The Arcadia System

Chapter 175 – Battlemage

"No, you misunderstand, Miss Lyra," replied Reve. 

While he spoke, he used his sensory skills to map out this section of the forest. The twins were hiding somewhere. It was probably all according to their plans…….distract him, grab Knight Villiame, and retreat silently. 

This made him wonder just how long they had been watching his battle with the knight to come up with such a strategy that heavily relied on him being out of energy. 

Whatever the case was, Reve hoped he could smoothen things out. 

He politely said to the thin air, "I am not an enemy of Knight Villiame, nor am I your foe."

Her cold voice reached him, "Then, can you explain why you engage in a death battle with my family's knight? Can you explain why you attacked our carriage?"

"That was an accident, an error on my side. I didn't mean to collide with your carriage but seeing as you are all safe, isn't it better to let the past lie? Your knight couldn't understand that but I think you can," patiently explained Reve.

"Before I give you my answer, tell me the truth of your appearance. For what purpose did you seek us? Don't you dare lie as I'm known to be perceptive!"

Reve's voice echoed back to her hiding location, "I wouldn't dare, Miss Lyra. Your reputation precedes you. The reason why I sought after your carriage was to request an audience with your father, Lord Gawyne."

He had no idea that his well-thought words would have an adverse reaction. 

Lyra sharply bellowed, "What do you want from my father?"

"A private audience. If I were to tell you, it wouldn't be private," responded Reve. 

He was starting to get a bad feeling about this as, with every passing exchange, Lyra's tone would get more defined and thorny. It was as if something he continuously said aggravated her. 

  "….And I am to believe you? I'm to hold you responsible for words? And what would that make you? A gentleman? A darned gentleman wouldn't leave a kind knight to his death!"

Reve simply leaned on the tree as he listened to the brimming rage in the lady's voice. He murmured, "Surely, it has come to this. What a sad life? Why do they not understand any words I say?"

To confirm what he took out of her response, Reve shouted, "What do you mean? I didn't laud myself as that. Do you intend to hold the same stance as your knight?"

"Yes….." slowly whispered Lyra. 

With her brother by her side, she knew she shouldn't risk a battle breaking out, but the masked man was too dangerous to let near her father. It was up to her and her brother to protect their beloved father. Knight Villiame had already fallen. 

The two of them hid tens of feet away from the masked man, on a tree. This hiding spot was suggested by Lyra as they factored in the insane sense of the masked man.  Moreover, this spot would do well to hide the origin of her voice when she spoke. 

Suddenly, the masked man menacingly spoke after a short while of silence, "Truly, what a sad life? We could have reached a mutual agreement. Whatever, this doesn't mean anything."

From her vantage point, a shiver coursed through her body as she forced herself to not utter any sound.

Lyra trembled as her natural instinct picked on something weird going in her surrounding, 'What is this feeling? An aura? What type of aura is this? Oh Blessed Xoris.' 

It was known that each individual possessed an aura, an expressive wavelength from one's soul. While the ki-warriors focused on manipulating this aura and reaping profound power from the soul, the mages preferred to let their auras develop naturally. 

This gave birth to two different aura types, each belonging to the two main path in Arcadia. However……this man before her was exuding something different….something so pure and deadly that even her mind could not help but retreat further into her shell of a body. 

Her hands quaked as, occasionally, her magi occasionally lost control. This was too terrifying for her and Ciaran, who reacted the same way. 

Nonetheless, despite being engulfed in this sea-like aura, the two were not so easy to break down. They quickly recollected themselves and jumped down from their tree. 

By now, they knew their location had been compromised. Just when they were about to vanish to another spot, the silhouette of the masked man appeared in their distant front. 

He silently stared at them, offering no words as they stayed deep-rooted in the ground. 

Beneath the mask, they could feel his abysmal eyes scouring all parts of their body. He was looking for it and he found "it" on the shoulders of Cairan, who moved in front of Lyra to protect her.

"Stay back," said Ciaran to his sister. 

Despite both of them having similar characteristics, Cairan was a more quiet person than Lyra. He preferred staying behind while his sister showed her talent to the world. Yet, he wouldn't hesitate to jump in and protect her if the situation calls for it. 

Ciaran only looked back once before his mana spilled out of his body. They took the form of lightning sparks swimming around his physique as he spoke out, "Thunder Manifestation!"

Now, Ciaran and Lyra were some of the few arcanists in NIRA. Lyra took the role of a genuine arcanist, representing the original long-range style of arcanists. However, Ciaran took something more different and unique. He accepted the mantle of a battlemage, a class of mages that were said to house the best aspects of both paths. 

Coupled with his innate lightning affinity, Ciaran was almost unstoppable in his generation. Even at NIRA, there were only a handful of students that could claim to be capable of contending with him. 

That was why, at this moment, he couldn't help but gain confidence once his unique magic spell materialised.

All around him, three magic circles with frightening rigid blue lines danced in the air. One of them dropped down to him and landed exactly on his palm. 

Its bright light blinded everyone for a second but when the light dimmed, a long serpentine whip was in its place.

Gripping it, Ciaran whispered, "Shall we dance?"