Elves Vol. 1, Magic Academy, Pro-Ch.1

Prologue

King Jason, of the Iron Elf kingdom, was about to have a son. He was overjoyed to now have a son to ensure his legacy. His wife screamed as she was giving birth to their son. This would be their second child. Their first child had been a girl which they named Lily. She was about two years old now. The king loved her, but he could not leave a woman in charge of his kingdom.

Currently, King Jason was with his wife in her private bed chamber. The room was elegantly decorated with her artwork. Next to her bed was a cradle that their son would sleep in. It was obvious how much time and effort the queen had put into the making of it. Her crafting skills were even better than the most skilled elven artists. Ever since the king met her at a party his little brother had held, he knew he needed to make her his.

She had long red hair and kind brown eyes. Her skin was soft and flawless. There was no doubt that in her green dress that she was the most beautiful elf in the room. King Jason asked his brother who she was and he introduced her as Ariel, the daughter of an elven general. He was apparently very strict with his sons, but completely ignored his daughters. In a matter of months, Jason and Ariel were married.

Ariel let out another scream.

“One more push.” Taru, the royal doctor, said.

After one more mighty scream, the baby and his mother were separated. While the mother caught her breath, the baby began to cry out. Quickly, the queen asked if she could hold her baby. The elf complied with his queen’s request. She held the newborn close against her chest with a smile on her face. In her eyes, her baby elf was such a handsome young boy. To her he was the very definition of perfection.

“He is a strong boy.” King Jason said. “You have given birth to a fine young boy, Ariel.”

“Listen to him cry.” Ariel replied. “This young elf will grow-up to be a fine king. I know it.”

King Jason began fantasizing about what he would teach his new son. It would be such a pleasure teaching him how to wield a sword, how to command others and how to lead this kingdom. How wonderful it was that he now possessed a son who would bear the mark of the Iron Sword. Just think of the accomplishments his son would make gave him such joy.

It was a moment later when he noticed something about his son. His right hand, to be exact. There was no mark on it. There was no black mark that resembled a sword. Impossible! Every first born son in the royal bloodline was born with the mark, that allows them to wield the Iron Sword, a magical weapon that had won many battles and wars in his country’s history.

Suddenly, King Jason seized his son from his wife’s arms. For a brief moment, his wife was frozen with shock, but quickly recovered and demanded he return their child to her. The king, not having time to deal with this, cast a sleep spell on his wife. In a matter of seconds, Ariel fell into a deep sleep. Even as she slept, Ariel still called out for her baby, but so quietly that she could not be heard.

King Jason handed the baby to Taru and asked him to confirm that the mark was not located somewhere else on his body. It did not take long for him to confirm it was not. Then the king thought that someone, an enemy of the kingdom, must have used magic to conceal the mark. However, this also proved false. The boy had been born without the mark of the Iron Sword.

“How can this be possible?!” King Jason was desperate for an answer.

“Your Majesty, I may have an idea.” Taru said, hesitantly.

“You do?!” King Jason inquired. “How?!”

“As you know, my family has served as royal doctors for generations.” Taru replied. “So, we are aware of the mark and its history. This gives me an idea, but if anyone were to even suggest this to you, they would probably be executed.”

“I promise that no matter what you say, you will not be punished.” King Jason said. “Speak!”

“Well, this most likely means that one of you has been … Unfaithful.” Taru said.

“That is nonsense!” The king shouted. “Take the child and get out of my sight!”

The doctor nervously bowed his head and quickly carried the child out of the room. Once the doctor was gone, King Jason sat down in a chair near his wife’s bed. There were no doubts in the king’s mind that his wife had remained faithful to him. She was loyal and kind. Definitely incapable of doing what the doctor had suggested.

He, on the other hand, was quite capable. Every so often, King Jason has been captivated by another woman’s beauty and had a pleasurable evening with them. Then, the horror of the situation he had created became clear to him. One of the women he had spent nights with must have given birth to a boy before his wife.

“This is a disaster.” King Jason sighed.

