“Let’s head back, Shion, the day’s almost gone.”

Shion looked up and saw the top of Shishio’s head leaning over the edge of the cliff, his auburn hair hidden beneath the hood, and his face as white as snow around them. Shion had noticed Shishio’s silent footsteps approaching, even before Shishio called for him. He nodded in affirmation then Shishio was gone, just as quickly as he came.

Shion looked up at the sky in the west. The color was already a shade of red that reminded him of a ripe cherry. It's warmth and soft light washed over the entire Jotoheim of Halmsay. The sun set behind the curvy hills covered in white, and instantly, he thought: the Rune Masters must be busy right about now.

The sun that Shion sees right now is the work of the Ether, the Rune Master who manages the sky. It’s not the actual sun, but a replica, made of special glass from a distant land. Using the material, it was engineered to be imbued with magic and put on the city’s roof, mimicking the movement of the actual sun. Now that the sun is gone, the Jotoheim’s roof was slowly getting dark, and an artificial night was adorned with dotted stars and a moon.

Now Shion knew that it was time to go since the harvest field only opens during the daytime. Before he went, though, he reached out his hand to pluck the bright purple Malvemsnya flowers from its branch and placed them in a four-thumb-wide container that was attached to his waist bag and cooled using runes.

After securing the cargo, Shion hung from a tree root out on the cliff, quickly twisted his body, and jumped up. His feet landed soundlessly on the edge where Shishio was.

Shishio, who was kneeling on the snowy ground, strung his containers into his backpack. It was full of Kerrys fruit and Rosemanth leaves since he is in charge of collecting them. As Shion walked up to him, his expression clouded as he grumbled in displeasure.

“I caught some people illegally picking Rosemanth leaves by the lake. For a piece of land that charges a high price for legal harvesting, their security is truly pathetic.”

“We can come back tomorrow, Shishio.” Shion said as if the two-hour journey in the barren wastelands wasn’t a big hassle. However,  it only fueled Shishio’s anger as he slammed his backpack close.

“And I’m going to miss my Ancient Raicress class because of that, damn it. I know you graduated early, but can you have a little sympathy right?”

The jealousy suppressed for so long now burst out in anger. Shishio is one of Aldrich’s oldest students. He was already a student of Aldrich when one day, his Master brought home a mysterious boy. It was Shion.

At first, Shishio didn’t pay him any mind. He thought, soon enough Shion would stop and leave, like most of Aldrich’s other students. However, Shion grew rapidly and, in a short time, surpassed all of his friends who had studied longer than him, including Shishio.

That fact hurt Shishio’s pride, who had studied and practiced diligently, day and night. Is that what you call a talented person? Shishio never felt that he had talent in any field. Therefore, he tried harder than the others. Seeing someone overcoming all his hard work so easily, Shishio felt jealousy bubbling inside him.

A beat of silence stretched between them as Shion studied Shishio’s face carefully and the rising tension between them. “I can go back on my own if you can’t,” he offered, trying to find a way forward.

Shishio took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger that suddenly burst within him. He knew it was petty to vent his anger towards Shion like that. After all, Shion was someone who focuses on the solution rather than the problem, and because of that, he felt ashamed and slightly guilty. Accordingly, he tried to keep his cool since he was older than Shion.

“Gathering Rosemanth leaves is my duty this week, and Master won’t let you do that. You have lessons with him,” Shishio declined the offer and hoisted his backpack onto his shoulder.

Unlike him, Shion was referred to as the descendant of the fallen Raicress continent that was once mighty. He had darker skin, and his hair was as white as snow. They were called the warrior race who would excel in anything combat related. Everyone wasn’t surprised when the Master said that he had nothing to teach the fifteen-year-old Shion, and since then, Shion no longer practiced or studied in the same room as Shishio and the other pupils.

Shion focused more on training and studying under Masters from other cities since their own Master had nothing more to offer. Shion never brags and is always humble about it, so it’s hard for Shishio to continue being jealous and insecure about his lack of abilities. He did envy him for a long time, but at the same time, he didn’t.

Maybe because Shishio often spends time with Shion, Shishio more or less understands what Shion is thinking. When he and the other students practiced together, he sometimes found Shion watching them from a distance, with what Shishio thought was his lonely expression.

At that time, he thought Shion’s position was not easy either. With his promising talents, many people place high hopes and expectations on his shoulders. Shishio felt that Shion was the type who would try to fulfill all of that without complaining.

When Shishio looked at Shion, who held his usual calm and compliant demeanor, Shishio’s heart couldn’t bear it. He reached out, brushing away the snow piled on Shion’s snow-white hair. “I’m sorry, okay? It’s my job, so I’ll finish it. Don’t just volunteer yourself like that. Others may take advantage of it. Come on, let’s go back.”

