Omni5876

Broken Skies

Arn shook his head slightly at her self deprecation. How could she believe that? How could she not see how important she was? There was literally a group of high powered individuals who were looking for her. This may not be a very amiable point but it was logical. Also, his world had been turned upside down due to her. Had it not been for her, his life would continue to in the same straight and clear path that he was on.

Despite him being a collected and always composed person, the turmoil and uncertainty that she had brought in just the mere moments of knowing her stirred some deep need in him that he did not know he had. The mystery of her, her life, and the future was very appealing to the master mage.

His logical mind posed many questions and he wanted to follow each one but at this moment, he wanted to give her his full attention. Even this inner reflections, which he was used to doing all his life, seemed somehow in appropriate with her being next to her.

“Breathe Arn."

He smiled and he took a deep breath. His lungs filled with the air in the room and with something else. A slight hint of something else. Was it Her? He chasticed himself for the thought. It was not clear wetehr the feeling that she had arose in him were romantic. But he did feel drawn to her, connected to her, and he very much felt that not being with her would somehow be a great loss.

Yet, despite even the interactions which have brought them close and even opened doors into his soul that had been stuck shut, he still felt like a creep imagining that the sweet scent was somehow related to her.

To deviate his mental train from the current track which would only bring red flush to his face and quicken his heart, the battlemage decided to analyze the analogy she had presented.

“Bow and arrow?” He spoke the question softly more to himself. He was sure he had heard the words before but as the current world’s technology had more efficient and deadly munitions or projectiles, they had not been used in actual battle for millennia.

His quick mind searched through the archives of his mind for the reference in an over eager way to compensate for his previous thoughts. Immediately, his mind raced through references of military weapons. Putting all pieces together he understood what she meant. Alone, both were not very efficient. However, together they could be quite deadly. These were simple instruments and Arn liked nothing if not simplicity.

He smiled down at her and chuckled, this time more easily, at her mischievous glint on those eyes of hers. He could see his reflection in them and wondered if she would feel just at ease once her Dark Sight had passed. The master mage was not a vain person or even cared about looks but he felt that perhaps she may have an image in her mind that would dissipate once she actually beheld him.

He sighed in understanding. His own life was not something that he would gleefuly wish on somebody else. There had been many times in his young life when he wished him and his mother could live in a small house, she would wake up and make him breakfast and he would run along with his friends to some imaginary school.

He wondered if strife and challenges was all that people born with an affinity to magic could hope for. Here was a lovely young lady that had seen more pain that some soldiers and only those who had gone through similar circumstances could understand.

What he could not understand was the sudden concern in her face. Arn was glad she felt him trustworthy and safe. Was she perhaps doubting her own conclusions? What else could he do to reassure her. He wondered if he had said something wrong or something to bring up doubts in her. His own face morphed into one of concern.

"Forgive me, but I can't seem to let you go." She whispered before she leaned forward and closed her eyes placing a gentle kiss on his forehead.

The place where her lips touched his skin was the epicenter of a warm wave that spread outward to his whole body. He smiled at that. A warmth that was obvious radiated from his body. He felt a joy in hearing that. Eilis seemed to enjoy his company and not because of his destructive and weaponized potential. In fact he had done nothing more than be a human heating pad. Some part of his mind wondered at this phenomenon.

Normally it took concentration and tapping into the Aether to produce these thermal changes. Instead, the connection with her seemed to naturally cause a reaction that surpassed understanding. That analytical side of his brain wanted to study, to question, and to test. He wondered if their connection could work both ways and he could provoke changes in her.

His other side wanted to just stay still in the moment between them for eons. This side of his brain saw their connection as inevitable. Arn was not very familiar with this side. It made illogical and outlandish arguments. Yet, despite their definitive fallacy, the mage could not say they were wrong.

In the fraction of a second that the battle for control and command raged in his mind a truce was finally called and was embodies by a simple

“Nor I want to let you go either.”

Broken Skies

Tobi had started to panic again as he caught the playful end of the Knight Captain’s jab. He was about to launch into an apologetic rant with as much groveling and penitence when he caught the teasing smile. The young mage smiled back. “Very well Cap, you may call me Tobi. My dad was the true Tailor, I just carry the name.”

