Charley clenches his training hammer and prepares for battle. I hold my wooden sword out in front of me and shuffle in his direction. Charley plants his feet into the ground and takes up a strong, defensive stance. He holds his hammer out in front of him and readies himself.
I raise my sword above my head. The head of his hammer connects with the wood and throws it off course. Charley readjusts his hands on the hammer's shaft and counterattacks with a sweep. I step back and use my sword to swat the attack away.
Charley changes his stance and uses the extra momentum from my deflection to swing from above. I spin out of the way and swipe. The wood from the sword slams into the handle of his hammer as Charley uses it to protect himself from the blow. I kick the hammer out of Charley's hand, and he backs away.
He grabs the wooden training sword fastened to his belt and draws. Our weapons collide, and I engage him in a manner any knight would. He holds the sword in front of him and blocks all the attacks. I let him deflect one of my swings, and he goes on the offensive.
We cross our swords, and I intentionally lock our weapons up in a test of strength. Charley manipulates the weight of my sword and uses my stance as leverage to push me into a striking position. He hits my stomach, spins behind me and strikes my back.
"Well done Charley." I say as I put my training sword up.
"Something tells me you let me do that." He replies.
"A mentor must be willing to accept occasional failure so that his pupil can succeed."
Charley puts his hand on his chest and tries to slow his breathing. His heart is beating so fast that it sounds like it's going to blow out his chest. The thrill from the training combined with the joy of knowing that he can properly protect himself against moderately skilled knights has sent him into a frenzy. He should be ready for anything in the upcoming mock battle tomorrow.
I pick up a wooden stick and look for a soft patch of dirt, "Charley?"
"Yes Artorias?"
"I think it's time we have a little talk."
I point to a small clearing that has some dirt that can be drawn in. Charley finds a place he can sit down and folds his legs in, "You have my attention."
I draw four symbols that represent the four virtues of what it takes to be a man.
"Temperance is the virtue of self-restraint. Not lashing out at others from one's own ill will. Fortitude is having courage in times of desperation. Justice isn't always about delivering adjudication, but knowing when to accept judgement as well. Wisdom is the final virtue, yet the most important. It consists of the knowledge gained from failure."
"How is this different from what is taught at Garreg Mach?" Charley asks.
"The professors at Garreg Mach are responsible for creating knights capable of carrying out orders. Some try to instill values into their students, but because of teenager's internal fascination with war and bloodshed, students tend to forget these morals and act upon their desires."
"Then what makes me so different from all the other students?" Charley asks.
"Finish this phrase for me, 'a wise warrior never looks for war…'"
"'But must always be ready for it.'"
I point the stick at him, "That is why you are my pupil."
"Is it because I was the only one that finished the phrase?"
"That's one theory, but I have noticed that you don't go around looking for fights when you learn a new technique. Nor do you promote your skill for admiration."
"You're always saying stuff about how it could end up in the wrong hands. I think I understand now. You believe your methods should only belong to those responsible enough to use it." Charley states as he studies the structure of the four symbols.
"The techniques I have developed from Fodlan's system of the sword, and my upbringing can overcome any combative situation to this day. If my knowledge is passed down to the wrong person, and they teach it to the wrong group, the Leicester Alliance, Faerghus Kingdom, and Adrestian Empire would be in a constant state of war." I reply.
The sound of metal gears grinding against one another and distant rumbling catches my attention. I turn around and see a group of knights headed our away. Red, Adrestian flags whip in the wind within a circle of horses. In the middle of the convoy is a huge, metal carriage of blackened steel.
Charley and I give an acknowledging nod to the Adrestian knight approaching us. My horse Glitter, and Charley's white horse are hitched to the back of the carriage. They're not part of the main work force, so if I get bored, then I can ride off.
"Artorias, Empress Edelgard is seeking an audience with you and your apprentice." the knight says.
"Very good."
Charley stands up, and we follow him to the carriage's side. The knight knocks on the door. Metallic tumblers slide out of their locks, and the carriage opens up.
"Artorias, care to join me and lady Edelgard?" Hubert asks in his monotone voice.
A gust of fragrant wind blows out of the elegant looking room. Pots filled with jasmine and carnation pedals are scattered all over the place. Edelgard is sitting behind a desk in the back and writing on a piece of paper.
