The Vanguard

by Jeffrey Ellis

“You're changing the subject,” she said.

  “We're in public. You're going to get us arrested,” he said.

  “Nope. I checked the local regulations before we came. This beach is privately owned and not open to the public. There's normally a long waiting list for access but you would be surprised how much red tape being the Heroes of Syracuse can cut through,” she said, smiling.

  “You used that to get access to a private beach?” he said. “We have to set a standard and not abuse our position for personal gain.”

  “Oh, don't be so stuffy. It's not personal gain. This cost us a small fortune and not a single credit of that came out of the budget. This was all out of my own savings,” she said. Her expression changed a bit to sadness then went back to her normal happy visage.

  “What was that look about? Don't say it was nothing. That was something. Something just brought down your mood significantly even though you are trying to hide it,” he told her.

  “I was just thinking about Antarctica. What Morgana said is true even though we brushed it off. If they can really break the barriers on our memories, who we are after might be significantly different. This might be the last weekend I ever spend with the you that you are now. It's why I wanted this trip before we went so we can have one last hurrah as ourselves in case we're someone else after,” she told him.

  “You're right. I'll do everything I can to make this trip as enjoyable as possible because we might not be us anymore after this. I know I'll still love you, whoever you become, as I have since we first met,” he said as he turned to face her.

  He quickly reached up with his left arm and caught another errant volleyball as the same woman from before came running to retrieve it. He tossed it without looking and she caught it.

  “Thanks again,” she said then gasped. “Your wrist! You're a Warden!”

  He turned to look at her. She was in her early twenties. She was Brazilian with bronzed skin and curly black hair down to the middle of her back.

  “Vanguard, actually,” he said.

  “Oh wow! I recognize you two from the vids. You're the ones from Syracuse!” she said excitedly. “I have to go tell the others!”

  She ran off to her volleyball group and told them who the two Americans were. They all came running over. The dozen people all started asking a barrage of questions. They were mostly about the Wardens and the Battle of Syracuse though a few also asked about joining the Wardens. They cordially answered their questions, being vague and redirecting many of them. The inquiries about joining the Wardens were directed to the Warden website where anyone could submit an application for review.

  A private security patrol passing nearby saw the group surrounding Sebastian and Chelsea and came over. They were wearing very little in the hot sun but were the only ones clothed making them easy to recognize as security. They had on knee length surfer shorts and webbed tank tops with a belt holster holding a low voltage stun pistol on one side and a pulse baton on the other. They had the resort's insignia embroidered on the large brimmed hats they wore. The skimpy uniform was in the blue and gold colors of the hotel chain and was finished off with a pair of sandals. They saluted Sebastian and Chelsea.

  “Lord Marshall, Vice Marshall, are these kids bothering you?” one of the three men asked.

  “Not at all,” Chelsea replied. “We're just having a polite conversation. Do you have a lot of need for weapons on a private beach?”

  “We have a lot of parties here and sometimes people can't hold their liquor. They're non-lethal. They'll put someone down for a nice nap but otherwise leave them unharmed. The owners of the resort like to keep the beaches fun and safe,” the guard replied.

  “How did you know who we are?” asked Sebastian.

  “The owners make it a point to know anytime we have high profile guests and alert security to make sure you remain safe, although in this case, I doubt you need our help for that,” the guard replied.

  “Thank you for checking in on us. We appreciate the diligence but we're fine,” Chelsea told him. “Oh, and there is no need to salute us. Wardens and Vanguard don't salute and even if we did, we have no authority over you, unless you're really a fey in disguise.”

  “No ma'am, we're all human. We'll leave to your vacation,” the man told them.

  The guards continued their patrol down the beach as the group went back to their questions. After a few minutes, they seemed satisfied and decided to go back to their game. One of the girls remained behind.

  “I had to wait for the others to leave to say thank you for saving my brother,” she said.