They walked down the path through the pine trees. Next to the five-meter-high gate stood a small hut made of pine trunks. It’s shabby and slightly leaning to one side, but it still stood strong against the whirling wind. A skinny old man stepped out from the hut, a Black Pearch cigarette on his lips. His face was gaunt, and his lips curled downwards for as long as Shishio knew him. Because of that, he was known as “The Old Stiff”. Shishio once humored that the day that old man smiles is the day when all the snow in the whole of Halmsay would melt.

 The old man dropped his *** on the chair, then patted the table in front of him impatiently. “Hurry up, kid. It’s already time to close.”

“Sorry,” Shishio stepped forward and placed his container on the scales. The old man weighed the contents with practiced ease, then weighed the other herbs. “Two gold, and one bronze.”

Shishio took out the money and put it on the table. The Old Stiff’s hand snatched the money and put it in the drawer.

“I caught people stealing in the fields. They took the Rosemanth stalk and fled south,” Shishio reported. He still couldn’t let it off so easily.

The Old Stiff took a deep breath of his cigarette, then pinched it between his two fingers. “None of my damn business. My job is just to weigh the stuff and take your money, boy. Come on, hurry.”

Shishio grumbled in annoyance, closed his container, and weighed another container he had. After everything was done, it was Shion’s turn to come forward. He placed his massive container of Malsvemnya leaves on the scales.

The Old Stiff looked at the contents. His eyebrows lifted at the sight of the overwhelming quantity of herbs. His knife-like eyes glanced at Shion and were silent for a moment before speaking. “For you to be able to gather this much in one day, you’re something else, aren’t you?”

Shishio also looked at the contents of the container. Indeed, even if he started harvesting before sunrise, he wasn’t sure he could fill half of the box. However, since they came in the late afternoon, they only had three hours before this harvesting field closed, making it a great feat on Shion’s part.

“Anyways, the more you take, the more you pay,” The Old Stiff brushed it off. “That’ll be seven gold, four silver, and three bronze.”

After muttering thanks, Shion put money on the table. As he did, The Old Stiff saw the bracelet wrapped around Shion’s hand. The Old Stiff recognized it. Honestly, anyone would’ve. Even though he tried to be indifferent, he was curious about this young man. “Are you Sir Aldrich’s rumored “ace” pupil? No wonder.”

Shishio couldn’t believe The Old Stiff was only asking after they had already become regular in this harvesting field for years. The chance was that he had already noticed it a long time ago. But, he considers it too much of a hassle to ask them about that.

“The Malsvemnya leaves… I see. It’s for your Master,” The Old Stiff snorted. His hand stretched out on the table, taking Shion’s money, but he pushed half of the gold pieces back towards Shion. “I don’t need money from dying people.”

“Master is not dying!” Shishio took a step forward, offended.

“You know he is,” The Old Stiff would usually snap back at the comment, but at this moment, a tinge of sadness was in his voice. The way he spoke was like stating a resigned fact instead of arguing. Knowing this, Shishio swallowed his anger. “I outlived you guys and heard the story long before you were born. He was a great person, I’ll give him that, but not every great person is destined for a great ending.”

Shion didn’t take the money back. He only switched the container of

Malsvemnya leaves with another container he had. “How much is this one?” he asked.

The Old Stiff didn’t answer the question. Instead, he looked over to the dark sky and talked as if he was in a reverie, “So, you guys are going to look for The Glaive too?”

“Yes.”

The Old Stiff shook his head. “It is a ridiculous dream. Stop it,” he said. “You know, it’s only a fable that parents tell their kids when they’re tucking them into bed to give them good dreams in this doomed age. I see that some people grow out of it, and some don’t. My advice is don’t be the latter.”

“I bet you didn’t believe them when your parents told you that,” Shishio bit.

“Indeed. I’m an orphan.”

The remark made Shishio cough, but he was too prideful to apologize.

The Old Stiff gazes at the far-off distance. “My son though…” he trailed off. “He was the latter.”

It was kind of shocking news. They never know that The Old Stiff had a son. They never knew that he had a family at all. He never told anyone. For as long as they remember, The Old Stiff was residing in the hut, as if he was born and lived in this place forever.

“He also went looking for The Glaive. And he didn’t come back.” The Old Stiff humph-ed. “An artifact that can create miracles, people who want to save the world, big dreams, all of it has nothing to do with me. I can’t understand it. I just need a job to live until the time I die. But, my son… who taught him to be so foolish? It wasn’t me, for sure.”

“It’s not foolish.”

