《My Enemy Became my Wife》


 1 Kicked by a Goddess!

    So here I lie, coughing up blood and with a broken body. I don''t think that I will make it much longer as my vision is already blurry.


    Strange ¡­.. somehow I thought dying like this would hurt more, but it feels more like slowly drifting away. And this happening to ME! A God!


    Nonono, don''t think of me as a maniac. I am really one of those supposed all powerful omnipotent beings.


    Though like you see... even gods can be wounded or killed by other gods, half-gods or other extremely powerful mythical beings.


    And that''s what happened to me! I had a big argument with another god in this realm. The two of us are like fire and water.


    I stood for magic and change. His divinity is rooted in order and everlasting continuity. So I am like pure Chaos or the Devil himself to him.


    So by his orders, his followers continued to kill or enslave my worshippers, negating my divinity and other stuff that''s pretty offensive to a god like myself.


    At first we interfered with the world just though our divine rules, given out to the people who believe in us.


    Then he started to give out powers to his champions. I retaliated by doing the same and taking some actions by myself.


    Just smiting some of his followers, who desecrated one of my temples. Those guys had the best faces ever when I came upon them.


    Ever had an angry god coming for you?


    Well .... to make a long story short. My sworn enemy did the same and so on. It was a slowly developing process over several hundreds of years.


    It all resulted in a big ugly holy war around the whole world. Our followers got really into it and did some things even we were horrified by.


    People can be real monsters!


    In the end we both took matters into our own hands personally.


    The bastard had it coming, I tell ya! We had a good fight with each other. To the mortals of this realm it must have felt like Armageddon, Ragnarok or the Apocalypse.


    We rearranged some mountain ranges, flattened others or threw up some new continents. A part of this one is now open ocean.


    Hahaha *cough* shit I hate the taste of blood.


    I never liked the bastard. The best thing that would happen with both of us in the same room is screaming and insults from the first moment on.


    Oh, its so dark. I think I will sleep for a while.


    ¡­. "up!"....


    -PAIN-


    "Wake up! Or I will kick u again ASSHAT!"


    I open my eyes, "Oh Seria!", *cough*


    "You here? If that does mean that the other gods have decided to take action then you guys are way toooo late. We are done already." *cough**cough*


    "Kyaaa! Look what you have done to my dress! Stop spitting around blood while talking!"


    *cough*, "I am sorry, but I think that''s not within my control, I will wipe it off from you.", I raise a bloody hand and get kicked again! It HURTS!


    "Ugh, and there I wanted to use my last bit of magic to cast a cleaning spell on you....."


    Seria seems to be pissed. I guess its justified. After all she is some sort of goddess of life and death in this realm.


    We sure just gave her a great headache by creating something on the scale of a mass extinction event.


    "Keep your magic to yourself! You have to live long enough for me to tell you guys the divine judgement of the gods for what you pulled down here Ascathon!


    Where have you left Myrm by the way, I have to judge him too!"


    Yeah.... Seria sure is pissed. And when I tell her about Myrm she will be raging...


    "I think over at that mountain range are so*cough* ...some of his guts. And somewhere above the Serkment Sea he lost his left arm.


    And when I last saw him I got him point blank with my best offensive Magic. Blew him to bits..... can search for his parts in that direction.",


    I point somewhere to my left.


    Well Seria sure has an ugly job before her, if she has to reassemble Myrm. Not that its possible to do so, I made sure of that.


    "I am not talking about his body! The parts can rot where they lie for all I care.


    I am talking about his Soul! What did you do with it?! I can''t sense it any more."


    -Seria


    "Sliced it to pieces and tossed it outside our realm. Will take an eternity to heal unless someone finds the pieces and puts them back together. Hrhrhr" *cough*


    Fucking blood! Why can I cough so much blood, I am sure there can''t be much more.


    Well so you guys understand too. Here some facts:


    You can''t really kill anyone! Souls are immortal. The most you can do is damaging them, so it takes longer for them to reincarnate into the next life.


    The River of Souls is the great Void between Worlds or Dimensions. Call it what you want.


    Its filled with the Souls of people who aren''t currently alive. They just float there, dormant and sleeping.


    Some maybe forever, while they forget more and more of the time, in which, they were alive.


    And maybe if they are lucky, they drift near one of those countless worlds and get sucked in, being reborn into a new life.


    The faster you are reborn, the more you can remember of your previous life.


    So either you are reborn fast, or you have a very strong soul, so you can endure the eternity of drifting without forgetting anything.


    I am the second kind, just you know! Wasn''t always a god. Everyone has to climb the ladder of power, but that''s a story for another time.


    "Great! So you really tried to dispose of him for good. It will take some time to bring him to judgement." -Seria


    "What? Didn''t you hear? I minced him and tossed his pieces into -"


    "Oh shut up! Didn''t YOU hear? The Council of Gods has judged your case and will give you guys divine punishment.


    If necessary all the gods in the whole multiverse will act to piece Myrm together,


    if only to tell him that he gets his soul cut to pieces and tossed into the River of Souls.


    Thats how Divine Judgements work. HEY! Don''t slumber off!"


    Urgh, I got kicked again. Damn I begin to hate that goddess. Almost managed to drift of. Why does it take this fucking body so long to die.


    I don''t even have the power for an answer. Why did the fucking Council even give a shit about what we were doing.


    They shouldn''t care what happens to a single world in the multiverse normally.....


    "Whatever. I''ll just get it over with you first. Ascathon, God of the Realm of Nashok, Divine Being of Magic, Divine ¡­.ah and so on and so forth, you know the rest.


    The Council has found you guilty of bringing great unnecessary suffering over the lesser beings you were put in charge of.


    So you get stripped of all of your divinity and will be reborn into a place where you can learn from your mistakes and reflect on what you have done.


    So I cast you out into River of Souls to a proper place of punishment.


    Puh! What a uselessly long speech, don''t you think so too? Hey? Are you ....."


    Oh, by all the gods let me die already before this barbaric woman kicks me again!


    I will not reflect in the least, even if they send me through a million of the worst reincarnations they can come up with!

 2 I see the light!

    I see! I see the light at the end of the tunnel!


    Hmpf! Hrm. Yeah that''s what some people tell you, when they are close to death.


    But its not really anything dramatic or religious inspiring if you think about it. It''s a memory to make it short.


    A deja vu! Of what, you ask?


    Well think about it! Its really not that hard.


    What''s the one thing, that happens to you in almost every incarnation? And should be always the same?


    So you are almost sure to have some sort of collective phantom memory of it?


    Well yeah. Being born of course! You get pushed out of the warm and dark place inside your mothers womb into the light!


    And that''s it! Really messy and dangerous stuff. There are some beings in the multiverse which I like way better in that regard.


    Like laying eggs, or being built, or just growing!


    Ents are surely superior beings in that regard, they are those smart talking trees in case you don''t know.


    Unfortunately almost all forms of life, which are able to hold a soul, are mammals!


    Don''t ask why, when I was a god I wasn''t all knowing just almost all mighty hehe.


    Back to the topic, it seems I am just being born again. Oh how I hate this.


    Its nothing pleasant in case you don''t remember your own birth. Uhh!


    "Press harder your Majesty!" -unknown person. "Its almost out."


    Oh I can understand them, that''s convenient! One thing less to worry about.


    "Its a son! My King and Queen! Like we all prayed for!" -unkown person.


    Ugh, that was exhausting! But worth it! Seems like Seria messed the whole punishment thing up!


    YES! It seems like I am the son of a King. Obviously not a bad starting point in life.


    If I would punish someone in their next life, I would obviously do a better job!


    First of all giving him a world with a new language, he doesn''t understand.


    Second making him born into slavery or something like that.


    Swapping his gender just for the fun of it! There is a lot of shit out there in the Multiverse.


    "hi hihi hi hi" - my baby voice. Damn that mad laugh didn''t come across like I wanted!


    "What a healthy child! Laughing first thing he does in the world! Strange almost all others cry at first....."


    -unknown person.


    "Wahaha! Come here my son! You can''t believe how happy I am!" -other bearded person.


    The bearded guy scoops me out of the unknown persons hands. I will call her Maid for now, going by her dress.


    Bearded guy seems to be the king ¨C or dad, I will judge later if he is worth ¡­.. uuuugghh


    The king just held me into the air and turned three circles with me!


    I get that you are happy, but you can''t do that to a newborn mad king.


    Be happy that I didn''t have anything in my stomach!


    I would have barfed all over you!


    "Give me my child! You can''t do that with a baby!" - Queen.


    "Oh, sorry, sorry. Here you go." -King.


    That didn''t sound sincere in the least! Oh, at least my mother sounds like a sane person.


    Ugh, I still feel like I just got out of a roller-coaster.


    Ow, mother presses me to her face. Haah, I am not a pet you know.


    Well for now I guess its better than being in the clutches of the mad King.


    Seria seems to have messed up big time with my punishment.


    This reincarnation isn''t all that bad? Of course, the mad king could go with more sanity.


    But until now it seems really good!?


    Oh, mother holds me in front of her and all three of them look at me with sparkling eyes.


    Am I out of gold guys? What''s with those stares?


    "MY HERO!" - "OUR SALVATION!" - "THE KEY TO PEACE!" - all three of them.


    WHAT! Nonono, I get a bad feeling about this! This cannot be one of those annoying realities with a prophesied hero?


    HEY, Seria? What''s up with this?


    Mother pets me again. Aw! Damn this baby body can''t speak. Only baby gurgles come out, when I try to speak.


    GIVE ME A GODDAMN EXPLANATION!


    "Oh, he is so cute!", Mother has some strange fire in her eyes.


    "I will be sure to teach him properly, so he doesn''t come up like his father!


    There is a lot of education to do."


    I don''t like that look of yours Mother? What are you planning? Don''t tell me you are one of THOSE parents?


    "I am not all that bad, dear? By the way....", Mad King.


    Oh now they start talking about matters of state? What busy people they are.


    Seems like I can''t get an explanation out of them for now.


    Sigh, well. It will take a while to make some sense out of this, so let me tell a bit more about my divine self.


    On the other hand I am not so divine any more. Damn! So cut the divine.


    I already told you about the River of Souls and the whole reincarnation thing right?


    Well I have come a loooong way in that regard.


    In the first incarnation, that I can remember I was a monk on your world. That''s right! I come from earth!


    But don''t think that gets you any bonus points with me. There isn''t much to say about that time.


    I lived a live of seclusion and training my mind in a Tibetan monastery. Lived in peace, died in peace at the proud age of 102!


    Oh how often did I wish I hadn''t done that by now. I could still be one of those blessed Souls, who can start every time with a whole new lookout on the world.


    It''s true that not knowing some things lets you live a happier life.


    By training your mind through meditation and study, you obviously strengthen your Soul.


    And like I told you, strong Souls can take the time inside of the River of Souls better than weak ones.


    So when I reincarnated the next time, my memories came slowly back to me.


    Inspired by my memories I lived my second life in a similar manner. Becoming scholar, learning magic studying mystic arts and science.


    There wasn''t any religion in my second world, so I went for the job that was most similar to my previous life.


    Like you can tell, my second life was in a world with a strange mix of science and magic.


    Like my first life, it was a peaceful place too.


    Well that went on and on, sometimes good and sometimes bad. I found out that every time I end one of those lives you get weakened.


    The time inside the river of Souls eats at your essence. And your essence are your memories.


    So if you live a long live and have lots of knowledge and memories its easier to carry some of it into the next one.


    So if you are doing a good job you get stronger and better at remembering, through every cycle.


    And the stronger your soul gets, the higher you climb the ladder.


    Obviously there is also some kind of Karma, you carry on to your next life.


    The better you did in your previous one, the better your starting point gets in the next.


    From being born as a peasant, to some type normal citizen, to being a noble or celebrity.


    But it doesn''t end there. If you get strong enough you can be reborn as some kind mythical being like Dragons, Angels, Demons and so on.


    It doesn''t have anything to do with being good and nice! Just you know.


    Being an asshole or mass murderer is perfectly fine.


    The only thing that gets you is if you are unlucky and get on the bad side of a being, that is able to fiddle with your soul. Weakening it or worse, somehow killing you off while you are still young. Dying young gives your soul a real headache for the next life.


    I went through a BIG number of those cycles. Sometimes you meet others who remember their past lifes.


    But its not all that common. Meeting one is like winning the Jackpot in the national lottery twice in a row.


    I doubt that there are more than ten people like that on a whole world at a time.


    Most of them gods, so that makes it less likely that they would concern themselves with you.


    If you aren''t a god yourself.


    When you get to a certain level of power you have to join the ranks of gods.


    The Council of Gods is something like a collection of the real bad asses throughout the whole multiverse.


    If a normal small god like me can easily smash his own world to pieces, they smash a universe instead.


    So you get that there is no way you can tell them no, if they want something from you?


    And they are control freaks! They swoop up everyone who gets powerful enough and restrain them in their big society.


    Giving them a world to play god for, and having them look out for other potential Gods.


    If you do a good job and have a lot of followers you can even make your way up into the council.


    But I never managed that. Having that fight over power with Myrm surely made a big fat red spot on my file.


    Laying waste to a world surely didn''t look good either uuh. I mean, I met them only once, when they enslave... erm were so nice to give a proper occupation to a being like me.


    Sure I killed a lot of innocent bystanders in that fight. But shit happens!


    Don''t expect that nothing bad will happen, when two divine beings trade blows with each other.


    We cultivated our hate for each other over several hundreds of years.


    Better for it to happen sooner than later. Bwhahaha, and I will never forget his face, when he got that last fireball to the chest.


    Stood there like he could take it without problems. Never underestimate a God.


    It was more like a nuke, that blew him to tiny pieces.


    Self-righteous bastard underestimated me.


    Unfortunately he had already made a bag, with all too many holes, out of me by that time.


    But I really get tired by now. Hey, mother! Stop that swaying thing you are doing with me, I still have to tell about...*zzzzzz*

 3 All my relatives?

    Oh, my. And this is Nicosar the 8th little one. Its your grandfather! He is currently inspecting the borders to Stricc.", the Queen is carrying me along a hallway with many portraits of my relatives and shows them to me.


    Isn''t that nice? Obviously I will have to know them all by full name later! All 47 of them, that includes also all cousins and uncles and so on.


    Family seems to be important around here. What a pain! I hope I don''t have to remember all the dead ones too.


    Sigh, and just to inform you.


    Mother really is one of THOSE parents. I am stuck to her from morning till night. No chance of being left alone, to think for a second.


    It''s been a month since I was born. Lets say that I find the way, mother is treating me a little strange.


    Normally I would expect someone to treat a baby like.... well like a baby you know?


    But she started teaching me right off the start. Not treating me like a baby and instead like I would understand every word.


    Hell, the way she talks to me feels like she expects me to start asking questions every second now.


    Well, sorry for not fulfilling your expectations. Forming a word that doesn''t sound like baby talk, with this body its just a no go.


    She also doesn''t like to let go of me. When there is an important meeting, Head Maid has to be in my room all the time.


    You can leave small children alone for an hour or two, if someone is close enough to hear them screaming.


    Taking care of them twenty-four hours a day and seven days a week will just spoil them.


    Once another Maid had to take care of me, because head maid wasn''t available.


    She was a nice girl and read books to me, but something came up and she had to go out for a short while.


    Fate had it, that mother came back just that moment and found me alone in the room.


    From her aura I almost expected, that the poor maid would be a head shorter the next day. But I got her to calm down by playing the happy child. Wow, I hope I manage to never arise her ire like that.


    The Maid is still working here but she didn''t get to take care of me any more. It''s a pity, she was my type.


    I wont complain, but it still creeps me out! Let us hope that she isn''t delusional.


    There are many diseases of the mind, that can catch you on the wrong foot.


    At least I learned this worlds circumstances this way.


    Being around the country''s leader all day, gives you all opportunities you need to pick up the most important stuff.


    It seems that this world has just one single great continent. It is divided into two great Empires.


    The East is occupied by the Stricc-Nation and West belongs to the Tirna Kingdom, which I am currently in.


    There are various races all over the place, like our head maid, who is an Elf.


    There are so many different types of chimeras here I am starting to believe, that this world is currently mixing all types of races together into one. Strangely enough there seems to be no discrimination against races.


    That caught me off guard.


    Almost every world, with that kind of setting, that I can think of has at least some kind of mistreatment for people who look different.


    But here its zero, nada! At least I didn''t come across it until now.


    Mothers name is Ireth of Tirna the first, 24 years old. I didn''t realize it at first, but mother seems to be some sort of demon!


    At first I thought those dragon like horns beside her head were some sort of royal tiara. Sure looks that way.


    They are black and polished to the point, that they are sparkling.


    If you don''t look out for it, you think of them as some sort of semi-precious stones.


    In combination with her black hair, almost white skin and those red eyes, she can look really frightening when she is angry.


    But she didn''t change or take it off, for a whole month now, so I guess they are really horns. Though they look cool in way?


    What made me sure of my deduction in any case, was that she scooped me up with her tail one day,


    when she was in a hurry and had her hands full with documents. Made my heart almost stop, because I didn''t expect that.


    She always wears long dresses, so no chance I could see it before. And if you ask why I didn''t see it while she was changing.


    First I have at least some decency and ogling for my own mother is the last thing I would do! Breastfeeding time is bad enough in my opinion.


    Second is that if you get put down on your back somewhere with a newborn body, the most you can do is to count the dots on the ceiling.


