Chapter 2— Collapsed

"You defeated your opponent!

+15exp +15 battle points"

---

The battles continued where Valor, Angela, Marcus all reached the third round two more contestants, making it five of this town's youngsters who stood above the stage. They looked at each other with serious glares before all looked at the mage after he scoffed, trying to lighten the mood.

Many serious gazes were then pointed at the stage, the traditional completetion is now reaching its climax. They for sure are all excited about what they'll watch, just as how the youngsters on the stage are excited about the upcoming battle. For entertainment and competent spirits. They can brag about this at the little celebration after this event. Or can they?

The mage nodded and proceed into announcing the rules, "The next and last matches will require you all to fight all of the contestants, the rank one to five will then be decided on how many opponents you all have defeated." The mage's voice echoed while the five nodded and went down, The mage then announced the first match, "Marcus Stratson Vs Rad Draval!"

The two boys went up the stage and bowed to each other, the mage raised his hands and was about to start the spar, "Beg-" But He was stopped by a loud bang of the nearby doors.

A man with a bloody face, blood dripping freshly from the wound dropped on the floor. Between the opened doors—he lied with heavy breaths, he was then seen getting up at a hurried pace. Clearly, he used his body force to open them and caused his stumble to the ground.

The crowd quickly identified him, Saar, the watchguard of the east sentry. He looked at them terrified and scared with heavy breaths before he announced the terrible news, "It's a disaster! Monsters are invading the east wall! they came from the forest nearby and we don't know how many more are coming, we need guidances, Sires! we need backups!"

This is only a small town of the east of the new monarch, but it is near the borders of Siege fortresses, The places where the rifts are located. That's why many high-ranking pathholders are here even though the town is small, the citizens know the danger of living here so all are at least powerful enough to fight.

Their total number here shouldn't surpass that of 20 thousand, yet the government still provides safety.

The military and police are all reliable when it comes to this— to be exact, everyone is reliable when chaos strike.

The officials that were watching stood immediately before commands echoed, "The event ends now and all of the residents must evacuate quickly to the shelter, have all those than can fight to go to the east side, We shall contact the headquarters if our situation is really grave." Valor's father, general Louie, immediately took action and commanded all that is in here. The spectators moved quickly while Valor and others were left baffled, they don't know what to do.

"What the hell you all watching for!? Go to the shelter immediately!" His father's usual voice echoed, he shouted at them from the seats when he saw them not moving, They couldn't help but nod and rushed out the small stadium, then went directly to the direction of the shelter. They passed houses of average size, all have space that separates them from the other.

Valor who was running saw people getting out of their home in a hurried demeanor, The alarm rang with the voices of soldiers echoing aloud to warn the people inside their home. The other youngsters then also began to start spreading awareness while they ran hurried to the shelter. This is the best they can do, to shout for notice— they can't fight monsters of lower order. If they did, they'll need to team up if they want to kill it.

They then saw the people running in the street started to increase in number, all ran in different pace with different things on their hands and shoulder, those that have more handicap was helped by those that are free from baggage. "I wonder what kind of monsters attacked this time?" Marcus said while he carried a baby between his arms, "Last two months it was a pack of hunting wolves, but based on Saar's wounds, the invaders should be a humanoid one, The pattern of wounds wasn't torn by claws, it was caused by a rough crippled knife."

Angela sighed while she repositioned a backpack on her back, she grabbed it from a helpless old lady that was running with weak knees, "... I was so close in beating the tie, why did the invaders choose this day?" She said with a hint of fake anger.

Valor smiled while he carried the old lady on his back, he rebated, "The battle didn't even start, you confronted a seer?" Angela went silent, clearly, she's thinking her blow to fire.

Marcus smiled and teased with an annoying tone, "Ohhh, seerleecher."

Angela was of course baited by the nickname, "You..." But Marcus and Valor laughed fist-bumping and sped up, leaving her, who have the lowest physical points in the group trying to catch up. She gritted her teeth frustrated and said agitated, "Hey for your information, I didn't confront any seer! As I can cast a foresee spell my self!... But I didn't use one ... hah... hah... I shouldn't speak while running, too much energy spent." She panted and tried to catch her breath, physical activity isn't her feast.

Like them, Valor ran with an old lady on his back. He can smell the typical odor of old people, a distinct smell of soil with mint mixed in.

