Grunts of effort could be heard from the training yard with the sing of clashing metal following them. Having been drilled in the basics of combat and magic for the last few hours, their final review was a test after lunch. A placement test, to be exact. It was set up as a tournament, fighter against fighter until only two were left. Two young rookies, in particular, were easily moving through their matches, each taking less time than the last. When it was finally narrowed down, the two challengers nodded at each other. Both had instinctively known they would see each other in the finals.
Under normal circumstances, the two would spar for the fun of it, a friendly competition to test each other's progress. Years of doing so made predicting the other's movements easy. Of course, there was always that one mistake that ended it, a lesson for both to avoid.
But this time was different. This time, they were sparring to see who would win the highest rank.
As soon as the bell sounded, the two newbies charged each other. Their fists met in the middle, magic lazily curling around them. They smirked excitedly before the fire warrior leaned onto his back foot to kick forward. His opponent stepped to one side to dodge it. Caramel hands grabbed his ankle and swung him off his feet into the wall behind her. He grunted at the impact and slowly pulled himself from the dent he'd made.
"Nice throw," he called, carefully standing up.
She merely smiled and sped forward. He was surprised at her speed, forgetting the shoes they were given to wear are much lighter than her armored boots. The resulting kick was narrowly dodged - he heard water rushing past his ear and winced - and he caught her back leg when it spun around to kick him. Taking advantage of her surprise, he elbowed her leg down, delivering a knife hand to her shoulder to knock her out.
At least, he tried to. But again, her speed blindsided him. She swiftly turned around and used her forearm to block the attack. Steam sizzled from where their skin met and their eyes met for barely a second, determination brightening emeralds and chocolate eyes burning with challenge. The girl grabbed his arm and pulled him forward, kneeing him in the stomach with her closest leg. The blow left him winded but he recovered quickly and pushed her knee back. He tightened his grip and turned, tossing her over his head.
The warrioress yelped and amazingly managed to flip and land on her feet. She glared up at him from her crouching stance. Both were silent, her opponent breathing a bit harder than her.
A silent cue sent the boy racing forward once more. He sent a punch to her face and she crouched to dodge it. She wasn't quite as prepared when he sent a kick to her shoulder. The fuschia haired girl stumbled a moment before shooting up and delivering a kick to the side of his head.
Off to the side, two soldiers were wheeling wall of swords and spears alike. Others watched in awe as they finally realized why they were no match for those two.
"Hold," the judge, a blue-haired man with fierce steel grey eyes, called from his seat. The two warriors paused but didn't glance away from each other. The man smirked and ordered, "Choose a weapon and continue."
The fuschia-haired girl eyed the weapon selection and pulled a simple spear from the rack. The blade was longer than she was used to and its handle was a smooth, polished bronze instead of leather. She spun it from one hand to the other before nodding, satisfied with her choice. When she moved back to the field, the water magician saw her opponent with a sword in hand.
"You will be allowed to use your magic as well." They nodded in understanding and crouched into fighting stances, blades poised and glinting in the sunlight. The judge smiled in approval and ordered, "Continue!"
Again, the maroon-haired boy made the first move, charging in with an overhead strike. Metal clanged as his blade met the bronze handle of her spear. She grunted from the impact and slowly slid her back foot further behind her. The water magician slowly crouched, allowing him to think his superior strength was overpowering her, before immediately sliding back. Her opponent stumbled forward as she spun around and brought the flat of her blade down on his back.
The boy yelped and slid the sword into his belt just in time to catch himself. Growling in frustration, he reached out and tripped her, sending her spear flying from her grip. The two scrambled back to their feet and the boy smirked. She sneered at him and flipped forward to double-kick him in the stomach.
He doubled over, giving her enough of a break to spring up and grab her weapon. She was quick to turn back around and slap him with the flat of her blade once more. Or so she tried, but the fire magician's sword blocked the blow. So, she tried again and again until she was able to fake him out and trip him. Smacking his sword away, the fuschia-haired girl placed a foot on his chest and held the tip of her spear at his throat.
The boy smiled and put his hands up, conceding his defeat. "Alright, alright. You win, Zarya."
She chuckled and dropped the borrowed spear to help him up. "As long as you understand."
Suddenly, cheers and shouts of surprise erupted from the other recruits. The two fighters blinked owlishly before the girl blushed with a squeak. Apparently, Zarya hadn't realized how many of their fellow Ajir had come to watch. There were even a few veterans nodding and smiling at them.
"Looks like you impressed a lot of people," Nar laughed. Internally, he was eyeing the guys leering at his childhood friend. 'Maybe a few too many.'
