Alzer Volheim

Chapter 02: Alzer Volheim

The Snow County was located at the extreme north of Uyzher Kingdom. It was winter all-year. There was a legend that it was the place where the Snow Phoenix, one of the four legendary deities, was born. Some people spectaculated that this was the reason why would the county have such a cold climate. Some people argued that it was only because of its unique geographical location. But all of them unanimously agreed that it was a good place for Ice Mages to train at.

In Snow County, there was a manor that belongs to a rich noble family. This noble family has a Count residing in it, named Count Volheim III.

At one of the room in this manor was a young man in thick cloth leaning by the wall, staring at the window in front of him. He could see the children playing outside, creating snowmen with happy smiles. The young man was full of silence, before he stood up and sat upon the chair behind. He muttered, "Isn't this the Mystic Ice Manor from 5 years ago? It seems the rumor of the Book of Chaos having the ability to reincarnate people and travel through time was actually true."

That's right. He is Alzer Volheim, the young heir of Volheim Family and was also the Royal Mage of the future. What he executed in the battle was a very complex forbidden spell called Reincarnation to Destruction, a destructive spell that allows a person to travel into the past. He sacrificed his flesh and blood to protect his soul from the resistance of the River of Time. Thus, he successfully came back into the past. It was a very overpowered spell, but there's also a danger. If he was interrupted, his soul will suffer a backlash. What was more is that he couldn't use it again without a sufficient mana. To the current him, doing such thing was impossible because he didn't even have a condensed Mana Core.

Speaking of Mana Core, he would be 18 tomorrow. In other words, he will undergo coming of age ceremony. He could still remember that day when he awakened dark magic. The twisted expression of his mother; the enraged father and the scared sister. All of it. They did not expose him, though, scared that it would blow their reputation. What they only did was to banish him using the excuse of impregnating a commoner. Well, while this could also make their prestige suffer, at least it was much better than being known as a family who gave birth to a future Dark Mage. As for why they didn't kill him. It was because they were too scared what will happen if they touch him, they would suffer from some curse.

It was an understable reaction. While Alzer knew that killing a Dark Mage will not really do anything unless they used special spell such as Blood Curse, they were merely just a members of a Count family. In other words, they were ignorant. If it was not the case then he wouldn't even become a Royal Mage.

Thinking of this, Alzer walked towards the window, opened it and peeked out. He saw Mages covered in barrier to protect themselves from the cold temperature patrolling. Then, he smiled bitterly. Of course they would be here. As he would be 18 tomorrow, it was understandable that they would stand guard and watch him.

The coming of age ceremony is one of the most important event in a person's life. They would held a ritual at their eighteenth birthday to pray for the deity that they believe in and condense their Mana Core, advancing to the first level of Awakening Realm. As the young lord of a noble family, he would be the next Head of the family. In other words, it will decide whether he would be a pig or a dragon.

Now comes a problem. Escaping now would be problematic since he knew he couldn't hide from the senses of Mages that were guarding the manor. They would become suspicious if they determined he was escaping. But if he just sit and wait here until tomorrow, history will just repeat itself. He was sure of it.

After pondering for a moment, Alzer helplessly sat on the chair again and decided to undergo the ceremony. Even if he was exposed to everyone in the household to have dark element, he didn't care anymore. The resources of a noble family is huge. And the sacrificial items that they use were of high quality. The ritual of Awakening for the coming of age ceremony has a certain risk as well. Without a proper material as a sacrifice, it was possible to fail his advancement. Hence, even if he escape the manor he would need a huge amount of time and effort to gather the materials for the ritual. Even if he have the memory of his past life, it would be useless without advancing to the first level of Awakening Realm. Additionally, if he delayed it for even a day, it would alter his chances to become a Mage. One could just imagine just how slim his chance would be if use a huge amount of time to gather resources.

In just a short period of time, Alzer processed all of this and finally relaxed his body. He was not worried for tomorrow, where he would see again their expressions. He was no longer the Alzer of the past, but the Alzer who once owned the legendary Book of Chaos.

Alzer jumped into his bed and laid down. He was too tired, not physically, but mentally. It was safe to assume that it would be because he traveled through the River of Time which consumes a lot of his soul energy. He closed his eyes slowly and fell asleep.

***

"It's, cold…" Alzer muttered. He struggled to lift his eyelids and was shocked by what he saw. In front of him was the beautiful vast starry skies–the Universe, laid in front of him. Countless galaxies and stars could be seen from far away.

He tried to moved his hand but it was as though he didn't have body. Alzer frowned when he realized this and just helplessly watch. He confirmed that this was not a dream, because he knew what a dream is. He felt he was in a completely different dimension. His vision suddenly caught an object. He darted his gaze onto it and saw a mysterious black book floating.

