Chapter 6: Frenzied Beasts and Advancement.

A young 9 y/o boy was doing push-ups in a training field. Every push-up was painful for him. Sweat trickled down from his dark hair to his forehead and flowed near his eyes and fell on the ground. When noticed, one could tell that his eyes were grey.

His fair skin had gotten quite red due to exhaustion. It was contrast to his dark hair. He was quite tall for a 9 y/o. He was nearly 5 foot tall.

On his back was a big rectangular shield and there were big rocks placed on it. Every pushup felt as though that the weights on his back were getting heavier and heavier.

It looked as though he would give in any moment, but he still pushed on, sweating, gasping and grimacing.

"Come on, young ma- I mean Bjorn! You've done it! Just a bit more!" A knightly looking man was encouraging the boy. It was Corbin.

Bjorn was still pushing himself forward. But after a few push-ups he stopped. With a shout he flipped and dropped the rocks on his back. Cracking the ground a bit.

He splayed on the ground, face up and eyes closed. He was breathing heavily.

For few seconds no one said anything.

"Well Done! Bjorn, you did it! You finally completed it! Haha! I'm feeling quite proud!" Corbin said, as he gave Bjorn a towel and helped him sit up.

Bjorn nodded, satisfied with himself. Then he looked at the figures sitting down on garden chairs, quite a distance away.

There was a hint of expectation in his eyes.

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Ornin was going through the special order reports his aide had given him. Even though their company was widespread and many people worked in the company, he had to look after the reports which were filtered by his aide.

'Fendi's hide, Jorgun's fangs, Dracoon's liver extract, Three-headed Boar's leg hair, Dragon's fresh heart? Who the hell ordered this?' Ornin thought as he looked at the outrageous and weird request.

'Was it those dwarves again? I told Bert to just stall them and they would go away by themselves. Those fellows have no patience aside from blacksmithing anyways.' Ornin shook his head as he thought about the impatient and eccentric dwarves. He kept those reports to the side.

He looked up and to his side was a funny scene happening.

His wife, Brennah, was pretending to read her book, but had actually cast a visual-mirror spell on her book to spy on her son.

Today, they had thought to sit in the sun and observe their son train, and spend some time together.

But instead of directly looking at him she was doing that in a very indirect way.

He shook his head at that and started to read the next 2 reports, which were specially sealed by his aide, Bertman.

His face grew a little serious as he read the report and there was a little frown on his face.

The contents of the report were:

--'…it was reported by several adventurers that there was increase in beasts going into a frenzy. There was also a slight increase in territory wars. But the resulting effect on the settlements was curbed, which in turn caused 7 adventurers' deaths, 5 guards of 3 different towns were killed in action, livestock of some villages….'--

Then he compared it to the next report:

--'…the testimony of the swordsman clearly states that there was a 'shadow' being in the Dracurse Valley near Tyrrod Mountain...

…the guards who fought the beasts state that the frenzy they saw in the beasts was "unnatural". Further they also mention it being the 'Undead Fear' or a spell…

…the scouts and the inspectors assigned by the guild expressed their uncertainty and wrote it off as a powerful beast(s) appearing in the territories…'--

Ornin thought to himself, 'This is very-very peculiar. Why would there be 3 different reasons for beasts getting hyper? This is a regular happening in the mountains…but the reasons for it are a bit disturbing.

Hmmm…and a shadow being and an undead? Plus the scouts and inspectors said it was something powerful. Then whatever it is, it's definitely above Rank 5 but under 6.

Should I write a SP letter [1] to the Adventurer's Guild?'

Sealing those letters again, he chanted a spell and those letters vanished.

As he was going to talk to his wife, he heard a shout.

He quickly looked up and saw that his son was done doing push-ups and had dropped the weights on the ground.

He heard a scraping sound and a sigh from his side.

He looked and saw that, his wife staring intently at Bjorn and looked as though she had been doing the pushups (which would be very easy and silly…a mage doing pushups? Pshaw!).

"If you're always so concerned whenever he trains…why don't you just cut his training time a little? He likes to spend time with us, ya know?

Not that we don't…but he's pretty affectionate and likes as much as that time he can." Ornin said wryly.

"But Chara doesn't like it very much… I tried everything, you know that right?

She likes to wander off alone and she trains herself alone when at home. She was the same when she was little. Wandering off wherever she liked.

