by Aaron Oster
The gazelle spun in place, lashing out once again with its hind legs, and though Morgan expected her to be laid out once more, the gazelle’s blow only knocked her back a couple of feet. She swung for its head with an oversized fist, but despite her close proximity, she just wasn’t fast enough to hit it.
She shifted her density using her Body Shift skill, Morgan realized.
While smart and offering a solid defense, Morgan noticed that using the Body Shift skill to increase density also had the adverse effect of slowing her down. She’d accidentally removed her advantage by sacrificing her speed. Lumia dove down once again, blowing another stream of fire at the beast, just as Grace tried for another swing.
The result had the fringes of the girl’s hair catch fire, while Lumia barely avoided being downed by her own teammate. Grace yelled in alarm, patting at her hair in a panic, while Lumia pulled a wide loop to recover. It was because of this distraction that no one was watching the gazelle.
Grace just managed to put the fire out before it did too much damage, but when she turned, she found the tip of a spiral horn just inches from her eye. She didn’t have time to so much as cry out before Morgan’s hand snapped out, catching the beast mid-charge and stopping it in its tracks.
Grace stumbled back, falling to the ground and staring up at the struggling beast in terror. Morgan could see it in her eyes, the realization that had he not been here, she’d have just been killed. It wasn’t an easy reality to face, and one that had ended many people’s careers at gaining strength.
“I think we’re done here for today,” Morgan said, shoving the beast back.
The gazelle turned its ire on him, but a single glare and flex of his Aura Flare sent the beast scurrying.
“Yeah,” Grace said numbly. “I think that’s a good idea.”
Reaching down, Morgan helped the young girl to her feet. He noticed the wince as she immediately reached for her ribs, her face going pale. The adrenaline hadn’t really had much of a chance to kick in just yet, seeing as the fight had been over so quickly. Morgan pitied the girl, but all he offered was a guiding hand. He could easily have carried her, but he wanted to give the girl a chance to walk on her own two feet.
They traveled back to the palace, reaching the North Kingdom within a few seconds. Grace didn’t really seem to have anything to vomit up, though her stomach did give it an incredibly good try. The motion of her convulsing stomach aggravated her ribs, and Grace moaned in pain as she staggered back to her feet.
Morgan could see tears budding in the corners of her eyes and finally took pity on her. Placing a hand on her shoulder once more, he brought her inside the palace, right to the healer’s door.
“You did well today,” Morgan said after he’d knocked. “If you’d like to continue training, meet me out in the courtyard at six tomorrow morning. If you’re not there, I’ll assume you want to quit.”
Grace gave him a weak smile as the door opened to show a small hunched man in his late sixties.
“She may have broken a few ribs,” Morgan said to the unasked question. “Make sure she’s properly taken care of.”
The man nodded, moving aside and ushering the girl in. Just before the door closed, Morgan heard the beginnings of a sob come from the small girl. Then, the door closed, and the sound abruptly cut off.
“Do you enjoy making little girls cry?” Lumia asked, landing on his shoulder.
“No,” Morgan replied, turning to head back to his room. “But I can’t afford to take anyone weak along with me. If this is too much for her, then it’s better that she give up now. It’ll save her a whole lot of pain and heartache down the road.”
17
Grace lay awake in bed that night, staring up at the darkened ceiling. It was well past midnight, but despite her body’s exhaustion, her mind would not allow her to sleep. Instead, it continuously replayed the events of the day, mainly those of her short time in the Beast Zone. Over and over, she saw the horn driving towards her eye. Had Morgan not been there, she had no doubt as to what would have happened.
The beast had managed to break three of her ribs with a single kick, and that had been done even with the armor’s protection. She had little doubt as to what would have happened had the charging beast’s horn hit her soft and very unprotected eye.
Grace shuddered once again, feeling a set of warm, wet trails trace down the sides of her face. She’d thought she was tough and strong. She’d faced bullies and hardships all her life and had even faced that weaselly-beast without shedding so much as a tear. However, no matter the situation, her life had never actually been in any real danger.
While the boys might pick on her, she could normally chase them off while only receiving a few bruises. When famine came, her father always made sure she had what to eat, even if he had to go hungry. And the beast that had attacked her was hardly larger than Lumia, and far less dangerous.
She was glad she’d managed to keep up a strong front while in Morgan’s presence, but as soon as the healer’s door had closed, she’d completely lost it. It had taken the small man nearly half an hour to calm her down, even though the actual healing process only took about five minutes.
Grace had gone back to her room after that and gotten into bed. Sure, it was still only around five in the afternoon, but she hadn’t much felt like doing anything else.
A soft rushing of wind disturbed the silence. Grace quickly sat up, unshuttering the lantern near her bed, already imagining the beast charging out of the darkness. Instead, the small body of the winged lizard came gliding into her room.
“How did you get in here?” Grace asked, swiping at her eyes.
It did her little good, as her voice already gave away the fact that she’d been crying. Even if it hadn’t, her eyes were quite red, as she’d been crying on and off all night.
