Oathtaker | Chapter 5 - Observation

  It was the same nightmare as before.

  At fourteen years old wandering through the mire and cursed lands of the Bloodlands. A frontier that the Empire spent years maintaining but after it fell, it was far worse than before, and by some cruel fate he ended up here when the Cataclysm happened.

  Leaving him alone wandering through these tainted lands to fend for himself.

  He felt the stinging cold of the Bloodlands as his boots, once made of the finest imperial leather, sank almost turning dark red from the bloodstained mire. Marcus Noxsolis Orthros was tired and hungry, his last meal had been days after he was driven out and beaten by a local settlement just to find a meal. Eventually his knees gave out as he fell to the mud, as exhaustion and hunger finally took hold of him and that perhaps it is time he joined his parents in the afterlife.

  ‘This is the end, it was shorter than the last. Maybe now I can stay dead this time.’ Marcus thought to himself as he let out a tired sigh.

  Mark woke up to find himself sitting underneath an ash tree by the courtyard in Kristoff Ranger College. It was a rather quiet afternoon as he decided to spend time on his own just so he could read further. On his lap was a book about various Chimeras and how to deal with each one.

  “Hey you,” He heard the voice of Shizuki as he looked up to find her atop of the tree in one of the branches above him with a small cat in her arms. “You're finally awake.”

  “What on Earth are you doing up there?” Mark asked, standing up with a confused look on his face. ‘More importantly, how did she get up there without me knowing?’

  “There was a Cat and I wanted to save her,” She said, showing the cat who in turn let out an adorable meow as though he knew they were talking about him.

  “Well good luck with that,” Mark said getting up and proceeded to walk away but he felt a strong breeze flow through him that nearly threw him off balance all the while Shizuki was floating a few feet off the ground as the wind was coalescing around her feet and landed like she just took a small hop.

  “That’s a surprisingly dangerous show of magic skills,” Mark said as he watched Shizuki pat the leaves off her uniform.

  “I have magic, therefore I must use it.” Shizuki responded with a shrug.

  ‘Okay Descartes,’ Mark thought with a raised eyebrow as he glanced at a few other students glaring at Shizuki after her show of magic. “You know other Mages don't like it when someone stronger uses their magic before them right?”

  “Let them seethe then, I do not care for such trivial matters.” Shizuki waved it off clearly . “I came here to be stronger and to master my skills, if they don't like it then try to beat me.”

  “Well you're not wrong but they don't like to be proven that,” Mark thought. As with most things, Magic mastery is often a contested topic as many Mages tend to take offense of other people being stronger. It's common for groups of mages to bully someone simply because they're more gifted than them.

  “Their problem, not mine,” She said, glancing at his copy of a book about Chimeras. “You seem to have a preference on being alone, a lone wolf if you will.”

  “I came here to be stronger and master my skills,” Mark responded burying his hand in his pocket while putting the textbook on his bag. “I'm not here to make friends, if I was I wouldn't be here.”

  “A shame if that were the case.” Shizuki said, looking at Mark.

  “Not really it saves me from being in the crosshairs of unnecessary people.” Mark shrugged as he looked at Shizuki as he could see the faint crimson in her eyes. “Such as the adopted daughter of the Marraine de Revelante Family.”

  He noticed the twinkle of her eyes, clearly impressed that he had figured out that he knows who she is. Admittedly Mark had done research on her after their earlier encounter. Turns out this suspicious masked figure was actually Shizuki Marraine de Revelante, the adopted daughter of the Revalante who had a rather impressive affinity for Magic.

  She's not the direct heir, rather she's more like the last but she is liked by the people for her rather theatrical approach in life.

  “So you found out, shame I was waiting for the opportunity to reveal it. Your reaction would have been amusing.” She replied with an amused look in her eyes.

  “Shouldn't have said that then,” Mark said with a scoff.

  “You really shouldn't spend time with him, Lady Shizuki.” He heard the ear bleed inducing voice of Clint as they turned to find him walking towards him with his two consorts.

  “Type Two Students should mind their own business and not get involved with us after all.” Clint said with a sneer at Mark who just let out a yawn as he cleaned one of his ears with disinterest. “They're nothing but parasites after all.”

  ‘That’s a new insult to add.’ Mark thought unimpressed but was wanting to know how far can Clint go with this.

  “Perhaps I would like to remind you that Type Two Students make up sixty percent of the student population,” Shizuki responded as he could see her narrowing her eyes at him, almost offended by such a claim. “Even then, his circumstances on being a Type Two is not financial.”

