Chapter XVI

Chapter XVI

Lux's POV

March 01

"Welcome young mercenaries, I give my utmost respect to you for not only joining the war but also for saving the Zen village. We would grant you a reward that will surely get you acknowledged by the kingdom and its people." He stood up. "May I now hear the request of these young mercenaries?"

"I would prefer not to stand out of all the kingdom. Fame could hinder us when we protect its people." I said as I explained myself. "it would be an honor but my goal is not to be acknowledged by many, but to be able to serve the country."

I lied, my sole purpose in following King's order is to find information about the whereabouts of my sister. that's the reason I accepted the fate of being a mercenary to be able to get my sister back from those invaders.

Every dukes, count, and noble in the courtroom started whispering to each other but we didn't pay attention to it and kept our eye contact with the king.

After a minute of intense staredown with the King, he smiled and sit back down on his throne. "Excellent request, I didn't expect that answer but I will surely grant you that request, because of that I would like to hear one more request."

Everyone in the room became silent, waiting for our words to be spoken out of our mouths. I took a deep breath before I attempt to tell them our request.

"We would want to join the royal knight under the order of the Grand Collar Marcus," I said as we all kneel to give respect.

Everyone starts to mumble among themselves. We know for sure we made a ruckus in this throne room. we all look at each other and closed our eyes embracing what was to come.

"Are you sure about your request?" The king said in all seriousness.

"Yes, your majesty," I said with every confidence left in my body.

He takes a deep breath. "If you would want to prepare for a mock-up with the Grand Collar himself." He said with a grin. "Serving under the Grand Collar is like competing with the commander in a star so I would like to test your abilities by trying even once to scrape or to defeat him yourself."

Everyone in the room gasps with shock, and so are we, we all raise our heads with our eyes widened by shock.

"Knights, escort these young mercenaries to the training area." The king look at us and wink. "My luck is upon you," he said and sat down his throne.

We slowly walk towards the hallway when the guards stare at us while we walk. "You know it's a suicide facing the Grand Collar himself right?" the knight said with a grin.

"To tell you honestly. we didn't expect this to happen." I sighed. "The Grand Collar himself to tell the king that we will serve under him since he needs an expedition team on his rank."

Leo showed up beside us. "In that case, both the King and Grand Collar planned this to demonstrate your strength to the nobles in the courtroom." he shook his head. "Those savages," he said and laugh. "After all this was their idea right?" he wink and jump out the window like we are not high above the ground.

"Is he always doing that?" Rachel asked the guard.

"You'd be surprised if he walks down the stairs at this height." He said and continues our walk towards the training area.

When we arrived we saw the Grand Collar standing in the middle of the training area staring at us. "How did you arrive here!?" Blue asked in shock.

The Grand Collar points at the window of the courtroom.

"Why does everyone here keep on jumping down this castle!" Jessica exclaimed.

"Leo helped me get down here so technically I didn't jump down." He said as he grab his wooden stick at the rack here in the training yard.

We looked up high and saw Leo waving at us with a smile. He then cast a spell the summons an eyeball above us. "Both sides are ready?" He said charge up his Magic.

"Straight to a fight huh?" Rachel said and ready her weapon.

"We'll take on this challenged." Rachel's group said in chant.

"Why are everyone in this place are into this," Blue said as he shivers in fear.

"We just need to scrape him so focus on the objective," I said and prepare myself.

"I'll be your Wingman," Gina said and prepare her bow and arrow.

Jessica gave a thumb to Leo. "We are ready."

Jerimiah charges his fire magic and looks directly at the Grand Collar.

"Don't disappoint me kiddos?" He said and get himself in a defensive stance.

"If everyone's ready on your mark? Get set." Leo inhales. "Let the mock-up battle unfolds!" Leo fired and fireball that turn into fireworks.

We rush towards the Grand Collar without hesitation. He swings his wooden stick towards Jerimiah and Jessica, me and Rachel rush towards them and tanked the attack since we are the brutes in this group, but when we received it we nearly fall on our knees due to its strong impact. our plan was me and Rachel will tank his attack because only the two of us can withstand his attack, while our damagers are Shan and Jerimiah due to their strong fire attribute and they are second strongest in our groups. while our spearman Jessica and Zeke will try their best to distract the grand collar while Blue and Rose will exhaust him as they can while we make him think our main attackers are Zach and Gina on the back.

We followed our plan when the grand collar ignored Jessica and Zeke by sending them flying far out. the both of them struggle to stand up due to the grand collar attack. The Grand Collar walk towards Gina and Zach, he took the bait.

