“Any fool can make a rule
And any fool will mind it.”
- Henry David Thoreau, Journal #14
Later at night Alyssa, Alea and Mireille were just getting ready to sleep when a knock sounded on the door.
“Who is it?” Mireille called out.
Without an answer, the door opened and Iseret entered followed by Vanessa.
“Vanessa! Good to see you!” Alyssa smiled relievedly. “I had worried you might not manage to come in time.”
“There was never any danger of that happening. Mae g’ovannen.” (*Well met)
Alea pushed herself upright and sat on the edge of her bed before she too nodded in greeting. “Good to see you.”
Mireille inspected Iseret more closely, who looked fatigued and pale but then she shrugged, it was probably the cold.
“I only wanted to let you know that I will follow you and try to protect you if possible. I can only do so at night so be extra careful during the day.”
For a moment Alyssa imagined her elvish friend as a worried mother sending her child on a long journey. Blushing in embarrassment and shaking her head to dismiss those thoughts she answered. “We will be careful...and many thanks!”
“Take this.” Vanessa gave Alyssa a small inscribed disc of a matte-grey metal. “It will allow me to more easily find you. I don’t want to have to resort to planar travel to catch up.”
“That would seem a bit overkill.” Mireille grinned.
“So, with that out of the way, I will leave you to your rest. Pleasant dreams.” Vanessa turned and grabbed Iseret pulling her along. The snake-woman gave her an amused grin.
When they had left Mireille turned to Alyssa. “Did you think those two were a bit strange?”
“No, I think you are imagining things.” Alyssa shook her head and then laid down with a sigh. “Let’s sleep as quickly as possible. Tomorrow will be a busy day.”
“Good night!”
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They stood together in the courtyard and waited for the teacher's arrival. Alyssa shifted the weight of her backpack and grimaced. They had used the list as a reference and with the food and warm clothes, blanket, tent...there seemed to be no end to what should be taken into the wilderness and that was first and foremost...heavy!
Alea stood calmly in front of a fully-laden Butler One while she herself carried a small bag and garnered envious glances.
“How come she gets to have a servant and we don’t?” Jeremy’s voice was full of dissatisfaction.
“It does not count,” Talberg answered shortly.
“That is so…” The white-blonde boy swallowed his further complaints as the teacher came into view walking briskly from the main entrance followed by Ms. Julius.
“Good. No one’s missing I see. I will take that as a positive sign. We leave at once, follow me.” Without any further courtesies, he gestured for them to follow and walked toward the entranceway. The scout fell in behind the group and sighed as they milled about before settling into single-file. Her gaze rested on Butler One and Cyrus with curiosity for a moment before she shrugged and resumed her indifferent expression.
Several other groups were standing about going through an inspection of their equipment while others were discussing questions. Two other military mages led their charges toward the exit, it seemed like they were less inclined to coddle the students. If simply inspecting equipment and allowing questions could be called such.
Together they marched outside and down the hill. For the first few minutes, it was even sort of fun, on the carriage ride to the fort they had exited only in the evening and sometimes to have lunch at a waystation and since arriving here they mostly ran around inside the building. Now that they were walking toward the forest Alyssa breathed deeply of the crisp cold air and looked up at the bright white clouds hanging scattered in the sky like scraps of wool.
Then the cold slowly began to settle and the backpack seemed to gain in weight. Thankfully they had invested in the warmth enchantment which heated the fabric to a more comfortable temperature.
Annabeth was struggling under more than her share as the blonde boy joked with his friend Talbert and sometimes threw flirtatious glances at the two black-haired girls who preened under the attention.
Alyssa noticed that the military mage did not pay much attention to this, which surprised her until she recalled his doting demeanor toward the more high-born among them. She sighed and adjusted the weight for the umpteenth time.
Mireille seemed to have no problems at the moment and excitedly looked at the snowy forest.
Alea took care to follow her construct that nicely flattened a path through the pristine snow.
Ms. Julius had a disinterested expression but her eyes scanned the surroundings alertly.
And then they were inside the forest, the whistling of the wind grew more distant, and other than the snow crunching underfoot and their breathing there were few noises.
This continued for over an hour until the lieutenant called for a halt.
“We will rest here for a moment and I will consult with corporal Julius about our further direction.” He motioned for her to join him as he unfolded a map made of fine cloth. They began to talk in a low voice while Alyssa greedily drank from her waterskin.
Alea did not look that winded and Mireille was also perfectly fine. Vivienne looked a bit exhausted and Valens was in a similar state as Alyssa.
“Puh. Walking through the snow is tiring.” Valens wiped the sweat from his brows.
Vivienne chuckled at that “It’s still been only about an hour, we will have to go much further until we get to our first destination if I’m not wrong.”
Her brother gave her a look but quickly dropped his gaze as she returned it with a raised eyebrow.
“I hope that someday we understand each other just as well.” Mireille looked at them and smiled.
“But I hope we never have such an uneven relationship.” Muttered Alyssa under her breath.
