Chapter 2 - Ferrokinesis: The ability to manipulate precious metals

Janes’ POV

I woke up to the sound of knocking at my door, I rolled out of bed, ran my hands of fire through my hair, and grabbed my sword. “Tristan?” I saw him standing there with a young woman with platinum blonde hair and ice-blue eyes that gave me a chill.

“Were you sleeping?” Tristan asked as I yawned.

“Yeah, sorry I’m more of a night person.” Tristan’s eyes widened.

“Sorry.”

“Not a problem.” I looked at the girl again.

“Oh gods sorry, this is Neve, our other cousin.” I nodded. “She arrived from East Watch, no more than twenty minutes ago.” She stood stoned before reaching out and shaking my hand. Now I may run a warm skin temperature, but her skin was ice cold, she looked pale and almost scared. “I can take you both to breakfast now.” Tristan walked in front of us.

“You seem tense,” I said. I knew she was younger than me by a year or so, but she didn’t look like it. Her blue dress and braided hair made her seem much older, much more in control.

“I’m sorry I just despise sea travel.” I smiled.

“No need to apologize for that, I feel the same.” Her eyes brightened slightly, and she smiled, I could tell she was a quiet soul.

“Tristan told me you are a skilled sword fighter.” Tristan quickly turned around. “He said you took down one of their best guards-”

“Don’t forget about the fire sword!” Tristan said, Neve seemed to be taken back at the sound of fire, which I tend to notice, people tend to fear it. “You have to tell us how it works, I love inventing and have never seen anything like it.” I panicked internally, sure I had told the lie thousands of times before, but knowing he is an inventor worried me a little.

“There is a thing in the handle I call a lighter, that clicks stones together to create fire,” and it barely works. I added mentally, “and my holder is always filled with oil, that the metal then absorbs.” I unscrewed my sword, and the scent of oil filled the air.

“What kind of metal can do that?” Tristan asked.

“Spearium,” Neve replied before I could. Tristan and I both stopped walking.

“You know about Spearium?” I said, she nodded.

“We mine it in East Watch.” I smiled. Tristan took out a quill and paper.

“Get some Spearium.” He wrote down, Neve and I laughed.

We went inside the Great Hall and sat at a table. The atmosphere here was very different from Dark Well, everyone ate together in a hall with giant tables, in Dark Well, everyone ate alone or with one or two other people quickly, here it was always a social gathering. I could tell Neve was thinking the same thing as me. “Do you eat every meal here?” I asked. Tristan nodded.

“Ironside is a very close community, everyone eats two meals a day here.”

“It’s so different from what I’m used to,” Neve said. “At East Watch, you eat at least one meal a day with the people you live with, but that’s it.”

“At Dark Well, I never eat with anybody,” I said.

“Sounds lonely,” Tristan said, I shrugged.

“Too busy, I guess-”

“Dual!” Someone yelled from outside. We all stood to rush outside.

“Duals are a rich part of the culture here, they happen almost daily,” Tristan said, leading us through the crowd.

“I’ve seen a few good ones,” Neve said.

“I’ve competed in many,” I said, as we approached the front, they looked at me with shock.

“I can’t believe your parents allow that,” Neve said.

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“Part of my life, where else do you think I would get my fighting skills from?” They shrugged and looked to the fight.

“‘Go Elliot!” Screamed a few girls from the crowd.

Cons’ POV

After last night, seeing my mother off, I decided I would remain low on the radar, this morning I read a few pages about boat hulls, because I love to read and find knowledge very important, I sharpen my sword, but finally ran out of things to do, so I headed into town, I figured during the Breakfast rush there would be few people around, but a dual was happening, I was happy for the distraction. I would love to fight in a duel but Diomedes would never allow me to, he doesn’t care about me getting hurt he just doesn’t want me to attract any type of attention, good or bad.

I rolled my eyes when I heard the girls screaming for Elliot, he was the ladies’ man of the town, I didn’t see much of the fight, only the end where Elliot drove his sword through the other man’s back, killing him. Elliot didn’t look so great though his head was bleeding and his arm looked weak. “You little shit!” A man yelled, jumping into the middle and running towards Elliot, he must be related to the dead guy.

“This duel is over if you want to fight Elliot, save it for another time,” Valery said, stepping between them. I sighed at the drama, I know Valery is Elliot’s cousin and mentor, she is quite the skilled fighter, I really will never know how my brother landed her.

