CHAPTER 83

  THE ATELIER CLAN

  Hans’s thoughts were having a field trip. This and that he kept mumbling, and when Dietrich jolted him a bit, he asked his wise elder. “So, ancestor. How did you imprisoned them? They are the top of the food chain.” “

  “Hmm… you are still hung up on them. I thought we’d talk about something else.” Dietrich tried avoiding it, but Hans’s curious eyes were telling him that he can’t just wiggle out of this. Sighing, he spoke, “Before being the kings and kingdoms. Humans were united in clans, multiple so. We…we belonged to a very intelligent clan of ateliers that could put even dwarves to shame. You can’t go wrong with human evolution.”

  This was something that Hans didn’t know, so he just nodded, asking Dietrich to continue.

  “Take your father for example.” Dietrich pointed, “that brat didn’t have a speck of a talent in swordsmanship, but he is the best damn swordsman known. When he lacked reflexes, he forged an artefact. For strength, he made one too. Whatever he lacked, he overcame with crafting a new thing. He was overloaded with them, and he made it all by himself. He might’ve not inherited our sword, but he sure damn is the most talented atelier we ever had.”

  Hans nodded, realising why Samson was crafting a brand new body for himself. The one he was born with wasn’t holding his immense power.

  Hans was a hard one to impress, but when his father was the subject, he couldn’t help but be captivated. Maybe it was their shared blood, or something else entirely. But now he was eager to learn more about Parvians, not just as knights, but as the skilled craftsmen Dietrich had described.

  “So you crafted a prison kind of artefact and captured those ancients within?” he confirmed.

  “Yes, an artefact similar to this very Floatlands. It keeps them in.”

  “But the two I saw in Clandor—

  “You seem to forget something, little descendant.” Dietrich interrupted. “They are the epitome of power. There is nothing without a loophole. As long as they stay in limited power, they can venture outside for a little time.”

  “Tell me more about them. I hate something I can’t understand. I never felt as powerless as when I faced them. Knowing the enemy is half the battle won, right?” Hans grinned.

  “Haa! You aren’t wrong on that. So listen. Ancients all have a hierarchy. They call themselves with numbers. I… am called ONE. The last is… no, the last was sixteen before that crazy kid calling herself god butchered them. Now they remain only fourteen.”

  “Why is this not documented anywhere? Clans? Ancients?” Hans furrowed his brows. “It’s the first time I’m hearing it.”

  “Because it was erased from history. We only remember because the memories we inherit through our bloodline— we were the first sinners of humanity. That’s why we must protect the weak. It’s our redemption.”

  Hans was even more confused now, but Dietrich left him to rest without a word. It was something he never wanted to share with anyone. And Hans needed rest more than he was letting on. After Dietrich left, he went to slumber like a dead log.

  Fourth year was the graduating year for Concordia’s programme and also the year which selected the cream of the crop for their future jobs and specialisation in higher academy. Hans was going through paperwork. “Man, I hate this. Can’t they just let me in?” He complained.

  “Senior, it’s your work. Why am I doing this?” Vanir, who was forcefully helping his master, complained too.

  “Dunno?” Hans shrugged off. “Isn’t helping the master the job of a minion?”

  “Yeah… helping is. Not doing everything. What happens if I choose some random subject for you? You are going to suffer—

  “Vanir, do I look like I’m going to study this year too?” Hans scoffed as he lazed around his bed, and knowing it as a fact, Vanir just completed his tasks for sorting out subjects.

  “Senior. You are a month late, so you don’t know they’ve changed the curriculum for last year—”

  “That’s where you came into this picture, Vanir. Start yapping.” Hans gestured, and Vanir, as a trusted aide, started speaking fluently.

  “This fourth year is divided into three sections: first is six months of academics, then a year of practical training as apprenticeship, and lastly the Red Demon trials in any Node. So roughly, it is now a two-year programme. They added apprenticeship this year.”

  After getting a briefing from Vanir, Hans found his first knight, who quickly began to speed him up by introducing him to the classes. And, fortunately, since all three of them were attack types, they all chose the same subjects.