“So, if all goes as expected we will be reaching our first campsite well before nightfall but that means some more travel. Our next rest will be at noon.” Lieutenant Philias frowned a bit as he saw Valens, Alyssa, and the black-haired girls breathing hard. Annabeth was still relatively well off despite her slim stature but she did seem a bit winded too. “We had planned for some delays but I hope you pull yourself together. In the army, an effort like that is just the beginning of training.” His gaze came to rest on the two nobles, Jeremy and Talbert. “Good job so far.” He did not bother with Alea, only giving Butler One an irritated look.
They continued their travels shortly afterward and ventured further into the woods. Now Zhira was in the lead and the Lieutenant was at the rear and it was a good thing too as the woods became denser and the undergrowth, even in winter, was hindering their progress.
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As they slowly made their way through a patch of frozen brambles careful not to rip their clothes Zhira suddenly raised her hand and gestured for them to wait before grabbing her short bow and quickly attaching the sinew.
Scanning the tree canopy and the way ahead she grabbed an arrow and slowly made her way forward vanishing quickly from their sight.
For a change, the forest was silent the snow swallowed what little sounds remained- even the wind had ceased.
Philias, the military mage, readied a wand with his left and raised his right hand letting his sleeve fall back for more ease of movement.
An ethereal whisper rose among the brambles and Alyssa widened her eyes as she saw frost form on top of the branches, not much but just enough for her to see it glinting in the noonday sun. The frost began to spread toward them forming a path that was just barely visible.
“There is something under the brambles!” Alyssa shouted and then wove the energies for a firebolt spitting words in the language of flame.
The military mage nodded and called out, “You are free to defend yourself.” He then took a few steps back observing the students.
“Where is it?!” Roberta shouted and looked around frantically.
Alea gestured and Butler One smoothly laid down her luggage before his arms unfolded like a flower opening. Long jointed metal appendages with blades fused to their ends wove before his raised arms looking like part whip, part reptilian claw.
“There is another one!” Talbert shouted and activated a wand he held in his right hand causing a brilliant flare of fire to billow outward in a cone evaporating snow and burning the brambles, dark smoke rose as he fired another blast that did not quite reach the newest patch of frost.
“Don’t fire blindly.” Philias couldn’t remain silent anymore and reprimanded the overeager teenager.
Valens summoned a water spirit that danced around the two siblings while Vivienne readied a wind blade.
Suddenly a form made of frost, mist, and ice crystals rose from the dead branches. It looked like something seen in a dense mist, a mirage that only happened because the eye connected the vague form with something it had seen before. There was a head, a torso and some appendages rising out of and merging with the center mass that could’ve been arms or legs with a hint of fingers…and claws. With a groan, a sort of mouth opened showing whirling snow instead of a throat, and tried to bite Annabeth.
The same happened near the two boys.
Alyssa loosed the firebolt and with a flash and crackling roar the flames engulfed the striking monster causing it to hiss and contort. Annabeth stumbled back and conjured a wavering disc of force between herself and the attacking creature then she fell on her back with a shriek pulled by her overburdened backpack.
With a click and a whirring sound, Butler One shot forward and both arms along with the metallic blade-tipped ‘fingers’ stabbed deep into the mist and frost eliciting another howl like a strong wind through a glacier. The front of the automaton was soon covered in a finger-thick layer of ice.
“Alyssa, behind you!” Mireille jumped forward lightning shrouding her form and stabbed a spear made of twisting energy at another frost-wraith rising behind her friend.
Alyssa shielded her head with her left arm and spit out a spell covering herself in dark shifting mist.
Claws made of mist and frost slashed at her arm and she felt a cold sensation brush over and through her flesh but no pain.
The wraith rose from the brambles, towering over the girls with a height of nearly three meters. Several armlike appendages cut at both of them while the eyeless face hinged open and revealed a tunnel of whirling frost.
They could not focus on anyone else but from the front came the whoosh of gushing flames and some sounds that could’ve been windblades and forcebolts. Lieutenant Philias cursed graphically.
Mireille grimaced at a shallow wound on her right forearm dripping with blood, which steamed in the cold air, before slamming her spear into the midsection of the wraith causing lightning bolts to coruscate inside the creature.
Twisting away from her the slashes aimed at both girls went wide. Cyrus circled from behind stabbing his tail into the probable center of the snowy mass.
Alyssa stabilized herself and as she moved her left arm thick layers of ice and frost cracked and fell from her unmarred skin. ‘Seems like I can stand a lot of cold.’ The thought flashed through her head before she concentrated and formed another bolt of fire. ‘I really have to learn some new fire spells. I don’t think void is going to be too effective against something elemental like that.’
Mireille jumped against a pine tree bending her knees and then catapulted herself above the head of the frost-wraith cutting downward with a glaive-like weapon made out of living lightning. With a rumble like distant thunder, the blade connected and the ‘head’ vanished in a spray of snow. The tree she had sprung from swayed and the bark had burn marks from her lightning. With a somersault, she landed in the brambles and cursed trying to free her trouser legs.
