Soaring Spirits

Chapter 1

In the village of Kikka, the second most inner ring of the Clover Kingdom, a woman traveled with her Captain to watch over the annual Magic Knight Trials. They passed by the lines of market stands straight towards the main building that lies just before the Royal Capital walls. Circular in shape, the coliseum was meant for battles amongst civilians to test their magical strength to qualify for a proper position within the Magic Knights squads. 

"It's been a while since I've been to one of these. It's not often that Julius sends me to do his research for him." Clara, the woman, mentioned. 

They had maneuvered their way around the crowd of fifteen year olds - or older - who were to be participating in the trials. Not only did the participants fill the crowd, but also the townspeople of Kikka who were cheering the participants on. It was notified that the Captains and their escorts were to take the back entrance where other citizens of importance were to arrive.

"I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself. There's always one interesting candidate." Clara's Captain, William Vangeance, had replied to her.

"I hope so, or else I'll only have boring tactics to report to Julius."

"We can't have that now, can we?" William chuckled. 

The two entered the rear of the coliseum. There, noblemen stood by their children, and officials of the Royal Capital sprawled the ground floor preparing for the trials. Children who were royals, or in various higher classed noble families, weren't required to take the trials as their magic genetically exceeds the majority of the Clover Kingdom. Therefore, they watch the lower classed participants take the trials, and are later or beforehand picked into a Magic Knights Squad by their family.

"I have some business to attend to, is it alright if I meet you upstairs?" Vangeance asked Clara. She looked at his kind smile that gleamed below his mask. She had seen his real face once, but that was years ago. She understood why he decided to hide the birth marks on his face, but having him trust her enough to show her was reason enough to further trust and respect her Captain.

"Yes, that won't be a problem. Don't be late." Clara replied. Vangeance nodded, then turned to walk in some random direction.

The woman sighed.

Clara used to work directly under the mentioned Julius Novochrono, the Wizard King. Clara in her teen years was invited to work under the Wizard King for her use in Tree Creation Magic. Once William Vangeance had come into Julius Novochrono's life he had introduced the two. Vangeance, strangely, had the same magic as Clara, but his exceeds her own. Their spells were different according to their grimoires, but he had helped her train immensely and she had been thankful to both Julius and Vangeance ever since.

     When Vangeance had become a Magic Knights Captain, he had asked her to join the Golden Dawn to which Julius pushed her to do. Sometimes because of her experience, Julius will still ask her a few favors here and there, but only if it doesn't interrupt her Magic Knight duties. He's forever proud of his Clara growing up and becoming as strong as she is now.

"Clara? What are you doing here?" A deep voice asked. Clara turned her head to see Yami Sukehiro and two of his squadrons. Yami was the Captain of the Black Bulls Magic Knight Squad. She believed one of his squadrons with him was the eldest son from the Roulacase family.

"I'm here under an order from Julius. I'm supposed to report back any interesting magic to him." Clara waved off, "You know how he is with his obsessions."

"What a nerd!" Yami bursts out in laughter as he imagined the Wizard King with stars in his eyes. Yami was another one who was taken under the wing of Julius, resulting a kinship between Clara and himself. Although Yami never really liked William much to Clara's confusion. She didn't pry into it.