  “Sixty percent too many,” Clint scoffed as he glared at Mark who still had an apathetic look on his face. “Besides, you gotta understand. He's nothing but a thug, he mugs people on a daily basis and does nothing but horrible things.”

  She looks at him as though verifying that claim.

  “We live in the same place, though if that's his truth that's on him.” Mark responded with a shrug.

  “He's an orphaned thug, how he ended up here is concerning as for all we know he bribed his way in here after all.” Clint continued as Mark began to chuckle loudly which caught his attention.

  “Oh? What do you think is funny, Mongrel?” He said with a light shove this caused Shizuki to almost step in between them but Mark slightly raised his hand slightly as though he knew what he was doing.

  He has dealt with him more than once after all.

  “You accuse me of being poor and also accuse me of bribery, if you're going to slander, keep your claims consistent.” Mark said with an amused look which caused Clint’s scowl to deepen. “Or are you perhaps projecting?”

  Clint immediately took a swing at Mark only for him to take a step back and gave him a backhanded slap that was so loud nearly everyone around then looked in shock.

  “You little–” Clint said but immediately the two women immediately held him back realizing they were starting to attract attention.

  “You win this round Mongrel, I won't forget this.” He said walking away.

  “That's the point.” Mark commented as Clint glared at him, he glanced at Shizuki who was staring at him.

  “Sorry you had to see that, but yeah don't worry about that.” Mark said, glancing at Clint’s retreating figure. “It's a normal occurrence, never learns his lesson.”

  “It must be hectic to deal with him.” Shizuki said in a low voice.

  “But either way I have free time, you have free time. Let's hang out?” Shizuki said, extending her hands as though gesturing ‘why not?’

  “I think I'm good.” Mark responded by raising his hand as though trying to stop her.

  In the end, Shizuki managed to convince Mark. All things considered she was genuinely curious of him, he seems a bit blunt, rough around the edges and has a rather dry sense of humor.

  And maybe a few more baths.

  “So what did you say about being busy?” She said opening a small part of her mask allowing her to drink her tea while still keeping it on.

  “If it was just Tea, I'd have passed.” Mark said stirring his latte, she noticed his lupine ears relax slightly almost like he was slowly easing up for a moment. Most of his ears were forward as though in full on alert mode ready for a possible fight.

  She can't help but notice the fur on his ears has a bit of silver to it, almost as if his hair was just dyed black.

  “I expected you to be the black coffee type of guy,” She said amused as they found themselves sitting on a table giving them a clear view of the courtyard as other students went about reading or even enjoying Coffee or Tea.

  “Depends, I prefer to take latte.” Mark responded by taking a sip of his drink. “Been a while since I had this so I'm going to enjoy this.”

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  It was honestly jarring his form. Has this formal elegance to it. As though the rugged scavenger that she remembers in the Nightfall Expanse was just some facade she noticed.

  “So why did you bring me here?” Mark asked, glancing at her, for a brief moment she felt a chill go down her spine as he did. His blue eyes, that looked like unpolished sapphires, had this almost predatory and guarded look. As though he expects a trap or something in exchange for her attention.

  But Shizuki managed to regain her composure, only briefly losing composure after being taken off guard by that guard.

  “I simply want to get to know you more, is that not wrong?” She asked with a small smile.

  “Not if you're accompanied with the Daughter of the La Signora of Revalante after all.” Mark responded by putting down the cup of latte and looked at her as she let out an unimpressed scoff.

  “So you know,” She said with a rather amused smile on her face. Well it was inevitable after all her family is perhaps the most influential family in the City, perhaps even in the world if what people keep saying about them is anything to go by.

  Apparently from what she heard, the Marraine Family has been longtime allies with the Old Imperial Family that her adoptive grandmother had become the Godmother of the last Emperor and in turn had made her significantly powerful in a political sense and thus many nations across Vestige formed years before she came around wanting her support.

  In turn many tend to court her and her adopted siblings for this particular reason.

  “Yeah I don’t think it’s easy to miss the mysterious masked daughter of the Marraine de Revalante Family after all.” Mark responded with a raised eyebrow as though saying ‘Do you really think I'm that stupid?’ almost offended by the implication. “What's with the mask anyways? Do you have a bad scar?”

  “Take a guess,” She said with a confident smirk.

  “Well if I were to take a stab at it, it's supposed to be some form of security trinket. Like something to keep yourself calm or composed,” He began as he glanced trying to look at her. “Given the overall nature of your background, this means that people are clamouring over you so naturally you want something that holds them back, something that gives you this small safe space.”

  Shizuki gave him a confused look, she had never expected some fairly handsome and rugged looking Wolf Beastman Scavenger to make such a rather interesting interpretation.