"You both did exceedingly well." The two fighters turned to face the blue-haired judge. He was a lithe man with wise brown eyes and a gentle expression on his face. An amazed smile on his lips, he walked up to them, offering to shake their hands. "From the way you fought, I can tell you two have been fighting each other for a long time."
Nar chuckled. "Yeah, we've had our fair share of spars over the years."
"I finally beat you," came a smug declaration. Zarya smirked as she looked at her friend, who rolled his eyes at her. "It's about time too."
"You mean this is the first time you've won?" This came as a surprise to the judge. They'd been fighting for years. Surely he'd misheard that.
"In…" she trailed off, counting the time since her last win. Delicate eyebrows shot up in realization. "Wow, it's been a few months since the last time I won."
The judge gave her a strange look before shaking his head with a smile. He'd heard about these two fighters. Growing up, they were almost never apart. They were certainly an oddity among their peers - especially considering their opposing elements. But witnessing the bond they shared first hand was something else. He restrained the urge to laugh by smiling wider.
"Well, I need to finish the report for your evaluations. Edmund, please take Fiore to the infirmary to rest." She saluted him and eased her arm around Nar's shoulder. As they walked away, the judge couldn't help the amazement shining in his eyes as he watched them. They would make an unstoppable team when they got older. "Those two are something else."
He chuckled to himself and turned to the hall leading to the throne room. There was a lot of paperwork to do and many ranks to assign and reassign. Not to mention the foreigners lurking around. They were a strange group; diverse from the Imuchakk warrior to the young Partevian assassin. It was only the fact that they hadn't attacked anyone that they weren't forcefully brought before him.
The judge called for someone to retrieve the observation scrolls from the archivist. He had a lot of work to do and even more ranks to assign. Sighing, the azure-haired man picked up a quill and started on the documents he already had.
~oOo~
Jafar glanced around one last time and nodded to himself. "Here should be okay."
The others immediately collapsed on the ground. Mystras was happy to be able to take off his armor. So used to the winds of his mountain home, the thick, humid air made it hard to breathe. Hina was especially grateful; Adrynia's tropical weather was a stark contrast to the icy plains he grew up in.
Golden eyes moved over his companions with sympathy before turning to the Reiman-inspired palace several leagues away. He had hoped to talk to the elusive king today but he wasn't able to figure out who it was. Only the staff and Ajir knew what their king looked like, after all.
His thoughts turned to the ranking tournament they witnessed earlier and grinned. Everyone was talented in their own ways but the last two were especially impressive - particularly the girl. She moved so fluidly and her strikes were unbelievably precise. He'd never seen such a graceful fighting style before.
What made him curious was the steam he'd seen when their skin met. Were they magicians and warriors? Normally it was either one or the other. And there weren't any rumors of dungeons nearby so they couldn't be capturers. Being magic warriors would explain the embers and spurts of water he saw. It was a strange combination, one that caught his interest. Suddenly, the young adventurer had many questions about how they mastered both.
That wasn't the only thing to intrigue him either. The fuschia-haired girl - who is also an 'outsider,' if her strange appearance was anything to go by - was definitely an anomaly; he could sense a greater power in her than in the people around her. Just remembering the way her emerald eyes danced with calculative indifference, a soft aura of energy enveloping and highlighting her physique as she fought brightened his golden irises with fascination.
Something about her - Zarya, if he'd heard right - left a strong impression on him. She was a unique beauty; he'd never seen anyone like her. Bright fuschia waves against caramel skin and shining emerald eyes that sparkled with life. Beyond how much the warrioress stood out, there was a certain… ethereal grace to the way she handled herself. Somehow, he knew she would become an important ally in the future.
The sailor smirked to himself. He was looking forward to how that would play out.
~oOo~
The reds and purples of early twilight poured in from the windows of the dining hall. Soft clinks could be heard under the many voices talking. Everyone was happily chatting and eating their dinner but the underlying tension in the air was just thick enough to be felt.
No one knew when ranks would be announced, but they knew it was soon. Already the suspense was eating at most of them. Others decided not to worry about it while a few haughtily thought they knew what their rank would be. Jealousy was palpable as a few people cut burning gazes to the finalists as they sat down.
Ignoring the anger directed at them, twin emeralds flickered with amusement. Her friend had groaned all the way to the infirmary, demanding a rematch later while complimenting her skill. Thankfully, the nurses practically ordered him to rest his magoi, otherwise, the Fire Master would've attacked her as soon as they left.