    Head maid followed us with tears in her eyes, while complaining that this wasn''t the proper way to show up at the throne room.


    I was with her on that one and started to cry. Letting other people see you carrying your baby UPSIDE DOWN doesn''t make you look like a good,


    loving parent.


    Have some sense mother, please don''t go down the path of the mad king!


    Fathers name is Nicol of Tirna the 5th,, 26 years old. He is mostly human. I think at least? I have seen him pat one of the guards on the back once.


    The guard flew 5 meters, before a wall stopped him. He is still on a sick leave by the way. So I am not all that sure about dad.


    Gulp, I am happy he didn''t crush me on accident, by now.


    I am now called Angrod of Tirna the first, by the way.


    Head maid seems to be an elf. Her name is Rose. Nothing out of the ordinary for an elf as far as I can see.


    And as for other persons: there are some, but no really important ones as far as I can tell.


    I wasn''t really introduced to society yet and most of the people I have seen so far were one time faces.


    But this world isn''t perfect.


    Tirna and Stricc were fighting a bitter war over resources and ideology.


    There are some rare minerals and crystals directly at the border in the center of the continent.


    There is much volcanic activity there. So the whole continent is divided by a mountainrange of volcanoes.


    I guess the tectonic plates are colliding there and that leads to much volcanic activity. Like a natural border.


    No wonder the nations developed like that.


    Tirna needs those minerals for our magic devices, while Stricc uses them for their magic ceremonies to control the weather.


    It seems, that without them Stricc would be mostly a desert.


    So at some point they started fighting over mining rights and borders.


    That was over a hundred years ago and no one remembers or knows who fired the first shot that started the war.


    However, it got really messy and they went at each others throats like mad.


    Hmmm, I feel for them, seems similar to the circumstances which brought me here.


    But in their case, they managed to make peace again, just a month before my birth. By now they are dividing the resources half for each.


    But its still dangerous, the cold blood of such a long war doesn''t go away over night.


    There are also many parties who are very unhappy with the treaty.


    By now I am pretty sure, that Seria must have fucked up. Come on, there are places out there which would really be punishment. This here is a joke.


    Maybe the last time she checked this realm, they were fighting their war and she didn''t bother to check again before tossing my soul to this realm?


    A nice life as a prince. Yeah, wouldn''t that be nice?


    Mother is almost at the end of the hall by now and we are before a big picture with her and father.


    Each of them holds a little child in their arms. By the look of it, they are four or five years old. Hey I have siblings?


    Why didn''t I meet them by now?


    "And those are your big sister and brother. They would have been 6 and 7 by now. If they weren''t assassinated by some bastard.


    But I will never let that happen again little one. If I get my hands on them, they will wish they were never born!" - Mother


    "Here. Your Majesty wipe your tears." - Head Maid


    Ow...


    I guess I will be quiet for now and not protest for being almost crushed at her chest. I guess that''s a good reason for being an overly caring parent.


    It would be a good time to stop my inner monologue. I will never complain to mother about her not letting go of me.


    Good thing I couldn''t talk yet, I would have surely said something that would hurt her.

 4 A visit at the temple!

    I am a year old by now. Sorry, but I wont go into the details here. That''s mainly because nothing worthwhile happened.


    When I started to speak, mother and father were overjoyed of course.


    But I try to hide that I could probably govern the country by now. If they would let me give the orders of course.


    I keep my conversations down single words and very short sentences.


    My mother probably has an idea that I am not a normal baby by now .


    That''s because I made the words "Mom, Book!" my speciality. Mom still sticks to me like chewing gum.


    So there is no way to hide that I am really reading those books. When I turn the pages in an orderly manner she has to get an idea of what''s going on.


    I have learned my fair amount of common knowledge by now. Mostly history, geography and other basic stuff.


    Its not like this world could teach me much terms of math, physics and magic.


    Well, "Father, stop!" is second on the list. It''s my only form of self defence against roller-coaster dad!


    Other children may like being thrown up into the air until they almost hit the ceiling.


    I any case, I have a huge dislike to being suddenly moved in unexpected directions. And I have confirmed that my magic works. Though I am nowhere as powerful as I have been.


    When you get granted divinity as a god it comes with huge boost to your mental resources and capabilities. You get access to a lot of free mana in other words. My power is down to that of an average mage I guess.


    I will have to do a lot of training again in that regard. The perk is that you can''t train your mana without casting the spells for real.


    And I have a permanent observer glued to me, so its not easy to play the normal baby. Well, not that I am really dependent on having a huge mana pool by myself.


    I know a lot of ways to steal mana, or to use mana that''s lingering around in the environment. Before I became a god I specialized in mind and soul magic.


    That''s a given if you try to understand the whole incarnation process. Mom would get a huge shock if I were to pull a magical baby stunt. Fly baby! Fly! Evade the roller-coaster dad and cast some candy creation magic.


    Now that I imagine it, it freaks even me out?


    I am inside Mothers office and she is managing her letters. First thing I do in this world will be to invent a computer! Stupid handwriting.


    You should never underestimate the stupidity of most realities with access to magic!


    They have the most easiest way to get everything you could want, to have a good life, but the most basic items don''t get thought of.


    Well at least there is something like cars here and less smelly horses. All in all it feels like a world at the beginning of the industrialisation process.


    There are magic devices for many things, but most of the work is still done by manual labour.


    "Its here! The letter from the temple came! Oh I am so excited little one." - Mother


    She now waves a letter into my face. Hold still, who can read like that!? Hah, let''s try another way.


    "Tample?"


    "Its temple little one! It''s the place where we pray to the great goddess Seria who governs life and death." Mother smiles at me while I go stiff. That name....


    "Haha. No need to be frightened. Everyone gets taken there when they are one year old. As soon as you have visited it, you get recognized as a proper member of society.


    You will also be given a proper judgement of your potential by the gods in a ceremony!"


    She pauses.


    "And if you get lucky, the goddess herself will give you a prophecy of your future! When I was there I got told by the goddess herself, that my third child will have a great destiny.


    Your father got the same prophecy, so I am almost sure that something good will happen!"


    Mother gives me big hug and the gears in my head slowly begin to turn again. I tried my best to put up a smiling face to her.


    But I think I have gotten a lot paler in the process of that explanation.


    So that''s what the whole "hero and saviour shit" was about at my birth.


    "Come up! We will get father. The sooner we are at the temple the better." - Mother


    I get picked up again and mother carries me to the throne room where father should be. Oi, give me some time here!


    I have to think about this. This could have a huge impact on my life you know? Should I start speaking and complain?


    AW! That could lead to more negative outcomes! I can''t make up my mind here! This develops too fast.


    "Darling! We got the invitation from the temple! Send the ministers away, you can have them do their work by themselves for a day.",


    Mother grabs dad by the hand and pulls him out of the chair.


    "Yes. Yes, Darling you don''t have to pull. My dignity!", the king stumbles after her.


    I learned that mother also has some freakish strength. She doesn''t really have to hide behind the mad king. But she is much better at controlling it. I got born into a family of monsters.


    Minutes later we are in a car and on our way to the temple. In front and behind us drive two cars which are stuffed with guards.


    Not bad, its the first time I get a close up look at this world. Before, I had to be happy with a view out of a palace window.


    The streets are clean and the buildings are well maintained.


    Unless there is some kind of slum hidden somewhere, I would say this is a prosperous country.


    Almost impossible to believe that there was a brutal war just over a year ago. The destructions must have never come close to the capital city.


    Or the people got really good at construction during the war, that''s far more likely. I read that both country''s have some serious long range bombardment capabilities.


    Man, what am I thinking about? There far more pressing matters than pondering the circumstances of this state!


    I guess, I will go with the flow now. Keep your options open if you don''t know the correct path.


    After a few minutes the car stopped at a huge dome like building. The guards got off and cleared a safety zone to the temple.


    "Here we go!", this time its dad who carries me.


    There is a huge doorway into the temple.


    Everything is interlayed with precious materials. Very nice craftsmanship, I have to admit it. Not even the palace has this kind of art.


    An old man in long white robes awaits us.


    "My King! My Queen! Everything is taken care of. Please feel free to proceed to the great hall. I take it that you know the procedure already."


    The guy bows to us and leads us into the temple.


    We enter the dome and there is a big statue of Seria in the centre of it. Some priestesses are singing a nice song which gets amplified by the dome.


    This has a very nice holy atmosphere I must say. Seria has a strong cult going. Before the statue is an altar out of stone with a very important looking priestess behind it.


    There is a row of parents with children of my age. They are lining up to the priestess. My parents join the line, seems like there is no different treatment for royalty here.


    In front of us the children are made to touch a metal plate after some words by the priestess. Haah, seems to be some sort of divination magic device which judges you based on your aura.


    Not much I can do about that in my current form. Damn! Fiddling with its settings should take me too long.


    It''s now the turn of the pair before us.


    "Duke Garber Rosenquarz and Dutchess Hertia Rosenquarz. We bestow upon you the blessings of the goddess Seria. May your child be judged by the gods, so we can choose the best path for it''s future. May your future be happy and prosperous." The priestess holds out a metal plate and the child is made to touch it.


    A light flashes across it, tracing some runes and text into the plate. I can''t read it from my position, but the pair seems happy and makes place for us.


    "King Nicol of Tirna and Queen Ireth of Tirna. We bestow upon you the blessings of the goddess Seria. May your child be judged by the gods, so we can choose the best path for it''s future. May your future be happy and prosperous." Again the priestess holds out a metal plate and mother takes my hand to make me touch the thing. Uuuum, looks like I wont get around this.


    Again a light traces words into the plate. Great! There we have it.


    Name:


    Angrod of Tirna


    Titles bestowed by the gods:


    First Prince of Tirna, Fallen God, Little One, Saviour, Doomsbringer, Great Soul, Blessed by Seria


    Potentials:


    -Divine rank Archmage


    -Saviour of the world


    -Destroyer of the world


    -God


    My parents and the priestess are staring at the plate in grave silence. Great! The thrice damned thing blurted out practically everything.


    In worst case I will be treated as some kind of monster now.


    And if there is enough time to think, they will surely piece something together out of that. Worse! It could be close enough to the truth too!


    Sorry mom, dad you are nice people from what I could see. Seria surely made a bad job here! This will hurt you too for sure.


    I don''t know how it could get any worse.


    *RRRUUMMBLEE!!!! CRACK!*


    Oh, blinding light above us! What the FUUCK is going on! I blink and try to look up. I feel a heavy presence on me, someone very powerful is here. I look up.


    "hiiii" I can''t help but cry out at whom I see!


    Shining and sparkling Goddess Seria is hovering above us with angel wings..... GOOD ENTRANCE! But...but....put some clothes on!


    Everyone stares at the Goddess agape. Most of the priests throw themselves to the floor. Wow, that goes too far, I never expected that from her followers, have at least some self respect!


    You could all become gods if you would work hard at it.


    Seria smiles a most charming smile. Wrong Snake! You are perfectly fine with kicking dying people who lie on the ground. Don''t smile like that!


    She lets go of a sheet of paper, which slowly flutters towards us while she fades away.


    Now THAT can''t be good! I have to get rid of that! Fireball! Huh? Nothing happened? Fireball! Damn! Zap! Hocus Pocus! AARGH! My mana is gone! Did she suck all the mana out of the environment and the surrounding people for that entrance?


    It flutters towards us! I will grab it and eat it if necessary! Almost! Almost! Come closer!


    *SNATCH*


    Wa! Mother picked it out of the air just before I could get my hands on it. I want to cry! She holds the paper out, so dad can read it too.


    Hi, your most beloved and worshipped goddess here!


    I have watched this world for some time now. And I am not happy with its current state!


    So I have blessed your child with a great soul. Don''t dare not to be grateful!


    But I don''t think it''s good to intervene too much by my holy self.


    So I give you this prophecy for the two paths this child can take:


    -Leave the stupid guy to himself and he will conquer the world, most likely destroying it in the process.


    -Get him to marry the first princess of Stricc and the both of them will lead the world to a better future.


    I am sure you both parents will be able to educate him properly.


    Sincerely yours,


    Goddess of life and death


    "But there is no first princess of Stricc" The priestess breaks the silence.


    I break out a cold sweat while mother, father and the priestess stare at me. There is still a heavy silence inside the whole dome.


    I guess someone has to break the silence.


    "I choose option one then!"


    *Smack!*


    Eh?! Mother hit me?! That was the first time! I am seriously mentally injured here.


    "Well, I guess I can count this as the worst day in my life so far." I state my opinion to them.

 5 Matchmaking and Assassins!

    Eight months later. Four people are sitting around a table. They are the rulers of Stricc and Tirna. A letter is on the table between them.


    "You don''t think we will believe this bullshit!?", Arthur Stricc states.


    "We don''t need Stricc to believe anything. The question is why should THE goddess lie?


    You have evaded our questions long enough by now!", Nicol Tirna didn''t mind to accuse Arthur of blasphemy.


    "We ..."


    "I think its out of the bag anyway, dear.", his wife Katrine Stricc states and throws a second similar letter onto the table.


    "But ...", Arthur gets glared down by his wife.


    "The Goddess gave us a similar prophecy. We have a daughter, but we hid her from the public. There are all too many people, who don''t like to see the royal line to continue.


    And how should I say this. You should know that she is not a normal child."


    "So when will the marriage be?", Ireth of Tirna asks cheerful.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    One year and eight months by today! And I am freeee! Well, as free as I can be. Mother and Father are off for a matchmaking meeting with someone who doesn''t exist.


    They stayed with the rulers of Stricc at the embassy. I don''t know what they are up to. Maybe they will try to convince the Stricc rulers to make a princess? Hmm, now that would be A meeting of state!


    Please, hurry up to the bed, we need a little princess from you for world peace! So no danger from that point. By now I am taking a tour through Midhold together with head maid.


    Midhold is a fortress city at the border between Stricc and Tirna. Actually the border goes right through the city.


    During the war, it was practically ground to dust. But it is being rebuild bigger and better than ever now. The plan for it is to become the central trade point for the continent.


    There are schools and universities on mass here. In future many people from both nations will come here to study.


    The idea is to have cultural exchange and understanding for the younger generations here. So they can then go back home with a bigger view on things.


    Its a nice idea, that my mother has organized with the rulers of Stricc.


    "So I can study here when I get bigger?", I ask head maid.


    "I think so, yes." - head maid.


    "Whoho! I would like to plan the city layout! I have plans for the future and those need enough space.", in my head I am already restructuring the roads.


    "Erm, I think you will need to become the King first.", head maid is good at bringing me down to the floor again.


    "So, what can we see next? I want to see the place, where the magical communication array for the city is managed next!", that''s what every boy my age should be interested in right?


    "Eh? Prince don''t you want to do something more normal, like taking a look a the zoo?", head maid asks puzzled.


    Ups.


    "I guess biology is fine too once in a while.", I am generous! If Rose wants to show me the zoo, we will go for the zoo.


    Rose instructs the driver to bring us to the zoo.


    "I am sorry for being bad at adjusting to your differences from other children my prince. But the whole thing with the appearance of the goddess herself really shook us up.", Rose apologizes.


    "Its fine, just treat me like you would any other person.", yeah. That would be less awkward I think.


    "Oooh? Then let me ask about an explanation of the "fallen God" title on your graduation plate? Which God where you before? And why did you fall? I never really believed in gods before that incident.", Rose sends me a sharp look.


    "Ahaha! I am no god, no idea what you are talking about. The Goddess must have made a mistake there.", my smile freezes again. I had this stupid conversation already with mother and father.


    "You are a bad liar. Don''t smile while telling lies my prince. You can be seen right through when you do that.", Rose doesn''t let me go.


    "Haah... Well you see. Gods aren''t any other than normal people to each other, so its good that you don''t cultivate any special faith in them. I had a big argument with another god.


    We went for each others throats and smashed a lot of stuff while killing each other. Including people.


    The other gods decided to punish us. And so I am here and a normal mortal boy again it seems.", Rose has a complicated expression now? What?


    "A normal mortal boy, I see. And being the prince of this country is obviously a great punishment from the standpoint of a god?


    I will be sure to observe you from now on. I think your torment hasn''t begun yet.", Rose has a devilish look on her face.


    "Rose, you are frightening me! If I would be a normal child, I would cry from seeing that face of yours!" - Me


    "Anyway. It seems we are at our destination.", Rose gets out of the car and helps me out.


    Of course we are followed by ten guards at all times. I must admit that this life will get really annoying, if I need protection around the clock.


    If I am assisted, I can walk by myself now. It''s not fast, but at least I haven''t to be carried all the time any more. But I have to admit that Rose has a point. This whole reincarnation and prophecy thing by Seria is still fishy.


    I drove a world to ruins, so now I have to save another one in exchange? Is this whole story that simple? We are having a stroll through the zoo now. Apparently there was no charge at the entrance.


    "Is everyone allowed to enter as they please?", I ask.


    "Yes. In this City, every educational facility is free of charge and paid for by the crown. In exchange you have to pass the entrance exam as a student in this city." -Rose.


    Oh, how liberal. This world seems to be on the way up even without intervention. Rose starts to explain the various animals here. They all have well managed pens.


    There are various animals and plants you would recognize from earth here. But there are also some not so usual things in this world.


    Wahaha! Whats this? They have a Hippogriffin here! Its like a mixture between a hippo and an eagle.


