《A Magical Destination》


 1 Passing

    In a desolate room, a figure was lying on a bed being tended to by a man.


    The man had a domineering aura that suffocated all living beings. Black covered his entire body; the deepness of it being so ingrained one would have to look closely to see where his skin and clothes separated. Because of this, his piercing red eyes were extremely eminent. A sharpness protruded danger into the souls of all who enter his sights. The surrounding area around the room was evacuated, for not many could retain their sanity in his proximity.


    The man''s appearance, however, was wholly betrayed by his actions.


    He was delicately wiping down the figure''s body with the utmost care and detail. Had anyone else witnessed this scene, they would not dare to believe it even with it unfolding before their very eyes.


    "Dominick, that''s enough. Thank you..." The figure softly said, breaking the total silence that was encompassing the room.


    "Yes." The man replied. His voice sounded so coarse that it prickled one''s skin.


    A small smile appeared on the figure''s face. "Lose that stern look on your face already. You''d be liked more." He chuckled and broke into a light cough.


    Dominick did not reply, his brow twitching ever so slightly.


    Upon closer look, the figure on the bed was an elder with white hair, withered skin and a body that seemed frail and delicate as a twig. Contrasting to Dominick, he held a warm and gentle expression that was contagious to all who met him. Wearing a bright white overall, he radiated a shine that illuminated the entire room. However, Just a few seconds of speech had taken his breath, sounding so weak they instead seemed like his dying words.


    Despite the condition of his body, there was a profoundness and luster in his eyes that far surpassed Dominick''s.


    Dominick was recognized as the greatest ruler throughout the annals of history even with his time being far from over. Worshiped by his citizens and feared by his enemies, Dominick had conquered many great kingdoms and lead the strongest army known to ever exist. In battle, he was titled, ''The Harbinger of Death,'' destroying cities and reaping countless lives with unstoppable force. It was only a matter of time before the whole world became united under his rule.


    Simply put, Dominick was unparalleled in battle, spirit, and leadership.


    However, only a select few knew of another behind Dominick''s back, who had been there since Dominick was but a weak child with no power nor glory to his name. The mysterious man had taught Dominick all he knew and trained him to the existence he is today, but never once revealed himself to the world for reasons unknown.


    In an era strife with battle, slaughter, and war, only the most privileged lived long lives. All were plagued with injury - be it from the weakest of soldiers to the strongest of rulers. These war-torn times have never changed since anyone could remember.


    Until recently.


    Referred to as ''The First Great Era,'' prodigal warriors seen only once every millennium, for an inexplicable reason, rose by the numbers. Even more unbelievably, they banded together under one kingdom and made all who oppose them submit, humans and monsters alike.


    For heralding their world''s first era, they are known as, ''The First Greats.''


    The Rashkan Barbarians, known for their un-tamable will. The prestigious Astral Kingdom that has never once been toppled. Even the strongest creatures alive - the dragons. All fought against but were conquered by Dominick and his team of Greats. For the first time in history, peace and prosperity were brought to the people, announcing the start of what would lead to many Great Eras into the long, long, future.


    But for now, unbeknownst to the world, the figure that subdued the Rashkans, outsmarted the supremely intelligent Astrals, and killed the most powerful dragons, was quietly passing away.


    The elder was smiling vibrantly with a face full of content. Many had asked him why he never came out in public and choose to seclude himself. They could not understand how a man with such insurmountable deeds could be satisfied with staying in the shadows.


    But he himself had never once regretted.


    Following his heart, he was perfectly happy staying in the background, watching on as the kids he found and nurtured grew to what they have become, replacing the happiness his deceased friends and family provided long ago.


    Dominick stood by the bedside, gazing intently at the elder in an attempt to imprint the final moments of his life. Despite having a turmoil of thoughts he wanted to convey, Dominick remained expressionless, simply meeting with the elder''s warming eyes.


    The elder revealed a large smile, instantly brightening the room and penetrating through Dominick''s heart, melting all coldness that had settled. "My time has come, Dominick."


    "Yes," Dominick replied. his voice quivering slightly. Moisture appeared beneath his eyes and threatened to escape.


    "It''s time for you to settle. Find yourself a family. Your fight... it''s over now." The gentle voice sounded out once again.


    Dominick said nothing this time, maintaining his gaze. He was cherishing the last moment they would ever share.


    The elder formed a neutral expression, took a deep breath, and relaxed his posture. The radiance in the room reached its peak. An imposing might descended upon Dominick, immediately making his body tense.


    "Don''t falter Dominick. The world must maintain its peace." The elder ordered in a voice that seemed to encompass the entire room, originating from no particular direction.


    "Understood." This time, Dominick''s voice was clear and powerful, evidently a response that has become instinct to his body.


    Like always, the elder received the same, swift reply that reassured success.


    "Good," he weakly breathed out, returning to a smile as calmness restored.


    The brightness in the room began dissipating, and the elder''s eyes slowly closed. Knowing they would never open again, Dominick watched in disbelief. A flashback to the distant past played in his head, where a kind-looking man appeared before him. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "I''m proud of you." The elder inaudibly muttered, just before life left his body. The room lost its light, becoming empty and dark.


    For the last time it would ever happen again - a single teardrop fell down Dominick''s cheek.

 2 A New Beginning

    In the midst of the dark universe, a shining star suddenly erupted upwards with blinding speed, leaving a trail of blazing light along its way.


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


    Feeling a warmth blanketing his body, he was left utterly confused, thinking it was all over after traversing the passage of death.


    Bundles of flesh appeared all around him.


    Stimulating some movement, he saw and felt the tiny limbs that responded.


    "I am reborn?"


    Realizing all his memories have been kept, he dazedly questioned if this was a dream or if it was reality. But before he could enter into thought, a force began pushing him outwards as his body struggled through a tight tunnel-like exit.


    Cries of pain entered his ears.


    Squeezed through, the heat surrounding him was lost in the outside air. The sudden brightness was blinding.


    "Elena! Are you okay? The baby is safe Elena!" A man''s voice was shouting in panic.


    "Child... my child... please, bring him to me..." A woman weakly whispered.


    The next thing he felt was a delicate pair of arms enveloping him. Gazing upwards, he saw a kind-looking woman. Beads of sweat covering her face, she was evidently weakened but doing her upmost to stay awake.


    Warmly looking at him, she bloomed into a smile of happiness. "Austin, you will be named Austin," saying ever so softly, Elena held him for dear life like he was the most precious thing in the world.


    Receiving such deep, unconditional love... this was in no way a dream. Austin''s heartstrings were tugged, calming the unnerve in his heart. He wanted to get a closer look at his mother but was met with an increasing blurriness. The frenzied voices in the background were becoming weaker, reaching the point where nothing could be heard. Overwhelming drowsiness attacked, forcing him into sleep.


    ...


    Seven years later.


    Austin had grown into a young child. Blessed with dashing features, he possessed a captivating smile and bright purple eyes people easily lost themselves staring into.


    Having slipped away from his morning responsibilities, Austin was currently in the Royal Library. Finally able to learn about this new world, he was quickly scanning through the shelves in search of suitable material.


    The grand hall was empty of people, for only those of the highest prestige and importance could enter freely. Deemed sacred, there had never been the case of a child being here.


    Austin was connected to the Royal Family - the Krashals, and therefore had a way of entry, albeit not a conventional one.


    Taking many days of persuasion and warming up to her, Austin was able to convince the Krashal Queen into allowing him access to the library. Thinking back at what the Queen had done to him in payment, Austin quivered.


    His mother was the personal maid for the Queen so he sees her on many occasions. In the Royal Palace, Austin was being trained to butler the Princess who happened to be of the same age.


    Finding a small stool, Austin placed it down near the natural lighting provided through a window, sitting down on the upper floor between two closely stacked bookshelves.


    He opened a book titled, ''The Basics of Magic.''


    In this world, there existed magic.


    The world is filled with a type of energy referred to as ''mana.'' Mana is used as the medium for magic. The stronger one''s mana, the more powerful the magic will be in their spell cast.


    To distinguish these power levels, spells are segregated into 5 ranks which coincides with the ranks of magicians. These are classified as bronze, silver, gold, platinum, and diamond. Each rank is further separated by a system of stars, with low rank being 1-3, middle rank being 4-6, high rank being 7-9, and peak rank being 10 stars.


    Manipulators of mana are called ''Magicians.'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Magicians can enhance their bodies and utilize the elements of Earth including Fire, Water, Earth, Wind, Light, and Dark. However, not everyone is given the freedom of choice. One must be born with corresponding Attributes to manipulate different kinds of mana.


    Most people do not have any Attributes and can only use mana to enhance aspects of the body. They are referred to as ''Warriors'' due to their incapability of casting spells and reliance on physical strength.


    Mages, on the other hand, have one or more Magical Attributes. They are generally classified to be stronger than warriors, wielding more destructive power and a wider arsenal of attacks. However, this does not mean warriors cannot triumph over mages. In particular, most Mages are heavily disadvantaged in close combat, with the exception of a few Classes that excel in movement or defense, such as Wind or Earth Mages.


    Quenching his thirst for knowledge, Austin was wholly concentrated on the book.


    "AUSTIN! Austin where are you!?"


    Startled, Austin looked outside the window to see a young girl dressed in a pretty pink dress. She was frantically runny around whilst shouting for his name, her dress fluttering in the wind.


    Letting out a sigh, Austin watched the girl run off in another direction before resuming to read. Unfortunately, she came back a short moment later, glaring daggers towards the library.


    "I know you''re in there! Come out already!" she declared.


    Austin ignored her.


    "If you don''t come out in 10 seconds I will tell mom!!!


    1! 2! 3!"


    Austin groaned, placing the book back onto the shelf, thinking to himself why he had to endure such treatment. "I''m here Laura!" He shouted back at her in annoyance, but his voice clearly containing a maturity that Laura''s did not.


    "6! 7! 8!"


    Laura ignored him and continued to angrily count in her high-pitched voice, only stopping when she saw Austin appearing at the entrance.


    "Finally! How dare you ignore me Austin!" She said furiously with moist eyes and puffed cheeks, bending forward with one hand placed on her hips and the other pointing straight at him.


    Austin smiled helplessly, dejectedly walking towards her, "Laura, I didn''t hear you, that''s why..."


    "Humph!" Laura marched towards him and her tiny, white hand grabbed onto Austin''s.


    "Let''s go!"


    She pulled him away.

 3 Laura and Elizabeth

    Being dragged along, Austin had no mind to appreciate the passing scenery. He was pondering, thinking of a way to free himself from Laura as his impatience to dive into the realm of magic grew by the second.


    Although other children would not be as enthusiastic, Laura being the prime example who spent her days playing around like the child she was. Austin had lived an entire lifetime in a world without magic. Not to mention, entertainment for Laura was hardly the same for him.


    Laura started off marching in a hurried pace but had now slowed down like she had forgotten her destination in mind. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "What''s wrong Laura?" Austin felt her hand shivering.


    Laura did not respond.


    "Want to not hold hands?" He added, figuring out what the problem may be.


    "No way!" Laura immediately snapped back, not looking backward to speak to him in a fit of anger. "You might run away again if I let you go!"


    "Suit yourself then," Austin said, no longer caring.


    They were gradually approaching the Royal Family Residence where Laura and her mother, the Queen lived. Along the way, Laura''s hand shivered with greater intensity and redness was gradually spreading to her ears. What she had done in the spur of the moment was now coming back to bite her.


    Aware of her stubborn character, Austin took the initiative to appease Laura. This time, she turned around to look back at him. "Don''t worry, I won''t run away." Austin smiled in assurance.


    Laura''s heart fluttered, feeling a warmth emanating from his smile and entering into her body.


    ''What''s happening to me...'' She thought to herself, still not letting go of his hand and continuing to walk again.


    Laura came to a sudden halt.


    She spun around, looked directly at Austin, and seemed like she was about to cry. "Y-you don''t want to hold my hand?" her eyes were shut and chin tucked, imagining the possibilities in her head playing out and quivering in fright.


    Finding her childish behavior quite amusing, Austin laughed. "Of course not Laura, your hand is so soft, how can I not enjoy holding it?" He squeezed her hand gently to prove his point. "I''m just worried if people see us, I''m your servant after all." Austin made up a silly excuse as everyone near the residence were maids who all knew of their relationship.


    Laura opened her eyes, comforted by Austin''s words. Her worries instantly melt to bliss and her anger dissipated. "mmh! you''re right!" she innocently let go of Austin''s hand. But for some reason, immediately came to regret it and tried to reach towards it once again like she had just dropped her most important item. But Austin had already walked away, leaving her hand dangling in the air.


    Realizing Laura did not follow after him, Austin turned out to see her staring blankly at him. "Laura? Let''s go, or your mother will be worried."


    Struck back into reality, Laura yelped. "R-right! Let''s go then!" She hopped over quickly to Austin''s side. Unconsciously, both her hands were gripping tightly onto her chest, trying to quell a pounding from within.


    Walking through the garden where Laura loved to play in, Austin started pointing out the different kinds of flowers as she had always asked him to do so. However, this time Laura did not spare them a single thought. Instead, she was sneaking glances towards Austin when he was looking away and quickly turning back when he turned around.


    Her heart and mind were restless.


    ...


    Entering the residence, Laura was still unable to calm down, continuing to take quick peeks at Austin which made her heart beat faster every time.


    A delicious aroma permeated through the air and into her nose.


    "Ohhh! Lunch lunch!" She squealed and excitedly ran off. Totally forgetting everything that was on her mind.


    The maids who had seen Laura enter and leave like a cute little rabbit hopping away were left giggling.


    "Hahaha." Austin also chuckled, finding her very adorable.


    Taking opportunity of his short moment of freedom, he made his way towards the Queen''s Quarters with a plan in mind.


    ...


    ''Knock knock''


    Austin opened the door and was greeted by a very familiar woman in a maid uniform. "Hello mother!" he said happily as warmth spread in his heart.


    "Son!" Elena brightly lit up, pulling Austin into her embrace. "What''re you doing here? Shouldn''t you be with Laura right now having lunch?" She asked, caressing his cheek.


    "I''m not very hungry, and there''s nothing but food on that girl''s mind when she''s eating so she doesn''t need me there," Austin replied.


    "Austin! You''re being rude to Her Highness!" Elena sharply exclaimed, lightly spanking his small bottom. Turning around, she bowed, "I''m very sorry Your Majesty, please forgive my son''s behavior." Shaking him in her hold, "Apologize quickly Austin!"


    Before he had the chance to do so, a light chuckle came from the figure in front. "My my Elena, there''s no need to be so serious, Austin was only joking. He and my daughter share a close bond do they not?" A woman''s enchanting voice said in response with a tinge of jealousy in her voice. "You know I don''t mind these small matters, hehe."


    "Of course, Your Majesty Elizabeth." Elena politely acknowledged but couldn''t prevent a small smile from appearing on her face.


    "That being said Austin, you must treat Laura better in the future. She came to me crying earlier that you ran off without her and demanded to know where you were, even blaming me for letting you go. Sigh, to think the first time my Laura would get angry at me would be for something like this." Elizabeth moodily complained.


    "What! Is this true Austin?" Elina sharply exclaimed, tugging Austin''s shoulder.


    "...I lost track of time because I was having too much fun in the library. I''m sorry Your Majesty." Putting on a pitiful expression, Austin pleaded innocence.


    "Then as your punishment Austin, come and give me a hug!" Elizabeth jumped up, pouncing onto Austin like she had been waiting for a long time. She pulled him away from Elena into her bosom.


    Elizabeth resembled a youthful teenager rather than a grown adult. Her gorgeous figure was highlighted by a pair of voluptuous melons that revealed a deep valley through her silky red dress. Even the most stoic of men couldn''t help but stop and stare, falling victim to her allure. But currently, she was snuggling Austin like he was a little puppy.


    Initializing his plan, Austin acted shyly in response, making sure Elizabeth could see.


    "Aww! Your so cute Auwstin!" Sure enough, Elizabeth reveled in Austin''s reaction and snuggled him harder. And so, Austin looked up at Elizabeth, acting childishly, Your Majesty, I have a request!"


    "Hmm? What is it, my dear Austin?" Looking deeply into his glistening purple eyes, Elizabeth did not care what it was he wanted, immediately preparing herself to agree.


    "Well... I was wondering if I could have some time by myself for a while. I want to go and read in the library!"


    "Absolutely not son! What about Laura?" Elena swiftly refused.


    Elizabeth was surprised by Austin''s request as well and would normally refuse knowing what her daughter was like on the very few occasions when Austin was not around. However, her mind changed after thinking it through, deciding it was about time for Laura to learn some independence.


    "Well, not so fast Elena," Elizabeth interrupted, tapping her chin with her finger, seeming to be carefully considering a decision. "Have one week to yourself in the library, how about this Austin?"


    "Really? Thank you, Your Majesty, I knew you''re the best!" Austin replied.


    Elizabeth happy smiled and continued her shameless behavior, enjoying the cuteness of Austin. Elena could only helplessly watch on as her son was being played with. Austin began struggling for breath and it was only then Elizabeth reluctantly pulled him away, but not before burrowing him one last time "Mwaah!" She gave him a big smooch on the cheeks then put him down. "Alright you two have fun and catch up, I''ll go and see my daughter!" Her voice trailed off.


    After regaining his breath, Austin asked Elena with curiosity. "Hey mother, how much power does Elizabeth have in the Palace?" He knew that allowing one access into the Royal Library required special privileges. Someone of his status and age should normally never be allowed into there. But Elizabeth was able to decide it so easily without talking to anyone first. Besides, she had always spent her days in the Residence, never interacting much with anyone else in the Palace except for Elena.


    Elena looked towards his son in amusement.


    Many were oblivious to the true strength of the Queen as she has never fought in public before and rarely appeared outside the Palace. But how could the personal maid of the Queen not know of the terrifying strength she hides behinds that innocent expression... Furthermore, she knew Queen Elizabeth had another background, belonging to a place all would quake in fear of at the mention.


    "Even I do not know of her true strength son," Elena said.


    "What!?" Austin found the revelation hard to believe. "But the Krashals are the Royal Family, they are the strongest in the world!"


    Laughing at her son''s ignorance, Elena bopped his nose, "our world is larger than you think child. The Krashals do not rule the entirety of it."


    Austin, was of course, aware of this fact, only reacting the way he did to try and pry more information out of his mother. Nevertheless, she said nothing more.


    "Does that mean Queen Elizabeth is more powerful than the King, Mother?" Austin asked childishly.


    "What do you think?" Elena smiled in response.


    "I don''t know... I thought Kings were stronger than Queens."


    "Yes, that is usually the case my dear, but Queen Elizabeth is special. Think about it, have you ever seen the King come in here?" Elena winked at Austin.


    "Ohh...you''re right Mother" Yes, on the few occasions he had seen the two together, Elizabeth had never once answered to the King.


    ...


    ~The Dining Hall~


    ''Burp!''


    "Yummy!" Laura was slouching on her chair, rubbing her little, bloated stomach after indulging herself in a bountiful lunch, only feeling satisfied after clearing out the whole table.


    "Haha, I see your appetite is as large as ever my daughter." Elizabeth entered the hall, striding in in a fabulous mood.


    "Mommy!" Laura called out excitedly. "Why are you here? Did you come to eat? Sorry but I already ate all of the food hehehe." She giggled like a victor.


    "Who''re you laughing at? I''m only here to see you of course my darling," Elizabeth picked Laura up and began spinning her around in the air.


    "Faster! Faster!" Laura shouted, laughing joyously in her squeaky voice whilst playing to her mother''s tune.


    Being reminded of something, Laura shouted abruptly, "let me down mom! I want to go and play with Austin!" Immediately becoming more excited than she was in Elizabeth''s presence. She struggled to escape, not wanting to wait a single second more.


    However before Laura had the chance to dash away, Elizabeth grabbed her by the arm. "Austin has something to do for a week, so you can''t see him for a while," she softly said, knowing what was about to come next.


    Laura froze up, trying to comprehend what she had just heard.


    Elizabeth smiled gently at her, but beneath her eyes hid a shining glint. "It''s fine dear, it''s only for a short while. He won''t be gone for long." She explained, letting go of Laura''s arm and standing up like the matter had been settled.


    Before Elizabeth had the chance to walk away, Laura charged into her and started madly clawing at her legs. "What do you mean Mother! Why does Austin have to go! Why!?" Laura''s eyes turned red as the chairs nearby showed signs of snapping under a rising pressure. A terrifying, destructive aura was emanating from the small girl.


    "This is...!" Elizabeth''s eye''s widened. She quickly sent a chop towards the back of Laura''s neck, rendering her unconscious.


    Preventing her fall, Elizabeth looked down at her daughter resting on top of her arms. Letting out a depressing sigh. Whether it''d be dependence or infatuation, Elizabeth had drastically underestimated her daughter''s feelings towards him. "It might be good for Laura to find some friends," Elizabeth remarked, seeing how she had descended into madness just at the mention of being separated from Austin.

 4 Austins Pligh

    Austin and Elena were still in the Queen''s Quarters, planning what they should do on their day off together when a maid suddenly rushed in.


    "Quickly! Come to the dining hall! The Princess has fainted!"


    "Laura fainted? What happened?" Elena responded in a calm manner, knowing there wouldn''t be any danger with Elizabeth being around.


    "I don''t know, but the dining hall is in a mess right now and the palace is in chaos!" the maid hurriedly explained, hectically gesturing for Elena to follow her there.


    "Let''s leave quickly then!" Elena held onto Austin''s hand, leading after the maid.


    Shortly after, the doors of the dining hall had come into view where several maids were rushing about in panic.


    "Quick, inform the guards!"


    "Where are the intruders!?"


    "Protect Her Majesty!"


    Frenzied voices were shouting one after the other with no clear order.


    "Settle down!" A shockwave was sent through the area, momentarily freezing everyone in their steps and forcing them to quieten down. "There is no danger, go back to your duties, I will take over!" Elena commanded.


    "Yes Head Maid." The maids replied in unison, and order was established instantly. No one questioned Elena''s words as they all swiftly left.


    "Wow! you are awesome Mother!" Austin wholeheartedly praised.


    "Thank you son." Elena smiled back at him and resumed their steps, opening the doors into the dining hall.


    The large room, previously immaculate, was now covered in shards of broken chairs and tables.


    A stunning beauty stood at the center of the room, where a similarly gorgeous young girl lay beside her. Not disturbed by the dirt and dust, they created a mesmerizing picture.


    Still pondering what she should do about Laura, Elizabeth was not showing her usual silly smile but rather a relaxed countenance. Austin was dazzled by her sudden transformation, turning from cute and youthful to now the real look of a majestic queen.


    Elizabeth glanced over to see Austin, whose sparkling eyes were trained onto her. Savoring his gaze before breaking out into a grin, she walked towards him provokingly. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Despite having seen an endless amount of handsome men, Austin''s devilishly charm was still far and above anyone she had seen before. And he was now only seven years old! It''s not that Elizabeth had hidden desires towards Elena''s son, but she wanted to test and discipline him a little, especially after realizing she had been acting upon his whims.


    Elizabeth came to a halt right in front of Austin, just as her sweet honey lips stopped moving at the same time. She opened her arms in welcome of a hug. Austin felt an attracting force drawing him in, as everything in his vision blurred, leaving only Elizabeth''s vivid figure. A voice was whispering in the depths of his soul, compelling him to move forward.


    Seeing Austin struggle with a frown on his face. Elizabeth began admiring the serious expression that somehow made him look even cuter. Austin''s look of concentration turned intense, far more than what any other child could show.


    Elizabeth was not surprised, for she already knew there was much more to Austin than what he let people think. Being aware of Austin purposely acting when he wanted something out of her, she did not mind as it only served to increase her likability for him and also let her take cheap advantage. Furthermore, Elizabeth could detect genuineness behind his behavior, meaning Austin was only doing so to make sure others would maintain his view of him as a child rather than to hide something from her.


    How did she know this was the case? Well...Austin was TOO perfect in his acting. From when he had begun talking at one year old, Elizabeth had watched on in awe as Austin spoke and behaved in the exact same manner until now.


    Although this may seem ridiculous not to notice, one must possess impeccable attention to detail to recognize. After all, who would suspect anything of a one-year-old child? Not even Austin''s mother, Elena, noticed anything wrong.


    Elizabeth however, had seen through him long ago, which was only possible in the first place due to her acute perception of mana.


    A few minutes passed...


    Commending him for being able to last so long, Austin''s position once again raised in Elizabeth''s mind. How many men would sacrifice themselves just to get a second of her attention? For the first time, she had been the one take initiative as well. Even using magic!


    Becoming slightly annoyed, Elizabeth prepared to unleash more power into her spell, checking on Austin just before doing so - she became astonished! Austin''s face had lost all signs of struggle, as he stood before her with a wide grin. "Your Majesty! How''s Laura?" Austin said in a loud tone, totally uncaring towards Elizabeth''s behavior until now.


    Elizabeth''s surprise continued to grow, startled by what had happened.


    ''This boy....''


    Although disappointed, it only took a moment to regain her bearing, straightening out her clothes and somehow in the blink of an eye, restoring to her usual lovable appearance. "You only care about Laura! what about me Austin!" Elizabeth unhappily pouted.


    "Huh? but-"


    "No buts!"


    She picked him up and planted his head into her bosom. "I was so scared you know! Now you need to comfort me Austin!" Crossing her arms behind his back, Elizabeth hugged him tightly. This time, it was Austin''s turn to be startled!


    With a hand over her mouth, Elena was holding herself back from laughing. This Elizabeth was just too much...

 5 Pas

    Laura was lying in her bed unconscious. Next to her, Austin stood with a slight frown on his face.


    He had asked Queen Elizabeth numerous times about Laura''s condition but did not receive a clear answer no matter what he did. Adamant on keeping her mouth shut, Austin knew the matter must be important.


    The destruction in the dining hall and that faint blood-stirring pressure became his clues to work on.


    Since no one else but Elizabeth was present at the time, Austin was confident the mess in the hall had to be Laura''s doing. Perhaps the cause was related to a sort of innate ability she had. He could only believe this to be the case having learned of magical attributes in this world, assuming Laura''s body hid a dormant power.


    Knowing this would be the best conclusion he''d reach, Austin stopped thinking about it and brought a chair over, placing it down next to Laura''s bed.


    At this time any other night, he would be reading her a bed-time story, to which only after listening for a long time would she be satisfied and let him go.


    Looking at her sleeping peacefully, Austin could not help but think Laura would grow up to be very beautiful. She had long, black hair and a bewitching face that looked like she was always up to mischief. From her eyes to her nose and mouth, everything about her was adorable. Thinking of Elizabeth''s assets, Austin was assured Laura won''t be lacking in those departments either.


    Although this was the case, Austin did not have any romantic feelings towards Laura and only viewed her as a clingy little sister.


    Laura constantly ordered him around in a pretentious manner, but he knew she did not have any ill-intents and only behaved as such to keep him next to her.


    Since the time Laura could walk, she followed him around everywhere he went. Her earliest memories all consisted of Austin and the natural connection she felt towards him has been there for as long as she could remember. Being the only other child she had contact with, Laura had instinctively grown dependent on Austin like a baby would towards their mother.


    ~Six years ago~


    Elena carried a crying baby into his room. "Austin, this is Laura, take good care of her." Placing her on his bed, Elena entrusted him with such a task and left the two alone together.


    Laura had stopped crying and was looking at him with curiosity. Extending her finger towards him, she timidly poked Austin''s face and gaining confidence, started touching him all over like a toy, squealing in delight as she did so.


    From that day on, they slept together in the same bed and Laura would be crawling all over Austin the entire time. When she was tired, Laura hugged him to sleep and did not let go until she woke up.


    Once, Austin freed himself from her clutch and she immediately started bawling her eyes out, kicking and flailing her arms wildly to try to get him back. After that time, Laura hugged him very tightly in her sleep, not letting Austin break free even if he wanted to. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Having spent all their time together and her being so reliant on him, Austin naturally developed feelings of attachment towards Laura as well. He did find Laura annoying at times, but this was mostly due to the fact he did not belong in a child''s world. He was unable to sympathize with her when she was laughing and having fun at things he found were silly. Thus, Austin felt himself as an elder brother overlooking her and keeping her company, complying with her wishes to do this and that.


    Though he did not clearly express it, Austin did in fact care greatly for Laura.


    In the past when Laura had wandered outside the Palace, she had not returned at her usual mealtime and the entire city was mobilized in search of her. Hours passed and she was still not found. Austin as well, was very worried about her. After running around to all the possible places she could be, he found her on the outskirts of the forest some ways away from the Palace where they had played near before. Laura was crouched behind a large tree and weeping for God knows how long. When she saw him, Laura leaped into his embrace and did not let go for a very long time.


    When she was three, Laura had tripped herself trying to chase after Austin who had been running away trying to avoid her. She badly scraped her knee, crying at Austin for being a meanie and demanding him to carry her. In the end, he piggybacked her all the way back to the Palace, consoling her until she was happy. After returning, Laura told Elena what happened and Austin got strictly reprimanded. He was forced to be Laura''s butler from then onward. Introduced to her power as the Princess, Laura quickly began abusing it from then on to keep Austin from running away.


    Austin had assumed Laura''s reliance on him would naturally diminish as she grew up, but this did not turn out to be the case at all, if anything only growing stronger. Knowing it would not be healthy for her to continue doing so, Austin tried ignoring her at times and acted coldly in hopes to weaken their relationship, but nothing he did ever worked.


    "Austin...Austin," A weak voice desperately called out as if a dying flame trying to rekindle its embers.

 6 Moonligh

    "Hey sleepyhead."


    Laura rubbed her eyes and looked up. A hazy view of Austin''s countenance became clearer as her blurriness washed over. Seeing his gentle smile, a warming breeze soothed through her body. The enticing comfort of his embrace took over all reasoning. "Austin!" Laura threw her blanket onto the ground and dexterously dove onto him.


    She found an irreplaceable comfort calming her from the nightmare.


    "Austin.Austin...Austin.." Hugging him for dear life, she repeatedly called his name to confirm him being there as she sobbed tears of both bliss and sorrow.


    Austin wrapped his arm around Laura''s back and stroke her head. "Look at you Laura... who''s the one that said she was grown up already? You''re crying like a baby."


    "Uwuuu... but...but, you weren''t there Austin. You weren''t there!" Laura wailed, recollecting the feeling of dread piercing like needles into her skin and the invading emptiness...


    "You weren''t there!" Laura screamed. Her body tumbled down on his.


    ''Thump!''


    Landing on the cold hard ground, Austin felt a sharp pain on his butt from maneuvering himself beneath Laura the moment they had begun to fall. Not expecting such an intense reaction, Austin could feel how scared Laura was from her trembling body. He hugged her tightly and tenderly caressed her head. "It''s okay, It''s okay Laura, I''m right here..."


    Laura was lying on his chest with her face resting on his shoulder.


    "Mm," she muffled out, solaced by Austin''s cuddle.


    Laura calmed down after a few minutes. Austin was stroking her back and she happily remained in this position, enjoying the moment with eyes closed. Neither of them said anything and she wanted to submerge in this feeling forever.


    "Laura...Let''s get you back in bed okay?" Austin probed. His back was getting sore.


    "I don''t want to."


    "You will catch a cold staying like this. Come on, let''s go"


    "No, I don''t want to, we stay like this," Laura childishly refused. Clearly, she had recovered from her earlier trauma and was just acting on her selfish desires now.


    "One more minute then." Austin''s tone left no room for argument.


    Curling her lips in annoyance, Laura put all her weight onto Austin''s body. She tried to make sure he could never get up.


    A minute later, though Laura''s small body was pushing him down with all her might, Austin easily picked her up. "Let''s go to bed now, it''s already very late." Letting go of her, he went to replace the dirty blanket with a clean one.


    Laura observed Austin closely as he neatly arranged the bed. Her teeth were clenched, thinking very hard on how to get him to hug her again.


