Chapter thirteen: Test

Day 36

"You're quite a good fighter. For a human."

Jack rose to his feet. "I made some friends in the Overworld. They always said the exact same thing—after handing me my ass."

"The mobs, I assume?" said Skotur. "Well, they're right."

"I couldn't ever beat any of them."

"You must be the only human alive who fights mobs and Valkyries one-on-one and expects to win."

"You've never met a mob hunter, have you…" Jack moved to the side of the dojo-like room, where he grabbed a jug of water from a small table. The magenta plates creaked as he moved, but he barely felt the armor itself. Apparently Gravitite was very dense, but its physics-defying effects made it feel practically weightless to him.

After sipping some water, he lowered his helmet's visor and turned to see Skotur in the air, supported by her wings and backlit by the light that came from the high windows. She held a lance in one hand, a shield in another. They weren't the same ones she'd used when she rescued Jack; these were made of wood and something that looked like a purple gem. Brigul had called it Zanite, one of the more common minerals in the Aether.

"Try again," she said from behind her own visor. "But this time we'll add another challenge."

"You mean flying? That's a challenge, all right."

"You can jump."

Jack sighed and picked up his poleaxe. The weapon's head consisted of an axe on one side and a hammer on the other, with a spike sticking out on top between them. It was also made of Gravitite and was therefore weightless to him, but according to the Valkyries, anyone on the receiving end wouldn't feel much of a difference compared to steel. Jack hadn't questioned it.

One thing he did question was why Herskagul used something as rare and powerful as Gravitite to help him survive. Even if she sympathized with him, providing this much help was…strange. Skotur and Brigul claimed the Queen was simply honorable and determined to help those in need, but Jack doubted that that was the only reason. Not that he cared; as long as it'd get him to the Overworld, he didn't complain.

Skotur dived straight for him. Jack leaped to the side—and with the armor's gravity-defying properties, his jump launched him several meters away.

He panicked for a moment as he flew through the air, finally crashing on the ground head-first. Thankfully Gravitite armor also protected him better from impacts like that than any steel plate suit ever could, and he got to his feet without pause.

He turned to Skotur. "Didn't know we were starting."

"Tempests won't wait for you to attack," she said.

"Tempests also don't have a lance and shield."

"I could get a war hammer."

Jack rolled his eyes and raised his poleaxe.

She didn't do the same. Instead, she ascended again. "Tempests aren't limited by gravity, either. Regular one-on-one combat won't do you any good against them."

Jack hesitated. He started running forward, careful not to launch himself away again. His steps covered more distance. This wasn't just running; it was a series of small jumps.

He leaped several feet in the air and swung his poleaxe at Skotur's armor. The Valkyrie barely needed to move to avoid the attack; his jump was too high, and he soared in an arc over her. He slammed into the wall and fell.

He unceremoniously landed on his back. It didn't hurt as much as it should've.

He got to his feet—and immediately rolled away, narrowly dodging the sharp end of a lance. He raised his weapon, but Skotur ascended again, their gazes locked.

"In order to use Gravitite to its fullest extent," she explained, "you'll need to get an instinctive sense of how much force you need to exert to reach the desired height or distance when you jump."

"You make it sound so easy."

Raulyn stood outside, wearing only a padded jacket and trousers for armor, his eyes on the descending sun. The grassy hills they had passed that night were visible in the distance. To his other side, the grass began to make place for more barren land.

He vaguely remembered this place. He had hunted a mob several days away from Ironhand. Usually the Hunters would not bother with that, but after receiving sighting reports from various locations that ultimately lead here, he became curious. Some mobs were always on the move, but the Red Wolf had not been seen for a long time. It was suspected to have found a permanent hideout. What had convinced it to leave a safe place such as that?

Tristan and Drake had called him paranoid, but had accompanied him nonetheless. And then he had found the portal.

Ever since the strange storm incident at Ironhand mere days ago, he had wondered if the portal had somehow influenced his mind, convinced him to go after the Red Wolf—just like how Jack had influenced him to find that crystal. But why would a portal want to be found? And by him, of all people?

Kai did not need to speak for Raulyn to know that he was there.

Kai approached. "Sir. The others have finished preparations."

Raulyn did not turn to look at him. "Why are you not with them, Kai?"

"Sir?"

"You are supposed to be keeping the peace. You are the only one who is willing and able to do so."

"You mean besides yourself, sir?"

Raulyn finally turned to him. "Tell me this, Kai—why did I send Flamma away?"

"Because she was insubordinate."

"And what about you? Are you insubordinate?"