    I take a look at an explanatory sign.


    Hippogriffin:


    The Hippogriffin may look funny, but its an efficient hunter. While not being very fast on all fours, it can fly and is very robust.


    It hunts by flying as high as possible, while searching for proper prey. As soon, as it has found something appropriate it takes careful aim and lets itself fall.


    Smashing the prey from above with its whole bodyweight.


    Being caught unprepared to evade, there is not much chance of putting up any resistance.


    There were whole partys of adventurers reported falling prey to a single hippogriffin.


    If travelling by foot in hippogriffin territory it is advised to always having someone watch the skies.


    ¡­....


    Okay!? That''s one nasty method of hunting.


    "What do you think my prince? It''s a cool animal right!", Rose doesn''t find it strange.


    "This world is crazy! Let''s go for the next one.", I hope this will be more normal.


    At the next stop, there is just a lot of sand in the pen at a lowered level of about five meters. There seems to be nothing inside.


    Razorclaw:


    A dangerous predator of the east. It lies in wait under the sand and attacks everything that moves, as soon as its close enough.


    Its natural habitat ¡­..


    "Fireball!" - "Windblade!"


    I felt the spells a second before their casters could shout out their incantations. Just by reflex, I put up some defence.


    "Area Shield!"


    *BOOM!*


    Ow! The world is spinning as I fly through the air! My shield couldn''t completely stop both spells.


    "Iron Skin!"


    OUf! I hit the ground again. That was softer than expected! I sit up, hmmm that is sand between my hands?


    I shudder, as something gives me a hot breath into the neck and I turn around.


    Hmmm, those are really many teeth and sharp claws. The thing doesn''t seem to consist out of anything else.


    "Hi?"


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Roses point of view:


    No! The prince saved us with his spell, but he was thrown into the closed off area of the razorclaws. I have to get him out immediately! I draw a knife from my thigh.


    But we are being rushed by assassins and I am being pinned down by two of them.


    The guards have their hands full too. There are more of them than us! They have at least seventeen people.


    "Everyone who doesn''t need to hold down the guards, go for the prince!", one of them screams.


    Bastards! One of my opponents turns around and jumps together with others over the fence into the pen of the razorclaws.


    I use the opportunity to go on the offensive. I hack at his face and simultaneously kick his groin as he lets his guard down. No time for fairness!


    As he goes down I slice his throat and throw my knife into the back of a second assassin. They are badly trained and pose no threat without their superior numbers.


    Within the next seconds I and four guards are the only ones left standing. "PRINCE!", I run for the pen and take a look over the fence.


    Down there is a scene of carnage! Bodyparts and blood everywhere! I want to sink to my knees, as I fear the worst.


    But then I see the prince, who is sitting beside a razorclaw, which is gnawing on a dead assassin.


    "Get me OUT! The things in here are fucking scary!", he screams with tears in his eyes and blood all over him.


    "D.. Don''t move! They only attack moving things! We will get you out as soon as possible!", I shout. Oh by the goddess thank you, he is alive!


    Maybe the Queen will not rip off my head today!


    "I know! I read the sign! That doesn''t change the fact that I will have nightmares for weeks!" - Prince.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Me again:


    I am back at the embassy and alive! By the river of souls! I thought I was a goner when I looked down the throat of that thing!


    But then all those brave assassins jumped over the fence and distracted the thing with their bodies. As they came at me, the thing mowed them down like grass.


    I will be sure to give them a memorial for saving me. They are true heroes! When we came back, mother had already heard what happened and was furious.


    I am sorry Rose, but looking like that... if I hadn''t run off to clean myself and put on new clothes, she would have shredded you right then and there.


    At least I was fast enough, so she couldn''t see me in that state and father was there to hold her back. Rose and I are waiting for mother and father to come back. They rushed off to get the rulers of Stricc and a present?


    "Do you know what they meant by present Rose?", I ask.


    "no.. hic, *sniff*", Rose miserably answers.


    I pat her back. Mother can be really scary sometimes. Rose didn''t get beheaded physically, but mentally she sure was chopped to pieces.


    "It will be okay. As soon, as I get the opportunity, I will tell her the heroic story of how you saved me from those things!", I can''t see Rose like that.


    She is something like family to me by now. Rose smiles thankfully at me.


    The doors open and my parents enter the room. They are followed by the rulers of Stricc, whom I already saw once. I was present, when they greeted each other a few days earlier.


    A little girl is with them, led by the hand by the Queen of Stricc. Huh?


    "Let me reintroduce you again. This is my son, the first Prince of Tirna. By the name Angrod of Tirna. And these are the rulers of Stricc. Arthur Stricc and Katrine Stricc." Mother pulls me in front of the girl, so we have to confront each other.


    That aura is so familiar? I know those eyes, but from where?


    "And this is the first princess of Stricc. Celes of Stricc, your fiancee!"


    A heavy silence falls on the room.


    - "Myrm!" -"Ascathon!"-


    Silence again.


    "Bwahahah. HAHA AHAHAHA!", I can''t hold it anymore. I start laughing as I point at a now female Myrm in a pink princess-doll-dress.


    Seria really pulled a stunt here.


    "AAARRRRRGGH!!!", Myrm screams in pure rage, as he/she? Tackles me with her whole body.


    We both go the ground, with her on top.


    I see something shiny in her hand, as she raises it. H...HA...HAIRPIN!?


    *STAB**STAB**STAB*


    "OWWWW!", I howl as both pairs of parents separate us. But not before I got a fist of her red hair ripped out.


    I will get you back for that! Myrm did more damage in five seconds than twenty assassins which couldn''t even scratch me!


    Ow! It hurts! I am bloody all over again, but this time its my blood.


    What a day!


    "I think your torment has begun now.", Rose whispers.

 6 Tied up conversation?

    I am sitting across Myrm and we are both constrained to our chairs. After the disaster of our introduction, it was decided for us to have a long discussion to make our peace together.


    Because our parents feared for our lives if left alone, they bound us up like in a bad bondage movie. On top of that, they casted spells on the room to stop every magic used inside.


    Then we got told, that there will be no leaving until there was some kind of improvement in our behaviour. That was seven hours ago and I have some serious problems by now!


    But I will not humiliate myself by pissing into my pants! Never! I will die before I do that. Myrm will have the same problems by now. I just have to be the one to endure longer.


    We haven''t spoken a single word since the beginning of this. The first two hours we just stared at each other until Myrm broke eye contact to look out of the window. Heh, I feel like I won that one.


    I then started to count stuff inside the room, just to kill time. There are 2334 spots on the ornamented ceiling. 789 small timber pilings used for the wooden floor. 543 books on the shelf behind Myrm. 13 birds flew by the window during that time.


    I am out of stuff to count. Oh, our parents are devils! Will they let us starve here if we don''t talk? They wouldn''t, or would they? No, we will die of thirst first! How can I get out of this?


    I take another look at Myrm. Katrine Stricc healed the ripped out hair back onto his/her head while my Mother patched me up.


    Then they had a long talk with us, but weren''t really interested in our circumstances. We are their successors and destined by the goddess to continue their work.


    By their decree, they made Midhold the Capital of their country''s and set up permanent residence here out of a whim.


    Mother had argued, that there would be obviously a lot of education to do. She really formulated it like that! They did all this, so we can be together as much as possible.


    "If they have that much power, they should just have unified the continent and left me out of it....", I talked to myself.


    "The rule of this world''s nobility is absolute obedience to the leading house by bloodline. And holding up the traditions and governing system. If they told them to follow another country, there is a high chance that it would end up in rebellion.


    By having us marry, they can fulfil the prophecy and declare their houses as one. Using this loophole to unite both states.", Myrm declares with empty eyes.


    Did Myrm just talk to me?


    "Oh, and I am sorry, I overreacted. If I had managed to keep a cool head and get rid of you in a clean manner, we wouldn''t have to endure this. Too bad that those assassins didn''t manage to do their job.", she now smiles at me innocently.


    TCH! I almost forgot that this is Myrm! This is no cute little girl sitting there. Think! Its A GUY! I want to smack my head into something.


    "Keep that dirty look to yourself! Just tell me why you laughed like mad at me! Is that dress really looking that bad?", Myrm asked.


    The gears in my head stop. Could Myrm really swing that way? "I laughed because you reincarnated as a girl! You have to be very unlucky for that, but it happens sometimes. I guess Seria had a hand in it.", I muse to myself.


    Myrm looks at me agape. Then she closes her mouth, opens it again, closes it again. Did I say something silly? Why do I get that reaction?


    "I WAS ALWAYS A GIRL YOU MINDLESS BASTARD! Oh Hell! We were at it for over eighthundred years and all the time you thought I am a man!?"


    "What are you talking about? You were a perfect man before! Always in full body armour and fighting some stupid battle for justice and order! And all your followers advertised you as a male god!", she surely doesn''t want to tell me that I got her gender wrong all this time.


    ?They were idiots who got my gender wrong when i took over the position! All the other gods knew i was female, what''s wrong with you?", she starts crying.


    Oh!, hey stop that! You make me the sole bad guy here?


    "You are an enemy of all womankind! Not every female has to be a big breasted nudist like Seria, who wear at most half transparent dresses!", she is now in full bickering mode!


    "What are you thinking of me!? We are not even two years old yet! First I don''t really believe that story yet, and second I am not into children!", I can''t let it stand like that!


    "I have no expectations of an old, perverted, idiotic, anti-feministic geezer inside the body of a child! I am sure you have the best time getting off on your mother, every time you reincarnate!", she shoots back.


    "Hold it! If I am a geezer, you are a granny! How old are you really!? Maybe you are some hag even twice my age! You have no right to accuse me of being a geezer of all!", I can do nothing but complain here.


    "I have seen you look at Serias ass often enough! You are surely one of those guys, who have perverted fantasies around the clock!" - Myrm


    "Every unbound guy who has a normal brain would turn his head at her! Well, be happy that I killed you then! I did you a favour! Best thing that could happen to you. When I look at your mother, you should have the best genes for the future now." - Me


    Her eyes go wide, "Oh my god! You will even go for your fiancees mother. You will even try to bed us at the same time?"


    NO, nono that''s not the way I wanted it interpreted, "What do you take me for? Have you ever seen me behave like that!? You, as my dearest enemy, should know me at least enough to acknowledge that I am not like this!"


    She silently thinks for a moment, "I surely have never seen or heard of you being with anyone in all that time. Even a god should have at least some form of relationship. You have some sort of mental problems? God''s should have minds like everyone else."


    Uuuum....


    She squints her eyes at me and starts to grin, "I don''t think its because you are something like an epic hermit, who has forsaken all worldly desire. Does it have something to do with that title of yours? Little One? Kekeke! I wondered about that."


    "NOOOO!", I scream with all my might at this. "Its surely not like that. It seems I got that title because my mother here used it as my pet name. You have no right to use it!"


    "Oh you are a mothers child, I understand. So after my mother and me you will go for yours too? Or have you already achieved that. I must admit I am a little worried now." -Myrm


    I inhale sharply! "Myrm! Stop making me do things like that in your mind! I am just a guy, who doesn''t like to boast about his relationships. I am actually quite decent for a guy in my opinion! I am not someone who likes to bed every girl that crosses his path.


    I like my relationships to be mutual. It''s just that its hard for me to find someone, with whom I can have a normal conversation."


    I am exhausted now. This bickering wears me out.


    "Stop calling me Myrm! Myrm was a god! I am Celes of Stricc now.", she says it like she lost something dear.


    I can kind of understand this, as I lost the same thing.


    "Then you have to call me Angrod of Tirna from now on. Can we call a truce in this?"


    "Don''t misunderstand I still hate you down to the bones!", she is still glaring at me. I have no complains on that, "Believe me. Your feelings are mutual."


    We fall silent again and wait for our parents.


    After an eternity the door opens and Katrine enters the room. Ireth follows after her.


    "Have you two made any progress?", Katrine inquires with a raised eyebrow.


    "We promise not to kill each other!", I call out and Celes nods.


    "No wounding, maiming or other forms of violence?", we both nod again and Katrine looks at Ireth. My Mother sighs and waves her hand. At that our ropes get cut and fall to the floor.


    I jump up and dash out of the room and down the corridor to the bathroom. As I reach for the doorknob I get shoved by something from behind and fall over. Outsch!


    "Girls first! Have you learned nothing at your lessons in manners!" *Crash* *Klick*


    The door is closed and locked! I start to cry. I want to kill something! Anything is fine as long as it dies slowly and in pain!

 7 Headaches and a new educator?

    Right now, I am very busy. Squashing Ants, or feeding caterpillars to them. Eventually even disturbing their hive and watching the enfolding chaos, as they try to repair it.


    Well they aren''t real ants. I just call them that way, because they behave like ants. They seem more like little crabs. I really should start to investigate the biology of this sick world seriously.


    It''s always good to know if something that looks cute is deadly in reality.


    Feels like what a normal boy, at age of five, should do right? Playing with bugs.... it feels like a great step backwards. Eventually my parents should stop and scold me for hurting a living thing.


    But mother doesn''t really care about my actions in this. The problem is, that in my mind, I am not five years old, but much much older.


    Now it sounds just creepy, am I right? I know this, but it feels nostalgic. Playing with the life of lesser beings, having them move on your whim. It''s like in my old times as a god once more hrhr.....


    It also distracts me from those headaches, I have had them for some time now. Celes is also here in the palace garden and is sitting on a chair about three meters away from me.


    Ireth and Rose are present too. Ireth is reading a book, while Rose does some gardening.


    "You know, that you are the worst scum ever, for doing that? The look on your face is creepy!", Celes looks at me like I am some kind of dirt on her shoe. "Why do you do that anyway? You get some kind of kick from that?"


    "Not really, but I have had those headaches for a while now. They wont go away, despite casting all kinds of healing spells on myself. So I am in a reaallllyyy foul mood right now."


    "It''s a real blessing for the people of the multiverse that you are not a god any more! After hearing this, I am convinced, that you never deserved the job. I am sure you relieved your pent up emotions like that as a god too. Only in that case, real people had to suffer for it!", She makes a grimace.


    "But I feel those headaches too. Maybe we have caught some kind of disease? It sickens me to think, that I should have something in common with you."


    I can''t argue with that. Admittedly, she hit the mark.


    "Oh my, children sure grow fast.", Ireth closes the book and walks over to Celes. Before Celes can react she gets snatched out of the chair by mothers tail and has her head inspected. Mother is like that. Everyone, who is weaker than her, is treated like a puppet.


    "Kyaa! I just have to hug my cute little daughter in law! Having your horns come out. It won''t be long, before you two can be introduced to the public.", she declares. "Ho.. Ho.. Horns?", Celes is flabbergasted.


    "YES! Everyone undergoes a transformation at the age of around five years. Some get Horns, some tails, some just go through minor changes like pointy ears. Rose is a case for that. There are all sorts of things!


    They show your latent ability. People with the horns and tails of the royal families, are known to possess extraordinary strength and mana reserves. Rose as another example has superior hand-eye coordination and speed.


    You seem to have inherited the royal bloodline very strongly like my Angrod. My husbands royal blood isn''t that strong. So if you don''t shave his head, you can''t see his horns.


    Males of the royal lines have horns and slit pupils, if they have inherited our blood strong. Females have horns and grow a tail if their blood is strong.


    The fact, that you both start to change before your fifth birthday, surely means that you will both go through the full change. Kya, I can''t wait! Celes will surely look cute with a little tail!"


    Mother hugs Celes even tighter. Yes! That''s it! Crush her with your stupid strength! Wahaha, I can almost see her eyes pop out already.


    "Ta... Tail?", Celes has a complicated expression. It seems she doesn''t exactly like the idea of a tail. I can understand that, if you reincarnate with a hugely different body from your first, you always have an uneasy feeling about it.


    But its just a tail. There is worse stuff out there. I resume my bug-torturing, as I notice that my vision is a little blurry. Hmmm, slit pupils mother said? Shit!


    Now my eyes start hurting too, this world is crazy. Is there nothing like normal biology here? Hippogriffins and crab-ants! Not only the animals are fucked up, but the people too!!


    Living with Celes sure wasn''t fun in all that time. There is always something we are able to fight about. Not a day goes by, without having a hard time to endure her existence.


    At least something got better: Mothers attention is now partly diverted to her. I think she got adopted, hehe.


    One of the guards enters the garden. "My Queen! Your father has arrived and will be here shortly! He expressed, that he wishes to see you as soon as possible."


    Celes gets dropped and crawls away from mother with sweat on her forehead. Whoho, looks creepy, did she break some of her bones? With that style you would get employed to most horror movies instantly!


    "Sure. Children, you can meet your grandfather for the first time! It sure takes long to inspect the whole border!", mother rushes off.


    "Heal meee...! Angroood!", Celes has tears in her eyes!


    "Nope! You should learn some healing magic for yourself. That shoulder sure looks dislocated.", I won''t help her. I still hold grudges against her. If she is in pain a little longer, this will surely make my day!


    "You know that I was never good at healing! It''s just not my forte. If you don''t heal me, I will do something you won''t like for sure! It was your mothers doing after all! How did you even survive the time as a baby?", she is wriggling on the floor in pain by now.


    I sigh.


    "Fine, but you owe me one!", I stand up to grab her arm, while standing on her shoulder blade and start pulling.


