TBATE - Havaca Rises

Chapter 13 - Entrance Exam

"Art, we're ready!" shouted my mother.

"Coming!" I yelled from the stir case, "Sylvie, let's go; bye Ajax I'll buy you treats on the way back," I promised, earning happy chirps from the young Phoenix. Entering the Carriage with Lilia, Tabitha, mom, and Ellie; I can't help but smile as watch Ellie and Sylvie playing together. 'You sound like an old man,' said Regis.

'I guess I want to enjoy as much of these moments as possible since I know I would have to leave soon to become an adventurer, then the academy, then two years of training, and so on...' I said solemnly.

Noticing that we were nearing our destination I ordered Sylvie to hide her spikes and wings earning looks of confusion from everyone. "Sylvie is quite a special and very, very rare mana beast that people believe to be extinct. If nobles were to discover her true species, they would never leave us alone until I'm strong to fend them off," I said in a serious tone getting nods from everyone in the carriage.

Walking around Xyrus we stopped by Grave's Great Bond and Pet Supplies, to get bird feed and treats for both Sylvie and Ajax. Wandering around the store there was an assortment of products ranging from bath soaps and food to Saddles and ginormous cages meant for tracking hounds and the like. After making my purchase Lilia quickly grabbed my hand and said "I knew from the moment I saw you where I had to take you." At first, I was a bit confused but then it hit me, we're going to the barbershop!

"Don't worry ma'am I'll make your son shine, like the gorgeous stud he is," he said winking with a lip bite in a high pitch voice. 'AHHHHHHHH!' Regis, Sage, and I screamed. 35 minutes, 35 fucking minutes I had sat there and endure this man's torture. I have never in my life have been so glad to walk out/escape from a store. 'I was in your body yet I still felt his creepy hands on me,' said Regis. 'On the bright side Master is looking quite dashing with his new haircut,' Sage said looking to the bright side.

"ARE YOU MAD!? I GOT TO IT FIRST! IT'S MINE!" shouted an older-looking man from inside a store.

"That shop sells high-class beast cores which constantly draws the attention of nobles who are hoping to get lucky. It's quite the gamble as the cost is a couple of thousand gold for a single A rank core, "Aunt Tabitha said. Hmm, I wonder how much the Elderwood Guardian's core would go for? I pondered to myself while leaning on the bridge, watching idiots bully a vendor. "They are students from Xyrus Academy, around here they're treated like royalty," Lilia said in a condescending tone. 

"The one who I assume is the leader has a dark red core and the two goons both have black cores and yet they think they've made it. Lilia in addition to helping you with your core would you like me to teach you to fight, as well?"

"Why?"

"Neither of us are nobles, so we might have to deal with people like that, so I will teach you how to fight so if worst comes to worst you'll be able to defend yourself."

"I didn't think about that, I will try my best!" Lilia said with newfound determination.

"Hey you two what are you guys talking about?" asked Aunt Tabitha, "Oh Arthur said that he'll teach me to fight, wait, where is Arthur?" They all look to see me running to a weapon store.

"He's like as pup..." Lilia said in disbelief.

"It's actually refreshing to see him act like a child," said mom in between laughs to which all the girls starting nodding.

'Ohhh, shiny let's go get a closer look,' shouted an excited Regis, as he forcefully pulled me into a store to look at the shiny shields. 'Remind me, why could you affect my body to such an extent?' 'After spending centuries with Grey, I learned a couple of tricks; the most useful to you is my ability to blend in with the shadows in my will o wisp form.' 'Now we have a way to spy on people,' I say browsing their shield collection.