Chapter 9

    Brethan 1.2

    Reaching the Martial field Brethan heard the voice of Master Luwis screaming and shouting at the young cadets on how to properly throw punches on the stone dolls. The young cadets were only in long pants and constantly revolving the Martial Force inside their bodies, not only to shield their bodies from the cold breeze but to shield their knuckles from the rough and skin damaging stone dolls. 

    Master Luwis is a man that cares a lot for young talent. Even with that stone like face that didn't know what a smile was or that terrifying scar, what he care the most are about the next generation. "Master Luwis how is the preparation of the space?" Master Luwis turn around and look at Brethan with that stone like face and said in a rough tone, "almost done. The ones who finish their routine first were sent to clear the space and clear the outer stable." Brethan nodded and Master Luwis continue, "a messenger came not too long ago and said that they were only a couple of miles away from coming out of the black woods. The army is not large as it compromise of a hundred knights and two hundred royal guards. With the caravans coming at their tails, maybe showing up with eight to fifteen hundreds personnel." Brethan nodded and that was roughly what he calculate as well. The caravan coming at their tail will be fill with merchants from the River Lands, rouge Martial Artist looking for a Martial field to train. Some whores for the warriors company, bards for his majesty pleasure and Noble sons and daughters who are looking for adventure on the northern lands.

    "Lord! Lord!" Shouts call for him from behind, he turned around and Marcus was running over covered in sweat. He stood in front of Master Luwis and didn't forget what he came here first, with a fist on his chest he first said. "Quest completed! All the beasts were moved to the inner stables and the space around the field is open for the carriages and animals coming to stay." Master Luwis didn't have any change in expression and nodded. 

    Marcus turn to Brethan and said in clear excitement, "Lord, look." He waves his hand and a barely visible hue of formless energy coated around his palm. Bethran calm face let out a smile as this was a sign of someone breakthrough in to the Aura of Reality. He patted his shoulder and laughing said, "good my boy, am proud. Now only Stan and Belia are the only one that needs to breakthrough to that realm." 

    Bethran really wishes for his children to breakthrough before going to the Gate. The Gate is a place where Strange Monster crawl the ground. Beasts will be as plenty as leaves and grass in a forest. The purpose of such traditional ceremony is to teach the youths of what the world is truly made off. Humans may be ruling the lands but at any moment this semblance of paradise for humans has the possibility to crumble because of the Strange and terrifying creatures this world gives birth to.

    The Gate is also on the north but on the other side of Valleyfall, close to the east side of the continent. The north is a grand mass of land when compared to the south, but more than half is filled with hilly and mountainous regions were barely any human lives. Closer to the west side of the north, running up the path that enter the icy plain above the north is where Valleyfall reside. Throughout the west side of the northern lands, the human settlement wind up as the mountains and hills were mostly bare with only the black forest taking a large chunk of the region. 

     And in that side is where the northerners live, some in Holdfast outside the black forest others in some Castle closer to the outskirts of the Black Forest, ready if any outbreak of beast happen in the north. While their other purpose is keeping the population of the beasts inside the Black Forest somewhat under control. The ones who participated in the ceremony are the youths of these Castles and Towns that live on the inside of the Castle Walls. They made up the number that will travel the mountains and hills of the eastern side of the north and enter the forest of the Purple Heart Flower.  A Magical Herb that is incredibly useful towards Magical Creatures and the purpose of the graduation is to locate the herb and come back alive from that place.

    He remember that time when him and his older brothers also made the adventure of entering the northeast corner of the continent to that Gate at the end of the north eastern path. That is the Gate keeping the Monster race from coming out, but even with such massive structure blocking their path they always slip through the cracks of it's defense and enter the forest of the Purple Heart Flower to consume such addicted herb.

    Every time the graduation takes place is roughly the same time were the Keepers of the Gates fought the hardest to make the Monsters not slip through their defenses. The Keepers are warriors from around the continent. No matter from what family or what background they come from, no matter what religion they believe in, the only thing that mattered was the power to combat these Monsters who aim to plunder the humans of their lands.

