《Crown of Despair》


 [Arc 1] Prologue: Where It All Began

    Death was near for him.


    Releasing his wife¡¯s cold hand, Marco staggered out of their small bedroom, entering a hall streaked with blood. His vision swam with black spots as he struggled to maintain his grip on his sword. A vicious shriek rattled the walls. His heart clattered as he rounded the corner. Amynta. Reaching the hall¡¯s sole door, he opened it slowly with his free hand, finding a nine-year-old girl sitting atop a black mat. Her black hair was a tangled mess. Marco loosed a breath and entered the space, eyes growing round. Amynta regarded him silently.


    He reached a hand forward; Amynta got up and took his hand without any hesitation.


    ¡°Daddy?¡± she said. ¡°Why are you covered in blood?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no time to explain, sweetheart. We have to go.¡±


    ¡°Go where? Where¡¯s Mommy?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s¡­.with your sisters.¡±


    An ache shot across his chest. He hated to lie. Adriana¡¯s cold, lifeless gaze filtered through his field of vision, nearly stopping him right there. Another shriek jolted him back to his senses. He led Amynta down the hall. Heavy winds swirled down the length of the corridor, whipping his cheeks.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. ¡°Amynta,¡± Marco said. ¡°Run when I tell you to. No arguing.¡±


    Amynta¡¯s throat bobbed. ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Listen to your father!¡±


    Not that far, now¡­. Marco took Amynta to the front of their home. Moonlight streamed through the small pane of glass, a swath of vegetation spread out in leagues beyond the confines of the house. Not here? Huh¡­ Marco turned to Amynta. He patted her on the head and gave her a grim smile.


    ¡°Run, Amy,¡± he said. ¡°The Barbosa family is not meant to live long. We¡¯re strong-willed, but we die young. I¡¯m...almost forty. I don¡¯t have much time left. But you...I have faith that you can break this curse. When you¡¯re old enough, find it. The Crown of Despair. You¡¯ll encounter many people who dislike you, my daughter. Don¡¯t let it dissuade you. Live with courage. Protect your little sisters. Now, go.¡±


    Trails of tears flowed down Amynta¡¯s cheeks. She sniffed; Marcoswung hisgaze towards the corridor. Light refracted along the length of a beast¡¯s narrow, glass-covered skull. Blood dripped from its grey fur in a steady trickle. A Voidroamer.Adriana fought for as long as she could¡­ Once he heard the door slam shut and could no longer feel Amynta¡¯s presence, he brought the length of his sword against his throat.


    Before the Voidroamer could pounce, Marco Barbosa slit his own throat.

 [Arc 1] Chapter One: Odd Encounters

    Chapter One


    Amynta Barbosa surveyed the interior of the train cart she rode in. The seats were plush and red as blood, golden pieces of metal separating them from each other. Sunlight bled into the cart through its multiple windows. Most of the passengers were asleep; Amynta always found that sleep eluded her. Ever since the night she lost her parents, she hadn¡¯t been able to get a wink of proper sleep. It was why she was prescribed the Wine of Nipia. Shamans believed that it could alleviate most ailments.


    It hadn¡¯t worked for her, which she knew was going to happen. Sighing, she spared a glance at the sheet of paper spread across her legs. It contained information about the training corps. Supposedly they were in the process of renovating the premises. Amynta deemed it pointless to focus on such trivial things.


    The trainshudderedand came to a stop. Peering out the window, she saw a series of buildings, along with massive steps that descended into a street wide enough to fit crowds and a small carriage, led by a horse with a golden mane. Amynta narrowed her eyes slightly as she stepped through the train cart¡¯s door. Marina liked horses. If only coin wasn¡¯t so hard to come by. I would love to buy a horse for Marina, even though she is hardly old enough to ride one by herself. I hate spending money. Amalija and Marina need all the supervision they can get. Every bit of coin I earn must go to Mama Joi.


    Said thoughts fought for dominance in her head. Amynta stepped off the train and released a sigh beneath her breath. So good to be in fresh air again. Making sure her bag was properly secured, she cut around the civilians, descending the steps. Mama Joi requested I bring the money before seeking out the Crow. Must that woman be so¡­.careful? I wouldn¡¯t dream of scurrying off without paying her for her services.


    Amynta passed buildings fashioned from wood and stone that towered over her. Sweet aromas wafted from the openings of numerous shops. Children skipped around her, dressed in black and white clothing. They, along with those older than them, wore a grey cap marked with a slash of crimson. Amynta knew what those represented. The Holy King¡¯s reach extends even here. Torinashi is rather close to the walls, but even so¡­ Shaking her head to push away thoughts of Asonia¡¯s king, she cut down a narrow alley, where she found a teenage boy pounding the face of an elderly man. The old man slammed into the piss-stained cobblestones, groaning in protest.


    Amynta balled her fist.


    ¡°Leave him be,¡± she said.


    The boy whipped his body around with wide eyes. Amynta sized him up quickly. The rostai his body admitted was relatively high for someone of his age. Perhaps he¡¯s been prone to steal his way through life. Individuals who are fond of stealing are rather¡­.devious in their way of living. No wonder his rostai is this large.


    ¡°Oi,¡± he said. ¡°A girl? How about you kneel for me after you spread those pretty little legs of yours? I¡¯ll¡ª¡±


    Amynta slammed her fist into his gut. She swept his feet out from under him, gripped his hand with only a fraction of her strength, and narrowed her eyes slightly. The boy cursed before she squeezed harder, causing his cursing to wither into mere whimpering. She released the pressure just slightly, a small smile playing on her lips.


    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    ¡°Looks like you are the one who¡¯s kneeling,¡± she said. ¡°I would watch the way you speak, especially to girls. Although, I rather doubt you¡¯ll be obtaining ¡®what¡¯s between their legs¡¯ anytime soon. With a face like that and an attitude as equally as repulsive, you¡¯ll end up all by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Let go!¡±


    She risked a glance towards the mouth of the alley, ears twitching. Gia, wisps of energy, curled inward like a ribcage along the brick walls. A slight tremor passed through the cobblestones, right as a brown liawolf paced down the alley. It sniffed the boy¡¯s pants; Amynta¡¯s smile broadened.


    ¡°As you say,¡± she said, releasing the boy into the path of the liawolf.


    Turning away from them, she regarded the old man. The boy¡¯s screams rattled her eardrums. She extended a hand to help him to his feet. Hmm. He¡¯s likely broken his hip¡­ The chime of a bell cleaving the air made her eyes widen. Oh, no. I¡¯m late¡­ Crap. Amynta¡¯s blood ran cold. The old man smiled slightly. His skin, formerly as wrinkled as a prune, became smooth and pale. Grey hair collapsed into black strands. He released her hand, currents of violet light flowing around him.


    The Crow.


    ¡°Wonderful,¡± the Crow said. ¡°You intervened, just as I figured you would. Excellent work, Amynta! I was wondering, though. What could you be doing here? The training corps are...that way.¡±


    ¡°I have to give someone a payment.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Oh, right. Amalija and Marina are in a woman¡¯s care. How could I forget? I actually spoke with Joi. A capricious woman¡­. I don¡¯t understand how people cope with her sudden shifts in behavior. It would wear me thin rather quickly.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m late, sir. I don¡¯t have time to¡ª¡±


    The Crow¡¯s eyes gleamed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the payment. I took care of it. Your train was delayed, correct? I foresaw all this and decided to aid you! My help, however, is not without a cost.¡±


    ¡°I am not sure I understand. Is there...another case of Voidroamers that requires my attention?¡±


    ¡°You catch on quickly. Yes. This time, though, we¡¯ve noticed an abnormally high number of abductions. All the targets are female. We think it¡¯s the work of a Voidroamer. An elf, to be precise. From what we know, it¡¯s after a crown. The Crown of Despair. I¡¯ve already considered a squad for you. No need to return the long way. I don¡¯t understand how humans can possibly enjoy walking¡­ Such a primitive means of transportation. Anyway. Step into the portal.¡±


    Amynta hadn¡¯t noticed that the Crow formed a portal to begin with. A swirl of darkness bled from his body as his eyes gleamed. Amynta¡¯s heart pounded fiercely in her chest. The Crown of Despair¡­ Father wanted me to find it. An elf is after it? I cannot let that vile creature acquire it. Breaking the family curse is my goal. I want Amalija and Marina to live long lives¡­ I will not stop until I give them the means to do so.


    Throat bobbing, she stepped into the portal and let its cold embrace snatch her up.

 [Arc 1] Chapter Two: Disturbing News

    Chapter Two


    The training grounds were divided into several sections by metal fashioned in the shape of fins, glinting in the fading light of the sun. Trees were kept in rings of wood, flowers of various colors swaying beyond them. Numerous bridges were erect over glistening bodies of clear water, where fish called typoia swam freely. Lily pads were suspended beneath the bridge, silver frogs balanced in their centers, almost perfectly hidden from view. Beyond there were blocks of buildings that were positioned to form a misshapen square around the bordering woods. Their roofs were tiled with vibrant colors that shifted to darker shades if looked at a certain way.


    Not a single soul was present when Amynta followed the Crow inside the main building. Lanterns, formed from shytai paper, were anchored to the walls beside the door, light bleeding from the confines of the paper that composed the lantern. The hall was wide enough to fit the bulks of metal attached to the walls, puffs of smoke belched by the central pipe attached to the top of the box. Amynta remembered those. Those are retacopa¡­ Supposedly they keep a building¡¯s air clean, but I¡¯ve always found it very stuffy in here sometimes.


    Doors lined the walls, constructed from pink and white wood. As they walked, she noticed the antiquated swords fastened on metal strips. Labels hung from beneath each strip, denoting which blade had belonged to whom. Several swordsmen and swordswomen had died for the corps over the centuries of its existence. It seemed only right for Yan to keep their weapons in remembrance. She still couldn¡¯t help but secretly wrap an arm around herself to fight off a chill of discomfort.


    ¡°Who is in the squad I¡¯ll be working with?¡± she asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s a tentative thing, my dear. No need to worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I am aware. That doesn¡¯t answer my question.¡±


    People had been eviscerated from talking to the Crow like this. Part of her didn¡¯t care; Amynta found a spark of rage within her, perhaps a result of the former god¡¯s sudden meddling in her life. The Crow came to a stop right outside a span of crimson doors, eyes glittering with mysterious curiosity. Amynta held her ground.


    ¡°Many have died talking to me like that,¡± the Crow purred. ¡°But that¡¯s why I¡¯m fond of you, Amynta. At times, you don¡¯t care about much. I understand...but it¡¯s a dangerous way to be. Your nonchalant nature only peels away when your sisters come into the picture. A Voidroamer may use that to its advantage someday. I would peel some of the Yakioshi¡¯s feathers on the way back to your room. As for your question: I instructed Amia to keep one of your potential squadmates in this room.¡±


    Amytna allowed his words to sink in. She frowned slightly. I¡¯m not nonchalant. I care about quite a few things. Former god or not, he has no right to judge my character like this. I¡­ She cut that thought short as she recalled what the Crow had done for her back in Torinashi. He paid Joi already, saving me a trip. Amalija and Marina are safe...for now. That money will not sate Joi¡¯s greediness for very long, however. If I am to provide for my sisters, I need to make more. And more and more. I cannot stop.


