Greenshell City, a place located in the Eastern parts of Austrima, nearing a population of a million. With its booming growth as a ‘newborn’ city, with a history of only 41 years, many flocks toward it seeking opportunities to take advantage of its growth potential.
The growing population is seen well through the visage of vehicles crammed onto the roads and citizens crowding its sidewalks. All the traffic is sandwiched between buildings from skyscrapers to simple one level places like stores.
Despite its boom, there is one aspect or place that definitely hampers its reputation. A place known as the ‘national embarrassment’, a hive of ‘failures’ as the citizens would say. The magic academy of Greenshell City, Turtlewood Academy, an academy built 6 years ago to give opportunity to young adults within the city and surrounding regions of the East a chance to learn.
Unfortunately the initial hope has long turned into hopeless in everyone’s eyes.
Within the Dean’s Office of the Academy, a short, humpbacked old man with a beard stretched to his feet sat his desk as a horrible newscast played on the television. With a disgruntled face, he simply watched in anguish.
[Reporter Jercia Lobell here reporting in front of the notorious Turtlewood Academy. Today marks the first day of its recruiting, but as you can see behind me, not many has decided to show.]“THIS WOMAN!!!”
The old man screamed in frustration as the reporter continued to speak on screen.
[The low turnout could be attributed to two key reasons. The first being the horrible performance their students displayed during the end of the year event, The Academy Games! Turtlewood’s students were not only all eliminated in the first round, but none of them actually managed to even score any points at all. A BIG FAT ZERO! That was the first time the academy was allowed to participate and it ended in utter embarrassment.]Gloom filled the office as the old man started drinking alcohol.
[Secondly, this is breaking news you’re hearing first from me! It’s been reported to me by various sources that Turtlewood Academy has successfully the disgraced 2nd Prince, Yordano Austrima! If they’re willing to recruit him, then it’s not hard to imagine the recru…bzzt]“Just shut up already, Dean Rasmus, you shouldn’t listen to this hit piece.”
A middle aged man turned the television off as he sat in front Dean Rasmus, the old man who was currently chugging alcohol like a fish.
“What do you expect me to do, huh, Bilt? Everything they said is true and now, we have someone leaking info! F***!”
The dean chucked the alcohol bottle against the wall. The crashed caused a small turtle with a bush growing atop its shell to float from underneath the dean’s desk.
Watching the turtle land on top of the dean’s head, Bilt coughed bringing the dean out of his stupor.
“Dean Rasmus, I believe getting belligerent is not wise, your public image is already in shambles, we shouldn’t add to that.”
“What the hell am I suppose to do?! Our reputation is ruined! As my assistant and the head of the teachers, aren’t you embarrassed as well? Huh, Bilt?!”
“Hah… There’s nothing we can do, but move forward at this point. We need to reinvent our recruiting methods. Not only for prospective students, but teachers as well.”
Bilt pressed his thumb and index finger against his temple as he said the obvious.
Dean Rasmus calmed down after hearing that statement. He sunk further into his chair as he started to pet the turtle with a look of contemplation.
“How in the world are we suppose to reinvent our recruiting process in such a short time frame? Even with the technology, and other advanced methods, we still struggled because we’re a new academy. NOW, it’s going to be even harder! Do you have a plan, Bilt?!”
Bilt nodded as if agreeing with the dean. It is, in fact, even harder to bring in talent with their current reputation, however he had a plan.
“Dean, right now our biggest obstacle is that everyone knows our situation and is very wary to even consider us. Even in the smallest towns and villages in our region they have access to cell phones, television, and the internet, we can’t fool them. So I have something risky, even completely nuts in mind…”
“Spit it out! What is it?!”
The dean grew impatient as Bilt paused and started composing himself.
“We expand our recruiting to areas where eyes cannot reach. Areas where potential recruits’ eyes can’t see us unless we open them ourselves!”
“But there’s no places like that around here… Wait, you mean?!!!!”
“Exactly that, Dean!!!”
“Bilt, you evil genius!! Hahaha”
As a scheme was being hatched, a door to a new adventure will start because of it.
