Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
Another Roll Of The Dice
by Storm Wolf77415 and Centurious the Azure
Dealing Out the Hand
Eryn Village, Sutherland Province, March 31st, 1203 of the Septian Calendar
For Emma Millstein, it was a fairly normal day. She looked up at the massive pile of books on her desk. "If I didn't like books as much as I do, I'd be sorely tempted to burn them all." She really didn't mean it. There was no better way to pass the time than with a good book and a warm cup of tea. Needless to say, with how involved her magic studies were, it seemed daunting. But Emma was the diligent type. For her, this was a challenge she relished going through.
Her loyal familiar, Celine was curled up on her bed. It was all too easy for her to lose track of time when she was immersed in her studies like this. Emma's concentration was broken by a weird sensation coursing through her body. There was a piercing yowl as Celine suddenly woke up. "What in the great blaze was that?" The cat cried, her tail thrashing about.
A shrill cry from downstairs. One both witch and familiar recognized all too well. "Grandmother!" Emma cried, running down the steps as fast as she could to Roselia's workshop, Celine following behind. Emma's heart wrenched when she saw smoke pouring through the cracks in the heavy elm doors.
"What did she get herself into this time?" Celine asked, grimacing at the harsh odor from the smoke.
"Hold on Grandmother!" Emma threw open the doors, waving away the smoke coming into her face. "Grandmother, are you okay?" She took a few steps in, trying to see something, anything.
"I'm fine, Emma." The voice brought the younger witch to a halt. "In fact, I've never been better." It was much deeper, with a husky tone that made the younger witch think of a finely aged velvet. As the smoke dissipated, Emma gasped. There stood Roselia Millstein, better known in history as Red Moon Rose, the elder of the Hexen Clan, but not in her usual childlike form, but as a full-statured adult, complete with trim hips and a bust that could put Emma to shame.
Her eyes widened in shock. "Grandmother, what happened to you? Why are you in your adult form? Did one of your experiments backfire or something?"
Rose's hands came up to her chest. Smiling just a little bit. It was nice to see the girls again! "Truthfully, dear. I'm not sure myself. Not that I'm complaining about the outcome of it." But then her face became deathly serious, a sharp gleam ran through her crimson eyes. "That being said. Something in the Septium veins has shifted." A long elaborate staff with a crystal exuding a brilliant red glow formed in her hands. "I must work out the source of this disturbance."
"Do you need our help for this, Grandmother?" Emma asked, blinking slowly in disbelief. Still not quite believing what she was seeing, or hearing.
The blonde elder just gave a half-smile, an elegant shake of her head as her thick blonde mane waved behind her. "Not at this time, but if I do later. You'll be the first I'll call. Go upstairs and resume your studies, dear." Placated for the moment, Emma and Celine went back upstairs. She spared one last worried glance before she vanished. Rose sighed, so much to do, so little time, she gazed into the light emanated by her staff, working out what just had happened, zeroing in on the source of it all.
(Three Days Later)
Rose hadn't come out of her workshop and Emma was starting to get quite worried. She knew no one was more adept at magic than her grandmother. Yet the way she had buried herself in her work was making her wonder if Rose had eaten anything. She was secretly relieved when the doors to the workshop banged open, and out swept her grandmother. Although she was troubled to see how furious the elder witch looked. "Are you okay, Grandmother?" She asked nervously, feeling the raw mana wafting off her.
"Oh, I'm just fine." Emma knew that was a blatant lie, but she didn't dare challenge it. Even Celine hunched down a little bit. "Pack your bags, Emma. We're going to pay an old friend of mine a visit. There's been a major shift in the septium veins, and I finally found the source of all the distortions. It appears that he, or rather his student, is at the center of it." She folded her arms in irritation. "I don't know how he did it, but he will hear it from me! Celine, I'll leave things in your care for the moment."
And this is what led to Emma and Rose's little sit down with Master Ka-Fai and Rean on the side of the road. "So tell me how exactly this whole thing happened. By all means, leave no detail out." Rose folded her arms with a pointed glare at Rean, but the younger man didn't back down. The elder witch was surprised to feel a slight flare of energy from the Ashen Awakener. "I see you've taught him well, Yun. He's learned to control his energy quite well. I can only imagine he's quite keen with the blade."
