"Replace the Idols with Gears, the temples with platforms, and the gods with machines."
. . . . . . .
"Does she have scales?" the student asked intently, gripping his whiteboard as he waited for an answer.
"Uh, yeah," Chalybe replied with a slight croak in his voice.
The student scribbled the answer on his whiteboard, smiling to himself in amusement and confusion.
"It isn't... Kukri, is it?" The student locked in his answer, his peers waiting in anticipation, as the Prince of Zion was now the centre of attention.
"Correct once again, Escanor," Chalybe stared down in defeat as the room fell quiet.
Then came the encore.
The cheers of excitement and victory resonated in the screams of the Juhnzu faction boys, before they quickly silenced themselves to prevent alerting the countless spectres monitoring the academy for students who refused to sleep punctually.
The entire hall was dark and chill, the ceiling fully transparent to expose the beautiful Iago and Tsuki moons, casting blue and pink light respectively. The boys commanded their beds to slowly form in a circle, allowing them to discuss in the dead of night.
Some cast various attributes, wizardry, spells, and even necromancy to ensure the spectres wouldn't be aware of their late-night adventures.
There were seven students present - Caesar, Fenrir, and Chalybe among them.
But, you might ask, wasn't Chalybe assigned to the Thunderclaw faction?
And I must commend your attention to detail.
One word.
Teleportation.
Of course, some students turned suspicious and wondered why the academy's higher-ups weren't aware of their actions, as surely the amount of Grace and Miracle used would have given off a faint trail noticeable to people of such grandeur.
But Fenrir theorised that the school was most likely allowing them to get away with their antics, as they needed each other to recover from the gruesome Battle of Black Meadows.
Oh, what a battle.
I have seen many in my existence, and the sheer brutality of that conflict still puzzles me. Children dying in a war that does not concern them. A simple assassination turned catastrophic.
Anyway, Chalybe has feelings for a lady beneath his rank.
"Ain't Wond'r the third gal?" Fenrir spoke up after the deafening silence.
"I am very much aware of her birthright," Chalybe swiftly answered. "Even though birthright is nothing more than a matter of who arrives first, she is still such a woman."
"Is it because she gave you her share of the Giririri Egg?" Caesar giggled, recalling the memory.
"Well, that would be a catalyst," Chalybe smiled. "She is a Gorgona, I am aware. But she is kind and exceptionally humble despite her status. The third Crown of the Kingdom of Aryssia, and her humility outshines her gold. It was a shame she was denied admission to the academy."
Chalybe sighed heavily.
"But we still keep in touch, so it's fine."
Yet the memory continued to torment him.
He still couldn't fathom what he witnessed that day.
A simple meeting between the Kings of Aryssia and Zion had been presented as a vacation, so Chalybe brought Caesar and another companion to escort him.
Then he saw her.
The most beautiful Gorgona he had ever laid eyes upon.
The way her clear brown skin intertwined with her deep red scales fascinated him. The thin slit separating her jaw intrigued him. Her flexible, sly nature entranced him.
She wasn't timid.
Oh no.
Far from it.
She commanded the room, conquered attention, and demanded respect in return.
Her confidence, which coexisted seamlessly with her ability to play alongside simple middle-class children in the capital, shocked him.
Then the worst happened.
The awful sight of her training.
Her species could use their fangs to puncture body and soul, drinking both blood and life force.
And Kukri was no different.
Chalybe was unfortunate enough to witness her involuntarily drinking the souls of her servants to strengthen herself, supervised by an imposing knight dressed in armour.
As fear seized the prince, gluttony seized the princess.
She lunged toward him, burying her fangs into his neck.
He couldn't feel pain.
But he could feel his life, memory and energy draining away.
And somewhere, the sound of a severed limb.
His eyes focused back on Kukri as the knight cut off her right arm with a strange weapon, breaking contact.
Then came her voice.
The sound of angels and choirs could not compare.
