A Worthy Member

Geffen, the City of Magic and Mystery, was much more crowded than Prontera that day. A chorus of voices echoed in the city, calling and challenging

"Nerva! Nerva!"

"GO GET THEM BOY! YOU SHOW EM!"

"EEEE! NERVA!!!"

"NERVA! NERVA! NERVA!"

"HES OUT COLD! GO NERVA!"

"YEAAAAHHHH! NERVA RULES!!!"

"GOOD GOD, HE ALREADY HAS 980,000 ZENY ON HIS HEAD! SOMEBODY DEFEAT HIM NOW OR ELSE HELL TAKE AWAY ALL THE MONEY AGAIN!"

"NERVA! NERVA!"

What was probably the fiftieth challenger fell forward on his stomach, barely alive. The Knight was out cold, like what one of the audience said. Didnt even have the chance to use another technique. He fell ten minutes into the ring.

The Knights opponent, a young twenty-year-old Wizard, was looking at his form with the ruthless yellow eyes of a hawk. Unlike the Knight who lost five teeth and broke his arm, the Wizard had no injuries except for a strong nosebleed. The Wizard got this when he charged head-on against the Knights Bash.

Apart from that Bash the poor Knight had not been able to fight back. Ever again.

Nerva alThor snorted and wiped his nose. What rubbish was this? He was expecting that the Knight could scratch him, but it did not. He was expecting to get clobbered, but he did not. All he got was a puny nosebleed.

The ringmaster jumped in the circle. It was the local Tool Dealer, Tomas.

"WHO DARES CHALLENGE NERVA?" Tomas roared to the maddened crowd. "REMEMBER THAT IF NERVA IS DEFEATED, THE WINNER GOES HOME WITH ONE MILLION ZENY! COME ON, WHOS BRAVE ENOUGH? JUMP IN HERE RIGHT NOW!"

"No, stop." said Nerva. "Stop, Im not fighting anymore. I want to have the money now. I have to go."

A sudden and shocked silence swept in the PVP Arena. Even Tomas was taken aback, staring at Nerva with wide eyes.

"But, Nerva!" said Tomas.

Nerva bent and picked up his discarded cloak. "Ive had enough. Give me my money now or I take my anger out on you."

Disappointed murmurs spread in the crowd, but Nerva ignored them. He jumped over the rings railings and walked up to the judges. They had no choice but to give Nerva what he wants. They handed him a bulging moneybag. Upon receiving it, Nerva turned around on his heels and marched out of the place, leaving behind the disappointed protests and shouts.

Geffen was not just the City of Magic for Nerva. It used to be his home, but now it became Hell for him. When he first came here as a Novice he wanted to forget the pain inflicted by his birthplace, Izlude. But even Geffen became hostile toward him.

Nerva sat down on a bench near the Arcane Tower, a historical fortress built by only-God-knows-who for only-God-knows-what. A deep frown was currently displayed on his handsome face, warning everyone to stay away or else. Nerva cracked his knuckles and cursed under his breath.

"Illegal Bathory and Wanderer hybrids, what a joke." He mumbled. "I, do that? Damn that devil! Stinking old man, he is! Damn him! Damn him and his whole rotten being! DAMN HIM!"

He shook his head and sighed. Attempting to cool down his temper he looked around. Varied peoples walking all around the mysterious city-state. But most of all, Magicians and Wizards in their furs, cloaks and capes attracted attention. Somehow the sight of the crowd eased his mind.

He reached up and ran a gloved hand through his silky red hair. He stood up and was just about to leave when a young Mage came hurrying toward him, a massive rune tablet in his hands.

"Master Nerva! Master Nerva!" the Mage called frantically.

Nerva turned, and for the first time in that damned day, he smiled. "Alcuin! What is it? Is something the matter?"

The Mage skidded to a halt before Nerva, tripping on his own cloak. Nerva bent to help him stand. Alcuin looked like he was going to be hanged that very same day. He grabbed Nervas shoulders.

"Master Nerva, help me!" Alcuin sobbed hysterically. "I broke the Potion Mixer in the Academy! I didnt do it on purpose, I swearI was just trying to help my sister mix her potion! They caught me, Master Nerva, and they said they would remove my powers and my staff from me if I didnt solve this!" he showed the massive rune tablet.

Nerva knelt on one knee and ran a hand through the tablet, feeling the deeply inscribed symbols. "There are the runes of Asgarda little complexbut we can solve this in just twenty minutes. Not a thing to worry, Alcuin."

