Chapter Eight
I stare at my opponent, my breathing quiet and steady.
"You ready?" I ask.
The boy with the shaggy brown hair stares back at me, his sword drawn.
"I was ready five minutes ago," Kyle says, his voice distant, but controlled.
"Were you?" I ask with a frown, keeping my senses open.
"Yes. Yes I was. I still am, you know."
"That's good," I say with a smile. "Because I'm going to be coming at you any second now."
I hold still as possible, our breathing being the only sound to break the silence of the school's training dojo. Sweat gleams off of Kyle's forehead, and I feel a few drops run down my own. We both wear the same lightweight training clothes, a pair of loose black pants and a long sleeved shirt, and the sweat stains make it obvious just how fatigued Kyle is. Still, it used to a lot easier beating him, and I'm sweating almost as much as he is. He's gotten a lot better over the past week. I wonder if he's been practicing on his own, or if I'm just that good of a teacher.
I shuffle my feet forward a half step, and Kyle reacts by taking a half step back, his eyes still looking distant. I reach out with my senses, trying to call up some magic, but the energy feels far away and numb, somehow, like I'm reaching for something through layers of mud. His concentration's good to be able to keep up the silencing spell and practice kendo with me at the same time.
"Was that your big move?" he asks quietly, shifting his grip on the bamboo practice sword slightly as another minute passes. "I hope you weren't counting too much on that working."
"You got me," I tease back, still attempting to reach my magic at random intervals. "Guess I'm going to need a new plan, huh?"
"Well, you could just try attacking me head-on," he points out.
"Pfft. That would be-"
"Noxian?" he suggests quickly, a smile slowly stretching onto his face.
"Barbaric. I was going to say barbaric," I sniff disdainfully.
His eyes shift to me and focus for a second, his smile falling off his face in surprise.
"Wait, there's a difference?" he asks with pantomimed surprised. "I thought they were synonyms!"
"Well, no one claimed you were the smartest," I admit, pushing hard to break through the silencing magic.
"Ouch," he says. The silencing field holds strong. "Still though, they really aren't synonyms?"
"Nope," I smirk. "Attacking head-on would be barbaric. Noxian would be something like-"
I rush forward, closing the distance and swinging my bamboo sword at him, aiming for his head. He shifts his weight and blocks it easy, the hit hardly rattling him. Just as he recoils though, I push with my will as hard as I can, sharpening it into a spike and tearing through his silencing spell.
He manages to stop me at the last second, recondensing the spell, but I see the focus disappear from his eyes, and I swing a flurry of quick blows at him, shifting my position slightly with each hit. He jerks his muscles in response to each swing, barely managing to block them all as I continue pushing with my will at his magic. After about the sixth hit, I feel the hold weaken as his foot slides on the matted floor, and I spin my body, push my sword against his for extra momentum. My sword comes swinging around, right at his neck.
At the same time, I push with all my strength at the silencing spell, turning my will into a dozen spikes that shred through the muddy space. A few of the spikes get stuck, but the rest rend through the spell. My sword sings through the air just as his spell falls apart, and I stop the tip just before it touches his neck, both of us freezing in out motions.
"-That," I finish, smiling fiercely at him. "That would be Noxian."
"Ah," he gasps, smiling back at me. "I see my mistake now."
I let my sword drop, and we both step back an equal distance from each other, bowing our heads to each other.
"I think that's all we have time for today," I say, wiping some sweat from my brow. "Good job today. You're getting better, and quickly too. You've got a real talent for silencing spells."
"Thanks," Kyle says, panting. "I think I'm starting to get the hang of kendo, too."
"Woah now," I say seriously, looking at him. "I don't know if I'd go that far."
"You're just jealous that you couldn't break through my spell without attacking at the same time."
"Well… maybe a little," I admit, and he laughs. "Seriously though. You have real talent with you spells. Once you have a little more experience, you're going to able to pull it off while fighting like it's nothing. You might even surpass me with silencing magic soon."
He frowns at me, leaning on the bamboo sword for support. "Really?"
"Yeah," I say, putting away the sword onto a nearby rack. "I don't mean to pry, but have you tried to use the spell during any of your duels yet?"
"Nah," Kyle says, shifting his gaze away. "I'm not going to until I've mastered it. When I'm able to fight you and keep the spell up, I'll know I'm ready."
I glance at him out of the corner of my eye as I begin going through my post-workout stretching routine. Ever since we've begun practicing together, I've kept a close eye on him. Not in like the suspicious way or anything, but I've been careful to remember what bruises he had each day and how old they looked. Kyle saved my life, and I'm repaying him by teaching him magic so he can counter the people targeting him. The thing is, every time they attack him and he loses, it becomes my fault for not teaching him fast enough.
So far, he's come to our training sessions every single day with new bruises.
"It's fine," he says, noticing my gaze. "It's not like you aren't trying your best."
"That's the worst part though," I say, looking away. "My best isn't fast enough."
"No, it's more than fast enough," he insists, his voice soft. "The problem is with him. He's a really good fighter, so until I can keep the spell up and still concentrate on the actual fight, it's out of the question."
"Still, I feel like I should be doing something more."
"Look," he says with a sigh. "The only other thing you could be doing is teaching me kinomancy, but you said it was just too dangerous. Coming from you, that really means something. So if you're going to blame anyone, it should be me. It's my choice that's hurting me, not yours. Okay?"
"Mmm," I mumble back as I finish my stretches and sit against the wall.
Kyle comes and sits down next to me, about an arm's length away. I feel him looking at me, and he fidgets for a second.
"You want to know why kinomancy is too dangerous, don't you?" I ask, playing with my thumbs.
"Well, now that you bring it up," he jokes lightly.
"I'm guessing you want to know the exact details this time?"
He nods, and I take a moment to collect my thoughts.
"A mage requires basically two things to cast a spell," I say carefully, trying to explain it as simply as possible, "which would be energy and focus."
"What about mana then?" he asks. "I thought mana is what powers spells."
"And you're technically right," I say, smiling at him. "However, you're only partially technically right. Mana is basically just a slang word for magical energy. What spells require is magical energy, which is separate from the energy we use to move and think, but it acts the same."
