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Chapter Eight: A True Trick
Huling Na-update:
2024-10-29 19:42:56Kilvic managed a smile as he walked down the passage just before Moss and Stratin appeared on both sides of him.
“What’re you smiling on about?” Moss asked in his voice that wasn’t certain if it wanted to become a baritone. “Grunald’s class was horrible.”
Kilvic discarded the smile. “It has nothing to do with that.”
“Then what?”
Like his smile, he discarded thoughts of unjustified retribution, giving what was left of it to his new friend in one sentence.
“I believe I’ve just made myself an enemy.”
They left the comfort of the buildings, substituting the aegis of ceilings and blue lights for the freedom of the cool breeze and an evening sky which was without cloud nor the light of the sun. The lights of the classrooms and their passages really did much to eliminate the knowledge of what the weather looked like outside of them.
Kilvic followed Moss and S
Kaugnay na kabanata
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Nine: A wise man once said
Their accommodation proved itself to be nothing in line with what Kilvic had expected. A dorm, or perhaps a hostel, would’ve been more than sufficient. Instead, he was led to a house.The building was a dull blue, and judging by its height, it held no more than a two stories. The door stood firmly at its center so that from frame to end the walls on both sides were of equal length. The house had a porch with steps they climbed and Kilvic couldn’t draw himself from the bold Carague emblazoned on one side of the wall.A carague erred on the side of the jaguar, but physique was as far as the semblance went. The demon easily stood twice the size of its earthly counterpart, and with a poisoned saliva, its preys never went far once tasted. It was a strong enough demon, but he’d always considered it one best used for hunting, because while its three eyes gave it a greater peripheral view, it was negated by its inability to focus on more than one point at a t
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Ten: A Summoner's Fear
Kilvic drummed his fingers against the desk beside him. Standing in line was a new experience for him. His classmates had long discarded the concept of orderliness and were pushing back and forth, though a select few remained seated. Suffice it to say, he stood outside of the line but never took his eyes off his position behind Moss.He’d been in the academy for two weeks now and understood the basic routines surrounding its daily activities. Today was his fifth summoning lecture, and while Instructor Quiv had taught them various other essentials, and stalled long enough, he was finally allowing them summon their first demons. The demons they would summon today, he had told them, would be the demon they would use for at least the rest of their first year.In the times he’d taught them, Quiv had made certain they all understood that nilhium was the only way to summon a demon from the eartherrealm. It was the most valuable crystal a mage could ever get their
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Eleven: Student and Attendant
When Kilvic took his seat, Moss and Stratin made failed attempts at concealing their emotions towards the debacle. But Ariadne made no such attempt, the compassion was written all over her face when she turned to him.“I’m so sorry,” she said, and meant it.The apology brought him confusion.“Why?” he asked her, curious. There were only a few reasons a person would feel the need to apologize in such a manner, and by the life of him he had no idea what her crime could’ve been. “What have you done?” he added.Ariadne drew a blank, her confusion usurping her compassion.“Aren’t you…” She trailed off when she saw the other boys shaking their heads. “Am I missing something?”“Look at him,” Stratin told her.“Ok,” she complied, skeptical. After a while, she turned back to him, confused. “What am I looking for?”&ld
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Twelve: Reia
Instructor Irvina taught them of reiaology and always had a way of making the class interesting simply with the sound of her voice. It was something the poets from the books Kilvic had read growing up would have describe as a subtle caress of an unexpected drop of rain under a blazing sun on a hot summer afternoon. A soothing reprise from the pain of everything else. Students were known to have said listening to her made them forget the ache in the muscles from the evenings of sword practice under Grunald and the morning’s unarmed training under instructor Haru.Today, she taught on the second stage of reia evolution. A stage referred to as the condensation stage.The first stage was the willed stage. It was the point when reia began reacting to a mage’s will. Most mages manifest reia by their eight year of age, at that point all it did was learn to react to the reia in everything else and, in time, to the emotions of the mage. However, an externally reacti
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Thirteen: A Different Shade of Beauty
There are many ways to fight like a man, but there is no one way to fight like a man. Since the beginning of things, men have fought and been fought, anyone could easily say mankind has lived only to perfect the art. So when people asked a person to fight like a man, Kilvic was always confused at the request.To fight like a man, apparently, was to fight with honor and grace and class and other things of the sort. The truth? It was all hubris. Such notions and dispositions were found in duels. In a fight, they were a quick way to lose; it was not their place. Thus, he could agree that these notions and ideals were what it meant to duel like a man. Regardless, to fight like a man means to do anything to win, which meant a man should be willing to claw and scratch and bite. Hitting below the belt wasn’t left out, and the occasional sand toss and spitting was as fair as anything else could be. Some would say these acts were unsavory and considered cheating, but that was wh
