In a seemingly endless time of peace and contentment, the mind didn't bring forth any dreams. Only a wish that time would remain that way forever.

  All it took was one day where the peace was stripped away and crushed into oblivion. That contentment perished immediately afterwards.

  What the eyes saw expanded, taking in ruin after bliss. At long last, something was born.

  Something not beautiful enough to be called a dream.

  The road created from that ambition brought Keith Verona to the Bellatrix Academy. The buildings in the campus scrape a quiet Martian sky.

  This place is where one is equipped with the skills and knowledge of what is known as an Ensis.

  The "swords" of the eight planetary supernations of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. All known collectively as Octavia.

  At the entrance, he sees two Enses having a conversation. He assumes those are the guards. He tries to go in without acknowledging the two there.

  "Whoa, there. Cowboy. I'm gonna need your Exam Permit before you even walk in." Says the one of the two who still had his helmet on.

  "Right, right..." Keith rummages through his bag and brings out a laminated card with his identification on it.

  "There's no real point to this, you know." The other one says. He's tall and has a scar running diagonally in between his eyes on the bridge of his nose.

  "Sir?"

  It sparks Keith's interest as the man seemed to imply that all the protocol was unnecessary. It also seems that the man isn't a guard, but rather the other's superior.

  "The Ensis Exam is already underway. This kid is tardy."

  "Heh?"

  "You're right, sir." The helm-clad hands Keith his permit. "The exam started about five minutes ago. You'll need to reapply after four years."

  "FOUR YEARS?!"

  "Yes."

  "I can't wait four years! I came all the way from Earth to Mars just to take the exam!!"

  "So?"

  "ON FOOT."

  "Oh!!" The scarred man holds his fist to his mouth apologetically. The helm-clad looks at Keith's worn-out shoes.

  "Yes, you'd be right! These aren't qualified to be called feet anymore! And you're telling me that five minutes is all it takes to make all that meaningless?!"

  "Yeah... Just go back."

  "That's ridiculous! And even then, I'm HOM... Mmm. Vagrant."

  "Damn." The scarred man exclaims quietly.

  "So I literally have nowhere else to go."

  The three of them stand in silence for a brief amount of time.

  "That's rough, buddy..." The helm-clad responds condolingly.

  "..."

  Keith continues to stand in silence.

  "So now because I took a five-minute nap on the way here I now have to rot in some canyon on this planet?"

  "That line sounds familiar." The scarred man says.

  "Actually, you're right. There was this viral video..."

  "Crap." Keith says under his breath. He knew exactly what they were talking about.

  "Oh yeah! That video of the guy that picked a fight with someone! What was his name again?"

  "Bee Bro!!"

  "Yeah yeah yeah! Lemme see the video again!!"

  On the phone is a video of Keith confronting a tall man fearlessly.

  "So what if I stepped on your shoes? I'm not in the mood today. I'm not in the mood." Keith says.

  "This guy thinks it's a game... Heh heh." The tall man says. He approaches him slowly before unleashing a swing. Keith effortlessly dodges it and counters immediately, kicking the man on his shin.

  "For the record, it is a game. Punks like you can never make me break a sweat." Keith says, bouncing on his feet combatively.

  "For the record, I'm gonna step on that stupid face of yours and mop the floor with it!" The tall man rushes at him and Keith flips him onto the ground.

  "What's up? What's up? What's up? Get up! Fight back! Stand up, you sorry punk!" Keith taunts. He hears a buzzing sound and sees a large bee.

  "Hey. Hey, hey. Bro. Bro. Br-" Keith slowly backs away from the curious insect. A bystander throws a pebble at Keith's back and he yelps, mistaking it for another bee. He stumbles and crashes into an ice cream stand.

  "MY GELATO!!!" The vendor exclaims.

  The two Enses remain in a state of hysterical laughter for nearly two minutes.

  "Okay. This is definitely the second worst day of my life." Keith laments.

  "Alright, alright. What's your name?" The scarred man asks.

  "Keith Verona."

  "I may actually be able to help you. Consider it thanks for the very invigorating laugh."

  "Wait, are you serious? Please say yes."

  "Oh! Wait, wait... You said you had no money. You can't pay the tuition. How the heck are you gonna walk from planet to planet without enough money???"

  "Oh, I actually do have the money. It's limited but it's from a benefactor who decided to help me get in this school. And also I'm no longer welcome in his home."

  "Why?"

  "He doesn't like freeloaders."

  "Alright. I can work with this. Follow me, Bee Boy."

  "It's Bee Bro! And don't call me that!!"

  ...

  EARLIER THAT DAY

  Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

  In front of Bellatrix Academy, dozens and dozens of young people walk into the building. They all range between the age of 18-23, which is the age most people apply newly.

  A young woman, Bianca, inspects an obsidian rock with a magnifying glass.

  Her best friend, Willow, watches her curiously.

  "It's clean enough." Willow says.

