Survivors of Corrica

by Courtney Bowen

  “It’s just standard for a manager to look in on an employee.” Jari remarked, getting close to stumbling onto the vials with the bone and stone elements.

  Fato distracted her from such duties, though, remarking on how diligent and thorough she was and wishing that he could be just as incredible as she was. Jari blushed and shook her head, telling him that it was a nice compliment, but she should get back to her work.

  “I believe that you’re greater than you think you are.” Fato told Jari as she turned away from him.

  “Thanks.” Jari said, not sure what else to say to him as she quickly left before discovering the vials.

  Fato breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly got the vials out of there. He felt bad about concealing such a crime from her, but he wasn’t lying to her about how he felt. He’d come to respect Jari over the past couple of weeks, admiring the way she worked and completed her tasks, and he felt like she wasn’t appreciated enough by her colleagues or even her own mother, one of the councilors.

  Jari deserved better treatment, and he wasn’t the best person around, using her like this, but he wanted to be kinder to her at least. He passed the vials over to Paracleus, making sure that they weren’t noticed, before they parted with Fato having distanced himself from Rhona and Paracleus over the last few weeks. Fato walked away from his friend, mulling over their schemes and deceptions, and wondered if such trickery would be worth it in the end.

  By this point, almost a month had passed since Paracleus first visited Lapida and told her their plan. Lapida had informed her husband and everybody that she was pregnant, and Anya assured that Lapida could continue to fight and craft weapons for at least a few more months. Now Lapida felt like she was racing against time, wanting to finish this endeavor and clash against the Savorre before she was forced to take it easy.

  The other Corricans and the Bahealfisaba villagers were also eagerly awaiting the completion of this task, looking forward to receiving the ten magical elemental swords, and the various weapons that might come out of it. Some argued amongst themselves over who’d claim these weapons and if they were capable of handling such a responsibility.

  Rowena had survived the demons’ assault and awakened from her coma, and now she joined in on training the mages and commanding them with Huette surrendering such duties back to her. Mogame visited Rowena soon after she recovered, checking up on her and that she was okay, and Rowena thanked him and Anya for everything they’d done for her.

  “It was nothing, really. I would’ve done that for anyone in such a situation.” Mogame told her, looking down. “Have you heard about the latest developments?” He asked.

  “Yes, and it’s fascinating. I can’t wait to see what the Fay and Lapida come up with, if these blades would be as great as they say.” Rowena said.

  Mogame nodded. “I agree with you there. I can’t wait to see you wield the Shadow Sword.”

  “You think I should possess the Shadow Sword?”

  “You’re one of the best magical fighters, leader of the mages, and one of the most powerful and experienced shadow manipulators we’ve got. If anyone can beat those Savorre warlocks and their shades, it’ll be you.”

  “Thanks, but what about you? I saw your technique staving off Doomtha and its shades, and you have skills of your own.”

  “I’m not trained well enough yet, and I don’t know enough about warfare to take up such a weapon. There’s still a lot I have to learn.”

  “All right, but I think you could use the Shadow Sword someday, whenever you’re ready.”

  Mogame thanked her and left as Rowena pondered such a concept. Meanwhile, as Lapida, Rhona, and Paracleus worked on the Bone and Stone Swords, Demetrius and Marko argued over who’d claim the Stone Sword, each one declaring they’d be the best fighter.

  Dahlia and Buzzbo supported their husband and partner, but he had some stiff competition when Demetrius was one of the strongest mages around. Kozu told his little sister Kiki that she couldn’t wield a sword in battle and it was his obligation to take on such a job, while Kiki insisted that she was a better water mage than he was.

  Zeldos wasn’t interested in the uproar until Cassandra mentioned that he might receive the Plant Sword. He refused, saying that he didn’t want to spar anymore like when he was a gladiator, and he didn’t want to fight alongside the Corricans.

  “They’re the ones that tore me away from my home and brought me up as a slave.” He told her.

  “Yes, but you’ll also be fighting alongside me and my people, who’ve taken you in and love you, too.” Cassandra said.

  “That might be different.” He said, contemplative.

