The Unknown Alchemist

Chapter 43 - Let us love you

Avery rose before dawn and pulled out her training clothes. She moved stealthily through the house and out the front door. The street was quiet and the cool night air lingered, keeping the temperature comfortable. Once on the street, she paused searching the lanes once again for the mysterious messenger who had delivered the fox believing that it would make her feel better. She didn't feel better but it reminded her she was still alive. A lifetime ago a fox attacked Ferrik buying her time to run.

Lumenstones hung from posts along the street, casting a soft but clear light on the budding trees and freshly turned garden beds. Some early deliveries were being made to stores and houses.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, inhaling the scents of the city. Then her feet started moving, and she ran.

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

Adelyn and Avery worked through the core strengthening exercises in the training ring at the Spark. Though they kept to the shade, sweat poured off of them as the summer sun beat down. Their sleeveless tops covered just the upper half of the torso, trying to let the breeze cool their skin, but the heat was relentless. Avery sucked in as much air into her lungs as possible, willing the fresh blood to flow to her shaking muscles.

"C'mon, just ten more seconds!" Adelyn encouraged through clenched teeth, as she too pushed through the strain. In unison they collapsed to the ground, gasping for air.

"I had no idea it was so easy to get out of shape," Avery gasped. "You'd think I had never done a sit-up in my life."

Adelyn groaned and rolled over to her knees before rising shakily. "I can't believe I agreed to spar with Roedin after this. He's going to kick my ass."

She offered a hand to Avery and pulled the human to her feet. They staggered over to the bench where towels and cool water waited for them.

"Why would you agree to that? Are you being punished for something?" Avery joked.

"Never good enough for Roedin, it seems," Adelyn sighed. "No, that's not being fair. He sees the worst in this world. His whispers and spies bring him secrets and knowledge that sometimes he can't even bring himself to share. He knows what's out there, and he wants us all to be at our best in case we ever come across it."

Avery took a long drink of water and wiped her face down with the towel. She didn't have to imagine some of the horrors that Roedin had seen. She had seen some of them herself and been unable to do anything about it. And yet she was still alive despite being woefully unprepared for the real world.

A shadow passed over the training ring and the females squinted up at the cloudless sky. A tangled mess of wings and flesh was hurtling towards them, the sound of metal clashing and crunch of fists growing more distinct as it approached. Arctos and Roedin were falling from the sky, locked in a dance of aerial hand-to-hand combat.

The females scurried over to the edge of the training ring as the half-faunids slammed to the ground and rolled apart. Adelyn coughed and waved her hand in front of her face as the dust settled. Arctos started to chuckle and rolled over to face Roedin.

"I had you! I was not going to let go and there's no way you can carry me for that long!"

Roedin leapt to his feet in one motion and shook the dust from his wings. "You did not have me. It was all calculated. I could have dropped you at any moment." He stalked over to Arctos and offered him a hand up, then joined the females at the water table.

"That was dramatic," Adelyn said with feigned annoyance.

Arctos wrapped her in a sweaty bear hug. "You know how I like to make an entrance."