As he ran, Valor looked at the stoic walls of twenty meters, standing mightily on the ground. There he saw shadows on the wall rushing to the east side of the wall.

"Their job up there must be hard, father said they voluntarily took the job, it is training for them, they are planning to become soldiers of the Siege fortresses. They pursue power, like us." Marcus said beside him.

Valor smirked lightly and looked ahead, there he saw the entrance of their underground shelter. The concrete doors are already opened and the stairs going down were seen in the shadows.

"Wanna race? Whoever loses gotta give their revitalizing potion." Marcus challenged him into a race, Valor's smirk grew larger before he agreed energetic, "Sure, I happened to be in need of extra potion." Marcus smiled and ran faster without notice, "You agreed alright." His words echoed in Valor's ears while Marcus's figure slightly became smaller, Valor quickly noticed what's his up to and ran faster, "You cunning bastard! You should be a trant rather than a stratson. A disgrace!"

But Marcus didn't mind what he said and even laughed, "My father loves me even with my mischief! Your taunts doesn't work on me Valor, learn to think sharper!" So Valor thought, "I found a book at the library where blueprints can be seen!" Marcus smiled again and quickened his pace, "Not gonna work Valor!"

Valor smiled and added to his words before, "It has the blueprint of sprinter!" But Marcus wasn't even moved, "And the blueprint of nru, the sweet robot!" Here Marcus slowed down and looked at Valor excitedly, "Rea-" He couldn't finish his question when Valor passed beside him fast, "In your face bitch!"

"You coward!" Marcus shouted and contested against Valor's speed, But Valor laughed him off and neared the door before he went in fast, then slid on the stairs using a signboard he placed at the side before and stopped downstairs.

He took down the old lady and she thanked him for the ride, even though it was a mess. Not a while later and Marcus arrived, He looked at him frustrated, "Valor you bastard! ..." He went down in quickened steps before he walked to the old lady and gave the child to her grandma, "Your grandson mam," The old lady thanked him before he clutched Valor's sleeve and continued, "You bastard! how could you stood so low!?"

Valor of course fought back and said, "You prick, look who's talking? huh? Where's your dignity you white rabbit," They argued with nut size brain but was immediately stopped when a fireball flew between their faces, luckily they didn't close their face more or a burnt face surely awaited them.

"Look who's talking my ass, Quiet down apes. the town's populace will soon arrive." a voice from above echoed in the concrete hallway, Angela stood there huffing, her hand extended and aimed at them.

----

Twelve feet below the ground are people merrily waiting for the commotion to end, at the corner are some people playing games, while at the other side is oldMcgey having his usual stories told to the innocent children. "And when they opened the door of Owgrit mansion, the interior was lightened up with the moon's brightness, everything was finally seen. Dusted, Archaic, creaky. Everything is old within, but with the creepy scene, the youngsters laughed and didn't heed oldman's warn, A silhouette from the shadows emerged..."

"And dragged them to an underground asylum~," Marcus said with intonating voice, ten meters away from the gathered children. He ridiculed the usual story of old Mcgey in a joking manner, Valor smiled and tapped his shoulder before continuing what he was doing, opening a bag of marshmallows and putting them on a bowl. "What?" Marcus asked smiling with a bit of chuckles cracking, "You're ridiculing the story as if you didn't piss yourself at the scare in the end-"

"Kyaahhhh!" "Ahhhhhhhhh" Valor wasn't finished with his words when shouts of scared children echoed, may it be boy or girl, it does't matter as they were all scared. Angela smiled and announced to the group, especially to the girls "Marcus's reaction is much girlish than that." Chuckles was then heard from the group of children, their scared expression instantly vanished and started teasing Marcus, "Marcus is a girl~"

"You-" Marcus was about to say something when heavy footsteps resounded, the military is here. From their syncing footsteps alone,They quickly knew who they were.

The people all looked to the two who just arrived, with curious and hoping eyes, "Great news..." All sighed relieved and calmed down by those two words alone, "the situation is now under control. It was said the goblins probably came out the near Siege fortress, they were said to be scattered in the kuruuk forest, and the military is now having a search for their headquarters. The situation has been neutralized but we would like all to be careful while the operation is still in the process..." He sighed tiredly before continuing,

"The goblins are tricky creatures of the rifts, they know how to ambush and hide..." He looked at everyone and sighed worried, "... With these characteristics, an infestation could also occur." Everyone's expression soured, May it be townfolks or childrens, because an infestation is a disgusting meaning here. It shouldn't even be mentioned, in fact, it is one of the banned words— it only inflicts past trauma.