  “It's literally for theatricality, nothing more to it.” She was almost confused at his interpretation.

  “Ah so I looked into it too deeply then.” He answered with a scoff, it was honestly the first she had seen him do so in a while. Often seen frowning or even just with a scowl.

  “Yeah I thought it would be cool if I formed this little persona of this mysterious masked beauty–”

  “–how are they going to find out you're beautiful with a mask on–?”

  “–it would be cool if I formed this little persona of this mysterious masked mage–”

  “–That's way better–”

  “–and thus making me stand out, plus my siblings love it. Makes me look cool.” She said with an awfully smug look on her face.

  “That being said, are you really fine hanging out with a refugee?” Mark asked bluntly, causing Shizuki to tilt her head in confusion.

  “I'm from Last Light if you haven't figured it out yet,” Mark responded with a rather self-deprecating smirk on his face. “The largest settlement of Noxsolis Empire refugees, where many in Sentralis chose to integrate into the other nations, people like me choose to cling to our Imperial Backgrounds.”

  “I don’t really care about social status, all things considered,” She said with a frown on her face. “I lean to the belief that all of us are equal and that we each deserve that.”

  “Rather easy to say since you’re a noblewoman,” Mark commented as he took another sip of his drink.

  “Well that being said, what’s your story anyways?” Shizuki asked to change the topic, realizing he had made yet another point.

  “Pretty cut and dry to be honest, I grew up in the Imperial heartland for the last thirteen years since I was born. Things went to hell and spent the next five years in that shithole known as Last Light.” Mark responded with a rather amused scoff on his face, though Shizuki can see this tired look on his face.

  The kind that is clear that he has endured so much already to get it this far.

  “I–”

  “Thanks to that, I got things to do and places to be.” Mark said with a small smile as he stood up and walked away leaving a small wad of Thrones for his share of the drink.

  As soon as he left though, Shizuki felt a presence loom over her as she closed to lower half of her mask allowing her to hide the possibility of her talking to ‘that’ entity, the feeling of someone reaching out to her but cannot identify who or what it is other than this strange tug that she is feeling on her upper back where ‘that’ can be found.

  This feeling and presence has been following her since she arrived in this world years ago, under a different name, a different identity, with different memories.

  “Do you think he’s tied to all this? I have had this feeling since I first ran into him in the Nightfall Expanse, that he’s connected somehow.” She said, almost hopeful that he might be connected to someone. She was curious after all, of all the people, Elves, Dwarves, Beastmen and Humans.

  It was this Wolf Beastman with clearly dyed black hair that is giving her this strange effect.

  The entity was silent, as though unable to give a response either. This was a common occurrence, sometimes the entity would be silent, sometimes it would respond albeit in very vague and mysterious answers that somehow managed to make sense by the time she found out.

  Neither her adoptive family or anyone else knows this though, so she tends to figure it out on her own.

  “Well either way I’m curious,” She said with a small smile as she looked at the window to find Mark had already left the building. “Maybe I’ll keep tabs on him every now and then.”

  [The Reluctant Reincarnation]

  True Enough, Shizuki had kept tabs on Mark the last few days. Despite his efforts to try and blend in, he ends up gathering quite the curiosity from their year.

  For one, he is a notoriously skilled but brutal fighter having won multiple duels in the last few days as many nobles, often led by that hyena beastman that is Clint Werhein only to be met with defeat.

  Shizuki sat by the stands as they watched Mark spar with someone during free time during the training, a rather proud Elven nobleman who is still convinced that he is ‘an ambitious mongrel with a fancy sword’ as he became synonymous with that old Imperial Steel Sword he carries around.

  “Hmph, Werhein is right.” The Elven Nobleman said proudly as he raised his sword. A rather gaudy and impractical golden sword that he waves around as he pointed it at Mark with a confident smirk all the while a group of students began to gather around them. “Perhaps I should discipline you like the disobedient dog that you are.”

  “Alright then.” Mark said unsheathing his Imperial Steel Sword as he began walking towards the Nobleman who smirked as he swung the sword at him only for Mark to parry the sword causing the blade to bounce back as he took a step closer the nobleman tried to swing once more but this time he blocked it with his free hand, dropped his own sword and punched the Elven Nobleman in the face knocking him out as he yanked the sword from his hands and fell to the ground in a slump.

  “That was mildly disappointing.” Mark commented as Shizuki held back a chuckle. It was amusing that after winning multiple duels, many would still try to and have a duel with him.

  “Hey Mark,” Shizuki said standing up as she walked towards him holding her Staff-Spear, Forget-me-not and walked towards Mark. “How about we go for a Spar.”

