by Jeff Gunzel
“Bella, you need to show this to Liam.”
“I intend to, right now in fact.” Bella began rolling up the parchments. “You see, Rishima, this is not a time to worry about rank, or who is above the grunt work. We are long past those days. It is my obligation to aid the people in any way I can. I hope you can accept that, because I’m not going to stop.”
“Of course, my dear,” Rishima said, embarrassed by her own shortsightedness. “After all we’ve been through, it’s hard to believe I still underestimate you. When will I learn?”
“Never,” Bella said, flashing a tease of a smile. “And that’s one of the many reasons why I love you. Come, let’s get these to Liam and see what he has to say.”
*
“Again,” Viola said, stalking her way around the outer circle. Sweaty and out of breath, the lerwicks moved back to their original positions. These drills had been going on all morning, and they simply didn’t have the conditioning to keep up. No matter, they would have to do it anyway. The endurance would come eventually, but they didn’t have time to take it slow.
“Two, four, five.”
A wave of wooden swords cracked as one. The command was a simple, double high thrust that each pair of lerwicks completed with hardly a thought. They had been doing this all day and it was unlikely they would forget the basic attack any time this year. But that was how Viola had learned, so that was how they would learn. High repetitions helped to build muscle memory so the techniques would become second nature.
She didn’t want them to think, she wanted them to react.
“Three, six, six,” Viola barked, watching the blur of movement closely. The upward thrusts were blocked with a string of solid bangs, followed immediately by the whooshing sound of air as the double back slashes sailed over the defenders’ heads. Their technique was sloppy and slow, but that had just as much to do with fatigue as it did with inexperience. Learning to push through fatigue was just as large a part of their training as any skill set.
A pained cry caught Viola’s attention, and she weaved her way through the crowd until she found the source.
“What happened?” she asked, moving up toward the man clutching his face. “Let me see,” she insisted, bracing for what might be a rather serious injury. But once he started inching his hand away, it was clear he had nothing more than a bloody nose.
“She hit me,” he accused, wagging a bloody finger in his training partner’s face.
“Not on purpose,” she insisted, holding her hand up. “You were supposed to duck under the strike just like everybody else.”
“I would have if you didn’t swing so hard. This is just practice, you know.” He turned to Viola. “I want a different partner.”
“Me too!” the girl said, throwing her wooden sword down at his feet. “One that won’t cry like a baby every time he gets a little bruise. If I were to bet, I’d say you will probably be the first to die out there. You know, if you weren’t so slow—”
“Enough, both of you!” Viola shouted. Closing her eyes, she had to take a step back. Rubbing her temples, she began a silent count in her head. She knew that snapping at their childish squabble would probably do more harm than good.
Was I ever like this? How did my friends ever put up with me?
After several deep breaths, she finally opened her eyes. “No, you will work the partner who was assigned to you, and I will hear no more of this foolishness.” She spoke right over them when they went to protest. “I know that the training is hard. I know that stress starts to build, so you eventually end up taking it out on whoever is in front of you. I understand that there are days when it feels like you’re going to snap, but let me assure you...”
Flesh blades snapped out, each one stopping just short of their throats.
“None of this is going to matter when a ghatin is trying to tear your throat out on the battlefield. His job is to kill you, and nothing short of achieving that goal is acceptable. I’m begging you both to please rethink your priorities.” She retracted her blades. “Because in the end, you need to be able to trust the person watching your back.”
She spun around. “And that goes for the rest of you too. Don’t think for one second that you are special. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior.” Disgusted, she moved toward the other side of the room where Liam was working with a group of his own.
Standing at the head of the group, Liam raised his balled fist before thrusting it straight down. The front line of lerwicks dropped to their knees. Simultaneously, the row behind them dropped their arms down over the heads of the front row. Although the second row was acting as if they had shields to protect those in front, none were actually holding any real weapons. It was too early in their training to worry about that. For now, all they needed to work on was timing and foot positioning.
“Good,” he said, raising his hand again. With a shout, he sliced his arm through the air in a chopping motion. On cue, the front row thrust their arms forward as if spearing a charging enemy while the back row raised their arms high, defending against an imaginary swarm of arrows raining down.
“Hold,” Liam ordered, having them freeze in place as he circled them to do a quick inspection. Their formation was loose and sloppy, the imaginary shields all raised at slightly different heights which made for a weak shield wall. Still, he seemed most pleased with their effort. He had trained many men in his day, and knew better than to expect perfection so soon. The more they practiced, the better their form would be. As long as they were willing to put in the work, the rest would take care of itself.
“Take a break, everyone,” he said when he saw Viola approaching. “You’ve earned it.” Their red eyes gleaming with relief, they scattered quickly as if afraid he might change his mind.
“Liam,” came a call from the other direction. Viola stopped her advance when she saw Bella run up to him. “Liam, we must speak with you at once.” She gestured over her shoulder to Rishima, who was waiting near the door.