The Sword Hermit puffed out of his chest. "But of course, Rosie! Young Rean here is one of my best students." He patted him on the shoulder. "The most potential for growth I've ever seen in someone his age. Give him a few more years, he'll definitely be a Divine Blade, just like Cassius and Arios." Rean didn't miss the look of pride his master gave him. "I believe it with all my heart." Emma smiled at the gesture.
"Thank you, Master," Rean said, locking eyes with Rose. "If you must know, Elder Rose. I wasn't the one who thought this idea up. A friend of mine convinced me after I…died in North Ambria." He thought of Crow for a minute. Emma's eyes widened and she gasped in horror, and some of Rose's anger dissipated. "He said that I wasn't supposed to die there, and that a bad future resulted from it." He reached into his pocket and pulled out the dice that had become so important to him. "He said that I had a chance to roll the dice, start again. If I had the means to reunite with my classmates, your granddaughter included." He clenched his fist around the cubes. "I didn't need to think very hard about it."
"You'll forgive me if I'm a little skeptical. Such a thing couldn't be possible without something like a Sept-terrion fueling it." Rose stated, gently probing the surface of Rean's mind, looking for any hint of deception, but there was none, just the firm resolve of someone who believed he was right. "On the other hand, thanks to this reversal, I regained a considerable amount of my power, not to mention locking me in my adult form." She noted her ample curves. "So I'll admit there must be a degree of truth to what you're saying."
"Thank you for not dismissing me outright," Rean said, looking to his master, idly drinking some sake. "What about you? Think I'm crazy, Master?"
The Sword Hermit just scoffed. "I've known you long enough, Rean. You were never the type to make up outlandish tales." He hiccuped. The warmth from the drink began manifesting on his cheeks. "Of course having a few drinks might help convince me a little bit more. Now you said this training journey was to help you better control your ogre power, perhaps that wasn't the only reason for this sojourn?"
"Yes." He confirmed with a nod of conviction, the fire behind Rean's eyes confirmed his words as truth to all present. "I also thought this could be a way for me to connect with the other members of Class VII." Rean looked to Emma, and the young witch looked into the eyes of the Ashen Awakener. There was strength but also a deep, underlying sadness.
"Make no mistakes, Teo and Lucia Schwarzer are the only people I could ever call my parents. I would be hard-pressed to find a more loving, caring sister than Elise Schwarzer. But I always felt out of place, like I couldn't show my full, true self. And then in the spring of 1204, next year, I attended Thors Military Academy, and I met eleven people who became just as much as family, Emma included. All of them filled in holes I never realized I had. Class VII was truly the best thing that ever happened to me."
"Me?" Emma asked, on the brink of tears. "I was a part of Class VII too?"
Rean handed her a handkerchief so she could wipe her face. "That's right, you and Celine as well. Smartest girl in the school. Always top marks on every test. Not to mention there's no end to your compassion. You helped tutor one of our other classmates, a girl named Fie Claussell, so she wouldn't flunk out."
He sighed fondly, a broad smile coming onto his face. "I miss all of them so much. I know all of them, but they're all strangers to me and each other. I'm not the master gambler Crow was, but this is one bet I'm willing to take. Our instructor said I was the heart of the class, the one who bound us all together. It's about time I started doing just that."
"I think I've heard enough." Rose stood up, crossing her arms beneath her ample chest. "It sounds like this Class VII will become major players down the line, and to think that my granddaughter would become part of it." She looked over to Emma, who was still reeling from being told what her future held. She put a gentle hand on the younger witch's shoulder. "It's a lot to take in, but I know you're up to the task. I think it would be best if you traveled with Master Ka-Fai and Rean for the duration of their journey. You could stand to see the world beyond Eryn."
"What about Celine?" Emma asked.
"I will let her know what's going on. Besides I'll need her help with a little project." Rose looked to Master Ka-Fai. "I trust you will look after her for me, Yun?"
The Sword Hermit gave a sweeping bow to the Hexen Clan Elder. "I will look after her like she was my child, Rosie. You have my word that no harm will come to a single hair on her head." He delicately kissed her hand.