Chuckling softly, she asked, "How are you feeling, Nar?"
The maroon haired boy gave her a flat look and she burst into laughter. He stabbed another piece of meat and flatly snarked, "Ha ha, laugh it up."
"You know you love me, brother," she snickered.
His eyes softened and the boy shook his head mirthfully. "Someone has to look out for you Miss Trouble Magnet."
Nar laughed at her indignant "Hey!" and she pouted. "I am not a trouble magnet!"
He raised an eyebrow at her and took a bite of the duck strip on his plate. "Oh really?" Nar pointed at her with his fork after swallowing. With a smirk, he asked, "Who got chased by the flying fish down at the docks?"
Zarya huffed and looked away with pink cheeks. "I thought they were already dead."
"And who almost blew up her kitchen trying to cook without the chefs' help?" She didn't respond to that one. "What about the time you ran too fast and fell into the lake? You came back up with so many leeches, you cried until Seaton and I got them all off." He paused to laugh and tried to continue. "How about-"
"Okay, okay! You don't need to continue." Her friend laughed harder as she stuffed some potato in her mouth. Soon, a familiar amused chuckle startled them both.
"Not here but a few minutes and you two are already enjoying yourselves."
The Fire Master smirked at the newcomer - a smirk that was easily returned by the turquoise-eyed man. "I'm just reminding her of all the times we've had to bail her out of trouble."
Seaton shook his head before trumpets sounded. Everyone in the dining hall turned to the main doors wondering what was happening. When they felt the strong aura of magoi approaching, the new soldiers waited with bated breath. They wondered if it was the ever elusive king.
As newly appointed Ajir, the unranked soldiers got to meet him for the first time - and they were excited. He'd never made a public appearance without covering his face in several years. All they knew was that he had long azure hair. It was an unspoken rule that appeared after the brief invasion from Partevia - anyone who met the royal family were explicitly told not to share what they look like. This was the result of losing their soon-to-be queen among the many others who died that day.
Sure enough, as the guards opened the doors, in walked a man with long, azure hair and fierce steel eyes. Many were surprised to see the judge from earlier stride in. But when he was announced, the newbies were left staring in shock.
"Allow me to introduce His Highness, King Warin Lynwood!"
The man chuckled at his soldiers and smiled heartily. They cheered before swiftly returning to their meal. He sighed. This is what he loved about the Ajir. Such easy companionship could only be found among brothers and sisters from the battlefield. The same way he'd met his friends and late fiancée.
Bright fuschia snapped him from his thoughts and he turned to join the two finalists at their table. "Hello there."
Nar and Zarya blinked wide-eyed at their king. Seaton cleared his throat - making the two blush with embarrassment - and gestured to the open seat beside him. He gave the azure-haired man a kind smile. "It's good to see you Warin. How've you been?"
"As well as I can be with all the paperwork I have to finish by tomorrow. I'm sure Genavee is laughing at my expense right now." Confused, the younger Water Master blinked owlishly at the casual way they spoke. The way the king spoke so intimately of her sister told her they were good friends, but it wasn't until he continued that she finally put the pieces together. "Helmer is still struggling with their passing but I know he'll be fine."
Her eyes widened. "You were Genavee's intended."
"Yes." Warin nodded with a sad smile. Standing only a few inches shorter than him, the serious, sapphire-haired woman always knew what to say. "We had a lot of fun together," he chuckled, a faraway look in his eyes.
The young king missed her and their youngest dearly but the only thing he could do was keep moving forward. That was what she'd want, after all. Deciding to change the subject, the azure-haired man smirked at Zarya.
"Your sister and brother have told me many stories of you. I see they were never exaggerated."
He chuckled at the pout she gave and continued to poke fun at her, Nar and Seaton cheerfully playing along. Though she didn't like being teased, the young Water Master couldn't help but notice the joy in Warin's eyes whenever he laughed. She hoped Genavee was smiling down on them, wherever she was.
~oOo~
Zarya sighed as she finally closed the door to her room. Pulling off her sleeves, the Water Ajir slowly walked to her new bed to sit down and change. All the while, her mind was running a mile a minute.
She and Nar actually made it to the top. While the fuschia-haired girl knew they'd have faced each other eventually, she never thought it would be as finalists in the tournament. She'd strategized well, biding her strength until the final fight. A smirk grew on her face. I could have predicted the result though.
Though that wasn't shocking, learning her sister's intended was the king? That took her completely by surprise. But, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. They'd been secretive about their courtship, with Genavee only telling her family she was seeing someone. It was only when her nephews came around that Zarya learned the name of her fiancé.
