Chapter 7 – The Final Frontier
Several weeks had passed since the mock battle with Draug and training has increased in difficulty as the days went by. We were pitted against well-trained soldiers and their perfected tactics. Ryan had a difficult time staying away from enemy attacks and Rody had fallen off his horse on multiple occasions. Cecille's aggressive tactics often resulted in someone getting hurt trying to keep her out of harm's way. I had sustained multiple injuries and often entered battle with bandages covering my arms. The strain from the rigorous training sessions took its toll on everyone as well as the onslaught of information we were given and tested on during Frey's lectures. Our exhaustion began to negatively affect our performance in battle, but we were still able to form strategies to reduce its effects with much effort. At the end of the third week, we were given a day to rest. The news that we were allowed a day to ourselves was music to our ears and a blessing to our bodies. The following morning, my deep sleep was interrupted by a gentle shaking of my shoulder.
"Glacia. Glacia, wake up." I slowly opened my eyes and noticed Rody was standing over me. I sat up and rubbed the sleepiness from my eyes.
"Is something the matter?" I asked as I noticed that everyone was already up.
"'Is something the matter?' A messenger came by half an hour ago delivering news that today was our final test day." He said as he returned to his bed and sat on the edge with his sword in hand. A rush of excitement and panic washed over me.
"And you didn't wake me?" I asked as I stood up to prepare.
"The training's been rough. Thought I should give our commander more rest. Besides, you're going to need it." Rody said as he rubbed the edges of his sword with a polishing cloth, "There isn't much rush. The test starts three hours from now." I sat back down on my bed with my lance and a sharpening stone. I noticed several chips in the blade. There wasn't much I could do but sharpen it and hope the chips don't cause the entire head of the lance to break. The door suddenly opened and Luke stormed in with several plates of food.
"Hey! I got us all breakfast!" Luke announced and his gaze shifted towards me, "Hey, Glacia the Terrible! Good morning!" He ran over to Cecille's desk and put the plates down.
"Morning. Thanks for bringing so much back to the quarters." I said, putting my lance down and joining the rest of the platoon around the desk.
"No problem! Besides, it's better in here than in the mess hall." Luke said, grabbing a plate and settling down at his own desk, "At least you're finally up. Honestly, I really wanted to wake you up, but Rody wouldn't have any of it! I'm just so excited! Luke, the Paladin of Dawn, is finally going to show his true potential!" I had grabbed a full plate and settled at my own desk.
"Haha, I'm sure you will." I said before distracting myself with my meal of sausages, eggs, and bread.
"I hope the test isn't too hard…" Ryan said.
"It's a test! Of course it's going to be hard as nails." Cecille replied, finally given access to her own desk.
"Don't worry. You'll do just fine." Rody said, contrasting with Cecille's reply.
"Hey, the messenger guy said that we could get help from Princess Caeda and the others. We'll be fine!" Luke said before shoveling food into his mouth. I really hope so, I thought to myself, but no matter what, I need to be on my toes. I quickly finished the rest of my meal and left the empty plate and silverware on the edge of my desk. Doing so, I noticed Katarina's empty desk and realized I hadn't seen her since waking up.
"Where's Katarina?" I asked the room.
"She was with me when I went to get all the food." Luke said, turning around, "She said she was going to eat on her own and spend some time alone in the courtyard nearby."
"You mean the one near our old quarters?" I asked.
"Yeah, that one! She said she'd come back once she was ready, but it's been a while…"
"I'll be right back, then." I said as I got up and opened the door.
"Don't take too long!" Luke shouted as the door slammed shut. I hurriedly walked through the now-familiar hallways, occasionally dodging other knights who were also walking down the same long corridors. Soon, I entered the courtyard and felt the cool air of the morning. I noticed Katarina was sitting on the grass, staring at the green blades that surrounded her.
"Katarina!" I said, walking up to her.
"Ah, Glacia…"
"I was looking for you. I was worried something had happened." I said as I put my hand on her shoulder, "Let's go, it's about time we got prepared to get to the final test." She didn't budge or say a single word. I kneeled down next to her and noticed her moist face, "Katarina… are you crying?"
"Oh, uh… this is… it's nothing…"
"What happened? Did someone hurt you?" I asked as I became increasingly worried, "You can tell me. I won't let someone who made you cry get away with it."
"No… Glacia. That wasn't it. I'm… just sad… I'll tell you the reason later." She wiped the tears from her face and turned to face me, "Let's go get ready for the final test. I'm alright now."
