Chapter 2
I sat at my table, quietly. I had a kettle of water bubbling on the stove; I would make some tea later. At the moment, I was tending to the burn on my arm. One of the fairies had given me a burn salve, and although it stung, I knew that at least that meant it was working. I smeared some more of the foul-smelling green stuff over my burn and finally put the salve away. However, my mind was not on my arm, but rather pondering my teacher's words.
So Athena had spoken the truth. I had known she had told me the truth the whole time, but I really hadn't believed it, not fully, until I felt the sharp blade of pain tear through my arm. I remembered seeing her scarred, disfigured arms, and I gave an involuntary shudder. I stared at my own arms. I didn't want them to be like that…
But I had to master Final Attack! Knowing this, I angrily swore and pounded the table. Once again, Athena's words had been cruelly true. There was no mercy from the unstable magic that I sought to control; this was simply the only way that I could achieve my goal of becoming a bowmaster.
The kettle began to whistle noisily, steam shooting out the spout. I quickly took it off the fire, then steeped a few witch-grass leaves in the hot water. The resulting tea tasted nasty, but it sped up the healing of my wounds. I sighed and rubbed my sore arm. The scorch mark was gone, leaving only the faintest trace of pale where it had been. Yet, as I stared at my arm, I knew this would not be the last scar I would have to endure over my journey.
I sipped a bit more of the tea, then finally set the cup down. My mind was full of conflicting thoughts, and following Athena's example, I decided to take a walk to clear my head. So I slipped Ark's Ryden into the handy quiver on my back and left the house.
Personally, Ellinia is one of the most beautiful places in Bera. The emerald-colored trees that blanketed the massive city lended a gentle, down-to-earth feeling to the place, and the sensation of magic hung in the air as magicians practiced their artes in the shade of the great behemoths was exhilarating. It was definitely one of the best locations for a stroll.
I balanced myself deftly on the narrow branches of Ellinia's trees that served as makeshift paths for the residents. People without much dexterity, like passing warriors, always fell off, but there was no danger in falling, as a magical ward had been erected by the magicians on the ground long ago. Indeed, some people delighted jumping from the branches on purpose just to hit that soft cushion of magic.
A group of excited kids were lined up even as I walked, to take turns jumping through the air. I had to smile lightly as I watched them at play. Even though I could be no more than three years older than them, I remembered Athena's words.
You don't act like a thirteen-year old.
Indeed, I thought, as I rubbed my sore right arm one more time. Then, I saw one of the kids from the group run over to me. "Heya, Zer!" he squealed happily, grabbing my leg.
I was surprised, to say the least. "Who the hell are-" but then I recognized that familiar mop of dark brown, disheveled hair.
"Ascion?" I said in surprise as I stared into my younger brother's eyes. "What are you doing here?" I tickled his shoulder playfully. "Shouldn't you be in Henesys with Ark?"
"Well, big bro, Ark sent me to live with you!" he squealed, squeezing my leg tighter.
"What?!" I almost screamed, but restrained myself from doing so. What the- Why on earth would Ark send Ascion to me? He loves him, and he wouldn't plop the responsibility of taking care of a child on a thirteen-year old, unless…
My heart twinged. Had something happened to Ark? I seriously did not want to believe what I was telling myself…but at the same time, I couldn't help it.
I sighed; so be it. How exactly I could take care of my younger brother and fulfill my dream, I did not know. I only hoped that Ascion, like I, would mature quickly and be able to take care of himself soon enough.
"Come on, Ascion." I muttered. "Let's get you home."
I led my brother to my makeshift home in the trees. He poked the fungus-crusted walls excitedly, as though he'd found a gold mine. "Wow! Rare achneaus fungus!"
"What?" I stared at him.
"Achneaus fungus." he stated calmly. "I learned about it from my magic book." He fished a book out from his jacket pocket, similar to my bowman's manual, but a lot thicker. "Very rare and prized by the fairies. They use it to make healing unguents. It has also a very large amount of mana value and can be used as a component in various-"
"Okay, okay!" I cut him off with a wave of my hand, laughing. "Go talk about your achy-whatever somewhere-" Suddenly I realized something.
"You're a magician?" I paused, staring at him in mid-sentence.
"Yep!" Ascion giggled and drew out a wooden wand from his jacket. "I got my blessing from Master Grendel today! I'm gonna be a cleric soon!" He waved his wand, with that typical adorableness that all ten-year olds have.
A bolt of blue energy shot out from his wand and I dived to the floor, narrowly avoiding it as it burned a small hole in the tree wall.
"Whoops, sorry, bro." he muttered sheepishly, pocketing his wand.
"Never mind." I pulled myself up again. "Just make sure you don't ignite that thing and lose your…" I bit my tongue before I enriched his vocabulary with a word he didn't need to know. "I'll get some supper. Take care of yourself."
I left the house and went out hunting. Within minutes, I had collected a large pack full of snails. Perfect for escargot stew, Ascion's favorite food. I returned home soon afterward and stewed the horrible-smelling invertebrates. My first culinary exploit didn't turn out quite as well as I'd hoped, but then again, I didn't have Ark's skill with the kitchen by a long way. Still, I hoped it was edible.
