Khal felt like he had been transported to another world. It was one surprise after another. First, it was the different tiers of Knights and now, about world energy. He always knew being a Knight was special but this was unreal. He couldn't wait to start his training and become stronger.

"Now, cognizance, although needing precise control, is still a raw way of using world energy. Cladding, on the other hand, when used properly, will become the bread and butter of any elite Knight. Energy can be manipulated in three stages: convocation, conversion, and concentration."

Roth continued as he began to demonstrate, "The spirit energy that you manipulate to your fist must be gathered in large amounts. This is how convocation takes place." Roth's fist looked like it was burning orange as Khal watched on in awe. "Next, you need to communicate with the world energy around you. Force it to obey your will, force it to change its nature. Command it ta clad your fist." Khal watched on as the burning fist became a glowing fist. "Lastly, you need to concentrate as much world energy into the fist as possible. This stage determines the spirit cladding class," Ser Roth ended just before a guard suddenly approached the trio.

The guard saluted Ser Roth before solemnly saying, "Reporting to Senior Knight Roth, two men are approaching the northern gate. They seem to be escaping from an unidentified unit." Ser Roth was annoyed by the sudden interruption but the guard's report was alarming. Was it bandits chasing some merchants or was it Knights chasing some fugitives? Whatever the case, he had to oversee the northern gate as that was his duty.

Roth then turned to Sergeant Michael, "It seems that we'll have to continue this another time gentlemen. Khal, make sure you practice every day and I'm sure you will become a fine Knight." He then quickly made his way towards the northern gate.

---

After riding at full speed for 10 minutes, Avery noticed that he was still being trailed. He turned around only to see Jankins, barely alive, was trailing behind him with a deep gash into his stomach. How the boy had managed to still survive was a mystery to him but he thanked the Gods. He didn't know the fate of the others but if bandits were this close to the Barony without anyone noticing then they must be professionals. He slowed down to help the boy after seeing his fading consciousness. He knew that now was not the time to mourn the loss of the others, especially while the bandits were still chasing. Thankfully Brian and Richard's sacrifice had allowed Jankins and himself a good head start.

5 hours later, Avery saw the small worn out castle of the barony over the horizon. "Stay with me Jankins, we're almost there!", he shouted to the guard. Closer to Sydenham Town, Avery saw the worn down grey castle in the background as the bustling town could be heard just outside the gates. He could see the local guards gathering at the gate. They were trained to alert their superior in case of any suspicious activities. He knew that once he was close enough to the gates, his pursuers would have no choice but to give up the chase. "Halt traveler!", a commanding voice echoed from beyond the gates. Avery recognized the voice as Ser Roth and immediately slowed down. When the Knight laid eyes on the guard he was shocked by how close he was to death's embrace. He then turned to Avery and exclaimed, "Dear heavens, is that you Avery?! What happened?!". The Knight was astonished as he looked at the bloody state of Avery's clothes.

He signaled his subordinates to fetch the guard to the infirmary as he waited for Avery to respond. While the gates opened, Avery sighed in relief as he saw his pursuers retreating. "I'm not sure whether what I saw was real or not Ser Roth," Avery said as he panted for breath. "You will have to wait till Jankins wakes up to confirm." Avery slowly descended from his horse as he struggled to stand up. It was only then that he realized one of his legs were pierced by an arrow and a few ribs were possibly broken.

They continued on foot as they walked through the village while Ser Roth continued questioning Avery. After reaching Lord Tommel's manor, Ser Roth said his farewell before he left to make his report. If Avery was right about what he saw, Sydenham Town will need to prepare for what is to come.

---

Erik had spent his entire morning speaking with his grandfather. He spent the full length of the morning learning about the distribution of power and resources in the Kingdom. Katar's noble hierarchy consisted of baronets, barons, viscounts, counts as well as dukes. A noble enjoyed virtually unlimited power over his estate. For instance, he was the judicial authority when it came to various disputes and only the King himself could appeal the decision of the noble. He could punish his vassals if they did not fulfill their responsibilities of properly harvesting the land. He was important to the King because he ensured a steady provision of finances in the form of taxes and other dues.

Nobles served the King and were accountable only to the King. In times of war, the King might demand a certain number of fighting men from the noble and if a noble was able to provide his services satisfactorily, he was duly rewarded by the King. In the event of failure, however, his land could be confiscated.

Baronets were the only exception to this rule. They were the only nobles that couldn't pass their nobility to their children, a fact that Erik wasn't too pleased about. They were given only a title by the King and had to lease a manor with their own money thereby stifling their prosperity. Lord Edard Tommel was the only known Baronet in Katar who seemed to thrive despite his low nobility.

Lord Tommel had insisted that Erik knew that Katar was made up of three distinct regions, Seabo, Talawa, and Cormac. Every region had key resources that they shared amongst themselves to ensure the continued survival of the Kingdom. Seabo thrived on their food products from the Tiger River and the numerous farmlands scattered around the region. They also had skilled personnel such as stone masons and shipwrights. Talawa boasted of their bountiful forests and great plains where they produce lumber, leather goods from cows and the best-trained horses in the Kingdom. Cormac was famous for their precious stones and ores mined from the mountains. They provided the world's largest source of maginite ore which became the sole reason for the Kingdom's riches.