    ¡°This quest you were alluding to,¡± she said. ¡°What is the reward?¡±


    ¡°Oh, probably a few golden chips, spheres, and ingots. More than enough to keep your sisters provided for. Anyhow. I have strategic planning to oversee. Tick, tock, tick tock. The clock is ticking, ticking, ticking. Move with haste, Amynta. And be sure to join us for dinner.¡±


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. The Crow vanished in a twist of violet light. Amynta¡¯s cheeks flushed at his words before she glanced at the door. What could await her?


    Stepping through the doors, she found herself in a green room with walls that flowed with pink and orange flames. Women were positioned perilously close to the walls, faces coated in sweat, blue and white fans pressed in front of their chests. A man with long waves of white hair and blue eyes lounged in a chair with armrests capped in golden fabric. Yan. Amynta straightened subconsciously before bowing her head in respect. It was then that she noticed the girl standing a good foot away from Yan.


    Her face was round as could be, cheeks rosy as ever. Strands of golden hair were cut short in erratic bangs that were asymmetrical, something that was enough to make Amynta¡¯s eye twitch in annoyance. The girl¡¯s eyes were narrow as slits and a bright blue in color, framed with long lashes.They were a bit too far apart. A nose as small as a button sat in the center of her face. Lips thin as crust twitched into her infamous frown, slightly scarred on the bottom. Her body was lithe yet lined with muscle, earned from years of continuous practice. She wore the robes that all trainees wore outside of training. They were silver, emblazoned with the primary insignia of the Order, which was a row of multicolored scales surrounded by a ring of flame.


    Corinna.


    Corinna scrunched her plain face into a sneer, then shifted back to a neutral expression in the span of a second. Incredible how quick she is to please the head of the Order¡­ Groaning quietly under her breath, she turned her attention to Yan. He looks so frail. Almost like Father did before he passed¡­ Recollections of her father¡¯s thin, sickly green face flashed before her eyes. She remembered very vividly his appearance when she was young. His black hair had been shiny and thick, not at all as thin as it would later become. His hands were always warm and strong, capable of chopping wood and hugging her tightly. It was unsettling to say the least to see Yan. Amynta forced herself to hide her discomfort.


    ¡°Come.¡± Yan motioned towards her.


    So she did, ignoring the looks of the women and Corinna, stilling in front of Yan.


    ¡°You¡¯re late,¡± Corinna whispered. ¡°Not very like you.¡±


    The condescending tone made the muscles in her jaw tighten; Amynta exhaled gently through her parted lips in an attempt to calm herself.


    ¡°I think the Crow probably told you already,¡± Yan said. ¡°But I guess hearing it again wouldn¡¯t hurt. There¡¯s been sightings of a nasty Voidroamer in Krestia. An elf, to be exact. We¡¯re putting together teams to head up there. You two will be partnered with someone else. Someone who, upon inspection, will be with you for the foreseeable future. You understand, I¡¯m sure. There¡¯s no room for animosity among Saints, Hunters or Knights. Let go of your differences and learn to cooperate. We will be holding a trial tomorrow evening to test the new teams. In your case, who your teammate is will be determined by the results of the mock battle. The Crow already suggested someone, but bah. I think my way is best. Of course, you two will be competing too. I need to make sure all my children are still in good shape.¡±


    Amynta loosed a breath. Working with Corinna was...well, difficult. Corinna tended to default to two behaviors whenever they were around each other. She either hissed or sneered. Sometimes even both. I need this money¡­


    ¡°Work together?¡± Corinna said. ¡°With her?¡±


    ¡°Correct.¡±


    ¡°And¡­.what happens if we claw each other¡¯s throats out?¡±


    Yan¡¯s eyes flattened dangerously. ¡°Then you forfeit your training license and get shipped back to wherever you came from. Any other questions, Corinna?¡±

 [Arc 1] Chapter Three: The Green Cadets

    Chapter Three


    The sun, red as blood, hung lazily over their heads, casting shades of orange-scarlet light across the field. Amynta, along with the other teens, stood in the center of a grassy field, arms slack against her waist. Trees lingered in the distance, bark white as bone and layered with stripes of pink moss. Water glittered beneath the bridge they had walked over to get here. Beyond the field lay a bridge that spanned the length of another body of water, where fish swam. Amynta thought she could spot a pink-spotted tortoise, but she wasn¡¯t certain.


    She risked a glance left and right. Most of the newbies were people she hadn¡¯t known in her two years of preliminary courses. The Green Cadets. Each of their faces were lined with hardness, eyes traced with varying emotions. Like Amynta, they all wore dark, tight clothing tucked into beige pants looped with belts that would eventually house their tools of choice. The backs of their vests were emblazoned with one of the Corps¡¯ symbols of choice: A stallion racing against a field of lightning. This year, the number of new Cadets seemed smaller. Amynta could only count twelve people, including herself and Corinna. They were waiting for one of the staff to arrive. How long has it been? It felt like they had been standing here for hours.


    A girl whose shoulders barely reached Amynta¡¯s arms leaned closer. Her face was shaped like a heart, skin kissed by the sun in the form of a creamy brown complexion. Slate-colored eyes gleamed with mischief as they peered up at Amynta. Her hair was tied into two bushy, brown pigtails that fell past her lithe shoulders. She wore the Corps uniform in an almost slovenly manner. It made Amynta¡¯s jaw set. Such disrespect! Is Yan okay with this? Oh, right. These are this year¡¯s new batch of Cadets. What could I possibly be saying?


    ¡°Yes?¡± Amynta whispered.


    The girl ignored her and broke the line, boots trailing dust as she stepped in the center of the field. Murmurs surfaced among the group of teens; Amynta flattened her eyes with a sigh. What is she doing?


    ¡°Attention,¡± the girl said with a hand on her hip. ¡°Don¡¯t ya wonder why we¡¯re standing here for some flippin¡¯ long? Aye, I think it¡¯s dumb!¡±


    A girl whose blonde hair was looped into a tight bun atop her head cleared her throat sharply. This silenced the murmurs.


    ¡°Astrid,¡± the blonde said. ¡°Is there a point to this foolishness?¡±


    ¡°I think the system¡¯s broken, is all! Why, we risk our lives to come here, and for what? To eat slop meant for pigs? And aye, not only is the food crappy, the grown-ups are mean! It tells ya everything that¡¯s wrong with the system of this world! Yer just too dumb to see that I¡¯m right, aye. Expected ya to join me, Emma, but I guess yer just too caught up in yer own little business.¡±


    ¡°Wait a sec,¡± a boy with black hair said with lifted hands. ¡°No need to fight. Er¡­ I mean, we¡¯re all here for a reason, I think. So let¡¯s try to be nice to each other.¡±


    ¡°Oi!¡± Astrid jabbed a finger at him. ¡°Who might you be?¡±


    The boy held his neck. ¡°M-my name¡¯s Taner.¡±


    ¡°Heh,¡± a girl said from beside Taner. ¡°Is this some bratty attempt to try and make us like you? My mom always said that loud people are the ones who hate themselves the most. If you feel so strongly about this ¡®corrupt¡¯ system, are you here to do something about it? Or are you just going to go on and on about change? People like that make me sick.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t bother,¡± Emma murmured. ¡°Astrid loves to prate. Astrid. Come back before you make yourself look like an even bigger fool. I¡¯ll give you one thing, though. You¡¯re correct about one thing. The system on which society runs is flawed for sure. We work hard. We suffer as a result, yet we don¡¯t give up or anything. It¡¯s what makes us human. We also want things we can¡¯t have. Such is the nature of humanity. I¡¯ll be honest: I¡¯m only being this open because I hate fools who hide their true feelings. It¡¯s best for us to all be honest and direct. Just stay out of my way and we¡¯ll have no issues.¡±


    ¡°Oh, looks like we¡¯ve got a brooding one here. How¡¯d the hell did someone as negative as you weasel their way into the training corps? Then again...I grew up on a farm. Red weasels are fast little buggers¡­ so I guess it makes sense. So you wanna be a lone wolf? Heh. Good luck with that. You know, I saw a cremator on the way here¡­ it wouldn¡¯t shock me if your ass became the latest fuel.¡±


    ¡°Brooding?¡± Emma said the word slowly, as if she¡¯d never heard it before. ¡°No...just realistic. I hate idealistic people more than anything. Want to know something? Trainees that are part of the Green Cadets end up dying fairly easily and quite often. The death toll rises. And the higher ups continue to fatten themselves on the work done by the deceased. Yeah. I said it. We¡¯re all just test subjects. Dependent variables, if you will. I¡¯m a fan of Sorin¡¯s theories.¡±


    ¡°So?¡± the girl crossed her arms. ¡°Think that scares me? Sweetheart, we all have to die at some point. A calm death? Pft. Well...I¡¯m no fan of some famous person¡­ Hell, I don¡¯t even know who Sorin is. But I was raised to not let stuck-up people get under my skin. I¡¯m gonna be a great Cadet. Ever see how the Saints, Knights, and Hunters are mostly full of dudes? Total sausage fest! I want to be the first woman to ever be noticed by the Holy King and Asonia.¡±


    ¡°Then you¡¯re just a fool. Though there¡¯s not much to expect from a low farmgirl like yourself. You¡ª¡±


    The girl¡¯s face reddened with fury. She broke the line and stopped in front of Emma. The height difference was almost funny. Amynta felt like her throat was glued shut. She had always kept out of arguments, especially petty ones. It wouldn¡¯t be wise to get caught up in petty debates. This conversation stoked something that usually sat deep inside her, though.


    ¡°Mind saying that again?¡± the girl spat.


    ¡°Linnea!¡± A girl with blue hair hurried over to her and clasped her arm.


    ¡°Get off me, Ari!¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re being...er¡­.I don¡¯t know the word, but just stop. Please? I don¡¯t like it when you¡¯re like this.¡±


    Linnea glared at Emma. ¡°Better watch it, sweetheart. Making enemies on the first day isn¡¯t exactly smart.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think she means what she said,¡± Amynta said softly. ¡°It¡¯s a bluff.¡±


    ¡°What would you know?¡± Emma murmured.


    ¡°I can read between the lines. Your words are a direct result of your dissatisfaction. Nothing more. You are unsatisfied with the direction your life is heading in. Admittedly, I am rather clueless in regards to what you have experienced, but I have lived with harrowing pain in my heart ever since I was a child. I can recognize individuals whose hearts are the most disposed to dissatisfaction.¡±


    The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°This some kind of awful attempt to be cordial? Have I not made myself clear already? I have zero interest in making friends. We all die eventually. Forming interpersonal relationships is just...silly.¡±


    ¡°Oh, but where have I given any indication of wishing to form a friendship with you? You are just disillusioned as a result of your life experiences. I see myself in you.¡±


    Emma stepped out of line. Every muscle in Amynta¡¯s body grew tense. The rostai flowing from Emma¡¯s pores reminded her of an octopus¡¯s tentacles. It twitched erratically; Amynta moved as well, soon looking into Emma¡¯s silver eyes. The words she had uttered moments ago rang in her mind. I see myself in you. Why had she said that? Instantly, she was pulled back to the night of her parents¡¯ deaths. The night where she had become an orphan, a vulnerable child whom had no inkling of capability to provide for herself and her sisters.


    ¡°Is that right?¡± Emma said. ¡°I¡¯m like you? Don¡¯t make me laugh. You¡¯re just like the rest of these incorrigible imbeciles.¡±


    ¡°You say such a thing without even having any clue about my life. Rather arrogant of you to assume I am like anyone standing here.¡±


    ¡°Because you are like them. You say I¡¯m disillusioned. Sure. Easy for an orphan to say. You¡ª¡±


    Amynta clutched handfuls of Emma¡¯s uniform tight enough to leave a web of wrinkles in the fabric. Her mind was like a storm. Thoughts zoomed through it, many of them thoughts she was not a stranger to. Marco¡¯s face came to be in front of her eyes. Her loving father. He had been so strong and capable. Her eyes burned from fresh tears.


