Even past midday, Freyr didn't have much bearing on the stone court. Lord's Keep was too tall, and the sun was not even at its zenith yet. In its position now, the two sparring figures managed to produce two slender shadows dancing in rhythmic beats of one another.
Hydro Paen's younger brother, Aiton, looked on closely from the shaded portion of the castle walls. Aiton sat in a longchair, held tight by his mother. His mother's friends were there, too—other marchionesses from different provinces of Acquava. Elias Ward, his father's adored, had also taken a spot amongst the crowd, waiting to tend to any injury. Hydro tried not to focus on them, but every so often he caught himself stealing a gaze, watching for his mother's eye, which never seemed to look. Mostly Hydro focused on the man in front of him, Korth.
Korth swung his sword upward, forcing Hydro to backflip. Upon landing, he ducked to avoid another stroke. Using his momentum, Hydro propelled his body forward, lance in front, attempting to pierce Korth's seachrome armor—the front and back pieces attached by strong fishing lines, and instead of chainmail covering any openings on his side, rows upon rows of tightened clams shells protected him. Upon the breast was a droplet of water pierced and shattered by a sword. It was the Paen insignia, the pride of Hydro's house.
Hydro missed. Now his back was exposed. He tugged on the golden chain attached to his sapphire lance and spun around, ready to block an incoming attack.
"Good reflexes, Prince," said Korth. His thick moustache bobbed up and down beneath the gap of his seachrome helm.
"I do not need your praise, Korth."
Hydro jabbed his lance forward, but it was batted away. A heavy boot struck Hydro's stomach, causing his chest to heave inward. Defeat rang thrice as the lance clattered on the court.
"You may not need my praise, but you certainly need my help. Your lance skills are still only mediocre." Korth grinned, extending his sea-leather glove, dotted in brine, down to Hydro.
Hydro looked towards the crowd and saw his mother smirking at him. I will show you I am not a failure. Hydro ignored the hand and returned to his feet by himself. "I do not need my lance when I can best you with a sword. Shall we practice that?"
Hydro crouched down and pushed aside the golden chain on his lance, exposing a small slit. Slightly above the slit was a silver band, colored different from the rest of the sapphire lance. A black button rose outwards from the lance a quarter inch above the silver. Hydro gripped the band and pushed the black button with his thumb. He concentrated on forming a sword, and within seconds, the malleable liquid steel—zircha—started to transfer. In no longer than five seconds, he held it ready.
"No. You will practice power now. A Prince must be trained in both."
"Humph. Very well." Hydro stowed away his sword and waited for the court to be set.
From the shadows of East Wall, a water basin was brought forth by guards Hydro didn't bother taking note of. Lamps—one of gas and fire, and the other of electricity—were placed alongside the basin. Elemental power could only be cast if it already existed in its natural form and only if visible—thus it was labeled the lowest of the three tiers of power. Only then could it be called and stolen by the authority of one's voice. Now, all four elements could be drawn from—earth the easiest of them all due to its overwhelming majority and proximity. In truth, it would always be the easiest element to conquer, unless one was falling through the air or at sea.
Hydro allayed his mind by breathing and closing his eyes, letting some of his untapped senses investigate the surrounding. Seagulls chirped, and the sound of water splashing against the rocks soon became obvious, as did the smell of salt and brine. power flowed, tingling on the tips of his fingers. The cool warmth calmed him as nothing else could. Hydro opened his eyes and saw Korth pace around the individual elements, then flick his hand and move his lips.
"Maa," Hydro said and parts of the stone court shot up to deflect the incoming lightning bolt. Hydro soon saw flames dance over the top of the earthen shield, so he jumped back and let the spell die—the stone court returning to normal. "Vesi," Hydro said. Water from the basin overflowed and slid to the fire, quickly drowning it.