Yet fear twisted it into something malicious.
The prince could still remember her words.
"Don't I look like a princess?"
"Anyways, what about you, Caesar?" Chalybe asked his closest companion, who exchanged a rather awkward stare.
"What is that supposed to entail?" Caesar attempted to redirect the question, but his peers were already invested.
"Do you have someone you admire?" Escanor asked excitedly.
Caesar chuckled.
"Well, that... is... a... good... question. Uhm, maybe."
The silence returned swiftly.
Then one of the boys whistled.
"The Eye of Wonder. That is who he admires."
The group stared at the student as Caesar's heart dropped.
"What is that supposed to mean?" another student questioned, glancing at Caesar sheepishly.
The host of Pandorica cleared his throat.
"The Castle Atop the Stars?"
The student smiled, revealing his pure Gloydon teeth.
Simeon Hawkins Stylites, only child of Naphtali Pipistrelles Stylites, The Most powerful Sage to ever live, was completely wrapped in a thick blanket, with ethereal streaks of light floating around him.
"The girl worshipped by War."
"The Breathing Kingdom."
"The Castle Atop the Stars."
Simeon pulled down his blanket, revealing his bald head covered in tattoos.
"That is who Caesar admires."
"The Castle Atop the Stars."
"The Eye of Wonder."
Simeon licked his teeth, cold and heavy, whilst continuing to whistle. He was a bit of an enigma among his peers, seen as an individual with untapped potential, contrasted with the slothfulness of a demon.
His father has travelled the world, toppled rising kingdoms and even killed rogue gods, but his son was viewed as the stark opposite.
"How did you know of her?" Caesar hurriedly asked.
Simeon took his time, examining the young prodigy with eyes that seemed lost and soulless.
"That is not the question we should be asking, Caesar," Simeon exhaled while clinging to his blanket harder. "The main question is, why did you pick her specifically, or why even pick at all?"
"You don't have a gal for you?" Fenrir asked.
"Sages are meant to be one with the world, god, heaven, etc.," Simeon replied. "The deeper or whole you become with the entity or source that you wish to draw power from, the more powerful your Sagecraft is, and believe it or not, getting a lover can hinder you from that. Pretty shitty if you ask me."
Caesar made an obvious attempt at a fake cough, but it came out hoarse and dry.
"Is there a reason why I shouldn't pick a queen for myself?" Caesar answered with a sly smile. "A queen is something cherished by a king and dreamed of by the common, a woman who will stay by you in the clearest day, the starry night, the tearful days or the winters. You shall never see a woman who acts like a queen and doesn't uphold these values. There is a difference between a Queen and a clown with a crown."
. . . . .
The day buzzed with rhythm, drenched in colours, and sweetened by intoxicating aroma. The city cried out in joy as the airship harbouring the future knights of Zion touched their soil.
The sky swayed and waved like an endless ocean, and the dancing on the street shook the city.
Charleton discussed with the driver of the airship, who is still unknown to the children, leaving them in the custody of the masquerades who accompanied the fairy.
The students were still wary of their guardians, who refused to speak or remove their masks, despite the discomfort of the cadets.
The witch who summoned Charleton, who revealed her name to be Marvel Marvel Hummingbird (yes, the Marvel is twice), tried to be humorous to soothe the heavy feeling, but her terrible voice hindered her ability.
Deep into the chambers of the airship, a duo was already preparing itself for the inevitable outing.
"Make sure to put on some Hyrelios Star Cream," Aurelia commanded. "I don't want you burning up or potentially evaporating when you are with me."
Atlanta slowly wore her rimless glasses, inspecting her attire - A short, white dress decorated with green flower patterns.
"I will see to that," Atlanta scoffed. "This airship is becoming more suffocating the longer I stay here."
"I can't actually believe I am in the same Order as that witch, Izobel," Aurelia snarked, but still controlling her shaking hands, still petrified from facing Abyss face-to-face. "I can't let my brother see me this way."
