Edited by: dragonsam656
Hey guys!! So let's start with a happy new year. I'm sorry it took so long to update but it's finally here and I hope you like it.
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While Allen and Ray were recuperating from their fever Layne and everyone were called to Melinda's and Reind's room.
Everyone followed the head butler Louis as he led the way. They were nervous about what possibly could the reason for the sudden meeting may be. The younger ones though, were still not able to feel the tension. For them it was like a field trip.
Reaching their destination, Louis knocked on the door seeking permission to enter. A melodious voice came from the inside. "Come in."
As the door opened Ethan and everyone found themselves getting more and more nervous. When they entered the room all of their eyes widened when they saw a young woman with beautiful long white hair sitting on the bed. The woman had a welcoming smile on her face as she looked at them.
'So beautiful…' thought Annis as she watched the woman gesturing them to come closer. Everyone went closer and then realized the woman's stomach was bloated. The woman was pregnant. Just when they recovered from their shock a man coughed and got their attention. The man looked younger than the woman by a year or two. He had blonde hair and eyes similar to Ray and Allen. The man had a smile on his face as he clapped his hand together before he started speaking. "Good morning, my name is Reind Von Kelis and this is my wife Melinda Von Kelis. I'm the Duke of Rinsburg and also the master of this household. Now, I would like go to straight to the reason why I called you all here," Reind said as his expression changed from a happy one to a serious one and his eyes narrowed. "As you all may already know, my sons formed a contract with you all unknowingly. For that I apologize in their behalf."
Reind continued. "But I heard that you want to continue this contract. Thus, I want to inform you all of something and would like you to understand my reason for my decisions. You may not know, but both my sons' have abnormally huge amount of mana which is why they are always in a dangerous situation because many people are after them seeking those powers. And now that you share those powers with them because of the contract, they are sure to come after you too. That's why I want you all to form a squad of knights which will only serve us, the Kelis Household." Reind looked at them with a questioning look awaiting their answers.
The kids exchanged some looks with each other and then nodded in agreement. "Umm... We don't have any problem with that but we don't have training with fighting and, also, most our mana has been extracted from us already." Said Hyde. "You don't have worry about training, you will be trained by one of my most trusted aide and the matter related to your extracted mana was already resolved when you were contracted by Ray and Allen," Answered Reind.
"Also, the young ones will only be trained after they cross a certain age. That is, if they agreed to being a knight." Melinda added. Everyone looked towards her with a surprised expression to which she just smile. None of them expected they will actually care about the young ones and leave them out of this one. They all had a look of appreciation for Melinda.
"Ah!! I nearly forgot to tell you that Melinda will be in charge of teaching all of you magic." Reind told the kids. "Now that everyone has agreed to this, I will name this squad... Snow Wolves." Reind said with a smile.
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"Snow Wolves" was indeed a weird name for a squad of knights. When the kids asked Reind why this name he answered it gives the feeling of someone powerful. The kids found this name to be weird too but decided not to ponder on it because they did have to agree because being named after a magic beast did sound really powerful.
After they talked a little bit more before they were dismissed. Ethan was chosen to be the leader of the group. This was decided by all the kids themselves. The reasoning was a simple one, none of them wanted that much responsibility, and two they trusted Ethan the most; he was usually the leader of the group.
Being dismissed they found themselves back in their room. They were told by Louis that all of them were free to go around the house if they wanted to and was informed that a dorm for them will be built in sometime so until then they were all to stay here.
Thus, while Ethan and River decided to check up on Allen and Ray, everyone else decided to take a tour of the villa they were living in. They went around the house where all the maids and butlers welcomed them warmly teaching how things worked around here and telling them stories from the memory lane. The cook of the house also treated the kids to some dishes he especially made for them in front of them. He also told them about how beautiful the garden is so after the kitchen they went straight to the garden. When they reached there all of them couldn't help but be awestruck from the sheer beauty of the place. It had so many kinds of flowers with so many colours grown in such manner that looking at them was not only pleasing to the eyes but also relaxing.
