Sorry for a day missed, was busy. Hope you people out there have a great day! Please do comment on any mistakes found. I love comments.

Fun fact 4 - You can't spell the letter 'p' without separating your lips.

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Still caught up in his thought, Loganth continued walking. His mind was distracted from reality. His mother, his mother’s killer, the men he killed and the feeling. Everything were unpleasant experiences, though each one repeated themselves in his mind. His heart weighed heavier with every scene. But he’s gone through them in the past. He knew better than to dwell. He’s seen the brutalities, torture and savages of men. He led them in the past. But this time it was him who killed them.

Further out of the testing area, he had no destination. But turning the quiet corner, he felt apat on his shoulder. Shocked out of his reverie, he jumped. Turning, a man greeted him, tall and skinny, old and experienced. This man held wisdom in his eyes Loganth thought. “Hello there boy.” The wise man greeted.

Just waking up from his daydream, his mouth wanted to open, but he voluntarily shut them, not wanting to tell any sevrets. Confusion was seen in his eyes. He was in a Kingdom of his enemy. No men knew him here and he knew no men here. He acted his best to fit in. Elegance in every step, crudeness absent in his posture, eyes not wandering as if a foreigner. Obviously his eyes were not wandering considering that he was daydreaming. Did his steps falter or did his back and neck crumbled under his loss in thought. He repeated in his mind that no one knew who he was thus he would not react exaggeratedly.

Smiling, the man continued, “You see” A pulse of a pause, his eyes looked up to the walls of the alley, “I saw that you did not pass the test.”

Catching his flying thoughts, “Um, yea.” Loganth said.

“Why did you not ask why you failed? You are obviously new and inexperienced in this discipline and its gifts.” The wise man said, showing his aged teeth kindly.

“Well, no I just didn’t think about it.”

“You obviously went there knowing something, to experience or to discover”” Pointing his wrinkled finger at Loganth with a knowing face,

“You heard of it, but actually knew nothing. You saw the test and wanted to try your chance.” Not a question, a statement this time.

He continued, “I see you. I remember seeing you.” Grinning wildly, “You’re one of them, a Mountain men.” He stretched the words, emphasizing, isolating its word.

He was found out. He tried to act innocent. But his body tensed, heartbeat rised. But Loganth knew better than to overreact. Yes he was discovered. He should run, bribe the man with money untouched, hide, beg, or kill? He could do one of them. Running would do nothing, he would not get out of the Kingdom without a paper and a reason. Bribe the man, though he had nothing. Hide in a Kingdom that he knew nothing of, with everyone against him. Beg or kill? He would need to find out first.

First off, Loganth wouldn’t kill, yet. Secondly, Loganth wouldn’t kill a man under the afternoon Sun, the man knew it too, otherwise he wouldn’t be here, alone. Unless he had mysterious arts Loganth knew naught of. Which was a better reason not to.

“What do you want?” Loganth whispered out of his teeth.

The man stood and drew closer. “Nothing.” The wise man said. “I am just but a curious tall man.”

Still on guard. There was nobody in the alley, only rats scampering through the tiny sewage holes. The closest men were those walking pass the alley. Too noisy to hear anything, but clear enough to see a man murdered. Loganth chose not to speak. Careful with every notion.

“I’m curious about your people, while you’re curious about mine. I can see a reciprocal relationship being established.” An undistinguished sound was later accompanied by a nudge. It was funny, the man’s action. Waiting for Loganth’s approval or even a sound loganth was silent the whole time. But what he was really interested weren’t Loganth’s people, but his gift.

“Why should I believe you?” Loganth said.

The man didn’t answer. Pulling Loganth’s arm, they walked out of the alley onto the busy road. Embracing the full experience of a University entry day. Loganth had no choice, the man did not report him. He knew that was a reason to believe the man. So he let himself get dragged.

“I’ve seen many of your men.” The wise man took his chance. “Few years ago, when your people started pushing their way east, I participated in one of the campaigns. To say the least, I was observing. You see, as I said I’m a curious men. I observe many things. From war to culture, politics and music, disciplines and arts. He emphasized on the last. The man knew what he was doing. And it was drawing Loganth’s attention. They walked back towards the University.

He continued about his curiosity and his hungry mind. The man craved for knowledge. “I saw your test. It was terrible! It is common for the stone to shine when touched. But yours didn’t react.” The man left it there. The man knew Loganth came here for knowledge, otherwise he wouldn’t even attempt the test. But Loganth was still cautious, and he was just quiet in nature. And he was digesting everything the man said.

Impatient, he continued, “You see, people with the gift and study these mysterious arts can breathe out fire and survive under water for long periods of time! Are you not curious?” The man growing impatient. He was a man of knowledge. And it was difficult for him to see a man with so little question.

“Tell me more.” Loganth satisfied the man.