  "I dropped it earlier so I can't be too sure..." Bianca says.

  "I keep telling you. You don't need a rock to pass a test."

  "It's not just a rock! Brock is a lucky rock that's the earthen embodiment of our neverending friendship."

  "Your friend is right here beside you. And she won't let you fail any test. And then you're gonna give Brock all the credit."

  "It's not like that. Brock is just a rock. I'd never pick Brock over you."

  "Glad to hear that..."

  Willow hears Bianca's faint whispers.

  "You're apologizing to the rock, aren't you?"

  "B-Because I called Brock just a rock..."

  They both hear more whispering and chatter. They notice the examinees are all looking at one girl surrounded by Enses.

  "Oh! That's Alissa! She looks so fit to be the Regiment General's daughter!" Bianca exclaims in excitement.

  Willow observes her, seeing the regal aura Alissa carries as she walks forward.

  "Don't compliment the enemy." Willow responds..

  "C'mon... How come the three of us never become friends?" Bianca asks.

  "Nope. Our friendship is a closed heart with no space for brats like her."

  "Aww..." Bianca replies warmly.

  Someone mistakenly bumps into Willow.

  "Oh my bad." A young man apologizes. His blood freezes as he locks eyes with Willow. "Oh crap."

  "You broke your promise." She punches him in the shoulder. He winces in pain.

  "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Five feet away at all times." He takes a couple steps away while rubbing his shoulder.

  "Mark, are you okay?" Says a taller young woman who stood at his side.

  "I'm okay, Lucille. I just stepped into the punch zone."

  She turns to Willow.

  "Was the punch necessary?"

  "Yes."

  Willow notices Bianca pouting at her so she decides to edit her stance.

  "Well, maybe I'll just aggressively pinch him in the arm if he does that next time."

  "That's much better." Lucille replies. "Right, Mark?"

  "No, not really."

  All the students go into an orientation hall where they will be given the details of the exam.

  Mina Bloom, a renowned Ensis, stands next to her equal, August Terrell. They both stand behind Jade Crown, the young prodigy and older sister of Alissa.

  She watches as Alissa and the guards following her moving in the direction of the auditorium's entrance. Inside, she would get a reserved seat separated from the rest of the examinees.

  Jade notices Mina and August holding back their grins.

  "Is there something you need to get off your chest?"

  "Heheh... Mmm. I just think that Alissa would be very impressed by the sight of her sister on that stage addressing everyone." Mina explains.

  "Yes. I would feel astronomically inspired if I were in her shoes." August adds.

  "Is that so..."

  Mina and August hum in agreement.

  Jade can sense their excitement boiling over and she sighs.

  "You both need to take care of that."

  "Don't mind us. Look, here she is!" Mina points at Alissa coming over with the guards.

  Jade and Alissa decided together that when they see each other in the orientation they were going to keep things formal and unfamiliar. So Jade wears a cold authoritative face.

  Alissa, wearing an equally graceful countenance moves past them and the two lock eyes. If not for the twinkles in August and Mina's eyes, Alissa wouldn't have failed to hold back from cracking a grin.

  Contagiously, a smile also forms on Jade and the two of them nervously giggle. Though subtle, it drew everyone's eyes onto them.

  Jade winces from their utter failure while Mina and August do their best to prevent themselves from laughing, knowing it was their fault.

  All the examinees enter and wait for Jade, their instructor and proctor.

  August gives Jade a slight shove, startling her.

  "Go get 'em, Big Sis."

  Mina gasps in amusement.

  Jade, trying to hold back the embarrassment, quickly heads inside. August and Mina are left alone.

  Mina suggests they grab a bite but August says he wants to go outside for some air. Mina peeks inside to see Jade on the podium. The look on Jade's face is exuberance.

  There are two guards that stand at the entrance of the premises. One of them had to use the restroom and August was nearby, conveniently. That was where he met Keith Verona.

  August took note of Keith's moves during the viral video. It would be a shame for Keith not to use them as an Ensis for the sake of Octavia, the Great Eight. Especially since talent appeared on Bellatrix's doorstep, and August never ever made use of his SPA since he was granted one.

  That was because there was never a right time for him to be impressed with somebody who could benefit from it.

  And thus began the Ensis Entrance Exam.

  All the examinees were placed in an arena adorned with metallic statues of knights with shields. Each person was given a golden sword with a black hilt.

  Lucille and Mark stare at Alissa, who winks back at them. The three of them are actually friends but they didn't have the chance to get together before the exam that day due to the guards.

  Willow stares intensely at Alissa due to their rivalry.

  Bianca places her hand on Brock in her pocket. Initially they didn't allow her to bring her lucky rock but they relented when she almost cried and Willow began threatening them.

  Each examinee has a chest armor piece but were given no explanation as to any other uses despite the pieces of technology on it. It is made of leather.

  The metal statues only hold the hilt of a sword without an actual blade.

