First Light, page 10
“Then, in the same breath they used to spit in the face of our church’s kindness, they sing the praises and break bread with a country—Volar—whose people forsake the words of the gods for their ‘Path’. They would rather work alongside a foreign power that creates and secrets away its knowledge from both us and them. Things that can be used to help millions, yet they refuse… A direct blasphemy against the Goddess of Innovation herself.”
Lestreus followed Henner’s gaze to the strange, flame-less lamp. “I see.”
Henner sighed, returning to face him. “Within you there is potential, Prince Lestreus. I feel a fool to have not noticed it before, but by simply asking these questions, you have piqued my curiosity to where I feel required to support your education more…directly.”
“Truly?” Lestreus felt his heart soar. Someone as important as Henner was interested in him? Never had someone with such power or prestige gave him the time of day, yet here this man was, arguably the second most powerful man in the kingdom, expressed genuine interest in him.
Archpriest Henner continued leaning in closer, mere inches from Lestreus’ ear. “Yes, truly. What you need is knowledge and experience; two necessities for power. All you need to do is a small favor for me.”
“What kind of favor?”
“What do you think of the Vanguard Academy? Would you prance about with commoners for a chance to answer your question? A chance at gaining the things you lack?”
Lestreus thought for a moment. Already, the nobles within the Knight Academy felt beneath him. Far from the throne or not, he was a prince, and they were not. Commoners in the Vanguard Academy were even lower than that. Was cavorting with them worth it? “Yes. But why there?”
“I intend to help your father ease tensions, of course! As I am in charge of your education, I think we could hit two birds with one stone, as it were. Showing we value the southerners by having a member of the royal family attend their academy. On top of that, your connection to me will show my personal interest in the citizenry of Jelmoore and their neighbors.
“I am sure our faithful in the south will enjoy knowing that we truly support them, regardless of their place of birth. Perhaps it might subvert the pride in their nobles’ hearts to accept the gifts and help we have offered. They will find it difficult to refuse our offers of help and security if their people demand it.”
“I will do as you say, Lord Henner.” Troublesome though it may be. If attending school with common folk was all Lord Henner required of him to grant him the things he was missing, then he would happily attend the Vanguard Academy. The question remained: how would he do this? The reasoning escaped Lestreus for now, but someone as powerful as Henner had to know what he was doing.
Rune
Rune lay on a green patch of grass, shaded by a large oak tree. When he sat up, confused as he realized this wasn’t the room he fell asleep in.
As he observed his surroundings, he noticed there was a nice, gentle breeze, and the sunlight danced along his legs as it filtered through the leaves of the tree. The sky above was a perfectly clear blue, with no clouds to be found.
Upon standing, he saw a simple cottage in the distance. Next to it was a large river, though something about it unsettled Rune to his core. He scanned the area again and realized that other than the tree behind him and the cottage and river in the distance, there was nothing else around him. The grass stretched beyond the horizon, with no other landmarks of any kind interrupting the sea of green.
It was at this moment that the boy realized that not only was the area devoid of other landmarks, there were also no sounds other than the gentle breeze and rustling leaves. The sky held no birds. The ground held no insects. Other than the tree, the cottage, the grass, and Rune, the area was devoid of life. Rune felt his heartbeat jump into his throat, and echo in his ears.
A tender melody danced along the wind toward him, breaking the deafening silence. It reminded him of the lullaby his mother would hum to him and his sister as children whenever they were sick or could not sleep. Rune slowly walked towards the cottage, following the comforting song. Once he reached the door, Rune knocked.
After a while, without an answer, he realized the musical voice was coming from behind the cottage, not inside it. Rune gulped, because that was where the strangely disturbing river was. His instincts screamed to stay away from the waters, but the only clue where he even was or how he had gotten there was that feminine voice and source of the alluring melody.
