chapter 2

They set off with Shin still asleep next to Sena, she was the shortest out of the 4 being 5 foot 5, she had blond hair and azure blue eyes like her mothers, her hair was tied back into a pony tail, she had high cheek bones and a resting bitch face to accompany it. Alexia on the other hand had black hair and eyes, she had a beauty spot underneath one eye and was dressed even more casually than Shin, she had boots, trousers and a shirt on. The only thing that stuck out was that the right side of her hair was being braided by Serine, while that was going on Alexia was struggling to get into a dress without moving her head too much. "Stop squirming." Serine said as she slapped Alexia's head.

"I'm putting on one of your impossible dresses Serine calm down I'm done." As if they practised this Sena whipped out the makeup bag and started 'prettying up' Alexia.

"Ok and done. Now swap with me so you are next to Shin." Sena whispered

"What, Why?"

"Yeah and put his head on your lap, he's not dense he'll get it." Serine said

"I don't want him to get it though."

Sena stood up, she was the only person that could and even here head was touching the ceiling, she pulled Alexia up to crouch and they rotated. The carriage hit a bump and Alexia's head smashed into the carriage ceiling and she passed out, and her head landed into his lap, as she crumpled into the seat next to Shin. "That didn't go as planned." Sena said "His head needs to be on her lap, not the other way around."

"There's no difference, maybe when he wakes up, we can help him with the conclusion that she likes him then they can finally start going out, all this deflecting is tiring me out and I'm not the one doing it."

A couple of Hours later Shin woke up, he sat up and looked around. "Oh, what's up Sena, I didn't know you were coming with us."

"Nobody but Serine and mother knew, after all I'm the princess of the country." Sena replied flicking he ponytail.

"Oh no, why is Lex sleeping on me. Don't say that you guys set this up." He whispered at Serine "If she fell asleep and you guys did this, I'm so dead."

"Don't worry bro, she did it herself. She laid down on the seat and WILLINGLY, put her head on your lap all because you are not picking up on the hints that she likes you, she is doing this, so you get it."

"I don't believe you. You trying to mess with me, but it is not working. Now get her off me before she kills me."

Slowly the carriage came to a holt, and Serine opened the door and said as loudly as possible "We're here! Wake up Alexia!" Alexia groaned and sat up. She rubbed her head and blinked a couple hundred times. "Oh, my Shaan what happened. Last I remember was that I was Swapping spaces with Sena then nothing."

"Soo nothing about putting your head on my lap. Don't worry I never did anything it was them two."

"Chill it's not like I am going to kill you. Anyway, we're here let's show with some style, after all I'm dressed up for this."

"Same I got my Gi out for this it better be fun at the very least, I'll be severely disappointed if it is easy."

"I fell you, unlike some people I don't like thing being too easy sometimes. Let go and leave the two gals to themselves so they can gush over my brother together." Lex said as she pulled his arm.

"Sure, if I'm with Serine, all I'll here is people gushing over her."

"What about me?"

"To be completely honest Lex, I'll be one of those people. You are the prettiest woman I've laid my eyes on"

"Shut up. Shin let's go I don't want to wait in some long line to enter this academy."

"Neither do I or Serina she always likes to be somewhere before everyone so she can see everything happen if anything happens. She likes being up to date on gossip. You didn't know that? You hang out with her more than me."

"Oh, so that's why she knows everything that ever happens at anything. Lord I never knew that thanks for telling me that, I have a counterpoint now to whenever she wants me to arrive ten days early to some stupid event."

They walked and talked until they reached a very short line with a 10 people including Shin and the group one of them being Sun Lex's twin brother. "Shin my man long time no see how are you doing? I haven't seen you since that shitshow of a party two years back."

"Man, shits been crazy, need to train because you know."

"Oh yeah you're not allowed to use spirit power by your father. Shame if you were you would have been there for those crazy times, maybe even been the voice of reason to my recklessness."

"We both know that wouldn't happen."

Unlike Shin, Sun was lean, he would never be considered a physical guy, he was easy going and considered a voice of reason to many people, but that's only how he acts in public. In reality, he's the opposite. He's surprisingly strong, the only person that could beat him in an arm wrestle is Shin and that mostly because of his intense training and him being half foreign. His hair was not combed and his cloths were all creased, most people will attribute this to his easy going personality but the truth is that he is too lazy unless it's a huge event he will never dress to impress even though when he does some girls will latterly faint and then that little devil that lives in his mind will wake up.

"I've had enough of waiting can we please begin" a person said at the front of the line. He was fat and was sitting at the floor. He looked at the double golden gates with a burning anger. "I've been here for the past hour begin my test already."

"Just shut up they said tests will begin at a certain time you decided to come 2 hours early." Shin said as he yawned. He looked back at Sun and they continued their conversation about what happened the past 2 years. "Who dares say that? Come out so I can rip you another one!"

