Gareth Ellinor watched from the shadows as his star pupil decimated the practice targets around her. Her swings were strategic and forceful. She followed through her hits with all her might, just as he has taught her to do. There was a certain elegance to the way she moved and fought that didn't quite seem to parallel with the brute force she possessed. It made watching her fight all the more intriguing. Gareth couldn't bring himself to stop her in the middle of such an effective practice set, so he sat back and admired the skills he'd taught the young girl.
"You do know that I can sense your presence there, Master Ellinor?" The girl flicked her honey blonde hair back off her neck and swiveled to crane her neck at the man. "Well? Did I do all right?" She leaned forward, planting the tip of her blade down into the dirt for support, and panted heavily as if she'd just run for hours upon hours on end.
"You did very well, Phoena. You've spent much of your free time practicing recently." Gareth moved to stand at her side, gauging her state after her spar. She was tired, but still had a spark. Give her a few minutes, and she'd be all ready to go yet again.
Phoena swiped her arm across her forehead, using the lightweight fabric of her practice gear to wipe sweat beads away from her skin, her evergreen eyes shining brightly as she stared up at the former Commandant, her devoted teacher. "I figured it might come in handy with all this Elieveta this and Elieveta that stuff going on recently." She let out a soft sigh, lifting her sword to sheath it. "Only I didn't realize how right I was... That's why you're here, after all, isn't it?"
The man nodded. "You've been summoned by Grand Commander je Dellal for a co-operative restoration mission with the other Runeholders."
Phoena's eyes went wide with surprise, her voice growing softer and meeker as she spoke again. "So that's what the whole meeting was about... They're gathering all the Runeholders together."
"Yes, they are. Only you six can restore the runes to their former glory." He placed a hand gently on her shoulder. "You should've been there. Your mother put up quite a fuss at the meeting to make sure you'd be okay."
"Yeah, I wish that meant more to me. The least she and my dad could do would be to visit me at the Academy. Last I saw them was at the holidays." She shrugged her shoulders and frowned. "Forget that though. It's not really important anyway. We should get going. Wouldn't want to be late to greet the Commander..."
Gareth nodded in agreement. "If you insist, but Phoena?"
"Huh?" The girl looked back to him with a confused glance. Even then, she had her hand rested instinctively over the hilt of her sword. It was as if it were second nature for her to be prepare at any moment. No weakness.
"You may want to change first. You'll be meeting the Grand Commander. Don't you want to look presentable?" Phoena glanced down at her tattered clothing, which clung to her skin feeling sticky and damp. Her boots were scuffed from dragging them through the dirt, and there were more holes in her pants than she could could on both hands. There were even pieces of straw and paint from the targets crushed into the fabric of her gear, not to mention the fact that she looked as if she'd fought a twister- and won, of course, but that hardly helped her dreadful appearance.
She tossed her master a lopsided grin and scratched the back of her head awkwardly. "Heh. Yeah, I guess you're right. Give me a few minutes to change and freshen up, and I'll meet you outside the student housing."
"Be quick." Ellinor instead. "Time is of the essence."
"I always am! Don't need to tell me twice." She called as she dashed off in a full-out sprint. Gareth gazed after her, chuckling softly to himself as he walked steadily to their agreed rendezvous place. Some things just never change, do they? He mused, reminiscing over his time training the spritely young woman who possessed the same rune as his dear old friend- the rune of Bravery.
###
"Excuse me, miss." An armored soldier said gently, hoping not to startle the nurse who was tending to a man's bandaged arm. The women in the Infirmary seemed rather busy that day, and in many of the cots lay patients with a wide variety of ailments.
The woman peered back at him briefly before refocusing her attention in the wounded man. "May I help you?" She asked. The man on the bed before her winced as she tightened the gauze down. Her eyes darted back at the soldier. "Are you lost per chance?" She mused, waving her hand over their patient's arm and casting a minor healing charm to ease his pain.
"Ah, no. I'm sorry." The soldier shook his head, embarrassed. I'm looking for someone actually, by the order of Grand Commander je Dellal."
The healer's brow rose at the mention of the Commander. "You don't say?" She murmured, patting the injured man's shoulder before rising to her feet. "Who might you be looking for? I'll help if I can."
"A young man named Braedyn Mienus. I've been told that he helps out here in his spare time."
The nurse nodded knowingly. "The telepath boy, of course. Yes, he's here. Follow me." Swerving through the maze of cots and swiftly moving healers, the woman led the soldier to the back of the Infirmary. She gestured to a young man with shaggy dark hair sweeping around his face. He was intently focused on an older man, who grumbled bitterly as the young man asked him question after question. "Brady helps us with our more difficult cases. They're stubborn, won't tell us if something's wrong or how bad they're really doing. The boy helps us give them the best care we can." She wiped her hands against her pants and called out to him. "Brady! You have a visitor!"
The boy's head jolted up and his soft eyes had a golden glimmer to them as his gaze drew away from the old man and fell on the new arrivals. "Thank you, Magnolia." He smiled at her lightly. "Oh, and Mr. Durias could use an increase in his pain suppressant. He's been having shooting pains coursing through his good leg the last couple days."