The session continued like this for another five rounds. Korth constantly tested his speed and the knowledge of power's hierarchy: earth for thunder, thunder for water, water for fire, fire for earth. The ferocity of the spell and its speed was linked to emotion and confidence. Because of this, he constantly readjusted and prioritized which spell needed attention. As fatigue replaced his strength, sweat slid down his body from beneath his tunic. Then, the spells stopped.
"Practice endurance now. Start with earth," Korth commanded.
"Maa." A spire cracked from the middle of the stone court and shot upward, increasing in girth all the while.
"Raise it higher."
Hydro let the power seize him, and he pushed the spire up, soon nearing the height of the parapets.
"Hold."
Hydro closed his eyes and focused, thinking of nothing else but the spire of earth in front of him. His brow started to sweat, but he continued holding the spell. His heart throbbed and his fingers twitched as he dug deeper into himself. He wanted to open his eyes, but that would cause him to lose focus.
"Release."
Hydro opened his eyes and gasped. The spire fell back to the stone court, returning it to normal.
"Impressive, Prince Hydro. You are quite the sorcerer," said Korth.
Hydro, still panting, looked at Korth and his charismatic grin that had entranced the family at the tourney to celebrate his birth. Korth's praise was empty flattery. The earth could have risen like Mount Klaff—to the very heavens of Axiumé itself—instead of only reaching to the height of East Tower.
Changing his gaze, Hydro noticed a man—completely bald—starting to make his way from the shade of East Tower. Gray spots on his head resembled the islands of Acquava. He hobbled his way to the courtyard with the help of a golden cane inlaid with sapphire vines. He didn't start speaking until Hydro recognized the Paen insignia on his overflowing white robe.
A hand extended a sealed bag of cerise leaves. "Would my Prince care for some ard leaves to replenish his strength?" The man's voice shook just as much as the large bracelets on his wrist. The bracelets represented his knowledge in unique elements and compounds created and given by the Ancient, Lyoen, the Alchemist—ard leaves being one of them.
"No, Elias. I will call you over if I need your assistance."
"But you must."
"I must not do anything, unless my father commands it of me. Do well to remember that."
"Elias," Korth said, "it's fine. Prince Hydro will regain his strength as he watches Aiton's training."
"Very well."
To Hydro's dismay, this was one of his shorter sessions; usually he would go through all the spells at least once, but holding a spire of that height for so long was more taxing than Hydro had anticipated. He ran a hand through his jet-black hair and watched as Aiton was released from his mother's clutch. His brother of eight years had the same hair as Hydro, attributed to them by their father. Like his mother, though, Aiton had green eyes, whereas Hydro had hazel, a mixture of his parents.
From the longchair near his mother's location, Hydro glanced at her, she exchanged quick words with Marchioness Loise Tityle of Katarrh. She flicked her brown hair, exposing the pearls pierced to her ear and her fingers fit with rings—all things made available to her through marriage. Then she returned her gaze on Aiton and took a sip of red wine. Hydro watched the light session of sword play with dilapidated interest, remembering the times when he was forced to spar and train with power so that upon going to the privileged school, Finesse, he would be completely competent. Since graduating there, Hydro was required to sit in at his father's council sessions and study languages and customs with the family's receiver, Darien Dornell, and the family's advisor, Len Posair. Hydro found all of it rather droll.
At certain points during the light sparring session, Hydro glanced at his mother, who never seemed to take her eyes off of Aiton. Mother never watched me the whole time. Before he looked away, he noticed his father walking towards them from the entrance to the castle's open interior. He held something in his hand, but from a distance, Hydro couldn't tell what it was.
Hydro returned his gaze to Aiton, who focused on moving his hips in sync with his strokes. The real lesson Korth was trying to teach, though, was to not be stationary. "Warriors still standing do not stand still" is what he would preach in an accent that befit a true native of West Hart, an island in the Broken Sea. It was that accent and Korth's superb skill in melee fighting that charmed the crowd during the tourney celebrating Hydro's birth. With age, he grew in rank and now was Commander of Lord Paen's Acqua Guards.