Shin looked as Sun and smiled "1 minute, I need to teach someone a lesson that the world bend over because his father forgot to pull out." He then turned to look at the boy walking over to him and Sun. "It was me, try rip me another one we'll see what happens."

"Of course, it was the bastard, us nobles are more polite and better spoken than a mistake."

"Call me a bastard one more time and I will send your fat ass rolling down this mountain, and I might be a mistake but at least my father knows that I won't turn out to be a waste of resources, and judging by how you look you've used up quite a bit"

"A bastard that doesn't cultivate in spirit power beat me. If Sun doesn't get involved, I'll teach you fear and have you kneel before me."

Shin gave his glaive over to Sun "Hold this. I warned you don't go crying to your father when this is done." When he finished, he punched the boy right in the throat, while he was chocking Shin kicked him in the stomach and sent him flying into a tree. The boy started rolling around and vomited on the ground. Shin walked over while saying "Pour child can't even take to hits, shame. You definitely don't deserve to be here." Shin then kicked him, and he started rolling down the steps to the top of the mountain. "I warned him." Shin said as he walked back and took his glaive form Sun.

"Dude, you didn't need to go that far. That was a bit much, you made him vomit." Sun said looking Shin right in the eye as he passed the glaive back to him. "This glavie weighs a ton, I guess nobody will be able to take u on physically."

"It's the only perk of having to put your body through hell, you know exactly how to bring it down as easy as you want."

The giant gates creaked open and an old man walked out. He was wearing all white robes and was hunched over. He looked at the group of nine and laughed, he stroked his beard as he walked to the top of the stairs and looked down. The fat boy was laying halfway down it. "More people seem to be coming, go inside and speak to the man inside and whatever you do you are not allowed to fight anything until you are given the go ahead by a member of the examination committee we are all wearing white robes."

Everyone looked at each other, "You heard the man. The exam must have started, let's go." Serine said as she pulled on Suns arm. 2 more girls walked up to sun as well and they both grabbed his other arm and said in unison "No, come with us. We'll be much better company than Serine." Sun looked at Shin, his eyes pleading to help him. As Shin walked forward Lex grabbed his arm and pulled him away, she looked at Sun and laughed "Unlucky, I guess you'll have to figure this out on your own 'like you always do'" putting the her last words in air quotes "Have fun, I'm borrowing Shin, come one Sena you too."

Sena looked between Lex and Sun contemplating, 'Should I watch Sun suffer with those girls or, should I mess with the lovebirds.' "Hm, this is a hard choice. You know what I will stick with Serine for a while we'll catch up with you guys later." Shin turned around and looked at Sun and mouthed the words 'sorry' as Sun was being tugged on bye Serine and the two girls with Sena following behind giggling.

Lex and Shin walked past the gates and entered the building. It was all white with golden trimmings on everything. The room was filled with people and they looked around. Lex pointed at a man sitting in front of a desk that said, 'Register for the Exam Here'. "Over there, there's the guy we need to speak to." Shin looked over to where Lex was pointing as she walked up to him. Shin's eye widened as he looked at not a man but an enchanted statue it shone bright with power. "Lex wait." Shin shouted as he ran after her. "It's a trap, he's not the one we are supposed to talk to. The tests have begun, and I don't think that the first test they would administer is signing your name on a piece of paper. The old man said speak to the man inside, if we were meant to sign up, he would have said to sign up. Also, father told me that the only teachers aloud in the testing area are ones form the committee, he isn't."

"Hmm, never thought of it that way. What makes you think that the test has begun? But that's beside the point, I think your right. Something feels off with this guy, I can't place my finger on it, but I have a feeling that he isn't real. Look at him he's been staring at us since we walked in and hasn't blinked." A woman walked past her with a plate of drink and Lex picked one up and split the contents on the man. Nothing, no reaction, he didn't even look wet. "An enchantment, great that must make most of the 'people' here enchantments as well. This makes thing whole thing finding the guy harder, for most people, lucky for you I brought you with me."

Shin, giggled and scratched his head "I forgot that your dad is an expert enchanter, I forget since Sun doesn't know a damned thing about it."

"What was that other thing the old man said got to do with this. Do not fight until given the go ahead to by an examiner go to do with this. I swear if we are attacked, I will defend myself screw what the rules are."

"Since this test has to do with enchantments, I think they will leave testing the physical aspects for the later tests. I think it will be a trick, can you enchant a figure to look like its going to attack someone."

"Yes, it actually quite easy give me and hour and I'll be able to make 20 of those. Oh, I see where your going, they will fake an attack and the ones who fight back will be eliminated. I guess I'm lucky to have you here or I'd be disqualified. Now let's go find that man, he should be the only adult in this room."

