Prologue

"Ha..".

I felt refreshed, feeling the chilled wind against my bare body wakes up the body from the inside.

But then came the sensation of cold covering my body from head to toe, making me realize the coldness hidden in early dawn wind.

'Sh*t I am late, uncle lier will eat me up' as I hurried toward the chariot station.

----><----

I was sitting on the stairs of the open gates of magic chariots engine.

It was the Second period 2/3 finished as per magic-glass. (8:00 in the morning)

The magic-glass was the equipment recently being made popular by the magic committee as a way to measure the passage of time.

The device comprises two quartz bulbs connected vertically by a narrow neck that allows a regulated flow of a substance from the upper bulb to the lower one. The substance flowing from the bulbs was made from the latest invention, a magic-press that breaks mana stone into similarly sized particles. These particles are very very small and can flow through one at a time through the narrow neck. Both sides of the bulb are divided into 8 parts and further each part is divided into 3 parts. (the first division is based on being divided into 8 parts with three hours each, the second division into 1 hr each.) (an hourglass)

Such expansive equipment could not be generally be found, but the city union, that owns the train has supplied every train with one magic-glass.

Both suns were in the sky, shining brightly vapourising the chill in the air. Bringing warmth with them, The magic chariot was cruising at a high speed over magically-enhanced tracks at a very fast speed.

The magic-chariot was invented 80 years ago and was called era changing magic artifact. It used liquid mana as a fuel and it could run on magically-enhanced tracks. It was made of the engine and different compartments. The engine was powered by liquid mana and it could drag many compartments behind it, which could be used to ferry people, goods, etc, etc. (A train)

With the advancement in artifacts newer and newer artifacts were made.

Some as huge as three to four floored size houses. These artifacts are very delicate and expensive, but a magician didn't have enough time to do maintenance of these artifacts, hence a new job came into being for those with low sensitivity towards mana, called Artifact maintainer.

These people specialized in maintaining and working on these artifacts.

----><----

Adam was a final year student in the course of artifact maintainer. As an aspiring artifact maintainer, he was someone was who would soon stand out of common masses and be counted among as one the elites of the society.

Today was the last day of his final semester, he was very nervous as today would decide his life. Seeing the landscape passing by as fast as a dream he tried to control his raging emotions and cool down.

Adam came from a very normal house, a lower-high-income family, known for their wealth among the people of the city. His mother and father both have nearly negligible mana sensitivity and hence went for non-magic carriers. Both of them worked hard for the last 17yrs, and have become successful as small-time merchants. They used their relations and now cater to nearly all the people wanting to buy magical vegetables and fruits all over Fantijev city. They have made relationships with all the farmers around the city and now a major player in the vegetables and fruit industry of Fantijev city.

As their only child, Adam has never faced any problem. His father and mother moved out of the city, living in a village south of Fantijev city. Here they lived like a normal family even though having a lot of money so that they can give their child a good childhood, away from politics and plots.

And today Adam wanted to make them proud, by becoming a certified artifact maintainer.

----><----

It was time for the second sun to set and only five minutes were left for the train's scheduled departure.

Uncle lier, the main artifact maintainer of magic-chariot had a dark frown on his face.

'Today I won't let that lad Adam scotch free, it is nearing the time for departure. And also if that rumor is true, many things will change.' thought uncle lier.

As the time for departure was nearing so was the increase in uncle lier's rage.

Adam was running as fast as he could through the crowded streets of Fantijev city, today he graduated as one of the stellar students of his class with distinction.

Even his father had come from the 'secret' job to attend his passing out ceremony.

And even better today celebration with his classmate, today gave hi a lot of time with Ella, his crush. He was so giddy with happiness that he forgot all about time.

----><----

"Boy!!, move those leg faster" shouted uncle lier as he saw Adam running through the station to reach the engine.

After climbing up the engine and entering it, Adam gave uncle lier a big hug and started jumping, and started telling uncle lier all about today.

Well, he also wanted to cool down the uncle lier's anger.

As both Adam was describing his day to uncle lier and other artifact maintainers, they suddenly heard loud noises outside with a person

in blue magic robes and star on his clothes, a public inspector, looking at them angrily, especially uncle lier.

Seeing the inspector everybody's face paled from fright.

Seeing their paled faces, the inspector spoke in a hoarse voice "Why are you not moving or do you want to stay in Fantijev city".

Hearing the inspector, everyone ran to their stations and magical-chariot made its way out of the station.

----><----

"Uncle lier, what happened how come a magician-inspector was at the platform?" asked Adam, who could not contain his surprise of meeting a magician-inspector.

With the making magician-council on the continent, it took over all the countries, kingdom, and empires, dividing land according to the ease of administration dividing it into regions, sectors, states, district, and city-regions.

Soldiers became a thing of past, progress in artifacts and magic led to rising of a new era. All the battle mages were incorporated into society as magician-inspector. They have a very high status an only the magical council could issue commands to them.

"Boy, times are going to change" sighed uncle lier.

"A rumor has been circulating among the folks, that city mayor and several of his house elites have gone to the frozen-fire dungeon to face a level boss. But only two bloodied men have left the dungeon and there is no sign of other elites or any member from the mayor's house. It is being said that Alexey family poisoned them somehow and effects came into being only when they were fighting for their life, losing their life to dungeon boss." sighed uncle lier as he narrated the tale.

"Bad sayings are floating in the city, with talks about Alexeyev family preparing to fight for the mayor position against the mayor's family".

"A lot of blood is going to be shed. And there would be many changes. hai" said uncle lier as he watched the scenery passing by from the window with a heavy tone.

turning toward Adam he said, "Boy remain in the village till the things cool down in the city, now that you have passed polish your skill in the meantime your father looks for a job for you."

Seeing him so serious when talking "I could only nod without saying much".

While the magic-chariot kept moving without any tension.

----><----

Adam's POV:

'As I was walking toward my home in the village I thought about the delicious things mom would have prepared as per my preferences.'

'Surely mom would have made chocolate cookies for me, I will not give the old man even a single cookie, for sure.'

Humming the words of my favorite song, I continued to walk forward.

Reaching the gate, I saw it open wide. seeing this my eyes opened wide as I knew that someone would surely get a handful of hearing from my mom for leaving the gate wide open, I cracked into a smile, as that someone would surely be the old man.'

But as reached the front door I felt something amiss, the house was too quiet, with a very low sobbing voice coming out. Feeling something amiss I barged in, but the moment I barged in my world went red.

Inside my house furniture was a mess, some strangers were sitting or standing in different places, my mother's clothes were almost torn to bits, with whole-body bare, sitting on the floor and she was sobbing with my father's dead body lying in her hands, his throat having a very big slash wound. Blood leaking out of the wound like crazy. My mother trying to stop the blood by blocking the wound with her hand in a futile attempt.

Seeing me barge in all the strangers had a big reaction, but seeing it was just a child they relaxed and one of them moved towards me.

Seeing me dumbly standing there mom was the first one to get back to her senses, and she shouted at me to run to the village.

But I was frozen after seeing the seen in front of me, Neither did I hear her or saw the man walking towards me. My eyes turned bloodshot as blood gushed out of all my seven orifices.

And only a ghastly howl came from my throat before the stranger slashed towards my neck and the world went DARK.