  She also contended that he might be one of the best plant mages with previous experience in combat. As they quarreled over that, others contemplated the possibility they might take up a sword themselves.

  Anya and Porran sat together, stewing over thoughts about the Spirit and Air Swords, while Wintha considered them, possibly contemplating their futures. Huette soon joined them, reflecting on the Bone Sword that laid before her.

  If Wilama was still here, maybe she’d have taken up the Bone Sword instead when she was fast becoming the most powerful bone mage around, despite her shortcomings in being too aggressive. Perhaps Wilama would’ve been a better combatant in that regard, but Huette was certain she’d have to take charge of it now, and she didn’t know if she could be so fierce. On the other side of the settlement, Oran was practicing his earth magic, readying himself to possess the Earth Sword, while Geneva watched him.

  Fato soon made the daring move of purloining the plant element, and he handed it over to Rhona, and that left the final three, shadow, death, and fire. After everything he’d learned about the safeguards surrounding them, he knew it could be tricky to filch them, but he did it anyway, securing them in short order and stealing them away.

  Fato felt like celebrating his victory, so he personally traveled to Bahealfisaba to present the vials to Rhona, Paracleus, Lapida and Corr. “We did it.” He grinned at them.

  “Hooray!” Corr shouted, almost ready to hug his friend.

  “You certainly did, but be careful with them!” Paracleus cried, blocking Corr from coming over and gingerly grasping one of the vials.

  “We don’t want them to break or get mixed up.” Rhona remarked, seizing the second one from Fato.

  “All right, but this is wonderful news. Thanks, everyone, for everything.” Corr grinned at all of them, especially Fato.

  “No problem.” Fato sheepishly looked down, holding onto the third. “Let’s get going and finish the job.”

  With the Green Sword already completed, they turned their attention now to manufacturing the final three, the Gray, Red, and Black Swords, with each Fay stepping forward to pour the contents of their vial onto the weapon. For the first time, Fato witnessed how each blade was shaped and molded by the elemental forces, changed to reflect their characteristics.

  “This is marvelous.” Fato murmured, watching them shift.

  “I know, and there’s some residue left, too, so we can make even more weapons with the leftover magic.” Corr pointed out to him.

  As they set aside the swords to cool, Lapida turned to Fato, Paracleus, Rhona and Corr, toasting their success with some mugs of water. “So now that we’ve got everything set up, should we present them to the bearers?” Lapida said.

  “We need to figure out who gets them, though.” Paracleus said.

  “I think that decision’s been made by most of the people in the village and amongst the Corricans, who want to divide up the swords evenly between the two groups.” Corr added, listing them. “Porran, the sailor captain, he has Air magic, so he gets the Yellow Sword. Anya, the healer, she gets the Spirit Sword. Lapida’s our best fire mage, so she gets the Red Sword. Apparently Zeldos has been suggested for the Plant sword, though we don’t know if he’ll accept it. Oran will get the Earth sword. Demetrius won out against Marko for the Stone Sword. Kozu wants the Blue Sword, though
his sister Kiki is the better water mage. Huette will get the Bone Sword and Rowena will get the Shadow Sword.”

  “Wow, that’s almost all settled, except for some tie-breakers from us.” Rhona said.

  “What about the Black Sword?” Fato asked.

  Corr and Lapida hesitated, glancing at each other. “Honestly, Corr here might be best at wielding the death element, though he’s barely learned anything about it and we think he’s far too young to fight yet with such a weapon in battle.” Lapida said. “Maybe in a couple more years, though he’ll continue to train and he might serve as an attendant. Hasbas turns out to have the same magical affinity, but not the same level of talent, though he’s much more experienced at combat.”

  “It’s probably for the best if I don’t have the Black Sword now, but maybe someday.” Corr shrugged.

  “You’re probably right.” Fato raised his cup. “To the future?”

  “The future.” They all toasted, clanging their mugs together, and laughing.

  Chapter Seventeen:

  The Elemental Swords

  The next day, a crowd of Corricans and villagers came to the smithy with the prospective sword bearers amongst them as the Fay convened before them, trying to look as splendid and regal as possible when they were presenting the Swords and their scabbards. Paracleus might’ve spoiled the effect by making a funny face, but Rhona and Fato kept elbowing him to act serious.

