Before the Academy

X—X—X—X—X—X—X-

Kaplan was sure he was strong; stronger than normal soldiers, people, and even most of the magical unit soldiers. He had potential to be more, yet he felt he can par or at least hurt a veteran knights or warriors of this realm.

Yet, he was wrong.

"Why are you slacking?!" Barbaros yelled and swung his kilij with enough speed to surpass sonic barrier; A huge cry emerged in air and the kilij hit Kaplan's blade in the middle, made Kaplan flew towards backward and crush the wall of the training ground.

Kaplan grunted and hid his pain with a perfect façade; with a little grin on his face, he looked at the man who crashed him to the wall.

'Crazy bastard,' Kaplan thought as he split blood. He dashed out the cracked wall and stand on foot. He positioned himself and prepared for an attack.

'I am weaker, inexperienced, and slower than him; well, not slower in regards of running, slower in sword clash,' Kaplan thought as he started circle around Barbaros.

"Indeed, you need to look for any opportunity to even land a hit on me," Barbaros said coolly as he positioned his kilij to attack. He put his right food on the further ground and dashed at Kaplan with a velocity of lightning.

Kaplan could see the attack about to hit him; the direct hit towards his shoulder, yet his body was slower to reach or block incoming attack. Hence, Kaplan made a grunting sound and with his all might and will took a swift step back and made an attack arc towards Barbaros.

"That wasn't bad, yet still lacks," Barbaros countered while he parried the sword slash. After the parry, Barbaros grabbed Kaplan with his free hand and without giving Kaplan a chance he threw Kaplan to the same wall he sent Kaplan just before.

"Say…" Barbaros looked at Kaplan thoughtfully, completely avoid him being stuck in the wall. "Have you ever practiced any martial arts or sword arts?" He asked.

Kaplan, this time, grunted in pain as he jumped down from the wall. "No," he said hardly as his lungs were stinged. "No, I did not."

"Well, I guess you can be grown," Barbaros said with a smile. "Want to be a Levent? My soldiers are the best of the world," he grinned.

Kaplan made a thinking noise. "I have to think about it," Kaplan said as he inhaled a deep breath. "I need to see other party before accepting any other terms."

"Rational, I assume," Barbaros acknowledged. "I'll say, if you found yourself alone and nowhere to go, you can enrol Levents any time."

Kaplan's eyes narrowed as he stiffened. "I'll have a condition, though," he said seriously. "I need to find someone; two to be exact."

Barbaros glanced at Kaplan. "We can see it if the time comes, I cannot help everyone. Become a Levent, and prove your worth, then I will help you with my all might," Barbaros said evenly. "Yet, you are going to a place that you can find people more easily, so I guess my hopes a bit lessened," he sighed.

"Well, whatever…" Barbaros murmured and released the kilij on the ground. He started to walk towards the headquarter in an even pace.

Kaplan inhaled and looked around to see Seyit, yet he was nowhere to find. Yet, instead of Seyit, another person called him.

"That was a good spar," A female voice emerged from behind.

Kaplan looked back to the young woman who spoken with him. A young beautiful woman with two big emerald eyes and curvy black hair; she was wearing simple dress as any townsfolk of the city, yet it did not hide her beauty in the slightest.

"Thank you," Kaplan said with a raised eyebrow; awkward to talk a little more. "May I help you?" Yet, he had to, and he wanted to know why she was here.

"I was ordered to bring you to Academy," The emerald eyed female answered. "I am Yaz, pleasure to meet you," she smiled softly as it increased her beauty by mile.

Kaplan awkwardly caressed his head. "Pleasure is all mine," he said with a smile. "So, I am Kaplan."

"I know," Yaz said with a giggle. "Are you hungry? You'd not want to be hungry in the test face of the academy," she said. "I heard it was hard, harder than people said."

"I guess, but I do not have much money…" Kaplan said with a shame. "So… I guess we can go straight to the test."

"Nonsense," Yaz countered. "Come on, I know a perfect place for a kebab!" She said cheerfully. "...Or do you prefer mantı or another food?" Then she asked.

'Why mantı or kebab thought?' Kaplan thought as he continued. "Mantı sounds nice," Kaplan said awkwardly. "If I would not be bother that is."

