*5634, Port-Vander, Valemir Household*
-Bang-
The sounds of gunfire and bullets being cut through resonated through the training room as Piera and Auren were clashing with serious intensity
-Clang-
Piera's sword met Auren's in a harsh strike, sparks flashing between them. Auren grinned, twisting his blade in an attempt to push Piera back.
BANG! BANG!
Piera fired two shots at near point-blank range—
TCHINK! TCHINK!
Auren's sword blurred, deflecting both bullets, but one bullet broke the sword. Looking at it, he said, "Isn't it strange that every time we fight, you turn my swords into daggers?" before he surged forward with a sharp step.
-Whoosh!-
Piera barely managed to tilt his head back as Auren's sword whistled past his nose. He countered with a swift knee to the gut— "
THUD!
Auren absorbed the hit, twisting mid-step to drive his elbow toward Piera's ribs.
WHAM!
Piera gritted his teeth, staggering but keeping his balance. He retaliated with a wild diagonal slash—
CLANG!
Auren deflected, spinning into a low sweeping kick.
THUMP!
Piera jumped over it, twisting mid-air. He fired another round, aiming straight for Auren's shoulder—
BANG!
Auren ducked, the bullet skimming past his coat. His sword lashed out—
SHING!
Piera twisted his torso mid-descent, barely avoiding the edge. He landed, immediately driving his sword forward—
CLAAANG!
Auren parried and, in the same motion, threw a fist toward Piera's jaw.
CRACK!
Piera's head snapped to the side, a metallic taste flooding his mouth. But before Auren could press the advantage—
BANG!
Auren's instincts screamed. He leaned back just as a bullet grazed his cheek, leaving a thin red line. His eyes sharpened.
Piera smirked, spitting blood onto the floor. "Getting sloppy?"
Auren exhaled. "You're annoying."
They both lunged at the same time—
CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!
Blades blurred. Sparks flared. The floor trembled under their relentless footwork.
From the sidelines, Gorran clicked his tongue. "Tch. Too many fancy moves; attack head-on."
Nysera leaned against the wall, sipping her tea. "At least they're not embarrassing."
In the center of the room, Piera twisted, kicking off the ground for a final overhead slash—
Auren grinned, meeting him head-on—
BOOM!
The impact sent a shockwave through the training hall, shaking the chandeliers above. Both brothers skidded back, breathing heavily.
Piera rolled his shoulders, exhaling. "Not bad."
Auren wiped the blood from his cheek. "Same to you."
_CLAP CLAP CLAP_
Veyr, who had been reading on a nearby bench, finally glanced up. "You'll need more than that to stand out at Kriel."
Piera flicked his gaze toward him mid-rest. "Oh? You worried about me?"
Veyr scoffed. "No. But you'll be dealing with prodigies, not just Auren."
Auren grinned, pulling Piera up. "He's right. If you plan to make a name at the academy, you'll need to do better than just tying with me." Piera smirked. "I could say the same to you."
One year.
That was how long Piera had to prepare for Kriel Academy. The continent's top academy for Swordsmen, Gunners, and everything in between. The place where legends were forged.
But before he could attend, he needed a mount.
A tamed magic beast was mandatory. Most noble heirs grew up alongside a bonded creature. Piera, however, had to claim his the hard way—by capturing one himself.
Auren stretched his arms as they approached the training grounds. "Alright, you ready for this?"
Piera glanced at him. "You mean am I ready to punch a wild monster in the face and make it my ride? Yeah. Should be fine."
Auren grinned. "That's the spirit."
The beast that caught Piera's interest —a Lynxiere, a Lynx variant—stood low to the ground. It was a predator known for silent kills. Its eyes locked onto Piera, watching, waiting for an opening. Piera exhaled, lowering into a stance. Croti chuckled. "Do it properly." Piera ignored it. He launched forward—
- 5 Hours later -
The academy entrance exam wasn't a simple written test.
Every year, new students were expected to arrive at the gates, irrespective of their families, independently proving their battle, survival, and navigation capabilities. It was meant to weed out the weak.
Piera rode atop his newly acquired Lynxiere, the beast moving with near-silent grace, its black fur flowing with the wind. Auren, beside him, sat lazily on top of his crimson-plated but unassuming Fiery Bloodhound, the lion-sized beast leaving light claw marks in the dirt with every step.
The crowd was alive with conversation. Candidates milled about, some boasting, others whispering nervously. The air reeked of damp earth, and the venue was seriously swamped.
Piera adjusted his sword belt, side-eyeing Auren. "You think we're supposed to just stand here?"
Auren shrugged. "Probably. They want us to feel the pressure before the real tests start."
From behind, a sharp voice cut in. "You two look too relaxed for your good."
Piera turned to see a girl with short silver hair, standing with her arms crossed. Syris Ilmara. He raised a brow. "And you are?" She scoffed. "Syris. Strongest ranged-class, archer-specific. Probably the best in this exam. You?"
"Piera. Not the best archer."
Auren grinned. "Not even an archer."
Syris narrowed her eyes. "To think I would find the Valemir twins here. That's quite remarkable."
Auren nodded. "And you're an Ilmara. I heard your family's got a pretty solid reputation in long-range combat."
She smirked. "We don't just hit targets. We kill them before they even see us."
Piera exhaled. "Flashy words. Hope that works out for you."
Before Syris could retort, a loud laugh broke through the murmuring crowd.
"HA! Look at all these pretty little nobles trying to act tough."
Auren turned, already annoyed.
A hulking boy, Thebo Digitty, walked toward them. He was so large, he looked too big to be a 12-year-old. He cracked his knuckles, the sound like stones grinding together.
"You kids ever been in a real fight?" Thebo grinned. "Bet half of you would piss yourselves if things got serious."
Piera smirked. " Is that a challenge?"
Thebo grunted. "More of a fact. But yeah, if you wanna get knocked down early, be my guest."
Auren stepped between them. "Save it for the trials. No point in getting kicked out before we start."
Before the tension could escalate further, a voice interrupted.
"How very… uncivilized."
The crowd parted as Nick Orvas strode in, looking utterly unimpressed by the gathering. His noble robes were untouched by the dust of the field, and his polished rapier hung lazily at his hip.
Thebo rolled his eyes. "Oh great, here comes the prince-wannabe."
Nick barely glanced at him. "Barbarism has no place at Kriel Academy. If you're here to act like a common thug, I suggest you return to whatever hole you crawled out of."
Thebo's grin vanished. "You wanna repeat that?"
Nick met his glare without flinching. "I doubt you'd understand if I did."
Croti whispered in Piera's ear. This is gonna be interesting.
From the sidelines, Uriah and Elena Varion watched the exchange.
Elena sighed. "They're all so eager to fight."
Uriah smirked. "That's what makes it fun."
Elena glanced at her twin. "You're taking this too lightly."
But before anyone could throw the first punch, "Why is all this rattle going on in the presence of royalty?" A female voice resounded.
And then, as for the source of that voice, it was none other than the Third Princess of the Velmonts, the family with the most influence in the continent— Thera Velmont.
Looking around, her eyes met Piera's. And for just a split second, he felt something he had never felt before. He could almost swear she was already behind him. Then she was gone.
Piera exhaled slowly. Croti's voice curled in his mind. "Careful, boy. That one moves between seconds."
Piera's grip tightened on his sword.
I don't know what Croti's talking about, but this exam just got a whole lot more dangerous.