Transcendence, page 20
part #6 of The Beginning After The End Series
“My apologies, General Arthur,” she replied, laughter in her voice.
A knock at the door interrupted our playful banter, but it opened before either Tessia or I responded. Virion stepped confidently into the room, along with his son Alduin Eralith. They were followed by Alduin’s wife, Merial. Alduin and Merial didn’t stay long—they had to depart due to problems in one of the elven cities up north—but I thought it very kind of them to take the time to visit me.
“What’s been happening?” I asked of Virion once they had gone.
“We’ll get to that, Arthur. First, I need to make sure that Dicathen’s newest Lance is being well cared for. I’m glad Tessia has come to keep you company,” the commander said, a twinkle in his eye.
A grunt from the open door drew all our attention to my sister, Eleanor, who had just arrived with Sylvie and Boo, her eight-foot-tall bear, who was grunting with pleasure as he casually chewed on a slab of meat.
Virion cleared his throat. “I’ll give you moment with your family. When you’re done, though, I think it best that we discuss what has happened.” With a wink at Tessia, and a respectful nod to my sister, Virion marched from the room.
‘Your sister has been patiently waiting for you to wake up,’ Sylvie informed me as Eleanor carried her into the room.
It hadn’t been that long since I had last seen Ellie, yet it felt like I had never before noticed how big she’d gotten. I couldn’t call her my baby sister anymore.
“Come here, Ellie,” I said gently.
My little sister’s lower lip trembled as tears began flooding down her face. Letting go of Sylvie, she bolted into my arms, nearly knocking the wind out of me.
“I was so worried!” she said angrily, her voice breaking into sobs. “What would’ve happened if you had died?”
“I’m okay, El,” I said soothingly, but her face remained buried in my chest. I reached up to stroke her brown hair, and noticed that the injuries I had gotten from the witch-like retainer were still there. My expression darkened at the sight of the ugly red scar that spread all over my left hand and up to my wrist, as if the skin had been burned off. The injury had diminished greatly thanks to Sylvie’s vivum abilities—the scar already looked like it was a few years old—but my entire hand had turned a sickly shade of pink.
Boo regarded me with a suspicious eye as he gnawed on his bone, but he allowed me to continue embracing his master.
Sylvie casually hopped onto my bed and curled up beside me. She didn’t say anything, but a wave of relief flooded from her.
Rubbing the tears from her eyes, Ellie’s gaze landed on my scarred hand. “How could you let yourself get hurt like this?”
“Scars fade,” I said with a weak smile, hoping to dismiss her concerns.
Physical appearances had never been of great importance to me, but it was still a bit nerve-wracking to see how bad a mark my injuries had left. I worked up my courage, then carefully got out of bed, first making sure my legs were able to carry me.
Standing up on my own two legs without the help of mana was a blessing I had always taken for granted. I took slow, steady steps toward the mirror while Tessia, Ellie, and Sylvie watched apprehensively. Boo looked on with disinterest.
I took a deep breath, then looked up to study my reflection. Even without taking off my robe, I could immediately see the toll the battle with the retainer had taken on my body. My gaze immediately went to my neck. The same red scars that covered my hand and wrist had been branded across my throat.
Untying the band across my waist, I slipped out of my robe so I was only wearing my undergarments.
Wow, I’m a mess.
‘You could’ve been a lot worse off,’ Sylvie chimed in, her usual curtness gone.
Scars of varying lengths were littered all over my toned body, like the chips and cracks on an ancient statue weathered by time and the forces of nature. More of the red scars were visible across my shoulder and part of my back. The scars that ran from my waist down to my knees were particularly gruesome—as if someone had torn apart my legs piece by piece and crudely stitched me back together.
“Consider it a godsend that you were able to recover even to the state you’re in now,” a clear voice said, rousing me from my thoughts.
Casting a sideways glance toward the door, I caught sight of the three-eyed asura, Aldir, stepping into my room. He was followed by Virion, who quietly took a seat on the leather couch.