A woman was crouched beside the river with a basket of laundry beside her and a clothesline behind her, filled completely with white shirts. There was clearly no room on it for more clothing, yet the woman continued to hum and wash the dirty laundry using the water from the river.
The river was finally in view. Instead of clear, blue water, it was colored black with an eerie purple glow occasionally flashing within its waters in small, silent explosions of light. Rune found himself unable to focus on the river. Each time he would look at the water, his vision would blur and bring about a pain at the base of his skull. He quickly glanced to the cottage behind him and the tree beyond that without issue. He then attempted to look at the riverbank on the other side. Unfortunately, just like the river itself, Rune could not focus on the shore of the other side. It simultaneously seemed to exist and not exist, constantly vanishing and reappearing.
“Ah, welcome back. I am so glad we can finally converse. You were not ready before, but welcome to my domain once more. Ah, but first, tell me. What do you see?” a soothing voice asked. Without looking back at him, the woman continued to wash clothes in the pitch-black water. She wore white gloves on her hands, yet they somehow stayed dry despite being submerged in the murky depths.
“Death,” Rune answered subconsciously.
His own voice and sudden answer surprised him. It was as if his subconscious mind knew that the water of this river held nothing for him other than his end.
The woman giggled. “I see,” she said. “I’ve asked many people what they see when they look at the sea. Some have seen hope, others despair. Still others see chaos and destruction, while some have seen the fabric of creation. But death? So final, so resolute. It is interesting. There was once another who gave the same answer. But you are the only person since him. Is that all?”
Rune nodded his head but did not quite understand what was going on.
The woman ceased washing the laundry, stood up, and dusted off her knees. She turned around and looked at Rune with a sad, sympathetic smile. Or at least, that was what he felt she had done. Just like the river of death, he could not focus on her face. Her eyes, hair, and facial features seemed different every time he looked at her. Then, as soon as he pieced them together, they vanished from memory.
“It’s unfortunate that all you see is death,” she stated, still with that sad expression. “But you aren’t wrong, not completely anyway. Neither are you right. It is no matter; I do not expect a mortal to grasp its entire nature. No matter how many times they gaze upon it.”
“Wait, did you call it a ‘sea’ earlier? This looks like a river,” Rune said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. A massive headache set in once more as he continued to glance between the water and the woman. Though he could not make out a shoreline on the other side, his subconscious knew it was not a sea.
The woman cocked her head inquisitively. “Very interesting. A singular path, maybe? No ocean of opportunity, but a river with a set destination…” she pondered aloud. “Well, regardless of what form it takes for you physically, you see it as death. The feeling that this water evokes tells a little about your past and future. For that, I am sorry.” She sat back down and returned to doing the laundry.
“Um…who are you?”
“An excellent question! One I wish I could answer for you.” The woman then rotated the clothesline, causing one shirt to vanish, before she hung another in its place. “Do me a favor, Rune.”
“Um, okay,” Rune nodded. His tone was one of caution. He did not remember giving the strange woman his name.
“Stay in Hilden. Do not leave until you have grown. D-Rank should work. Then follow the raven-haired girl. Venraya, I believe her name was.” The woman pulled out a shirt from the basket that was almost black. She dipped it in the water and it came out pristine but filled with holes. With a sigh, she threw it into the water completely and watched as it disintegrated into nothing.
“Um, okay. Stay in Hilden until I hit D-Rank. Got it…”
“Ah! One more thing. You will soon make a choice. Stay hidden or confront. I suggest you remain hidden. It will be easier that way.”
“What will I confront?”
The woman stood up and walked towards Rune. She took one of her hands and placed it gently against his cheek with a sad expression.
Chapter Nine
Rune
Adull, yet familiar roar flooded Rune’s ears as he shot up in his bed. His surroundings once again were recognizable. Beneath him was the same bed he had fallen asleep on. All the furniture was where he remembered, and the smell of booze and sweat in the air was as he had grown accustomed to. None of the things from the strange grassland in his dream were anywhere to be found. What was that about? He wondered. Who was that woman?