"Artorias! Charley! Please have a seat!" She says as she dunks her feather quill into a bottle of black ink.
"Edelgard and I were having a discussion about the future." Hubert says as the three of us sit down in front of her desk.
"What do you have so far?" I ask.
"Not much, but I've been using my experience as the emperor's daughter to build a foundation. For one, I want to do away with monarchs and establish a system where nobles receive their power from the people rather than birthright. I'm just not sure how to go about it." Edelgard says as she leans back in her chair and scratches her head.
I don't have the slightest idea how governments work. Nor do I know what a monarch is, but one thing I do know is people don't like being told what to do. That is, unless you give them a choice.
"Well, some of the isolated villages I'd been to had their own system of self-governing."
"Interesting. How did this system work?" Edelgard asks as she grabs her quill from the ink bottle.
"Keep in mind I traveled a lot, but with what I observed, the elders would come together and appoint a leader, a judge and a writer. The position depended on what they were responsible for. Writers often wrote the laws for the village to abide by. However, the elders, judge and leader had to agree that the law was just. Once they came to an agreement, the leader was responsible for enforcing the laws while the judge made sure the proper punishment was given if someone broke it."
"Could you repeat what you said about the agreement part?" Edelgard asks as she re-inks her quill.
"The writer wrote the laws, but the judge, leader, and elders had to come to an agreement for it to be put into place." I reply.
Edelgard dunks her quill several times, "to be…put…into…place…"
She opens the red book off to her side and flips through the blank pages. Each section is dedicated to a certain aspect of law, power, and life. She dries the ink and places the piece of paper into the law section. It must be a collection of ideas that she will sift through and refine before writing in the actual book. She's already taking the precautions and necessary steps to rebuilding Fodlan.
One question lingers in my mind though. What exactly are we going to do with the crest bearers and relics? Will they still have a place in society? Yes, we are going to be stripping them of their titles, but what about the ones that are going to put up a fight?
Now that I think about it, this coup d e-tat is going to escalate if gone about the wrong way. Once nobles realize they can't flaunt a relic and crest around, and that everyone is on equal terms, some aren't going to give up their luxurious lifestyle willingly.
"Hey Edelgard, I was thinking about the nobles."
"Yes?"
"What are we going to do if some try to resist? I mean, you can't force change unless someone is willing to accept it." I state.
"That's what I've been worried about. Hopefully when I am appointed the Emperor of Adrestia, my name alone will garner the respect of all the nobles in Fodlan. That's why I've tried to socialize and learn the structures of the other nations." She replies with a frustrated sigh.
"Well maybe you can put Hanneman's inventions to work in Adrestia first. Once people see that your country uses a system based on merit, Faerghus and Leister will notice that your system is superior. Therefore, you've united the Fodlan under your cause without violence." Charley says.
"But that might take too long! I know patience is key, but I don't have much time left!" Edelgard blurts out. She realizes what she said and quickly covers her mouth.
The carriage gets so quiet that I can hear the metal horse shoes pounding against the soft ground outside. Charley sits there in confusion as I think back to that day Edelgard and I were drinking tea together. We were just having a causal conversation about life, and what we planned on doing in the future. Deep down, I could tell she was hiding something, but I didn't want to ask because I believe timing is everything.
Edelgard clenches her fists and bites her bottom lip, "Meeting adjourned…I'll see you when we get to Grounder…" She quickly rushes off into her personal room and slams the door shut.
The springs of a mattress bend and flex as Edelgard flops on her bed. Her muffled sobs are absorbed by a pillow as she breaks down into tears. Charley quietly asks Hubert about what's going on, but he closes his eyes and sits there in his silent state.
"What did she mean?" Charley whispers to me.
"Nothing." I reply as I walk over to her door and knock, "Hey Edelgard, Charley and I are going to go on and ride out to Grounder."
There is no answer because the moment she opens her mouth, her voice is going to crack. I know she is mourning the losses she's endured, but Charley doesn't. If someone other than me and Hubert were to know that the Adrestian Empress was crying, she'd be made into a laughing stock.
"Excuse me gentlemen, could you come to a stop? Lady Edelgard has excused our guests." Hubert says to the commandeers up front.
The carriage stops moving, and a knock from the outside signals that it's safe to exit. Hubert lowers the door and Charley takes the steps down. I follow behind him, and we help the knight shut the carriage door.