  “You're welcome but you have us at a loss. We've saved a lot of people and I'm sorry, but I don't know the specifics,” Sebastian said.

  “He's a Warden. That's why I waited because I don't want to get him in trouble and what he told me was in confidence. I'm not supposed to know about secret Warden things, so I can't say anything around the others,” she said.

  “It's okay. We won't get him in trouble for telling you,” Chelsea said. “Can you give us the details so at least we know he is? I promise we won't cause him any trouble for breaking secrecy rules.”

  “During the cataclysm one of your Facilities was destroyed, the one in Los Angeles. He said an old man, some higher up officer, took command. My brother helped him get the survivors to a cafeteria in a stable part of the building. The reactor was going haywire and the building had plasma fires burning throughout it. He said you two came in like heroes from some old drama vid and saved everyone. He's all I have in the world and thanks to you two, he's still in it,” she said. “I would be alone without him. Even though I don't get to see him very often, at least I know he's alive and well thanks to you. Without him, I'd not only be alone, but I would be homeless. He sends half of his pay to me, so we can keep our family home and the streets aren't a friendly place to live. You saved us both.”

  “I'm glad we were able to help but it sounds like your brother was already saving people. He's a hero as well, you know? What happened to him after that?” Chelsea asked.

  “He's assigned to the Facility in Cairo now. I talk to him every few weeks. Is it okay if I tell him I met you?”

  “Of course. Do you mind if I ask you a personal question?” Sebastian said.

  “Sure. I've imposed quite a bit on you. Ask me anything,” she replied.

  “If your brother's pay is all you have, how is it you can afford to stay at a place like this?” Sebastian asked.

  “Stay? Oh no. I'm not a guest. I'm an employee. I'm a sous chef in the restaurant in the east wing. We're allowed to use the facilities on our days off and I come here because I love the beach and it's not crowded like the public ones. The pay is decent enough but not enough to pay the debt on our home. My parents had taken a loan against it to open a cafe just before the cataclysm and then they were killed by one of the fires. My expertise is in culinary arts but most of what I know I learned from my mom. She was a chef of renown and knew the head chef at the hotel, so he gave me a job after they died. That's why I work here. The insurance didn't cover cataclysms or, so their people said and it's either pay the loan payments or the bank will take the house and everything else and leave you destitute,” she said.

  “I'm so sorry to hear that,” Chelsea replied.

  “It's been nearly a year. I've had time to get over it. We have to accept the hand we're dealt and move forward, you know? We can't cling to the past. I am getting a lot of experience and training under a good chef in a well-known restaurant. I'll open my own one day and be able to pay off the loans. Until then, I work hard, learn everything I can and get the experience I'll need to be taken seriously as a head chef,” she told them.

  “That's a good attitude to have,” Sebastian told her.

  “Thank you for your time but I have to go. I need to get home and get ready for work. If you have time, stop by the restaurant. The big man is at a conference and I'm in charge of dinner all week,” she told them.

  “We'll be th
ere. What do you recommend?” Chelsea asked.

  “I've had a pot of feijoada stewing since yesterday and will be ready tonight. I'll make sure to reserve some for you if want to try it,” she said.

  “I'm always up for something new. I look forward to it,” Chelsea told her.

  “It's been nice meeting you,” she said.

  “You as well,” Sebastian replied as the young lady left.

  #

  “Xavier,” said Bruce as he walked into the commissary to meet Xavier as he returned from Stonehenge. “We need to talk.”

  “Can it wait, mate?” Xavier asked him. “I've got important details about Anna, compliments of Boudicca.”

  “I wish it could, but this is important. Meet me in the C&C,” Bruce said.

  “Sir, yes sir. Field Marshall Bruce, sir!” Xavier said and saluted him with a laugh.

  “It's Lord Marshall Bruce and that's what we need to talk about,” Bruce said as he walked in the direction of the C&C.

  “What the hell did I miss? I was gone two hours,” Xavier said to himself then headed to the C&C.

