Chapter 8 Part 1 of 4 (Patreon)

Chapter: Gatekeepers

Kujo Hikokie’s face pinched together as he raised his hand over the door, pausing a moment before he knocked.

“Come in.”

Kujo Hikokie stepped into the room and bowed to Professor Mueller.

“Hello, Kujo, how can I help you?” Mueller asked.

“Professor, I hope you don’t take my words as rude. My younger brother Ujisuke was in your history class and he spoke highly of you. I wanted to ask you some questions if that would be okay with you?” Hikokie bowed deeper.

“Very well, I will allow your questions.” Mueller put down his pen.

“There are two students in your class. West and Rodriguez. They do not come from any of the Associations. How many of your classes have they attended?”

“Those two.” Mueller sighed and sat back in his chair, rolling the question around. “I guess if you ask anyone in my class they will tell you the same thing. They’ve only attended one of my classes. Why are you interested? Please tell me you’re not looking to take revenge for your brother.” Mueller’s voice hardened.

“I cannot say that I am not motivated by my brother, but I am also a member of the Fighter’s Association and I wish to protect the Imperium with everything I can.”

“Tell me how this is not motivated by your brother and why you are asking me questions?”

Hikokie stood up straight. “Last month they fought my brother and ten other applicants that wanted to join the academy in the same day—both of them. They defeated them all and retained their position. They were much stronger than they were when they arrived.”

“Avegaaren is a school to make people stronger.”

“Yes, but professor, they have no registered teacher or master. In fact, other than going to lectures and the library, there is no record of them doing anything else. They don’t show up to anything for three days at a time and their accommodations have their own guards who, incidentally, travel to and from the First Realm. I believe they are using the academy to gain information and have become gatekeepers.”

“Calling someone a gatekeeper is a serious claim, not trying to advance and focusing on keeping out new talent from the academy.” Mueller leaned forward.

“This is the information I have found,” Hikokie presented an information scroll.

Mueller opened it, it burned away, light streaming between his brows, pinching together harder with each passing second.

He patted away the ash remains of the scroll, his face drawn together.

“And last week they defeated another ten applicants in the same day. Three months in a row now. What will you do even if they are gatekeepers?” Mueller asked.

“I will ask for a special dispensation to have them retested to see where they rank and clear them from the bottom ranks so people that deserve to join the academy are given the chance to do so.”

Mueller studied Hikokie, making him lower his head. “A retesting, I will put forward your recommendation. You will fight both of them to see just how strong they are, and the depths of their ability.”

***

Rekha listened to her sound transmission messages, leaning up against the wall of the smithy, ignoring the probing eyes as men and women walked past.

“You know its easier when you’re wearing your helmet and covered in gore to deal with all of the glares,” Sam said, sitting on a barrel next to her.

Rekha was proud of her looks but at the same time she wished that others, like Cayleigh and Sam did, would look past her beauty. “As long as they leave us alone, I’ll be happy.”

“Unless they propose a marriage.” Sam raised an eyebrow.

“They want to marry, they can marry the ground.”

“About ten feet down?” Sam smiled.

Rekha smiled. “I think I could embed them fifteen at least.”

The door to the smithy opened as Cayleigh walked out. “Mom says hi. Shall we get going?” She wiped sweat from her brow.

“Warm in there?” Sam jumped off the barrel and they walked through the stores that lined the street. They were simple affairs, but each held at least a master level crafter.

“Even with my fire resistance it leaves me sweating, mom’s got legendary resistance, she barely feels a thing, even with a block of celestial iron in her hand.” Cayleigh grinned.

“Elemental freaks,”

“Mana dumbass.” The two of them smiled at one another before Cayleigh pulled him down to kiss him on the cheek.

“Lovebirds,” Rekha muttered.

“Ah you never know, maybe one of the gentlemen or ladies ogling you might be a match,” Cayleigh said.

Rekha groaned as they approached a teleportation pad to head home.

They appeared at a palatial estate. The entire building was set up in a formation, condensing mana and elements and focusing them into training rooms across the area.

“Feels good to be back,” Sam said as they walked up the stairs, finding an older human lady wearing a maids outfit.

“Madam Li.”

“It is good to see you, little Rekha.”

“She is a ball of destruction, should have seen what she did to some guy’s walls. Surprised the place was still standing when we left.” Cayleigh grinned as they continued their climb.

“Sam, Cayleigh, will you two be staying over?”

“Yup!” Cayleigh grinned.

“Any of that divine moruasi wine?” Sam smiled.

“Certainly, Sam, your rooms have been cleaned and are waiting for you.”

“Thank you, Madam Li,” Rekha said.

“It is my duty. Now, shall we get all of you out of that armor. Dinner will be at six tonight, that’s in two hours. The west garden is rather lovely right now, refreshments will be laid out there for you.”

Servants appeared, guiding Sam and Cayleigh away. Rekha watched them go, talking amicably with the servants they had made friends with.

“I wonder if we shouldn’t give their residences to another. They spend most of their time here,” Madam Li said.

“I don’t know what I would do with all this by myself,” Rekha said as she followed Madam Li. Madam Li waved her hand and a doorway in front of them shimmered, showing a different room beyond.

They passed through the doorway, teleported across the palace.

“Anything happen while I was gone?”

“Your master went missing again.”

“Makes sense.” The corners of her mouth lifted in a rare, soft expression.

“He is the Head of the Imperium and he’s as bad as you for disappearing all the time.”

“I just had the right role model.”

Madam Li’s snort seemed to disagree as they passed through another doorway. “There are also two people from the lower realms that are making a stir.”

“Which Association?”

“None. They’re from an empire.”

“Oh?” Rekha raised an eyebrow as they passed through another doorway. The doors to her room opened. It was large enough to fit a modest home. Light drifted through the thin curtains that danced with the light breeze passing through the room. A small waterfall trickled into a bath big enough for a dozen adults, letting off a light steam, overlooking the Southern gardens, carefully and perfectly molded.

A modest bed, a training area, closet, and desk filled out the rest of the room.

Attendants moved to Rekha as she raised her arms, A burst of specific mana and force of will unlocked her armor. Their deft finger went to work on the armor, shedding the kilograms.

“Which empire?”

“An empire in the First Realm.”

“First Realm?” Rekha turned, startling the attendants. “Sorry.”

“They are from the Alvan Empire. From their names, they might be the emperors of the empire.”

“Alvan? Not the same with the Alvan Alliance?” Rekha’s face hardened.

“I believe it is one and the same.”

“I doubt they are here for anything good.”

“There are rumors that they are acting as gatekeepers. They spend most of their time in the library now they have been shunned from the lectures. Otherwise, they do whatever for days at a time.”

“Trying to get as much information to get stronger to secure their control over their alliance probably.”

“They have been here for nine months and defeated all the people that have challenged them. People are now challenging those ahead of them in the ranking and making it in. A man ranked in the eight thousand has issued a challenge and requested a retest. I believe Academy Head Serkin will give it.”

“It is a stain for someone so highly ranked to have to fight them.”

Rekha shed the last of her armor.

They started working on her under clothes, stained with dirt and sweat, as one worked on her hair, teasing out the knots.

“How were your missions?”

“The lower realms are getting lively because of this Alvan Alliance. There are a number of tears in the Ninth we dealt with, small incursions but a lot of them.” Rekha frowned.

“You think that there is more to them.”

“Who knows what Devourers and the Ravagers are thinking. While the tears are all over, not one Devourer went through and once we attacked, several Ravagers fled, returning to the Shattered Realms.”

“Even a year ago they would fight no matter what.”

“They have changed their behavior from what happened in the past.” Rekha agreed.

***