Glowing, I presented my brother with a large bowlful of the soup, but he shook his head and pushed it away.
"What's wrong? Don't you like it?"
"I used to." he said quietly, scraping the wood of the table with his fingernails. "But I don't want it anymore."
"What?!" I could feel a vein in my forehead bulge as I stared at a small blemish I had on my arm from boiling water. "You used to like that stuff! What happened to you?"
Ascion took out his book. "Master Grendel said that we should not cause unneccessary suffering for pleasure. We should live off the plants, so to speak."
I stared at the soup, then I stared at him, then back at the soup. I was ravenously hungry a moment ago, but now I felt the ache in my stomach dwindle away to nothing.
I poured the soup down the drain in the kitchen and bought two salads from the Ellinia potion shop. I'd never really enjoyed eating so-called "rabbit food" (as Ark had dryly called it once) but as my teeth went through the fresh vegetables with a crunch, I had to admit there was a kind of satisfying richness in the food.
Funny how ten-year olds can sometimes be blazingly intelligent at times.
-----
The silver moon was high over the town of Henesys, occasionally obscured by a small, dark cloud every so often.
Athena eyed it with mistrust as she was out on her walk. Something didn't rest well with her, again. There was a feeling of unease that rested in her veins, and it was the same feeling she'd had a few years ago.
She thought of Zeraion Phoenix. What on Bera could he be doing out there, a simple-minded thirteen-year old boy trying to control forces beyond his grasp? She shuddered and she thought of herself, when she'd tried to do the same things, it seemed, eons ago. She'd remembered the splitting pain, the blood from her wrists on the ground…
No, I can't think like that. She shook her head, her long copper-colored hair flowing behind her. He's not simple-minded, by any means. He has determination. He has everything I want our archers to be. She sighed, remembering his words.
Athena, I have listened to you. Every one of your words is in my heart. But I have made up my mind. I can't live with myself if I let Final Attack and the secret of mana burn pass me by, and I don't want to look back at the years I could have worked. I'm not afraid of the possible consequences. Please, give me the book, and I promise you I will work harder than any other student you've ever had. I won't let myself be weak and succumb like everyone else. I promise you I will master Final Attack.
She pulled back her right sleeve, gingerly, and felt the hard calluses and scars on her arms. It pained her to feel them, but she knew that they would be transferred to her student's arms soon enough, and that hurt her even more.
He will survive, she reassured herself, and then continued walking.
"Athena." A figure stepped out of the shadows, behind one of the fountainheads, bowing low to Athena. The moonlight illuminated his razor-sharp, raven-black hair and shone an eerie light reflecting off of his gold-colored Hinkel bow.
"Isentryx." she said in a low voice, neither yielding nor advancing to her student. "What brings you forth?"
"I have reached the seventieth level of my training, Athena." Isentryx said, his head still bowed towards Athena's feet. "I now humbly seek your guidance through the third stage of my journey towards becoming the greatest bowman ever."
"I see, so you wish to become a Ranger at last, Gault." Athena touched him lightly on the shoulder, and he rose. He stood slightly taller than her. "How many do your years number?"
"Seventeen."
"So you have come of age, both in a literal and figurative sense."
"So it would seem." Although Gault's dark eyes blended in perfectly with the darkness, there was an eerie glimmer from his pupils. "Have you any blessings or advice for me?"
"My sincerest congratulations to you." Athena responded in kind. "Your training has been the swiftest I have seen in my many years…No one has became a ranger at the young age of ten and seven before."
"There's a first time for everything." Gault said, somewhat dryly. It reminded Athena of another one of her determined students.
"Yes, well, in any case, Gault, your age is not going to get you any allowances." She sighed. "The path of a ranger is fraught with danger, sacrifice, and above all, absolute dedication to the art of archery. You cannot expect to simply lie back and become a bowmaster."
"I have experienced all of those things and more, Athena." Gault said, turning slightly away from his teacher. "I do not ask, nor do I wish for, an allowance in my training regime."
"Good." Her gaze hardened. "As a member of the third class, you must uphold the balance that has existed between our four classes for countless generations."
Surprisingly, Gault responded to this statement with a cruel, sardonic laugh. "Balance? Athena, with all due respect, there has not been a balance in our powers." He threw his arms above his head, and Athena could see a flash of crimson red on his sleeve, illuminated against the cool moonlight.
Before Athena could respond, he continued. "I have met warriors who have cleaved through the hardest of beasts with one stroke. I have met mages who have leveled mountains with a flick of the wrist. I have met rogues who have slaughtered a field of foes in less time than it takes to blink an eye."
He continued darkly. "The three other classes lord their powers over us. To put it simply, we are outnumbered. The cities of Perion, Ellinia, and Kerning have been increasing their territories by the day. They outnumber us at least five to one each. Their reputation and their power grow by day, and what are we? To them, we're just the little ones, the ones who play with our crude bows and sticks, the ones who live in a tiny village that could be run over at any moment!"
