The Evernon Saga - The Journey Of Ascension, A Struggle For Godhood.

The girls who were a part of the battling group began to look at William dreamily, sighing and whispering amongst each other.

Meanwhile, William helped a shivering Alison up from the snow, giving her his woollen coat to cover herself with. He placed a hand on her stomach and injected her with a small surge of his Personal Mana, containing a tiny sliver of his innate flames.

It sent an incredibly comfortable, swift, and pleasantly warm rush through her body, restoring pinkness to her currently pale face.

Alison's overall complexion turned much ruddier, as she suddenly ceased to feel cold. She looked at William in shock, and wonder, as she had no idea what he had just done to her. She thanked him briefly and rushed to the back wagon, to get clothes from her rucksack, and to see Clayton.

Every other youth present noticed nothing of what William had done, as they could not detect Mana.

"Since when did we have a prince among us? He sure gives off the impression of one..." sighed one girl.

"How could he be from the same place as the rest of the boys from our village? He's way too different!" chimed another.

The girls whispered and murmured amongst themselves non-stop.

The boys were still busy taking in the sight of the bandit's gruesome end, with some already on their way back towards the back wagon.

"Indeed, he really is different from most." commented Reginald casually, who was currently standing unnoticed behind the group, arms folded with a pondering expression on his face.

All the youths, boys and girls, whirled around in shock and fright.

"S-ser Riverborn, w-we can explain!" they stammered.

"Save it, we'll speak at the Capital." dismissed Reginald, waving his hand.

"You lot, get back into your wagons! Warriors, mount your horses, we're getting out of here! I want us home by nightfall!"

"Yes Sir!"

***

Almost 5 hours later...

Night had fallen, and the cloudless, starry sky overhead drew gasps with its resplendent glow. Uncountable numbers of stars could be seen. However, the sky remained unchanged. It was still the same sky that loomed over Birkstead as well.

The youths could simply see more clearly, and perceive more stars at that moment in time. Without any of them knowing any better, they failed to realize that the ambient Mana concentration even outside the Capital was significantly higher than normal, and was enhancing their perception and senses.

The only exceptions were William and Magnar, who were relishing it, and being simultaneously somewhat on guard. After the experiences that Joseph exposed them to, they did not want to take any chances. Overly high levels of Mana in one's surroundings was not to be taken lightly.

Being intoxicated on Mana was indeed no joke.

The caravan had finally come to a stop, after a long, eventful week.

As they reached the end of the path, an intimidating sight welcomed them.

A gargantuan wall, composed entirely out of what appeared to be stone, yet had underlying tones of an ivory shade of white.

This wall circled the entirety of the massive Capital. Its appearance was very unique, and seemed to give off a profound air. It instilled a psychological fear and sense of daunting when looking at the massive walls, making one feel tiny and insignificant in front of it.

"Ahhh, home sweet home, isn't that right men?" sighed Reginald with a tired smile on his lips.

"Indeed, Sir!" replied the soldiers with the same glee.

Reginald turned around and enhanced his voice with Mana before shouting.

"You lot! Out of the wagons and gather in 5 groups! Those who are in your wagon with you, are your group members! Every group, line up in 5 columns of 4! You have 30 seconds!"

"Yes Sir!" cried the youths as they frantically opened the back flaps of their wagons, and stumbled out.

In around half a minute, they were out and had gathered into 5 groups, as they scrutinized the huge walls in disbelief, gulping unconsciously.

Reginald cleared his throat.

"Alright kids- I mean, young aspirants,"

The youths struggled to keep their faces straight.

"What you lot are feasting your eyes upon, is one of the reasons for Nashya's pride, the Capital's Great Wall! It is a mighty, impregnable wall reaching past 300 meters in height, and 30 meters in thickness," said Reginald slowly, with emphasis, gesturing to the towering wall, "and with that, I welcome you to the Royal Capital!"

Tension and excitement bubbled up in the youths.

"In case you didn't know, there are also escort groups like this one, guiding young people like yourselves, from all across the country to the Capital in large groups. When entering the Capital, the principle of 'strength in numbers' holds true for those of the younger generation, such as yourselves."

"I would recommend, and perhaps even go so far as to say that it is tradition, for all those who come from the same place, to form a group or team of some kind. Stick together, watch each other's backs, and fight as one when the going gets rough. There will be plenty of such groups amongst the young people, fighting for dominance amongst the younger generation. Names ending with 'Army', 'Platoon', and 'Regiment' and other variations, are very common."