    ¡°Say whatever you wish about me,¡± she snapped, ¡°I would suggest you leave my personal life out of your attempts to belittle me. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough!¡±


    Amynta¡¯s eyes snapped to a slab of glass suspended behind them all. A man with a shaved head and tufts of green hair streaking a boxy chin emerged from the glass, dressed in the typical Corps uniform. He towered over Taner; Taner paled and looked away quickly as their instructor stepped forward. Astrid¡¯s throat bobbed.


    ¡°I hope this was just a friendly quarrel,¡± the man barked at Amynta. ¡°Barbosa. Still the same temperment, huh¡­ You remind me of a mutt. Your temper needs work! Let Tinna go.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Emma.¡±


    Amynta released Emma and resumed her position in the formation; Corinna¡¯s eyes found hers, the typical smugness fractured and replaced by a look of pure bewilderment. Amynta was still coming down from her sudden rage, yet she found she didn¡¯t care much about the way Corinna was eyeing her. Let her. I don¡¯t care. The instructor held out a gloved hand over Astrid¡¯s lithe shoulder; Astrid looked ready to faint, wearing a nervous grin.


    ¡°And what the hell are you doing?¡± he said. ¡°Trying to copy me? I would touch you, but these gloves are clean. I hate getting them dirty. Step back in line.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Stermis. Was just havin¡¯ some fun, that¡¯s all¡­¡±


    Astrid eyed her feet as she stepped back to stand beside Amynta. Stermis rubbed his forehead before dropping his arms to his sides. As if on cue, everyone mimicked his movement, backs straight. The animosity that overwhelmed the field still crackled as an invisible tension in the air; Linnea was clearly trying not to glare at Emma.


    ¡°Now,¡± Stermis said. ¡°I was late, wasn¡¯t I? Perfection takes time. Get used to it. Yan told to brief you wimps. I¡¯ll be in charge of the mock battle! See the sun? A blood moon cycle is about to be before us. With it, Voidbreaks can happen whenever, and gia is a lot more flexible. You can do a lot more with it. The perfect time to host a mock battle, if you ask me. You each will be split into cells of three. Got it? The cells were already made, so don¡¯t bother moaning about it. When you¡¯re called, stand where I tell you to.¡±


    Amynta¡¯s gut boiled. Who would she be paired with?


    ¡°Bosof!¡± Stermin jerked a finger at Taner.


    Taner throat bobbed. ¡°Ah, I¡¯m actually¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t care! Stand over there. Next: Linnea! Over here. Goran! You, too!¡±


    A boy with unkempt black hair moaned at that. His uniform was stained in several places and hung lazily over his evidently toned body. He stepped towards Taner and Linnea, the latter rolling her eyes at him. Goran yawned in response.


    ¡°Next up! Astrid! Aldric! Ari!¡±


    Astrid shared a look with Aldric after they all reached the indicated area.


    ¡°Sweet,¡± Aldric said. ¡°Working with two hot girls? It¡¯s like a dream come true. Minus the fighting part!¡±


    Ari paled slightly yet forced a smile nonetheless. ¡°Pleased to meet you¡­ I am in your care.¡±


    ¡°Oi,¡± Astrid said to Aldric. ¡°Say anything else that¡¯s sleazy and I¡¯ll have yer head, aye.¡±


    Amynta watched as the next cell was called.


    She realized with sudden fear that Corinna and Emma hadn¡¯t been called yet.


    Uh, oh.


    As if sensing her fear, Stermis¡¯s gaze zeroed in on her like a hawk divebombing towards its prey.


    ¡°Last but not least,¡± he grumbled. ¡°Amynta. Emma. Corinna! Over there!¡±


    Amynta swallowed. No big deal¡­ A Saint must work under conditions that are not always favorable. This is fine. She stopped where Stermis indicated; Emma said nothing, though her hands were curled into tight fists. Something told Amynta that she wasn¡¯t angry at the decision made by Stermis and the rest of the staff.


    Her rage delved deeper than that.


    It was a feeling she could relate to.


    That was what scared her.


    As Stermis instructed them and directed them across the bridge, she felt her gut churn. Amynta exhaled softly. She could do this.


    She had to.

 [Arc 1] Chapter Four: Broken

    Chapter Four


    From where she stood, Amynta could hear the clash of magic. The field she stood on with Corinna and Emma was separated from the rest of the competing grounds by a towering wall of steel, lined with streaks of blue. Mounds of grass were scattered across the field of dirt, the stalks varying in length and thickness. Water gleamed beneath a large bridge that connected this part of the area to where they would be competing against Goran¡¯s cell. Her sword Poison was sheathed at her hip, a sturdy weight that she hardly noticed. She could smell a slight smoky scent. A quick glance at the evening sky informed her of the source of the smoke: A rise of rostai.


    Emma cleared her throat, drawing Amynta from her thoughts. The diminutive girl already had her sword unsheathed, the length of the steel tinted a lime green. That must have meant the blade was forged with a high concentration of kystia, a special ore mined from the region far out west. Corinna eyed her bow, pouch of arrows looped over her shoulder. The bow was quite large, evidently made from crymium, a metal known for its sturdiness. Even so, Corinna held it with an unusual amount of uncertainty.


    ¡°We should devise a plan,¡± Amynta said. ¡°I¡¯m not sure what we can expect when we face Goran and his teammates.¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe I have to work with you,¡± Corinna grumbled. ¡°Ugh. Well, the arena is wide and full of trees, right?¡±


    ¡°Right. So you should have plenty of opportunities to shoot our opponents from afar.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­.¡±


    Emma eyed Corinna. ¡°That bow. It¡¯s made from crymium. An ordinary arrow would splinter if fired from that string. Which means you must use a different type of ammunition.¡±


    Corinna¡¯s brows inched closer. ¡°W-well, yeah. It¡¯s nothing too special, though. Soul Arrows are fast and strong, yeah, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°But nothing. Own your techniques with pride. Since you¡¯re using Soul Arrows, that makes this easier for us.¡±


    ¡°Is that so?¡± Amynta leaned in slightly. ¡°What is your speciality, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m of Yethai blood, so I have a big rostai pool. It lets me channel and shape rostai directed at me into different shapes and forms.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Corinna said with a slight smile. ¡°Sorta like a...mirror, then? That¡¯s cool.¡±


    ¡°Mostly. Whatever¡¯s shot at me, I can return the rostai it is formed from at my opponent. But its strength is halved and each usage drains me. So I can¡¯t pull it off that often.¡±


    ¡°I see,¡± Amynta said. ¡°My sword Poison is a Channeler, so it works similarly to your strengths. However, I can¡¯t redirect rostai aimed at myself. What I can do, however, is use rostai to enhance my own strikes. I am still refining this technique, but I can use it in a variety of ways. We should work on devising a plan. From what we know, the arena is indeed spacious. Corinna, as we do not know the extent of our opponents¡¯ capabilities, I deem it best for you to keep them off our backs. All we have to do is land enough blows to whittle the crystal down. Victory will be ours if we can accomplish that.¡±


    ¡°So it¡¯ll be us then,¡± Emma murmured. ¡°Hmph. Whatever. We¡¯ve wasted enough time standing here chatting.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Corinna said. ¡°You don¡¯t want to make a good plan?¡±


    Amynta frowned slightly. Why was Corinna being so relaxed and cordial now? It was odd seeing her like this. Emma sheathed her sword. The metal screeched slightly as it slipped back into place. The sounds of battle began to dwindle into a roar of applause. It appears the victor has been determined. Was Ari¡¯s cell victorious? For some reason, she found herself rooting for the timid-looking girl¡¯s cell.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    ¡°It¡¯s a waste of time,¡± Emma said with a shrug. ¡°Victory is only obtained by the strong. It¡¯s that simple. Why waste my time planning with you two? This is what shows one¡¯s aptitude for being a Saint or whichever path you have chosen. Just stay out of my way. I don¡¯t work well with others¡­¡±


    Before any further words could be spoken, mist shaped itself into a humanoid form. A figure whose body was wrapped in a thick bundle of cloth emerged from the body of mist, only a dark set of eyes visible. The darkness of their irises was almost overwhelming, nearly swallowing the whites of their eye sockets.


    It was time.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    The battle would take place in a forest. The calls of animals could be distantly heard. Trees rose all around them, leaves colored a sharp orange and red. Clear paths had been cut through the forest floor, not a single tangle of tree trunks or vines able to be seen. The soft flow of water was audible, drifting through the gaps present in the trees. The figure bundled in cloth fired a gun. The starting signal broke the sky in the form of a stream of smoke.


    Corinna, legs encircled by strings of gia, pushed herself back. She soared through the field of trees. Linnea vaulted over Amynta¡¯s slash, planted a boot against the blade, and kicked off it. Amynta quickly recovered and clenched her gut, hand lifted; Goran charged, hands a blur. Pain flared in her arms. Knives. Grunting, Amynta readied her sword. Emma¡¯s sword gleamed with a flare of white light. She swung it forward. A cut of white gia shot towards Goran. He flipped to the side, a trail of dirt kicked up from the scrapping of his boot. Taren leaped and brought his sword towards Emma¡¯s head.


    Amynta lunged with the tip of her sword aimed at Taren¡¯s plate-covered arm. He stumbled back. The crystal, hovering high above their heads, began to shrink in size. Goran sank his hands into his pouches. Steel gleamed briefly before he flipped, flinging his arm at the ground. Gia soared forward; Amynta swung her foot at Taren. He grunted and flew back. Emma pulled herself back,swaying an arm in front of herself. Miniature globs of light set off in a row like fireworks, nearly blinding all who fought. Amynta clenched her jaw upon feeling the ground shake; Goran was ready, eyes surprisingly fierce and determined. Amynta swung for his neck; Goran¡¯s eyes flashed as he, with gia-covered hands, clasped the steel of her sword.


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying, man,¡± he grunted. ¡°Better get rid of you.¡±


    Goran swung his head forward. Amynta¡¯s vision flashed white. Her sword clanged to the ground. Pain, hot and sharp, exploded in her gut. A trickle of blood dripped from a fresh cut. Her cell¡¯s crystal was dangerously small, as was Goran¡¯s. Amynta clenched her jaw. Not here. Vision still swimming, she concentrated. Poison trembled violently before the gia surrounding it bounced upward, piercing Goran¡¯s cheek in the form of hooks. Goran merely grunted. It was enough. Amynta used her fading strength. She slammed her body into his. Goran tumbled. Amynta balled a fist and threw a gia-enhanced jab at Goran¡¯s face.


    The crystal whittled. Yes¡ª


    Just as Goran¡¯s cell¡¯s crystal burst, Amynta¡¯s exploded into shards.


    The reality of what just happened hit her immediately. Corinna must have fallen...


    The cloaked figure popped out from a swirl of mist, hands raised.


    ¡°A tie,¡± they shouted. ¡°A tie, a tie!¡±


    More cloaked individuals emerged from pillars made of mist. She felt them pull her off Goran. He stared at the sky. As


    Amynta was placed on a stretcher, she studied Goran¡¯s face. It was the face of a broken man.

