Chapter 6: Mordecai The Bliss

Cuck-cuko! Koo!

This cool morning breeze was something Vester was not accustomed to. Instead of being air-freshening and tranquil, it was harsh and shrivelling. Coupled with the incessant cackles of the avian lives every now and then.

Today was the day he would become an Ascender. A young ascender formally addressed as a squire.

In Ascension, Ascenders were entitled to various ranks depending on their skills and mastery of each ascended path. The basic and foremost rank was given to children of ages thirteen - sixteen. This was the rank popularly known as 'squire'. The primary reason for adopting children to become squires was to make them au-feit with the tradition of Ascension and also enlighten them with the dangers and downsides which were immanent. As squires, they would understand the way of an Ascender after being taught the basics and essentials of everything concerning Ascension. Squires was a mandated stage every person wishing to become an Ascender must go through.

After these squires have proved their worth and shown great importance, they would then ascend into a higher position – Templars.

The title Templar was separated into two different stages, with one being Templar. Jnr and the other, Templar. Snr.

Templar. Jnr was entitled to youths of the ages seventeen — twenty. Usually, during these years, there would be extreme drilling and intense training to enable each Templar. Jnr moves up to a Templar. Snr.

As for Templar. Snr, it was the stage that determined the Ascenders place in the Ascension world. Being a Templar. Snr, they would be exposed to the various fields concerned in Ascension and as mandated for every one of them was to choose any of the respectable forces of the kingdom to ascend.

Vester had wasted a year on the streets of the First District chasing the wind with his uncle. But after he turned fourteen and was on the verge of adding an extra year to his age, he realised he had long wasted his years on the street and know if he didn't enter the stage of a squire, there was no way he could ever become an Ascender.

So after amassing the required amount necessary for the position of a squire – fifteen hundred green paper, he was off to the Honorary Society of Ascension to get his padded armour and title!

The moment Vester awoke, he exuded an inexplicable aura of intrepidity. His eyes were still closed shut but his mind had long risen from its repose.

Hmph! He harrumphed.

Then grinned absurdly.

Opening his pale-silver yet valiant eyes, he brought the light of the day into vision. Not only did he open his eyes, but he also jerked up suddenly from the ground and ran as fast as his legs could.

The Honorary Society of Ascension had a fixed time and date they would accept people's registration fees annually. Today was the deadline since all payment was previously postponed to this day due to some confidential reasons. Now getting there in time was one thing, while getting registered and accepted, was another.

When Vester approached the vicinity of the gate, they were almost up to a thousand children between the age of thirteen and sixteen outside and inside the gate respectively. Majority of these kids were accompanied by their parents or guardian while some who had parents with high kingdom status were already within the gates getting registered.

Vester could only shake his head as he gazed at the crowd and murmured, 'And I thought I would be early.'

He had no parent, well, least one who could show interest towards things like this. So he had to make sure he gets registered no matter what. Waiting for next year was not an option. Every year missed was a year full of regrets.

With the imponderable amount of people that enrol every year, it was almost impossible to register them all. So most times, registration was pushed later that year and if the worst comes to worst, it would be shifted to the coming year. Vester wasn't affected by the rescheduling of the registration time but the fact he was cash-strapped every time didn't make it seem any less different.

'I'm going to become a squire and finally get to kick your butt!' an overweight boy wearing a well-fashioned padded armour to his size exclaimed amidst the crowd. This boy had a shaved red hair that went with the colour of his padded armour and inscribed on his armour was the emblem of a kingdom force – The Sentinels, meaning he was already a known member by birth and would definitely join them in the future when he becomes a Templar. Snr.

Even with how tall the crowd stood compared to his 5'6 height, he raised his head up high and pointed exactly to were Vester stood as he exclaimed.

Vester, on the other hand, was startled at this stranger's sudden burst of determination which was directed directly at him. He took his back and tapped his chest, indicating if this boy was referring to him.

'Hey, hey… you see that tubby boy shouting over there?' a very silent whisper sounded beside Vester.

When Vester turned to face the source of the voice, it was another boy in a dark-green padded armour who faced the opposite way of where Vester faced. This one had a well-carved face through the side view with a bright emerald hair and was slightly slimmer than Vester is.

'I-I think his talking his to me.' Vester floundered.

'No, he's not. Try to distract him so I can make a run?' the boy quickly said at Vester.

