would find a tree. It wasn't tall and thick like the usual forest trees but twisted, warped, and short like a hunchback. He marked a large arrow on them to know his direction.
"I've gone far, but there's still no sign of a good campsite." Oscar drank some w...
2022-09-03 00:02:01 +0000 UTC
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After getting off the airship, Oscar smoothly distanced himself from the other students. They were most likely on a mission while he was here for training. Also, being around them would make him stick out like a sore thumb.
Oscar put his backpack on top of his buckler and went on his merry way to the station's exit.
There was a huge crowd of people going in and out of the airship station—all with their own purpose. Oscar's ordinary clothes helped him blend in and become one of t...
2022-09-01 23:47:15 +0000 UTC
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Oscar approached Isabella.
She was turning her head and stopped.
The two former friends locked eyes. Oscar's eyes were conflicted, while Isabella's were detached and indifferent.
"Have you seen Gilbert?" The amber-haired idol asked.
Oscar did not reply immediately but felt aggrieved. She was talking with him only for the sake of Gilbert. In the end, what hope did he cling to that they could still be friends?
"Last I saw him, he was searching for the princess." Os...
2022-08-31 22:38:20 +0000 UTC
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Gilbert Lockwood.
Oscar could not help himself from staring at the Grade Nine prodigy. The source of Frederick's tragic past and current state was right before him. If not for Gilbert, none of it would have happened.
Despite the handsome appearance and charismatic presence that drew others in, Oscar was not affected. He knew the true character of Gilbert. The truth of his cruelty and apathy.
Gilbert noticed Oscar walking forward while looking at him. He sighed, knowing it wa...
2022-08-30 23:42:11 +0000 UTC
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"Goodbye."
Frederick got up from his bed and made his way toward the entrance under the stunned eyes of Emily and Oscar.
"What is this? Where do you think you're going?" Emily grasped Frederick's arm and asked, lacking the usual powerful tone in her words.
"Thank you, Emily. Even though we often argued, I enjoyed every moment with you." Frederick broke away from Emily's hands and smiled in nostalgia.
"Fred…." Fighting through the pain, Oscar stood and saw his friend ...
2022-08-26 23:00:46 +0000 UTC
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Every so often, a hunting event is held for the nobles. The adults go off to hunt Exalt beasts while the children try to hunt normal animals.
The lockdown and his family's attitude toward him made Frederick rebellious. Instead of the clean look he always had, he purposely dressed messily and acted without care.
His family tried numerous times to correct his behavior but yielded no result. However, they still brought him out for this hunting event. They hoped he would act serious a...
2022-08-26 00:59:36 +0000 UTC
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Years passed by.
Frederick was now fourteen years old.
His green hair had grown to his shoulders and his face matured handsomely into his adolescence. The subsequent years of training had forged a small, confident bearing and presence.
"Frederick, what do you think is going on? The rumors about Gilbert."
Next to him, Teresa excitingly asked as her hands fidgeted around. She had grown a little, and her face showed early signs of great beauty. Surely, in the future, she ...
2022-08-24 23:03:26 +0000 UTC
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"Frederick, I'm here!" A pleasant, cute voice called out to Frederick.
A young boy with soft cheeks, a mess of green hair, and sparkling yellow eyes was running through a garden. It was Frederick in his younger years when he was ten years old.
"Teresa?! Where are you?"
Frederick looked around in confusion. There were big hedges and trees but not a single person.
"Boo!"
"Waaah~"
Fredrick fumbled to the well-trimmed grass, landing flat on his rear. He looked ...
2022-08-24 01:57:15 +0000 UTC
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The Grand Gathering started in the morning, and now it was well past the afternoon. There were the sounds of cheers and battle as the competition was still underway.
Oscar was still in the healing station on the bed, completely immobile except for his arms. The rest of his body was still deeply worn out and needed time to recuperate.
Even his eyes were only staring blankly at the ceiling as he recalled the last moments of his fight against Phillip.
Over and over, he went thr...