 [Arc 1] Chapter Five: Revelations

    Chapter Five


    Corinna lingered in the hall of the medical wing. The hall was illuminated by sapphires carved into pale wooden walls. Disinfectants clogged the air, wafting towards her nose from hidden crevices. The door she hovered in front of was rimmed with golden light that occasionally throbbed like a heart; Corinna clenched the bag of aithyst hard enough to drain the color from her knuckles. Aithyst was supposed to be given to the wounded after mock battles. That was the standard procedure. She had managed to get herself to come all the way down here. All she had to do now was give Amynta the bag.


    Come on...I can do this. Sweat trickling down her temple, she inhaled sharply. Sure, she  wasn¡¯t exactly that fond of Amynta, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the true reason for her reluctance to enter Amynta¡¯s room. Out on the arena, she faced her father¡¯s face and words. The leaves surrounding her had brushed her cheeks as she¡¯d run, heart clattering, hands barely able to keep a grip on her bow.


    Corry, her father would often say to her. Do you want to disappoint me? His words had almost made her freeze up. It was only the din of battle around her that kept her going. Right as Linnea had prepared a swirl of magic that made leaves swirl in a deadly vortex around her legs, Corinna notched an arrow and fought to keep her aim steady. The overwhelming words of her father made her jaw clench; Corinna had steeled her nerves upon noticing the shrinking crystal.


    That was theirs, she¡¯d realized. The thought of Emma and Amynta risking it all, while she was left in the dust¡­


    It didn¡¯t sit right with her, yet she could practically feel her father¡¯s lecherous gaze upon her, feel his strong grip around her throat. The crystal had shrunk once more. There hadn¡¯t been much time. A startled noise rippled from her throat as she released the arrow. It sung through the air, soaring like a hawk as it cut through air and leaf alike, slapping Linnea back.


    Corinna had felt sick ever since. She had shot Soul Arrows plenty of times in the past, yet that was the first time she¡¯d used her talent against another person. I hurt her¡­ Corinna exhaled sharply. I did it for me. Not Papa. Me. The perpetual dilemma involving whether she had any control over her actions or not had settled in shortly after the conclusion of the mock battle. She had hoped that coming here to the medical wing would help clear her head. So much for that one.


    I should just leave this here and get going¡­ Despite that thought, she found her legs to be as stiff as stone. Why was this so hard?


    ¡°Just leave it there,¡± Emma said from behind her.


    Corinna whipped her body around. A patch of gauze was taped to the corner of Emma¡¯s forehead, the skin beneath looking rather mottled. Oh. Ever since the mock battle, Emma hadn¡¯t said much to anyone or moved around much at all. That wasn¡¯t that unusual, Corinna supposed. Emma didn¡¯t seem like the talkative type. Corinna felt a sharp sense of confusion whenever she was around Emma now. It was almost like the battle opened her eyes to things she¡¯d been too oblivious to see before.


    ¡°I already dropped mine off¡­.¡± Emma said. ¡°It¡¯s fine. The nurse will pick it up and make sure Amynta gets it.¡±


    Corinna felt like her tongue was tied. Again, she could feel her father¡¯s overwhelming presence around her. It was suffocating. Swallowing, she attempted to gather herself enough to look Emma in the eye and speak.


    ¡°I bet,¡± she managed.


    ¡°I more or less already told you, didn¡¯t I? Soul Arrows are effective on the battlefield. We were put into a corner out there. It was thanks to you that we managed to get out of it.¡±This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    ¡°Is this your way of saying thanks?¡±


    Emma blinked as if she hadn¡¯t been expecting this. Her eyes soon flattened as she bit her bottom lip. She stepped closer. The height difference would have likely been humorous if Corinna wasn¡¯t dealing with such emotional turmoil.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that be something,¡± Emma murmured with a slight smirk. ¡°The broken bird trying to mingle with its companions. You seem to lack confidence. What are you trying to become?¡±


    ¡°A Hunter. What about you?¡±


    ¡°I aspire to be a Knight. We both have a long road ahead of us¡­ hmm. Some would even say that our dreams are foolish and a waste of time.  But I wonder. Is it so bad to dream? Is it so bad for the creature known as a human being to have ambitions? Nobody knows. I want to understand the meaning behind my life. Every single thing that has ever existed since the Waking was put here for a reason. Or, well, that¡¯s just my hypothesis¡­ I could be wrong. I¡¯m open to that.¡±


    ¡°Why are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°I''ve noticed things about you. We both have things we want to hide from others. Me? I believe that life is meaningless, but I don¡¯t usually go around preaching my beliefs. I¡¯m a vulnerable girl¡­ the thought of exposing my beliefs like that terrifies me deeply. I only did that the other day in front of the others because I wanted to push them away. It¡¯s better that way. As for you and Amynta...we¡¯re going to be part of the same cell for the time being, so I have to be more open.¡±


    Corinna searched Emma¡¯s eyes. She saw the truth behind Emma¡¯s words. It came as a shock. It was as if Emma had flipped a switch, completely changing her demeanor within the span of a day. It was honestly baffling. She¡¯s really means it, though¡­ Corinna gulped. Her father had always drilled the importance of prioritizing one¡¯s mental fortitude above anything else. Shouldn¡¯t she still try and be open? Papa isn¡¯t here¡­. He couldn¡¯t hurt her. Not physically, anyway. Nor could he poison her with his cruel and arrogant words.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Corinna said. ¡°This is just...so surprising, though. I never would have thought that you of all people would want to be open with me and Amynta. What¡¯s changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°I realized something on the battlefield. Simple as that. If I¡¯m going to achieve my goals, I can¡¯t die just yet. And if I stomp on the feelings of everyone around me, then who will be there to care if I fail? Say¡­Amynta won¡¯t be able to be around us for another day. In the meantime, how about we do some training of our own?¡±


    Training? It was almost enough to make her gasp. Soul Arrows were still so new to her, yet the training her father had given her was something she was certain would stick with her for the rest of her life. Even so, a strong and sudden underlying emotion fought to break to the surface within her. She bit her tongue to keep herself from clutching a handful of her top. That was a bad habit she¡¯d developed when she was a child, yet it always was difficult to determine where it had come from. Remembering its origin was impossible.


    ¡°Sure,¡± she said. ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°Mmm. We have some time before the staff reviews the results of the mock battle. That probably leaves us a few days.  We can work on our magic and see if we can figure out what has the staff so worked up. Follow me. I know a good spot.¡±


    Corinna¡¯s eyes widened. See, Papa? I¡¯m making friends on my own¡­ Emma tucked her hands in her pockets. Corinna hesitated before leaving the bag in front of the room door. I can do it. No reason to be so shy! It was tempting to pinch herself. Another habit of hers that had started when she was young.


    ¡°Just had to do that first,¡± Corinna said. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Emma nodded, the movement barely visible. She turned and headed down the hall; Corinna joined her.

 [Arc 1] Chapter Six: Aftermath

    Chapter Six


    The act of passing the victor of a mock battle¡¯s match a four-leaf clover was customary. Yan never quite explained the reason for the rule¡¯s existence; Goran didn¡¯t care so much about that. He¡¯d done it, yet it nearly wrecked him. His heart raced as he sat on the steps, watching a bird circle the training grounds. The blue-tinted leaves of the mint trees spread before him swayed in the light spring breeze. Fish with pink scales swam beneath bridges spanning bodies of water. Goran lifted the cigar to his lips and took a puff.


    He often came out here once his daily lessons were done. As the semester was just starting, he had an abundance of free time. That was something he both hated and liked. Free time meant a ton of time to do nothing, which he knew was counterproductive. It seemed like all he ever wanted to do was come out here and smoke. Bit by bit, his ambitions had begun to slip, and he was worried that he would be left with nothing.


    Until now. It¡¯d been days since the mock battle, yet he couldn¡¯t stop thinking about the pretty girl with the brown hair and grey eyes. It felt wrong to think of her as pretty. He often caught himself when he was in the middle of thinking that way. It wasn¡¯t that he shared the common belief that was spread through the boys¡¯ dormitories. He just simply didn¡¯t know what to make of girls like that. Goran felt like a deaf man trying to experience a musical. It just left him confused. All his life, he¡¯d seen first hand the showcase of strength. His older brother had taught him the value of being physically strong.


    Goran absorbed everything his older brother, father and male cousins told him from a young age. Isn¡¯t this wrong? He often found himself thinking. Mom was strong, wasn¡¯t she? Why aren¡¯t there any girls in the family business? He pulled away his cigar and belched a blast of smoke.


    That girl had not only faced him. She managed to subdue him with ease. What would his older brother say about that? He¡¯d tell me I¡¯m a punk, he thought with narrowed eyes. Be strong, Goran, his father had told him. Make me proud. Become a good Hunter, just like your old man. You have to. The family business will die out unless you do this. What if he didn¡¯t want to? Thinking like that felt like betraying his family. That girl was strong. What was her name, again? Ami? Nah, can¡¯t be right¡­. Frustrated, he angled his face towards the roof above him.


    Only to find that very same girl peering down at him. Heart jumping to his throat, he lost his grip on the cigar; the girl¡¯s gaze lingered on the bud. Her face remained still as stone before distaste flickered across it.


    ¡°Smoking on training grounds  isn¡¯t permitted,¡± she said. ¡°You¡¯re Goran, right?¡±


    All he could do was nod.


    ¡°My name is Amynta. We fought a few days ago. The nurse said my wound was rather hard to treat. Your proficiency with shaping gia into weapons is rather peculiar. May I ask how you learned it?¡±


    ¡°Buzz off, man.¡± Goran picked up the cigar bud. ¡°Can¡¯t you see I¡¯m busy? And don¡¯t tell me what to do.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Amynta¡¯s eyes were laced with slight malice. ¡°I will not. We are all training to follow a certain path. I am not asking for your hand in marriage. I simply just want to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Get to know me?¡± He couldn¡¯t help but snort. ¡°Get real, man. Just because we¡¯re trainin¡¯ to become...well, whatever, doesn¡¯t mean I have to become your friend. Hell, I don¡¯t even have to like you.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough, but you cannot deny the truth in my statements. We may cross paths out on the field someday. I would prefer to be on good terms with the people I may be working with. Wouldn¡¯t you?¡±


    Goran blinked. Why won¡¯t she go away? Amynta¡¯s lips were curved into a smile that made his breath hitch. To distract himself, he tossed the cigar bud beside his leg and crushed it with his boot. Amynta¡¯s smile dropped. A pity, he felt. You look much better when you do that. Now how could he get her to leave?


    ¡°I dunno, man,¡± he said at last. ¡°Don¡¯t see it any type of way¡­. And just so we¡¯re clear: My ¡®talent¡¯ or whatever isn¡¯t anything special. My family is stronger than me. I¡¯m a freak compared to my brother, uncles, cousins and dad, man.¡±


    ¡°Why do you wish to be so antagonistic?¡± Amynta leaned in until he could see the slight lip gloss covering her lips.


