.The Shadow Knight.

-3-

(Akito's voice claim :) )

The road was long but event-less tho I didn't drop my guard, this men knew not of who I was but the royal insignia on my pouches were enough to show I was part of the castle dwellers.... Or past dwellers as I am soon citizen of this new queendom.... Or empire as they call it.

This empire was big, actually twice the size as Solor and wore the name Kazaras, it was a land little more south, where each season around three months and warmer climate then what Solor gets year round but there is a vast expanse of water separating the land.

Sel amused herself by telling me stories of her training and what she did with the other mages, I wasn't the one to really talk in depths with those I didn't know but she talked enough for both of us and she didn't seem to mind.

"You know I will miss Ren, Gabe, Milla and Cami, the four were like me brothers and sisters.... Hey miss, will you miss someone?"

"Of course." I answered. "My father and my captain, each raised me in their own way."

"Don't worry miss." I looked down at my hand as she covered it with her own. "We won't be alone, we'll have each other."

"Sure kid, each other."

"You know any magic miss?"

"I have a name you know?"

"It was once mentioned days ago I couldn't have memorized it."

"As a mage you are the first and last line of defense between the enemy and those you serve, you need to memories every little bit of information you can get about your surrounding."

"I-- right."

"Always keep an ear out for information."

"So what's your name?"

"Akito."

"Isn't that for boys?"

"Usually?"

She wasn't bad to talk with, mages are always well versed even when they are young, they do need to be multi talented after all.

---------------------------------------------------

We arrived in a small town and were lead to the docks.

The ship wasn't too big, a medium size.

I made the front of the hull my sleeping 'quarter', it was more like cloth piled up to make a softer cushion on the wooden floor.

Sel set up near me, I guess I unwittingly took her under my wing but I don't really mind, she can defend herself tho she doesn't have a weapon. Each mage is trained with all types but truly masters one.

"Hey kid, what's your proficiency?" I ask her, looking at the shore drifting away from us as I leaned on the wooden railing on the side of the ship.

"Fire." She said, sitting near me with her back to the railing and a book in hands.

"I meant weapon, you cannot simply rely on magic all the time."

"I'd say bladed weapons."

"I'd say?"

"That's one thing I don't get, magic I excel in my group of mages but weapons? I fail at that."

"Everyone has short comings kid."

"Oh yeah? What are yours?"

"I have many, mainly that I lack magic outside of what I was gifted with, what bladed weapon do you like?"

"Short swords."

"One or two?"

"Two?"

"With a guard?"

"Yes? Why all these questions?"

I stepped away from the railing and laid my hand over it and pulled it across, making a hole in the wood, sword hilts rising from it.

"Choose two, these are sword swords of all type from skin taker to elvish blades, yours to own if you want."

"Woah really?" I nodded.

"The blades you don't want just drop them back in the hole."

She ended up picking out two different swords.

"Skay so the first one as you see is a double edged blade with a cross guard, a light elvish blade but strongest steel possible." I said closing the hole after pulling out the sheaths for the blades.

"It is really light." She agreed.

"The second it more like my main weapon, a really small guard and only on edge on it, if you learn how to use them together it will be a deadly combination." I opened a hole on my hand and pulled my own katana out, pointing at her. "In position."

"W-what?"

"You want to learn how to use them don't you? Then get in position, training starts today."

"I-- yes ma'am!"

I smiled behind the cloth and spun the blade, grabbing it both hands, hilt hovering in front of my stomach and the tip pointed at her.

"Come at me and show me what you have in you kid."