“Master,” Tess greeted him, getting up from her seat. My childhood friend’s cheeks were flushed as she awkwardly positioned herself away from me.
Realizing that it was probably my lack of clothing that made her uncomfortable, I slipped back into my robe before greeting the asura. “Aldir.”
“Arthur Leywin.” He nodded before dipping his head at Sylvie. “Lady Sylvie.”
“What you said just now. What did you mean?” I asked, taking a seat beside Virion.
Sitting down across from us next to Tess, he pointed at a ring on a finger of his left hand. “Do you remember the elixir pearl Windsom gave you a few years ago? The one you never used?”
I looked into my dimension ring, but couldn’t find the gold-flecked pearl that I had saved to help me break into the white core stage. “What happened to it?”
“It’s what gave your body the strength to recover to the state you’re in now,” the asura said matter-of-factly. He straightened his deep lavender robe. “Even with a team of lessers specializing in medical mana, as well as Lady Sylvie using her aether arts—albeit inexperienced—it still took the full effects of the powerful elixir to heal you.”
“I’m guessing you and Windsom aren’t allowed to give me another elixir, right?” I asked.
Aldir shook his head. “Since the war has started, we can’t risk the treaty being broken.”
“Damn,” I said, leaning my head back on the couch.
“Sorry to kick you while you’re down, but I thought you might still want this,” Virion chimed in, taking Dawn’s Ballad from his dimension ring. “I was able to secure your sword from the retainer’s corpse.”
My heart sank as he handed me the once-stunning sword. The translucent teal blade of Dawn’s Ballad had dulled, and its tip had been melted away by the retainer’s corrosive abilities, throwing off the sword’s delicate balance.
After sheathing it in its scabbard, which I had been carrying inside my ring, I idly stared at the palm of my right hand, where Wren had embedded a gem. It was a stone he had refined himself called acclorite, and it was supposed to somehow turn into a special weapon.
Now would be a great time for a new weapon, I thought to my hand.
‘Arthur,’ Sylvie’s voice sounded. ‘I told Aldir some of what happened, but I think it’d be best if you went over it with him and Virion in detail.’
Right.
Slowly getting up from my seat, I walked over to my little sister, who’d been silent the whole time. “Ellie. Can you wait for me outside while I talk over some stuff?”
Raising a skeptical brow, she replied, “Only if you promise not to leave without at least saying goodbye.”
Looking into her eyes, I promised.
“Fine.” She got up from her seat and walked toward the door before looking back over her shoulder with a proud expression. “I want to show you what I’ve been working on.”
“Oh?” I raised a brow. I assumed there was a spell she had been practicing. “I can’t wait!”
My sister closed the door behind her and Boo, and the only ones left inside my room were Commander Virion, Aldir, Sylvie, and Tessia.
“Let me catch you up on what happened since the battle with the retainer,” I began.
“Wait. Let’s call an official meeting with the rest of the Council,” Virion interrupted, getting up.
“No. I want this to be for your ears only. What you choose to do with this information is up to you.”
Tess raised a timid hand. “Should I leave?”
“It’s fine.” I shook my head. “Before I start, though, I want to know one thing.”
“And what would that be?” Aldir replied, taking note that my gaze was directed at him.
“Who has control over the two dwarven Lances, Mica Earthborn and Alfred Warned—you, or Rahdeas?”
The asura’s single purple eye, which was open, narrowed in thought as he continued staring at me. “I’m still in control of those two Lances. Why do you ask?”
It took longer than I expected to debrief them on the events that had transpired after my battle with the retainer.
As expected, Virion and Tessia were dumbfounded at the dwarves’ evident betrayal. Aldir’s expression remained steadfast; if he was surprised, he did a perfect job of concealing it.
Despite his initial surprise, however, Virion recovered quickly. “If the dwarves are in alliance with the Alacryan army, it’ll be much harder to prevent battles from reaching civilian cities. Were you able to discern whether it was just a separate faction of dwarves or if it was more widespread than that?”
