Crosseal (01)

People passed by me I would occasionally welcome people I knew but I was mostly quiet.

'The Crosseal will be great this year, I've seen some people with incredible prowess walk into this building... Even if I did fight in it putting all my cards on the table excluding Draconic Force I would probably lose.'

Suddenly I saw a girl walk in with long black hair and yellow eyes, she was tall but, now I was taller than her.

"Hello, sister." I said with a smile.

"It's been a while Rei." She smiled back

While she was talking I caught sight of a petite girl with pink hair and bright yellow eyes. I swallowed my saliva.

"Greetings, Princess Reyn."

"You're Rei Ven-August." She had a disgusted look, which kind of hurt me.

Princess Reyn lifted her head to look at me and her facial expression changed from one of pure disgust to an infatuated look.

"Y-you're Rei Ven-August?" She stuttered turning to my sister she added, "This is your brother?"

"He's changed quite a bit from your last meeting, Princess."

"Haha, You're right he's much sharper than he used to be."

'What is she talking about? I've always been quite handsome.' I nearly said those words out loud but I'm still a citizen of Reyn and I didn't want to be executed.

"Are you participating in the tournament Rei?" Angelica asked with a curious look.

"Unfortunately no, I'm currently suffering from an injury so I'm helping staff it," I answered with a bitter smile.

'That's basically the truth.'

"What injury?" Angelica looked at me skeptically.

"It's a long story, sister I will tell you at a later date... After all the line is starting to move, good luck and I will root for your success in the tournament."

Watching them walk away I heard Princess Reyn whispering to my sister "Your brother kind of looks like a demon or elf... He's very charming but he stands out with his inhuman features."

Hearing her talk I looked down hiding the fangs in my mouth and my mysterious eyes, my monster-like appearance was a big insecurity I had valid or not, I took everyone's criticism to heart when it came to my looks... It did balance out most of the time, a few people have called me the most handsome man they've met and I've received a few confessions at schools from girls I've never seen once.

"Rei Ven-August?!" A student with Red hair and Yellow eyes addressed me, I looked up and cringed when I saw him.

It was Malik Vale, someone who made fun of me often, my reputation was dragged into the ground in my early life because of this bastard.

"It's been quite some time Malik."

"You got a bond with a big lizard, and you act high and mighty... Why aren't you kowtowing?" He snorted.

"This isn't Reyn Malik, you're embarrassing me get lost." My veins began to visibly show as I hid my frustration behind a smile with closed eyes.

"Whatever scum." Malik taunted me before walking away.

'I'm going to lose my shit if I meet another rude acquaintance.'

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"You're Rei Ven-August?"

I gritted my teeth before opening my eyes seeing an unfamiliar person surprised me and I relaxed.

"Who're you?" I asked uninterestedly.

The boy had dark blue hair and sky-blue eyes, he had an aura of nobility and pride.

"Leo Silvermoon, first prince of the Keuian Empire."

My eyes slightly twitched. 'I was being disrespectful... He won't hold this against me right?'

"I apologize for not recognizing you." I bowed my head slightly

"It's okay, I heard you formed a bond with a dragon, a feat that should be impossible...We would support you greatly if you immigrated over to Kuiea."

"I'm sorry your highness, but I don't have any plans to move anywhere I will keep your offer in my mind for the future although."

"Good." Leo walked away with a smile on his face.

Loosening my collar I took a few deep breaths and closed my eyes once again...

'I should have known who he was at first sight... Saying who're you to a Prince of an Empire is no joke...'

"Rei!"

I laid my face into my palms and an upset expression spread across my face. 'I bet the other members haven't been addressed once...' I depressingly thought. 'Let's hope it's not royalty again.'

"Rei are you ignoring me?"

I opened my eyes to see Dawn standing in front of me.

"Oh... Sorry, I've had a rough day and I didn't expect it to be you."

A sigh of relief escaped my lips.

"You too?" Dawn laughed, she then took a step closer to me and reached up toward my face.

"Uhhh." My head recoiled slightly

"Fixing your collar," Dawn said with a confused expression, she then adjusted my collar and took a step back. "All better."

"Yes...Yes...It's perfect." I mumbled looking up I saw eyes from around the large room looking at us and I cringed slightly.

"You're being weird today," Dawn added before she went back to her place in line.

'Maybe we got closer because we technically live together, but she really needs to learn boundaries...'

My heart was beating at an abnormal rate.

'I just want this to be over!'

****

"Okay, Rei!!! How about this I'll teach you a powerful lightning attribute spell! Your family's specialty in spells right?" Malkeith exclaimed with a drunk expression that allowed me to read his thoughts.

"I'm not gonna give you my left hand..."

"Just one scale! Please." He pleaded.

"Maybe if it's just one scale... But I don't want a spell."

Malkeith looked at me with a puzzled look, "You don't want an archwizard's spells? What!?!"

"I'll give you a scale if you can give me a special weapon, how about it?"

"An easy task!" Malkeith boasted

Suddenly all types of weapons began shooting out from mid-air.

"Uhh... Maybe just swords?"

"Yes! I can do that!"

Using one hand to hold open a small portal that shoots out weapons, he used the other hand to absorb the ones that weren't swords. After about an hour and a half, he finally finished.

"Since you wasted a bunch of my valuable time, perhaps 2 swords?"

"Take them all!" Malkeith screamed as he nearly jumped with joy.

"Uhhh Really?"

"No, you can have 2."

"I thought so."