"Are you really alright?" I asked as I helped her stand up.
"Yes… Your feelings alone are enough for me. Thank you, Glacia… for being here for me."
"Of course." I hugged her tightly, "Let's get back to our living quarters." I let her go and she nodded. We had a silent walk back as Katarina wasn't in the mood for small talk. When I opened the door, Luke was already at the door with several lances in his hand.
"Hey, you're back!" He said, moving out of the way, "I was just about to go out and look for you two."
"Is everyone ready to go?" I asked. They looked at each other before nodding in confirmation. Katarina walked to her desk and picked up her book bag. She fumbled inside the bag for a minute before producing a piece of paper.
"I had some ideas last night and I wrote them down. We can try using them for the test." Katarina said, referring to the paper in her hand.
"Sounds like a plan." I grabbed my lance, sheathed my sword, and went to my desk. I opened one of the desk's drawers and opened my special bag. Gently, I pulled out my special necklace and put it around my neck.
"Oh, it's so pretty." Katarina said, turning and noticing the ice-blue stone, "Where'd you get it?"
"It was from my mother. I like to keep it around with me… for good luck." I said, holding the cold stone in my hand. The stone was the size of a gold coin and fit nicely in my palm.
"My… it looks expensive." Rody said, slowly approaching me, "Are you certain you want to take it with you onto the battlefield?"
"I am." I said, "It's protected me since I was a child. I'm certain it will help me again today."
"Well, let's go then. No point standing around is there?" Cecille suddenly said from the door. Our group went through the halls, following Cecille's lead with our minds filled with excitement and the thought of finally achieving our goal of becoming an official Altean knight. The sound of hard shoes on stone tiles filled my ears as I thought about becoming more than an Altean knight. I wondered if I would be able to handle the stress of being a Royal Guard. As I walked with Blazemane' I looked over at Katarina and she looked happy yet lost in thought.
Soon, the stone tiles changed to hard dirt and then to soft grass as we walked out of the main gate. Our horses were waiting for us and their caretakers handed over the reins once we got close. We continued our walk down a dusty path with our noble steeds by our sides. "The test area is apparently a quite a long walk away, but we'll make it in time. No problem." Cecille said, turning to us. I sped up to walk with her, hurrying Blazemane's slow gait.
"Are you familiar with the test area?" I asked once I caught up to her.
"Mmm… somewhat. From what I remember, it's quite secluded. Mountains are scattered around and there is a small lake and small rivers as well."
"Is there any type of cover?"
"Best you can do is hide behind the few trees there or behind rocks. It's a pretty open area."
"Alright. Thanks Cecille."
"Of course." She said and I slowed down until I was beside Katarina once more.
"Katarina, can I have a look at your ideas from last night?" I asked her.
"Oh, of course." She pulled the paper out of her book bag and handed it to me, "Trying to figure out a plan before we get there?"
"Yeah, like usual." I said, opening the folded piece of paper and wrapping Blazemane's reins around my arm. The paper was filled with sketches of battlefields with arrows filling the empty spaces. Many of her strategies involved some sort of cover, but that wasn't much of an option. As I scanned the paper, one strategy stuck out. It involved some sort of body of water and pure force.
"What's this one about?" I asked Katarina, pointing towards the small sketch.
"Oh, it's just something that came to mind when I thought about your fight with Sir Draug." She said and pointed at the sketch of an armor knight falling into the water, "Since the armor is hard to get through, it will be easier to knock them over instead of trying to cut through them. Once they're wet, it will be much harder for them to move, making them easy targets."
"Ah, of course. It's genius." I said, causing Katarina to blush at the compliment, "This may help us today. Cecille says there will be small rivers on the battlefield."
"If I remember correctly, we are only allowed to take two other allies with us onto the battlefield. I think one of them should be Sir Draug. His strong armor could help us."
"I agree. I think Princess Caeda can help by attacking those who are on the other side of a river."
"I wonder if there will be any archers…"
"If there are, I'm certain we can maneuver around them appropriately." I said before noticing the towering mountains that had come into view, "I think we're almost there." The sound of hooves on dry dirt echoed through the mountains as a dust cloud came towards us. Cain soon emerged from the cloud with Jagen following closely riding his highly-decorated steed. They slowed to a walk before stopping in front of our group. I quickly came to the front of the group.
