Liam

One afternoon, the library door opened and an unfamiliar voice could be heard from where he was behind one shelf organizing books.

– JA! That old man. On a day like this, who cares if I rest a bit –

Letting him blink when he sees the uninvited guest that suddenly made an appearance. To be more confused when he gets close enough to see him right.

Liam Nuada, the youngest son of the Lord.

A little surprising as he is the only sibling that hasn't come to the library in a sense, without counting the oldest. He already has a vision of how they look and various other rest.

The confusing part is he's literally the opposite of him.

Having the blood of a family of mighty knights, he has a more masculine rugged face, a yellow tint on his skin, and even when they were close in age, he was a head taller than him. The navy hair that characterizes his family and his eyes are the color of his hair.

The unique thing of the Nuada family.

Eyes of the color of honey.

At least he wasn't alone in this confusion as the other looked at him in silence.

– "Liam! How dare you run away!" – Their train of thought was interrupted by that. Liam suddenly ran and shoveled alongside him deeper in the library – "Once I catch you, you will run another hundred laps!" –

– Damn it – Liam grabbed his shoulders – Don't tell him I'm here, okay? –

Then proceeded to hide close to the stairs for the second floor, the voice of the man shook the library when he entered.

Meanwhile he decided that it was better to drop for the moment the organization of history and go to swordsmanship. Or well, that was the plan.

The man that shouted, has white hair, wide shoulders, and tall as his father. Came to him.

'I'm not getting out of this right?'

– "You! A boy with blue hair, close to your age came in here, right?" –

He thought about it. And with the thing Liam said before, he can imagine what's the situation.

– From what I know, you are describing the youngest master. But excuse me, who are you? – To make sure this is not someone that would mean harm to Liam. He needs to know who this person is in any case.

The butlers and other workers told him that was the procedure.

– "I'm the swordsman instructor that the Lord put in charge of the youngest of his sons" – At least with that his irritation was a little evaporated – "And the young master escaped in the middle of a lesson. Tell me where he is if you can" –

An exhale of tiredness. He pointed in the direction.

– The stairs –

In a matter of seconds, a shriek can be heard followed by rapid words in an attempt to ease the fury of the instructor.

– Master! This is a misunderstanding! –

– "You rascal!" –

To soon appear in his vision.

The instructor grabs Liam by the collar, and in a blink he is throwing Liam to the ground.

'It reminds me how my father would through meat pieces to the dogs

…

But less bloody'

He flinches at the sound that Liam's body makes. He looks preoccupied as the person is spread out on the ground, probably due to shock.

The instructor dragged him by the legs.

With Liam upside down, he mouthed something that wasn't heard and only the shape of the mouth was passed on, but he can hear it clearly.

– You will pay for this –

That sent him shivers through his body.

'I'm fucked up. Am I?

It's not even winter yet!

My luck with nobles appeared again.'

***

After that day, the back of his head itched almost daily for the next week, with the non-appearance of Liam making it worse.

Until he heard the rumors between the servants.

Liam was caught by his instructor and was taken to the mountains.

But it wasn't until a month later from that day he finally relaxed.

'It wasn't big nor significant, it would be forgotten soon.

I really don't think he would take a grudge because of that'

With that thought in mind, he decided to start about the founding of Telmar, his city.

The number of books he had read over the past six months was ninety-eight. Not a large number compared with his goal, but his speed gradually went up with each completed book. The first book took twenty days to complete, however, after fully understanding the book, many things went easier.

There wasn't a book that he couldn't connect with the other at the end.

Degree in complexity was and is the difference.

'If I make a foundation with two-thousand books first, the rest will be much easier to take in.

His favorite part of history was definitely the mages and the influence of Unn in this part of the country, the different cultures that unified in one to survive a war and even with that unification still preserving their roots.

How interesting it is that people call Telmar the cradle of scholars for the influence of Unn, for the Scientists, Alchemists and Mages that come from here.

If a city with three hundred years is almost at the same level as the capital, it's for a reason.

Unn, Goddess of Knowledge and Nature. It says that she lives in this harsh environment to give her knowledge to the ones that need it. And that she is the one that gives life to this place.