    Then, electricity struck her.


    "Your bed is ready Laura," Austin exasperatedly said, hoping the night would end peacefully now. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Stepping forwards, Laura did not go to the bed but stopped right in front of Austin with her arms crossed and gaze turned serious.


    "What''s wr-"


    "Why?" Laura interrupted in a frightfully calm tone.


    "Why what?" Austin warily replied, beginning to feel unsettled. ''Oh no, she is truly angry right now...''


    "Why did Mother say you won''t be here?" Laura asked.


    "Oh, that..." Rubbing his head, Austin looked like he had forgotten about the issue. But rather, he was planning on not telling her about it.


    No longer being able to hide it, Austin explained, "It''s no big deal... I just wanted to go and read in the library. It''s only for a week so there''s no need to worry, you''ll be fine without me Laura!" Making his case, Austin clinched his fist and hoped for the best.


    "No."


    Laura said only one word in response and walked away.


    "Read for me Austin," she had already gotten into bed, lying underneath the covers with her cute eyes popping out at him. She had rejected and forgotten about the matter entirely.


    Anticipating a fiery argument, Austin was speechless. He was still processing his choice of words and did not expect Laura to have zero consideration for his decision, overriding it with her own just like that.


    Of course, if Austin knew how Laura had reacted to Elizabeth earlier today in the dining hall, he would not have been so naive.


    "Wait, Can we talk about this Laura?" Austin pleaded, hardly believing he was under the control of a five-year-old child and had resorted to begging.


    How those who knew him in the past would react seeing him like this! Notorious for his uninhibited will and impulsive actions, Austin was famed for never listening to anybody and doing whatever he wanted no matter what stood in the way.


    Helplessly laughing at himself in this situation, Austin nearly broke out of his act to show Laura what he was made of! Yet could only keep his struggles internal...


    A mighty, imposing demeanor was provoked out of Laura. She lost all former semblance of an innocent young girl. Her gaze looked down at all as if they were lower life forms - seeming to be perfectly natural. The temperature rapidly rose, stifling the air in oppressive heat and making one''s blood boil. Even Elizabeth, the strongest in the Krashal Nation, found it difficult to refute her when she became like this, not out of pity for her daughter, but due to pure intimidation.


    Gazing at Austin, Laura''s frightening expression was threatening to unleash devastation at the hint of disobedience.


    Austin of course, would not weaken at all.


    He walked up to her in a friendly approach and took her delicate small hand from beneath the blanket. He held her hand compassionately between his and asked with pure gentleness. "Please, Laura? Let me go to the library, just for one week."


    Just like how only Austin could evoke Laura''s flame, only he as well could thaw it away.


    Failing to keep her bearing, Laura''s eyes moistened in panic.


    Austin clutched her hand tighter. "I''ll make it up to you, I promise," he said with a gentle smile.


    "Then... you can''t go for a week, only for one day!" Laura declared.


    "Sure."


    Having never been separated from Austin before, Laura still did not feel any better. Remembering how he affectionately held her before, she immediately thought of another condition that made her blush in excitement.


    "Sleep..." Laura meekly whispered, her voice not reaching Austin''s ears.


    "What?"


    "Sleep!"


    "Oh right, goodnight then Laura." Austin leg go of her hand and tucked it underneath the blanket.


    "NO!" Laura reacted in great fear, instantly pulling her hand out and holding onto him.


    "SLEEP! You have to sleep with me! And you have to hug me like you did before!" Laura blurted out. The tinge of red on her cheeks turned many shades darker.


    "Oh... I''ll have to ask mother first." Austin replied with a thinking face, amusing himself at Laura''s flustered appearance.


    "N-no...No need! I will tell her tomorrow!" She hurriedly said. "You''re not allowed to go if you don''t listen to me! I won''t let you no matter what!" She added, this time in confidence.


    "Okay okay." Austin chuckled, jumping in and taking refuge under the blanket, then teasingly whispering in Laura''s ear. "Thank you."


    Not prepared at all for the sudden intimacy, she was still trying to fight her nervousness before Austin''s hot breath tickled her ear. Her heart that was already beating at bottleneck speed pounded even faster and a wave of foreign emotions crashed in turmoil inside her.


    What she did recognize though, was an indescribable happiness.


    "Austin." Laura murmured very quietly.


    "Yes Laura?" Austin was now laying right next to her.


    "The condition... you have to hug me like before."


    "Oh, right." Austin wrapped his arms around her. The heat on his body was transferred onto her.


    Laura burrowed her face into Austin''s chest. Feeling his body entangling with hers, she descended into an unspeakable pleasure.


    "You can''t let go..." She managed to weakly mutter out before losing all ability to think.


    After some time, Austin was resting his chin on Laura''s shoulders, his arms enveloping her from behind. He breathed in her sweet orchid scent and hugged her warm cozy body, melting in its marshmallow-like softness.


    A tingle ran down Laura''s spine each time she received Austin''s exhale at the back of her neck. Her body turned hot and she could not tell if she was in a dream. She felt comfortable and all of her worries flew out into the past.


    Compared to when they slept together before, Laura was not proactive in her attack this time around. She meekly stayed still, not making the slightest of movements.


    Then again, what restraint would she have had as a baby?


    Having learned the feeling of fear, Laura did not even dare breathe loudly in worry she would disrupt this perfect moment in time.


    "Laura." Seeing her behave so awkwardly, Austin knew she would never fall asleep like this.


    Laura gripped down on Austin''s arm to tighten his clutch on her.


    "What...what is it?" Completely different from the usual bossiness in her voice, Laura sounded like a whimpering puppy being abandoned by its owner.


    Not hearing a response, she panicked. "We-we...we already agreed! stay... stay like this." Laura said in a begging tone.


    "Do you remember?"


    "Wha?" Laura eased up a little, seeing Austin had no plans of letting her go.


    "Six years ago we slept on the same bed, just like now. Except, at that time you would never stop touching and crawling all over me."


    "R-really? I-I don''t remember doing that..."


    "I do clearly! When it was time to sleep, you held onto me so tightly I couldn''t move at all. It was hard to breathe sometimes as well. You were quite cute looking back on it."


    "Th-thats..." Laura wriggled her toes, squirming in embarrassment from hearing Austin''s recount of what she did.


    "You made me feel very safe at that time Laura. Thanks to you, I had pleasant dreams every night."


    In disbelief, Laura was stunned for a second before breaking into a blissful grin. "Really!?" She excitedly said, in a hurry to check and see if what she had just heard was real.


    Laura had been praised countless times as the Princess of the Krashal Nation and had eventually become numb towards all the styles of flattery she received. This time, however, definitely did not feel the same way.


    Losing all nervousness and tension, Laura turned around, her face practically touching Austin''s as she waited in anticipation for his reply.


    Austin''s face was lit up under a shade of moonlight that had broken in from the starry night sky.


    "Of course. Thank you, Laura, for being there by my side." He revealed a beautiful smile.


    Lost in pure ecstasy, Laura poured out all of her urges, rushing forward to embrace Austin. She did not know when, but she entered the happiest dream of her life.


    Little did Laura know, Austin''s radiating face in the moonlight would be etched deeply in her nightmares.

 7 Fantasia

    Dawn broke and the morning sunlight shone into the room.


    Austin woke up with a haggard look. He was not able to get much sleep because Laura kept hugging him in different positions after hearing what she had treated as Austin''s confession, a term she discovered from eavesdropping on the conversations of the maids in the Palace.


    Trying to sit up, Austin moved Laura''s leg dangling across his waist. Feeling her calf, he again appreciated the softness of her snow-white skin. Laura''s arm that was pinning him down by the neck reacted to her sudden change in posture, reflexively flinging to the opposite side. She went from hugging him on her side to falling onto her back with arms and legs spread, mumbling inaudibly with a happy smile on her face.


    Knowing how lazy she was, Austin did not expect her to be woken up without a fuss. "Sweet dreams." He affectionately smiled at the lovable young girl, patting her across the cheek and covering her up with the blanket before leaving the room.


    Wandering through the quiet residence, Austin met a few maids who were up early to prepare for their daily tasks. They all respectively greeted him, knowing Austin held a special status in the Queen''s heart and was the closest person to the Royal Princess.


    Greeting all of the maids back with a smile, Austin was in a happy mood after getting the whole day to himself.


    Retrieving back his freedom for the first time in seven years, he wanted to run with the wind and shout to the sky.


    He made his way towards the library as fast as those little legs could take him, avoiding the paths where he might encounter Elizabeth or his Mother, knowing the both of them would stop him for something or the rather.


    Standing outside the entrance, Austin ignored the hunger he felt having missed out on lunch and dinner the day before and ran into the Royal Library.


    Remembering the books he noted from yesterday, Austin''s photographic memory enabled him to easily locate their precise positions. He carried a collection in hand and went to sit down by the stool he had placed down yesterday. No one else had come by since then.


    He picked up the first book and relaxed into a comfortable posture.


    ''Continents of the World.'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Fantasia consists of five continents.


    The Northern, Eastern, Southern, and Western Regions make up the corners of the world, whilst the Central Region is located between them all, being larger in territory than the other four combined.


    Separated by the sea, one must travel across the boundless ocean to reach another continent.


    ''Powers of the World''


    Each region is made up of hundreds of Nations.


    The Royal Nations dominate over their respective regions and act as the four pillars of the world.


    They are the Nessetia Family in the North, the Ferrim Family in the East, the Rokkudon Family in the South, and the Krashal Family in the West.


    Below these four, the other Nations are divided in rank based on how far they''re situated from the Royal Nation, who sit at the innermost edge within their Region, where the density of mana is the highest.


    Rank 1 Nations hold the greatest authority and are closest to their Royal Nation, whilst Rank 5 Nations are located near the perimeter of the World - furthest away from the Central Region.


    Nations battle each other for a higher rank, fighting for a closer position to the Central Region, causing never-ending wars among humankind since time memorial.


    The Central Region is not controlled by a singular power, being home to mythical creatures not belonging to the human race.


    Encircled by the Grand Sea, the number of humans throughout history who have had the ability to reach the Central Region can be counted on one hand.


    All of whom were Peak Diamond Class Mages.


    In the end, only one managed to journey back but was gravely injured. On the brink of death, he perished the next day.

 8 Cultivating Mana

    Fascinated by what he was reading, Austin was becoming more and more excited.


    ''The Krashal Family is that big of a deal? One of the four Royal Nations... That means Laura is the Princess of the entire Western Region! And Elizabeth is the Queen! Mum was sure undermining them...''


    ''Ranked Nations?''


    ''The Central Region?''


    ''Elves, Vampires, what the hell...''


    ''Peak Diamond Class Mages!"


    ''What kind of freak existences are there in the Central Region...''


    Familiarized with the general situation of the world, Austin chose to learn about some miscellaneous topics.


    The top-ranked Nations in each continent...


    The strongest Warriors and Mages of each Region...


    Alchemists, Blacksmiths...


    Mana Flasks, Increased Spell Damage Equipment...


    The characteristics of each magical attribute...


    Austin absorbed all the information available to him knowing it could be a long while before he got another chance to come back. ''Laura''s status is actually so powerful... I better not anger her too much."


    Time quietly passed by as morning turned to afternoon and afternoon turned to evening.


    ~The Royal Residence~


    "Your Majesty, Her Highness still has not come out from her room."


    "Did you place her meal down in front of the door?"


    "Yes, her morning and lunch meals are still there. They have not been touched."


    ''Sigh, I understand. Don''t worry about it anymore."


    "Your Majesty, Her Highness has never skipped a meal before."


    "I know, I know, you''re dismissed," Elizabeth groaned, waving her hand.


    "Your Majesty." Bowing, the maid left.


    "I''m sorry Elizabeth, Laura would not be like this if it wasn''t for my son..."


    "It''s not your fault Elena, Geez! That daughter of mine is so troublesome when it comes to Austin. What''s with her behavior... who taught her to be like this!" Elizabeth grumbled. An answer flashed through Elena''s head but she did not dare voice it out.


    Laura had not moved from her bed the entire day. She was tightly hugging the pillow Austin slept on the night before, sniffing it without stopping. She was trying to take in any of his lingering scent that may still be there. But repeating this action for the thousandths time, it had already long been lost...


    "Austin... Austin..." weeping out loud, there was a large wet patch formed on the bed from her endless dripping of tears.


    Laura wanted to get up and find Austin countless times, but knowing he would be disappointed at her for doing so, she had been greatly enduring, seeking his praise in hopes he''d reward her when he came back.


    "Come back already..."


    ...


    In the library, Austin remained sitting on the small stool by the window, the light from outside was slowly diminishing, making the text increasingly harder to see. Already reading at a pace beyond human limitation, he had to go even faster.


    Thankfully, his worries turned out to be for naught as small gleaming orbs appeared from thin air, floating around and illuminating the entire room. Austin sighed in relief, thanking the existence of magic.


    Finishing off his current book, Austin reached out beside him to grab the last one in the pile. To his other side laid over ten massively thick books. Each one would have taken the average person months to finish.


    ''Cultivating Mana.''


    Starbooks:


    A Mage''s rank is determined by the number of spells they possess.


    To cultivate, they must use a starbook that belongs to their Magical Attribute.


    Each starbook contains one spell, which grants the user two stars after being able to cast it.


    Five Rank 0 star books are required before advancing to a Bronze Mage. Similarly, five Rank 1 star books are then needed to become a Silver Mage, continuing in sequential order.


    Star Tablets:


    Upon reaching a new Class, Mages are granted an opportunity to gain a star tablet that is classified by grade rather than rank. Rather than spells, star tablets give Mages a permanent skill that can be passive or a unique ability.


    The Grade of star tablets range from Common, Rare, Epic, Profound, Ancient, Mystical, and Godly, all of which except Godly contain three tiers being Low-Tier, Middle-Tier, and High-Tier.


    One is required to undergo a trial in the star constellation to determine what kind of star tablet they receive.


    The majority of Mages are only capable of acquiring a Common and Rare Grade star tablets. Whilst Dual-Attribute and Triple-Attribute Mages have a far higher talent and therefore are given trials that reward a higher Grade skill. The trial is based solely on potential and not on strength, so average Mages can be stuck with Common and Rare Grade star tablets for their entire lives.


    Mana Purity:


    Two Mages of the same rank can use the same spell but be different in power depending on the purity of their mana. The purity of mana changes based on one''s comprehension of their spells.


    To use a starbook, only 30% comprehension is required. Afterward, one''s overall power will increase as their comprehension deepens.


    The higher the rank of the spell, the harder it is to comprehend.


    It is best to comprehend a current starbook as much as possible before starting to learn a new spell, as doing so will make the old spell unable to be comprehended further.


    Multiple Magical Attributes:


    Mages with more than one attribute are special in having a wider variety of spell books to choose from, making them incomparably stronger. For example, Fire Mages have strong explosive magic but weak defensive spells, whilst Earth Mages are the other way around. However, a Mage with Dual Fire and Earth attributes can excel in both areas.


    Warrior Cultivation:


    Warriors also depend on the purity of their mana to become stronger but don''t rely on comprehending spells in doing so. Due to having no particular attributes, Warriors are able to absorb mana directly from the World and use it to temper their body, unlike Mages. This is because the World''s mana contains every element, which a Mage''s body naturally repels for there is already an existing element lying within them.


    A Peak Bronze Class Warrior will have 20% mana purity, 40% at Peak Silver Class, and so on.


    Testing for Magical Attributes:


    To determine one''s Magical Attribute, they are placed in front of the six different types of spell books - Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, Dark. The books that light up in response are the ones they have an affinity with.


    Finishing the final book, Austin looked outside to see that it was totally dark. Needing to put all the books away before he could leave, he got up and stretched before picking up a heavy stack out of the pile.


    ...


    Austin, not knowing how long he had been in the library for, was quickly running around the empty halls and returning the books back to their positions.


    He didn''t want Elena worrying too much and knew Laura was probably not in a good state right now.


    The sun has long since set and no one has walked passed outside for many hours, indicating the deepness of the night.


    ''Shelf A2...''


    ''Shelf E7...''


    Orbs gathered around him, providing light as he shifted through the shelves.


    Because the Royal Library was one of the most important places in the Western Region, he made sure each book was put back exactly where they belong, apprehensive that his actions were being recorded.


    Roaming around the library, Austin noticed that there were some places that orbs did not gather, leaving spots of darkness. Naturally, one needed a higher level of permission to access those areas.


    Austin was content with how he had spent his day.


    Learning much about the world, he could now set goals and plan ahead for the future.


    His first goal was to test for which Magical Attributes he had. That would be where everything could begin.


    Because Elena was a Mage and Attributes had an almost guaranteed chance of getting passed down from one''s parents, he didn''t worry too much about not having one.


    At the end of the day, he could still cultivate as a Warrior. But admittedly, that was not as exciting as using actual magic.


    Austin''s purpose in life was not pursuing ultimate power, but rather to solely have fun. However, having countless experiences behind his belt, he knew real strength came first. The only problem now was his restricted freedom...


    "Arghh." Austin groaned in frustration.


    ''Shelf Z10...''


    At the shelf located at the very end of the library, Austin felt there was something different about the air here, but could not quite put a finger on what it was. It felt cold, hot, light, and heavy all at the same time, creating a very perplexing sensation.


    There was a dark area where the orbs of light avoided very close by.


    Elsewhere, two old men were watching a large screen of light.


    "Sir, the child Queen Elizabeth had given permission for entry is getting close to Restricted Area 1."


    "Oh? Is he trying to go inside?"


    "No, I believe he is just there to return a book, that is what he has been doing so far. But I don''t know what''s going on in his head... The entire day he was just flipping through books and not even bothering to read them. Those books were all very detailed as well and didn''t have any pictures in them either...


    "Haha, just let him be then. Since he is connected to the Queen, we shouldn''t disturb him."


    "But we won''t be able to see if he enters the Restricted Area, there is no vision orb there."


    "Are you stupid? Those places are obviously shielded by a barrier. Gold Class Mages are not even able to easily enter, what do you think a child without any magic could do?"


    "Oh, right..."


    Putting the book back into the shelf, Austin was now only meters away from the space shrouded in darkness.


    Standing in the light, the two sides made a contrasting image like yin and yang.


    Austin felt like there was something alive within it. It was like staring into the abyss and the abyss staring back.


    Wanting to get a clearer look, he took a few steps forward to investigate.


    4 meters...


    3 meters...


    2 meters...


    He was getting closer and closer but still could not see anything but a dark mist. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    1 meter...


    The mist did not change. Only, the black particles congregated together, forming something like a shield to warn him from coming any closer.


    Seeing his attempt was futile, Austin turned around to walk away.


    Suddenly, An invisible force locked onto him!

 9 Loved By Mana

    The dark particles receded outwards to form an entrance and Austin, unable to resist, phased into a beam of light and shot through it.


    The dark particles merged together again, closing the entrance.


    Austin''s vision went blank as he felt himself being thrown backward at an incredible speed.


    A heavy sense of nauseousness rushed into him as he retained his consciousness.


    Landing back on solid matter, the motion shortly came to a stop.


    He appeared lying on the floor in a small room as the world continued to spin.


    Seconds. Minutes. Hours. Days. Austin had no perception of time as he rolled around in soul-wrenching pain, clutching his head with both hands like he was trying to rip it apart and end it all.


    After what felt like an eternity, he was finally able to open his eyes, still hosting a slight dizziness.


    ''What the hell was that.'' Austin regretted letting his curiosity getting the best over him. That torture was something else... Even with the mental fortitude of his caliber, he could barely handle the unceasing torment of his body being split apart from inside out.


    Had anyone but Austin challenged that experience, they''d have long fallen to the demons of the mind.


    Now that it was over, he was trapped in another predicament... Having no idea way to escape, Austin could only rely on someone coming to the rescue.


    The room had no doors, windows, or any route of exit. It was enclosed on all sides.


    The only objects in here were six books laid out on a stone table each shining with a different color. From left to right they were in red, blue, green, brown, black, and white.


    The peculiar sensation Austin felt before from in the library was many times stronger. Now, not only did the air feel hot, cold, heavy, and light at the same time, added in was also a soothing and evil-like quality.


    Establishing the source to be from the books imbued with magic in front of him, Austin observed them closely...


    Spellbooks!


    Enlightened, Austin became very excited.


    After learning the foundations of magic, he wanted to immediately begin training in it. Knowing that it would be a near-impossible task to get his hands on spellbooks, Austin was worried over how long he had to endure having all the knowledge but not being able to use it for anything.


    Not letting his imaginations run wild only to be disappointed later, Austin ran over to the stone table, checking what was written on the books.


    ''Rank 0 Fire Spellbook.''


    ''Rank 0 Water Spellbook''


    ''Rank 0 Wind Spellbook''


    ''Rank 0 Earth Spellbook''


    ''Rank 0 Light Spellbook''


    ''Rank 0 Darkness Spellbook''


    Sure enough, they were all Rank 0 spellbooks.


    Austin was euphoric - a blessing in disguise!


    Forget feeling regretful just then, that torture was worth it. Having the solution delivered right to him... this place was actually the testing area for Magical Attributes!


    To think it was located in the Royal Library... But that made sense after all, where else would magic books be stored if not in a library.


    And this was the most prestigious library in the entire continent.


    Thinking about the other dark spots he had seen, Austin''s eagerness grew further as several thoughts ran through his head. For now though, he discarded them to focus what was on hand.


    He knew he would get into trouble for using a spellbook as they were a one-time use and it would inevitably be found out later. But Austin still decided to go ahead, not caring since the benefits easily triumphed over the consequences.


    Not to mention he had two strong shields known as the Princess and the Queen!


    Recollecting how to test for Magical Attributes, Austin first felt confusion, which slowly turned to disbelief... and finally utter astonishment.


    ''For a person with a Magical Attribute of the corresponding element, the spellbook will shine in their distinctive colors."


    "One in ten thousand are born with one Attribute."


    "One in a million are born with two Attributes."


    "One in a hundred million are born with a maximum of three Attributes."


    On the stone table, every single one of the six spellbooks was shining.


    Fire in red. Water in blue. Wind in green. Earth in brown. Light in white. Darkness in black.


    What this did mean?


    Austin had all six Magical Attributes!


    Breaking out in shrill delight, Austin took a moment to calm down before registering his thoughts. ''All six Magical Attributes. How could this be...? The books stated that the most recorded were three. Just what am I... Is it because I was reincarnated into this World? Well... I guess it doesn''t matter."


    "Fantasia, I will happily accept your love." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    The spellbooks shone in greater intensity as Austin came closer. Walking up to examine them one by one, the sensations coming off from each spellbook could now be clearly felt upon touch. Hot. Cold. Light. Heavy. Comforting. Creepy. They intruded into his body one by one, pushing the other elements out of the way when doing so. Apart from the


    difference in color of their gleaming light, all six were identical in size and shape. Opening them, Austin read what was inside.


    ''Rank 0 Fire spellbook: Fire Ball.''


    ''Rank 0 Water spellbook: Water Blast.''


    ''Rank 0 Wind spellbook: Air Slash.''


    ''Rank 0 Earth spellbook: Earth Spike.''


    ''Rank 0 Dark spellbook: Shadow Bolt.''


    ''Rank 0 Light spellbook: Light Bolt.''


    Rank 0 spellbooks all start off with offensive magic and contain the most basic of spells. When one rises in rank, weaker spells will gradually become replaced by more powerful ones. At the same time, a wider range of magic can be learned including both defensive, mobility, and other utility types.


    Types of magic are more concentrated in certain classes. For example, Wind Mages are focused on speed, therefore the majority of their spells consists of mobility magic. Because of these specializations, Mages will typically all have weaknesses. Earth Mages possesses heavy defensive magic but doesn''t have much in terms of attack.


    This is why Dual-Attribute and Triple-Attribute Mages are so game-changing. They practically have a cheat compared to Single-Attribute Mages, being able to specialize in several types of magic. But If this was the case, then just what kind of existence is Austin?


    Capable of learning any spell, he will essentially be the first Magician ever to have zero weaknesses. Low defenses? Weak attacks? Slow movement? None of them apply to him!


    Furthermore, Austin even had the rare Light and Dark Attributes as well. These two Attributes are far more uncommon than their counterparts of Fire, Water, Air, and Earth. The four all specialize in an area, Fire being attack, Water being suppression, Air being speed, and Earth being defense. Because of this, they have clear downfalls in battle. Often, Single-Attribute Mages have to party with other different Single-Attribute Mages to cover for each other''s weaknesses. This is especially true in the early Bronze and Silver ranks when one''s arsenal of spells are small and their storage of mana limited.


    Light and Dark Attributes are exceptional because they have a wider variety of spells and therefore are more well-rounded with fewer weaknesses. Dark Mages are similar to Water Mages in possessing strong suppression spells. Similarly, Light Mages have by far the strongest defense with their strong healing magic. However, the key point is that in every other specialization, Light and Dark Mages are almost as good as the strongest Class in it. They do not have the strongest offense or the fastest movement but are still many times better than the other Classes that do not specialize in it.


    Obviously, a Light or Dark Mage cannot just be found walking down a street. They are believed to be rarer than Dual-Attribute Mages, but not quite as brilliant as Triple-Attribute Mages. Throughout history, the number of Light and Dark Mages across all Regions were below a thousand. All became world-renowned.


    Naturally, A Light or Dark Mage is not necessarily stronger than the other Classes, and neither is a Dual-Attribute Mage than a Single-Attribute. To be stronger than others, one has to have better usage in spells, knowing which ones to use in different situations and smartly utilize their mana. When depleted, magic can no longer be cast. Although, holding back on spells can come at the cost of your life.


    A Mage''s storage of mana increases as their mana purity does, which is why comprehension is so important and a great deal of time is spent dedicated to mastering one spell before beginning a new one. When it comes to the Diamond Class, Mages can take decades to centuries just to comprehend a single spellbook.


    Spells also use up differing amounts of mana, powerful magic with greater impact requiring more and weaker magic, less. Fire Mages cannot just rely on their heavy offensive spells as that would quickly dry them up and leave them without any more mana. This, however, does not apply to Warriors since they don''t use mana in battle, enabling them to sustain combat for indefinitely longer than Mages.


    The Mage with the highest killing record of Warriors in the Northern Region - Aegor Iwyn, said this, "the third most important thing when fighting a Warrior is to always have a route of escape. The second most important is to have an abundance of mana flasks. The most important is to finish them off quickly."


    Austin was standing in the room with eyes closed and happily smiling, relishing in the feeling of being able to use all kinds of magic in the world before beginning his journey.


    Resulting from a sudden thought, he trembled. His shining eyes opening in an instant like lightning had struck.


    ''If the World''s mana cannot be absorbed by Mages because it contains every element then...''

 10 Shadow Bol

    "Wait wait wait. Can I be both a Warrior and Mage at the same time?" Austin thought. "That would be too overpowered... Able to use a spell for every situation, then transforming into a Warrior when I run out of mana." Imagining the possibilities, Austin broke out into an even brighter smile, a sparkle of joy radiating in his eyes.


    "But how do I cultivate as a Warrior? The book only said to ''absorb'' mana..."


    "Whatever, I can worry about it later. For now, I''ll use these Rank 0 spellbooks and see where the future takes me."


    Austin straightaway went to the Dark spellbook, opening it and once again feeling a distinctive eerie sensation creep into his body as all the other elements made way.


    ''Rank 0 Dark spellbook: Shadow Bolt.''


    An image sat in the middle of the page.


    ''Touch illustration and chant spell to use.''


    Following the instruction, Austin took on a meditative position and placed a palm over the image. His countenance turned serious and an imposing might descended upon the entire room, one that used to make the World crawl beneath his feet and the Harbinger of Death quiver in intimidation.


    Chasing away the intruding sensation in his body like it did not deserve to be there, Austin then calmly recited, "I come. I see. I conquer."


    "Shadow bolt!"


    A vacancy, a blank sheet of whiteness filed Austin''s consciousness.


    He felt his body being lifted into the sky and beyond it.


    ...


    Looking around, the world he arrived in was completely void of color, life, and matter. Austin felt a sense of belonging in this space like he had returned to the place of his birth. "Is it because of the spellbook being a Dark Attribute? That would explain why this space is pitch black. As for the connection I feel... because of my All-Attribute body?


    The Dark World... a suitable name for this place. I wonder how the others look... will the Light spellbook be filled with all white instead?"


    A human body normally reacts to sudden changes in light by their pupils involuntarily widening due to the decrease in brightness. Even the most experienced of Mages and Warriors could not resist such a thing from occurring. Nonetheless, for Austin, this happened by pure tamed instinct before his reflexes could even kick in, demonstrating the pinnacle mastery he has achieved over his body.


    His eyes quickly returned to normal. The magical dark world clearly did not contain the same laws as the real world.


    With a clear vision, Austin saw an ethereal figure materializing in front of him slowly becoming flesh. It morphed into the size of a small, skinny child, with fine black hair, glistening purple eyes, and otherworldly facial features. The figure was an exact copy of Austin''s current appearance.


    "Wow." Seeing himself with his own eyes, Austin''s eyes widened in surprise, which swiftly turned into anticipation at what would happen next. A second later, Austin''s copy raised one arm to the air and pointed his palm forwards. The voice of a child shouted out.


    "Shadow Bolt!"


    A purplish-black ball formed in its palm before shooting forwards at an incredible speed with a buzzing sound.


    ''Bang!''


    Exploding at the end of its path a short distance away, the bolt made a blast that was not too loud nor quiet. Analyzing the impact of the blast, Austin''s uncannily deduced the power to leave a light burn on the average adult''s body, not strong enough to cause any effective damage. He let out a despondent sigh as he saw this. But then a dummy materialized where the spell landed and another chant sounded out.


    "Shadow Bolt!"


    This time, the ball did not land on emptiness but rather dead center on the dummy''s chest. Miraculously, It left a light burn in perfect replication as Austin visualized. However, after the bolt exploded, black strings formed where it landed, corroding into the dummy''s body and penetrating through its skin. The wound severely worsened as a small chunk of flesh was gruesomely gouged out black in color.


    In the previous cast, the spell landed on emptiness and the black strings did not appear. Clearly, the aftereffect was a feature of the spell touching one''s body.


    ''Oh... corrosion must be one of Darkness Attribute''s special characteristics. That blast indeed felt too weak even for a Rank 0 spell.'' Austin discerned. He was not wrong.


    "Good, magic did not disappoint me."


    The power of the spell was above Austin''s expectations. Just landing Shadow Bolt on an enemy''s vital spot will cause such a brutal effect...


    The dummy dissolved into particles and dissipated into the air. Following this, Austin''s copy changed back to a neutral stance, lowering the arm he used to cast the spell back down to his side. Austin looked at it in expectation. A minute passed, nothing happened. Two minutes passed, nothing happened. Austin''s elation dulled. Three minutes passed... still nothing happened.


    "What am I supposed to do now... How do I learn this spell?" Austin said aloud with prickled ears. Scanning around, he hoped to receive an answer in response. Alas, the space remained motionless.


    Walking up to his copy, Austin poked it in curiosity and felt nothing strange in his touch. The copy did not make the slightest movement. "Hey me, help me out here," Austin asked but still nothing happened. Closing his eyes for a bit, he thought of an instruction for the spell to be cast. Sure enough, the figure responded, recreating the same movements it did before. A Shadow Bolt flew out. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "Am I supposed to just copy you?"


    Testing his hypothesis, Austin raised his arm and pointed up his palm in the same manner, envisioning the scene he paid witness to thrice.


    "Shadow Bolt!"


    Austin felt something being dragged out from within his body towards his palm and a purplish-black ball appeared before him. It was lighter in color than the one his copy produced. Shooting out and exploding, Austin''s Shadow Bolt was weaker in impact, shorter in range, and slower in speed. It was weaker in all aspects than the one before it.


    ''Damn that felt nice, so this is what magic is like... But why was my Shadow Bolt worse?'' Austin wondered. "Oh right, I have to comprehend the spell more. The Shadow Bolt my copy cast was in its perfect form. Looking at mine, it seems to be only 80% completed. That''s pretty bad..."