Rose let out an elegant laugh before summoning up her staff, gleaming with blood-red light. "You could always be quite the charmer when it suited you, Yun. Although I hope your student doesn't emulate some of your more disreputable habits." She sent a pointed look at Rean, before directing her attention to her granddaughter. "Emma, take care of yourself, honey. Keep me informed of your travels. I love you as always." She raised her staff to the sky and the familiar red glyph-filled circle appeared beneath her, as Crimson Roselia returned to Eryn Village.
"She always did have to make a big exit." Emma let out a long-suffering sigh, knowing someone else would be even more theatrical! "Even if Grandmother has been acting more serious than I ever saw her. She really can be so childish at times! But that's beside the point now." She looked to Rean, who seemed overjoyed to have her on this journey. Perhaps this wouldn't be such a bad thing after all. "Our classmates, did we really become so close to each other?"
Rean affirmed with a further widening grin. "Oh yeah! We became like a second family. Admittedly, we walked a rough path at times, and there were major disagreements between a few of our ranks. But we always pulled through in the end. I wouldn't trade them in for anything else." He held out his hand to Emma. "I'm glad to have you on this trip, Emma. We can meet them all together." The violet-haired witch looked to the Ashen Awakener, before ultimately taking it. With that, the first bonds of Class VII were sealed.
Emma finally let herself relax, her stiff shoulders loosening up. She'd felt as tense as a sprung beartrap until now. "I'm glad to call you a friend then, Rean. So if we're going on this grand tour of the Empire to meet our future classmates, let me ask three big questions of you. Who exactly are these people we are meeting? Where are they currently located? and What are you going to tell them?"
"As far as the first two questions go, I can tell you who they are and I have a pretty good idea of where most of them are located. They represent a cross-section of the best and brightest across the entire Empire. Nobles and commoners were in the same class together, which was unheard of before us. I'll start with Sara Valenstein, our instructor. Now if you saw her teach, you'd wonder how she got the job in the first place. Instructor Sara wasn't always the most diligent of teachers, in fact, more likely she'd shove her duties onto someone else…namely me." Rean muttered. "But she's an A-ranked Bracer known as the Purple Lightning. So she's anything but weak. At this time she is most likely in the town of Trista at Thors itself, teaching the class that was our precursor."
"As for our fellow students, first is Eliot Craig, he was one of the first real friends I made at Thors. He's actually the son of General Olaf Craig, commander of the Fourth Armored Division. He's a little on the shy side, but has a sharp hand with an orbal staff. Not to mention he's a very gifted musician. Next, we have Machias Regnitz, the son of the Imperial Governor. Smartest guy in our class, usually tied in grades with you. Does not like anything that does with the nobility, but he gets better. An orbal shotgun is his weapon of choice. Really good at chess. Both of them hail from Heimdallr, that's where we can find them."
"After that, we have Alisa Reinford, yeah those Reinfords. Joined the Lacrosse Team at Thors, a dead shot with an orbal bow, and should you ever make her mad. I will pray for your mortal soul. She's got a temper. Alisa will be in Roer. Then we have Jusis Albarea, our resident scion of the Four Great Noble Houses. He takes great pride in his blue blood status, and may come off as rather cold and uncaring, but it couldn't be further from the truth. He firmly believes in noblesse oblige, always one to pay off his debts. Practices Albarea style court fencing, and is an adept equestrian. He is most likely at the family estate in Bareahard, can't imagine Jusis is enjoying it very much."
"Gaius Worzel was the second friend I made at Thors. He is actually a transfer student from the Nord Highlands, so he's probably riding out on the plains right now." Rean didn't hide the jealousy in his voice. "Another thing I should note. Our class goes on field studies, and we were lucky enough to go there. It was so expansive and just plain beautiful." She recalled those fond memories, of riding across those verdant savannas. "The spear is his weapon of choice, just like the Nord warriors of old. On top of that, he's an avid painter, quite adept with a brush."
Rean steadied himself, images of a blue-haired beauty smiling warmly flashed through his mind. "Next up is one that's kind of important to me. Laura S. Arseid, the daughter of Victor S. Arseid, the Viscount of Legram. If there was anyone who broke the stereotype of nobles being arrogant, selfish bastards then she would shatter it into a million pieces. Laura is one of the nicest, kindest people you can find. She has a very strong sense of honor and duty, not unlike Jusis. She wields a giant claymore with great ease, regarded as the strongest of the first-year students. Not to mention she was instrumental in helping me overcome my insecurities." Rean got a little nervous when he mentioned that.