He shrank his eyes when he realized that the book was too familiar. It was the Book of Chaos! The one which he had obtained in his past. But why was it here? Could it be here it also came back to time along him? The more he think about it, the more he felt that his guess was true. If that's the case does that mean he wouldn't need to experience the danger to obtain it?

Alzer's eyes lit up when he thought of this and tried to move his hands again. To his dismay, he still couldn't do it. The only body that he can move was his eye. After struggling for a bit, Alzer could only roll his eyes and helpless watch the book afloat in front of him. He was like a man seeing a huge treasure chest but couldn't lift it up.

Suddenly, his body turned cold as he opened his eyes. It was the familiar ceiling that he saw. He sat upon the bed and rubbed his forehead. He had determined that his soul energy, or maybe mana, was insufficient to move inside that dimension. Indeed, without condensing his own Mana Core he couldn't utilize the advantage of knowledge in his previous life.

He turned his gaze at the window and found out it was already afternoon. Just as he was about to sleep again, Alzer heard a knock. He frowned, but he removed the blanket from his body anyway. He opened the door and saw a tall servant standing by the door.

"Young Lord, Father Kuro from the Holy Church had already arrived. The Count is summoning you into his study."

'A pawn from the Holy Church…" Alzer thought. Aside from the Royal Family and the Royal Court, there is also a powerful faction that could stand side-by-side with them, and that was the Holy Church. It was composed with a bunch of obsessed believers of the four legendary deities, and also the Divine Emperor, who created the Universe.

Alzer had dealt with them in his past life and he felt a huge headache whenever he talk with them. They always recruit members as long as there's an opportunity. Their belief and ideals were delusional.

"Alright, then. You can go now and I'll go there after I change my clothes." Alzer replied.

"As you wish, Young Lord." The tall servant bowed after saying that and left.

Gazing at the disappearing silhouette of the servant, Alzer's expression turned. He suddenly remembered something important in his past life which he neglected. Dark Mages were the number one enemy of the Holy Church. As long as a member spotted a person with a dark element, they will kill without mercy. It has been a few centuries ago since the Dark Era, and many members of the Church died in the hands of Dark Mages. If that's the case, then why did Father Kuro ignored the fact that he awakened a dark element?

He didn't believe that the Volheim household has the ability to make an obsessed believer like Kuro silent. Based on how the members of the Church from his past life acts, he will surely report such thing. Worse, he might be killed on the spot.

Alzer suddenly felt that there was a huge conspiracy. Including the fact how Sword Saint acted late. He understood that he made several huge mistakes that exposed the Book of Chaos, but what in the world is happening for them to ignore the fact that he has the book.

"How interesting. How come I realized it just now?"

Alzer's eyes lit up. It seems the world works more complicated that he imagined.

***

Opening the door, Alzer saw a middle-aged man and an old man in a priest cloth talking to each other. Due to the creaking sound, both of them stared at him and smiled.

"You're finally here, come and greet Father Kuro." said the middle-aged man at the left.

Alzer narrowed his eyes when he heard this. It was his father, Count Alex Volheim III, who had said this. He was really sickened by his voice. When he saw his face, he remembered how that shitty middle-aged man threatened him that he will expose the fact that he was a Dark Mage if he didn't announce to the public that he was the member of Volheim Family.

Alzer smiled and said towards the old man. "I greet Father Kuro."

"Good," Father Kuro smiled. "May the Queen bless you."

The Queen he was talking about was the Snow Phoenix. Although he was the member of the Holy Church, there were five powers internally, and he was the member of the Hall of Snow.

"Come, sit here."

After the little greeting, Count Volheim pointed at the chair beside him. Alzer, though not really interested, obeyed him and sat on the chair.

Count Volheim stared at Alzer and smiled. "You're in a perfect time. We are just discussing about you. Father Kuro said that once you awaken your element, he will recruit you to the Hall of Snow. How about it? Interested?"

Alzer sighed inwardly. Here it is again. He recalled in his past how eager he was to become a member of the Church. It was understandable though, because the Snow County was where the Snow Phoenix came into being. Naturally, the majority of population here believed in the Snow Phoenix.

He pondered for a moment before saying, "I'm humbled by your invitation, Father Kuro, but I planned to study at Uyzher Academy after Awakening."

"Is that so?" The priest revealed an expression of disappointment but it replaced it with a smile. "It was not a problem. You can still just be a member while studying at the academy."

Alzer's face was calm but he cursed inwardly. Indeed, almost every member of the Church were cunning foxes. He knew that the Church don't allow a member to study at the academy that the royals had single-handedly established. They have their own ways to teach their own member. Of course, the old Alzer didn't know about that. Only the Count know about this since he was a noble.

"I'll think about it," said Alzer after thinking for a bit.

"Alright," The priest didn't bother him anymore and continued talking to the count.

Seeing this, Alzer respectfully stood up from his seat and left the study silently. He knew that remaining there will just make the atmosphere awkward.