They started looking around, they dismissed any enchantments they met and kept looking but it took forever, they were surrounded by so many enchantments and people who were also trying to find a man and people rushing over to the fake sign that it was hard to keep track of where you've already checked or not. Shen was however, looking for a man that wasn't glowing much. He dismissed those who glowed too much and too little. He saw that old man and was looking for someone who glow with a similar power to that man. Then he was the space before him blur and he saw a spark of light flash in the middle of the air. The man is invisible, that why it is so hard to find him, but the enchantment is running out of power he will show soon, and everyone will notice him.

"Lex found him this way," he said tapping her shoulder and then he pulled her by the arm. The raced after the figure. "Where are you taking me? I don't see anyone." Shin stayed quiet, he'd never told anyone about him being able to see enchantments but his master and his father. His father told him it was a trait that he shared with his mother and to keep it a secret and not tell anyone else. 'should I tell her. I need her to trust me, but father said not to tell anyone he probably has a goof reason why.' Shin turned back and said "Do you trust me? If you do follow me, we can't lose him cause if we do, I don't think we can find him again." Just as he said that the air in front of the shimmered.

"Is that what you were taking me to, is that guy invisible?"

"Oh shit they found me." A burly voice said followed by a huff.

"I second." Lex said as she rummaged in her handbag as she brought out a small stone and then she crushed it with her hand. There was a flash of light and the man slowly appeared. He was a bit taller than Shin around 6 foot 3 and was much, much bigger. "Room 322, good job not may people are able to notice and dispel a level 1 stealth enchantment at your age. Head there I need to go back into stealth for a minute then scare the living shit out of the rest." The man said as he slowly disappeared again. Shin looked at Lex as he laughed "Your amazing, and you certainly came prepared didn't you, you brought a revealing stone with you."

"Fortune favours the prepared, ever heard that before, and I know I'm amazing but most of that was you I didn't think that you could see through a level 1 stealth enchantment. What has your master been teaching you?"

"What? Is the great and amazing Lex complementing me?"

"Maybe, it rare so why don't you savour it while you can. Anyway, let's go to room 322, it should be on the 3rd floor, it their room numbering makes any sense. Come one, what are you waiting for." Lex said as she walked out of the room. "Damn she's good. I forgot that, man it has been a really long time since I've had fun like this." Shin mumbled as he followed her "I'm definitely going to tell her. If there is anyone, I want to know everything about me, its her."

"Hurry up, do you have a stick up your but or what?" Lex shouted from the staircase.

"I'm coming, I just need a moment to myself." Shin replied while sprinting up the staircase.

"Where you that stunned by my brilliance?"

"Last one to room 302, buy the winner food." Shin said as he ran past her, "Or can you not keep up."

"Wait let me put my boots on and I'll show you your place which is behind me, if you didn't know." The moment Lex took of her high heels she instantly jumped up and started sprinting and in a matter of seconds she passed Shina and turned a corner. As she ran, she ripped a map from the walls and ran straight to room 322. While Shin was standing there. "Nice time to lose, convincingly." And he waited for a couple of seconds before bolting after her, he also ripped a map of off a wall as he followed her to room 322 but as he was catching up with her, he took a left and continued running and ended up at a window. He looked through the window and on the other side Lex stood there pointing at him while smiling. He then went over "Lucky, I read the map wrong, else I would have won that."

"Luck is a part of skill. Only the unlucky believe that its not." She smiled and looked at him. She opened the door and beckoned in front of her "Old ladies first."

"Rude." Shin said as he walked in. He looked around and saw nobody else in the room, 'good' he thought 'I can tell her everything now'. Shin walked over and sat down on a sofa; Lex sat down next to him. "Lex, I have something I need to tell you. You're the only person I can trust." He said looking at her.

"What do you mean? I'm the only person you trust, with what?"

"I think my master was assassinated by some group. Master told me that his enemies want to get rid of his training style from this continent and if they find out I am his student they will come after me as well."

"Wait, this is too much. Why are you telling me this? Do you need my help?"

"I need to get this off my chest, I need to tell someone so if I ever disappear or end up found in a ditch somewhere, somebody will know why I died, and not believe any lies. As long as someone knows the truth and they don't believe the trash that will be spewed after I die."

"I don't want to think about your death. I won't let that happen not if I am still alive Shin. Sun, Serine, Sena, Dink, me and the rest of us won't let it happen."

"Lex, as long as your alive I'm fine with giving up my life. I'm just a bastard after all, I am worth nothing. I will be more than glad to die if it meant save you, and nothing else will ever change how I fell about that. Please Lex, don't tell anyone. I don't want anyone dragged into this. When they find me, I will not be able to fight back. I will never even get close to my master's power and they even managed to kill him; I will not stand a chance against them."

"Why do you think you won't stand a chance?"