Chapter 2

[Lion City] Austen decided to grab the opportunity to start anew. Without even tending to his wounds, he immediately went back to their self-made shack in the slums and started packing their bags. As per usual, the place stank, and numerous flies and mosquitoes were buzzing about. "Brother, why are you packing our things?" asked the second oldest child in the family, a boy in his early teenage years. He was currently bedridden after suffering an injury while running an errand in the city. With his injuries left untreated, what started as a simple wound became a crippling illness. Austen tried seeking for help from herbalists before, but none of them wished to work for free. "We're leaving the city," said Austen as he continued to fit as much items in the bag with his slender arms.

"We're leaving the city?" asked the third oldest child, tilting her head in confusion.

Austen nodded. "That's right. We're going to this wonderful place called Blackstone Town. Your brother will find a job there. We'll no longer suffer from hunger. I'll make sure of it."

Austen did not even know what awaited them in that place. All he knows is that his siblings needed his reassurance. All of them were born in this city, and the prospect of leaving for a new town in the middle of the wilderness may trigger fear and anxiety. He silently prayed to the Gods to guide him on this path. "When are we leaving? Tomorrow?" said the second child. "Tonight," corrected Austen. "We're leaving now."

He was finally done packing what little they have inside the bag. After making sure that his silver coin was still inside his pouch, he deeply breathed in then said, "Listen. The Merchants Guild received an urgent order from Blackstone Town, and their caravan is leaving an hour or two from now. We're coming with them to the town. I've already talked with the merchants."

Initially, the fee the merchants charged for the six of them was exorbitant.

But Austen managed to lower the price from two silvers to eighty coppers after he promised to take care of the horses and the carts during their travel.

Although they would have nothing but twenty coppers to their name after when they reach the town, Austen decided to risk it. "Diane," said Austen. "You and Kirk will carry the bag. George can't move, so I'll carry him on my back."

The two older kids nodded. Austen passed them the bag, and they helped each other in lifting it up. "Belle, you'll be responsible for Ian. Make sure to hold each other's hands," said Austen. He paused and locked eyes with everyone. "Do you guys still remember what dad used to remind us all the time?"

The kids replied in unison, "Cherish the family! No one gets left behind!"

A smile formed on Austen's lips. "Good! Let's go!"

Thankfully, no one objected to Austen's decision to leave the city. The family of six moved out of the slums and traveled to the place where the caravan was. When they arrived, Austen was surprised to see three familiar faces – three other slum residents – also waiting for the caravan to move out. Although they had never spoken with each other, Austen was sure that they were part of the group who sold rags for a living. So they're taking their chances too, huh? The fee to board the caravan was an exorbitant amount for paupers like them. One needed great resolve to gamble upon this chance. Austen nodded at the trio upon meeting their gazes. After the merchants were done loading the goods, the caravan started moving out. The carts rattled and squeaked as it moved through muddy roads, grassy plains, and thick forests. The journey took them two days. Finally, they reached the outskirt of Blackstone Town. "Woah!" A voice of surprise escaped George's lips. "So that's Blackstone Town?"

The eyes of the other kids glimmered as they stared at the town from the distance. Austen, on the other hand, remained silent. He squinted his eyes.

He had not expected to see a stone wall encasing the entire town. Although it was smaller than Lion City's, it seemed well-constructed, with battlements on top. Instead of a town, this place gave off the vibe of a small city. A young sprout that would bloom after the passage of time. There's a moat and a bridge too?

The initial image Austen had was shattered in an instant. Even the army from Lion City would have a hard time besieging this town. His heart beat faster. What kind of fate awaits him here? He clenched his fists.

A new start. Please, oh Gods. Please help me find a job. The caravan crossed the bridge and entered the gate. They were immediately greeted by a large, paved main road. But that was not what surprised Austen the most. What are those?!

His jaws dropped upon seeing a town illuminated by glowing gemstones during the night. Each gemstone was placed on top of wooden pillars several meters tall, giving ample light to its surroundings. Several locals would momentarily stop and stare at the caravan, before moving on with their everyday lives. Judging by their nonchalant expressions, these gemstones illuminating the night had been here for quite some time now. "Brother! Look!"

"It's so beautiful!"

Just like him, his siblings were mesmerized by this sight. It was indeed breathtaking. "We're here," said the coachman. After the carts halted, all passengers stepped outside. They found themselves in front of a mansion. Several men and women were already waiting for the merchants to arrive. "The ingots?" A butler approached the leader of the merchants. "On the second cart. We've also procured several more loi plants like you've asked."

The butler nodded in approval. He turned to the servants. "Move them to the underground chamber."

Like worker ants, the merchants and servants worked together to move the crates from the carts. The butler approached Austen and the rest of his group. "You guys are?" said the old man. Austen stepped forward. "We're from Lion City, Sir. We we're told that you're hiring people. Miners, Farmers, Laborers. Anything's fine, but if it's possible, I wish to enter the military, sir."

"So more have come, huh?" mumbled the old man. He cleared his throat.