  “Sit down, mate,” Bruce said as Xavier entered. “The bosses went on their holiday and I'm acting Lord Marshall while they're gone.”

  “Congratulations! You deserve the recognition. What about Anna though? She outranks you,” Xavier said to him.

  “President's orders. She wanted me in the position, not Anna, so we're here now. I need a Vice Marshall and that's you. I've already run it by the President's office and they concur if you accept,” Bruce said.

  “I don't what to say. I wasn't expecting this. I assumed Anna would be the Lord and you'd be Vice based on your rank and tenure,” Xavier told him.

  “If we were in the Wardens, sure, but that tenure means squat here. I recommended you as my second. We've known each other since you were assigned to London. I know your abilities and think you're the best person for the job. She's apparently kept very close tabs on us and knows our profiles as well as we do. She likes independent thinkers. Anna is good but she's by the book. She doesn't improvise well. You do and we're in new territory here. We need free thinkers. It's a lot of bureaucracy though. Reports, briefings, I don't know how those two kept this place running and still found time to hunt. Your life is going to get busy if you accept. Are you with me, mate?” Bruce asked.

  “I accept. Vice Marshall. It has a weird ring to it. Don't expect me to openly flirt with you as Chelsea did with Sebastian, though. I like you as a friend and all, but Bethany scares me and I'm afraid she's the jealous type,” Xavier said with a laugh.

  “Well, damn. That was half my motivation, so I guess I'll look for someone else,” Bruce said laughing.

  He took out an emblem and slid it across the table to Xavier. It was the golden dragon seal of the Vanguard with the rank of Vice Marshall on it. “Now, let’s get Anna fixed up.”

  “Oh. I don't look forward to this anymore. It's going to be awkward telling her,” Xavier said.

  “That's your first official duty. Might as well get used to the hard stuff right away,” Bruce said.

  #

  Baldric tried to jump to avoid the massive tail, but it caught him in the chest and knocked him across the grounds and into a stone wall. He hit the surface with a thud but was on his feet instantly as the massive dragon jumped towards him and slashed with her claw. She found only air as he rolled under it and then ran underneath her.

  He thrust upward with his spear at the soft spot on her belly where her scales were the thinnest, but she jumped straight up and hovered in the air, a blast of telekinetic energy pounding down on him. He dropped to one knee but forced himself to stand up against the onslaught of force energy. He yelled up at the dragon, the sound of his voice amplifying many times and the sound energy striking the great red-gold dragon fully.

  She was tossed through the air, barely managing to stabilize herself and swooped down towards him. She hit the ground in front of him and swung with her left claw which he blocked with the targe shield and drove his spear forward.

  Just before the blade made contact, she caught him from behind with her right claw and gripped him, knocking the spear from his hand. He tried to break free, but she was too strong. She squeezed harder, making it difficult for him to breathe. The great yellow eyes narrowed on him and she opened her mouth. The forked tongue flicked.

  “You are a great example of your species, but you fell for a simple feint. That could have cost you your life in a real fight,” she said to him, still squeezing.

  “Are...you so...sure...I'm the...one who...fell for a feint...” he said gasping for breath.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “Look...up...” he said.

  She looked up and his spear was hovering just above her head, pointed towards her. He was guiding it telekinetically.

  “Very good,” she said as she released him. “You are every bit the warrior Doga said you would become. You have learned much in the short time you have trained and have the skill of fey decades older than you. It has been a long time since I last observed a warrior of your skill.”

  “It didn't show the last time I faced Doga. I was a walking bruise for weeks,” Baldric replied.

  “If you wish to obtain the rank of archmage, you will need to better yourself. It is not a title given freely and you know that,” Asala told him.

  “His tests are impossible. No fey can beat a dragon. Just now, I only got the better of you because you hold back,” he said despondently.

