First light, p.26
First Light, page 26
Anna had returned and pierced the Ghoul through its heart. Knowing that this was not enough, she drew a secondary weapon, a large dagger, and sliced through Dannon’s neck. Its head rolled free and hit the ground with a wet thud.
“Good job,” Vincent’s familiar voice called out to them as he approached. None of the other members of their group were with them, but he had seen fit to return to their side with Anna. “I found Karl on the way out of the woods. We came to help.”
A grim expression was plastered over his face as he glanced around the clearing. Dozens of bodies littered the forest. The man’s eyes, however, were glued to the ghoulified bodies of the twins. Vincent hung his head in silent prayer for a moment. His eyes opened and settled back on Karl.
Teryn quickly followed, having forgotten about the Wraith in the excitement of defending their lives from Dannon for a few moments. Flashes of light illuminated the forest. Both Karl and the Wraith slashed at each other. Surprising was the fact that the Wraith seemed capable of using Aura abilities as well. Like Karl, it threw up Barriers and shot out Pulses. She could not tell if it was using Enhancements because of the lack of muscles. As a monster, it already possessed terrifying physical strength.
Karl’s speed and reaction time put Rune to shame, even at his best performance. Their strikes appearing as little more than blurs of light, skin, and bone. Anna stepped beside them, cleaning her weapon of blood. Her hair was still a mess, but she looked to be in much better condition than before they had fled.
Karl cursed. Teryn noticed the Wraith wave its hand. A second later, one of Karl’s Barriers flickered before shattering. The Pulse he prepped in his hand fizzled out. He quickly backed off from his assault, pressing his hand calmly on another, still living tree. “Drain.” the tree groaned and cracked. It was as if its life was slowly siphoned from it, the bark turning gray then black, leaving behind massive cracks along the trunk. The leaves above curled in on themselves, turning brown then crumbling to dust.
With renewed vigor, Karl jumped back into the fight. He threw up another Barrier that also flickered. He roared in defiance, the purple light highlighting his veins flaring up even brighter than before. The flickering stopped and the thickness of the Barrier nearly tripled. In response, the Wraith leaped back, hissing violently. Another lull in the fight had started.
The Wraith’s gaze darted between Karl, then the group of people gathered together. With a loud scream, it leaped into the air, pulling a black mist around itself. Karl quickly launched a barrage of Pulses into the mist, scattering it. When it had cleared, the Wraith was gone. Everyone stood still as time seemed to stop. No one wanted to risk saying anything for fear of jinxing themselves.
Vincent sighed a few moments later. “It’s gone. Good job, Karl.”
Karl nodded, the purple light fading slowly from his body. Teryn noticed he grimaced with each step. Clearly, he had exerted himself beyond what his body could normally handle. A human, Awakened or not, could only handle so much strenuous activity. At Karl’s advanced age, his threshold was most likely much lower for such aggressive fighting.
They worked together to quietly gather any personal effects. Teryn and Rune brought what remained of the twins’ bodies together and constructed a small pyre. Vincent spat on one of the bandits’ bodies before suggesting they simply leave them to the forest. With them being so far into the Greatwood, the normal risks did not apply anymore. Teryn gently cradled Gerty while Rune rested his hand on her shoulder.
By this point, she had thought all the tears she had were already gone. But somehow, she had more. Teryn’s quiet sobs were the only thing everyone could hear aside from the crackling of the fire. Rune gingerly spun her around and pulled her into his embrace. They were similar in height, allowing her to rest her face in the crook of his neck. She knew that her tears and mucus pooled on his shoulder as she cried, but he did not seem to mind. Instead, he placed a soft hand tentatively on the small of her back.
Vincent quietly approached them. “You two fought well. Thank you for buying us time to get everyone out. Your friends… they died well and fought bravely.”
“Died well? What does that matter? They’re still dead,” Rune responded. The normal kindness in his voice was gone. Devoid of all emotion. Teryn shivered. It scared her.
“That’s right,” Vincent answered, unbothered by the tone. “This is what it is really like to be in the Vanguard. You fight monsters. You fight people. You venture into fantastic and sometimes dangerous places. And, of course, sometimes you die.”
No one said anything for a bit longer. Vincent continued, “I am the Hall Master of Jelmoore and Headmaster of the Vanguard Academy. Jacob was going to have me promote your group to D-Rank, since he lacked the authority to approve Rune’s advancement. But I’m not going to do that.”
Teryn was about to protest, frustration welling up inside, but a firm squeeze from Rune kept her quiet.
“I hereby promote Rune of Locke and Teryn vas Dena to C-Rank. Dannon and Jeruul of Jelmoore will also be recognized within our records as brave C-Rank heroes. Fighting back against a Wraith is no small task. Not to mention, those who put their lives on the line for the sake of not only friends but also strangers, deserve nothing less.”
Lestreus
Three days after the fight between the two first-year students, rumors started flying around about the mysterious C-Ranker with an even greater fervor. Since the man had not been seen around campus after that, speculation of his life traveled like wildfire.
