Chapter 6
It had been over 2 months since I started unofficially learning from Magister Kaenas, progress was slow at times, but I felt my momentum and drive increasing with each passing lesson. When I first started Magister Kaenas was being hands off only critiquing grammatical errors with miss pronouncing spells or forcing me to go back to the beginning of the book when I wanted to skip ahead to more interesting spells.
"Now Syndra I know you have a desire for flashy exciting spells, but you must remember that without the basics of spell craft you are no different than the savage trolls to our east." He would always say condescendingly to guilt me into compliance.
It was on one of this dull lessons when papa came by suddenly, wearing his rangers uniform.
"I Thought I would find both of you here." he said looking a worn down from long hours patrolling the forests.
"What's wrong papa?" I asked, looking away from Magister Kaenas who had an unimpressive look about being interrupted from his drawn out monologues.
"I've been given word, by Watch Captain Soleron, to gather as many people to the city square for an announcement." he said, walking over to greet Kaenas with a handshake and a nod. He whispered something to Kaenas that I wasn't able to hear, but they smiled and laughed amongst themselves leaving me out of the joke. I pouted as I looked away to start gathering my things, my hair was ruffled by dad who smiled down on me and started grabbing my things before I could even reach them. The only thing I grabbed before he did was my tome, which he snatched out of my hands and holding it above my reach.
"Give it back!" I said, my voice filled with annoyance and sounding more than a little whiny.
"Come now Theodas, don't torment the poor girl, she's already flustered enough from making a few embarrassing mistake over the weak." he teased, causing me to pout and turn in the other direction towards the city square. "But, why it's so fun to tease my little girl who's growing up so fast already." he responded, before sneaking up behind me and grabbing me by the waist and raising me above onto his shoulders handing me my stuff moments later.
It didn't take long for us to get to the town square seeing that there was a growing number of people starting to inhabit the square, when we got to the back of the crowd, father set me down before making his way to the front and joining in ranks with a line of rangers guardsmen separating the crowd from the administration building. I slowly pushed and crawled my way through the crowd with Magister Kaenas meandering his way through the crowd behind me. When I got to the front, I noticed Magistrix Lynadra standing behind the line of rangers and local guard, besides her was a man in ornate red armor with golden trim, on his chest wasthe sigil of the house royal house of Sunstrider. The mans interest on the Magister talking with him and seemingly disinterested in the growing mass of citizens as though we were beneath him. The two were engaged in a conversation, when Lynadra broke away from him and began stalking over towards dad, she stood behind him for a couple of seconds I could see that dad was aware of her presence as he tensed up averting his eyes from the crowd to glance over his shoulders. Lynadra whispered something into his ear. Which dad seemed put off by, as he appeared even more uncomfortable than he was before, if the way his eye was visibly twitching was any sign. The man from the capital whom I had taken my eyes off of was visibly scanning the crowd, if the way he seemed to look at disgust over in any direction he looked I'd say he wasn't happy with whatever he was seeing.
My attention back on Lynadra I noticed she let out a barely audible laugh as she began walking back to her position at the center of the line. She looked over at me and Kaenas and pointed at the former Magister motioning for him to come over to her. The armor clad man looked at Kaenas and then at me for a moment, raising one of his eye brows in surprise momentarily before turning his gaze to Kaenas as he walked past me patting me on the head, before making his way to the line of guards and passing through the ranks to stand on the other side of the representative from the capital and engaged in conversation with the two. The man seemed to brighten up to his new arrival as the three began to engage in small talk, the conversation seemingly friendly enough at first but seemed to break down as Lynadra and Kaenas seemed to be getting more heated. It wasn't much longer that the man tolerated as he seemingly mouthed something and the two were silenced as they were refusing to make eye contact with the other, only sparring an occasional glance to stare daggers at the other.