2022-08-20 17:16:33 +0000 UTC
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'Third Step'
Phillip's final move was his most powerful, the 'Third Step' of the Raeven Sword Techniques, the highest possible step in the Apprentice Exalt realm. The crackling Ein on the tip of his sword was loud and drew the air around it like a hurricane. It wasn't transforming and manipulating the air like Rachel's 'Tornado Spear' but simply by the strength of the Ein alone.
'Reis Awaken'
Oscar swung his arm and threw the buckler at Phillip's head with all the Reis he co...
2022-08-19 22:49:02 +0000 UTC
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'Second Step!'
Phillip released the 'Second Step' of the Raeven Sword Techniques. The Ein surged and enveloped the prismatic sword. The blade gave off an oppressive pressure that bore down on Oscar like a waterfall.
Oscar smelled the stench of death closing in as the sword swung in from below. He forcibly canceled his 'Steel Scales' to move right before the sword drew closer. The buckler in his hands held most of his concentrated Ein and clashed against Phillip's devastating sword...
2022-08-17 22:00:20 +0000 UTC
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The air was stifling as Oscar sweat from his brow despite not having started the fight. Heck, he was not on the stage yet. It felt like dropping into the opening of a volcano.
'Shape up! Don't falter!' His feet regained their bearing and steadily stepped forward. Oscar preemptively equipped his buckler and stepped onto the stage.
A few minutes passed, and an eye-catching figure made his way through the crowd. The crowd slowly parted to allow this person through. The man h...
2022-08-16 04:14:09 +0000 UTC
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'Teresa.'
Frederick remembered the girl he loved. His eyes were empty like an endless black hole, tearing anything before it apart.
Rachel felt immense pressure, not from Ein but from Frederick's malice. Unknowingly, she took a step back.
"Frederick?" Emily stared blankly at her friend. She had never seen such a bone-chilling expression in the past year from him. Whether arguing with her, hanging around with Oscar, or sparring together, Frederick had this refreshing...
2022-08-16 03:46:18 +0000 UTC
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"What did you do?" Austin asked Emily.
"?" Emily did not know what Austin was asking.
"That last moment against Samuel. Your staff obliterated his fangs and tiger. There's no way you only did that with simple Ein." Austin looked curiously at Emily. The tiger and Samuel's spell should not have been crushed like that.
Emily kept walking as if Austin wasn't there.
"I'm no longer an enemy. I just want to know." He said truthfully. There was no more enmity to be had. He had...
2022-08-16 02:31:05 +0000 UTC
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The sands of the hourglass finished flowing to the bottom. A large bell on top rang, reverberating through the stadium, into all students, pounding their hearts.
"THE BREAK IS NOW OVER. THE NEXT ROUNDS SHALL BEGIN!"
The announcement ended, and the remaining contestants noticed their tablets shone with a number. Then, the stages had numbers that hovered above. Everyone made their way to the stage that matched the number on their tablet.
Emily jumped on her stage and tapped he...
2022-08-10 22:42:10 +0000 UTC
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Austin stared at Oscar and Frederick curiously. Frederick's demeanor and presence were the opposite of what he showed in their battle. It was after he asked Frederick who he wanted revenge on.
Back then, Frederick's entire being had changed. His eyes became deathly hostile like a madman. It was not real, but Austin felt like a dark shadow obscured and covered Frederick's entire being.
It was no longer the appearance and face of a person but like a ghost or monster. Austin felt lik...
2022-08-08 21:36:17 +0000 UTC
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Arrows and quills bombarded Oscar from the front and back from George and his Sapphire Hedgehog's unrelenting assault. Oscar desperately tried to block the incoming projectiles with a swipe of his buckler.
"Shit." Oscar wasted more stamina and Ein blocking and dodging without gaining a single inch closer to George. The hedgehog did its job well to deter Oscar from making a move. "I'll get rid of this annoying hedgehog instead!"
Oscar sprinted to the hedgehog and slammed his buckle...
2022-08-06 22:39:23 +0000 UTC
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