"If I might remind you," Ignis says somewhat testily, "to please shout instructions and not simply my name. An 'on your left!' would be infinitely more helpful."
A chorus of "right" and "sorry" meets his ears.
"Now. Shall we continue?"
"Alright gentlemen, from the top," Aranea is their acting referee. "Go!"
They engage. Gladio's got them drilling combat forms again, practicing against each other. Ignis has his javelin out, the better to keep sharp, pointy things out of his personal space. It's not difficult sparring with Gladio and Prompto. He could have fought them blindfolded before losing his sight. Ravus and Luna, however…
"Time out!" Aranea calls. "Lucians, you're clustering again. Don't leave the prince on his own. Gods, what if he were Noctis?"
They collectively cringe.
"That's a bit below the belt," Ravus hedges, apparently hoping to smooth any ruffled feathers.
"No, she's right," Gladio agrees. "What're we doing wrong?"
"I'm not sure you guys hold all the blame." Ignis just catches her outline as she shifts all her weight to one leg. "Ravus, you're acting like you're a ranged fighter when you've got a broadsword. You should be up front with Gladio. Prompto's got everyone covered from behind, and there's nothing' wrong with Ignis' aim either, though hell if I know how he does that."
Ignis smirks. "In my case, a moving target is easier to hit."
She eyes them for a moment longer. "Okay, let's try something different. Everybody's gonna take a turn facing off one-on-one with Ignis, and then with Ravus. Gladio, you and Ignis go first."
They square off. Ignis has his knives out this time. It's best to keep Gladio at short range where he'll have no room to swing his larger, two-handed weapons. They feint and block, and trade blows for only a few seconds before Aranea calls time.
"Okay, nothing wrong there. Prom, your turn."
It's harder matching Prompto shot for shot. He's only firing BBs, but Ignis would prefer not to get hit. This is another instance where distance is deadly. Ignis blocks with his javelin until he can dance close enough to corner Prompto with his knives.
"Not bad," Aranea offers an approving bit of applause. "Not easy to match lead with steel. Okay, Ignis take a breather. Ravus, Gladio, you're up."
Ignis can only trace their movements; squint after their bulky shadows as they dodge and dance around each other. Neither are going for blood, but even Ignis can see there's something off. Ravus isn't quite the seasoned veteran that the rest of them are. It isn't that he's unskilled, but his technique has too much of the classroom about it. He's expecting Gladio to stick to textbook forms, and he isn't. Consequently, Gladio soon knocks him on his ass.
"You're overthinking it," Aranea comments as Gladio offers Ravus a hand up. "This isn't a test. Forget the rule book and just react."
Ignis wonders if it has to do with being in a training arena? They have fought before on hunts with both Luna and Ravus without issue. Ignis isn't sure why Ravus seems to be somewhat off his game.
Prompto and Ravus square off and it's more of the same. As if to test that she's not imagining things, Aranea has Luna fight Gladio and then Prompto. If anything, Luna's had less combat experience than her brother, but she's not having any trouble giving as good as she gets.
"Okay. We're gonna settle this once and for all. Ravus, Ignis, go."
"You really think that's a good idea?" Prompto asks as Ravus and Ignis square off.
Gladio shrugs. "They'll settle their differences like gentlemen one way or another. Either they figure it out, or end up kissing. No matter what, it's a win-win."
Prompto stifles a snicker. "True."
Ravus hasn't got a full Armiger to pull from, so Ignis only has one weapon to contend with. Ravus' sword is long enough to merit two hands, but he only uses one. Ignis can't decide if that has to do with this prosthetic or not. They duck and dodge, evading more than trading actual blows. Ravus' efforts to hit him seem half-hearted at best.
"Ravus what are you doing?" Aranea demands. "This isn't a ballroom!"
"I… We…" he stammers and gestures pointedly at Ignis with a frustrated noise.
"What? You don't want to hit your visually-impaired crush?"
"I beg your pardon!" Ignis says, affronted. Yet that seems to be exactly the problem.
"I almost killed somebody last time!" Ravus bursts out. "I could not live with myself if I-"
"Dude," Prompto cuts him off. "Do you know how many times I clipped Gladio in training? Or how many times Iggy sliced himself cooking? You're only shit at magic 'cause you never got a chance to practice. Don't stress about it."
Ravus looks to the others as if expecting them to back him up, but everyone takes Prompto's side.
"Remember the time Noct fried me with a lightning spell?" Gladio recalls.
Prompto snickers. "Better you than me. Or the time he snagged Ignis' glasses with a fishing lure?"
"We've all made mistakes, had accidents, that's part of the process," Ignis says gently. "I know you would never intentionally harm any of us. Now then." He sinks down into a ready stance, knives poised, and drops his voice. "At the risk of seeming forward, let's see how long it takes you to put me on my back."
Ignis swears he can hear Ravus blush. Oddly enough, the remark seems to have given him the motivation he needed. Ravus certainly isn't holding back now. Ignis has to vault out of the way as the broadsword comes down. It's a big weapon, but Ravus is strong, making up for what would be a limitation of the size and weight of the sword. He wields it almost like a rapier, stabbing more than he slashes. It's a feint all on its own; anyone else would be forced to follow through in a given direction, but Ravus isn't.
"Five gil says they kiss," Gladio mutters.
"Ten says we have to separate them," Prompto adds.
"At this rate I'm gonna need the cold shower," Aranea agrees.