    The Monsters and Beasts are different, that is the Beasts are overpopulated and are in every corner of the land, sea and air, even inside human settlement one could see an incident of a beast losing their way and eating an innocent civilian with no Martial power. But Monsters were rare, just as rare as Mutated Beasts but slightly more dangerous.

    The problem with the Monsters are their behemoth like bodies and their mysterious abilities. Abilities that couldn't be counter attacked with Power and Skills alone, if magic is not involved then the difficulty of killing such creatures are as great as wiping out a whole beast horde in a day. 

Something now impossible for the humans as they have lost their talent for magic, only those humans with inborn abilities could be used as weapons against the monsters.

    The act of such feats are left only for the Noble Heroes of the past. Humans capable of combating these Strange Monsters with special abilities of their own.

    In his ceremony, he managed to witness three major battles. These Monsters escape from the Gate, one came from underground, the other from the sky and the last one managed to slip through the small gap the other two monster created on the Gate. 

    The Purple Heart shape Flower is an addicted drug for these monsters. Just the smell could made them go crazy and throw themselves to the thousand meter tall Gate made of Adamantium, the strongest known material in the world. When Bethran was shown the top of the Gate, from high up he saw those little bodies that were actually behemoth on the ground, use their own flesh to clash against the Gate, trying to push it open, to make a crack for at least one of them to enter.

     Looking at the scenery in front of the Gate he saw the others side of the northeastern side, as high as he was he should be able to see the ice plains just as he has seen from above the Broken Mountains but he realized that the northeastern land above the Gate weren't made of ice but of more mountains, higher, different and some with active volcanoes with a sea that seem to divide the east and west part of the north. The keepers call it the narrow sea.

    *CAOOOORR* A sharp roar mix with the screeching of a bird of prey spread across the sky. Brethan look up and saw a brown feather Griffin landing close to him. With a cloud of wind hitting Brethan face Robert came down with his beard trimmed. He jumped down from his tall mount that was almost two and a half meters tall and robust to boot and made his way to Bethran. They both shook it off and Rob ask him, "how do I look?" Bethran look him up and down and answer, "presentable." They both laugh.

    "Master Luwis come over! This is Lord Commander Robert Eastling. One of the Six Lord Commander of the Six Forts." Master Luwis stone like face rarely makes a smile but now what can one say is an ugly grin, was spread across the corner of his lips. Brethan sometimes ask how he makes his wife and baby daughter laugh with that face. "Robert The Defender. I heard songs about you this far up north, I heard you slay an Earth Dragon five years ago and save the East Fort Wall from falling. This warrior admire you greatly, hope there will come a day when we can fight side by side." Master Luwis said. The tone of his voice was still rough and dry because of all the shouting but the respect for a powerful warriors was there filled with emotions. 

    "Master Luwis right? Don't be humble with me!" He laughed and went to shook Master Luwis hand. "I Also know about you, didn't you went to an expedition eight years ago to the Unknown Tundras for the volcanic crystals? Some of my men were also there and they told me of how you battle a Giant Molten Rock Lizard. Aren't those the same as Earth Dragons?" Master Luwis stiff face finally made a somewhat smug smile. 

    Looking at him at the side Brethan couldn't help be shake his head. This guy just didn't know how to smile at all. With that stiff grin Master Luwis shook his head and said, "Giant Molten Rock Lizard are just Variant Beasts. They may have been compared to Earth Dragons but they don't have the genuine Dragon's blood. That's why they are different." True, Dragons are called as such because of their unique bloodline. The bloodline gives them some inborn advantages that the rest of the beast kingdom didn't have. 

    Their scales are harder than some metals, they could consume almost everything. They could adapt to any environment. And they could breathe pure fire without any form of magic involvement. Creatures that use the elemental forces of nature as weapons have some sort of connection to magic in their blood. But dragons are fire made flesh. That's their difference from the rest of the beast kingdom.