***
The Eastern Mountains of Austrima, the largest mountain range on the continent are also known as the Eastern Reserves. Home to various beasts, and non-human races protected by the mountain range and the fact it is labelled as a Natural Reserve by law.
Thanks to these factors, life you normally wouldn’t see is preserved and even prospers.
One such example is Binshu Town, a town built in the biggest mountain overlooking the rest of the range. Though it is called a town, its population is lower than what you’d see in a normal town in today’s modern world and it is more on the primitive side.
However, what makes this place so unique was in fact, the Binshu Tribe, a tribe of Oni, a non-human race. Though they have human like features; they also have horns sprouting from their foreheads, sharp teeth, black eyes with various colorful pupils. Known for also being very robust and tall, making them quite the fearsome looking race.
Though forgotten by time itself, this race was once known as one of the most destructive, but that’s a story for another time.
Inside the mountain, you could hear disgruntled yelling coming from the very top of the mountain. On a cliff overlooking the mountain, grew a tree with branches out and over the drop. On the thickest branch, is a rope tied around it and at the other end is tied around a pair of ankles.
The ankles of a young woman, who is currently cursing as she currently doing sit-ups.
Any time her form would fumble, she would be hit by a switch, causing more anguish.
“F*** you Gramps!! I’m going to push you off this mountain, I swear!”
This is Greer, formally Nirmanz, a Demigod who reincarnated into this world. However, she currently didn’t have the stature of a demigod, as a one armed old man would keep switching her, causing a sorry look.
“That’s the spirit! My granddaughter needs to have guts, fufufu!”
The old man is her grandfather, Wismer, the grand elder of the Binshu Tribe and her master.
“Shut up!”
Greer said as she tried to parry all whip like movements from the switch as it was controlled by Wismer.
After a few more minutes of back and forth, the training ended as her grandfather looked towards the town with a curious gaze.
“Hoh, we actually have a guest after so long?”
“I wonder who would come to this crazy place?”
Greer replied as she also looked toward the town with curiosity. This mountain is also home to the Orc and Kabold tribes, who are quite temperamental.
“It doesn’t matter, let your parents handle it. It’s time for you to start picking on those cute punks, right brat?fufufu”
“Mmhm”
Greer nodded in agreement. She is indeed going to pick a fight with Hinkle and Min again as it’s become one of her pastimes along with several other mischievous activities.
She’s been in this place for 18 years already. Managing to grow into quite the young woman, she stood about six feet, six inches. Her purple hair has become more vibrant as it was braided behind, down to her shoulders. Her black horns stood out magnificently as they complimented her black and gold eyes. She still had the sleepish looking facial structure accompanied with the tattoos on her cheeks.
With her personality, she had the itch to leave, but couldn’t because of the tribe’s rules, thus she became a troublemaker instead. Anything to get rid of the itch.
Before she left, her grandfather warned her not to cause too much damage because doesn’t know how to hold back.
***
In the town, gasps of curiosity and wonder, could be heard as the tribe was looking at a middle aged man wearing a strange suit with turtle emblem on the chest.
As he was attracting more attention, the man couldn’t help, but introduce himself.
“Hello, my name is Bilt Lucry, I come from Greenshell City! Is there any way I can speak with the leader or leaders of this place?”
Bilt cautiously asked as he didn’t want to make a bad first impression.
‘They really are fearsome’
He could feel pressure from just standing there. The Dean had told them that the Oni race shouldn’t be trifled with at all and now he knows why.
The tribe wasn’t doing anything, but still managed to bring trepidation in this man. Finally, after a few moments, one of the male tribesmen opened their mouths.
“We’ve already notified our chief. He should be here in a moment, so don’t move until he arrives.”
‘I don’t need to be told twice!’ Bilt thought to himself as he nodded.
“I see. We do have a visitor, a human one at that.”
A powerful, robust voice dispersed the crowd as they all bowed.
Bilt who was already feeling pressure, felt like he was drowning as he stared at a very large and robust individual.