"Ha ha! So you got sweet on Victor's daughter?" Yun crowed. He started mock crying, much to his student's embarrassment. "Ah, Rean I'm so proud of you! My student has grown into a man!" He hugged Rean, causing Emma to start giggling. "I must say you have very good taste in women. I've known Viscount Arseid for a very long time and had the pleasure of knowing young Laura, the living image of her mother. I can only imagine how stunning she's become in the last few years, I have no doubt Victor would agree to a union between you two."
"Master, please! We haven't even met yet!" Rean protested, raising his hands in defense. "I won't deny that I have feelings for Laura, but I would want to do it properly. Get some time to know her first before we make any big decisions?"
The Sword Hermit snickered again, knocking back some of his sake. His master was beginning to look entirely red in the face. There was no drunken sway, though. He was far from a lightweight. "But of course! I'm glad you're being so mature about this, Rean. That being said I'll be quite eager to see your interactions with her when we get to Legram. Not to mention how Victor will react."
Emma cleared her throat, hoping her cheeks weren't still flushed. Their redness was very much visible to all present. No one dared comment, though. Simply because it was too easy to fluster her. "Perhaps we can get back on track? You haven't mentioned the last of our classmates."
"Thank you, Emma." Rean was never so happy for someone to change the subject. "The final three members of Class VII are Fie Claussell, Millium Orion, and Crow Armbrust. Fie is a very special case because she's a former jaeger, who belonged to Zephyr. She's known as Slyphid because of just how fast on her feet she is. Twin gun swords are her weapon of choice, and she actually joined the Gardening Club, also really likes taking naps wherever she can. Not to mention she's a first-rate troll. I have no idea of her current whereabouts. I have to imagine she's still with Zephyr at this point and since they're probably always on the move, tracking them down is going to be difficult."
"Millium and Crow joined us later in the year. Now Millium's circumstances are just plain unique. She actually works for the Imperial Intelligence Division, partnered with a strange device called Airgetlam that follows her every command. I still don't know the whole story about her, and no idea where she is either. But I'm just willing to bet she'll pop up when we least expect it. I know that much. And then there's Crow." Rean wasn't sure where to start with that particular can of worms, before just deciding to go for it.
"Right now Crow should be attending classes at Thors because he was part of the precursor class I mentioned earlier. I say should because he was always cutting classes to go to the horse races, the man's a compulsive gambler. Not to say he didn't have a certain roguish charm, but when it comes to Crow there's a whole story behind it that I really don't want to discuss at this time. It's not that I don't want to tell you, Emma. It's just I don't want to have to repeat myself. Part of my plan is once I've made contact with everyone, and we all meet up at Thors. I'll spill the beans then. But that's still eleven months away. Can you wait that long?"
"I suppose I can." Emma was patient enough, especially when there was already enough on her plate as is. "So what about my last question. What exactly are you going to tell our future classmates? I can't imagine you're going to lead with the whole 'I'm a time traveler from the future' bit."
Rean shook his head slowly. "Oh no. They'd throw me in a padded room faster than you could say Aidios. I'm thinking at this point, my best bet is to just befriend them and maybe drop a couple of hints along the way. I figured the easiest ones to win over would be Laura, Gaius, and you, Emma. Laura's family has strong connections to the ancient past, I'm sure she's heard plenty of stories. The Nords are a very spiritual people, they'd read it as a great change in the wind, and you." He paused for a minute. "Well, that goes without saying."
"Indeed, your trip through time affected every witch in the village. And Grandmother most of all." Emma said.
"The others will take a bit more work. Eliot will probably think it's a little weird, but he's the type who mostly just goes with the flow and accepts it." Rean then smirked. "Fie will probably just say 'neat', shrug, and wander off to find a place to take a nap. So I'm not too worried about her. Alisa, Jusis, and Machias are going to be the hard sells. Alisa's from a family of engineers, she won't believe it unless there's some hard proof, Jusis is just a rational person by nature, and Machias, well that's a whole beast in itself."
Emma looked at him questioningly with a tilt of her head. "Recall what I said about Machias having a massive hatred for the nobility? The minute I tell him who my parents are, he won't want anything to do with me. There is one card I can play, but I'm very hesitant to do it." Emma was about to open her mouth but stopped seeing how uncomfortable Rean looked.
