Chapter 22 - Fallen Levels

"But the fallen aren't just going to die for the knowledge you have of them, that knowledge needs to be applied with cunning and skill," Eva said before getting up and starting to run her finger over the large rock behind her desk. The stone then glowed where her finger passed and images and text appeared on its surface. "Let's start, then, with their types and levels of danger."

 'Wow, this is amazing!' Pan thought as she looked at the images that almost looked like living creatures trapped in the stone.

 "The Fallen have a total of six levels of Danger, which is determined by the amount of night essence they have and can use, starting with the fallen soldier; these generally pose no threat to an experienced crusader. Next come the fallen commanders, who although not necessarily very strong are capable of, as the name says, commanding soldiers. Then there are fallen lords who not only can command other fallen, but are also absurdly powerful. Each rank has a total of three different types, example, mundane soldier, earth soldier and night soldier," explained Eva.

 "What about the other three degrees of danger?" Asked Yara.

 "Nothing I can teach you will save you from a monarch, or a tyrant, let alone a profound one," the instructor clarified. "One more thing, the next time any apprentice interrupts me without permission he will be permanently expelled from my class," Eva declared in a tone that allowed no disagreement.

 Yara didn't seem to have enjoyed the sermon very much, but she wasn't about to see if the instructor was serious, or just scaring, so she just sat back with a huff of displeasure.

 After that, the class continued with Eva explaining the many differences and weaknesses of some of the more well-known species.

 'Got it, fight the mundane, avoid the earth-fallen, and run for your life if you find a night one.' Pan thought at the end of the class.

 From what Pan learned from the class, a fallen soldier wasn't much of a problem, unless he was a night soldier, the night ones, even if a soldier without much essence, could pose a threat even to a crusader master, not because of the power itself, the problem was the attacks they used, such as poison, illusions, curses, among others.

 "Hello master Pan," Edward greeted the moment Pan closed the door to his quarters.

 'It's hard to get used to this, maybe I should tell him not to come in when I'm not? But then there will be no food waiting for me.' Thought Pan.

 But he eventually decided to leave the butler and his sneaky habits alone.

 "Hello Edward, what do we have for today?" Asked Pan.

 "Today's dinner is duck stew with northern spices, grilled chicken, grapes, and to drink I brought the mead made in Omeria," replied the butler with grace in his voice, as he removed the lids from the pots.

 Pan, on the other hand, barely waited for the butler to finish serving before having a good time.

 "Master?" Asked the butler.

 "Speak," replied Pan.

 "I see that the master is taking his studies seriously, may I know what the book is about?"  Asked the butler, noticing that Pan had a thick green book on top of her legs.

 "Mandrakes, a very good botany book, so good it made me miss the forge class at least I got to the fallen knowledge class in time," Pan replied.

 "Did the master choose botany and forge? Please forgive my rudeness, but I think the master is being too rash," declared the butler in a worried tone. "Doesn't the master think it would be better to focus on the battle classes until the graduation date? These classes take years to perfect anyway, the master can start studying them after graduating."

 "Battle lessons, huh? Well, I didn't apply for any, so it's okay," said Pan, still munching on a piece of duck.

 "No battle lessons? Like none?" Questioned the butler so shocked that he forgot all the courtesy a high-class butler should have.

 "None and none, don't worry, I know what I'm doing," stated Pan with mead dripping from her mouth.

 'Eat with one hand is terrible.' Thought Pan.

 'Do you know what you're doing?  You're sixteen, how could you know what you're doing?' Thought the butler.

 "Master, I think you should reconsider," pleaded the butler with a hint of panic in his voice.

 It was Edward's job as a butler to instruct the young crusaders in their ways, it would be a shame as well as a disaster if their master died for such a foolish mistake. A disgrace that would be catastrophic for someone who cared about honor as much as Edward did.

"Nothing to consider! I already told you I know what I'm glup doing!" Pan replied, a little drunk cause the mead. "I'm going, glup, to sleep."

 Before the butler had any chance to press the point, Pan threw himself on the bed and fell asleep as soon as his body touched the soft sheets.