    "When is his majesty making his appearance?" Robert ask. Bethran look at him and said, "didn't you came from the sky. How come you miss him?" Robert scratch his now trim bear and said, "I come from the caves on the east. His majesty must be using the twisting road of the west. The path is the less obstructed one for that army and is the road were more Holdfast are in their path, clear of beast and easier for large number to travel." Brethan nodded and Master Luwis answer for him, "his majesty and the army are only a couple of miles away, a messenger announced." 

    At this time Marcus that was standing at the side said, "I can, check how far from the valley are they." Brethan shook his head at his proposal.

    "Good morning Lord, Master Luwis." The voice came with the sounds of metal rings clinking against each other. Bethran and the others turn to the back. Maester Eustace was making his way towards them with quick steps, steps that his old badly weak body shouldn't do. Brethan sees the Old Winter Kings book in his hand and scratch his head. "Maester Eustace, why are you holding such heavy book. Come let me help you." The Maester shook his head and adjusted his glasses.

    He said. "Lord, look I found what that boy did yesterday!" The excitement in his old voice surprise Bethran. He came to a stop beside him and show him a passage in the book. "Wargs are humans with inborn magical ability to dwell on the mind of beasts. Making do as the master please." Bethran read out loud and Robert that was by his side join in and said, "a Skin Changer?" Bethran and Maester Eustace look towards him at the same time.

    "That second part just sounded like a skin changer to me. The outlanders are specialist in skin change. They may not cultivate the Force but they do have Strange Abilities." Maester Eustace frown upon hearing Robert Eastling. "Sir and who might you be?" Robert introduced himself and Maester Eustace took a step and said, "Lord Commander of the East Forth. Heard a bunch of tales of your feats." Robert nodded at Maester Eustace and took a step to see the book that Bethran was now holding.

    "I don't know what that Warging is but it does sound eerily similar to what the outlanders do. But here it doesn't mention about second lifeline." This time Marcus couldn't hold his curiosity and took a step forward, "Lord Commander, what do you mean?" Robert Eastling look at the young man and thought that he look similar to Bethran, his temperament was just like him when he was younger.

    "If a Skin Changer is in danger of his or her life and their body is killed, they have a chance of transferring their consciousness and memories to the body of the close it beast from their death." Bethran now suck a breath of cold air. That thought gave him a chill. Are these still Magical Abilities or some Demonic Supernatural things?

    Bethran was still silent, thinking about if Cyrus does have the same supernatural ability. Of what he knows the list keeps piling up on top the strange things that boy can do. Robert said to the side, "a boy here can do such a thing? Are you sure, because even in the outlanders tribes, the ones capable of doing such feats are rare as Phoenix flower and Golden jade stone." Bethran didn't answer him and stood thinking, trying to figure out if Cyrus could actually do such things.

    As he thought, from the slope that leads up and out of the valley into the entrance of the black forest. Roaring sounds tremble the treetops, making birds jump to the sky. The trees sway and some fell to the side, letting the space free for two rows of tall, bulky bulls coming out and dragging a wheelhouse that was taller than the trees tops. 

    From where they stood in the Martial field, the slope was just in front. They all could now feel the valley tremble slightly, even though they were still half an hour away Bethran sees this and took a deep breath and shouted towards the Martial field, "READY AT COMMAND, POSITION FOR THE WELCOMING OF HIS MAJESTY." His shout spread out and went towards the small town outside of the castle walls. 

    From the gate of the town, rows of commoners well dress step out. Their fur coat were tightly button, the woman hair braid, even the prostitute of the whore house came out looking like any other lady from a common family. The men were also well dressed with half of them with well trim bear to see themselves presentable.

    Bethran nodded at his people and stare at the slope that leads out of the valley, waiting for his majesty appearance.