"It sounds like we have quite a little bit of legwork to do." Master Ka-Fai frowned in thought, idly sipping his sake. "So where do we start finding your classmates then? Or maybe we should just go straight to Legram so you can see Laura?" The irritated glare from his student was all the proof the Sword Hermit needed. "Well, I suppose it won't be so bad to see Victor again. You can get plenty of experience sparring his other apprentices."
"That's my thought, of course, to get to Legram, we'll have to pass through Roer, so maybe we can peek in on Alisa. But then we head straight there." Rean said, silently wondering if perhaps a couple of other familiar faces would be present.
Viscounty of Legram, Kreuzen Province, April 11th, 1203
The early morning sun reflected off the lake, which is also where Laura was practicing on the dock, dressed in a tank top and tight shorts that revealed a pair of pale, but very fit and toned legs. She swung Brynhildr in a series of elegant motions that belied the size of the blue and silver greatsword. Her ponytail jumped about as the daughter of the Radiant Blademaster engaged in a dance of graceful strength. Laura flipped in the air, "Earth Cleaver!" She cried, sending a wave of energy flying across the water.
She then spun around with precision that would put the best prima ballerinas to tears as she unleashed a Radiant Spin, sending a gust of wind in all directions. While Laura was truly a gifted swimmer, this was her true element. All thoughts were focused on keeping her technique and footwork in perfect synchronization. A series of lightning-fast slashes followed. She did a back flip, landing in a crouch position, the rising sun catching the shining edge of Brynhildr.
"Bravo!" Laura turned and smiled at the sight of the Arseid family butler, Klaus, standing on the steps with a towel over his arm and a tray with a pitcher of water and a glass in hand. "Magnificent as always Lady Laura." He handed her the towel so she could wipe the sweat off her face. "Your skill improves by the day. I'm sure your father is very proud of your progress over the last few months." He poured some water, handing it to his young mistress.
"I know he is," Laura said, relishing the taste of the cool liquid. "But he is still far ahead of me, skill-wise." She looked out over the lake, watching the slight waves of the otherwise placid service of the water. "There are times I wonder if I'll ever catch up to him."
Klaus patted his charge on the back with great affection, offering her a placating smile. "Now now, don't get discouraged, my lady. You're still in the very flower of your youth. Don't feel you have to rush to catch up to His Lordship. There is plenty of time for you to do so. Remember the journey is half the fun." The old butler gave Laura a knowing eye. He wasn't wrong, Klaus had been the Arseid family retainer since Victor had been a young man, and was much like a doting uncle to Laura. "Besides, your life can't be all training, otherwise you wouldn't have time to greet Lady Phoebe."
Her eyes widened with the light of remembrance. "That's right, she was coming to visit us for the month!" Laura raced back to the house to clean up. An hour later, Laura was at the train station, wearing a white long-sleeved blouse and a two-tone dark blue skirt with brown leather boots. She nervously paced about in front, tapping her foot every few seconds, while looking at the clock.
"Something got you worked up, Laura?" A young man walked up. He wore a long green coat, dark pants, and a brown shirt. There was a relaxed swagger in his gait. His brown hair screamed for a comb, and his jade green eyes radiated a mischievous air. "I've never seen you look so distressed before. Is something wrong?"
"Hello there, Ezra," Laura said to her old friend, Ezra Kanitz, as he gave a jaunty salute. "Nothing is wrong, per se. I'm just a little upset because I nearly forgot my cousin is coming to visit us."
"Phoebe's coming to visit?" Ezra became excited. "Oh, it's been ages since I've seen her! You don't mind if I wait with you then?" He took a seat on the bench, stretching his legs out. "So how's Master Victor doing?" He averted his eyes slightly "I trust he's still as strong as ever?"
"Of course he is," Laura said warmly, taking a seat next to him, resting her chin in his hands, and giving him a caring smile. "You know you're always welcome to come and see him, Ezra. Father has been a little worried about you. I know the past year has been difficult, given what happened to your aunt, but everyone at the school is there for you. I'm sure I don't need to say that. You know Father and Klaus would love for you to come back. I know I would."
