***
Kingdom of Arcanis
Seven years later.
"I'm leaving with Nathan," said a 7-year-old boy, dark blond with fair skin, his pupils as bluish as the color of ocean.
A woman stepped towards the exit of her house, a two-story medieval-style wooden house, "Take care, Aiden. Remember to come home before nightfall."
Aiden Aswald nodded, he was the reincarnated body of Liu Feng. However, Liu Feng still hadn't awakened as his memories hadn't appeared yet. That made him behave like a child today.
He said goodbye to his mother, Leonora Aswald. Aiden said that he was heading with Nathan to Byrone's city center.
According to the information, there was a big parade held by the Astralis Magical Academy and the Arcanis Sword Institute.
Both were the most prestigious educational institutes in the city. For those with good magical capabilities, the Magika Astralis Academy could be their choice.
For those who were good with weapons, such as swords, arrows, and spears, they would be assigned to the Arcanis Sword Institute.
From the hill, Aiden saw Nathan waiting for him at the intersection. The two had been best friends since they were 4 years old, that's because their parents were good business friends.
"What took you so long, Aiden?" Nathan complained.
"Sorry. Mom told me to help her first," Aiden replied.
"Never mind. Let's go, the parade has already started."
Aiden smiled and nodded. Together with Nathan, they went down the intersection on the hill to reach the city center.
From afar, they could hear the sound of drums beating in perfect time, making thunderous, rhythmic music. The sound of the parade drums was enough to make the boys' hearts pound.
Not only Aiden and Nathan were watching the parade, but other citizens of the city were as well. They always enjoyed this performance as they all knew the capabilities of the two educational institutes.
Some came with friends, while others came with their parents. The general requirement to join either of them was to be 12 years old.
When a boy reaches the proper age, they are allowed to take the entrance exams for the two institutes.
After forcing their way through the crowd, Aiden and Nathan finally broke free and stood at the front of the crowd, close to the parade of mages and knights.
The mages were dressed in white and blue shirts with full blue cloaks, some of them holding wands, some not.
The knights chose to wear red colored armor, with long swords tied around their waists. Some also used bows and arrows, while others used spears.
"Hey, Aiden. What do you want to be when you grow up?" Nathan asked, curious.
"I want to join the knights. Wearing armor seems more manly than using magic. Magic is for girls, right?" Aiden asked.
"Haha! Not really, there are some of the boys who want to be wizards. But like you, I want to be a great warrior who can protect the city and the kingdom!" said Nathan, making Aiden smile happily.
Confetti was sprinkled into the sky, flags were unfurled, performances from both educational institutes were performed.
Aiden and Nathan really enjoyed their time there, their desire to join the Arcanis Sword Institute growing stronger.
Day turned into night, the parade ended with the return of the mages and knights to their places. The citizens slowly walked out of the city center, returning to their homes.
"Hey, Aiden. Do you have a moment?" asked Nathan, distracting Aiden.
"What?"
"You remember that red-eared rabbit I told you about yesterday? I saw it when I went up to Fog Hill," Nathan replied.
"You went up to Fog Hill? Isn't that dangerous?" Aiden asked.
"If it was dangerous, I wouldn't have made it back safely. I'm right, aren't I?"
Aiden paused, then nodded. The fact that Nathan had been right before him after he'd climbed the fog hill meant that the myth of the hill wasn't entirely true.
"So?" Aiden asked.
"Before nightfall, I want to take you there. Don't worry, I still remember the way. We'll catch the red-eared rabbit together," Nathan replied.
"How is it?" asked Nathan.
The boy before Nathan turned his head, looking at his house on the hill.
Aiden remembered his mother's advice not to go to the fog hills without his father, but the red-eared rabbit was a rare animal that was said to taste delicious and sweet when it was eaten.
"You don't have to be afraid, I'll protect you. If we get the red-eared rabbit, we'll go straight down the hill," Nathan replied.
"I don't know, I—"
"Are you a coward? You can't be a knight if you're a coward!" interrupted Nathan.