  SpaceMana studies,

  RedDemons studies,

  Sunstone and the Great Barrier,

  Nodal history

  Hans was the sole castle prophet who selected these subjects that only frontlines chose. There were only four subjects to pick in the attack section, but there was free time for them to improve and take guidance from their higher academy seniors. Professors actively supported and tested these students as best as they could. No one wanted their students to die in red demon trials.

  “Hey, why are there so few of them left?” Hans asked, looking around. “I thought most of them passed the third year?” He was puzzled, and Delimira finally spoke up to answer him.

  “They dropped out.” She flipped some old pages as she continued without breaking her sight from them. “Apprenticeship — not all can get from a trusted organisation, and don’t forget red demon trial for graduation is probably suicide for the weak.”

  Chris added, “But Concordia encourages the students to opt for them to prepare for red demons. After all, it is Genas’ heartfelt desire to regain the occupied territory of Utar.”

  At Chris’s naive but genuine words, Delimira and Hans looked at him pitifully. “Idiot, you don’t know a jack.” Delimira spoke Hans’s thoughts.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Hans felt the need to tell Chris that it was Genas’ powerhouses who were reluctant to cleanse the land occupied by red demons, but he chose not to break his conviction. “I hear you, brother. Let’s focus.”

  Today was his first day in Space Mana studies, but during his volunteering work, he had already come across the red demons. “Space mana is a tricky attribute in red demon along with many of the origin skills they possessed.” He mumbled and focused on his twenty-something professor whose name he didn’t know.

  “They are very hard to kill even if you surpass them in strength because if one wanted to run, you normally won't have the capabilities to stop them.” The teacher, popping his knuckles, scanned the class. “So you lot need to know how to prevent them from escaping or even worse, calling reinforcements.”

  “Woah, so no theories? I kinda like the fourth-year.” Hans mumbled. “I like this professor—

  “He is not a professor idiot.” Delimira chimed in silently. “He is the higher academy senior.”

  “Yeah, buddy. There are no professors in fourth year, only our seniors and alumni.” Chris also added. “These people are experienced in dealing with red demons directly, and since the gap between the age of instructor and us is narrow. Both of us could be comfortable and learn from each other.”

  Hans had a rough time dealing with red demons last time when Reina gave him a chase of his life. So he shushed Chris to focus.

  He wanted to know how the other students would face those things, and the answer he got was Dispellium dust – a specially crafted powdered form of the Dispellium by blacksmiths and dwarves of Hellforge. It was their sole trade with other races, alongside commissioned weapons.

  The instructor explained further, “Since space magic is the hardest thing to stabilise, even a red demon general could barely do in successions. It is their trump card, which is very hard to conjure, so it takes time and concentration. But if they succeed, then you are dead because red demon hardly flee but summon reinforcements.”

  Hans was feeling something amiss. The red demon he faced used space magic to sneak up on him. So he asked if that was common too.

  “No,” the instructor replied, adding, “it only does it when it wants to play with food—

  “Meaning.” Hans urged.

  “Meaning, he thought of you as a weak thing to toy with.” The instructor explained. “You are Hans Parv, right?” He asked, prompting Hans to nod. “Listen to me first. I’ll take questions later.”

  “So, where were we… yes. They are walking teleporters. When they conjure the portal, they’ll be momentarily idle, giving you a fraction of a time to attack with dispellium powder. Since aura isn’t affected by it, the knight can use it in their sword. For mages, it’s tough, so rely on your teammates. If a mage gets stranded, then they are as good as dead. So learn long-range magic that’s fast, efficient, and not destructive but strong enough to carry ‘THIS’ to your target.”

  The instructor showed them a sphere of the size of a baby's fist. “The mages shoot this sphere at Red Demons. It will temporarily shock them. Let’s see— Ms Cassidy, please make a barrier.”

  He instructed, and in no time, Cassidy, the sunfall princess, conjured a heavy barrier surrounding her. “Perfect.” The instructor shot a water pulse, a non-lethal attack at the barrier, but it carried the sphere filled with dispellium powder. Upon contact, the sphere opened, and the dispellium powder spread like smoke, perfectly disabling the barrier.

  The student witnessed the demonstration and nodded in agreement, but Hans raised his hand and got the instructor’s permission to ask. The instructor only knew Hans as someone whose feats dominated the Elven civil war, so he was lenient to him for disturbing him twice.