"Making me look like a wimp, kid." Mr. Durias growled, recovering the area that once belonged to the leg he'd lost in battle, but Brady simply laughed and approached the soldier with a grin.
"Hadrian Secant, is it? Right Hand of the Fifth Squadron's Commandant? You've come to collect me for Commander je Dellal's purification quest? Intriguing." Brady looked him over with a scrutinizing glance, never faltering from its cheery bright disposition.
"I- I-" Hadrian stammered out before nodding faintly. He seemed fidgety after having his mind probed by the young telepath. "That would be Grand Commander je Dellal to you."
"Of course. Excuse my rudeness, I promised I meant no disrespect by it." He chuckled softly, earning him yet another weary glance from the soldier. "No need to make a face like that. I'm harmless, really. Promise."
Hadrian's face fell to a scowl. "Sure you are, kid. Then I'd appreciate it if you'd stay out of my head..."
"I'll try," Brady mused, "but my skills aren't really something I can turn on and off. They're just there whether I want them or not. I can hear the thoughts of everyone in here right now. It's a bit exhausting to tune certain people out, you know."
"No. No, I don't know," Hadrian scoffed, shaking his head as the nurse, Magnolia, reappeared with the another sorceress to suppress the old man's pain. He gave her a curt bow before addressing her. "I'll be taking Braedyn with me. It may be a while before he's back. I'm sorry to leave you ladies short handed like this, but-"
Magnolia waved her hand. "It's quite all right. We'll manage." She turned to Brady with a soft smile. "You be good, okay? I expect you back here in one piece."
"I'll try my best." He answered truthfully, "Should I tell Mr. Secant here what you're thinking about his-"
"Brady!" Magnolia gasped and quickly ushered both the telepath and the solider back toward the front of the Infirmary. Her cheeks were flushed, and she bit down on her lip, eyes dipped toward the ground. "Off with you now."
Brady smiled back at her one last time as Hadrian gave him an odd look. "Don't worry, Maggie. It'll be our little secret." With a quick wink, he followed after the soldier, leaving the healers to tend to their patients in peace without distraction.
###
Commander je Dellal stood before the small gathering become him. The three Runeholders and those who had brought them to the city square. Foot traffic had died down after the meeting, and only a few people still remained in the square, but they kept to themselves, minding their own business. Including the Grand Commander himself, the group consisted of six. His own son, Callantine je Dellal, who held the rune of Humility. Phoena Brineri, a human girl possessing the ever-admired rune of Bravery. The telepath healer, Braedyn Mienus, who represented the rune of Selflessness. Three of the six great Seorehan Runeholders. Gareth Ellinor stood off to the side, filling the young soldier Hadrian Secant in on missed bits and pieces of the Grand Commander's plan.
"Grand Commander, it's truly an honor to meet you." The Commander shifted his stare from Ellinor to his apprentice, smiling faintly behind the cover of his helm. She dropped her head in respect, rising up with a flourished salute.
"Well-trained and well-mannered I see, Ellinor. I'm impressed." Phoena's grin spread wider at the compliment, and Callan rolled his eyes.
"If only my Callan would aspire to that," Brady said suddenly, and the Commander's eyes narrowed as he sucked in a breath. "I'm sorry," the telepath peered at the others, his face the image of purity and innocence. "Was that not meant to be said allowed?"
"Bloody telepath," Callan muttered, his death glare at his father only more potent than before. "You expect me to work with a bloody telepath and a kiss-ass?"
"Hey!" Phoena hissed, "What gives you the right to-"
"Enough!" Ellinor snapped. "All of you. Listen up. This is important."
"Thank you." The Commander cleared his throat, scanning over the group pensively. If they couldn't work together, the plan would never work. He just had to hope. Hope was all he had to rely on in that moment. "The first part of your task is to hunt down the remaining 3 Runeholders. I can give you the name and location of one, but the others are up to you. Once you've located them, you must head to the depths of the Kiloman forest and locate the temple that contains the runes. I don't know how the process works, but here, you can wrest the darkness from you rune. Return here immediately after, all six of you. With the refreshed runes, we might just stand a chance against Elieveta and her dark magic, but you must be back before the full moon, which once night falls tonight, will be eight days away."
The three Runeholders nodded silently as they each pondered and scrutinized Commander je Dellal's plan. It was a long shot, that they realized, but the destruction of their empire was a fate that they could not risk befalling their friends and family. They were the embodiments of the legendary heroic spirits themselves. "So what's that fourth name you have for us, sir?" Phoena asked, a small smirk on her lips. "You boys are ready, aren't you?" She glanced from Callan to Brady, awaiting their responses.
"Sure. I was pretty bored anyway." Callan shrugged. Brady nodded, choosing not to say a word as he folded his hands together.
The Commander pulled a small scroll from the pocket of his robe and passed it off to Phoena. "Your first stop will be the coastal town of La Cierna to find a sorceress by the name of Soleil Allifair. That's all the information we have on her to help in your search." He knelt before the three, surprising the group, Phoena most of all. "Good luck, heroes. May your journey be worthwhile."
With their parting words and goodbyes said to all, the three took their leave, heading out toward the sunset, which threatened to quickly fall behind the mountains that met the sea. The sun's rays glittered against their destination, as if a path leading them to Soleil.