For fourteen years younger than Hydro, Aiton showed true promise with the blade—he already stabbed and sliced with combinations he had most likely gleaned from Hydro and Korth's sessions. Heavy footsteps pulled Hydro's attention away from his brother. A hand squeezed his shoulder and Hydro looked up to see his father staring down at him.
His father let a scarlet envelope fall to Hydro's lap. "Open this."
Hydro picked it up and turned it around, instantly recognizing the golden wax seal. Guardian Eska. He looked up and noticed that sparring had stopped, and now, Hydro's mother looked at him with curiosity. Behind her the marchionesses stood, wanting to get a glimpse of what was occurring.
Prying apart the seal, Hydro took out the letter and read its contents aloud. Upon the word accepted he stood up and looked at his father and then at all the others. "I have been accepted to partake in Guardian Eska's trials."
Hydro heard clapping and for a faint moment saw a smile form on his mother's lips, but quickly it faded into conversations with her guests: Lyane Puwl, marchioness of the northeastern province, Rhemu; Loise Tityle, marchioness of the northern province, Katarh; and finally, Enya Periwinkle, marchioness of East Hart isle. Here, where the sea breeze kept the warm air in check, each female noble wore a loose-flowing gown of a different color of silk, patched with her province's sigil—the seahorse of Rhemu trotting over a sea, the frozen flower of Katarh, and the coral reef of East Hart isle.
"Hydro, follow me. We have much to discuss."
Without hesitation, Hydro obeyed. As he was led away from the stone court, Hydro noticed his mother's glare. Do you despise that you will have to answer to me when I win these trials? After being blamed for his sister's death six years prior, his mother had never taken note of any of his accomplishments. He didn't exist to her, unless he failed.
Inside the mansion, which stood inside the castle walls guarding their home, a butler stood ready with refreshments on a tray. Hydro took one and continued following his father through the first floor hallways. Pictures of his family's lineage embellished the light-colored walls. Guest rooms were located here for the families of power who decided to visit the keep or engage in business with his father.
Hydro's room was located on the second floor, adjacent to his younger brother's room. His sister's room was also located on the second floor, but it had never been opened since her death. All three rooms were stationed on one half of the floor. The study and the communication and information processing chamber were on the other half.
The third floor was patrolled by suited guards armed with poleaxes. Seachrome halfhelms exposed only jaws and nose, and a visor was placed over the rest of their eyes. There would be one Acqua guard among the pair and typically the second would be someone of import, in service to the Paens for a minimum of five years. From each veranda to the right and left of the royal chambers one had the perfect spot to see the Amughd Forest and, from it, Mount Tyld rising from the very heart—a starseer's dream to watch the night sky. Also from the veranda, one could get a marvelous look at the labyrinth of hedges located beyond the stone court. In the center of the labyrinth was a water fountain shaped like a dolphin, in recognition of the bonded animal of Acquava's first Paen ruler, Lyonell Paen.
Once inside, Hydro took note of the renowned chamber. It hosted a king-size bed with delft-blue sheets tucked beneath golden-silk pillows resting against a polished and petrified black walnut board. A walk-in closet—extended ten paces to the left—lay next to the bathroom, which included faucet handles made of gold against ivory.
Brushing a wrinkle out of the sheets, Hydro asked, "Why did you want to talk with me?"
"Not anyone can just go the core. There must be some sort of transportation. From where does the letter say you need to be picked up?"
Hydro reread the letter. "It does not say." He looked inside the envelope and noticed a little card he had not seen there before. "Wait." There was a black button on the center of it and, underneath, a timer counting downwards. The ink that created the numbers changed continuously, but by power or technology, Hydro couldn't tell.
"That is a tele-card. Play it."
Hydro pushed the button, and a green light cascaded from the card, stopping directly in front of his face. A hologram played before him.