'What are you talking about? I don't know him… or you.' Vester bluntly replied.

'You here for the registration?' the boy asked again quickly.

'Erm, yeah.'

'You know what, you help me and I will see you end up a squire.' the boy spoke hurriedly.

'I don't know about tha-'

'Now!' the boy forced Vester to his back and towards the tubby boy as he ran off behind him.

'Wait for what?!' Vester confusedly spoke.

At this time, the other boy had already made his way to Vester and yelled, 'Today we end our scores and show-?!'

But his speech was shortened after Vester suddenly matched at his front.

The boy stared at Vester.

Who is this? He thought.

Back at Vester, his eyes blinked uncontrollably as he stared at this small round ball.

'What do you want?' bellowed the young man.

'Me? No, I was just passing by.' Vester calmly spoke, typically how he would speak to any stranger.

'Out of my way!' the boy shouted and took the route beside Vester to pass.

Vester too shifted to the same way he took. Blocking his way. The boy carried his head up and glared at Vester. With nothing said, he shifted left.

Vester shifted right.

He shifted right

Vester shifted left.

'Get off my way!!' the boy shouted louder this time.

'You're the one in my way!' Vester unexpectedly shouted back at him.

'Argh!' he snorted and with his left hand, he pushed Vester behind him. 'Wait where'd he go?' the boy asked in surprise.

'Who?' Vester asked seemingly in surprise at his back.

'Argh! You let him get away! You'll pay!' the boy once again shouted in rage.

Vester raised his palms up high, 'I don't know what you're talking about.'

The boy angrily moulded his fist and a bright red ring appeared three inches around his wrist. 'This would show you never to mess with a SENTINEL!!' he exclaimed.

Vester opened his eyes to the size of an egg and was about drifting far from him when suddenly a chuckle came from behind.

The boy stopped like a fail movie refusing to play as he stuttered, 'As-Astar?!'

Even Vester had to look back to see this god sent an angel that extricated him from doom today.

A slim and yet adorable young girl with different fashionable materials on her body stood akimbo at their backs. She carried a pigtails light cream hair and wore her padded armour - pink.

'Beating up new students, how disappointing of you Bobby.' she said with utmost disdain sipping out through each word.

'Its… its… you see, He was–' the brave and all-mighty boy who stood atop the crowd suddenly mellowed at the sight of this young woman.

Be it the difference in rank or one-sided love, none knew.

'Hmph! Leave me alone I'll be with the rest of the group!' the girl harrumphed and sauntered away as she flipped her hair back.

'As-Astar!' the boy exclaimed and ran after the figure of the girl but gave a quick disapproving look at Vester.

The rest of the audience stood there watching Vester like their lives depended on it. Meanwhile, Vester was dumbstruck by this whole scenario. He could only blame it on that boy. He just wait till he gets his hands on him.

He sighed. Like he would even dent his armour one bit.

This children well squires of the previous year. The year he was supposed to join the Honorary Society of Ascension. By calculation, he and these students of the Ascension Society were supposed to be on the same level of mantra mastering and skills.

Well, even if they were, he couldn't doubt the prowess of these youngsters by a fight. One year was enough for them to completely beat his ass up as they were constantly being tutored and taught by a well respected and eminent Ascender.

After the show, Vester looked around and pridefully dusted his body like he had everything under control. He casually proceeded to the registration centre where he met various children who assembled to get their ranks.

'This would take forever.' he inwardly said.

Foosh!

Vester suddenly felt uneasy. His hair was silently blown about and his senses arose, making them twinkle.

Without a sound, he suddenly felt something appear beside him like space at that spot was consumed by a force. As silent as an owl, this unknown thing landed one inch beside him and only for it to rest its hand atop Vester's shoulder.

When Vester turned around and tried to react by breaking this unforeseen connection, the thing spoke to him.

'Yoa! Thank you, friend.'

What?!

When Vester finally looked beside him, it was the boy who got initially got him into that mess. The one with light green hair.

But despite his unheard anger, he remained silent. He wasn't really sure on a proper way to react. This guy approached him from wherever and he didn't even see him come nor did he sense his presence. Only when he fully arrived did he notice him.

°_°

Scary!

'My name is Mordecai, Mordecai the Blizz.' he said with a vibrant smile across his face.