"So mana and energy are basically the same thing?" he asks, looking lost.
"Sort of. Think of it this way. Energy is what we us to do actions like move and talk, right? Well, it would only makes sense that magical actions require magical energy. So where do we get this magical energy from?"
"It's in our blood like our normal energy is, right?" Kyle answers.
"It is our normal energy," I correct him, "The only difference is the fact that we have to turn it into mana first before it becomes usable for spells."
"Wait, so if we're just converting normal energy to magic energy, then how can some mages have more mana than others? Shouldn't most people be pretty close with how much energy they have?"
"Good question, complicated answer. Basically, it has to do with the converting process not always being one to one. The simplest way to explain it is that some people's blood is more enriched than others. For instance, my energy converts to mana very easily. The same energy that it takes me to lift a finger is equal to the same amount of mana it takes me to create a ball of fire."
"So how did you get your blood to be 'enriched'?" Kyle asks, rubbing one of his arms softly.
"You practice," I say simply. "The more you convert energy into mana, the better your body will become at storing mana inside itself. It's sort of an after effect of using magic, and that's why I use the word enriched. Eventually, with enough practice, a single drop of energy becomes able to store an entire cup of mana. Make sense?"
"Y-yeah, I guess," he says shakily. "So you just have a lot of mana because you've practiced a lot?"
"Not quite," I answer. "And that has to do with the second thing a mage requires, which is focus. Tell me, why do you think some people are born able to use magic while others have to learn or can't even use it at all?"
"Luck?" He answers with a smile.
I stare at him for a few seconds, saying nothing, and then nod at him slowly.
"What? Really? It's just chance?" he aks, eyes widening.
"To be honest, it mostly is," I say. "This part becomes a little complicated to explain, but here's the way I understand it. When you try to feel how much mana you have during a spell, have you ever noticed it tends to be stored in certain areas and along certain lines?"
"I thought that was mostly just my imagination though," he says.
"It is, and it isn't," I say, frowning in distaste. "Like I said, it gets a little complicated here, but I'll try to simplify it, so stick with me. The reason you feel like your mana congregates in certain places is because it does. Those places are called nodes. They tend to be in places like your brain, heart, hands, and joints. Nodes form from using a lot of magic over time and expending it in certain ways. For instance, you use a lot of fire magic and 'throw' it with you right hand, and a node will form there. Still with me?"
He nods quickly, his eyes in thought, and I smile. He's enjoying the technical explanation, just like I did when I first read up on it. No wonder we became friends so quickly.
"So you can basically think of nodes as places where your body is used to converting magical energy." I finish.
"So nodes are just where magical energy is stored in excess then?" Kyle asks, still thoughtful.
"Exactly," I say, and he smiles. "So this is where the magic circuits come in. I bet you've felt these before too when you search for mana. They're sort of like veins or roads in between the nodes. They feel like thin currents of mana that run throughout your body, and they connect nodes and also run through places like your fingers."
"So are nodes and magic circuits two completely different things then?"
"Yup. Like you said before, nodes store energy. Magic circuits are the like the roads that deliver mana different places. These two things are what make the difference between people who can and can't use magic. People who have wizard ancestry like me are born with both circuits and nodes already active. The people who are able to learn magic usually have one or two nodes, but haven't made the circuits to make the energy flow until they start practicing and training to open or create those circuits."
"And people who can't use magic have neither," he says, and I nod.
He sits in silence, thinking things over for a few seconds, and I let him. Really, I could have just said that mana is stored in energy from your body, nodes are places where mana is stored in excess, and magic circuits are pathways that let mana flow, but that would have been doing my "apprentice" a disservice. The more he knows about how mana works, the more he'll understand his capabilities. Besides, he's a lot like me in the sense of wanting to understand why things happen, not just how they happen.
"So," he says after a minute. "I think I get this. Is this why you have so much more mana than me, then? Because you were born with nodes and magic circuits?"
"Yup. Magic tends to affect things around it, which is why things like auras happen. Because I have magic flowing through my blood, the aura of the magic makes my body become used to storing mana. Of course, the more magic it stores, the stronger the aura became, and the process repeated over and over again."
"I feel like that's cheating," he chuckles. "Anyway, I think I get what you're saying. I just don't understand what does this has to do with kinomancy."
"Remember when I said mages require mana and focus to cast spells?" I ask, and he nods. "Well, I had to explain how mana works first so you would understand why focus was important. The key thing is your magic circuits. I told you they were fairly thin, and acted a lot like veins except with mana instead of blood. So what happens to a vein when more and more blood starts pumping through it faster and faster?"
"Oh," he says, understanding in his voice. "Oh wow."
"Exactly. That's why focus is so important and why some spells are said to be higher level than others. High level magic requires lots of mana, so you naturally need to have a lot of magic circuits to pump that much mana through your body. The focus part comes into play with regulating the flow of the mana and actually making it take different paths at different speeds."
"So, uh," Kyle says nervously, licking his lips. "You're telling me that if I try something beyond my level, my magic circuits go pop? That, uh, sounds kind of deadly."
"Meh," I shrug. "The technical term for when something like that happens is burning out a magic circuit. Burning a circuit or two isn't deadly, but it does prevent magic from traveling down that pathway, and, of course, hurt your body."
"Is that, um, permanent?" he asks, looking at his hands.
"It depends how bad you burn it out," I say. "Usually though, it's possible to reopen the same exact circuit, and even if it isn't, you can always make new circuits around the burnt one to make up for it."
"So what's the big deal then?" he asks.
"Like I said before, it does damage your body when you burn out a magic circuit," I say, stretching out my legs briefly. "Whenever a circuit burns out, your body basically suffers a wound from the inside. Burning out a few of them won't kill you, but it certainly will hurt you. A lot, especially if they all burn out at the same time."
"So, I'm guessing kinomancy has a high chance to burn them out all at once then?" he says disappointedly.