Some thought that he was a foreign assassin sent to kill the prince. Others thought he was a guard from a secret order of knights dedicated to protecting the royal family. Still, some others thought he was an S-Rank fighter who was punished by the Vanguard for breaking the rules on a mission and had been forcefully de-ranked and told to start at the academy from scratch.
These different stories made Lestreus laugh out loud. He knew the C-Ranker was strong of body, but he was weak of mind. Since moving into the C-Rank dorms with him, the man never dined, slept, or even moved about without the help of his companion. It was like the companion was the brain and the stronger one, the body. He was also a commoner, and no commoner would ever be chosen to guard a prince of the kingdom. Even if that prince was only fourteenth in line for the throne.
Really. Guard me? Ha! Maybe if he begged me for a job I would let him wash my boots. Lestreus laughed internally while he sat in a chair in the common area of the dormitory. The fire was going and the red-haired boy was enjoying the warmth while sipping wine. He read some documents forwarded to him by Lord Henner. Things down here are much worse than I thought. The roads are simply dirt tracks. Monsters and highwaymen roam trading routes between towns…not only that, but Jelmoore seems to be the only city with stone walls protecting it out of all the southern cities. I cannot fathom why their idiot nobles ignore Lord Henner’s offer of assistance.
According to Lord Henner, not only do they continually deny his kindness, but the southerners also fail to attend royal court. If they would not take the church’s offer, then they could ask the royal family to help. Instead, they break bread at the table of Lord Erich Nefera, refusing to present their issues to the actual lord of the land. They only offer complaints, and his father simply lets them.
All that Lestreus had seen of the southern territories was squalor and simplicity. The northern cities were full of trade, wealth, and strength. It was those cities that showed how strong their country was. His father was just as much at fault for the disparity as the pride of the southerners. If he had just taken them by the hand and forced them to change their ways, then the entire country could be stronger for it!
Since coming to Jelmoore, he had also spent every afternoon in the church further into the city, working with Father Gelroy. He had been teaching Lestreus many things regarding religious history and morality, as well as the important roles the church played in the kingdom’s historical events. As he learned, there had been nobles causing a fuss several years ago in the north as well. The church helped locate the traitors who weakened the nation and rallied together the forces necessary to save the country from them.
This was the first that Lestreus had heard of such a thing. That the church had saved the country from one potential uprising already only further cemented in his mind that they had the best interest of the nation at heart.
Gelroy had also led additional demonstrations down at the docks and submitted numerous petitions to Lord Jelmoore to allow his people passage to the Kingdom of Volar. The stubborn lord of the city continued to refuse these righteous requests however, showing that he was more loyal to the heretical Volari than the church who had supported their kingdom since its founding. Even when adding his own name to the requests, they continued to be ignored by the old fool. Lord Jelmoore had yet to even invite Lestreus into his manor, something that was expected of a noble when royalty visited their territory.
“It seems you are expanding your knowledge of the world outside the castle and your old academy,” a voice called from the dark hallway to the left of the fireplace. A man in an oversized gray robe stepped into the light. “It is always good to understand how the world around you works before you insert yourself into events. Though be careful that the information does not overwhelm you and prevent you from making a move. Sometimes it is nice to just take a leap of faith.”
“Your lordship, I did not know you made your way to Jelmoore!” Lestreus quickly gathered himself and stood before bowing in front of the priest he had met before he transferred away from the Faradin Knight Academy.
The priest chuckled. “Do not be so formal, young prince. Have you thought about my question? Do you know what it is you will do differently than your father and forefathers?”
“I don’t have the answer for you your lordship. Yet, I feel I have an idea,” Lestreus answered. Truth be told, he was almost certain what needed to be done, but he needed a time to steel his resolve.
“Hmm. I see,” the priest said. Though the words would normally portray disappointment, his tone sounded amused. “You have formed a close relationship with Father Gelroy and Archpriest Henner, have you not?”
“It is as you say, your lordship,” Lestreus said with another bow.
“Such a respectful young man,” the priest said again with a chuckle. “Lord Henner and Father Gelroy are staunch protectors of what they perceive to be the kingdom’s true strength. They seem to only want what is best for the kingdom… for you.”
Lestreus agreed. They had given him much. Henner made promises of power and knowledge. Looking at the stacks of documents and remembering the intensive lessons with Father Gelroy… that was the only logical conclusion to be drawn.
“I will check in again after some time. I feel you are much closer to a decision than you admit. But perhaps it isn’t that you don’t know, but maybe you aren’t ready to admit it? Either way, do not shy away from opportunities and be ever mindful that sometimes opportunity is hidden behind adversity.” The priest then returned to the hallway, disappearing from view. Shortly after, the sound of the front entrance closing echoed through the building.
Lestreus returned to his seat and continued to sip his wine. He set down his reports and mulled over the conversation he had just had. About half a second later, the caretaker of the nameless C-Ranker stepped through the door.