"You're right. I do miss sparring with you and Master Klaus. I certainly miss seeing your father in action. I miss everyone at the training hall. It's just I haven't felt the desire to pick up the blade ever since Aunt Wakana went missing." He idly flexed his fingers, looking into the distance longingly. He paused for a long moment of thought, "There's just no drive there at all." Laura put a hand on his wrist. They sat in silence when the announcement came over the loudspeakers. Attention, the express from Bareahard has just arrived. Ezra and Laura stood up and went inside.
Out of the train stepped a young woman wearing a dark blue one-piece dress under a white cardigan sweater. Her hair, the same shade of blue as Laura's, tied up in an elaborate plait, pulling a brown wheeled suitcase behind her. "Over here, Phoebe!" The girl's dazzling smile stretched across her entire face at the sound of her cousin, growing ever more when she saw Ezra standing next to Laura.
Phoebe S. Arseid quickly walked up to the other two teenagers, giving Laura a warm embrace. "Hello there, cousin. I'm so glad to be back here in Legram. It's nice to just be away from St. Astraia and the hustle and bustle of the city for a couple of weeks." She gave Ezra a chaste kiss on the cheek, a look of great warmth flashing in her pale blue eyes. Ezra lit up with a goofy grin in response, rubbing his chin with a great blush coming on his face. "Same to you Ezra. I'm happy to see you as well."
"Likewise, it's been a few years since you've come around these parts," Ezra recalled days long past, how the three of them would spend their time swimming in Lake Ebel, playing hide and seek and the woods, and how Phoebe would watch as Laura and Ezra would spar each other under the watchful eye of Klaus and Victor themselves. "It's always a good day when you decide to come back."
"My family may live in Heimdallr, but Legram will always be home to me." Phoebe patted Ezra on the shoulder, she gave a look of concern to her long-time friend. "I heard about Miss Wakana, I'm so sorry. It's just so strange that she would vanish like that." Wakana Sumeragi was Ezra's aunt, serving as an advisor to Viscount Arseid, alongside her older sister, and Ezra's mother, Yesenia Kanitz. Geralt Kanitz, Ezra's father, worked as a Bracer out of the local town office.
"You don't have to tell me twice." Ezra sighed, recalling the woman's face, her dark pink hair, framing those brilliant red eyes with such warmth and love. "I mean, Aunt Wakana always seemed like she was on a pretty even keel. There wasn't any indication she was depressed or anything." He shook his head, even now at this time it still baffled him. He peered out into the distance wistfully. "I just miss her so much." But he grinned at Phoebe despite the ache in his heart. "However, let's not color the mood. You're here and that does make things a lot better."
"Then let's head up to the house. I'm so eager to see Uncle Victor." Phoebe said, nodding eagerly. With Ezra grabbing the suitcase, the trio walked down the cobblestone streets and up the stairs toward Arseid Manor, standing atop the hill and looking out on the town. Despite its simple appearance, it was still grand enough befitting nobility, twin royal blue banners with Legram's crest hung on either side of the door.
"Nothing has changed," Phoebe remarked fondly as they entered. Klaus stood in the foyer and the girl was quick to embrace the aging retainer, who looked just as overjoyed to see the young woman. "And you haven't either! Hello Klaus!"
"Welcome back to Legram, Lady Phoebe." Klaus rumbled, giving her a light pat on the back. "And it's so good to see you as well, Master Ezra." The younger man nodded slightly. "The master is in his study, he will see you now." Ezra would have bowed out at this point, but since Phoebe was holding onto his wrist and pulling him up the stairs, he had no choice.
Victor S. Arseid's study was a reflection of himself. Simple yet opulent. The wall paneling and the desk he sat behind were made of hardy mahogany from Liberl. The bookshelves were lined with all matter of literature. A rug woven in Parm decorated with the seal of Legram itself on the floor. And then there was the man himself. Victor S. Arseid, Viscount of Legram, age 42 sat at his desk, overlooking some paperwork. His dark blue was cut conservatively, his small beard neatly trimmed.
Ezra couldn't help but feel the energy radiate off the man who had taught him the path of the blade. The aura of strength the Radiant Blademaster emanated was palpable to all three of them. The older man gave a warm smile as he stood up as he went up to embrace Phoebe. Which Phoebe returned without hesitation. "Hello there, child. Welcome back to Legram." Even his voice radiated authority but it was tempered by warm-hearted compassion. "And Ezra, it's always a pleasure to see you here."