Grinning that a man wants to know more, from him no less. “You see, I’m not like most people. When I see your test, I see a gift, the gift more precisely. I studied history, I predicted future possibilities. Many do not try to understand. Any men who lives will have an affinity to something. Little or not, they have it. And people with stronger affinities usually show a unique ability, they have a spirit in them. Mysterious beings, weird and powerful. It was theorize by a master of the discipline that these spirits enhances a man’s affinity.” This man liked saying ‘you see’, Loganth thought. It was annoying.

“And these stones show your affinity. It is color coded, and the stone will shine its color according to the affinity. Maroon is fire, turquoise is water, green is wind and brown for earth. There were many reported incidence of stones not shining. Like yours.” He said. “But I see things differently.”

Coming up to a field. It was in the University. Loganth never realized that he had entered the grounds. He must have took a roundabout way and walked from the front to the back way he thought. Coming up were students, aged quite similarly to Loganth. Some the same, many older in age. They were practicing swordplay. Knights were practicing their swings. Some with no technique nor power nor the will. Empty swings he quietly said. Though some were intimidating, frightening and plainly dangerous. The students paid no attention, though some paid a little too much attention. Probably angry that strangers disturb their time.

Suddenly a man came up. “Sir” the man said. Blonde and young, tough and tall. He greeted Loganth with a nod.

“Ashter, get someone to duel this man here.” The wise man said.

Loganth, not in the best position to retort considering he was a victim this time did not refute. Ashter handed Loganth a sword. It was his favorite, a half and a half sword. Slowly, people edged away, the old wise man did the same. It was uncommon for a man to duel unless to prove himself or to settle a feud.

The man dueling Loganth greeted, stood his ground and waited for Loganth to return his greet. But Loganth, who lived in the Mountain did not know that a greeting was in order. The old man shook his head. “Show me what you got boy” the dueling man said. Clearly pissed.

Suddenly the man, impatient and simply feeling not respected as a man plunged towards Loganth. Living in the Mountain and fighting so often, Loganth did not shy away. Most fights in the Mountain were to kill but he knew this man wasn’t. Loganth, on instinct lifted his sword and moved to parry. The wise man knew he would be able to fight, though he still tested him. Maybe he could enter the University for his fighting discipline. He wanted to know Loganth better, as a Mountain men and as an abnormality in the mysterious arts and its gift.

The man dove and swung. Right and left Loganth swayed while parrying the man’s sword. Careful to keep a distance. The man growing impatient, plunged angrily. A mistake Loganth knew. And he took his chance. Careless and angry, it was an opportunity. He plunged too far and Loganth parried and circled his wrist, taking the sword out of the man’s hand. He trained himself to not kill while preventing men from killing him. At optimum state and no wounds, the man was too easy. All knights were trained to have a firm grip on a sword. Fight with a sword, die with a sword.

Taunting Loganth beforehand and losing, the man felt humiliated. Furthermore being disarmed, that was total defeat. The man walked up and shook Loganth’s hand. “Good fight. I’m Davis” He said. Loganth returned the shake, Spar warned him of their weird customs.

The wise man walked up and patted him. “Great job. I knew you could fight.”

Loganth did not say much. He was being taken advantage of but he had no choice but to listen. The students clapped and congratulated Loganth. Apparently the man was quite a good knight. Davis, black haired and black irises like many others, though shorter than most.

Taking Loganth away, the man jumped towards his chance, “You see, I’ll ask the University to let you join into the knight's discipline. Do you want to?” Loganth was obviously surprised. He knew that the man said he saw his test in the tent with the stone, but it just didn’t clicked until now that he was one of the teachers. But this was denied immediately, he answered to his mind read. “No, I’m not a teacher. But I have connections.” He said.

Loganth not letting his chance go to integrate himself into the University for Knowledge quickly said yes. Though what he wanted was to learn their mysterious arts. But obviously the wise man knew that, otherwise Loganth wouldn’t try the test. “You’ll not be able to practice their arts considering you failed their discipline test. Though, you could enter the lectures on their arts.” Pausing a little, “And you’ll practice their arts secretly.” The man gave a sly grin. “Go find Ashter, tell him you’re new and that Sir Humble recommended you.”

Loganth was confused. First he failed the test, the wise man also said that his test was terrible, a total blunder! The man explained all the reasons he was not eligible to practice. But now he said this. What was he on about?

Throughout the whole encounter, Loganth did not speak nor disclose anything about himself. Trust was not a virtue a Mountain men afforded to spare. Trust means opening himself to the man. And he did not trust the man. The only people he trusted were Spar and Queth, maybe his King too considering that he had no choice but to listen to his orders. No matter what the order, he had to 'trust'. But not this time, not in Pyne Kingdom. He was here to learn and to expose himself to their culture and knowledge. He was going to go through University life without trust. Because trust only warrants distrust, was what he believe.