Twin Soul

"How many ways to avoid death? Yet no salvation comes to Blood Mages."

Kain turned around and saw a female magic caster in her mid forty (age) say these code words.

"You?" Kain responded with the code word.

The female magic caster activated her Twin Soul. On her left hand was a dark red energy ball flying. And On her right hand was a blue energy ball flying.

Verified the female magic caster is also a Blood Mage, Kain calmed down and asked, "Name?"

"Lyfalia Immeril. Kain Bersk, follow me."

Kain followed Lyfalia into another room where no one else was present. Kain asked, "Master Immeril, what would you like to advise me?"

"Just call me Executioner Immeril. It's not even my real name anyway."

"Yes, Executioner Immeril."

"We have been keeping this country as weak as possible while giving the Mages Council stupid magic casters that will drain their training resources much faster than usual. Soon there would be a civil war in this country and the Mages Council will have to send out representatives to resolve them. All of these were planned, and everything happening inside the Nalas Kingdom is my doing on the behalf of Blood Mages Guild, do you understand?"

"Understood. I won't do anything to interfere with your works in this country."

"Here is the map of Nalas Kingdom. And here is the patrol schedule of the Seventh Battalion so you can find a good plan for your revenge against Admon Pashar."

"Thank you."

"If your little friend wants to butt in of my business in this nation, exterminate him."

"Got it." Regardless of how much Kain liked Arthur, he won’t allow Arthur to interfere with the business of Blood Mages Guild.

"Kain, you may go back to the banquet table. I will go meet this little friend of yours to have some talk with him."

Kain went back to the table and patiently waited for Arthur to come back. Kain whispered into Arthur's ears, "Weakling, what was the Executioner wanted to talk to you about?"

"She knew my parents and just wanted to make sure I can rely on her if anyone here gives me any problem in the Nalas Kingdom."

"Hah, it must be great having a High Priest as a mother, right?" Kain made a joke knowing Arthur hated to rely on his background for anything. Especially using his mother’s name because she is a High Priest of Bifjorkian Theocracy.

"I hate you…"

Executioner Immeril, Ralnor, and sixteen other magic casters sat down at the table and ate together while making small talk. To Arthur's surprise, it was just a regular dinner. There were no political talks like Arthur had expected. After the dinner was over, Kain and Arthur left the restaurant to go back to their hotel rooms.

"Kain, do you think it's weird that they just invited us to have dinner for no reason?"

"Weakling, you think too much. They just wanted to welcome us as fellow members of the Mages Council."

"I felt like we needed to start the investigation-"

"Nope. We should stick to our duty. Fight some other weaklings then recruit good ones to the Gray and go home."

"I thought you agreed we should dig deeper-"

"Yup. I changed my mind. We are still just Student Mages. Do what we can, not what we must."

"I suppose you are right."

"You know that I'm always right."

Later that night after arriving back in the hotel room, Kain carefully studied the map of Nalas Kingdom. This map helped him save a lot of time because Kain was planning to let his Second Soul set up traps somewhere and wait for Admon to pass by. But now he knows exactly where and when Admon will lead his Battalion to. Kain started planning his perfect strategy on massacring the Seventh Battalion along with Admon Pashar. The problem Kain had right now is how to lure Admon's family outside of Ganarion city to kill them too.

The next day Kain and Arthur went back to the Mages’ Academy of Ganarion to have friendly duels arranged with other Student Master Mages but they ran into another problem. None of the Student Master Mages of this Mages’ Academy wanted to duel them. Not because they were afraid of Kain and Arthur, but because they saw no real benefits of doing so. The principal and professors don’t care about this either.

“What should we do now, Kain?”

“Provoke or threaten them should help.”

“Like what? By calling them that they are cowards?”

“They are cowards. We shouldn’t call them any names but threaten not to let them graduate. If they can’t receive Mages’ Licenses, they will be useless. This will get their attention.”

“Can we do that?”

“F*ck no. But nothing wrong with making empty threats. If they fall for it, great. If not, well, at least we tried.”

“I’m gonna leave it to you, Kain. I’m not good at provoking others.”

“Not a problem, just watch and learn.”

Kain walked into the Principal’s Office and said, “Hey, pass out memos to your useless professors and stupid students that we are here on the behalf of Mages Council as inspectors. We are not happy with the result of our inspection and will shut down this Mages’ Academy. All students here won’t be able to receive their Mages’ Licenses and will never be allowed to cast magic spells in any places.”

“Thank you! I can’t wait to get transferred somewhere else.” The Principal said in a cheerful tone.

“No no… You are done too. The Mages’ Council doesn’t need a useless principal such as yourself. Your Mages’ License will be suspended permanently, same goes for all professors of this piece of shit Mages’ Academy.”

“You can’t do that.”

“Yes, we can. If you dare to go against the Mages’ Council, we will treat you like Rogue Mages and execute you on the spot.”

“Mister Almos, please… I have done everything I could. It's not my fault.”

“Funny… You are the principal. You should have done better. Expel useless students and professors if needed. You let this drag on for too long and kept on blaming others instead of yourself.”

“I’m willing to do anything. Please don't suspend my Mages’ License. At least not permanently.”

“Well then, we will give you twelve days. Twelve days later, we will come back for another inspection. If this Mages’ Academy fails again, we will shut it down for good. Also, pick out the twenty best Student Master Mages you have to duel with us. If they lose, they will be expelled and can never graduate.”

“Thank you. You won’t be disappointed.”

“Twelve days, remember that. Arthur, let’s go.”

Kain and Arthur left the Mages’ Academy then walked around Ganarion city. Arthur said, “Do you think they will believe us? I meant I wouldn’t fall for such bull crap.”

“Who cares? Like I have said, do what we can, not what we must. If they don’t fall for it, we will just go home and report it to Executioner Bodwyn later.”

Twelve days later, Kain and Arthur went back to the Mages’ Academy of Ganarion. Like Kain had expected, the Student Mages acted much better compared to the first time Kain and Arthur arrived.

“I guessed the threats of expelling students and suspending Mages’ Licenses of all professors worked. They acted like a real Mages’ Academy now.” Arthur whispered into Kain’s ears.

“Of course. Live and learn from me, Weakling.”

The Principal had prepared twenty strongest Student Master Mages of his Mages’ Academy. They appeared to be nervous despite how older they are compared to Kain and Arthur. More importantly, Princess Sarra heard about these friendly duels of Arthur and arrived very early so she wouldn’t have to miss any of it. Kain could have guessed Princess Sarra wasn't really interested in the duels. She was here to remind Arthur about her crazy plot in killing the Prince. Arthur appeared to be annoyed by Princess Sarra’s present while Kain was very happy to know that his plans would work better. Now he had a valid reason that the massacre of the Seventh Battalion isn’t connected to him. How can he murder Admon Pashar and his thousand warriors while dueling with the Student Master Mages of Ganarion at the same time? Meanwhile, Kain’s Second Soul transformed into an old woman using [Shapeshifting] and approached the Seventh Battalion camped near the river approximately forty miles to the East of Ganarion city.