"Master, aren’t we going to the Knights’ Sacred Mountain?"
Leo asked in confusion, looking back. The Iron Wall was leading him toward the back of Moonhaven Hall.
"Just follow me." the Iron Wall said easily.
He answered so calmly because it was Leo who asked. If anyone else had, they’d have been scolded and chased off.
---
That day, the Iron Wall looked different from usual. He wore light silver armor that covered his whole body. On his back was the same shield he used to train Leo, along with a heavy sword.
All his gear had been handed to Leo. He put everything into his Spatial Ring, "Forget-Me-Not."
Next to his master, Leo’s outfit was very plain. No armor, just a sword and a shield. And the shield was the same Daybright Aegis that Mira had given him.
The two of them reached the training ground. The knights’ training hadn’t started yet. Most of them were probably eating breakfast in the cafeteria, so the whole field was quiet.
The Iron Wall stopped. Suddenly, he stretched his right hand forward through the air like a double-edged sword.
Faint golden patterns began to float in the air.
Leo had seen this before. Mira had done the same once. Wasn’t this how you called a war mount?
So had his master also become a Genuine Knight before twenty? And had he also visited the Knights’ Sacred Mountain?
The golden light rose up and formed a shining gate. A sharp cry rang out, and a shape came out of the light.
The moment Leo saw it clearly, his eyes went wide.
He had trained with the Iron Wall for two years. But he was seeing his war mount for the very first time today.
A huge bird stood before him, completely pale yellow. It was more than two and a half meters tall. Its yellow feathers were arranged in a strange round pattern, and its head was perfectly round too. Its body looked rough and incredibly strong, and a faint yellow glow like soil came from it.
Besides his daily practice with his father, Leo had also learned all kinds of knowledge. That included knowledge about Magical Beasts.
After a moment of surprise, he recognized it. It was a rare earth-element flying Magical Beast. Its name was the Stonefeather Roc. A sixth-rank Magical Beast.
Usually, most flying Magical Beasts were wind-element. The rest were spread among the other elements. But an earth-element flying beast was the rarest of all.
The Stonefeather Roc might not be very fast. But in carrying power and defense, no other flying beast of the same rank could match it.
Leo said in an admiring voice, "Master, so you’re a Skyborne Knight!"
Among fifth-rank knights, only those who had a flying war mount could call themselves Skyborne Knights. Otherwise, they were just called Earth Knights. And there was no doubt that Skyborne Knights were always stronger than other knights of the same rank.
For the first time, the Iron Wall’s hard eyes softened. The Stonefeather Roc lowered its head so he could gently stroke it. Then it spread its huge five-meter wings and crouched down a little.
The Iron Wall pulled Leo along, gave a light jump, and landed on the roc’s back.
Before Leo could understand what was happening, a strong wind rose. The Stonefeather Roc took a short run, flapped both wings hard, and shot up into the sky!
It was Leo’s first time riding a flying Magical Beast. In his panic, he grabbed the roc’s feathers tight without thinking.
The scene below quickly grew small. Soon they were very high in the air.
A layer of yellow earth essence came from the roc’s body and wrapped around Leo and the Iron Wall. Now there was no fear of being blown off. The wings kept beating, and the roc headed straight for the horizon.
Leo knew that Magical Beast mounts are spiritually linked to their masters. So this roc knew by itself where to go.
It was so fast! When the roc reached a height of about one kilometer, Moonhaven City slowly shrank beneath them. Sitting on its wide back was surprisingly comfortable.
After all, Leo wasn’t even fourteen yet. He had never seen a view this amazing. The Stonefeather Roc was clearly a fully grown beast. And flying on its back felt truly incredible!
*When I get to the Knights’ Sacred Mountain, how fun it would be if I found a Magical Beast like this too!*
"Jealous?" the Iron Wall asked.
Leo nodded without hesitation.
"You’ll get your chance," the Iron Wall said. "I’m going to tell you about the places in the Knights’ Sacred Mountain where you can find your own Magical Beast partner. Listen carefully and remember."
"Yes, sir!"
"The Knights’ Sacred Mountain is the magical land on which our Knight Temple is built. This mountain range is the foundation stone of our Temple, built with hard work by many generations."
"To be exact, the Knights’ Sacred Mountain is itself one giant magic array. Within its borders, all Magical Beasts become friendly to humans, and their power is limited."
"The oldest Magical Beasts there can even speak to you in your mind."
"But there are conditions to enter the mountain. The person must be under twenty. His Spiritual Energy level must have reached 200. He must have completed his Sacred Awakening. And he must have permission from the Knight Temple to approach these Magical Beasts."
"Always remember one thing. What you’re going there to find isn’t just a mount. It’s a lifelong partner."
"It will be your most loyal friend. As long as you’re alive, it will be with you. More trustworthy than any companion you’ll have later."
"Luck plays a huge part in finding a mount. Maybe you’ll find yours the moment you step in. But if you don’t get that chance, I’m afraid even if you waited ten years, or a hundred, no Magical Beast would even look at you."
"So going to the Knights’ Sacred Mountain is a way of finding your own chance."
Leo asked right away, "Master, how can I find that chance?"
The Iron Wall let out a long breath. He was gently stroking the feathers on his partner’s back.
"Everyone’s luck is different. When I first met my Stonefeather Roc, it wasn’t even a third of a meter tall. Still, the moment I saw it, a feeling of closeness rose in my heart."
"Most Magical Beasts in the Knights’ Sacred Mountain don’t attack humans. But some have violent natures. The moment you step into their territory, they’ll warn you."
"If you meet a beast like that, the token the Temple gives you will warn you in advance. Don’t rush into their territory. If fate wants the two of you to meet, it will come to you by itself."
"Beasts like that are often counted among the strongest in the Knights’ Sacred Mountain."
Leo carved every word of the Iron Wall’s into his mind. He couldn’t afford to be careless.
*A partner... Master is right. In the future, I’ll have my own mount, my own partner too. But what kind will it be?*
He asked eagerly, "Master, what kind of mount will I get? Will it be linked to my natural gift?"
The Iron Wall nodded. "Of course. Put simply, a mount choosing you is, in a way, choosing your natural gift."
"The stronger the Magical Beast, the higher its expectations of its partner."
He paused for a moment and said, "In that respect, I was very lucky back then."
And as the Stonefeather Roc banked through the clouds, a distant mountain range rose out of the haze ahead, wrapped in a faint, shimmering light.