"At least you are safe."
The two students continued to prepare, allowing a comfortable silence to settle, until...
"What do you think of Caesar?" Aurelia asked Atlanta suddenly.
The water spirit briefly paused before returning to her activity.
"I don't like him."
Aurelia stopped her makeup and turned to her companion. "Is that a joke?"
"Don't misunderstand my opinion," Atlanta continued. "He is kind, powerful, intelligent, blah, blah, blah. He is a genuinely good person who can change the course of Zion, or, why not, the whole world."
"But??"
"He is nothing special," Aurelia answered grimly. "We are both nobles, we are both born under special conditions, we are both blessed by multiple divine figures, etc. I am not conforming to envy, but I am tired of people treating him as if he were an anomaly. Paragon? Geniuses? Those words were derived from the depth of humans' greed to form an order to place them atop the pedestal."
As Atlanta spoke, gushes of water began to emerge from her body, floating around the room in bubbles and spheres.
"The paragon 11, or 12, or whatever they decide to stop on, is just a myth in my humblest of opinions. I don't hate the kid. He saved us in the battle of Black Meadows sometimes, but if he doesn't show me something that actually sets him apart, I can't truly respect him."
Aurelia chuckled in disbelief. "So why are you so calm with him?"
Atlanta's sphere of water began to rotate rapidly.
"Because if the school decides to place him on that pedestal, why not take advantage of him?" Atlanta smirked. "He is just a beautiful fish in a sea of sharks. The world glorifies it, but when the world is gone, who shall stand with it, or against the sharks?"
Aurelia finished her preparation while humming to the music of the festival- A long, black dress with gold designs, a brown scarf, and a few light jewellery pieces.
"I promised your mother to look after you," Aurelia whispered.
"And??"
"But I guess I misunderstood the assignment," Aurelia turned to Atlanta, a dagger in hand, as she suddenly vanished.
"Water, Water, quench thy thirst."
The spheres of water erupted violently, but Aurelia managed to grab her companion by the neck, slamming her to the floor and placing the weapon on her neck.
"Does she want me to protect you from the world?" Aurelia said. "Or does she want me to protect the world from you?"
As Aurelai uttered those words, Atlanta's eyes began to glow.
. . . . .
The upper towns?
Yeah, made sense.
The City of Canzonet is famously divided into three main sections:
The lower cities, or the Terra dei teschi, are built on the base of the large fountain, where the middle-class citizens lived, and where the festival was most alive.
The Middle Section, or the Nuvola di bambini, is composed of the large rings and the patches of land that orbited the fountain, housing the wealthy and the nobles.
The Highest section, or the Paradiso della morte, is the most secure and advanced layer, containing governmental facilities, including Ebony's Grand Academy of Witchcraft.
Currently, the cadets are only allowed in the second layer, but they didn't complain.
Charleton called all the cadets outside of the ship, greeting them with the cold and sweet-smelling breeze of the city.
Charleton relayed some ground rules that the children must abide by:
1] No Child is allowed to go to the lower cities - No matter what!! If you found yourself in that area, seek out a man named Aureas and slay a grey pegasus.
2] Any Attack-type abilities used must not be directed at any property, or you will be fined and punished. If you damage any property, you must either complete the 'downstrike test' with your guardian or pay a fine.
3] You cannot tame any spirit animal or Divine beast you find- You must consult your guardian if you really desire it.
4] Everybody must return to the ship in 4 horas time to go to the Grand academy. If you miss the allotted time, you must arrive at the academy after 1 horas of the initial arrival time. If late, you will be punished.
5] If you suspect anyone is a threat, do NOT attack - Consult your guardian or any nearby Knight or Law Executioner.
6] Do Not... I repeat... Do NOT GO CLOSE TO THE WALLS!! If you are somehow close to the walls, look for five doors. A rose door will lead to the lower city, the diamond door will lead to the Parradiso delle morte, the ruby door will lead to a knight stronghold, the blood door - just don't enter, and the Phantom door will summon spectres to aid you.