The Old Stiff turned his head at Shion’s commanding voice.

“If you have a dream, and are brave enough to chase it, it’s not foolish,” Shion stated. He held his unwavering gaze, which burned with a hope that could’ve melted anything. “Your son and my master aren’t fools. They’re brave people, great people. They hope for better things, and they don’t easily give it up. It’s not foolish.”

When they left the harvesting field that day, Shishio looked back to see the Old Stiff, still sitting haunched on his chair, crying his eyes out with visibly shaking shoulders.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Shion and Shishio left the Jotoheim of Halmsay and went to the markets to buy some essentials before heading through the city's giant gate. Several city guards guarded it, and everyone in and out of the city had to undergo a screening beforehand to ensure that no contraband was brought along. That being so, the two students had their IDs and luggage inspected before they were permitted to move on.

The guards then pulled the lever, and the gate slowly rose. The gate was not directly connected to the outside world, but a warped door that was pitch-black in color spiraled in the middle like a black hole. Once they passed through that black hole, they arrived at the outside world, wearing masks, goggles, and hoods.

The snowy ground had disappeared from under their feet and was replaced with hard, dry soil. Behind them, the Jotoheim of Halmsay was like a semi-spherical structure standing in the middle of a barren desert. The sky over them was as dark as the replicated sky in Halmsay, but it was not because of the time. They could still see their surroundings well, though the world was formed only with shades of soul-less gray. It wasn’t a sight to see as they traversed the dead Earth, but they had to reach their master’s residence, The Jotoheim of Chanines, which was forty-five miles due west.

“Let's go,” Shishio said as he turned to Shion.

They began to dash through the barren Earth. They passed over the trees, which were pitch black and as hard as a stone. The remnants of the human population could be seen scattered throughout the wasteland, along with ruined houses and fragments of the glorious days when humans could walk freely on the Earth.

They dashed through the terrain faster than average horses, which was only possible after intense training with their master. Otherwise, the journey would take about half a day, maybe more. Nevertheless, Shishio hoped someone would spare them dinner: with their current speed, they would arrive at their destination within two hours after dinner.

About halfway through their trip, they felt something strange.

“Shishio,” Shion called out and suddenly stopped, getting into his fighting stance.

Shishio, doing the same, gritted his teeth. “I know,” he said. He pulled out his weapon, a long spear made of a sabertooth’s tooth from his back.

A wolf-like creature stood still from the top of the desert hill and watched them down.

“A Hyewolf,” Shion put his hand on his sword’s hilt. He quickly recalled how to deal with them. He remembered Aldrich once mentioned it when he brought up the list of monsters that roamed outside the cities.

“Hyewolf is a hybrid creature mutated from a hyena and a wolf,” Aldrich stated in front of his students. He pointed at two pictures between the standard hyena and wolf. “However, its size was much larger than theirs. An adult Hyewolf can be three meters tall and seven meters long.”

“That’s absurdly huge!” One of the students exclaimed in shock.

“I won’t go out from here if that means I’ll meet one of them,” another chipped in.

“Yeah!”

“But, Shion and Shishio always go back and forth to another Jotoheim. Have you ever encountered Hyewolfs on your journeys?”

Aldrich calmed the class down. “Relax. These creatures belong to the northeast of Mauverich, near the Mauredere mountains, where the land was higher than here. The chance to meet them around this area is slim,”

That was what Aldrich said. But, here they were, finally meeting them in the flesh. However, what appeared before them was even more significant than the size of two average adults Hyewolf put together.

His thought was interrupted as Shishio summed it up in a word. “Shit!” Shishio knew this was bad news. Even though it was that big, they might be able to handle one Hyewolf. However, Hyewolfs permanently moved into groups.

And if all the group members were as big as this one…

“They’ve surrounded us.”

One by one, parts of the Hyewolf pack appeared. They took stances in all four directions as if encircling Shion and Shishio, leaving no room for escape. This was the Hyewolf's way of hunting, stalking their prey from afar and surrounding them where they wanted.

“That's no ordinary Hyewolf,” Shion said, referring to the biggest Hyewolf that stood before their path. “I saw there was a red stone on his forehead. Is it someone's pet?”

“Who’s a psychopath who let go of such a big pet in the wild!? And have a pack at that?!”

Shion took out his sword. He aimed it at Hywolf, who seemed to be the pack’s leader. “We can take him down first to bring down the pack’s mentality. If they still refuse to back down, we'll kill them all.”

“If only it were that easy,” Shishio grumbled. He held his weapon tightly, trying to calm himself down.