Athena's eyes flashed momentarily with anger at his words. "Gault, I assure you that Henesys would be extremely difficult to 'run over', not when we have a team of highly-trained support rangers and snipers experienced and famed the world over, ready to summon at a moment's notice."
"What of it?" he snapped. "Do you see the bowmen running free through the forest, the plains, the wastelands, doing as they please? Our society and race is being extinguished by the others. We can't live like this much longer!"
"If that is your opinion, Gault, then you are very shallow-minded indeed." Athena said, in a dark tone. She drew a scroll out of the pocket of her gown. "I had been intending to give you this since I first met you, but I only wish it could have been under happier circumstances." She handed the scroll, with a steeled face, to her student, who accepted it with a similar glare.
"Farewell, Athena." Gault gave a short bow and then disappeared into the black night.
"Farewell, Isentryx." Athena's eyes narrowed as she stared into the darkness that had once been her student. Her mind recalled the red on his sleeve. It had been blood, and she knew that it was not his.
She continued on her walk, quite resolutely, but her worries had not been relieved in any way, only supplemented with new issues to ponder.
-----
"Double Shot!" I roared, spearing the fire boar as it rushed towards me with two arrows of steel. It gave a cry as its flames extinguished and it slumped on the hard Perion ground. Unsheathing my sword, I hewed off its tusks, slipped them into my knapsack, then continued on my way.
I was on my thirty-fifth level of experience in the world of a bowman, newly clad in a light Legolier outfit. The blue pole-feather hat I wore on my head was certainly fashionable, but it did little to shield me from the blazing sun above the Perion horizon. Sweat continuously dripped into my face and obscured my vision.
Behind me, a flaming boar gave a grunt, and I had a second's warning before it charged at me. I deftly leaped out of the way, and drew an arrow as soon as I landed. "Arrow Blow!"
The shot struck the boar squarely in the head, but before it could strike I gathered my concentration and pulled back the bowstring again. "FINAL ATTACK!"
Out of thin air, a spectral, golden shaft of brilliant energy materialized between my fingers, and as I released the string, it flew with a satisfying thwing and struck the boar directly, exploding. The smell of burnt meat greeted me as I cut off the tusks again with my sword. There was still pain, but not as sharp or as swift has before.
"Damn it." I rubbed my throbbing arm for a minute before continuing. It was fortunate that my crimson-colored Legolier shirt came with long sleeves, or I would have had to endure a large host of questions from other people about my arms.
Ever since the inception of Final Attack in my training regimen, I had done nothing except train relentlessly on that one technique, attempting to focus the unstable mana that hung in the air every time I used magic to augment my shots.
As Athena had predicted, I was not immune to the ravages of that mysterious magic that I wished to control. The original scar I'd bore from my first attempt was long gone, but it had been replaced with several more wounds, each more grotesque and painful than the last. I ran my hand across the arm, cursing as I winced from the pain, but it was more my own feelings that hurt more than the actual wounds. I wished I could control Final Attack instantaneously and spare myself from this torture, but as I had promised Athena, there was no looking back, no respite from this continual hell.
Still, after five levels of concentrated work, I was able, to some extent, to control the rush of my attacks. After every shot, I could feel that mana flowing about me, ready to be harnessed. Yet, I still knew I had a long way to go- feeling the mana was one thing, and a big thing, but actually harnessing it was quite a different matter.
"Double Shot!" I roared, swinging around and killing another boar instantly. Another leapt out to take its place, but my eyes were already closed in preparation. My fingers flew instinctively to the bowstring as I gathered the mana, feeling it drift around me. I focused it to the tip of my fingers, I felt the arrow materialize. Now-
"COLD BEAM!"
Surprised, I lost concentration, and the mana burn that I'd harnessed came back with a furious recoil. A blast of tremendous pain shot up my left arm, and I swore loudly and clutched at my singed limb. The torrid smell of burnt flesh lingered in the air.
"Oh, sorry." A sassy, sarcastic voice, probably female, came into my ears. "Was that your kill? I'm really-" Suddenly, a face swam into view. "Holy shit, is that your arm? Oh my god, what the hell happened to you?"
I blinked. A female ice wizard was staring at me from above, her long blonde hair drifting down and grazing my shoulders. Slowly, I managed to sit up, my right hand clutched around my arm. The initial pain was gone, although my heart still pounded from the shock and it felt like my arm was on fire.
"Dammit, I'm not a cleric." she muttered. "You're going to need some help right away, though." She drew something from her pack, and I could see it was a long roll of white bandage. She unwound the fabric around my arm. Although it stung, it was soothingly helpful, in a way.
"Really sorry, by the way." she said as she worked. "Didn't see you there…what the hell were you doing, anyway? I saw your arm explode back there…Really creepy, if you ask me." She shook her head and continued to bandage my arm up.
I tried to speak, but my mouth was glued shut, partly from the dry environment, partly from the pain, but also because the girl standing above me was…very beautiful.