"Correct. Think about it this way. Let's say you try to make your arm move faster. You use the spell and the circuits begin transferring mana to your arm. The problem is that the mana just stagnates in the circuits while it waits to be used. If you want to make your arm move even faster, that requires more mana. Eventually, more mana ends up beings stored in the circuits then they can hold, and poof. You blow out all the circuits in your arm."
He sits there, once again contemplating things for a few seconds.
"You could negate this with focus though, right? I mean, what if you were able to push just the right amount of mana into the circuits as the spell was taking out?"
"That's the basis behind kinomancy," I say. "Well, technically behind all internal targeted magics, but that's besides the point. Do you think you could honestly focus your spell that well with the skill level you're at?"
"No," he says stubbornly. "But why can't I practice so I can do something like that?"
"Remember when I said burning a circuit hurts you from the inside? That's the main issue, especially for someone like me."
"A natural wizard?" he asks quizzically.
"A skinny fifteen-year-old girl," I answer with a sly smile. "I'm not, ah, exactly the most sturdy. In fact, I'm pretty much made of glass. So when a major magic circuit burns out for me, it really damages my body. I burnt out one pretty bad one time, and I could barely stand up. That's why I always say I have stamina but no endurance."
"Is that why you get so tired after using magic?" Kyle asks.
"Mmm-hmm. The amount of mana I have to draw from is huge, and that's why I've had to develop such a high level of focus. Whenever I draw some mana out, it's like opening the floodgates. Even if I control the mana perfectly so I don't burn out any circuits, just the pure amount of energy flowing through them takes a huge toll on my body. So even though I'm not getting tired from converting my energy to mana, channeling that mana does take a lot of energy from me."
"So not only does mana and focus restrict a mage," he says slowly, "but the endurance of a wizard also plays a part?"
I nod. "That's why kinomancy just wouldn't work for you. You're mana is superb, but your focus is still only average. Trying to do kinomancy like that could outright kill you, especially with the damage you take every day from your duels."
He nods to himself as I talk, and I see thoughts flickering behind his eyes. He seems bothered by something, and I look away from him, giving him time to think. He probably never thought that I was trying to protect him by not teaching him kinomancy until now.
Kyle turns to me, wincing and looking embarrassed.
"Sorry, I guess I never realized what I was asking of you. You're just trying to protect me, and here I am pestering you over and over again."
"It's fine," I say waving a hand at him.
"It's not though," he insists, shaking his head, "especially because of what I'd be asking of you. I didn't realize how dangerous it was for you to cast magic until now, and with kinomancy, you'd be risking your life with every spell."
"Yeah," I say, looking down at the floor with a little smile. "My body's a little weak."
There's a small silence between the two of us before Kyle speaks up again.
"Not to sound rude, but why don't you make yourself stronger, so you can handle the strain?"
"Long story short, I couldn't even if I wanted to," I say, trying to keep my smile on. "I was born with a sickness that keeps me pretty frail. Beyond doing something like running, I get exhausted pretty fast from actual workouts."
"Ah, sorry," he says quietly, looking away.
"It's no big deal," I say, pushing myself up onto my feet. "Anyway, I better get going if I want to be home in time. You going to come check out the shop this time?"
"Definitely," he says, his mood improving slightly at the topic shift.
"Alright, just give me a second to wash up."
I walk into the changing room and use one of the water pumps to fill up a bucket and pour it over my head. I put the bucket back under the pump and start filling it up again, the motion becoming almost hypnotic after a while. It doesn't quite manage to make the guilt disappear.
I didn't lie to Kyle about anything, but I also didn't tell him everything. When I originally told him I wouldn't teach him kinomancy, it was because I didn't know what kind of person he was. I had been worried about him using combat magic against Ionians, but now I know better. He's not that kind of person.
I pour another bucket of water over myself. After I got to know him, the reason changed from what he might do, to what could happen. If I taught him kinomancy, and he ended up hurting himself with it, neither of us would ever forgive me. Not only that, but I would be teaching him fast paced magic that requires instincts and quick actions. What if I didn't teach him to control it properly and he ended up using it to punch someone out of anger?
I wipe the water from my hair with a towel, drying myself off. One punch enhanced with kinomancy has the power to break bones and organs. If Kyle accidentally killed someone, he would have to live with that for the rest of his life.
No, it's just too dangerous to train Kyle right now. I can't let him continue to lose duels though. Maybe I'll give it a month. By then, he should have the focus to control his kinomancy. If he still wants to learn in a month and is still losing duels, I'll teach him.
The guilt comes from the fact that he's worried about me. I am weak, but not that weak. Not only is kinomancy no problem for me to pull off, but I'm actually fairly proficient at it. I've been practicing it before I even met Kyle, actually. That's part of the reason I have so much discipline and control. Very few things motivate like fear.
I finish pulling on my uniform, and I use a mirror spell to check myself over quickly. Everything looks fine, so I turn and walk back towards the training room. Kyle stands there, waiting for me in his own uniform.
"Ready for your usual escort?" he teases.
"But of course," I smile back, and we walk out of the school, into the city.
The sky is clear, and the air is crisp even with the sun's light beginning to dim. The street's are mostly clear, but I know from experience that they'll soon be filled with people getting off their jobs with money to spend. It works out well that most people work late here. That way, our training sessions end just as customers start coming in.
"Aren't you worried that a Noxian will see you?" I ask him as we navigate through the city's streets and alleys.
"This late? Nah. Most of them hang out back in the Noxian section of the city near their homes. Besides, even if someone did see us, I've got it covered. They won't be any grumpier than they usually are."
"Got it covered, huh?" I ask with a smile. "Do I want to know what that means?"
"Nope," he says with a grin.
"Well, that only makes me want to know mo…" I trail off as the sound of someone shouting reaches us. We look at each other and hurry through the alley, turning the corner onto a market street.
An older man lays on the ground, curled into a ball and covering his head with his arms. A small wicker basket of apples lays on the ground next to him, its contents spilled over the street. The apple vendor, Mr. Shu, lies still, and I see bruises forming on his arms. Two Noxian guards stand over him laughing, as they poke him with their armored boots. A half dozen people watch the steel clad Noxians as they kick him, and no one does anything besides watch.
