39 Arthur Lyon
Under the ethereal glow of the moon, a field of pink flowers swayed gently in the night breeze, creating a tapestry of soft hues that seemed to dance under the silver light.
It was here, in this serene and secluded spot, that Arthur Lyon found solace away from the stifling atmosphere of the Lyon Chateau.
Dressed in a white dress shirt paired with a light-yellow vest, his black tie neatly arranged against the vest, Arthur wore beige pants and black shoes, an attire that blended elegance with comfort.
This flower field was his escape, a place where he could breathe freely without the oppressive presence of his father looming over him.
Crunch!
The sound of footsteps on the soft earth caught Arthur's attention. He turned swiftly, his brow raised in surprise.
In all the years he had come here, never had he encountered another person.
Before him stood a figure shrouded in a cloak, mysterious and out of place amidst the floral tranquility.
"Who are you?" Arthur demanded, his posture tensing, ready for any threat.
In response, the cloaked figure emitted a powerful wave of mana, the energy visible in the air.
Arthur quickly assessed the situation, noting the strength of the mana that felt close to a C- rank Magician.
Without a word, the Magician slammed a wooden staff into the ground.
Fwoosh!
A sudden gust of wind whipped through the field, the petals swirling around them transforming into wolves made entirely of flowers.
The scene was both beautiful and menacing.
Reacting instinctively, Arthur materialized a sword of light in his hand.
The blade glowed brilliantly, casting luminous reflections on the petals below.
"Flash of Merlin," he whispered.
In an instant, Arthur's body was enveloped in light, and he dashed towards the cloaked Magician at light-speed, leaving a trail of luminous particles in his wake.
The move was swift and precise, a blur of motion that ended as quickly as it began.
Arthur now found himself behind the Magician, kneeling down as if he had just executed a decisive slice.
The figure before him split in two, the halves falling to the ground as the flower wolves dissipated into the night air.
Arthur turned, his expression composed as he dematerialized the light sword. Walking towards the fallen bodies, he watched as they transformed into rose petals before his very eyes.
'A clone?!' The realization widened his eyes.
With heightened alertness, Arthur looked around, the serene field suddenly feeling like a concealed battlefield.
Materializing the light sword once again, he prepared for further confrontation.
Fwoosh!
As another powerful gust of wind swept through the area, Arthur quickly turned to face the new threat.
Towering above him was a giant golem crafted entirely from the pink petals that carpeted the field.
Atop this formidable structure stood the cloaked stranger, commanding the golem like a puppeteer from its head.
Without warning, the golem drew back one massive petal-constructed arm and launched a heavy punch toward Arthur.
His eyes widened in alarm as the enormous fist hurtled through the air towards him.
"Flash of Merlin."
Reacting swiftly, Arthur's body was once again enveloped in a radiant light aura. He dashed to the side at light-speed, evading the incoming attack with barely a moment to spare.
BOOM!
The golem's fist smashed into the ground where Arthur had stood just seconds before, sending a cloud of debris and smoke billowing into the air.
The impact was so forceful it seemed to shake the very foundation of the field.
Now positioned safely to the side, Arthur didn't waste a moment. He pointed his light sword directly at the Magician perched on the golem's head.
"Avalon Blast!"
From the tip of his sword, four beams of intense light shot out toward the Magician at blinding speeds.
The golem reacted almost instinctively, moving its other arm in front of its master to shield him from the attack.
BOOM!
The beams struck the golem's arm, resulting in a thunderous explosion. The force of the impact caused the arm to momentarily falter, exposing the Magician.
Arthur noticed that the golem's other hand—the one that had attempted to strike him—was still embedded in the ground from its failed punch.
Seizing the opportunity, he prepared for another maneuver.
"Flash of Merlin."
Once more, Arthur's figure was cloaked in dazzling light as he sprinted towards the golem's outstretched hand.
"Humph!"
With a powerful leap, he landed firmly on the golem's arm.
Without hesitating, he began sprinting up the arm towards the golem's head, his speed so great that he appeared as nothing more than a streak of light ascending the floral giant.
"Humph!"
With a determined grunt, Arthur leaped into the air, soaring higher than the towering height of the golem. From his elevated position, he could see the Magician below, oblivious to the imminent danger.
'This is the chance!'
Arthur pointed his light sword downward, focusing his energy. "Avalon Blast," he whispered softly.