Their remarks go largely ignored, Ignis is too busy keeping Ravus at bay. So far he's stuck mostly with defense. Like Gladio and Prompto, Ravus is farm more dangerous when at a distance. Still, he handles his sword as easily as Ignis handles his knives. Letting him closer won't necessarily make things easier.
The force of Ravus' swing makes Ignis' arms shiver. It isn't easy to throw him back. Ravus stabs, Ignis flips back, already drawing his knives up to defend himself. He'll need to try to dodge close, past Ravus' long reach. Ignis twirls, leaps, and presses his forearm instead of the blade of his knife to Ravus' throat.
"Do you yield?"
"Do you?"
It takes Ignis a minute to realize that the butt of Ravus' sword is pushing into his middle.
"Best two out of three?"
Ignis blinks. Is Ravus smiling? Did he just see that? Surely not.
"Now that's what I'm talkin' bout!" Aranea shouts from the sidelines. Gladio, Prompto, and Luna offer enthusiastic applause.
"Nothin' wrong with your sword arm. Now we just gotta figure out the magic angle."
ooo
Like so many things, magic is simple in theory. Except Ravus doesn't really understand the theory. So far as Ignis can tell, Ravus has only had the most basic instruction, just enough to keep him from hurting himself or others. He can understand that Luna would have been the priority, and that Ravus' education, while important, was secondary to that of his sister. For the thousandth time, Ignis wishes they had the books he'd smuggled to Noctis as a child, or access to the Tenebrae library. It would at least be something to work from besides his own memory. Luna does her best to help, to demonstrate, but it's slow going.
"I don't think I'm cut out for this," Ravus says after a frustrating session. "I was never meant to wield magic."
"Nonsense," Ignis tells him, hoping to inspire comfort as well as confidence. "You're just new at it, that's all. It takes practice like anything else."
"I appreciate the vote of confidence, but truly, this isn't for me." Ravus stands to leave.
"We'll try again tomorrow," Luna says. "You'll feel better after a night's rest."
"Stop trying to placate me, both of you!" It isn't quite a snarl, but it's obvious his patience is at an end.
"Ravus…" Luna sounds hurt and confused. "Dearest, what's wrong?"
"Nothing. I only wish the two of you would stop trying to hone a skill I don't have."
"You've got the raw power," Ignis points out. "It's simply a matter of learning to direct it."
"And I have," Ravus insists. "Luna's learned to draw it from me. I'd much rather she make use of it. I don't want to cause more injury."
"Ravus, that was one time," Lunafreya huffs.
"It was one time too many. This is not an ability I wanted or asked for. If I could give it to you fully, I would."
Ignis can easily picture her shocked expression. It probably mirrors his own.
"What's brought this on?" She goes over to him. Pulling him down onto the bench, she strokes a hand over his hair. "Please, tell me."
"It's nothing."
"It isn't. What's wrong?"
Ravus sighs and rubs his face with both hands. "At the last tomb, I found an inscription there that I recognized."
"Recognized?" Luna echoes. "You mean you had seen the inscription before?"
Ravus nods. "I remember my tutor drilling the lines into my head in both Common and Old Sol, and then mother sending her packing for teaching me such nonsense."
"What was it?"
"Some ancient passage of common law. One of those things that's been on record for so long, it's obeyed by rote without thought or question."
Something niggles at the back of Ignis' memory. He thinks he might know where this is going.
"Are you going to tell us what this nonsense was?"
Ravus sighs and quotes: "Let no man be taught the art of magic, for fear he will become corrupted by its power."
Ignis doesn't need to see Luna blink. The slight jerk of her head says it all.
"Mother was right. That is utter nonsense. Who on Eos would make an edict like that and why?"
"Somnus Lucis Caelum," Ignis replies, having finally dragged the appropriate memory out of the recesses of his brain. "I seem to recall a plaque in the Citadel with a list of ancient decrees. At the time, I didn't pay much heed to it. If I had to guess, the law would have been to help solidify Somnus' power and to prevent a second Adagium."
Luna nods thoughtfully. "That would make sense. Only the Kings of Lucis and the Oracle have ever been able to wield magic. If only one son- presumably the heir to the Lucian throne- was ever taught to use that magic, it would reduce the risk of family infighting over the line of succession."
"Among other things," Ignis agrees.
"I won't be the cause of your downfall," Ravus vows. "I cannot risk harming you."
"Ravus." Luna's tone is fond, patient, and not a little exasperated. "You are the last man on Eos who would dream of abusing power. You're like to do more harm by remaining untrained than you would in learning to properly harness and utilize your gift. I trust you. We all do. Trust yourself."
Ravus' voice is uncharacteristically small. "I do not trust myself. My heart is traitorous and fickle. Too often I seek my own will instead of what is best for you. This is not a power I am fit to wield."
Luna hugs him, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Don't be so dramatic. If you truly feel that way, then by all means, lend me the bulk of your power. However, I want you to learn to use what you have left. Once upon a time there were male healers on Eos. Perhaps there ought to be again."
Ravus shudders. "And what if I do become corrupted?"
"Then I will purge your guilty conscience," Luna tells him, stretching to kiss his cheek. "I am not asking you to become a Summoner, or even to pull rabbites out of hats. I am asking you to learn enough control to protect yourself and others. That is all. Surely there is no harm in that?"
Ravus considers this and grudgingly nods. "I suppose not."
"There now." Ignis can feel the smile in her words. "You'll be fine. I believe in you."
"As do I," Ignis adds.
Perhaps it's his imagination, but he swears he can see Ravus smile.