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Fourteen: A Tavern Fight
Kilvic and his friends left the academy gate and chattered a carriage that took them into the city. The sun was nearing its peak when they arrived in the city and the buildings around them, as tall as the Carag hall, with glass fitted into their walls facing the streets, flanked them on both sides. Each one was separated from the next by dark alleys, and their signboards marketed their names in less elusory letterings than the ones that adorned their glasses.Their carriage pulled to a stop behind a line of other carriages, and while the clacking of the horse shoes on cobblestone ceased, the clacking of horseshoes outside continued to litter the air. Stratin paid the man and they disembarked in front of a cobbler’s shop with a glass that portrayed a variety of shoes and boots that Kilvic decided to return for before the day was done.They strolled the streets, subjecting themselves to the leisure of sightseeing. They engaged in easy conversations, witty banter, a
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Fifteen: Clara
It was a short walk to the platform that held the massive harp, and Kilvic took his time covering it. Ariadne had succeeded in turning him from Moss’ idea the moment she’d asked him of its benefit. At that moment, he’d remembered something he’d always wanted to try since before leaving mount Trenon, and here was a splendid opportunity as any.In Zeldric the art of performance was underappreciated. In truth, it was also underappreciated in a few other kingdoms. But it was worse here. Performances the likes of singing and the playing of instruments was at the heart of the kingdom of Almada’s belief however, where it was said to have originated from when the kingdom’s troubadours had migrated from its borders in search of newer audience who would marvel at their art.As the saying goes: to be an Almadan is to be an artist.Kilvic climbed the wooden steps to the platform, unnoticed by anyone but a few serving girls, the bartender,
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Sixteen: An Almadan Soul
When Kilvic arrived at his seat it was a while longer before the madness subsided. Many people came to their table almost immediately, offering their appreciation. Some spoke of a gratitude for being given the chance to hear something beautiful. A few people offered to buy him drinks and Moss advised that refusing such offers would be disrespectful. Kilvic had a feeling the boy just wanted more to drink. Still, he accepted the offers, receiving only drinks with the littlest of alcohol. And while the number of those who stopped by dwindled, and the tavern ran out of serving girls who hadn’t given him a note or two surprisingly bearing contents ranging from outright invitations to the free comfort between their legs to addresses and professions of sudden love, he wondered at how much longer they would stay.Kilvic and his companions stayed one more hour after his performance, during which he drank a cup of elderberry while Tudi watched him with open hunger and Ariadne wat
Pinakabagong kabanata
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Forty-Five: Creepy
Moss said nothing for a moment, and Kilvic continued to stare out at the arena, at their hall mates training. Lacra remained powerful, her attacks brutal. But Gyra remained standing, bracing against her charges, casting aside spells where he would, evading where he would. The boy was powerful for one his age.When Moss spoke he sounded more confused than irate. “It’s how you say these things with a straight face that’s creepy. I don’t know if you are angry, bored or worried. Which is it?”Kilvic thought about it briefly. It was a logical question. Why had he said it when he hadn’t needed to? Moss had given him a piece of advice, and he’d given one in return. Was it the reference to the magi that had spurred him to speak. Yes, the magi were what mages were called in the older times when they had engaged in combat from a distance. They were mages who had failed once their opponents engaged them in the melee, something very simila
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Forty-Four: Temperament
“Did we win?” Stratin broke the silence that enveloped the arena, voice panting. “Did we?”Kilvic spared him a solitary glance. Did it matter? There had been four of them against one of her. Though victory should be taken in whatever form it came, this was a victory he cared nothing for. If your life was truly at stake you would. Kilvic almost frowned at his own thought. It was right. Still…He sighed. “Yes, we won.”As if released from a spell, Stratin slumped to the ground in relief.Ahead of them Fyodan approached. Behind them, Moss lumbered along damaged bones no doubt mending themselves. The amount of reia required to create, and operate such an arena needed to be greatly vast. Here, unlike the arena used for the winter hall fest, death was not circumvented. But a vast room that could heal wounds on the scale of even broken bones in mere minutes was powerful… too powerful.&ld
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Forty-Three: Not A Combat Mage
Wind magic has always been considered the easiest of them. Why? Because no place existed void of air. And air, unlike most other elements, is flexible, bendable to one’s will. Not much mental strength is required to manipulate it. It is, in theory, the best element to start a mage off with. But not the way Naesir made it seem.Kilvic jumped back with a speed that would have made a peregrine proud. A wind lance struck the sand covered ground where his feet had been a mere breath ago and dissipated almost immediately. He wondered at the verity of the training he was undergoing. His intention had been to learn the basics of wind magic from someone who was proving attuned to it by each growing day. He ducked and rolled almost immediately, his mind not given the time to contemplate the failure of his choice as another wind lance skewered the air where he should’ve been. Each wind lance was condensed enough to almost be mistaken for a true lance. Battle against a wind e
