CHAPTER 17 - Consequences

Tazrok couldn’t help but smile just a tiny amount as Pixyl turned and started walking up the hill, a stunned Callie soon catching up to her. Bratig finally seemed to collect his wits enough to groan loudly in pain, and a pair of Healers wearing bright yellow tunics swept in to provide assistance. He would be fine.

“Did she just do what I think she did?” Lena whispered to the Ogre.

“Yes. Was not good.”

“Not good? After what he did to her? That’s more than fair!”

“No!” Tazrok growled. “No fighting in camp. Commaderant Xera say.”

Lena looked up at the big Ogre with a stunned look. “You’re kidding me. This is Pixyl.”

Tazrok looked back, a stern look on his face, “No. Fighting. Allowed.”

“Wasn’t really much of a fight,” a new voice said as Major Celeste joined them. “Good morning, Recruit Lena, Corporal.”

“Major, you know what he did!” Lena snapped. “He had it coming.”

“He already punished,” Tazrok said almost imploringly. “Was over.”

Lena looked into Celeste’s and Tazrok’s faces, seeing nothing but coldness in their eyes. “Unbelievable. You actually think that wasn’t deserved?”

“It doesn’t matter,” the Major said. “We can’t have recruits settling their differences with violence. If we allowed that, soon every petty squabble would at minimum require Healer intervention, and maybe even lead to something serious. We simply can’t have it.”

Lena gaped at Celeste in stunned anger on the outside, but somewhere inside she also knew the Major was right. If people started taking things into their own hands without repercussions, it could become anarchy. But this was Pixyl, and she’d already been through so much on her first day. “What are you going to do?”

“Broke rule. Must be punished,” Tazrok said grimly. “Also must stop Dwarf from fighting back.”

Out on the grass, Bratig was now sitting up. The Healers had given him a potion, and his eyes were no longer bulging out and crossed. All initial evidence was that he would recover fine. But Lena realized there was a chance he’d want to retaliate, and if he did, then Lena would have to retaliate back on Pixyl’s behalf, because nobody was going to hurt her found family on her watch.

“But what are you going to do?” Lena asked earnestly.

Tazrok put on a frown, obviously conflicted. “Don’t know.”

Major Celeste put her hand on Tazrok’s arm. “She’s your friend, Corporal, so I’ll talk to the Pixie instead, and determine what to do. You talk to the Dwarf to make sure nothing more happens.”

Tazrok nodded. It was best this way. He was too close to properly punish Pixyl, and honestly, part of him didn’t really want to. It was a good kick she gave Bratig. A really good kick. Surprising even. A Barbarian kick. Plus, the Dwarf did probably deserve it for what he had done. But the rules were the rules and everyone had to follow them, even the little people.

“Major!” Lena snapped. She still couldn’t believe that they actually wanted to punish Pixyl. For kicking that Dwarf? He deserved it!

Major Celeste held up her hand. “Recr…. Miss Lena. Officially I am going to talk to the Pixie and she will be appropriately punished.” The extra emphasis on the word ‘appropriately’ made Lena suspicious.

“And unofficially?”

Celeste shrugged. “I’m proud of the girl,” she said, flashing a smile, as she turned to follow after Callie and PIxyl.

Tazrok puffed himself up slightly, trying to appear even bigger than he already did. “Move,” he said to anyone in his way, and a few onlookers quickly stepped aside as he walked away from Lena. Bratig was standing now, even if a little shakily, and only one Healer remained talking to him.

“Hurt how bad?” Tazrok asked the Healer as he walked up.

Surprised, the Elf gulped before responding, “Bruised. Probably achy for a day. But no permanent damage. I’ll get him a mild painkiller shortly just to make him more comfortable, but he should be fully mobile within an hour.”

“Good. Must talk with him. Private.”

“Oh...of course. Recruit Bratig, I’ll be over there when you are finished.” The Healer gestured towards the food tent. You come find me when you are able.”

The Elf walked away and Tazrok looked down at the tiny Dwarf. He looked … scared? Angry? Confused? Even without the beard it was hard to tell what emotions Dwarves had.

“Am I in trouble?” Bratig asked.

“No,” Tazrok responded.

“Good. Because I didn’t start anything. Is she in trouble?”

Tazrok narrowed his eyes, “Should she be?”

“Of course she should!” Bratig snapped back.

Tazrok just looked at him.

“Maybe. She kicked me! Hard! And where it really counts, too!”

Tazrok still said nothing.

Bratig lowered his eyes. “Maybe I did deserve it. But, you know I never meant for her to fall and break her wing. I know I caused it, but the result was an accident!”

Again, Tazrok said nothing, wanting to see the Dwarf talk it through.

“And you already punished me! So what she did …” he trailed off. “A broken wing is a really big deal, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Will be in pain for many days. Affects her training because cannot fly.”

