***Further In The Mountains.
Five of the six bandit forces were sitting there together looking at the man standing on a stage. He was tall and handsome, with slicked back hair and bright brown eyes while sporting a wide smile, showing his rows of white teeth. He looked to have captured the audience's attenton but that was a mistake. To be precise, they were all looking more at the bloodied dismembered head in the hands of the man.
That was someone all the bandits knew very well, leader of the 'Killer Orcas Bandits' Kris Cros.
"Now pay attention, we of the Blood Fiend only need people who can listen, the boss has no need for those who cannot even do that simple thing. This man here was proven incapable and was erased by the boss, as well as all those members of his. Now, I have called you here to ask you all the same thing, are you ready to pledge allegiance to the Fiend brigade?" The man gave a speech to all the bandits sitting down in the audience, and it left a bad taste in their mouths after hearing the contents.
There was silence all around as everybody looked at the others to see who would say what. This man was practically calling for a unification of all the bandits in the area!
"Tch, you called us to unify, see what we, the 'Bloody Ogres' have to say about that!" An old man about the age of fifty stepped out. His streaks of gray in his hair plus his full grown beard made him look extremely fierce and malevolent.
The man on stage did not look at him but to a kid near the bottom of the stage.
"He rejected your fathers orders, make quick work of him young master Kaiser." The man said with a wicked grin plastered over his face.
The boy stood there but looked ephemeral all the same, like an illusion. Soon three rings flew out of him and illuminated all those around him. they were all the color of black and gave a deathly feel. The rings flashed and returned but-
"Keurk"
"Akh"
"AHH"
"Sto-urk'
The bandits around the old man all died at the same time in rapid succession. The old man just roared and a Mace three meters tall appeared and he struck the ground with it, sending the rings approaching him away.
"That one is stronger than my call of death, you handle him." The boy issued his command huskily behind an oni mask and walked back to the corner of the stage and just stood there.
"With pleasure." the man on stage pointed at the old man with his finger shining brightly and started slicing the air like a maestro producing music. Soon the body of the man was ripped apart according to the movements made.
There was no resistance being made. It was like a knife cutting through butter, even the hardened Mace the man produced which looked sturdy was also sliced apart easily. The cuts all looked neat and there was no splatter or noise, just the man toppling over with blood streaming out everywhere slowly.
"Does anyone else have any disagreements with the way things are going to be set up?" The man on stage spoke.
Silence again. Then a man stood up and finally gave his decision.
"We of the 'Blue Tiger' pledge allegiance." He decided to yield.
Once someone did, the rest followed.
"We the Yellow Fangs pledge allegiance"
"We the Eagles pledge allegiance"
Once all three groups did so, the man smiled evilly again and gave a mission immediately
"Everyone give five gold, the young master Is attending elementary battle school."
"...."
"...."
****
"We finally arrived" Zephyr cheered.
There in front of the massive caravan was a city of massive proportions. Its walls alone deterred many with evil intentions, plus the knights posted along the wall looked gallant and prideful.
There were streams of people arriving and leaving and everything was loud and rowdy. When they finally were able to move around the crowd and approached the gate a knight immediately approached them.
Once looking at the worn and torn clothing from their travels, he deduced they were of no importance. Before he could talk though, his eyes spotted Renault and anything he was about to say was swallowed in his throat and he did his job.
"Um, one gold to enter" the man said.
"Per person? Renault asked in his deep voice.
"Yes." the man murmured as he looked down.
Renault looked to the butler and Arnaldo immediately got the hint and just gave thirty five gold to enter. As they were walking the butler once again asked Renault to visit the Marquis, to which Renault actually agreed to.
"Whoa" Zephyr and Ralph looked upon the estate in awe, bigger than anything they saw on the streets yet and already dwarfed their comfy house. The building was pure white and had multiple pillars holding the top and had butlers and maids here and there tidying up the estate.
The knights at the door kept a keen glare at anybody coming close to the manor and everything looked prim and proper. Arnaldo came to those guards and instructed one to inform the marquis, he did have some power as the head butler.