He looked down at the meaty pink serving that the silver haired knight placed on his plate. It certainly looked appetizing. Much better than the dried meat and synthetic stuff they had to eat. More often than not, the squad ate dry goods or rations meant more to be nutritional than actually enjoyed to be eaten.

He hoped that the fish along with the rest of his bounty were worthy of being perhaps his last meal. He had managed to get different varieties of tubbers, some fruits and colorful vegetables. He basically piled his plate high.

The young mage hoped he could sneak some of this food to his buddies in the barracks but knew that it would be very strange and hard to do so in the company of Tyrhallan. Like Arn, Tobi, cared and looked out for others despite their detached attitude. This was one of the reasons why Tobi brought them news and suffered reprimands to give them a much deserved laugh every now and then.

Tobi followed Tyrhallan. People were starting to congregated in groups, no doubt to discuss the news that King Aldred just dropped on everyone there. The young lad was enough of a veteran that he knew that worrying on an empty stomach would do no one any good.

He signaled to the Knight Captain with his head towards a table that could seat both of them which had been recently emptied. He stood on the side opposite the knight and waited for the other man to sit. The young mage may be irreverent and rebellious towards his own captain but he would show this man no such attitude.

Their conversation had stimulated him as much as the ones he had with Arn in matters of magic and philosophy. Here was a man who could answer his question about what the other side of the military forces thought. It was an unwritten rule that mages and knights did not mingle but this interaction seemed just as natural as any he had with mages.

Tobi dissected and digested the information that the Knight Captain had provided. As he sat and absently took bites of various dishes, he mulled the implications in his mind. Finally, he finished his bite and offered his own musings to the other man.

“I read in a book that leadership is the ability to inspire others to surpass their own limitations and often even surpass those that are currently in leadership.” He stopped measuring up Tyrhallan with eyes that suddenly seemed older than the young face betrayed.

“I agree with you that the King is a great leader. Not because he called us to action but because even if he is to die, ,he cemented in our minds a last image of him that will enable those surviving to continue the fight.” He took another bite of a red fruit which was soft, sweet and also acidy.

“This is how we feel about Master Mage Arn. Many in the Shooting Stars consider him a hero. To us he is what a battle mage should be. I follow him into battle again and again not because he is a master but because he inspires me to do my best.” His voice was soft and respectful.

“I have to ask Cap. Other than pissing Captain Evander off, why did you request Master Mage Arn’s transfer?” The young man’s eyes were narrowed. It was not that he did not trust Tyrhallan but in a sense, he felt the man was taking something valuable from them.

“Sure the Master Mage is some heavy fire power and can cause quite some damage on the battle field. But so can a heavy pulse cannon and I reckon the cannon will be easier to handle.” He sighed. “If you have not discussed this decision with him, you may find he does not like others to make choices for him. Just ask Captain Evander.” A slight smirk appeared on the boy’s face.

“You appear to be an honorable man. So I am sure your reasoning is good but I guess I feel a bit protective of the Master Mage.” Tobi shrugged and put more food in his mouth.

******************************

Arn was taken aback by Eilis’s comment. It registered to him slowly that she had felt that his identification as a weapon was a deprecating comment. His smile widened and he actually chuckled. The sound was strange even to him. This made him chuckle even more. His chest would shake and rumble. He did not at all dislike the feeling and wondered why he hand not done that before. Perhaps he had nobody he wanted to do that for?

In his mind, his ability to be useful was a pillar to his existence. He had been born the bastard child of a whore. He had lived the first part of his life just surviving for his mother and when she was gone it had left a big blank in his life. The reason he identified as a weapon was because of the teachings of his sword master. The old veteran who had taught him control and restraint and the honor in fighting. It was he who taught him that the life of a warrior must have meaning. Otherwise, the warrior is just a killer.

It had been an old belief that a warrior’s weapon was their soul. So he felt he was the soul and the fighting spirit of all those who were powerless, beginning with his mother and extending to the fallen members of his own squad.

He was a weapon that would cut down evil and would defend freedom. The political implications of the side he was fighting on was the most virtuous was not in debate. Those were debates for higher thinking order. He was only concerned with the black and white he could see such as pirates and brigands that needed to be brought down.

"You are a reason worth living for."

His musings came to an end as those words were spoken. His breath caught in his throat and he even doubted he had heard correctly.