“I can’t say with certainty until I get some answers out of Rahdeas,” I said through gritted teeth, regretful of the circumstances implicating Elijah’s former guardian.
“The news of a Scythe appearing is troubling,” Aldir added. “If she intends to wreak havoc with her retainer by her side, as well as an entire division of troops, then this isn’t something one or two Lances can take on, even with an army backing them.”
“Which is why I need to know where the allegiance of the dwarven Lances lie,” I replied. “A large-scale battle is nearing, and I don’t want any unforeseen obstacles.”
Chapter 25
From Lance to Brother
Leaving Sylvie in my room to rest, I ventured through the brightly-lit halls of the castle, looking down at my feet as I took careful steps. It was the first time I had noticed the vibrant patterns of the thick carpet in the upper residential halls. It was a funny thing to note; I’d always been in such a rush, chasing whatever goals I had, that I’d never even looked around to enjoy the subtle pleasantries around me.
It didn’t take me long to find Ellie. She was sitting by a large window, gazing outside at the sea of clouds and idly combing her fingers through her bond’s thick fur. Boo opened an eye, sensing my presence, but went back to his nap when he saw that it was me.
“May I join you?” I asked.
“You don’t need to ask.” She smiled weakly, taking a glance back at me before returning her gaze to the sky once more.
I sat down next to her on the ground, admiring the rolling clouds, and the twinkle and shine from the rays of sunlight above. I could see the tip of a mountain in the distance, but other than that, only an endless expanse of white and blue.
“Do you miss them?” Ellie spoke in a soft voice. “Mom and Dad?”
“Not as much as I should,” I admitted. “I worry for them—I know they’re safe out there, but so many things have been going on.”
There was a moment of silence, and my sister simply continued petting the bear.
“You know, there are a lot of people—adults and kids—who come up to me saying how lucky I am to have a brother like you. The ones who aren’t jealous of me are jealous of you—that you’re a Lance, that you’re so talented in magic and fighting, and that you have the recognition of all of this continent’s leaders. Some even say that you might become one of the next leaders when you get older,” she scoffed. “But it’s funny. I never told you this, but there was a time when I hated you. I felt like it was because of you that my life was like this now. I blamed you for Mom and Dad feeling like they needed to help out in the war too, and I blamed you for the fact that I couldn’t have a regular life in school with classrooms and a bunch of friends.”
My sister was looking away from me, her body turned toward Boo, but I could see that the hand running over his course fur was trembling, and her shoulders quivered.
“Ellie…”
“But the funny thing is, I don’t blame you anymore. How can I blame you when your life was worse than mine? Most of the memories I have of you were you coming in and out of the house full of injuries, with unbelievable stories of how you faced this monster or that monster. It was really fun and amazing to hear back then—I thought you were so cool and strong—but I know better now. The things you had to give up to get where you are today…”
My sister hurriedly wiped her face on her sleeves and turned back to me with red eyes and a wide, forced grin.
I reached for her, but she grabbed my hand and shook it before getting up. “Whew! Now that I got that off my chest, come on. I want to show you something.”
“What is all this?” I asked when we reached the outdoor terrace of the castle.
My gaze swept through the dozens of wooden planks hanging from various tree branches. There were some arrows protruding out of the planks, but more were on the ground and the tree trunks around them.
“What I’ve been working on,” my sister proclaimed proudly as her bond curled up on the ground beside her with an aloof yawn. Ellie seemed abnormally perky after our conversation by the window, as if she were trying to forget about it.
Trying not to dwell too much on my sister’s inconsistent behavior, I watched as she picked up a peculiar-looking short bow propped up against a pillar, then retrieved a stray arrow whose tip was buried in the nearby grass.
Raising the flexible bow so that the nocked arrow was at eye level, she held her still-trembling breath and took a moment to aim before letting go of the string.
The thin arrow whistled as it sliced through the air, curving ever so slightly around a plank and hitting a different wooden target behind it.
