The Red Glaive

Allowing a familiar bigger than a house cat to roam freely suddenly was off limits. It was a new rule imposed by Rector, Tarda, and all the Glaive Masters. Before they were just not allowed in the public training grounds as to preserve their existence a secret. But, there had been an incident in the arena which no adept was quite sure of. Rumor had it; it involved a bear and one of the noble ladies and a bucket of fish heads, though no one was entirely sure. That meant Bara, Neith, and Set slept within their glass skulls ready to be called upon when they were needed. Arsene, and many other small familiars, got to roam and they were glad for it.

Everyday, more and more ladies showed up to the training grounds that it became near impossible to train on the grounds at all. It was mostly the squires parading about in full gear pretending to already be knights.

”They’re hoping to see the prince.” Arsene said after Aeria sent him to spy on them from a tree.

“The prince?” Aeria said.

“What about the prince?” Caius asked.

“Let her finish!” Niko said having returned from his trip. In the two weeks that he was gone, he said he only ever saw some spawns from far away before their field mentors destroyed them.

”They say that the crown prince was spotted in the crown city a few weeks back while everyone thought he was away. All they understand that the prince was to train as knight before his departure, they assume he’ll be here training with the squires.” Aeria relayed the message.

“Well that explains it.” Caius said. “Those stupid girls believe he’ll take them for a wife the second he lays an eye on them. They’re all deluded.”

“They’re right to hope, the prince is unmarried, and as far as I know there is no arranged marriage in place,.” Niko said.

“See what else you hear.” Aeria said to Arsene. He cawed and flew off to his perch on the tree by the benches. It was the weekend but Aeria didn’t go to the shrine. She didn’t feel like she would improve anyway.

“How do you know that Niko?” Telfer asked.

“The prince was staying in Glacies before I left to Durmenda. All the Barons were thrilled to host him, but for the most part he stayed in the Glass Castle with Lord Gretommo Oimni so no one really saw him.” Niko said.

“I hear the king hasn’t left Ivory Bastion since the queen died.” Caius said and everyone turned to look at him. “Whores talk.”

“I wish they would all just leave.” Aeria said. All I did was eat up valuable time on the training grounds. Aeria had grown up in Durus, the only ruler she knew was Lord Roch Whittal. Though, she supposed, the King ruled over him.

“You’re Reimar’s boy?”

They all turned away from gaggle of girls to face an older man with lots grey in his once black hair. “What’s it to you?” Caius responded rudely. Another noble perhaps?

“I am Asten Carner.” They all stared blankly. “Glaive Master of the path of the Beast.”

“Well it’s about time.” Caius said.

Caius became extremely busy after that. Since Caius was his only student, Glaive Asten spent a great deal of time teaching him one on one. He claimed it was so Caius could catch up, but the old Glaive seemed determined to work Caius to the bone. Any free time he had now he spent it sleeping.

Aeria eventually decided to return to the shrine, but Elyon didn’t seem bothered by past absence. The only thing she said was, “If you’re here I need you here. If you’re not taking this seriously then leave.” before she left Aeria to ponder her thoughts. Aeria didn’t want to leave the shrine, not after she promised Reimar. So when she was there, Aeria dedicated herself fully to the sisters. She made sure to ask Arsene to look out for everyone while she was gone. In the short time she had known him, the black bird proved to be faithful and dutiful. He would fly back every night and report the day’s events back the grounds. That way when she returned to the Glaive Caverns she didn’t feel like she missed out a lot.

Arsene let her know that, for the most part, Caius kept a rigorous schedule with Asten with Telfer practicing his swordplay in the arena while Niko spent his free time in the library reading the glaive Compendiums. A second group, consisting of Pynnis, Bavo Berkbrand, and Remi, had been sent out on patrol but by the time Aeria came back they had returned. Apparently Pynnis Marttido threw a fit when they were to set camp in an outpost and demanded stay in a tavern a day in the opposite direction of where they were going. Needless to say, their mentor- who had graciously - allowed the adepts to tag along quickly changed his mind and sent the whole lot back to Lux Aeterna. Aeria returned to the caverns to hear the ending half hour of the verbal tirade Overseer Rector unleashed on Pynnis.

The next day when they all arrived at the training grounds, Rector had Pynnis running laps like they didi for the first few months of their training. It looked like Pynnis hadn’t slept at all. For the first hour, Rector had them all watch as Pynnis completed his final miles. The glaive medics had to carry him away afterwards. Everyone stood silently afterwards.

“Sydell Downard.” Rector finally called. The dark-haired boy jumped. Aeria knew him from the time with her master. Sydell followed the path of the Colossus. “Name like that, you must be a baron’s son.”

“I, I am.” he nervous boy said, then quickly added, “But I’m a fifth son, I won’t inherit any-”

“Does your name make you any better than your brother Caius?”

Sydell turned too look at Caius, who stood tall and imposing. “N, no.” he said firmly. No one was better than Caius at anything.

“Does that entitle you to anything more than what you are given?” Rector asked again and the boy shook his head. “You, all of you, are given what you deserve, nothing less, nothing more. Understood?”