"Glacia's 7th Platoon! You have fought valiantly thus far and I have enjoyed watching your victories. It has been a joy being your instructor." Cain said as Jagen stepped forward.
"I have heard reports from both Cain and Frey. Your individual strengths many vary, but there is no doubt about your excellence. Today, we will hold your final exam. Ensure that you are thoroughly prepared. Walk through the trees ahead once you are prepared and the final exam shall begin." Jagen paused for a moment to ensure that everyone heard his message before riding into the exam area.
"Your other allies will arrive soon. Good luck." Cain smiled and followed Jagen. I heard the familiar flapping of a pegasus' wings and turned around to see the rest of our team coming towards me. Princess Caeda landed and her pegasus slowly walked over to me. It gently pushed its head into my chest.
"Looks like she's starting to like you." Caeda giggled. I gently put my hand on her head and stroked her mane. Her blue eyes looked straight into mine as I remembered the many times she had saved me during the small mock battles my platoon participated in. Blazemane sighed loudly in approval as she watched the pegasus.
"Princess Caeda, Sir Draug. Please, join us for our last battle as junior knights." I said, looking away from Caeda's pegasus, but keeping my hand on her soft mane.
"Of course. I'll do what I can." Draug said as his armor clanged with his movements. His armor was no longer the impenetrable suit of steel he had on during our battle from several weeks before. "It's just for training purposes. The heavy plates are not practical in a real battle." He had explained a week before. His armor was slightly lighter with several exposed parts, but his armored parts were still just as thick. He carried a large shield as well as a lance that was just as big.
"I'd be happy to help." Caeda said. Her pegasus slowly removed her head from my chest and turned towards our destination.
"The rest of us will watch your battle from afar." Merric said cheerfully, "I'm looking forward to watching you earn another victory."
"Thank you for your positivity Sir Merric, but I'm not sure if victory is so certain…" I said in response to his comment.
"I'm sure you'll be fantastic." He said with a warm smile. I smiled back before speaking to the entire group.
"Everyone ready? Let's go!" I announced and we made our way to the final exam area as one large group. We walked through a thin strip of forest and entered a large plain area. Mountains could be seen and a two rivers cut through the landscape, but stopped short of splitting the land into pieces. The rivers were connected to a small lake to our right and small groups of trees grew around in random areas. Cain was standing with Jagen near a tent, presumably waiting for our arrival. A young cleric could be seen sitting inside. Cain approached us and Jagen retreated an area that was far away enough as to not interfere with the battle about to take place. Our allies who were not participating in the test followed him.
"The final preparations have been made! We are now ready to begin!" Cain spoke loudly to override the sound of moving water, "These tents have been set up and may be utilized for healing any wounds you may have, but don't take too long. Those who are mounted, once you fall to the ground, the fight is over for you. For your final exam, your opponent shall be…" Cain paused to unsheathe his sword, revealing its shiny steel blade and crimson red hilt, "Myself: Cain, knight of Altea! I may have gone easy on you before, Glacia, but this time I'll show you the sort of battle that real knights face!" His horse reared, flailing its front legs and neighing loudly. Various types of soldiers ran to their positions with weapons in hand. The loud clangs of armor echoed from the armor knights and the footsteps of swordsmen disturbed the birds resting on nearby trees. I noticed a few archers taking positions near trees and tents and I worried about Caeda. Cain sprinted towards the northwest corner and stood there, waiting for our arrival.
"Well, you got a plan?" Cecille asked, stopping her horse next to me.
"I do. Everyone, gather around!" I shouted and we formed a small circle, "Princess Caeda, there are archers present, so please keep away from them. There is an area in the river closest to us that we can cross. Sir Draug, guard that chokepoint with Ryan. He will provide support from the rear. Once possible, Luke will push through and drive the opposing force backward and thus claiming the first tent. I will take Rody and Cecille with me and go past this mountain here to our left and push them back that way. As we push ahead, aim for the northwest corner. Sir Cain will be waiting for us there. He can't face us all at once. Caeda will provide air support to whoever needs it. Any questions?" Katarina raised her hand.
"About the armor knights…" she said, reminding me of her strategy.
"Ah, of course. If you're having trouble with an armor knight and water happens to be nearby, knock them down instead of trying to penetrate their armor. This piece of advice can be difference between victory and defeat." I informed the team, "If no one is in need of a weapon change, let's begin!"
