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Stannard Berwick
I sneezed, covering my mouth with the crook of my arm as the wind blew through the barren trees. Despite the armor across my body, I shivered slightly.
Why does it still have to be winter? I thought sourly, sniffling. I never dealt with the cold well.
At my side, Darvus chuckled. The brutish fourth son of the Clarell House sported lighter armor than me, which made the entire situation even more unfair.
“What, can’t handle a little cold, Stannard?” he joked, making a show of bracing against the wind, his greenish hair blowing everywhere. “Look at what I do. I’m sure you can manage it.”
“Shove off, Darvus,” I said, my teeth chattering. “You’re only warm ‘cause you ate like a hog earlier.”
And because he was an augmenter, and strengthening your body with mana helped regulate body temperature. With my faulty core, however, I couldn’t do things like normal mages.
The two of us were stationed on the outskirts of our camp. The Grand Mountains rose high above us, blocking out the sun and casting everything in shade. Which in retrospect, probably was what made it so much colder.
The Trailblazer Division–at least our portion of it–was stationed on the outskirts of the Beast Glades a ways north of the Wall. We were tasked with routinely clearing out dungeons to prevent the Alacryans from using the beasts within, while also harvesting what materials we could.
I narrowed my eyes as I stared down the path, spotting movement. “Hey, Darvus,” I said, “think those are the recruits we were told about?” A trail of a few people were approaching us.
Darvus narrowed his eyes. “Probably are,” he said, sounding dejected. “Let’s get this over with and get back to killing mana beasts, shall we? I hate guard duty.”
The two of us had been assigned to the outer guard by our division captain, Drogo. We’d been told to expect a few last-minute recruits into our numbers before the upcoming assault on the dungeon nearby. These newbies were all that we were waiting for before our attack.
The man at the front of the group of people rode a mana beast I recognized as a skitter. He was balding all across his head, and with the way he was wrapped in furs, it almost appeared as if an egg had been placed atop a carpet. Naturally, the man addressed Darvus first. “This the Trailblazers?” he asked gruffly, his breath misting on the air.
Darvus shifted his stance, standing straight as he stared up at the man. “That we are,” he said with his usual arrogant smirk. “And I’m assuming you’re delivering us some fresh meat?”
The man atop the skitter snorted disdainfully. “Half these fools will be dead in a fortnight,” he said caustically. “Not my problem anymore.”
I felt the urge to wilt as the harsh man stared down at me from his mount, judging me silently. Then he turned away, directing his mana beast back the path from whence it came.
There were only four recruits present, and most looked more than a little nervous from what their former leader had said.
I thought of my first entry into battle. My hands had shaken and I’d barely been able to act at all. Only through experience had I finally banished that weakness, becoming a true member of my squad and tearing through our enemies. But these recruits–most appearing barely older than myself–all looked more than a little unnerved, except for one at the back.
“Alright, recruits!” Darvus said, injecting his voice with his usual swagger. “I’ve been dying to actually sink my axes into some mana beasts for the past couple of hours,” he said, patting the handles of the twin axes strapped to his back, “And all I’ve gotta do is get you checked into the camp and sent to your preliminary squads. So come on over to me and we’ll get this over with.”
“And don’t worry about what that old man said,” I added on quickly as the first person–a thin man who wore leather armor and had a curved sword strapped to his back–nervously shuffled to Darvus. “Our casualty rates are very low. The Trailblazer Division exemplifies teamwork–none of us will let you down.”
The recruit sent me a thankful look before going up to Darvus. I smiled slightly, trying to project my reassurance.
“Alright, I’ll need your name, your specialty, and a peek at your lower back,” Darvus said drolly, already looking bored.
The man in front blinked. “My lower back?” he said uncertainly.
“Recent intel from the Council,” I said. “Some of the Alacryans have runic tattoos on their lower spines. We’re just making sure you’re not a spy from the enemy.”