Reginald paused for a moment, observing the group's reaction. Many seemed to be either surprised or already deep in thought. His eyes fell on Magnar, who seemed to hesitate, his mouth opening and closing silently.

Oh?

Reginald's interest had been piqued.

"Therefore, finding an identity for yourselves would be beneficial in securing not just your own safety, but also your path to success, as individuals can very easily be harassed and bullied by groups into submission. So, what's it going to be?" inquired Reginald loudly to the group.

They looked amongst themselves and at each other in uncertainty, murmuring and discussing softly.

Magnar bit his lip, fighting his internal social anxiety, that was currently grinding away at him. He finally opened his mouth and spoke.

"I have an idea!"

Everyone turned to him.

He gulped nervously, but remained firm.

Barely.

"I might be speaking for myself, perhaps for only my wagon. But... I find that this entire journey in the caravan has been one of the most fun experiences in my life, and was an exciting change of pace from village life..."

Reginald smirked.

So far, so good.

The group's nervousness began to wane as they remembered the fun and goofy times that they had had together aboard the caravan. Some even began to smile and giggle.

"We've all eaten together, slept together, and some of us have even fought together.", continued Magnar, nodding at his wagon-mates, who nodded back.

"This is a suggestion from me and my friends in my wagon, but I think that everyone here will like it.

Curious and anticipating expressions broke out on the faces of the surrounding youths, as they looked expectantly at Magnar.

"We journeyed here in a caravan, and are in 5 groups of 20. I think it's a nice, even number. Due to this, I thought that maybe we could divide ourselves into 5 squads and call ourselves the Caravan Corps!" suggested Magnar loudly.

"..."

A long, deep silence ensued.

Magnar's face began to burn furiously as he hid it in complete and utter embarrassment. His wagon-mates started patting his back and shoulders reassuringly, trying to soothe him.

William stroked his chin, pondering Magnar's suggestion. It was surprisingly witty, catchy even. He knew that he wouldn't have thought of that.

Suddenly, a weak, but resolute voice sounded out.

"I like it! I vote for us to call ourselves the Caravan Corps!" declared Clayton.

Grinning at Magnar, he was currently standing whilst being supported by Alison, who also had a smile on her face.

"I'm also in agreement. I support Magnar's idea!" yelled Alison.

***

William was pleasantly surprised. He had done most of the head-on fighting, but Magnar was the one who was well-liked enough by others for them to support him.

"What changed?" muttered William curiously, gazing at that brother of his.

"Ah whatever, as long as he's happy."

***

Just as William was about to announce his support as well...

Clayton was fired up, despite the severity of his current physical state.

"Come on guys! Since we were in the back wagon, we're Wagon 5!" roared Clayton.

"What say you, Wagon 5?! Are we in?!" screamed Alison.

The zeal and passion in their voices roused the group that comprised the back wagon!

"YEAAAH!!" cheered the members of Wagon 5 deafeningly.

Springing to life, all at once, was a sense of unity between those who were riding in the last wagon, as all uncertainty and nervousness left their eyes and minds.

They all looked at each other, smiling from ear to ear, feeling a rush from the emotional weight of the situation.

"Wagon 5, reporting for duty!" cried the group from the last wagon almost simultaneously.

Reginald nodded approvingly, somewhat moved by the display.

William was on the verge of shouting something. However, the group from the second-last wagon shouted out their approval as well.

"Wagon 4, reporting for duty!"

This consent was the straw that broke the camel's back, as the hype and excitement that plagued the group spread like wildfire.

"Wagon 2 reporting for duty!"

"Wagon 3 reporting for duty!"

"Wagon 1 reporting for duty!"

William hadn't even participated in his group's shout, as he stood there speechlessly, his mouth hanging open, but with no words coming out.

The Warriors were moved, adding in encouraging cheers of their own as well as a round of applause.

William stood amidst his group dejectedly.

"I didn't even get to say anything..." mumbled William pitifully to himself.

***

"Alright! Now that that's settled...Caravan Corps!" shouted Reginald.

"Yes Sir!"

"Once again, I welcome you to the Royal Capital!"

Reginald and his Warriors extended their arms toward the section of the Great Wall in front of them.

A steady stream of Mana shot out from each of them, invisible to the youths, and converged onto one specific spot. After about 5 seconds, the wall began to react to the Mana being transferred into it.