"I'm Gaston, butler of the Lord of Blackstone Town."

As expected, this old man was someone important. "Due to the influx of immigrants lately, we've changed the way we screen soldiers," said the butler. Was it a good thing? Austen wanted to ask, but his lips remained shut tight. The old man was psychic. "Is it a good thing? Well, it depends on your perseverance, you see. For now, you can rest in the cabin over there." He pointed at a well-made cabin outside the mansion. "We'll call for you tomorrow morning for the assessment."

They're allowed to use that one? It was an excessively kind treatment to immigrants. For a moment, Austen was stunned. "There's still something I need to do, so please excuse this old man," said the butler. Before Austen and the rest of his group could utter a statement, the old man turned around and disappeared from sight. *** Morning came. Sleeping inside the cabin brought wonders. It washed off the fatigue within Austen's body. He had never felt so refreshed before. Someday… I'll own a house like this someday.

They were told that they could live in this cabin temporarily. Once they land themselves a job, they could rent one of the recently finished houses in the eastern district. Buying it was possible too, if they had enough money. Three loud knocks came at the door. Upon opening, he saw a man clad in leather armor with a short sword on his waist. "Sir Gaston told me that there are guys here who wish to join the military?"

said the man. Austen and the three men from the slums looked at each other. "Ah, yes," said Austen. "That'll be us four, sir."

The man scrutinized the four of them. "The four of you look famished." He scratched his cheeks then coughed. "But that shouldn't matter. You'll be well-fed once you're in the military, after all."

Austen heard that the pay for a soldier in Blackstone Town was eleven silvers. An amount enough to feed him and his siblings, with more than enough to spare for other necessities. "Under the orders of Captain Qarat, I'm here to guide the four of you to the eastern border. To the training grounds," said the man. "Training grounds?" repeated Austen. The man nodded. "That's right. Haven't you heard? You're required to participate in the soldiers' training for a week before you'll be accepted in the military. That's the standard procedure nowadays. Quit halfway and you're out."

So, this was the 'different' assessment method the butler was talking about. Participate in the training, huh? At first, Austen was afraid that the entrance test would be something incredibly difficult, like deciphering something written on a piece of parchment. He did not know how to read nor write. If the exam was similar to that, then he would have no choice but to settle for a low-paying job. With the soldier leading the way, Austen and his group arrived at the eastern border. On a large clearing, around a hundred soldiers gathered. They wore the same leather armor, all of them holding a spear. "Captain, these are the new recruits," said the man. Qarat stared at Austen and the three guys beside him. "Give them the spears. We'll start stamina training in a few minutes."

"Yes, Sir!"

The man grabbed several spare spears and handed it to each of them. It was surprisingly heavier than it looked. "Stand at the back," ordered Captain Qarat. "Yes!" Austen and the other guys enthusiastically responded. Soon, the stamina training began. It consisted entirely of running around the town while holding a spear. To an errand boy like Austen, this was easy. Especially since he had prior experience of carrying far heavier objects while running around Lion City.

The other three, on the other hand, were out of breaths and were close to collapsing on the ground. I can do this.

Austen was filled with resolve. He needed this job. Once he was accepted in the military, he would no longer worry about feeding his family. After running around the town thrice, they rested for half an hour before proceeding to the next phase of training: practicing the basic movements of the spear. Stab. Pull. Repeat. The skin on his palms started to tear off as time went by. Still, Austen did not stop. If it was only this much, he surely could endure. "Stop!" shouted Captain Qarat. The entire army halted at once. Austen sighed in relief. How many hours had it been? He was not sure. His entire hand felt numb. "Eh, where are they?" he said. He noticed that two of the three guys from the slum were gone. The remaining one, a guy with pointed chin, wryly smiled. "Gone. They left a few minutes after we started with the spear training. They said they'll try farming instead."

To think that two out of four had already given up after just a couple of hours, the screening for the soldiers was indeed effective in weeding out those undetermined to become one.

Well, Austen could not blame them. If not for the stamina he has honed from several years of running errands for other people, he would have already collapsed just from the first part of the training alone. After practicing the basic movements of the spear, a kid called Anthony came over and began handing out food to the soldiers. Austen was fascinated upon learning that it was actually that kid's job. He even heard that it paid quite well, too. Austen decided to ask some of his siblings to apply for the same position later on, if there were any vacancies. After the meal, the soldiers moved towards the southern district. They entered a structure resembling a temple: the Training Hall, designed to provide battle experience to the soldiers. According to his fellow soldiers, this was built just recently.

"We're supposed to… fight those things?" Austen rubbed his eyes in disbelief upon seeing the monsters standing at the center of the arena. They all held wooden spears, their grotesque bodies made entirely of iron. Judging by the reactions of the other soldiers, this was not the first time they had seen those monsters. Austen had no choice but to stiffen the muscles on his legs to prevent them from running for the way out. Those things looked grotesque and scary, but they should be harmless. It was the only feasible explanation, Austen thought. For the sake of the newcomers, Captain Qarat explained how to use the Training Hall. With a metallic spear in hand, he went inside the arena and started sparring with one of the metallic monsters. The fight went on for several minutes. Eventually, the spear of the Captain went flying. The metallic monster kicked him right at the abdomen, making him fly and roll through the ground several times. Austen's eyes widened when he saw the Captain spit out blood after standing up. What the hell.