I thought Bjorn is a boy… so he wouldn't like it too much?" Brennah said a little uncertainly.

What she didn't know that she and her daughter were very similar. Strong minded, calm, kind, beautiful, brave and were kind of quiet-free-spirited.

"Brennah, Bri, my dear…" Ornin said as he helplessly smiled, "Chara is different. Bjorn is very different from her. He likes to study and Chara doesn't. He's pretty talkative while Chara isn't.

While Bjorn comes every day to my office in town, with the maids to deliver my food. He talks with people, mingles and charm the aunties off.

There are many differences. Chara spends her time alone doesn't mean she doesn't like it. She's just free that way. Quite a pair you mother daughter are…"

Brennah gave him a look but sighed. He was right. But she still was hesitant.

"Now come on, look how expectant he looks? He's literally craving for compliments! Let's go…" Ornin got up and pulled his wife with him.

"Chara is expected to arrive this afternoon, we should go on an outing tonight, hmm how about star gazing?" Ornin asked as he rubbed his chin, another hand holding his wife's hand.

"Wait you put a guard on her again? You know she doesn't like it…"

"Hoho, how about the Sud hill? It has a nice spot…" Ornin went on as if he didn't hear her.

As they were making their way towards Bjorn, he suddenly doubled down. He clutched his chest and stomach and bent forward, on his knees.

Ornin and Brennah were alarmed and they quickly ran towards him.

Mana around Bjorn was getting chaotic. His face was getting red and red.

Brennah nearly shoved Corbin aside when she knelt down near Bjorn.

"Orr, I want you to ready a mana stabilizing spell while I check him. Corbin keep the earth essence on the go to inject if he goes pale after. Understood?" Brennah commanded as she took charge in analyzing him.

Corbin and Ornin both nodded.

After sometime though, three of them noticed the changes in Bjorn as they were observing his mana.

"He's advancing to 1st mana circle!" Brennah cried out.

"He's reaching the 1st rank!" Ornin and Corbin exclaimed.

They quickly backed off and helped Bjorn sit in a cross-legged position.

"Advancing simultaneously? This hasn't happened ever in the history! Body and mind advancement together is impossible! This shouldn't happen…." Brennah trailed off as she felt Ornin's other hand on her shoulder.

She took a deep breath and started chanting a spell.

A green and bright magic circle appeared before her palms. The color indicated that it was a healing type and light spell. And the appearance of a magic circle indicated that it was an above 3rd circle spell.

While Bjorn was in an increasing chaotic state. The mana was getting more and more heated up and now it was emitting a bright light.

Unknowingly, he had stood up.

After a certain point, Bjorn started screaming at the top of his lungs. It was obvious how much pain he was in.

The muscles on his body wriggled and throbbed. It looked like he was growing taller and taller.

He reached over 5 feet and stopped. But it looked as though his silhouette, behind him, was growing and growing. It was bright and not that visible.

It grew a snout, a big belly, round ears on head and hairs all over the body. It looked like a giant bear.

The bear and Bjorn roared loudly. The roar was full of power and ferocity.

And the next moment, the light abruptly went out. There was nothing but silence around.

Bjorn had advanced to 1st rank.

"All-Father help me, what did I just see..." Corbin whispered to himself.

Bjorn fell on his knees. He had stopped screaming, but it looked like he had also stopped breathing.

Corbin wanted to help him, but Brennah stopped him.

It was not over yet.

The mana yet again ran rampant. But this time it was swirling around Bjorn like a tornado.

Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, Lighting, Wood, Light and Dark.

Every bit of every element was revolving around him. But the elements felt as though they were ethereal.

The elements vanished behind Bjorn. And they were forming a silhouette yet again.

It was big. It was a man's figure. A crown like helmet on the head, cape on the back, something hanging from the face area- which was probably a beard. And in hand was a three-pronged spear.

And just like that, appearing for a moment, it vanished.

Bjorn's chest glowed with a bright circle for a moment and after, it was gone.

Bjorn's started breathing heavily again and was about fall, but was caught by Ornin.

Brennah could only stare at the spot the silhouette had appeared.

Ornin and Corbin were too in deep thought thinking about both of the silhouettes.

Alas, they looked at each other and had one thought.

Just what in the name of Thor's hammer had they seen?

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Note:

1. S. P: Special Personnel.

Author: Shantanu Bondre. (ID: Sam0207)