The Chess Piece

Class president pov

Three months after our return to the kingdom, the preparations for our expedition are finally complete, chain mail armor made out of rare metals, single-use pendants that could not only dispel poison but block a fatal attack as well, and weapons enchanted to the brim making them sharper and more durable. In a sense, we're being treated at the same level as royalty with all these protective artifacts covering our body...

That little girl… Err Annastatia I mean.. it seems that she's the one that collected most of the materials used on our equipment… could it be that shes actually pretty powerful? I hope so... she's the only mage accompanying us in our journey after all.. well... other than the healers at least.

The morning of the next day, fifteen members of our class stood near the collection of carriages outside the castle walls, why only fifteen you ask? Well, it seems that after encountering a few life or death situations at the last expedition a few of us have decided to focus on raising their crafting skills instead, seemingly being convinced that they simply weren't suited for battle. I wouldn't call it cowardly, it's better for them to focus on something else rather than be a hindrance in the battlefield. Who knows, with the blessings given to us maybe a few of the craftsmen in our class could one day make things such as divine weaponry or Elixers that can revive the dead... ah... I'm getting ahead of myself.. well this is just me being optimistic I suppose.

Dean made a fuss out of it at first but we managed to calm him down and convince him that we needed craftsmen as well... really that guy is troublesome to deal with but it can't be helped since he's one of the most skilled in handling the sword after all.. other than Edgar who somehow awakened his interest in using the bow, according to the elite knights it seems he's quite skilled in it too.. As for me... erm, I suppose I'm more of a jack of all trades, I can do many things but I'm not the best at any of them… I hope I awaken my own talent soon...

(do your best class rep..)

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Annastatia pov

Fifteen huh.. well I suppose the smaller the group the easier it is to handle and train them, plus it seems that the ones gathered here are the most motivated to grow stronger, one of them excels at using a sword while another one surprisingly has tremendous talent with the bow. This is my first time dealing with summoned but isn't it a bit unfair? They get to keep their original appearance as well as have god given talent.. while people like me... Sigh.. well brooding over it isn't going to help

With the sound of a horn being blown the regular knights, as well as a few elites, begin to gather along with their squires which are carrying some of their equipment. Most of the soldiers gathered here today are all very exceptional when it comes to battle but of course, there are a few useless nobles who sneaked in thinking that they could simply not do anything most of the time while letting the other knights do most of the work… well, that would have been the case if we were after regular targets.. that powerful earth magic alone is enough to cause issues but I could probably imitate it… with enough time… probably. Anyways my point is.. if we ever have to confront the rogue student… no.. how could something like that be human... If the caravan were to encounter that 'thing' before the summoned are prepared then I'm given orders to risk my life to let the summoned escape... Even though I wasn't planning early on this run but if it comes to that then there's no helping it I guess... I just have to hope that, that 'thing' keeps its distance.. while we train the summoned to the point where they'd be able to take him on...

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Within the throne room of the desert kingdom Alhem, an eerie silence drifted about as the smell of blood still lingered within the room. On the golden throne sat a man with a large frame, his tanned skin and silver hair would make him stand out in any situation. He wore nothing to cover his torso, instead, a thick gold necklace hung around his neck as well as a golden choker, both having a faint layer of light covering them indicating the mana infused within the accessories.

The sound of the man tapping the armrest of the throne broke the silence as the attention of everyone gathered in the room turned to him. Within the room people various types of people were gathered, ranging from the head of the royal guard to the top council members of the kingdom itself. Other than the king and his family everyone of importance was gathered within the throne room, by now any surviving members of the royal family has either run away or was killed the moment the man with silver hair was summoned in the throne room, the heads of the king, his wife, and their eldest son were displayed outside the castle walls stuck up on pikes.

"So.." He'd mutter, pausing for a moment to finalize his thoughts "If I were to believe the information I've been given.. then most if not all of the kingdoms within this continent all learned of the summoning ritual? And are using it to summon heroes of their own?"

A long moment of silence appeared, uneasiness apparent on the faces of the people within the room. As the silver-haired man grew impatient, a black flame started to envelop his right hand. The thrones golden armrest started to melt and deform, the sight of which made the ministers panic even more before one of them stepped forward. A rather fat man with an overgrown beard reaching up to his stomach. With a stiff bow, the man covered in cold sweat began to speak.

"Y-yes your hi-highness Cyrus.. our mages research finally made results as they figured out a way to summon powerful beings.. s-such as your self.. from other wo-"

The councilors words were suddenly interrupted by the silver-haired man named Cyrus

"DON'T BULLSHIT ME!"

With his shout, the people within the throne room all shriveled up especially the fat councilor who was interrupted. As no one else spoke an unsettling silence covered the room once more as Cyrus began to organize his thoughts.

'They're mages managed to figure out a way to make a summoning circle? Bah! What bull shit is that? The only ones who could make a summoning circle strong enough would be a someone at least at the level of a minor god. In all of history, any magic circle used to summon a hero was provided by a minor god through an oracle.. and to preserve balance within their world they would only provide one or two.. and you're telling me they gave everyone a summoning circle? Bullshit! And besides, if all they wanted to do was kill the demon king, one or two summoning circles would have been fine..fuck!'

The more the man thought about the situation, the angrier he got. To the point where the thrones golden hand rest was crushed without him knowing

' This is my sixth time being summoned and I'm sick and tired of it.. having to beat another demon king to go back home and not just that, having to compete against other summoned for that ticket home? Fuck! It's all their fault!"

Cyrus would suddenly lift his head, glaring at the several people within the throne room. Just from his glare alone, one would hear panicked cries and men shaking in their boots

"OUT! ALL OF YOU!"

With this simple command, everyone but Cyrus ran out of the throne room, a look of relief on most of their faces, as they left him alone with his thoughts.

' Did this worlds minor god actually fuck up this badly..? No… maybe not.. I feel like there are other powers working behind the scenes.. repeaters maybe..? Tch.. those freaks cause problems wherever they reincarnate so I wouldn't be surprised if they were the cause of all this..'

Cyrus' eyes begin to glow as he finishes his inner monologue. The multiple accessories on his body also giving a faint glow as he tilts his head upwards, the lights originating from him and his body would grow stronger and stronger until the entire room was covered in a blinding light.

As the magical spectacle was happening within the throne room, the ground around the royal palace begun to shake, growing in strength by the second. With a loud snapping sound, the ground beneath the castle would suddenly begin to rise upwards. Nobles and commoners alike clung to whatever they could hold on to as the shaking grew stronger and stronger... By the time the earthquake like event ended the people inside the castle all ran outside in fear of another earthquake destroying the building they were in, only to find out that there was nowhere else to go. The castle, a few feet of land around it was now floating about a hundred feet above the capital.

Back in the throne room, Cyrus sat on the throne silently, his glowing eyes gazing forward as he cast clairvoyance magic to guide the floating castle's movement.

"Dare use me as a piece for your chess game? Think again..."