‘This man must be the chief… The presence he is emanating feels horrible’
“Ye.. yes! Hello! My name is Bilt Lucry from Greenshell City, I..I was hoping to speak with uh you in private…?”
“Ah yes, I am the Chief of the Binshu Tribe, Meluk Binshu, nice to meet you!”
He grabbed Bilt’s hand with his own and enthusiastically shook it. Unbeknownst to Meluk, Bilt’s shoulder felt like it was dislocated.
He signalled Bilt to follow him towards a one level home located a little higher than the town.
Inside the home, Meluk and Bilt sat in a living room, staring at each other. After a while a very tall and graceful woman walked in and sat beside Meluk.
“Meluk, this is our visitor? A human?”
“Yes, dear. I was waiting for you to show up.” Meluk said as he looked towards Bilt and continued, “This is my wife, Amani.”
“Nice to meet you.”
The couple looked towards Bilt giving him the go ahead to explain why he was here.
“Once again, My name is Bilt Lucry, I come from Greenshell City. Specifically, I am a teacher from Turtlewood Academy located within the city itself.”
“Okay, why would anyone from such a place come to this secluded place?”
The couple asked in confusion
“Right, the academy is actually recruiting young talent and we expanded our recruiting range to include this area. Frankly, what I am saying is, the academy would like to take in any young adults around 18 years old from your tribe, as students.”
Both Meluk and Amani looked at each other in shock as they processed the information.
“You mean to say, that you want to teach magic and various other skills to our young tribesmen at this academy?”
They asked with shock showing all over their faces.
“I’ll GO!”
Before they could ask again, Greer busted through the door with immense excitement.”
“Mom, Dad, I beg you to let me go!”
Bilt was also surprised by her outburst and even more surprised because he didn’t see any young Oni in the town.
“Mr. Bilt, this is our daughter, Greer. As you can see, she’s quite the troublemaker.”
The couple said as they sternly stared at Greer until she calmed down.
“Oh, hi Mr. Bilt. Nice to meet you, when can we leave?!”
“As long as it’s okay with Mr. Meluk and Mrs. Amani, we can leave anytime!”
“Okay! I’m going to go pack!”
Before she could even leave the room, a large yell from the couple shook the room.
“Absolutely NOT! You know the rules!”
“BUT…”
“NO!”
Cutting Greer off, the couple looked back towards Bilt.
“Mr. Bilt, we appreciate the time and effort for you to come here, but we have to reject the offer. Our tribe has circumstances that don’t allow us to leave.”
“Mom, Dad, pleeeeeeaaaassssseeee!”
“No!”
“I understand. Mr. and Mrs. Binshu, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity. The world has changed so much, there’s no discrimination, technology has advanced, and so has magic. Please reconsider for your Daughter’s sake.”
Bilt bowed his deeply as if begging them to let Greer come.
“Sorry. Please Leave.”
Unfortunately the couple turned him down as Greer wore a look of disappointment.
“If you change your minds, I’ll be at this location with the others I recruited from this range.”
!!
Bilt left after leaving a map with a circle drawn on a part of it.
***
Later on, Greer and her parents were sitting down, eating dinner together. However, the tension was so thick, it could be cut with a knife.
Greer having already eaten, left without saying anything.
“Maybe we should let her go…”
“You know the rules.”
Both of them frustrated.
***
Later that night
Greer was currently wearing loose clothing and a bag made of animal fur hung from her shoulders. On her bed was a note for her parents to find. She was sneaking out despite her parents’ disapproval.
“I must see this world, no matter. Sorry everyone..”
She muttered under her breath as she left quietly down the mountain.
“You sure have guts, don’t you, brat?”
Wismer’s voice echoed into her ears as she looked towards with a bit of guilt and more determination.
“No need to be guilty or anything, fufufu. I just came to see you off and give you these. Don’t worry, your parents will be fine, they’re just worrywarts.”
He tossed a pair of gloves towards her as she caught them in confusion.
“No need to be confused, just go. I think it’s good for you see the world, but be careful, as there will be people trying to kill you!”
With that her grandfather disappeared with the wind as she bowed with tears of gratitude.
“It’s time… Finally!”