“Yes Overseer!” they all called.

“Get to work.” Rector said, then when they all scattered to the weapon racks he added, “I want each and every one of you to go a round with our Beastly brother.” he said patting Caius on the shoulder. “Show them what titles and names mean here.” and Caius had no mercy that day.

It was first two three ‘kills’ with the wooden training blades. Not a single person was able to get a ‘kill’ on Caius. That day, somehow, Caius made the girls look away from the squires and turn to look at the constant barrage of adepts Caius kept knocking down. Halfway through, and covered in sweat Caius removed his shirt revealing the rock hard muscle beneath. Oh, they noticed him then, and whispered amongst themselves. With them looking on, Brecht made a big show of choosing his weapon, the heavy great sword that Aeria practiced with but that he had never handled, and swung it around a few times as if to flex his strength. The great sword towered over Caius’ long sword but it didn’t make a difference.

Unaccustomed to the length of the great sword, Brecht swung too close and Caius quickly dipped in and rammed the hilt of his sword into his face. He fell flat on the floor holding onto a heavily bleeding nose and the girls laughed at him and his false bravado. Brecht didn’t get back again, though it wasn’t a major wound. Perhaps he was embarrassed that he had been knocked down so easily and made it so that it seemed like Caius had nearly killed or something of the like. Either way the glaive medics had to return to wheel away Brecht in a gurney. The girls laughed the whole time and Caius reveled in the attention.

The rest of the matches went as expected. Aeria, Telfer, and Niko went last. Telfer was the worst of the three but was steady improving. He lasted longer than some. While Aeria had sparred so much with Caius - she knew his steps and every swing - that their match felt more like a dance. He’d step forward, she would duck and swing low, only for him to counter devastatingly and knock her off her feet. Same as always. Surprisingly, it was Niko’s match that lasted the longest.

Niko had been watching and learning. During his match he had come the closest. Being one of the last to go Caius was already tired, and Niko dragged out their match as long as he could and waited for the right opportunity to swing his sword. Caius stepped forward and swung sloppily, Niko leaned back and swung his sword downwards towards Caius’ head. Caius only just saw it and had to drop his own sword and catch Niko’s sword at the hilt. Caius shoved into Niko and yanked his sword from his hands. As Niko stumbled backwards Caius caught him by the shirt and pulled up close, his wooden sword pointing straight at Niko’s heart.

“Close.” Caius said between breaths.

“Not close enough.” Niko said and Caius smiled.

“You’re almost as good as I am.” Caius said letting him go. The girls had moved closer and cheered when Caius finally released Niko. They just ate it up.

“No way I could ever compete against you well rested though.” Niko said as he took back his sword.

“You will someday.” Caius said running his hand through his wet hair.

“Enough, already.” Griffo spat. He lost a tooth that day, courtesy of Caius. “If you all want to fuck go do it somewhere else.”

“What did you say Griffo.” Caius said threateningly. “I’ve still got enough steam in me to knock the rest of your teeth out.” And Griffo scurried away to find his missing tooth.

“Alright, alright.” Rector called out, silencing the crowd. “Coyne wants to you Colossus adepts. Telfer, I’d like a word with you.”

The adepts scattered. Most returned their rooms, others stayed in the training grounds to further train, or to try and work up the courage to speak with the noble ladies now that they had gained their attention. “I think I want to stay a little while longer.” Caius said eyeing a soft faced girl in silks.

“These are not tavern wenches Caius,” Aeria reminded him. He could get in trouble if he bedded a high born girl.

“Go to your lesson Ariel, me and Niko can handle them.” Caius said.

“W, we can?” Niko said nervously. Aeria shook her head and departed for the arena deep beneath the earth.

Brecht was missing from the lesson, but Coyne didn’t seem to care. They were all learning to build stone barriers and the whole arena shook when all the adepts built their own wall, all except for Aeria who sat by the edge with a stone in her hands and a frown on her face. Even Loris was doing better than her. She tried to not let it bother her as she manipulated the stone in her hand. Her hands closed around it crushing it, forcing it to take shape, and when she pulled them away a small stone bird rested in her hands. She sighed as she watched Durant take a step forward raising a massive boulder in front of him before dropping halfway across the arena.

At the end of their lesson, Coyne stayed behind with Aeria.

“Will I ever be able to anything at all?” Aeria said exasperated.

“The Colossus gave you his gift, he would not have chosen you if he didn’t think you were worthy.” he said to reassure her. The Colossus had chosen Brecht and Loris, so maybe his choices weren’t always the correct one.

“What if I never get the gift as strong as the others.” Aeria said. Men didn’t like to dabble in white magics and women didn’t meddle in black magic, perhaps this this was the reason.

“It’s different for everyone.” Coyne said in another attempt to reassured her. The magic was different. Aeria was used to white magic that required her to build it within her, like pumping water into a well. She could use that magic as she so desired. This magic didn’t work that way. As Coyne described it on their first day; “You don’t ask the earth to move, you demand it, you will it into action. It’s as much a part of you as an arm or a leg.” She couldn’t quite get it right.