Monsters will kidnap humans, Women to be exact, and will use the unlucky maidens as breeding tools, Treated harshly, and raped repeatedly. The monsters will then attack the small town after they reproduced and multiplied, they are cowards yet tricky creatures. Always Despisable.

Valor who was looking at the two soldiers was tapped by Marcus, he looked at him and Marcus whispered, "Looks like we don't need to go out the Steel region just to gain exp and level up, the experience points showed themselves boy."

Angela heard what Marcus said and asked baffled, "You didn't mean to go hunt the goblins are you?" Marcus smiled and tapped his chest with his fist, "The experience already showed its way Ge, we can't say no to grace." Angela looked at him shocked and warned silently, "You'll get your selves killed!" But Marcus didn't even thought about her warn and said to the two, "So who's coming? Oh, don't think about it Angela, infestation is probable, we can't have more risk." He looked at Valor and Valor smiled, "When? After our quest with the ogre?"

Marcus thought while angela looked at the two with a strange gaze, worried and angered, "You are really considering this Valor?" She asked him with concern, expecting him to deny, but he didn't, "I mean I need to find a way to wield blade while being a magic bringer..." He fished out his knife and made it dance, "And searching for unwritten paths is hard unless you look to the system itself..."

"And you are going to find one by killing green ugly dwarfs?" She asked sarcastically, but Valor nodded and explained, "It is said that the first level up of the paths is when you reached a hundred exp, I accumulated sixty from the past events and hunts..."

"So?" She asked so he continued patient, "They said that what you mastered and your way of fighting when you are still leveling up would bring the paths you can choose to take in the level up. So if I fought with blades and magic, Maybe I can bring out a hidden path that mages didn't have. Like... blademagically, or... magicblademan."

Angela chuckled amidst this serious conversation and said to him honestly, "You are not good at naming things Val." He made a fake annoyed face to her and explained, "So if I can bring out a hidden path as early as now, then I can master it and will learn about its basics, as long as it can give me the ability to wield blade, I can master it."

Angela pouted defeated, she knew she can't stop this nut head from going there anyway so she affirmed, "Fine then, but I have one condition, take me with you." Valor's brows knotted before he refused her with firm resolve, "No! it's very dangerous, and why do we even need your approval to go?" She was of course displeased causing her to hmped, "So do I, I don't need your approval to go too, I'm going even if you don't want me to."

Valor looked at her infuriated before he said to her like a brother, "You know you can't go, the goblins' target are young ladies. It would be a disaster if you are kidnapped." But she remained stubborn and reasoned, "You don't even know if males are also aren't kidnapped..." Valor quickly answered to argue, "Of course they aren't interested in us, What can they possibly make use of us? They won't go crazy like how they'll react when a maiden is seen."

"I don't know, Maybe some will still be interested, like a...a...a homosexual goblin that hunts young males only." Valor looked at her not amused and said, "Goblins are savages, probably no homosexual exists within them." But she didn't replied and stood up, she took the bowl of marshmallow and went to the kids and bonded with them smiling, they all, of course, welcomed her happily. She is an idol for them afterall.

"Stubborn ey? I've dealt many kinds of the same attitude mate, maybe she just wants to be with you." But Valor didn't mind what he said and replied looking away from Angela, "Mr. heartthrob huh, who is it this time? Sarah of the church?" Marcus smiled proudly and bragged to his friend, "Man that innocent girl is a smoldered hotty, those jugs behind her plain nun dress are beautiful!"

Valor's face crunched before he smacked his friend's head, "Boy we're only thirteen..." He said disgusted about what his friend told him, Marcus of course only laughed and said, "You know I'm joking Val, Even with this assets, I won't use them for bad and sacriligous things." Valor just raised his brows, "tempting a pure lady just to suffice your fetish. So who will be the next, the mayor's daughter Jessica?"