When his wife began to stir, the king applied more of his magic to keep her asleep. While Ariel slept, King Jason began thinking about what he should do next. He came to the decision that he must keep this secret; especially from his wife. She had no idea that Jason had sought the company of other women and he wanted to keep it that way. With some help, King Jason could create a fake mark for his son. No one of the royal bloodline has ever been able to call on the power of the Iron Sword until they reach the age of sixteen. So, the fake mark would buy him time. With that time, the king planned to research the mark of the Iron Sword secretly. King Jason needed to find a way to bestow the mark upon his and Ariel’s son. He also needed to find out who had given birth to his first son, but that was going to take a while.

“Who would have thought the treasure mark of this country would cause its king so much trouble.” He sighed, staring at his hand where the mark had once existed.

The mark of the Iron Sword would not always remain on a person until death. Sometimes, it would fade away, though no one knew why. King Jason only got to wield the Iron Sword for a few years; until he turn twenty, to be exact.

While the king was thinking in his palace, far away, in a village at his kingdom’s border, a human woman was feeding her month old baby. On this baby’s hand, there was an odd mark. It resembled a black sword.

The woman’s name is Trina Woodlock. Her son’s name is Thomas Woodlock, and he will play a vital role in events that will change the very nature of this world.

Chapter 1

Thomas woke-up to his dog, Max, licking his face. Not long after, he heard his mother call to him. Quickly, Thomas got dressed and made his way downstairs to the shop.

His mother owned a pawn shop. People came in from day to day, selling what they did not need and buying whatever his mother had. It was actually a successful business. Thomas’s mother knew how to make a good deal. Everyday, Thomas examined whatever they were sold and hoping that they would receive some books. Thomas was quite a book lover. He found time to read whatever books they got and still manage to read the books at the town library.

Before going to eat breakfast with his mother, Thomas checked his appearance in one of antique mirrors they had been sold. His brown hair was a bit messy, his green eyes were normal, and he wore a simple brown shirt, pants and a red scarf. Over his right hand, he wore a glove, which hid his birth mark. His mother told him that it would cause trouble for her if anyone -especially elves- saw that mark. That was all she had told him. Part of him was tempted to show the mark to someone and ask if they knew what it meant, but Thomas remembered how concerned his mother looked when she talked about the mark. So, he has never shown the mark to anyone. It was a bit weird wearing a glove all the time, at least that is what people told him. However, he did not mind and if they asked why he always wore it, Thomas would simply say that when he was born, his hand accidentally got burn and he wore it to hid the burn marks.

In the kitchen behind the store, his mom had some bread and eggs ready. Thomas’s mother was a beautiful woman, but still looked rather tough. Her arms were strong and her brown hair was short. When she got mad, his mother could be a little scary, but usually she was rather nice. She wore men’s clothes, except on special occasions. Today, she wore a black shirt and blue pants. Seems she was busy working on arranging the merchandise.

“Morning, Mom.” Thomas said. “Any customers come by yet.”

“One traveler, who sold me a very pretty dress in exchange for just two silver.” His mother replied. “Though, he was a suspicious looking fellow. His eyes kept darting around the room.”

“Do you think he took stole anything?” Thomas asked.

“Nothing is missing.” His mother replied. “I checked twice, just to be sure.”

“Hm, that seems odd.” Thomas said.

“Well, plenty of weird things make their way to this store.” His mother replied. “Remember that guy who came in here and tried to sell a hand in a jar?”

“I wish I didn’t.” Thomas said. “The hand wasn’t even human. It was reptilian and freaky.”

“Ya, good thing I told the guy selling it we did not buy or sell that kind of stuff.” She replied. “If you got past his weird merchandise, he was a rather handsome and polite guy.”

Thomas finished his breakfast and grabbed his wooden sword. Then he checked one of the clocks in the shop. His swordsmanship lessons started soon, so he had to hurry. As he was headed out the door, his mom stopped him.

“Forgetting something?” His mother said, holding out a small bag containing his lunch.

“Oh, right.” Thomas thanked her. “And don’t worry, I’ll remember to buy a chicken for dinner on my way back.”

“You should buy a dead one.” His mother said. “They are cheaper and I don’t have to go to the trouble of killing it. Remember that time you bought a live one and wanted to keep it as a pet?”

“I won’t buy a live one this time.” Thomas replied. “I promise.”

As Thomas started heading to his class, his mother called out, “Love you, son!”