    ¡°You kinda look like you wanna talk. So I¡¯m talkin¡¯. Don¡¯t care if that¡¯s ¡®antagonistic¡¯ or whatever. If you don¡¯t like it and wanna leave, go right ahead. If not, I¡¯ll just find a different spot.¡±


    Annoying¡­ Goran gave her several seconds. Amynta didn¡¯t budge. Why is she so annoying? Sighing, he got up and didn¡¯t bother dusting off his pants in the process. The door was within arm¡¯s reach. All he had to do was pass through it and this would all be over¡­


    ¡°Goran,¡± Amynta said softly. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so...stand-offish. I¡¯m not asking for you to make me bear your children. I just want to talk.¡±


    ¡°About what? Me losing?¡±


    ¡°For goodness sake¡­.no. You didn¡¯t lose, you know. It was clearly a tie.¡±


    ¡°It was a loss, man. Accept it.¡±


    ¡°But we¡¯re both eligible for quests now. Isn¡¯t that something to celebrate?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re annoying, man,¡± he said. ¡°I can¡¯t be happy about that. Some man made a bet on me. Said I needed to win in order to...well, I don¡¯t get what he said before, so I don¡¯t know why he put his faith in me. Point is, man, I disappointed ¡®em. That¡¯s all. It was a loss. A talentless nobody like me can see that. People like you, who stand at the top, couldn¡¯t ever get it.¡±


    Goran left her standing on that porch without another word.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    Goran was fetched right before dinner. He made the trip through the wide halls, ignoring the chatter that kept reaching his ears. Eventually, he reached the room. A man with patches of grey hair and zinc-colored eyes sat waiting in a plush chair, door cracked open just a tad. Goran could see a swath of books spread across a table. On the shelf, a spot was noticeably empty; he frowned as he entered the space.


    ¡°Goran,¡± Mitch said. ¡°Do you happen to know where my textbook is? It was the most recent tome on ancient history. Shipped all the way from Asonia, no less. I paid a lot of coin for that book.¡±


    Goran shook his head.


    ¡°Nevermind that,¡± he said. ¡°So I heard it was a tie. My...sponsors are not pleased. The girl you fought¡­ do you know who she happens to be?¡±


    ¡°Not really, no.¡±


    ¡°Amynta Barbosa. An orphan. The youngest to apply in quite some time. She rose through the ranks fairly easily. You might say she has a talent for this, ha. You had a chance, kid. And you blew it.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. Didn¡¯t mean to. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Save it.¡± Mitch raised a hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve let me down, but it is the first I have been made a fool of. I can¡¯t let my reputation go to waste because of you. Chin up, kid. There¡¯s an opportunity for you. The Crown of Despair...it¡¯s being sought after by a supposedly dangerous Voidroamer. If I were a betting man, I would say Barbosa will be among the few entrusted with securing it. Once Yan is pleased with their progress, of course. Blasted old fool, he is. Do you get where I¡¯m going with this?¡±


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    ¡°I think so,¡± Goran said. ¡°You want me to find this crown, right?¡±


    ¡°Not find it. Protect it. Think outside the box, kid. Life¡¯s more fun that way. And stop smoking. You stink.¡±


    Cheeks flushing, he scratched his neck. He probably looked a complete mess. Mitch ran his gaze over him, no doubt noticing the slovenly way he wore the Corps¡¯ uniform. Goran felt ashamed of his ways for the first time in a while. He supposed standing before Mitch had a way of doing that to him.


    ¡°The call for that quest I mentioned,¡± Mitch said. ¡°Bit of a ways off. You Cadets will be sent on a much smaller quest first. A training quest, if you will. Just to get your feet wet. Yan always does this to weed out the ones who aren¡¯t cut out for this type of work. I¡¯m not mad, Goran. Just disappointed. There¡¯s a difference, kid. Chin up. Get back out there. You wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint your family, would you? Remember the cut you were made from.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±


    Mitch waved him off.


    Goran exited the room, head hanging in pure shame. His thoughts shifted to Amynta Barbosa. She¡¯s...special. That was obvious from the way he¡¯d felt when she smiled. He often grew bashful around girls, yet he knew the shyness he¡¯d felt and forced down around Amynta was a different kind. No way, man¡­. Don¡¯t¡­ He pressed a hand against his neck, not bothering to look where he was going. A shriek denoted that he had bumped into a girl; Ari rubbed her shoulder with a frown.


    ¡°Oh,¡± she said. ¡°Did I hurt you?¡±


    ¡°I-I ran into you.¡±


    Ari¡¯s eyes filled with recognition. ¡°Oh, yeah. I hope you¡¯re okay. Sorry about that. You¡¯re Goran, right? The grumpy-looking dude from before? I think...I think I remember you. Say. We¡¯re having dinner right now. Want to join us?¡±


    ¡°Y-yeah, sure. All right.¡±


    Ari beamed at him. So...so...cute. Goran bit his tongue, hoping his bashful nature wasn¡¯t too obvious. He had noticed Ari right away several days ago, yet had tried to pay her no mind. It was somewhat easier with Linnea and Astrid, as those two were certainly rougher on the eyes. Ari, Amynta, and Emma on the other hand¡­ Goran swallowed. No use dwelling on it. He followed Ari down the hall until the sweet aromas of dinner wafted up his nostrils. Ari slid open the door, exposing a field of tables where fellow Corps members dined. A section of the space was devoted to an arrangement of stoves and a pit of flame, the latter being where sticks piercing meat were cooking.


    ¡°Come on,¡± Ari tugged at his hand. ¡°Everyone¡¯s over there.¡±


    Ari led him over to where the rest of the Green Cadets dined. Emma dined with her back facing everyone; Goran didn¡¯t bother looking her way again. Amynta looked up from her bowl of nisata soup, the pink meat lodged in a sea of blue making his mouth water. Goran looked away as he sat down.


    ¡°Hey, Ari,¡± Aldric sang. ¡°Can I, like, get escorted too sometime? It¡¯s totally not fair that this guy gets to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up,¡± Linnea said. ¡°Hey, Goran! You¡¯re late! We got started without you, dude. Even Emma¡¯s sad that you took so damn long. Here, you can have some of my mitachi burger. I don¡¯t want it after listening to Aldric go on and on for a whole hour!¡±


    Emma didn¡¯t so much as budge in response. Goran¡¯s eyes grew wide as he considered Linnea¡¯s offer. The burger did look appetizing¡­


    ¡°Sure, man,¡± he said. ¡°Thanks...I guess.¡±


    Linnea grinned and passed him the plate. Goran examined the burger quickly before sinking his teeth into the bun. He chewed cautiously. Not bad¡­ Taner eyed him meekly before looking away. What? Amynta was busy eating and hadn¡¯t paid him any mind.For some reason, that bugged him.


    ¡°Aye,¡± Astrid said. ¡°Anyone else think that the fake battles were, ah, staged?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ari said softly.


    ¡°Ya know, sweet thing. Fake. Made to make us think we were bein¡¯ tested, aye.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Corinna said. ¡°Don¡¯t you hear yourself? Yan would¡ª¡±


    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s what ya think. But yer wrong, aye. Me thinks Yan just wanted to test us. Notice how those crystals were gettin¡¯ small so fast?¡±


    ¡°Oh, brother,¡± Linnea said. ¡°She¡¯s at it again. Well, guess I¡¯m gonna hit the hay now. See ya.¡±


    Ari tugged at Linnea¡¯s sleeve and made a face. ¡°Linnea, please don¡¯t go¡­ I told you I¡¯d help you with your room, but I didn¡¯t eat yet¡­¡±


    ¡°You can have Aldric¡¯s food. Just promise to kiss him and he¡¯ll hand it right over. Saves you a trip to the cooks.¡±


    ¡°Can it,¡± Aldric snapped. ¡°I am not that easily tricked.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah? What about that time you gave away all your coin?¡±


    ¡°That was just an accident, damn it!¡±


    ¡°Y-you can have some of my soup,¡± Taner said to Ari. ¡°If you want¡­¡±


    Ari blinked before smiling. ¡°Aww, that¡¯s sweet. No worries, though, guys. I¡¯ll just get up myself.¡±


    ¡°See, Aldric?¡± Linnea said with a grin. ¡°She was smart enough to not take your slop.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seriously gonna¡ª¡±


    ¡°Anyways,¡± Amynta said. ¡°We did complete the mock battles. Three people are no longer in the Cadets. From what I gather, we will continue our lessons before we are assigned our first quest.¡±


    ¡°I was hoping we could just chill a bit longer,¡± Linnea said with a yawn. ¡°Guess we¡¯ll have to do actual work now. Hey, Aldric. If I pay you each week, will you carry my stuff around?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Emma said, still not facing them. ¡°We¡¯ll probably get our first assignment relatively soon.¡±


    ¡°Can you...eat with us and not by yourself?¡± Linnea asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m at the table, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Guys,¡± Ari said. ¡°Please don¡¯t fight¡­¡±


    ¡°Hey,¡± Corinna said to Goran. ¡°Heard you did a number on Amynta here. That¡¯s pretty good.¡±


    Goran scratched his neck. ¡°It was nothing special, man.¡±


    ¡°It totally was. Have some confidence in yourself.¡±


    Before Goran could respond, a chime pulsed through the walls. Dinner was over and everyone was to return to their rooms for the night. Goran wondered why Yan hit the signal so early. Wasn¡¯t it still early in the night? It was a little unsettling. Linnea eyed Aldric; Aldric grumbled beneath his breath before getting up. Everyone soon followed.


    As he exited the room, all Goran could think of were Mitch¡¯s words.


    It seemed like a harsh warning to him.

 [Arc 2] Chapter Seven: First Quest

    Chapter Seven


    A week after the mock battles, Yan gathered all the Cadets to give them their first major quest. Amynta and the others stood in one of the corps¡¯ many religious rooms. The walls flowed with flowery patterns made of stone. Statues stood in front of columns full of green flame. Sunlight entered the space through its many windows, perched above their heads. Amynta fought to keep her expression the same. Internally, she found her heart was racing and her palms were clammy. This was her first major quest as a Saint-in-training. It was hard not to be excited.


    Well, there was the fact that she kept risking glances at Goran. His black hair was still just as unkempt as ever, though his uniform was devoid of any blotches of dirt. I wonder why he¡¯s always so antagonistic¡­. Biting her lip, she let her eyes linger on Goran¡¯s face a little while longer, waiting for Yan to finish unfurling the scroll that would help him document their quest. Her conversation with Goran was still fresh in her mind. More than anything, she felt angered by his rude nature. Where had she seen that kind of attitude?


    What am I saying? Antagonistic boys are common things. And yet, he seemed even worse than the type I am used to dealing with on a regular basis. I sense great pain within his heart. The rostai that flowed from his body was relatively large, yes, but it was also rather frigid. Is he lonely? Amynta considered that thought. If Goran were lonely, he sure was doing a poor job of alleviating it. Why was she wasting energy thinking about someone that clearly didn¡¯t care about her? Swallowing, she settled on the answer. Seeing others in pain or misery stoked something deep within her heart. It brought back the way her parents brought her up.


    Be kind to those who need it. That was what Marco Barbosa had taught her. Whenever Amynta got to visit her sisters, she made sure to teach them the same thing. Even then, she always felt as if she were lying. Amalija and Marina had zero knowledge of the extent of her temper. Urges. That¡¯s what she dealt with whenever someone made her pissed. Goran met her gaze with a sneer. Amynta frowned. Just then, Yan hummed.


    The scroll spread across his lap throbbed with golden light. Yan gripped a brush tipped with silver ink and let it hover above the scroll¡¯s end.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Yan said. ¡°Did you all sleep well?¡±


    ¡°I slept better than a mule,¡± Linnea said with a grin. ¡°Pretty hard, though. I swear I heard Aldric¡¯s snoring all the way from the boys¡¯ dorm.¡±


    Aldric narrowed his eyes but said nothing. Yan didn¡¯t smile. Amynta noticed that a flush of green lingered in his otherwise creamy brown complexion. Sotheli peoples were supposedly known for such a skin tone. It was said that their hair was always white as bone and that their eyes were the color of the sapphires found in various parts of the world. They¡¯re also rare, Amynta thought with displeasure. Sotheli peoples only make up a small percentage of the population.