"Whass yeur nayme?"
"Excuse me?" she said, eyeing me curiously.
"What's your name?" I managed to speak, my throat smarting.
"Grace." she said shortly. "Yours?"
"Zeraion Phoenix."
"You have two first names?"
"Yeah, I know."
"Well, just Phoenix will do for now." She stepped back to admire her handiwork; my arm no longer stung, although it felt tight and stiff. "That should hold, at least until we can get you to a healer." She grabbed my good arm. "Come on, I'll walk you to Perion. You can get some help there."
"Thanks." I murmured, as she pulled me up. "Umm…" I hesistated, not knowing how to phrase what I wanted to say next.
"What?"
"You're…kinda cute."
I heard the noise of flesh hitting flesh, and next thing I knew, I was on the ground, staring up at Grace, laying very painfully on my bad arm, and with a throbbing cheek to boot.
"Call me cute one more time, stupid hunter, and I'll kick your ass." she growled, pulling me up from the ground again.
After we reached Perion, she left me at the potion shop in the care of Sophia, and excused herself. I could see that her cheeks were a shade of red as she took her leave. I didn't know if I would ever see her again, but for the moment, I didn't care, simply content to lie in bed and wait, wondering when I would be able to practice Final Attack some more.
-----
I did not return from training until sunset. It was a long walk to Ellinia, so I paid the taxi fare and soon found myself in front of my doorstep in the familiar tree-house. However, before I could go home, I went round to the Ellinia potion shop and ordered two salads and two bottles of water. Then I went home with my food.
Ascion was waiting for me at the door when I rang the doorbell, since my bad arm was in a sling and I couldn't open the door.
"Zer, what happened to your arm?" he asked anxiously.
"It's nothing. It'll set up overnight." I set the food on the table. "Come on. Let's have a bite to eat. I'm starving."
We ate together, and I felt a bit odd at the time, a thirteen-and-a-half year old sharing a meal with his eleven-year old brother. I felt like there was supposed to be a mother and a father eating with us, or at least some kind of guardian. It made me feel sort of happy, since it showed an independence of spirit, but at the same time it made me feel a bit sullen.
"Hey, Zer." Ascion mumbled, his mouth full of lettuce and tomato. He swallowed and pointed to the nearby table. "Ark sent something. It was addressed to you, though, so I didn't open it."
"Really?" I mused. Darn it, my little brother was acting so much more like the responsible one around here. Stupid magician genes. I painfully got up and picked up the package. Not knowing what else to do, I ripped the seal off with my teeth. A whole load of books fell to the floor, burying my foot underneath.
"Ow! Son of a-" I grit my teeth, remembering that Ascion was in the room, and picked up the note that had fallen along with the books.
Hey, Zer.
I'm really sorry for sending Ascion to you on such short notice, but for reasons I can't explain, I won't be able to take care of him for a while. Don't worry about me. Nothing's bad happened.
I want you to keep up your education while you're out in Ellinia, so I sent some light reading along. Have fun. I know it'll help you some day.
Love, Ark
"Light reading, my ass." I muttered in a low voice, eyeing my throbbing foot. I picked up a book.
Advanced Mathematics, Volume 1
What the hell? I picked up another book.
Life Sciences and Mana Studies, Book I
"What'd Ark send?" Ascion asked, getting up. He eyed the books. "Advanced math? Mana studies? Yippee!" He immediately sorted through the books, plopped himself on the couch and began to read.
Still nursing my throbbing foot, I sighed. "Oh, so all these are for you."
"No, they're for you, too." Ascion giggled. "The fairy said it was for both of us."
"Are you freaking kidding?" I yelled. "I'm a bowman! What am I ever gonna need with-" I picked up a book. "Advanced Trigonometry and Calculus? Come on!"
"Well, Ark said it'd be useful someday." Ascion curled his legs as he continued to read. "And he's always right."
"Give me a break." I sighed, but I picked up one of the tomes and flipped through it.
"Zer, if this stuff bores you, try geometrical constructions." Ascion said calmly.
"What are those?"
"Really fun, that's what. Using only a compass and straightedge, you attempt to construct as many geometrical figures as you can. It's a great mental exercise." He smiled. "After that, you should try some trig, and then after that you might do a little bit of calculus-"
I glared at him.
"Or maybe some logic." he muttered, his gaze shifting back to his book.
I sighed, but I went out and purchased a compass and a straightedge, got a pencil, propped The Encyclopedia of Geometric Constructions and Applications, Volume 1 in front of me, and began to work.
-----
Athena Pierce received two letters that day. Both were from two of her students.
She stroked the haft of her golden dragon bow, thoughtfully. It had been specially made for her eons ago, by a master craftsman. Only three Dragon Shinebows existed in the world, and two of them were lost in the depths of Victoria Island, guarded by the monolith Zakum.
Using her practiced hands, she slid her finger across the seal of the first envelope and burned it open. She drew the note out and read it.
Master,
I thought you would like to know that I am eighteen years of age this day. I wish you well. I have reached my nintieth level of training and I ask you for a favor that I hope will not be too presumptuous.