Marcus shook his head and said flustered, "I think I'll stay with her for a while, she has this strange aura that tells me she's different, I think I grew fond of being near her, her voice and rants of sermons." But Valor didn't take his euphony and smacked his head again, double-checking if marcus wasn't sleeping, "That was the most peculiar yet decent words I heard from you." Marcus was of course angered by that and retaliated, "You bastard! That was the second!" Their quarrel once again blossomed.

"All right, now that everything should be alright, let's proceed with the celebration for our new pathtakers! Their adventure begins now!" Mcgey shouted while the other citizens here also suited the spirit of celebration

But from a further distance is a voice interrupting their celebration, "But we didn't finish the matches yet." Said one of the nominees before, Mcrey and all the other old folks laughed before they taught her a tradition, "Girl it is considered profane if we fight when a battle is happening near us, may it be ruled or not, so let's just celebrate you got to the last battle eh?" The girl couldn't help but agree, she nodded and smiled at them before joining the celebration.

The meat and grills were then brought to the underground shelter, after they fetched it from the supposed celebrating spot.

Valor and Marcus couldn't help but question the tradition, "You can't fight when a battle is happening but you can celebrate?" They asked each other but neither has the answer.

"The situation is said to be under control, it means that we can go back to our usual business, but not fighting." Angela's voice echoed before she chewed a slice of juicy meat. "It dates back two-thousands years ago, fighting within will only weaken people, the monsters will finish us afterward." She said with a muffled voice as her mouth was filled with meat, while the two looked at her weirdly "That's why you can only see a few of the folk's drinking, They want to be at their top if monsters somehow breached the walls."

She gulped the meats down and continued, "Besides, this celebration is for us, why can't you two just go with it?" She took another bite before going to where the barbeques are.

Valor sighed and walked, but he didn't go to the barbeque or drinks, he went to the door and walked in the long hallway, he's already planning to leave. "Hey Val, where you going?" Marcus's voice echoed in the hallway while Valor only waved his hand. His figure shrank as he got away before he climbed up the stairs, he totally vanished from their sight.

"I hate this side of him, he doesn't celebrate as long as he has a problem to think about." A voice echoed beside Marcus that surprised him scared, he jolted with a quiver and ranted to Angela, "Geez, you ghost or something?"

"Only a perk of my lightness..." She said smiling before she continued the topic before, "either way that's also what's great about him—straightforward to problems. want some?" she said before extending her hand to him, there lies a stick of meat.

Marcus gladly accepted with a thank you before he went back to the party and filled himself with partying vibes of the townsfolk, while Angela looked at the concrete stairs pondering, three seconds later and she sighed, she shook her head in resignment and got in the room to party with the townfolks. There are things she cannot help with, things that don't need her to be solved, and Valor's current problem is one of them. Something Valor should solve himself to grow as something he wants to be.

The moon is high and the night is cold, growls echoed at the east side of this town, while shouts of happiness echoed underground this region.

---

-eleven pm-

Valor flipped the 365th page of the eleventh book with a sigh, books piled up at his right side and many more—organized and stacked— are at the other side. He browsed but still no clue was found, Which made him sigh again and threw the book to join the others. He took another one from the stacked ones and started reading again. "Principles of Mages' self-defense."

The book's interior was then laminated by the moon's light from his window, silence filled the room while he read, even the hallway that was always filled with heeled footsteps is unusually silent. Most of the family members are all currently on the wall, fighting or searching for the goblins—with their short numbers, his probably the one that remained here.

He looked for the answer silently but even with more twenty books, not even one clue was unbooked. Valor sighed and looked at the moon above, through his transparent window it shone brightly, "It's full moon huh."

He bathed with its light and felt the euphoria that calmed his inside, his head then felt light while he closed his tired eyes, he found himself unable to open them again.

He was about to fall asleep when the door creaked, he was woken up cautious while he looked who it was that came in, it's his father. "Did I wake you up?" Valor shook his head and replied, "Nahh, Was just taking a quick nap." His father smirked, clearly he saw through his lies, but he didn't pursued and looked at the books on the wooden floor.

His father is a big man, bulky build while wearing his set of golden armor, A scar can be seen on his neck, vertically extending to the chest. He has black eyes and black hair like his son, the face composition only differs them.

Louie sighed when he read the titles, "You really want to pursue the path of blades? You know we will still support you even if you chose to be a mage." Valor just smiled at him and proceeded at reading the book on his lap, while his father also looked at the books, reading what can be read without turning a page or cover.