    ¡°So,¡± Yan said. ¡°As you may have heard by now¡­ there¡¯s been some rather disturbing activity from a certain Voidroamer. We think he may have set his eyes on the Crown of Despair. Problem is, the crown is kept in a secret location that not just anyone can reach. Plus¡­ dealing with a Voidroamer of that caliber is bound to result in plenty of casualties. So we must work on dwindling this Voidroamer¡¯s power. We can accomplish this by working on eliminating his allies. Your first stop is Acaldin. Kasaf, a minor elf who¡¯s gained some notoriety among the Acaldian population, will be your target. You are to eliminate him. You will have two weeks to accomplish this task. If you do not complete it in time, I will assume you¡¯ve died and simply replace you. Understood?¡±


    Everyone nodded. Strings of ink began to scribble across the scroll¡¯s length after Yan finished speaking. Amynta noticed the gia flowing around the head of the Order¡¯s body; Yan¡¯s sapphire eyes were noticeably sorrowful. It was a look that she noticed he adopted fairly often. It was hard not to wonder what got him in such a low mood, yet Amynta knew that it wasn¡¯t her place to ask. Best to just focus on me, she thought with a slight twitch of her lips.


    ¡°Kasaf?¡± Aldric said. ¡°What a weird name¡­ Hey, Linnea. You hear that? We¡¯re going after an elf. Better not screw this up.¡±


    ¡°Speak for yourself, Aldric. Can we count on you to not mess this up?¡±


    Ari was staring off into the distance. Her lips were etched into a slight frown. She quickly erased it, clearly hoping nobody would notice.


    ¡°Are you all right?¡± Amynta whispered to her.


    ¡°Hmm? Oh...yeah.¡±


    Amynta frowned. She wasn¡¯t convinced. Yan cleared his throat, signaling that the meeting wasn¡¯t over. He sat in silence, perhaps expecting them to ask him questions. Amynta racked her mind for any. It was hard to think of any at the moment. Dealing with a minor elf was unfamiliar territory, yet she felt confident that they could deal with Kasaf. As long as we work together, that is¡­


    ¡°Now¡¯s the time to ask questions if you have any,¡± Yan said. ¡°Speak up. Please.¡±


    ¡°Yep, teach, I have one,¡± Aldric said with a raised hand. ¡°You said ¡®minor¡¯ elf. That means we don¡¯t have to plan that hard to take this Kasaf guy down, right?¡±


    ¡°An elf¡¯s close to the top of the power hierarchy,¡± Emma murmured. ¡°Meaning that they¡¯re rather formidable. If Kasaf really is a minor elf, that means he¡¯s relatively new. Or freshborn, as new Voidroamers are often referred to as in our texts.¡±


    ¡°Should we¡­.prepare our wills?¡± Taner asked softly. ¡°I have family back home in the walls, so¡­¡±


    ¡°You can if you wish,¡± Yan said. ¡°Any other questions?¡±


    Amynta swallowed. Before she could speak, Emma looked Yan in the eye, throat bobbing. Her ever-present anger lingered in her expression, even though she faced the head of the Order. I wonder where that omnipresent rage originates from? Regardless of its origin, it reminded her painfully of her own self. That was why she tended to avoid being around Emma, which wasn¡¯t good. They were squadmates, after all.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Yan asked.


    ¡°Are you sure this is what¡¯s best?¡± Emma said with her hands in her pockets. ¡°I know, I¡¯m not in any sort of leadership position. But as someone you oversee, I think my opinion and feelings should be considered too. I guess¡­ I guess I¡¯m just wondering if seeking out these allies of the Voidroamer that¡¯s seeking the crown is really the best usage of the Corps¡¯ time.¡±


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    ¡°A valid viewpoint, but one we¡¯ve considered over the course of several meetings similar to this one. The Voidroamer in question is rather formidable and elusive. The preceding leading officers failed to stop him. Basil is his name. He is an elf that is several hundreds of years old. Yes¡­ the enemy you are facing pales in comparison to someone of Basil¡¯s might, yet I would not allow arrogance to lower your guard. Kasaf may be freshborn, but I am sure he knows something that may help us stop Basil. Please try to take that into consideration when you decide to deal with him.


    ¡°I believe any other questions may be turned to your questmaster Yori. She will be in charge of transportation, to and from Acaldin. She has been instructed to provide monetary assistance, as well as additional aid if the need arises. Yori will elaborate further when you arrive. Do well.¡±


    Yan waved a hand. It was time to go.


    Amynta glanced at the others before crossing the room and slipping out into the stuffy hall.


    ~~~~~~~~~~~


    Yori was waiting for them by the main gates. The trees Amynta was used to seeing were replaced by rising mounds of rust-colored dirt, arced by black bends of light. Yori was rather short and was dressed entirely in violet, from the large hat that covered her black hair to the long boots she wore. A sword was sheathed at the waist of her coat. Curiously, the symbol that emblazoned most staff members'' clothing was not present. Amynta found that odd. Yori¡¯s eyes were angular and feline-like, colored in a way that reminded Amynta of the mist that gathered in the streets of her hometown.


    Like everyone else, she sketched a bow; Yori grunted softly. Did they somehow annoy her?


    Yori closed the gap between her and Aldric, bringing a painted nail to his chin. She lifted his face with a frown. All color drained from Aldric¡¯s face. Amynta was certain the boy would faint; Taner was watching with wide eyes, face entirely red and sweaty. Amynta found herself worried about him, too.


    ¡°The rostai flowing around you,¡± Yori said. ¡°It''s going ballistic. Watch that.¡±


    Aldric nodded as Yori reeled away. Yori stopped in front of Astrid next, placing a hand on Astrid¡¯s head. Linnea and Ari shared a look.


    ¡°Your posture¡¯s off,¡± Yori said with a frown. ¡°Fix that.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± Yori jabbed a finger at Linnea. ¡°Strong form, but wipe that smirk off your face. There¡¯s nothing funny about this. And you. Taner, was it? Do I intimidate you or something?¡±


    ¡°No, ma¡¯am,¡± Taner murmured.


    ¡°Ma¡¯am? Do I look old to you?¡±


    Yori sighed before wiping her forehead and muttering something under her breath. What an odd questmaster¡­. Amynta passed her gaze around to her fellow Cadets. Yori eyed her; Amynta thought that Yori would say something to her next. Instead, she simply unhooked a flask of water and emptied the contents with one big swig. Aldric and Linnea whistled.


    ¡°Think I¡¯ve wasted enough time,¡± Yori said. ¡°Beyond these gates is the vehicle that will take us to the closest train station. We¡¯ll be taking a bullet train all the way out east. Should be there by...sunrise. I suggest you spend the time thinking about what you want to do.¡±


    ¡°What we want to do?¡± Aldric said.


    ¡°Yep. Kasaf is no pushover. I wouldn¡¯t blame any of you kids if you wanted to run.¡±


    ¡°No way,¡± Astrid said. ¡°Aye, I think ya got the wrong idea about us. Let¡¯s just get goin¡¯.¡±


    Yori chuckled. ¡°We¡¯ll see. All right. Follow me.¡±


    ~~~~~~~~


    Amynta found she couldn¡¯t sleep on the train. Leaves and rocks and cliffs blurred past as the train chugged along. The interior was full of red plush seats separated by bars of metal. Ari sat across from her; Linnea¡¯s eyes fluttered open and she yawned.


    ¡°Sleep,¡± Ari whispered to Linnea. ¡°You¡¯ve had a tiring past few days.¡±


    ¡°Mmm¡­.¡± Linnea muttered. ¡°I can...sleep...later.¡±


    Linnea lost the fight and soon snored.


    A thought came to Amynta.


    ¡°Ari,¡± she said. ¡°Back at the main building, you looked rather uncomfortable. Why was that? If you don¡¯t mind me asking.¡±


    ¡°No, no.¡± Ari raised her hands. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡­.well, I just¡­.Acaldin¡¯s close to where I lived. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Oh.


    ¡°I''m from a village,¡± Ari said. ¡°A small one. I was...a street rat. Never again. You know, Amynta...I¡¯m...kind of jealous of you. You¡¯re always so¡­.so¡­.serious. Like you know what you have to do. And everyone always says good things about you.¡±


    ¡°What do you want to be?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Ari inclined her head.


    ¡°Instead of comparing yourself to others, just delve deep inside yourself and figure out what you aspire to be.¡±


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Ari brought a finger to her bottom lip. ¡°I...want to be someone everyone can love.¡±


    Amynta laughed. ¡°Try a more realistic goal.¡±


    Her laughter died upon noticing how serious Ari was. Amynta pressed her lips together. She smiled slightly.


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± she said softly. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have ridiculed your goal.¡±


    ¡°I really meant it. I have to become a Saint so that I can pay Linnea back! If people hate me, I can¡¯t do that! I really, really, really want to do this.¡±


    ¡°Good luck, Ari.¡±


    Ari¡¯s lip trembled before she sobbed. She dabbed at her eyes with the back of her hand, snot running down her nostril. A smile soon played on her lips. It was a whole-hearted smile, one that shouldn¡¯t have been different from all the others Ari had shown, yet Amynta could see the difference almost immediately. This is genuine¡­. Biting her lip, Amynta pondered what this really meant.


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Ari sang. ¡°I¡¯ll do my best! I may not be super strong or anything, but I have heart! And that¡¯s good. Goodnight, Amynta.¡±


    Something warm cleaved through her chest. Goodnight. The last person that had said to her was her father. Or, that was how it felt. Others had said it over the years, yet it felt like those memories were very blurry. Touched by Ari¡¯s words, Amynta gave her her own smile.


    ¡°Night.¡±

 [Arc 2] Chapter Eight: Hunger, Greed, and Boredom

    Chapter Eight


    Kasaf was bored.


    That boredom was what led him to stroll down the mist-filled streets of Acaldin. Street lamps cast golden light through the light mists. Buildings, blocky in shape, rose in the form of a hill, streets formed from cobblestones rising on an incline. Many alleys cut through these buildings, the scent of ash and piss mingling in Kasaf¡¯s highly sensitive nostrils. The scent burned there. On occasion, he could spot men and women clad in navy blue uniforms, rifles slung over their backs. Horsemen. Hood still up, he grinned to himself. He supposed it was only right that the Horsemen were out here. After all, he had grown rather dangerous lately.


    In the distance, the towering mass of granite and stone gleamed from the early daggers of dawn, shadows etched along its length. The mass led to a circular block of stone carved with many slits of glass that served as windows, ringed with a rising crop of metal. The Keritia, he recognized. His nose twitched in disgust at the sight of the building. Just you wait, old man, he thought with a wild grin.


    Kasaf made a left, entering the mouth of an alley. Bags were in the process of being sucked into metal boxes, puffs of smoke belched from holes hidden along the sides of the boxes. His nose twitched once more. The smells drifting towards his face were putrid and inviting. His stomach growled in delight. How long had it been since he feasted? A woman is close¡­. Kasaf advanced down the alley, where he came across a woman with her back against the brick wall. Her scarlet eyes and black hair denoted her heritage. She¡¯s Oseka¡­. Probably mixed with some Liteha, too¡­ Kasaf flicked his tongue along his lip. The woman wore a top that left little to the imagination. It hugged her extensive curves, and her long legs were covered in silver, skin-tight stockings.


    ¡°You speak the common tongue?¡± Kasaf asked her.