"Bet you wish you didn't say anything now, don't ya?" one of the guards says, a playful smile on his young face. He kicks Mr. Shu, and he groans in pain.
"Surprised the captain here hasn't taught them the proper manners," the second guard mutters with a more thoughtful expression, his hand hand resting the pommel of his sheathed sword. "Think he would reward us for teaching them a lesson? That is the standard doctrine for dealing with Noxian citizens, is it not?"
My heart picks up, and I turn to Kyle, holding up a hand in a halting motion. He looks at me confused, and I mouth the words "stay here" at him, turning back towards the two Noxians. I recognize neither of the guards, which means that they have to be new recruits or transfers from the Noxus. Their young features and unkempt hair tends to point that way too. Either way, if I did nothing, they would hurt that old man.
I take a few deep breaths, and then walk forward, forcing my steps to be steady and confident.
"Why, yes Clark, I think you're right," the first soldier says, pulling out his sword. "Shall I cut him?"
My next step falters as the blade enters my vision. It's the standard double-edged short sword given to guards. The blade is steel with a short wooden hilt with the steel extending for a little more than two feet, and it's width being only three inches. The sword's weight is probably close to three and a half pounds. All in all, the sword's made for quick and vicious stabs. Its pointed edge would have no problem tearing through anything unarmored.
I continue with my next step and walk between the man and the Noxians, my very unarmored heart pounding in my chest. The two guards step back as I quickly step between them and Mr. Shu, looking to each other in confusion as I face them confidently. I keep my hands clasped behind my back to hide their shaking from all but the old apple vendor who I know best for giving his extra produce to the street children.
"Good day, guardians," I say, using the formal tongue most common to Noxus, my voice coming out confident and boisterous.
"Good day, citizeness," they both reply instinctually, looking to each other in confusion again after they realize what they just did.
"I beg pardon for inquisiting on official business," I say carefully. "But, as an appointed referee, I fear I have no other choice. Might I have the luxury of knowing your names for my record?"
"Clark Mallory and Benjamin Conroy," the second one, Clark, says. "May I ask what this is about, citizeness?"
I don't recognize either of their names, meaning both have to be new here. I should be able to defuse the situation if at least one of them has some common sense. Mallory seems like my best bet based on how he reacted. Just in case, I make sure to take note of their faces. Conroy had medium length, straight, brown hair and the makings of a scraggly beard while Mallory's mop of brown hair is messy with curls at the ends. They both have distinctive faces, Conroy's being rough and oversized while Mallory's is more chiseled and hawklike.
I take a deep breath and turn to Mallory, hoping he's at least half as intelligent as he looks.
"I am happy to report the situation is quite simple. I observed guardian Conroy delivering the finishing blows of his duel. In his exuberance to begin the duel, the good guardian must have forgotten to appoint an official referee, and so I decided to step in to put an official end to the duel. Congratulations, guardian Conroy, you have won."
"Duel?" Conroy says as Mallory tries to shush him with a subtle look. "That was no duel."
I tilt my head as questioningly as Mallory gives him a glare, and I take the next few seconds to collect myself. So far, so good. Noxians are predators, and the second they see weakness, they pounce. As long as I remain polite and formal, I should be fine. Keeping my shivering hands behind my back might be a good idea, too.
"I beg pardon," I say, bowing my head slightly. "Then this must have been a beatdown given to someone who has a mark of cowardice upon them. That is, someone who has surrendered their dueling rights. Is this a correct assumption?"
"The crows are you talking about?" Conroy says as Mallory attempts to stop him again. "No, it's not a correct assumption."
"Then what exactly happened here?" I ask innocently.
"He wouldn't let me take an apple," Conroy answers.
"He wouldn't sell to you?"
"No, you dumb girl, he wanted me to pay for it," Conroy growls, adjusting his grip on his sword.
I can all but feel the tension rise in the air between us. Here goes the hard part.
"I'm sorry to upset you, guardian Conroy," I say slowly. "But that is no reason to beat a citizen, especially because it was outside of a duel."
"Ah, and that is where you are mistaken, citizeness referee," Mallory says, putting a hand out in front of Conroy before he can speak. "The Noxian code of honor only officially applies to the citizens with status equal to that of nobility."
"What you got to say to that, girl?" Conroy says with a smile. "Your honeyed words can only get you so far with Clark here."
"I apologize for the uncouthness of my partner, citizeness referee," Mallory says with an annoyed glance at Conroy. "My unconditioned friend does have a point, however. The Noxian code states that guardians have the right to treat lower class citizens in whatever manner is appropriate to them and their captain."
I win. The words didn't have to come from his mouth exactly, but I'm glad they did. Hopefully Conroy will back down now.
"You are correct, guardian Mallory, in everything you have said," I say nodding towards him respectfully. "However, I regret to inform you of two pieces of misinformation to give to you. Because Ionia is occupied by Noxus, the citizens here have elevated levels of status to help prevent any misunderstandings. It was ruled that all guards be forced to treat them on the same ground as if they were nobles."
Mallory freezes in his positioning, stiffening in surprise as he thinks through the ramifications of what I just said. Conroy takes a look at me and then Mallory before he lets out a laugh.
"Don't be so scared, Clark. She's just a filthy liar," he says, raising the sword to point at me. "There's no way she's telling the truth. Even if she is, who's going to tell? We can do whatever we want here."
He steps forward, and the sword draws near to me. I force myself to remain perfectly still as he stops the sword an inch away from my collarbone, and I hear my heart pounding. The small crowd around us looks on in horror, and I see a few cover their eyes. My mouth feels suddenly dry.
"I say we teach both the shopkeeper and this stuck up wench a lesson."
"Guardian Mallory," I say quietly, and very carefully. "There was one other piece of misinformation given to you."
"A-and what would that be?" he asks, looking between Conroy and me in alarm, obviously trying to figure out the correct choice to make.
"You said that the treatment of citizens was up to the discretion of the guards and their captain. I can promise you, this conduct is forbidden at the highest levels by your captain."