Charley mounts his white horse as I seat myself in Glitter's saddle. We break off from the caravan and head in the direction of Grounder Field. I spur Glitter's side, and she accelerates into a slow trot.
We take the lead over the carriage and put some distance between us to give them the impression we are gone. Even though it would be impossible for them to hear us at this distance, I don't want to take that chance.
"So…What was that about back there?" Charley asks.
"As you noticed, Edelgard has white hair."
"Yeah?"
"It's because she has two crests."
"Two crests? How?" He gasps.
"It's because one was forcefully placed on her body. She was kidnapped and experimented on. With what I've seen in my travels, that's probably just the surface of her issues."
"Sick bastards." Charley scowls.
"When Edelgard said she didn't have much time left, it's because her life was drastically shortened. Her life was stolen by wicked people." I say.
Charley is speechless at the statement. That's why Edelgard and I get along so well is because both of us learned at a very young age how horrific life can really be. She was a victim evil unleashed its hatred against, and I've witnessed the traumatic states people are left in because of such atrocious acts.
However, what makes Edelgard a stronger person over me is she didn't have anyone during her suffering. When something was weighing on my mind, or when I was in pain, I had someone watching over me. Someone that loved me to the point that she would sacrifice her life to protect me. Edelgard had nothing other than her own willpower and love of life to propel her forward.
I pull back on the reins and Glitter slows down as we slowly approach the border of Adrestia. Up ahead are the hills that separate Garreg Mach from Grounder Field. Several scouts from both the church as well as the Adrestian empire keep watch over the road leading into the valley. On the west side is the campsite for the Blue Lions. To the south is where the Black Eagles are positioned, and to the very north of the field is where the Golden Deer will be posted.
Somewhere on Grounder Field itself will be where Rhea, Seteth, their advisors as well as the Serios knights will be. Since Charley is part of Edelgard's house, he will have to bunk with the black eagles for the night. For me, I am supposed to bunk in the middle with Rhea and the church staff, but instead, I'll take my stuff and set up outside to the east.
The knights standing guard outside notify the messengers. The young boys take off towards the middle to relay that me and Charley have arrived. Sounds of training weapons scraping across one travel through the camp. Fireballs, jets of water, jagged boulders, and gusts of razor wind obliterate the wooden dummies within some makeshift trenches.
We get off our horses and hitch them to the post at the entrance of the campsite. Charley and I make our way up through the middle where the main fire is. Caspar runs a sharp knife down a piece of wood and shapes the tip into a makeshift skewer. Dorothea is sitting beside him with a burlap sack. She reaches in and pulls out a couple vegetables and some salt. Sitting across from her is a male student reading a book on black magic.
Hanneman is walking back and forth with a piece of paper and giving out orders on who is bunking with who, and what everyone's responsibility is for the night. Charley takes a seat by the boy reading the book.
"I'm going to go collect my stuff for the night." I say.
"Alright. I'll tell you where I'll be staying when you get back." Charley replies.
I make my way through the droves of students swarming the multiple pathways that snake through the black eagles campsite. If this is what one campsite looks like, then the other two have to have just as many, if not more students. How exactly do they plan on fitting all these kids in a small valley?
With the several scenarios I've seen during my time at Garreg Mach, it was mainly the house leaders, and their elites battling it out. However, there wasn't this many students participating in the past. Maybe Rhea actually intends to reenact this massive, set piece battle this time. If so, it's going to be a very long day tomorrow.
I reach the edge of the black eagles camp and step onto the patch of land that separates one site from the other. On the ridge to my left are blue banners waving the Faerghus flag. Up ahead is the Serios campsite, and beyond that is where the Leicester house is positioned.
I look for anything that might help Edelgard's house out, but there isn't much. In the middle is a stone foundation where a ballista tower or catapult used to set a long time ago, but it's nothing but a heap of broken wood and rock now.
I don't care much about Fodlan's history, but I understand why Adrestia lost this battle. There were just too many odds working against them. Bad entrance, bad positioning, and being overly exposed. Every year I've been at Garreg Mach, the black eagles have never won this mock battle.
Over those years however, I have seen all but one play, and I do think it maybe the key to success. There is a gulley that separates Leicester from the valley. I don't wonder too far because someone will get the impression that I am scouting, and anyone will look for a reason for a disqualification.