While still trying to process the dream, Rune gathered his weapons and went downstairs to the main hall. At the bottom of the stairs, he watched Mona, Lex, and Tabor giving out their goodbyes to Jacob and a few other members of the Vanguard they were close to. Ven also doled out tearful hugs to them. She turned and noticed Rune had made his way into the main lobby.
“Hey there, Rune! Just in time.”
“What’s all this?”
Mona stepped forward with a sack slung over her back. She was dressed in her full armor and her twin axes dangled off her waist. “The group and I are heading back to Jelmoore. My main base of operations is out of there for now, so we have to head home, eventually. I’ll be back in a few weeks, though, to pick up Ven.”
“Oh? Why are you picking Ven up in a few weeks?” Rune wondered and looked at his…friend?
“How hungover are you? Don’t you remember? I’m joining the Vanguard Academy! I have always wanted to, and you kinda have to if you wanna go past C-Rank. Most people are fine with staying at C-Rank since those parties can take on most jobs, but I want more. You do too, Rune, so why don’t you come with?” Ven explained excitedly.
“I don’t have a problem with that,” Rune began before he remembered his strange dream. A feeling rose inside him that suggested he should listen to the strange woman. “But I will only go to the academy once I hit D-Rank.”
Jacob, Mona, Ven, and the rest of the group looked at Rune in shock. He had started as a newbie at a rank above normal, and he already seemed raring to go for the next rank up. Ven shook her head but had a small smile threatening to show itself. Jacob pinched the bridge of his nose. Mona and Tabor simply laughed while Lex stood there, emotionlessly.
“Kid… you heard me when I said your next rank exam would have to be held by a different Hall Master, right?”
“Sure, then I guess when I am ready for D-Rank, I will just head to Jelmoore and take my exam there… That should be soon enough.”
“This fucking kid…” Jacob muttered while his wife continued to laugh.
“Never change, kid,” She laughed, while rustling his hair. “Also, she lets you call her Ven now? How very interesting…”
Mona gave her daughter a sideways glance, which went unmet by the raven-haired girl. Suddenly, the corner of the room caught her attention, and no power existed capable of making her meet her mother’s teasing gaze.
After a moment, Mona shrugged. “Well, that’s that then. I’ll see you in a few weeks, Ven! Rune! Don’t get her or yourself killed in the meantime or I’ll drag your asses back from the Goddess of Reincarnation herself to kill you again.”
With that last threat and a bit more laughter, Mona and her party left the building. Jacob smiled after them and went back to his office. Rune was starving and asked Ven if she wanted to grab a bite from the bar in the hall before getting another quest, to which she eagerly agreed.
The food offered in the Vanguard Hall was simple at best and bland at worst, but it did the job and was easy on the coinpurse. The best part about it was the drinks were strong. However, Rune had no desire to start his day out drinking. While they ate, he noticed more than a few pairs of eyes watching him now and then. Most of them seemed to be a passing curiosity, but there were a couple that kept taking multiple glances. One of them was a strange man in ragged-looking robes who sat in a chair near the job board. People seemed to avoid looking at him or sitting near him. Not out of fear, though. Respect. Strange. The other was a group of rough-looking guys a few tables away.
After several minutes of this uncomfortable staring, the rough guys came over to Rune’s table. They shoved aside several chairs, creating a cacophony of uncomfortable squeals from the wooden floor. A person who was most likely the leader of their gang slammed one hand down on the table and put another around Rune’s shoulder. He wore simple leather armor similar to Rune’s own. It was slightly damaged in places, with some threads fraying. Clearly, it needed some work.
“Hey there, newbie. I heard you cut the line and went straight to E-Rank. Screwin’ the boss’ daughter to get ahead?” he sneered. His mocking tone was accompanied by the laughter of his cronies. Rune ignored them and return to his simple meal, but the hand on his shoulder tightened. It was at this point Rune noticed he was wearing studded gauntlets, which implied the man focused on hand-to-hand combat. The knuckles were reinforced with steel spikes, with additional metal bulging beneath the top layer of leather.