"Hah!" Conroy scoffs, slowly raising his sword and making me lift my chin to avoid the point as it rests a hair's width from my throat. "She covers one lie with an even bolder one. Jokes on you, girl. I bet you don't even know the name of our captain."
"Fairfax," a clear monotone voice rings out, causing Mallory and Conroy to snap their heads towards the source.
A young man with short brown hair and a look of steel in his eyes stares at both the guards, his mouth twisted in slight disgust at Conroy. Captain Fairfax stares at the two guards, his eyes not even glancing towards me, but I see his hand rests on his sword. Mallory salutes the Captain quickly, but Conroy remains with the sword pointed at my throat, too stunned to move.
"Sheathe your sword, guardsman, before I take your hand from you," Fairfax says, his voice never changing, eyes never blinking.
Conroy very slowly takes the sword from my throat, and I let out a slow breath, my throat itching where the point almost was. I take a few steps towards Fairfax and curtsey, hoping no one notices my shaky legs.
"Captain," I murmur, not trusting my voice.
"Aria," he says, nodding towards me. "And please, as I continue to say, Fairfax is fine."
I see the two guards stiffen in surprise at the informalities, and I feel my heartbeat begin to settle again. Everything's okay with Fairfax here, even if he was a little late to the party. The new recruits must be pretty bad this time around if he's arriving late to something like this.
"Guardsmen," Fairfax says slowly. "Aria has it correct in everything she says. Benjamin, return to the barracks and await my convenience. Clark, go and join Sevren's patrol."
"Yes sir!" Both of them shout and hurriedly walk off. Conroy shoots a dirty look at me and then Mallory before he turns off onto another street. When both of them are out of sight, I reach down to Mr. Shu and help him off the ground.
"Aria, you must be more careful," he says, rubbing his grey hair once I get him back up.
"It's alright," I say, smiling at him. "The Captain and I have done this before."
"I know your arrangement," he says, looking between the two of us with concern. "But you put her in too much danger, Captain Fairfax."
"I know," Fairfax says, walking up to the two of us and pulling out a coin pouch. "But I fear it's the only way to get it through their skulls. I trust this will pay for the lost produce?"
He hands the pouch over to Mr. Shu, and his hands drop at the weight of it, his eyes growing wide.
"I can't accept-"
"For being late and lost produce," Fairfax says, picking up one of the apples still in the basket. "Plus one, of course."
Mr. Shu looks hesitantly at the pouch and Fairfax before nodding and proceeds to pick up his basket and start walking away. I look towards Fairfax and quirk an eyebrow.
"Sorry. I was hoping to find you before something like this happened. I wanted to warn you some new recruits arrived. They'll be stopping at your shop periodically for the next week. I won't be far behind any one group."
"Standard plan for troublemakers?" I ask, rubbing my neck.
"Standard plan," he agrees, looking around. "I best get going. Expect one group tonight."
Fairfax turns and walks down the street, taking a bite out of the apple in his hand as he goes. I take a dazed look around, ignoring the smiles and whispered compliments from the bystanders. I finally find Kyle, standing dumbstruck where I told him to say, and I walk over to him quickly.
"Follow me," I say with a fake smile, my voice coming out strained. I take a few quick steps into an alley that turns to the left and then right before it leads onto another street. The path in between is out of sight of any bystanders, and I stop halfway down it pressing my hands to the nearest wall and bowing my head. I hear Kyle stop near me, and he says nothing.
My arms and legs start shaking, and I take a few gasping breaths, letting out all the fear I was holding in. Of all the times I've intervened with guards attacking an Ionian, this is the first time I had a sword pointed at me. I clutch at my throat, and take a few more stuttering breaths. They must be really bad, especially if Fairfax wants me using the standard plan on them. I take another moment to collect myself, and then I turn to Kyle.
"So," he says, his tone guarded and dark. "I didn't know Fairfax accepted bribes from people."
"W-what?" I say shakily, still rubbing my throat.
"Well that's what that was, wasn't it?" he asks, folding his arms. "That's how we did it in Noxus. Bribe a few guards and suddenly the rules bend for certain people."
"No, Kyle," I say, staring at him "I didn't bribe him. He did that of his own free will. "
I stare at him for a few seconds before he finally falters, looking away and shifting on his feet. I don't blame Kyle for assuming I bribed the Captain because he's still new to Ionia, but it still makes me a little angry, mostly because he insulted Fairfax's honor with his offhanded comment.
"Why?" he asks. "Why are you doing something so dangerous as helping a Noxian captain enforce rules on his guards? You know he's using you to keep discipline by shaming his subordinates and tricking them into respecting you. You're just a tool for him, and you know it, so why?"
"Because he's honorable," I say tiredly, leaning against the wall and trying to figure out the best way to explain it. "He's like you. He doesn't see Ionians as just the enemy. Without him, this city would be like all the others. Ionians would be beaten in the streets, crimes against us would go unnoticed, you know, things like that. I guess it still happens a little, but not nearly as much as it could."
"But why are you helping him?" Kyle pushes. "Shouldn't another Noxian be helping him? Why is he forcing you to play these Noxian games? Don't you see how cold it's going to make you?"
"I'm doing it because I'm tired, just like him," I say, staring back at Kyle. "I'm tired of doing nothing. I'm tired of hating. And most of all, I'm tired of being scared. So I fight. I don't hate Noxians, I hate the Noxus way of doing things. Every time Fairfax shows them the honorable way of using their rules, they start to change, little by little. When they see me using their same rules and not abusing them, they change even faster. They learn Ionians are different."
"So, what, it's okay to become a merciless Noxian to fight Noxus?" he asks intensely.
"No, of course it's not," I say, frowning at the anger in his voice. "What I do is different. I put on a mask, and when I have that mask on, I beat Noxians with their own rules and without bloodshed. Then I take the mask off, and I'm Ionian again. Everything that happens with that mask on is calculated and planned between Fairfax and I."
"Don't you see how dangerous that is, Aria?" Kyle asks tiredly. "What happens when you're wearing the mask and something unexpected happens? Are you still going to be able to react as you normally would, or would you do something a Noxian would? Or what happens when you start using Noxian tactics against everyone, and not just when you need to?"