"Don't be an awkward boy now, silly," Yaz rolled her eyes. "Come on, follow me. I know the place who cook the perfect mantı!"

After Yaz guided Kaplan to the restaurant, and after she was sure Kaplan fit his belly in full, she readied the situation.

"So, first. How much do you know about our side?" Yaz ask.

Kaplan cleaned his lips after he swallowed the last piece of the food. "Nothing except you can help me something I want."

Yaz raised her eyebrow. "I see, what do you want then?" She asked.

"I need to find two people," Kaplan answered. Yaz about to speak, but Kaplan continued. "One is my mother, other is a person named Bordi; a were-fox, small, ugly, and full of yellowish teeth."

Yaz hummed. "I see," she said and changed her demeanour.

Yaz looked at the Kaplan's eyes seriously and intently. "Well, Barbaros Pasha explained before, but you come the right place. So, I'll tell you, or should I say, warm you in advance," said Yaz.

Kaplan tilted his head and listen to Yaz.

Yaz sighed and continued. "If you enter the academy and decided to follow us; you may face many deaths situation," she said coolly. "I want you to know that we take care each other, but this is a game of death, and you may find someone close to you or yourself would be death."

Kaplan closed his eyes and opened with a determination. "I need to find her," Kaplan said. "I am ready to die if I can save her."

"Son's love to his mother is indeed amazing," Yaz said, her face softened, then she became serious again. "But I cannot let you risk your friends because of it."

"Yes, I promise if something came up, I'll tell someone in advance before act," Kaplan promised. "That is at least what I could do."

Yaz looked at Kaplan's eyes for couple of minutes. "So be it," she said and smirked. "I'll take you for that," then she added.

"Now, we shall wait and chat a bit. A full stomach will drag you down in physical test after all."

X—X—X—X—X—X—X—X—X

Kaplan acted awkward most of the conversation. He was not sure what to talk, the subjects of that realm were kind of natural and foreign at the same time; adding a beautiful woman with a cheerful personality, had no sense of boundaries yet still felt welcoming, put Kaplan in an awkward spot.

He was never good with opposite gender, neither in that world or other.

'Which reminded me, my mother…' Kaplan thought as he tried to remember his mother in the other world. He stiffened and gritted his teeth yet took a deep breath and looked straight coolly.

'I can't remember,' Kaplan thought. He could not remember his mother's name, face, or even he had a mother who raised him. 'My knowledge of the other world is fading…' He thought as he subconsciously released magic around with his frustration.

'FUCK!'

"Are you ready to go?" Yaz came after she paid the bill. She looked at Kaplan and felt something was off. "Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.

"I am fine," Kaplan said curtly. "We can go," then he added as he walked outside.

They went to the academy in an awkward tension after that.

X—X—X—X—X

"Okay, that is the place," Yaz said as she looked at the huge building.

Koylucity had two layers of wall build around. One that protects the city of the outside forces, the other was the separate the nobles and common folks from each other.

In the middle circle of the walls, a huge castle was standing with its all glory. Yet, that was not the place Yaz was looking at.

The academy, or side academy, was build by magical blocking blocks. It was huge, covered one of the fourth of the inner circle. One building was stand taller than other five buildings, top floor made completely by glasses, and Kaplan felt a stare directly from there.

"Thank you," Kaplan said awkwardly, thanks to the atmosphere. "… And I am sorry if I did something harsh before. I remembered something disturbing…"

Yaz smiled softly and looked at Kaplan with her bright green eyes. "It is alright, at least you can apologize from your mistakes," she said. "I am really happy to know you, Kaplan. I hope I can see you in the future." Yaz grabbed Kaplan's hand with her soft and delicate hands. She put a metal seal and note on Kaplan's palm and release it.

"Alas, I must go," Yaz said with a sigh. She gestured him to go forward. "Just don't make this a farewell, alright?" She winked.

Kaplan was not sure Yaz was flirting with him or not, so he nodded with a soft smile. "Thank you for everything, and I promise this will be not the last time," he said with a grin.

Yaz grinned and waved him as Kaplan began to walk towards the academy.

Kaplan's struggles had just begun.