Judging from where I am, the gulley is not that deep, and there is a creek that runs through. It doesn't look shallow, but it isn't deep either. It should be enough to hide under if one completely submerges themselves underneath the water. All I can do now is relay this information to Charley. Once he sees what I'm talking about, he'll know what to do.
I approach the quartermaster at the Serios campsite, "Artorias. I need my bedding, a couple logs, and a shovel."
The quartermaster gets up and heads into the supplies tent. He comes back out with a pillow, some bedding, a couple logs, and a shovel. They are expecting me to bunk with someone. Which if it was who it was last year, I'd rather sleep naked in the coldest part of Fodlan.
"If anyone asks, I'll be up by that tree to the east. Unless it's Catherine. Then I went for a walk."
"Nobody other than Rhea and Seteth will know where you are at." The quartermaster replies.
I throw the shovel of my shoulder and head back to the black eagles campsite. Charley and the boy he was sitting next to are having a casual conversation about their training, and what they are expected to do tomorrow.
Charley looks in my direction and points, "That's my mentor I was telling you about. Artorias, this is Fletcher, and the both of us have been assigned to the same squad."
"Under who?" I ask.
"Hubert. He's our captain." Fletcher replies.
"We're also bunking together. So we have been trying to establish some kind of relationship before tomorrow's big battle." Charley states.
"Where are you staying?"
"I'll show you." Fletcher says as he stands up.
I follow Charley and Fletcher to the west end of the camp, "Right here." Fletcher states as he points to the third tent on the left.
"Alright. Well I'll be staying up there by that tree to the east if you need me." I reply.
"You're more than welcome to stay with us if you want." Fletcher says.
"Nah, it's okay. If anyone saw me in the tent with the black eagle students, they might accuse me of giving you information."
"Oh yeah. I forgot about your specialty." Charley says.
"Before I go."
"Yes?"
"The creek." I state.
A confused look comes over Charley's face as he dwells on my statement. When tomorrow comes, he'll know what to do when he sees it. If Charley can successfully use what I taught him, then they might be able to gain an upper hand. It won't be enough to win the battle, but it will level the playing field.
I make my way up the hill and sit down underneath the tree. The shade from the leaves above, and the occasional cool breeze helps relieve the heat of the afternoon. I plant the tip of the shovel into the ground and press down.
The metal cleaves through the soft dirt as I pitch it off to the side and carve out a pit, and some air holes. Even though we have knights constantly patrolling the perimeter, it gives me peace of mind knowing that my presence is still concealed.
I tunnel through the dirt and connect the airholes to the main fire pit to help combat smoke output. It won't be entirely smokeless, but it will make it much harder to see and detect from a distance.
I gather some twigs and toss them into the main pit. An orange ball of mana seeps out of my palm and slithers up my hand. A cone of fire streams out of my index finger and engulfs the dry sticks. I carefully sit a couple logs into the pit and scorch the bark. The small flames from the twigs slowly climb up and burns itself into the blackened wood.
This should be enough to get me through the night. I roll out my bedding and sit down. Now that there's nobody around, it's time to do a little more studying. I pull out the black book by CEK and flip around. Two words I've been noticing a lot here lately is Nabeteans and Agarthans. From my understanding, these two groups of people used to live together a long time ago.
The context of the book makes it seem like the author of this book was an Agarthan since it has a lot of entries talking about forbidden spells and rituals Serios found abominable. There's also the violent depictions of people killing dragons just for the sole purpose of making weapons and creating crests.
The word spider-bite blood mark catches my attention, and I flip back a page. There is an image of a man carving a spider like creature into his hand with a chisel. The next drawing is the man drawing blood which causes the self-inflicted scar to glow black.
There isn't any more images that give a demonstration when this power is used. The fact that I never heard of this must mean it's really powerful, very rare, or extremely dangerous. The next couple of pages consist of more markings and how to carve them into yourself. The ones that stick out the most are spider-bite, blood wing, and devil's mouth.
What's the worst that could happen? I flip to the page describing the spider bite mark and examine the details of the carving. It looks like it has to be engraved onto the palm in order to work. I take my right gauntlet off and place the tip of my dagger into the padding of my hand. One leg has to branch out to the pinky and the thumb, while the index, middle and ring finger need two legs each.