Aeria returned to her room that night a without any success. Instead of wallowing in her failure, she was met with both Telfer and Niko in her room. “He’s here.” Niko said as soon as he saw her enter the room. “Let him know.”

“What’s going on?” Aeria asked tiredly. She knew it had been a very long day the second she saw her bed.

“Rector is sending me on patrol.” he said. “He told me I could pick two others since everyone has their familiar already. Niko can’t go because he already went.”

“That makes it easy.” Aeria said excited at the prospect of finally getting to see a real glaive at work on the Night Road, “Me and Caius.”

“I want to stay behind.” Caius said. “I’m making a lot of progress with Master Asten, I don’t want to stop yet.”

“Then who will be our third?” Aeria asked thinking. She didn’t really talk to anyone else. In her lessons with Coyne, she knew Durant, Rypley, and Sydell Downhard. They had spoken a few times but that was it. Coyne once partnered her with Remi in an attempt to have her feed off his magic to help her strengthen her own to no avail. Another time he told her to sit next to where Bromley Wilk was practicing to see if she could pick up any techniques but that was another failure.

“He told me to pick people from different paths.” Telfer said. “So it can’t be the Leviathan or Colossus, and there’s only Caius for the Beast. . .”

“Do we know anyone in the path of the Avian?” Aeria asked. There were only three adepts chosen by the Avian and Aeria knew none of them.

“There’s Havarr, Alred, and Eddval, but Eddval went out with me so he won’t be able to go.” Niko said.

“What about the goddess? You have lessons with the Goddess adepts, can you recommend someone?” Telfer asked Niko.

Niko thought long and hard. “Take Isokki.” he said finally. “His magic is strong, he’ll keep you safe.”

“It’s settled then.” Caius said laying on his bed. He looked tired.

“Not quite.” Telfer said. “Coyne said we could leave tonight after I chose who to take, or after the weekend so that we can leave well rested.”

“After the weekend.” Aeria said quickly. The full moon was in the next night and she couldn’t miss it.

“If we leave now we could -“

“After the weekend Telfer.” Aeria said firmly and laid down to bed. She felt a little guilty for shutting him out so quickly but she really didn’t have a choice, she needed the waters of the Silver Oasis to keep her glamour.“I’m tired.”

“Alright then.” he said and he and Niko departed quietly.

“Where do you think they’ll send you?” Caius said.

“I don’t know.” Aeria said, her mind was in the Silver Oasis and with Valor. The mere thought of seeing him again after so long made her heart beast faster. When had the gaps between visits grown less tolerable?

The following day when night came, Aeria nearly ran the whole way - the heavy cloak she borrowed from the Oasis to shield from the cold winds grew hot as she rushed - to the Oasis before she remembered that she always arrived before he did. But when she reached the Oasis doors she saw a small crowd already formed and Valor’s friend standing barring the way the the doorway. As she walked up the crowd fell silent. She might’ve been imaging it, but it felt like they were focusing on her. She pulled the hood of cloak over her head to ease her nerves.

“What’s going on.” Aeria asked Elric, his hair was so pale it looked nearly white. His weary eyes scanned over the looming crowd then pulled her aside.

“He’s not coming tonight.” he whispered. “He asked me to send you his regards.”

“Oh,” Aeria said disappointed. How long till she saw him again. “Can I know why?”

“He fell ill, nothing to worry about.” he said but that’s all she could do now. In the shrine people died from small cuts because poor hygiene. “He doesn’t wish for you fall ill as well.” Aeria didn’t say anything. Her disappointment clouded her thinking. “Do you wish the relay message back?”

“Huh? Oh. Um.” Aeria didn’t know what to say, she didn’t expect to be sending messages. There was nothing she wanted to tell Elric that he could tell to Valor. She wanted Valor in his place, but he was ill Elric had said. “Hmmm. Stay clean?” It was the first rule at the shrine and she couldn’t think of anything else that could help him.

Elric blinked a few times, nodded, turned on his heel and left. Most in the crowd followed him, but Aeria entered the Oasis alone. A pale white leaves of the trees glistened with moonlight. She dropped her pendant in the swirling water and settled for the night. When she pulled her blanket she was surprised to find it still as plush as she had left it. Normally charms faded after a while, she expected it to at least loose some its magic over time but it didn’t. Not even her charms lasted that long.

“So the night is right, there is no prince here.” a stranger’s voice came the path and made Aeria jump. An older woman stood near the pool.

“Why would a prince be here?” Aeria asked.

“Someone said they saw him here once.” the woman said. “He was here with some woman.” It was as if the whole city had gone insane looking for this imaginary prince that was rumored to have returned. All they did was bother her and show up were they were least wanted.

“Well there’s no prince here.” Aeria said gruffly and sat atop her blanket. The woman grumbled and left. After the soft steps of the woman vanished down the path, only the soft chime of the pool was left to be heard. It would be the first time she’d be in the Oasis all alone. Valor had always been with her.

Aeria wrapped herself in her blanket, it was warm, soft, and filled with his magic. Strong magic.

Aeria groaned. The message Valor would get from her and carried by what she assumed to be his most trusted friend, would be to ‘stay clean’.