Alyssa drew upon her connection to Cyrus, Asandria sang in support and the flames turned bluish white before impacting the torso. With a last howl, the being crumbled and only a thicker dusting of blue-grey snow remained.
Turning they witnessed Alea shoot several beams of brilliant light into a wraith that hung impaled upon the blades of Butler One while buffeted by windblades conjured by Vivienne. Annabeth meanwhile was scrambling backward on the ground but had been caught in the brambles and was bleeding from many small scratches.
The boys in front and the two sisters together with the military mage had subdued the wraith attacking them and with a fading wail the one that Alea had been targeting fell into a small pile of ice.
Panting they tried to regain their breath as Zhira emerged from the bushes. “Looks like you had some problems too.” She commented laconically. “There are more ahead. I tried not to alert them but it seems some have found you regardless. Lieutenant?” She looked toward Philias.
“Yes?”
“I would recommend we make a small detour to avoid them. It seems there is a mana-dense zone ahead.”
“Mh. That would delay us and then we might be forced to camp outside.”
“Your decision, sir, but I would not recommend it. I saw at least five that I’m sure of.”
“So many?” Philias looked unpleasantly surprised for a moment before he schooled his features. “Then we will make the detour. That means we will have to move quicker than before. Anyone wounded?”
Jeremy, Roberta, and Georgina raised their hands. Annabeth huffed from the exertion and untangled her backpack from the brambles before raising her hand too.
Alea meanwhile covered the wound on Mireille’s arm with her hands and a golden light flooded the trees around her as she healed the slash.
“Thank you!” Mireille quickly hugged the smaller girl and then tried to appear prim and proper.
“I would’ve liked to be notified of any wounds before they are treated when we are not in a threatening situation.” Philias lifted his eyebrow looking annoyed. “But I did not say it before so I will let it pass for now. I want to see what kind of wounds you acquire to grade your performance.” With that, he inspected the other students.
“Could Alea heal Annabeth?” Alyssa looked at the painful-looking scratches marring the brunette's skin.
“I won’t repeat what I said, Ms. Miner.” Gesturing the magician called a green fluctuating light into being that shone around his hand which he then focused on the wounds left by the ice-wraith's claws. Wounds scabbed over and began to heal.
Alyssa raised an eyebrow but kept any comments to herself. Alea was miles better than him and even her waters of life could be more effective in some situations but remembering his sharp tone she held back.
Annabeth scrambled to her feet and grimaced at the pain caused by the frozen thorns.
Alyssa decisively walked forward and whispered, “I will only mend your clothes, okay?”
The girl nodded gratefully.
Casting the spell of mending learned from Mireille, small cuts and tears began to slowly close under her ministrations.
“What did I say!” The lieutenant's angry voice broke the silence. “Pack your things and go back, I have no time for idiots that cannot remember an order for less than a minute.”
Alyssa shrunk back before she straightened her spine and answered, “You did not prohibit me from mending her clothes! I was not healing her!”
The mage pushed Mireille aside and stomped up to them looking Annabeth and Alyssa over. “That is why commoners should not be included in the Academy.” He cursed. “I see you did not violate my order but you did disrespect me by not asking for permission before using your magic. If you do it again you will earn a demerit even if I did not expressly forbid it, it should be clear how I wanted things done.”
Vivienne threw him a cold look.
Zhira looked at Alyssa and a gleam appeared in her eyes before she slowly winked at her and then returned to her former disinterested expression.
Philias snorted, “Those are only scratches, there is no need for healing.” Turning around he gestured, “Form up, we are leaving.”
Alea tried to say something but did not manage, looking frustrated she looked at Mireille with her eyes calling for help.
“Jeeze.” Mireille brushed the snow from her clothes that she had acquired when she was pushed into the bushes. “Mr. Drauer, could Alea heal her? We will be slower otherwise.”
“That’s von Drauer’s End or Sir to you. Yes, if it doesn’t slow us down.” He looked at Zhira, “What are you waiting for, get going.”
“Yes, sir.” The scout nodded impassively.
Alea quickly cast a spell and a rotating construct appeared and began to bathe Annabeth in light. Alyssa quickly summoned her dark mist again and breathed a sigh of relief while blinking her left eye.
Jeremy laughed as he saw them struggling and said something to his taller friend who chuckled. The black-haired girls were looking a bit disheveled but within a short amount of time, the tears in their clothes mended on their own, probably enchanted. Roberta regarded the light-construct appreciatively.
Annabeth looked in wonder at the scratches disappearing under the warm golden light. “Thank you!” Her eyes looked at Alea full of gratitude.
“She says: You are welcome.” Mireille couldn’t wait for Alea to form a response earning her an irritated look from her smaller friend. “What? We have to hurry, big bossman said so!” As she said that with a mischievous smile she nevertheless lowered her voice so that the military mage did not fully hear her words. Philias threw her a suspicious glance nonetheless.
And then they were off.