(Liam's POV)
"Are you both ready?" My grandfather asked both of us. We simply just nodded our heads.
"Good. . . Begin!"
But before I struck my attack, I wanted to have a little chat with her. It would be the only moment I had to chat like this with Aya.
"I didn't see your duel the other day, but I did see the aftermath of it. You took down six other nobles." I said in praise.
A gentle smile had now appeared on Aya's face. "You noticed. . . I'm flattered. Now how about you stop praising me and let's fight." She giggled lightly as she was trying to analyse.
WHOOSH!
She's quick!
Already she had begun throwing punches and kicks at me. We both haven't used a single scent of Mana yet, but her punches and kicks were defiantly strong. To imagine that we'd all be doing this at the age of 4 was unfathomable. They were grown-ups who couldn't even do what we did.
I managed to evade them quite easily if I said so, but that didn't mean she was a threat. She was the biggest threat to them all at the moment. We both continued to size each other up trying to find weak spots that we could utilize and aim there. But no weak spots were to be found, she was good at keeping her guard up while fighting.
"I see you like close combat," I said slapping her jab away from me.
She smirked attempting a side sweep, as I jump back. "Is anything wrong with close combat? After I do like getting close and personal with my opponent. . . all the time" She said.
"Nothing. . . There's nothing wrong with that. . . Just be careful with what you ask for." I smiled, rushing over to her.
The minutes grew long and the both of us hadn't had a single connection. Not a punch or a kick land successfully just yet. I didn't know why entirely but neither of us had activated our Mana core. It was as if we were both waiting for one of us to activate it first.
Fine, I'll submit it to your game Aya. I'll activate my Mana core first.
GUH!
My Mana core was burning up. It was exactly like all the other times but this time it was far worse than before. The moment I activated my Mana core, was the moment when I wanted to turn it off. I guess that break really didn't help at all, and I was basically at a disadvantage anyways, whether or not I liked it. It was a matter of fact.
I would push through it though like all the other time. But that would mean I would need to end this duel quickly if I wanted this pain to go disappear. Whether Aya would be so easy to deal with, was another story.
BANG!
I landed a successful kick to her shin, dropping her to the ground. Now I was going to swing my fist as if it was a hammer to make sure that she would be out for the count.
Why couldn't I move?
Aya got up without a second of hesitation and used her Mana to kick me in the chest, causing me to fly back. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get up my body wouldn't let me get up. It was like my body was doing the exact opposite of what I wanted it to do. My body was fighting against it, it wouldn't listen to me.
I could see in the corner of my eye, Aya walking towards me slowly with a smile.
She must have done this. She must have cast some kind of spell.
"That's my favourite wind spell. It stops the opponent from moving. Makes them fragile just how I like it." She giggled.
Aya was one twisted 4-year-old girl, to be saying those kinds of words.
Think! Liam! Think! How am I going to get out of this situation? Wait. . . That's it!
What I was about to do would most likely call me stupid, which I wouldn't blame them at all for because it totally was. But if it worked it'd work like a treat. Let's say high risk but high reward.
I was going to channel all the Mana I could possibly have in my body. I knew that I would defiantly be depleted especially after I did something else in my mind, but if it worked I could end it right here, and right now.
Aya had finally reached me, as I was lying on the ground. She had a grin on her face as she raised her fist in the air, swinging down like a hammer.
BANG!
I rolled out of her deadly hit, getting up, and just like that her eyes widened. And I had just uppercut her in the chin.
BOOM!
She had fallen onto the ground laughing. "There's no way I can come back from that. . . I surrender."
Though the fight was shorter than that of Alea's one, this fight was more intense and harder in that short little timespan. I could see why she had beaten 6 other people and was a prodigy at that.
"That was a great fight between the both of you." Grandpa praised the both of us, placing his hand on my shoulder.
I couldn't help but enjoy his praise. It wasn't time that I got praise from the former King himself.
"Thank you grand-"
BLUH!
I looked at my hand. It was blood. I had just coughed out blood. In that very instant I had dropped to the ground, placing my hand on my Mana core. Everything felt so heavy and it felt like the world was collapsing on itself.
The voices around me grew faint as I closed my eyes.
(TIMESKIP)
"So this is how you use a sword?" I asked Father
Father nodded simply at my question. "Roland tell me how do you feel about this Kingdom?"
"Kingdom?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Everything here, I made with my own hands, from the bottom up. When everything was in ashes, and when the people needed someone, I was there to lead them out of the darkness."
