C3: To the Capital

On their three-day journey, Yulia did the talking. With occasional interjections, she told the life in the capital.

"The capital is where the emperor resides. So as a lot of the high nobles. Our house has a long history in the capital but we don't have money so we're practically commoners. Once we reach the capital, I'll bring you to our shop. My father makes good armour."

"What is your attribute?" Fran asked the topic she was most curious about.

"I have the Feuer and Terra. Luckily I am Dual or else I can't even imagine studying in the Royal Academy."

Fran nodded her head slowly like she didn't understand but agreed like she did anyway.

"Oh, Feuer is for fire, Terra is earth, Agua is water and Aire is air. Warlocks who discovered the attributes came from different places so they named them in their local dialect."

Fran nodded again with understanding but for real this time.

"I can't wait to find your attribute!" Yulia squealed and startled the horse beside her. She hurried to caressed its mane to calm the horse.

"Most likely, the Lord will check your Attribute when we reach the capital. At least that's what he does with new recruits."

"I'm not a recruit."

"Yes, but to stay in the army, even for a while, the Lord will need to assess you. It will be put in the records."

She rarely stopped talking Fran could almost feel her throat hurting for her. The journey was never boring with Yulia telling her a lot of things.

After travelling all night, the battalion reached the city at the crack of dawn. People were just starting to set up their shops so the streets were bustling with boxes and goods.

The moment people saw them, they shouted with joy and more and more people came out to the streets.

The crowd was a mix of different races. It was a scattered color of browns, blacks, whites and yellows.

This seemed like a world of magic so Fran was hoping to see maybe some dog ears or tails but none was seen which left her a little disappointed.

They paraded into the city with the people waving a light grey cloth as they passed. Everyone's faces were jubilant like welcoming heroes from war.

"Why are they so happy?" Fran leaned to Yulia. "Are you guys famous or something?"

"Of course they're happy since we were victorious in battle. The Lord is the Stone General of War after all."

All the while, Fran never saw the Lord's face change. It didn't contain the same coldness that night but it wasn't friendly either. Like he couldn't be bothered by the things around him. He deserves his name.

Fran was placed inside the group so she was able to observe everything while not getting seen.

A white castle was getting closer and closer as they trotted along. It's gothic towers and buttresses looked imposing as they drew closer. They entered the castle and proceeded west into the soldier's quarters.

Everyone settled the horses and luggage while Fran watched as the Lord walked away.

"The Lord will report to the Emperor." Yulia said noticing Fran's line of sight. "Don't think about what I said. He will call for you in his convenience."

Yulia thought Fran was just nervous for her assessment and tried to comfort her. However, that only put her on edge.

Fran continued to help unpacking with the rest. Her heart calmed as she busied herself. Nothing will come out of it anyways. Whatever her attribute was, it will always stay the same even if she frets over it.

They finished unpacking but the Lord was still nowhere in sight. Fran felt like there were butterflies in her stomach with all the waiting but nothing in her face said so. After over an hour, she was finally summoned.

Fran knocked and pushed the door open. She copied the soldiers and placed her fist on her chest and bowed. She was no soldier but doesn't mean she won't show respect.

A smirk appeared on the Lord's face which Fran didn't see. He pushed a glass plate and dagger on the table. "Put a drop of your blood."

She knew immediately she was getting assessed. Seeing it though, Fran felt it was inappropriate to call it an Assessment stone. It was opaque with the light hitting it and transparent at different angles. It was like those pictures that change from the way you look at it.

She made a small cut on her index finger and let it drop on the plate. The blood made its way in the crevices and an iridescent glow emanated from it. It stayed like that for almost a minute, like a computer loading.

Fran suck on her finger as she waited. Better in than let it leak out.

It then stopped glowing and the glass turned to a bluish stone? It was black but turned white against the sunlight. She saw nothing like it before.

"What attribute is it?" Fran said.

His brow was up against each other and a complicated expression masked his face.

"Is something wrong?" Fran felt her heart beating faster against her chest.

"There are five attributes." He stood from his chair. "Feuer, Agua, Aire, Terra, and Null. People usually get the four elements. The Null Attribute however is quite rare. Not much is known so people are cautious around it."

"You are null."

Fran pursed her lips. The odds of getting a rare attribute just had to come to her. This world had so much unknown things and another just had to top it off.

"What do you want to do now?"

He put her out of the grumblings in her head. It was the second time she was being asked of her opinion.

"Teach me." She said after some pause.

If she can't escape, might as well face it head on.

"What makes you think I can?"

"A hunch." A smile showed on her face like she knew a secret no one else does.

***

In the dead of night, the Lord was still in the office finishing off reports. Being a general of the Imperial Army was more than just having great strength and connections.

Separating the documents he finished, his eyes fell on the Assessment Stone. His mind flashed the girl under the moonlight. She stood in the sea of blood like a demon.

Turns out she was a Null.

The Lord cut his finger using the letter opener, he watched as the blob of red hit the Assessment Stone. The stone turned black and it would flash white by the moonlight.

He wasn't expecting to meet anyone like him. For over a decade, he was the single Null cultivator alive.

"Things are about to get interesting."