"The greater mind once dreamed of leaf and cast these caverns full of life. In every bush and every vine the mind of Unn reveals itself to us."

Those are the words that everybody reads in the caverns of Unn.

"Telmar… Is separated from the other cities and for a pair of years unknown to the outside world. It's located to the northeast of the capital, behind the mountain range that can be seen from there. No one explored the mountains before, the always snowy mountains, believing the only thing that would be behind will be snow and death.

But it is not like the people that escaped from the war have more options, to only found caverns at the foot of the mountains.

Caverns surrounded by snow, yet with so much nature in them.

And life.

Luma Flies is how we call them, showing with their light the path.

A wonderful cavern system that connects to the present Telmar with the capital.

In said caverns were found these inscriptions, inscriptions that will glow when someone gets close, symbols with such curvy letters when they are in stone. That no one knew how to read until the first born in Telmar, the ones that were born in Telmar were blessed with the knowledge of this language."

– And the living example is here. Hehe –

He has never questioned why some texts in places are too different before, yet it is the easiest part to read and to say, Telmarian. It feels like his native language more than the one that is used in "Corvalon, Carva".

'I never questioned why people of the capital can't read some signal in here'

For outsiders Telmarian are symbols and words they cannot understand at its fullest. Yet for him, it's the other way around.

Then there are the scholars, alchemists and mages.

If a researcher studied something, scholars make a theory, the mages and alchemists were the ones who implemented said theory. Nevertheless, the reason why not all scholars were mages and instead alchemists is because of the Spirit Zone, an extremely sensitive state of mind.

That fact for him is pure motivation, as he's already advanced in his Spirit Zone and is now more determined to build up his knowledge.

Even if that means he needs to suppress his curiosity toward specific subjects and dig only in history. He needs to build his core and efficiency before anything.

'Well it is not like I would never investigate the subjects I'm interested in.

For a reason I made a list!'

After reading the last page of the founding history, he closed the book with satisfaction.

To jump at the sound of the door burst open and a very familiar voice.

– You jerk! I went through hell waiting for this day to come! –

It is Liam Nuada that returned from hell.

To compare the malice from his face with the devil wouldn't be an understatement.

Showing the same anger when he was dragged by the instructor, if he was to point out any difference were his eyes bags and his body appeared thinner for showing clearly the muscle he has.

'That's nothing good on winter

And also.

Why!?'

He was anxious and didn't respond, but for the looks of it Liam took it as one.

– Do you know how much trouble I went through? I climbed and ran over that cliff countless times. Every time I thought I would fall to my death, I managed to hold on as I needed to get my revenge! –

If he had been growing that hatred every day, then he must look like a sworn enemy.

'Everything will go downhill, won't it?'

– Aren't you going to answer? I'm asking you why the heck you snitched on me! – And oh he knows that look, the one about that  treats his presence as a mere offense – Or are you thinking in saying empty words? I feel sick with people like you! –

'This b-'

– I didn't rat on you, I told the truth! –

– I asked you for a favor. Why didn't you tell me you won't help? I trusted you –

That's it, he gives up. Trying to persuade someone with the reasoning of an aristocrat it's a lost battle.

– Then what should I do? – Liam looked slightly taken aback by the attitude.

– You must have heard something from somewhere, but I'll show you clearly who I am. Follow me –

And he did, he followed Liam. Judging from the degree of his anger, he is probably thinking to take him somewhere far to beat him.

'Better than dying. Just let him hit or mistreat me.

I can't throw this opportunity for a simple beating'

It is a small exercise hall, nothing of surprise since it is a family of knights. There were several small and large exercise halls in the land, the only bad thing, this place is dedicated to Liam and no one would hear if they screamed.

His mouth was dry while Liam went for a thing with wooden swords.

He wished they could finish this quickly, because each passing moment is making him more and more uncomfortable.

'Maybe it is on purpose'

– Here, take this –

He was thrown a wooden sword, which clung to his hands with a loud slap, a handle thicker yet shorter than one of an axe.