    "WHAT?" -Celes


    "Never said I would heal you in a manner that won''t hurt!" -Me


    *SNAP*


    "MMGGNGNMMMN!", Celes bites her teeth together and hits the ground with her free hand. She refuses to scream. Very brave, but pointless in my opinion. "Heal!", I patch her shoulder up with basic magic. Something, she could have done by herself, if she had the courage to set her shoulder by herself.


    "Hmm. Mothers hugs sure are equal to the love, she feels. Maybe its because, with both of us, it feels like she would have both my older brother and sister, who got killed, back. Ah, don''t mention that to her! She still has strong feelings about that.


    It sure felt good to step on you, by the way! I could make a habit out of this.", I muse to myself and nod. I get another glare that tells me, that my worth just dropped another step downwards.


    "Why have you never met your grandfather anyway? We are almost five by now! Most of my relatives made a visit to the main family already.", Celes asks.


    "Well. As far as I now my fathers parents are dead. And my grandmother, from my mothers side, is dead too. They all died together with my siblings in the same attack. Some kind of bombing,  I heard.


    My grandfather, Nicosar of Tirna, went for a complete inspection of all fortresses and border crossings at that time. It looked like the guys responsible for it came from Stricc. So he tried to find out how they got through the border control.


    There are about 4000 minor checkpoints, fortresses and towns along the border. If you take a day of your time for everyone of them, you have your hands full for quite some time."


    Celes nods at that, "It still feels pointless with the current changes in policy, he could have stopped and returned any time."


    Just at that moment, mother came back. A geezer with grey hair is with her. He has the same horns as her, though one of them is broken. Behind him a racoons tail is slowly waving left and right, he has a walking stick, which he puts down at our sight.


    "Hahaha! My grandson! How much I wanted to see you!", he grins as he walks over and picks me up to hold me in front. That grip! I have a bad feeling about this.


    "Grandfather! I greeEEE eee EEE eee EEE eee EEE......", he threw me up! I turn at least five summersaults, before I get caught by a foot again. Oh no. Now I have a roller-coaster grandfather too.


    He drops me to the ground, where I start retching. I am not well, not well at all! This is my weak point!


    "Hahaha! You will have a special training from tomorrow on, grandson. I will make a real Tirna noble out of you! And who have we here?", he starts over to Celes, who takes a step back and looks at him with a wary expression.


    Suddenly he kneels down and massages her hips, pinching them a little at the end and stands up again. Celes is frozen solid at that and doesn''t move a muscle.


    "Hmm, yes yes. That''s good! The potential is there. You will be able to have many heirs. We need many of those.", he nods earnestly.


    -PUNCH-


    "Ugh!"


    -STAB-


    -POP-


    "aaaaaAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    -drop-


    -STOMB-


    -KICK - KICK - KICK -


    It was so fast, I almost didn''t get it. As soon, as he stood again, she punched him in the groin. He went to his knees at that. At the same time she pulled a hairpin from her stuck up hairdo and stabbed it into his left eye, which was now in reach.


    With the other hand, she popped out his right eyeball. While he went down completely, she dropped it and then crushed it with her right foot. That done, she started kicking him with her left foot. There was no hesitation at all!


    Phew! I am so glad, that our parents negotiated a no violence contract between us. But I am sure you have done it now Celes! This could become a real diplomatic issue. I see the headlines for tomorrow! Stricc princess permanently blinds valued military leader of Tirna!


    "AAAAhahAhahAHAHAHAHAHAHA!", Nicosars scream transforms into a mad laugh, as he and all the blood dissolves into white mist. Reforming behind a wide eyes Celes, completely unharmed, he throws her over his shoulder like a kidnapper. She struggles, but can''t resist his strength.


    This guy is not good news! I try to run, but get grabbed by the collar. "Blergh!", comes out while I am pulled back abruptly.


    -


    "This is good material my daughter! I will be sure to make real nobles out of them, before they are introduced to the other houses!"

 8 Training!

    We are back to being bound to a chair and facing each other. "Now we know, where your mother got that from!", Celes accuses me. The old pervert waves a chalkboard with some scribblings in front of her.


    "Come On! Say it with LOVE! -Angrod is my ONE and only ONE!-", he says in a creepy voice. "Say at least: I love you! For starters!"


    "I l..l.. lov...e  y  ou. I guess...", she gets out with a cramped face. "Okay. We will work on the stutter. The expression comes second.", Nicosar states grinning.


    "Now you Angrod! Say: I love you! I would lay the world to your feet, if you asked me of it!", Nicosars eyes gleam feverish and he wriggles his body in a creepy way.


    "I shove you! I would slay the world and throw it before your feet, so you trip over it!"


    *SMACK!*


    Ow! I got hit with the board. My head hurts so much, I think it is splitting apart! Nicosar looks at the broken board and sighs. He drops it onto the pile of broken boards to my feet, which almost reaches my knees.


    He takes a new board out of a chest and scribbles something onto it. "Okay. Let''s try that again.", he steps behind Celes and nods to me, while waving the board.


    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????


    ????????????:-"I LOVE YOU CELES!"-:????????????????


    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????


    Tears are dripping from my eyes. They have started to shed tears and my vision is blurry, since the transformation started. Nothing I can do about it. "I love you Celes.", I whisper while giving up.


    I don''t want to get another board smashed on my head. It hurts so much! Imagine someone taking two screwdrivers and slowly pushing them into your eyes, while a mixer is mashing up your brain!


    That''s how I feel right now!


    "YES! That emotion! You got that across just right!", the pervert wipes the board and steps behind me, scribbling something. Celes blushes and looks down at her legs, which are almost completely covered by another pile of broken boards.


    "M...My dearest one! Take me now and here!"


    Omg, that was....nono I wont waver here! Its those headaches and the stress. Yes! That''s it!


    "Oh! You are starting to get good at this! Hmhmhmm... maybe we should start working a little on the physical part too?", he muses to himself.


    What do you want to make little children do, you sicko?


    "What''s the point of this anyway old pervert!? I thought you wanted to train us!", Celes asks with empty eyes.


    "Aren''t I training you? On your graduation party you two have to convince the guests, that you two are one body and one soul. No one is allowed to have the slightest doubt about it, or chaos could be the consequence!", Nicosar states.


    "If the other houses would get the idea, that this bond won''t work out, they will try to seize power. Civil war for both Tirna and Stricc would surely follow shortly after that. You have to be the perfect pair to the public!"


    "But what''s about physical training?" - Celes


    "Pfff! No need for that! Both of you have royal blood. That means your bodies are the strongest you can get in this world and you are always at top condition.


    But the strongest bodies in the world won''t help us, if we are poisoned or bombed by some asshole. Also with everyone running amok, we can''t be everywhere.


    So you two will be here until you can convince everyone, that you were made for each other.", Nicosar stops his tirade.


    ?I will train my magic like mad! And then this pervert will burn!", I mutter to myself. I am really mad right now! Nicosar went a step too far in this!


    ?Hahaha, you are a hundred years too early for that!", Nicosar grins again.


    Celes forces a smile on her face, "We will see, I would gladly give you a hand against the pervert!"


    "YES! A mutual goal! The first step on your path to love and pleasure!", Nicosar seems not to notice, that he is the one in question.


    ----------------------------------------------------------------


    The next weeks were a nightmare! It wasn''t just the board-treatment. We had dancing lessons, smiling lessons, lap sleeping lessons oh and not to forget the BIG HUG lesson.


    Celes tried to crush me with brutish strength every time. I am really afraid, that she will become strong enough for it in the end.


    Sometimes even Nicol and Arthur join the fray. At least they are better than Nicosar, but its still far from fun. Though they are both usually busy with matters of state, eyeing each others actions like watchdogs.


    At the dancing lessons, Celes tried to step on my feet, or trip me. I myself didn''t even have to try it consciously. I am a bad dancer. Tripping my partner isn''t something I have to aim for.


    Celes and me tried to kill Nicosar multiple times, but we never succeeded. He has some kind of high level illusion or cloning technique. It''s not magic, but some kind of innate ability he got from his raccoon heritage.


    You may think, that you got him sometimes, but he just dissolves into white mist and is suddenly unharmed before you.


    One time, I blew up an entire room, with him inside. We thought we got him, just to be hit from behind with his walking stick. Its a deadly weapon in his hands! Believe me!


    By now, I have realized that we won''t get him, until we have grown up bodies. He is several levels above us, at the moment.


    Like that, the time went by. I lost track of it. He is drilling us from morning till night, with four hours of sleep a day! It is worse than military training. Our bodies will break, if this gets out of hand!


    ----------------------------------------------------------------


    After a particularly bad day, Celes sits at our evening meal, while sharpening a hairpin and mutters something incomprehensible to herself.


    Suddenly she turns to me, "Angrod, I can''t take it any more!", tears are in her eyes. I am really not sure if it is real, or if she is testing her acting on me.


    "Hoh? And what do you want to tell me with that?", I sip at my drink.


    "!Let us run away together!"


    "PFFT", I spit everything on my food and need a second to gather myself. "I don''t get... , why do I have to join you for that!"


    "Because, if you stay here, it will fulfil the second prophecy and you will destroy the world? If you are with me I can have an eye on you!", she looks at me.


    "You know, Seria probably just made that up? She is a strong god, but even the council has problems with such detailed predictions?", I don''t buy it. "And who judged us? Despite having better things to do?", Celes reminds me.


    I think shortly, "Anyway, I wont run! Where do you want to go? We are children, and everyone can recognize us from afar as royalty! I don''t think you will manage to hide those things on your head for long. Think it through!"


    The two black horns on her head did a real growth spurt, starting at her temple and then going back close to her head, while splitting up in an admittedly cool pattern looking like some sort of adornment. No way to hide that!


    She wore her red hair stuck up with hairpins, which I recognize as her most fearsome weapons.


    Her black tail, at the length of about one and a half meter, completed her new demon look.


    My horns were a little boring, compared to hers. Starting at my temples like hers, they just went straight back, stopping a little after my head.


    If I wanted to, I could probably wear a hat to hide them. No chance with hers, though.


    My hair was black like my mothers, but I cut it short. I don''t like to take care of my hairstyle.


    The eyes had changed to a golden snake-style.


    *WHIP*


    "Ow! Stop that!", the witch just hit me with her tail!


    "Hmpf, can''t help it! It tends to do that when I am frustrated.", she declares high and mighty.


    *Whip**Whip**Whip*


    I jump out of the way and sat down again with my ruined food. This time farther away. Hell will freeze over, before I believe her that. It was one hundred percent on purpose.


    That''s when something hit me!


    "Come to think of it.... why do you know Serias prophecy for me in such detail!", I ask. "My parents told me.", she answers without hesitation.


    "And why did you know my title back then? Little one?" - Me


    She hesitates, "I heard it from your mother."


    "LIAR!" -Me


    "Okay! Okay! I investigated your room before our first meeting and found your plate." -Celes


    "What!" -Me


    "I have no bad conscience about it. There wasn''t anything interesting anyway, you are a hermit after all. Just books about magic and science. Do you know that it''s not normal for a guy to hide an encyclopedia under his bed?", Celes looks at me with pitiful eyes.


    "There I wanted to try the -girls search through the guys room- and what do I get?", she shakes her head, "Apart from that stupid title, Not.... A¡­.. Thing!"


    I am down now!


    "Why am I treated like I have to be some kind of pervert. I have never done anything to deserve this! For all the time I can remember, I have been a nice guy! Fuck it! In my first life I was even a monk!"


    I shouldn''t have said that!


    "A ¡­ MONK!? Nooow eeeeverything is clear to me!", Celes grins from ear to ear!


    "Don''t dare to say something about it! It was a good, nice life!", I hold at a new thought, "¡­..but living like that doesn''t get you anything? It all leads back to where I am now!


    Those who live their lives as pure perverts are right! They end up in bad situations at the end too, but at least they got something out of it!", I nod at myself.


    *Whip**Whip**Whip**Whip**Whip*


    "OW!" -Me


    "Don''t dare to go down that path! As a sadistic idiot, you would have lost the last decent point about you!", Celes glares at me with hateful eyes. But my thoughts derail completely.


    "Hoho, maybe I should start right here and now? We are stuck with each other anyway! No loss there, so why haven''t I jumped at the opportunity! You are not really usable yet, but for a test-run it should suffice, as my body isn''t at the height either!", I take a step and have a nice feel.


    -Whack!-


    She slapped me and we go down while wrestling with each other. Something shatters and we roll over the floor. At that moment, the door opens and we freeze.


    Ireth, Katrin and Nicosar step in.


    I am trying to choke Celes with one hand, while she has both legs around me in a suggestive position. With the other hand I hold her left, which is armed with a hairpin.


    With the other, she is trying to free herself from my hold. Her tail is entangled around my upper body and neck, trying to choke me in turn.


    "HoHO!", Nicosar puts on a stupid grin while opening one eye wide.


    "The training didn''t progress like planned....", Katrin states.


    Mother just looks at me accusingly.


    Celes drops the hairpin and pulls me closer, hugging me! "Wahaha! What are you talking about! My darling and I where just exploring new ways of communication, isn''t that right my love? So older and wiser people shouldn''t interrupt the young!"


    A shudder runs down my spine! Okay! This! Is! Creepy! "Play along idiot!", she whispers. I hug her too and set us back up in a straight position.


    "Yes, we just found out about each others good points! This is really a big misunderstanding! No need for more training!" -Me


    Celes nods at my chest!


    "We will see how long you two can keep that act up! Then there will BE punishment. One way, or the other! Both are wrong! You forget, you''re still children!" -Ireth


    We both start to cry!

 9 A formal dance between the two?

    We are both about seven by now. Yes! We survived! Nicosar has given his approval to our acting, thus our parents organized a great celebration. They invited members from all noble houses of both countries.


    It is meant as our introduction to the public. But.....


    Right now, we are both in the families private rooms and are waiting for the festivities to start. Nicol, Arthur and Nicosar are here too. They preached for more than a hour, how important it is to show a good face.


    "I have a really bad feeling about this.", Celes states. She is sharpening a hairpin again. Sometime along the way, it became habit of hers. Whenever she is ancious, nervous or bored, she starts doing that. The hairpins are more like little knives, or daggers by now!


    "I don''t get how you can stick those into your hair, without cutting it", i muse to myself. "That you would like to know!", she shows a superior grin.


    I shrug my shoulders, "If you don''t feel like telling, then don''t tell. Why do you have a bad feeling anyway? Will you tell me that at least?"


    "It is because my third grade cousins and their family will be here. They are pestering my father, to have one of them marry me, since my birth. But i am not into incest and they are brutish idiots on your scale, from what i have heard."


    Her face distorts in disgust, while talking.


    "Their names are Sarda Meltheim and Senda Meltheim. They should be about 9 years old. Their parents are Marta and Odlef of Meltheim. They are sure to cause a ruckus.", Arthur informs me.


    Father Nicol shakes his head, "Unfortunately there are people like that from our side too. You should be wary of the Tuhelm family. Marta Tulhelm and Vaida Tulhelm are the leaders, Iris Tulhelm is a 7 year old daughter of theirs. They are controlling a great area in the north of Stricc.


    It is hard to keep their advances in check. I almost would have gotten them for treason several times, but somehow they always come out clean, after the investigations. It''s mortifying. In case of rebellion, they would stand in the first line. If I could I would execute the whole bunch on suspicion alone!"


    Wow, that''s the first time we heard so much about politics from our parents. Is the end of the world near?


    "Yes, there is also a high possibility that someone will challenge you to a duel, if they get the chance. As long as there isn''t a five year difference in age, they can do it. It''s an easy possibility to kill you in a legal way! So don''t give them an opening by insulting someone.


    And if they challenge you anyway... refuse! It will hurt our reputation, but so be it.", Arthur has a complicated expression.


    "That''s Barbaric!" I call out.


    "It''s an old tradition and hardly used anymore. If they play this card, they surely won''t get any credit for it from the other houses. It''s not allowed to deal killing blows to a defeated opponent in a duel, but accidents can happen.", Athur warns us.


    I grumble to myself, while looking out of the window. This will be even less fun, than i thought.


    "Fufufu, if they are so stupid, they will be used as pincushions. I wonder where should i stab first?", Celes has a scary expression.


    Arthur sighs, "Please! Just refuse! They will surely have some nasty trick and send someone older than you. That will be a big difference in natural ability!"


    Arthur would be right, but i don''t believe it. They may have the better bodies, but i don''t think that they are that adept in using magic like me and Celes.


    We have hardly showed anything, by now.


    "Talk of the evil, and it is bound to appear. Don''t scare the children, they can look out for themselves. Let''s make our entrance. The guests surely are waiting quite a while by now.", Nicosar ends the discussion. He is has at least some idea of our abilities, so he doesn''t fear for us that much.


    We get up and make our way to the palaces festival hall. It is surely impressive. They build the new palace in Midhold within two months, from the moment the joining of the house of Tirna and Stricc was announced.


    Hordes of workers worked day an night. You could watch the thing growing by the day. Like i assumed a while ago, the art of building something is really on another level in this world.


    Oh, that reminds me: I haven''t told you the name of the world! Well. That''s because everyone calls it simply "the world". The people here are surely on the same level of creativity, as the people of earth. Nothing against you guys....


    Arriving there, a huge amount of people bow to us. Rose is there, waiting for our arrival. The hall is nicely decorated and huge rows of tables with finest food are arranged through the hall. In the middle is an open area for dancing.


    Distributed through the hall are many Tables with chairs. Nicely done, i admit.


