Another year had passed. I was now four years old. My body was a little stronger now. Baron Alfred had just returned from the capital, from a diet from the King and his expression unusually serious. The entire village gathered in the square. He cleared his throat with ceremony and addressed us all beneath the Old Tree: "A new royal decree has passed," he announced. "All children—commoner or noble—above the age of seven must take the Royal Academy Entrance Exam. Should they pass... they are required to attend."
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. My parents looked alarmed. Others outright angry.
"But Lunaria is weeks away from the capital!" said Matilda
"What if they fail? What if they don't want to go?" said Carla
"Our children are still babies!" said Mother
But it was law now. Later that evening, as the sun painted the Lunaris Forest in shades of amber, the five of us, me, Edward, Rosa, Luna and Emily gathered under the Old Tree, the unofficial headquarters of our crew.
I leaned back against the bark, arms crossed behind my head. Luna lay lazily across my shoulders, half-asleep, her breath soft and warm. Emily sat beside me, clinging to a plush rabbit Herma had sewn for her. She was still too young to speak full sentences. Rosa was talking with Edward, "I read the capital has huge towers!" Rosa exclaimed. "And a market that stretches across five bridges!" "Yeah, and walls so big you can ride horses on them!" Edward added. "I want to see it all." he continued. "Sounds exhausting," I whispered, barely hiding my disinterest. Their excitement was honest. Then footsteps approached.
Baron Alfred, dressed in his more casual clothes now, stood before us with hands behind his back. "Children," he said gently, "I know this news may trouble you... and your parents. But fear not. You are not alone in this." We looked up at him. "I will personally tutor you all. I was once a graduate of the Royal Academy myself. I will ensure that you are not only prepared, but confident.". "What do you say?" he asked. Without hesitation, I said, "I acceppt...." Luna raised her hand lazily, "Me too…". Edward and Rosa looked at each other and nodded. Emily titled her head unsure what is going on. Back home, the news was... less warmly received.
"Lord Alfred's mentoring you personally?!" my mother exclaimed, eyes wide. "You agreed without asking us?" my father added, crossing his arms. "Yes," I replied calmly. "Because it's necessary." There was a silence as my parents exchanged glances. Then my father chuckled and ruffled my hair. "Stubborn as ever. Fine. But you better not get expelled." My mother sighed, kneeling down. "Just promise me one thing, Elric…Stay safe."
I nodded.
The next day, our lessons began in the old library of Baron Alfred's mansion.
Stacks of old, dusty and worn books lined the walls. Baron Alfred stood near the long oak table, teaching Edward, who at six years old was the eldest among us, through a writing exercise. "History," Alfred said deepening his voice, "is more than dates. It is memory. Without memory, kingdoms vanish." Edward scribbled diligently.
Luna, Rosa, Emily, and I… were less disciplined. Luna had crawled halfway under a table in search of something only she knows. Rosa was looking through a story book with wide, excited eyes as she flipped through the colorful pages. Emily sat with her plush rabbit on her lap on a chair playing with it.
As for me… I wandered. My eyes drifted over the shelves, pulled toward a title because something about it called to me. "Journeys of the Great Sage." I reached for it.
"You're interested in that one?" I turned to see Baron Alfred standing behind me.
He had that serene expression of his, the kind that made you wonder how much he really knew.
"Yes," I said simply. "Ah," he smiled. "That book tells the story of the Great Sage, a man who once traveled this entire continent and the others. He preached peace, united the goblin tribes, and protected the weak from dragons. A true pillar of history… though sadly forgotten by most."
I flipped the book open. The pages were faded with age but full of sketches, fragments of poems, and records of his teachings . One image in particular caught my eye. The Sage, surrounded by crescent-shaped objects, spinning around him like moons.
"What… is this?" I asked. Baron Alfred leaned closer, inspecting the page. "That," he said slowly, "was said to be the Sage's unique art. No one knows exactly what it was. A form of magic, perhaps… or martial technique. He never passed it on. When he vanished, so did his art."
"Crescents… spinning," I murmured. "Some believe they were blades," Alfred continued. He placed a hand on my shoulder. "But legends say this: when the world begins to shatter again, the Sage's art will return. In new hands." "In new hands," huh? I closed the book slowly.
A martial art lost to time. One that moves like crescents in orbit... Sounds like something I could remember. Or... something I could recreate. Baron Alfred moved on to wrangle Luna, who was now balancing three ink bottles on her head. The crescent shapes were strange… but somehow familiar. Not from this world. Old Japanese Legends spoke of a sage with orbs orbitting the Sage, providing mental, physical, emotional, nature and Yin and Yang Balance granting immense wisdom and longevity.....
What if this "Sage"... wasn't born in this world either? I have to find the truth about this sage.....it seems intriguing for me.....