  “I hold back because killing you would not help you learn. Absillion believes you have potential. Each time you face me, each time you face Doga, we hold back less than before. You are gaining power very fast,” Asala replied.

  “It doesn't show when I face Doga,” he said.

  “Doga is the greatest warrior of the dragons. He is thousands of years old and has spent that long life facing the terrors of this world. You have only just begun to learn. You have faced many challenges and are the greatest warrior among your people, but he has vast experience and has had much time to master his abilities. Continue on your path and someday you may be able to face Doga and only carry bruises for a few days,” she said and laughed. A small puff of blue flame shot forth as she did, one of her peculiar traits Baldric had observed.

  “If Doga is greatest among you, why does your father lead instead of Doga?” Baldric asked.

  “My father's skill in magic dwarfs Doga's. Absillion is also a skilled diplomat and has managed to maintain peaceful relations between all our flights. It takes more than skill in combat to be a leader,” she replied.

  “You would do well to observe him and learn from Absillion. When you are in his presence, notice his words and actions. Doga may be a great warrior but he approaches diplomacy like he approaches a fight. This trait does not help with being an arbiter which is something all leaders must be. If you are to be king one day, you must learn to be as skilled with your words as you are with a spear or spell.”

  “Me? King? I am Vanguard. My place is with a spear in hand not a crown on my head. I don't have what it takes to be a king. I am not worthy of such a position,” he told her.

  “You are not. Not yet. The skill of my father is what you lack. You need to learn that not every situation can be resolved with a fight. You think too much like Doga. Sometimes, the best weapon you have is your tongue. You lead the Vanguard well and are learning. In time, I could see you leading the fey as you do your troops,” she told him.

  “How does one learn to be a diplomat?” he asked Asala.

  “As I said, observe my father. He is a paragon of that skill. Beyond that, find times when you can resolve your problems without using force. You should also observe King Garos. He is well skilled in the art of leadership. There is much to be said for winning a fight without a single blow falling,” she told him.

  “I will. Thank you,” he replied.

  “Assuming you have the time of course,” Asala said.

 
“Has there been another threat located? I will ready the Vanguard immediately,” he said as his spear flew through the air to his hand.

  “Ha. There are no threats to the fey right now. I simply meant you do not have much in the way of free time. You spend all of your idle hours on your species' mating rituals,” Asala said and laughed again, the blue flame trickling out her nostrils like always.

  “I do not. I spend time with Malka, that is no debate, but I would hardly say it is all of my idle hours,” he told Asala.

  “You cannot lie to me. We may have a more pragmatic approach to mating than your kind, but we do recognize your species strong desire for your rituals. We may not experience love as you do but we recognize it in the smaller races,” Asala told him.

  “Dragons do not love?” he asked her.

  She looked at Baldric and thought a moment before answering. “We love our children. We love our species but romantic love, no, we do not experience that.”

  “That's a shame,” he said.

  “Perhaps,” she said as she stared at him.

  “You also forget how attuned our senses are. When you two are near each other, you release strong pheromones and perspire. Your heart quickens. You steal glances at each other that you try to hide. When you are alone, you spend all your time with your rituals. You have become so close your scent and hers are nearly indistinguishable. Why do you make such effort to hide that which is well known?” Asala asked him.

  “Well...uh...it's not proper. I am the leader of the Vanguard and she is my second. It is not appropriate,” he told her.

  “Why not? Your species prefers to mate for life and you two have obviously chosen each other as mates. It makes little sense to us. This is no secret. The Vanguard know it. The dragons know it. Your friends and family know it. Yet, despite that, you go to great lengths to hide it,” Asala told him.

  “We don't plan on hiding it for much longer. She has agreed to marry me should her father consent. I need only work up the courage to ask King Garos for his daughter's hand,” Baldric told her.

  She laughed loudly at that. Blue flames poured out over the training ground. It scorched the stone but had no effect on Baldric. She was able to tailor her flames to only harm those she wished.