7] Do not enter the main 9 canals or try to hinder the flow of any water source.
8] Do not disrupt the work of any Knight or Law Executioners, unless you are challenged personally by the person.
9] AND THE MOST IMPORTANT RULE - HAVE FUN!!!!!!!
After sharing the rules with the students, they vanished into the city like a flash of light, with some masquerade trailing them for protection.
Caesar and Chalybe leapt across buildings, feeling the breeze ruffling their hair calmly. They embarked on their quest alone, wanting to spend time together without any hindrance.
And of course, they battled.
Chalybe grabbed Caesar by the collar and threw him into the air, firing multiple shots from his bow of pure divinity.
Caesar swung his leg, coating it in flame to negate the attack by creating a blistering hot arc of fire. He further used the flame to propel himself towards his opponent, firing multiple shots of fire.
Chalybe easily grabbed the attack, freezing them in time and space, rendering them useless.
"Is your battle IQ lacking?" Chaylbe teased.
Caesar didn't answer and continued to attack with miniature fireballs. His divinity efficiency dropped significantly ever since Pandorica revived him. He wondered if it was a price to pay for cheating death, as his body must have still experienced the effect similarly.
The two prodigies charged at each other, Caesar flying down and Chalybe rising.
They both landed one heavy kick to each other, repelling themselves away.
"Should we really be fighting since...you know... You lost a heart?" Caesar asked, softening his fall with his flame.
Chalybe chuckled as he landed far away from his companion. "I only need a finger to beat a weakling like you." The prince stuck out his tongue.
Caesar smiled. "All right then."
With every amount of will he could muster, he summoned the flames that he had created previously during his onslaught, creating a ring of pure divine fire.
"The Wind is perfect. Cold plus hot equals disaster."
Caesar violently spun the ring rapidly in the same direction as the cold wind, causing it to grow larger and larger until it turned into a twister of fire, as large as a building.
"Turns out I am smarter than I look," Caesar laughed.
He commanded the twister to follow the prince, who tried desperately to avoid it, as he was wary about touching the unnatural disaster. Even if he used his bow, it can't freeze a twister of this magnitude.
Caesar struggled to command the twister, as he didn't create it entirely. It felt like moving an oar across a river. Caesar's wounds felt like they were opening, and the paragon felt his heart drop to his stomach.
"Okay, Caesar, stop the twister now!" Chalybe screamed as the twister almost scarred him.
Caesar tried to bring it under control, but it was moving too fast for him to concentrate on. He decided to simply eliminate his flames, but it remained as natural fire was born out of his, which he couldn't control.
"It's getting too wild!!" Caesar cried out as the twister destroyed a wall and a portion of the man, driving deeper and deeper into the house, sending flames and sparks to burn the building and the surroundings, spreading through the dried grass.
Chalybe wondered where their guardian was, but they were nowhere to be found. As fear began to creep in, his breath turned frost, and his skin tingled with an unnatural presence of cold.
As the twister was digging deeper and deeper into the house, completely eviscerating it, a loud bang suddenly echoed, as the fiery tornado was frozen solid.
The smaller fires that were spreading were also promptly frozen, looking like a wild ice sculpture of chaos.
"My, my, my, my!!!" a heavenly voice exclaimed, a harmony so wonderful that the angels could be envious. "What have you been getting up to?"
Chalybe quickly turned to face the stranger, and his heart skipped several beats.
A tall girl atop a giant, blue fox, glistening under the sun and dispersing cold air. The girl atop the divine beast smiled - a Gorgona with a mix of caramel skin and copper scales, a bush of deep, red curly hair complementing the beauty.
She wore a simple, long, light, golden dress, with a metal belt adding to the elegance.
"Kukri?!" Chalybe asked, his eyes wide open in shock.
"The one and only," Kukri smiled. "What's up?"