"Artorias? What are you doing?"
"Removing a splinter." I reply as I barely prick my hand and act like I'm looking.
The mere thought of trying to solve the mystery of these markings overcame my ability to think rationally. So much so that I actually let Honora sneak up on me. I flex my hand a couple times to give the impression that the splinter is gone.
"What are you doing here?" I ask as I close the book and put it away in my side satchel.
"The quartermaster said I would find you here." She says.
"Rhea send you?"
"No. I came on my own accord because I thought you could use some company. I'm not bothering you, am I?"
No, no…Not at all." I reply as I put my dagger away.
"Well good."
Honora lays her bedding down on the other side of the fire. I cinch my gauntlet back up and clear my mind. The blood arcane will have to wait. If I let it distract me to the point that someone was able to get the drop on me, then it can't have any priority as of now.
She sits down beside me on my bedding and takes her headdress off. The white veil releases Honora's powder blue hair as she runs her hand along her scalp. Off to the west, the amber sun is slowly descending over the horizon. Honora locks her arms around her legs and stares at the approaching sunset.
Flowers dance to the gentle beat of the breeze within untouched green meadows and shadows reach out as far as they can. The creek I was telling Charley about turns from a bright blue to a vibrant road of gold.
"Can you believe this view?" She says with a blissful face.
"You know, for once, I can't." I reply as I take a deep breath and let this moment sweep me away in its absolute beauty.
As someone who gets to witness scenery like this all the time, it tends to lose its appeal after constant exposure. Almost every time I've seen something like this, I've been alone, and at a point, I couldn't see the value anymore. My perception has become rigid and stale, and I've been underplaying the value of nature's subtle tranquility.
With Honora by my side, she helped me realize the foolishness I was blind to. Not only that, but it is actually kind of nice to share something like this with her. Honora spends a majority of her time locked up in a room. Always having to be in constant prayer, and not being allowed outside the monastery without an escort. She doesn't share the same freedom I do because her ability is only allowed by what the church decides.
"Thank you." I say.
Honora looks over at me, "For what?"
"You of all people know how negative I can truly be, but the one thing that always cheered me up was scenery like this. Over time though, I lost sight of the thing that made me realize that there is a life outside of this eternal battle I am forced to fight. It wasn't until now that I realized just how precious moments like this can be."
"Well moments like this are better shared." Honora lays her head on her knees and smiles.
I seriously thought Rhea sent her up here to make sure I wasn't gathering intel to give to Edelgard's house. The fact she came up here on her own accord makes me feel something I have never really felt before.
"Do you intend on staying the entire night up here?" I ask.
"I don't see why I can't. You seem like a pretty trustworthy person."
"But I'm… 'not a knight.' I scoff.
"Yet, you seem to follow the code of Knight's chivalry."
"Oh, chivalry is that lame joke someone tells at a wedding."
"Artorias."
"No, it is."
"Then what forms the basis of your life?" Honora asks.
"I'd like to think of myself as someone who looks for the most peaceful method possible, but I still have room for improvement in that area." I reply.
"You sound a lot like my father. He's always writing me letters about how he's trying to keep the peace around Fodlan and Almyra's borders. Yet, he always beats himself up when he's got to kill any Almyrians trying to attack Fodlan's throat. Sometimes, peace isn't about preserving, but pursing those that threaten it." Honora states.
Dusk gives way to night, and the orange sky turns dark. Honora yawns and rubs her eyes, "Well, I'm off to bed. I'll see you in the morning."
She lays down on my bedding and covers herself up. I get up and toss some more wood onto the fire. That should keep burning until morning. Since Honora had to take my bedding, I'll just lay on hers on the other side of the fire. Something snags my right hand and stops me in my tracks.
"Artorias?"
"Yes?"
"I'm not used to sleeping outside, and with what happened at Conand Tower, it scares me that there are more of those things out there. Can I be by your side tonight?" Honora asks.
"Sure."
I gather her bedding up and place it by mine. The fabric overlaps one another, and I lay down beside her. Honora let's out a sigh of relief as she rolls over on her side. I place a dagger underneath my pillow and face her direction.
Honora smiles and touches the tip of my nose, "Goodnight Artorias."
"Goodnight Honora…"