"Hello, Master. I'm glad to see you as well." Ezra bowed slightly. Aside from his own father, there was no one else he respected more than Victor Arseid. "I saw Laura at the train station, she told me Phoebe was coming to visit so I figured I'd pay my respects." He took her hand, kissing it. Eliciting a giggle from her. "Perhaps we can catch up over dinner. In the meantime, I wouldn't want to disrupt your bonding time." He was about to leave when Victor put a hand on his shoulder.
"I know your passion for the blade has dimmed since your aunt's disappearance, but perhaps you'd be willing to stop by the training hall?" The master gave a knowing smile. "You see I have some momentous news for you kids. An old friend of mine is on his way to Legram. A fellow swordsman of great repute, not just in Erebonia but all over Zemuria itself. I've mentioned that you were one of my star pupils, Ezra. He's quite eager to see your prowess."
Ezra wouldn't admit it, but the thought of meeting a great swordsman did have its appeal. It wasn't uncommon for a guest instructor to swing by Legram and teach something outside the norm of the Arseid School. It was always the talk of the training hall for the next few days as they soaked in the new teachings. "And who exactly is this great swordsman?" He asked tentatively.
"My old friend, Master Yun Ka-Fai." The room was quiet, and a jolt went down Ezra's spine with those words. Victor chuckled, enjoying the dumbstruck looks on all the children's faces, Phoebe having even put a hand to her mouth. "Ah yes. I've known the Grandmaster of the Eight Leaves, One Blade School for many years. I doubt you would want to miss that now, would you, Ezra?"
"The Sword Hermit is coming here?" Ezra did not want to believe his ears, raising his eyebrows in surprise. He heard of the exploits of the aged master, and the school he had created himself. "Yun Ka-Fai is going to train with us?"
"Indeed," Victor affirmed, knowing that Ezra was guaranteed to start attending classes again if the way his hands clenched were any indication. "He's also bringing his apprentice, a young man your age, with him as well. They'll both be training with us, according to this letter he sent me. I'm certain you would make him feel welcome." It was then Laura remembered her dream from earlier, and the young man with ashen hair wreathed by those brilliant azure flames.
Ezra then abruptly turned on his heel and walked out of the room. "Where are you going?" Phoebe asked concernedly. He looked over his shoulder, giving a trademark goofball grin.
"Home, I have a sudden compulsion to grab my sword and practice for a bit. I've got a year's worth of rust to shake off if I want to be ready for our guests." Victor smirked, victory had now been attained! Hope gleamed in Laura's eyes. "Laura, Master Victor, I'll see the two of you in class tomorrow, same time and place as always?"
"Your spot in class is always there. I'm sure the other apprentices will be quite happy to see you return, Ezra." Laura smirked akin to her father, there was no denying they were father and daughter. She knew for a fact she was eager to see her old friend in action once again. "Perhaps you and I can spar again, just as we did before?"
"But of course! You were the only one who could match me anyway!" Ezra exclaimed, inside his heart, a fire that had dimmed since his aunt's disappearance was slowly coming to life. For some reason, the prospect of meeting the Sword Hermit brought his passion for the blade roaring back, and he wasn't going to make a bad impression.
(Industrial City of Roer, Nortia Province, April 13th, 1203)
The heart of Nortia Province was always stirring to Rean. As the center of research and science for the Empire, it had a high-tech feel about a place that just couldn't be found anywhere else in Erebonia. But the one thing that always marveled Rean was the twin escalators in the center of town. It was where his small party was currently standing. It was clear to Rean that Emma hadn't stepped much outside her home village before coming to Thors.
The poor girl looked rather intimidated by the big city, taking in all the unfamiliar sights and sounds. It was making Emma rather flustered, given how people just pushed by her without saying anything. She really wished Celine was there in that moment. He put a hand on her shoulder. "How about we get something to eat? There's a nice diner not far from here called Dvance's. I think we can plan better on full stomachs."