  Hans asked, “Is this the only way for stopping them from using a space portal?”

  Instructor smiled and replied, “Of course not, use sanctuary or domain, but if you could use them, then you won’t be going after the small fries intended for this curriculum. People who could use those go after more tricky red demons, high in hierarchy. You should ask this in your next class.”

  Hans was dissatisfied with the answer, but the instructor kept teaching in a friendly manner, and the student interacted with him quite frankly. He understood why these classes were taught by their seniors instead of stuck-up professors. Almost every student asked their doubts, and at the end, the instructor handed them many reports on space magic apart from red demons.

  Hans asked Delimira, “So what's next for the class?”

  “We have one class for a day and then review for the rest of the day.” She paused, “You can even ask your doubts in the faculty room any time you want.”

  “That's it!” Hans felt overjoyed, “I’m loving this fourth year.”

  Delimira, who was hardly entertaining him after his return, taunted, “Why don’t you learn these things from your goddess?”

  But before Hans could say something to refute, Chris interjected. “Hey buddy! I didn't get the chance to ask, was she hot? I was not in the clear when she came.”

  Hans looked at him pathetically and said, “You better watch your damn mouth.”

  His words surprised both of them; it was clear that he didn't want her to talk that way, but soon he lightened the mood by saying, “I mean, she could be listening to us, you don't want to be known as a guy who died because he said something inappropriate about a girl, right? Remember the guy who lost his family jewels in a flash?”

  Chris didn't buy Hans’ excuse and said to Delimira, “Look, he is already taking her side.”

  Hans didn't have anything to say; his intentions were read like an open book by Chris, not to mention Delimira. He diverted the attention by saying, “Are we heading back to Griffin’s nest?”

  “Naah,” Chris denied quickly, “I have things to do with Master Rudolf.”

  “Yeah, yeah.” Hans turned to Delimira and before she could deny him, he grabbed her hand and led her to the café. The new look of Hans and his heroic feats at the civil war made him quite an attractive figure, and everyone was looking at him as he almost dragged her to their hideout.

  “I can go by myself… remove your hand… you moron. You will start a rumour.”

  AT THE TRAINING HALL

  Chris was slightly late because of Hans and was greeted with Rudolf’s enticing gaze before he could give the excuse. Sierra asked about Deli; it was usual for them to come together, but Chris answered, “Hans nabbed her and ran.”

  She sighed and continued to teach the students who she was in charge of teaching. She was planning to introduce her to the seniors at the Concordia Node, but it seemed not possible today.

  Chris whispered at Rudolf’s ears, “You know Hans snapped at me when I called the goddess hot.”

  “You could die by uttering these blasphemous things, kiddo.”

  “Why can she hear me whispering, even now?”

  “No, not by her; you said those things in front of little Winters, right? Keep blabbering that mouth of yours, and you will learn how dangerous a woman’s jealousy can be.”

  “You also know that? I thought she was keeping that to herself.” Chris remained puzzled.

  “Well, she is trying… but almost everyone knows here. Only the dumb, squeaky one is dense here.”

  “You approve of this?” Chris asked, even more puzzled.

  “It’s not my place to stop her. Matters of the heart are not something you can control.” Rudolf sighed, “but if she continues, she’ll have a lot of heartaches waiting for her.”

  “Yeah.” Chris nodded, “she needs to get over this before Hans realises. He is the last Parvian imperial; he needs to make a descendant, and she is not even a choice in that matter.”

  “Humans and elves do not mix. Even his father learned that the hard way.” Rudolf lamented, recalling the days when he strictly rejected Samson pursuing Reina. “There is no future for them. Parv will never approve. She might have to share her love… I can hardly imagine her doing that.”

  “Yes, there is no future for them together as a couple.” Chris was concerned for his long-term friend. He didn’t want her to get hurt. “Before they jeopardise their friendship, she needs to stop.”

  “That is the hardest thing you can ask, kid. Affection doesn't bother with the future; it’s the most irrational thing that even stupid squeaky can’t avoid.” Rudolf pointed at himself. “Look at me and Sierra; we always knew we could never have a child, but you know my story; it is quite famous.”

  “That complicates many things, Master.” Chris scratched his head. “Something really hurtful might happen to her.”