The Red Glaive

Telfer was released two days later without much fanfare. Aeria, Niko, and Caius sat in the mouth one of the arena’s alcoves’ entrances so they could see when the overseers returned and give them a little privacy as they taught Caius the letters of the alphabet while the other adepts trained with their gift. Aeria only just caught sight of him as he neared the weapon racks seemingly looking for someone.

“Telfer!” Aeria shouted and ran out of the alcove.

She didn’t care that all the other adepts could see, she jumped up and hugged him followed by Niko who did something similar, but with the added weight all three went toppling over.

“You’re free!” Aeria said shaking him. It took Caius to pull them both off for Telfer to stand. When he stood Telfer’s face was bright pink from embarrassment, clearly not expecting such a reaction.

“Less than a week in the sage’s prison. Nicely done.” Caius said with a heavy pat on the back.

“I didn’t think you’d come through.” Telfer said his face still red, “but I guess I was wrong.”

“It was mostly due Lector Tarda’s intervention that anything got done!” Niko said.

“He told me to thank you three.” Telfer said.

“Doesn’t matter!” Caius exclaimed. “We need to celebrate!”

“Celebrate on your own time adept.” Overseer Rector said approaching the group on the arena. “Partner up, we’re pairing today.” Most groaned.

Caius didn’t complain every day he didn’t get it made him more determined to try again on the next. He took Aeria to the corner they had claimed where Master Carner already waited for them.

In the past few days only Adalpi and Grimald had managed to maintain each other’s gifts. Both Glaive Masters Kemaala and Marcoul each eagerly tutored the pair as the rest of their adepts were essentially left to their own devices.

After a quick shuffling of partners, Eddval eventually found Telfer a partner with one of his friends Bromley Wilk. They had been practicing for an hour or so before, Telfer somehow managed to catch Bromley’s floating stone in his hand.

Aeria heard Carner utter something under his breath after both Masters Coyne Kue and Marcoul gave him a quick glance. She wondered if the masters had made some form of wager, it would explain why they were so earnest lately.

“Alright this isn’t working.” he said after Caius failed to catch yet another of Aeria’s falling stones. “I want the two of you to switch.” Caius immediately perked up before Carner warned. “Restrain yourself, the more of your gift you give the more Ariel will take.”

“So. . .” Caius paused. “Little fire?” Carner nodded, but Aeria was unsure. It’s not like fire was easy to control even with the Beast’s gift. How was she supposed to contain something whose very nature was to consume? “You can do this Ariel.” Caius reassured her and Aeria put her hands out nervously.

Caius opened up his palms and a massive jet of fire roared into life so intense that Aeria had to step back. “Control Caius!” Carner shouted over the flames and Caius shut his eyes and he took deep, long breaths. Each breath he took the smaller his flames became as if he was breathing in the very air that fed them until only a small flame remained on crackling on his palms.

“Good.” Carner said. “Now pass it on. Gently.”

Caius approached her with the flame and carefully placed his hand over hers. She could feel the heat it emanated on her face and something deep inside her screamed danger! and Aeria cautiously pulled her head back. Slowly, Caius started to tilt his hands towards hers. The second his hand tilted enough the flames died. Aeria frowned.

“Try again.” Caius said. “This time, don’t be afraid of it.”

“It’s fire Caius.” Aeria said, “One the first things we learn as children is not to play with it.”

“Then don’t think of it that way.” Caius said taking her hands in his and raising them up again. Caius shut his eyes, took several breaths and opened his hand again. The small flame returned to his palm. “At night, when you’re far from the lights of the night road fire is your only source of light. Fire is the salvation that repels the night devils. Fire is light and life.” Behind him Master Carner looked impressed, perhaps Caius was actually paying attention after all.

Aeria took a deep breath. Light and life, she told herself as they tried again. As Caius turned his hand, Aeria shut her eyes, Light and life, Light and life, Light and life.

A dark haired girl stood there in an lilac dress embroidered with small gold griffins around the collar. The dress was much more stunning than the girl wearing it. “You’re nobody, why would I even bother with you?” The girl huffed. Aeria looked down. There was a blue rose in her hand.

Aeria gasped. Caius was in front of her a grin on his face. Cupped in her hands a small flame flickered and radiated heat onto her skin. “It feels alive.” Aeria said, the flame pulsed like a tiny heartbeat. “I, I saw something,” Aeria said nervous to find out if it was normal, “when I took his fire.”

“The Beast might’ve gifted Caius with his gift, this gift was very much a part of the gods, so pass to pass it on Caius must give a piece of himself as well.”

“What did you see?” Caius said curious.

“A girl,” Aeria said and Caius listened intently. “in a dress with griffins around the collar. I think I was giving her a flower. A blue rose.”

Caius had grown still. “A winter rose.” he corrected. “I’d nearly forgotten that.”

“I was you?” Aeria said. The flame in had hands died with the distraction.

“A memory, long forgotten. A tiny sliver of your friend.” Carner said. “It forges your bond, and keeps it strong.”

Seeing something out of Caius’ past that he hardly spoke about should make her feel closer to him, but there was only one thing Aeria could feel. The one thing she hated most; fear. If she could peek into Caius’ past by receiving his gift, what exactly would he see when she gave him hers?

“Since you have taken the first step to forge this bond,” Carner said. “It should be easier for Caius to accept your gift now.”

“Uh, I want to try again.” Aeria said. Both Caius and Carner agreed despite Aeria only asking to buy herself more time.