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Forty-Two: Only The Best
Ariadne was staring.“He talks in your minds?” she said, again, in disgust. “How do you allow that.”“He’s strong,” Stratin offered mildly. “I couldn’t shake him.”Moss shrugged. “Me neither.”To Moss, she replied, “Any oaf with half a brain could see that. You have the will power of a dead fish, Moss.” She turned her attention to Kilvic. “And you?”“He had something to say.” Kilvic thought about it, then changed his answer. “I thought he had something to say. But he was also helping me spar.”Ariadne raised a brow. “How?”“Pointing out my weaknesses. Showing me where I should’ve capitalized.”“Moss could help you with that. Heck, Lacra would be more than happy if Gyra refuses.”“Gyra has offered,” Stratin pointed out.Ariadne turned to him. &
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Forty-One: Ostracize
Kilvic staggered backwards, his body held incline into a fall. His feet were the only things that kept him up. Counting away in multiple minute steps, they kept him up, kept him from the fall as he pushed away, increasing the distance. The deadman’s walk came easier to him now. Of all the moves they were taught, it came the easiest, the simplest. Perhaps it was his favorite now. Perhaps not. It definitely kept him away from the pain. After three breaths he staggered into position, returned into a defensive form.Naralayn had done much to remain his sparring partner, but ever since Stratin had proved more sufficient it had become harder for the young noble to choose him for a partner. Naralayn did not cease in his attempts though, until their instructor determined having Naralayn as a sparring partner was not good for the young noble’s development. So, today, Kilvic found Sharmin as his sparring partner. And Sharmin was an easier opponent to survive agains
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter-Forty: A Deviant
Outside, the arena remained its cacophony of training, students panting with the exaggerated stress of those who’d worked themselves. But Vilan did not pant, and neither did Gyra. Vilan sat in the sand, knees pulled up to his chest, arms wrapped around them, and face bowed in hiding. Around him reia worked. Unrefined lumps of sand the size of an adult’s head hovered about him, four orbs—if they could be called such. And before the boy, hidden from his view, a staff trembled in the sand. Kilvic paused to watch all this, ignoring Gyra’s noted attention on him.Ariadne stopped beside him, turned her attention to what had his, and sucked in a sharp breath. “Four links,” she gasped. Kilvic was not certain if she was impressed or underwhelmed.Seven, Kilvic corrected mentally. Barely perceptible, two clusters of air hovered, struggling to maintain their new nature. Ariadne had not counted the boy’s link to the staff either,
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Thirty-Nine: Armory
“How’d you do it?”Kilvic turned to Ariadne and did his best not to frown. Most of the expressions he’d trained most of his life were slowly becoming habits. He could school them, but there were occasions such as this when they surfaced of their own accord. He’d lost count of how many times she’d asked. She at least had the decency to ask it in subtlety. First she’d gone about it as if out of combat curiosity. Then she’d moved on to the curiosity of the defeated. She’d tried other methods too. Not anymore.“Do what, Ariadne?” he asked.“That last spell.”“It was a simple wind spell.”“I didn’t hear you cast.” Ariadne frowned. “No. You didn’t chant, did you?”Kilvic turned his attention away from his project. In his hand was a single staff, on the other was a knife. The winter hall fest consisted of a variety of challe
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Thirty-Eight: Detached
“Same as last year.” Lacra made a grunting sound like gravels scraping. She coughed, turned her head to the side, and spat out a blob of blood stained spittle. “Same as last fucking year.”She was seated on the sand. Her tattered clothes did not leave much for imaginations, but the necessary parts were covered and she cast the perfect look of a warrior from battle. Gyra and Kilvic stood in front of her. Around them the others were beginning to rise groggily. It had been roughly fifteen minutes since Lacra had surrendered and Kilvic noted her injuries were gone, completely healed. He turned his head to Fyodan where he stood, the first to come to his feet. Behind him the crack in the arena wall was also gone. Healing or reconstructive, he wondered. They did not have an arena like this in castle Grey. They did not have an arena that fixed itself… or those within it.Its effects were slow, but each of the students were comin
The Demon King Chronicles; Demon-Named Chapter Thirty-Seven: A Battle Decided
Everything happened quickly. The boys and girls roared into each other. It was not the skirmish of the non-mages. There was no physical clashing involved. This was a skirmish for those who trained to become great mages in the future. A few fists were thrown, but most of all, spells came flying, and the ambient reia was disturbed as if by the fury of a crashing wave.Trudi was all smiles as she sent spells flying, simple incantations after the other. Unlike the boys, the girls seemed to possess a chosen strategy. Some bought time for the spellcasters, dispensing physical oppression upon the boys. Lacra moved like a force to be reckoned with. Her steps were quick, carrying her across the arena in short bursts. She was everywhere she needed to be to support her team when they needed it. A fist here and there, forcing a boy or the other into defense where they’d been going for offense.Moss forced his way into the enemy, a battering ram in his form, arms crossed over
