Chapter 2

First Impressions

Silence once again dampened the atmosphere of the arena. The heat and light of the sun started to lessen as clouds slowly came in bigger numbers.



"What the heck is with him?" Sophia said out loud.

She quickly had her hands try to retreat those words by covering her mouth, but to no avail. They were loud and clear. Roy immediately stared at her, eyebrows tightened and lips puckered. He then darted passed the soldiers and Celsus and towered over her.

"Hey you have some weird looking eyes lady! Just how many people have purple eyes anyway?" Roy snapped back as he noticed the unique color of Sophia's eyes.

Sophia glared at him with killer intent and stomped on his left foot. Roy immediately grabbed his foot and hollered in pain.

"How dare you talk to me that way you damn, ignorant, selfish, deleterious, churlish, infantile, repugnant, dysfunctional imbecile! Do you even know who I am? Huh! You stupid, childish, lurid, decrepit sycophant!" She shouted.

She then towered over him and cracked her fists.

"I'll have you vanquished you foul, malevolent, vapid, brazen brute! So I egregiously suggest you apologize this damn instant, you vainglorious moron!"

Roy swiftly...and wisely darted a few steps back. He looked around as if he were measuring the distance between he and Sophia.

"Uh sorry miss. Heh, guess that was a bit too inappropriate," he said as he bowed.

"You have more to say sorry for!" Sophia roared.

She swiftly pointed to the smashed entrance doors behind Roy. He quickly looked over to the collapsed doors. His mouth widened and his teeth shined.

"Haha, oops forgot bout that!" Roy said cheerfully.

But his upbeat attitude only fomented more tension. Sophia palmed her face as if it were ball. She slowly dragged her hand down across it and then let it fall quickly to her side. A cloud of dust passed through the arena floor and as it was before Celsus arrived, the large colosseum became drowned in silence once more. Sophia tugged on Eutychus's robe, pulling him down to her height. She whispered into his ear:

"Father, does this normally happen at these tests? This guy is so bizarre. I think he may be wrong in the head."

"Feelings you have for him aside, as far as I can remember nothing so strange as ever happened at these exams. But I have to say, I got a feeling that Celsus will be fuming in any second," he whispered back.

"Why do you say tha-"

"DAMN IT!" Celsus broke the silence. "Just who do you think you are? How dare you barge in the middle of a high grade military exam! Listen boy-these four reasons are the only reasons for such an interruption- the capital being under attack! The captain announcing my retirement! The captain announcing his retirement! The captain summoning me for a mission! And don't ask me 'what if the captain fell ill or died?' because that is a lie from the get go! If you're excuse wasn't any one of the aforementioned reasons, I'm going to shove my blade so far up your ass that whatever crap you have in there will come out your damn mouth!"

Another brief silence followed as once again a dust cloud went across the floor of the arena. The soldiers that were lined up turned stalwart and just stared straight ahead.

"Well that was thought-provoking," one of the soldiers snickered.

(if you are reading while listening to the above song, please pause it now :D )

This particular soldier had dark brown hair and yet clear brown eyes. His uniform was not the standard black colored armor which is issued to Concordian soldiers. Instead, he wore a white colored armor with black lining around the edges of the plating. His posture was gleaming with excellence and respect. His eyes were clear and heavenly but at the same time determined and hardened, like the eyes of a person with a strong will. On his chest plate was an insignia which differed from the other soldiers. Celsus gave him a quick leer. The soldier sighed and straightened his posture.

"Ridiculous," he said under his breath.

"Soldier, I'll make sure to fuck you up as well!" Celsus snapped.

The soldier shrugged, which only caused more rage from Celsus. Meanwhile Eutychus and Sophia, both with straight postures, and eyes wide open, exchanged glances and then averted their eyes to the sky.

"S-so that's wha-what...you meant," Sophia whispered to her father. He gave a quick head nod to her without even looking back at her direction.

Roy started to rub the back of his head as sweat started to trickle down his neck out of pure fear. He laughed nervously and tried to explain himself.

"S-s-sorry sir. Um, yeah, I was just trying to get to third seat exams. Am....am.... I late? If so, can I still be one now?" He laughed nervously again.

The whole line of soldiers but one immediately broke their stances.

"Who the hell do you think you are!? No way in hell you can be a third seat now! Go home!" They exclaimed in unison.

Celsus cleared his throat loudly and the line of soldiers quickly became stalwart-looking again.



He turned towards Roy.

"Just who are you boy?" Celsus asked.

He then slowly walked towards Roy and as he did a strong gust of wind blew between the two. He stood face-to-face with Roy and glared at him. Roy smiled and placed his hand on his forehead to indicate a salute.

"I am the leader of the Ivor clan, Roy the Valiant. I have come to fulfill my duty to the Concordian League and protect its people through military service."

Celsus's left eyebrow raised and his mouth opened slightly. Another gust of wind hit the two men but they stayed still. Celsus's eyebrows then lowered and his teeth gritted.

"You have some damn nerve, even for an idiot. You didn't take the written, obstacle course, or even the combat portion of the test, and you still think that you can just come in here late and become a third seat. I don't give a crap if your the captain himself-rules are rules."

Roy's smile quickly disappeared.

"But sir I-"

"Shut up boy," Celsus snapped back. "If you want to fulfill your duty come back next year. I already have my hands full. Or hell, don't come back at all seeing it might as well be pointless for someone as empty headed as you to join the military. We serve to protect the people of the League damn it. I be damned if someone as disrespectful as you tries to represent us."