    "Copying it for the first time won''t be perfect I guess... Better get to work."


    If anyone else had witnessed Austin''s Shadow Bolt, they would first acknowledge him as an extraordinary talent for possessing the Darkness Attribute. Afterward, they would praise him as a genius for reaching such proficiency in his Shadow Bolt. Then, they would cough out blood hearing what he just said.


    80% Comprehension!?


    That''s the limit for geniuses among geniuses, and that''s after at least a few weeks of training!


    HIS FIRST TRY!?!


    Austin, oblivious to all this, attempted the spell again, discontent at himself for achieving such a low standard.

 11 Austins Missing

    At the dawn of day, Elena was running through the Royal Residence with lightning speed.


    "Head Maid!" Seeing her so panicked, the maids she encountered shouted to get her attention, wanting to know what was wrong. Elena bolted past, not bothering to reply or spare them a glance, leaving a flurry of wind in her wake.


    "What''s wrong with Head Maid?"


    "I don''t know either."


    "I wonder what could have happened."


    "It might be related to the Princess being greatly distressed yesterday. She didn''t eat for the whole day and I heard Her Majesty even had to force her to sleep."


    "Oh my, that does sound really bad. Did something happen to Austin?"


    Having seen it all before, the maids knew what the only thing was that could trigger such behavior out of Elena and the Princess...


    Elizabeth was still sleeping in bed when she awakened from a disturbance. ''This is... Elena''s aura? Why is she coming so early in the morning...'' Before she could get out of bed, Elena barged in without caring to knock. An act towards the Royal Family that would normally result in execution, let alone towards the Queen.


    Met by the undressed Elizabeth laying on bed confusedly looking at her, Elena quickly realized her mistake, bowing and apologizing in amend. "Elizabeth! Sorry, I-I." The always clear-headed Elena was stuttering with tears running down her face.


    Getting up from the bed, Elizabeth walked towards Elena, not caring for her messy appearance. "Tell me what''s wrong Elena." She said with a calm voice. "This is the firm time I''ve seen you like this, what happened?" Elizabeth was stroking Elena back consoling her. Despite being servant and master, the two did not treat one another as such.


    Elena was sobbing, she wiped her tears and tried to gain her bearings. Lifting her head and grabbing onto Elizabeth''s arm, "Your Maj-Elizabeth, Please help me! Austin... I don''t know where he is! I went to check just now and he wasn''t in his room. The blankets were untouched so he didn''t come back last night like he said he would..."


    Hearing what Elena said, Elizabeth frowned. "What? Indeed, that''s a big problem." Finding out the issue, she became a little bit flustered as well.


    Wiping the remnant tears on Elena''s cheek, Elizabeth exclaimed, "It''s okay! He can''t be outside of the Royal Palace. We will able to find him as long as he didn''t vanish into thin air."


    Despite having a lowly status, Austin was one of the only few people in the world that could make the Krashal Queen worry. Except for her daughter, no one else in the Royal Family was able to enter her eyes. Whenever they requested something of her, Elizabeth did not care and ignored all of her responsibilities as the Queen. Hence, she solemnly appears outside of the Palace, spending all her time in the Residence. Unsurprisingly, no one bothered her for doing such a thing.


    With a common goal in mind, the two women quickly calmed down. After thinking it over, Elena''s agitation softened. Comforted by Elizabeth''s words, she knew Austin would be safe no matter what happened to him if he was in the Palace. She had overreacted, becoming greatly alarmed when her son had not returned and couldn''t help but assume for the worse. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Because of her duty as the Head Maid, Elena did not have many opportunities to interact with others. Austin was very dear to her in not only being her son but also as a friend who she could talk to. Outside of their duties, the two spent most of their spare time with each other. Thanks to Austin''s hidden maturity, they often had meaningful conversations. As a result, their bond deeply strengthened overtime with Elena being unaware of the strangeness in her son''s disposition.


    "Austin probably just fell asleep at the Library," Elizabeth said with confidence.


    "Yeah, that has to be the case..." Elena replied. She was relieved by the fact that what Elizabeth said was most likely true, but annoyed at herself for not realizing such a simple deduction.


    "You stay in the residence. Laura might wake up soon and she will definitely make a big fuss. I''ll need you to calm her down if that happens. I''ll go grab Austin from the library and quickly come back." Elizabeth no longer looked like she had just gotten out of bed. Immediately after, she retreated into a spot of shade in the room and vanished into the ground just like that.


    Elena sighed, aware that Elizabeth made herself look good first before leaving and assigned those miss-matched roles on purpose. She was glad that Elizabeth cared for Austin, but felt discomforted because she cared for him a bit too much...


    Suddenly, a suffocating pressure broke out.


    "MOM!!!"


    Laura had awoken.


    ...


    Austin was still in the Dark World practicing his newly learned spell.


    "Shadow Bolt!"


    After a day of training, Austin''s Shadow Bolt has improved by leaps and bounds. Unbelievably, it was now nearly identical to his copy''s perfect version.


    "99%... I''m not too far off. A few more tries and I should be able to get it."


    What Austin didn''t know was that no one has ever achieved complete comprehension of a spell before, be it Rank 0 or Rank 5.


    100% comprehension of a spell was understanding literally everything about its composition. It was understanding nature itself - a task that has deemed impossible by every Mage ever to use magic.


    Why?


    Because the origin of magic did not come from Man but is rather embodied in the World itself, having existed since its formation and played a vital part in its creation.


    One of the most senior Mages in Fantasia once said, "a Peak Diamond Class Mage with full comprehension over their spells is no longer using magic, but being magic." Since then, this saying has become widespread belief across every continent.


    ''Full comprehension.'' It became the ultimate goal for those who dedicated their lives to pursuing the pinnacle of magic.


    ''Being magic.'' It was described as chasing perfection but never achieving it.


    Not a single person denied this as fact. Let alone the amount of Mages who have ever reached Peak Diamond Class, reaching 100% comprehension over a single spell alone is an achievement no one has come close to attaining.


    Solomon, the previous ruler of a highly prestigious Rank 1 Nation, was publicly recognized to be Fantasia''s strongest Mage. He was part of the very few who journeyed to the Central Region and the only one who came back alive.


    When asked what his highest comprehended spell was, Solomon answered 92%.


    "92!? Solomon must be the top genius across ten generations of Mages!"


    "What did you say? give credit where it''s due! He is the most brilliant Mage to ever exist. Don''t forget - Triple-Attribute, he was a Triple-Attribute Mage!"


    "Exactly right. who''s ever come close to 92% comprehension? That''s simply unbelievable! The spell I have the most pride in and spent half my life learning is only at 70%..."


    "It''s such a shame he died. Curse those creatures from the Central Region!"


    News of Solomon''s comprehension skills were immediately spread and he was showered with endless praise.


    If it was made known a child who entered the World of magic for no longer than a day reached 99% comprehension on his first spell, what insanity would arise? Perhaps even the Royal Nation will not be able to keep Austin safe.


    Every capable Nation in the Western Region will target and poach Austin to their side. And if they cannot bring him over, they will inflict destruction upon the Krashal Nation to rid of this potential calamity at all costs.


    Not enough strength to protect him? It doesn''t matter.


    As long as there is a chance, minuscule as it may be. More than a few Rank 1 Nations would be willing to take the risk of annihilation to shelter Austin, hoping he will forever bear their flag and raise them to the status of Royalty. Though he is currently a young fledgling with a future fret with innumerable dangers. Once grown, he will become the most indomitable force the Western continent has ever seen.


    Prodigal child Mages are commonly stolen away or killed before getting the chance to grow. That is the jeopardy and prestige one with unparalleled talent wields. In a World colored with blood where fighting is surviving, would you let a young Triple-Attribute Mage develop right next to you? No, You would send out the cavalry! send out the assassins! Eliminate them and eliminate them now!


    Shameless? Yes. But smart? Also yes.


    "Shadow Bolt!"


    A ball of purplish-black whizzed through the air


    ''Blast!''


    And for the first time in the history of magic, a spell was mastered to its complete form.


    "That took longer than expected... Dark-Attribute and Light-Attribute spells should be the hardest to comprehend. I hope the other ones don''t take too long, otherwise, that girl will have gone crazy by the time I get back. Elena will be fuming as well... Sorry Laura, Sorry Mother. This opportunity, I must grasp it now. Wait for me just a little bit more."


    Austin was oblivious to the scenes in the Residence. Laura was rampaging amok the Residence and she had well and truly gone beyond the realm of crazy.


    ''Whoosh''


    Leaving the Dark World with a thought, Austin summoned himself back to the small room. The Dark-Attribute spellbook dulled in color, no longer shining light like the others.


    Proceeding to the stone table, he set out with determined steps.


    "Light Beam!"


    The training of complete Rank 0 comprehension resumes.

 12 Bronze Class

    Elizabeth gleefully ran to the Royal Library intending to catch a sleeping Austin. ''Hehe, I can''t wait to see his cute sleeping face!" Upon arrival, She cast a high-ranked spell, spreading her consciousness through the entire Library and thoroughly checking every nook and cranny.


    There was not a single soul in sight.


    Elizabeth was dumbfounded. ''How could this be? Where...'' Deliberating for a moment, she vanished once again.


    ...


    ~The Royal Library Surveillance Room~


    Two men were sitting in a half-laying half-sitting position, chatting and munching on snacks with their legs leaning on the table when Elizabeth suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Mortified, they immediately straightened like a soldier in salute.


    "Y-your Majesty Elizabeth! T-this is..."


    "No one comes to the library at this time, that''s why-"


    "Cut the crap."


    Elizabeth''s sharp retort immediately shut them up. Cold beads of sweat formed on their faces. They were fearing for their lives.


    Despite being in such a precarious situation, both men involuntarily gulped.


    Elizabeth''s appearance was too mesmerizing.


    An icy cold gaze highlighted her exquisite face in its perfect form. Deep black eyes accompanied by dazzling black hair, she looked like a majestic demonic Queen.


    Though they have stayed in the Royal Palace for many years, this was their first time seeing such a breathtaking woman. The rumors that spoke of Elizabeth''s beauty could not be expressed with mere words. Her dazzling dress belonged to the highest class of luxury, telling of her position in the Royal Family. How could this enchantress in front of them be anyone else but the Queen?


    Not prepared to suddenly come face to face with her, a beast was uncontrollably waking from within.


    "Where did Austin go? You have three seconds to answer." Elizabeth did not hide her disdain for their lusty eyes, wanting to quickly get her interrogation over and done with. She knew she would kill them in irritation if they continued looking at her like that.


    Knowing Queen Elizabeth was not joking, the two men hurriedly searched their memories for a person named Austin. As guardians of the Royal Library, they were by no means incapable and it did not take long to recover.


    "Your Majesty, Austin was last seen at Shelf Z10 before leaving the detection zone."


    "Z10? That''s impossible. There''s no one in the Library. Are you telling me he vanished into thin air?" Elizabeth''s overbearing aura was suffocating. Her deathly gaze indescribably hard to withstand.


    "This... I swear with my life Your Majesty! The words I speak are the truth."


    "Is that right? If I find out otherwise, I will personally behead your entire family before you."


    The man who spoke out was horrified. He was indignant with grief. ''Dammit, why did I have to be the one to answer?'' Elizabeth then added, "you will both be responsible if a fault is revealed." Making the other man who remained passive wince in fright. The two of them glanced at each other, prying the other if he was hiding something, but straightaway knew this wasn''t the case.


    Elizabeth wanted to question them further when a familiar aura emerged back at the Residence. ''Laura...'' Elizabeth delivered one last wary, penetrating look before fading away.


    "Hahhh..." Both of them let out a heavy sigh of relief when Elizabeth left. Their faces did not trickle with sweat anymore but were now drenched in it.


    "What''s going on?" The more senior-looking man inquired. His timid voice now sounding deep and profound.


    "I don''t know Sir. Austin was next to the Restricted Area when he was no longer seen by any of our vision orbs. Could he have...?"


    "Don''t be ridiculous. Pull up the recordings from when he disappeared. There''s no way he could have exited the Library without us knowing. For now, we need to appease the Queen''s anger. Otherwise..."


    They both trembled once again recalling that scary experience.


    Meanwhile, in Restricted Area 1. Only one out of the six spellbooks was still dimming a faint blue light. All others had turned colorless and grey.


    In the Residence, Laura was in a blind rage and had torn down almost half the building.


    In the Surveillance room, two men were vigilantly checking yesterday''s recordings of the Royal Library.


    In a burning world filled with nothing but fire, a boy was refining the same spell over and over again in his pursuit of perfecting it.


    Will the chaos soon return to peace?


    Or, will catastrophe fall?


    Only time will tell.


    ...


    Austin was inside the Fire World practicing his Fire Ball. The spell looked like just how it sounded. It was a small, sphere-like shape coated with flames. Judging by the heat radiated, Austin''s Rank 0 Fireball was easily a few hundred degrees hot. The burning damage it dealt was slightly weaker than Shadow Bolt''s corrosion.


    ''Boom!''


    Upon hitting its target, the spell clearly contained the most powerful force out of all other elements. What Fire Ball lacked in lingering damage, it made up for in impact.


    Austin was right about Dark and Light Attribute magic being the hardest to learn. Comprehending the Light spell had taken around the same amount of time as Shadow Bolt.


    Proceeding to the Earth and Wind spellbooks, they were much easier to master and did not take long at all. Both were completely comprehended in under a day and Austin now had four spells in his arsenal. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    He was on the precipice of Bronze Class. An utterly wild concept for a child of just seven years old.


    In Fantasia, all children with an affinity for an element attended Magic Academies. These Academies served to introduce children to the basics of magic and teach them how to comprehend spells.


    But Austin had simply skipped past all of this.


    He did not know anything about magic a few days ago but had started using it without any lectures or demonstrations like it was the most natural thing in the world. In every sense of the word, freak. He was a freak!


    What Austin had done was so abnormal that it did not deserve to be called ''talent'' anymore. He didn''t just ''learn'' magic like other youngsters, who comprehend spells to a puny 30% with the guidance of teachers and months of diligent practice.


    He perfected them!


    With nothing but pure instinct, Austin achieved a feat never done before.


    Abnormal! Freak! Monster! No one would get sick of saying these words if news of this spread.


    "Fire Ball!"


    ''Boom!"


    A gaping hole was left in the dummy''s chest. Compared to his other spells, the initial damage was by far the highest, and taking it head-on without any defenses would be fatal.


    "100%, nice. I''m getting used to using magic now, this one only took me a few tries. In terms of offense, Fire spells are definitely the cream of the crop."


    Upon finishing comprehension of the spell, Austin was forcibly sent out of the Fire World. He did not know why, but the Light and Dark Worlds did not do this. He had to transmit a thought when wanting to leave those spaces. However, after completely learning their spells, the Earth, Wind and Fire Worlds all automatically drove him out without a choice.


    Austin''s eyes gleamed with an indiscernible light as he found himself back in a sitting-lotus position. Using spellbooks did not transfer one''s physical body to the magic space but rather their spiritual body. However, everything that was experienced and absorbed by the spiritual body was also felt by the real body. Evidently, there was still a lot more in the World of Magic that Austin did not know about and had yet to explore.


    Having practiced for the past two days, he was now able to perceive the presence of mana in his body.


    Usually, the mana in his body was always tranquil, flowing like a gentle lake through his head to his toes. When casting a spell, a stream of this lake would channel to the release point and the lake would become smaller in size. He could feel the quality of mana improving as his comprehension improved, most likely relating to the purity increasing.


    From a mild churning, the mana in his body started uncontrollably speeding up, now thrashing and ramming about like it had life and was trying to escape. However, this did not cause any pain to Austin, but instead, he felt more and more comfortable as each second passed.


    "What''s happening... This feels so weird"


    If anyone else was in Austin shoes right now, they''d treat this moment as one of the greatest excitements in life.


    It was an advancement in class.


    Austin, at the age of seven, had mastered five fully comprehended spells and was becoming a Bronze Class Mage.


    This time, it wasn''t his spiritual body. His real body was transcending.


    He was entering the star constellation.


    What will the stars have in store for him?


    For a talent such as him... what trials await?

 13 Performance By The Stars

    The star constellation.


    In a faraway location, a dazzling ray of light was flying at Mach speed, shooting closer into view. If one looked closely, a child could be seen inside this ray of light. Needless to say, the phenomenon was not of the child''s creation. Then how could this be happening? Who had the power to so easily send him to another corner of the universe? Was it the inner workings of nature? Or were there other forces at play?


    To the boy caught in their midst, all will be revealed in due time. For now, he had just begun embarking on this long path to tread.


    ''Zip!''


    Austin landed.


    The books he read described it as magical. A place so mesmerizing that it could not be expressed in words alone. Over thousands of years, countless of memoirs have been recorded by Mages who have witnessed the sight before. Still, a proper landscape of the star constellation could not be painted.


    Austin''s eyes were wide open with astonishment. "The books were right..." He murmured, taking in everything that was in front of him. Just a moment ago, he sat in a lifeless dark room. Abruptly being transported here - the contrast in scenery was like ascending from Hell to Heaven.


    Stars. An endless number of them. They surrounded him at every angle and filled up the sky until it could no longer be called a sky. They were not the ordinary ones sitting far away in the night sky but were close, very close. Their dazzling sparkles were magnified a thousand times and were bright as day. A rainbow of colors filled Austin''s vision and became reflected in his eyes. True to its word, it was a constellation of stars. They did not start or end in a particular place, seeming to be inhabitants that never moved from this supernatural space.


    "Are these real planets? How can there be so many of them gathered in one place? Is this a work of nature...? No, that''s simply unimaginable. But how can living beings be responsible for such a thing..."


    "This is far too exciting. What kind of secrets are hidden here? I want to know... I really want to know."


    "My heart is beating. My hands are shaking. My eyes are trembling. Haha, would you look at that, it''s like time has turned me back to when I was a youth. When... when was the last time I felt such a thrill?"


    "I can''t remember... when was it? No, It doesn''t matter if I can''t remember. The past is in the past. The present is in the present. And the future... is looking damn exciting!"


    Austin felt like new life was entering him, invigorating his long-last passion.


    His love for his mother, his affection for Laura, and his exhilaration in magic. Though these emotions were all real, to some extent, they were superficial. Deep down, there was an indifference towards everything and his true feelings had always remained hidden, lost in a heavy slumber. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    In his past life, he had traveled everywhere under the sun and lived through everything life had to offer. Friendship. Family. Romance. War. Peace. Happiness. Sadness. Having embraced them all, Austin lived a rich, lasting life and had long been prepared to die with his mark left on the world and the world''s mark left on him.


    Suddenly being reborn into a new world would not easily bring out his true emotions. Emotions of love, passion, anger, and happiness. He could pretend, but that was all there was to it - an act he put up to convince himself he was truly living. At times Austin felt like he was watching himself going through the motions just for the sake of it.


    To cherish his bonds more? To become the strongest with nothing holding him down? To let his will be forever free and chase after every desire?


    Everything had already been seen, heard, and felt. He had no regrets, nothing more he wanted to do. His flame had burned as much as it possibly could have and there wasn''t anything left to fuel it. It was as good as extinguished.


    But now, seeing what was in front of him. Seeing the boundless shining stars. Seeing the whirlwind of colors dancing before him. An irresistible, magnetic weight was drawing out everything deep within him.


    Wake up! There''s a whole other world out there! It''s waiting for you! Go! Explore it! Your journey has not ended, it has only just begun!


    Screaming into his soul, the universe was granting him a performance, and It was all too captivating.


    ...


    ~The Royal Library. Restricted Area 1~


    Two old looking men suddenly appeared in the small room Austin had resided in for the past two days.


    "As expected Sir, he is not here either..."


    "Obviously you dimwit, see how much effort it took for us just to come in. How would he possibly have entered?


    "But we already double-checked all of the recordings. Austin never left the library. This was the last place he could have went..."


    "Alright, we''ve done all we can. Let''s leave this matter to the Queen now. There''s no way he won''t be found with her taking action. Let''s go."


    "Wait Sir"


    "What? I already told you, there''s nothing more we can do."


    "Look, at the stone table Sir."


    "Huh? Didn''t we just change those spellbooks out one year ago? Why are they expired?"


    "I don''t know either Sir..."


    "Someone must have made a mistake during the last testing, get someone to replace them when we leave."


    "Yes Sir."

 14 The Starss Trial

    Because of how beautiful the star constellation was, Austin was immersed in staring into it. He had not yet looked around him to see what else was here.


    The ground was made up of a deep blue marble. It was completely flat and there was not a speck of dust on its surface. Like a sparkly clear lake, it reflected a breathtaking array of lights from all the stars in the sky. This made Austin feel even more absorbed into the scenery as if he was standing on a never-ending cluster of rainbows. The only thing that broke him out of this illusion was the hard surface under the soles of his feet.


    There was nothing else in view except for a giant gate standing tall in the middle of nowhere. In this immensely vibrant and lively world, the black gate stood out like a sore thumb. It was very old and ancient, so rooted in the ground that nothing could ever move it from its place.


    Austin had an inkling that the gate has been planted there for time memorial. Before all the stars, before the flattened ground and before there was nothing.


    ''A relic of civilization?''


    ''Could this place have hosted life before?''


    ''The star constellation... was it made from magic? Or was it another entity entirely? just what exactly..."


    Austin had snapped out of his initial daze. After his high subsided from the spectacular vision of the stars, a fundamental change was brought along with it. There was something different about the air around Austin that was not there before. His reignited flames of passion were making a statement. It was telling the world it was alive and wanted it to be witness to its glory.


    Austin felt full of life. He was curious, like a young adventurer setting out to explore the world. He wanted to discover all that was the unknown, to satisfy the hungry beast that has awakened and would never fall asleep again until it had its fill.


    Like the light of the stars had been embedded into them, Austin''s eyes now glistened in a myriad of colors. His eyes could still be called purple at first sight, but it was most definitely not the same as before. If one looked closely, they might see tiny sparkling stars within them.


    When he first saw it, the ancient gate did not seem very far away at all. But as he walked towards it and neared closer, the gate only became bigger and bigger. It was towering over him as if an elephant would over an ant.


    After walking for a good while, he had finally arrived in front of it. Despite being inanimate, the gate was far too intimidating. The most intimidating thing he had ever seen. Not even the dragons, the strongest creatures alive in his past world were as terrifying as the gate before him.


    For one, it was huge. It was the biggest thing Austin had ever seen before. If it was the product of the living, then it had to be built by the giants of giants. If it was the work of nature... well, what could possibly have created such a thing?


    Austin turned his head backward and looked straight up. Stretching out into the sky, the top of the gate was not visible at all. He wasn''t sure he would ever reach it even if he were granted wings to fly and all the time in the world.


    If the dark entrance leading to the testing room of Magical Attributes was the abyss, then what lied behind this gate was another monster in of itself. The gate could not be seen through because a gigantic wall of black blocked its path. It was indescribably dark, like the blackest of blacks that contained everything ominous within it. Imagine closing your eyes and seeing what was in front of you. The entrance to the gate was exactly that.


    The atmosphere that was once vibrant and colorful turned dull and grey as the brightness of the stars faded. Either, there was something incorrigible preventing the light from reaching, or the stars were not bold enough to encroach upon the gate''s territory. Despite how ridiculous it seemed, it was like the stars had been placed here just to illuminate the path to the gate.


    As if they were revolving around it in an unceasing cycle so its existence would never be lost.


    The exterior of the gate was made out of what looked to be the branches and roots of trees. However, the size of them was nothing to scoff at. Austin had seen many thousand-old trees in his life, even immensely enormous ones with a life span of hundreds of thousands of years old. Yet, their trunks were like children in front of just the branches and roots of this tree.


    Length, width, thickness, power. Every aspect was incomparable.


    If there was ever truly one immobile object in the vast universe, Austin had always imagined it to be in the form of a tree. A tree with roots engraved so deeply into the world that only power strong enough to destroy the world would ever move it. The one in front of him looked to be so, except it was not in the real shape of a tree. Its trunk was the gate, contained by the massive entanglement of roots and branches which could be millions, billions, or trillions of years old.


    "This must be the entrance to the trials of the star constellation." Austin mused, glancing over the gate.


    He did not know where he been taken to at first - suddenly being moved at a speed so fast that nothing but a blur surrounded him. But after calming down, he put two and two together and realized this was where he was receiving his first star tablet. And now, Austin, with an ardor unlike before, was ready to begin his grand journey.


    ...


    Every morning, Laura would be greeted by a "good morning" from Austin. The comfort she found in his smile was irreplaceable and something she could not do without. There were days when she had woken up earlier before Austin came to get her. When this happened, she would shut her eyes and pretend to be asleep, eagerly waiting for him to come and wake her up. And upon hearing his voice, she would immediately break out into a blissful smile.


    The first person who praised her, the first person who protected her, the person who had first given her joy in life. Every day, for as long as she could remember, Austin had always been there. She thought he would forever remain by her side for the rest of her life. She had never once imagined what a life without him would be like, and became accustomed to the everyday happiness in Austin''s company.


    Not realizing what she had lost until losing it, Laur had taken her happiness for granted.


    Yesterday, Laura woke up with an empty feeling in her stomach. She had no appetite and did not want to move from her bed, talk to anyone, or think about anything. It was like all things living had left her body and she became a lifeless corpse.


    She told herself to be strong and that she would be able to see him soon. All she was thinking about was Austin to keep herself distracted. She was only thinking about when he would come back to her side and give her the warmth that he had always provided.


    He would first say "good morning" to her... help her change into new clothes... then they will have a big meal together... then go outside and play in the garden, then...


    She waited and waited, and every second felt like a dagger was piercing deeper into her heart.


    Yet he did not come back.


    ...


    In the star constellation, Austin was preparing himself to enter the gate. He did not know what awaited him. The trials given to each Mage were different every time and changed based on one''s talent. There were even records of Mages entering the star constellation and never returning. It could take days, months, or years. Austin was extremely anxious about the situation back at home. In his head, he kept apologizing to his mother and Laura. He had no idea how difficult the trial would be. But based on his talents, it would certainly not be easy.


    Austin was an arm''s reach away from the gate. The big, black void was right in front of him, waiting for him to come inside.


    Austin closed his eyes, relaxed his muscles and took in a deep breath of air. It was a technique used to calm one''s nerves so they would not falter under pressure. However, to Austin this was unnecessary. Having been in so many life and death situations, he had attained complete control over his emotions and would never succumb to trepidation. He only repeated this because they have become a habit for every time he was about to undertake a challenge.


    "Haaah..." Exhaling a fresh breath of air, Austin strengthened his conviction. "Let''s do this. Whatever you throw my way, I will conquer it all." He stepped into the void, leaving the world of stars.


    Because he left, Austin didn''t see all of the countless, millions of stars in the sky disappear. Yes, they completely vanished just like that. When Austin left, the dazzling world filled with colors and light was no longer, now an empty and gloomy space. For what reason did this happen? No one knows. But on the account of every Mage in Fantasia who has transcended to the star constellation before, they were not received by anywhere close to the number of stars that had greeted Austin.


    Some saw ten, some fifty, and some a hundred. Austin did not know some basic information because he had only spent a day learning about everything in Fantasia. Because of this, he was ignorant of one piece of vital knowledge. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    The number of stars visible is a measure of talent. The more they are, the harder your trial will be.


    For Mages who were recognized to be Common or Rare Grade, they would not see more than 50 stars. Solomon, a Triple-Attribute Mage and the best talent in Fantasia''s history, was revealed to have seen a thousand stars.


    Each advancement, he came back years later with Mystical Grade skills. In his last trial as a Diamond Class Mage, Solomon was said to have gone missing for a century and believed to have died. When he came back, many believed he passed the trial for a legendary Ancient Grade skill. But this was the only time Solomon did not say.


    Solomon had seen a thousand stars in the star constellation, taken years of time to pass each time, and a hundred years to pass his hardest trial. If this was the case, then what about Austin who had seen a world surrounded by stars so endless in amount that it could no longer be quantified by a number?


    What trials lay in wait?


    Could he ever return?

 15 Origin Of Mana

    Austin assumed he would be welcomed into a new world.


    There was nothing.


    He walked into the void and stayed in the void. Total emptiness surrounded him in all-encompassing darkness. If it wasn''t for the fact he could still see his body, Austin might''ve thought he had dissipated into nihility. Being in this world of utter darkness, Austin was attacked with a sense of delusion. ''Am I... still alive? What am I...'' He brought his arm up to touch his face, but could not feel the stimulation of his senses. He watched his body move in accordance to his thoughts but was not able to make out if he was the one in control.


    It was a peculiar feeling to say the least, like his body was a puppet moving to the strings of his imagination. There was no resistance, no warmth, no coldness, no feeling. The only thing keeping Austin from losing his sanity was his ability to think and feel. He felt confused, intrigued, but also a feeling that was all too unfamiliar - fear. No matter what the situation was, he had always been the one in control. There was never a time when Austin experienced the true despair of powerlessness. Right now, however, it was enshrouding him in full force.


    There was nothing Austin could do, he was but a leaf against a raging storm. Except it was even worse because there was no storm, no sounds, and no movements. If this was a form of torture, then it would be one of the most excruciating ways possible. One could at least distract themselves if they saw a sword plunged into their heart and felt blood pouring out of their body. But here, there was no pain, nothing that could be used to keep one''s mind intact against the enemy that is insanity.


    Austin''s tempered mental fortitude and unbreakable will allowed him to endure this world of nothing that would have long driven anyone else mad. But even he could feel himself breaking in some ways, slowly but surely detaching from the things that made him alive. Austin was on the edge of a cliff and his hands were holding on to dear life. Although his hands were strong, they could not hold on forever.


    Austin had no sense of time. He was drifting in and out of consciousness and could not tell if he was awake or asleep. Minutes? Hours? Days? Who knows how long it has been. Obviously this trial, if it could still be called that, was not for the weakhearted. They would not even last for a single second under the tantalizing doom Austin was experiencing.


    He did not regret entering the gate, but he was unwilling. ''What kind of a trial is this... Where are the monsters I have to fight? No puzzles and riddles to pass? No boss to defeat? I thought we were dealing with magic here... I don''t even get a chance to use any of my spells? Damn... If this continues...''


    Austin''s thinking was not wrong, he had simply underestimated how the stars had reacted to his potential. First, they saw his talent. At seven years old, he had learned five spells to perfection. His affinity to the elements was an abnormality. To be blessed with all six Magical Attributes was being blessed by magic itself. Even so, If it was just for his talent, the stars would not have ''chosen'' him.


    Talent was never what determined the strongest. Passion, determination, courage, patience, confidence, wisdom, strength. Each quality is as important as the other. And the stars saw it all in Austin, in the untethered way he lived his life, in his pursuit of peace, in his desire to change the world and in his ability to do so.


    A world that was riddled with war and slaughter, to a world filled with many ''Great Eras'' of peace and prosperity. The past and future - all were revealed to the stars with the actions of one man starting it all.


    And thus, Austin brought forth a reaction from the stars never seen before. A reaction that would change the universe forever...


    Suddenly, light!


    A trace of light appeared in this empty dark world. Austin''s eyes narrowed and his pupils dilated. He lifted his chin with pursed lips. The tiny sparkle of light was expanding, becoming a ball infused with unknown colors that were growing bigger and bigger. The brightness of it was many times greater than that of the suns. For some reason though, Austin had no trouble looking directly into it. Rather, the light was drawing him in and his eyes could not turn away.


    It kept growing, turning larger and brighter as each second passed. It was so dazzling white but could not be defined within the boundaries of color. It wanted to rid this world of the total darkness and breathe existence into it. ''The nucleus of the universe...'' Austin subconsciously uttered.


    Suddenly, it stopped expanding.


    Then, it exploded.