  “...are you sure?”

  “Of course, but only if you don’t hold back.” She said with a confident smile as she spun her staff as her Mana Quartz began to glow bright green as a white and blue Magic circle formed in front of Forget-me-not as though it was charging the Mana around them.

  “I don’t think using Magic against someone with low Magic affinity is–”

  “–Baltix–”

  A Sphere of bright green concentrated Mana fired through the air while Mark immediately swung his Imperial Steel Sword but deflected the bullet as it sent flying back to her.

  She made an impressed smirk as she fired another Baltix and began walking towards him causing a small explosion causing a small mist of Mana to spread across the field but as she cautiously moved closer Mark emerged through the smoke with his Sword in his hand as he swung at her to which she spun her staff into the spear mode and parried the sword causing him to take a step back.

  This caused the Students around them to start clamouring as they watch

  “Let’s give them a show, why don’t we?” Shizuki said as she spun her staff to ready another spell but Mark was already sprinting towards her ready to swing his sword at her.

  To which she took a step back and manifest Fhall, a standard defense spell as it manifested a bright green barrier but instead blocking or causing the sword to bounce off, the Barrier formed around the sword causing it to get stuck there as Shizuki smirked underneath her mask while Mark had an amused look on his face as he let go on the sword and instead–

  “Rinfor,” And as soon as Mark said those words, a faint green sheen was seen around his fists and slammed his knuckles against the Barrier shattering it like glass as Shizuki took a step back while Mark caught the sword back in his hands as he looked at her almost impressed.

  “So you do have experience in magic,” Shizuki impressed with his movements, meanwhile around them the students have been starting to cheer on either her or for Mark as they were at awe with how this had been going.

  “I dabble a little, though I can’t say I’m a full mage, just a few basic ones.” Mark said as he immediately pulled out his revolver and fired another round as Shizuki casted another Fhall spell in the process, just small enough to stop the bullet easily.

  “Though I admit your ability to cast spells at a faster rate is far more impressive, I know only a few who carry such capacity.” Mark said casually holstering the revolver. “Among them being Professor Freia.”

  “Comparing me to be on the same level as our Headmaster is quite the praise, then I better take this more seriously then.” Shizuki said as she gripped her staff with both hands as she aimed the spearhead at Mark who in turn did the same with his sword. As she did so, she couldn't help but notice the stance, the way he carried and all that. It had this air of discipline as he did so, as though he had a background of formal training and not just like standard formal militia training.

  It is the kind she has seen within Imperial Knights just a few years ago.

  The two began to sprint towards each other only for them with Shizuki being the first as she thrust her spear only for him to use his sword and move it to the side with one hand and tried to close the gap between them by using his left fist and was clearly about to reinforce it with magic unfortunately she pulled out her trump card as she immediately moved at a rather fast pace.

  By briefly flying upwards and then landed a few paces away from her.

  “Guess I had no other choice to use my Gestalt,” She said as she spun her spear-staff once more and aimed it at him.

  Gestalts, according to people she had met long ago, are the manifestation of a person's soul but not everyone can access or use them so it is often seen as a rarity. For her case, it would be a pair of bluish white wings that allow her for brief moments of short distance flight.

  “I’d look forward to forcing you into using your own Gestalt,” Shizuki said with a smile and before Mark could make a response, she leapt up in the air and performed a diving attack as she thrust her spear on him but he ended up blocking it with his sword as their weapons clashed as the Mana around their weapons causing sparks to emit.

  “I apologize for setting your expectations but unfortunately I possess no gestalt.” Mark responded as Shizuki, under her mask, gave him a confused look. If she recalled Mark has a Gestalt which takes on the form of Golden Chains, was that just an illusion? Or an advanced spell that was passed off from mentor to student?

  ‘No, he’s hiding or lying.’ Shizuki thought, recalling that he also hid the reason why he was hunting an already rare weapon. ‘He must have a reason. I’ll let him take his time to tell me, at least earn his trust.’

  “That is enough,” The two of them turned around to find their instructor walking towards them with an amused look all the while the students around them began to express some form of disappointment as they were just as enthusiastic in seeing them go all out.

  “I appreciate your enthusiasm but I prefer you save the sparring at a different date.” He said, crossing his arms at them.

  “Shame, I was looking forward to seeing you go all out.” Shizuki said, turning to Mark who silently sheathed his sword and walked away.

  ‘Mark Grauwolfe, you’re starting to earn my curiosity.’ She thought dematerializing her Spear-Staff as she looked at his leaving figure.