Chương 2: The Land of Nexaria

In the ancient forest bordering Swallowtail Mountain City, towering sequoia-like trees stretched towards the heavens. Their branches formed a verdant canopy teeming with life.

There were Lightning Squirrels that darted quickly amongst the foliage and tree branches, while wood boars underneath rooted around the forest floor. Their tusks gleaming in the sunlight that shone through from above.

Within the forest, a young boy raced through the underbrush. On a mission, his heart pounded with excitement. With each stride, his muscles rippled. He had clear determination in every step.

He was no ordinary child; his physique hinted at several years of training and discipline instilled by a military upbringing.

"Come back here, you slippery fox!" Lassim's voice echoed through the forest, his laughter mingling with the rustle of leaves beneath his feet.

Ahead of him, an azure-tailed water fox darted through the trees. Its sleek form weaving effortlessly through the dense foliage. It glanced back at Lassim with a mischievous glint in its eye, seemingly amused by the boy's futile pursuit.

As Lassim closed in, a sudden hush fell over the forest—a premonition of imminent peril.

In the distance, a deep, rumbling roar shattered the tranquility of the woods and sent a chill down Lassim's spine.

"Lassim Vanthar! Do you dare to neglect your studies with the Magister?" The voice boomed, cutting through the air like a clap of thunder. It drew Lassim's attention back towards the direction of his family's manor.

Realization dawned on the boy's face as he muttered to himself, "Oh no, my lesson! Father will be furious if I'm late again."

With newfound urgency, Lassim sprinted back towards the Vanthar estate through Swallowtail Mountain City. He weaved a path through the dense forest and bustling streets.

Along the way, whispers followed him that echoed the gossip spouted by the city's inhabitants.

"Seems like the young master is up to his antics again," remarked an elderly woman, shaking her head in amusement.

"He may be a Vanthar, but even the Iron Marquis' son can't escape his lessons," chuckled a street merchant, a grin on his face.

As Lassim approached the grandeur of the Vanthar Manor, the guards made way for him with a mix of amused expressions.

"You barely made it, young master! Your father would worry if you were late again," the captain of the guard teased, a twinkle of affection in his eyes.

"Thank you, Uncle Gryphon. I owe you one!" Lassim grinned, grateful for the guard's leniency. Lassim was very fond of this guard captain that always looked out for him. He was always letting him get away with things and spending extra time training outside the manor.

Lassim was always bored sticking to the usual military exercise training and weapon basics. It always led to him being stuck inside the training grounds or in the library of his home. He wanted to explore and see the outside world as soon as he could and begged his father countless times just to be able to visit the forest every day, eventually winning his father over after he obtained his mother's aid in convincing him.

Yet, the approval came only when the Iron Marquis, Lassim's father, had his troops clear out the more vile and aggressive monsters nearby. Only then was he allowed to start practicing his movement techniques through the dense vegetation and trees.

Rushing into the manor, Lassim barely had a moment to catch his breath before settling into the family library. He barely made it to his desk in time.

*Creak*

With a flourish of the door's opening, in walked a scholarly gentleman, Sir Ian. He was a man that looked to be about 60 years old. In reality, he was already 8,000 years old as the average life expectancy in the world of Nexaria is 10,000 years.

He wore a dark green robe and at his hip was a gorgeous wooden wand with bright green and teal leaves growing out of it. This wand always attracted Lassim's attention every time he saw it. Lassim felt like there was an overwhelming power that radiated from this wand but the Magister would avoid discussing it saying, "You'll learn when the time is right. You're still much too young."

This was the Magister, Sir Ian S. Rohese, that his father had hired to tutor him these last few years. He was one of the few mage scholars that resided in Swallowtail Mountain City, but thankfully he was a good friend and an elder distant cousin of the Iron Marquis' wife, Mrs. Egelina Rohese Vanthar. She was able to convince him to tutor her child.

Sir Ian walked up to the reading desk across from Lassim's chair as usual and stared at the little young master.

With a serious glare he said, "I saw you rushing to class today, boy. You should place more importance on your education! If it wasn't for your uncle Gryphon, you may have missed out on the most important lesson I will ever give to you! It is also our last lesson, so please my dear child, pay attention to every word today as you will soon be moving on to a formal academy."

Lassim nodded eagerly, his curiosity piqued as Sir Ian began to delve into the history of Nexaria—their world.

Now, before we get to the main topic of today, do you remember the history of this planet that I mentioned in previous lessons?" Asked Sir Ian.

