There was absolute darkness except for the small area inside of it. It was absolutely quiet and nothing moved inside. A boy stood with a glowing earring in the center of that darkness.

“Why am I here?” asked the rage-filled boy as he looked into the darkness in front of him. “Whoever you are, just return me back!”

Nero’s voice traveled through the darkness, but nothing happened. He still stood at his spot and waited for an answer when he heard a certain harrumph coming in his direction.

“Looks like your last experience added some balls to you, boy,” said the voice, coming from the darkness.

When Nero heard him, goosebumps passed through his back while cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

“I like your current you much more than the last one. What rage, what hate," said the voice as the surrounding started trembling. "A potential warrior replaced that silly child."

Nero saw nothing when darkness started trembling and he felt how something caught his body, making him unable to move a finger. He was like a doll inside someone’s hand. He gave a damn about his words and just wanted to leave.

“What do you want?” cried Nero as his heart fastened its beat and fear appeared inside it.

“Hmm. Nero, never again speak to me in such manner,” said the voice as the boy felt how it was seething with rage and bloodthirsty. “Regarding your question, I just want to give you a choice.”

“What choice?” asked Nero.

“Simple one,” said the voice. “I want to make a pact with you, and you can agree or not.”

“What will happen if I won’t?” asked the boy as clear irritation appeared on his face.

When the voice heard him trembling paused for a moment before the voice started laughing before it calmed down.

“Quite a big transformation," said the voice as he muttered it to himself before concentrating on Nero. "You will die.”

Nero gulped a portion of saliva when he heard him, but rage and hate still clouded his mind and he could cope with fear for some degree.

“What will I get if I agree?” asked the boy.

"You want to bargain with me, boy? You the silly and helpless insect, really want to do it?" asked the voice as if it found his current situation funny.

"Yes!" cried Nero as he clenched his fists. "It's you who called me here, so stop wasting my time and start spitting conditions. If you think your small performance was enough to scare me then you are wrong. I have just lost everyone who I cherished, do you really think that I am afraid of death?"

"Hmm." muttered the voice as if it touched its chin. "What a big change. A child became a wolf. But, that will be good."

"Come on, spill the conditions or finish with this farce," said Nero as enormous fury shined in his purple eyes.

"I get it, boy, calm down," said the voice as the trembling stopped. "I will try again."

Nero also calmed down a bit when the voice no longer tried to scare him.

"I want to give you techniques and knowledge which you can use to revenge your family." said the voice as the darkness once again started trembling.

“What type of techniques?” asked the boy.

"Rare ones, those which you would never find by yourself, and most of them are connected to your bloodline," said the voice.

"Bloodline?" asked the boy as he raised his brow.

"Sign a pact and I will tell you more," said the voice.

"But what do you want from me?" asked Nero.

"A request which I will ask from you at the right time, and that's it," said the voice.

"A request?" asked the boy as he made a dumbfounded expression on his face. Right now, all his instincts and knowledge were crying to him to decline. "Will you provide me details?"

"Enough!" said the voice as if it ran out of patience.

"Boy, I am not obliged to tell you anything. If you don't want to agree, then die and forget about your revenge," said the voice as it harrumphed and started creating pressure on Nero.

At first, the boy tried to resist, but he quickly realized that it was futile.

"Stop, I agree, just hope you won't ask too much for your request, and I won't have to do it before I revenge my family."

"Don't worry. It won't be too much," said the voice as if it was ridiculing him.

Nero just released a sigh of relief when an ancient-looking scroll appeared before him.

"Imprint a portion of your blood," said the voice.

Nero spent a moment looking at it, but fury and hate still clouded his mind. So, the boy quickly bit his finger and sent several droplets of blood at the scroll. The scroll started shining while magic runes appeared at it before it flew up and disappeared in the darkness.

"A pact is signed," said the voice. "Now, prepare to get the first portion of techniques."

Nero who was still looking at the darkness, suddenly fall to the ground as he held for his head. Out of nowhere, immense pain appeared as knowledge which he never knew appeared in his mind, describing two different techniques.

"The first technique is for meditations, while the second is for strengthening your bond with your griffon. This is your first challenge, boy," said the voice as Ethel appeared out of nowhere and landed near Nero and rushed to him. "Both of you should get stronger, or I will better kill you myself."

As the voice continued watching after the suffering boy, it released a bitter sigh.

'Purple Tide and Golden Law are just the basics. And still, he can't even take them without so much pain. Will he even make it?'

The voice was in his thoughts when Nero released a growl and stood up, looking at the darkness while Ethel approached him.

"Since I have already signed your pact, can I go now?" asked the boy as he gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. Even though he no longer felt agony, there was still a significant pain in his head.

"Not yet," said the voice when something stuck Nero into the eyes.

The boy once again fell to the ground as he held his eyes. Blood appeared from his nose, mouth, and eyes.

"Don't thank me later. It's just to hide your identity from Secret Service. Techniques, I gave you should be enough till the Great knight realm. We will see each other again at that time," said the voice as it raised Nero to the air. "Now, scram, weakling."

As soon as he finished his phrase, Nero disappeared behind a portal, leaving only Ethel behind who looked at the darkness with accusation in his eyes.

“Do you want to get the same attitude or you will leave by yourself?” asked the voice as trembling intensified.

Ethel only growled at the darkness before jumping at the portal, following Nero.

“Interesting. The game starts now. If his words were true then, I will see a nice show,” said the voice before it erupted in laughing.

...

..

.

Opening his eyes, the first thing Nero did was touch his eyes. There was no pain or agony as if nothing happened to him inside that darkness. Besides, he felt how a wind passed through his hair just like when he was riding on the horse. Ethel was also with him and acted just like him, confused.