But he had heard correctly. His sharp ears and sharp mind would not betray him so no matter how exhausted or in what pain he was in. in truth, his current health status had all but been forgotten and even the beeps and hums of the medical machinery had retired to the background.

Eilis’s confession had caught him unaware and hit him like a strong blow to the solar plexus. He felt he needed to breathe. The implication of what she was telling him flooded him like a wave of potent feelings. It was as if the damn had burst and a powerful wave of emotion fell on him like tsunami.

For a second, fear rose to the surface. Why would she say that? What did it mean? What was in store? Thankfully, a life of stoic and logical thinking managed to be the raft that navigated the feelings whirlpool that swirled inside him.

The senior mage took a deep, steadying breath. He looked down at the young lady. His eyes filled with emotion and tenderness. His voice spoke an almost choked but sweet tone.

“Eilis, all my life I have had a simple reason to live. I felt that I needed a reason to be alive. I felt that by being useful my life was not a waste. However, I did not know that I actually needed someone to live that life with. I am glad you are still here and that I got to meet you. This world would have lost too much with you gone.” He squeezed her hand.

This whole situation had escalated in magnitude that was hair rising and almost implausible but even to his pragmatic mind this all made sense. There was little else he was as completely sure about. “I will be by your side as I have already promised. It will be my honor to be your shield. Not as a disposable item but as a reason for my existence. I ask that you allow me this. I ask that you live this life it with me?”

He held his breath awaiting her response.

Rise of the Shield Hero - From Another World

@Whoami not to worry. I mean Auriel has just been chilling at the library while me and Cole have been tackling the hard philosophical questions lol.

Broken Skies

Arn listened, her story stirring the depths of his soul. The maelstrom inside him shifted from anger, to murderous intent, to pain and sadness for the young girl, to self-loathing for forcing her to relieve those painful memories.

Yet, he was also glad for them. They painted a picture of the girl who he now held in her arms. It had been hubris to think that she was defenseless and thus needed his protection. He had forgotten the admiration that the man who had witnessed described her actions. As he listened, he found more and more respect for the young girl.

She was kind and sweet. Her concern was always with others. Eilis felt the pain of the world and would hold herself to blame as if she was the only reason the world bled. Yet Arn had seen how cruel this world could be and so had Eilis. Perhaps, that is why she clung to her belief that her presence hurt the people around her.

Even her justified killing of her tormentor further showed how pure she was. Arn never felt remorse for killing those who he deemed deserving of death. Yet she regrated taking life.

Her story also shed light to the people who might be hunting her. Ruthless was the theme of her story. These were a group that were powerful enough to be ruthless and had the backing of the empire to do it lawfully. This meant that the forces which were at Belisio’s door steps could very well be fanatics more than willing to deal out death and destruction to achieve their goals.

This information was definitely sensitive because it meant that perhaps negotiations were not possible. This also meant that he alone would not be enough to protect her. A group with such sadistic tendencies often operated in cells. Only thought the assurance of victory could such group have the benefit of being so sadistic.

Arn squeezed her hand in support and assurance. She was no longer alone. She no longer had to run. If she decided to fight, he would be by her side. He was still not sure why he had been so drawn to her but whatever the reason, it had cemented in his mind the need to protect her and assure her happiness.

He noticed she realized that she was able to see again. For one illogical second he worried she would find his look threatening and would be scared of him. He had never wondered or cared about how he looked but for a fleeting second he whished he looked more like Tyrhallan who was the epitome of a knight in shining armor.

The mage waited a second or two to see if Eilis would continue. When the lovely refugee did not he began in a soft and reassuring voice. “You say you are a coward but I have yet to find someone more courageous. It takes an unbelievable amount of courage to refuse to fight even at the expense of pain and suffering. The valuing life is not a weakness. Valuing peace is not a coward’s idea.” He practiced a wider smile, his face tried to protest, the motion not something it was used to producing but finally managed a lopsided sort of grin.

“You feel you are a liability because you have people after you. However, I can assure you that those who truly care about you do not see this as a deterrent. Rather, your plight is much more of an incentive to help you. You asked me before why I helped you and I did not know what to say before. I know now. I pledge myself to help you because you deserve happiness.”