"But Master Nerva, you dont understand!" Alcuin said, his eyes bulging. "I tried to solve this! I used everything I knew but I still could not get the message!"

Nerva straightened. "Then let me show you how to solve this right. You know my study in the Arcane Tower, dont you?"

Alcuin nodded. "Yes, of course. I think I know where it is!"

"Then go there and get" Nerva told him. "A pencil."

Alcuin blinked. "Aa pencil? What?"

"Go, just go, ask questions later!" Nerva pushed him. "Oh, hurry up!"

Alcuin nodded and started tearing toward the Arcane Tower. Nerva put the tablet on the ground. He summoned his Arc Wand in his hands, and using its end, he started to draw every single symbol existing in the complex system of the Asgard runes. The runes materialized on the stone street, the magic running from Nervas body flowing from the Arc Wand like ink.

People started to see what Nerva was doing. Soon a thickening crowd surrounded him as he drew the runes on the street. Nerva did not heed the people in any way; he just went on with his work.

"Master Nerva!"

He looked up just in time to see Alcuin making his way through the crowd. Alcuin skidded to a halt beside him and gave him the pencil. He fetched the rune tablet and sat cross-legged on the street like a little boy. Alcuin sat beside him, looking very attentive.

"How did you read this tablet?" Nerva asked.

"Umm" said Alcuin, blushing. "Just like how youd read a bookfrom left to right."

Nerva rolled his eyes. "I knew it. How many times did I teach you to treat Asgard runes differently? You dontin fact, never read it normally like other runes! You read them" he took the pencil and pointed at the tablet, moving the pencils tip around "spirally."

Alcuin gave a cry and buried his face in his hands. "Oh, no!"

"Now you know where you had a mistake." Nerva laughed. "Use the symbols I drew here on the street to decode the tablet. Youll have it out in twenty minutes. Ill come back for you, okay?"

Alcuin nodded and started decoding on a piece of paper. Nerva left him there for a nearby ice cream stand.

"Two large cones of cookies and cream." He told the vendor.

After three minutes, Nerva returned to Alcuin and gave him his cone. The crowd watching them earlier had already dispersed; they only gathered to see if Nerva was the one whos going to solve the tablet.

"I told you it is easy." Nerva said as her surveyed Alcuins half-finished work on the piece of paper. "Just remember how to read it and youll be fine."

Seventeen more minutes and Alcuin finished his work. He couldnt stop thanking Nerva and promised that he wont be stupid again. Nerva watched him dash to the Magic Academy with a smile.

Geffen was still full of people. Nerva, having nothing to do, sat back down on the bench. He conjured a book and started to read it silently, letting time pass him by.

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

Nerva didnt look. He just nodded simply, too busy with his reading to care. Isidore sat down beside him.

"Nice weather, isnt it?" Isidore asked lamely. He had always been poor at starting conversations.

Nerva didnt answer. A few steps away, Richard rolled his eyes in distaste. Kiara was making wild gestures to Isidore, and Matilda was mouthing the words, "What kind of question is that?!?". Octavian was shaking his head hopelessly while Haja giggled.

"Ummare you a part of any quest party?" Isidore tried yet again. "I have my own, you see, and Im recruiting members"

"I dont plan to join any these days." Nerva cut him off without taking his eyes off the book. "Ive left my previous party because my hands are full. So let me turn you down politely. There are other Wizards in the Arcane Tower wholl be too happy to join you, and I recommend a particular Wizard by the name of Magnus"

Behind the palm tree, Matilda, Kiara, Octavian, Richard and Haja cursed under their breaths together.

Nerva breathed deeply and shut his book. He stood up and walked away. Isidore was left alone sitting on the bench, staring after him. Richard approached the flabbergasted Priest furiously.

"What on earth were you thinking?" Richard demanded. "That was such a stupid start! No wonder Nerva alThor refused us point-blank!"

"What do you want me to do?" Isidore shot back. "Ask him if hes still a virgin?!?"

Richard grabbed Isidores red collar. "Come on, mate, think! Why else did God give you that greasy brain your nutshell?!? Think, and get us a new partymate!"

Isidore pushed the Hunter away from him. "Hands off or else Id shoot you with Lex Divina! Its not easy getting a new party member, okay? So shut up and just let me do my job!"

Haja bit her lower lip. She forgot to tell them that Nerva was mutinous toward strangers, especially those who kept following him around and asking him to be a member of their party.