I would like to request permission from you and the other masters of Victoria to travel to Ossyria Dungeon and wage a battle against the monolith, Zakum. This creature has many treasures in its possession, including several highly-prized weapons that the bowmasters of old once wielded.
Do not fear for my safety. I have trained as your student for seven years, and I trust your judgment of my abilities. Even so, I will be going with several experienced companions if it so pleases you.
With all respect, I await your answer in seven days' time.
Your student,
Gault Isentryx
She sighed as she read the letter. She didn't fear for Gault's safety or his abilities. What she did fear was the extent of his powers. There was no getting around the fact that he had advanced the farthest in the shortest time, out of any of the students that she'd had. But whether she could chalk it up to his determination or some other factors, she didn't know.
The forced conversation that she'd had with Gault a year ago still lingered faintly in her mind. There had been a kind of force, a kind of…spirit? It was difficult to describe. She also remembered the blood that had not been his.
Could he…A jolt of horror shot through her body at once. There could be several different explanations for this phenomenon, all of them worse than the last, but the last, most horrible possibility rested in the back of her mind. She dearly hoped that her prediction would be wrong, but she could not doubt herself at a time like this.
Listlessly, she picked up the second letter and slit it open, then shook its contents upon the desk. She picked up the piece of parchment and read it.
Master,
I thought you would like to know that I am now fourteen years of age, and I wish you well. I am proud to tell you that I have reached my forty-third level of training this day and I beg of you a favor, which I hope you will not think too absurd.
I have done as I promised you and worked as hard as I could have on the mysteries of mana burn and Final Attack. While I have made some progress in the controlling and usage of this technique, I fear it is still inadequate. Only recently, a few months ago, I was involved in a serious accident and nearly lost the use of my left arm. Truly, I understand the gravity of your words those years ago, which is why I request your help now more than ever.
If it is not too much of an impediment on your schedule, I humbly ask that you allow me to train with you for an undetermined period of time, at least until I can master the intricacies of Final Attack. I have not strayed from my ultimate goal of becoming a bowmaster.
With all due respect, I await your answer.
Your student,
Zeraion Phoenix
So, he was on his fortieth level of training. Good news, indeed, and it was a small ray of light on her shadowed thoughts. She rubbed her arms once more and shuddered to think what pains had befallen her student.
Of course, it would be a tight squeeze to instruct him, but he was the most promising, intelligent and dedicated student she'd ever had, after Isentryx. Besides, not that she doubted his abilities, but he would probably kill himself with proper instruction.
Gault Isentryx and Zeraion Phoenix. Both so different…Gault was the serious, dark one with raven black hair and Phoenix was the sweet but determined one with blonde hair, and Gault was a few years older than Phoenix…but still, Athena noticed, comparing both letters in front of her, they were so similar, at the same time. She could only wonder what would happen if they met.
She rolled up her sleeves, taking a dark glance at her scarred arms, and then took up a quill pen and proceeded to write replies to both of her students.
-----
There was a vicious blizzard in El Nath that night. Snow pelted against the windows of the buildings, barely illuminated by the lights inside. The cold wind and the frozen shards of ice were a deathtrap to anyone who dared to venture out, but Gault Isentryx didn't care.
"Inferno." he whispered, his breath barely visible in the roaring wind. A blazing flame appeared on his palm and he held it aloft, like a lantern in the clouds. The people behind him tramped on, reluctantly following alongside him.
"Isentryx, we can't go on." one of his companions said. He was a ranger as well, about the same level as Gault, although he looked about twenty years older than his party leader. "We'll have to spend the night in Nath. It's suicide to go out, in this kind of weather, no matter what kind of armors or comforts we've got."
"I agree." Another person, a priest, spoke up. "It's hell out here and we won't be able to take on that bloody statue if we don't get a good night's rest."
"I wasn't asking your damned opinion, Gardner." Gault spat at the older ranger. "We've got to press on. The altar can only be activated for a short period of time, and I'll be a Lupin's butt if I have to stop here after all this…"
The older ranger, Rathias Gardner, paused. He had dark amber hair, tied in a ponytail, and a light stubble on his chin. He was the analytical type and would have passed for a mage if not for his muscles. "Isentryx, get some sense into yourself. Even with all of us, it's not going to do any good if we fall asleep right on the hearth of Zakum's altar. We can't risk it."
"We can risk it and we will!" Gault roared. He looked as though he would have liked to shoot Gardner in the head for a second. "I've been waiting for this for years." There was a maniacal glint in his eye that could be seen even through the whirling blizzard and wind. "I won't let this stop me, and certainly not by a group of kids!" The irony in this statement hung in the frozen air for a dark minute, as Gault was the youngest one in the group.
"This is bull." the priest spat. He was the only one in the group that didn't have a bow or crossbow hitched over his or her shoulder and he had been picked by Gault only for his healing abilities and nothing more. "I'm not going on for all this…"
The blizzard was warmer than Gault's stare. "I suppose you want to turn back now, don't you, Luc?"