He brushed back a loose lock of hair as she lowered her head. “You may deny it, but you do the same for others. If I recall correctly, you were willing to suffer so that others in that frigate might live. There was no reason for you to do so. In this same manner, I ask that you let me be by your side.”

The master mage looked past her as if talking to someone or even himself. “I have considered myself a weapon meant only to be used. However, now I see that I am to be a tool and a shield. I have protected some in my way. Now I have a reason strong enough to resolve myself to you.”

He cleared his throat. “I thank you for answering my question even though the memories are painful to you. I promise never again to ask you such a thing unless you yourself want to disclose them. You see, you are a mystery to me and if I am not careful I might cause you pain unwittingly.”

He sighed as he carefully selected his words. “But I promise you that I will do what I can to free you of these chains. To every lock there is a key. You deserve to be free.” He squeezed her hands in his. His voice firm but kind. “Would you let me help you?”

Rise of the Shield Hero - From Another World

Fer considered the question posed to him. He had very little interaction with the spear who had left almost as quickly as he himself had appeared in this world. There seemed to be no animosity or bad blood in the departure. Indeed, the Spear had seemed level headed and even was able to pull an entourage with him which meant that at least some people of this world found him trustworthy.

He knew even less of the bow hero beside the comments of both Cole and Marcino. What he heard however, did not leave a good impression. As far as warriors went, apparently, she was very good. It was in the interaction between people that she seemed to be lacking. Fer was never one for sensibilities despite his usually calm and helpful attitude.

His friend was right, teamwork for the sake of survival, not just their own but of the world, would be critical. In truth, Fer had forgotten at times that two other heroes existed except for the time that Auriel or Cole mentioned them. He had enjoyed their small group’s dynamic. But his childish desires were trumped by cold hard real-world needs.

He sighed as he prepared to respond to Cole. His voice had a resigned tone that told of the unwillingness to do what his words said but his conviction to do it for the greater good. “IF there is a way to speak to them and IF we manage to get them to work with us in a sort of loose alliance. Our survival chances will increase. We do need more fire power Cole and just you and Auriel in the vanguard may not be enough.”

He paused for a second collecting his thoughts. If the bow was indeed such a jerk then her addition to the party might do more harm than good. But from what he had heard, the waves were named thus because they came in predictable and timed patterns. Perhaps there was a way to work with them during the waves and allow for the freedom of everyone following their own paths while in the lull between the waves.

“It would be great to have us work together in perfect synchrony but I don think that is possible. So, if we can at least fight in a loosely based plan with certain teams doing certain tasks then we should be able to fight effectively. It would take too much cooperation to fight efficiently but we can at least cover each other’s backs. I hope we can at least trust them enough for that.”

He looked at his fellow hero. “Do you think that you are charming enough to win them over to our side?” His tone was playful. “Or do you know them enough to perhaps offer some sort of deal or incentive?” Fer shrugged. “The least we can do is try and talk to them. If nothing comes of it, then we go back to being separate cells and hope that we survive.”

To Claim a Starting World

Arn sighed. He had figured that the young girl, a healer, would try to save this unknown human wolf creature. His instincts had warned him before yet now stayed silent. What had that voice in the back of his mind been warning him about? Could this strange creature be the reason? The forest was also eerily silent as if all eyes were turned to the three by the creek. Arn took a steadying breath as he slowly set down his bow and arrow in the ground next to him.

He had asked the girl for a decision and though it annoyed him to be the one to get in the way of danger, still it needed to be done. He weighed his options. If the humanoid creature behaved or thought as a canine, taking control of the head would be the easiest method. However, unlike dogs, humans did not posses strong neck or jaw muscles and their bite width was lessened.

If the creature however, was more given to be have like a human, then Arn had to deal with tactics and wrestling that would involve punches, kicks etc. whatever the case, he figured that his bigger stature and the creature’s wounded state might provide some advantage. Arn proceeded to take off his cloak of furs revealing his well-muscled and scarred body. The cooling breeze tickled at his skin.

There was a slight moment of embarrassment and vulnerability. His eyes looked at the young girl out of the corner of his eye. He grunted and then collected himself. “I will try to grab it. It may be hard to fix the leg. I will try to hold it.”