“This is going to continue one way or another.” He shoved Valery out of his way, only to be met with a sword to his neck.

“Just go.” She said that got him running, everyone always got so worked up over the duals. “Sorry to kill the mood everyone, how about I make it up to you.” She held her sword in the air and turned in a circle daring the crowd.

“I’ll take that bait.” A familiar voice said.

“Jane, didn’t you just dual yesterday, don’t want to wear yourself out.” Wait, Jane, Jane! And there she was with no armor about to fight a Vow. This girl has a death wish.

“Trust me I’ll be just fine, besides breathing can be so boring.” She stepped closer to Valery.

“Wait, she killed Sir Rick, let me fight with you!” Tristan said I can’t believe Jane killed Sir Rick, one of Diomedes’ best combatants!

“How about Tristan and I against you, really test you, what do you say, Jane?” Jane cracked her neck and flipped her sword.

“Bring it.” Tristan made his way to the middle, my head was swirling with questions.

“I can fight alongside Jane!” I yelled, not meaning to, I just wanted to ask Jane some questions.

“I don’t think so!” Diomedes said, dashing my small dreams once again.

“Come on father let Con join just for one fight,” Tristan said, looking at me smiling, truly he was too good for this world. Jane however spun around to try and find me in the crowd.

“Con?” She said, clearly confused. I stepped forward. Diomedes seemed to soften under Tristan’s gaze.

“Fine, one fight.” He said, I could’ve jumped with joy, but I kept a straight face. Jane frowned, as a confused look passed over all her features. “No one dies!” Diomedes yelled, the crowd now came into my awareness, they were encased in the drama, but with no deaths, they seemed to almost lose interest entirely. “You will not be disappointed, I just want to indulge in the pleasure of watching Jane again,” Diomedes said to the crowd. Now I was even more confused was Jane here for entertainment, a rich dueler of some sort

Jane made her way over to me. “What in the name of Crepuscular do you think you’re doing?” She asked, clearly just as confused as me.

“Fighting isn’t that what you’re doing.” She frowned.

“After this, I’m getting answers.” She said as Valery took her stance.

“Me too.” Valery made the first move for Jane, but Jane sidestepped throwing Valery into the crowd, she turned, now embarrassed, out of the gate.

“Come on Jane, light it, show me some action!” Diomedes yelled. Light what?

“I may kill them if I do!” She yelled back pushing Valery away.

“I doubt it.” Valery huffed.

“What are they talking about?” I asked, holding Tristan at bay, he never was a good fighter.

“This.” Her hand touched her blade and it came to life, on fire!

“How?!” Valery and I both yelled. Jane smirked. I almost laughed at seeing this, she truly was hiding this from me. I stood behind her as she backed up into me, we rotated, as Valery followed Jane.

“We should have couples fight more often!” Diomedes yelled.

“What?!” Jane and I yelled, and with that little distraction, Valery knocked me onto my back and Jane to her knees, and now that we are separated Tristan came for me, while Valery still had herself set on Jane, pinning her to the ground. I wanted to panic, I threw Tristan off and ran for Valery knocking her to the side. Jane raised an eyebrow at me, asking me why I would do that, I shrugged, win together or lose together. Thunder sounded in my ears, my eyes went wild, and my skin crawled, we have to wrap this up fast. If I am out in the open when it starts raining, it could kill me. I sprung into action and pinned Tristan. I looked to my left to see Valery coming for my head, I looked away and waited for the impact that never came, Jane and Valery rolled a few feet, from Jane’s impact, Jane dropped her sword and used her arm to hold Valery down.

“We yield!” Tristan yelled, I stood up and pulled Tristan with me. “You’ve gotten better.” He said I patted his shoulder. I looked at Jane she picked up her sword and quickly started making her way to a canopy, and that’s when the rain started coming down hard and fast, I ran after Jane to shelter, Jane’s breathing was ridged and her wet hair clung to her face, the damage was already done to me, my clothes were soaked and it burned through my skin. I looked back up to Jane, her hand hit the wall, her eyes squeezed shut.

“Very impressive Jane.” A platinum blonde said, bringing the crowd with her over to us.

“Con,” Jane whispered, her face softened as her eyes closed, she was falling to the ground, I reached out and caught her inches from it, she looked almost lifeless, she added weight and water-soaked deeper into my skin.

“Jane.” That was all I heard myself say before her face faded to black.