"Hydro Paen the Second, my name is Tundra Iycel, one of Guardian Eska's four council members. Listen closely, for this letter will only play once. A ship will pick you up from Encenro Falls once the timer on this card reaches zero. If you are not there within the allotted time, you will not be allowed to attend the trials. Good luck. Guardian Eska looks forward to meeting all of the contestants in person."
Hydro glanced at the timer. Slightly more than forty hours remained. "Do you know where Encenro Falls is?"
"It is on Dotted Isle, near Roil, across from Crake." Hydro's father straightened his posture; he had been leaning forward with his hands on top of a dresser, looking into the large mirror directly across from their bed. He walked over to Hydro. "Although there is easily enough time to get you there, an event like this needs to be treated in proper fashion. I will begin making proper arrangements."
Hydro felt the squeeze of his father's hand on his left shoulder. "What will you do?"
"Do not worry about that. Go prepare for departure. We leave by midday tomorrow."
Hydro left the room and descended the staircase. What does Father have planned for me? Possibilities spun in his mind as he packed. It wasn't long after he started that he heard a pattering of feet on the marble flooring. "Aiton," he called. The patters stopped. His door creaked open.
"How did you know it was me?"
"power," Hydro teased. In truth, it was their blood that connected them. Blood brothers, as some called it. But Aiton would learn about that soon enough. "How were the rest of lessons today?"
"Short. When you left, everyone wanted to know what you and Father were doing."
"Planning, Aiton."
"You are going to become the next guardian of the core?"
"When I win these trials, I will be apprentice. And then Guardian."
"What does apprentice do?"
Hydro folded another piece of clothing and put it in his bag. "I assume learn everything the Guardian does . . ."
"As Guardian are you going to fight monsters like Guardian Eska? Are you going to climb Mount Klaff like Guardian Eska?"
"If monsters need to be fought and if climbing Mount Klaff is a requirement, I will. But Guardian also protects something very valuable."
"What is it? From whom?" Aiton's eyes widened.
"No one knows what it is. Father does not even know."
"Will you tell me what it is when you become Guardian?"
"Yes."
"I know you will win. You are so powerful with your magic. . . . I cannot even cast yet."
Hydro lifted his brother's head by taking his chin. "I promise, Aiton, that I will do everything in my power to help you cast."
"You promise?"
"Yes."
"Thank you, Hydro."
Hydro got the hug he had been waiting for.
"Aiton, here!" His mother's voice cut short his moment of relaxation. "If you hug your brother while he still wears those filthy clothes, you will ruin yours. We have company tonight."
Aiton bobbed his head. "Yes, Mother."
"Go along to your room, now."
"Yes, Mother."
"What is it your father wanted to talk with you about?"
Hydro looked at his mom, who stood at the threshold of his door. "Ask him." Hydro stood.
"He is gone."
Already? What does he have planned? "He and I leave tomorrow midday. I am sure you are glad about that." He walked over to her and looked down into her green eyes, the same eyes Aiton had acquired.
"I only hope you do not make a fool of this family and lose."
You would hate that even more than I would. Before Father, you were nothing. And now you're blood is our family's greatest secret. "What makes you think I will lose?"
"You cannot even best Korth."
"You missaw, then."
"I saw the first part of your training perfectly."
"Well, then you missed the second."
"In war, you do not get a second chance. If you are bested the first time, you die. Please, tell me if it is different."
Hydro roiled inside. Father never should have married you. I could have been born by another. How dare you. Ever since—
She spoke again, "Be down to supper at the proper time. And bring your letter. I, along with the other families here, want to read it." She turned and left, her heels clacking all the way.
Why does she continue to hate me? Hydro hung his head and stopped the slight wetness in his eyes. If either of them could just forget the mutual wrongdoings they had incurred—not conversing unless necessary, forgetting the past pain of Anya's death—maybe then they could stomach each other. That would never happen though. Their Paen pride wouldn't allow it.
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