“Caretaker. Your patient has been up to no good lately. Imagine my surprise when I learned he might actually have the ability to think on his own. Rumors of his fight against the bastard of the Nefera family have spread across the academy.” The prince laughed. “And it seems I either have a fantastic guard under my command, or have to sleep with a dagger beneath my head!”
“I have a name, you know,” the caretaker stated flatly, “and one should always sleep with a weapon within reach. You never know when your life will come under threat.”
The prince glared at the caretaker’s back with annoyance. “Raft rat…” he muttered. The caretaker stopped momentarily, which caused the prince to smile, knowing his insult had been both heard and effective. He watched as they clenched and unclenched their fist a few times before continuing to their room.
One thing that Lestreus was good at was finding the weaknesses in his opponents’ mental armor. It was a skill developed by being born into the most competitive of noble courts, the royal family. Every landed noble in the kingdom, as well as all the non-landed nobility within the capital city, were members of the royal court. As such, Lestreus partook of and observed the petty squabbles amongst them. While not the most caring and supportive of environments, it definitely bred mental fortitude and helped in the construction of a clever mind.
The prince sighed and retired to his room after having finished his wine. He had also committed to memory some notes that were hidden among the material. Lord Henner and Father Gelroy had taken time to circle him in on some delicate information. Another thing for him to be grateful for. They trusted him. Though he had had no delusions of pathways to the throne before, maybe—with their help, of course—it was actually something that could be realized.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Teryn
Teryn rushed upstairs to her room, hopeful that Rune was still in a more lucid state. Ever since investigating the bodies and aftermath of the fight with the Wraith, he had acted strangely. At first, he would simply zone out in conversation while they ate or talked. His answers were short and emotionless.
Seeing him in such a state hurt. Every second tore at Teryn’s heart. Largely because there was nothing she felt she could do. Once, she offered to take him home to see his family and Tara, but he simply responded with a hollow, “No.”
Such a response was understandable. No doubt he did not want them to see him in such a state. Being perceived as weak by those who loved him would have been a nightmare… or at least by others who loved him. In the time since the Greatwood incident, Teryn had finally accepted how she felt. With every day, she did her best to show it by caring for the person she had fallen in love with.
“Rune, I’m back,” she quietly called into the room they now shared at the academy. As per usual, he sat in the bay window, staring at the campus. Were he in a normal state, maybe they would excitedly wander around Jelmoore taking in the sights. There was an abundance of places that served food from her homeland. Would he enjoy them with her? Would he enjoy peering across the ocean from the docks and talking with her about what Volar was like?
Jelmoore was much larger than any city he had ever been to before. In fact, she recalled he had only ever been to four different towns in his life. What she would give to see the look of wonder in his eyes. The reality of being in the Vanguard crashed down upon him. His dream had become a nightmare in the span of a few hours.
“Do you want to go visit the city? There’s a restaurant with my homeland’s cooking I can show you,” Teryn continued, gently brushing the back of his hair. As usual, he provided no response. “We will wait for a day when you are a little more responsive. But hey, I noticed your neck markings from the wraith are gone today.”
Rune let her guide him from the window to the bed. They shared a room with two beds, but mostly, they shared just the one. For Teryn’s part, she had terrible nightmares whenever she tried to sleep, so seeing his sleeping face when she awoke in a fit of terror quickly calmed her. Rune was in no state to mind, especially as of late.
Once they arrived in Jelmoore, his pauses became longer and sometimes lasted days on end. He would sit or stand emotionlessly, acting only on basic instinct. He had moments of clarity, likely leading to his rumored fight earlier, and Teryn took advantage of those moments to enjoy some time with her friend. The last one she had left. Her eyes fell upon Gerty, Dannon’s beloved crossbow. It had been damaged when he threw it away in the Greatwood. They would need to fix it someday.
She rested her head on his shoulder, hiding the pain in her voice as she spoke softly to him. “I’ll be here waiting for you to come back. Whenever you feel you can talk to me, I am here for you.”
Ven
Ven sat down at her preferred desk in the lecture hall. Today’s class period was with Professor Lylah vas Mithra. The woman was a menace to have as a professor and did not provide any form of support to students who failed to immediately grasp the material. At first, Ven had gained her favor with her capability to absorb the information quickly and without excessive repetition, but this favor was immediately lost when Ven accidentally called her ‘Lylah’ and left off her title.
For a moment, she had forgotten how proud Volari nobility were to have their titles properly included. After that incident, the professor seemed to have it out for her. Tayven and Brick reveled in the situation, of course. They had spent a few extra months exposed to the professor before she took a short leave. Those months she was gone were apparently some of their favorites at the academy. When they saw Ven had somehow curried favor with her, they told her they could not wait for the other shoe to drop because, inevitably, she would piss the professor off. Brick and Tayven had a field day when their prediction proved correct.
“Hey, Ven,” Brick said as he sat next to her.
Tayven followed shortly. He still sat down carefully, his injuries still on the mend. The Volari clerics always healed the important things, but left some of the minor things behind so students would not purposefully push themselves, thinking they would always fix anything. For Tayven, they left the bruising and soreness even though they completely mended his ribs.