We had been standing in the square for several hours as we waited for whatever this announcement was, everyone, myself included were getting anxious as what was originally thought to be an announcement about the upcoming winter solstice festival turned out to be a message from the capital and was beginning to drag on from minutes into hours. My annoyance at waiting for so long was getting on my nerves, the only thing that made me feel better was getting occasional silly faces from dad who would wink at me or stick his tongue out at me whenever he thought the watch captain was looking. Soon my annoyancewas replaced with anger when from behind somebody pushed their foot into the back of my knee forcing me to lose balance and fall forward slightly. I looked behind me ready to use the words dad said were impolite to use in public when anger faded into happy surprise to see Jen'sel standing behind me smirking "Careful now Syndra, don't want to trip now do we?" he mockingly chided I was about ready to give him a piece of my mind when a voice broke my thoughts away from him.
"People of Tranquillen!" The robed figure exclaimed, letting his voice carry, bouncing along the stone architecture and travel throughout the square. Quieting the growing frustration and murmuring of the people. "It is with a heavy hearth that I have gathered many of you here today to announce that news from the south that has reached us. The Kingdom of Azeroth has fallen and been destroyed, supposedly by another worldy force originating from somewhere south of the jungles." There was a lot of murmuring and confusion in the crowd as people looked amongst themselves talking about the news. I looked surprised and was looking at dad the whole time, his eyes were wide in surprise caught off guard by the news.
"What does this mean for us, you may ask!" he continued yelling out and pausing for the right amount of dramatic flair. "Currently reports are still coming in from the south, but the crown has reasons to believe that this is simply the human kingdoms being unable to handle their ownaffairsand were caught off guard by an unknown force of... Green Skins." he paused letting the words sink into the crowd. "What we assume to be Green skins are an incursion of a new genus of troll, the news that brings heartache for me to bring is that we have lost people from this loss, brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers all of whom were there as merchants and other skilled labor." He spat out with disgust and a tone of mocking fervor. The crowd erupted in boos and jeers at the idea of what he said, I, however, was silent as my blood boiled at the idea of my countrymen being killed by the likes of some mutated troll. He raised his arms calming us down and I couldn't soon found myself smiling like a giddy school girlat his use of words and how regal he held himself.
"With all that said, the rest of the continent is banding together in what they call the alliance of Lordaeron and have sent envoys requesting us to join them in their crusade, but though it pains me we will not be joining them in this fight, it is not our crusade nor is it our problem that humans are unable to resolve their own issues a tale as old as time." he chuckled the crowd uncomfortable as a long pause ensued, as seconds dragged on for minutes, I couldn't stand it anymore
I stepped out from the crowd"My heart aches for our countrymen lost to these savages, but why are we scared of these filthy trolls and refuse to avenge our brethren, and if we aren't going to avenge them why even tell us about any of this, what good does it serve us to know this information?" I questioned, straining my voice to travel across the courtyard, I noticed my dad was looking at me wide eyed like I just committed a taboo, the knight seemingly smiled at my response. He glanced over at Kaenas who gave him a subtle nod, the statesmen looked away from Kaenas who proceeded to look over at Lynadra with a smirk. She seemed annoyed but composed herself well after her first annoyance.
"I'm glad you asked that question my dear?" he asked letting his words drawl out waiting for a response from me. "Syndra, my names Syndra Everlove." I replied sheepishly, looking away from his stare. "Now, the reason that this is important to you all is that, as a frontier city, you all are charged with the sacred duty of preparing an incursion into Amani lands!" He proclaimed, which was met with a resounding silence as everyone processed his words.
My mouth felt dry at the thought as I knew what this meant for me and papa, I looked over at him and noticed him quivering slightly as his eyes were wide, skin pale, and mind seemingly far away in a far off past. There was a loud outburst as citizens all were yelling in outrage at the idea of marching into the Amani Mountain ranges,
"Now, now I know how you all feel!" he tried to say, but the crowd was ignoring his attempts at placating them it wasn't long until his voice boomed out quieting the crowd, as an imperial spell breaker of the Sunstrider family there will be order and compliance to his majesty's wishes. With an entire human kingdom being wiped out by a supposed troll force the king has wishes that the commonfolk be marshalled up into a great force and ensure the Amani trolls do not get any ideas from their southern brethren's luck. The citizens in the square didn't seem pacified by his response and so he continued.