"Yeah!" Everyone shouted in unison before spreading out and taking positions based on my strategy. I climbed onto Blazemane's back and took my position at the foot of the nearby mountain as Cecille and Rody stayed close behind me. I grabbed my lance from its holster on the saddle and felt its wooden handle. I glanced at the steel tip as it shone in the sunlight. Ready for a good fight, I looked up and locked onto the armor knight that was in front of me. The sound of loud splashing rippled through the air as Draug moved into position, signaling the beginning of the battle.
The armor knight in front of me readied his lance and threateningly walked towards. Blazemane, excited for a taste of action, ran towards him. With my lance at the ready, I directed Blazemane around the knight. Once the knight was between me and the river, I turned and charged at him, executing Katarina's strategy. A strong thrust of my lance sent him staggering backwards and falling into the knee-deep water. Fighting against the flow of the water, the knight slowly stood up with his lance pointed towards me. Using my advantageous position, I knocked the lance out of his hands with my own lance before sprinting off to assist Cecille and Rody. They had occupied themselves with a small group of swordsmen. Cecille was cutting through them like butter, but Rody was having a harder time as their sharp blades sent his horse into a panicked fury. I intercepted a swordsman's charge and knocked him off his feet. Blazemane joined the fight, using her powerful kicks to send them flying. Coordinating our attacks, Cecille and I were able to eliminate the swordsmen that surrounded Rody, somewhat calming his horse down.
I glanced over my right shoulder to check on the other half of the battle. Draug was taking multiple blows to his shield, but he held his ground. Ryan was slowly picking off stragglers while Luke was having a duel with an armor knight. I turned back to my side of the battle in time to notice the arrows flying past me. Several archers were positioned behind rocks and were firing arrows at an alarming rate.
"Quick, get around them!" I shouted at Cecille and Rody. They quickly nodded before rushing towards the archers. I ran directly at the archers while the other two took an indirect approach. Startled by my direct charge, the archers fell back and hid behind the rocks. Distracted by their efforts to keep away from my lance, they were left open to attacks from Cecille and Rody as they charged in from the sides. They were taken out of the battle in the blink of an eye. As soon as I caught up to them to join their charge towards Cain, I heard Cain's loud voice.
"Now! Reinforcements attack!" A wave of noise drowned out his voice as cavaliers appeared from the forests and additional swordsmen came out of the nearby tent.
"Fall back!" I commanded. Rody sprinted away instantly, rushing past me. Cecille hesitated for a second before joining Rody in a retreat. I fell back last and I could hear the sound of thundering hooves get closer every passing second. I noticed that Draug's team was falling back as well, being pushed back by axe men and cavaliers. Caeda was circling overhead, unable to find an opening. I turned Blazemane to a screeching halt and faced the incoming cavaliers. I adjusted my grip on my lance before starting a counter charge. All but one cavalier steered out of the way. Our eyes were transfixed on each other as our horses went on a collision course. At the last second, I turned Blazemane to intercept his straight path and used a swing of my lance to knock him off. The quick turn allowed Blazemane to make it to the other side safely as the enemy horse ran by.
The cavaliers attempted to surround me with their sheer numbers, but their plan was thwarted by Cecille as she charged straight through their ranks. Rody rode close by and eliminated those who were lucky enough to get out of Cecille's path of destruction. I left the remaining enemy cavaliers to challenge the approaching group of swordsmen. I gripped onto Blazemane's reins before she flew into a sprint. With my lance in hand, I swung at those who were unlucky enough to avoid Blazemane's hooves, but still remained in the range of my lance. Every swing knocked down several swordsmen at once. I made extra laps through the group until there was no one left standing. I looked over at the other half of the battle to see Caeda and Draug successfully pushing the enemy back as Luke and Ryan provided support. Cecille and Rody had finished off the cavaliers and rode towards me.
"They're about done. We should rush Sir Cain before any more reinforcements appear." Rody said, breathing heavily.
"By 'we' you better not be including yourself. You're injured; the only thing you need to rush to is a cleric." Cecille remarked.
"Agh… right… I'll join up with you as soon as I can." Rody said reluctantly before riding to the closest tent.
"Let's get going, Glacia." Cecille said, already running towards Cain's position. I followed her as she began to break into a sprint. Soon, Cain was visible and Cecille was visibly excited to confront him. She shot ahead of me, but I made no effort to match her pace. Before she was able to get close to Cain, a group of cavaliers appeared from a nearby forest and rushed towards her. She changed her course to avoid them, but they followed her every move. She sprinted into the small forest from which they came and the cavaliers followed her, disappearing into the green foliage. I didn't let it deter me and I stopped several feet in front of Cain with my lance at the ready.