Valor's voice then echoed, "I really would love to continue using blades, not because of the family's pride or the balance of our group. But it's because I find assurance when I'm using one. A... A feeling that I can defeat anyone as long as I'm using one. A feeling that brings peace within a critical situation. A feeling that brings me happiness. A feeling I don't want to lose. A feeling I can't just give up." He then made his knife from his waist appear in no time, he looked at it and sighed, "I'm born to protect by using a blade."

His father took a glance at Valor for a sec before he sat with his legs crossed, "Now that's interesting, you are destined to use blade but the system gave you a magicbringer role. The path to the mages that rule this country," he looked at Valor and said smiling, enthusiastically stood up and unsheathed his sword.

"There were once legends where classes existed dominating the world, people bearing those paths were said to be powerful. strong and tough, yet soft and stretchy. But the path was too hard that it needs constant battles to temper, the first part is the hardest. They are said to create their own path because what they threaded are unknown. As peace came back, and so is the pressure lowered. They became harder and harder to thread without enough discipline, passion, and reason. All that took it failed again and again until the people totally banned it. Past glory of it blinded people that cannot even complete the requirement alone. Now they are only myths leaving in our dreams." His father said before he pointed the gold point to the moon.

Valor of course knew where this is going, "Yes, just as what you are thinking now, one of this path is a Magicbringer that wields blade at the same time. From the books, they are entitled as the magic knights. But as I said, they were banned." Valor was saddened because of this, like he was inspired for a short time and disappointment came afterward.

His father then smiled seeing his reaction, he slashed his sword to the books on the bookshelf that is found on the wall, the sword traveled slanting from his post before, a light came out his sword as he slashed, it was Flyingslash— but it didn't damaged the bookshelf, instead, it just past flew it. Valor stood up surprised but his father only laughed, "Don't be scared boy..." He then sheathed his sword back to his waist again and continued, "As I said, they are banned, but your great-grandfather is luckily one of the magic knights. So we have some archives he created his own." The ticking sound then echoed before the bookshelf started to descend, it hid under the floor, another set of books was then seen behind.

They are covered with plain leathers, unlike the books before that are covered with fancy design, "Usually books like this can only be accessed if you have unearthed the hidden path, The library of our town also has many more of this..." His father smiled and looked at him with his eyes containing challenged, Valor gulped when he saw that glare, "You make that path appear and I'll give you access to all of these books, well you can also find one at the library but they'll make a fuss about..." His father sighed and tapped the floor with his feet, the shelve came back rising.

"Expectations are troublesome burdens, it blinds you where's the real success..." His father looked at nothingness, with his eyes deep blue, but it again vanished and returned to being energetic, "So go out there and level up as fast as possible, the goblins appeared in the most convenient time ey?"

Valor looked at him excited ad asked, "Who said that we were going?" His father laughed and said proudly, "With you being born in this world, I was there praying, you think I can't read my own son?" He then formed his hand into a fist and extended it to Valor, Valor of course nodded and also extended his to his.

His father took it back after the fist bump and started walking out, "You better sleep Val, don't overthink it, it'll kill you."

Valor sighed and went to his bed and lied down, He looked at his white ceiling where darkness is seen. The light bulb is just ahead but it is always turned off by him. They were said to not use electricity much, it might explode when a mana fluctuation occurred.

Valor sighed and reached the phone below his bed, It is big and bulky—Caused by the past event when everything deteriorated within the chaos.

He pressed a button and static radio resounded, "This is Valor speaking, I will have a hunt tomorrow, Goblins. Respond if you are interested." He then placed the phone with static radio on his bed and waited.

"I'm in."

"I'm in."

Two voices echoed while he smiled hearing them, "You know we are still worried about you coming Ge." He said but only static sound echoed, "Stubborn." He said sighing and turned it off to kill the static sound.

With his thoughts running passive, his eyes slowly closed. Soothing Darkness then filled him, he fell asleep.

---

-The next day-

In a plane land of their small town, A large tree can be seen in the middle. It has big roots and a fat trunk. The wind whistled, while its green leaves fluttered and swayed; Along with the grass, its leaves danced. It is as tall as twenty meters, while its coverage area is also twenty meters.

above the branches lies a hut, it is made of wood and twigs, but they are connected precisely that no one would suspect they are. The hut is ten-meter in length, while five meters in width, then only two meters in height. At the small opening of a meter square, names above can be seen inscribed. On the wooden frame, it said, Val, Ge, Marc.