    "Guests! The rulers of Tirna and Stricc welcome you to the festivities! Let us celebrate the joining of the ruling houses and thank them for holding up the peace.


    As of today they introduce to you their heirs. Prince Angrod of Tirna and Princess Celes of Stricc!", Rose declares in a clear voice.


    I force a smile on my face and wave in a kingly way to the masses. Celes smiles and does a curtsy. The masses begin to clap. Stupid events like this are the worst. I already hate this.


    "Then let the festival begin!", Nicol announces.


    The masses start to disperse and an orchestra starts to play music. Some couples start to dance. We start to mingle with the crowd. Well, as far as it is possible. Everyone gives us at least three meters of space.


    Our fathers spot Ireth and Katrine, so they rush off. Both of them were entertaining some important persons, it seems.


    "I will be off too then, haha there are many skirts to be chased!", the pervert rushes off too and leaves us standing alone in the rain.


    "Humm!", Celes grabs my hand and leads me to the dancing area. "We will dance, as long as we do that, no idiot can come up to us to cause problems!"


    She is right in that regard. You would have to be a extremely rude person to disturb a dancing couple.


    And so we start a silent dance, while smiling at each other. "We will get wrinkles at a very young age, as much as we have to smile." -Me


    "That seems to be our fate my love!" She grins. "You don''t have to play now, we can''t be heard at this distance anyway." I answer. We are whispering and have at least a distance of five meters from the other dancers.


    "It is good to keep it up under people, just in case." Again that heartwarming smile. I wish someone else would smile at me like that.


    I shrug and we continue dancing.


    We are at it for quite a while, when the music stops and the musicians walk off to take a break. At that the people stop dancing and join one or the other group of talking people.


    Celes and i wander off to a more quiet place in the hall. There are some children here, but most of them stick to their parents.


    Celes sighs. "It is boring, as expected. Nobody even cares about us, it surely doesn''t feel like this is meant for us."


    "What do you expect? To them we may be the heirs, but on the other hand we -are- children after all?" -Me


    Thats when Celes spots a group of girls and boys around our age and pulls me off. She sure likes to do that. "May i have a word in this? I am not a pet!" I complain.


    "Hush! Everytime you shut me off with children this, children that! Like you say, we are children. So wouldn''t it be strange if we aren''t interested in other children?" -Celes


    I understand, but talking to children while being mentally an adult is just a pain in the ass. I make a grimace, but set up my perfect smile again when she looks at me.


    "Hi, i am Celes and this is Angrod. Can we join you?" Celes opens the conversation, as we reach them.


    "S... Sure. I am Margerie Cygnus! This is my big brother Stephen Cygnus. We are from Tirna." A little girl of around seven introduces herself and taps the boys back beside her and he bows to us. He is around nine.


    Both of them have fox ears and tails. Right now i want to know their abilities. Would it be rude to ask?


    "I ....am Sven Hjavars. ...from Stricc." Another boy of seven introduces himself shyly. He has elven ears.


    The next girl with a cat tail jumps at Celes and grabs her hands!


    "Tanja Morden here! I am nine and from Stricc! Oh i wanted to talk to you. I have heard so much rumors about you two. Which ones are true? Have you two already kissed? How is it to live with a boy? Have you already been in his room? Is it true that the goddess herself ....."


    I get a devilish grin on my face. Celes surely found the right one there! She isn''t even able to answer, as she is bombarded with a never ending stream of questions.


    "Whoa! The prince surely has a nasty side to him!" Margerie observes. "What do you think about the party? Boring is it not?"


    I nod, "Yeah reading a book would be more interesting."


    "You like reading books at your age? I like reading the "Science And Magic" journal here from Midhold! They have published a book every year since the founding of the university."


    "I...Isn''t that quite the heavy stuff for someone our age?" -Me


    "Oh, no problem, we from Cygnus are all very smart from birth! I have to show you my laboratory if we ever have the chance! I am researching a way to levitate stuff without magic devices! It would lessen the strain on recources and conflict potential between our countries....."


    Anyone, help me! What are these children!? I notice that i have a prickling feeling in my hand. Celes still has it in her grip, while she smiles at Morden, which is still talking. She hasn''t said a word yet and her grip on my hand turned tighter and tighter like a vice!


    I look down and notice that my fingers turned blue!


    "Celes?" -Me


    "Yes, Angrod?" -Celes


    "I really like you, but any further and my fingers fall off! Control your strentgh!" -Me


    Celes looks down, "Oh, sorry!", she abpruptly lets go of my hand..... that was exactly the wrong thing to do!


    IT BURRRNNNNNNSS!!!


    "H.... H.. Heal!", thank the multiverse for this spell!


    "Honey, i am so sorry!"


    Why are you grinning then? Witch!


    "Hahaha, you two are funny", Morden is unfaced.


    "Wow! You can use healing magic without a full incantation!?", both Cygnus siblings look at me like they found a new labrat. Better they not find out, that i don''t need to recite spells and just do it half assed to lessen the burden!


    "Hahaha! Yeah, my only good point! I will excuse myself for a moment to get some cold water over it!", with that i run off to leave Celes to her doom.


    I slowly walk to the toilets, no haste here. As i do so, i take another look at the party. Our parents are still talking to the same people. They don''t look very happy. As i think about it, i reach the toilets.


    A few minutes later i am back at the party. I walk to where i left Celes. She is still there with the other kids, but two new faces are with them.


    They are two boys, who look almost identical. With those Horns, they surely are royalty and Celes looks really pissed. Everybody else would think she is happy and perfectly fine from her face and body language.


    But i can see, that she is playing around with one of her hairpins... and when she does that.... you are about to be stabbed!


    The other kids look entirely not happy. While the two boys really break the etiquette by being entirely too close to Celes.


    "Come on we just want to take you to a small date! Nothing harmful in it.", one of the older boys says. "I am sorry, but i am already here with someone.", Celes answers.


    "Hi, i am back! Where you lonely without me?", i ask as i walk up to Celes.


    "Oh! You two have to get to know my fiance Angrod! I don''t know what i would do without him.", she grabs me and places me between herself and the two boys. They don''t look happy. "Hi! I am Angrod."


    "I am Sarda Meltheim.", the one with snake eyes introduces himself.


    "Senda Meltheim.", the one with normal eyes says.


    To break the following silence I ask, "So what did you want from my most beloved fiancee?"


    "It has nothing to do with you, we just wanted to take her on a little date and a dance, that''s all.", Sarda explains.


    Oh that''s all I get it... Its unfortunate that I have to play the nice guy here. Otherwise you could take her and be gone for all I care.


    "I am really sorry, but I can''t allow that. She is my fiancee after all. It would look bad, if she were around other guys alone. Nothing you can do.", I explain smiling.


    "You want to order us around?", Senda asks.


    "If I have no other choice and you continue to be persistent, I will have to order you in my function as prince I fear. The party must go on after all and having someone around who spoils the atmosphere is no good.", I want to set things clear here.


    Celes tugs at me from behind and whispers, "You can''t order nobels from other countries! Don''t you remember Nicosars lesson! They can make a duel out of that!"


    Oh!


    "HAHAHA! NOONE FROM TIRNA CAN ORDER ME AROUND! I DEMAND A HONOR DUEL!"


    Sarda screams and the whole hall goes silent..... he has a confident look on his face.


    The kids go pale.


    "Oh, Okay! But I refuse to take responsibility for any damages.", I accepted.


    Nicosar is running up to us with two bunny girls in toe. I have absolutely no idea how he managed that.


    "What do you kids think, you are doing?", he asks red-faced. "Accepting a honor duel?", I ask and look him straight in the eyes.


    Our parents come up to us with fearsome faces. The people, who were with them are coming too, they seem to be the parents of the idiot twins. They look like they have expected the situation and are grinning.


    I think we can assume, that this was really planned. I am really mad at this.


    If I hate something, then it is politics. If I hate something more, then it is false games like this one.


    Nicosar shakes his head, "The honour duel has been announced and accepted. Clear the dance floor! Bring some training weapons!", Nicosar probably chose them because they are dull.


    "I demand real swords! It is my honour", Sarda states.


    "I want two!", I follow happily immediately, which flabbergasts everyone.


    Nicosar just nods and the area is cleared. Swords in our size are brought, and we take place in front of each other.


    The geezer is taking place between us and looks at everyone. Sarda is taking a fighting stance, but I just stab my two swords into the dance floor and put my hands into my pockets.


    Some people laugh. I don''t know what they expect. I am a mage, I never even touched close combat weapons. I only did some hand to hand combat as a monk.


    "Are both of you ready?", Nicosar asks.


    "I am ready!", Sarda calls. Then Nicosar looks at me.


    I concentrate and both swords lift into the air and slowly start to rotate, growing ever faster until nothing more than two shining circles can be seen and a humming sound fills the hall.


    Telekinesis of that level doesn''t take that much magic power.


    I never understood why some mages just use it to throw huge rocks at the enemy or try to move a heavy person itself, collapsing completely exhausted afterwards.


    It''s just plain stupid if you could just drive a light, sharp object at high speeds through the enemy. I wait until the humming sound fills the hall nicely.


    *zzZZZzzZZZzzZZZzzz*


    "Ready to slice and dice, grandfather!"


    Nicosar needs a second to snap out of it, but jumps out of the way, "Go!"


    One of my weapons shoots out at Sarda, but misses him as he dodges and dices one of the tables instead. The idiot at least has some survival instincts.


    He grins as he advances on me, as I had just lost one of my weapons. Suddenly he jumps forward at  incredible speed, but I move my second weapon between him and myself to block him.


    He tries to get past, but isn''t able to, without risking being cut to pieces.


    *Dingg*


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    I had pulled my first Sword out of the sliced table. And shot it at him from behind, nailing his left foot to the dancefloor. Screaming, he went to one knee. His sword dropped beside him, I picked it up with telekinesis and pinned his other foot hilt deep to the dance floor.


    By now the idiots screaming was just a small whimper. I walk up to him, take my hands out of my pockets and start beating him with all my might.


    Whew! Its really hard work to educate children, I tell you! Modern societies just pad the heads of murdering minors, saying they can''t be held responsible for their actions.


    I don''t believe that! He tried to murder me here! Thinking I was just some small kid three or two years younger than him. Punishment must be dealt accordingly.


    The hall is strangely silent and nothing than my beating fists can be heard.


    Someone pats my back!


    "Dear, don''t grin like that, you are scaring the people!"


    "Oh, Sorry Honey I was a little caught up in my emotions after he made an advance on you! HAHAHA!"


    ¡­....a bloody something silently slips to the floor, twitching a little.

 10 Conclusion and new education!

    Some people had laughed at the little prince, as he was letting go of his weapons. Sarda was a known prodigy in sword combat. But then they could feel the little princes heavy aura pressing down on them, as he lifted the swords seemingly by a pure act of will.


    *zzZZZzzZZZzzZZZzzz*


    The whole hall falls completely silent, as the little prince of Tirna shows his unexpected magic potential. The hall was silent to begin with, because of the rude challenge, but now the silence is complete, except for the humming of the two swords.


    "Go!", Nicosar jumps to the side.


    Many people already expected a simple execution to unfold before their eyes. But then Sarda manages to dodge the first attack and the hope of an even battle befalls the observers of the fight.


    Only to have that hope crushed soon afterwards.


    *Dingg*


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"


    As the little prince walks up to his opponent.... or was it a victim? Everyone can feel the lust for blood and satisfaction the prince emanates.


    Too shocked to even move a muscle, everyone is pinned to their place as the torture unfolds. Or was it a cruel public execution after all?


    Only a little red haired girl is unfazed by the cruel aura that pins everyone else to their place. While others can''t even twitch, she walks up to the magical monster like knowing that it would never hurt her.


    And pats its back!


    "Dear, don''t grin like that, you are scaring the people!"


    "Oh, Sorry Honey I was a little caught up in my emotions, after he made an advance on you! HAHAHA!"


    Sardas life was saved by the very one he mistreated! On that day a rumor was born.


    Of the gentle flower which is the princess of Stricc, who was the only one that could tame the magical beast!


    And the common folk would evermore fear the day, when the princess was no more, to stop the prince of Tirna.


    -------------------------------------------------


    As we walk away from the bloody pile of flesh, some healers shove their way through the crowd to save what can be saved.


    Somehow Nicosar doesn''t look like he feels the need to announce a winner and starts chatting with the two bunnygirls instead.


    Rose runs up and instructs some other servants to clean up the mess.


    When we reach our parents, they are a little more relaxed. The people with them are still stunned.


    "I am sorry, I had a little argument with a rude guy. When he refused to leave and challenged me, I decided that he would be a good example for others. Just in case of future disobedience.", I state.


    "Angrod saved my honour! If it wasn''t for him, I would feel like I had been defiled by that bastard.", Celes hugs me.


    We where loud enough, for everyone to hear.


    Slowly the hall starts to move again, as the people disperse and the music plays again.


    "I... I am sorry for the behaviour of my son, he should know better than to cause an incident like this. Instead of giving the celebrated person some space, when asked for. If I and my wife may excuse ourselves? We will talk about this at a more opportune moment.", a guy besides Arthur says.


    "You may go, we will talk later.", Arthur states while obviously trying hard not to grin.


    The guy and his wife walk off, into the direction of the dead....half dead idiot.


    Suddenly Ireth picks me up and hugs me, "I was so scared to loose you!"


    Nicol starts patting my head, "Good work! Those fellows had the best face I have ever seen. It was a good decision to leave you to Nicosar."


    NOOOOO!


    Mothers grip becomes stronger and I have problems to breathe, "Fufufufu! Yes, that reminds me. Weren''t you ordered to refuse a duel? That''s disobedience! Yes! I will make sure, you never give me such a fright again!"


    NOOOOO!


    I try to look for help, anyone! When my eyes fall on Celes. She has a very satisfied grin and her tail waves pleased left and right. Witch! I helped you! You got me into this in the first place, by setting me up against those two!


    "Guys, I will go back to my friends I found some earlier!", Celes informs us and walks off.


    "How about you let go of Angrod, so he can enjoy the rest of the party?", Katrin asks Ireth. After another minute Ireth lets go of me and I excuse myself to the toilets. I still have to wash the blood from my hands.


    Hmm, strange. Is it my imagination, or are the people giving me more space, as I walk by? At first they gave me and Celes alone only about two meters, but now they seem to keep at least a distance of five?


    After I washed my hands, I searched the hall again for Celes and her *friends*. A few minutes later I found them at a buffet. It was Celes and the kids, I got to know before the stupid twins disturbed us.


    "Celes, you ran off without me! I felt left behind!", I grin as I walk up to them.


    "Angrod! I thought you might be hungry, so I went to get you the stuff you like most!", she holds out a plate to me and I muster the food warily.


    It is stuffed with food I like, which I find very strange? This is the witch we are talking about, so where is the trick to this? But I find no reason to refuse, so I guess I have to take it.


    "Thank you Celes, what would I do without you.", I take the plate and start eating. If this is poisoned or oversalted I will make you eat pure pepper!


    Then I take the first bite, strangely enough it is not the case..... it tastes good...


    "Hahaha, Angrod you sure went nuts on that guy!", Tanja Morden restarts the conversation. The other kids put up a forced smile and look at me like some sort of dangerous animal.


    "I just didn''t want to give others the impression that a duel with me would be without consequence, by going easy on him.", I explain.


    "Angrod, if it weren''t for you, I would have had a seriously bad time.", Celes states.


    You were about to stab him with your hairpin! If you think about it I even saved the bastard, but nobody sees it that way.


    I sigh, and listen to the conversation between Celes and the Kids. It seems, that the Cygnus siblings are some serious geniuses. Their family owns the most famed schools, universities and research institutes. Of course they were deeply involved in Midholds educational system.


    Tanja Mordens family governs the land on Striccs side of Midhold. During the war, they were infamous for having the best assassins and intelligence networks.


    Sven Hjavars is a childhood friend of Tanjas, his family has an amazing history of high ranking military accomplishments. But when I look at the shy little boy, I don''t really believe it.


    As we talk the party comes to an end and we have to say our goodbyes. Somehow I feel like I was a little avoided in the end?


    We are back at our private rooms and I feel like I have forgotten something important. The whole family is gathered, yes strangely enough I came to regard Arthur and Katrin as family members too.


    "I have decided! You two are ready for school!", Nicol lets the bomb explode! "You have done very well at the party. I must admit, I had a sleepless night in fear that someone finds out about you two being like fire and water. It would have crushed all the efforts we had made for peace in the last years. But after today nobody will ever believe that you two can be separated."


    Oh Hell... I want to lie down and die.


    "So next month, you will join the Midpoint School. Everything is already arranged by me. It''s a highly regarded school, which takes its student through all educational levels, including university. I hope you two wont let me down!" -Nicol


    Pfff! What are you thinking of us? I am over a thousand years old! I don''t know how old I am because I stopped counting at 1203! Give us the stupid final test for the university and I will start teaching the idiots who call themselves teachers.


    But I am silent. Maybe going to school again is nice. Its like having a long vacation. Yes, a vacation, that sounds good. I am in my own world, while sitting on the sofa.


    After everyone has left Celes suddenly stands before me.


    "Angrod, I have to tell you something." -Celes


    "What?" -Me


    "Thanks, even though I could have managed alone!" -Celes


    "Hah?" -Me


    "Stupid hermit!", she bows down and kisses me on the forehead and leaves the room. I am stunned.