A surge of light beams erupted from the tip of his sword, cascading towards the Magician with blistering speed.
The Magician's head snapped upwards just in time to see the descent of the lethal light.
BOOM!
The ground below erupted in a tremendous explosion, the force of the blast tearing through the golem and enveloping the area in a cloud of debris and energy.
When the smoke cleared, the golem and the Magician seemed to have vanished, leaving behind a charred imprint where they once stood.
Arthur landed gracefully on the ground, his eyes scanning the aftermath.
The flower field, once a place of peace and beauty, now lay in ruin around him.
He felt a pang of sadness at the destruction of his secret refuge.
"At least there's still some flowers left."
He walked over to where the golem had been and knelt to examine the ashes. But as he did, a familiar wave of mana surged through the air, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand up.
Without warning, his arm was ensnared by swiftly emerging vines.
"Tch!"
Arthur reacted instantly, materializing the light sword in his free hand and slicing through the vine.
Swick!
Freed from the grasp, he quickly stepped back, but almost immediately, another vine shot up, binding his other arm.
"Tch!" he exclaimed again in frustration.
He attempted to summon his sword again, but before he could, yet another vine wrapped around his remaining free hand, effectively restraining him.
"You've got to be kidding me."
Rumble!
Before him, the ground trembled as if in response to his plight. Then, astonishingly, the flower golem began to reform right before his eyes.
Petals and bits of flora coalesced, building the towering figure anew.
Atop its head stood the Magician, unharmed and seemingly unfazed by the previous assault.
There it was—the same towering flower golem and the Magician, once again assuming his position of command.
The magician directed its staff towards Arthur, and the golem's massive arm swept forward in a wide arc, aiming a powerful punch directly at him.
With his movements restricted by the vines, Arthur's options were severely limited.
"Avalon's Radiant Aegis!"
In front of him materialized a large, luminous shield shaped like a flower.
The shield gleamed brightly under the moonlit sky, bracing for impact.
BOOM!
The golem's fist slammed into the shield, generating a tremendous shockwave that rippled through the air.
Arthur gritted his teeth, channeling more mana to maintain the shield's integrity, but he knew it wouldn't hold for long.
Glancing at his hands still partially ensnared by vines, he split his focus, redirecting some of his dwindling mana supply to his hands.
"Luminous Gauntlets," he whispered again.
This time, his fists glowed with a radiant light, the energy searing through the vines and setting him free.
Crack!
He barely had time to register his relief when he heard the ominous sound of his shield beginning to fracture.
"Flash of Merlin!"
Arthur reacted instantly, dashing to the side at light speeds just as the shield shattered.
Crack!
Boom!
The golem's fist pounded the ground where Arthur had stood moments earlier, leaving a crater in its wake.
"Hah…hah…"
Arthur panted heavily, struggling to catch his breath.
The sheer size of the golem and the force of its attacks demanded an extremely high amount of mana, significantly more than he had anticipated.
He could feel his reserves rapidly depleting.
Just then, he felt a tight grip around his foot.
Looking down, he saw another vine, this one winding tightly around his ankle.
Arthur's eyes widened in alarm.
In an instant, the vine yanked upward, flinging him into the sky with tremendous force.
"Crap…" he managed to exclaim as he soared upwards.
From below, the golem leaped higher than Arthur, its massive fist poised to deliver a crushing blow that would send him plummeting back to earth.
Arthur's mind raced. "Avalon's guard…"
With the last remnants of his mana, he enveloped himself in a protective aura of light, bracing for impact.
Boom!
The golem's fist collided with him mid-air, and with a deafening crash, Arthur was slammed into the field below.
BOOM!
The ground shattered upon his impact, forming a huge crater around his fallen body.
The light aura that had surrounded him flickered and then faded, leaving him visibly battered and bruised.
Blood trickled down his forehead, mixing with the dirt and petals scattered around him.
The protective spell had only partially shielded him from the devastating blow.
Struggling to move, Arthur tried to push himself up, his body protesting with pain from multiple cuts and bruises. His mana was completely drained, and his physical strength was nearly spent.
"I guess…this is it, huh?" he grimaced, the weight of his situation settling in.
Despite his formidable abilities, the relentless power of the golem and the cunning of the magician had overwhelmed him.
Lying in the crater, defeated and exhausted, Arthur wondered if he had finally met a challenge beyond his ability to overcome.