The smell of lavender and rose made them sigh in relief and made them relax. There was also a pond nearby making it look like a valley. Thus, in order to go and venture in the garden everyone separated but not without leaving one behind to take care of the young ones. Hyde was the one who got the short stick and was struck with the kids taking care of them.
As they realized it was already evening they decided to go back to their room and relax as they were tired from all the walking. When they entered the room, they found Ethan and River already inside. While River was reading a book Ethan, on the other hand, was looking out of the window looking at the view outside with an unreadable expression.
The younger ones though oblivious to the atmosphere entered the room and clung to the boys as they told about their day. Both the boys listened to the young ones' story with a smile as the others joined in. Later, when everyone was busy doing their own thing Annis, Hyde, Layne and Edgar asked both the boys about Allen and Ray's condition. The boys answered them as they told them both Allen and Ray were still having fever but it will subside in a day or two.
All of them were still talking when they heard someone knocking on the door. "I'm coming inside," the voice of a young woman came from the other side of the door. They all turned their heads towards the door. "You all have been called to the dining area for supper." She just said that and led them to the dining table.
When they reached the dining area, there were two figures already sitting there comfortably. Reind, who was sitting in the middle of the huge rectangular shaped dining table, and Arnette, who was sitting on his right. Reind smiled when he saw them and gesture for them to take a seat. All of them were confused as they never saw any noble who dines with anyone other than the people of their same status and their family. They hesitated but did what they were told anyway.
All of them followed his instructions and grabbed a seat. It would be a lie to say that some of them were tensed but as soon as they saw the food on the table, the nervousness was thrown out of the window. All of the food looked so delicious that they couldn't help but drool and gulp. But even they knew that couldn't start eating before the head of the house doesn't start eating. "You can start eating, you don't have to wait for me start," he smiled. "I'm sorry that Melinda, Allen and Ray weren't able to join us tonight for dinner. She is taking care of the boys." Noticing how even after he said that they could start without waiting for him, none of them ate anything he sighed and proceeded and ate dinner and following his suite everyone started their dinner.
The dinner was delicious and the atmosphere was relaxing. Throughout the dinner Arnette and Reind engaged in small talks or asked how their day was to the kids.
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After the dinner, the kids went back to their room. Reind and Arnette were the only ones left in the dining hall. As they walked back to where Melinda was, Allen and Ray's room. They knocked on the door as they entered. Reind had a serious look on. "Melinda I need to tell you something which I nearly forgot because of the all things that happened recently." Reind went near her and took a chair and sat beside the boys' beds. Arnette following him closely behind as he stood at a little bit of distance from where Lilian was standing. Lilian was trembling a little having him stand beside himself.
"What did you want to tell me?" Melinda looked at him with inquisitive look on her face.
"You remember how about the incident where Allen was attacked by one of the hooligans who used portals?" Melinda nodded her head in reply. "At that time, when the bandit sword was about touch Allen, the sword started to disappear into thin air little by little." Hearing that, everyone who was in the room had looked like they received a big shock. Melinda's eye widened as she looked at the sleeping boy with a shocked express.
"You mean to tell me that he used Disintegration Magic?" This time Reind was the one who nodded.
"You mean to tell us that Allen has one of the magic elements only owned by dragons? That he is one of the Salients?" Arnette questioned from behind him.
"I don't know for sure." Reind replied.
"Now, this is very troubling, the church and the high priest are already chasing after the boys but with this they are going to try even harder." Lilian speculated as he rubbed his chin with his right hand and crossing his left hand supporting the right one with it.
"As I said it's not sure whether he has it or not." Reind tried to explain.
"Heeh..." Reind, Arnette and Lilian flinched at the sound and the decrease in the temperature. Ray and Allen squirmed a little due to discomfort. All the adults looked at Melinda whose eyes were hidden by her hair as she tightened her hold on Allen's hand and emitted aura and mana at a dangerous level. She started speaking in a dangerously low tone. "Let that old man try, we just have to crush them right? If he touches even a hair of either one of my precious boys, I'll just destroy the whole kingdom it's as simple as that."