"No, sir."

"If I told you to kill the Stray right now, would you do it?"

Kai paused for a moment. "I thought you agreed that we needed the mobs…"

"Would you do it?" Raulyn repeated.

Kai's expression hardened. "Yes, sir."

"You would? After your interactions in the mine? You claimed she actively tried to keep you and Flamma alive."

"She did what she did for the good of this alliance. They need us as much as we need them, if not more."

"The other Hunters are right, though. The mobs will turn against us the moment we reach the Aether, regardless of how many bargains I strike with them."

Kai did not respond.

"You do not contradict me?" Raulyn said. "Despite your experience with that mob three years back? You said she could have killed all of you."

"These mobs are not Sarah," Kai whispered.

"Yet you call them by their names. You buried the Red Fox's corpse. Almost as though you are trying to humanize them. That was different three years ago, was it not?"

Kai's gaze darkened. He obviously did not appreciate being reminded of his bloody past.

"How long were you and the Stray alone in that mine?" Raulyn challenged. "Long enough for her to say what she wanted to say? To finish what that mob you met three years ago started?"

"You think I will defect?"

"I think you are losing sight of what you are supposed to be. And of what they are."

"Then why did I join the Hunters?"

"You tell me. Were Slaenone's laws becoming too extreme for you? There was a time when you enforced them perfectly…"

"I did not lose sight of what they are. Or what I am."

Raulyn fell silent, regarding him. Then he drew his sword. "I have always said that you were my equal in combat."

"Sir…"

Raulyn stepped forward.

Kai sighed, then drew the weapon he had on hand. A hand-and-a-half sword, up against an arming sword. The odds were against Raulyn, but he did not back down.

Kai held his sword forward in a two-handed grip, the pommel next to his hip, the blade pointed to Raulyn's chest. Raulyn held his arming sword low, point aimed downward.

For a moment, there was nothing but the light chill of the outside as the two men started to move, getting in closer, then backing away, watching their opponent's reactions and switching between stances.

Then Raulyn went for a stab.

Stepping back, Kai met Raulyn's sword with his own and brought it upwards, redirecting the stab. Kai swiftly raised his sword above his head and struck at Raulyn, who performed a hanging parry to deflect the blow. Kai leaped back to create some distance, then continued by circling around one another, assuming guard after guard.

To anyone else, this may have seemed like a way to settle some grudge or simple training. But it was more than that.

Raulyn wanted to know if he could beat Kai, should the second-in-command side with the mobs in the end.

Jack leaped forward, covering several feet in a single low jump. Then upwards, poleaxe held forward, the spike on top aimed straight for Skotur. She folded her wings and dropped to avoid the attack, and Jack hit the wall. He allowed himself to fall and landed on his feet.

"Your accuracy is improving," Skotur said.

Jack raised his poleaxe again. He ran, then jumped straight for the wall, passing under Skotur.

He 'landed' against the wall on one foot, then jumped again, trying to aim for the Valkyrie. He missed and soared to the opposing wall, his empty off-hand outstretched.

He was able to grab a windowsill when he hit. As he hung on one arm, he set his feet against the wall and turned his helmeted head to her.

She floated in the middle of the room. "Impressive. But what will you do from here?" She raised her lance and shot towards him.

Jack pushed against the wall with his feet, 'jumping' straight for her. Their weapons met, and Jack was able to redirect her lance. With his off-hand, he instinctively grabbed her arm.

His added weight—diminished as it was, thanks to the armor—caught Skotur off-guard, and she struggled for a moment to keep herself from falling. Using the opportunity, Jack dropped his poleaxe and grabbed her lance with both hands.

Then he set his foot against her chest and 'jumped'.

He was launched backwards, and the force of the jump was enough to yank Skotur's lance from her one-handed grip. Jack crashed against the wall and onto the ground, holding Skotur's weapon.

She landed before him. "Most impressive. I understand your practice with the Aerclouds may have helped. You're a quick study."

"You're holding back."

"Yes—and it's paying off."

Disgruntled, he gave her back the lance and picked up his own weapon from the ground. "Let's keep going."

Raulyn went for a diagonal strike. Kai seemed to have expected this however, as he raised his blade in a hanging guard to deflect the attack. Kai swiftly twisted his sword around above his head for a high horizontal cut.

Raulyn blocked just in time and backed away.

Kai lowered his sword, relaxing.

Raulyn paused, then felt at his cheek. He came back with bloodstained fingers. Despite his block, Kai's blade had managed to nick him.