Maginite ore was the leading source of energy in the world. It was made from condensed world energy and deposited into the earth for over 1000 years. When refined, it was the fastest way to recover lost spirit energy as well as useful in providing energy for magical instruments ranging from everyday utility to spirit weapons. Cormac miners had been mining for more than 200 years and only managed to scratch the surface. It was only then that Erik realized how valuable the ores were for those seeking military strength. This placed Katar in a very difficult position on the continent.

A part of Lord Tommel's lecture had also identified the strengths and weaknesses of the various nobles in the Kingdom. Erik couldn't understand why he needed that information at 8 years old but he took note of it anyway. He had noticed that over the past 2 years his grandfather had become more intense with his teaching. He was constantly drilled like one of the Lord's noble students. His grandfather's actions became more and more suspicious as the days went by. Just a year ago his grandfather had taken him to Crystal Lake to begin his awakening in secret.

From what he had learned from Khal, it was only possible for those with Elementum powers to ever dream of it. What were the chances that both Khal and I would become Elementum knights? He was initially disappointed to find out that his visit to the spirit plane was not as exciting as Khal's but that quickly disappeared the moment he gained a snippet of the past. He knew that he would see the past since it was a normal occurrence during an awakening but what he saw piqued his interest. He had seen a glimpse of the Capital during his awakening, something that thoroughly confused him.

By the time Erik was finished with the lesson, he had already resolved himself to finding out the truth. "Grandfather, why don't you allow Khal and I to attend Skystead Academia? There isn't much you or Sergeant Michael can teach us." Erik knew that if there were any answers it would be in the Capital. Maybe whatever he found could be related to why his parents had disappeared.

"Haha, you're getting brasher the older you get, Erik!", Lord Tommel laughed. He then paused for a second to stroke his beard before continuing, "I didn't want to send you to the Capital so soon... Not until I find out what happened to your parents," Lord Tommel looked at his only remaining family with a sad look on his face. "But grandfather! I won't go missing like Pa, I promise you, but you can't keep me here forever. Khal and I have only left town once. What will we do when we're too naïve to function on our own?" Lord Tommel's face looked a little sorrowful and shocked as he listened to Erik. It was not often that the boy would say what he really felt.

Lord Tommel remembered three years ago when his son, Edward, took his wife, Lisa, to the Capital, at the western edge of Talawa. It was a trip they made after Lisa had gotten a letter from her family. After weeks of receiving no word from his son, Lord Tommel had become concerned. It was only later that he received word from one of his acquaintances in the Capital that made him frantic. The man had explained that he saw Edward being apprehended in an alley only a few days before. Tommel quickly went to the Capital with Sergeant Michael in tow only to confirm that Edward and Lisa were really missing.

He had found the carriage that transported them broken and burnt in the same alley. He also found signs of a struggle and his son's bloody leather coat 5 meters away from the carriage. What was even more suspicious was that Tommel found his acquaintance dead in his room soon after. This left the old man without any viable actions or recourse. He stayed in the Capital for 5 more days following any leads he could find but no definitive clues or bodies turned up. It wasn't until he was headed home that he decided to check his son's leather coat. What he found was a letter addressed to him that would change his life forever.

Lord Tommel stared at the floor as the memories all came back to him. He sighed as he stood up and hugged his kin, "I'm sorry I'm too weak and helpless to find your parents Erik. I know that's why you keep pushing yourself. You make this old man more proud and happier than I deserve." Erik stood still as tears ran down his cheeks. He had been holding everything in since he first heard the news about his parents. He had never spoken about it even to his grandfather. In that moment, however, he couldn't keep it in anymore. He balled his fist and bit his lower lip as tears ran down his cheeks. He promised himself that no matter what, he would train just as hard as Khal to make sure he was strong enough to face whatever it was that he would find behind his parents' mystery.

"I know that the academy only allows nobles to enter, but with your connections and Khal's relation to Grand Knight Dor, I'm sure there would be little objection." Lord Tommel was speechless. He wasn't aware that Erik and Khal were close enough for Khal to share his secrets. "There is more to it than that, Erik," Lord Tommel paused as he considered what he should say. "Your father's disappearance has something to do with your mother's background. There are forces at play that we couldn't dream to stand against in the capital. If they knew your mother had a child, it would be the end of us. There is no way I can let you go to the capital."

After several minutes, Erik calmed down and stared at his grandfather with pleading eyes. "I suspected that much grandfather, but nobody knows anything about your family affairs. Since I was born you've never allowed me to mingle with anyone, I can pass myself off as one of your sons." Lord Tommel's hands shook. He grabbed his cane. As he noticed Erik's eyes, he found it difficult to say no to the boy. Tommel sighed, "Skystead Academia is a military school for the young and gifted. Only the most promising young Knights can attend. The entrance examination happens every 2 years and the age for admittance is usually 12. If we were to do this, you will need to at least train harder than the rest. Khal has his family's name to rely on, I'm afraid you do not. Luckily, I still have some of my old contacts there. I'll speak with the Principal and see if I can get you and Khal in, provided you can both pass the exam." Lord Tommel smiled and was about to continue when a servant knocked on the door.