I just simply stood there with my sword in hand taking every he had just said, for it was the first time I had ever heard Father talk about something so personal.
"Sometimes I think everything here isn't real. This kingdom I made sometimes feels like it's all in my head, my imagination. Like it never existed in the first place. Like I'm making everything up. Do you feel this way sometimes Roland?"
Like everyone wasn't real? It was just an imagination? Like it didn't exist?
What did that mean?
I didn't know how to answer this question, I didn't even know whether there was even a right way to answer this question in the first place. So my answer was silence. That was the only answer I could come up with. Just silence.
Father looked up at the dark sky, where the stars were shining at their brightest hour. "We're going to be at war soon. It's only a matter of time before it happens. Our family is at war with our other families." Father turned back to look over at me.
"Just know Roland you will have a heavy burden on you whether you like it or not. You'll be out in that war one day. . . I'm sorry son."
(TIMESKIP)
GUH!
Why was I thinking about that now?
"Liam you're awake." Mother said gently squeezing my hand. A sense of worry and concern was on her face.
I rubbed my eyes, to see not only my mother but father and grandpa all there with gentle smiles on their faces. I found myself on a bed.
"What happened?" I asked, groaning in exhaustion.
"It seems like from what I've heard you had a hell of a training session kiddo! Blew it out of the park!" Father slapped my arm. I whined in pain.
"Gabriel. . . Be serious for once." Mother rolled her eyes. That was enough for a father to be obedient.
"What he was trying to say was that your Mana core was acting up." Grandfather stated it loudly and clearly for all of us to hear.
"Liam. . . Have you had these problems before?" Mother asked me.
I didn't know what to say. But from the looks on everyone's faces here, it seemed as though they were waiting for one answer specifically.
Yes.
I wasn't quite shown how they might have found my problems with my Mana core, but they defiantly seemed like they had already known about it for a long. And no wasn't going to be an option. No time like the present right?
"I've had these problems for a while. It started when we were on the carriage travelling over here. I don't know how I got it but I did. . . I'm sorry for not telling you earlier." I said meekly.
Father placed his arm on my shoulder sitting beside me on the bed, and so did Mother and Grandpa too.
"It's alright kiddo. . . Just tell us earlier." Father leaned in to whisper into my ear. "You don't want your mother to worry, do you? You should've seen her when you were out cold, worried for her life." Father chuckled.
"I heard that." Mother sighed.
"Liam I think it's time we tell you about what we think is going on and why your Mana core has been acting like. . . We think that you have a beast core within you or better yet a beast will."
"B-Beast Will!?" I stammered, gripping the blankets.
Beast Cores, having a beast will was extremely rare. This shouldn't be possible, I couldn't possibly have one. I mean I haven't seen a Mana beast in all my 4 years living in this world. It was insane to even think about it.
"I know it's a lot to handle grandson but fear not!" Grandfather declared proudly to me, well more to himself than is.
"I can train you in the ways of the Beast the Will so that you can become a Beast Tamer! That of a person who masters his beast. Just like me and your mother!"
"I wish I had a Mana beast I could find and get his beast core," Father grumbled to himself, crossing his arms.
"Don't be jealous dear, you'll find one eventually in due time."
"Soon we do we start training?" I asked with a grin.
"I like your attitude Liam, but I'll have you know that the training is hard, even harder than the training I do with you normally. But luckily, you've been doing something similar to the training that we'll be doing. You'll be fusing your bones, muscles and organs with your Mana. Your physical training will be stopped for a while."
"How long?" I asked.
"About 2-3 years." He said casually.
"2-3 years!" My eyes widened, as I lifted myself off the bed, something that I defiantly regret. I groaned in pain as Mother made sure to comfort me, planting a kiss on my cheek for safe measure.
"Don't worry Liam those years will go by quickly. Even though you won't be physically training as much as you use to, by the time I'm done with you, I can assure you that your body will be stronger and more resident them a veteran warrior." He pointed at me proudly.
"Anyways, where did Alea and Aya go?"
Father and grandfather both looked at each other with devilish grins as if they had been waiting for me to ask.
"Alea and Aya both were really worried about you, so worried that they even stayed here a bit longer than usual." Virion grinned.
"They didn't want to go until you were alright but their parents demanded they go home," Father smirked, placing his arm around you.
"It seems that you're quite the lady's man. Just like your father!"
Mother scoffed at his remark, rolling her eyes once more, and shaking her head.
We couldn't help but all laugh. I was going to train hard too. . .
Activate.