    What was that? Could...


    NOOOO! Stop iiiiTTT! She is trying to mess with my fucking MINNNDDD!!!!


    I drop to the floor and hit my head against it, trying to smash the forming thought out of it!

 11 Interlude - Another judgement!

    I wake up in a white place. I sit up and take a look around, its just endless white plains! Nothing is here. It is the worst outcome possible....


    I am dead!


    This is the river of souls, or what a mind that doesn''t want to go insane can perceive of it at least. How did this happen! My memories are just a mashed up pile of fragments. I... I was fighting. Yes, I was fighting that bastard!


    And I was winning! His broken, bloody body was lying before me! At last, after all this time I had him to my feet and at my whim! Then he raised his hand and fired that small fireball at me!


    No need to dodge such a weak spell! I just stood there grinning! Oh, what an idiot I was. The pain was unbelievable, as everything went red and I could feel my soul being torn apart! I could have dodged it so easily.


    It hurt so much, but.... but why am I here now?


    "Are you yourself again Myrm?"


    I turn around, "S... Seria? What happened? Why are we here?"


    Seria is there. The goddess of life and death for this realm.


    "You fought with Ascathon. And he killed you." -Seria


    "Yes, I ¡­...", I don''t know what to say.....


    "Your soul was torn apart, it took me quite a while to piece you back together." -Seria


    I try to get to my feet, but I am weak and fall back to all fours, "So that bastard defeated me! Where is he now! Surely he is watching and laughing, is he not!?"


    Seria goes to her knees and drops a black marble before me.


    "No, he is dead too. He died shortly after you, from the wounds you inflicted on him. I put his soul into that marble for safekeeping.", she says sadly.


    "Why would you do that?", I don''t understand.


    "To have you both be judged by the council. And since you were quite a piece of work Myrm, I had to keep him from resurrecting." -Seria


    The council? But why should they care? They don''t move a finger at the fate of worlds! Such matters don''t concern them!


    "But... But why. The council ¡­.", but Seria interrupts me.


    "Oh, my Myrm. You are the same as Ascathon. He didn''t get what you two did either...", Seria has a sad look in her eyes now.


    "I get it! We trashed a world! And what about it! If we wouldn''t have taken action ourselves it would have ended badly one or the other way.", I am angry.


    "hahaha.... the council doesn''t care what you did to that world. Or its inhabitants. It wouldn''t care if you destroyed a universe. That happens everywhere, at all times. And the same way everything is reborn again. The Council is angry at you for another reason. You two will be punished for something, the council regards as something far worse than those little reasons you talk about. And I was chosen to supervise your punishment."


    Seria smiles weakly.


    Tears well up in my eyes, "So what can be worse than destroying a world!"


    Seria sighs,


    "I guess you two are too young to ever understand in time, so I will tell you. You have killed each other! You two have killed that, which cannot be killed.. You broke the divinity. You ended the unending. That hasn''t happened in all existence. And the council is afraid of what that could mean."


    Seria waves her hand before my eyes and everything goes dark.

 12 Choosing your lesson?

    I want to visit culture and art!", Celes proclaims! "But that''s boring and of no use!", I answer.


    "What use has the magic lesson to you?", Celes asks.


    "I can sleep and still ace the test!", yeah smart smart thinking. You have to admit that.


    "So you are lazy! Do you want to waste this life sleeping?"-Celes


    I sigh and continue to study the letter we got from the Midpoint headmaster. At the moment we are on the school grounds and about to register our lessons.


    Nicol didn''t understate when he said it was a highly regarded school. It''s BIG. Without the letter and a map, we wouldn''t have found our way.


    There are areas for each school grade, so the younger students don''t get in the way of older ones.


    To advance a grade, you have to complete at least nine lessons of it. Mathematics, language and basic magic are fixed lessons for us, but we have to choose ten!


    It leaves seven lessons to our choice.


    Our problem is that Katrin instructed us to take the same lessons. And I am not in the least interested in the stuff Celes likes. The same goes for her of course.


    "Fine, we throw a coin and whoever wins gets to choose first. So he has four choices, while the other has three."-Me


    "Never! I know how good you are with telekinesis, you would just influence the coin to your advantage!"-Celes


    "Tch!"


    "Hah! I knew it! You had a plan like that!", she looks at me accusingly.


    "Fine! We both choose three and take the last at random.", I suggest. "How?", Celes asks.


    "We write some leaflets and draw one blindly.", I suggest. "Hmmm....", Celes bites her lip while thinking.


    "We will ask a random person to name one subject until it is one we can take." -Celes


    "You don''t trust me at all, don''t you." -Me


    "I trust you my love! I am sure you would take every chance, that would make my life more miserable and yours a little bit better. So let the war begin, I will start!"


    "Art!"


    "Rune Magic!"


    "Culture!"


    "Science!"


    "Close Quarters Combat!"


    "You just want to beat me up!"


    "That''s not a subject, but if we ask Nicol, he could have the headmaster to introduce it."


    "Magical combat training!"


    "Now, you want to beat ME up!"


    "So who do we ask for the last one?", I speak to myself. "Over there! The gardener!", Celes replies.


    "That guy is sure to say nothing intellectual, you want to trick me!", I complain.


    "Fine, we stop that teacher there. HEY! Professor! Can you help us, please!?", Celes runs up to a random guy and stops him.


    "What?", the old guy stops. "We want to choose a last subject together, but cannot decide. So we want someone else to choose for us, could you be so kind?", Celes asks.


    The old guy starts to grin like a devil, "You two are a pain in the ass, to disturb me for something like this! So I will have you two join the worst lesson a first year can take. MINE! Take the mystic arts lesson. BE there the next time, or I will come and get you! I know your faces and you have horns! Not hard to find you.", the old guy turns around and walks away.


    "Why does it feel like we have problems now?", Celes asks me. "Your fault!", I comment. "WHYYY!?", she screams.


    I just shake my head and check the lessons on our applications.


    The registration process afterwards wasn''t worth mentioning. We went to the responsible office and gave them the required documents we got from our parents.


    At least there wasn''t any need to stay inside the dorm. Rose would take us to the school every morning and get us in the evening.


    Protection wasn''t necessary, the school had its own security guards. That''s because the school teaches many kids from noble families. There wasn''t anyone allowed here who didn''t belong to Midpoint.


    As we make our way to our first lesson, strangely enough its -Close Quarters Combat-, we meet a known face there.


    "Celes! Oh I wanted to see you! You take the same lesson!?", Tanja Morden jumps as she shakes Celes hands.


    "T...Tanja. Why are you here? Aren''t you older than us?", Celes asks. "Oh, no problem at all. The instructor takes everyone who wants to. There are kids from six to twelve here." -Tanja


    Celes gets dragged to the dressing room by Tanja. And at last some peace for me!


    I walk to the boys area and change into sportswear too. Then I take a look at the very spacious gym.


    The instructor has already started to individually teach some kids hand to hand combat.


    I guess it doesn''t make much sense to hold a lecture here. A few small fighting arenas are in the corner of the gym. There will probably some kind of show-fight in the end, to judge our skills.


    Everyone is wearing the same track suit, regardless of gender.


    "Is that you Angrod?" - I turn around and see a cute girl of about my age. She has silver hair and wolf ears with a tail, her eyes are skyblue. "I am sorry, do I know you?", I don''t recognize her.


    "No, you don''t know me yet, but I have seen you at the party. You were so coool. I hope we can be friends!", she walks up and links arms with me.


    "My name is Iris, by the way.", Iris informs me.


    What''s up with this little kids slutty behaviour? Is this world mad? What is wrong with the little children here? But Iris... that name sounds familiar.


    And why am I jumped by a girl, only five minutes after I am separated from Celes?


    *Check* "Aahhh!" *Plomb*


    Iris is pushed from my arm and falls flat on the floor. Celes is suddenly beside me, "Don''t touch my fiance!"


    "What''s wrong with you!?", Iris screams while standing up.


    "Just taking care of my valuables!", Celes smiles bright.


    So I am something like a favoured earring after all! Stupid witch, The episode with her alone a few days earlier almost made me waver.


    "Celes, aren''t you a little too rude? We don''t even know her?", I try to calm the situation. Though I am thankful to her for removing the slutty child from my arm.


    "Honey, keep out of girls talk, and I wont interfere in boys talk. Do we have an agreement" -Celes


    Uh..... she is playing with her hairpin. Good luck in your next life slutty wolf girl. I only knew you for less than a minute. That''s not enough to risk my head for you.


    "Celes, you should probably know that.....", Tanja wants to say something but....


    "What is going on here!?", one of the instructors came over.


    "She gave me a body-check for no reason!", Iris complains to the instructor.


    "Hahaha, you touched and dirtied something valuable to me, horny wolf.", Celes smiles that perfect  smile of hers.


    "We don''t use violence outside of a match here, I hope you two will understand that." -instructor.


    "Then I will have a match with her! I want revenge!", Iris screams at the instructor.


    Nooo! Slutty wolf girl, you are digging your own grave here! Morden tugs at me, "Angrod, we have to stop them! That''s Iris Tulhelm, she feared here for her brutality and is the best newcomer in magic assisted combat! Celes will be hurt!"


    Goodbye slutty wolf girl, now I guess you will make her angry. There won''t be much to scrape from the floor.


    "Fine with me, if I win you keep ten meters distance from Angrod!" -Celes


    "Ugh, if I win, the same goes for you!" -Iris


    "You two! Matches aren''t made for such a reason! And you Celes? You are a newcomer? You can''t just fight an advanced disciple of the master at the first day!" -instructor


    "Where can we fight?", Celes looks at the instructor.


    "Haven''t you heard me?", instructor starts to get angry. "Let Them Fight!", an old geezer with a raccoon tail comes up to us. "Everyone has to learn their lesson! Some lessons are harder than others. Better they deal with it in the ring, than anywhere else! Step into the arena."


    He points to a miniature arena, which is lowered under the level of the normal ground. Celes and Iris make their way down into it.


    "We really have to do something Angrod!", Tanja Morden is out of herself.


    I step up to the raccoon geezer, I have had bad experiences with those. "Uhm, Master? I guess?", I ask him.


    "I am teacher Tongord. I supervise this lesson.", he answers.


    "I think it would be good to call a healer. One will be needed. ¡­.. a good one!", I tell him and he looks at me with a raised eyebrow, but then he waves at the instructor. The instructor dashes off.


    In the meantime Celes and Iris have taken positions inside the arena. Celes just stands there with folded hands. Iris had taken something like a praying position.


    "You may Go!", Tongord calls.


    Suddenly Iris explodes with magical energy and disappears, just to reappear before Celes, which didn''t even twitch.


    *CRACK!*


    She plants a perfect punch on Celes''s chin and Celes is taken five meters up into the air. Iris disappears again and makes a reappearance above Celes. Her left foot impacts on Celes with a terrifying blow *CRUNCH* and Celes is sent down into the arena again.


    Iris pulls her teleportation combo a third time and before Celes can impact the floor, she is hit by another fist.


    *CRACK*


    Celes is sent into the arenas wall. *BAM*


    We can feel the ground shake, as the whole wall collapses over her.


    "Oh, no! I could hear the bones break! Why haven''t you stopped this master Tongord!", Tanja cries out.


    "Hmmmm.....I didn''t expect this.", Tongord answers.


    *BAM!*


    The ground shakes....


    *BAM!*


    The ground shakes again!


    "Oh, Iris has done it, she is angry now! The poor little Iris....", Tongord and Tanja look at me like I am mad.


    *BAM!*


    The collapsed part of the arena blasts apart and Celes walks out of the dust cloud.


    Iris is still standing where she dealt the last punch. Her eyes go wide, as she sees Celes slowly walking her way.


    Suddenly she turns around and tries to limp away, as if she has a broken foot. Being too slow, Celes reaches her and grabs her good foot.


    *SNAP*


    "KYAAAAA!!", we hear a pitiful scream as something breaks.


    *WHAM!*  *WHAM!*  *WHAM!*


    Celes slams Iris three times into the ground like a child, playing with a doll. Confirming, that there is no movement any more, Iris gets tossed over the shoulder like a broken doll.


    "I have dealt with the disturbance honey!", she smiles and waves at us.


    At this point I have to do some explaining, I think. Well the simple version: Celes is a magical idiot! Even as a god, she knew just the most basic spells. She has almost zero ability to sense mana.


    What she has though, is godlike control over her inner mana flow. Some people would even call it inner power or just Ki. She is a master in manipulating it. It is a far more advanced version of what Iris did. Iris wrapped herself in her own mana, to enhance her physical abilities. But in the process, she wasted much of it and it burst out as energy. We, as bystanders, could feel it.


    From Celes, who was doing the same, we could feel nothing. By coating herself with such a thin tight layer of mana, Celes becomes almost immune to most physical attacks and spells. That''s why I had a hard time against her as a god. I had to pull off fucking nukes, to dent her defense.


    Well, to say it with other words, she is a martial artist, who uses mana to her advantage. Or a simple brutish idiot I would say.


    The only thing Iris did by hitting Celes, was breaking her own arms and leg.


    I wave back at her, while I already see some healers advancing in our direction.

 13 A new rumor!

    I wave back at her, while I already see some healers advancing in our direction.


    That''s when I realize, that the fight has gathered quite a number of spectators. Many students and instructors rushed over, when they heard the first noises of the battle.


    "That''s a splendid technique little princess", Tongord compliments Celes. Morden is still too shocked to say something, it is the first time I have seen her speechless.


    "Nothing worth mentioning! Don''t you have someone here, who can put up a little resistance?", Celes is dusty all over, but still talks big.


    "Hmmm, I will have to put you into the special class. There is no way I can let you fight normal students.", Tongord talks to himself.


    "So no one here at the moment? Then I will take you as a training partner Angrod! No need to completely waste this lesson.", Celes looks at me like devil!


    "I... I will pass! I will be just a punching bag for you!", I refuse! There is no way I can stand up to that brute without spells.


    But I get grabbed and pulled into the direction of the arena. "No need to hold back! I allow you to use spells."


    As we stand in front of each other, I start to buff myself with every spell I can think of. Agility! Strength! Stone Skin! Shield! Vitality! Inner Peace! Regeneration!


    When I am ready I nod at Celes. "Aren''t you overdoing it a little?", she asks. "Any less and I will die!", I just want to make this clear!


    So we start our match and keep it up, until we notice the bell, which signals the end of the lesson. In the meantime, just the impacts of fists and feet on the opponents body could be heard. As we climb out of the arena, the rest of the students have concentrated at the other side of the gym.


    Tongord waves two papers at us, "This are the registration forms for my special class! Fill it out and go there in future! No need to have you two destroy one of my arenas every lesson.", he looks down into the arena, which can only be described as a hole with debris inside by now.


    We are both battered and sore all over. Though I am in a much worse state! The witch didn''t hold back at all and made a game out of hitting places that didn''t hurt yet. So my whole body hurts by now.


    "Area Heal!", a shining circle of healing light envelops us. I guess it would draw attention if I healed only myself.


    "You two are both awesome! Next time I want to train with you!", Morden has recovered herself. I will be sure to have her swap with me next time.


    Celes nods, "Yes! Its good to have more opponents. It is a greater challenge like that!"


    So I alone wasn''t enough for you! I want to cry.


    The girls run off to the changing rooms. I follow them just a little unmotivated. Will this be my new school-life? Being beaten up on a regular basis doesn''t sound like fun at all!


    After this we changed and met up again to go for mathematics and arts lessons. Mathematics wasn''t anything special, just the regular stuff that gets taught in every world.


    In arts we had to draw a picture, which got Celes really motivated. She seems to be a natural and got a really neat painting of a countryside done. Maybe something from her past life''s?


    I myself can proudly announce that I tried to introduce modern art to the world! It had huge similarity to a Rorschach test, I was sure to change the world with this!


    But the teacher, Jeniva Guger, didn''t think like that. She asked me why I sullied her lesson with my presence. It''s just wrong, if you think about it! How can a teacher say something like that to a student!


    So the hours went by, until we stood before it!


    The door to the mystic arts classroom! I pressed down the handle and entered. Just three students were inside. And I know them!


    "Oh hi! Angorn and Celes, you take this lesson too??? Wow, you are brave!", Margerie Cygnus calls out to us. Besides her is her brother Stephen Cygnus. A row behind them is Sven Hjavars, who waves at us.


    "Hi, nice to see you! And why are we brave, because of taking this lesson? And why are you here Stephen, I thought you were older than us?", Celes asks.


    "I am here because I am already retaking this lesson for the third time! And you are brave, because you signed up for a lesson, you are guaranteed to fail. So you won''t have the freedom to fail any other lesson this year.", Stephen tells us, while looking like he has bitten into a lemon.


    "Then why do you retake this lesson for the third time!?", I ask. "I hate to give up, I will take this lesson until I pass or die of old age!", he replies.


    Wow. That''s what I call determination! "So, could you explain what the mystic arts are about?", I inquire further.


    "The mystic arts that mister Samarin teaches, are about all kinds of things. From the state of the world, to magic rituals and science. Teacher is very smart, and he teaches whatever you ask about without caring about any curriculum. And that''s the problem! At the end of the year he will ask you some stupid stuff you never heard or talked about.", Margerie explains.


    At that the door opens and Samarin walks inside and smiles at us. Strangely enough he is the first person I see in this world, who looks completely human. Just his skin is a little reddish.