As if on cue, a massive, drawbridge-shaped section of stone began to split away from the main body. Reginald and his Warriors lowered their arms, as their Mana had been recognized and their entry authorised by the Great Wall.

The moving section slid out of the Great Wall, towards the group, and began to fall in their direction. It fell slowly and seemed to descend in a controlled manner. After landing gently on the path with a soft 'thump', the youths noticed that the section of the wall had changed its shape to form a long, 30 meter tall ramp in front of them.

Since the wall was slightly over 30 meters thick, getting over the split section and into the city would've been impossible without its shape having changed into a two-sided ramp. Above the ramp, they could partially glimpse at the interior of the Capital.

The youths could see lavishly decorated roofs, towers, tall buildings, and a gigantic castle in the distance, which completely dwarfed every other building and structure, nearing the height of the Great Wall.

Regardless of the fact that night had long fallen, the city was absolutely glowing with light and life, bustling with noise and chatter, seemingly filled to the brim and beyond with endless possibilities.

It was truly a magnificent sight, putting the opulence and prosperity of the Capital on full display. The imagination and excitement of the youths gushed like hungry, watering mouths as they feasted their eyes on what they could see.

And they weren't even inside the borders of the Capital yet.

"Young aspirants! Get into your wagons, so that we can move this caravan into the Royal Capital! We will be moving much slower within the borders of the Capital, so if you wish to jog, I will not stop you. However, if you end up separated from us, the fault shall lie solely with you, and I am not obliged to search for you. Understood?", barked Reginald.

"Yes Sir!"

All of the youths, except William, had gotten back into their wagons. He had decided to stretch and move his stiff legs a little bit by walking alongside the caravan. The caravan began to pull off, slowly making its way up the ramp as the horses trotted slowly and carefully just slightly above normal walking speed.

Strangely enough, they seemed to be much more timid than before, in comparison to the ferocious appearances that they displayed before the journey started, as well as during.

In fact, William even noticed that as soon as the horses stepped onto the ramp, they started whining softly and quivering. They seemed to be incredibly uneasy and nervous.

William looked over, curiosity building inside him.

Strange...is something wrong with the ramp? Could it be slippery?

William walked up to the ramp and planted one foot onto it.

All of a sudden, a mysterious force invaded his body. It seemed to be mentally perceived, yet the jolt that it delivered to his body made it feel very much like a physical impact to the entire front side of his body, from the top of his forehead to the tips of his toes.

William heard a loud rumbling in his head that gradually grew louder, as he staggered. His vision blurred slightly, as his surroundings changed completely. Night had turned to day, and the sun shone blindingly upon the landscape, seemingly many times brighter than usual.

William's eyes began to twitch uncontrollably, as stabs of pain tormented his brain. He put his head in his hands, shaking his head wildly, trying to resist the indescribable sensation that was assaulting his senses. Additionally, he found it impossible to access his Personal Mana.

Reginald sensed the change in William and looked over in mild curiosity, before his eyebrows shot up and he vaulted off his horse after briefly ordering the caravan to halt.

Out of the blue, an inexplicable sense of mortal danger and fear arose in William. The acrid stench of burnt flesh entered his nostrils, as everything within his vision appeared to grow darker and darker. It was as if a shape of unfathomable size was approaching from above, draping the very land with its equally enormous shadow.

A terrifying roar, full of bloodl.u.s.t, fury, anguish, and a tinge of sorrow resounded throughout William's consciousness as his knees buckled, his body fell, and his world faded to black.

"You there! Are you alright?" shouted Reginald as he grabbed William, stopping his fall and pulling him back to his feet. Reginald then delivered a light, Mana-injecting slap to William's left cheek.

William's body jerked once, as his eyes shot open and he jolted awake.

"Something happened to me...I think?" mumbled William in confusion and obvious fatigue.

His back and forehead were drenched in cold sweat, as his hands trembled slightly.

"You saw it, didn't you?"

"I'm...confused. What do you mean by 'it', Sir?"

Reginald looked at the towering shape of the Great Wall, in obvious admiration yet simultaneous wariness.

"The Wall, William. Did it show you anything?"

William massaged his temples briefly, as if trying to recall something, before replying.

"Yes, Sir. It was confusing, and frankly, very terrifying."

Hearing William's confirmation, Reginald fell silent.