    ¡°Y-yeah.¡±


    ¡°Good. Why don¡¯t you come back to my place with me?¡±


    ¡°Are you...paying?¡± The woman bit her fine lip slightly. She fought to still the trembling of her left hand, which was pressed against her chest. Her entire body gave off waves of fear, the kind that left him feeling warm in his stomach.


    ¡°Of course,¡± Kasaf said with a grin. ¡°You¡¯re pretty, I¡¯ll give you that. You deserve some coin, just for that face alone. Ya know, I¡¯ve been living like this for a while¡­ I¡¯m thinking of slowing down for a bit. Give me a child.¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened. Her lip trembled, more than likely from her instincts telling her to decline him. Hmph. I don¡¯t think she will, though. Whores grow up thinking that they have to be subservient. They don¡¯t see life no other way¡­ She¡¯ll comply, all right. I know she will. And if she doesn¡¯t¡­. Kasaf licked his lip once more.


    ¡°Give you...child?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You stupid or something? I said it pretty clear enough, didn¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± the woman pressed a hand against her chest. ¡°I...the laws of the Chetial say that its servants can¡¯t bear any man¡¯s child. That¡¯s the law. Going against it means¡­.being tossed into prison. Or worse. They¡¯ll cut your head off for not listening. I don¡¯t want to die.¡±


    It was then that Kasaf noticed the necklace gleaming around her pale throat. He inspected it silently. Hmph. Silvcrean necklace...So someone¡¯s died and left her alone, is that it? Suppressing the urge to frown, he leaned in to place a hand on her shoulder. The woman tensed; Kasaf smiled invitingly, willing his fangs to retract so that they weren¡¯t visible. I¡¯ll humor you for a bit, all right. I¡¯m hungry, greedy, and bored. You¡¯ll have to do¡­.


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    ¡°Is that true?¡± Kasaf said. ¡°You can¡¯t give a man a child, even if you want to?¡±


    ¡°Even talking to you right now can get me in trouble¡­ Please...¡±


    Kasaf tightened his grip on her shoulder before leaning his face closer to her body. His eyes found her cleavage; Kasaf used his free hand to press her against the wall with ease. The woman parted her lips in an attempt to scream. She managed to let out a poor attempt at a scream; Kasaf pulled apart her lips to grip her tongue, holding himself back.


    ¡°Did I say you can yell?¡± he said. ¡°No. Be a quiet little whore and let me take you. What¡¯s a better place than a piss-covered alley?¡±


    The woman¡¯s eyes grew tearful as she attempted to struggle under his strength. A bleat, likely only audible to his kind, cleaved the silence. Hm...that sound¡­. Kasaf released her tongue, causing her to gag. A hand pressed against her throat as tears spilled from her eyes. Kasaf brushed her cheek with his lips, squeezing her backside. The woman yelped and tried to bat away his hand; Kasaf gripped her wrist with a grin.


    ¡°Today¡¯s your lucky day,¡± he said, grin still lasting. ¡°I won¡¯t kill you, all right. Someone¡¯s wandered into my safe space, is all.¡±


    He slapped her cheek gently. The woman hurried out of the alley; Kasaf was too busy dwelling on that horrible sound to care. What he told the prostitute was indeed true. The sound he heard could only mean one thing: An individual or group of individuals had truly wandered into the city. His city. The thought of such a thing was enough to make his jaw tighten. Lowering his hood, he concentrated on the gia slithering up and down the slick brick wall like wispy snakes. Heart thumping multiple times, he willed himself to push forward, stomach clenching. Kasaf found himself outside the alley, the scent of ash lingering behind him. The street was clear of any Horsemen and civilians. Lines of shops, mostly food-oriented, surrounded him on opposite sides of the street.


    He whipped his head around in search of any sign of the disturbance¡¯s source. Not there or there. Damn it. Where¡­ Another bleat rocked the air, causing him to sway slightly. Kasaf tilted his body in the direction of the sound. It¡¯s close, all right¡­. Someone¡¯s treating me like a child¡­. Growling, he pulled up his hood and hurried down the street, passing the shops. His heart began to clatter with each step he took, until he reached the source of the disturbance.


    All he found was a group of children. They regarded him with wide eyes. Kasaf wondered what they saw when they looked at him. A monster? A scary adult? He turned away quickly. His fellow elves mocked him for his refusal to feast on children¡¯s blood and souls. They claimed it was a delectable meal. He just ignored their comments. Killing children was going too far in his opinion, so he swore to never do it. He just wished he could understand why he felt that way¡­


    Peeling away from the children, he crossed the street. No more bleats sounded, which probably meant that whomever caused them was on the move. They¡¯ll probably come back, all right. I should go back home. It¡¯s almost sunrise. An elf, especially a minor one, faced limited strength during hours of the sun for reasons still unknown. Kasaf was determined to figure out why this was the case. If he did, he figured Basil would reward him with a higher rank and position. Being known as a minor elf did nothing but stoke his anger. It felt like his pride had been ripped to shreds.


    There are strong people here, he thought with distaste. More than likely, there¡¯s a bunch of them. I might have to be careful¡­ He ran a hand down his face. What was he talking about? I¡¯ll just keep kidnapping women and feasting until I grow strong enough to take on the head of this damn city. I won¡¯t let any strong people meddle in my plans. With that, Kasaf vanished in a wisp of smoke, leaving behind the sleeping city.

 [Arc 2] Chapter Nine: Duty of the Old

    Chapter Nine


    Yori squinted her eyes against the beginnings of dawn, the light bleeding into the space through its multiple windows. A cooling box was anchored to the wall via several metal pipes. Bottles of wine stood in a row along the length of a countertop, most of them still full. Cool air kissed her cheeks, blown from above by a whirring fan. The kids were beyond the room¡¯s central door-- she couldn¡¯t hear them make a single sound.


    Turning, she reached inside her coat pocket to withdraw a necklace. A star was anchored to the center of the metal. Pain lanced down her chest at the sight of it. Ben¡¯s ashes. They were stored inside the star, so that he would be with her wherever she went. It¡¯s cruel. Bearing the star was not her choice; Yori knew that such a thing was the fate bestowed upon her by the Decisive Ones. She was a Selfatarian, which meant she believed that fate was a still concept that couldn¡¯t be changed.


    Once someone was set on one path, she believed that they wouldn¡¯t stray. It was why she lived most of her life without dating. There had been many opportunities for her to hand in her blade and settle down with some rich man. When she was younger, that had been the one goal she had. Getting rich and having to do nothing to provide for herself seemed like the ideal life. Then she met Ben and everything changed. Yori still wasn¡¯t sure what exactly had drawn her to the meek young man. Perhaps it had been his kindness. All she knew for sure was that his tendency to apologize meekly and his habit of looking away from her had quickly grown grating.


    What I¡¯d give to hear him apologize again¡­. The thought surprised her. It was rare that she was so self-aware. It must be the fact that she was on a quest. Her first major one in several years. Is that really it? Her eyes narrowed slightly as she gripped the star necklace tightly. If she truly did feel this was a result of being given another opportunity, then what did that ultimately mean? Yan had pointlessly tried to convert her over the years.


    He gave her offerings of meat. He tried to send her passages from the texts of the Yulmerians, a group of peoples that believed in abstinence from certain pleasures. Yan eventually gave up, something she was mostly grateful for. Mitch¡¯s words were always on the forefront of her mind. How long do you plan on keeping this up? The older man had always came off as hard to approach to her. As one of the few women appointed as  a questmaster, she felt the need to isolate herself. It seemed hypocritical to notice Mitch¡¯s abrasive demeanor, but she found that she cared less about such things as the years went by.


    Still. Yori couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Mitch may have been right. Her beliefs made her not believe in things deemed futile, like hope and miracles. Her historical studies proved that fate reigned over every other aspect of life. A baby born without eyesight can¡¯t ever be able to see again, she thought with a frown. Just how had she ended up here? I was just minding my own business. I thought that that job seven years ago was the last one I¡¯d ever do. Ben...you jackass. Look what you¡¯ve made me do.


    Hot tears fell from her eyes, dripping from her jawline. Did Yan give her this quest to try and show her something? The younger generation is valuable, Yan had told her days ago. I know your religious beliefs prevent you from viewing things in the same way as myself, but just try to consider this. You are a Saint. One of my best, in fact. I don¡¯t use flattery casually, as you know. Try to see these kids as your own. You may just shock yourself.


    It had been so long since she¡¯d been in charge of a quest. The sheer nature of being in charge of such an important operation left her blood icy. Or do you want to dishonor Benjamin¡¯s memory? Yan had asked her with a slight smile on his lips. No. Of course not. Yori narrowed her eyes and tucked away the star necklace. So Yan wanted her to see these kids as her own. A bitter laugh passed her lips. I¡¯ll do that, you nonsensical bastard. Maybe I¡¯ll finally get what I want along the way¡­.


    ¡°Miss Yori?¡± a voice called from the door. Ari.


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    Yori turned to face Ari, who held a clear box close to her chest. They¡¯re playing a game? Her brows shot up at that, before she could suppress it. She recognized that box. Many children in and out of Asonia adopted that game. By pouring a powder on the box, a myriad of colorful paths would etch themselves along the box¡¯s clear surface, where you could then drag soft stones. It was a basic game. Her lips grew flat.


    ¡°Yes?¡± Yori managed.


    ¡°We just...wanted to play this game. Is that all right?¡±


    ¡°I suppose it is. You¡¯re a Cadet, aren¡¯t you? You don¡¯t need to ask.¡±


    ¡°We were wondering if you wanted to join us.¡± Ari¡¯s smile was serene and shy. ¡°If you want to, that¡¯d be great.¡±


    Yori¡¯s eyes grew round. W-want to come with me? Benjamin had asked her. It had been the first time someone had asked her out. She knew her plain features and her attitude were the reasons why she hadn¡¯t faced much luck with dating. Lips trembling before stilling, she approached Ari. She¡¯s already wearing her uniform. The other kids probably are, too.


    ¡°For a little bit,¡± Yori said. ¡°Then we have to go out and get started on finding this elf.¡±


    ¡°You were crying, miss. Are you all right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, child. I¡¯m fine. Now, come on.¡±


    Ari held her eyes. She¡¯s smarter than she looks, Yori thought with a grimace. She expected Ari to say something else, but she didn¡¯t. Ari stepped through the door; Yori followed. Is this what you want, Yan?


    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


    ¡°So we¡¯re going to a tavern?¡± Aldric said as they crossed through one of Acaldin¡¯s many alleys, a putrid odor choking the narrow space.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Yori said. ¡°Be quiet. We don¡¯t want to draw any attention to ourselves.¡±


    Ari brought a finger to her chin. ¡°How come, miss?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re listening. They may dwell in the shadows, but rest assured: We¡¯re being watched.¡±


    Linnea made a face. ¡°Gives me the creeps¡­¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think they¡¯re watching you,¡± Aldric said to her. ¡°I mean, there are prettier..."


    Linnea lifted her fist, cutting him off.


    ¡°Questmaster,¡± Amynta said softly. ¡°I assume we are heading to a tavern to gather intel, but wouldn¡¯t it look less conspicuous if we were traveling in a smaller party?¡±


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t make a difference. The Horsemen would still keep a close eye on us regardless. All we can do is try not to break any laws. The tavern¡¯s close. Don¡¯t say another word. Stay sharp.¡±


    They fled the alley, stepping out onto the wide street, where carriages were pulled by beautiful stallions and civilians dressed in fine-tailored clothing roamed. The buildings here rose at varying altitudes, fashioned mostly from brick. Fingers of smoke blew from their chimneys. A circular-shaped building glew like the tail of a firefly in the distance,  the top wound like the coils of a spring. An open street, with rising buildings¡­. Yori¡¯s throat grew hard. With perfect vantage points¡­.


