-Chapter 28- The Announcement

"Is it possible for you to get me into Xyrus Academy?" I ask Uncle Vincent.

"I mean yes, of course, I could get you into Xyrus Academy. What kind of Uncle would I be if I couldn't help you out." He says he tried to play it off cool but it was very visible how excited he was to get me into Xyrus Academy. I thank him and he just tries to play it off.

"What made you decide to go to Xyrus Academy Art?" My mother asks.

"I just want to learn more about magic I guess." There wasn't much to it in the end, I was going for the same reason as most others go, to advance my skills in magic. It was a great opportunity and I'm sure with Vincent helping I can get in easily.

"Well we all support this decision, it's kind of funny in a way, you're doing it in reverse. Adventuring then Academy." My father makes a joke and begins laughing with Vincent.

"Does this mean you're gonna be leaving again?" My sister asks.

"No, I'm still gonna be here for a couple of months for the next school year to start, so I'm you guys' problem now, try your best to not get sick of me and throw me out early." I joke. While my dad and Vincent laughed at this it was obvious my mom and sister didn't like my humor.

***

It was now later in the day, the girls all left to go shopping for the necessities since we were gonna need more due to Lilia and I returning. My Father and Vincent were at the auction house handling some urgent business that had occurred. I was left home alone, well if you ignore the maids and servants scattered around the house…

Since I had this time I wanted to satiate my curiosity. I got up from my bed where I had been previously staring at the ceiling and headed outback. I didn't want to risk damaging the house with this.

I walk outside in the backyard. It appeared Vincent had built a training platform while I was gone. Probably my fathers doing, it was good for me. I walk out onto the training platform and focus my mana.

I look at the rune tattooed on my right arm, I couldn't read the language so I have no idea the purpose but I'm sure there will be a reaction if I put mana into it. Once I make sure there is no one around to see me, that's exactly what I do. I move mana into the rune written on my arm and see what happens.

The edges of my vision blur as if I were experiencing tunnel vision, the world in front of me looks like it is stretching and folding onto itself. It felt as if the ground in front of me was growing closer until suddenly, I was standing there. I look back surprised, I was now standing around ten feet forward from where I had previously been standing.

What had happened? Instant teleportation? But it felt different from that. I'm gonna try again. I begin to use the rune ability again.

***

I spend several hours using it and experimenting with the details, I write down the things I learn in my notebook.

Uses both my stamina and mana as fuel, and can only use it a few times before getting too tired.

Although it was inconvenient that it was used so much it seemed worth it, which then brought me to what it does.

It places me anywhere I choose from one foot to ten feet in front of me

This was good for quick mobility, a handy skill to have in the future and since it's nearly instant it's immensely useful.

Momentum cancels out!!!

This one was important, the process of being transported forward like that cancels all momentum. So let's say I was throwing a punch and used this to get closer to the enemy before hitting them. The punch would be weak, any force generated while I was being moved entirely goes away meaning if I wanted to do any combat I would have to set up the attack after I was moved.

Those were the most important parts of the skill, this spell was truly a mystery to me. I couldn't figure out how mana could enable this to happen. This would probably be something I should hide for now until I can properly explain it away. Could this be a deviant ability? If only I could read the rune on my arm… Maybe I could learn it at Xyrus Academy.

Looking at the rune I think of something I could call it, I think for a short while before deciding on something that reminded me of my previous world… "Infinite Step."

***

"BROTHER, WAKE UP!"

"Oof! I groaned as the wind was knocked out of me as my sister jumped on top of me.

Painfully I gasp, "Ellie you can't be doing that anymore, you're not a little kid. I'm gonna end up dead one of these days."

"Are you calling me fat?" She gasped.

"Extremely," I toss her off of me and before I get payback she scatters off out of my room.

I get up and wash my face and get ready for the day, I get dressed and walk out to the dining room.

"Good morning everyone," I say to everyone talking around the table while eating breakfast.

"You're just in time," my mother says as she hands me a plate of food. I sit down and begin eating, listening in on the conversation they were talking about a big event in the central part of Xyrus.

"What's going on in Xyrus?"

"The royal families from each race are going to be there giving a speech of some kind." My father says in excitement. "We should go later today."

"That would be fun," I say.

"Great, we will leave in a few hours." My father says.

***

When we arrived at the city square, it was crowded. Well, it was normally crowded but even more so today, I guess many people wanted to hear what the royal families had to say. All around the city square were commoners and nobles alike. Over near the clock tower were four orbs creating a square, underneath the four floating orbs were two artificers controlling the four orbs.

The four orbs began to crackle and soon an image began to form with the four orbs as its corners. The large image gained color as the image became visible to see the Glayder Castle on the broadcast.

"Greetings, humans, elves, and dwarves alike. I am Blaine Glayder. While most of you know me as the King of Sapin, today I speak to you as a king of humanity, but as a representative of the continent of Dicathen. I stand with the kings and queens of all three countries of our beloved continent, who have gathered here on this memorable day!"

The masses of people knelt in unison, some going down on all fours as if to worship at the sight of the king. The video broadcasted by the orbs zoomed in on the balcony of the castle. There sat the King and Queen of Sapin, along with four other people also looking of equal importance. To their left, they look to be dwarves, and to their right elves. It was easy to assume they were the Kings and Queens of the other two countries. This was my first time seeing the other royal families. Hell, it was my first time seeing a pure elf, and a dwarf.

"Today marks the beginning of a new era for this continent we call our home. I assume many of you are aware of the animosity that has existed between the humans and the elves, while even the dwarves have been considered just business partners. However, that is not the way we wish to continue. The representatives of all three kingdoms-we, your leaders-have met together many times over these past few years to unite our races. Two years ago, we agreed to allow members of all three races to become adventurers. It started with just one or two representatives, but now it has expanded. It makes me smile to see parties with humans, elves, and dwarves alike, working together towards a common goal." The kind went on about the political happenings and milestones that they all have helped make happen.

After speaking to the King of the Elves, he had a gloomy face as if he had spent the past several years crying or depressed. He rubbed his wrists that were hidden by his long royal robe. "It is an honor to speak on the behalf of those gathered here on this unforgettable day. I agree with the message King Glayder has so eloquently delivered regarding the future of our continent. For some, this may not hold much interest, but for those who yearn for adventure, for new places to visit. I can wholeheartedly say this continent is full of unknowns. An obvious example is the beast glades which have not been fully explored, but what if we were to say there were many more mysteries out there." The elven king continued, "You have not heard wrong, today we formally announce the evidence of another continent."

The crowd erupted in panic and confusion, it was too loud for anyone to hear what the elf king was saying until suddenly coming from the elf king.

"Be quiet." the kind of elves spoke in a cold voice that made the crowd freeze, no one was expecting that from him. Such pain in his voice made him terrifying to many of the children in the crowd, some younger children began to cry. What could have happened for the elven king to be this way?

"We do not know much yet, we will not be able to answer all of your questions but we will say this. We do have evidence the other continent has tried to reach us as well, but it seems that for the both of us our technology is not advanced far enough to come in contact with the other continent."

After he finished speaking the dwarven king stood and took the center stage, "The process of bringing our three races together will take much time and effort, but today we will be appointing six individuals- individuals that we, the royal families believe to be the most courageous, tactful, intelligent, and powerful in our respective nations- to

represent each of our three races on a continental scale."

Out walked six people, they were each given a ring by the royal families.

" These individuals will henceforth be known as the six lances. Each lance symbolizes the ties we all hold, not only to our kingdom but our entire continent. These six lances help lead us into a brighter future for our continent as a whole. Not even the heavens are the limit!"