Beginning : Victoria
Chapter 2
It is still dark as the small magician clad in a dark moonlight robe approaches the eastern gate. She had traveled all night by foot in order to arrive at Perion for dawn. She could have journeyed during the previous day, but Valencia wanted to spend more time with her family and friends. She knew not when her travels would lead her back home. The young Cleric is still in a state of disbelief about the sudden team system change. She had trained with her friends in Ellinia her entire life and on such short notice she had to leave. Why had this come so suddenly? She keeps thinking. They were only given twenty four hours to pack up and join a new team.
She looks at the shadowy outline of the bare Perion Mountains and her heart aches. She already misses the smell of the flowers and the feel of the early morning dew on the trees of her beloved home. Her mind brushes the thought of Tanner and she crumbles. He was her team mate, her best friend and the love of her life. She now, more then ever, regretted not admitting this to him. She had searched Ellinia all day for him after hearing the news, but he had already left the village in search of his new team.
Valencia is slightly startled when she realizes that the lonely path she had walked all night had another traveler. As she draws closer to the gate a young bowman arrives by another path. He looks over and smiles at her. She assumes this is to be her bowman teammate Jaimus.
"Good morning, Ma'am," says the bowman. "Might you be the fair Valencia?"
"Err, umm, yes," answers Valencia. "Nice to me you…Jaimus?"
The bowman nods and gestures for her to go through the gate. She tries to be as polite as possible despite her current mood and smiles a little.
On the other side of the gate the two travelers see a lone man dressed all in black sitting on the ground with his back against the open gate door. He doesn't even look up when Valencia and Jaimus arrive. They both assume he is their member from Kerning. By the look of his clothing and the ninja stars he is casually spinning with his fingers, he is no doubt their assassin.
Jaimus decides to be the one to break the ice once more.
"Howdy," he says happily. "I'm Jaimus and this is Valencia…You must be Zenith. Pleasure to meet you."
The Assassin stops spinning his throwing stars and looks up expressionless at the bowman. Dark strands of hair hangs from beneath his pilfer, covering one of his eyes. After a quick expressionless glare, his gaze returns to the Kumbi star on his finger and starts twirling it again.
"Ok…"says Jaimus. "That went well."
He looks around nervously hoping the Assassin doesn't decide to smite him on the spot. He had always been wary of the clans from Kerning. They were known to be treacherous. He had been shocked when he had heard they would be joining Victoria in this new system. They had always been rogue fighters, never meddling in the affairs of the island.
Jaimus is relieved when he sees a figure coming towards them. He jumps on the chance to change the subject.
"Ahoy there," he says to the girl.
Sira adjusts her Norman helm sleepily and smiles. She hates early morning meetings. However sleepy she may be, she is glad to have the bowman break the ice. She had been a little nervous at meeting her new teammates as she walked from her house to the gate. Her clutch on her Zeco spear loosens as the bowman introduces himself, Valencia and reluctantly Zenith. The Assassin looks up and snickers.
"Kinda small for a warrior," he says showing no emotion in his voice.
Jaimus flinches a little at the sound of Zeniths voice. Sira is taken by surprise. She knows not what to answer besides, "Yes?"
"Nice to know how high we rank as fighters," grunts Zenith.
"Excuse me," she asks?
"Well if we were teamed with a small female warrior, what does that say of our ranking?" he asks. "They are significantly weaker then males."
Sira closes her fists and presses them against her sides. She bites her lip to stop her from releasing the anger that is rising in her. She knows she's weak, she thinks to herself, but for the thief to blurt it out upon meeting her. She tastes a little blood and stops biting her lip. She isn't going to let her temper ruin her chance at starting over. She just has to prove the thief wrong.
"You should wait and see what she is capable of before judging," says Jaimus, instantly regretting getting involved.
Sira looks over at Jaimus who gives her a reassuring look.
"Either way, I don't care," answers Zenith. 'This is only temporary."
"So you're saying you know when this will end?" asks Valencia.
"I only know what you know mage," says Zenith standing.
Zenith doesn't peak it out loud, but he also knows him being in this team is a mistake. It could only be temporary. Maybe his sensei is testing him, he thinks. He is angry with his sensei for insisting he go. For insisting that even if it was a mistake, a replacement couldn't be found at that moment.
No one bothers speaking of their situation any longer. None of them knows how long this system will last. Sira's former team had been with her for five years. They could be together for months, maybe years if the team system works and they decide to continue using it. The warrior girl like the others says nothing as an awkward atmosphere settles around them. Her ease created by the welcome has vanished and she realizes what kind of situation she is in. She is with three complete strangers. All who have different principals, morals and goals. She begins to rethink her relief from hearing the news the day before. What were the leaders thinking?
"Alright kiddos, shall we go train?" asks Jaimus not being able to stand the silence.
"Where?" asks Valencia and Sira almost simultaneously.
"Sira, you're from here," says Jaimus. "…As long as we don't run into anything to harmful towards Val here."
Jaimus wants to kick himself for joking about how magicians are weaker physically.
"I AM a cleric," snaps Valencia.
Zenith laughs mockingly.
"Deep valley is a good place," says Sira.
The teammates don't argue. They follow Sira silently through the many stone steps of the mountain towards their training ground.