"Fret not for I have it on good word by the king, that each citizen who is marshalled up will be given proper training at guidance by military instructors with a chance to join the imperial army. for each troll ear brought in by you good citizens of the fringes will earn a reward of ten silver per ear!" he yelled out, causing most of the discontent at his words to disappear as everyone was looking between one another with excitement at the prospect of a ten silver per kill.
"Furthermore, due to rising tensions with the peoples to our south we are discontinuing our program with the wizards of Dalaran for the foreseeable future no further citizens will be allowed to leave the country on the to pursue a life with the Kirin Tor." He yelled out, most of the people around me seemed to care little for that announcement, but my stomach sank as the chances of my mastering of the Arcane arts had just become harder. "With that said, I see many of you are more motivated to fight our long dreaded enemies in Zul'Aman, expect to see a member of the administrators guild to arrive by the end of the week for a census of able bodied men, women, and a list of supplies and deficiencies. Magister Lynadra I leave the mustering and training of new and existing forces to you. A report of other the standards we expect to see have been left on your desk by my aid." The now identified Spell Breaker yelled out, earning a bow from Lynadra, the Spell Breaker exchanged a couple words with Kaenas who chuckled in response before making his leave towards the Dragon hawk pit. As he was walking through the crowd everyone broke apart getting out of his way. The line of guards and rangers were dispersing as town meeting was adjourned and papa made his way to me. He knelt down to me "What were you thinking, speaking out of turn like that to an imperial spell breaker bearing the kings sigil no less?" he asked his voice one of anger I couldn't meet his gaze knowing I messed up "I'm sorry papa I just was so mad that we were taking a passive and cowardly response to our countrymen dying at the hands of savages." I said my voice getting higher pitched as I was about to break down into tears. He pulled me into a hug.
"It's okay sweety, but you need to be careful around magisters, and anyone from the capital." he said, our moment was broken when a shadow was cast over us, we looked back over to see the Spell Breaker standing behind us, me and papa looked at him wide eyed with trepidation. He seemed to sense our mood, but he knelt down to eye level with papa.
"You have a beautiful daughter, Ranger." He said politely removing his helmet from his face, allowing his long blonde hair to flow out onto his shoulders. papa looked at the man in his eyes responding with a polite nod and thanking him quietly. "I came back to tell you both, that this fire you have in your heart little one is not misplaced, but we have no reason to put these savages down south in their place for the murder of our countrymen, they knew the risks of traveling to less civilized lands."
"But that doesn't mean we need to take this abuse and injustice laying down!" I yelled out, causing more people to stare at us than what already were. "Syndra." Papa hissed at me, the Spell Breaker rose his hand signaling he held no offense to my outburst. "You are young little one, but you've got a fire and spirit to you that leaves many of your elders to pale in comparison." he said placing his armored glove against my chest. "With the natural talent I sense in you I know that one day you will show great promise and prove great credit to the Quel'Dorei." He said, removing his fist and giving my dad a shake of his hand, before standing up and placing his helmet onto his head.
I looked up at him with awe as he began walking away. "Wait, what is your name?" I called out!
He paused, looking back at me and gave a small smile, "My name is Zemir, if ever you find yourself in the capitol studying to be a magister ask for me and I shall ensure you have an ally on the inside." he responded walking away and out of sight, I looked at him with awe before looking back at my dad who was a little unnerved by the whole conversation but was smiling at me. I noticed that behind him at the platform was Magister Lynadra who seemed to be seething looking at me and papa.
Papa looked back and noticed her, he looked back at me with a smile on his face "Let's go home Syndra." he said his fear from earlier replaced with ease and calm as stood up grabbing my hand and walking back to our home.
Hi Y'all releasing another chapter super-fast, cus I find myself with a lotta time to actually write and plan things out, hopefully I won't be too lazy about writing more. until the next time please feel free to leave a comment about ways I could improve or even a complaint about soething you dislike XD