    There was no sound. Everything it contained rushed out, instantly filling the dark and empty world with a dark blue essence. As it washed over Austin, he twitched in dismay and was struck with flashing eyes. He could not mistake this feeling. It was the same as the one that resided within his body.


    Mana.


    It was the origin of mana!


    In this empty world, mana was visible unlike in Fantasia. The mana was coming together, bending and twisting in several different places. Unbelievably, physical matter started forming out of these places. It continued to grow as more of the dark blue essence charged into it, evolving into what would become planets. Witness to the birth of the first stars, Austin was in the center of it all.


    It was the creation of the universe.


    "This is insane..." Austin was in awe at the sight unfolding in front of him. In this once empty space, worlds were being meticulously fabricated left and right. Mana essence combined together, gifting them the elements of nature. Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Light, and Dark. They were all created at this moment.


    In normal circumstances, a human''s, no, any living creature''s eyes should never be capable of perceiving any of this.


    But inexplicably, everything was seen no matter how far the distance or what blocked his sight. Light erupting in darkness, water dividing from land, heat balancing the cold. Austin''s violet eyes captured it all and not a single detail was missed. Not only so, but he was also somehow interpreting all that was happening, as if the events were being recalled from an eternal memory rather than sight.


    Austin''s eyes shined brighter and brighter, the myriad of colorful lights emitted illuminating a good part of the dark universe. Meanwhile, he stood at the core of a magical whirlpool. The dark blue essence was revolving around him and smoothly flowing into his body without restriction. The mana that constituted the world''s elements was becoming apart of him.


    Austin was not aware of this as images continued playing in his head. His understanding of magic reached a new dimension. This was not a dimension within the bounds of a Mage, but one that contained everything that was magic. Between this boy and the everflowing essence in the universe, a unique bond was established.


    The countless possibilities of mana.


    The limitless power of magic.


    The origin of the universe and the genesis of life.


    At this moment, all was understood by Austin.


    ...


    "Ughhh." Waking up with unfocused eyes, Austin found himself back in the star constellation. Touching the back of his neck, he tried to remember how and when he fell unconscious. Alas, no answer came to him after a lengthy moment in search. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "What the hell... was that really the creation of the universe... Hai, this whole thing with magic is just getting more and more surprising. Well, not that I''m complaining, life is only fun this way."


    Getting up, he immediately noticed that there were no longer any stars in the star constellation, and all the light was now coming from the dark marbled ground beneath him. Behind him, the entrance to the gate was now completely blocked off by gigantic branches. Not even a fly would be able to sneak through. But the most surprising change was the shining stone tablet placed on the ground meters away from him.


    "Star tablet!"


    Picking up on this, Austin''s flashing eyes danced with excitement. ''With that kind of insane trial, I must have received something good.'' He stepped forward and bent down to pick up the star tablet, holding it in his hand. It felt cold, hard and light as a feather, seeming to be unrestricted by the laws of gravity. He read the ancient text inscribed on it.


    ''Bronze Class Advancement.''


    ??? Grade: Chosen by the stars.


    Your body contains the origin star energy.


    The laws of the universe do not apply to you.


    Godly Grade: Eyes of Magic.


    See through all magic.


    You can identify every spell with all its power revealed.


    "Wow..."


    "Godly? That''s the highest Grade in the star constellation. I was expecting a good reward, but who would have thought I would get the best one possible... It certainly was weird, but was my trial really that hard?"


    "See through all magic? Isn''t that too overpowered... I will know every spell a Mage possesses? If I know what it does as well then who''d be able to match me... won''t I be too strong...?"


    "Chosen by the stars? The laws of the universe? What is that... there is no grade for it either... I wonder what it does..."


    Reading over his star tablet, Austin was dumbfounded. On top of being able to use all magic, he could now see through all magic? Once he learned more spells, he''d be an unstoppable demon king. There was that unknown skill as well... As far as he knew, there wasn''t such a thing as a skill not having a Grade. And what are the ''the laws of the universe not applying'' supposed to mean? Did he become God? Austin chuckled in amusement.


    Luckily, one''s skills from their star tablets could not be found out. Otherwise, the whole world would be out for his head.


    Placing his hand over the texts. He chanted the name of the skills and they disappeared from the tablet. Austin''s eyes shined briefly in an indiscernible shimmer but his body did not feel any different.


    The star tablet vanished from his hands after its rewards were claimed. Austin stood up straight. He looked around the star constellation and placed his gaze on the gate. "You''ve treated me well friend. See you next time." He bid farewell with a smile.


    Extending his arms upwards into a stretch, "time to head back." The thought entered his mind and he vanished.

 16 The Search For Austin

    In the Royal Palace, one month had passed since Austin was last seen. And during the past week, life for everyone was a total nightmare. From the servants to the heads of the Family, no one was spared by the demoness that was Queen Elizabeth. Most of the people in the Palace did not even know who the Queen was until a week ago. But if they did not know then, then they most definitely did now.


    Sleepless nights and silent conversations. Everyone was on alert at all times as a heavy undercurrent constantly loomed over their heads. Thick, Dark, grey clouds sat in the sky from day to night. No one could remember the last time sunlight had pierced through. It was cold, suffocating and downright scary.


    At first, the residents did not know what was going on, thinking the oppressive air was due to the threat of an enemy. However, weeks passed and the atmosphere remained deadly. It wasn''t until the Queen personally showed up did everyone liken the sudden changes to her. Everyone without exception was summoned to the Royal Courtyard. A place that was reserved for war meetings and grand ceremonies.


    When the Queen presented herself, all the men gasped and their hearts skipped a beat, even the women were stunned by her beauty. After a moment of a dazed silence, heavy breathing and murmurs began spreading through the crowd.


    "Th-th-thats the Queen!?"


    "Oh my god! She is too beautiful!"


    "Wooooo!!!"


    "Long live Your Majesty!"


    The men were whistling in passionate admiration and the women showed her with praises like a Goddess had descended. Elizabeth''s face stayed expressionless the entire time and the air increasingly rose in pressure until the crowd was no longer able to speak.


    With pale faces, they all quickly realized the time was not for celebration from Elizabeth''s bloodthirsty aura. Among the hundreds of onlookers, all felt the Queen''s piercing gaze on them. Only after a minute under this oppressive torment did she open her mouth to speak.


    "A seven  year old boy has gone missing in the Palace. I don''t care what you all have to do. Find him at all costs."


    Elizabeth offered no explanation for who this boy was and simply departed them with these words as she prepared to leave. Of course, this was not well received by everyone in the crowd as there were individuals mixed in that have never been treated in such a way. Being part of the Royal Nation, they were at the top of the food chain of the Western Region and were seldom subject to disrespect.


    A chubby man shouted out loud after Elizabeth''s hearing. "What is the meaning of this! You are disrupting the Royal Palace operations for such a dumb reason?"


    Francis was dressed in the most expensive clothes out of the crowd and looked like he held a high-up position. He was already infuriated from being bunched up with the lowly servants in the courtyard with no one telling him why. The Queen appearing before them for the first time and acting so unreasonably was his final straw. The others may not have the courage to refute her, but he would not take it lying down!


    Panting with anger and grinding his teeth, Francis was about to continue expressing his disapproval. Some of the more important members in the crowd also got riled up, seeing Francis take the initiative and speak what was on their minds. A boy going missing in the Palace and you want us to drop everything just to search for him? If he was the Prince that would be logical but who doesn''t know we only have a Royal Princess? This is outrageous!


    Francis barked, "How can yo-".


    Before he could finish, Elizabeth shot out a projectile that was too fast for anyone''s eye to see.


    Hearing the voice turn silent, people turned around to see why the pretentious-sounding man had stopped talking.


    "Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!"


    Deafening screams sounded out through the large courtyard.


    Francis was lying headless on the floor, blood spurting out from the top of the neck and forming a large pool of red on the ground. It was far too gruesome. The servants next to him had fainted in terror. They had never been exposed to any kind of violence before, let alone such a ghastly death right beside them.


    "I will not repeat myself. Those who do not obey will meet the same end." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Before the courtyard could descend into mayhem, a melodious but deathly cold voice rang in their ears. Elizabeth left them all star-struck.


    No one dared to speak, paranoid that the frightening ordeal was not yet over. Gulps could be heard of nervousness or swallowing vomit. It was only a long time later did the crowd regain their bearings and started leaving in a hurry. People started chattering after making sure they walked a long way away from the courtyard.


    "That was the Queen...?"


    "She''s too terrifying..."


    "What do we do now? There''s important business to tend to in these few days..."


    "How unlucky! We can''t ignore her orders unless you want to end up like Francis?"


    "God no! But we were give no leeway at all... what status does that boy hold to make such a big deal out of him going missing? The recent heavy air in the Palace must be due to him as well..."


    ...


    After Elizabeth delivered her speech, she returned to her room in the residence with a downcast expression. Truthfully, she felt very helpless about the situation. Despite using the full extent of her powers to search the entire Palace and even the surrounding area outside of it, she still could not find Austin. After three weeks of unfruitful efforts, she resorted to mobilizing everyone in the Palace. But having already conducted her own searches, she was not hopeful about anyone else being able to locate Austin.


    Looking at her untidied room, Elizabeth let out a depressing sigh. In the past weeks, Elena had not come over and completely given up on her duties. After Austin was not found on the second day, she had dissapeared from the residence to search for him on her own. As for Laura... after recovering from her initial rampage, she had locked herself in her room the entire time. Elizabeth went to talk to her everyday to try and comfort her but Laura never responded and was always out of it. Seeing how she was not getting better, Elizabeth was becoming more and more worried...

 17 A Beautiful Picture

    Between two closely stacked bookshelves, a disheveled woman sat on a small stool near the window. Being late into the day, no sunlight was entering through.


    Elena had bloodshot eyes that contained no focus. With her head down, she was completely motionless. By the look of things, she had been in such a state for a long, long time. Under the gloomy clouds outside that reigned above in the sky, it made for a very sad picture.


    Over this past month, she had searched everywhere for her son. She asked every passing person if they have seen her child but was met with the same answer every time without fail. Each slipping day, Elena felt like a part of her was dying inside.


    The maids who were friendly with Elena watched in pain as her indomitable spirit dwindled into desperation and depression. By now, without any news of Austin''s whereabouts, Elena was on the verge of giving up. She did not know what would happen once she gave up, but she did not think past that point. It was an outcome that would make her not care anymore... about anything that is.


    Elena was a head-strong woman that did not rely on other''s help when getting things done. But right now, she did not know what to do anymore. The world was falling on her shoulders. She needed someone, anything that would give her strength.


    Her only support pillars - Elizabeth and Austin''s father, were nowhere to be seen right now. Elizabeth had her own hands full with finding Austin and comforting Laura. Whilst her husband''s duties prevent them from seeing each other for long periods of time.


    Elena''s drooping eyes were closing and opening continuously, a sign of her immense fatigue in the past few days. As usual, silence encompassed the empty library, broken every now and then with her weak exhales. She had nearly fallen off the small stool that was unfit for her size multiple times, but exerted whatever leftover strength there was to stay on it every time.


    She wanted to stay on the stool that held trace remnants of her son...


    In truth, Elena was very astute, and would not be in such a weakened state if she had used her time more efficiently. But the one who had gone missing was her son, and she had lost all rationality as her concerns overpowered overall. For the past month, she had abused her body to the point it was no longer capable of moving.


    It was yearning closer - the desire to rest. And her will to stay awake was on the verge of fading...


    "Mother..."


    A clear voice broke the silence in the room. At the same time outside the window, a glint of sunlight pierced through the thick, grey clouds, lighting up Elena''s face as if it was giving a little life to her eyes.


    "Mother!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    The voice rang clearer in Elena''s head, she felt her world shake.


    Sounds of swift, strong footsteps approached from behind her. The voice was one she could never mistaken and her eyes trembled slightly upon this realization.


    She mustered all strength hidden deep within her body and miraculously was able to raise her head. However, before Elena could turn around, a pair of arms embraced her, supporting her tightly from behind.


    "Mother... I''m back. I won''t go anywhere so just rest now. Please, go to sleep and rest..."


    Turning upwards, she saw a warming face wrinkled with concern. The light from the window shined brightly onto him. He looked like a saint here to save her from the darkness that was ready to claim its prey.


    Slowly and unsteadily, Elena''s trembling arm reached upwards towards his face, wanting to clasp it in her hands. A teardrop was forming in her ailing eyes. A teardrop of relief, happiness, and sadness of not being able to hold him at this moment.


    Stopping Elena''s arm in its track, Austin held it against his cheek. He smiled warmly at her with moisture in his eyes.


    Elena''s head laid on his small chest, one that seemed capable of supporting the entire world despite its size. His other hand was gently coiled around her body, supporting it so she did not need to expend any energy to lean against him.


    "Sleep now Mother, I will be here when you wake up."


    His delicate and soft voice was filled with gentleness, making her unable to resist as she was caressed into sleep.


    Feeling the warmth that blanketed her and now occupied her entire heart, Elena''s eyes closed. A blissful smile appeared on her face.


    The dark clouds parted with a wider gap, making way for an impatient ray of sunlight that had been longing to break through.


    In the dark library, a small area by the window was brilliantly lit up, and the picture it made was so very beautiful.

 18 Elenas Choice

    Looking downwards at his mother''s skinny and frail figure, Austin was overcome with despair.


    He had mistreated her greatly.


    Going missing for an entire month, Austin knew how Elena would react but choose to do so anyway. It was not his intention to depart for so long, but he could have prevented entering the star constellation if he was more sensible and did not lose himself in wild excitement learning the five spellbooks. Though he still felt the gains were of insurmountable worth, Austin was feeling regretful, wishing he could turn back time and redo his decisions.


    Austin had always been compassionate, it was the very thing that drove him to desire strength. In his old world, he had grown tired of the unceasing fighting, witnessing the innocent die and so many around him die miserable cruel deaths.


    His sole goal in life was to put an end to it all, and he accomplished what was thought to be impossible. Further, he did so without making his name known, giving away all due credit. What he wanted out of his actions was not fame nor recognition, but to simply satisfy his morality.


    Despite his carefree personality and dreams of exploring the world, Austin could not ignore evil and injustice around him. He always intervened when he saw unnecessary suffering, helping those who needed help. It was the reason why Austin had taken in Dominick and the homeless children that would later become recognized as heroes. He did not consider their potential or worth, purely feeling sympathetic for their pitiful circumstances.


    Giving people happiness in their most dire times, it was a feeling of fulfillment that authenticated his existence. But don''t get this wrong, Austin did not care at all for evildoers, only those that were a victim of the cruel world.


    Perhaps if he did not have the power to do so, he would not have such an overbearing sense of responsibility. But Austin could not condone himself for living selfishly, disregarding everything around him.


    The one thing Austin hated most was disappointing those that care for him, and he had done exactly that to the person who loves him the most.


    Holding his mother in his arms, Austin tenderly wiped the hair stuck to her face. Elena''s hair was usually silky and clean as she cared for it on a regular basis. Right now it was dirty and rugged, having lost much of its rich, healthy color. It added to her feeble appearance, which painfully showed Austin how hard she must have pushed herself.


    "I''m sorry mother..." Whispering, Austin made a promise to never put his mother in such a state again. He tightly clutched Elena''s body, making sure she was comfortable and could fall soundly asleep. Although her weight was hard for a child to bear, nothing would stop Austin from letting her go.


    Thus, time passed just like this. Elena rested in her child''s warming hold. Her complexion had turned many shades healthier with blood returning to the previously pale areas of her face. She rhythmically breathed in and out with a slight smile on her face.


    Scant gusts of wind blew in from the window and a chill breeze brushed softly against the mother and son pair.


    ~The Royal Residence~


    When Austin''s aura appeared in her detection field, Elizabeth immediately jumped up. Her elation boiled over and she was just about to leave for the Royal Library before stopping in her tracks. Noting Elena was there as well, she knew the two needed a moment to themselves.


    Elena was Elizabeth''s closest friend. Apart from her daughter and Austin, she was the only person allowed into her room. Elena was not bound to the role of a maid but only chose to serve her because of their close bond. In their long history, they share many cherished memories together and held each other dear. It was not by mistake that both of their children happened to be born on the same day.


    Over the past month, Elizabeth was extremely worried and could see the dreadful pain Elena was going through. Seeing how she was only getting worse each day, Elizabeth wanted to go and talk to her and reassure her many times


    But Elizabeth did not know what to say that would comfort her. Elena was not someone that would be calmed in such a situation with flowery words. She thought she''d be able to help her by quickly finding Austin. But even after going to great lengths, Elizabeth was unable to do so. It was the first time in a long period she had felt so frustrated.


    Although she had many questions to ask and also wanted to see Austin, Elizabeth knew it would be best to hold back for now. She was glad Austin came back and all her worries until now disappeared. Even though Elizabeth wanted to possess Austin to some extent, it was mostly due to having a likability for him that she has never found in any other men. She was not obsessed over him like Elena would be as a mother.


    Thinking of the other person that desperately needed to see Austin, Elizabeth vanished in her room.


    Back in the library, night had passed with neither Austin or Elena moving from their spots. Elena had fallen deeply into sleep, giving her body its long-overdue rest. Austin was feeling sorry the entire time but was happy he could redeem himself by giving her a place to lean on. Enduring Elena''s weight that was slowly crushing him in agony, Austin never moved a single muscle, allowing her to sink entirely into his embrace and have a very comfortable sleep. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ...


    Light broke through at the dawn of day. The sky was no longer cloudy and looked clear as crystal, signifying the end of tumultuous times and the beginning of something new.


    After a long slumber, Elena had thoroughly recovered.


    Apart from her messy and dirty appearance, the color of her skin and breathing had all returned to normal.


    Roused by the sudden brightness, she opened her eyes. The first thing she saw was Austin''s smiling face right above hers.


    "Good morning Mother. Sorry for making you worry." Austin said in a joking but hearty tone, trying to downplay the throbbing stings in his body.


    Waking up to his voice, Elena did not become particularly dazed or surprised. She merely smiled and said in response, "It''s good that you''re back son."


    Before Austin coerced her into sleep the day before, Elena had enough time to accept the reality of him returning. Her thoughts ran at a million miles per second, but she simply did not have the energy to move or speak anymore.


    Now that he was back, she only wanted to forget the misery of the past month and enjoy the present.


    The two stared at each other with warmth, enjoying the moment before Austin had to speak out. "Since you''re up now Mom can you move... Ah, you''re heavier than you look. Haha, good thing you went on a diet otherwise I would not have been able to hold you for so long." Austin winced with a forced laughter. He was making fun of her skinny body from having barely eaten anything.


    "You''re a man aren''t you? How could you complain about such a thing? Hmph, good luck finding a lady in the future with that attitude." Elena snarled in response but straightaway got up, glancing over Austin''s body to check his condition. Seeing he was fine, she sighed in relief.


    The two of them had gone back to their lively way of talking, treating their heavy feelings as a passing breeze that had come and gone with the wind. They both had buoyant expressions on their faces.


    Austin moved the small stool and sat down on it, leaning against a bookshelf.


    He began talking about all the things he had experienced in the past month. He decided to only tell his mother and no one else. Partly because he needed her to fake a reason as to why he was gone. But mostly because there was no one else he trusted more than her and knew she would only have his safety in mind.


    Entering the hidden room, finding out he had all six Magical Attributes, learning five Rank 0 spells in two days, being taken to the star constellation.


    Elena''s eyes widened and her fingers trembled in disbelief with each line spoken by her son. She thought he was pulling her leg but knew what she was hearing was real seeing the seriousness in his gaze.


    By the end, Elena had to take a deep breath of air to calm herself down. She quickly understood the severity of the situation. Until now, she never thought Austin was any different from other children but this view was completely shattered. He was a freak that should not belong in the world... Though it did not change her love for him. He was still her most important child.


    Adopting a similar serious expression, Elena said to Austin, "We will not serve the Krashal Family anymore. We will find another home to live in with your Father."


    Unperplexed, Austin replied, "Is it because of-"


    "Your condition is the main reason. I must say, you are way too weird. Are you really my son?" Elena teased in an exasperated tone. "I can''t believe what I''m saying, but you have become a Bronze Class Mage. Don''t you know how old you are?


    However, there is no chance you will be able to advance any further staying here and that will be dangerous in the future, so we must find somewhere else to live."


    Elena walked up to Austin and patted his head with a loving smile. "Another reason why we should leave is that I want to spend more time with my son."


    "Will that be ok?" Austin asked with concern.


    "Elizabeth is my friend, she will respect my decision," Elena said with confidence. "Let''s go back to the Residence now, I''m sure that girl is dying to see you."


    Reminded about Laura, a tinge of sadness flashed in Austin''s eyes. He got up from the stool and they walked towards the exit.

 19 What Matters

    As they were approaching the exit to the library, Austin was slouching in a tired walk. He had not gotten any sleep the night before to compensate for lost time with Elena. He was feverish with anticipation for a warm, cozy bed, but knew there was an urgent business that needed to be taken care of beforehand.


    Not paying attention, he suddenly crashed into a pair of legs and nearly stumbled over. Meters away from their destination, Elena had stopped walking. Because of the darkness in the library, the view outside was shrouded by the bright light of day.


    "You better properly make it up to her. She cares about you more than you think." Elena motivated Austin by patting his head, but her touch was more one of reproach rather than encouragement. Austin nodded, acknowledging his mother''s words. ''How could I not know... I fear she will be even worse than what you were like... Goodness gracious, I really am an inconsiderate person.''


    Inhaling and exhaling a fresh breath of air, Austin walked forwards with more energy in his stride, stepping into the outside world after a long month of absence. Before his eyes had the chance to adapt to the sharp assault of light, another attack made itself onto him.


    "Austin!"


    Crashing onto the ground, Austin let himself fall under the pounce of a little girl.


    With a relieved smile, Elizabeth watched her daughter from behind gushing out tears and hugging Austin with her life on the line.


    In the whole time Austin was missing, Laura did not respond to anything she said no matter how long she spent consoling her. If she had not come at all, Elizabeth was afraid Laura would not pick up any food to eat and starve herself to death. Elizabeth had to constantly remind her she would never get to see Austin again if she kept mistreating her body. And this was the only line able to incite a reaction.


    ~The day before~


    Upon Austin coming back, Elizabeth went to Laura''s room to inform her of the good news. As always, she was holed up in her bed, gazing blankly out the window. The pillow she was holding onto tightly had a foul stench and long become stained. Her bedsheets and clothes were replaced every day by the maids, but Laura would not let them get anywhere near the pillow. Whenever Elizabeth tried taking it out of her hands, she looked ready to fight a battle for survival.


    Elizabeth came in her room and let a few seconds pass before saying solemnly, "I''m here Laura."


    Before, Laura would always squeal with joy when hearing her greetings. But now, she showed no reaction at all and remained expressionless. Despite getting used to this response, Elizabeth still felt a stabbing pain in her heart as wetness found itself into her eyes. How could any parent handle being completely ignored by their child?


    Letting time sink in for a moment, Elizabeth''s mood uplifted from expectance of Laura''s next reaction. She made sure her voice would be clear. "Austin''s back. He''s in the library right now with Elena, but we shouldn''t disturb them for now so you will be able to see him again tomorrow."


    !!!


    Sure enough, Laura''s next actions were devoid of all lifelessness. She struggled to get out of the bed she had not moved from for the past month. Standing on her feet again, Laura tripped over more than once as she tried running away, unfamiliar with the feeling in her legs.


    "I... I want t-to... I want to see him now... Austin..." Her voice that had not been used this entire time was doing its best to make its yearning desires known.


    Elizabeth was prepared to deny Laura''s wish having expected her response. But seeing her pitiful state, she was unable to resist the temptation of giving her some form of comfort. Somberly, she told Laura, "We can go to the Library, but you cannot disrupt Austin for now. He is helping Elena who is in terrible condition right now. What will you do?"


    With teary eyes, Laura was hugging onto Elizabeth''s leg and did not take more than a second to reply. "I will wait! Please, bring me over there Mother!" She could not imagine not being allowed to see Austin when he had finally come back, but she had no other choice. Anything that would bring her closer to him...


    Thus, Laura had been waiting outside the Library throughout the entire night. Elizabeth carried her in her arms as otherwise, she would have long run in. Every now and then, they would struggle in a meaningless contest as Laura tried escaping. Seeing the fire in her eyes, unrepressed agitation and wild exhilaration, Elizabeth did not bother speaking to Laura knowing there was only one thing on her mind.


    There was movement inside, and only then did Elizabeth let go of Laura with a reassuring smile. "I''m sorry for making you wait so long daughter, you can go see him now."


    Without caring to reply, Laura jumped out of Elizabeth''s hold and unreservedly ran towards the library.


    Inside her, a chaotic musical was performing. She did not know what to feel. Happy? Longing? Relieved? Angry? Sad? They were all intertwining within, and she was an entangled mess. She did not even know why she was feeling such complex emotions and was too young to understand any of it. But the one thing she had to do right now was see him, that was all that mattered.


    "Laura..."


    Her petite body was even smaller than normal. In the span of a month, visible bones protruded on her once plump cheeks.


    Laura had a healthy amount of fat that made her feel as soft as a marshmallow when he hugged her before. But now, she had become much scrawnier and was bony all over. Laying on top of him, her arms and legs pierced into Austin''s body. The physical pain was not much, but mentally, it felt like sharp daggers impaling into his heart.


    "I''m sorry Laura. I''m here now... I''m here now." Caressing Laura''s head and hugging her tightly, Austin repeated the same words he said to her previously. But this time, he had made her nightmare real. He could not forgive himself for hurting his precious sister so much...


    By the side, Elena and Elizabeth exchanged a glance, acknowledging each other.


    Elizabeth was pleased when she saw Elena''s healthy complexion. With peace returned, they smiled at each other. Elizabeth made a slight incline with her head, sending a signal to Elena. Elena nodded in compliance, and the two of them left the scene, leaving Austin and Laura alone.


    First Elena needed some time with Austin to calm herself down. Now it was Laura''s turn. The both of them were on the brink of breaking down after Austin disappeared for so long.


    "Are you okay Laura?" Austin beckoned with all the gentleness he could muster.


    Laura wailed hard and was unable to speak through the constant choking of cries. Her tears were falling like a river onto her porcelain face, dripping onto Austin''s torso and producing heavy wet spots.


    Moving her into a more comfortable position, Austin sat up and held Laura between his legs. Laura wrapped her arms around him so they would never separate again, and Austin responded by doing the same. He stroked her back with a pained look in his eyes, carefully tidying up Laura''s messy hair. Laura continued crying, not stopping once since seeing Austin.


    Her emotions had been bottled-up and could finally be poured out all at this moment.


    When Austin left, Laura felt like she had fallen into a pit of only despair. She did not feel any happiness or joy in life. All the food that entered her mouth was tasteless. Hot? Cold? She became detached from feeling any sensations. The longing in her mind was too strong.


    After an hour of staying in each other''s embrace, Laura had no more tears to weep. Austin''s clothes were drenched and his skin was dampened.


    He took his hand off Laura''s back and she quivered, hugging tighter into his body.


    Gripping Laura''s shoulder, Austin moved her face out of his chest in a fluid motion. Gently clasping both of her shoulders, he brought her face to in front of his.


    "Are you okay now?" Austin softly whispered, his brows were wrinkled and his creasing eyes were full of concern.


    The soothing of Austin''s countenance and warmth in his voice was able to pacify Laura. With moist eyes and tears trickling down her cheeks, Laura put her head down while talking. "I waited for you for so long..." She mumbled in a dry voice.


    "...I know. I''m sorry."


    "And then - you still didn''t come..."


    "I know."


    "I was so scared..."


    "I know."


    "Waited more... said you came back... but I couldn''t see you..."


    Laura began sniffling and was about to start crying again.


    Austin inwardly sighed. Her dependence on him is too great. How would she react when he has to leave for good?


    With a wry smile, he placed a finger on Laura''s chin and lifted it up so her eyes could meet his. Wiping the tears on her face, Austin lamented, "You''re a Princess Laura. In the future, you will have to be strong, how could you turn so timid over this small matter?


    You cannot continue acting this way."


    Rather than consoling her, Austin gave Laura a light scolding. Laura''s only fault was she had grown far too dependent on him. This may be fine now while she is still a child, but it will be bad for her if she grows up and remains this way.


    Austin cared a lot for Laura, so although it hurt him tremendously, he would choose to be harsh towards her now. He still hadn''t forgiven himself for leaving her alone, but this was a good opportunity to teach her a lesson.


    Laura''s eyes turned red at Austin''s words. She did not care about being a Princess, she only wanted Austin to be by her side.


    She retorted with a stronger tone in her voice, "why does that matter? If that''s the case then I -"


    Austin calmly interjected. "Because I won''t be by your side forever... will you keep behaving like you are when that happens?"


    Laura''s arms were removed from Austin''s back. She was small enough to fit on his lap and the two of them were separated by a very close distance.


    She emptily staring at Austin with blinking eyes, not understanding what he just said. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.

 20 A Warm Bath

    Laura stopped weeping tears. Her ears perked up from Austin''s words and her body became tense. Anguish was slowly filling her face and she looked like she had just been betrayed in the most awful way possible. Her trembling pupils turned more intense within those clear, sapphire eyes.


    "What does that mean? You-you won''t..." Laura''s shrill voice was breaking. She bent forwards, subconsciously leaning closer to Austin.


    The feeling of fear within her which had just started dying down was swiftly rising up. It was the emptiness that she tried so hard to forget about. It haunted her nightmares every night for the past month and she never wanted to feel it again. When Austin came back, Laura thought it would all be over now and everything would return to normal. But who would have thought...


    Her blood had frozen over and her heart was clenched in fear. She was afraid. Afraid that Austin would run away at the next moment and vanish again.


    A painful throbbing rose within Austin seeing her like this. He had somewhat expected her reaction, but seeing it happen was extremely difficult to watch. Laura''s distressed image rang vividly in his head.


    He could not help but regret speaking the words he just said.


    Her unhealthy complexion, tarnished face and feeble appearance only made him feel all the more remorseful. After all, he was the one responsible for making her like this in the first place...


    ''Must I continue hurting her...? But I can''t think of any other way. I can''t stay with Laura forever. It''s better for her to know this now than later. But seeing her look this sad is so painful to watch...''


    Austin was torn for what to do.


    His reasoning said to create some distance between Laura now so she could deal with being separated when he has to go away soon. But his heart found it hard to endure the pain of Laura''s sorrow.


    In both lives, the only times Austin truly became conflicted over something was when it was about the people he cared a great deal for, and Laura was one of them.


    The two of them have always been by each other''s side since the day they could talk, and Austin knew how devastating the impact she would suffer if he suddenly left. Alas, he had to walk down this path.


    He was never going to serve the Krashal Family for the rest of his life. Him leaving had come sooner in time due to his new situation after learning magic.


    ''Laura is not weak, I''m sure she will get better once she gets used to being on her own. She is only finding it hard to accept it now because she still has the mindset of a child.''


    ''The maids are are all friendly and nice. There are also all those children from Rank 1 Families who constantly come to visit and try to befriend Laura. She shouldn''t have any trouble making new friends - she would have plenty already if it wasn''t for me being constantly by her side.''


    ''Laura has barely interacted with any other children. It would be better if she had friends she could play with and talk to on the same level.''


    Musing over the benefits in his head, Austin decided to go through with telling Laura the harsh truth, even if it hurt her.


    He already had plenty of experience dealing with children, being a father-figure to many abandoned and lost kids in his past life. Naturally, they all grew dependent on him because of this, but eventually found their own ways in life. Austin wanted Laura to be able to do the same. He was trying to pave a path for her so she can be more self-independent in the future.


    But Austin had missed a detail. In his past life, he was already old in age so the children were less dependent on him. However, Austin is a child in his current life. To Laura, he is far more than someone who only looks after her.


    If Laura wasn''t the Royal Princess, Austin would not care as much about her needing to be strong and less reliant on him. But she was, and held one of the highest positions in the entire continent. Even though she did not choose this life, she had to meet the minimum expectations of being the Royal Princess. Since Elizabeth did not have any other children, everyone would look towards her.