With that, he proceeded towards the creature with his cloak in front of him like a blanket. His aim was to throw it over the creature and then jump on it while holding it into a bear hug from behind. This would protect them from bite or scratches and will leverage his bigger frame.

He had performed this technique many times before. Animals tended to lunge at the furs, which would unbalance them and provide an opening for Arn to merely fall on them, wrap arms and legs around the animals and subdue them. Having the extra pair of hands from Gwendoly could also help if they needed to somehow tie and secure the creature.

To Claim a Starting World

my bad, for some reason i thought that @LadyRunic was next. I try to get something up to work with.

Broken Skies

Tobi gulped to hydrate his troath that had gotten suddenly dry. His mind did indeed race with questions. Questions so fleeting and hard to pin down that the young mage felt he was trying to corral cats. He gulped a second time and asked in the best voice he could muster. “Um, Mr. Knight Captain Lord sir…” He stumble through his words.

He silently cursed himself. He had seen his father deal plenty of times with those of higher birth but he was never one to which florid and appropriate language came easy. Still, despite rank and birth there was a single point of similarity between the young mage and the silver haired hero.

Both men served as warriors in the armies that defended Belisio. They both had shed blood, lost friends, and fought to protect those they loved. Steeled by this knowledge and feeling a bit more on even ground with Tyrhallan the young man continued. “I have never met the king. However, it seemed to me that he was not himself. His words were meant to inspire us but do you think his speech was also a call for help?”

Tobi was cursed with a mind that was not suited to his lower middle class station. He was an abstract thinker that needed to be satiated with answers to questions most found disturbing, annoying, or horrifying. The only one who seemed to be able to overlook this flaw and actually pour back into that hungry vortex that was the mind of the young mage.

Curiosity more than actual brightness drove the young man to question. Instinct rather than insight caused him to see thing most did not. Indeed, he was praised as a scout and after mission analyst. He had assisted in developing procedures and tactics that had saved many lives and resources. The only reason why he had not been recruited to the intel corps was because his mouth had no filter or lock. He loved to chat and once the flood gates were open, it was extremely hard to close them.

“It is well known that despite not knowing the actual size of the Viemese army, Belisio may be hard pressed to actually stand toe to toe with them by numbers alone. I do feel that we have better skilled warriors, but those bastards have been wanting to beat our ass since their king got owned.” As he talked, his speech turned more to how he would talk to the junior members of the squad not a high-ranking military officer.

He walked next to the Knight Captain and continued his barrage of monologue as his body grabbed a serving plate, looked for this mythical salmon but had no idea what to look for. So instead, he grabbed what he thought would be good to eat.

“The king knows that if the wolf came knocking at our door that the fight would be a hard one but he also knows that even if we had our guts hanging out we would hold the shit in with one hand and ram a sword up their ass with the other.” His plate was starting to pile high with victiles. The squad members seldom ate as good, often field rations or whatever was left over from the officer’s own food.

“But tell me truthfully Cap, do you think that we are in trouble? IF so, then how best can we make those sons of bitches regret they came knocking at our door?”

*****
Arn shook his head as he quietly disagreed with her self blame. Eilis was a tender heart who felt that any wrong done in the world even remotely related to her was a burden she had to bear. The senior mage knew firsthand the place that road of self-depreciation led. However, he would not force his believes upon her. In time she would come to understand that the actions of others have consequences that should be shouldered by those who made the decision.

Instead, he said in a calm voice that offered comfort but was not condescending. “Your mother would have been no safer if you had stayed. If these people who are seeking you could take her life so easily, they would have done it either way. The fact that they had to resort to that forbidden spell is proof that she would not willingly give you away.” He kept on stroking her hair.

"Why are you so good to me? I am a refugee...an enemy..."

Arn stopped mid stroke. A look of confusion in his face. He opened his mouth to give an answer and then stopped and promptly shut his mouth to keep it from gapping open. His usually sharp and active mind spun its proverbial wheels trying to answer her question. So he did the only thing he could think of doing, he said the truth.

“To be painfully honest Eilis…” saying her name brought a sudden electrifying shudder to his warm body. He resumed his stroking as he pensively answered, more to himself than her. “..I am not too sure. You see, I have never been close to someone other than my mother. Yet even before I woke up, I saw you. I was not sure if I dreamt but I saw you. You were a glowing body in a sea of darkness. You felt small, scared, and alone. I believe at first, I thought I was looking at my mother. Then I thought it might have been an astral representation of myself.”