“I heard that Hyewolf’s blood is a pretty potent antidote,” Shion recalled, his face full of determination and glee. That was when Shishio knew that there would be no Hyewolf left after this fight if it was for their Master.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Jotoheim of Canines is not a big city. But, it had three Yggdrasil trees at three different locations. The most enormous Yggdrasil tree was in the north, where their Master, Aldrich Goodwill’s school, was located.

Unlike Halmsay, which is a replica of a city on a snowy mountain, Chanines was a city with a peaceful rural feel. It was a relief to breathe warm air with a bit of the taste of autumn. That is until the two reach the gates and are again examined at the front gate.

One of the guards, who was checking their sub-spatial storage, frowned when he noticed that Shion's house-sized sub-spatial storage was loaded heavily. And it was almost complete. There must be something big inside. “You guys brought something in the sub-spatial storage?”

Shion nodded. He looked around. “Back off a bit.”

The guards looked at each other, a wry look painted on their faces.

Even though they’re from the same city and know each other, there is this distinct discrimination against those who learn under Aldrich. These guards all graduated from social schools where those rich people could only pay the fees. It’s common for them to bring every small matter they see fit to Aldrich's pupils because they think they're superior to them.

“You’re ordering me? Huh, getting a big head because you're one of Aldrich’s students?” one of the guards stepped forward and puffed out his chest. He was clearly trying to look intimidating in front of the two teenagers who were way under his age.

“We graduated earlier than you guys from the social academy! We’re nobles who pay off our tuition, unlike you rascals!”

“Even though you are Aldrich’s students, you can’t carry that much stuff without telling us what’s in it.”

Shishio let out an exasperated sigh. These guys are unreasonable as always, he thought. “He just asked you to back off. No one said we won’t show what’s inside our bags.”

“What do you mean, telling us to back off? What did you bring?” One of them pipped in, suspicious.

“The size is big. If I let it out now, right here, you’ll be pushed by it and harmed,” still, Shion explained without hurry. He is as calm as ever. However, the guards didn't believe him even with such polite and harmless mannerisms.

“Trying to fool us, now?”

“Hah! Get it out first, brat, and we'll see how big your luggage is!”

Shishio snorted at the side. He didn't share the worry that Shion felt towards these bastards. “Just let them see for themselves.”

Shion shook his head. “They will get hurt.”

“Don’t be pretentious! Get it out quickly, I say!”

Shishio had enough. He battled a whole pack of Hyewolfs and almost went to the afterlife, so he couldn’t stand to see the guards’ cocky behavior. He snatched the sub-spatial storage from Shion’s hands, and before Shion could grab it back, he had already taken out its contents.

Ba-dum!!!

Three guards were blown away a few meters from where they initially stood. Shishio laughed mockingly beside him, feeling utter satisfaction; meanwhile, Shion just shook his head at Shishio's behavior.

The commotion sparked even more chaos and drew almost all the guards to rally at the commotion site. Though, they were not there to help the poor guards who were blown away. Instead, they circled the content of Shion’s sub-spatial storage.

“Whoa! Is that a Hyewolf?!”

“And there are three of them!”

“You-both of you killed them?! How could that be!?” “They’re Sir Aldrich’s students, you idiots!”

It took a little longer for the guards to let Shion and Shishio go off finally. They’re still bickering about how two boys could annihilate the entire pack of Hyewolfs when it takes a dozen of the bravest men to fight even just one. It was already late when they arrived at the foot of the Yggdrasil tree’s hill.

Their Master, Aldrich, has no home. The Chief of Jotoheim gave him a plot of land at the foot of the Yggdrasil tree’s hill, and he built a school there. There was an

official school for training future Rune Masters in Chanines, but nothing is free like many things in this world. In fact, the tuition for attending school can only be paid by those with a high social position and a lot of money. However, Aldrich built the school with his funds and taught the children who came what he knew. Because of that, people call it Aldrichemster or Aldrich’s School.

Although people didn’t need to spend a penny to be taught there, the lessons from Aldrich were not something that most people could handle. The training is challenging and rigorous, and Aldrich is infamous for not being the most patient person. Thus, more people quit than those who continue. Shishio would know this; he was one of the veteran pupils.

When Shion and Shishio arrived at the Aldrichemster, the lights were dim, and almost everyone was asleep.

Everyone, of course, except their Master.

Aldrich was a man in his mid-fifty, but his physique was like a man half his age. Apart from the faint lines on his face and the strands of white hair that were contrasted with his black hair, he looked like a young man with a fit body. He was almost two meters tall and was said to be the mightiest warrior. However, not everyone knew the truth that Aldrich was so frail inside. One step outside the protection of the Yggdrasil tree was enough to kill him, and he needed to rely on medical herbs to maintain his strength and health.