Scratching my head I looked at all the weapons piled on the floor...'There must be thousands of swords here...' Irritated I looked at the ceiling with a blank expression.

"What's wrong?" Malkeith asked with a worried expression.

"Nothing is wrong, Sir." I sighed as I began looking through each of the swords.

After about three hours I walked up to Malkeith with two swords that suited my taste perfectly.

"Spell Breaker... Good choice!" Malkeith said as he looked at the sword.

It had a long slender silver blade that reflected all light coming on it with a beautiful blue tint, it had a small crossguard that had runes covering it, the sword had a round hilt at the end, and the handle was wrapped in some type of white leather.

"A one-in-a-kind sword that has a powerful anti-magic, while other swords similar exist Spell Breaker operates on a level far beyond them not only does it completely nullify magic, it can reflect it... Unlike other weapons that have anti-magic effects, this weapon completely destroys mana, if you can see mana you could see it doesn't dare come near the weapon, this weapon doesn't just break spells, it wards off and destroys mana from the roots, meaning do not use this sword on your peers!" Malkeiths expression changed to a serious one, "If you use this weapon in a mock battle, you could cripple someone's Mana Heart from absorbing mana ever again if you stick this thing into their chest, so don't use it on friendly."

Malkeith smiled and looked at the other weapon, "Which one is that?"

"It seems interesting," I replied

"N-no... Malkeith stuttered." He looked at his desk for a moment then looked up at me, "Altheius... Is it fine if you pick another one?"

"With all due respect sir, I want this one."

"Well, then I'll be taking 2 dragon scales."

"First tell me the effect of the sword."

"Yes of course," Malkeith answered with an annoyed look.

The sword was dark black was extremely thin, with a unique guard that formed around the blade in a spiral shape, the handle was wrapped in red leather, and the hilt had engravings that were hard to make out with just my eye near the bottom, the pummel was small and had the shape of a very small gemstone but it appeared to be made out of the same material as the blade. The sword reflected no light, almost as if light didn't register it.

"Altheius was a blade found in the depths of a dungeon that Arthur himself explored, he deemed the blade too dangerous and locked it away... My father bought it in an auction that occurred after Arthur's death, many of his things were stolen and lost after he died. I totally forgot about it being stored in my personal gate. The blade can break itself into small pieces that each pack the power and weight of a massive claymore... Arthur himself used it when fighting the demons, the sword is pretty much forgotten through history because Excalibur was Arthur's main weapon but it's a weapon of mass destruction."

"So why did you fear me taking it?" I asked perplexed by his explanation and behavior.

"Well actually, the sword hasn't chosen an owner other people have tried to use it and Its ability hasn't activated for anyone but Arthur... I even had Dawn try it out and it didn't activate for her."

"Well let me try, real fast."

"Don't destroy my office...Please."

"I won't."

Holding the sword out a black aura began surrounding me.

"Rei!" Malkeith rushed over to me.

Holding my hand up to signal him to stop, the sword burst into pieces, and thousands of fragments of the blade floated in place.

"That wasn't hard."

Malkeith stood speechless. "Impossible... How?"

"I sort of just willed the sword in my mind."

After saying that I looked at the sword and it began condensing back into the small blade it was once. "Not hard at all!" Right after saying that the sword shattered completely turning into a single shard and it flew straight into my right hand. A grunt came out of my mouth and my hand was bleeding.

"Not hard at all huh?" Malkeith cackled.

"What just happened."

"No clue."

Looking at my palm a small black shard was in the middle, I looked at it for a bit and it soon formed into Altheius shooting out of my palm, I dropped the sword in surprise when it formed I yelped and jumped back.

"I think I'm starting to see why he sealed away the sword..."

The sword then dissipated and the small black shard was in the middle of my palm again.

"So now that you've gotten your weapons, I suppose your part of the deal has arrived?"

"Haaa... Yes-yes." I rubbed my left eye holding a tired expression on my face.

Taking off the glove I revealed my left hand covered in white shining dragon scales. Malkeith immediately approached me, forming a small mana blade he began sawing through a scale poking out on the back side of my wrist.

"Owch!" Blood began leaking out of where the scale was.

"Time for the second one!" Completely disregarding my pain Malkeith summoned his mana blade again.

Right as he was about to cut another scale off the place where he cut one off regenerated and a new fresh scale was there.

Malkeith gaped and looked at me with a sinister smile.

******

"82 fucking scales..."

I facepalmed myself for falling into his trap, I did gain a treasure but it wasn't fun having a piece of my body shaved off constantly...

It's been a while since I slept, I might as well take a nap, 'After all, I have to work as a tournament staff tomorrow...'

Jumping onto the bed I drifted asleep... Waking up I was in a familiar cabin... Again.

'Didn't he say the last time was it?'

"Hi, Rei!"

"Hello, grandfather..." I replied with a stressed-out look...'I just wanted a formal sleep...'

"Hmm I didn't want to contact you but we have some guests here today with us, go ahead and look to your left and right."

Looking to my left I saw a man who looked similar to me 'Zenith...' I was stunned to see another version of myself, looking to my right I saw a young girl who looked like a grade-schooler with black long hair that was longer than her body with deep red eyes, she was sitting on the couch in a strange way but I wasn't focused on that.

The girl smiled back at me and a sword came out of her hand as if that was her way to explain to me who she was. "Altheius?" I was stunned once again, I didn't think anything could surprise me after Zenith.

"Yup." The girl responded.