"Some lunch would be nice." Emma agreed slowly, blushing as her stomach growled. She placed a tentative hand on her midsection as if it would quell the issue entirely. Dvance's was just as Rean remembered it, not the type of place a noble would frequent, but the food was affordable and the service was always pleasant for those who enjoyed it. The trio sat at a corner table, enjoying their lunch. The more the Ashen Awakener thought of his plan, the more he started to have second thoughts about it.
"You know the idea seemed easy enough in principle when I thought of it," Rean explained to Emma and his Master, looking between them both with a sharp look in his eyes. "I mean I know Alisa is here in Roer. I just don't know how we're going to find her. I mean it's not like we can just walk in the front door of the Reinford Building and say we're Alisa's classmates, even if technically that is accurate in another eleven months."
"Perhaps if we wait around long enough, we'll run into her while she's shopping?" Emma offered, humming thoughtfully.
The Sword Hermit broke the silence, giving a surly half-grin. He had already been nursing a bit of Erebonian lager. And it was barely past noon. "Perhaps you should go ahead and do Rean's plan." They both looked at the old sage in surprise. He pointed to both of them before taking a drawn-out sip of his drink before continuing. "March in and say you're Alisa's classmates. You've said none of them are lacking in the brains department." Master Ka-Fai sipped his lager once more. He was really quite enjoying himself. "If anything else, it will certainly get Miss Reinford's attention. From her point of a view, it's a blatant falsehood, She'll want answers. At least it will get your foot in the door."
"Provided it's not crushed, and shot with an arrow, before it gets hacked to pieces by chains." The student let out a dread-filled noise, placing a hand on his temple as he looked into his lunch platter for a sense of hope. Rean reflected on how it wouldn't just be Alisa they'd have to contend with, but a certain uber-competent maid in the family's employ that was also extremely protective of her young charge. "Then again, we can't stay here forever, so I guess we'll go with Plan A even if we don't have a B, C, or D!"
With their meal complete, and a short escalator ride to the upper level of the Industrial City. Emma, Rean, and Master Ka-Fai stood at the entrance to the Reinford Industrial Group's central headquarters. The tallest building in the city, it reached far into the sky. Master Ka-Fai sat down on a bench. "I'll leave this to you, youngsters. All this traveling takes a toll on an old man's body." Rean just gave his master an irritated glare, like walking long distances would be a problem for such as him. Ignoring the hermit's trolling smile, He and Emma stepped into the lobby.
Again, Rean took a few moments to take in the atmosphere, recalling the last times he had been here. The displays of the various Reinford products Reinford were prominent, especially of note was the Achtzen Main Battle Tank in one corner of the room. The two teenagers approached the main reception desk, where a young woman in a khaki uniform sat. "Welcome to the Reinford Group, how can I help you?" She asked.
"Actually, we're here to see Miss Alisa Reinford." The dark-haired young man said, gesturing to himself and then his witchy companion. "My name is Rean Schwarzer, this is Emma Millstein. We're Alisa's classmates." He put on a sheepish grin. "I hate to admit this, but I missed a homework assignment for school. I was hoping she'd be able to remind me of what that was. I just need her to tell me, that's all." The receptionist looked at them for a few seconds, clearly not sure what to make of the ruse, a manicured nail tapped on the counter once before she smiled.
"I will call Miss Reinford down, you can take a seat over there." She indicated to one of the many couches in the lobby. Rean nodded to her, and he and Emma sat down.
"Well, they didn't throw us out right away, that's a good sign," Emma remarked hesitantly, generally she wondered if such a hastily thrown-together plan would work.
"Yeah, that was just the first hurdle, now the real challenge begins," Rean said, his gaze squarely on the two elevators flanking the main desk. He bowed his head slightly, whispering a quick prayer to the goddess. "Aidios, if you're listening right now, please let Alisa be open-minded and in a relatively good mood!"
The doors of the right-hand elevator opened and admitted a blonde-haired young woman wearing a dark brown button-up shirt and a red and brown pleated skirt, with dark pantyhose that showed off a pair of long legs ending in brown high heels. Her red eyes radiated confusion as she met Rean's gaze. A part of him already dreading what was to come. Alisa Reinford approached the other two. She looked from Rean to Emma and back, before putting her hands on her hips and saying. "Okay, who are you two and why should I not have you thrown out?"
Rean sighed, looking up to the cruel ceiling, and said in a harsh whisper. "Thanks a lot…"