“I left one of the latches on your window open the last time I was in,” Lumia said, landing on the bed next to her.
Grace sniffled once more, finally succeeding in drying her cheeks.
“Why are you here? Have you come to laugh at me?”
“Why ever would I do that?” Lumia asked, cocking her head to one side.
Grace let out a bitter laugh, feeling the tears threatening to come once again.
“Because I’m not as strong as I thought I was. Because, when it came down to it, I just couldn’t…couldn’t…” Grace felt her throat catch and leaned forward, pressing her face into her hands as massive sobs wracked her body.
“You believe yourself to be weak because you nearly died, and feel shame for having to have been rescued,” Lumia said. “Additionally, you were forced to come to terms with your own mortality, and in a most distressing and shocking way. Now you are not sure as to whether you even have what it takes to go on, and you wonder if you wouldn’t be better served to simply give up now.”
Grace looked up through tear-streaked vision. The lizard still sat next to her, her head cocked to one side, her large emerald eye fixed pointedly on her. Lumia had hit the nail right on the head, had voiced aloud all the doubt going through her mind.
“Yes,” she whispered, choking out another sob. “I never had to face something like that before. Morgan makes it look so easy, but I…I don’t think I have what it takes.”
“Do you know how old Morgan was when he awakened his power?” Lumia asked.
Grace shook her head, still rubbing at her eyes in an attempt to stop the flow of tears.
“He was just three weeks shy of his sixteenth birthday.”
This surprised Grace so much that she actually did stop crying.
“He was that old?” she asked, the shock clear in her voice.
“Yes,” Lumia answered. “And do you know how old he was the first time his life was threatened?”
Grace shook her head, though she assumed it was sometime after that.
“He was seven,” Lumia replied. “He and his…mother had been traveling when they stopped at an inn for the night. Morgan had bee
n put to sleep but awoke when he heard a crashing sound from outside the room, and went to investigate. There, he was forced to face his own mortality. His mother was being attacked, and when he called out to her, he had a knife pressed to his throat to try and force her to acquiesce.
“He faced death many times after that, and all before receiving his power. Morgan had a very hard life, which is how he can face death with so little fear. Facing something like that is not easy, no matter how old you are, especially if it’s for the first time. So do not feel bad for being afraid or feeling doubtful. It is all part of growing up.”
Grace nodded slowly, feeling strangely better now. She had no idea why, but perhaps having someone to talk to about what had happened had been all she’d really needed. The fear wasn’t gone, that still haunted her, the gleaming horn standing out in vivid detail in the back of her mind. But the sheer terror, shame, and sadness she’d felt had been greatly reduced.
“Thank you,” Grace said, giving Lumia a watery smile. “I needed that.”
“That is why I came,” Lumia said, already turning to leave.
“Wait!” she called out, causing the small creature to turn her head.
Suddenly embarrassed, Grace wasn’t sure if she should say what she wanted to. Then she decided to ask anyway. The worst the small creature could do was say no.
“Can you please stay with me? I don’t want to be alone.” She cringed inwardly, wondering if this would be viewed as a sign of weakness.
Much to her surprise, Lumia turned back around and gave her a small nod.
“Very well, I will stay the night with you. So long as you can promise to wake up on time tomorrow morning.”
Grace smiled once again, nodding eagerly and holding out the blankets to allow Lumia to come under with her. Lumia did just that, sliding in and curling up near her shoulders. Grace could feel the warmth of her small body as she lay back down, her presence comforting in a way she couldn’t explain. She reached over, shuttering the lantern on her bedside table and plunging the room into darkness once again. She was silent for a few long moments, her eyes adjusting to the dark once again.
“Who was Morgan’s mother, and what happened to her?” Grace asked.
She’d been wondering about her teacher ever since she’d heard about him, but had yet to find out any personal details about his life. The way Lumia spoke of Morgan’s mother made it sound as though she were no longer around.
“That is a story only he can tell,” Lumia replied softly. “Hush, child. It is late, and you need to sleep.”
Grace wanted to ask more questions, to talk, to try and pry secrets from the small creature. Now that she wasn’t alone, though, she found that she was suddenly very tired. Today had been an exhausting day, filled with pain and terror. However, it had also been a day of learning and growth. She wasn’t sure what the future would hold, no one could, but for now, she felt content. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips, even as she finally drifted off to the land of dreams.
***
Morgan awoke at his usual time, but when he did, he didn’t find his partner in bed with him. Morning fogginess was no longer something he had to deal with, so he immediately extended his Aura Sense to try and locate the small drake. He knew he shouldn’t be worried, as Lumia could likely handle anything thrown her way. However, there were still enemy spies about, and there was always a chance she could have been injured.
When he finally found her, it was in the company of someone very unexpected. For a few moments, he wondered what she was doing there, but then decided that Lumia had her reasons and that he could always ask later. For now, he had some training to do. He didn’t know if Lumia’s presence meant Grace would be continuing her trial. All he could do was hope she had the strength to keep going.