I stare at him for a few seconds, noting his clenched hands and angry stance. Why is he so upset over this? Does it look like I want to be playing this game? Doesn't he see how scared I am? How much I hate the fact I have to do this just so it doesn't happen to someone else?
Why is he so angry at me just for using Noxian tactics? Does he just not understand?
"Come to the shop with me," I finally say, turning away and walking down the alley. "It'll be easier to show you then explain. All's I can say is that this is the best option of a lot of other bad options."
I hear him begin to walk behind me, his longer strides catching up to me after a few minutes of silent navigation. We walk together, and I see him slowly start to relax, his tense body language easing back into something more cautious than angry.
"I'm sorry," Kyle mumbles from beneath his messy hair. "I just have some… issues, I guess, with these 'games'."
"So do I," I say softly, smiling at him. "But it's the best way. If guards see their captain respecting an Ionian, it changes their viewpoint drastically, especially when they have to interact with that Ionian on almost a daily basis. That's why it has to be me. I work at the only blacksmith shop in the city, and Fairfax trusts me not to misuse the respect given to me."
"Mmph," Kyle says, still looking down at the street. "That's a lot of power though, for you, and your family."
"Only if we choose to use it," I point out. "And I'm of the opinion that any use of that power would be a misuse."
We walk through the city, turning past an alley with a few shady looking people and figure in a black cloak. Next is a small bakery with some small barefoot children buying treats. Then a homeless shelter with people in frayed clothes entering. I hear Kyle clear his throat, and I look at him. I feel surprise as I see the seriousness in his eyes.
"Do you mean it?" he asks.
"Mean what?" I ask.
"You said you didn't hate Noxians," he says, in the exact same tone. "We just walked past petty thieves, children who would rather eat than wear shoes on a shattered cobblestone road, and a shelter for people without homes. All of those things are because of Noxians. Because of people like me."
"You forgot the part about Noxians killing Ionians during the war, including my father," I say nonchalantly, continuing to walk. Kyle stumbles to a stop, his eyes wide, and mouth open in an aghast expression. I turn and start walking back towards him.
"I-I-I didn't…" he stammers, looking at me as I stop in front of him.
I look at him for a few seconds, and then I reach out my arm towards his head.
He flinches as it nears his face.
I lay my hand on his shoulder gently, grabbing him firmly.
"Yes, I mean it," I say steadily. "I meant it when I said I was tired of hating Noxians. We've been playing the hate game for so long. It's time to forgive and heal. It's time to stop thinking about who killed who, and start thinking about how we can stop it from ever happening again."
He stares at me with a wild expression, opening and closing his mouth a few times before he finally just nods slowly. His eyes search my face cautiously, looking for something unknown. I just smile at him.
"Come on," I say. "I still have to prove I mean what I say, right?"
He nods, more firmly this time, and follows, his eyes turning slightly suspicious again. I don't blame him. I used to be just like him, after all. Forgiveness takes time, just like trust. I've already forgiven Noxians for what they've done, and I trust him. It's not like he doesn't trust me, I mean, he lets me train him in magic so he has to have a little trust. He's just wary, and I can understand that. I was wary of him at first, too.
"We're almost at the shop," I say to him. "Come in a few minutes after I do, and just browse the items for something you want to buy. Wait to buy it until after something happens."
"Like what?" he asks.
"You'll know it when you see it," I answer.
We reach my house, or the blacksmith shop as Kyle knows it, and I enter, Kyle staying behind like I told him to. Akira stands behind the counter, flipping through the accounting book with a look of deathly boredom on his face.
"Aria," he says reverently, running his hands through his brown hair slowly. "My savior."
"Yeah, yeah," I say, walking behind the counter as he stumbles out. "Why don't you go do some grunt work like hitting rocks against swords or something."
"I thought you'd never ask," he says, wiping away a few fake tears and disappearing into the house.
"Fairfax says we have some newbies stopping in!" I shout before he closes the door. "Standard plan for troublemakers!"
"Roger that!" I hear him shout back. "I'll alert the muscle."
I hear Akira slide the door almost completely shut. Almost. Keeping it slightly open would allow him and Zane to hear what was going on in the main room and keep on eye on things if need be. Zane and Mom are probably in the forge, so Akira would be the most like to come first if anything happened, which is probably for the best. If all the new recruits are as bloodthirsty as Conroy, Akira's quickness might come in handy.
I skim my eyes over the thick accounting book on the table as I grab a quill and dip into into the inkpot a few times. The only thing that sticks out is the huge order for short swords for Fairfax, but with the new recruits, it makes sense they'd need more equipment. He's probably dipping into his reserve swords until we got him the new ones, and I put a mark indicating priority next to his shipment.
I lean on the counter and start adding up the cost, calculating the amount of metal and wood costs as well as the expenses in forging the swords and how long it takes for Zane to make each one. It's all become familiar enough that I can recall all the prices in my head by now, but I double check the price of the last metal shipment just to make sure.
As I'm flipping through the pages, I hear the door open, and I look up to see Kyle enter the shop.
"Welcome! Feel free to look around and ask if you need anything!" I say, in my usual cheery shopkeeping voice.
Kyle smiles weakly before turning to look at one of the glass displays, and I go back to the book. I find the last metal shipment and rerun the price with the new number. Turns out metal was cheaper than it usually was. Maybe they found an excess or something? I doubt they found a new source because of how little metal was in occupied Ionia, so they must have shipped an extra amount from the mainland. I hear footsteps walk to the door by me and then walk away. Probably Zane or Akira making sure the new customer wasn't a guard.
I write down the cost of the shipment in the book and begin looking over the repair orders. The door to the shop opens, and I look up to see three guards walk in. One is Clark Mallory, looking uncomfortable and surprised to see me. The second guard is a new face, but he looks hard and has short blond hair and small beard. He also looks uncomfortable, and it's pretty easy to see why.
The third figure to enter looks vastly different compared to the other two. He's slightly older than Fairfax, but has a relaxed look about him. He has long, curly brown hair that hangs to his shoulders and a thick stubble, a reed hanging from his mouth. He wears the same guard armor as the other two, except his is slightly more ornate in places. That, and the scimitar he carries in place of a normal shortsword mark him as someone special.