"Ha! Commander Glacia, you're finally here. I'm surprised my reinforcements weren't able to keep you company for very long. Anyhow, let's get to the matter at hand. Give it your all!" Cain shouted before charging at me at a vicious speed. His speed took Blazemane by surprise and she attempted to jump out of the way. Cain's lance scraped her thigh, leaving a long gash. She whimpered as the pain set in. I stroked her neck in an effort to comfort her before I turned to face Cain once again. He charged at me once again, but I kept my ground. I grabbed my lance with both hands and held it up to block the incoming lance. The weapons clanged as they made contact with each other. I fought with all of my strength to gain ground, but Cain's pure strength was breaking through my defensive tactic. I abandoned my plan and allowed Cain's lance to slide off of mine, nearly hitting Blazemane in the process. Using the small window of opportunity I had given myself. I thrust my lance forward towards his stomach where there was a gap in his armor. As soon as I felt the tip encounter resistance, I moved the lance in a sweeping motion, leaving a deep wound. I went in for another slash, but a horrible sound filled my ears. The tip of my lance scraped against his breastplate, and with a small clink, the tip shattered. Cain took advantage of the opportunity to land a clean blow. In vain, I raised my arm to defend against the attack, but his lance left a deep cut in my arm. I rode Blazemane out of his range as quickly as I could while I wrapped a bandage around my arm. Cain didn't make an effort to come after me.
I turned towards Cain as I while I was wrapping up my arm and noticed he had suddenly began to charge at me. Unarmed, I was unable to retaliate and I felt the power of Cain's lance hit me in the chest. The force of the blow knocked the air out of my lungs and I flew off of Blazemane's back. I closed my eyes and braced for impact, but, instead, I felt the hardness of a horse and the tickling of soft hair. I opened my eyes to see Princess Caeda holding onto my chest as we flew higher.
"Come on. Get on." She said as she helped me get on top of her pegasus. Her pegasus snorted as I got myself situated, "Cain said it's over when you hit the ground. This technically isn't the ground."
"Right." I said as she fell to a lower altitude. I looked down and noticed Blazemane was right below me, chasing after me. She looked up at me and I gave her several hand signals.
"You've trained her well haven't you?" Caeda asked.
"I… never trained her. It's like she knows what I want." I answered, preparing to dismount.
"You must share a deep bond with her."
"I do… I don't mean to cut this conversation short, but I believe this is my stop." I gripped onto the large wooden pole that was in my hand, the remnants of what was once a steel lance. Caeda dipped to the left and I jumped from her pegasus. I kept my arms outstretched until I felt Blazemane's thick neck within them. She had jumped up to meet me halfway as I had instructed her to. I held on tight as she landed on the ground once again. I quickly sat up and held the broken lance at my side. My eyes met Cain's and the battle resumed. We charged at each other at full force. I raised my wooden stick as Cain raised his steel lance. Once Cain was close enough, I threw the pole like a javelin, striking his arm, moving his lance upwards. I slipped underneath his lance, quickly unsheathed my sword, and swung it as hard as I could. I felt the blade meet with a heavy mass as I rode by. I turned around to continue the fight when Cecille thundered ahead from behind. Coming to a sudden stop, she turned to give me a look of surprise. The rest of the team had begun to congregate on the other side of the battlefield, but were not rushing in to fight. I spotted movement in the corner of my eye and turned my attention towards it. Cain's horse was standing calmly as a cleric stood by with her Physic staff, its blue orb glowing slightly.
"Impressive..!" Cain pushed himself off of the ground and walked towards me while being bathed in a pale blue light. His wounds slowly disappeared as time went by. "Most impressive. I didn't expect anything less from you, Glacia. Congratulations, you won! There is nothing more we can teach you." Jagen rode out of the forest he was hiding in and the remainder of my allies followed him out into the sunlight.
"Hm… Well then. Glacia's 7th Platoon, gather around! I will announce the results of the second half of your training right here, right now." Jagen paused to allow everyone to gather around him before he continued, "From what I've seen personally as well as what has been reported to me, your performance has been most impressive! Even amongst the past Altean knights, there has not been a group with such high credentials as yours. Therefore, Glacia's 7th Platoon, I have decided that you have passed your final test!" Everyone burst into a flurry of excitement.