Arnette and Lilian gulped at the intimidating woman as they had cold sweat on their back of their hands, back and forehead by the sheer impact of the words of her. Reind, on the other hand, was sweating rivers as he thought to himself, 'She just really might do that.'
They were finding it hard to calm the woman down as they searched for appropriate words but didn't have any success. Suddenly there was a shifting sound as Ray tossed and turned due to the uncomfortable feeling he was getting which distracted Melinda from her stupor. All the grown men in the room finally heaved a sigh in relief.
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The next day, all sixteen kids were called to the library during the morning and the young ones were being taken care of the maids. All of them had an expression of confusion written all over their faces. They waited for Reind to come only for their thoughts to be disturbed by a voice coming for the second floor. The voice called them upstairs.
When they got to the second floor they saw a mesmerizing scene. A round table on top of it and a crystal ball which seemed to be illuminated by the sunlight, shining upon it and the books surrounding it. And standing near all of that was Arnette and Reind. They signaled them to come closer and the kids did as instructed. Reind told them about the crystal ball and why they were gathered there today.
They were going to have their magic affinity tested. They started with the youngest and one after another and most of them had levels 9 or 8. Maybe it was because they contracted with Allen and Ray but they certainly did get a power boost and all of them knew it. It was only after their hair turned that they never felt tired in the same way they felt in that cave. It wasn't painful or didn't feel like someone was sucking the life out of them. They felt warmth and powerful when they formed the contract with the boys.
After all the young ones were over and done with, now it was turn for the older ones. The first one up was Annis. She walked up to the crystal ball and took a breath before touching it. When she touched the crystal ball it started to shine in red and blue. A little later Arnette informed that her affinity was with fire and water element and her level was 10 in both. It would be a lie to say that they were not surprised. She never thought that she would ever have the strongest level possible but little does she know in the future there will be far more surprises for them in store.
Following her was Edgar who showed affinity with strengthening, level 10. After him was River who had water and strengthening both level 10. Next was Layne who had in light element level 10. After him was Hyde who had fire, strengthening and earth all level 10. And at last was Ethan who had affinity with elements light and ice level 10 and 9.
Ethan's second element shocked nearly everyone. Ice was an element only possessed by some breeds of magical beasts. It was extremely rare for a person to have affinity with such elements which are usually found in some particular kind of beasts or demons. But it was only rare, it did happen many times when people were found having affinity with elements which were rare or were only used by magical beasts or demons.
After they all got tested for the affinity they were told about their training schedules and their trainers. Most of their trainers were the same as Ray and Allen but for weapon wielding and fighting the instructors were different depending on their choices and also because there were so many of them.
"Ah!!... I nearly forgot, you all will be joined by four people. They are coming from the capital to train under Melinda, Reind and me. Thus, they will be taught everything alongside you all. Although it will take some time for them arrive here." Arnette informed them before dismissing them and going out of the library. After that they all retired to their room. They all spent time thinking about things like who the people from capital are or who will train them.
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The next day they were forced wake up early in the morning and were asked to gather in the courtyard. When they arrived there they saw Reind and Arnette standing beside another young man who seemed to be around 25 years old. When he saw them coming he just smiled at them. Still confused the kids looked at him with a questioning look when suddenly Arnette started speaking in rigid and stern voice. "From today onwards you all will be trained to become knights. You all will be divided into groups and will be trained by either me, Reind or Rodney." He just smiled and waved at the kids when his name was called out by Arnette.
After Arnette had finished speaking, Rodney stepped forward as he smiled looking at the kids and started his introduction. "Um... Hello everyone my name is Rodney Pearson. Currently serving as the vice-captain of White Fang and the leader of the third battalion. I'm looking forward to working with you."
"White Fang!?" Layne asked tilting his head in confusion.
"That is the name of the army under my command." Reind answered the question with an expressionless face