And oh, is he special.
"Welcome, guardians!" I say cheerily, closing the accounting book and curtseying to them. "If you need anything, feel free to ask. I would be happy to help!"
"See?" the third figure says with a huge grin, pointing to me with his thumb. "It's hard to beat a welcome like that. Go on, look around."
The other two walk over to a few of the displays along the middle of the shop, and the third person walks up to the counter, putting his elbows on the counter and leaning his face on his hands, look up at me as I stand impassively with my hands folded in front of me.
"Welcome back, second-in-command Sevren," I say, my eyes glancing to the one person I haven't met yet, and then back to Sevren.
"Thank you, miss citizeness referee student shopkeeper Aria," he says, taking out the reed in his mouth and setting it on the counter.
"Please, just Aria is fine," I say, raising an eyebrow at the reed.
"Aww, but even if I call you that, you won't call me just Sevren," he says, glancing at the one unknown figure and putting the reed back in his mouth with a nod at me. "You could even call me just Sev. All my friends do."
"Sorry, vice-captain Sevren," I say, with a smile. "But if I don't greet you by second-in-command every time I see you, I might forget that you're actually really important."
"Ouch!" He says letting his head fall on the counter loudly and then slowly looking back up at me from underneath his hair. "Am I really that uninspiring?"
I keep my smiling, saying nothing and glancing at the other two. Clark seems surprised at our exchange in words but doesn't look especially bothered. The other guard has a look of disgust on his face, and he turns away, shaking his head. I look back to Sevren and catch his eyes as he finishes glancing at the same guard. Both his eyes blink at me at the same time.
"That's my princess for you," he sighs, laying his head on the counter pathetically. "Too polite to tell me yes. Do you have any tips for me this time?"
I think about it for a second. "Well, you could cut that ridiculous hair."
"B-but that's the source of all my strength!" he says, shooting up straight. "And the ladies love it! I mean, they always comment on it, so they must, right?"
My grin becomes real for a second. "Well, if that's the case, you could always put it up in a ponytail. Maybe I could style it for you?"
"What!" He gasps, looking at me with wide eyes. "You would do that for a lowly plebeian like me?"
"I guess…" I begin bashfully.
"You are truely an angel! An angel of compassion!"
"...For a price, anyway." I finish.
"Gah!" He shouts, letting his head fall back on the counter, his arms limp. "You're such a tease, princess. Always taking my money… how am I supposed to get my pastries if you keep this up? I need my pastries, princess! You know I have withdrawal symptoms!"
The third guard picks up a longsword in a sheath and walks up to the counter, looking down in disgust at Sevren.
"I have what I want. Will you permit me to return to my duties now?"
"Princess, this bundle of fun is guardsman Tychus Lorry," Sevren says, turning his head to look up at me. "Tychus, this is miss citizeness shopkeeper student Aria."
"Welcome to Ionia, guardian Lorry," I say, curtseying once again.
His cold eyes stare at me silently, and the corner of his mouth turns up in disgust. Sevren slides out of the way taking a few steps back from the counter, and I feel my heart begin to pick up again. Here we go. No more happy fun times with Sevren. This is business now. No big deal.
"If you would please put the sword on the counter, I can get you an exact cost," I say, gesturing politely. I feel the tension rise in the air as he stares at me wordlessly, and guardian Mallory takes a few hesitant steps forward towards us.
"No," Lorry says, looking at me. "That's not how this is going to work. I'm going to take this sword, and you're going to let me. Got it?"
Mallory begins to open his mouth as if to warn Lorry, but Sevren looks at him, his eyes the only serious thing about him. He lifts a finger to his mouth, looking relaxed and calm the whole time, and Mallory closes his mouth and swallows, looking back at us.
"I'm sorry, guardian Lorry, but that's not how this is going to work," I say, still smiling. "There is no special discount for guardsmen here, so I'm afraid you'll have to pay full price."
He jerks his head back like I just slapped him, surprise on his face. "Excuse me?"
"I said, you'll have to pay full price," I say quietly my heart thumping faster and faster. The air grows even more tense, and everyone stares at the two of us. Only Sevren and I notice the door to the shop opening slowly and quietly, and only Sevren and I see captain Fairfax step into the shop, being careful to not close the noisy door.
"I-," Lorry begins, spitting out his words. "I am a third class noble, and you presume to speak to me that way, little girl? You may have my commander smitten, but not me. I am the one in charge here, and if you try to stain my honor any more than you already have, I promise you, you will regret it."
"I realize that, guardian," I say carefully, trying to calm the tension somewhat. "And if you let me see the sword you picked out, I'm sure you'll find our first time discount to be more than reasonab-"
There's a flash of motion, and something slams into my cheek, twisting my head violently to the left and throwing my body the same direction. Pain blasts through my head as I fall, my body slamming into the corner area of the countertops, and I use my hands to grasp at both countertops to keep myself up. Everything blurs red, and my legs feel like jelly as I frantically try to keep myself standing.
I blink away a few involuntary tears and ignore the loud ringing sound in my ears as I get my feet back underneath me, standing up slowly. The right side of my face stings with needle-like intensity, and I press my right hand to my face lightly. Something tastes salty and somewhat like metal, and my lip throbs. I touch a finger to it, and it comes away red.
I get my legs back underneath me and take a few deep breaths, turning around to the rest of the room as the right side of my face continues to blare with pain at regular intervals. I scan the room slowly.
Kyle stays hidden in his corner, his eyes wide, but otherwise unchanged.
Mallory stands much the same as Kyle, all surprised, but his sword is halfway from its sheath.
Sevren stands behind Tychus Lorry, his scimitar resting at the base of his head and his other hand pointing a shortsword of about the same length at his back, directly behind where his heart would be. All humor is drained from his expression, replaced with a grim little frown.
Lorry stands exactly like I remember him, except with his right hand raised in the air like he just completed a slapping motion and froze.
Fairfax stands directly next to Lorry, his left hand clamped on Lorry's arm to freeze its motion.