    Yori spun  and leaped in front of Emma. The bullet punched through her shoulder; her vision flashed white as she toppled over, blood beginning to pool beneath her. What¡­.my body moved on its own¡­. Vision beginning to be crushed by darkness, breathing becoming heavy, she watched in pure horror as Horsemen descended upon the Cadets and seized them.

 [Arc 2] Chapter Ten: Fading (Part 1)

    Chapter Ten


    Yori groaned as the world slowly appeared to her. A scent that made her nose scrunch lingered in the air. Water dripped from a stained ceiling, spattering her bare head. Where was her hat? Sunlight entered the space through its single window, perched in the corner. Through the pane of glass in front of her, she could see her reflection. Bruised, bloody lips. Multiple cuts. A patch of gauze attached to her shoulder. And¡­ Chains. Wrapped around my body. I can¡¯t move¡­ Her mind spiraled. Where were the kids she was entrusted? What had happened? I remember being shot. Then...I can¡¯t remember a single thing. Why?


    The sound of clapping parted the silence. Yori squinted against the bright sun until a man came into view. He wore a tailored suit free of grime. Golden bracelets shone on his pale wrists. He regarded her with complete calmness, a set of violet eyes contrasting the rich brown of his clipped hair. Who¡¯s this?


    ¡°Well, well,¡±  the man said. ¡°You¡¯ve gone and gotten yourself caught.¡±


    Yori said nothing. This is a classic interrogation situation. I¡¯m a hostage. They can¡¯t kill me. This man probably wants the kids to come rescue me from...whereever this place is. Who is he? Come on, think¡­ Jaw set, she searched her memory for any recognition of this man. He continued to watch her silently before he approached the pane of glass, placing his hand against it. The glass shivered slightly. He withdrew his hand.


    ¡°You want to stay quiet?¡± His eyes glinted with something vicious. ¡°I¡¯m surprised, Yoriana of the Corps. How long has it been? Twenty years? Or...perhaps even longer. Yes. I remember everything. See, my mind stores every bit of information it is fed. You can stay quiet if you want to. You¡¯ll be dead soon, anyway. But before you go, I want to ask you something. Do you remember the night of the blood moon, twenty years ago?¡±


    Yori narrowed her eyes slightly. How does he know me? And...what¡¯s this about a blood moon? Those are¡­ Her breath hitched slightly as her mind began to reel backwards in time, until she was no longer chained in place. She could practically still see the rays of crimson light, a landscape ravaged by flame and ash. Her body bore scars, ones that she was certain would never quite heal. The calls of a male voice sounded both sharp and distant as her feet dragged her forward, their soles badly bruised. The fire had reduced the surrounding homes to mere ash. Yori pushed past the ash, choking back a small sob. There was zero time to get emotional.


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    That voice screamed for her now. She stumbled past remnants of pillars made of stone and brick, pools of water she was certain was once a bright blue, now reduced to a bitter black. Hand trembling so hard she was sure she would drop her sword, she managed to reach it.


    A child¡¯s hand grasped at the hem of her jacket. Then that voice called for her. She knew it now. Benjamin. Yori moved forward, the cries of that child bleeding away until she was no longer aware of them.


    Drawn back to the present, she realized her eyes were wet.


    ¡°So you remember,¡± the man said. ¡°You left me to die. All for the sake of a man who never actually loved you. My mother used to feed me sachia when I was a child. Even though her hands bled from the work poverty forced her to do, she still worked hard to make sure I had that food I loved. Just think...if you had listened to me that day, I wonder where I would be. My mother is dead now. If you had acted sooner, maybe my home wouldn¡¯t be a pile of depthless ash.¡±


    ¡°No amount of apologizing will ever make you feel better.¡± Yori peered into his eyes. ¡°My words won¡¯t make the pain go away. Do you think I don¡¯t feel your pain? Benjamin died from complications gained that night days after I saved him. It was all for naught.¡±


    ¡°Yes, but you still failed that night. The generation that precedes the young is supposed to nourish the people that depend on them. And yet, throughout history, the young suffer and live with resentment deep in their hearts, while the old benefit from the societal laws crafted to make sure they live easy lives. It¡¯s made me disillusioned. So...I want to rip apart that illusion of comfort and push for equality. One¡¯s worth in society is only determined by how what they do affects the people around them.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not equality,¡± Yori said. ¡°You know, you¡¯re the second person who told me about the old and young.... I didn¡¯t listen the first time. Hell, I was even bored out of my mind. People have tried changing me all my life. My roots remain planted, no matter what anybody around me does. You¡¯re suggesting that the old have a duty towards the young? Well...I might just agree. Hell, it¡¯s how I ended up getting shot in the first place. My body just...moved. But even so¡­ life is just a cycle of endless suffering, until Freya Kasun decides to cut the cord. Then you¡¯re left with nothing. So...what¡¯s the point of being bitter?¡±


    The man stared at her with a whitening face. He pressed both hands on the pane of glass, causing it to shake, before stepping through it. Yori just looked at him, not saying another word.


    Not even once he drew a knife and began to carve up her flesh.

 [Arc 2] Chapter Eleven: Fading (Part 2)

    Chapter Eleven


    ¡°We can¡¯t just leave her to die!¡± Aldric said, arms crossed against his chest.


    The cell they were placed in probably could¡¯ve fit a carriage. Its roof rose above them like a tower, the walls bleached of color. The window sat in the middle of the wall, the city¡¯s buildings visible beyond it.


    Emma hadn¡¯t said a single word ever since the Horsemen detained her and the others. All she could see was Yori jumping in front of her to take that sudden shot. She could practically hear the way their questmaster hit the cobblestones. It had been a very dissonant thud, like nails rasping a chalkboard. It made her shiver.


    ¡°Hey, pipe down,¡± Linnea said to Aldric.


    ¡°No way. We¡¯re not just normal people. Or did you forget that we come from a training corps or whatever?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re being too loud.¡± Linnea pinched her forehead. ¡°If anything, Yori is probably dead already. Besides, what can we do without our gear?¡±


    ¡°No fighting,¡± Ari said quickly. ¡°Umm...well, there¡¯s no gia here. For some reason. Did anyone else see that?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Taner murmured. ¡°There is none. I think that¡¯s because of how this room was made. Look at the ceiling and walls. This room doesn¡¯t have any color. And if I try hard enough, I can smell the scent of blood. Slight, but definitely there¡­ You know what I think we should do? We should just wait it out. That¡¯s not the right thing to do, though, because we were given a mission and sitting here won¡¯t help us finish it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the most I¡¯ve heard you say,¡± Astrid said, shooting Taner a look. ¡°Aye, no use in being bummed out. Let¡¯s see. We have no swords. We have none of our other stuff. And there¡¯s no gia in here.¡±


    ¡°Taner is correct about one thing,¡± Amynta said. ¡°This room¡¯s construction is rather strange. I can smell the blood as well. The width of these walls, coupled with the single window¡­ I believe this was an execution chamber before its purpose was shifted.¡±


    ¡°Okay?¡± Linnea said. ¡°What does that mean?¡±


    ¡°Execution chambers were constructed out of pyrium. That means that, with enough friction, the walls should crumble.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Ari said. ¡°That¡¯s smart! But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, hold it.¡± Linnea clapped Ari¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What can we use to make friction? We don¡¯t have anything tough.¡±


    ¡°These boots are pretty sturdy,¡± Goran said to Linnea. ¡°Should be able to scrape the wall apart with the soles, man.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really get it, but,¡± Aldric said with a grin, ¡°I think it¡¯s worth a shot. Come on, guys!¡±


    ¡°Wait,¡± Corinna said. ¡°Emma hasn¡¯t said anything. You okay?¡±


    Emma shook her head. The rage that stormed within her was stoked by Corinna¡¯s words and concern. She regarded Corinna fiercely. Corinna didn¡¯t flinch, surprisingly. Why do these fools still try? We don¡¯t have any equipment. The only thing that awaits us is a trial. Best we can hope for is a quick sentence.


    ¡°Say,¡± Taner said. ¡°Doesn¡¯t anyone else find it weird that we got arrested without any type of formal procedure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡± Corinna wrapped her arms around her legs. ¡°Don¡¯t the Horsemen usually bring you to a Clertician before dumping you in a cell?¡±


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    ¡°Dunno,¡± Linnea said, ¡°I remember seeing a bunch of people get tackled by Horsemen. None of them cared. The people screamed, even kicked, but the Horsemen still kept on going.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that matter?¡± Aldric shouted. ¡°We still got put here!¡±


    ¡°Oi,¡± Astrid snapped. ¡°Shut up.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Linnea growled. ¡°You¡¯re just gonna bring the¡­.¡±


    Linnea trailed off upon spotting a Horseman by the door. His blue eyes were sharp, set in a thin face with the faintest signs of a blond stubble. A rifle gleamed behind his back. Emma looked at him. What¡¯s this, now? A Horseman shows up by himself? I felt all the rostai in this building once they dragged us here. I counted about thirty pulses. So why is this man by himself? Emma¡¯s throat grew raw. Could it be someone has come to rescue us? Does that mean I don¡¯t get to claw out the face of the one who shot Yoriana?


    Emma shook against the bare wall.


    Ari squeaked as the door opened. The Horseman regarded them all quickly; Taner and Goran shared a quick look. There it is. Gia curved away from the Horseman¡¯s body like a receding tide, blue as ocean water. Dampeners. That¡¯s what was embedded in these walls. No wonder we couldn¡¯t feel any gia here. Why didn¡¯t I notice sooner?


    ¡°Can we help you?¡± Amynta asked the Horseman.


    ¡°There¡¯s been word from a benefactor of yours,¡± he said. ¡°Sent us a magnetic copy of your pass. So you¡¯re free to go, for now. Be on your best behavior. I was told to bring you to the nearest district for the sake of your own safety.¡±


    ¡°You serious?¡± Aldric said. ¡°Just like that? Dude, our questmaster was¡ª¡±


    ¡°How can we verify what you¡¯re saying?¡± Amynta asked.


    ¡°Look at it this way,¡¯¡¯ the Horseman said, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be trying to talk to you if I wanted to harm you. Not all of us are on board with this decision, so it¡¯s best if we leave right away.¡±


    Emma eyed him. Amynta¡¯s right. We can¡¯t tell whether or not this man¡¯s words are truthful. If he¡¯s lying, then what? What will I¡­ She trailed off upon noticing Ari. She¡¯s the most child-like out of everyone here. She almost always smiles, regardless of what happens. How can humans smile like that when they know that life is unfair and pointless? I wouldn¡¯t ever say this, though. I feel weird whenever I speak my mind. That time last week was different¡­ I felt an unusual amount of courage that day. Courage that, now that I think about it, was fleeting¡­


    ¡°I say we stay here,¡± Aldric said.


    ¡°No,¡± Ari said. ¡°Guys, I think we should go.¡±


    ¡°Agreed,¡± Taner said. ¡°If we wait it out, we might not get to do¡­ that. Life¡¯s full of hard choices. If we made the wrong choice, we¡¯ll know. That¡¯s all.¡±


    Taner rose. Amynta was next. Slowly, one after another, the Cadets stood before the Horseman. Emma tucked her arms behind her and balled her fists.


    Just wait.