Roy's head lowered and the dampening silence stayed the air once again. Some shade fell upon the arena as a large cloud covered the sun's rays. The soldiers exchanged glances with each other, waiting for anything to happen.

(end song)

"Hmph, this test is dragging on too long. Lord 3rd seat if you will I have an idea which I would like to express to you about the current dilemma," asked the soldier with the white colored armor.

"What? Just who are you and what's the idea?" Celsus replied.

"Sir, my name is Matthias and as far as my idea is concerned, it is basically this: whoever is able to bring down this man," he points to Roy without even looking at him, "should receive the 3rd seat title," Matthias finished.

"Say what?!" Celsus snapped back as he turned to him.

"Sir, surely you haven't forgotten the situation? Right now you have eight possible 3rd seats; however, law only permits one soldier each year to rise from the exams. And there are simply too many candidates here. My proposal pretty much resolves the matter."

"And technically speaking, there is no law which forbids such a method being used in this type of situation Celsus," Eutychus interjected.

"Hey wait a minute! Don't I get a say in this?" Roy shouted but his voice fell on deaf ears except for one.

Sophia bolted towards Celsus and poked his chest repeatedly with her right index finger.

"Even I have to say that it is not fair. At least give him a shot!" Sophia demanded.

"You're...defending me?" Roy asked.

"Fool. Don't think much of it"

The sun was finally being freed of the obstructing clouds. Celsus looked upwards at the sky as the clouds left the sun's domain and while Sophia continued to poke him. He then shrugged off Sophia and began pacing back and forth. He rubbed his chin slowly as he did this but then stopped and smiled. He faced towards Matthias and gave a quick glance while Matthias stared back at him.

"As much as I hate to say this, not a bad idea rook."



Roy's jaw dropped and Matthias grinned. Sophia threw her arms up in the air and stormed back to her father. Celsus then placed his hands on his hips and gave out orders to his potential 3rd seat officers.

"Very well then! All soldiers, you know what to do now for that third seat position!"

The soldiers cheered as they summoned their energy swords from their hands. Matthias began to take a few steps back.

"About time. I think I'll take the wait and see approach here just in case and then strike him once he is open," he said to himself.

Roy threw his arms up in the air.

"Wait a minute old man! This shouldn't happen! At least give me a reason as to why I should agree to this!" Roy exclaimed.

"It's to serve your country boy," Celsus replied while grinning. Roy's body pose did not change.

"This is not right," Sophia said while nodding her head in disgust.

Celsus's grin widened as the soldiers paced towards Roy. He then saw Eutychus and Sophia's guards guide them towards the stairs so they could watch from afar on the balcony. Sophia peered back at him, her eyes seemingly blank and lack of emotion. Celsus frowned at the sight of her face looking so duress. He took a moment to stare at his men as they advanced. He let out a loud sigh and yelled back at the soldiers that heading to attack Roy.

"One more thing guys! If Roy wins then he is the 3rd seat so I really suggest not losing!"

"Yes sir!" The soldiers yelled back.

"Lucky~," Roy said under his breath.

He pulled out the long metal stick that was tied to his back and began to swing it. Celsus jumped to the first row of seats of the arena and sat down.

"This should be good," Celsus said as he folded his arms and crossed his legs.

(end song)

On the way to the balcony, Sophia stopped and tugged on Eutychus's robe.

"So father, does this usually happen at the exams?" She whispered to his ear.

"No," he replied while he gazed upon Roy, "but at least you gave him a chance now."

Sophia's right eyebrow bent upwards and her mouth gaped, "What do you mean?"



Then all of a sudden the air pressure seemed to drop and shortly thereafter a green light shun throughout the stadium. A powerful wind followed as the stadium lit up due to the light. Roy let out a cry as he unleashed his weapon. A thick arc of light was bursting out of the top of metal stick as he held it in his hands.

"Now then, all set," said Roy.

He then slammed the bottom of the weapon on the ground.

"Amazing," she whispered to herself, it looks almost like some sort of scythe. Simply...amazing....Is this guy for real?"

Another cloud came towards the sun, partially blocking it. A long shadow protruded from the stadium, hovering over her and the soldiers facing Roy. He and his weapon stood out alone in the little sunlight there was available in the stadium.

"It's almost like... the Goddess of Light..... wants him to win."

Roy smiled and poised himself for combat as the soldiers charged towards him all at once.

"Sorry guys, but you'll see I'll be the one out on top today!"

The closest soldier thrusts forward his energy sword; however, to his surprise Roy vanished.

"Up here!"

A shadow quickly loomed over the soldier. He responsively looked up only to find a large energy scythe just inches away from his face. He immediately skips backwards to avoid the grasp of death.

"Oh no you don't!" Roy exclaimed as he landed.

He quickly rockets his fist toward the retreating soldier. The soldier tried to dash even further away but by the time he tried to make a second step for the retreat he found himself go blank in a split second. The others stalled in their positions as they saw one of their rivals go flying in the air, landing 10 feet away from his original spot. He groaned and attempted to get up from the impact but he couldn't succeed. The other soldiers then glanced back at Roy with sweat trickling down their necks. Roy peers back at them. Across the arena Matthias gazed upon the battle.

"Hmm, seems like i made the right decision in hanging back. But he still isn't that good," Matthias thought to himself.

"You guys are actually not all that strong it seems. I think it might be better for all of you to come at me together," Roy said calmly with his arm still extended and his left hand still clenched.

"Your move."

(end song)