    Austin had always wondered why Laura was allowed to play around all day instead of being brought up in strict conditions like a child of her status should be. He suspected it had to do with Elizabeth protecting Laura. Since no one would dare go against her, Laura was left alone by the Royal Family.


    Most likely, Elizabeth had already informed Laura about the duties and classes she needed to take, but Laura had resolutely refused and made Elizabeth give in.


    ''That would explain why Laura suddenly becomes warm towards Elizabeth despite the two not seeing each other often.'' Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Austin was making baseless guesses, but they were right on the money. Elizabeth had brought up the matter to Laura many times but she would go crazy every after hearing how Austin couldn''t come with her. No matter how she persuaded her, Laura did not react at all to her responsibilities as the Princess. Even though she compromised and told Laura to attend a few classes - far less than those children of Rank 1 Families do, she would not budge at all. Laura must be the only Royal Child in history to spend all her time playing about. Elizabeth was helpless about it and could only let her do as she wished.


    ...


    Austin went forwards to hug Laura into his embrace. The sun was now shining brightly in the sky and the weather was warm, but her shivering body was cold to the touch and was all but skin and bones, making her feel fragile as a leaf.


    Laura could not mutter out any more words despite the so many more things she wanted to say to Austin. The past month had completely drained her and she did not know what to do anymore after hearing Austin was going to leave. She was lost in thought when Austin suddenly came forward and pulled her in.


    Austin did not say anything more to her. Laura was too unstable right now and needed time to rest. He could only offer his comfort so she would be able to recover quicker. He spoke to her in a caring voice, "your body is so skinny now Laura. We will have to eat a big meal once we get back to fatten you up."


    "Your clothes also need changing, look how dirty and smelly they are."


    "Let''s have a warm bath together when we get home. It''s been a long time since we last did that."

 21 The Krashal Family

    "Welcome back Elena."


    The two women were back in Elizabeth''s room.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    Elizabeth yawned and lazily sat down. The frown on her face was lost after Austin had come back, and all her built-up stress evaporated in one go.


    "How many times have I told you to stop addressing me like that, just call me by my name when we''re alone." Elizabeth chided with her lips pressed together.


    Elena did not reply. She was gazing out of the window, appreciating the scenery outside.


    From above, the colorful garden filled with beautiful flowers was very pleasing to the eye. Some ways away in the distance, the Grand Palace could be seen towering in height. Because of its size, It was visible from where they were.


    Elizabeth stared at Elena''s back figure with a strange look in her eyes. The ambiance in the room changed. A peculiar feeling rose within her but she could not discern the source of it.


    The birds were chirping and a fresh, spring breeze flew in from the open window. A melody of tranquility was playing in the air. Elena''s eyes were closed and she had a relaxed smile on her face.


    Then, she jested with a light laugh, "it''s become a habit by now - being your maid for all this time.


    It''s been so long already... Elly."


    Elizabeth''s eyes widened in surprise and her finger trembled slightly. Waves of nostalgic memories rushed over her listening to the name she had totally forgotten of by now. Reminiscing the past, her lips broadened in happiness. "Wow, it feels weird hearing you call me that again!"


    Elena turned around, meeting Elizabeth with a warming grin. Her long brown hair gracefully fluttered in the wind, and the rims of her dress glided along with it.


    Elizabeth was enthralled, the scene felt like something apart of nature. Elena''s serenity blended in perfectly with the soothing sunlight as a warm breeze entered through as if to show the tenderness of her smile.


    Extravagant clothes were left in various places on the floor. The huge, lavish bed next to her was crumpled and unmade. Looking around the messy room, Elena sighed in amiable irritation. "You still can''t look after yourself even after growing so much. Sometimes I wonder if it was only your body that matured."


    Elizabeth gleefully giggled back at her, "that''s because I have always had you to take care of me!" Her cold disposition was gone the residents knew of was gone, replacing it was the former liveliness that made her seem as cute as a child.


    "There are so many maids laying around here who have nothing to do. If you weren''t so stubborn..."


    Elizabeth pouted. "So what! why can''t I be stubborn? Why would I need anyone else when I have you. You''ve always been the one taking care of me, I won''t let anyone else take that privilege, hehe."


    Elena grinned at Elizabeth''s silliness, but a short moment after, her head fell despondently towards the ground and the corners of her mouth drew down.


    Elizabeth frowned. "What''s wrong?"


    Elena sighed and looked up at Elizabeth. She lamented, "I''m going to leave soon. I thought Austin would never come back again. After going through that, I want to find somewhere quiet to live with my family for some time." Although Elena seemed sad, there wasn''t much grievance on her face. She was mostly worried about Elizabeth.


    "I understand."


    Unlike what one would expect, Elizabeth reacted calmly. She could not force Elena to stay. Unlike most maids in prestigious Families, Elena was just a servant in name and only took on the role because of their friendship. Further, Elizabeth had Elena''s well-being in mind before anything and would encourage her happiness.


    With a cheerful smile on her face, she proclaimed, "You''ve already been by my side for all these years. It''s about time you get away from me." Elizabeth''s words were jarring but they did not sound as such. She was happy if Elena was happy.


    She continued, "but now who''s going to look after me..." coyly grumbling in a joking tone.


    "This is a good chance for you to finally rid of that laziness." Elena lightly mocked in response. She expected Elizabeth to support her and was glad her expectations held true, but she was concerned. Elizabeth would not have anyone else to talk to after she left.


    "On second thought, you are the Queen after all. Why not let the maids take care of you for once? Many of them would happily oblige. The new one that came in, what was her name, Sarah? she seems competent."


    "How would I know." Elizabeth muffled. "There''s so many of them in my house nowadays. Those geezers from the Family keep sending new ones here even though I have no use for them and told them not to."


    Elena''s brow raised in musing. "You are their precious savior after all. You don''t come out of the Residence and don''t allow any of them to visit you either. Naturally, they will try to obtain your favor any way they can."


    Elizabeth slumped in her chair in grief. "It''s so tiresome having to deal with their pestering all the time. I would just leave here as well if it wasn''t for..."


    Elena''s eyelids quivered indiscernibly. She became voiceless for a moment.


    "There will be someone in the future, Don''t worry Elizabeth, you will find your home." Elena showed a reassuring smile, but it clearly did not contain much confidence.


    Elizabeth had a blankness look on her face. She sighed, "I hope so...."


    ... Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Sitting at the pinnacle, the Krashal Nation naturally owned the largest domain of territory in the Western Region, similar to the other three Royal Nations.


    Every Nation in Fantasia was named after its Family. Though there are other major powers across the continent, the Families always possess the most power in their Nation, and either by idleness or activeness, control it.


    Some Families are business-minded, focusing on building prosperity and hire powerful Magicians to do the dirty work for them. Most, however, come from a long lineage of prestigious Mages and Warriors, choosing to focus on the path of cultivation rather than handle the operations of their Nation.


    Half of all the top Nations in Fantasia have held their position from the beginnings of civilization, their strength proven and prestige established.


    In every Region, there is the Heavenly Land located at the very edge of the human continent. With the bountiful mana and rear guarded by the Grand Sea, the land offers the best defense against intruders and training grounds for Warriors. The holders of this land are recognized as the Rulers of their Region - The Royal Nation.


    The Nessitia Family in the North, the Ferrim Family in the East, and the Rokkudon Family in the South. All of these three Families have stood atop of their Region from the very beginning. Thanks to this, their foundations are far stronger, sturdier and sophisticated than every other Nation.


    Since the Royal Families did not have a reason to participate in wars, they secluded themselves from the world, hiding away and minding their own business.


    One time in history, many thought they had weakened over time and were on par in power with the indomitable Rank 1 Nations.


    Because of this, the top Rank 1 Nations of the Eastern Region united in a ploy to take down the Ferrim Family, who were thought to be the weakest out of the Royal Families. The result... to say the least, was astonishing.


    Before it even started, the alliance''s ''attack'' stood no chance - a mistake they only realized before it was too late to regret. They were naive, and as a consequence of their ignorance, got completely wiped out. Their futile efforts were pathetic and offered zero resistance against the Ferrim Family''s slaughter.


    On that day, the world was paid witness to once again to the Royal Family''s insurmountable strength. And from then on, none dared to challenge them again. After years and years of practicing magic in the Royal Land, they had already ascended as Gods.


    The only exception to this law of nature was in the Western Region.


    Since the dawn of civilization, the Royal Family of the Western Region was contended against by another Family. They were the only Family in Fantasia''s history that matched a Royal Family in strength. Their founders were life-long rivals, but the Royal Family''s ancestor narrowly won out in claiming the Heavenly Land.


    Consequently, the two Families slowly but surely grew apart in strength with each new generation of Magicians. They were evenly matched in talent but one Family was disadvantaged. They were surrounded by other Nations and had to deal with the threat of potential attacks. While their Magicians were of the same level as the Royal Family, their Warriors were weaker due to the difference in mana density.


    Eventually, there came a point when the Family was no longer able to challenge the Royal Family. The onlookers who watched in daft attention over millenniums of blood-curdling battles were disappointed, and the excitement surrounding their rivalry dulled down.


    Everyone wanted to see the impossibility of the Gods falling. However, as time passed, the Royal Family came out on top in every clash, and the end result became certain.


    Although the Family was still far more powerful than any other Rank 1 Nation, in the end, they were unable to climb over the Western Region''s Royal Family, and the two had effectually stopped fighting.


    After countless years of shrewd planning, savage wars and promising leaders of new generations, they were defeated in shame and disgrace.


    Small-scale clashes still ensued between the two Families, but the contests were only for show and did not have any meaningful intents. The big players of the Family stowed away, waiting for a lucky opportunity, but what they needed was a miracle to occur.


    They no longer had a chance of defeating the Royal Family, and the Royal Family could not wipe them out without paying a great sacrifice. Thus, the thousand-year-long war between them was over. The Family did not take any more action afterward, and so everyone believed they had given up.


    The supremity in beating a Royal Family was not obtained.


    At this time, the Royal Family was not the Krashals.

 22 Go To Bed

    "Bram should be returning soon, will you be leaving when he comes back?"


    Upon hearing the mention of his name, Elena''s eyes turned watery and a joyous smile broke out on her face.


    "Yes, that is what I''m planning to do."


    Elizabeth lifted an arm and plucked it down on the table next to her. She held her exquisite chin on her hands, looking at the maiden in love with envy. "Lucky you, I thought we promised each other to wait until we both found a man. But you left me far behind! Sigh, when will I be able to find the one for me..."


    Elena tittered, "If I had to wait for you then I would be waiting forever. With your standards being so high, how can any man move your heart? You know, If you lowered them a bit you could have anyone to your picking." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "I know I know... what should I do Elena, your words make sense but that would not help me out here. My pride won''t allow me to take anyone worse than me, how troublesome... Will I have to live out the rest of my days all with my lonely self?"


    Thinking of a certain person in mind, Elizabeth alluringly raised her delicate arm into the air, examining it in fine detail. She suggestively smiled and her voice turning enchanting, "I am waiting for the true one for me."


    Elena''s heart skipped a beat.


    "Oh, that''s right. Where had Austin been for the past month? To think even I could not find him for so long, what could have happened?"


    "..."


    "Elena?"


    "Au-Austin? Right... I don''t know what happened to him either! This morning I was in the Library and he appeared out of nowhere. He said he fell asleep in there and for some reason... errr, woke up a month later...?"


    "Hahahaha, what kind of a fishy lie is that. You''ve never been good at keeping secrets Elena, who would fall for such a dumb story." Elizabeth chuckled out loud, holding her belly in laughter and only calming down after a good while. "It''s fine if you don''t want to tell me the truth, I won''t pry into it."


    Elena had an embarrassed look on her face, she stood there awkwardly with her eyes darting around, but let out a deep breath of relief since Elizabeth did not confront her.


    "Thank you Elizabeth," she said with a grateful smile.


    When Austin told him what had really happened, Elena knew she had to keep it a secret at all costs. But she was a virtuous woman and did not like lying so she was never much any good at it. Towards Elizabeth''s discerning eyes, Elena knew anything she said to keep the truth under covers would be too obviously suspicious. Thankfully, Elizabeth realized her intents and did not trouble her about it.


    But off to the side, Elena did not see Elizabeth''s burning eyes.


    ...


    Elsewhere, Austin and Laura had gone back to the Residence. On the way there, they encountered some maids and Austin told them to prepare some warm food for Laura. He made sure to tell them exactly what to make since she could not eat anything heavy after starving her body for so long.


    Laura''s legs were still weak and she barely had energy left. If it wasn''t for the fear of doing so, she would have fallen asleep. But she tried her best to stay awake, afraid Austin would not be there when she woke up.


    Austin tried carrying Laura on his back, but she did not have the strength to hold on and would slip off if he did. So he wrapped one arm underneath her bottom and used his other arm to support her back. Like this, Laura was hugging Austin in the air with her head weakly resting on his shoulders. Feeling her breath on his neck, Austin panicked at first because it was so faint, but realized she was just really tired.


    It was a good thing Austin was a little bigger than Laura, otherwise, he would not have been able to keep on carrying her in this position. Like a father holding his baby, the two of them looked funny because they were nearly the same size. The spectators who saw them pass by stopped and stared for a while, surprised by how Austin was able to hold onto Laura.


    Reaching Laura''s bedroom, Austin had to kick the door open as his hands were occupied. Despite the rest of her body being so bony and skinny, the certain part he was touching somehow remained soft and fluffy. If it was at any other time, Austin would be praising it in appreciation.


    Seeing how Laura was still awake, Austin gently sighed and told her, "why don''t you sleep Laura, your body needs to rest first." He walked over to the bed and carefully laid her down after pulling out the covers. As he did so, he felt some slight resistance from Laura wanting to stay in his hold.


    Noticing this, Austin made sure not to let go of her hand, tightly clutching it in his as he adjusted the pillows and covered Laura with the blankets, trying to get her to sleep.


    For the past month, Laura had always remained sitting by the window, and she would only fall asleep until her body could not work anymore. Feeling the comfort of the bed and all of the exhaustion surge over her, Laura''s eyes were involuntarily shutting as her body relaxed. Her subconscious desire to sleep was ignoring her conscious of wanting to stay awake. Yet, Laura seemed to be putting up a fight. Turning her head to Austin, she looked like there was something she wanted to say.


    Austin warmly smiled and tenderly caressed her head. "Go to bed."


    Laura''s eyes were forced to close and without long, she fell into slumber.


    Austin''s brows were raised as he delicately tucked Laura into the cozy comfort of the bed, not letting go of her hand. Seeing how Laura greeted him this morning, he did not realize she had been so tired until now.

 23 Amos Krashal

    The Royal Palace is a holy place and one of the most sanctified locations of the Western Region. Within it, the direct descendants of the Krashal Family reside with the most important figures in the Nation.


    Contrary to what most think, the true leader of the Krashal Family was not the King.


    From a forgotten era that outlived the King by many years. Their names are unknown in Fantasia but they undoubtedly stand at the pinnacle of the world. The rare few who know of them can wholeheartedly attest to this fact.


    At the very top of the Royal Palace, was a small, minimalist room lacking in tables, chairs or any other basic objects. Only three wooden mats were solemnly placed in the most conspicuous area.


    The room did not contain a speck of dust and was brightly illuminated in a light that was not normal to the world below it. Perched up high into the sky, drifting clouds could be seen from a platform connected to the room. The taste of fresh air circulated in abundant amounts from the outside, engulfing one''s nose and lungs.


    The wooden mats were placed right in front of the platform, and traces of white mist entered through and glided along the floor. Looking down from it, the bottom of the Earth could not be seen by the naked eye.


    On each of the wooden mats sat three saintly-looking figures. They were facing the open sky with closed eyes, seemingly in deep meditation.


    The one in the middle had long, unblemished white hair of the finest color. The two beside him had shorter hair of the same quality. They were all dressed in the same, spotless white overall, looking seamless with the clouds surrounding the room. The wrinkles on their faces spoke clearly of their seniority.


    "Enter."


    An ancient voice sounded out from the figure in the middle.


    From thin air, a man appeared behind them. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    The man who came in had a stoic poise, but his dark, red hair and deadly sharp eyes fabricated an aura that was all too arrogant, too domineering and too terrifying. He was wearing extremely extravagant clothes befitting of a King, and his bulging muscles could not be hidden underneath them. They were a display of testament to his deep, underlying strength. His large, herculean body was in direct contrast to the three elders'' thinly figures. Yet, he immediately tensed when appearing in their presence.


    He was Ral Krashal, the current Krashal King.


    "Father." Ral made a slight bow towards the figure in the middle.


    "First Uncle. Second Uncle." He proceeded to pay his respects to the two beside him.


    In the split-second Ral''s head was tilted down, the three ancestors had somehow turned around in an instant to face him. The mist shrouding their faces evaporated away.


    "Ral, it''s rare for you to visit."


    "It''s been a while dear nephew."


    The two elders on the left and right adopted a kind guise, greeting him in an amiable voice.


    "What is it, son?" Amos Krashal remained stern and expressionless. His voice was profound, far more than the other three in the room. Based on this alone, he could be interpreted as the one in control here.


    "A concerning matter. I don''t dare disturb the ancestors for no reason."


    Amos did not say anything, signaling him to continue. He had an uninterested look on his face, evidently unperturbed.


    Ral continued, "tensions are rising. There is a stirring In the east especially, the Rokkudon Family seem to be making their moves."


    "..."


    "Is that all?" Amos nonchalantly said.


    "Although we have recently taken full control of the Heavenly Land, the other Royal Families have already established themselves for thousands of years longer than us. If they choose to attack, I am afraid we will not be a match for any of them."


    His First Uncle barked out, "gah! If it wasn''t for those damn bastards we had to fight for all this time, our Krashal Family would have already conquered the world."


    "It was only by a lucky chance they obtained the Heavenly Land first! Even so, we were able to fight them to a stalemate for so long. Serves that damned Family right for getting wiped out in the end!" The Second Uncle added in.


    Over the millenniums of fighting against the old Royal Family, they were the generation that surrendered and lost in shame. All the hopes of their predecessors were on their shoulders, and they were the ones who had to bear the burden of letting them all down. A deep scar was left in their hearts, one that was not healed easily with time.


    "Enough." A soul-stirring command shook through the air. The two elders immediately shut up and threw away their anger, restoring composure. They were the most authoritative figures in the Krashal Family but behaved like children when Amos spoke. For all three in the room, he was held in supreme respect and his words were purely indisputable.


    "Have you two no shame? Don''t forget, it wasn''t us who defeated them. We lost. Like dogs, we already hid out tails away." Amos reminded them in an authoritative tone. He spoke neither fast or slow and was completely calm, unlike his two elder brothers. Suddenly, a profound force erupted from his back, shooting out into the sky. His voice turned many times more powerful. "Don''t take credit for something we didn''t do." Outside, the clouds split apart and evaporated into nothingness.


    "..."


    "You have no need to concern yourself over the other Royal Families. Focus on building our strength for now. We will never be defeated. As long as I''m still alive." Amos'' eyes gleamed in a dangerous light, his aura penetrating through Ral''s in an instant and sending a chill down everyone''s spines.


    Amos was the Krashal King when they were defeated by the Royal Family, but there was a fact that could not be ignored.


    Through each generation of Krashals, their chances of beating the Royal Family were always diminishing. The Royal Family at the time continued to rise in strength at a pace surpassing that of the Krashals. When it got to Amos'' era, the outcome was already foretold. Over thousands of years, the gap between the two families'' power had reached a tipping point. The Krashals were no longer worthy opponents.


    But somehow, they defied all logic.


    In that era, the Krashals came the closest ever to defeating the Royal Family, even when compared to the early times when the two Families were narrowly matched in strength. Rising from the ashes, they exhibited the greatest battles the Western Region has ever seen.


    Their explosive success, all of it was contributed to the man named Amos.

 24 Get Rid Of Him

    "Understood Father."


    Amos continued, "focus on increasing our numbers for now. There''s plenty of time to work with. Exert the next few years on finding kids with potential."


    In reality, Ral only dealt with the tedious matters in the Family. Amos had disappeared from the public eye, but he was still the true mastermind and made all the important decisions. His capabilities were far and beyond his son''s and brothers''. It''d be a long time before control would be relinquished to anyone else.


    Abruptly, Amos'' voice turned cold, instantly freezing the air in the room. "How goes the extermination of those remnants?"


    Being the victim of the question, a death reaper hung above Ral''s head like he was the subject of execution. Feeling the rage and killing intent in his own father''s eyes directed at him, Ral needed a second to regain his cool. He was already long used to the ruthlessness of this merciless man...


    "The ghost squadron wiped out the last of them two months ago." Ral''s responded confidently. The corner of his eyes squinted in a tiny smile. He had been waiting for his father to ask him and was proud to declare the accomplishment of their Family''s long-desired dream.


    Amos reacted a little for the first time. The chilliness in the air dissipated and he simply nodded his head before regaining a neutral bearing. Ral''s First and Second Uncle by the side could not prevent a beaming smile that reeked of haughtiness from appearing on their faces. If it wasn''t for the fact Amos was seated right next to them, they would have acted further in their celebrations.


    "The girl in the Palace. She should be around seven now?" Amos'' apathetic voice made everyone serious again.


    Though he did not show it, Ral felt a sense of dejection. He was anticipating some form of praise, acknowledgment even. But like always, it never came.


    Hiding his feelings within, Ral spoke out energetically with a sharp twink in his eyes. "She''s very promising Father. Like that cursed woman, she inherited all of her talents. Triple Attributes, she has Triple-Attributes!"


    First Uncle: "What did you say!?"


    Second Uncle: "Hahaha. Great! This is our Krashal Family''s fortune. Now our rise to the rulers of Fantasia is only a matter of time. After a millennium of bad luck, the tide has finally turned in our favor!"


    Ral: "I agree First Uncle, Second Uncle. Who would have thought her child would end up in our hands. Haha! What a turn of events. This must be our Family''s salvation!" A few seconds later, his raised hands fell from the air and his excitement died down a little. "Unfortunately, with Elizabeth protecting her... I have no way of bringing her over to our side."


    First Uncle: "Elizabeth? I take it she took a liking to that kid then. That is trouble... we have no way of going against that monster." Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Second Uncle: "... Just thinking about her power sends a chill down my spine. I can''t believe she really came from that place... but we need to think of a way to take the child from her hands. With her ungodly talent, she will become our strongest weapon in the future!"


    First Uncle: "If only we had gotten hold of her when she was still an infant! What a heavy blunder!"


    Amos listened by the side, not chiming in the conversation. Although he was still calm on the outside, he was actually processing many rapid thoughts inside his head. The sudden revelation was an unexpected surprise. To be able to startle him - that showed how powerful the existence of a Triple-Attribute Mage was.


    If it wasn''t for the Queen of the past Royal Family, Amos would have led the Krashal Family into victory long ago. They personally battled on many occasions, and Amos was superior in every aspect in both combat and intelligence. But no matter what he did, he could not beat her, simply because of that pure, unadulterated power which should not belong in this world. Remembering the numerous defeats he suffered and all the times she thwarted his plans, a silent rage was rising inside him.


    Feeling the suffocating oppressiveness in the air, Ral and his Uncles stopped conversing, once again turning silent for Amos'' next words.


    "We should not do anything to anger Elizabeth. Though she is only using us, we are using her as well. You guys are overestimating her too much.


    Keep showing her respect on the surface, forcibly getting rid of her is not an ideal option right now. Just wait for her to leave and that will be the end of it."


    Hearing how Amos spoke so coolly about ''getting rid of her,'' Ral and his Uncles were stunned. They were at a lost for words, not believing their ears for a moment.


    "Has Father advanced again...?" Ral silently pondered in his head. Like his Uncles, exhilaration welled up within, and their gazes held even more reverence.


    Amos paid no attention to their reactions. "It''s fine if we can''t do anything to the girl for now. She won''t be going anywhere. But she must start building a foundation now so her talents will be maximized. Appoint the necessary Magic classes for her to attend. Naturally, make sure you acquire the best teachers, the price does not matter."


    "This..." For some reason, Ral did not respond to his father''s command in the usual manner, an especially simple one at that. A bead of sweat formed on his head and he turned to the ground, avoiding eye contact.


    "What is it?" Amos'' voice pierced through Ral, almost making him jump in fright. His eyes squinted dangerously.


    "I-I have already tried arranging lessons for her to take, but she refused to go to any of them. Even Elizabeth helped to persuade and tell her she only needed to come once, but she has rejected every time!"


    "What?" The daggers in the air were becoming sharper, and Ral could feel them encroaching on him...


    "A boy! It''s because of a boy!" Ral confirmed his father was listening. "His name is Austin, he is good friends with the girl and is always with her. He should be the reason why she doesn''t want to attend the classes!"


    Hearing this, Amos turned disinterested once again and the tension in the air vanished. "That''s it? Just get rid of him then."


    Ral quickly spoke, not wanting to incite the wrath of his father again. "His mother is the personal maid of Elizabeth. Will that be ok?"


    Amos turned his back to Ral, facing the sky and falling back to meditation. He waved his hand casually, "that''s fine. Do what you have to do." Not sparing a single thought in taking the life of a child to achieve his plans, Amos was a truly merciless creature.


    "Understood." Marking his leave, Ral bowed in respect and vanished from the spot.


    The white, arcane-like mist returned and veiled the room.

 25 Austins Dream

    A week later.


    In the garden of the Royal Residence, Austin was laying down on a small mound in the shade of a tree. His arms were placed behind his head and his eyes were closed in relaxation. Inside his mouth, a leaf was being chewed on, carrying the fragrance of a lazy spring day.


    "Look Austin!"


    His ears twitched, hearing a shrill and excited voice. Opening his eyes at the sight before him, a buoyant smile blossomed on his face.


    In plain view, Laura was frolicking among the assortment of beauteous flowers.


    Tentatively taken care of every day, they were all fully bloomed and rich in color, painting a mesmerizing landscape with Laura''s vibrant, silken dress as she skipped around and laughed in joy.


    The sun shone brightly in the clear, blue sky and her hair danced happily in the cool breeze. She had gone back to being her child-life self and it was a happy occasion for Austin to celebrate.


    Laura had been without any worries for her entire life. As the Princess, she had always gotten what she wanted and was not yet acquainted with the feeling of being let down. There would come a point when every once innocent child has to break out of their shell. For Laura, Austin had always been half of her life. When he disappeared, Laura was hit especially hard and she felt real sadness for the first time.


    She was introduced to the reality of life and was able to grow up a little after that experience. Unfortunately, it made her even more attached to Austin.


    For every day of the last week, Austin was forced to hug Laura to sleep, feed her every meal, even going as far as to change her clothes in the morning and night. Laura got rid of all the maids who used to tend to her and made Austin take on all of their duties. Before, he was only a slacking butler, but now he had become something like a slave.


    Austin only accepted and allowed her to act like this to make up for the suffering he caused her. To control her behavior, he was only going to pamper her until she got better. Even though Laura was a wild Princess and did not listen to anyone including Elizabeth, she had never been able to go against what Austin said.


    "This is for you Austin!"


    Laura had a brilliantly purple lilac in her hand. She picked the best-looking one in the garden.


    Holding it in front of Austin, she excitedly showed it off. "Your eyes are so beautiful Austin, I choose the prettiest one because it matches them!" She bent down in front of Austin, wanting him to take it from her.


    Austin sat up and put his hand on her head, tenderly stroking it. "Haha, thank you, Laura. What a lovely gift." Laura closed her eyes as she enjoyed Austin''s touch with a blissful grin.


    Austin took the flower from her hand but did not hold onto it. When she opened her eyes, Austin was suddenly only a few inches away. He delicately tucked the lilac into Laura''s ear, wrapping it around her velvety hair to keep it in place. Stupefied, Laura''s small, cute eyes were staring right at Austin.


    Completing the finishing touches, Austin moved backward and nodded in approval of his fine creation. "Mn, like I thought, it fits very well on you Laura." The bright purple of the lilac matched gorgeously with her dark black hair, making her even more adorable.


    Laura, not expecting her gift to be given back to her, could not respond in surprise. She slowly brought a hand up to her hair and touched the flower very carefully. A warmth was still there from when Austin was holding it. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    She turned to Austin with her gaze pointed slightly downwards, her hand not leaving the flower. "But... I got this for you..."


    Austin smiled at her. "You gave it to me so I''m giving it to you. It looks very beautiful on you so keep it."


    Finally, Laura was not able to contain her joy. She jumped up in happiness and said to Austin, "then let''s go and find more flowers! Come on Austin!" She tugged on his hand, trying to pull him up.


    But Austin only laughed and fell back onto the ground. "It won''t look good with so many of them on your head, one is enough. You have much more to learn about the beauty of a woman Laura."


    Laura''s smile turned into a pout and her sudden adrenaline rush became vexation, displeased by how Austin treated her. She plopped down with a thud next to him with her head buried between her knees, looking like she was sulking.


    Austin bitterly smiled. ''Why did she get so angry?'' He tugged on her shoulder, "ok ok. I only said that because you look better with one flower. Don''t get mad."


    Laura brought her head out from between her knees and faced Austin. Tears were glistening down her face.


    Caught off guard, Austin panicked, sitting up in fright. "Hey..."


    "Do you, have to leave?" Laura''s voice was shaky.


    Understanding what happened now, Austin''s tenseness relaxed. He let out a sigh. "...It''s not like you won''t see me again. I will come and visit often."


    "But why?" More tears gushed out from her eyes.


    Austin did not give her a reply straightaway. He turned his head to the boundless blue sky and whispered, "why huh..."


    With stars twinkling in his eyes, he sat up a little straighter. "I have a dream to explore the entire world, to see and feel everything out there." Austin became fervent and revealed a mesmerizing smile. "I want to reach the most magical place in the universe.


    That''s why..."


    Laura was dumbfounded. Her mouth widened into an O-shape and the stars in Austin''s eyes seemed to enter into hers. She was breath-taken, only able to entertain one thought at the time. ''Amazing...''


    While the two were captured in a stupor, they did not notice a maid that was hiding in the shadows behind them, listening in on their conversation. Her eyes were targeted on the naive boy, revealing a sinister smile and morphing into the darkness. She left the scene.

 26 Marry Me

    Having left the garden, the two of them returned to the Residence. Something heavy was on Laura''s mind and she was lost in thought.


    A maid respectfully bowed and greeted them as they approached the entrance to the building. "Your Highness, lunch has been prepared."


    "Really? Great, let''s go!" The mention of food snapped Laura out of her daze and she started running off. Watching Laura hop away, Austin was left standing there with a feeling of deja vu, but then he felt a soft cushion in his hand. Laura came back, grabbing Austin and dragging him away with her.


    In the dining hall, there was a spread of meat, pastries and other sumptuous delicacies presented on the long trestle table. It was an inexplicable amount of food for a child, but somehow Laura was always able to fit all of it into that tiny body of hers.


    Laura eagerly brought Austin to the middle of the table, not wasting another breath of time.


    She had become more comfortable with holding Austin''s hand. His acts of intimacy over the past week were weird and wonderful to Laura, who quickly got addicted to it like a dangerous drug.


    Sitting down in her seat, Laura picked up the clean, white napkin on the table and tied it around her neck. As Royalty, she had learned some basic etiquette in dining. Actually, this was not normal but Laura always dirtied her clothes with food. Because of this, Austin told her to start doing so and she, of course, obliged.


    After Laura was done, she excitedly extended her small arms outwards to grab her favorite foods. One by one, her plate filled up with a combination of different flavors, but they all shared one thing in common - sweet and colorful.


    When it was full, she turned to her side with an expectant look on her face.


    Austin sat beside her, watching the young girl in amusement. He showed a funny smile when Laura looked at him. "What?"


    "Feed me!" Laura had a grin on her face as she held a spoon up, gesturing for Austin to take it.


