CH 2:War Tutorial

Ace stood firm between the two goblins, his fists clenched and ready. His piercing, dark blue eyes darted between his foes, calm and focused, like a predator waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

The goblins rushed at him in a frenzied flurry, their arms flailing wildly. The first goblin swiped its claws toward Ace's midsection, but he stepped back, dodging the attack. A second strike came toward his head, but with a display of incredible agility, Ace dropped to the ground, sliding onto his back before flipping backward in one smooth motion. As he landed, he scooped up a handful of dirt and hurled it into the first goblin's face.

The creature shrieked, clawing at its eyes, but the distraction was brief. The second goblin lunged forward, its claws aimed at Ace's chest. With a fluid duck, Ace slipped under its arm and seized its face. Without hesitation, he slammed the goblin into the ground, the impact reverberating through the dirt.

Sensing movement behind him, Ace spun on his heel, sweeping the legs out from under the other goblin just as it regained its footing. As it hit the ground, its claws raked across Ace's midsection, tearing through his shirt and leaving a shallow, stinging wound.

Ace winced, his jaw tightening in pain. Without missing a beat, he drove a sharp elbow into the goblin's face. Grabbing it by the neck as it fell, he unleashed a rapid series of punches—one, two, three—before driving his knee into its gut. The goblin crumpled, gasping for air.

Before he could finish it off, the other goblin, now enraged, launched itself at him from behind. Ace twisted his body just in time to dodge the sneak attack. The goblin lashed out with a flurry of desperate strikes, but Ace's movements were swift and calculated, each dodge fluid and precise.

When the goblin lunged again, Ace leaped over it, shoving its head into the dirt mid-jump. As it scrambled to rise, he brought his boot down hard on its head, the force sending it sprawling.

Turning to the injured goblin, Ace's gaze darkened. The creature, battered and bloodied, staggered to its feet, its breathing ragged. In a last-ditch effort, it thrust a clawed hand toward Ace's face. With almost casual ease, Ace sidestepped the attack, his movements effortless.

His knee shot upward, connecting with the center of the goblin's forehead. The creature reeled, its shrill cry of frustration echoing under the moonlight. Ace took a step forward, his belittling glare locking onto the goblin. The faint glow of his dark blue eyes in the moonlight added an air of menace to his expression.

The goblin lunged once more, screaming in rage, but Ace dodged to the right and delivered a devastating punch to its face. The blow sent the creature stumbling back, its fury mounting. It let out one final, piercing scream before Ace silenced it with a swift kick to the face.

As the goblin collapsed, Ace wiped the blood from his cheek. Without a second thought, he ended the fight with a brutal stomp to the creature's head, the sound of the impact echoing in the still night air.

Standing amidst the aftermath, Ace exhaled, his calm demeanor returning. His sharp eyes scanned the field, watching as the other fights also seemed to reach they're conclusion.

Lancelot stood at the center of the field, his hand reaching up to remove the lower portion of his mask. His eyes and upper face remained covered, but a charming smile spread across his lips. "Whoa, you guys," he said, his voice carrying a mix of surprise and amusement. "You did way better than I expected. All of you can fight pretty well… for the most part." His gaze flicked to Sheldon, who stood with puffy, tear-streaked eyes.

Lancelot began to step toward the boy when, out of nowhere, Sheldon let out a piercing shriek and collapsed onto his back, writhing in agony. Ace clutched his head, his eyes wide and teeth gritted as his body wavered unsteadily. A nauseated shudder passed through him, followed by a violent blast of pain that wracked his frame.

Kelly fell to all fours, his arm wrapped around his stomach as he gasped out choked words: "What is this? It feels like my body's on fire… like my bones are being shattered and rebuilt."

"This pain…" Troy growled, his voice strained but tinged with an eerie, crooked grin. "It's worse than death. Make it stop… What's happening to us?" Despite the torment, he clutched his chest and forced himself to stay upright, fighting the agony with sheer willpower.

Zang stumbled forward, his hands clawing at his collar as his skin flushed a bright, angry red. His breaths came in short gasps, steam rising from his body. For a moment, his irises disappeared, leaving only a hollow void. A deep, swirling orange aura began to emanate from him, cascading through his eyes and enveloping his form.

His knees buckled, slamming into the ground as the earth beneath him rumbled. In his chest, a pulsing mass of white energy streaked with vibrant rainbow hues began to form. The power intensified, his hair whipping back as the unstable energy swirled wildly.