  Jade explained to them beforehand that their simple goal is to destroy any of two exposed cores of the statues on the front and back of their torso with their golden swords.

  These blades are known as Soul Swords and are an Ensis' main weapon.

  If the examinees can avoid being taken out by these Chrome Knights, the permanent right to keep the swords given to them would be theirs.

  The exam began and all the Chrome Knights came to life once Jade, in front of all the examinees, uttered the motto that all Enses engraved onto their hearts.

  "Be immense. Gleam and sever."

  All the statue raise their shields and stomp their right feet in unison. Each one of their sword hilts emit a long blade of light.

  "That was the starting gun. Watch your back, Mark!" Lucille says.

  "I knew these statues being here for decoration was too good to be true..." Mark laments.

  Out of the 1000 candidates gathered there, only 100 of them would be safe. This was the time limit. And the Proctorial Team keeps track of those numbers by the chest pieces worn by each examinee.

  Seven seconds pass.

  The first person to go down was Connor Scale. He watched as the sword of light descended upon him and he was too slow to change his fate.

  Expecting pain and uncertain demise, he yelps in alarm. To his surprise, the blade went right through him.

  "A holographic sword?!" He hears someone nearby exclaim.

  And all of a sudden, the world went dark. His consciousness fails.

  His peers watch as his body convulses within a stream of brilliant electricity coursing throughout.

  "These are shock vests?!" Another exclaims.

  The culminating wave of realization and distraction is quickly followed by a rapid decrease in numbers.

  Only the truly strong stood their ground.

  A Knight tries to bash into shield into Lucille but she blocks it with her foot.

  "Now, Mark!"

  Mark jumps above her and slices the core on the torso's front.

  "Teamwork!" They exclaim in unison.

  They watch Willow and Bianca take down Knights individually.

  "Your dead weight tier accomplishments must really make you happy." Willow says to them while Bianca giggles. Bianca isn't specifically laughing at Willow's remark, but rather those are her resting mannerisms.

  "Why is she so mean?" Lucille asks in annoyance.

  "Pay no attention." Mark responds. "Alissa being better than her will always make you feel better."

  All four watch as Alissa, moving towards them, makes contact with two Knights. She leaps and spins in the air, slicing two cores in a single motion.

  "Mark's right. Ignore her." Alissa says upon arrival. "You two are fantastic."

  "You were right, Mark. It does make me feel better." Lucille remarks happily.

  Willow pulls Bianca aside.

  "Why is it that this girl is always trying to one-up me?!"

  "Willow..."

  "I'm not actually trying. It just happens." Alissa responds from where she is.

  "I'm not even gonna dignify that with a response." Willow responds.

  "Willow, I keep telling you." Bianca says. "If you keep being obsessed with her, it's gonna eat you up!"

  "I'm not obsessed with her! And maybe I wanna get eaten up!"

  "I'll humble you as many times as you need me to. It's addicting." Alissa says to Willow.

  "I'm half a second away from ripping that tongue outta that mouth."

  The two begin bickering, to everyone else's chagrin, just when three Chrome Knights lunge at the two.

  Because of the fact that the two both had their guard down, and the reaching advantage of the Knights' swords, the holographic blades being 135 inches long, the possibility of evasion for the two of them is very narrow.

  A flash of gold and the sound of metal slicing through air and chrome rung. The three Knights immediately shut down, their cores destroyed.

  The five in the vicinity saw the fighter whose limbs moved with amazing speed and magnificent coordination.

  "No talking. This is an exam." Keith says to the stunned duo with a stern tone, before beaming a warm smile. "And you're welcome! I'm just really happy to be here."

  Keith dashes further into the concentration of statues where more examinees were being mowed down.

  "He does have a point..." Mark remarks.

  Willow lets out a loud sigh.

  "It's embarrassing that I even got distracted arguing with Daddy's Girl here of all places."

  Alissa, chooses not to respond. But the strain it has on her ego is visible on her face.

  "Let's go, you two." She pulls Lucille and Mark towards the crowded center.

  "Let's get going, as well." Bianca tells Willow. "But you can see what I mean now. It's not exactly the kind of eating up I was thinking about. But it's certainly one way to slip and fall..."

  "Yeah, yeah..." Willow says with a low tone. "You're the best."

  With a warm smile, Bianca grabs Willow's wrist and they both go towards the center as well.

  Eventually, the 100 are secured and the exam is terminated. Alissa, Willow and their respective friends all passed the test.

  Keith Verona was recorded to have taken down the most number of Chrome Knights. And he was the last to arrive, having joined ten minutes after the exam started. This was a wonder to the Proctorial Team who supervised the exam with Jade as the active exam proctor.

  Keith, for his own sake and the memory of his grandfather, forced himself to swallow the desire for vengeance that lingered heavily in his heart.

  Instead, he gave it the name "justice". And he vowed to never yield until he had destroyed the man named Yorkshire.