  Fato called up Porran, who scurried up as quickly as he could with his hair trimmed and his face shiny with sweat, and bestowed him with the Yellow Sword of Air. “Porran, repeat after me: ‘I, Porran, bind this Sword to me, to aid me in this hour of need’.” Fato said.

  Porran repeated the phrase, and the Yellow Sword glowed in its scabbard. “There you go. We’ve enchanted each of these blades to work only for their owners so that no one else can steal and brandish their magic without suffering a scar.” Fato declared, loud enough for everyone to hear.

  “However, we’ve also got measures in place that a holder can pass on or share their weapon with others, if they so choose. We’ve got another announcement to make once everyone has received their blades.” Paracleus said.

  Everyone clapped for Porran, who bowed to the Fay and others, before he retreated from the limelight. He showed off the Yellow Sword to Huette, Anya, and some of his crew, who marveled over it. Paracleus called for Anya, who sprinted up to accept the Spirit Sword and recite the sealing spell as Wintha, Porran, and others cheered for her.

  Rhona bequeathed the Earth Sword to Oran, and Fato conferred the Water Sword unto Kozu as their friends and family congratulated them. Kiki politely applauded her brother’s prize, though she resented that he’d gotten it when she could’ve done much better with it.

  Huette humbly assumed the Bone Sword from Paracleus, though she wished Wilama would’ve been here instead. Demetrius grinned as he took up the Stone Sword from Rhona and practically did a victory dance back to his place in the crowd. Marko seethed at that while Dahlia and Buzzbo calmed him down, though they rolled their eyes at Marko’s behavior behind his back.

  When Fato summoned Zeldos, he hesitated for a moment, not wanting to go up there, but Cassandra nudged him. “Go on, honey. It’s not everyday you’re called upon to do something great.” She told him.

  Zeldos sighed, but he followed her advice and strode up there to grab onto the Green Sword in its scabbard and swear his oath, not knowing how long it’d be bound to him. Wintha, however, raised her head and smiled, clapping along enthusiastically with everybody.

  “He’ll be the champion of Coe Baba someday, the guardian of all its secrets, an Old Man.” Wintha told Anya.

  Anya turned to her and stared. “Coe Baba? What’s Coe Baba?”

  “That’s what they’ll call the town when the Corrican settlement joins up with the ruins of Bahealfisaba.” Wintha said, gazing around. “This area by the river that used to be Bahealfisaba will be the town square and the rich neighborhood, next to the main street that’ll sprout up through the Corrican settlement, and farms beyond. Farther downstream, there will be a mill and working-class neighborhoods, while upstream on the other side, where there are farms now, there will be a baron’s estate.”

  Anya smiled and shook her head. “Such a fanciful imagination.”

  Though she didn’t understand half of what Wintha was saying, she was glad at least that Wintha was happier than she’d been in a while. She hoped that Wintha would remain strong, no matter what happened to them, and might continue to prosper, despite what setbacks they might face. Paracleus called up Rowena to collect the Shadow Sword, and many people applauded her, especially her students and fellow mages.

  Rowena smiled at everybody and bowed her head at Mogame, who nodded and grinned at her. Geneva frowned for a moment as she noticed that, wondering if they were overly familiar with each other, but she decided not to question them about that. Rhona turned to grant Lapida the Fire Sword and thanked her for her contributions to this effort, which got a roar of approval from the others. Fato beckoned Hasbas to come forward to bear the Black Sword of Death.

  Hasbas solemnly parted from his brother Corr and patted him on the back, knowing it might’ve been Corr’s weapon in a few more years, and jogged forward. He wondered if this’d change anything for him, if handling such an enchanted blade could affect him somehow, and if he could take on such an obligation without suffering some consequence.

  Just a couple of months ago, he had been looking forward to retiring on his farm and raising a family with his wife, but that prospect had vanished with the Savorre attack. Now he had to step up once more into the role of a soldier and try to make up for his shortcomings, for being unable to prevent that assault and his failures in Corrica.