He rose to do his morning workout, stopping in for an early breakfast and meeting with Katherine before heading out into the courtyard. It was five minutes to six when he arrived, but there was neither hide nor hair of his would-be student. Morgan could have checked on her location but decided not to do so until the allotted time.
He waited, counting down the time in his head and watching the open stairway leading down from the palace’s main corridor.
Grace only has a minute left, after which she’ll… Morgan’s thoughts trailed off as a small figure, hair tousled and eyes still drowsy with sleep, came barreling out of the doorway.
For some reason, that sight alone gave Morgan just a twinge of satisfaction and, oddly enough, a strange feeling of happiness. He didn’t let it show, keeping a stoic bearing as Grace skidded to a halt before him.
“Sorry I’m late,” she panted. “I overslept.”
“You aren’t late,” Morgan replied, placing a hand on her shoulder. “You’re right on time.”
Grace looked up and gave him a beaming smile, right before they teleported away. He had a feeling that smile would be gone once they reached their destination, so he filed it away as a reminder of her perseverance and ability to overcome adversity. Grace had the willpower to keep going, even after what she’d faced. Now all that remained to be seen was if her body could keep up.
***
Far to the east, across the vast body of water separating their continents, Marcus, leader of the Alliance of Races Bounty Guild, or just the Guild, as it was Known in Faeland, paced his small office. Anyone who knew the gnome would be surprised to learn of his exalted position atop the Guild. Anyone who knew the rulers of their respective nations, however, wouldn’t. While a Guild leader needed to be powerful, a sharp intellect and ability to see probability was far more important than being able to destroy cities.
That was why, when the Guild had been formed, all of the rulers had elected a gnome to be put in charge. His appointment as leader had actually come from the Council of Five, the ruling body that governed their race as a whole. And, up until now, he’d proved himself a capable and intelligent leader.
He’d overseen the selection of those to join the Guild, seen to their training, battalion makeup, and team leaders. He’d sent scouts as soon as the first cracks in the barrier had been detected and was expecting their first reports to come in soon. What he hadn’t expected was the small, buzzing red insect now dying on his desk.
Well, not dying, per-se. A mechanical insect didn’t really have a life to begin with, and it wasn’t the insect’s death that was bothering him. No, what bothered him was what this construct’s presence meant. One of his scouts had been killed. These insects had been designed by the dwarves as an early warning signal.
If a scout were about to die, they would release the construct, which would then make its way back to them. It had been hard enough to design something this intricate and complicated, so no message or projection capabilities could be added, at least not yet. Even so, having that warning would allow them to know when one of their scouts died.
The fact that it had arrived back so quickly meant that one of their scouts had been killed just a day after arriving. Since he hadn’t been there, Marcus couldn’t say if this was just bad luck or if the scout in question had gone seeking out a fight they couldn’t win. Regardless, none of his scouts were under rank 50, which meant that whoever they’d run into had been stronger than even that.
It wasn’t an overly troubling thought, as they’d already factored that in. Still, the scout’s discovery meant that the humans now knew of their presence there. And, in turn, it also meant that their other scouts were all in grave danger. The only question now was whether he should call them all back or send out a team to reinforce them.
In the end, he decided against any actions until the first reports came in. He severely lacked in information at the moment, and thus, couldn’t make an informed decision. Still, this news had to be reported to their leaders, and Marcus wasn’t looking forward to that. While the Council of Five, the dwarves, and likely the beastmen would be okay with it, the troll king would want to send more warriors, while the queen of the elves would que
stion his competence.
The situation as a whole would be extremely unpleasant. But Marcus knew that the longer he pushed it off, the harder it would be.
“Tiana,” he called, waiting patiently until his small, mousy assistant peeked into the room. “Ready the crystal viewing room and send alerts to all the rulers. I want a meeting in no less than an hour from now.”
The girl gave him a curt nod before slipping out of the room. Marcus took the opportunity to slump down behind his desk. He briefly debated pulling the bottle of amber liquid from his bottom drawer for a little extra fortification. In the end, he dismissed the idea, knowing that if he was going to face the ire of his superiors, he’d be better served to do so with a clear head.
18
“Today, I’m going to start teaching you,” Morgan said as Grace rinsed her mouth and spat.
“Weren’t you already doing that yesterday?” Grace asked, rubbing at her teeth with a mint leaf.
She’d been smart enough to not eat and to pack something to freshen her breath when they got here. That was a good sign, as it meant she was learning.
“No,” Morgan replied. “Yesterday, I told you what to do and observed. Today, I’m going to teach.”
Grace nodded slowly, understanding finally dawning behind her eyes.
“So, what are we going to do?” she asked.
Her question was answered a moment later, as Morgan produced the weighted vest. Grace knew better to complain and simply turned to allow him to slide it over her shoulders. Morgan noted the tremble in her knees as it settled onto her shoulders and was impressed when she didn’t fall to the ground.
Though he hadn’t told her anything, he’d actually increased the weight a bit. Not enough for her to notice, but enough to make today’s run extra challenging.
“Now run,” Morgan said as soon as he’d finished tightening the straps.
