Broken Tower Saga: The First Swordsman

"By the way, don't try it outside now, it's still quite terrible. What you said is: I am success, time needs me."

Wrik's face reddened at hearing that. He was not as good as he supposed. Well, nobody could blame him, it was only two days. He picked up the glass of water and drank to hide his embarrassment. 'I'll never think of showing off my abilities again.'

"Though it's not accurate, I still don't know if there's anyone else with this level of efficiency. You can be cocky of this accomplishment," Sophia continued, satisfied with his embarrassment. "So I guess you got your side covered with the class."

"Well, I was just lucky to get a moment of insight into it, there's still a long road for me," Wrik said humbly.

"There's no need to be humble, you can be proud of this achievement."

"Sis, what are you two saying? I'm lost," Tanya said from the side. "Is it that difficult to learn it?"

"The bare minimum level is not difficult, but it gets a lot harder later," Sophia cleared her sister's doubt. "Wrik has almost mastered the bare minimum level. All he needs is a few more weeks. If I'm not wrong, he found the essence behind it; if not, he should not be able to learn this fast."

"But, isn't it just an ancient language?" Tanya asked further. "Why are you making a big deal about it?"

"It's not just an ancient language', it is the Ancient language, sweetheart," Sophia said in a serious tone. "Even though it's not intact, it's still a must-have ability for an Omega designer. Besides that, it has other uses as well, such as spell casting, alchemy, or other business."

"Spell casting?" Tanya asked. She frowned. "Doesn't that mean I have to learn it as well?"

Sophia nodded. "It would do good in learning, but there's not much harm if you stay oblivious to it as well."

"Why?" Tanya asked.

"That's because it's an ancient way of casting. Some of it is useful, some are not. After all the inventions were made all these years, the new age mages are way above the ancient casters."

"But didn't you train me the traditional way of a mage?" Tanya became confused at hearing her Sister's elaboration.

"Didn't I say there are some that are useful? I made you follow the traditional way because it's the correct way. The synthetic path may give you quick success once or twice, but it's wrong in the long run." Sophia continued. "You can be an excellent mage even if you don't know the Axi scripts."

"But I'm interested," Tanya transferred her gaze towards Wrik with stars in her beautiful emerald eyes. "Teach me."

Wrik gave a hollow laugh. Tanya almost acted like a kid when she was alone around her sister.

"I don't think he can teach you yet," Sophia answered for Wrik. "Besides, the simplified Elneo was not that special, much help in casting either. Wait for him to master it properly, then you can learn from him if he agrees that is."

"Alright," Tanya nodded, not giving much thought to the later part of what Sophia said.

"So why did you want to meet me?" Wrik asked the blonde woman.

Sophia did not answer immediately. She looked at her sister for a moment to say, "Tanya, You should go to your room and practice a bit more."

Tanya frowned at her sister, but complying with her request, understanding her sister wanted to talk with Wrik alone.

While Wrik inhaled in a quiet breath. It seemed Sophia did not want her little sister to listen to what she was going to talk about.

Sophia waited for a moment and followed the leaving figure of Tanya before opening her lips. "I need to tell you something, but I don't know where to start," she said. "Actually, I can't say the exact things, there is some restriction on us from spilling it out."

Wrik's heart skipped a beat. Lucus had mentioned something like that in the letter as well. He mentioned, the Omeganet restricts some information from leaking out like that.

"So I can only spill out some abstract information in the hope you would be able to figure it out in time," Sophia continued. "You should know the trial this time was a bit different. .. I don't know how to say this. . ."

"Sophia, before that will you answer me one question?" Wrik stopped Sophia from continuing. He eyed the blonde woman as he did in their first meeting. His dark eyes met her sapphire eyes as Wrik opened his mouth. "Why are you being so good to me?"

Sophia was about to answer, but Wrik opened his lips again saying:

"Don't say stuff life, I helped Tanya, so you're repaying me. What you did was more than any help, we. .. I deserved it," Wrik said. 'Tellme Sophia. I need to trust you.' He did not say the last part aloud, but Sophia could guess it through his eyes.

She sighed. "First, I was just doing as a part of the job," she opened her lips.

"Job?"

"Yes, I was ordered with the duty to recruit you, but you turned down my offers. You should guess with my level of expertise recruiting someone was not something I ever asked to do."

''Who asked you to recruit me?" Wrik frowned.

"I was not supposed to say that, but I think I can spill out something," Sophia said. "It was someone from Knightshade, and there's only one person above me."

"Why would someone specifically look for me? And how did they even know about me?" Wrik pondered aloud. "I had been living in Elania for a couple of years, and not even the lowest level inquisitor showed any interest in me or Anton. We worked our asses off to get their good sides so that they could recruit us into the tower, yet no one seemed to care. Yet now. . ."

Wrik did not need to continue Sophia got what he was trying to say.

"I can not answer that," Sophia sighed. "I can see all your suspicions were valid, but I don't know the entire truth, and I don't think my boss knows it either."

"Then how did he know about me?"

"Not he," Sophia seemed to laugh for some reason, and the laugh seemed bitter. "It's a woman, but she's more than any man."

"Oh," Wrik was surprised. Sophia herself was more than any man he knew, yet she seemed to admire her boss on a whole another level.

"Back to the question, I don't think she knows much about you. Maybe even less than me," Sophia continued. "As for how she knows about you, it's her quirk. She only gave me your name, with very detailed descriptions, though a few of them were wrong."

''Is she a prophet or something?" Wrik could not help but ask.

"Perhaps, but she never admits it," Sophia sighed again. She closed her eyes for a moment, and the moment she opened it again, she regained her sternness. "I have told you most of what I know. Can you believe me now?"

Wrik took a deep breath and nodded, eyeing the blonde woman. "I think I can believe you."

________________