Not once did she think he was the king.
The fuschia-haired girl sighed and flopped on her back. There was still one memory from a few nights before that refused to leave her alone. It left an impression on her that she just couldn't ignore.
Violet hair complementing tan skin and shining golden eyes flashed to the forefront of her mind. There was a mischievous intelligence shining in those eyes. That boy, whoever he is, exudes an aura of power, and that made her shudder. No one should have that much power at their fingertips. And yet… and yet…
Something about him called to her.
~oOo~
By the time Sinbad and the others found the throne room, the moon was starting to rise. The young capturer had finally convinced his friends to help him find a way into the castle. Surprisingly, not one of the guards even so much as glanced their way; it confused them. For a country so against outsiders, they weren't adamantly discriminating.
As they crested the hill hiding the castle, the merchant party stopped to look on in awe.
The moon cast a gentle glow of silver onto the white tiled floor and violet tapestries. Reiman-style columns supported the balcony on each floor. Velvet runners lined each hall they walked through until it melded with the stairs under the throne itself. It was a polished chair with velvet cushions threaded with gold.
Sitting in the center of it, eyes lazily going over the scroll in his hand, was an azure-haired man with steel eyes. They carefully read over the page in his left hand, right hand holding a quill over the inkwell, and a wise smile on his lips. Currently, he was reviewing his notes from the battle earlier. His smile widened at the vivid memory of grace and strength. Those two would definitely change his country but he was looking forward to it.
Sensing eyes on him, he sighed and set his empty quill down beside the document he'd just been reading. It seemed their uninvited guests had finally made an appearance. "Are you just going to stand there or are you going to introduce yourselves, foreign travelers?"
Realizing they were caught, the capturer stepped out of the shadows, his friends close behind. They approached the man calmly and quietly.
As they knelt before the man, he finally broke the silence. "I take it you are the travelers my scouts have reported sneaking around my country." He gave them a stoic glare. Warin didn't appreciate them sneaking around. It was only their lack of aggression that saved them from his wrath. "They mentioned you had joined our people in the recent festival as well."
"Our apologies for hiding, your highness." Sinbad looked up from the floor, meeting the king's hard gaze with one of sincerity. "We had heard Adrynia was closed to foreigners but wanted to speak with you."
"Hm?" Someone willing to risk imprisonment and possibly execution just to talk with him? Now the king was curious. For someone so young to take such a risk so confidently impressed him. "What about?"
Taking the question as an invite, the merchant smiled. "I was hoping to ask you to become an ally of my trading company and open trade with us."
"Oh?" The king leaned forward in his chair, raising a brow in question. Surely there was more to his request than that. Hard brown eyes narrowed at the look in the pair of gold staring back at him. There was nothing but sincerity in those eyes. Interesting. "And what would my country have to gain from ones such as yourselves?"
A secretive smile spread on Sinbad's face as he told the king of his ambitions: to create a kingdom of his own where all who reside there feel accepted and cared for. To say the man was surprised was an understatement. He was stunned for a moment. Then he burst into outrageous laughter. He hadn't seen such promising determination in a long time. It was refreshing. Especially the strength this young man radiated. As a warrior himself, the king respected Sinbad's ambitions.
"Forgive me, I am not laughing at your goals." He held up a hand as he finally calmed down. With a smile that bespoke of his experience, the king said, "Adrynia will open its borders to you, young warrior."
The mixed group froze in shock. None of them thought it would be that simple for the king to agree. He wasn't done yet though. "But there is one condition."
They all stiffened, hoping it wouldn't be too outrageous. Swallowing, Sinbad asked, "What would that be?"
A mischievous smirk turned the leader's lips as he responded, "I examined all of our new Ajir soldiers today. Two of them show great promise." There was a strange glint in his eyes that made Sinbad feel a bit awkward. It felt as though the man was trying to see through his soul. "Train with these warriors for the next fortnight and learn all you can from them. I believe the three of you have much to learn from each other. One of them may very well be sent with you one day."
He gestured to the door behind the weary travelers. "The young man outside will lead you and your friends to the barracks. You'll be given rooms there for your stay."
"Thank you, your highness." Sinbad nodded, bowing at the waist to show his respect before he and his companions left.
They all sighed in relief as the door closed. The meeting was far easier than they thought it would be. However, something told them training would be more taxing then they realized.
~~
The king chuckled to himself as he returned to his notes from earlier. "This is proving to be an interesting week. Perhaps Nar and Zarya won't be the only people bringing change into Adrynia's future."
Only time would tell.