"We passed… So that means we're…" Ryan started.
"Alright!" Luke shouted as he jumped off of his horse and ran to me, "We did it! We can become knights!" The senior knights stood by as we gathered together to share our victory.
"We did it. I can't believe it! After this, I'm going to buy myself a nice sword, and a hefty lance… Oooh, it's getting me excited just thinking about it! Heh heh heh…" she quietly chuckled at the thought of getting new weapons.
"…Cecille, you're scaring me… but you're not alone in excitement. I have finally realized my lifelong dream." Rody said with a big grin on his face. This was the first time I had seen Rody so happy. I couldn't help feeling happy for him.
"Everyone looks so happy. We're all going to become knights! We really did it, Glacia. All our hard work has paid off!" Katarina stood by my side as she observed her celebrating team mates.
"I've made it. We've made it. We'll become Altean knights, just as we always said we would during our down time. We can work for Altea and serve Prince Marth. It's like a dream come to life, I've all the reason to be happy." I said as I remembered the struggles my teammates faced during our journey to achieving our dream.
"Indeed. I'm happy too… I… I can't wait for what the future holds for us." Katarina said, wiping away a tear.
"Neither can I. Whatever may be waiting for us, we'll be ready." I said before Caeda walked her pegasus towards me. I dismounted Blazemane to greet her, leaving my broken lance in its usual place. Her pegasus was happy to see me, but she seemed worried about my bandaged arm. I gave her a reassuring pat on the head as she gently nudged my arm.
"You've done exceptionally well, Glacia. I'm quite impressed myself." Caeda said, congratulating my victory.
"Thank you, Princess Caeda. I'm honored to be recognized by someone of your caliber." Caeda blushed slightly at my compliment.
"Shall we celebrate this victory?" Caeda announced to everyone, "I had a feeling the 7th Platoon would prevail and have prepared a celebratory meal in advance. Come now, it should be ready." She began walking back towards the castle and everyone followed her in a cheerful commotion. The senior knights stayed towards the back of the group while our platoon stayed close to Princess Caeda as she led us. We took a turn onto a nearby forest path and soon found ourselves at a plain with multiple tables and tents set up. Smoke billowed into the crisp blue sky as pots of soup cooked and meat roasted. Numerous men and women tended to the pots while others prepared other dishes.
"Oh, Princess, you didn't have to." I started to say.
"Please, don't worry about it. It's just a little gift from me to you." She said, looking into my eyes, "It's about time you got to enjoy yourself and maybe you can get to know us better. You're about to be around us a lot more."
"I can't thank you enough." Caeda smiled in response before leaving to speak with one of the chefs with her loyal pegasus at her side. Soon after, she motioned for us to come and we scattered to get to our seats. I sat next to Katarina as we enjoyed a full-course meal, one that we had only dreamed of. We sat in the shade of overhead tents and we exchanged stories and memories with each other. We'd laugh as Luke told us stories of his attempts at getting a girl in the castle and we'd reminisce about past battles as Rody talked highly of Katarina's strategies. Every once in a while, Cecille would talk about the 9th Platoon, complaining about their shortcomings. Ryan often spoke of his brother and what life was like before Gordin gained knighthood. Katarina kept to herself, but could never resist putting in her two cents.
"Well, what about you, Glacia?" Rody said right as he finished his plate, "Do you have any stories to tell?"
"I do." I said with a smile, quickly glancing down at my necklace, "I think this happened several years ago. I was outside my grandfather's cabin and I was playing in the woods. I remember coming across a small pond and spending a long time at its edge just staring at my own reflection. When I finally took my eyes away from the water and turned around, there was a big, gray wolf standing there. I remember being absolutely terrified as I was out there on my own. It… It jumped at me and I ducked, covering my head with my hands and I hoped it wouldn't get me. I think I heard the wolf landing on the ground, but when I got up to see, it had been frozen solid. Then, I saw my grandfather standing in the trees with his hand out before he rushed towards me. My special necklace was with me during that time and I like to believe it gave me the luck to survive."
"Your grandfather… he was a mage?" Katarina curiously asked.
"Not at all. He was a powerful paladin when he was younger, which made the situation stranger." I said as I gently held the ice-blue stone in my fingers.
"Could have been a stranger passing by." Rody reasoned.
"It could have, but it was rare for us to have visitors in our little section of the woods." I said, thinking about the forest I used to know so well. The sun was getting lower in the sky and the chefs had begun packing up their equipment.