Raulyn raised his weapon again, pointing his sword at Kai's face. He had to be able to win this. If Kai did defect…

"Hey! What are you two doing!"

Raulyn glanced to where the voice came from. Mobs and Hunters alike had left their cover and were headed towards the two duelists. He had not realized how low the sun had gotten—its light had faded enough for even the Stray to emerge.

Raulyn ignored them and turned back to Kai, who had raised his sword so the hilt was next to his head, the blade pointing up and slightly angled back.

"Both of you…" the Stray called as it approached, bow in hand. "Stop this right now."

"Relax, Athena," Kai told her absently. He moved forward and made for a diagonal strike.

Raulyn moved to block, but Kai's strike turned into a feint that flowed into an attack from the other side. Raulyn immediately dodged back, slashing to redirect the stab.

Focus, he thought. Read him. You can defeat him.

He kept his gaze on the younger Hunter. They had fought before, during training. There was always a pattern…

Kai's sword flowed into a diagonal strike from below. Raulyn blocked. Kai didn't back off, instead going for a stab.

Raulyn redirected it and wrapped his sword and sword arm around Kai's blade, trapping it. Keeping Kai's blade in his grasp, Raulyn lunged forward and tried to throw a punch—only for Kai to dodge, release his sword and elbow Raulyn's face.

Raulyn stumbled back, with Kai's sword falling from his grip. Kai snatched it up and backed away.

Raulyn's jaw clenched. Leaning back, he placed his blade on his shoulder and let it angle back and downwards, going behind his head. Kai assumed a similar guard with his own weapon.

An arrow hit the ground between them.

"Both of you," the Stray ordered. "That's enough!"

The Wither Skeleton stopped her. "Let them. They're just sparring."

"Yeah," the Blaze added. "If we're lucky, they'll kill each other."

You can defeat him, Raulyn thought, focusing, ignoring the blood that began to run from his nose.

You can defeat him.

He focused. Truly focused.

Kai went for a stab.

Raulyn raised his off-hand, pressed two fingers against the flat of Kai's incoming blade and pushed it aside, redirecting the attack.

At the same time, he stepped forward and held his sword at Kai's throat.

Kai froze.

Their audience was silent. Had it been silent the whole time?

Raulyn stepped back. Grabbing or even tapping an opponent's blade mid-swing or mid-stab was usually too risky. The speed and coordination he demonstrated when he intercepted Kai's stab like that had left everyone impressed. It always did.

Glancing around their audience, he noticed mobs and Hunters looking on in disbelief. Ilyoin and Galen, on the other hand, just nodded and smirked approvingly. It was nothing new for them.

"Okay, that's it," the Stray finally said. "I'm going to have Andr take your weapons."

Protests erupted. Even some of the mobs were unhappy.

"Enough," Raulyn ordered, bringing silence over the group. "Everyone, go back. We should leave."

He gave Kai one final glance. Then he started back to the horses, with the Hunters obediently following him.

The job was done. He had proven himself.

Jack jumped high up, hitting the wall with his feet. From there, he jumped again, this time headed for the ceiling—which he used to launch himself down at Skotur. He didn't have much time to aim, so he really just leaped in her general direction.

As expected, he missed. He stretched out his free hand and used it to cushion his fall. It strained his arm a bit, but the Gravitite was effective enough to prevent his head from colliding with the floor.

He looked up at her, panting. "Missed again."

"It was better than before," Skotur said. "Do it again."

"Should I really be stressing my armor like this?" He looked at the axehead. "Not to mention this thing…"

"We'll see to your equipment later. For now, you need to get familiar with Gravitite and its properties."

"And what if I get a lucky hit in and you bleed to death?"

"Valkyries don't die."

Jack paused, but decided not to question it—he'd stopped really questioning things a while ago. He hesitated, looking at the walls, trying to find some new way to approach a fight.

Skotur dropped out of the air. "Try keeping your feet off the ground for as long as possible."

"Huh?"

"Use the walls."

Jack hesitated. It made sense; practicing that would probably help him get better at doing pretty much anything in mid-air.

He jumped against the wall, where he jumped again—this time to another wall, where he redirected himself away.

It was surprisingly difficult. Around the fourth jump, his attempts at aiming were completely fruitless. Unable to adapt, he crashed straight into the opposite wall and fell.

He accepted Skotur's outstretched hand and hoisted himself up. "That went well," he dryly said.

"Keep practicing. After this, we'll see if you can't practice your precision. There won't be any walls outside to jump against; only trees."

Jack huffed. "Yeah, I got that."