Lancelot's playful expression faded, replaced by a grave, focused look. "This is dangerous," he muttered, his gaze locked on Zang.

In an instant, Zang's chest erupted with a devastating blast of energy. The destructive force tore through the air, eviscerating everything in its path. The explosion of power was instantaneous, consuming the area in front of Zang with terrifying speed.

Lancelot moved faster than the eye could track, disappearing and reappearing fifteen feet in front of Zang just as the blast surged outward. His arms spread wide, flames bursting from his body as he roared, "Orange!"

A massive wall of Orange light erupted behind him, meeting the devastating force head-on. The destructive energy crashed into Lancelot, his body absorbing the full brunt of the attack. His teeth clenched, the strain etched on his face as his clothes were scorched, leaving only remnants of his shorts, his mask, and his elegant, fiery red hair.

When the energy finally subsided, the ground was scorched and cracked, a testament to the power unleashed. Lancelot stood tall amidst the destruction, his body battered but unbroken. A stoic yet playful chuckle escaped his lips as he wiped ash from his face. "What an opening ceremony to the new you," he said, his tone brimming with admiration. "That was amazing."

He glanced around at the group, his smile returning. "I can't wait to see what the rest of you guys are capable of."

The boys lay sprawled across the ground, groaning as the pain finally began to ebb. Slowly, they found their way to their feet, each movement shaky and uncertain.

Ace stood first, his body trembling as he tried to steady himself. He closed his eyes, and suddenly, the familiar shadowy figure with glowing red eyes appeared in his mind. This time, its outline seemed sharper, more menacing. He took a hesitant step forward and noticed black markings etched across his brown skin.

"What... is this?" Ace muttered. He tried to speak again, but instead, a small ember of fire escaped his lips. A faint, flickering blue crown hovered above his head. His body gave out, and as he fell to the ground, his fist struck with such force that a small crater formed beneath him. His eyes began to glow a vivid blue, and a third eye appeared on his forehead.

"I can't control my body at all," he groaned, his voice filled with frustration and confusion. "What is this? My senses… they're so sensitive. It's overwhelming!"

Nearby, Kelly wobbled as a faint purple aura surrounded him. He struggled to stay upright but lost his balance and fell backward. Before hitting the ground, he vanished—only to reappear ten feet in the air. With a loud grunt, he slammed into the earth, wincing in pain.

As he raised a hand to shield his eyes from the moonlight, a massive greatsword materialized above him, ancient and terrifying. He narrowly rolled out of the way, avoiding the weapon by a hair's breadth. The sword embedded itself in the ground with a thunderous crash.

Sheldon, on his hands and knees, coughed and gagged as tears continued to stream down his face. He vomited a strange, shimmering green liquid that began to pool on the ground. To his horror and fascination, the liquid started shifting, forming grotesque features—tiny arms, eyes, and what seemed to be a rudimentary consciousness.

The small creature looked up at Sheldon expectantly, as though waiting for orders. Through choked sobs, Sheldon managed a weak smile. "Hey there, little fella. Wanna be my friend? Guessing you're part of my ability, huh? Not like you have much of a choice."

"Shut the hell up, you idiot!" Troy barked, his face twisted in rage. "I can't focus with all of you talking at once!"

Ace sat up, his body returning to normal save for the black markings that remained on his arms. "Hey, Troy, who are you talking to?" he asked, his voice innocent and curious.

Troy glared at him. "The five morons in my head. They're arguing about 'new vessels' and how they've never had to share before."

"Wait, idiot," Zang interjected, rubbing his temple. "You said the voices are in your head. How would we possibly hear them?"

"Shut up and die, you bastard!" Troy snapped, hurling a small rock at Zang's face.

Zang caught the rock with ease, shaking his head. "Real mature."

Watching the exchange, Lancelot grinned, his face alight with excitement. "Wow, you guys are amazing! I've never seen abilities like these before. Just a glimpse, and I can already tell—you're going to be incredible in action."

"Not so sure about 'tiny,'" Kelly muttered, wincing as he adjusted his injured arm. "If Lancelot hadn't stopped Zang's attack earlier, it would've leveled this entire place—and probably a few towns nearby."

Zang sat up, his body still sore. "Is it just me, or can anyone else see those weird energies floating in the air? They're everywhere—around us, through us."

"Nope."

"Nah."

"No."

"I don't see anything," the others replied in unison.

Lancelot clapped his hands together, his overly cheerful smile returning. "Well, all right then! Let's get you boys home and into some fresh clothes."