    "Oh look what we have here. One, two, three, four, five people are willing to take the trial! That''s a new record! Normally everyone, who hears about it applies for something else at the last minute!


    As for introductions, I am Samarin and your teacher. You can ask me everything you want and I will teach it to you. Now please introduce yourself with your name and a single sentence about you." -Samarin


    "Margerie Cygnus, I want to learn everything I can to levitate something without magic!" -Margerie


    "Stephen Cygnus, I wish nothing more than to pass the test for this lesson." -Stephen


    "Sven Hjavars, I just want to listen...", someone whispers.


    "Angrod Tirna, I will rule the world!" -Me


    "Celes Stricc, I will save the world!" -Celes


    "Hmmm, now that I look at you..... I have heard rumours in the hallway. It was about a horned devil, which beat a student half dead and then fighting a second devil in the gym, where one of the arenas was completely destroyed.


    I hope it has nothing to do with you two?" -Samarin


    "I don''t know what you are talking about." - "I don''t know what you are talking about."


    "Angrod is my most beloved fiance! Why should I fight him, absurd!", Celes hugs me from the side.


    "Honey, I am sure that nobody with a working brain could ever think that we would fight over anything!", I put an arm around her.


    DDDAAAMAMMNNNN ITTT! FUUUCK NICOSAR! IT IS ALREADY A REFLEX!


    "Well, in any case, I have to start the lesson, what should we talk about?" -Samarin


    "I want to know about the goddess Seria! There is something I find strange.", Stephen calls out.


    "Hoh, what is it you find strange?" -Samarin


    "We believe in a single god, the goddess Seria. That goes for the whole world. But there are some strange inconsistencies in our beliefs. Even though there is only one god, when we receive our prophecy at the age of one. The priest says that "the gods" will judge us, as if there would be many of them." -Stephen


    "Unfortunately, that''s something even I can''t answer for sure. What I do know is this. The goddess Seria appeared to us on several well documented occasions over the centuries.


    Every time she decided to reveal herself, her revelations had a great effect on the whole world. However, there are times when mortals like us could talk to her for a while. In most cases those people were seen as her avatars.


    From her words, we can conclude that she is not the only god in existence. And that this world is just one of many. Some wise people are of the opinion, that other worlds may have other gods too. Though if they exist they haven''t showed themselves to us. The reason for that, we may never know.


    On the other hand you are a very lucky person Stephen. Because two of the very few people, who had ever contact with the goddess are sitting right beside you, if the rumours are true...."


    -Samarin looks at Celes and me.

 14 Interlude – A broken world?

    I am standing on the smouldering remnants of a broken world. There are some survivors, but it will take a long time for this world to heal, if ever.....


    As I take my steps through the molten rock, I leave glowing footprints behind. Maybe someone will wonder about them in a million years? Should I come back by then to check? I snicker to myself.


    Simply willing myself to another place above this dead rock I reappear high in the air and take a deep breath. The sulphuric air and temperatures where the fight raged the strongest, would have killed any other living being, but not me.


    Yeah, not me. How boring. I don''t even remember a time when it wasn''t like this? But I am sure there must have been a time like that.


    A time, during which I was alive... a time of joy, a time of wonder, a time in which a little bit of love was enough reason to live on.


    But I don''t remember such a wondrous time, is that why beings like me start to play with the lives of those who can''t oppose us? Is it just because we become too bored of everything.


    So we start to roll the dice of life, just to see what happens? It is a pretty pathetic reason I think.


    That mountain is blocking the view..... *flick*


    *RRRUUMMMMMMMBBBLLEEEE*


    Yes, in a few thousand years, this could be a nice valley. Maybe I will pay a visit if I am still around.


    "What are you doing here Seria? Playing around!"


    I turn around, "Tjenemit! How nice of you to pay me a visit! How is it at the Council?" I smile a splendid smile at Tjenemit.


    "The Council is doing fine! I came to check on your job! Have you dealt with them like ordered?", Tjenemit asks.


    "Oh, what do you think of me!? There is no way I would disobey the Council! They are suffering in one of my hells. There is no way they will bother you ever again.", I link arms with Tjenemit and press my chest against him.


    "Hmmmm. I hope so. So can I see them?", Tjenemit grabs my ass! Bastard! Sometime I will rip your heart out for this.


    "Oh, I am so sorry! If I had known. I threw them into a place, just I have access to. I didn''t want others to see my ugly side. I guess I could lead you through the river of souls. But you know, its dangerous to loose oneself there! If.... if you really want to I guess?", yes. Follow me there and I will have the perfect excuse!


    "No need for this. I hope you are back soon!", he disappears. Scaredy-cat!!


    "Yes, my slave-master! Oh, how I enjoy to do the councils bidding! We all can have the eternity together in bed or watching each other with suspicious eyes!", I burst out as soon as he is gone.


    One far far away time I will break this frozen state of reality. Everyone will be allowed his own choice again. Whether he chooses to live, to die, to be a god, a person or to be reborn. Everyone will have a choice.


    But not yet....

 15 End of the first schoolday!

    -Everyone looks at Celes and me.


    What? Stupid idiots, I will not start to reveal the mysteries of existence to you here and now. You guys will forget it anyway when you die, so where is the point?


    "Don''t look at us like that. The perverted goddess just showed up to our ceremony to turn around the priests head. She just gave us a stupid smile and disappeared again.", Celes gives the official explanation.


    "Hoh? But shortly after this, the diplomatic exchange between Tirna and Stricc increased to another level and a year later the joining of the leading houses was announced. How do you explain that." -Samarin


    "When I met my cute, little Celes, I just knew that she is my future, hahahaha"


    "He was so bold, even though we just met! It was like my pure sight had stabbed his heart!"


    Bitch! You stabbed me for real!


    "Anyway I fear we know nothing more than you", I evade.


    "Well. I still expect great things from you. To continue on Stephen, it were those talks with the goddess, which led us to this conclusion." -Samarin


    "I have another question! What do you know about levitation! Tell me all you know!" -Margerie


    With that a painful conversation between Samarin and Margerie began. I don''t even bother to listen any more. It''s all well known stuff to me anyway. Stephen still looks at us like we could be the key to some of his questions. I don''t like it.


    Celes seems to be bored too and starts scribbling in her notebook. I try to steal a look but she slams it shut before I see anything.


    "It is bad taste to spy on a woman." - Celes


    "I didn''t think of it as spying?" -Me


    "Why don''t you give them the answer to their question, stupid hermit. I am not into this stuff, but if they follow their current train of thoughts the cute Margerie will be old and grey before her wish comes true.", Celes bitches at me.


    "I am not a fountain of knowledge for charity cases, you know? I want something for my marvellous help too.", I answer.


    "I know that this is nothing more than one plus one for you, so send my friend Margerie on the right track for now! If you do it, I will owe you one. In any case, I have to talk to you about something after school, stupid hermit.", Celes starts scribbling again.


    "Can you explain to me what you are talking about?", Stephen butts in.


    "Nothing in particular, just be glad that the great me will offer you my assistance!" -Me


    Having the witch owe me one can''t be something bad.... I hope? I stand up from my chair and walk to the chalkboard, where Samarin and Margerie have already written many formulas and a design for a magic device. It uses a cushion of air to hold itself up. A nice idea, but not really a good solution.


    A steady stream of air like in a hovercraft would be necessary. And the magic circuit you need to construct for this isn''t much different from the one you would need to levitate something directly.


    Margerie seeks something that eases the strain on the resources of this world. Everything comes down to rare Earth elements, which you need to construct a magic device. Stuff like Yttrium, Scandium and so on are unfortunately extremely rare on most planets.


    You need those materials in an almost pure form and that is the problem.


    So if we use a magic circuit, it has to be a very small one, the rest has to be pure science. Hmmm. I walk to the unused part of the board and scribble down a simple small circuit to control the temperature.


    A plain cooling system, given enough time, it should suffice to reach the needed temperatures. Yeah, like that you just need a tenth of the elements you would need for a direct levitation circuit, which would have to span the entire object we wish to levitate.


    Then I give a small introduction to Superconductivity. Some materials of that category need rare Earth elements too, but you just need them in a highly dilluted form compared to a pure form.


    The funny part is that this will work with some completely common materials like aluminum or lead too. I didn''t invent this stuff on my own out of nowhere. Some of my previous worlds used machines like that.


    Maybe i will give them a little prototype design to connect the dots. Like that hmhmlala. Oh this feels like my old times as a teacher, just without stupid students to interrupt every few seconds. Oh, how i hate those.


    At this moment I hear the bell, which ends the lesson. Damn i wasn''t completely done, anyway ¨C Margerie should be smart enough to correct the bugs in the design.


    I turn around and Margerie, Samarin and Stephen look at the board like it would be the holy grail with open mouths. Sven looks at the board, like it would be a pretty picture. Yes, that''s the look of a student, who doesn''t get my divine greatness!


    "Piece of cake, don''t bother me with the details! I hate those!", I turn to leave the classroom and Celes follows after me.


    Celes is still writing in her notebook and didn''t care about my ingenious solution of the problem.


    "So care to explain to me, why I have to help them in this matter?", I ask Celes while we walk to the next class. "It is a plan to save this world! Isn''t it obvious!", Celes answers.


    "Yes, but I could have made a fortune with this. Why should I give it to someone else? If you hadn''t said you would owe me, I never would have done this!" -Me


    "That''s the problem stupid hermit! You are already in the highest possible position and you still just think about grabbing more more more. That has always been your problem! What do you need money for, if you are the heir of the king?" -Celes


    "Sometimes I ask myself how people like you ever became gods. It is not logical to rise that high without the motivation to grab every bit of power you can get." -Me


    I sigh again. The rest of the way, we walk in silence and during the other lessons we don''t talk much either. Celes is too occupied with her notebook and as the remaining classes were just stupid introductions, no teacher bothered with her.


    Well I hope the witch doesn''t have something troublesome in mind. She is at it for half a day now, I am sure this spells a bad future for me.


    I could break off my horns and run away to live my life as a normal civilian? Ah! But there are those eyes too, I would have to gorge them out too. No good! And magic to change your appearance is hard to hold up.


    Aaah, I guess I have to wait and see.


    As we stand at the schools gates a luxurious car stops and Rose gets out. "Did you two have a nice day?", she asks smiling.


    "It wasn''t so bad, I took care of a nuisance and made some plans." -Celes


    "In the forenoon I got beaten up and in the afternoon I gave away something precious." -Me


    "Oh my little lord is very generous!", Rose opens the car door for us and we get in.


    During the trip home Celes is still scribbling. Haaaah...


    ***


    We had dinner with our parents and now I am inside the study room, reading a book. I think this day may come to a good end. Celes seems to be too occupied with whatever she has in mind. The longer she is off my turf the better.


    *BAM*


    The door flies open and Celes storms inside. She spots me and slams the door shut.


    *Klick*


    Did she just LOCK the fucking DOOR?


    She comes in front of me, with her ominous notebook in Hands.


    "I want to confess!"


    "WHAT?"


    "I want to save the world."


    "Pardon me?"


    "We are stuck with each other, so I have made up my mind."


    "hah?"


    "I want us to make peace, stupid hermit!"


    "Ehm..."


    "I don''t want to live a life full of stress, so be grateful I consider this!"


    "Yes?"


    "I have made plans!"


    "Plans?"


    "Here, I have planned it all! Our whole life together and the future of the world."


    "Together?"


    "I know, we still have to work on our relationship, but we will be stuck at the current state forever if we don''t act, so I will take the first step that''s needed for the future."


    "Future?"


    "If you don''t make plans for the future, you can''t have children isn''t that obvious! Stop answering with single words stupid hermit, did you bang your head somewhere?"


    "?!CHILDREN!?"

 16 The ominous notebook?

    I skim through the ominous notebook, which was created by Celes. The room is silent, just the open fire at the wall sizzles a little. She is watching, while standing cross-armed before me. Everything is there, with date and time, from the moment I take this book into my hands.


    From the current state of the world, to the state it -has- to be five, ten and fifteen years from now. The development of economy and culture. Changes in society? Healthcare and education politics? Tax-management? Now that''s what you call a control freak!


    Ten years and a few months from now, we will have our first time in a certain position. Hm. Hm. So that''s how she likes it. Ooooh, you are so dirty. Sigh, the cute little girl in front of me is just a shell.


    I knew it, but having the proof on paper sure destroys every last illusion of innosence I had about Celes. And there are at least three children planned, one as the main heir and two as reserves? You are so cruel, I want to cry. They are planned as spares from the very beginning! Being labelled as a spare even before being conceived.....


    What bothers me is that we will do it just three times? I know it is childish, she will just write a new one but,


    "I want to rip it!"


    *Snatch*


    "Nooooo!"


    Anyway, my brain is still in short circuit mode. I have to order my thoughts, how did it come to this? We were enemies for centuries and now the witch wants to forgive and forget out of nowhere?


    I am not ready for this! We are just seven years old!


    "What is it, you don''t like? Maybe we can make some sort of comprise.", she takes out a pen to make changes.


    "First of all. We may have been under the same roof for about five years now, but I still don''t see us as something more than people who tolerate each other." -Me


    "That may be true, but love is something, you have to put work into anyway. So if we start working at it now, we could build up something similar to a decent life? I hate the thought, that the perverted goddess will win in the end.


    Imagine it, we are old and grey on our deathbeds, while laughing about each others death! And that after a life of scheming against each other, while pretending to be the perfect couple." -Celes


    Okay! That is a disturbing thought. I will admit this. A lifetime may not be long for us, but it would still be extremely disturbing, if our life''s would take that route.


    "You sure are disenchanted with love and romance..... . What about just finding someone else for a liaison and be fine with it." -Me


    *Whack*


    The witch hit me with the notebook!


    "That''s absolutely not possible! What if we get found out! Worst outcome ever! You and I are old enough to know that a lasting relationship needs more than hormones and sex.


    Are you some kind of pedophile child abuser? I am the only possible partner here anyway! Even an old grandma is too young for you!" -Celes


    Omg.... I never thought about it like.... THAT!


    "A... Anyway I wouldn''t get it up with you in any case. So the whole discussion is void." -Me


    "Ugh... . I ¡­. if.... I think ¡­.... we ¡­ could ask.... our mothers for.. . h.. help?", Celes is red all over.


    "WHAT ARE YOU THINKING OF MEEEEE!?", I scream.


    "I even tried to arrange everything as much to your liking as possible. I made great concessions here! See? It''s hard for me, but doing it three times is absolute necessary for three children.


    I know you don''t like doing it, but this world doesn''t have vitro fertilization. I looked it up. Inventing it would probably not be in time. You are a monk after all." -Celes


    I cover my face with my hands. My head aches with slowly pulsing waves. What is going on here?


    "No parents. And the just three times is the other problem. I want a normal relationship with a normal amount of intercourse. The other problem is the notebook!" -Me


    "F..Fine! If you can do it more often, more children are possible! But the notebook, what''s wrong with it?" -Celes


    Hah!? More children? No! She is messing with me!


    "You set the exact time and date for delivery in there! I know you were a god of order, but are you some kind of machine? Forget it! We are like fire and water! This won''t work!", I have serious headaches now!


    "It''s fine to have big differences. We can watch out for each others weaknesses. And I don''t think, it will work out from one moment to the next either. We need to understand each other." -Celes


    "That sounds too nice to be true? What is your plan? How did you come to this decision?" -Me


    "J... Just be glad that the perverted goddess played matchmaker for you! You would be stuck to be alone for all eternity if it wasn''t for this! And I don''t want the world to be destroyed. I am living in it after all! So I decided to give you a chance! After all it almost ended today, when the perverted wolf girl dug her claws into you!" -Celes


    Ah, so that''s the train of thoughts here. Hopefully you are not going to become a complete psycho on me?


    I think about this situation. The fire sizzles nicely. I still don''t understand her reasons completely. What''s the problem anyway? You die sometime anyway, resurrection, death, resurrection, death, it goes on and on and there is no way out.


    So why do you care about a puny world. It''s just a prison for us anyway. The only reason I don''t ram a dagger into my heart, is that Seria would probably catch my soul and set this whole shit up again.


    No way to run from a god, who can watch you twenty-four seven. Hah. This situation is disturbing in any way you look at it.


    Suddenly Celes jumps onto the couch and sits down beside me. Too close! There has to be some space at least for comfort!


    "What are you reading?" -Celes


    "Uhm, a book about the melting processes this world has access to? You wanted Margerie''s wish fulfilled. I may have to give a hand a second time if she hits a bottle neck with this worlds metallurgy?" -Me


    "Oh, good work. Good work, My plan includes for this worlds science to be at least raised to the level where they don''t have to fight over resources!" -Celes


    Suddenly something wriggles around my hips, up my torso and around my neck. This is creepy, it sends shivers down my spine.


    "Celes?"


    "Yes?"


    "What is your tail doing?"


    "Oh, I have to put it somewhere. I hope it doesn''t inconvenience you. And as long, as I have a leash on you, you are less likely to run away.", Celes answers cheerfully. "Is that why you locked the door?", I ask.


    "Nobody will leave this room, until you have given a positive answer!", Celes informs me. "You shouldn''t try to adapt the education methods of our parents.", what will happen if I really try to run?