"That's enough!"
The authoritative voice cut through the tension like a blade.
Arthur's eyes widened in shock as he recognized the voice—his father's.
He turned around and saw Uther Lyon approaching.
His father's presence was commanding, his blonde hair styled meticulously, his sharp green eyes scanning the scene with evident disappointment.
He was dressed in a beige suit with gold accents, every inch the image of a powerful and influential Magician.
'How does father know?'
Arthur had never revealed the location of the flower field to anyone. How had Uther found him? He had been meticulous about concealing his traces, especially his mana.
"So, this is where you've been going during the night, huh?" Uther spoke up, his voice calm but carrying a chill. "I noticed your mana and I just simply followed it."
Arthur's heart sank. He had been so careful to compress his Mana to leave no trace.
Uther's gaze shifted to the Magician. "That's enough, thank you for accepting this job."
The Magician nodded respectfully and began to walk away.
Arthur watched the exchange, a sense of betrayal washing over him.
'They were in this together!?'
He had thought the Magician was a random assailant, possibly even an assassin. The realization that his father had orchestrated this encounter—that he had hired someone to test him—was staggering.
"Arthur, I'm very disappointed in you," Uther continued. "The Magician you fought was a C- rank Magician, yet, you lost even though you are now at C+ rank."
Arthur looked down, his emotions swirling. Throughout his life, he had strived to please his father, to live up to the expectations set by Uther Lyon, an S rank Magician and the guildmaster of " Les Arcanes Éternels."
The pressure was immense, suffocating.
"At this point, that Manaless, Dominic, is going to surpass you," Uther added sharply. "Don't embarrass the Lyon name, Arthur."
Arthur's fists clenched tightly at his sides. The mention of Dominic, his best friend, being used as a benchmark stung deeply.
The jealousy and frustration mingled painfully in his chest. He didn't want to feel this way about Dominic—didn't want to see his friend as a rival—but his father's words ignited a bitter flame within him.
As he thought about it, Arthur realized there was something strange about his friendship with Dominic.
From a young age, they attended the same school and joined the same clubs and activities. However, Dominic always seemed to outshine Arthur, even in areas where Arthur had more interest and abilities.
Arthur initially dreamed of becoming a Magitist, fascinated by the blend of Science and Magic. So, he joined clubs that focused on those subjects and invited Dominic, his best friend, to join him.
Despite starting out underestimated and bullied for being Manaless, Dominic soon began excelling, surprisingly surpassing Arthur in both science and magic.
Arthur tried to hide his disappointment and jealousy, reminding himself that he should be supportive of his best friend.
The pattern continued when Arthur shifted his focus to painting, another passion of his. Dominic followed him into this new club and, yet again, surpassed Arthur, gaining popularity despite his lack of magical abilities.
Arthur felt lonely and overshadowed, his jealousy growing.
Each time, Arthur moved on to different clubs, avoiding any competitive elements, but Dominic followed and continued to excel. Arthur realized Dominic's academic superiority was undeniable.
Feeling overshadowed despite his magical abilities, Arthur became tired of feeling inferior.
He then decided to become a Stargate Raider, a role Dominic had shown no interest in, mainly because of his physical limitations as someone Manaless.
For once, Arthur felt he could excel without Dominic's shadow looming over him.
However, training was tough, especially as Arthur wasn't naturally skilled in combat. Although it took him several attempts, he finally succeeded in raiding a Stargate.
But his relief was short-lived. Dominic unexpectedly decided to pursue being a Stargate Raider and succeeded on his first try, even without magic, deepening Arthur's feelings of jealousy and bitterness.
Arthur finally realized that Dominic, even without magic, was a true genius.
"Be better, Arthur."
Arthur's reverie broke at the sound of his father's stern voice.
"I—I'm sorry, Father. I'll do better."
"You better. You chose this path, and we Lyons are a lineage of distinguished Stargate Raiders."
With those words, Uther turned and walked away, leaving Arthur standing alone amid scattered petals, his heart burdened with a blend of defeat, confusion, and a growing resentment towards Dominic, the unintended cause of his father's harsh comparisons.
The weight of the moment settled heavily on him, deepening his sense of isolation.
It wasn't just a rift between him and his father; it was a disconnection from the part of himself that desperately sought his father's approval and pride.