    Austin''s brow creased. "I told you I would only do that until you got better." He chuckled, "you look perfectly fine to me now."


    Laura curled her lips, childish anger shone through her eyes. She was indignant. ''How could he stop all of a sudden...''


    For the past week, Austin fed her for every meal because she did not have the strength to eat herself in the beginning. However, as days went by and she became healthier, it became something she would look forward to for the whole day. Laura could not believe what she had been missing out before and was determined to make Austin feeding her a tradition. It felt ten, no, one hundred times better than when she ate herself.


    Having tried in the past, she knew anger would not help against Austin like it did towards Elizabeth so Laura changed her tactics. She became timid, sinking down into her seat and looked at him with puppy eyes. This was the only way Austin would give in so it became her strategy for whenever she wanted something. Alas, Austin did not let her wish come true. How could he keep on feeding her forever? "Eat." Ignoring her, he started plating his own food.


    Laura was aggrieved by Austin''s lack of a reaction. But she was more upset about him rejecting her. Different from his usual attitude, Austin had started taking care of her and it gave her a happiness she never felt before.


    ''What should I do...'' Laura did not give up on her attempts to coerce Austin, leaving the food in front of her untouched.


    "If you want someone to feed you so much, ask your mom or one of the maids."


    Laura slammed her hand on the table and glared at him. "That''s not the same! You have to do it Austin."


    Austin was biting on a chicken leg, muffling in a confused tone. "Huh? Why me?"


    "Because, Because..." Her gaze became unfocused as she tried finding an answer. "Austin, marry me!"


    "Pffft" By reflex, Austin spit out the food in his mouth. He warily turned to look at Laura with the chicken leg still in his hand. "What-what did you say?"


    Laura had a completely serious expression on her face. Eyes blazing in passion, she looked earnestly at Austin. "Marry me! If you marry me, you can take care of me for the rest of my life!"


    Austin was bewildered by her sudden request. "Uhh, where did you hear that from Laura?"


    "From the maid! She said after marrying, the man and woman can do anything like sleeping with each other. Also! They will be together forever, so I can come with you to travel the world! That''s why we should just do it. I will ask Mom, she will definitely agree." Laura was becoming more and more excited, getting ready to run away and look for Elizabeth.


    Austin helplessly smiled. ''This girl, isn''t she too naive?''


    "Hah, it doesn''t work like that silly. Marriage isn''t such a simple thing that anyone can just do." Thinking of the other statement Laura made, Austin became a bit concerned. He told her with a stern face, "and don''t think about traveling the world with me." The places he will go would definitely not be safe.


    Laura did not back down. "Why not? I want to go to a magical place too, it sounds fun!"


    Seeing her attitude, Austin became gentle and patted her head, informing her, "what you are thinking of is not the same thing. You don''t know anything about the world yet, it is far more of a dangerous place than you think. What about your Mother? And how will the Royal Princess suddenly leave and never come back?"


    Hit with the barrage of reasoning, Laura did not question why Austin knew so much even though they were the same age. He had always known everything and she just assumed it was natural in her mind.


    Laura did not know how to respond...


    "Then... why can''t we get married?" Her enthusiasm died down, somewhat knowing Austin was right, but she did not stop picking at straws.


    Hearing Laura still not giving up, Austin was amazed in his heart. "Maybe when you get older we can talk about it." He did not want to totally destroy her hopes and put her mood down in the slumps after she had just recovered, so he made up a line to wave it off. Of course, Austin did not really mean it. ''Marriage? Didn''t I just say I will be traveling the world? And how is to possible for the Royal Princess to marry a servant with no status...''


    "Really!?" Laura was thrilled.


    "Yea yea." Not interested anymore, Austin went back to eating.


    He wasn''t aware that his casual words ignited a spark in Laura that could not be put out anymore.


    Beside him, Laura was remembering all the things she heard from the maid when two people get married, fidgeting with excitement. ''Once we get married... Austin will take me with him.'' This thought reigned above the others and she had never felt so happy before. Although it wouldn''t make sense for Austin to take her with him to travel the world considering everything he just said, Laura blocked all of it out, her imagination running wild.


    Out of nowhere, a tremendously loud, manly voice rang through the residence.


    "HAHAHA! ELENA! SON! I"M BACK!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.

 27 Bram

    The voice was so loud it penetrated through the entire residence and drummed on everyone''s ear bells.


    "Uncles'' back!" Laura''s eyes gleamed in shimmer and she shouted excitedly.


    "That fool..." Austin groaned with annoyance. He knew who it was straight away. Only one man had the audacity to come anywhere near the residence and make such a big disturbance. Who else could it be but his father?


    A metallic noise was made from the grinding of a chair shifting against the floor. Next thing he knew, Laura had already run off with a spring in her step, forgetting about eating anything altogether. Austin''s puckered expression loosened and he grudgingly followed after her, a smile appearing on his face as he left the Dining Hall.


    Where the entrance of the Residence opened into, several maids were gathered in the large, open hall around a big, burly man. Being at least 1 to 2 heads taller than everyone there, he was easily spotted in the crowd.


    Most of the maids there were alarmed and had defensive stances. They knew Elizabeth did not allow any man near the Residence. They thought the one who had suddenly barged in was an intruder. The rest of the maids, however, were describing the situation and calming everyone down. They had been in the Residence longer and clearly knew the visitor who was treating this place as his own home.


    Amid all the chaos, the man was just standing there like he had nothing to do with anything. He was the biggest person the maids have ever seen.


    Thick, broad shoulders with large, intimidating muscles, his body was shaped more like an ape than a human''s. He was dressed in a golden-red cloak and wore full-body armor made of some type of uncommon metal. Latched onto his back, was a gigantic mallet nearly the same size as him and judging by its appearance, weighed a thousand tonnes.


    Without a doubt, the man was a top-tier warrior. He had gentle, purplish eyes with short, messy black hair. Smiling from ear to ear, he gave off a very friendly vibe that did not complement his tyrannical body. The unnerved maids of the Royal Residence were elite Warriors, but they were too scared to make a move.


    After a short period, the place calmed down and two silhouettes appeared. Seeing who had come, the maids instantly parted and made an opening for them.


    "Husband!" One of them was Elena. She walked hastily towards the man in a flustered manner and jumped into his arms. Seeing their cold and mighty Head Maid''s behavior, most of the maids had their eyes widened in surprise, immediately thanking their instincts for not attacking the man earlier.


    Bram opened his bulky arms in welcome of Elena. The thickness of his arms seemed like it would crush her but Elena showed no discomfort and her own arms wrapped around his.


    "You''re back..." Elena said warmly with watery eyes. She was a sentimental woman. Her love for Austin and Bram were the most precious things in her world and she would do anything for them. After half a year of being away, her husband had come back at last.


    Seeing Elena after so long, Bram''s loud voice became quiet and his exuberance from when had arrived coiled out. Letting out a deep breath of air, Bram whispered back to her, "I''m back..." His shoulders dropped a little and the burning zeal in his eyes turned into a calming passion. Finally hit with the reality of arriving home, Bram realized his body and mind were drained and worn out.


    Behind them, Elizabeth looked at her only two friends in the world with a brimming smile. Over the past six months, she had spotted Elena with a melancholic gaze when she was alone on a few occasions. Elizabeth was glad he came back safe and sound, knowing what he set out to do a half a year ago was a difficult mission.


    Then, another two silhouettes appeared from the entrance to the hall, this time sporting a child''s figure.


    "Mother!"


    Turning around, Laura was adorably running towards her with her arms outstretched. Elizabeth''s smiled turned brighter as she picked Laura up. Her little girl had finally returned to normal and called her ''Mother'' again.


    Glancing over Laura''s shoulder, Elizabeth spotted an Austin who was calmly walking over. Because of his unique appearance, his presence was hard not to notice. Elizabeth found his some-what carefree behavior funny. She winked at him, then signaled for the maids to leave the hall. In tandem, they all left immediately. The Residence was usually peaceful and quiet apart from Laura''s periodic outbursts, so the sudden occurrence caused some murmuring among the maids as they were leaving.


    Austin was smiling with dimpled cheeks when out of nowhere, he felt a sharp chill down his spine!


    !!!


    Quickly turning to the direction of where it came from, Austin saw half the figure of a maid who was exiting the hall around a corner. It was only for a split second, but Austin saw her gazing straight at him just before she twirled around and left.


    It had been a very long time but he most certainly could not mistake that feeling.


    After a lifetime of slaughter and death, it had been deeply engraved into his bones.


    ''Was that killing intent?''


    Seeing Austin stop in his tracks and glancing elsewhere, Elizabeth peered over to where his sights were trained on and saw nothing but empty space. She confusedly questioned him, "Austin? What are you doing?"


    Austin spent a second longer in thought before turning around to meet Elizabeth. He brightly smiled like nothing had happened and started walking again. "Nothing!"


    To the newcomer, Austin shouted, "Welcome home Father!"


    "Son! Wow. You''ve gotten so big, I almost couldn''t recognize you!" Bram was more than double Austin''s height so he had to bend down to ruffle his hair. With a proud and cheerful expression, he declared, "Hahahaha, my son turned out so handsome! You have your father to thank for your luck with girls in the future!"


    Elena clicked her tongue and snarled, "You? He looks nothing like you. If my husband had even half of my son''s handsomeness than I would be happy forever!" Elena was usually reserved but her true side was brought out in this merry moment.


    ''Ahahaha..." Bram was crouching in front of Austin as he awkwardly laughed. Hearing Elena''s words, he stared keenly at his son for a few long seconds before scratching his head. "Really... he does not look like me..."


    They both had purple eyes and naturally friendly faces, but Austin''s eyes were much brighter and beautiful. They were simply a magnet of captivation. His sculpted nose and thin lips looked nothing like Bram''s big mouth and nose. One of them had exquisite facial features at the epitome of handsomeness whilst the other looked... well, dumb.


    "Arghh, why is my son so much better looking than me!" Bram was grieving as he gripped onto Austin and shook him back and forth by the shoulders.


    Elizabeth was chuckling by the side, her proud mountains moving in spectacular fashion with the momentum.


    Laura jumped out of her arms and stood up to Bram, tugging his elephant-like arm to get his attention. When she heard what Bram said about Austin, her excitement was lost and she became upset. Being provoked, she took action and had an intimidating look in her eyes. "Uncle!"


    Bram felt a soft little thing beside him and turned to his side, he beamed with happiness seeing the cute girl. He picked her up instead of answering. "Oh my! Is that Laura?" Bram stood up himself and held her into the air, then rubbed his rough stubble against her chin. Feeling how soft it was, he was delighted. "Hahaha. You''re grown even cuter!"


    "Stop it uncle!" Laura did not like it, flailing her arms and trying to push him away, but the strength she mustered did not move Bram an inch.


    "Oh, sorry I couldn''t help it!" Bram put her down after seeing Laura''s reaction and she ran to Elizabeth unhappily.


    "Why did you do that to Laura!" Elena hit her husband and condemned him. She apologetically looked at Elizabeth.


    "Hehe, it''s ok. Laura is not really angry." Elizabeth chimed in whilst Laura was hugging onto her leg. She warmly smiled at Bram "Welcome back."


    Bram grinned. "Thanks Elizabeth. Look''s like you''re doing well." He set his gigantic mallet down, It dropped down with so much heavy force that it looked the floor would be crushed.


    Laura quickly stopped looking at him with irritation after a while and went up to him again. This time welcoming him with a hug to which Bram happily replied and patted her head. The two of them looked more like child and father than Austin did. In fact, Bram has always treated Laura as his daughter because she never had a ''real'' father.


    "Has Austin been treating you well?" Bram asked Laura with a doting expression.


    "Yes! Very well!" Laura liked Bram so much not only because he was a parent to her, but because he spoiled and protected her. Remembering what Austin said in the Dining Hall, Laura happily beamed. "Austin said-"


    "Ahem." Austin coughed. ''Wait, don''t tell them that!'' He blinked repeatedly at Laura, signaling for her not to continue.


    "Dad must be tired. Mother, you should go rest with him first." He quickly made up an excuse.


    "Haha, my son is caring as ever." Bram ruffled Austin''s head again and messed his hair further. "I am indeed very tired. So, what do you say, to our room?" Bram smiled at Elena with an enthusiasm that hid another intent in mind.


    "Okay then. We will go and rest first." Elena''s cheeks blushed a little.


    "Go ahead. We will prepare a feast tonight so make sure you don''t ''sleep'' for too long." Elizabeth humidly smiled at Elena and encouraged them to leave.


    "That sounds good, see you later then!" Bram, not caring for the sparks between the two women, quickly left the hall with Elena''s hand in hold.


    ''Those two...'' Although Austin was plenty mature enough. It felt weird no matter what knowing what his parents were up to. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    A pair of arms unexpectedly swiped him up and his head landed against two squashy cushions. "Austin! I haven''t seen you for sooo long!" Elizabeth cuddled him in her bosom.


    Laura was pulling her leg and jumping up trying to catch Austin''s foot. "Mother, stop! You''re hurting him!"


    Austin inwardly sighed. "What kind of a reunion is this..."

 28 Seed Of Hope

    The day passed with everyone having a big meal together to celebrate Bram''s homecoming. Just with his addition, there was twice the amount of food the four of them usually had, and for good reason. The big hulk man shoveled food into his mouth like there was no tomorrow with a bottomless pit as a stomach. Laura, the other glutton, was motivated and she ate with even more zest. The two of them were sitting next to each other and it looked like a master and disciple act.


    Loudly laughing the whole time, Bram was enjoying his first proper meal for six months. Alcohol was even brought out and Austin saw his mother tipsy for the first time. The entire atmosphere in the Residence was like a happy festival.


    At the end of their meal, Elena announced they would be leaving in a few days.


    After their ''steamy'' reunion, she told Bram about what happened to Austin when he was away, not leaving out any details and describing the story in full. Bram, finding out about Austin''s unique constitution and the ridiculous things he had done could hardly believe it. He expected his child''s talent to be high in the path of magic, but Austin was not in the realm of normal.


    Elena was an elite Mage, but she had become a maid that stayed in the Palace and stopped participating in outside endeavors. Bram, on the other hand, was one of the top adventurers in the whole continent. He had seen many more things than Elena and had a lot more fighting experience. In terms of knowledge of Mages in Fantasia, he was among the richest in it. Therefore, he simply could not believe Elena''s words at first and asked repeatedly to confirm if his ears were working correctly.


    Austin''s case could not be described as ''rare'' anymore, it was truly a one of a kind abnormality that has never occurred in the world of magic. Bram immediately understood how severe the situation was and the grave dangers that would fall if Austin''s talent in magic was ever discovered. Although Bram played dumb, he was definitely not as clueless as he looked. This issue was regarding his treasured son.


    When Elena revealed she had not told anyone about the situation yet, Bram let out a deep breath of relief. "Good, you did the right thing. This matter is too important, we cannot afford to make any mistakes... We indeed should live somewhere else in seclusion for a while, at least until Austin grows up and matures his powers. Haaa... though it does pain me to have to give up adventuring. Haha, how did we give birth to such a monster Elena."


    "Don''t ask me. I''m only glad we will finally be able to spend time as a family together. Even after our son came into the world, you did not stop doing those dangerous things. I know you are plenty capable but I get so worried every time you leave... This time, you even left for an entire six months!"


    Seeing the upset Elena who turned her back to him in grief, Bram hugged her and softly laughed. "Sorry dear, but you know what kind of a person I am. I can''t help myself when I think about a part of the world waiting to be explored. But my family is of course the most important in the world! I will retire for now and look after my precious wife and son."


    "Good." Elena happily smiled and their lips intertwined in an affectionate kiss.


    ...


    In the darkness of the night, a maid''s blurry figure could be seen appearing and disappearing in the shadowy alleys, getting closer to the Royal Palace.


    Ral sat in solitude and silence on the throne. The air stifled in his oppressive aura with only the reflections of the moon''s shimmering glow serving as light.


    A woman suddenly appeared before Ral, putting one knee down in reverence. She was the maid Austin had seen in the Residence.


    "King."


    "Report."


    "In a week''s time, Austin will be leaving. Elena and Bram will be traveling with him."


    Ral''s eye twitched. "Bram? He came back? That man will be troublesome..."


    "Take ghost squadrons 1 and 2. Make sure they have moved far enough from the Palace before you intercept. Elizabeth must not find out at all costs. As for Bram..."


    Suddenly a profound voice descended, echoing through the grand hall.


    "Proceed as planned, your uncles will take care of that man."


    ...


    Laura was laying down in bed as Austin sat on a small stool next to her, reading a bed-time story. Her eyes were trained attentively on him as a soothing voice trickled out elegantly.


    "And the two lived happily ever after."


    Austin closed the book and put it down.


    "Can you read it again?" Laura said with sparkling eyes.


    "You''ve heard it so many times already. It''s time to sleep now." Austin came forwards to tuck her underneath the blanket. Laura looked like she wanted to argue but didn''t say anything more.


    Laura whimpered. "I don''t think I can fall asleep Austin..." She wanted him to sleep with him but he clearly did not plan to.


    Austin smiled helplessly, sitting himself back on the small stool. "I will stay here until you do then."


    "Mn." Laura closed her eyes looking like she was going to sleep but turned around to Austin a few moments later. She brought out her snow-white arm from under the blanket and extended it towards Austin. "Can you hold my hand?"


    "Okay."


    Austin smiled and held onto her soft hand. They will be separating soon so he had to give in to her a bit.


    "I want to be like the Princess in the book." Laura softly said whilst staring into the ceiling


    Austin inquired, "how so?"


    "I... don''t know. But she was able to make her dreams come true!"


    Austin, remembering a certain friend in his past life, reminiscently said in a calming ocean tone. "that''s because she had courage, was strong and endured when everyone was against her. She overcame many hardships to fight for her dream."


    Laura did not know the words Austin used, but what he said resonated in her heart. The corners of her mouth widened as a seed of hope grew into a sprout of determination. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.

 29 Departure

    Waiting outside the residence, there was a luxurious carriage lead by two beautiful horses with majestic golden hair and powerful, muscular frames. The carriage was a form of transportation reserved for only the top figures in the Nation. On it bared the flag of the Krashal Family.


    The sun was rising on the horizon with dawn breaking, painting a canopy of gold amid the deep, dark blue. The darkness surrendered, giving way to the vibrancy of a colorful morning.


    At the entrance, Elena and Bram were standing in wait for the arrival of their son.


    Elena was staring into the sunrise with a happy smile on her face. The light of the Earth greeted her back in its luminescent warmth. Bram had a silly grin looking at Elena''s figure, enchanted by this beautiful scene - she always seemed to have an indescribable affinity with nature.


    Ready to set out again, Bram was dressed in the warrior clothing that had ventured with him for all his journeys. There were a few small scratches in the metal armor, but it shone gloriously in the bright sunny rays and made him look like a holy knight.


    ...


    Austin was getting ready to leave Laura''s room. He took one last look at her fair, lily-white face. Her honey sweet lips were sparsely parted as she lightly inhaled and exhaled. He extended his fingers to her silky, mid-night black hair spread messily on the pillow. He gently tidied it up, giving her one last affectionate smile before turning around and walking away. Upon the door closing, a quiet click resounded through the now silent room. A few delicate tears befell the pillow.


    Outside the room, Austin was greeted by a smiling Elizabeth. She seemed to have been standing there for awhile, waiting for him to appear. The smile she wore contained an intrigue that was inquisitive - it was not dainty and innocent like normal. Austin looked at her all-too alluring face that held little to no semblance to Laura''s. Underneath her sleek sleeping gown, Elizabeth''s seductive body was vaguely displayed in a tease. Austin felt a foreboding sense of danger.


    Behind her back, Elizabeth''s hands moved in a mystical motion. The mana in the air was manipulated but it was too intrinsic for Austin to detect.


    Time came to a standstill as Elizabeth continued to stare and probe into his soul, as if she was treating him an equal instead of innocent child.


    Suddenly the pressure dropped and she said in a nonchalant manner, "make sure no one else finds out you used those spellbooks in the library. I''ve wiped the guards memories so there is nothing to worry about."


    ''Huh? Did Elena tell her about it? Eh, that makes sense after all. The two of them are close friends...''


    ''Wait. That''s not right!''


    "Your Majesty, I don''t know what you''re talking about." Austin replied with a vacant look saying he had no idea what she said. However, his slight moment of hesitance was not missed by Elizabeth''s sharp eyes.


    Elizabeth told Elena she would not bother with happened to Austin in the month he went missing. In honesty, there was a raging curiosity burning inside her. She had spent the last few weeks retracing her steps, searching for hints and trying to find out where he had been. In the end, there was only one possible conclusion - Austin had to have somehow entered a forbidden room in the Library, and the only room important enough to warrant secrecy was where the Rank 0 Spellbooks were located. Having tested him before, she knew the hidden capabilities of the boy in front of her.


    Elizabeth''s smile widened as if she has caught her prey. She did not respond to Austin but her graceful figure moved closer to him. Austin remained calm on the outside but he was sweating on the inside. Looking at her mocking eyes and taunting smile, he knew she had most likely caught on to his lie. ''Oh no...'' Austin had no way out, he could only wait and see what Elizabeth would do to him. Whatever it was, it wasn''t going to be pleasant...


    He had his Godly Grade Skill - Magical Eyes, but it offered no help in this situation. Regardless if he knew the spells Elizabeth possessed, it''s not like he had any combat power to resist. Plus, there were also restrictions and limits to using such an overpowered skill. Austin knew Elizabeth was not going to hurt him in any way. But with the cat and mouse game they have been playing with each other, there''s no telling how she is going to use this advantage...


    Elizabeth was now standing directly in front of Austin. A feminine, pleasant smell permeated through his nose. Austin was still playing the act of a child, hoping she was just behaving weirdly and did not realize his mistake. But seeing her looking down at him with the same, unperturbed expression - he knew the act was over.


    Elizabeth crouched down and opened her arms in invitation.


    "..."


    Elizabeth instigated with a menacing smile. Something bad was definitely going to happen if he did not cooperate.


    Austin stayed still for a few seconds before eventually ditching his performance and breathing out a sigh. Elizabeth saw the change in Austin''s disposition for the first time but was not surprised, keeping her arms outstretched.


    ...


    "Austin, you''re finally here! We were ready to go and get you."


    The sun had risen higher into the sky and the darkness of dawn had fully retreated.


    "I saw him on the way out and talked to him for awhile. I had to say goodbye to my dear Austin!" Elizabeth followed out behind him with a glimmering smile. She was no longer dressed in her sleeping gowns.


    "Elizabeth, you didn''t have to get up so early for us," Elena said.


    "Hehe, I know you won''t be moving far away, but I had to take one last look at my friends leaving." Elizabeth explained, glancing meaningfully at Austin as she did so. She thought about revealing the truth and keep them here but decided against doing so. The Palace was not the safest place for them to be... Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Seeing their inside interaction, Elena had a questioning look in her gaze. She was about to say something when Bram''s loud voice interjected. "Haha, we better get leaving then! Otherwise we''d be travelling through the night. Thanks for preparing this carriage for us Elizabeth, you''re a big help!" He beckoned Austin and Elena to jump onto the carriage.


    "Don''t mention it. you guys go and spend some family time together. Come and visit when you can." Elizabeth said her parting words through the window.


    "We will. Goodbye Elizabeth." Elena said back with a farewell smile. Austin stayed silent by her side, not saying a word to Elizabeth who did not seem to mind.


    "Yup!" The carriage started leaving with Bram at the seat reigning the horses.

 30 Danger

    "Did something happen with Elizabeth Austin?" Elena inquired as they moved out of the Palace. With the day just beginning, there was no one else around except for a few patrolling guards. Seeing Bram leading the carriage, they all stopped and saluted. The guards were all apathetic in appearance and did not seem like the type of men who would react to anything, but there was homage in their expressions. Clearly, Bram was a well-known and respected figure in the Nation.


    "Nothing at all," Austin responded to Elena whilst fiddling with something underneath the hems of his sleeves.


    He lied.


    In the end, Elizabeth found out what Austin had done. He first tried to fib and tell her he had just been stuck in the hidden room for a month. Unfortunately, Elizabeth was very thorough in her investigations. She knew the guardians had checked the room during that time and pointed out his lie immediately. Following her warning, she became even more intimidating and looked like she wouldn''t go easy on him if he lied to her again.


    Austin had no choice but to spill the beans.


    Like she suspected but did not dare believe, Elizabeth confirmed he had entered the star constellation. Learning of his affinity to at least five Magical Attributes, Elizabeth did not freak out as much as Elena or Bram did. Instead, she went deep into thought and was completely silent for a whole minute. Her arms were wrapped out Austin the entire time and he felt chills every time her sweet breaths trickled his neck.


    But Elizabeth did not do anything more to Austin like he thought she would. She did not ask what he received from the star constellation or any other questions. Instead, she put him on the ground and pulled out the necklace around her neck, passing it to him with a palpable trembling in her hands. Befuddled, Austin looked at the out-of-character Elizabeth with peculiarity.


    "Leave the Palace - that is a wise choice. It is not the safest place you can be. Unfortunately, I do not have the power to protect you by your side.


    This is a life-saving treasure. Use it if you ever get into danger. In return for it, I only hope you will help me out with something in the future. Remember this, your safety is the most important. Stay alive at all costs."


    Austin had never seen Elizabeth so serious before. Her gaze was strange and almost pleading like, seeming to contain a faint trace of yearning within it.


    He was taken aback by her sudden soberness.


    Then, she transformed back just as quickly. "I will keep your secret safe. Let''s get going now." She returned to her usual smile and tugged him by the hand.


    ...


    Austin thought back on what Elizabeth told him. ''The Residence isn''t the safest place even with her there? Isn''t Elizabeth supposed to be stronger than the King? That should make her the most powerful figure in the Krashal Family.''


    He recalled the maid in the residence. ''What other dangers are hidden there...?''


    Caressing the necklace, Austin exposed it slightly from underneath his sleeves. He then inspected it; a rainbow of colors gathered in his bright, purple eyes before dissipating in an instant. Austin felt a great wave of lethargy rush over him. All his energy was sapped performing this action just once. He was barely able to sit up straight but kept his composure next to Elena with an iron-clad will.


    In his mind, Austin was laughing to himself. ''Who was I kidding.... of course it would have some limits. Otherwise, it would be too overpowered. Haha, I don''t know if I''m happy about this or not. Apart of me wanted to be an unstoppable Demon King. Well, let''s be realistic here...''


    At that moment, Austin had activated his Magical eyes to inspect the necklace Elizabeth had given him. Austin was curious because she was wearing it on her body before giving it to him and told him it was a life-saving treasure. Judging by her serious demeanor when she passed it to him, he knew it had to be something special. His skill could see through all Magic but it was the first time using it on an object. Fortunately, it worked on non-living things. The price for activating it, however, even just for a short moment, was significant.


    ''Pendant of ***.''


    Upon use, the user will *** Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ''So there are Magical items like this as well...''


    From reading the books in the Library, Austin knew Magic could be imbued into items for enhancements. Looking at the coruscate armor Bram was wearing, he was sure it was not normal. However, it was Austin''s first time hearing of anything like this pendant.


    Magical accessories offered enhancements more unique compared to other equipment and were the rarest in Fantasia. But the one in his hands was even more uncommon. It had a skill itself embedded with it; one so nature-defying at that. How is this possible...


    What kind of monster could have made this?


    Austin was perplexed - Elizabeth had really given him a priceless treasure for seemingly no good reason. She said he wanted him to do something for her in the future, but what could it be that was so important?


    Besides curiosity, an impeding discomfort was tapping on the wall to his mind. He felt it, but could not pinpoint its source...


    On the rocky road, the fast-moving carriage rocked up and forth on the sticks and stones.


    The family of three were moving back to Elena''s hometown, which was not too far away but did require a few days of travel.


    Not bustling with people and being fairly close to the Palace - It was an ideal place for them to stay.


    Elena happily conversed with Bram, sharing memories of her old home and all the people she knew there.


    In the once-clear sky above them, a low growl of thunder danced across the gathering gloomy clouds.


    ...


    The grey skies welcomed the opening eyes of two old masters.


    "Brother, is fighting Bram worth it to get rid of his kid? We know not of his true strength, but that man will be no pushover."


    Amos'' eyes were closed in meditation, his decision already made.


    "It is unfortunate for him to be the father of the kid, but that does not change my plans. There is no need to take any risks. Don''t fight him, just keep him distracted and kill the target. There should be no problem with the two of you going. The girl is an important piece on our board, there must be no accidents," he said in a cold, calm tone.


    "Remember to check for prying eyes before engaging, and limit your powers to be safe."


    Amos'' long, white hair fluttered with a ''swoosh'' of wind. The two wooden mats beside him now empty.

 31 Father And Son

    ''zssst''


    The dying fire hissed and crackled, announcing its desire to return back to life. As if an act of hatred for being on the brink of perishing - the rejuvenated fire expelled venomous smokes of air that started spreading outwards to the ones responsible. But before they were able to invade, the surrounding air turned many times chillier. The smoke became frozen in a mist, disintegrating into tiny ice particles that fell to the ground.


    Bram dusted off the dirt in his hands and spoke up in goading praise, "spectacular work as always my wife." In a blur, his six-foot mallet somehow vanished from being clasped on his back, reappearing again in his mighty right hand. Like beautiful art, the icy crystals falling towards the fire were blown away with exquisite control. Bram looked at Elena and smiled foolishly, "but do be careful not to extinguish the fire. As someone who adventures the world, he is my most treasured companion."


    Elena''s arm was emanating with cold mist. She put it down and shot a disgruntled look towards Bram, his mallet now returned to his back. It was a weapon made for giants, but Bram handled it like a short sword that weighed a few feathers rather than a huge hammer hundreds of tonnes heavy. The trees some distance away had just stopped swaying from the momentum of his swing.


    "You think just being out of action for a while has made me lose my touch?" Elena stared at Bram with reproach. The cold mist near the fire did not dissipate from the heat but rushed towards Bram in a hostile fashion. His figure was instantly surrounded in it, goosebumps now visible on the hairs of his arms and a small shiver coming out. Bram hugged his burly arms together like a lost child, immediately regretting his actions. He turned to Austin with pleading eyes, seeking a rescue out of this situation.


    Austin was sitting on a small log next to the fire, looking on in entertainment. Elena then revealed a teasing smile and broke into a light chuckle. The chilliness in the air immediately disappeared and Bram strode over to hug Elena in relief. The campfire became warm once again - a warmth that flowed from the air into this sweet moment in time.


    ...


    ''Click''


    In the deep of night, the door to the carriage opened with the large figure of Bram walking out. Inside, Elena was asleep on her own with two empty spots beside her.


    A small region was lit up in the complete darkness. The light was not created with ordinary means - it was pure white, one that flickered in size as if containing life. Looking closer, however, the light was coming from an orb-shaped like a mini white sun. Below it was the palm of a child generating the ball of light with seemingly no effort.


    Austin was sitting atop a small rock, gazing out into the starry night sky. There was a distinct craving in his eyes - one that wanted to grow wings and fly out to where the stars lay.


    His ear twitched.


    "Can''t sleep, son?"


    Austin''s violet eyes sparkled in the dark; so deep in color it was hard to imagine they were the eyes of a human. He glanced around and spotted a smiling Bram walking towards him. Instead of his signature big, wide smile, the corners of Bram''s mouth were widened only slightly. His body was a lot slimmer than one would think without his full-body armor.


    "Yeah."


    "Me neither." Bram came up and sat down next to Austin, glancing at the white orb in his palm.


    "Is that light bolt? Must say, I''ve never seen any other Mage using it the way you are. Not like there are that many with the Light Attribute anyways. Hah..." Bram sighed in wallow at his deplorable luck. He was not born with any Magical Attributes, yet all of the elements blessed his son. He didn''t have any and Elena only had the water element, so how did Austin...


    "Do you want to use Magic, Father?" Austin asked him.