  He hoped that he was up to the task and that he wouldn’t disappoint anybody or shame himself again. Whatever happened now, he’d be a leader and he’d be at the front of the charge against the Savorre. Hasbas bowed to Fato and received the Black Sword with the reverence it deserved as he and the other sword bearers turned to the audience and saluted everybody with their weapons.

  Once the cheer died down, Rhona stepped forward. “As previously announced, we’ve also decided to establish some attendants or squires who’ll aid these warriors in turn, and they’ll be allowed to manage the weapons with permission, though they won’t be able to access their powers. For starters, we want Corr to be Hasbas’s squire.”

  “That sounds good to me.” Hasbas agreed and Corr whooped as he ran up to join his brother, proudly standing alongside him.

  “Marko can be Demetrius’s squire.” Paracleus declared.

  “All right, fine by me.” Demetrius grumbled, and Marko laughed as he came up alongside him, grinning.

  “Mogame will be Zeldos’s squire.” Fato said.

  Zeldos and Mogame looked at each other askance, wondering why they were teamed up together when Mogame’s shadow magic didn’t match Zeldos’s plant powers. “That’s okay with me, I suppose.” Zeldos said.

  “We want Cassandra to be Rowena’s attendant.” Rhona declared.

  “Oh, you’re pairing up men with men, women with women?” Rowena said, and then nodded. “All right, I’ll take Cassandra.”

  Zeldos groaned. “Why didn’t I ask to be paired with you?” He remarked to Cassandra as she walked over to Rowena.

  “It’s probably for the best we’re not stuck together. It might be too much of a distraction.” Cassandra told her fiancé, smiling at him.

  “Wintha, you can be with Anya.” Paracleus said.

  “Oh, please say yes, Anya.” Wintha turned to her.

  Anya grimaced. “Okay, but you’re going to have to stay back during the fighting.”

  Wintha agreed as Fato said, “Lapida, do you want to take on Geneva as your assistant?”

  “I’d be happy to.” Lapida said and Geneva nodded as well, hoping to be beside Mogame soon enough.

  “May I request someone?” Huette asked. When Rhona nodded, Huette
said, “I want Wilama to be my assistant, if she’s alive.”

  Rhona sighed. “We’ll arrange that if we can. Kozu, will you let Kiki be your assistant?”

  Kozu frowned at Rhona and Kiki, but Kiki insisted, “Come on, Kozu, you know I deserve that spot when I could beat you with my water powers.”

  “I’ll let you have it, but you’re staying away from the battle, too.” Kozu told her.

  “Oran, would you let Buzzbo be your assistant?” Paracleus asked.

  Oran and Buzzbo stared at each other, puzzled. “He doesn’t have any magical powers, but I guess that’s acceptable.” Oran grumbled.

  “We get to be together.” Buzzbo grinned at Marko.

  “Just a minute!” Dahlia shouted and strode forward. “If Buzzbo and Marko go to battle, I’m going with them, too. I’m not going to be separated from them.”

  “But what about Jomo?” Marko asked her.

  “He can stay here. I’ll have one of my friends look after him.” Dahlia told him. She then turned to Fato. “Is there anybody left who doesn’t have an attendant?”

  “Porran, but if one of his sailors--” Fato started to say.

  “Porran, will you let me be your attendant? Please?” Dahlia asked him.

  The captain hesitated, but he knew how determined she was to be with her husband and his partner, and he didn’t want to deny her that chance. Besides, she probably would still find a way to join them, and he didn’t want her to stay mad at him.

  “Yes, of course you can,” Porran said, trying to sound as magnanimous as possible, and not intimidated by her.

  “Thank you!” Dahlia cried and laughed as Marko and Buzzbo looked at each other, shrugged, and started chortling, too.

  “Well, since that’s all settled for now, I suppose this is good-bye.” Rhona said.

  The others stopped and stared at her and the Fay. “Wait, are you leaving us now?” Corr asked, shocked.

  “What about the battle? You’re supposed to help us fight the Savorre.” Marko said.