"Yes uncle. This planet is called Nexaria and it was created by the Elder Gods of the elements over 5 million years ago. The legends state that our planet was made to be a safe haven against the demons called Dragal. They are vile creatures spawned in the abyss of hell on the edges of space that invade the many galaxies in the universe. They are powerful and incredibly strong with unique bodies that are harder than the toughest of materials known today. The only things that can harm them are the elements gifted by the Elder Gods. Nexaria has experienced multiple invasions through dimensional rifts created by the Dragal demons in it's history. As of today, it has been over 2,000 years since the last invasion." stated Lassim.

"Thankfully that little noggin of yours actually works, and can remember stuff more than just chasing a wild fox." Laughed Sir Ian with a knowing look.

Sir Ian continued, "Today we will be discussing the elements that you mentioned. The reason why I have waited until today to talk about them in depth is because it is nearly your 8th birthday. As you know, every child must visit an exalted temple of the Elder Gods of the Elements on their 8th birthday. The reason for this is thus, during a special ceremony each child gains a partner for life that can power their spirit weapon. These partners manifest as one of the elements."

He paused for a breath before continuing, "They can be any of the following: Light from the God of Day, Bavdall, Dark from the God of Night, Undos, Water from the Goddess Water, Ava, Wind from the Goddess of Winds, Ikmera, Fire from the God of Flame, Ribus, Metal from the Goddess of Metals, Moftia, Lightning from the God of Lightning, Famthar, or Nature from the Goddess of the Land, Miphine."

Sir Ian paused there in his speech, grabbing his wand before holding it at attention for Lassim to observe.

With a wave of his hand, he summoned forth a tiny green fairy—a manifestation of his own nature spirit.

"This, Lassim, is the essence of a spirit weapon—a lifelong companion and ally," Sir Ian explained, his words weighted with import.

Sir Ian quickly flicked his wand while a bright green glow emitted from his hands. Before Lassim could even blink, a tiny green fairy flew out of one of the leaves on the tip of the wand.

The tiny green fairy was a beautiful tiny lady that Lassim thought was quite gorgeous to look at.

Her skin was emerald green and she had butterfly wings that were 3 times as large as her tiny body. She had a radiant green glow and looked like she had just woken up from a very deep sleep. She floated around aimlessly like she was searching for something.

She paused for a moment as she looked at the young boy in front of her before creating a leaf out of nowhere and placing it on the boy's head. She then made the leaf sprout flowers on top magically before laying down on it and then going back to sleep.

Sir Ian saw this and sighed as he said, "Ai-, this troublesome fairy only sleeps these days. I haven't had to fight or practice spells in ages, so all she does is sleep. As you saw, she has the ability to bend the element of Nature to her will. She can control all plant life to her will and excels in healing."

He took another breath before continuing. "All elemental spirits have their specialties and we utilize their power through the spirit weapon. Every person's elements have their own personalities and you must treat your own as your lifelong companion and friend. Their existence is tied to your life force and are our only way to fight against the Dragal. You will leave tomorrow to attend the ceremony at the exalted temple in Golden Lotus River City. In a few days you will go through the spirit awakening that will allow you to have your own spirit."

"I know you favor the halberd, so your spirit manifestation will most likely be that of the spirits that favor the halberd as well. The most popular being fire and metal spirits for halberd users. The rarer elements of Light and Dark are also a possibility considering your father's proficiency with his eternal Fire spirit. Whatever spirit you awaken tomorrow, make sure you listen well to the Iron Marquis' instructions to memorize your family's fighting techniques as a basis for the halberd arts you create. They are well balanced and you've trained well these last three years. However, you can never forget the basics as they will be the best foundation for your future killing techniques." He stated.

"Now, I hope you understand the importance of your own spirit awakening. You will one day need to inherit your father's position, so make sure to get into a good academy after the ceremony. There will be lots of representatives standing outside of the exalted temple trying to recruit the youth with the best possible talent. You also need to be on your best behavior as possible to not sully your family's reputation."

"Also, young master, please try to get accepted into the Myriad Spirit Academy in Myriad Spirit City. You have your mother's side of the family, our Rohese family, based there and it is the best academy for future warriors in the country. That is where you will create your early fighting techniques, and learn about the ways to increase your power as a spirit fighter."

"With that, we will end the lesson here. Your mother has had the maids prepare a graduation banquet for us to attend. I even caught her sneaking into the kitchen with the cooks to make some of her famous chocolate bread buns so we better hurry." Sir Ian finished his long-winded lecture there.

"Thank you Uncle Ian. I will do my best to get into the Myriad Spirit Academy to make my father proud." Stated Lassim as he started dashing out of the library.

As the lesson drew to a close, Lassim's mind buzzed with excitement and anticipation. With his Spirit Ceremony looming on the horizon, the prospect of embarking on his journey as a spirit fighter filled him with a sense of adventure. The ability to finally leave Swallowtail Mountain City was exciting!

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