– Why are you giving me this? –

– A duel. I'm not a coward like you. I'm destined to become one of the greatest swordsman in the future – 'this is getting ridiculous' – But enough about that, this is my way of paying you back –

– How cowardly was I? –

– As a servant of the Nuada, you have to protect the Nuada. You sold me because you were afraid of getting beaten by my master – The look in his eyes changed – Someone was in trouble, and yet you sold them out. It doesn't matter who's my family, I would not be treated that way by a guy like you, so bring it on.

Considering the gap between us, you will have three times to land a hit on me before I start –

He seemed to have a simple, ignorant personality, yet those eyes are the same as the lady Nuada. But only sharp at the borders.

Holding the wooden sword tightly with both hands, preparing mentally for the moment his three chances are up, he would end with a broken bone.

'What I do?

What can I do?'

No matter how unlikely this would be and the growing sound of his heart, he can't give up.

He raised the sword in an aggressive rush, with Liam only a little surprised by the movement, but simply snorted. As Liam blocked his attack, he shouted.

– One! –

A smack would be a satisfying sound for others, but for him only sounded like pieces of wood clashing with each other.

He tried to slash his sword horizontally.

– Two! –

Liam's corner of mouth rose as he easily blocked the slash. He choked up, pulled himself together and tried to think of something.

It is hard when he has never used a wooden sword, nor knows how to use one.

An idea surged.

He entered the Spirit Zone, and followed the pattern he used to cut trees. Follow the blue thing and hit it.

Liam snorted. Who raised his sword to block the attack, took a step and shouted.

– Now's my tur–

CRACK

The center of Liam's sword shattered with his following as well.

Fragments of wood flew past the two of them.

– Huh? – Liam has a face of astonishment for a moment to quickly take a few steps back to look at his wooden sword – How di… –

The grain of the cross sectioned part of the sword stood up, rough. This looks different from a tree that was at the end of the Thunder Strike, the force of impact didn't go from one side to the other, it didn't release at all and remained inside.

It exploded.

– That was Sword Smash, wasn't it? – Liam's expression started to change in a dangerous direction – Who the hell are you? Where did you learn swordsmanship? –

He dropped his broken sword when Liam started to walk in his direction.

The only things he did was sense, analyze and use the Thunder Strike. The one he practiced for years.

'I just used the thing for hunting and cutting trees!'

– I never learned any swordsmanship! –

– Liar! You're rotten to the core! – For every step Liam gets close, he would do two to back up – How did you succeed in doing Sword Smash?! Where did you learn it! –

– That was the Thunder Strike! –

– Thunder Strike? –

– I live in the mountains and since I was neither big nor strong enough, I needed to learn a more technical way to cut trees. Among the lumberjacks, this skill is called Thunder Strike – Liam stopped getting close to that, he really doesn't know what the other is thinking the other, not with the look in their eyes.

After a few minutes passed, he moved away a little to have a little sense of safety.

'Maybe if I leave?'

– I can't accept it! –

– ...! – That scared him, for Unn sake – Young master, I have shown grave disrespect–

– Shut up! Nothing's over yet! No one has lost! – Liam headed to one of the walls.

There, equipped with various weapons, he returned with a long sword.

A real one.

'Please don't'

The sword makes a ringing sound as it's drawn, sending shivers to him.

'no please no'

Once Liam finished checking the blade, he put it back in the sheath and threw it to him. He stepped forward to catch it with both hands.

'nonononono-'

He raised his head to see Liam speak while stretching out his fingers.

– Since our weapons broke, let us consider this a tie. If you really mastered Sword Smash, then we'll consider that. One month from now, let's compete here with real swords –

– Ah… –

He can feel how his heart dropped at those words.

He just wants to survive, but unsurprisingly the situation went for worse.

To real swords and the fact that Liam will not give him three chances, he might actually die this time.

The faces of his parents came to him, as he felt the fear of death at the time.

'I can't let them alone'

– Young master, please change your mind! I never learned swordsmanship! –

– That's why I'm giving you a month. You learned Sword Smash while cutting trees? Something unbelievable, but if you're that smart, you will be able to come up with something in a month –

He took this as his cue to part, the weight of the sword in his hands and he just wants to drop it.

When he is half way from the exit.

– Don't even think about running. Regardless of my personal feelings, I promise in success –

Liam didn't sound to direct all his words to him, but someone else.