    "Then choose your answer wisely!" -Celes


    "F.... Fine. We will go on dates, and try to make this work out. If it does, good! If not, the world will burn for all I care! But there are requirements! First, if I ever get the idea that you are planning something, this whole thing is void! Second, get rid of that accursed notebook!", I answer.


    "The notebook!? I don''t want to! I have put my soul into it!!", complains Celes. "No agreement until the notebook is gone!", I will not budge in this!


    Hehe, she will surely not comply with this! She put so much work into this fucking thing.


    "Ff.... FINE! Then we have an agreement!", she flicks the notebook into the open fire at the wall.


    As it starts to go up into flames, she pulls out some kind of list and ticks off an item on it.


    "Fufufufu... step one is done, just a few more until it gets interesting.", her eyes have a strange fire in them. I have seen that look a few times on Katrin''s face. The first time was when she bondage tortured us.


    "W... Why does it feel like I just lost a fight!", I am not happy here! NOT happy!


    "Oh, darling! Don''t think of it as losing a fight, but opening a new path to the future! Sometimes you have to give away something, to gain the thing you want."


    The tail tightens down on me and Celes puts on a disturbing smile.

 17 Prototype and special class?

    "I wish you a nice day little masters!", Rose smiles and waves at us, as we pass through the schools gate. I smile and wave her a goodbye.


    We are walking for about a minute into the direction of the school yard, when we become aware of three students, who are lying on the floor.


    Two of them are twitching and the third has foam at the mouth. "A bio-attack on the school? Is it poison?", I ask myself.


    Celes walks up to them and probes one with her foot, but no reaction. "Heal!", I want to ask them what happened. Strange they show no reaction to healing magic?


    "They aren''t wounded, so I think you wasted your mana Angrod", Celes comments. "Hm, strange, I have seen this somewhere already. But I can''t remember.", I wreck my brain.


    If you live such a long life like ours, you are bound to forget a lot of stuff. Be happy if you manage to remember a few things of your first life after a thousand years.


    "Hahaahaha....Muahaha....Hihiihiiihihi....."


    We can hear a crazy laugh from the school yard. We both look at each other and start to run into the direction of the mad voice.


    As we reach there, we see a picture out of a horror movie. Multiple students are lying around in the school yard. Apparently the fell were they stood, like having their strings cut.


    And in the middle of it all is ¡­.. Margerie? And a small drone-like device hovers about ten meters above her.


    "Hohoho! Celes, Angrod I am so happy, you cannot believe it!", the culprit says with a heavenly smile on her face.


    Then she dashes over and bulldozes into me, giving me a big hug. "Angrod, I can''t thank you enough for yesterday! You are a genius! Just solving the problem, I thought would take me a lifetime."


    "Haha, no big deal more important. WHAT happened here!?", I ask. "Yes, Yes, was there an attack!?", Celes follows.


    Margerie smiles,


    "Oh, no I was just testing Agrods prototype design. I made a few changes here and there to maximize the output. Fufufu, this is a complete new branch of science for this world! Who would have thought, that some materials get such miraculous properties, if you cool them down enough!


    After Angrod gave us the hint yesterday, I stormed one of my parents research labs and enlisted all workers, researchers and materials for this project. They didn''t have anything productive to do anyway. Hahaha.


    So as of today, we have the first levitation-device, which isn''t dependent on ridiculous amounts of rare materials!


    Though there is a little safety issue, as you can see. The strong magnetic field seems to paralyse most living organisms I have tested so far. There needs to be more control on the magnetic field.


    But that''s no issue, I used a very simple control circuit!


    Do you want to test it?"


    This one is dangerous....


    She holds out a device to us, which looks like a remote control. I take it and fly a few circles with the device. It is very easy to use, almost like a video game.


    It must generate a really strong magnetic field to hold itself up like that. I didn''t expect that Margerie could put this together over night!?


    Suddenly a few teachers enter the school yard, they don''t look very happy. "Give me that!", Celes grabs the remote control and the device does a U-turn.


    "SSSSSSSSSsssssmmmmmmmmmmmmmm", directly into the group.


    They twitch and fall to the ground.


    "Let''s run!", "Yes!", "Hahaha!", Margerie takes control again and deactivates the device, to pick it up.


    Then we run for it, because we already see another group of people coming our way.


    "That was funny!", Margerie proclaims in one of the hallways a few minutes later. Now, that I have time to look at her, I see that she looks really tired, despite her demeanour.


    "You should probably rest, you don''t seem to be in good condition", I advice. "Rest? Rest? How can you talk about rest now! There is so much to discover! What else is in your head!? You just walk up to a chalkboard and revolutionize our science in thirty minutes! What happens if you really put some work into it. Haaahaaa.....", Margerie is now drooling on the floor.


    This makes her look like a real dog, with a happy waving tail, looking up to its master!


    "Ahem! Margerie, you should probably really rest a little. Your behaviour is a little strange today. I will bring you to the infirmary-room.", Celes grabs Margerie at the neck like a kitten and walks off.


    Margerie tries to resist, but the mad scientist doesn''t seem to be above brute force.....


    "We see each other at special class, Angrod. Tell the teacher that I will be a little late!", Celes calls out to me, while turning around a corner.


    "Noooo! I have to dissect his brain! There is so much to leeeeaaarrrrrnnnn!", I hear a howl, which is slowly growing weaker, as the two of them increase their distance to me.


    So I turn into the direction of the so called special class. And walk a little faster. I imagine, it would surely make a bad first impression to be late. After I changed my clothes I arrived at my destination.


    Which is just a wide open field?


    Just seven students and teacher Tongord are present. I know five of the students. "I am sorry, but Celes will be late.", I inform Tongord.


    "Ohh, the prodigy is late? Hrm. We would have odd numbers in that case. So it is not a problem.", Tongord nods.


    "So, as for introductions, here we have Angrod Tirna. Unfortunately our second newcomer Celes Stricc will be late. This here is Tanja Morden, Sven Hjavars, Iris Tulhelm, Gabriel Rosenquarz, Sarda Meltheim, Senda Meltheim and Sandra Andros.", Tongord introduces me to the people here.


    As he points to Sarda and Senda, I give them a happy smile. Two more punching bags for Celes mean less punches for me! This is a good day!


    For some reason both of them take a step back and Iris holds a respectful distance to me. I am amazed at this world''s healing magic. Just yesterday, Iris had all four limbs broken and some other injuries too.


    Haaah, just now I remember where I heard the name Tulhelm. Wasn''t that a family which father hugely dislikes? He mentioned them to be very troublesome fellows.


    Now THERE we have the reason, why the perverted wolf girl threw herself at me like a whore. Or am I interpreting too much into this?


    Then I take a closer look at the two new faces. Gabriel Rosenquarz is very human-like, just his skin is reddish and he could be about eight years old. His build is a little sturdy. I wouldn''t be surprised, if someone told me that he is related to teacher Samarin!


    Sandra Andros is.... a bunny girl! Yes, there is no other way to describe it. A bunny girl through and through. She may be ten, but why do you wear a skin-tight suit for this!? Everyone else uses tracksuits.


    "Unfortunately we have a huge age gap here. But that shouldn''t be such a big problem, we have just the strongest of the strongest here anyway! But to give you a better training, I will have to know your fighting style! So I will have a test fight with each of you guys, when Celes is here.", he explains.


    "What are we allowed to do?", I ask curiously. "Everything is allowed, as long, as you do it from a range no bigger than fifty meters!", Tongord answers.


    "I can cast spells too?", I am confused. I thought close combat lessons were all about martial arts and use of close range weapons?


    "You can cast every spell, you manage to cast. Don''t confuse this class with something stupid like magical combat or martial arts classes! In which you just stand at fixed positions and cast spells at each other. Or just use your fists and feet, if you could instead use your mind too! A highly unrealistic scenario!


    In my class, you will train for the real life! Everything goes, as long as you don''t try to snipe the opponent from a ridiculous range." -Tongord


    Now I stand there with an open mouth, "I let myself being beaten up for nothing!", I scream!


    "Hahaha, I knew you had mistaken the rules of combat in this class, because you didn''t read the flyer we got for it.", suddenly Celes laughs behind me.


    "Why didn''t you tell!?", I turn around.


    "Because it was so cute to see you struggling, while trying your best!", Celes smiles like a sadist at me!


    "Your face tells the whole story already!", I answer. It seems our talk yesterday doesn''t include to not have a sadistic relationship. I want to cry!


    "Hrm. Having the right informations is also a part of combat! I already asked myself, why a mage character like you fought her in such a strange way. Though I have to compliment you for holding your ground against her, while using nothing but enchants on yourself!" -Tongord


    I grumble to myself, while Tongord walks onto the open field.

 18 Another raccoon geezer!

    As Tongord walks onto the field, Celes notices the Meltheim brothers and gives them a sour look. Iris is also branded with devilish grin, which makes her back up a little more.


    Tanja walks up to us and starts a conversation with Celes.


    "Okay, The first hit counts! You are first Gabriel!", Tongord calls out, as soon as he reaches the centre of the field.


    Gabriel walks very carefully up to Tongord. As he reaches a distance of about fifteen meters, he suddenly thrusts out his hands and a jet of flames shoots into Tongord''s direction. But the teacher just jumps and evades, while closing the distance.


    The student swings his flame-thrower into Tongord''s direction, but the geezer just turns to mist, as he is about to be hit. Reforming above Gabriel, he falls down and flattens the smaller student under his weight.


    "You depend too much on your ability. You should have countermeasures, in case someone is able to avoid your flame attacks. Next!"


    Sarda walks up to the teacher, with sword in his hand. He is putting up a better fight, but looses in a similar way. His speed gave him the ability to avoid the same fate as Gabriel, but it didn''t change the outcome in the long run.


    After this Senda puts up an incredible fight, while using just his bare hands and feet. Just from watching, I can tell that he is much stronger and faster than Sarda! So why did his family send the weaker one of the brothers against me? I am confused!


    In the end, the geezer calls an end without touching Senda. It seems he has seen enough.


    Celes and Tanja have a nice chat about martial arts in the meantime. Tanja seems to be a martial arts maniac. She is all over the stuff, Celes has to tell her everything about inner mana manipulation.


    Then Sandra Andros goes for it. As the teacher approaches her, she suddenly jumps up and casts an altered form of a blizzard spell, shredding the entire area, including Tongord, to pieces. Tongord''s bloody body dissolves, to reappear above Sandra.


    But while he is trying to hit her, Sandra does a somersault, and kicks the teachers head. Impressive leg strength! While Tongord''s limb body falls to the ground, Sandra makes a perfect landing like a ballerina.


    The teacher''s body dissolves again and reforms before her, he congratulates her, calling it quits.


    "Sucks! That geezer has the same ability as grandpa! In the first few fights, I had hoped he does the mist thing beforehand, to avoid injuries! But he seems to be immortal too.", I complain.


    "The ability of those with the raccoon heritage is a very powerful one! It allows them to turn their body into mist and reform themselves in any form they like. So they are able to regenerate completely.


    They may be weak in other aspects, but you have to kill them so many times, it is a given that they will get you sometime in turn. The only restriction is their mana reserve. If they run out, they are easy prey!", Tanja suddenly gives a nice explanation.


    As expected of a house, famed for their intelligence network! But why are you talking of our teacher as prey!??


    "I am next!", Tanja calls cheerfully and runs out to Tongord. But while she closes in, she suddenly falls into her own shadow? Tongord takes a defensive position and looks at the ground. Suddenly a knife stabs out at his ankle from his own shadow.


    But he jumps up and with a short incantation, he releases a shock-wave against the ground. Landing again, the game starts anew.


    Tanja seems to be some kind of fucking ninja! If she starts to pull out the shadow clones I will walk around on my hands for a day!


    After five minutes and a few injuries on Tongord''s side, he calls an end again.


    Tanja comes back to us. "You did very well!", I conclude. "Hahaha, not really. Its true, that I had the upper hand, but that''s only as long as I have mana. If we had played this game for another ten minutes, I would have lost, because teacher has much more mana than me.


    The same would probably be true for Sandra. We can''t kill Tongord often enough to drive him into a corner."


    "So, how many times do I have to kill him?", Celes asks. "Huh? I don''t know? I never got him to admit that his mana is low. He never shows any indication of that, even after dying dozens of times in a row.", Tanja answers.


    What have you done to the guy!?


    Iris is next. As the fight starts, she uses the same strategy, she had against Celes. Coating herself in mana to enforce her power, she gives Tongord a terrible beating. It lasts for about ten minutes, but then she apparently runs out of steam and gives up. The geezer is still standing, even though he should have died over ten times!


    Then Sven is up against Tongord, with two knives. He moves so fast, there are just flashes to see. Tongord is holding his ground with defensive magic, like stone skin and shield. The teacher is not able to counter Sven''s speed.


    But as much as Sven has the upper hand on the offensive, he lacks the needed power to penetrate Tongord''s defense. After a few minutes, Sven is completely exhausted and not able to go on.


    I am impressed, I didn''t think the little timid, shy boy had such potential.


    "I will go!", Celes walks up to Tongord and starts the fight with a head on approach. Storming in, she gives Tongord a kick to the chest, which he evades by ducking under her kick.


    Smiling, Celes turns in the air and thrusts an open hand to the ground. While she is being pushed up by the recoil, the ground dents in around Tongord, and he is flattened!


    Oi! You watched too many eastern martial art movies on some earth-like planet! No sane martial artist would get such an idea by himself! That was the open palm of Buddha! What a copyright violation!


    While Tongord dissolves, Celes starts to hammer out those attacks in quick succession, not giving Tongord time to reform. The stream of attacks holds her up in the air, while the crater with Tongord inside becomes deeper and deeper.


    After about forty seconds of hammering blows, Celes lands again in front of us.


    "Whew! I think that''s my limit for now! I hope the geezer is a goner, I dislike zombies.", Celes has sweat on her forehead. In those few seconds, she hammered out about eighty of those attacks.


    Suddenly something crawls out of the crater! "Cough, We need to have a talk about destroying the fighting grounds little miss!", Tongord is behind her with folded arms and a nasty look on his face.


    "Hiiiiiii!?" Celes runs up to Tanja and hides behind her. It seems the time with Nicosar has left some kind of trauma inside her.


    I understand it! I gives me the cold sweat when I think that I am next! Even though Tongord hasn''t done anything evil to us!


    ¡­....yet. He hasn''t done anything YET. Yes that''s the correct way to think about it. You are right Celes! All raccoon geezer are some kind of monster cockroaches! You are never allowed to underestimate them.


    So I walk up to Tongord next and put my hands into my pockets. I don''t really have a good idea how to fight him either. How do you fight a guy like him, without a huge difference in strength? From our time with Nicosar, I know that you can blow them completely to pieces with an explosion.


    For starters, I pick up a small stone with telekinesis and accelerate it, placing it directly between Tongord''s eyes.


    *Splash* a cloud of red goo exits the hole in the back of his head. Who ever said you need to throw big rocks at someone to kill him? But I know this won''t work. I did that already a few times to Nicosar. It just made him angry.


    Now that I have won some time, I need to put up some defences! "Shield!", "Stone Skin!", my preferred defence skills.


    Tongord is already done with healing up, small wounds seem to be no problem, even if you hit a vital spot.


    "Somehow it disturbs me, that you fight with your hands in your pockets! I was at your introduction party and I know your abilities are no joke. But it still disturbs me. I want to correct that manner!", Tongord complains to me.


    "I am sorry, but it is my style to fight this way. There isn''t much my hands can do, what my mind can not anyway.", I answer.


    "Then I want to see, what happens when you use your hands!", a voice says behind me. I turn, but Tongord already struck at me, breaking my shield.


    "What I wish is thunder!", I call out as Tongord grabs my collar. My mana channels and converts into electrical energy, running through Tongord and me.


    Ever touched the wires of a commercial power supply? Yeah, not good, I know. We both light up like a Christmas tree and are blown apart. I fight to stay conscious. Thanks to that body of mine the lights didn''t go dark completely. "Heal!", uh that feels good. Much better now.


    This was a little bit risky, but electrical attacks are the only thing I didn''t try yet on Nicosar. I sit up and see Tongord coming my way.


    "This ability is just a cheap cheat!", I scream. "Then use your hands. If you don''t I will find ways!", Tongord is almost over me!


    "FINE!", I scream and hold out a hand to him in a gesture like I would grab him - "FORCE". Tongord suddenly stops and is lifted up like being grabbed by a gigantic hand.


    Ugh. Not good this is tiring. That''s the reason why I find this fighting style stupid. I strain myself again and smack him in an arc into the crater which Celes had created.


    Upon hearing the nice sound of an impact I strain myself again and close my hands in front of me, which makes it easier to create the effect, I wish for. The earth around the crater starts to move and piles up to bury Tongord beneath it.


    After a nice little mound is formed, I relax and go to my knees.


    "Haaah, haaah, stupid... way.... to.... fight....", I am exhausted now. See? I told you, only stupid magicians do something like that.


    "Yay! We won! The geezer is no more!", Celes runs up to me and picks me up, shaking me happily like a doll. Stupid strength monster! Tanja, Sven and Sandra run up to us too and cheer!


    Suddenly a part of the thrown up earth moves and a hand thrusts outward! We all go silent. "Uuum, isn''t the class about to end?", I ask.


    All of them nod and make a run for it! "Don''t leave me behind, I am out of power here!!!!", I scream.


    Celes turns around to grabs me by the neck to pull me after her. Ow! Ow! On second thought! Just leave me with the monster!