I applauded her, genuinely impressed, but she held up a hand and shook her head. “Now, watch this.”
Raising her bow once more, she mumbled a brief chant. The tip of her guiding finger, on the hand holding the bow, began emitting a soft glow. When my sister slowly pulled the string back, the mana took form into a thin glowing arrow.
I remained silent—half from focus, half from surprise—as Ellie fired the mana arrow at a nearby target plank. The arrow let out a soft hum, rather than a sharp whistle, as it hastily approached its target—but before it reached the plank, the arrow dissipated.
My sister’s shoulders sank in disappointment. “I swear I was able to reach the target a couple days ago.”
“That was amazing!” I exclaimed.
“I failed, though,” she replied, disappointed.
“You’re barely twelve, Ellie! Most kids your age can hardly even conjure a ball of mana, let alone shoot one out that far away,” I said, my voice still laced with enthusiasm.
My sister was silent for a moment, absentmindedly staring at her bow.
“Aren’t you glad that your dear brother is impressed, after all that practicing?” a voice chimed in from behind us.
I looked over my shoulder to see a rather odd duo walking out into the terrace: Emily Watsken and Helen Shard.
“Surprised, General?” Helen said, one eyebrow raised.
While it made sense for Emily to be in and out of the castle since she was apprenticed under Gideon, seeing her with Helen—the leader of the Twin Horns and current head of a large platoon of soldiers—made for a head-tilting moment.
However, considering the peculiar bow in Ellie’s hand and her sudden skill at archery, I quickly put two and two together.
“I won’t deny that,” I replied with a smile.
Emily had noticed my injuries. “You look like you’ve been through a lot.”
“About as much as any other soldier out there,” I said with a shrug.
After Ellie and I properly greeted the two friends, we all sat around the patio table chatting. We discussed how my sister was struggling with mana manipulation, despite having awakened at an early age.
“You’re having a hard time?” I asked my sister. “Why didn’t you tell me? I could’ve helped.”
“You’re a general now, and even before then, you were always busy. I didn’t want to bother you with it. Besides, Mom and Dad were helping me before they had to leave.”
My sister tried to sound cheerful, but the faint sullen tone in her voice—especially after our conversation earlier—made my chest ache.
“I stopped by one day to check up on her after finishing a dungeon tour and she asked me for help,” Helen chimed in, trying to lift the mood. “I’m not a conjurer so I couldn’t exactly help her, so I asked the artificer, Gideon, to run some tests on her. He pawned off what he called ‘a chore’ on Emily here, and that’s when we found out about your sister’s little gift.”
“I wouldn’t call it a gift,” Eleanor said, suddenly shy.
“What gift?” I demanded, my curiosity growing.
“I think it’ll be easier for you to just show your impatient brother, Ellie,” Helen encouraged.
“Okay,” she agreed. Raising her hand, she concentrated on the center of her palm until a faint orb of mana manifested. There were no attributes, but the spherical orb of pure mana slowly began changing shape until it had turned into a seven-pointed star.
“You see, after I assessed Eleanor”—Emily stressed her role as she leaned forward—“I realized she has a real knack for molding mana into detailed shapes. Normally, whether you can make a fire ball into a fire cube doesn’t really matter—but if you’re able to conjure the exact shape of an arrow along with a particular arrowhead, then you can potentially have an infinite arsenal of arrows that enemies won’t be able to predict.”
“Well, coming up with the arrow solution was my idea,” the leader of the Twin Horns said.
“It’s a clever technique, for sure,” I said, glad that Ellie had found a way to train herself and occupy her mind while mother, father, and I were all off to war.
“They’ve both been a great help! Helen has been really strict but helpful in teaching me archery, and Emily made me this bow to train with.”
“That’s me being easy on you,” Helen replied, looking at Ellie with a warm expression. She turned to me. “I’ve been in and out of the castle so she’s been learning on her own, but her growth is actually quite scary. It’s like these gifts run in the Leywin family.”