"I'm not a coward!" snapped Aiden.
"Then prove it to me. We go up into the fog and catch that rabbit, and I'll admit you."
Aiden looked back, no longer at his house on the hill, but at the fog hill behind his house. He swallowed his saliva deeply, trying to convince himself he could go there with Nathan.
But Aiden saw Nathan's confidence, he must know exactly where the Red-Eared Rabbit was. In the end, Aiden did what Nathan wanted.
The two walked up the hill and took a roundabout route, avoiding Aiden's house.
After about 30 minutes of walking, they arrived at the fog hill monument, with a sign saying that it was forbidden for anyone to enter without an adult.
Nathan strode in, confidently ignoring the sign. Aiden followed behind him, keeping a close eye on the area around him.
According to the myths spread among the citizens of the city, the fog hill was inhabited by white horned wolves.
For mages and knights, the monsters could be defeated in groups, but not for ordinary people, let alone children like Nathan and Aiden.
Aiden's heart was constantly haunted with great fear, hoping that the myth was not true and was just a lie so that children like them would not play on this hill.
The longer they walked up the hill, the more limited the visibility became due to the thick fog that filled the place.
At first, Aiden walked so close to Nathan, but over time Nathan walked fast that he left him behind.
Aiden was stuck in the middle of the fog hill with no idea where to go home.
"Nathan!"
"Where are you?" asked Aiden, panicking with a pale face.
"Nathan! I'm lost. I just want to go home," Aiden replied.
Aiden turned around and walked down the hill. Still, the panic in his head prevented him from thinking clearly. He was having trouble finding a way to get out of the fog hill forest.
"W-Where do I go?!" asked Aiden, getting desperate.
"MOM! DAD! Help me!" shouted Aiden.
"AAAAKKKKH!" someone shouted from the top of the hill, much to Aiden's surprise as he knew whose voice it was.
"Nathan! What... happened to him?"
Aiden was completely desperate. He ran all the way down to find that exit. His breathing was ragged, tears streaming down his cheeks in fear of death.
Aiden truly regretted going into this forest and not listening to his parents.
STUCK!
He tripped over a large root in the forest, causing his leg to dislocate and making it difficult to walk. Wolf howls echoed and bounced off every tree trunk, giving Aiden the creeps.
"T-That's the White Horned Wolf."
Aiden forced himself to continue walking down, albeit at a slow pace. However, from the top of the fog hill, he heard the wolf's roar more and more clearly.
Sure enough! Three white-horned wolves appeared behind Aiden, making Aiden scream in terror. Blood dripped from the wolves' mouths, either Nathan's or another animal's.
"Am I going to die?" asked Aiden.
When the wolf was about to lunge forward, Aiden's eyes suddenly flashed red with a powerful surge of magic. From Aiden's own vision, he felt the area around him turn red for no reason.
[Eye of the Beast King Talent activated]
[Skill: Beast Control]
[Initiates Beast Control]
[Beast: White Horned Wolf]
[Level: B]
"Don't kill me!" shouted Aiden, making the wolves that were about to attack him stop with reddened wolf eyes.
"Go away! I don't want to be your prey!" Aiden shouted again.
One wolf obeyed Aiden's orders. He ran up to the top of the fog hill, leaving the two white-horned wolves unaffected.
Aiden suddenly went limp, his head hurt and his eyes throbbed. He blurred his vision and saw that the two wolves had not left him.
"What... happened?" asked Aiden, his eyes returning to normal.
[Magic Element: Fire Sword]
Shocking! Two flaming swords shot out from behind Aiden, piercing the heads of the two wolves until blood spurted forward, soaking Aiden's face and clothes.
Aiden turned his head, seeing a woman walking toward him. She was wearing the white and blue uniform of the Magical Astralis Academy, with three other swords seemingly floating behind her back.
"Are you alright?" the woman asked.
Before Aiden could answer, he had already fallen into a faint. As a result, the woman immediately took Aiden away from the Fog Hill. Aiden was saved.