Nemain’s
attention.
“Ah, Edwin,” she said as though he were a pleasant surprise.
Her hands were behind her back, and she began pacing. Edwin couldn’t take his
eyes off the animal horn. It was a bright green unlike any he had ever seen in
nature, and he wasn’t positive, but it seemed to shimmer slightly, and not from
reflected light. “Tell us, are you ignorant in our ways, or did the Medgards
give you a proper upbringing?”
Edwin shifted uncomfortably. “What do you mean, Lady Nemain?”
“I mean, did the Medgards teach you about the mines? About
staffs, swords, or the aegis?”
Edwin shook his head. She was acting like she was meeting
him for the first time, and he wondered whether she was doing this for the
others’ benefit, to show he would get no special treatment, or if somehow his
stepping on the tree had changed things and this was a test.
“I see,” she said. “Then there’s much you must learn. Chardwick’s
Aegis is required learning for any child of Chardwick, and today is a good day
to start. As everyone else here is aware, today we will be practicing with the sword.”
As though reading his mind, she added, “Don’t worry, the swords are blunted.
They can’t hurt you much.”
Again the class tapped their swords against the ground in
acknowledgement.
“One last question, Edwin,” she said, circling him and his sword
as she talked. “Did the Medgards ever tell you anything about the Fury?”
“No, erm, they d-didn’t, Lady Nemain,” Edwin replied.
“Today will be a treat, then.”
Noticing that Nemain’s smile seemed false, Edwin gulped. Nemain
resumed her pacing.
Turning to Walt, Edwin mouthed, “What’s the Fury?”
Walt leaned towards Edwin and whispered, “Chardwick’s greatest
defense. It’s supposed to be a secret. Outsiders aren’t allowed to know.”
“Silence, children!” Lady Nemain yelled in a commanding tone
that Edwin would never have suspected from her. “In these dangerous times,
knowing how to wield the sword may one day save your life. Proper usage
requires discipline that it is your duty to learn and respect.” She eyed them
meaningfully. “Now, it has been said that this is a heavy burden for children
to bear, but I survived the training, and so has every other person living in
Chardwick. Edwin, the training is about to begin, so stand up straight.
Everyone, ready yourselves.”
Following the others’ lead, Edwin stood across from Walt
with his sword planted in the ground. The sword was long enough to dwarf him. Looking
around at the other children, he noticed that they were all staring forward
intently, awaiting their next command. Across from him, Walt also had the same
blank expression.
“What is going on?” Edwin mouthed, but Walt didn’t move or
respond.
Lady Nemain lifted the horn to her mouth, and a low,
rumbling scream filled the air, like the noise in his most hated dream. It was
much quieter than the cry in his dream, when his mother had just entered the
village square, but the effect was the same. All around him the eyes of the
other children were consumed by blackness, as though their pupils had exploded
into the whites of their eyes, but the effect only lasted an instant. Edwin
noticed that whatever the sound did to them, it seemed to have no effect on him.
And right then, he realized something. People in this
village hunted anyone or anything with powers like his to destroy them, but
they weren’t above fighting power with power. He tucked that knowledge away for
later, because right then he sensed the spirit rushing towards him. Forgetting
their quarrel, he whispered the words to call it into him. It spread itself
into a long thread, and though he didn’t see its essence as it crossed the
snow, he knew it had obeyed his command. Joining took precious energy he didn’t
have, but even as its essence drained his body, he felt whole and strong.
In a trance, the other children all took a step towards each
other and tapped
attention.
“Ah, Edwin,” she said as though he were a pleasant surprise.
Her hands were behind her back, and she began pacing. Edwin couldn’t take his
eyes off the animal horn. It was a bright green unlike any he had ever seen in
nature, and he wasn’t positive, but it seemed to shimmer slightly, and not from
reflected light. “Tell us, are you ignorant in our ways, or did the Medgards
give you a proper upbringing?”
Edwin shifted uncomfortably. “What do you mean, Lady Nemain?”
“I mean, did the Medgards teach you about the mines? About
staffs, swords, or the aegis?”
Edwin shook his head. She was acting like she was meeting
him for the first time, and he wondered whether she was doing this for the
others’ benefit, to show he would get no special treatment, or if somehow his
stepping on the tree had changed things and this was a test.
“I see,” she said. “Then there’s much you must learn. Chardwick’s
Aegis is required learning for any child of Chardwick, and today is a good day
to start. As everyone else here is aware, today we will be practicing with the sword.”
As though reading his mind, she added, “Don’t worry, the swords are blunted.
They can’t hurt you much.”
Again the class tapped their swords against the ground in
acknowledgement.
“One last question, Edwin,” she said, circling him and his sword
as she talked. “Did the Medgards ever tell you anything about the Fury?”
“No, erm, they d-didn’t, Lady Nemain,” Edwin replied.
“Today will be a treat, then.”
Noticing that Nemain’s smile seemed false, Edwin gulped. Nemain
resumed her pacing.
Turning to Walt, Edwin mouthed, “What’s the Fury?”
Walt leaned towards Edwin and whispered, “Chardwick’s greatest
defense. It’s supposed to be a secret. Outsiders aren’t allowed to know.”
“Silence, children!” Lady Nemain yelled in a commanding tone
that Edwin would never have suspected from her. “In these dangerous times,
knowing how to wield the sword may one day save your life. Proper usage
requires discipline that it is your duty to learn and respect.” She eyed them
meaningfully. “Now, it has been said that this is a heavy burden for children
to bear, but I survived the training, and so has every other person living in
Chardwick. Edwin, the training is about to begin, so stand up straight.
Everyone, ready yourselves.”
Following the others’ lead, Edwin stood across from Walt
with his sword planted in the ground. The sword was long enough to dwarf him. Looking
around at the other children, he noticed that they were all staring forward
intently, awaiting their next command. Across from him, Walt also had the same
blank expression.
“What is going on?” Edwin mouthed, but Walt didn’t move or
respond.
Lady Nemain lifted the horn to her mouth, and a low,
rumbling scream filled the air, like the noise in his most hated dream. It was
much quieter than the cry in his dream, when his mother had just entered the
village square, but the effect was the same. All around him the eyes of the
other children were consumed by blackness, as though their pupils had exploded
into the whites of their eyes, but the effect only lasted an instant. Edwin
noticed that whatever the sound did to them, it seemed to have no effect on him.
And right then, he realized something. People in this
village hunted anyone or anything with powers like his to destroy them, but
they weren’t above fighting power with power. He tucked that knowledge away for
later, because right then he sensed the spirit rushing towards him. Forgetting
their quarrel, he whispered the words to call it into him. It spread itself
into a long thread, and though he didn’t see its essence as it crossed the
snow, he knew it had obeyed his command. Joining took precious energy he didn’t
have, but even as its essence drained his body, he felt whole and strong.
In a trance, the other children all took a step towards each
other and tapped
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