    "Who wouldn''t want to, it looks so fun. Of course I do!" Bram was twinkling in excitement imagining all the things he could do. Seeing the pure child-like joy in his eyes, Austin knew he didn''t want to be able to use Magic for the sake of power and strength like everyone else, but simply for the fun of it. Austin smiled to himself, ''I guess it''s true the apple doesn''t fall from the tree.''


    As if it was pre-determined, Austin''s gaze turned back to the stars in the sky just as Bram''s vision moved in the same direction, both with a similar spark in their eyes. Beneath them showed their dreams as well as an immature defiance.


    A cool, night wind blew against their face and cicadas sung in the background. The two sat in peaceful silence with stirred emotions. Only after an unknown amount of time did Austin and Bram start talking. The father and son have not spent much time together because of Bram''s absences. Through the night, they made up for all the lost time and talked about everything they missed out on, at times laughing, smiling and joking. Near the end of the night, Bram''s eyes flashed with something Austin said.


    ...


    Moving through a natural Earthy path surrounded by trees, the carriage was on the road again two days after leaving the Palace. Austin and his parents were close to approaching the borders of the Krashal Nation. They would have to travel on foot once they left its territory. Sitting at the helm, Bram was leaning back in relaxation and humming a song like a man who enjoyed the simple things in life.


    It was a unique experience for him to enjoy the comfort of leisurely travel. Normally, he would either be on horseback or foot rushing about without enough time in the world. But right now, he looked completely free of worries having taken on the role of a family man. At least, that is how it seemed on the outside.


    They did not encounter many people along the way and only met with a few wandering merchants. Unlike the rest of the continent, the Royal Nation was one of the only places free of conflict. After all, there was no real need for travel. Why would these fortunate citizens ever want to leave the safety of their homes?


    Elena''s hometown was in a secluded place not located in any Nation. To get there, they have not been traveling on any smooth roads.


    Though they were being led by the strongest breed of stallion, and their carriage was one of the sturdiest, it could not prevent the bumping along the rocky roads.


    Although the surface has remained the same, the carriage was currently bouncing up and down more than it had been for the past two days.


    "Huh?"


    Bram pulled on the reigns, making the horses come to a stop. He had to control his strength and only use a very small portion of it, otherwise, their heads might just accidentally snap off. Luckily for all the horses in the world, warriors strong enough to do so would not have any difficulties in controlling their power.


    "Grandpa, is something wrong?"


    In the middle of the road, an old man was sitting down on the ground. His white clothes were not dirtied at all and his relaxed posture made him look like he was in his own home instead of this random, remote area.


    Bram jumped off the carriage and walked up to him. The old man''s head was down and seemed to be asleep. He was murmuring something under his breath. When Bram was just about to reach him, he looked up and


    !


    "Fire needles."


    Two projectiles darted out from his eyes, flying straight towards Bram''s.


    At the exact same moment, twenty masked figures dressed in all-black jumped out of the trees, looking towards the carriage. In the air, each of them fired off a slash of wind, aiming for the people inside.


    ''Wind Mages!''


    Bram summoned his mallet to block the projectiles coming towards his face. He had to handle the attack in front of him and could not defend the attacks coming for Austin and Elena. Fortunately, the air slashes did not penetrate through the carriage upon impact, but the assassins were fast approaching. Unbelievably, all twenty of them were Wind Mages. Specializing in quick movement, they were the perfect assassins.


    "Who are you? What do you want!" Bram shouted. He used both hands to heavily swing down in the direction of the invaders. The might of his swing reverberated through the air and was able to force the assassins back. The ones in front fell to the ground while the rest were pushed back by the momentum. Unperturbed, they immediately recovered. Not a single enemy suffered a wound and their movements continued. A light green glowing around their bodies - they were dashing through the air with the use of the Wind element.


    Bram could not believe it. For his attack to have such little effect, the black figures had to be at least Gold-Rank Mages! And there are so many of them!


    Who would send out such a force... What were they after!


    Before he had the chance to take any more action, a deadly heat was rising from behind. The old man was casting another spell, and it looked to be his real attack this time. The fire needles he cast first was just a means of distraction to set up for this moment.


    "Prison of fire."


    A wall of fire suddenly descended upon the eyes-widened Bram, his entire figure now trapped within the burning flames.


    ''This is a Rank 4 spell... the old man is a Fire Mage, and he is Platinum Class at the very least!''


    For Fire Mages that specialized in offensive Magic, Prison of fire is one of the most advanced suppression type spells available to learn. Although it did not have any attacking power, the spell''s trapping ability is on par with Water Mages at the same level.


    "Quickly, he cannot do anything for now. Eliminate the kid before he gets out!" The old man shouted.


    He was Ral''s Second Uncle - one of the secret leaders of the Krashal Family who had been sent here to take Austin''s life.


    He smirked. The execution was perfect, he had used his most powerful trapping spell on Bram, giving them more than enough time to complete the simple task. He felt like he didn''t need to go through the effort of coming up with an elaborate plan. Bram was not as strong as he had thought and got trapped by him so easily. He felt like his brother was being too wary. Looking at the situation now - everything was so easy, there was no need for him to personally come out at all. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    The assassins rushed forwards, now only meters away from the carriage, all of them wielding two short daggers in hand.


    The first one arrived, slashing the carriage open.


    Then!

 32 Attack

    ''Whoosh!''


    Before any of them was able to process another thought, the assassins closest to the carriage turned into frozen statues!


    Unexpectedly, no one was inside the carriage. Instead, what awaited them was a condensed mist of icy air. The windows which had been open all this time were tightly shut on this occasion. It was done so no one could peer into the interior from the outside. It was all a set-up for a trap!


    The icy air was lying in wait within the carriage. It was concentrated to such a high degree that one could have mistaken it for a solid substance instead of gas. As soon as an opening was made, the icy air immediately rushed outwards at rapid speed, engulfing the assassins.


    The coldness was far from anything ordinary - it pierced them so sharply they were not given any time to react or resist. Instantly, a thick sheet of ice formed around their bodies, falling to the ground in complete incapacitation. Wrapped in a glaze of frost, the ones who fell victim to the trap could not even lift a finger. Even their widened eyes were stuck in a frozen state, denied from the ability to blink. Whether they were still alive or not was unknown.


    The assassins furthest away also could not escape in time when the cold mist was unleashed. While saved from immediately turning into chunks of ice, they still suffered great damage.


    The destruction was revealed to Second Uncle when the mist finally dissipated. Out of the twenty Mages they had sent out, ten were instantly eliminated. Eight were rendered immobile, rolling on the ground and whining in agony as hundreds of ice crystals pervaded into their skin. Only two of their Mages received minimal injuries and were left relatively unharmed.


    "What!"


    Second Uncle''s smirk quickly turned into a frown. When the carriage was slashed apart, he had already turned away, expecting to hear a child and woman yelling in fear before being quickly silenced. But now, his chin was trembling in agitation. ''What in the world just happened! Our men...''


    They were all Gold-Class Mages of the Ghost Squadron - they were their most elite and experienced soldiers!


    To acquire strong assassins, the Krashal Family invested a great deal in training these cold-blooded killers from an early age. Each one of them was worth ten ordinary Gold-Class Mages and now, over half had perished right in front of his eyes!


    "Damn it!" He cursed whilst chanting a spell in desperation to remedy the situation.


    "Heat Blast!"


    A wave of heat rushed over the carriage, melting the ice crystals on the assassins. He had to limit the power of the spell so it would not harm them, but this meant the frost would take longer to rid of. Cries of pain continued to sound out in the desolate forest.


    Slowly, the ice melted on the eight assassins and they were able to move their bodies again with great effort. However, the other ten bodies were not anywhere near melted and remained in a frozen ice block. Seeing there was no hope of saving them, Second Uncle stopped casting Heat Blast.


    He snarled in annoyance. "What''s going on!? Why was there no one in the carriage? This... was clearly a trap. How did they know?" A cold bead of sweat formed on the back of his neck thinking about what would happen if he returned emptyhanded, with ten fewer Ghost assassins at that.


    Suddenly, a loud ''bang'' sounded out from within the wall of flames.


    ''Bang!''


    ''Bang!''


    ''BANG.'' An opening was made and a huge hammer protruded out. With it, a heavy gust of wind blew away the hot air resulting from his Heat Wave. Coming out of the large gaping hole, Bram''s figure appeared as the rest of the wall of fire dissipated away with the fissure he made.


    !


    Second Uncle''s eyes flashed with fear. ''What!? He destroyed my Prison of Fire??'' Before he even had the chance to recover from the death of their assassins or think about how they were discovered, Bram''s next move then put him into greater shock.


    When he came out, Bram did not bother glancing around and checking over the situation. It was like he had already anticipated everything to turn out this way.


    Like a mad bull, he wildly dashed towards the carriage where the assassins were in the midst of recovering. A loud thump was made in the ground with his powerful step.


    Although most Warriors were not as fast as Wind Mages, some could achieve more explosive speed due to their insane physical strength.


    The carriage was not far away at all, and he reached his target in an instant before anyone could react. The huge hammer came swinging down and the first assassin was blown apart. Like a giant rock descending upon an egg, his body offered no resistance.


    It happened in the blink of an eye!


    The enemies finally computed the life-staking danger they were in right now. Alas, it was too late.


    Only two assassins were not seriously injured by the trap. They could move freely but were not able to reach Bram in time. The rest of them tried their best to cast a spell, raise their weapons or do anything that would save them from the approaching death. But their sluggish movements were far too slow.


    Bram did not have to use all of his strength to bash the Wind Mages'' weak bodies into bloodied pools of mess. He focused on swinging with speed. In no time at all, his hammer was swung downwards, left and right for a total of eight times, decimating all of the assassins who had yet to recover from the trap''s aftereffects.


    The only two left had raised their guard in a defensive stance. A light green sheen shone around their bodies and they were prepared to fight. However, they had no anticipation for what happened next!


    With all his strength packed into it, Bram''s bulging arms swung down with the widest arc he could produce. The power he utilized was many folds greater compared to when he was killing off the assassins.


    Bracing for impact, the two assassins quickly tried to escape. But having been prepared for Bram to charge at them rather than making such an impromptu move, they did not make it out in time.


    The force produced from Bram''s swing sent them flying through the air and they were blown hundreds of meters away. Powerless to resist, they were like two leaves that wandered into a raging storm. However, their bodies were not damaged at all. Bram''s attack did not contain any piercing power; he used only blunt strength to summon a force that would push them away as far as possible. Clearly, this was what he wanted to do from the very start.


    Second Uncle''s eyes were keener and he discerned Bram''s intentions a second faster than the two assassins could, enabling him to react. Just before the momentum of Bram''s swing reached him, he teleported some distance away out of its range. In his haste, he did not reach a completely safe location and was still sent back a few tens of meters. His feet remained planted on the ground as his body was helplessly pushed back by the ferocious hammer''s power.


    Coming to a halt, the original whiteness of his robe became completely covered in dirt. A thick dust cloud was also generated from Bram''s mighty swing. The small fog of dust clouded the air around the carriage; he could no longer see Bram. Grinding his teeth in anger, Second Uncle was about to cast a spell to clear up the dust before a voice stopped his actions.


    "He''s escaping. Give chase, quick! Get the two men to come as we-" The voice sounded old and profound. Trailing off at the end, the owner of it seemed like he was making a move. Canceling his cast with flaring eyes, Second Uncle''s demeanor turned sharp as if he was going to execute punishment. All the dirt congregated on his robe was flapped off in one powerful motion before he teleported away, leaving the dust to settle on the ground.


    ...


    After using his final move to create the furthest distance he could from the remaining enemies, Bram escaped. He was sprinting at full speed through the forest with the big dust cloud behind his back and a satisfied grin on his face.


    He managed to deal a devastating blow, killing eight of their Gold-Class Mages. With the first ten dying to the trap they had set up, there were only two assassins left. But this result was only achieved because their plan was perfect. If the ice trap did not freeze the mobility of those eight assassins, Bram definitely would have had a harder time finishing them off. Thankfully, everything turned out as arranged and all he had to do was play his role to achieve such an effective outcome.


    Although killing so many of them in an instant looked easy, the enemies deployed were truly a great force.


    They made the mistake of going to the trouble of setting up an ambush rather than striking head-on. With the numbers they had initially, there would be zero-chance Bram could have killed them off so easily.


    Those assassins were all Wind Gold-Class Mages. As far as he knew, Only Rank 1 and possibly a few Rank 2 Nations could possess such a force. He would have been able to deal with a handful of them, but he was not confident with twenty attacking at once. Considering the old man who was there as well, the possibility of escape was virtually none. Based on the trapping spell he used as a Fire Mage, the old man was at least Platinum-Class, but Bram was unable to see through his true strength.


    Once the tricks were over, the smartest choice was to escape before the enemies recovered. Even dealing with those two assassins at the end who retained their full combat ability would have been troublesome.


    As he was running, Bram mused over who could be responsible for attacking them in the first place. ''Could someone have found out about Austin''s situation? No, that''s impossible. No one else but Elena and I should know... Is it a grudge against me? That isn''t likely... What reason could it be...


    They were safe at the moment but that did not lessen Bram''s concern, especially because he didn''t know what the enemy''s aim was. If they sent out such an elite force, then they would certainly do it again to achieve their goal regardless of failure... Next time, it would be even more dangerous.


    ...


    "Father will be getting here soon. Are you ready Mother?" Austin said whilst looking at the rising dust clouds in the storm. They had withdrawn a good distance away from the battle but were still vividly able to hear the fighting take place. The dust rising in the air signaled Bram''s success. They knew he was now rendezvousing to their location.


    "Yes."


    Elena looked at Austin''s profile in amazement. She had no idea what to think. ''How did he know... why is he so calm... is he really my son...?


    Before they set out this morning, she thought Austin had either gone stupid or was playing a big joke on her. But to think everything he said came true...


    Thinking about the long hour she spent charging her ice trap which drained all her mana, Elena was relieved from the bottom of the heart. If she had been careless, Bram''s life would have truly been in danger.


    "He''s here."


    Bram came out of the trees to the small stream they were hiding at. Aware of the enemy''s pursuit, he did not waste any time on unnecessary words and went straight to Austin.  Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    "Alright! let''s get going before-"

 33 Despair

    "Watch out!" Elena screamed.


    From the forests'' direction, a multitude of fireballs was shooting towards them. Bram had his back turned so he could not see, but Austin and Elena saw them vividly.


    A patch of trees from behind was suddenly scorched in smolders. From there, the fireballs raised into the sky before falling towards them like meteors. The air was getting unbearably hotter the closer it came.


    The fireballs were nothing like the Rank 0 Fireball spell Austin knew of - they were much more terrifying. The size alone was twenty times larger and looked to be bigger than a small house. The blazing heat from hundreds of meters away could be clearly felt from where they were standing. Furthermore, there wasn''t only one, but three heading straight for them!


    A sizzling could be heard from the small lake evaporating. Seeing the panic in their eyes, Bram quickly turned around and saw the devastation that was coming for them.


    The meteors were only a short distance away now. He had to make a move, fast.


    Not giving it another thought, he immediately leaped into the air, tightly gripping the handle of his mallet and getting ready to draw it with all his strength. With sweat seeping on his forehead, Bram started examining the situation whilst airborne.


    ''The old man caught up so quickly? No, that''s impossible, there''s no way he could have been faster than me. That means this attack is coming from someone else! No way... there was another enemy in hiding? F*ck, judging by this spell - he is a Platinum Class Mage as well! Fear was arising in Bram.


    The other old man pursuing would get here soon. If they were really Platinum Class, he wouldn''t be able to defeat two of them at once. At best, he could only hold them back. Furthermore, they were even both Fire Mages which were the hardest to defend against. But there is still a chance... if he could destroy the fireballs and return back, they will be able to escape using that!


    Bram was now directly underneath the fiery meteors that shadowed over him like giants. If not for the sturdiness of his body, he would have started melting under the blistering heat.  Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    With blazing eyes, Bram let out a great roar, brandishing his hammer upwards and blowing the meteors to pieces. He hit the closest one with a huge force before proceeding to smash the other two. They all broke apart. The metallic head of his mallet was sizzling red.


    Unfortunately, the danger was not over. The humongous fireballs only split into smaller pieces and were still falling towards Austin and Elena''s direction. Now... there were a lot more than three.


    But before they reached, a barrier of water was suddenly erected in mid-air.


    It was the doing of Elena. She was casting a spell to shield them from the attack. Utilizing the water in the stream, she was manipulating it into her magic to form a larger shield.


    The meteors were not able to pass through; their momentum stopped and they fell to the ground. The crisis was successfully averted, but it came at a cost. Elena had to spread the water barrier over a great distance because of how many meteors there were. She lost a great deal of energy and her face paled. A trickle of blood flowed out of her thin, dry lips. After she canceled the barrier, she nearly collapsed without any strength in her body. Austin caught her before she hit the ground.


    Even though it was a powerful one, Elena should not be so weak after using just one spell, but earlier she had drained all of her mana. Setting up the trap that allowed them to kill 18 assassins did not come at a low price. Furthermore, they were not carrying any mana flasks on them so Elena could not recover her mana. As a Warrior, Bram doesn''t usually bring them around, and Elena has not needed them for a very long time. How could they have expected to be fighting a deadly battle so soon after leaving the Palace?


    A Mage depleting their mana does not only result in them not being able to cast any more spells, but their bodies also become weakened. In fact, there have been many cases where Mages have died because they used up too much mana.


    "Elena! Are you okay!?" Seeing Elena hurt, Bram landed on the ground with a heavy thump. But he could not make it far before a figure suddenly appeared before him.


    Another old man dressed in the same robe as the one from earlier teleported in front of Bram. He was the First Uncle of the Krashal Family.


    During the ambush, he had stayed in hiding where their target would be able to retreat just in case something happened. When he saw the carriage being slashed apart, he had also thought that they didn''t need to send out so much manpower to complete this menial task. But of course, he shocked at all the events that happened after. Their elite assassins were killed so fast that he didn''t even have time to react and go to help them. But then seeing Bram escape towards his direction, he was in the perfect position to give chase.


    "Bram! Hurry back!" Elena recovered slightly and started shouting at Bram for him to come back. They needed to leave, now.


    Bram and First Uncle were both around seventy meters away.


    Second Uncle suddenly emerged with a blink. "Go take care of the kid," he said with a cruel gaze in his eyes.


    Two black-figures flung out of the forest like an arrow, coming straight for Austin and Elena.


    "Elena! Austin!" Bram yelled, seeing the two assassins rushing towards them.


    They were both Gold Class Wind Mages! If Elena was in her normal state, then she would be able to handle them, but that was impossible right now. She was already weakened from using up almost all her mana.


    Anymore, and her body could not take it. He had to go and protect them!


    "Your opponent is us!" But obviously, First and Second Uncle would not let him. With both of them working together, they may not be able to kill him in a short amount of time, but they could easily keep him distracted.


    "Get out of my way!" Bram ferociously roared, drawing his hammer and rushing towards them with urgency.


    The assassins were still behind him, but they split up with one going to the left and one to the right. There was too much distance between them for Bram to catch up. He had to get to where Elena and Austin were. But he could not go anywhere with these two blocking his way.


    "Fire spears!" Second Uncle attacked whilst First Uncle remained standing there without doing anything. The Meteor Strike from earlier was one of his most powerful spells and he had to recharge his mana first before they could deal a decisive strike.


    Forced to halt his steps, Bram defended against Second Uncle''s constant barrage of fire spears. Individually, they weren''t strong and he could shatter them apart with his mallet easily. But they were being shot out like a machine gun, not giving any time for Bram to pierce through. The oppressive heat was agonizing. Sweat drenched his palms. He gripped strongly onto the handle of his weapon to not let it slip.


    "Arghhh!"


    Wildly swinging his hammer left and right, Bram sacrificed his safety to try and break through the assault. He had to take a risk whilst only one of them was attacking right now. Once the other one attacked, his chance would be lost.


    His red cloak melted to crisps and light burn marks etched onto his armor. The armor shone more brightly in the heat but it showed no signs of melting. Bram was steadily inching his way forward, focusing his all on making his way past. Nonetheless, he was still too slow.


    The Fire Attribute was not recognized as the best offensive Magic for no reason. The circumstances were perfect for First and Second Uncle right now. They didn''t need to focus on anything else but preventing Bram from nearing closer. With only one direction he could go, all they had to do was unleash spell after spell without considering any other moves he could make. There were no distractions. It was like shooting fish in a barrel, and they had the biggest gun.


    "This is bad..." Scanning over their battle, even Austin was unable to find any way out. Their situation was truly hopeless. The assassins were fast approaching and would reach them in a matter of seconds. Bram was the only one who could deal with them right now. At this rate, he will not make it here on time. ''Damn it!''


    Preparing for the worst, Austin had to inform Elena. "Mother, we might have to..."


    "No! We''re not leaving him behind!" She was barely able to keep her eyes open. Her legs were trembling but she stood up straight with a firm conviction in her eyes. "I can take care of the two coming for us!" Although Elena shouted with determination, she could not hide an anxious nerve in her tone.


    Tightly clasping her hands into fists, Elena tried to stop the trembling of her fingers. "Escape... Austin. Just-just in case, leave here without us, please..." Her voice was shaky.


    She bent down and touched him gently on the cheek with teardrops forming in her eyes. "I love you."


    Elena forced herself to turn around, leaving Austin behind. She faced the two assassins rushing towards them with a yell, "Come!"


    "NO!" Bram could see everything unfolding in front of him, but was powerless to do anything about it. From the corner of his eye, he watched as the assassins dashed pass him, their speed not slowing down.


    "Hahahaha. They will die right before you! Say your last words!" Second Uncle was wildly laughing, getting a thrill out of paying him back for killing their men. He looked like a madman with both arms raised in the air and an endless amount of fire spears blazing out from them.


    "OUT OF MY WAY!"


    Suddenly, Second Uncle saw something heading for him at lightning speed. It broke through all of his fire spears and reached his body in a second before showing itself to him. A weapon! A six-foot hammer twirled around in the air like a tornado of destruction. So much force was behind it that his spells did nothing to slow it down.


    ''BAM!''


    The mallet hit him cleanly.


    He raised his arms in defense just before the moment of impact but they were easily crushed under the weapon''s might. Second Uncle fell to a kneeling position on the ground, his arms dangling by the side. "Curses!" The pain of having all of the bones in his arms shattered was unbearable.


    Bram did not bother with him anymore, he ran forwards in a frenzy to Elena before the assassins could get to her first. But he had forgotten about someone else.


    "Fire Dragon!"


    First Uncle finally made his move. He bided his time for the perfect opportunity. Bram was now weaponless. He did not have anything to defend against his attack.


    A majestic one hundred meter-long serpent made of hot, dark red flames materialized. Roaring as if it was alive, it flew towards Bram with wide-open jaws like it was going to devour him whole. The ground it traversed on was burned to crisps in its wake.


    First Uncle had taken so long in casting this spell because it was one that required a lot of mana.


    Bashing into Bram, he had no choice but to stop and defend against the attack. But without a weapon in hand, all he had for a shield was his body. If Bram was not a Warrior, he would have been completely crushed already and burnt to a cinder.


    He was hit with unimaginable force and heat at the same time.


    "ARGHHH!" Using all his might, Bram grasped onto the head of the dragon with his huge hands but was helplessly pushed back. He could not resist the dragon''s strength and was burning from the flames, charring his skin which was darkening in color.


    "Bram!" Elena shouted in panic, trying to receive some form of reassurance. But all she got was Bram''s howls of pain that sounded like he was on his last legs. She wanted to go and help him. But before she could take a step forward, a sharp blade of wind came striking down.

 34 Gone

    ''Zoom!''


    The wind blade struck the rocky ground, penetrating a few meters into the hard Earth. The damage behind it was lethal enough to cleanly cut off a person''s limbs. Utilizing the element of the wind, its speed was nothing to scoff at. Without proper defense, one needed a high amount of focus and agility to avoid it.


    Stepping back to avoid the wind blade, Elena was stopped in her tracks by the arriving assassin. He drew out the two daggers sheathed in his belt and was poised to attack.


    Elena summoned a water bolt and sent it flying towards the assassin. Heavily depleted of mana, she had to rely on lower Rank spells that did not use up as much.


    The water bolt was easily cut apart, not able to slow the assassin down at all.


    Elena fired off two more but they also did not do anything.


    ''Slash!''


    The assassin flew past, leaving a line of blood on her cheek. If Elena had not dodged in time, her life would have ended there and then.


    ''What happened?'' The assassin thought. He could have sworn he felt his dagger being deflected by something just before his attack. Thinking she just got lucky, he cleaned the blood off his dagger and flew forwards once again. Whilst Elena was being taken care of, the second assassin was fast approaching Austin. They were going to end both their lives.


    "NO!" Bram was trailing off in the distance, but the loudness and desperation in his voice still reached their ears.


    He only vaguely spotted Elena stumbling as the assassin dashed past her whilst the other one rushed towards Austin.  Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    He was doing his best to fight his way through, but the fire dragon''s strength was not deteriorating at all and he was being pushed back further and further. Even if the dragon faded now, he was too far away to make it back in time.


    Bram could no longer help.


    Austin and Elena were on their own against the two elite cold-blooded killers. A child and a weakened Mage with no more mana, how could they make it out alive?


    "STOP!!!" Bram put all his energy into one last roar, sending a shockwave through the entire forest. It stunned the enemies, but only for a second before they recovered and continued moving forward.


    "Heh. What a fool. He thinks he can still save them in this situation. Maybe you''ll be lucky enough to see their corpses in a while. Well, that''s only if you survive my spell first." First Uncle grinned sinisterly. He used two powerful spells one after another and didn''t have much mana left. He walked towards Second Uncle whilst taking out a red flask from somewhere."Here, drink this."


    "Gah! That''s better. That reckless brute. What kind of Warrior throws their weapon away in battle!"


    "Alright, stop complaining. We suffered a lot of damage but at least we got the job done. Get ready to leave." First Uncle glanced at Bram''s disappearing figure. ''In the end, how did they figure out we were going to attack...?''


    The two of them were no longer paying attention to the battle, thinking it was one hundred percent a done deal this time. There''s no possible way for them to be thwarted now.


    If only one of them turned around, they would notice that one of the assassins was on the ground, dead.


    ~One minute earlier~


    Sarah was heading for Austin with a menacing expression. She was the maid who had infiltrated the Royal Residence and reported to the King. For all this time, she was the one to suffer. Her sole objective had been to separate Austin and the Princess.


    Yet, she could not find a way to rid of Austin and every time, had to report failure to the King. Being a stone-hearted killer, she did not care when the King stripped her down and used her body as punishment. But as she was ravaged more and more, rage inevitably built up inside and she directed it all at Austin, blaming it on him.


    "Die!" With a cold grin on her face, Sarah got to him with her dagger raised to his neck. She saw his face every day but was not able to do anything to him. Now, there was nothing holding her back.


    But then seeing how he had his eyes closed in fear. She inwardly sneered and retrieved her weapons. She didn''t want him to die so easily. She wanted him to suffer in pain.


    The green sheen radiating around her body dispersed and Sarah slowed down to a walk.


    Sarah had no idea that Austin had closed his eyes on purpose for this moment. He had used his Magical Eyes and saw through her disguise. Immediately, he recognized her as the maid he felt killing intent from in the Residence. Using his experience and wisdom to quickly think up a plan, Austin acted like he was getting ready to die, hoping that she would drop her guard.


    Just as Sarah was about to grip Austin''s neck with her hands -


    ''Blast!''


    A weak impact hit her chest. But then, the force continued digging through her flesh, bones, and into her heart.


    ''Bang!''''Bang!''


    Two earth spikes pierced through her stomach before she could do anything, leaving two wide holes with a great deal of blood pouring out. Then, she felt her heart being corroded alive and a second later - she dropped to the ground.


    If it wasn''t for the fact Sarah dispelled her barriers, Austin''s Rank 0 spells would not have been able to penetrate through her body.


    ~Present~


    Elena was weakly standing, limping with bloody gashes all over her body.


    For a few more attacks, she had been able to avoid the assassin''s killing strikes. But if she had barely any energy left from the start, then the straits she was in now were beyond desperate. She looked at the assassin rushing towards her once again and tried casting a spell, but her arm was unable to be raised anymore.


    "Mother, we have to go!"


    All she could hear was a constant buzzing noise inside her head. Her vision was shaking the entire time so she did not think anything of it when the world turned upside down.


    Then, they were gone.

 35 Wait For Me

    "What do you mean they just disappeared!" First Uncle was seething with rage. His eyes were threatening to pop out of their sockets and his pointed finger was shaking in fury. If losing so many men wasn''t already enough, now he was being told their targets vanished into thin air?


    Amos did not personally send out commands on a regular basis. After retiring from the public, his mouth perhaps only opened once every few years. Regardless of what was going on, his orders were treated as the top priority and had to be completed with no exceptions.


    "Preposterous!"


    The assassin kept his silence, trained to be emotionless and never voice his opinion. But beneath the mask, his face was wet with nervous sweat. There were no excuses to give.


    After his numerous strikes, Elena was barely hanging on and was about to cave in at any second. He was being careful and taking it slow to make sure her death would be safely secured. Just when he was about to deal the finishing strike, he saw the child running to Elena''s side and was surprised because he should long be dead already. Checking what happened to Sarah, he was stunned to see her lying on the ground in her own pool of blood.  Then when he turned around again, they were gone.


    With Elena''s condition, forget using any more magic, the best she could have done was retain her consciousness for a few more seconds. For her to have resisted for so long with her will alone was already extraordinary. He could only assume Elena was somehow able to use a teleportation skill even though it required a great deal of mana that she didn''t have. Perhaps she found all the hidden energy inside her body when Austin appeared by her side. But then glancing around the open area, they were nowhere to be seen. His eyes were really not playing tricks on him. Their figures would still be within sight no matter how much mana she used.


    "Do you think we''re idiots!? This is your last chance. Explain yourself!" Second Uncle was not in any better of a state, he tried pointing towards the assassin but his broken arms did not respond, only limping on the floor. His face was so contorted that all the wrinkles of his old age were displayed. "Why are you the only one alive! What happened to the other one! How did she die!  And WHERE DID THEY GO!"


    The assassin repeated what he said for the fifth time, but it clearly was not calming anybody down.


    For this mission to be successful, Amos even got them to come out of hiding and personally act. What were they supposed to say when they got back!?


    "If that''s all you have to say, then begone!" Second Uncle''s anger was out of control. He was ready to do something impulsive.


    "No, that''s enough. However strange it may be, he is clearly speaking the truth. Regardless if they got away, the result is the same," First Uncle intervened. Their aim was to get rid of Austin. Though they were not able to eliminate him, the problem is still solved. "We will return and tell Amos the mission was successful. Don''t kill him off unless you want to be the one to tell him we lost all of our men."


    Second Uncle''s eyes flashed with a trace of fear. "You want to lie to Amos? A-are you sure?" Then, he remembered what kind of person his brother was. It didn''t matter if he was their younger brother or they were blood-related. The man was merciless and his tolerance for failure inexistent. Shaking with a greater fear from what would happen if they told him the truth, Second Uncle quickly changed his answer. "No-you''re right. Even if the child somehow survived, he will not come back. But we need to take care of loose ends."


    "Correct. I will go and finish him off now. You, follow me." First Uncle pulled a blue flask out and emptied its contents before leaving with the assassin.


    ...


    "They got away... thank god. If something happened to them... Damn it! why am I so useless... I couldn''t help at all when they were in danger. No, this isn''t the time for brooding, I need to find them!" Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Without stopping to tend to his wounds, Bram ran off, disappearing into the forest. There was a giant circle of black on the ground like there had been a giant explosion. Embers were all around it, still burning away. All the plants nearby were withered up and the part of the stream here had evaporated, leaving a dry piece of land that separated the two ends of the river. The cause of all this destruction was the fire dragon. Bram was finally able to overpower it before the spell expired. The force within it was not something that could suddenly be negated so it blew apart as a result.