He waved back to her. Once Thomas had turned the corner, he took-off running. His mother told him not to run through busy streets, but Thomas was in a hurry. In a matter of minutes, Thomas reached his class. The dojo did not look all that impressive on the outside, but on the inside … it was even worse. The building was made of a mix of stones and wood. It was about ten feet in width and seven feet in length and seven feet in height. Inside, the floor is wooden, as are the walls, and they are both stained with blood from accidents that occurred during fights. All the windows are broken.

This dojo is not very well know and not at all popular. Thomas is literally the only student, since the teacher is very strict. The sensei, Kevin, works his students to the bone. In the beginning, Thomas thought he was just a jerk who enjoyed making him suffer. However, after a few weeks, the two of them realized they both had something in common. A mutual loathing for something. It is this something that is responsible for Kevin being so strict. When Thomas realized this, he and Kevin started to get along. He still worked Thomas like crazy, but Thomas understood his reasoning and respected him deeply.

When Thomas entered the dojo, his found his instructor was not there. Then, he heard yelling and the sound of fists hitting wood. Something must have happened that enraged Kevin, because whenever he is mad, he goes behind the dojo and punches a block of wood he keeps back there. Whatever it was, it must have been elf related.

Kevin almost never gets so mad that he needs to punch something, unless elves have done something unfair to him. In the world they live in, elves are the dominate beings and they treat humans like they are all weak and pathetic. They think they can do whatever they want to humans. The elves all live a life of luxury while most humans are struggling to get by. Thomas’s mother had to work very hard to get their shop. Before that, she was a waitress and a prostitute. She never talks about those days. The days before he was born.

Whenever his mother feels emotional, she tells Thomas that he was the turning-point in her life. After he was born, she decided to work as hard as it took to give him a happy life.

Thomas went to behind the dojo to see how his sensei was doing. A bearded man with multiple scars on his arms and a missing finger on his left hand was punching a block of wood into splitters. He wore a black yukata. There was great rage in his eyes. This was his sensei, Kevin. Once his teacher stopped to catch his breath, Thomas spoke.

“So, what’s wrong?” He asked. “Have another encounter with some of those elf jerks?”

“Yes, but there is more to it than that.” His sensei replied. “They came by here, telling me to my retirement payments will no longer be given to me. Without those payments, I can not keep this dojo open for much longer.”

“What?!” Thomas exclaimed. “Why won’t they give you your retirement payments?!”

“Seems that our jerk of a king has decided that humans don’t deserve retirement payments.” Kai replied. “Typical elf. Doing whatever they want and treating us humans like dirt!”

“There has to be something we can do, right?!” Thomas inquired, but he knew the answer.

“No kid, I am afraid that there isn’t.” His sensei said. “Honestly, I don’t know what I will do after this dojo is gone. I will probably end-up back in the military.”

“But you fought for nearly a decade in the army!” Thomas replied. “You earned those retirement payments! This is completely and utterly unfair! You deserve better!”

“I agree with you, kid.” Kai said. “But, there is nothing that can be done. Elves think that they are so great because all of them can use magic. They think they have been blessed by the Gods. In truth, they are just lucky, stuck-up bastards!”

Kai then punched the block of wood so hard, that it broke in half.

“No matter what any of us do, we can not go against them.” Kai was not speaking to Thomas or anyone, really. “They are just too powerful and we humans just can’t match their power.”

Thomas wanted to say something to him to raise his spirits, but could think of nothing. How can one argue against the truth?

“Sensei, can we do some training?” Thomas asked, trying to change the subject.

“Why?” Kai responded. “What is the point? Tell me.”

“The point is that even if you think it’s pointless, even if the elves think it is pointless, hell, even if the whole world thinks, I don’t.” Thomas replied. “To me, this matters. After every training class, I feel stronger. Both in mind and body. The elves may think we can not go against them, but when I work myself to the bone, day after day, sometimes I feel like I can take those arrogant down. All thanks to you and your lessons. And I am not giving up, so don’t you dare.”

Kai smiled at his student. It was the kindest smile Thomas had ever seen. “You know, I think you are pretty special, Thomas. I also think that you are right. I can’t give-up, especially if my student won’t. After all a sensei’s job is to guide his student and be a role model for them.”

So, the two of them trained. They trained harder than ever before. By the time they were done, every muscle in their bodies were aching. The sun had just begun to set when they were finished. Before leaving, Thomas said something to his sensei.