Aldrich is standing on the open land that used to be a training ground. He walked toward Shion and Shishio and welcomed them.

“Master, we’re back,” they announced in unison.

Aldrich nodded. “I see that you made a commotion at the city's front gate,” he said, ever so knowingly. His eyes were sharp, and it felt like he knew when someone was trying to lie to him.

Shishio looked sheepish as he scratched the back of his head. Meanwhile, Shion admitted wholeheartedly. “Yes. They refused to back off when they inspected my sub-spatial storage,” Shion said. “We fought a pack of Hyewolfs on our way back and brought them here. I thought one of them, the pack’s leader, wasn’t an ordinary Hyewolf. We think he had an owner and was highly intelligent.”

The news made Aldrich slightly stiff, somehow. It was only a fraction of a second, but both Shion and Shishio caught it and wondered what the strange reaction meant.

Aldrich turned his body and walked downstairs. “You shall show me.”

Shion and Aldrich went to follow in their Master’s footsteps. They headed to the school's basement that Aldrich sealed, and when they were inside, he sealed the entrance so no one would enter. With a light swish of his hand, the lights in the basement were turned on. They walked down the long corridor until they reached one of the largest rooms to hold the entire pack of the Hyewolfs that Shion and Shishio caught, maybe more.

When they were inspected at the front gate, Shishio purposely didn’t take out the pack’s leader. Evidently, it differed from the other Hyewolfs, and they guessed right. Aldrich inspected the stone that was planted on Hyewolf’s forehead. He touched it to gain some information from them, but he retracted his hand so quickly as if he had touched fire.

Aldrich’s face grew solemn afterward.

“Master?” Shishio was worried. He never saw his Master this troubled before.

“Do you know something about this Hyewolf, Master?” Shion asked carefully.

Their Master took a long time to ponder. After a moment of unbearable silence, Aldrich turned toward his pupils. He already schooled his expression with nothing to give away. It only made both of them worried evermore.

“Shion,” he called.

“Yes, Master.”

“Tomorrow, you must go and begin your journey to find The Glaive.”

The sudden announcement made both of them startled. Shishio looked at Shion, who didn’t see it coming, and then looked back to his Master. Aldrich never jokes even more in this situation.

They knew that the day Shion would come, but not like this. Not this sudden.

Despite that, Shion was raised as a good pupil. Whatever his Master says, he obeys.

Kneeling on one knee, he bowed to his Master. “I will, Master!”

“You may stand.”

Shion got up from his position.

“I heard that someone spotted The Soaring Dragon's Smith in Jotoheim of Magnamius. You should go there and meet Palmlion,” Aldrich instructed.

Shion bowed respectfully. “I will make sure to do as you instructed.”

Shishio looked at his Master, waiting for the moment to speak. “Am I going as well, Master?” he asked with a sliver of hope in his heart, hoping to prove his worth. However, he instantly knew one glance from his Master that he had overestimated himself. He lowered his head and took a step back.

“You’re not ready yet, Shishio,” Aldrich said in a factual tone. “But, you might catch up if you train hard. A few more years.”

Shishio clenched his fists at his sides, too embarrassed and angry at himself. “I will train as hard as I can,” he promised. Afterward, he sensed that his presence was longer needed and started to walk out. “I will go. Excuse me.”

With that, Shishio backed off and slid out of the room, leaving Aldrich and Shion alone.

Aldrich took two things from his sub-spatial storage that rested in the ring on his left hand. He handed them to Shion. “These will be my parting gifts for you.”

Shion accepted them. “I will never forget Master’s hospitality and will never disappoint you.”

“Remember, if you look for The Glaive, there will be a lot of people who will chase you. Not everyone wants the same future as us. They’re people who take advantage of these situations for their benefit,” Aldrich warned him. “And when there’s no one else you can rely on, weapons can become one of your best friends.”

Aldrich revealed the first thing he gave to Shion. It was wrapped in a white cloth, and Aldrich took it off. It was a billet, like a stone with an uneven surface.

“Your first task is to take this billet to The Soaring Dragon’s Smith. They’ll turn this billet into whatever weapon you desire. And from that, your journey would begin.”

Shion took the billet and put it in his sub-spatial storage. And then, Aldrich turned to the second item, a mysterious steel box. “And this,” he said. “You must protect it at all cost, as it will guide you to find The Glaive. If you lose it, so is half your hope to find The Glaive.”

Shion eyed the mysterious box in his hand.

“There will be a time when you know what's inside, but it’s unnecessary now.” Shion understood. “Thank you, Master. I will protect it with all my power.”

TO BE CONTINUED...