"Yeah, I guess I will. You guys go on to hell if that's what you want." The priest turned on his heel and began to walk away. The rest of the rangers and snipers shrugged and walked on forth. He'd come back. He couldn't survive alone in this blizzard.
However, Gault stayed behind. Unseen by anyone, masked by the wind and the snow, he had drawn his Dark Arund, glittering with evil energy. He raised it to his shoulder, and dashed quietly until he was right behind the priest.
"After you, Luc." Gault whispered in the priest's ear.
It was the last thing he ever heard before Gault thought to himself, "Mortal Blow."
The priest fell, his body hitting the now-crimson snow without a sound, and Gault turned away. He knew the blizzard winds would cover the body in a snowdrift.
"Sorry." He returned to the head of the group. "I had to go check on something."
Gardner's eyes narrowed. "Where's Lucian?"
"I assume he chickened out and went back to town." Gault shrugged. "It doesn't matter. We have plenty of elixirs and unguents anyway. We can go on."
"Are we resting or not?" Gardner demanded, eyeing his younger counterpart with an icy stare.
Gault returned Gardner's cobalt glare with an icy glance of his own. "No, Rathias. Now shut the bloody hell up and keep walking."
For the slightest of seconds, Gardner's sharp hawk-like eyes caught the tiniest drop of crimson on the sleeve of Gault's robe, but the blizzard winds obscured Gault in a sudden storm of white for a second, and he dismissed the matter without a second thought.
-----
Far off, in the village of Henesys, the weather was completely different. The sun was shining brightly and a fair breeze was gently rustling the leaves on the trees.
Zeraion Phoenix took no notice of this. He could have cared less whether he was walking through a heat wave, a monsoon, a tornado, or an earthquake. All that mattered was his objective: to meet his master and continue the second stage of his training in earnest. He'd left his younger brother, Ascion Blade, in the care of the kind Ellinia fairies and magicians while he worked on his dream of becoming a cleric.
A few people who'd recognized him waved a hand in greeting, but he barely noticed them. He pulled the sleeves of his Piette dress shirt further down his wrists, fingered his Maple Soul Searcher briefly, and continued on, through Mushroom Park and towards Athena Pierce's residence.
Athena barely heard the door open and she was shocked to see him slowly ease himself in. He looked so much different…it seemed like he'd aged ten years in thirteen levels. She noticed that his left arm drooped lazily, something that definitely shouldn't have been present in a bowman of his caliber.
"Phoenix." she murmured.
"Yes, Athena." he responded. There was no emotion in his voice.
"I received your letter." she said, not knowing what else to say to him. How could she tell him about the injuries that he'd done himself, that there was a chance that he might never be able to pick up a bow again?
"Yes. I received your reply and I arrived post-haste." He flexed the string of his orange Maple Soul Searcher.
"Is anything pressing you?" she asked, gently.
"Nothing of extreme importance." Phoenix responded.
"Phoenix, listen to me." The sharpness of her voice caught him off guard. "I have not been training my students for countless years to know when they are distressed, and I assure you, that will not help you achieve your goal." Phoenix looked somewhat abashed, and she said in a softer tone, "So tell me, what troubles you?"
He fidgeted with his bow a little before saying, "I met a girl a few months ago."
"Is that it?" Athena laughed. "So you're feeling all downcast because of a girl?"
"Well-" Phoenix stammered. "She saved my life!"
"Ah, well that puts it all in a different light, then." Athena calmly tapped her fingers against the wood of her desk. "Do you know who she is?"
"Her name's Grace, and she's an ice wizard. That's all I know about her."
"Well, I would advise you to put your mind elsewhere. You cannot master Final Attack by thinking about the opposite sex."
Phoenix tilted his head sheepishly. "Yes, Athena."
"Anything else? If not, we can proceed." Athena brought out her Dragon Shinebow and flexed it as well.
"Well…there was this hunter I met some while ago too."
"And?"
"He was…strong. I owe him a lot."
"Really?" She examined him for a bit. "What was he like?"
"Raven hair and dark eyes, that sometimes glitter with a strange light."
Something caught Athena's heart. Could Phoenix be talking about…
"He said his name was Gault Isentryx."
Athena sat in stunned silence for a bit, but her thoughts were quickly disordered again by Phoenix's words.
"He told me about something. He said the archers were outpowered by the rest of the classes. He told me there was going to be…a revolt." He shook his head darkly. "A revolt of the archers."
While Athena pondered the meaning of Gault's enigmatic words, Phoenix continued. "And…and he told me to find him as soon as I became level fifty. That's all."
"I see." She stared down at her desk, her mind besieged with relentless questions. So Phoenix and Gault had been in contact before. It was a mysterious coincidence, and she was happy to put it out of her mind, but what about Gault's words? This wasn't the first time he had complained about the archers being overpowered by the rest of the classes, but this whole revolt thing sounded ominous. Knowing the prowess of Gault's abilities, she did not believe any good would come out of his plans.
"Well, do you have any more to say?"