"You are home my darlings? How was the trip?" A boisterous voice echoed out as an entourage of people swarmed outside.
"Dad" the two girls threw themselves at him and were caught and lifted up. When Zephyr looked at the man, he had to admit he looked handsome and tall.
Although smaller than Renault, the man named Julius Thunder looked huge and heroic. He had curly blonde hair that went all the way to his shoulders that was really bright and shiny to look at. He had eyebrows like swords aimed at the sky, sharp nose and glaring eyes that one couldn't keep contact with without a strong will.
"You all are...! I have seen the Duke of Morelo's son."
"Duke?" Everyone looked at the Marquis in confusion but quickly connected the dots and looked at Renault in shock
"Him??!?" Everyone was once again in sync.
"Haiz, Julius, you still remember me after what, around 15 years of absence? Renault spoke in melancholy.
"Who could forget Liandry's god of war." Julius adamantly replied.
"Then this is madam Aaly Krash. A pleasure madam."
"How do you do" Aaly responded.
"Let's talk inside." Julius said as he held his two daughters.
They soon started marching forth and with that they soon became acquainted with three more family members of the Thunder family.
They were the wife of Julius, Margaret Thunder and her daughter and son, Louise and Raven Thunder. Raven had striking blonde hair that went nicely with his golden eyes that blazed like topaz.
Louise on the other hand, had a more subdued hair color that was dirty blonde and had gentle gold eyes, people would be moved by her eyes alone with how beautiful they were.
The rest of her body was not so developed as she was just ten and Raven was eleven. Julius left his four kids to play with the three kids of Renault to discuss serious matters elsewhere. With the kids alone they soon started talking about their summonings and started bragging.
They were already sort of familiar after walking a bit around the house as well.
"Hey Hardin, what did you receive from the spirit world, I received this!" Raven excitedly rose to his feet and raised his right arm.
Sparks of electricity started coursing throughout his body and gave off a menacing feel, the lightning also subtly changed Raven's appearance as his hair started going upwards as a result of the voltage.
"Hum... That's pretty nice and all but your still a step behind my brother. He is totally strong and could whoop you like nobody's business." Zephyr stood up to introduce his brother but quickly got down to business.
"What did you say." Regina stood up and yelled back.
"Brother, don't let him insult you". Regina chimed in again.
Raven's face also got red and he looked at the nonchalant face of Hardin and the wide grin of Zephyr.
"Enough! How about a go, I'll let you go first because you are younger than me. I just graduated from the elementary academy a year earlier because it could not match my level." Raven proudly spoke.
"I see, then pardon me." Hardin remained polite even against his opponent and raised his arm languidly and made a fist.
-Vroom!
the barrier enclosed Raven and rapidly shrunk.
"Hmph, this move won't work if I have more energy than you, I am a second stage disciple, see how you like this, a genius's voltage!" Sparks flew everywhere and shattered Hardins barrier and the room quickly flew into disarray. The weird part was when things cleared up Raven was back into a fetal position while Hardin remained standing like nothing happened.
"What the?"
"Eek, brother! You okay!?!?"
Raven and his siblings stood there in disbelief while Zephyr and Ralph had smiles of victory over them, as if it was they themselves who won.
Julius quickly came out from his study while Renault followed slowly behind him.
"What happened!?! Julius quickly asked.
"They had a spar and Hardin wiped the floor with him!" Zephyr zoomed in to explain.
"No, I was just lucky to catch him unaware during the smokescreen he made." Hardin came to safely explain and maintain face for everyone involved.
"You beat Raven, a stage two disciple with his lightning force out?" Julius said, amazed.
"What stage are you?" He followed up.
"I am a stage eight student, so the energy I could utilize is low." Hardin said shamefully.
"When did you awaken if I may ask?"
Hardin looked at his dad to which Renault nodded back.
"Just around a month ago"
"WHAT?!?! Julius and everyone aside from the Reinhardt family said. To awaken a month ago and be a stage eight already, was practically unheard of. That was the tier of a super genius.