He cleared his throat nervously. His sudden rush of sharing his feelings made him feel defenseless and he did not like it. He also felt that he could be so with her. “I felt drawn to you. I felt like you and I were connected by ties not of blood or kin. I feel like I am meant to protect you. I don’t know why but I feel that I my purpose was to protect you.”

He shifted his body so that he could hold her by the shoulders and stare into her eyes. Even now, he could see that the Dark Sight was starting to fade. The glossy look of the eyes was starting to receded. She would soon be able to see blurry. This alone brough questions to his inquisitive mind and he marveled at her quick recovery.

Eilis must really be someone special to have drawn him so. He had forgotten all his own rules about getting involved with someone. He had opened up in a manner that made him feel like he would lose himself. He had changed so drastically that he was a stranger even to him. So, he echoed her question and the answer was a simple one that he gave her.

“I feel connected to you. Drawn to you…One with you.” As he did so, he pushed into the Aether trying to hold her essence as he held her body. Suddenly, he crashed into a force, a barrier of ice-cold feeling that made him gasp.

The battlemage had felt pain plenty of times before, some had even made him wish for death, but this pain tore into his very soul. He did not know if it was due to the connection that had started to grow between him an Eilis but any separation from her seemed to be painful.

This made him frown and look down at the now shivering form of his self-appointed protegee. A question formed in his mind and he hesitated to ask. However, he felt it was necessary. In an apologetic tone he mustered enough courage to ask. “Eilis, could you tell me about your magical tattoos?”

To Claim a Starting World

Arn studied the wolf creature. His eyes made a reconnaissance trail from the top of the pelted head down to the creature’s wounded legs. Nothing made sense. It was as if the creature before him had been pieced together haphazardly from parts of humans and wolves that had been left over. The creature was neither human or animal. This made his approach that much more difficult. After all, if it could not understand human language then it would be hard to communicate with it. If it was not like an animal, then human thinking might get in the way of instinct that most animals had to detect threats.

The hunter evaluated the situation. He could see that the blood loss was weakening the creature. The creature knew it too. Most animals would try to remain threatening if surrounded who the perceived as predators or carrion eaters. Like a carrion eater, the human pair could wait until the creature loss consciousness. However, this plan could be dangerous to the creature as it may never wake up again.

Arn kept his low silhouette and backed away slowly until he was within ear shot of Gwendoly. He spoke loud enough of the young girl to hear but his tone was calm and relaxed. The creature might not understand them but the tone used could still cause alarm. “What would you like to do healer? I have never seen such a creature in my days.” He kept his eyes on the creature, the bow and arrowed lowered but still at the ready.

“It looks hurt. If we try to catch it, it might hurt more or hurt us. If we wait, it might die.” He looked at her out of the corner of his eyes. “Could you help it? Or will I need to ease its pain?” He slightly moved his bow and arrow meaningfully.

The hunter could not bear to have an animal suffer. Putting a creature down would actually be humane. However, its human appearance might affect the view of the young girl. It is not very common or acceptable to do the same to a human.

Arn waited for the answer. It was not fair of him to place the burden of decision on the young lady but he felt like he could not take the decision himself. In a way, he was showing that he valued her judgment. Also, it was sort of a punishment too. He had asked her not to come. Now that she was here, she would have to share in the consequences of their decisions.

Broken Skies

Arn’s eyes narrowed in concern as he noticed and felt the change in Eilis. A wall seemed to start building up between them. He could still feel her but she was more of an echo than an actual presence. His narrowed eyes morphed into that of anger as he came to understand what she meant.

It was entirely possible that some basics and historical literature about magic was shared between the two opposing kingdoms. After all, the life force of Gaia was the one thing that connected them all. No matter your believes as to the spiritual or scientific use of this connection, the fact that one existed was not in dispute.

He had read something of the sort many years ago. These practices were of course banned and carried with them some heavy penalties. Arn himself had been questioned as to his reading of the books. After a few weeks of being under surveillance, the monitors had felt he had only read the restricted book as a references.

