Maki was walking on the streets of the capital alongside Cain, his red-haired junior, when he spotted a girl standing on the sideroad, talking to particularly nobody.
He saw the moment Cain's face shifted into a look of disgust. "Is she a deranged lunatic or something? She just spoke to thin air."
Maki didn't respond. He took off his circular glasses and wiped the lenses with the hem of his tunic. It was getting a bit foggy.
"Cranks like her are the reason why the streets are so filthy," complained Cain. Then he perked up. "I have an idea." He rubbed his palms together as he schemed.
Maki put on his glasses back on his nose, just in time to see the glint in Cain's eyes before he strutted closer to the girl. Oh no. What is he doing?
Cain pretended to walk by. Maki watched as Cain intentionally bumped her on the shoulder with his.
But the girl acted as if she hadn't felt a thing, or rather, she was lost in her own deep thoughts.
Cain frowned. When he didn't get the results he wanted, his head swiveled back. "Hey. You're supposed to apologize when you bump into someone."
Maki sighed. This is that idea of his? He smiled and shook his head. That's so low, even for you, Cain.
"I'm talking to you, you manner-less lunatic!" Cain grabbed ahold of her arm.
In an instant, the girl reacted by locking his arm and twisting the bone near his shoulder. Cain was rendered speechless as he stared up at her. "W-What? You wanna brawl?"
Maki's brows shot up. She's fast. And skilled.
He inspected the girl's profile: she wore baggy clothes that did not fit her at all, and a couple of hay straws were even stuck to it. Her neck and arms were covered in layers of bandages as if she were severely injured. Her hands were also sheathed in gloves.
Seeing her and Cain head-to-head with each other, Maki would think they were siblings since they both had hair the deep shade of red. Maybe they were long lost siblings?
Suddenly, the girl let go of his arm. She released an irritated sigh. "Tsk. Waste of my time."
That seemed to insult Cain. "What'd you say, you mannerless woman?!"
She walked away with her hands in the pockets of her baggy kecks. He had never seen Cain so frustrated. Maki couldn't help but snicker.
"Be quiet, Maki!" Cain aimed to follow the girl, perhaps to settle things out, but Maki put a stop to his plans. He grabbed onto Cain's shoulder.
Cain looked at him in disbelief. "That girl needs to be taught a lesson," he reasoned.
Maki shook his head. He tilted his head to the direction they were originally headed. "We have places to be."
Cain's face fell even more. He furrowed his brows. "Fine. Whatever. Let's go."
Maki nodded in approval. Good boy.
They continued their journey towards Crescent Peak. They had to cross the wide and rowdy district of the Emporium before they got to the outskirts of Reknay, the name of the capital.
Soon, they reached the start of the bridge that allowed them to cross the river that surrounded Crescent Peak. Maki and Cain walked side-to-side together at a normal pace.
Maki was tall and brown wavy-haired. Both he and Cain wore the black and golden-lined uniforms for the League. Around his neck was a beaded talisman and, on his side, he held a large black book in his hand.
They had both traveled from the farthest cities of Iveneterra, specifically from a dry land city called Rehem. It wouldn't be a surprise if the two of them were the late comers and the rest of the members of the Ivy League had already arrived before them.
As they were crossing the bridge, Cain said, "I don't understand why we're walking when we could have just ridden a horse."
Cain was Maki's junior, which meant that Maki was in charge of him. He was used to Cain's troubling nature at this point.
Maki gave him a simple answer. "Perseverance attracts the ladies, my dear junior."
Cale didn't bother replying to that.
When they entered the palace, all of the windows were open and the place was brimming in and out with maids and servants. One of the maids curtsied at them. She indicated an arm to the direction of the grand staircases. "They are waiting for your arrival, young masters."
Maki thanked her, whereas Cale just walked past. They both marched to the direction of the Conference Room. When they turned to the last hallway, they came across two people wearing the same uniform as them.