"N-no, Phoenix." She looked him over, and it suddenly came to her.
His letter. Zakum.
Her heart twinged.
The Dragon Shinebows. The mark of the bowmasters.
If Gault was really after the Dragon Shinebows, there could be no doubt that they had something to do with this "revolt" he was planning. There was no way that he could salvage such a powerful artifact and leave its powers alone.
Athena knew suddenly, in her heart, in that exact frame of time, that somehow, Zeraion Phoenix and Gault Isentryx would meet, and they would have to duel each other. It was a totally unfounded thought, but it was one of those premonitions that bursts upon you without warning, and somehow, you know, no matter how much you want it to be a trick of the mind, it is going to happen, whether you like it or not.
"Zeraion." She set her hand on his. "There is something I should tell you, and I am afraid it will change your life forever, whether you want it to or not."
"What is it, Master?" He could sense the urgency in her voice.
"Do you remember our previous meeting, when I told you about how difficult Final Attack was to master?"
"Yes. What of it?"
"It is imperative that you train with me now, because I must now compress years and years of pain, torture and knowledge into a span of seven levels. You see, Final Attack is not an easy thing to master. Those who have weak minds will find themselves consumed and destroyed by the mana burn. Only those who are truly dedicated to reach their goal can hope to master it." She nodded at her student.
"Yes, I know that." Phoenix shot a glance at his arm. "Believe me, Master, I understand the seriousness of your words."
"Yes, Phoenix, but what I am about to tell you is even more serious. I understated the gravity of my statements before. Only three people in the entire history of Bera have truly mastered the art of the bowman's Final Attack- that is to say, they can unleash it at will without fear of recoil. One of them is me. The second is a man called Rathias Gardner."
"I see." Phoenix felt a weight settle in his chest as he realized he would have to endure a nearly unbearable amount of torture in the years to come, under Athena's guidance.
"The third being who has mastered the art of Final Attack…" Athena swallowed, then continued. "…is Gault Isentryx."
Phoenix nearly fell out of his chair. "What?! That's impossible! He's only sixteen! How-"
"He is eighteen today." Athena cut short his stammering with a wave of her hand. "But that is irrelevant. You should know that he mastered the technique by the age of fifteen."
"Holy sh-" Phoenix bit his tongue before he used a word he knew he would regret.
"I understand your amazement." Athena said. She stood up and strung her bow. "But I must share some ominous news with you. Gault Isentryx recently took leave for Ossyria. He is on his way to Zakum Altar as we speak."
"Zakum Altar?" Phoenix stared. He could not believe that the same person who had helped him use a bow, the same person who had chased off that mage for him at Pig Beach, was a potential bowmaster and was heading off to the most dangerous place in all Bera.
"Yes. Zakum guards many treasures, one of which is this bow." She held out the Dragon Shinebow to him. "This bow contains the ancient spirit of my ancestors. Only three were ever made in the history of Bera, and their power is not to be taken lightly." She sighed. "The Dragon Shinebow would be dangerous enough in the hands of any evil-doer, but in the hands of someone who has mastered the art of mana burn…" She clasped her hand tighter around her student's. "The Dragon Shinebow uses an extremely large amount of mana to sustain its power. As a result, the mana burn generated is intensely powerful. If that power were to be harnessed…"
Phoenix saw Athena slump slightly, and he continued her sentence. "Isentryx could single-handedly destroy the balance between the four classes."
"Yes, and the world soon after." She sighed. "There is always the hope that he could use the Shinebow for good, and I sincerely hope that this is correct, but I cannot place too much faith in this theory. So, we must prepare for the worst possible scenario."
"This means I will have to master Final Attack as soon as possible." Phoenix said, hollowly.
"Yes, it does." She let go her hold on Phoenix's hand. "And it also means that someday, you may have to come face-to-face with Isentryx in a battle. You cannot underestimate his power. He can only grow stronger in the years to come."
"This is like a fairy tale where the hero is part of a prophecy to save the world." Zeraion murmured.
"No." Athena shook her head. "I think we can chalk this up to extremely unfortunate coincidence that you took an interest in Final Attack as Isentryx's powers were nearing their peak."
"There's no turning back, is there?" Zeraion stared up into Athena's eyes.
"No, Phoenix. There isn't." Athena straightened up and slid the Dragon Shinebow into her quiver. "Come along. We haven't a second to waste."
-----
"Focus your power!" Athena yelled at me. "Double Shot!" She drew back the string of her dragon bow and released, her arrows punching massive craters in the ground. She then closed her eyes and I could actually see the energy gathering around her. "Final Attack!"
The energy around her seemed to fuse and fly out of her bow. It assumed the shape of a massive dragon and flew through the air for a second before landing with a massive explosion. The crater it left behind had completely swallowed up the other two that she'd made with Double Shot. I remembered the legends about killing a dozen Balrogs at once, and now that I had seen it, I could truly believe it.