“But I …” Bratig trailed off as he really thought about it. Part of him wanted to hit her back. He’d already been punished by the Ogre, so that kick was uncalled for. Still…

‘What you want done?” Tazrok asked.

“M-me? I’m not in charge,” he said, looking up at the huge Ogre. “I don’t know.”

“If was?”

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Bratig again lowered his eyes to think. He wasn’t angry, he realized. He was … hurt actually. He had sincerely tried to apologize and the Pixie had rebuffed that apology. That was the emotion. Hurt. Sadness. Disappointment in her. Disappointment in himself for maybe making her that cold and angry. What should be done?

“Just let it go,” he finally said. “Call it even.”

This pleased Tazrok. He was worried that the Dwarf might want revenge, or even to see her punished harshly. A little bit of maturity was unexpected, but also welcomed. The opinion he had of this Dwarf went up a little.

“Good. Tell friends it is even.”

“What? Oh, yeah. I will. Nobody will do anything, I promise.”

Tazrok nodded with a grunt. “Good. Feud is over. This I have decided.” This had gone better than he thought it might. Dwarves had a reputation for being hot-headed, and he had been worried Bratig’s friends might take it upon themselves to do something foolish.

“Tazrok?” Bratig said weakly.

“Yes?”

“I really am sorry.”

Tazrok grunted an acknowledgement. “That is good.”

The Ogre and Dwarf parted, Bratig seeking out the Healer, a slight limp in his step, and Tazrok returned to the rest of his new friends. To Lena Elf. To Xin-with-tail. To Vanis the Prince and Bear Guy. They were good people. So many around him were good people. Major Celeste was good people. Kitty Lady Rowani and Rat-face Thorn and Callie Gnome’s showermate, Commanderant Xera, were good people. Good people helped make more good people, and Tazrok was pleased by this.

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Major Celeste knocked on the door to Ogre House and then let herself in. The Gnome the Pixie were both lying on their bunks as she entered. She could tell the Pixie was still riding an angry adrenaline rush from her encounter with the Dwarf, and there was furiosity in her eyes.

“Major!” Callie said, sitting up quickly.

“Recruit.” Celeste nodded to the Gnome in acknowledgement, before turning to Pixyl. “May we have a conversation outside?”

“Is she in trouble?” Callie demanded. “She shouldn’t be! He deserved it!”

Celeste looked at the little Ranger trying to gauge how to respond and her mood softened. “Both of you come, then. We’ll sit in the sun.”

Hesitantly, Callie and Pixyl both slid off their bunks and joined the Major on the steps, each sitting on either side of the Elf.

Celeste sighed. “Do you know why we have a strict no-fighting rule here?”

Neither responded.

“Imagine what would happen if the recruits, who have just been given all of their new powers that they hardly know how to use, started to settle their differences with violence? Imagine if they lose control, if even for a moment? Imagine, Pixyl, what would happen if you summoned your swords, even by accident, in a moment of anger.”

Pixyl’s face paled at the thought. She knew what her swords could do. They could slice through wood and flesh and bone as if they were water, and sometimes stone and steel with little more effort than that. When she got her five reveals at once, she had completely lost control, and if not for Koda holding her arms in place …

“You see now?” Celeste said.

“Y-y-y-yes,” Pixyl said, her eyes falling.

“But we also have to defend ourselves,” Callie said.

“That’s just it, you weren’t defending yourself. He was coming to apologize. You struck him in anger, not in protection. That cannot be allowed. I know he hurt you, but he had already been punished. By Tazrok no less. The incident was in the past.”

“No!” Pixyl snapped in return. “He w-w-was p-p-punished for breaking your rules, not for breaking my wing. Not for hurting m-m-me! Nobody asked me if it was enough! All he knew was that somebody bigger than him could hurt him. That Tazrok, or the people in charge could hurt him. He needed to know the small ones could, too!” As she grew more agitated, Pixyl’s stuttering lessened until it was almost gone.

The Major gave some thought before answering. “What if he doesn’t think that was fair? What if he, or his friends, want to retaliate? What then?”

Pixyl sneered. “Let them come. I can take them all.”

Celeste was taken aback. She had slowly been building a sense of how much anger there was in this Pixie, but apparently hadn’t fully appreciated how deep it ran, and it ran very deep. She was fearless.

“We cannot have violence be a solution here,” the Major finally said, firmly. “It is too dangerous, and when it affects someone’s training, that means they go to war less prepared than they could be. That could cost someone their life. It simply cannot happen. Do you understand?”

Pixyl didn’t say anything, but in time her face softened, and she finally lowered her eyes, nodding slightly to Celeste.

“Do you understand?” Celeste asked Callie.

“Yeah, I do,” Callie responded grudgingly.