But then he stops and grabs both Jerimiah and Shan and looks at me with a grin.

"Is this your plan my nephew." his eyes widen. "I shouldn't have said that," he said and stare at the eyeball floating in the skies.

Leo shook his head in embarrassment.

I grin at him. "Well, you forget someone." I snap my fingers and Rachel teleported behind him using Cleru and attacked him behind his knees for him to kneel on the ground letting go of both Jerimiah and shan.

I moved out the way and Blue and Rose rushed towards him. Blue uses Rose to jump up and while he's mid-air he created and scythe using his ice magic and froze the grand collar leg then stands on his shoulder and puts the scythe on his neck. while Jerimiah and Shan have charged magic at their hands while pointing him, Gina and Zach point at him with their arrows coated with their magics. Jessica and Zeke are resting behind me, the attack by the Grand Collar is far more powerful than we expect so the both of them are weakened, while my pet Helios transformed into a Dire wolf and ready himself to attack the Grand Collar.

"Checkmate," I said with a smile.

We all planned this while we are walking towards him making him think that we will separate our squads into different roles to win but I'm confident in everyone's strength so instead of separating in roles I make a trap for him that once he falls for our illusion he'll get caught.

Blue discovers his magic during the war on the borders so we use this to our advantage as well as the power of cleru that let him teleport. Helios is our backup if all turned into something I won't expect.

The Grand Collar laughs and stares at me. "I admit you caught me off-guard but you forget one detail." his face turned serious. "I'm the Grand Collar."

My eyes widen when he quickly dispatched everyone surrounding him by sending them flying in the distance leave me by myself in the middle of the yard. He stared at me rush towards me I tried to dodge by jumping back but he quickly caught up to me. He pulled a punch that I immediately dodge and threw a pocket knife on his waist just to graze him but then my eyes once again widen when I saw his leg move, "it's too late I can't dodge it." I said to myself and receive his kick that sends me flying to a wall but Helios quickly run at my back to lessen the damage I could take when I hit the wall.

I stood up shivering in pain while helios turn back to his tiny form because he catch the impact using his body. Leo walks towards me and heals me. "You didn't have to that old man!" He shouts at him. "You nearly killed my cousin there." He said and the Grand Collar raised his hands. "I lose." while pointing at the graze I did during our encounter.

"The winners of this mock-up battle, Is the party of Lux and Rachel." Leo said and snap which creates a firework at the training area, "Congratulation everyone."

Everyone jumped in enjoyment while I watch them enjoy themselves. I did my best to get this outcome for them, so it makes me happy that they are now celebrating. I hope this friendship will last for a long long time.

Zephyrs POV

I looked at the nobles "So what did you think gentleman?" I said as I proudly points at the projection in front of us.

"We encountered the prodigies, we could let them join the ranks of our knights." one of the nobles said. "it can increase our knight's morale if they knew they caught the Grand Collar off-guard.

"We cannot let those ruffians be part of our knights, Markus may be defeated but they are still inexperienced. They've won but luck will not be always on their side." He said as he disagree, "We cannot afford to risk our resources into them, especially that they request to be our expedition squad, it's dangerous."

Everyone on the court was divided into two, but I don't need a tie. "Didn't you know the boy who fought Markus one on one that decide their victory was the Son of Lucas Astrea?" I smiled at them.

Everyone n the room was shocked by the revelation I told them. right after that Markus shows up in the doorway of this courtroom and walked near me then kneels. "I shall show my apology to you your majesty for losing this mock-up battle."

"Apology accepted." I stood up and open my arms wide at the dukes, counts, and nobles in this room. "Will you confirm to them who's the boy you fought head-on during the mock-up?"

He stood up and stand beside me. "It is non-other than Lux Astreal, Son of the Hero Lucas Astrea, who fought and won wars between nations, and the one who single-handedly fought the Demon Lord to avoid the destruction of our Nation and Kingdom." He smiled and stood straight. "It is the reason why I can't let him go, I need to train and guide him for the safety of the kingdom."

Everyone was now petrified in what Markus said like they saw a ghost, none of them were saying anything but only kneeling before me.

"That's quite a revelation isn't it," Markus whispered at me with a grin.

"I watch your match earlier and you could have dodged his attack you know that," I whispered back at him.

"It just happened, It just happened." He whispered and let out a sneaky laugh.

"So what did I miss?" Leo said while floating in the middle of the room.

Everyone stood up and left the room immediately while they shook their head.

"What did I do this time!" He shouted in confusion.

We just shook our heads and left the room too.

~*~