"This discussion will be for another time, for now, let us enter the Capital. I'm sure we'd all enjoy some real food and a warm bed."

"Yes Sir...very much so."

Shortly before the caravan pulled off again, William decided against walking, shakily going to lie down in the first wagon. The vision that he had seen, made him feel mentally drained, as his body craved to lie down and fall into blissful sleep.

***

Some time later...

The gentle rocking of the wagons and the rhythmic clacks of horseshoes on the cobblestone ground provided an unorthodox source of music to those sitting within.

In the very front wagon, William was sleeping soundly in a corner.

As William slept, many dark, hunched figures sat around him in complete silence. Many more of them were present in the other wagons of this caravan as well. The teens from Birkstead were anxious, yet excited. Elated, yet sorrowful. There were too many thoughts that disallowed them rest.

In fact, William was the only one in their group who was capable of sleep under these conditions.

He had been too extravagant when killing the bandit earlier, and had been recklessly burning through his reserves. He ended up draining his Personal Mana by around 40%. In theory, he would be able to kill a second person of similar strength under the same conditions, but he would be left with a measly 20% of his Personal Mana.

Such a state would leave him barely able to move, let alone defend himself. He needed to rest, as his body would, over time, naturally absorb minute amounts of Mana from the ambient Mana in the surroundings to replenish itself.

As for the other teens...

Not one of them had spoken a single word ever since they had entered the Capital. The majority were simply sitting silently in the dark of their wagon, brooding within their own minds, stewing in their rampant thoughts. However, none of them were truly discouraged, despite their brooding states.

Nevertheless, the daunting figure of the Capital and impressiveness of its architecture had left an overwhelmingly deep impression on them, which was causing them to reconsider their own aspirations.

Could they really rise to fame and prominence at a place like this, grander than their vocabularies could hope to describe?

All of a sudden, the rhythmic rocking and clacking ceased as the caravan came to an abrupt halt.

Reginald's commanding voice could be heard moments after, his tone unable to mask his fatigue.

"We've arrived at our destination...make haste, for food, drink and beds await us."

The youths' expressions immediately brightened with anticipation and joy.

One of them roused William, as they scrambled to get out of the wagons, forming a small crowd of a hundred people, gulping subconsciously upon laying their eyes on the 'destination' that stood before them.

A huge wooden building, four floors tall. Its exterior had faded from the rich, light brown color of natural wood, to a discolored shade of grey with splashes of mossy green.

This however, was a sign that this establishment had been present for an undeniable amount of time, and the boisterous sounds of chatter and music that drifted over to the group, told a tale of its popularity amongst the inhabitants. Every floor except for the uppermost two were lit up, and radiated the same level of noise as the others.

Directly in front of the Caravan Corps was a tall, 2.5 meter wooden door whose top corners had been rounded. Above that door hung a sign. The name of the establishment was truly one of unprecedented inelegance, in comparison to their perceived impression of the Capital's grandeur thus far.

The Sleeping Bear

The Caravan Corps all thought the same thing.

Isn't this a tavern?

Reginald stepped forward, running a hand through his shoulder-length black hair, his entire demeanor exuding an impression of extreme fatigue. He placed a hand on the door handle, and turned it.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Come now, no need to be shy, everything we order will all be on the house tonight, as the owner owes me a few favors." assured Reginald, as he pushed the door open.

A blinding light spilled out onto the street. It was of a gentle, yellowish shade whose brightness far exceeded that of the ambient lighting originating from the translucent windows of other buildings on the street.

The Caravan Corps was momentarily blinded and had to shield their eyes, squinting profusely. Simultaneously, they were assaulted by a delectable smell that wafted over. It smelled of meats and other foods which had been cooked to near-perfection, causing their mouths to flood with saliva, and their eyes with d.e.s.i.r.e.

Their stomachs roared with hunger and growled in protest, almost as if they were demanding to know why they were still so far away from the food. The Caravan Corps, grinning, looked at each other, and then at the door.

It had really come true! They had now set foot onto a land which was within their country, yet exceeded their capabilities of imagination, and the wildest of their dreams. If not for their knowledge of the Capital's existence and its acceptance tests for the Royal Army, never in their lives would they have ever stopped to consider the possibility of setting foot into such a city of prosperity, fortune, and promise.

Until now.

On their young, greedy, and ambitious minds, was but one thought.

Truly, we are here! We have arrived in the Capital!