So, as soon as he started looking around, he saw a sun in front of him and clouds nearby to him.

“Where am ...” started the boy when a male voice interrupted him.

A fully armored knight patted a lizard and stood up, looking at Nero.

Nero, who hasn’t recovered from the recent encounter with the malicious voice, tried to touch his training sword on instinct when that man in front of him stopped and bowed.

“My name is Primus, and I am the commander, serving your grandfather,” said Primus as he raised his head and looked at the boy.

Nero, who was already ready to fight for his life calmed down a bit when he realized that a man intended to not harm him. So, he continued to look around the blizzard on which he was standing and found something covered by the cloak. Nero just ignored the knight and jumped in that direction.

“Mother,” said Nero as he opened her face and clenched her hand.

Nero still looked at his mother’s sad smile when Primus approached him and released a sigh.

“If only we arrived earlier,” said the man with a clear regret on his face.

Nero continued to look at his mother while he pondered about his current situation. He wasn't sure that a man wasn't an enemy, so he needed to be careful.

"What happened with others at the village?" asked the boy, trying to probe the grounds.

Of course, Primus, who had immense experience, noticed what Nero was doing, but he decided to go with the flow and give some time for the boy. He knew that trust wasn't a thing that can be earned quickly.

"When we arrived there was only a devastated village. Everyone was dead, and we found only you near the Young Lady," said Primus as he looked at the boy.

As soon as he heard him, a huge pain appeared in his heart. His teacher was dead. He was the second closest person to him after his mother. Nero paled and clenched his fists. Even though he felt enormous pain and agony from such news, Nero knew that it wasn't time to grief. So, he sobered up and clenched for the smallest information he could get.

"Young Lady?" asked Nero.

Primus was a bit surprised for a moment but quickly realized that boy's mother never told him about her origins. So, he needed to quickly explain the basic information before he would meet with his grandfather.

"Your mother - Tiona Claus was the heir of Baron Claus, the noble of Griffon kingdom. I don’t know why she abdicated from her family, and don’t know why she never told you about her father, but you don’t need to be scared. You are her son, and now when she is dead, your grandfather will take care of you and it would be better if he tells you himself about their relations,” said Primus. “You can ask me other questions.”

Only now, Nero finally showed some reaction as his brows rose for a moment. He didn't know about that. If he believed this man's words, then it was a big change for him. That's why he needed to get as much information as possible.

“If my mother belonged to a noble family If you say that you will deliver me to my grandfather, then why my mother had never told me anything about him?” asked the boy as he pierced the man with his blue eyes.

Primus only sighed before sitting near the boy.

The sky lizard on which they were now flying was big, had a shield that blocked most of the wind, and was trained and could fly home without a rider. So, nothing prevented Primus from talking to Nero.

“Everything I can tell is that your grandfather is a complicated person. You better learn it yourself and decide what type of person he is for you," said Primus as he stood up and returned to his initial position, making it clear that their short conversation was over. Primus felt conflicted about seeing her son. He wanted to tell something to appease his pain but just didn't know what to do when he looked into his blue eyes which were filled with hate, fury, and desire for revenge. That's why he decided to give him some time alone.

"Ethel, my mother is dead, there is no teacher anymore," said the boy as he tightly hugged his small, black griffon. "We need to get strong. I promise that those bastards who took them away from me will pay a bloody price."

Ethel said nothing and only continued to lick the boy's cheek as his own way of support while Nero shuddered in fury and looked into his mother's face.

Such scene continued for some time before Primus stood up and looked at them.

“Young Master, we are approaching the Wingville. Soon you will meet with your grandfather,” said Primus as he took a horn and gave a signal.

Nero calmed down a bit and looked at the figure of the man with the horn when more dots started appearing in the skies and made a similar signal. A moment later, hundreds of flying lizards appeared, surrounding them. As he threw his glances at them, he saw many people in the armor and robes, and they all had a similar insignia with a sword and wing.

It was his first time seeing knights and mages. That's why Nero just couldn't stop from widening his eyes and looking at them. They all looked like experienced warriors, and an invisible pressure could be felt just by looking at them.

In such a manner, the boy spent some time, watching them when something appeared in the distance, catching his eyes.

It was a city that grew in size with each new moment as they approached it. Sturdy ten meters walls, towers, patrols of knights and mages were the first who he saw when they flew over them. As soon as they passed the walls, a colorful world stuck him into the eyes. Orange, brown, gray, black, red and many other colors on the roofs appeared before him. Besides, Nero heard a sound, coming from the city. Just a glance at the streets, filled with activity at the markets and other structures was enough to widen his horizons. Of course, he read about it in Gustav's books, but reading and seeing is a different thing.

When the group of lizards approached their destination, Nero added another thing that shocked him. It was the size. The size of the population, the size of the buildings which had several floors, and the size of the city itself because they spend around fifteen minutes to reach their destination.

Though these things were very shocking, and Nero even felt how his heart's beat intensified and his curiosity intensified to learn new things, he bitted his lips to calm himself down and sober up before meeting with his grandfather who will decide his fate.

Primus, who also watched after the boy, released a bitter sigh when he noticed that Nero was biting his lips. He always wanted to see a child at the manor who would change the atmosphere, but looking at the boy, Primus gave up with that dream. This boy was no longer a child, his childhood died with his mother.

“There, Young Master, it’s your family’s summer manor. Your grandfather is waiting,” said Primus as he pointed to the unique building in the city. Unlike other buildings, that one was located some distance away and on the hill from which it was possible to look at the city below.

Nero followed his finger and nodded as he looked at that manor where another member of his family was waiting for him. A training sword was in his hand.