Elesis – Base

Raven – Before Base

You would almost think they were trying to kill each other.

Alex watched his best friend fight with this strange girl, her strikes being blocked and deflected by his dancing blade. She wasn't half bad at dodging Raven's lightning swipes and thrusts, either, managing to twirl out of the way each time to launch another controlled attack with her massive claymore.

It was one of the most entertaining fights Alex had seen in a long while.

"Time," he finally called out, and both fighters stopped immediately, Raven skidding to a halt and looking over at Alex with his familiar annoyed expression. He never did like to be stopped in the middle of a fight.

"You're the one who told me to time it for five minutes,"Alex defended himself, then looked over at the red-haired girl. "You're pretty good, for the way, especially for someone as young as you are." She looked like she was somewhere between thirteen and fourteen, a rough seven years younger than Raven and Alex.

"Thanks." The girl straightened her ponytail and stabbed the point of her claymore into the ground. "Uh, sorry, what were your names again?"

"I'm Alex. The guy who challenged you is Raven."

Raven waved. "And your name?"

"Elesis. Elesis Seighart."

Seighart, Seighart... Alex was sure he recognized the name, but it must not have been a noble one, because he couldn't match a face to it.

"I might as well," Elesis said, and Alex realized that Raven must have asked a question while he was trying to think. Crap.

Raven nodded. "The Crow Mercenaries will want to see a skillful fighter like you. Who were you trained by?"

"My dad. A Velder knight."

Raven glanced at Alex. Alex gave a small shake of his head to tell Raven that he didn't recognize the name or occupation.

Elesis laughed. "He wasn't a very prominent one," she reassured them, and Alex shrugged.

"Must not have been."

Raven punched him in the arm before turning to Elesis.

"C'mon. Our boss probably want to see you," he repeated, and Elesis shrugged.

"As you've said. Lead the way, Raven, Alex."

Raven almost smiled. He turned, jerking his head to get Alex to follow him. Alex stayed a pace or two behind his best friend and the girl, listening to their conversation.

None of them knew that Raven and Elesis were destined to be comrades in just a few short years, brought together, in a way, by Alex's schemes and machinations.