However, the mechanics of the spell that Eilis suggested was not lost to him. If they were all connected to Gaia then those of the same blood or those with strong emotional ties to each other would have an even stronger connection. The mage understood her distress. As knowledgeable as she was with magic, there could have only been one way for the trace to be completed.

Arn moved closer to her and placed a protective hand on her shoulders. His head was comforting and energetic. Inside him, there was a maelstrom of feelings. He wanted to comfort her but he also wanted to burn those who had made her feel so.

His voice was calm but it rang with a truthfulness that could not be mistaken. “I am sorry for your loss. However, it is not your fault. We were given this life and weather you believe in pre destiny or if you believe it your own, there are choices that are not left up to us.”

He stroked her hair fondly. “The ones who have traced you may feel that they have you cornered and that there is nowhere for you to run.” His voice took a dangerous turn almost murderous. “However, you are not alone. Those who come for you instead come to their deaths”.

The fire in his eyes made those same eyes flare. He was not sure how or why but using the Aether, he started to push against the walls that the young girl had began to set up. She would have no need of walls, when he reached her, she would be protected and warmed by a sphear of flame that would turn to ash any who came near.

Tobi almost giggled at the scene being played out before him. The silver haired knight was a good foot or so taller than the rounder Evander. This in itself made the confrontation comedic, as if a stubborn child was arguing with a parent. Second, despite the pretense of outrage, the Mage Captain’s eyes would flicker with contained fear. Indeed, even Tobi shuddered once or twice at the restrained power of Tyrhallan.

The young mage committed everything to memory. Such a story would no doubt get more glorious and exaggerated when told in the barracks. Tobi was well liked by the others because he always seemed to be in the right place at the right time. He already had gold with Arn and Eilis but this confrontation, was the golden egg of stories.

The back and forth was quite entertaining when suddenly Tobi all but managed to suppress a gasp as the Knight Captain requested the transfer of Arn. The young mage turned to the Lord Knight. Studying the man and wondering why. It was true that his senior was an asset in battle. His prowess was known through out the kingdom. Hell, there was even a secret shrine to him in the Cauldron that no teacher knew about. Those of lower birth regarded him almost as an emissary.

Was this request something more than just tactically focused? Did the Knight Captain mean to utilize Arn in a political way? It was well known that the Master Mage had been offered a position on the capital and had rejected it. The hellspawn was already a conundrum and many knew that he was hard to tame.

Tobi turned his attention back to Evander. The mage swallowed visibly. He was presented with a horrible decision. On the one hand, he could get rid to the direct opposition to his power. But that would mean that what little control he had over the men would all but disappear. However, if he did not turn Arn over, then Tyrhallan would force the matter via a duel and upon Evander’s death, still request for the transfer. While Evander had been given the rank of master and he could indeed be proficient with magic, he was not in the same league as the Knight Captain.

Frustration and anger could be clearly seen in the other man’s face as he came to the safest conclusion for his personal well being.

"Fine. FINE. You can have the man. You can deal with his insubordination and his blatant refusal to listen to command." He complained. "But I am 'warning you' Venray...if you take away my men from me again it will be my honour that will be insulted and you will pay for that then."

Tobi straigthend himself up as the Mage Captain addressed him with bile all but dripping from his every word. The young mage saluted smartly emulating a completely submissive and professional soldier. Evander stared at the young man with dark eyes and turned so quickly that the fancy black robes twirled dangerously around the man’s ankles.

Yet despite the young mage’s prayer, the Master Mage did not fall. Tobi turned to Tyrhallan and nodded his agreement that at least the other man was still alive. He followed the Knight Captain. The young mage’s mind raced with the probable reaction the news would have on the squad. They all saw Arn as a sort of good luck charm.

Sudenly Tobi wondered how Arn himself would react to the news. He cast a sideways glance towards the silver haired knight. Had Tryhallan asked his senior if he also wanted to change commands? Arn was notorious for hating being told what to do. He shrugged to himself. It was not up to him. Though, he hoped to be there when the news were delivered.

He stopped short as a crowd seemed to have been gathering into the galley. He wondered how good those damn fish where that it drew such a crowd. However, soon all fell silent as the recognizable voice of the King of Belisio rang over the speakers. A collective holding of breath ensued.

Tobi listened with growing awe and as the king finished speaking he turned up his young face to Tyrhallan as if seeking answers.