Caius gave her his fire again, this time she atop a bay pony. The whole left side of her head felt sore. Someone yanked her pony’s reigns and the small horse turned into the person holding them. Reimar stood there, only more than a decade younger. “What’s wrong with your face boy?”

Aeria blinked. The fire Caius and given her flickered in her hands.

“Give it more life.” Carner instructed.

Fire was different than moving the earth. The earth was always there ready to be bent and pushed as she willed it. The fire, she fed it and kept it from fading. She was its source, its very life depended on her, its heartbeat matching hers.

She pulled her hands apart and the flame divided into two; one in each palm. Give it life. She took a deep breath and when she exhaled the flames grew; the life of her breath feeding the flames. “Impressive. He has more control than you’ve ever had.” Carner said to Caius.

“Alright Ariel,” Caius said. “I’m ready to move some rocks.” Aeria closed her hand and the flame vanished. Caius was ready.

Aeria stepped down hard into the ground, and a stone shot up with the same force she had exerted. She caught it before it fell back to the ground. Caius was already ready and determined. Aeria moved her hands over his but hesitated afraid of what Caius might see.

She slowly pulled her hands away and the stone fell into Caius’ palm. “Try again.” Carner instructed and the stone flew back into Aeria’s hand with a small kick. Aeria held the stone in her palm.

“Come on Ariel.” Caius said already ready.

Aeria sighed and allowed the stone to levitate in her hand. Hands shaky, Aeria dropped the stone into Caius’ opened hands. It didn’t fall through this time. Instead it held in place in midair when Aeria pulled her hands back.

Caius blinked, looked straight at Aeria, then smiled. “I did it!” he said. Holding the stone. Aeria smiled meekly and wondered what he had seen. The pendant on her face didn’t grow warm so he couldn’t suspect anything yet.

Master Coyne Kue was rushing over. “It’s everywhere. . .” Caius said making the the stone spin in his palm. He didn’t wait, stone now clutched in his hand, he pried his hands apart slowly and the earth beneath him started to crack and tremble.

“Wait!” Master Coyne was saying but his voice was drowned out in the roar of moving earth. Aeria could feel it, the gift she had felt within her getting sapped out her leaving her more and more exhausted.

“Caius,” She called but her voice was already weak. Caius was ripping a fissure in the arena and he was using Aeria’s magic to do so. He was using too much too quick. At this rate she’d be out for days like Isokki had been.

“Stop you fool!” Carner shouted and pulled Caius’ hard by the ear. Caius stopped and Aeria fell to her knees exhausted.

“But you don’t have to make it.” Caius was saying enthusiastically. “It’s everywhere already.”

“Don’t do anything unless you are told.” Carner scolded and pointed at a weekend Aeria on the floor. “It was never your gift to wield and until you know the fundamentals you will not attempt something like that again.”

It was Telfer that came to her side the quickest. “You alright.” He said putting a hand on her back. Aeria nodded, but when she tried to stand she her limbs were weak. Telfer caught her before she could topple over herself.

“Ariel, I,” Caius said when he saw the state he had left her in. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know.”

“Take him to the medics,” Coyne said coming up to them. Telfer helped her stand. His face was red again.

“I know I saved your life and all.” Aeria said weakly. “But you don’t owe me anything.”

“Save your strength Ariel.” Telfer said oddly doting.

Aeria couldn’t help but scoff as they hobbled to the Glaive Medics. The prescribed treatment by the professionally trained medics was food and sleep. After a massive portion of cornbread Aeria fell into the deepest sleep she had had in a very long time.

When she awoke again she was glad to find both Caius and Niko there. Niko was going over the words of a book while a disinterested Caius looked on. The first sign of her awakening was the monstrous rumbling of her stomach.

“Ariel?” Niko called. She was still laying flat on her back.

“Yes?” Aeria said as more of a groan.

“I’m so sorry Ariel.” Caius said coming to her side. “I didn’t know, and it was just so easy. I’m sorry.” Aeria waved a hand dismissively.

“You could do a lot worse than just make me feel a little tired and hungry.” Aeria said sitting up. Then trying to sound as nonchalant as possible added. “What did you see, when I gave you my earth?” She didn’t want to seem as concerned as she really was, but she had to know.

“I saw you wrestling in the mud with some ginger kid.” Caius said and Aeria breathed a sigh of relief. Maybe she didn’t have anything to worry after all.

“Where’s Telfer?” she asked.

“He said he was going to go get your tray.” Niko said coming to her side again. “You’ve been out a day but the medics say you can leave tomorrow.”

Telfer appeared into her partitioned room holding nothing but an apple. There was a red mark on his face that was starting to swell. He tossed Aeria the apple, but she didn’t wait to bite into it. It’s sweet juices spilling into her mouth.

“What happened?” Niko asked.

“I slipped and dropped the damn tray.” Telfer said bitterly.

Caius was the only one who seemed to believe him. “I know you can move water but I didn’t know slippery fingers came with your gift.” he said jokingly. Now that Aeria could move the earth and Niko had friends seemingly everywhere, Telfer was the easiest target out of all four of them now for Brecht and his elitist fools. “Anyway. . .” Caius continued when no one laughed. “Rector wants me to go on patrol since I’m the last. I can take two of you with me.”

“I’ll stay.” Telfer said quickly.

“No, you’re not.” Aeria said. “You’re going. I’ll stay. I don’t want to go so quickly after recovering.”

“You’re going to be alright here all alone?” Niko said implicating the danger without saying it.

“I’ll be fine.” Aeria reassured him. “The weekend is coming up so I think I’ll visit my sister.”