This was not a spar.

This was a bloody slaughter. If they kept fighting those things, they would all die. But as though refuting what was on Austen's mind, the stone pillars surrounding the arena glowed. Particles of light starting forming on the Captain's body, and after a few seconds, the scratches and bruises on his skin dissipated. Captain Qarat went down the arena. "This place is special. As you have noticed, just now, I used healing magic." He stared straight into Austen's eyes. "You can use it too, as long as you are inside this arena. It's surprisingly easy, believe me."

Austen was stunned. Use magic? He never heard of something so convenient before. There would be an uproar if such an innovation was revealed to the Kingdom. He looked at the other man from the slums. He, too, was gawking at what transpired. He gripped his metallic spear tight. It seemed that despite the shock, he was slowly coming to accept the things happening before his very eyes. "Can I try it?" the man from the slums said. Captain Qarat chuckled. "Of course." He pointed at Austen. "You too. Go up there and try to fight them. Don't worry, they won't kill you."

After the Captain vaguely explained to them how to use healing magic in this special area, the two of them – the newbies under probation – stepped inside the arena. As though the metallic monsters understood, two of them stepped forward and faced the humans. Outside the arena, Captain Qarat shouted, "Ah, just so you know. There's only one person who have won against them. And that's Commander Anandra. So don't worry about beating those things! Just think of them as sparring partners!"

Captain Qarat clapped his hands once. "Begin!"

That was the signal. The metallic monsters charged towards the new recruits. Their wooden spears split through the air and struck the bodies of the two humans. Austen gnashed his teeth. Not even ten seconds had passed since the battle started and he was already sent flying by his opponent. He had the urge to vomit the food he ate just an hour ago. Healing Magic! This special area enables us to use healing magic, right?!

With these thoughts, he focused all his mind into healing his wounds.

Strangely enough, the entire hall seemed to have understood his intentions.

The symbols on the stone pillars glowed and the wounds on his body started to heal on their own. Austen gripped his spear tight. Now that he had been fully healed, he planned on getting revenge on the metallic bastard. He did not have to win.

He just wanted to land even a single hit. "This damn monster!" growled Austen. With crude movements, Austen stabbed at the metallic monster with the spear. The creature easily evaded it and retaliated with a slash from above.

Austen jumped to the side and rolled twice on the ground, but before he could even get back on his feet, he was once again struck by a spear to the stomach.

Austen vomited blood. His vision blurred. Heal. Damn it. Heal!

The stone pillars responded to his will. After sucking a portion of his mana, his body regenerated. He dashed towards the metallic monster and once again attempted to land a single blow on its body. He stabbed, sliced, and pulled the spear. Like an adult playing with a toddler, the metallic monster flicked away Austen's spear, before sending a kick to his stomach. The pain lasted only for a second as Austen was starting to get used to using healing magic by now. The moment he was hit, he immediately cast the healing magic. His sparring partner must have not expected Austen to heal himself immediately, since it simply stood there, its eyes emotionlessly gazing at him. Austen used this opening. He grabbed the shaft of his spear and like a javelin, threw it at his opponent. The metallic monster evaded by sidestepping and the spear struck nothing but the ground. "Tsk. Damn it," growled Austen. The metallic creature dashed towards Austen and stabbed him thrice on his chest. Austen felt several of his ribs creak and break. His vision started blackening and he found it hard to breathe. Heal!

Once again, he made use of this special area. Like the undead, Austen got back on his feet, grabbed the spear stabbed on the ground, and charged at the metallic monster once again. Again. And again. And again.

Austen kept healing his body as soon as he was injured by his opponent.

For some reason, his primal instinct wished to land even just a single blow to this metallic monster. "H-Hey! That's enough!"

Captain Qarat shouted. But Austen healed himself and charged at his opponent once again. "STOP!"

Only after Qarat grabbed his hands and personally stopped him from recklessly charging again did Austen stop. Looking around, Austen realized that everyone's eyes were glued to him.

Some were even looking at him as though he was some monster. "That's enough," said Captain Qarat. Austen loosened his grip of the spear. He looked at the metallic monster.

Like before, the creature's gaze was empty, as though it did not consider Austen as an opponent at all. "How many times did you use healing magic?" Captain Qarat looked conflicted. Austen tried counting but failed. Captain Qarat frowned. "I've lost count, but it's definitely more than twelve times."

Wasn't it supposed to be like that? This was the purpose of this special area, right? Austen was about to ask what's wrong when the Captain opened his mouth. "Twelve times," repeated the Captain. "An average soldier is capable of using healing magic for only two to three times."

The Captain stared at him. "You… What are you?"