All was quiet under the ray of sun, only whistles of winds are heard, and transient shadows of clouds are seen passing by. But not until when muffled footsteps caused by the grass were heard. There came two youngsters, Marcus and Sarah.

"Looks like they are still not here..." He said before sitting on the soil to have rest, the remote plain of this part is pretty large so their energy is a little bit depleted after the long walk. Sarah sighed and closed her umbrella, "You sure they are going here, It's pretty far... Maybe one of them may get lazy." She said a bit sketchy, but Marcus sighed and assured her, "They aren't called a prodigy when they are lazy Rah, those two will always show up if they agreed..."

Sarah has purple hair, porcelain skin, and a slim body. Her face is pleasant, angelic, and kind. While she hasviolet eyes that glints like diamond, matching her rosed lips.

Marcus paused to feel the wind while satisfaction filled him, "We are just a bit early." He then opened his arms while he smiled at her, She smiled and seated beside him before she leaned on his chest and smiled happily. He proceeded unto closing his arms and closed his eyes.

They were about to fall asleep under the soothing winds when words echoed in their ears ruined it, "What a disgusting scene.", "You still brought your girlfriend huh, don't lose her pissing herself." They were woken up surprised and looked where the words came from, there they saw two figures enclosed with leather sets. Like them who is also wearing one.

This is the leather set that can be bought at the workshop of uncle ben.

Marcus was planning to remain in that position and tease them but his girlfriend herself fixed her posture, she's from the church after all. He sighed and stood up before patting the soil off his leather sets, "Why must you ruin our good time?" He said pouting before getting up the wooden stairs, it was nailed by them when they were children.

Sarah looked at the two while they just smiled at her and followed going up, the woods nailed years ago creaked by their weight, but they didn't mind it and climbed the almost twenty meters tree— As big as their wall.

The four climbed not bothered by the height, they threaded their path to the hut that was built by their own hard work years ago.

Marcus first arrived at the stage where their hut lies, He looked at the plain below first and enjoyed the scene, A sea of green, while behind the green horizon is their town being peaceful as always. Much beyond the town is the wall that stood mighty—The forest is behind.

He felt the wind passing his skin before grumpy words ruined it, "Quit the sightseeing Marc, we gotta plan our mission first." Angela said before she went into their hut, Valor followed on getting up and Sarah followed, "Let's go." She said before going in the one-meter opening. He couldn't help but raised his shoulder before also going in.

What came to view is a small area, decorated with maps and notes, while papers and other random stuff can be found on the floor-- pinned on the maps are their achievements in a photo while assorted regards are on the notes.

"Alright, the Infos." Valor said and Marcus brought out a map from his leather bag, the map was then flipped open and the coverage of the kuruuk forest was seen, it is creased and a bit messy. There lies dot and circles, He coughed and explained, "So this is the forest of kuruuk, the goblins that escaped from the Siege fortress should be found in this areas, while the camps of the military are in this areas."

All nodded memorizing the positions, What they will seek are goblins, while what they should avoid is the military. Kuruuk is currently banned, so they will be punished if they are seen there at the given time.

"Aside from us, Does anyone knows about these locations as well?" Valor asked curiously and Marcus nodded, he explained, "I bought this at Old kent, so the bladed rats and Tuck-mac-tack must have known this, I don't know if others are also interested in going there, like the Greenbutterflies or the Glitchy-Bleach. But it's from Oldkent, So I guess many are going there." He said raising his shoulders.

"Those groups will also be there huh, that's troublesome. Most of them always challenge me if they saw me out the borders." Angela said sighing while Marcus looked at Valor and asked, "We still have the ogre to hunt you know? It also gives plenty of exp, it's hard to compete with many, And we still have monsters to hunt at the other forest."

All looked at him and he was about to answer when his eyes lost their hue, he fell to the ground unconscious. The three looked at him surprised and worried, this doesn't happen even if he is that tired. Angela extended her hand and was about to shake him when her eyes also lost their hue, she fell asleep and her body collapsed on the wooden floor. The two looked at the two surprised and looked at each other when their eyes also lost their hue. Also falling unconscious.