“Of course, my lady,” he said, twitching his fingers in gesture toward Viola. He just wanted to let her know that he saw her, but refusing an audience with Queen Bella was simply not an option. With Liam in tow, she and Rishima left the same way they came. Viola leaned against the wall and threw her head back. She really wanted to talk to him, but now that would have to wait.
“Rough day?” With her eyes still closed, Viola smiled at the familiar voice. “Don’t worry, some days are just like this,” Salina assured her.
“How do you know it won’t be like this every day?” Viola asked, rolling her head to look at her friend.
“Because they have a great teacher.” Salina winked. “They’ll shape up soon enough.”
“I am the one who had the great teacher.”
Salina bit her lower lip. Despite the amount of time that had passed, Thatra’s loss was still fresh in everyone’s mind. “Be that as it may, I still think you’re doing a fine job. Thatra would be proud of you.” She threw her arm around Viola’s shoulder.
“It’s just so hard sometimes,” Viola insisted. “They’re all trying, and I appreciate the effort. But sometimes they act just like—”
“Children?” Salina finished, sparing Viola from having to say it. Viola nodded, her eyes going straight to the floor. “It’s alright to acknowledge that. And let’s be honest, most of the lerwicks have spent their entire lives hidden from the world. They’ve had no social interaction, and no experience in dealing with real-world problems on any level. You must be patient with them. And more importantly, you must remember that this isn’t their fault. Give it some time and I promise it will get easier.”
“Time,” Viola sighed. “The one resource we’re woefully short on.”
“All the more reason to get back to work,” Salina said, delivering a playful punch in the arm.
Smiling, Viola nodded and pushed herself off the wall. Salina always knew how to make her feel better. But she was right, there was still much to do. Off to the si
de was another group of lerwicks that needed some special attention. She had been putting it off, but it was time to start getting them up to speed.
Knowing they probably looked a little too relaxed, several of the lounging lerwicks stood up straight as she approached, trying to give the illusion they were actually staying active. But their inactivity wasn’t really their fault, seeing as Viola had set them aside for a reason.
“Are we going to participate in the drills now?” one woman asked, sitting on the floor with her chin in her hands. She was one of a few who didn’t even try to pretend she was doing anything.
“No, not yet,” Viola answered.
“Why not?”
“You know why, but we’re going to try to address that right now.”
“We’re not all as feeble as you seem to think,” another man protested.
“No one claimed that any of you are feeble,” Viola calmly explained. “But you lack the basic body functionality needed to participate in the drills. Again, we are going to start working on that right away. The sooner I can get you all up to speed, the sooner—”
“I lack nothing!” a third man growled, quickly getting to his feet. Between the long wait and perceived insult, he could no longer hide his frustration. “I should be standing on your front line, not sitting here idle with these—”
A flesh blade zipped up to his face, stopping just short of his throat. The girl standing next to him watched it sail past her nose, her eyes following it all the way in. She took a slow step back to create a more comfortable distance between them.
“If I decided to put you on the front line today, you would only serve as a meat shield to protect those that can function.” He snarled, eyeing the blade in his face. “Go on then, knock it away and you may go join the others.” She waited, all eyes on the man who eventually stepped back with a disgusted grunt. “As I already stated, you all lack the basic body functions needed to be useful at this time. But I plan to fix that.”
It was true and they all knew it. It wasn’t just about maturity or combat skills, some of the lerwicks simply didn’t understand how their bodies worked. They couldn’t change form when needed, and some couldn’t even make flesh blades. Before arriving here, most didn’t even know their bodies were capable of such things.
“Believe me, I understand how frustrating this must be. You know how I discovered I have the ability to do these things? I nearly took my friend’s head off.”
She shuddered, remembering how she nearly killed Liam the first time she formed a flesh blade. “I had never been given any guidance as to what I was capable of, and that is the advantage you all have over me. I am here to instruct you in any way I can. I urge you to take advantage of that. My friends, your bodies are weapons, marvelous weapons that I shall teach you how to use. Now let’s begin.”
*
Eyes closed, the lerwicks sat on the ground with their legs crossed, hands on their knees. Seated in rows, breathing deeply, they listened closely to the sound of Viola’s voice.
“In your mind, I want you to visualize a great tree,” Viola said, seated before them. “Now think about all the activity taking place in that tree, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Think of the worm inching its way along a branch, oblivious to the world around it as it searches for a leaf to nibble. See the mother bird as she feeds her young, placing bits of food into their waiting mouths. The tree accepts it all unquestionably, even though it does not benefit from their presence.
“That tree is you. Just because these things are not directly related to you doesn’t mean they are any less real. Your bodies have special abilities, and just because the mind-muscle link has not matured, doesn’t mean you are not capable of amazing feats.
“Feel your heart pump as it pushes blood through your body. It works alone, doing its job whether you want it to or not. You don’t have to think about it to know it’s there, but you still know it’s part of you.
“Now feel that blood as it moves into your hands. Life-giving, energy-providing blood that will enable you to do the impossible. You think it’s impossible because you’ve never seen any human do it. Reject that illusion, for you are not human. Their limitations have no bearing on you at all. You are something different, something special. Feel your hands alter at will, feel them obey your every command.