Maki knew one of them well. Micah Manslov, Ivy League's Were-Jackal. Micah was a shapeshifter that belonged to the Were-Nation. His counterpart was a jackal, but as far as Maki knew he rarely transformed into it. Micah was a skilled swordsman who's talent was on par with none other.
The other one must be the newest member of the League. Maki had heard about him through Prince Aleco's messenger bird. The novice was shorter than the rest of them and was on the slimmer side. He had caramel colored, shoulder-length hair that looked like it was trimmed every three weeks. Behind him, he carried the late Prince Jude's infamous red Axe.
"What is he doing here?" The words came from Cale, which brought Maki's attention to him. "Cale?" he asked.
Cale was looking at the novice with a disapproving frown, and the novice gulped at the deadly stare and looked away.
"What is a looser like him doing here?" Cale added with jest. He crossed his arms and puffed out his chest as if sizing him up.
Maki turned to him. "Cale, do you know him?"
"We were classmates in the Academy," Cale explained. Then his eyes widened. "Hold on a minute—why is that Axe with you?"
Micah's deep voice interrupted. "Eith Hansel here was appointed by Prince Aleco as the next Axe successor and the newest member of the League."
"Seriously??" Cale scoffed and looked away. "I can't believe this. That chicken?"
Maki observed his behavior. It appeared that he did not like this Eith very much, although he was not really sure why.
Maki gave Cale a hard slap on the back, making Cale stumble forward. He introduced himself to the novice.
"Sorry about this jerk. I tried to tame him down a couple of notches as best as I could. I am Maki Grifferdean, Ivy League's main exorcist. Welcome to the club."
He shook hands with the novice with a genuine smile.
"Th-Thank you," the novice stuttered. His eyes kept flitting back to Cale, who glared daggers at him. "U-Uhm, pleased to make your acquaintances..."
Maki did not understand. It was normal for Cale to dislike everyone, but the venom he released for Eith was on a different level. Eith seemed like a good kid.
"We're going to head in," Micah said. He nudged his head to the door, looking at Eith. "Let's go, Hansel."
Eith followed Micah inside. Now it was only Maki and Cale left in the hall.
"What is your problem with the new recruit?" he suddenly asked Cale.
"What, don't tell me you actually like that wimp." Cale grimaced and backed away from him like he was afraid of catching a disease.
Maki sighed. Talking to Cale was so tiring sometimes. "Cale, whatever it is you have against him, you're going to have to treat him as a comrade now."
"Tch! Not if he chickens out during a battle. He's going to be a liability, I tell you." Cale crossed his arms in resolve. His eyes were serious until he saw something behind Maki. He smiled crookedly and waved his hand in the air. "Oh, hey Kriss!"
Maki turned around to see a kid in his preteens. The kid furrowed his brows at Cale as if he didn't like what he saw. He didn't return the greeting as he passed by the both of them and entered the Conference Room without giving them a second glance.
Maki huffed a laugh. As far as Maki knew, Kriss was twelve years-old. He was the youngest member of the Ivy League. He was fair-haired but had a terrible haircut. Kriss always looked like he just woke up from bed as he cut his hair by himself. He didn't even cut it by that much as it still surpassed his ears and went on the way of his eyes.
There was that one time when Aleco had asked Kriss if he wanted his hair to be cut by a skilled stylist, but Kriss answered him with a "I don't trust anyone that holds something sharp and has a reason to get close to me."
Unlike the rest of the League, Kriss was the only member without Kalu manifestation. Kalu was a method that lets a person collect power through their spiritual core. It was what ignited the sacred moonstoned weapons of the Ivy League. Kriss was the only average human in their group of freaks, but that kid was really freaky with knives himself.
"Let's go in?" Maki invited Cale.
Cale breathed deep and shrugged his shoulders.
Maki pushed open the doors to the Conference Room.
If you enjoyed this chapter
~Give it a vote!~