    After destroying it, Bram quickly hurried back to where Austin and Elena were, praying in his heart that they were still alive before he got there. He didn''t have time to regret or think about anything else. Seeing only the enemies there with Austin and Elena missing, he became mortified. Because the thought terrified him so much, he couldn''t think of anything else and immediately started panicking as his heart clenched in despair.


    Then, he sensed the anger of First and Second Uncle which made him open his eyes to look again. Seeing one of the assassins laying dead on the ground and the other one kneeling seemingly at fault, a realization came to Bram and a heavy wave of reassurance washed over him. ''Their still alive... They must have escaped using the necklace!''


    Earlier, Austin had told him the use of the necklace which Elizabeth gave him. Finding out it was a space-teleportation treasure, Bram was once again stupified at his son for owning such a thing... Their plan was to escape together using it. Thankfully, they left him behind and got away.


    ...


    A significant portion of Bram''s armor was melted and the skin underneath was still glowing red from the excruciating heat. His body was charred all over in heavy burns, his hands especially were deformed. They had suffered so much damage that Bram had lost feeling in them, whilst the rest of his body still felt like it was being burned alive. The pain was unimaginable and all he wanted to do was stop and rest. He had already escaped a good distance away so that wouldn''t be a problem. The ''thuds'' made on the ground were becoming lighter. ''THUD, THUD."  Thinking of Austin and Elena, he sped up again, powerfully kicking off with two stomps.


    Bram was hoping that they were safe right now, but he needed to quickly find them to let them know he was still alive. Gritting his teeth, he was feeling the biggest regret of his life. Even though they were the dearest to him, he had not spent much time with his family in the past. He had let them down by not being by their side when they were both safe and in danger. Once they reunited, he swore to never let it happen again. "Elena, Austin, Wait for me!"

 36 Maya

    "Ughh..."  A heavy sense of nausea hit Austin after he activated the necklace. He knew what was going to happen but couldn''t prevent the whirling in his head. This wasn''t because of Austin''s lack of experience, but the same thing would happen to anyone who used the necklace. The teleportation skill allows one to escape from a dangerous situation. However, the magic within it was not the same when Mages used it. It was far more profound and the distance one would travel was unknown.


    Austin''s mind flickered with white before suddenly being brought back to reality. He nearly fell to the ground but caught himself in a split second with uncanny reactions. Unfortunately, Elena then came falling towards him.


    ''Thump!''


    He landed on his back with Elena laying on top of him. Feeling her blood dripping down onto him, a sense of urgency rose. "Mother, are you ok?" There was no reply but he didn''t have to call out again. He shortly realized she was unconscious.


    Immediately adjusting his position, Austin gently placed her on the ground. There were five red slashes that he could see across her body and most of them were deep. However, the real problem was that she had used up too much mana and her body was losing stability. Barely any air was coming out of her fragile lips and hey eyes had a slight quivering. Her body no longer allowed her to stay conscious but her mind was not fully asleep.


    Austin didn''t want to move her too much but thankfully they landed in a patch of soft grass so he could keep her there. She was very weak right now but there weren''t any severe risks. After scanning over Elena and confirming her condition, Austin glanced around to see where they were. Only after seeing it did he realize he had been hearing a loud pouring noise. Nearby, there was actually a large pond. At the back, the pond was connected to a cliff where a waterfall was. ''Water? Great.''


    Heading over to the pond, the first thought Austin had was how crystal clear the water was. Looking down, he was able to see a graphic reflection of himself. ''My eyes...?'' Looking into his own eyes, he actually became dazed. Austin''s eyes were very unordinary because of their bright violet, but he thought he had seen stars inside them for a second. Rubbing his eyes, they returned to normal and he broke out of his dismay.


    The only way to recover from mana deficiency was either with time or mana flasks. Austin did not have any control over either option, but he could still do something about her physical wounds.


    Taking off his shirt, he first cleaned it in the pond to get rid of some blood that had stained it. After making sure it was completely gone, he tore it into small pieces and dampened it. Then walking back to Elena, Austin began carefully treating her wounds so they would not get infected. For the areas that were deep with blood, Austin had to take off Elena''s clothes and wrap them with some pressure. A little vitality returned to Elena''s ghost-white face and her trembling had stopped when the water was applied. Austin noticed this and assumed it to be a peculiar coincidence. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ''Done.'' Finishing his treatment, he then called out in a wary and hostile voice, "Come out." Earlier, he had noticed a pair of eyes peeking on them. He was still on edge from getting ambushed. Although he was not showing it, there was a great amount of anger inside him. He had never been so powerless before - it was the first time he had seen his loved ones almost die in front of him. And having escaped by themselves, he had no idea if Bram was ok or not. "Stop hiding. I know you''re there," Austin called again in a sanguine tone.


    Some muffling of leaves sounded out from the bushes. Turning around, Austin stern expression dropped upon seeing who it was. A tiny child was nervously staring at him. After coming out from hiding, she was too afraid to come closer anymore.


    "Sorry for scaring you." Austin showed a kind smile to reassure the child and her wariness dropped. Seeing his sparkling warm eyes, her vigilance disappeared without thinking.


    "Is she ok?" A very childish and squeaky voice said.


    Austin followed her tiny finger which was pointed at Elena.


    He looked back to Elena''s relaxed face that was no longer contorted in pain. A trace of sadness appeared in his eyes as he softly said, "yea, she will be fine. But when she wakes up..."


    Some light footsteps brought the girl next to him. She was closely staring at Elena''s body, her eyes lingering on the areas that were wrapped with his clothes and had blood on them. "Are you sure?" The girl''s face was very serious and looked like she was struggling, unable to trust Austin''s words.


    Austin felt some warmth in his heart seeing how sincere she was. He lightly laughed, "yes. Thank you for worrying about my mother."


    She became relieved at his words, but there was still a hint of concern in her eyes. Seeing this, Austin thought she was a very kindhearted and pure child. "My name''s Austin. This is Elena - my mother. What''s your name?" He asked.


    Turning back to him, she looked very surprised and her chest rose with a big inhale. "My name is Maya. I am three years old and I like looking at the water," she said with big callow eyes. It sounded like she had practiced saying this line many times.


    Her short, straight hair was a soothing hazelnut color that looked full of life and her dimpled cheeks were revealed with a warming smile. Noting how worried she became over Elena, Austin exclaimed, "What an adorable name. You''re a very nice person Maya."


    "Hehe." Her eyes closed cutely as her smile brightened. It was her first time being complimented and she liked the feeling. She was also happy that someone finally asked what her name was.


    "What are you doing here by yourself Maya? Don''t you know it''s dangerous without your mother and father?"


    Maya''s eyes turned curious. "Mother... father? Who are they?"


    ''Oh, she...''


    "Uh, nevermind. Then, who do you live with Maya?"


    Maya regained clarity in her eyes and said cheerily, "my brother! But he is not home... I always come here by myself to play!" Then, Maya''s eyes sparkled as if she had come up with a great idea. "Do you want to come to my home? She can sleep there!"


    "Don''t you know that you shouldn''t invite people you don''t know to your house, Maya?" Austin said to her with a smile.


    "Ah, why?" Maya blinked, totally confused by his question.


    "If you come to my house, then Maya will have someone to talk to! And when someone is sick, they should sleep in a bed. That''s what my brother says." Maya tried to convince Austin and looked at him with imploring eyes.


    ''Is she just lonely...?''


    Seeing how cute Maya looked, Austin couldn''t help but remember Laura. He was about to act on his habit to pat her head but then refrained from doing so, realizing they were not the same person. He jokingly smiled at her, "then how are we going to get Elena to your house? Are you going to carry her?"


    "Ah-"

 37 Small Colorful World

    Some time had passed since Austin and Elena have arrived here. Since he could not move the immobile Elena, they have stayed in the same spot the whole time.


    Ending up in a remote place, he had no idea where they were or even if they were still in the Western Region. He highly doubted the necklace could have transported them to a whole other continent, but it was still a possibility. For the sake of reuniting with Bram, it would be best if they were not taken too far, but that was just his wishful thinking.


    With the sun setting in the distance, the first shadows began descending. The animals of the forest prepared to slumber and the sounds of chirping birds were lessoning.


    Maya watched with unblinking eyes as Austin replaced Elena''s bandages once again. After cleaning the bandages with the water in the pond, he was surprised to discover her wounds to have healed an unnatural amount. Since then, he had done so numerous times. By now, there was barely any blood coming out of the deep gashes on her body, whilst the small scratches seem to have already closed up. Austin knew that Elena''s physical injuries were not that severe but they still should not have recovered so fast. He attributed the cause to the magic in her body.


    After he finished, Austin sat down on the grass again and said to Maya, "It''s going to get dark and cold soon. You should head home."


    Maya, the little girl, had not left their side the entire time. It was her first time meeting someone else and she was having a lot of fun talking to Austin. Rather, due to her limited conversation skills, she did not do so much talking as listening. Seeing how Maya was interested in nature, Austin had started describing the scenery in the star constellation, and his choice turned out to be perfect. When Austin had finished speaking, her eyes were sparkling so bright they could have replaced the stars themselves.


    Seeing how excited she became, Austin retold it again and again. both of them seemed to never get sick of it. Although he had used the same phrase - "a rainbow of dancing stars," many times over, the passion in his and Maya''s gaze was never lost.


    Maya had her lips sealed patiently when Austin was tending to Elena. She was expecting him to describe it to her again after he finished.


    "Home? But..."


    "Yes, home. Your brother will be worried about you. You should get going before the sun goes down." He still did not know anything about Maya apart from the fact her house was nearby and she liked looking at the water. Earlier, he tried asking her for a clue as to where they were but as expected, did not receive anything helpful. All she knew was that they were quite far away from a place with people. Whether it was a town or city, Austin had to go there first to confirm their location.


    "But Maya is by herself when she leaves..." She said glancing downwards.


    Austin was confused by what she said, "Your brother doesn''t come home? Don''t you live with him?"


    Maya looked sad as she replied, "yes... but he goes away and comes back after a long time. He tells Maya to be a good girl at home. That''s why I clean and eat and sleep by myself. But it''s very lonely..."


    ''What kind of brother is that? Leaving his three-year-old sister all by herself?'' Austin thought. He asked gently with a wrinkled brow, "how old is your brother?"


    Maya concentrated and started counting with her fingers, murmuring the numbers one by one. "seven... eight... nine. Brother is nine years old!" Then she put six of her fingers down and added, "and Maya is three years old!"


    Austin nearly laughed out loud because of how silly she was, but it was the most adorable thing he had ever seen. ''You already said... why do you like showing off your age so much,'' he secretly thought.


    "Only nine years old... Then do you know why he goes away for long times?"


    "No, Maya doesn''t know... but Maya is always worried about him because he comes back looking weird."


    Austin''s eyes turned serious, he asked with curiosity, "weird? what do you mean Maya?"


    "I... don''t know. But he sometimes looks like Auntie." She pointed at the wounds on Elena''s body.


    Austin was momentarily shocked and went into deep thought.


    Seeing how serious Austin was looking, Maya became nervous. "But it''s ok! Brother loves Maya a lot. Maya wants to grow up quickly to help him!" She declared with her innocent, childish voice.


    "I see. Maya really is a good girl." Austin smiled at her.


    Maya showed a happy smile and was about to agree when a sneeze interrupted her, "achoo!" A chilly wind blew past, making her shiver and cross her arms together. It was the result of the sun setting and night arriving.


    Austin stood up. "Maya, can you bring me those sticks next to you? I will tell you some more stories after."


    "Really?" Maya said excitedly and hurriedly picked up the twigs and sticks by her feet, dropping it down in front of Austin. When she brought her head up, she suddenly felt a hot wind warming her body and blowing the dirt off her clothes.


    Austin proceeded to move all the sticks near Elena. Then, he pointed his palm towards them and a weak flame shot out, creating a fire. Maya, with gaping eyes, watched everything Austin just did, seeing the colors dance around his body.


    "Wh-wh-wh" Maya''s mouth was wide open. She was trying to talk but could not get the words out.


    "That was Magic," Austin answered her question. Clearly, she had no idea Magic existed in this world. Living by herself without anyone to talk to, there was probably a lot she didn''t know and had never seen before. Feeling pity for her, Austin wanted to show her something cool, anticipating that it would catch her interest. And sure enough, it did. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    After making the fire, he then pointed his palm upwards, grinning at Maya. "Watch this." Light bolts came flying out one after another. Had anyone else seen this, they would have coughed up blood in disbelief that the Light Attribute was being used for a show.


    Using his exquisite control over the spell, Austin intertwined the bolts together and it magically formed into the shape of a star. The radiance was brilliantly blinding in the darkness, showing a breathtaking display. One after another, Austin created more shining white stars to surround Maya.


    Maya was at a loss for words. The light was reflected like moonlight into the clear pond next to them, illuminating a small colorful world.

 38 Combining Elements

    Austin sat up with a yawn, his back itching from sleeping on the grass. Next to him, the dying embers of the fire were burning away, getting ready to extinguish. Checking on Elena who was still unconscious by the side, he frowned. Though she was no longer bleeding, the color of her face did not look any healthier than last night after her initial recovery. Using his magical eyes, Austin became even more worried and slightly confused.


    He could see the blue and green streams running through her body, but they were very thin and scarce. A Mage''s mana was supposed to recover naturally over time, so why has the mana in her remained the same after a day? Though Austin did not know how long it normally took for Elena to recover, he felt something was wrong. ''Is it because she hasn''t used Magic for a long time? Or because she used up too much in the fight? Neither reason makes sense...''


    Before his magical eyes wore off, Austin glanced over and saw something even weirder. But an awaking Maya disrupted him before he could enter into thought. "Good morning Maya," he said to her, smiling as she tiredly rubbed her eyes cutely. Using both of her hands to stand up, Maya walked over to Austin and put her arms up, asking to be carried. After telling stories and showing her Magic yesterday, Maya''s affection for him grew by a lot. It was also because she finally had someone else to talk to, added with her subconscious gravitation to his aura of warmth.


    Maya was small enough for Austin to carry. Only after he pulled her into his chest did Maya reply with a very drowsy voice, ''goo morning autin." Her tiny head drooped onto his shoulder and her eyes closed again like she wanted to go back to sleep. "Haha, you can sleep some more if you want." Because it was her first time not using a bed, she was not able to sleep much last night. Although, the greater reason was more likely because she was too excited from listening to and watching Austin. "Emmm, bu..." Maya did not want to sleep anymore after seeing him awake, but her eyes closed anyway.


    Austin patted her head then brooded, ''hmm, what to do now...'' He had expected Elena to wake up today so they could find out where they were and start making their way back. Already having a good idea as to who the enemy was, he wanted to confirm his suspicions before taking revenge. Thinking of this, a dangerous glint appeared in his eyes.


    Austin activated his magical eyes again and looked towards the thing he had seen earlier, becoming more interested in it. Before it wore off, he took a glance towards the Maya in his arms and was surprised to discover two infant brown and blue streams inside her body. Then, the array of colors in his eyes dissipated and a great sense of weakness followed suit. Luckily, he anticipated this and kept himself stable, not letting Maya fall.


    After using it on Elena yesterday, Austin discovered that his Magical Eyes were not only able to discern a spell and a magic tools'' enhancements, but also which Magical Attributes a Mage had. He knew this because his own body contained six streams of red, blue, green, brown, black, and white, which should be connected to all the six elements he had an affinity to. Whilst Elena only had a blue and green color, meaning she had the water and wind Attributes, but this did not explain why she was able to manipulate ice.


    Since there were no books about it in the library, Austin did not know about combining elements. It was most likely an advanced technique that could only be learned by high-Class Mages, making Austin appreciate Elena''s strength more.


    With what he knew, there weren''t any star books that offered spells for elements other than the basic six of Fire, Earth, Water, Wind, Dark, and Light. But seeing Elena''s usage of ice, there were clearly other elements out there that he did not yet know of. It made him wonder how many existed and what he - a Hex-Attribute Mage, could do.


    Knowing that combining elements was a possibility, Austin tested it out yesterday by incorporating Fire and Wind, creating the hot gush of air he used to warm Maya. It was successful but clearly did not bring about a new kind of element like ice. Apart from doing this however, he did not know where else to go. He planned to do some experimenting when there was time, but the situation now did not allow for that.


    Austin kept Maya in his clutch as he sat down against the tree. The aftereffects of using his Magical Eyes consecutively were too much to bear. Looking at Elena again, Austin thought of the next action to take. ''I don''t know when Mother will awake but I can''t keep her on the ground the entire time... Should I go and find some help? But I don''t know how far away other people are or if it will be safe... Hmm, for now, I can ask Maya where her house is when she wakes up. It should be safe to keep Mother there for now while I check out our where we are...'' After planning what to do, Austin closed his eyes to meditate.


    ...


    ~The Krashal Palace~


    "Ghost Squadron 1 was wiped out and only one member from Squadron 2 survived." First Uncle immediately made his report after returning. He did not bother making any excuses or apologizing for Amos did not care for them and his decision would be the same either way.


    A hint of surprise flashed in Amos'' eyes after hearing their report. He then turned around and looked at his brothers with the same cold, apathetic look. Behind the platform, the sun was rising on the horizon and it made Amos look like a beacon of light. "What of the man and woman?" He said.


    Second Uncle remained silent, leaving First Uncle to be the one to speak out, "B-Bram got away. The mother and child are... eliminated." Amos'' gaze turned piercing, questioning the hesitance in his voice. Both First and Second Uncle clenched in nervousness. The moment lasted for a second but felt like an eternity before the tension dropped. With a small nod, Amos dismissed the matter and turned around again.


    "How will we replace the empty positions of the Ghost Squadron? They are part of our most elite forces," First Uncle had to add in. Amos replied, "I do not care for the Ghost Squadron or our other top forces. They were only needed for claiming the Heavenly Land. In due time, they will all be replaced. Didn''t you hear what I told Ral?"


    "Of course," First and Second Uncle both replied. Exchanging a glance with each other, both their eyes were trembling from Amos'' ambitions. Their brother really was serious about conquering the four continents...


    ...


    A small wooden house was situated nearby in the forest where Austin, Elena, and Maya were. Its location was disclosed from Browncrest Village. It was hidden well, and one would not be able to stumble upon it without knowing the way.


    A figure dressed in black with a bloodied sword appeared before the house. Prior to coming closer, he changed his clothes and hid the weapon away. He checked thoroughly for bloodstains on his body and any murderous scents that lingered. Only after spending a long time to confirm there were none did he start walking towards the house. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ''Creak...''


    The door opened and a child no more than the age of ten entered. Seeing no lights and hearing the silence, a deep frown instantly appeared on his face. The child suddenly turned into a shadow and dashed around the entire house. A murderous intent was growing heavier in the air.

 39 Browncrest Village

    At the very edge of the Western continent laid a place called Browncrest Village. The village is so isolated from the rest of the world that it does not touch upon even the weakest Rank 5 Nations. Free of invaders and war, one would imagine it to be peaceful and calm without any fighting.


    This may have been the case when the land was first cultivated and its society established. However, the absence of order and lack of resources created a perfect breeding area for crime. Through the years, two gangs have established themselves, running rampant through the village in fighting each other for control. But for the weak villagers; thieving, rap, murder - nothing was exempted. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    ...


    A few hours earlier.


    "Grey Horn people! Elyssa, don''t let them see you. Quick, hide!" Tom hushed to his wife as they hid into the alleyway in great panic. The members of the Grey Horn gang were notorious for being lascivious. Any woman that came across them was said to be raped and forever taken their captor until they could no longer be used.


    "Husband, I-I''m scared..." Elyssa was trembling in Tom''s arms. She had heard about the rumors of what happened to the women who were brought to their hideout. All her friends she had known since children have all already disappeared and she had never seen them again to this day. Even her little sister was taken one year ago and had not come back.


    "It''s-it''s ok Elyssa! They did not see us... nothing will happen. I will protect you. I-I won''t let anything happen to you," Tom tried calming her down but his voice was trembling and his hands were sweating. He knew what would happen if they really did come. They were Warriors! How would he ever be able to go against them...


    They thought it would be safe to come out today. The Grey Horns and the Scarlet Wolves have been in a week-long battle for territory. Many others had taken this opportunity to quickly run out and restock for food. Seeing two men wearing grey bandannas - who would have they would encounter people from the Grey Horns when they finally chose to come out...


    "Bahahaha, did you see me out there today? nine men! I killed nine of those wolf weaklings!" An obnoxious voice shouted loudly as they approached the narrow alley where Tom and Elyssa were hiding. They did not have anything to hide behind and were hoping they would not be seen in the darkness by tightly pressing against the wall.


    "Pah! That''s nothing. On the first day, I killed twenty-one of them with my bare fists. You should have seen what was going on by the time I was done, no one dared to come near me! Hahahaha, those scaredy-cats all ran with tails behind their backs! I even got myself a woman by the end of it!"


    "Hmph, there''s no need to show off so much, "the first man said without his initial haughtiness. He then added in excitement, "Hey, how ''bout you share that new woman you got with me? I haven''t seen one so fine as her in a long time!"


    The second man continued his boasting and mockingly laughed. "Dream on! I earned her myself. I won''t give her to anyone else for a good long while. Hahaha, just thinking about what''s waiting for me back at the hideout is driving me crazy. Let''s quickly get back."


    The two men were only a few steps away. Hearing their conversation clearly, Elyssa''s legs were shaking and she was becoming more afraid. "Shhh, don''t make any noise." Tom clasped his hand over her mouth to stop her from squealing.


    "F*ck man! There''s no need to tease me so much. I haven''t had a woman in so long I''m going to lose my mind. Why did that new leader suddenly confiscate them all and decides who gets to have who! Just because he is a little stronger than the rest of us? Who does he think he is? I bet that selfish bastard keeps them all to himself!


    ''Whack,'' The other man hit him on the head. "Oi, what''s wrong with you, keep it quiet! Don''t you know what would if anyone heard you saying that! Where is that brain of yours? Do you think there''s an endless supply of women in the village? There''s so little of them nowadays that anyone we find is treated like a treasure. If it wasn''t for the new guy setting up this rule then there would already be none of them left. Unlike the previous leader, he is capable and ambitious. I even heard he was a Mid Silver Class Warrior. Apparently, the plan after getting rid of the Scarlet Wolf Gang is to expand our territory into the surrounding Rank 5 Nations! How exciting is that?


    "Really? As expected for one of the deputy leaders of the gang to know so much. But that''s his problem. Why should we care, it''s not like I have those kinds of ambitions. I''m fine spending the rest of my life in this village. A woman! All I want is a woman damn it!


    "Sigh, what''s with you man... Fine, I''ll share that one with you tonight, how about it? Will that make you happy? Just make sure you don''t do anything stupid and get yourself killed."


    "Hehe, I knew you would have my back brother!"


    With the beating of his heart reaching its peak, Tom sneaked a cautioned glance to the side. His heart gripped in fear when he saw their side profiles. One of them was a big, tall man and the other one looked half his size. The tiny guy hysterically laughed as they continued to walk past with neither of their heads turning to the alleyway. "Hah...." He let go of the breath he was holding. "It''s ok, they''re gone now," he whispered.


    Elyssa''s shaking legs could not support her weight when she was let go of. Tom tried catching her before she fell to the ground but he couldn''t reach her fast enough.


    ''Thump!''


    "Huh? What was that noise?"


    ''Sh*t!'' Tom cursed under his breath. Elyssa was still in a state of shock and could not move. When they started talking about the shortage of women, she thought about everyone she used to know and despair claimed her. She still had hope that her little sister was alive and would come back, but...


    The tiny guy turned around and peered into the alleyway. "Well well, what do we have here. Brother, a woman!" Scanning all over her body with sinister eyes, he licked his lips. "She isn''t bad at all~ hahaha what great luck!"


    Traumatized, Elyssa was hugging her head on the floor. Tom summoned up all his courage to stand in front of her, "L-leave us alone!" The man only laughed in response. "Get out of my way." Tom''s weak body was violently thrown against the wall, his head dropping down from the powerful force.


    A voice said from behind, "hey, finish this quickly. We''ll get in trouble if we don''t head back soon." The other Grey Horn member did not bother talking the man out of it knowing he wouldn''t stop. "Hehehe, don''t worry, I''ll leave enough time for you to have a taste as well. But for now..." The man responded in delight, extending his arm to Elyssa. "Hey lass, what are you closing your eyes for. Come, this will be fun..." Suddenly, a shadow flew from atop and in the next instant, blood splattered.


    ''Slash!''


    A glimmer of metal shined in the darkness and his arm was sliced off!


    ''Slash!''


    Immediately after, the sword sheened again and a line of blood appeared on his neck. The man dropped to the ground without even knowing how he died.


    "What the!" The big burly man reacted. Before he could take action, the shadow dashed forward. His eyes widened at the shadow''s speed, but he raised an arm and blocked the attack in time.


    ''Cling!''


    Metal hit metal as the sword slashed against the man''s gauntlet. But in the next moment, he felt something cold and sharp slice into his leg, bringing great pain. "Arghhh!"


    ''Cling!'' ''Cling!'' ''Cling!'' The attacks kept coming and the man was not given any time to breathe.


    ...


    "You..." Laying on the floor with blood pouring out all over his body, the man''s life was quickly fading. He finally got a chance to take a good look at the assailant. After he died, his eyes were still widened in disbelief.

 40 Heinz

    Austin remained sitting against the tree for two more hours. His body was depleted of mana from activating his Magical Eyes and needed time to recover. The best way to do this was to not move too much and exert minimal energy.


    Because Austin was still a Bronze Class Mage, his total mana was not very high and his energy is easily consumed. This was especially the case when using his Godly Grade skill Magical Eyes. To be able to see through all Magic is a nature-defying power and the expenditure of using it must be naturally high.


    Depending on what he was using Magical Eyes on, the mana used also increases. For example, he was only able to last half a second when analyzing the necklace Elizabeth gave him. Meanwhile, he could maintain Magical eyes for around five seconds when looking at Maya''s body and checking her Attributes, indicating the level of Magic between the two.


    For Austin, who has comprehended all five Rank 0 spells to 100%, the purity of his mana is already as high as it can be, being leagues above any other Bronze Class 0 Star Mages. Since mana purity is a measure of a Mage''s mana storage and recovery rate, Austin is similarly top-notch in these aspects as well.


    Nevertheless, Austin was still at the bottom of Fantasia in terms of strength, and this was brutally shown when they were ambushed. Although he managed to take down one of the assassins, it was only a consequence of their carelessness and a large part due to luck. In the end, he was not able to prevent the current circumstances at all. Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.novelhall.com for visiting.


    Bram''s wellbeing is unknown, Elena is stuck in a concerning state of unconsciousness, and they are in completely unknown territory. Austin knew that the Royal Nation was the only place on the continent that was truly safe. It was the first time they had been outside of it and neither Bram or Elena with him.


    Unless it was the weakest Rank 5 Nations, every other Nation was a victim to war by a lesser Nation aiming to claim its territory.


    Austin couldn''t remember the last time he felt so weak and vulnerable with someone he needed to protect at his side.


    "Autin..." A tired voice murmured, breaking his thoughts.


    "Are you awake this time?" Austin chuckled, teasing Maya for her earlier action of waking up and falling asleep again straightaway.


    If Maya was not here, he would be worrying a great deal more. Her warmth provided some peace of mind and comforted him, like cradling a sleeping baby in one''s arms.


    "mm, yes!" she said loudly, meeting Austin''s eyes with curled lips. Her fierce expression showing her dislike of being made fun of.


    Austin couldn''t resist patting Maya''s head with how lovable she looked.


    Maya was easily appeased. Dropping her little bout of anger, she unconsciously closed her eyes and smiled, enjoying Austin''s gentle touch.


    Austin could tell Maya tried to be strong on the outside but was rather really lonely. Without any parents as a child her age, she must have received very little affection in her life. Seeing how happy she became, clearly Maya had always been longing for some form of love.


    However, Austin had a strong belief that even if Maya continued to grow up in this place of solitude, she would never become someone cold and uncaring. From the nervousness she felt for Elena, who was a stranger she had never met before, Austin saw a kindness that could not be faked, it was part of her very nature.


    But what Austin couldn''t understand was why Maya was living in the woods here where no one else stayed. There wasn''t anything wrong with her health, and she did not have problems being around anyone else either. This was obvious from how easily she talked and opened up to him. Rather, she seemed to have always wanted to have someone else to talk to judging by the anxiousness in her introduction. She had definitely spent time practicing saying her name, age and like for water, perhaps by using her reflection in the clear pond.


    Just as Austin was about to prepare something to eat knowing they would both be hungry, he abruptly felt a hostile vibe, immediately drawing his attention.


    Maya still sat between his laps before she jumped up, seeing the person who had arrived.


    "Brother!" She excitedly ran forwards and into his arms.


    "Maya! I was worried because you weren''t at home. Good thing I found you here..."


    The newcomer was a young boy who was a little taller than Austin. His age had to be no less than ten. The boy had an amiable expression as he turned to him, but Austin felt something wrong in his gaze, almost like it was being forced.


    "I''m Heinz, Maya''s brother. Looks like you''ve been taking care of her, thanks. I''ve never seen you around here before."


    Heinz''s greeting was warm but Austin felt the same irregularity in his voice that was in his eyes.


    Before he came over, Austin saw Heinz quickly scan over the place and take note of Elena''s position. He tried to do it stealthily but of course, Austin would not miss it.


    Since Elena''s safety was at risk, his alertness had never dropped since arriving.


    "Hello, I''m Austin. We ended up here yesterday by accident because my Mother got hurt." Austin pointed to Elena to show Heinz she was here. Heinz glanced over and his eyes flashed, nodding as if he had just seen her. "She hasn''t woken up for a while and Maya has been helping me take care of her."


    "Yep!" Maya nodded. She was in a cheerful mood with Heinz here.


    Heinz had midnight black hair of the same fineness as Laura''s that almost reached his eyes and seems to not have been cut in a long time. He was definitely related to Maya as they had similar facial features, but the brownness of his eyes was a lot darker in comparison, bordering on black. As he was still smiling, Austin could see some straining on his face, implying he did not smile often.


    Austin could not help but feel something was odd. If it wasn''t for him playing close attention, he might have missed when Heinz had already seen Elena laying on the grass earlier. Half her figure was blocked by the tree and the other half by Austin so it required one to purposely look and have keen eyes to spot her. He was clearly still a child yet nearly bypassed Austin''s acute awareness.


    "Brother! Help us carry Auntie to our house so she can sleep on the bed!" Maya excitedly requested. Now that Heinz was here they would be able to move Elena. Maya''s bright eyes showed that she hadn''t stopped worrying about Elena.


    "Yes, of course. Let''s do that."


    When Heinz looked at Maya, his smile became a lot more natural.


    Most likely catering to Maya, he then added. "You should stay at our house until your Mother wakes up. I think Maya would like that as well," There was a weird glint in his eyes as Heinz said this and he seemed to grasp onto Maya tighter.


    Maya kept nodding her little head up and down like she was the most excited she had ever been.


    "Sure, thanks a lot." Taking two seconds before voicing his response, Austin agreed. He couldn''t keep Elena in her state on the ground after all and he trusted Heinz more than any other random stranger. Although that trust mainly came from Maya...


    The three of them reached a conclusion and got to work. Austin went to support Elena''s shoulder first, letting Heinz carry her legs. He made sure to keep Heinz in his vision the entire time but it seemed normal Austin''s gaze was trained in his direction.


    "Autin, Brother! You can do it! Gogo, our house is very close!"


    Maya tried carrying Elena in the beginning but quickly realized she was not able to help at all and her expression turned very sour. She decided to cheer them on instead and worriedly looked at them from time to time.


    It was a very slight difference, but Austin could see Heinz putting in more effort when Maya turned around.  Even more obvious, was the smile that broadened each time.


    Austin thought back to the murderous intent he felt before Heinz arrived...