Few people in the world would risk fist fighting against people with weapons or dangerous monsters. Since he was one of those select few, it was likely that this thug was an Enhancer-class Awakened. Someone who could use the Aura crystalized inside his body to enhance his physical capabilities beyond normal human means.
“Shut it, Bordo,” Ven growled. “For your information, Rune took down a group of three Bash Eagles single-handedly on his first run out. That means he beat an E-Rank threat on his own. Something that you would struggle to do even as D-Rank, I think. Everyone knows you bullshit your way to your rank.”
The brawler, and potential Enhancer, known as Bordo tightened his grip again. “Is that right, girlie? Hey kid, she tellin’ the truth?” Ven’s comments about his lack of prowess either went unheard or he ignored them.
Rune nodded quietly. Despite Bordo’s obvious attempts to the contrary, he was not intimidated by the man. In fact, he thought he could take him easily, but he wanted to avoid causing any trouble on his first day as a warrior in the Vanguard. Unfortunately for him, Bordo and his gang took this as a sign of weakness and laughed again.
“Right, this shrimp probably just—”
“Did you not hear me? I said, shut it, Bordo.” Ven repeated coldly. The surrounding air felt like it had dropped a few degrees. “I won’t pull the dad card, but I will pull the mom card. My mom, Tabor, and Lex all have a lot of high opinions of Rune. So, if you don’t shut it and leave right now, I’ll run out and catch her and have her teach you a few things. Maybe Lex will ask you to be a moving target the next time we train together. He won’t be a problem, but I’m not as good of a shot as him. I might accidentally hit something vital.”
Bordo paled instantly at the girl’s statement and retracted his hand. Mona’s party were all B-Rankers and much stronger than nearly everyone else in Hilden. They could be A-Ranks if they took the promotion exam, but they liked the freedom they still had as B-Rankers. He nodded to his group to leave, but not before shooting one last glare at the duo. Rune caught a smile on the face of the robed man, who watched the whole thing. He simply nodded and turned away when Rune’s eyes met his.
“Dumbasses. Sorry about that, Rune. Bordo and his idiots like to rough up the new members. Unfortunately for them, you are my friend, so I won’t let them bother you.”
“Thanks, Ven!” Rune beamed. “Happy to have made my first friend outside of home.”
Ven’s cheeks took on a slight bit of color. “Anyway, I think our job today should be to take on this one I found this morning. It's asking for someone to take out a stray Shadow Wolf that has been harassing the animals of a few farmers outside of Dorn.”
“Sounds like a plan!”
Ulma
“Damn it, Ulma,” Vickar shouted. “I know you just started picking up the hammer, but come on. That’s the second iron ingot you’ve ruined today. Hit it with purpose and quickly! If you don’t hit it hard enough, then it’ll cool before it gets to the shape you want, and if you let it cool too much before you hit it, you’ll ruin the quality. Metal-weaving is a tool to assist you, not cover up for mistakes. You have to blend your abilities with your skill. Only when doing both will you achieve a quality result.”
Ulma wiped the sweat from her stinging eyes. She had only just started learning how to work with her father yesterday and he already was expecting her to be good at it. Granted…she was. On her very first day, she had completed a sword and two small kitchen knives that were impressive enough for her father to admire. What had her messing up today was a distraction.
They had received a letter from Rune where he explained what had happened on his trip from Locke to Hilden. Ulma was not so stupid as to think that her brother would live a peaceful life. By Chaos, she knew that he specifically joined the Vanguard to search for fights either with beasts or bandits. Still, it worried her whenever she thought about how he could get hurt. She was also still unsettled by the new world she’d been seeing since her bloodline abilities had awakened.