I brought my Maple Soul Searcher up to my shoulder. It was a welcome change after using Ark's Ryden for thirteen levels straight, and it possessed much more flexibility and power than its yellow-green counterpart. I scrolled it myself, with weak scrolls, but it now possessed an attack rating of 65 points, 8 more than Ark's Ryden. I hoped it would be enough to allow me to master Final Attack.
I closed my eyes. "Soul Arrow!" I could feel the mana around me moving into my fingers, ready to summon spectral projectiles at a moment's notice. I drew back the string of the Soul Searcher and concentrated the mana through my fingers, feeling the arrow materialize.
"Arrow Blow!"
The arrow shot forth from my fingertips with a blast and a flash of blue light. Immediately, I felt the magic flow through the air and I concentrated hard, blocking out all other thought. I felt the unstable mana gather itself at my palm and I drew back the bowstring again.
"Final Attack!"
The spectral arrow left my hand with a rush and a blast of vicious heat, but I managed to keep my grip on the Soul Searcher as the arrow flew through the air and landed with a bang, creating a small explosion of its own and leaving a crater, though not nearly as large as Athena's.
She nodded. "You seem to have the general idea of it, but you need to exert more control over the magic. Remember that it is unstable and it will destroy you if you let it out of your grasp. Focus!"
"Yes, Master." I said. My hand was still hot with the heat from the attack. I wiped the sweat off of my forehead and drew the bow to my shoulder again, gathered the magic for my attack again.
"Arrow Blow!"
The arrow flew through the air and hit the ground with a bang, but I could have cared less about where it went. I was only focusing on the leftover, unstable magic around me, and I seized it with my mind. It is hard to describe the sensation of using Final Attack; a virtual tug-of-war with the unstable energy, trying to focus your mind and control it, as opposed to it revenging itself upon you.
I was ready to release, but I suddenly let my mind falter for a split second. It was the slighest fraction of a second, but it was enough. With a vicious roar, the mana freed itself from my mental grasp, as I struggled to recapture it.
I released the arrow and at the same time felt it sear my right wrist up to the palm. I bit my tongue and tried not to cry out from the pain, as the arrow feebly soared a few meters and landed with a small explosion.
"I told you to concentrate!" Athena rounded on me, her eyes blazing with fury. She showed me no pity, despite there being a vicious sear mark on my palm that I was frantically licking at, to ease the pain.
But at the same time, I knew there was going to be no pity. Isentryx was after the Dragon Shinebow as I struggled with the pain, and my only hope could be absolute mastery of Final Attack if I was to face against him. I nodded. "Yes, Master. I am sorry." I hitched the bow up to my shoulder yet again and closed my eyes, this time concentrating harder than I had ever done before. I almost thought my head was going to explode.
"Arrow Blow…FINAL ATTACK!"
It was a perfect shot. The arrow left my hand, going perfectly. Instead of burning me, it left a warm, satisfying feeling that resonated throughout my body. I watched with grim satisfaction as the arrow lanced the ground and exploded, leaving a crater about ten yards in diameter.
"Good job, Phoenix." Athena nodded. "I think that's enough for today. You're well enough as it is, and I don't think you have to overtax yourself."
"Thank you, Master." I bowed as respectfully as I could, despite the aching in my arms, and left the archery range. I paid the Ellinia fare for the taxi and was soon among those beautiful forests again. Somewhat painfully, I climbed the large tree trunks, picked up the usual meal of salad for Ascion and myself, and opened the door to my house.
"Zer!" Ascion ran into my arms and I nearly dropped the salad, while the caretaker for the day, a young wizard, about level 50, watched with amusement.
"I hope he wasn't any trouble." I muttered to her.
"No, it was great." she smiled. "He's really smart, you know. I can't believe he knows so much about mana studies for his age…"
"Yeah." I nodded. "Little freak."
Suddenly, I recognized that blonde hair and that sassy voice, and this time I really did drop the salad in amazement.
"Grace!" I stuttered.
"Phoenix!" she gasped, equally surprised. "You're-"
"Yeah, I'm already over getting my arm blown up." I sighed, attempting to salvage the remains of our meal. "What are you doing here?"
"Oh, some of the fairies were looking for someone to take care of someone's kid, and I accepted." She stared at me, then back at Ascion, and back at me again. "Aren't you a little young to have kids?"
"He's my brother!" I blurted out, crimson-faced.
"Ah." She chuckled. "Here, let me help you with that." She waved her staff and the salad returned itself to its bowls. "You might want to rinse that out before you eat it, though."
"So," I said hurriedly to her as I set the table, accidentally putting out an extra fork at each place, "you're level fifty now?"
"Fifty-two." she said unabashedly.
"Holy…" I sucked in my breath. "I'm only forty-three."
"Yeah, well I train a lot." Grace said simply. She glanced at the table. "You expecting company?" I turned and saw that I had accidentally set the table for three.
"Oh! Um..er…" I turned an ever deeper shade of crimson. "Well, no- I mean, I was wondering if you might want to-" Behind me, Ascion was giggling profusely, and I had a vicious urge to slap the daylights out of him.
She regarded me with that knowing look that all females have. "Sure, Phoenix."
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