Akira must have entered the room when I was struggling to not bash my head and fall down because he stands in between me and everyone else, a dagger in either hand.
Fairfax slowly motions to come closer with his free hand, and I do, taking a few shaky steps at a time. I stop when I'm in the same spot I was in before Lorry slapped me. Fairfax gently motions as if to move my hand away, and I do before he actually comes in contact. He makes no reaction to what he sees. I feel tingling sensation, and blood trickles from my lip, but I make no motion to wipe it away. I hear a faint pitter-pat sound, and I look down to see small drops of blood appearing on the counter.
"Tychus Lorry," Fairfax says, his voice calm. "You have drawn blood of a citizen with rights equal to that of a Noble's."
"What?" Lorry says, his eyes widening slightly as anger flares in them. "You're seriously enforcing the rules for these vermin?"
"That is how we do things here, guardsman," Fairfax says calmly, never looking away from the blood drops on the counter. "I don't know what personal grievance you may have against Ionians, and I don't care. Your job is to protect these people. You don't have to like them, you just have to do your job. Understand?"
Lorry's eyes burn, but he nods, letting out a slow breath, as if accepting his fate. Fairfax nods back.
"You drew blood. That means you pay the blood price."
Fairfax slams Lorry's hand palm up onto the counter suddenly, the motion a blur to my eyes. I see Lorry wince in pain before turning his eyes to stare at me with hate.
"Law dictates you are allowed to take up to a hand," Fairfax says, looking at me now. "Make sure you make him pay an appropriate price for your pain."
Sevren walks up to the counter and pulls out a vicious looking dagger, gently putting it onto the counter. He looks at me, and I nod back at him. I pick up the dagger with both hands, and hold it over Lorry's hand, point facing down. I look at him.
"Just get it over with," he spits out, closing his eyes and looking away.
Thats when I do it. I stab the dagger downwards five times in quick succession into Lorry's outstretched hand. I slam the dagger onto the countertop after the fifth stab, and the room rings with the noise. Lorry opens his eyes and looks back at his hand slowly.
Five spheres of blood rest on his hand, one on each fingertip. Each poke of the dagger drew no more blood than that of a needle. He slowly looks up at me.
"The price is paid," I say quietly, resting my hand back on the right side of my face. "Now if you still want to do business here, I suggest you do it quick. I'm feeling a little faint."
Fairfax lets go of Lorry's wrist, but he doesn't seem to notice. His eyes stare at me with growing anger and loathing, and he wrenches himself away from the counter, storming out of the shop.
"Take him back to the barracks," Fairfax says, and Sevren and Clark hurry to obey, Sevren picking up his knife and giving an apologetic nod as he leaves. The door slams shut behind them, leaving Fairfax, Kyle, Akira, and I in the shop. Fairfax shifts his position, blocking my view of Kyle, not that I care. I'm too interested in the drops of blood on the counter.
I feel liquid in my mouth, and I taste iron once again. Tsk.
I should have made him pay. To void with our plan, I deserved some revenge. Fairfax was supposed to stop anything like that from happening anyway, so I really should have done what I wanted to do. I should have cut him. I should have made that Noxian crow bleed for me. I should have smiled as he cried for mercy and smiled as his life leaked from his body. I should have-
"Get the medicine," Fairfax says suddenly, snapping me out of stupor. I try to look up at his face, but I feel a gentle yet sturdy hand keeping my head looking down at the counter. I hear Akira pick something up, and then a glass vial is pushed in front of me.
What's wrong with these two?
"Close your eyes and drink," Akira says quietly, a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Your sickness is just acting up, that's all. Come on, drink up."
Their words sound familiar, like I've heard them before, but I don't know where. I get a feeling I should do what he says though. I'm not even sure I want to, but I feel like I should, especially with Akira's tone. Maybe the medicine will clear things up. Yeah, that sounds right.
I open the vial with steady hands, and I briefly feel the spellwork inlaid into the glass that keeps the medicine preserved. I lift the vial, close my my eyes and drink. The medicine is cold and thick, but it doesn't taste bad except for the slight taste of blood from my cut lip. I finish the vial and put it back down, and my thoughts suddenly feel clear, almost like I had a headache and didn't realize until it was gone. The pain from my lip and cheek seem far away too, like it doesn't even matter anymore.
I look up in time to see Kyle leave the shop. He looks back at me before he leaves, and for a second I'm scared he's still angry at me by the cold expression on his face. Then he nods at me and leaves, letting the door slam shut behind him. I take a deep breath, my vision seems sharper, somehow. The lights from the lanterns seem to bright, and I feel slightly dizzy.
"The medicine hits her pretty hard right after she takes it," I hear Akira say. "You can say your apologies after she's had a moment to lay down."
I feel him gently begin to guide me by the shoulders, and I close my eyes and let him. Just one step in front of the other, no big deal. The medicine's side-effects would wear off after a few minutes, just like Akira said. I hope the pain stays away though. That slap really hurt.
"Remember," I hear an echoing voice whisper."Remember the initial. The beginning. The truth."
My eyes snap open, and I gasp for air, sitting straight up in my bed. My heart pounds in my chest, and my mind feels oddly alert and aware as I look around my dark room. Nothing seems out of place, but something had to have woken me up. My clothes are drenched in sweat, so maybe I had a bad drea-
I remember. The training, the apple vendor, the shop, all of it. Another half dream that was me reliving a memory. Another memory I wish would stay forgotten. That's just my luck though, having to relive a memory in perfect, crystalline detail that I don't even want.
My cheeks feel damp, and I don't bother wiping the tears away. I get up from my bed and move to the corner of the room, curling up into a ball and leaning against the walls. The tears flow freely even though my face remains completely still, and I let them. I'm too tired to actually cry out, so I just stay curled into a ball and let the tears fall.
Of all my memories, why is it only the ones dealing with that? Why am I reliving my memories anyway?
And why do I get the distinct impression that, just like the last one, something that happened in my dream didn't occur in the actual event?
I feel my eyes slowly flutter and close as the tears continue to flow silently, and then blissful silence shrouds me, taking away the questions and pain.