Just Another Beginning After the End | TBATE

The City in the Sky

A/N: Hehe, Xyrus is finally upon us!

This beginning of this chapter will feel pointless, but I promise it'll come into play at some point.

...If I remember to.

I've also included a link to some music... idk you don't have to listen to it but it was what I briefly listened to as I wrote the second half of this chapter and I thought it fit a bit too well.

Also, hi to all the people I met on the discord server!

Happy reading :D

Throughout these past 4 years, the number of Candidates has increased to 8, including me. However, a week before my departure, that list was reduced to 7. That was because one of the remaining candidates had been promoted to the rank of Successor.

But I think I'm getting ahead of myself. Before we go on, let me explain the Lance selection system. Once an elf reaches the orange core, they are immediately put into the selection pool for Candidacy.

Then, once they reach the dark stage of the yellow core, they are given the rank of Junior Candidate. The rank of Candidate once they reach solid yellow and the rank of Senior Candidate upon reaching light yellow.

The second they break through to the silver core, regardless of stage, they are given the rank of Successor until they are Knighted and become a Lance.

Also, the highest ranking Candidate isn't known as just another Senior Candidate but as Prime Candidate. That was Alea's current rank as she was closest to breaking through to silver core among us.

As for me, I bypassed this and was immediately given the title of Candidate by the royal family when they picked me up after my... er, "accident."

I didn't know if other kingdoms did it the same way, but that was the way elves did it.

Anyways, back to the situation at hand.

**

As I was saying before, there were now 7 candidates as the previous Prime Candidate had become a Successor.

This was Aya Grephin, Phantasm.

"Kuku, looks like you have manners."

Breaking me out of my thoughts, the alluring voice spoke again behind me.

I gulped nervously and spoke.

"...I learned from my mentor."

"Oh?"

Aya spoke with a nasal voice.

Though it seemed like I was just conversing normally, I was currently internally shaking in my boots. The reason why I was nervous was that calling out to a member of 'Branch' like I did could be considered incredibly insolent.

In fact, it was an unwritten rule when it came to a member of Branch that you needed to await their permission before turning around "lest darkness overtake you."

In other words, you'll die if you do anything that remotely pisses them off.

If you couldn't tell already, these guys are elite black operatives that serve directly under the royal family. They are not the type of people to mess with and certainly not the type to call out casually...

...Why did I do that?

"Well, you can turn around."

Regardless, it seemed I was okay. Maybe it was because I was a Candidate, or perhaps it was because I was a child.