The group staggered toward Lancelot, who stood at the center of the field. As they surrounded him, he whispered the words: "Fracture: Purple."

In an instant, they vanished and reappeared in the house. Exhausted, the boys collapsed onto the bed and couch, their muscles finally relaxing as they sank into the cushions and covers.

Later, freshly dressed in pajamas, they sat at the table, eating a hearty meal with Lancelot.

"I can't believe it," Kelly said, breaking the silence. "We actually have powers. This is real."

Lancelot leaned back, smirking. "Yeah, kids, but I've got a question: how do you all know how to fight so well? Those lesser Tarnished were about as strong as a grown man who doesn't go to the gym."

Zang shrugged. "Well, I do MMA after school. Kelly's just naturally strong—big guy, even though he's lean. Troy used to be a delinquent before Ace beat him up. And Sheldon…" He glanced at Sheldon, who was feeding a small piece of food to the green creature perched on his shoulder. "Yeah, Sheldon's not much of a fighter."

The group laughed, their exhaustion momentarily forgotten

"Hey, Lancelot," Ace began, his tone steady but curious. "What exactly is your power? The first time I saw you use it, there was that red blast. Then you said 'purple' to teleport us, and last night, it was something entirely different. You said 'orange' and created a shield. How does it all work?"

"Yeah," Troy chimed in, leaning forward. "Is your power like... the colors of the rainbow or something?"

Before Lancelot could respond, Zang, with his usual deadpan expression, added, "Technically, purple isn't part of the rainbow. It's violet."

Troy immediately snapped his head toward Zang, eyes blazing with irritation. "Does it matter?! Shut up and die!"

Before their brewing argument could escalate, Lancelot leaned forward, a playful yet enigmatic smile on his face. "Light," he said simply, his voice cutting through the room like a beam through darkness.

"Light?" Ace echoed, intrigued.

Lancelot nodded. "I have the ability to fragment light and manipulate its particles. By refracting light into different frequencies, I can change its properties, giving each frequency its own unique color and function. Red, for instance, is pure destructive energy. Purple bends the space around us, for teleportation. And orange... well, you saw what that does."

"Woah," Troy said, his eyes lighting up with excitement. "If I had a power like that, I'd be unstoppable!"

Lancelot chuckled, leaning back in his chair. "I admire your ambition, but there's no way that would ever happen. This isn't a power just anyone can wield. It's as impossibly difficult to control as it is beautiful. To control it, you'd need strength, precision, and the mindset that one is above all else, beyond reproach. That's why no one else has ever mastered it in my family. Soon I'll be the first one. I'm the one and only Starlight Genius of the Magus."

His words hung in the air, a mixture of confidence and challenge.

"So," Zang said, breaking the silence, "you're saying you're the strongest magus out there?"

Lancelot smirked, his crimson hair catching the light as his piercing rainbow-colored eyes glinted behind his mask. "Exactly right, I am the strongest. But soon enough, you all will be very strong as well."

The group exchanged glances, determination flickering in their eyes. Lancelot's raw power was undeniable, but it was his unwavering confidence in their potential that truly ignited a fire within them.

Sheldon spoke up, his dark green eyes narrowing as he studied Lancelot. "You said you'll be the first and only person to master that power of yours? So… you haven't mastered it yet?"

Lancelot chuckled, his tone light yet tinged with self-awareness. "You're right. There's one thing I haven't gotten the hang of yet." He reached up and removed his mask, revealing a face so striking it stunned the group.

His features were slender and youthful, barely older than twenty. But it was his eyes that stole their breath—glowing with iridescent hues that seemed to shift and swirl like a kaleidoscope.

Kelly's jaw dropped. "Bro, are you some kind of model? You might be the most handsome person I've ever seen in my entire life, by leagues."

Zang nodded, awestruck. "Yeah, you'd destroy the entire modeling world's rankings."

Ace groaned dramatically. "Hurry up and cover your face, will you? You're making Sheldon cry."

The group turned to see Sheldon sprawled on the ground, tears streaming down his face. "Why does he have everything? Life's just not fair. Take me from this world now!"

Lancelot pulled his mask back on, chuckling. "While I enjoy the compliments, you're missing the point. These eyes grant me the ability of True Sight. I can see anything and everything—even five seconds into the future in bursts of eight seconds." His tone darkened. "But there's one thing I can't see: how this war will unfold. And there will be a war."