"Well, I'm already exhausted. I'm getting back to our quarters." Luke said as he stood up.
"I'll come with you." Rody said. Cecille, Katarina, and Ryan agreed to come with them as well.
"I think I'll stay out here a little while longer." I said as everyone grabbed their equipment and their horses.
"Alright, we'll see you later then!" Luke shouted as he jumped onto his horse's back and raced into the forest. Everyone else slowly followed him, disappearing into the thick trees one by one. I sat at the empty table on my own, using the quiet opportunity to reflect on my achievements as well as achievements I had yet to attain. My train of thought was interrupted when Cain took a seat beside me.
"Hey, Glacia. Why are you here all by yourself?" Cain said, crossing his arms on the table.
"I guess I just wanted some time to myself to think." I replied.
"Ah. Well, I just wanted to let you know I really enjoyed our battle earlier today."
"I hope I didn't hurt you too much…"
"It's quite alright. I'm used to it. It's part of the job, I suppose." He paused as a strong breeze blew through the plain, slightly ruffling his crimson red hair, "You've grown so much since your first day. Our battle was surprisingly refreshing." His eyes wandered as he seemed to lose himself in thought before smiling to himself, "The thrill of new opponents and new strategies to fight against. I suppose that's why I enjoy being an instructor."
"And you're quite good at it, too."
"You really think so?"
"Of course. Your instruction was what helped me achieve so much." I assured him as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"I'm glad I could help." He said. Before we could continue our conversation, Jagen came by our table and motioned for Cain to follow him, "Well, it was nice talking to you. I'll see you tomorrow at your knighthood ceremony." Cain said as he stood up and followed Jagen. I noticed that they stopped halfway across the plain. I wasn't able to decipher what they were talking about so I decided that it was about time I came back into the castle. I came over to the makeshift stables and led Blazemane out of her pen. She seemed excited to finally leave the small enclosure. As I stepped onto the same forest path that Princess Caeda had led us through, I noticed Merric was a few steps ahead of me. He was walking slowly, taking in the breeze as they passed through the trees.
I walked up to him and was a few seconds from speaking when he spoke first. "Glacia, did you need something?"
"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to sneak up on you, Sir Merric." I said as he turned to face me.
"It's quite alright. Did you want to talk to me about something?"
"Yes, actually. You're quite close to Prince Marth and I will soon be tasked with protecting him. I feel that I should get more familiar with him." Merric laughed softly before speaking.
"What you see is what he is. Compassionate, kind, and hates to see his friends get hurt more than anything else. If I were you, I wouldn't worry too much about getting to know him. It'll happen naturally. He's known for getting close to his knights."
"Which is why I worry." I said and Merric's smile disappeared.
"I worry as well. The last war was not kind to him. I fear that future conflicts may open up old wounds." Merric stared at the castle in the distance, "I'm confident this peace will last for decades, but that fear never goes away."
"I've made a vow to Princess Elice that I would keep him safe. I'm not sure if I'm strong enough to accomplish that."
"You'll be fine. Together with Katarina and the rest of the 7th Platoon, I haven't a doubt in my mind that Marth will be in good hands." Merric said as his smile returned to his face, "I have complete confidence in your abilities."
"Thank you, Sir Merric. I don't mean to be rude, but why are you so confident in me when I have much I've yet to learn?" I asked him as he closed his eyes. A pleasant breeze passed by before he looked at me.
"I'm not too sure myself. I suppose it's just a hunch." He admitted, turning to see the setting sun, "It's getting late. Care to walk with me back to the castle?"
"I'd love to." I said before beginning to walk down the dirt path with Merric at my side. Several minutes passed before Merric broke the silence.
"Have you ever fallen in love before?" He suddenly asked. I gave him a look of surprise. "Apologies, it was quite an awkward question."
"Don't apologize. I never really thought about finding love before. It just took me by surprise. Why do you ask?"
"Ah, well, I was hoping you could sympathize with me. I haven't been able to take Lady Elice off my mind."
"Lady Elice? You mean Prince Marth's elder sister?"
"Yes. I can't stop thinking about how I wasn't able to protect her during the war and worrying about her safety…"
"Once I am officially given the title of Royal Guard, I vow to protect the Altean royal family. I'll work vigilantly to protect Prince Marth and Princess Elice equally. I hope I can help ease your worries."