“Listen, if you need a place to stay in the future, I’m sure I can work something out with my mother.” Thomas said. “You don’t deserve to be forced to return to the military or live on the streets. So, you can stay with us until we can work something out. Okay?”

“Do you really mean that?” Kai asked.

“Of course,” Thomas replied. “After all, you are like family to me.”

“Thanks.” Kai said. “Now, you better get going, or your mother will get mad. It is getting late.”

“Oh, right!” He exclaimed. “And I have got to by a chicken!”

With that, Thomas took-off running. As he ran further away, Kai smiled. That boy had shown tremendous promise in martial arts and his eyes showed that he had a determined spirit. He was understanding and kind. Of all the students and friends Kai has had, Thomas was among those he most proud of. Kai only wished that he could give the boy a chance to achieve something. A chance he never got.

Thomas hurried to the local marketplace. Fortunately, there were still some people selling. He was able to buy a chicken just before the stalls all closed. And he made sure it was already dead, like his mother told him to. As he was walking home, Thomas heard a cry of pain. Worried about what had happened, Thomas went to investigate. What he found was not unusual. It was some elves bullying humans, just because they could.

Thomas recognized them. Their names were Julius, Hector, and Adam. Adam was the most muscular of the bunch. His muscles showed straight through his shirt. His hair was brown, long and curly. He always had this smug smile on his face and did whatever Julius told him to do. Hector was tall and thin. His face was always unreadable and his eyes were always looking everywhere. He wears glasses, a black coat, and shoes polished to a shine. His hair is short and pure white. Somehow, he seemed to be the scariest member of the group, at least to Thomas. Finally, there is Julius, the leader of the little group. He is the son of the Elven noble who rules over their town and has the attitude to prove it. Julius thinks he can do whatever he wants and suffer no consequences. His hair is blonde and his eyes are brown. He always wears the fanciest clothes, even when he is just walking through town. Of all the elves Thomas has met, he hates Julius the most, because of the arrogance the elf possesses.

“What did you say, human?!” Julius asked.

“Nothing, sir.” The man he had pushed to the ground replied. “I said nothing.”

“Is that so?” Julius said. “I am a bit confused. I am certain that we heard something. Didn’t we, Adam?”

“Ya, I heard him say we were stuck-up elven jerks.” Adam replied.

“That is what I heard too.” Julius replied. “How about you, Hector?”

He simply nodded, seeming utterly uninterested in what was happening.

“Well, it would seem we all heard you.” Julius said. “So, you have not only mocked us, but you have also lied to us. Now, won’t you say that means you deserve some punishment?”

The villager remained silent, but anyone could see he was beginning to sweat.

“Leave him alone!” Thomas shouted.

The three elven snobs turned to him. Thomas walked over to them without hesitation. He helped the villager they had been bullying to his feet.

“Head home.” Thomas said to him. “I’ll deal with these elven jerks.”

The villager thanked him and hurried away.

“So, you think you can deal with us?” Julius said with a chuckle. “Overconfident human. I will enjoy teaching you your place in this town. No, your place in this world!”

Before, Julius could do anything, Thomas landed the first blow. In a flash, he closed the distance between them and kicked Julius in the gut, followed by a quick punch to his face. The spoiled elf brat was knocked down. Adam, who was to stunned to react, became Thomas’s second target. He kicked Adam where no man ever wants to be kicked, then flipped onto his back. Then, Thomas went after Hector, but he was able to block Thomas’s punches with ease. Clearly, this elf knew something about how to fight. The two of them had only begun to exchange fists when a sudden burst of wind knocked Thomas to the ground.

It was Julius. He was a Wind magic user. Now, Thomas suddenly felt rather angry. He had was having a good match with Hector, but the jerk interfered. Thomas now wanted beat him even harder than he just had. However, Thomas suddenly felt someone grab him from behind and put him in an armlock. Adam had recovered quicker than Thomas had thought he would. Right now, it seemed that Adam was going to restrain him while Julius was going to beat him up.

“This is dishonorable, you snobs!” Thomas said. “Fight with a little dignity!”

They ignored his comments and continued on their course of action. Until Hector whispered something in Julius’s ear. Then they suddenly seemed to change their minds. Under Julius’s orders, Adam released him and the three of them left without another word.

This was strange. Thomas had never seen elves back-off when they had the advantage. All of the sudden, Thomas had a bad feeling in his stomach that only got worse as he walked home.