Cassandra was already in a dreadful mood when she arrived at the training camp located a mile away from the mansion.

It was still in the lands of the La Roche Family but it was located on the opposite side of the sea. It was at the entrance of the small forest that she could see from her room. She eyed Steve who followed her and gestured him to start telling her about the youth in front of her.

"Young Lady, we have a total of sixty fire wielders. There are eighteen twelve-year-old\'s who have just awakened their elementals. The rest are thirteen, fourteen and there are twenty fifteen-year-old ones that are ready to learn conjuring their elements in the academy." The Academy would only accept sixteen years and older teenagers. After training in the training camps, this kids would go to a magic academy to have themselves tested.

Once accepted, they would then study for two years before they could go to higher academy for another two years. The higher academy would teach them more powerful magic and the reality about the outside world. Subjects such as international relations would be taught in higher academy too..

"And you said the fifteen-year-old ones couldn\'t conjure elements on their own, yet?"

At twelve, girls and boys awaken their elements. At that age, they could control their elements but not summoned them. The rule was that the elements needed to be present for them to be able to manipulate it.

For instance, they needed fire around them before they could use it. Some would often carry some match to have some source of fire. If they are in a place without fire, then their abilities are useless.

After three years, it is normal for them to start conjuring the element out of nowhere. At fifteen, she could already produce her own fire magic and manipulate it even without the element around her. It was supposed to be like that. At fifteen, they should have the ability to use the element even without a source.

Since when did their La Roche Family became so weak?

A thick silence followed her question. She watched as Steve nodded, a tinge of embarrassment plastered on his face.

"How did that happen? How about grandfather? Wasn\'t he concerned about this?"

Cassandra asked as she gestured to everyone to disperse. "Answer me!"

"Young Lady, I don\'t think I am in the right position to talk about these things. My apologies."

She squinted at him. She understood that Steve was her grandfather\'s servant. Thus, his loyalty would always lie for the old man. "What happened after I left?" she asked. Her curiosity was just gnawing her insides. What the hell happened in the La Roche Family after she and Carmichael left the mansion?

"The Royals wanted to suppress the four great clans." Steve lowered his head as a soft gush of wind ran through them. "They started forbidding the children from learning how to evoke elements outside of the Academy."

Cassandra\'s brows furrowed.

She didn\'t grow up in the capital so she wasn\'t aware of those rules. However, she started learning evocation of the elements as early as she could remember.

"This rule had been approved by the ministers and we didn\'t have a choice but to follow them. Any children who would learn evocation of their elements would be severely punished. Even the clans were punished."

"This is insane," she sighed. She now understood why her uncle hated the Royals. "Zealandia exists to stop the demons and dark ones from crossing the gates. They knew the importance of the four clans. How could they try and scheme against the clans?"

"A child from the water elementals of the Cephie Clan accidentally killed an unskilled one. The accident sparked a lot of debates and some unskilled started complaining to the empire. They said that they no longer feel safe around kids running around them who could kill them in minutes. Some protests were held. The conclusion was simple. Everyone wanted to feel safe around us."

Cassandra nodded. Unskilled ones were ordinary people who didn\'t awaken their abilities. She could understand the reaction of the people who could not use their elemental magic. However, training was very important for people that would grow up to hunt demons and dark ones.

"Sir Steve! Sir Steve!"

Their conversation was interrupted by the youth who approached them. The teenager stared at them, tears pooling in his eyes as he used the seams of his red uniform shirt to clean what seemed like mud on his face, revealing his young countenance.

Steve\'s face darkened. "What is it, Mathias?"

"Beli is gone. I can\'t find him!"

"Beli?" Cassandra chimed in.

"Young Lady, Beli is my brother, my younger brother. He just turned twelve and this was his first week joining us. He told me that he was going to check the dorms for his lost necklace. However, it has been hours and he is not back yet. I tried to check the rooms but he was not there. The guards also said they didn\'t see him coming back. Young Lady, Beli has a weak body. He has asthma and would not dare venture into the forest. Something must have happened! Please Young Lady, please find my younger brother."

Cassandra looked at Steve. "Handle it. I will change my dress to help find him." With that, she walked toward her tent to change into some pants and the same red shirt with the La Roche Family\'s Crest of Phoenix embroidered on the left side of the shirt. After she made herself comfortable with her boots, she went out of the tent to find Steve.

Eyeing the skies that were slowly turning darker, a foreboding feeling started to twitch inside her gut. Her vision wasn\'t showing her anything good.

"Did anyone see him?" she asked.

"He ran toward the forest." Steve had a grim look on his face. "Someone saw him run toward the forest."

"That isn\'t possible! My brother is scared of the forest. His body is weak. There is no way that he would carelessly run toward the forest," Mathias said.

"When did they see him?" she asked.

"It was just after they had breakfast."

"That was the time he said he lost his necklace," Mathias confirmed.

"I will lead a few people to find him."

"Young Lady… that — "

Ignoring Steve\'s words, she added, "Please give me five people. I want the best. Meet me at this place in ten minutes."

"Young Lady! It is about to rain! I cannot let you go inside the forest without me. I have to — "

"No." Cassandra knew what was inside the forest. She couldn\'t let Steve come with her. "Go get your men and do not let anyone else run out of the forest again." She looked at the youths surrounding them.

"You… you know the forest well, right?"

"I... " The man instantly paled.

"I want a map. A detailed one. Make one in ten minutes!" She clenched her jaw before turning back to her tent to get her weapon. For some reason, she could see herself meeting someone in that forest. In fact, she saw herself getting killed inside.

Visions like this seldom happened.

However, instead of hiding there and changing her fate, Cassandra decided to go instead. She needed to know who the person was inside the forest.