"Under your careful watch… Yes, it does ease my worries. I must thank you for your undying loyalty to your kingdom, but, please, don't take any drastic measures. I concern myself with your wellbeing as well." Merric said as the tall castle gates came into view. A guard walked up to me and offered to lead Blazemane back to her stables. I gave him the reins and watched him disappear around the castle wall. We walked through the gates and entered the torch lit hallways, "I'll be heading to Marth's chambers. I'm assuming you know your way around by now?"
"I'll find my way around." I said, looking around and trying to remember the way back to the collective quarters.
"Alright. Take care." Merric said with a smile before walking down one of the hallways and disappearing around a corner. I searched the hallways until I could find something familiar. After several minutes of wandering through the hallways, I finally found myself standing in front of the quarters. I entered the room and noticed everyone was in high spirits.
"Glacia, you're back!" Katarina said as I closed the door.
"We were just talking about catching some sleep early." Ryan said from his bed, "Luke says he can only remain calm if he's asleep."
"I can't help myself! My hard work has finally paid off!" Luke said as he sat on his desk, "So how about it?"
"Admittedly, I am quite exhausted. I'll second that notion." I said, removing my armor and hanging it on the racks.
"So it's settled. It's quite a big day tomorrow. It's best to get some rest." Rody said, leaving his desk and preparing to settle into his bed. Luke did the same.
"Tomorrow… It truly is a big day…" Katarina said as she closed her books. We spent several minutes removing our armor and properly storing our weapons before we were able to get under our sheets.
"Sleep tight everyone." Cecille said, snuffing out the last lantern and plunging the room into darkness. I closed my eyes and immediately drifted into a pleasant dream.
In that dream, I was back at Grandfather's cabin. I felt the wind as it blew through the woods and smelled the scent of flowers blossoming. I was sitting on the stairs that led up to the front porch and I felt the wood underneath me. I looked into the sky and a dove suddenly flew out of the trees. A dark, bigger bird followed right after it. A memory popped into my head without warning and I stood up as fast as I could. I ran through the front door, but came to a screeching halt. The cabin was pristine as if the attack never happened. I heard the sound of a door opening and turned to face it. I was able to recognize the figure that appeared from the open door as my grandfather before I was taken out of the dream.
I opened my eyes and saw the door gently close in front of me. Quietly, I sat up on my bed and lit a small lantern. I looked around the room to see if anything was out of place. Everyone was sound asleep. I turned to Katarina and noticed her bed was empty. Carefully, I got onto my feet and cracked the door open. I held my breath until I was able to step outside without waking anyone. I turned and found her leaning against the wall and staring up into the ceiling.
"Katarina, what are you doing up so late?" I asked as I joined her on the wall.
"Ah, Glacia… I can't seem to sleep. What about you?"
"I just woke up from a strange dream… Is something bothering you?"
"I… well… I suppose there's a lot on my mind right now. Have I ever told you about the town I was born in?"
"Now that I think about it, you haven't. It wasn't Altea?" She shook her head.
"I was born in a town called Knorda. Have you ever heard of it?" I thought about it for a moment before shaking my head.
"It doesn't sound familiar. Is it in Archanea?" I asked while I shifted my gaze from her face to the dark ceiling.
"I… don't know. In that town, Knorda, I was treated like an animal, beaten for fun." Katarina paused for a second to sit down. I sat down with her as she continued. "Whenever I couldn't stand the pain, I'd just close my eyes and think of nothing, taking refuge within my heart's confines…"
"Katarina…" I said softly, inching closer to her and putting my arm around her shoulders.
"But someone was there to save me. She showed me the meaning of life. I felt that I would do anything for her… Glacia, do you have someone like that in your life?"
"Yes, but not just someone. Everyone we've met during our training, Prince Marth, and Princess Elice. I'm to remain loyal to those close to me. That's the sort of knight I aim to be." I answered with complete confidence. Katarina smiled slightly as she looked at the stone tiles.
"Yes, that's right… you're also doing it for someone else… other people… Not long now, is it? It won't be long until we become fully fledged Altean knights. When that happens…" Katarina trailed off as she stared at the floor. She took a deep breath before turning to me. "Let's get back to sleep. Thank you, Glacia, for being such… such a great friend to me." She gave me a quick hug before hurrying back through the door, leaving me alone and stunned in the empty hallway. When I walked through the door, she was already sound asleep. I crawled under my sheets once again and thought about Katarina's past before drifting off once again.