“Once you have developed that mind-body link, it will be there forever. Forgetting how to use your body would be like forgetting to start your heart. It requires no thinking. Forming your blades will be no different than raising your hand. Now tear down that wall! Remove the block, for it is nothing but an illusion. Be one with your bodies...”
With their minds free and open, Viola began working with them in small groups, sometimes as many as eight or ten at a time. Most were catching on fast at this point, forming flesh blades at will as she helped guide them through it mentally. The effect proved to be contagious as others caught on even faster, inspired by seeing it done by their peers.
The process proved to be nowhere near as painful as Viola feared. The ability was natural to them, so all it needed was just a little push in the right direction.
Within a few hours the group had dwindled down to just two, a male and female who were none too pleased at this embarrassing situation. How had all the others caught on, yet they still struggled to form any kind of mental link with their bodies? It was humiliating, to say the least.
“I-I’m sorry,” the girl squeaked, head hung in shame. Her red eyes glistened as if it were all she could do to hold back the tears.
“It’s fine,” Viola assured her. “Some just take a little longer than others, that’s all.”
“It is not fine!” the man grunted. It was the same man who recently claimed he should be on her front line. At this point, his claim seemed ridiculous at best. Irritated and embarrassed, he was just looking for someone to blame. “What did you do for them that you didn’t do for us?”
“Nothing,” Viola stated, folding her arms across her front. She knew his anger was just a sign of his frustration, and not to be taken personally. He was understandably embarrassed and looking to deflect. “Like I said, some just take longer than others.”
“Well, you must have done something! Do you want me to fail, is that it? Are you trying to humiliate me just so I leave?”
“Please, stop yelling,” the girl chirped, covering her ears as she slumped over. “We just need to work harder. I’m sure that’s all, right, Viola?” Viola reached out and touched her shoulder, then slid her hand down her arm. She looked the girl up and down while giving her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“I’ve worked just as hard as everyone else. You’re doing this on purpose, I know you are,” the man accused, pointing a trembling finger right in Viola’s face. “I don’t have to stand here and take your—”
Resting her hand on top of his, Viola gently pushed his hand back down. “Perhaps you should calm down,” she said. She didn’t sound angry, exactly. But her firm tone hinted that her patience with his flaring temper had reached its end. “I think the three of us should go for a walk.”
Again, not a suggestion.
Chapter 9
“Remarkable,” Liam said, turning through pages while comparing maps with Bella’s notes. “Has anyone else seen this?”
“You are the first,” Bella said, peeking around the side of the tall man’s shoulder. “It is your opinion I am most interested in. Thoughts?”
“I’m not sure yet,” Liam admitted, licking his thumb before turning another page. “We don’t dare act until we know for certain that this is indeed a real pattern, and not some sort of trick. I hate to even say this, but I fear we must wait for more attacks to take place.”
“Then more will die while we stand by and do nothing,” Bella said.
“That is correct, my lady,” Liam agreed. “But all will die if we are wrong about this. I don’t like it any more than you do, but I see no other choice. Our army is painfully inexperienced. We
don’t dare commit them without knowing for certain if this pattern is indeed what it appears to be.” He twisted one of his pointy eyebrows while stalling to think.
“I will need to study this thoroughly before any further action can be taken,” he said at length.
“I will have Hamas help you with this,” Rishima added.
“Naturally,” Liam mumbled, as if that much were already obvious. “Then, once we have a better understanding of what they might do next, it will have to be tested.”
“Tested...with human lives,” Bella said, her voice dry and emotionless.
“I’m afraid so.”
Bella nodded her agreement. She hated the idea, but what else could they do? If they committed any lerwicks to ambush the ghatins, and their predicted location turned out to be wrong, the results could be catastrophic. It just couldn’t be risked.
“Go find Hamas, and prepare yourselves to work through the night if necessary,” Rishima said. “Whatever the two of you need, do not hesitate to ask. Understand?” Liam bowed, then hurried away.
*
“And be sure to bring those as well,” Bella ordered, gesturing toward a pile of papers under the table. “And make sure to keep them in order. Liam and Hamas are waiting for you on the second floor. If either of them needs anything, even a glass of water, you will go get it for them. I don’t want them to stop for any reason. Is that clear?”
“Yes, my lady,” the spiritist said, bowing deeply before loading the last papers onto a wheeled cart. Not once did he so much as glance at Rishima before rushing out the door.
“I knew it was only a matter of time,” Rishima said, crossing her arms while watching the doorway. Bella glanced back at her, eyebrows raised. “You have earned their respect,” she clarified. “Your confident actions speak just as loudly as your words. There is no doubt, my people are now your people as well.”
Bella blinked. She hadn’t really thought about it until just now. Strange how it seemed to happen right under her nose, but she wasn’t even trying. All she had been doing this whole time was giving orders that needed to be followed, nothing more. It was her sincerity on display, and all the spiritists knew that.