“If someone is hurting you, or teasing you, or affecting your ability to train in any way, then you tell someone in charge. For Star’s sake, you are living with Tazrok! You know he can get it to stop with little more than a stern look. But you cannot take the matter into your own hands.”

Grudgingly, both Callie and Pixyl nodded in understanding and agreement.

“Good,” the Major said. “Now, your actions cannot go unpunished.”

“But Major!” Callie started to protest.

Celeste silenced the Gnome with a hard glare to push a little military bearing into Callie. “For violation of the camp rules prohibiting fighting among the recruits, you are sentenced to two days of house arrest. You will not leave your bunkhouse except for training, meals or the use of the bathhouse, or should you need medical assistance. You may attend the feast and celebratory festivities tonight, but your sentence begins at sunup tomorrow morning.”

Callie was about to protest, but Pixyl nodded in agreement, accepting the verdict.

“Furthermore, I recommend you remain in your bunkhouse for the rest of the morning. That reveal was particularly … difficult, and it might be safer for you.”

“We had already planned to do that,” Callie said. “When it happens to the smaller races, it’s much worse than bigger ones. Tazrok hardly feels it at all. We were just going to stay here, or maybe in the garden.”

“Really? I had never made the connection regarding your size. That’s good to know.”

“A lot of people seem to not notice the small races,” Callie scowled, trying to jab home a point.

Not rising to the bait, Celeste continued, standing, “One last thing.” She handed two strips of soft, brown leather to Pixyl.

“What are they?” Pixyl asked, looking at them. They were a dark brown in color and about twenty centimeters long, with a long flap on one end to connect to a buckle at the other. Sealed to the leather were three flat, red gemstones around one centimeter in diameter, and on the inside were three flat metal discs aligned with the gemstones.

“Ethereal Suppression bracelets,” Lena said. “Trainer Olin would have given them to you tomorrow, but he had his student retrieve them while you were recovering from your reveal. They are sized for normal wrists, but should fit tightly around your upper arm. You’ll need to wear them under your tunic, however, as the metal needs to touch the skin.”

“W-w-what do they do?”

“It’s easiest to show you. Summon one of your swords. Just one.”

“Here?” Pixyl asked, warily.”We’re not supposed to…”

“Yes, it’s fine. Go ahead.”

Pixyl paused and finally nodded, making a fist with her right hand. She took a calming breath, concentrated for a moment, and then there was a flash of magenta light. With a spark and a crackle, the energy surrounded her fist and then extended fully.

“Whoa…” Callie said, really seeing the effect happening for the first time when she wasn’t otherwise distracted. “That is just amazing, Pixyl. I’ll never get tired of seeing that happen.”

Celeste took one of the bracelets and wrapped it around Pixyl’s wrist. It was far too big, even with the buckle fully tightened, so the Major just held it in place with her own hand, assuring the gemstones touched the skin. The magenta energy sword crackled again and changed into a green color. Careful to make sure the bracelet didn’t lose contact, Celeste tapped the green light against her palm. It made a solid buzzing sound as it hit and cast off a few sparks, and Pixyl could feel resistance against the skin, but otherwise nothing happened.

“It stops it from w-w-working?” Pixyl asked, concerned.

“I don’t understand the magic fully, but they effectively make it so your energy won’t damage another person’s body, and should bounce off most solid objects. We use them so Bladeweavers may spar with each other and other sword users without risking damage that can’t be healed. I want you to wear these at all times unless in your bunkhouse or the baths, at least for a few weeks while you practice all your new skills. Make sure they are worn tightly, as all three stones must touch your skin through the metal to be fully effective. Olin said he’ll look into getting a smaller pair you can wear on your wrists, but it would take a few days for the enchantments to complete.”

Pixyl was at a loss for words and simply nodded, before blinking herself out of her daze. She opened her fist and the crackling beam of now-green energy faded into nothingness.

“Good,” Major Celeste said. “I’m glad we had this chat. Both of you. Recruit Pixyl, I don’t know your story, but I’ve met enough recruits and soldiers in my years to see you have been treated poorly, probably by your family, and others. There is no doubt you have much anger in you. Use your time here to learn how to control and channel that anger and make it an ally. Some day, when you might be ready, we must share a drink. I would like to know your story.“

Pixyl nodded, taking the bracelet off her arm.

“And Pixyl, if you ever need to work some of that anger out, let me know. I would be happy to spar with you any time. Properly. On the training grounds.” Major Celeste smiled. It felt like a little bit of a lonely smile, but it was one nonetheless. “A good day to you both.”

“Th-th-thank you,” Pixyl said quietly, as she continued carefully examining the two suppression bracelets.

“Hey, Major?” Callie asked as the Elf started to leave.

“Yes, Recruit?”

“How can we get a bunch more blankets?”