Our squad captain, Tessia, had explained that the runes were somehow the source of the Alacryans’ magic. I hadn’t personally met an Alacryan or seen what their magic could do, but it was still strange to think about. How did they use magic if not through chants and forming mana? It made no sense to me.
The young man nodded after a minute. “Onyx Embers,” he said. “Wind augmenter, solid orange core.” He turned around, lifting up his shirt to display his spine. “Is that enough?”
Darvus peered at the young man’s back for a moment, before nodding. “You’re good,” he said, then pointed to the largest tent at the center of our camp a ways behind us. “Check in with Captain Drogo to get assigned to a squad. For the upcoming attack, you’ll get a temporary station with an experienced team who can show you the ropes. Got it?”
Onyx lowered his shirt, nodding shortly with resolve. He trailed into the camp, his steps growing more and more confident as he went on.
“Alright, next!” Darvus said lazily.
The next two mages were both conjurers, with water and fire affinities respectively. Considering their level of strength, I suspected they’d be placed near the vanguard for this assault. I watched each of them go, wondering how they’d mesh into the Trailblazers. With my unique ability and workaround for my faulty mana core, I usually was stationed near the back of the vanguard in group assaults, so I’d probably be getting to know them, soon.
“And you are?” Darvus said, clearly anxious to get this over with.
My attention was drawn back to the last recruit. He had golden-red hair that brushed his shoulders, with bangs pulled up into a small ponytail behind his head. He was dressed more lightly than the others, wearing only a leather vest and rugged tunic and pants. A maroon cloak sat on his shoulders, giving him minor protection from the cold.
But what immediately drew my attention was the stranger’s eyes. They almost seemed to glow in the shadow of the Grand Mountains behind us, each like simmering coals.
“Norgan Dawn,” the young man said. “Fire augmenter, light yellow core.”
I blinked in surprise, noticing for the first time that I couldn’t sense his mana core. I was a dark yellow stage mage, which was already extremely rare for someone at my age. Darvus seemed to belatedly realize the same: he was at the solid yellow stage, and extremely proud of it, too. I felt a bit of resignation pool in my stomach as Darvus puffed out his chest, staring eye-to-eye with the new recruit.
“Light yellow core, eh?” Darvus said, tilting his chin upward. “Pretty impressive, but you’ll have to go to the same tent as all the rest to get assigned. That clear, recruit?”
The young man shrugged nonchalantly, revealing the handle of a dagger strapped to his belt. “Fine by me,” he said, not caring about Darvus’ open competitiveness and arrogance. He began to walk forward, his eyes focused on the tent far behind. “I just need to check in with Captain Drogo, right?”
Darvus’ strong arm shot out in front of Norgan’s path, blocking the way. “Not so fast, pal,” he said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. “You’ve got to show me your lower back first.”
A tense silence settled over the three of us. Darvus’ other hand lazily brushed one of the handles of his twin axes, his eyes glinting as he stared at the mage. The fire augmenter himself shifted his stance slightly, a frown forming on his brows as his path forward was blocked.
I found myself subconsciously reaching for my crossbow nearby, wondering if this would devolve into a fight.
Then the young recruit sighed, lowering his head as he massaged the bridge of his nose between his thumb and forefinger. “You said you need to check for runes?” he asked, sounding reluctant.
“If you aren’t willing to do so,” Darvus said confrontationally, “then–”
The orange-eyed mage waved a hand dismissively. “It’s not that, it’s just…” He looked at me for a moment, something uncertain in his eyes. “I’ve got some pretty bad scars on my lower back,” he reluctantly admitted. “From a training accident when I was young. I’d rather not show them if I didn’t have to. But there’s something else I can do,” he said after a moment, raising a hand.
My eyes widened slightly as fire attribute mana gathered around Norgan’s palm, before sputtering into a fireball. Darvus’ clenched his axe, expecting some sort of attack, before Norgan turned, tossing the fireball at a nearby tree. It seared a hole straight through, dispersing in a wave of embers.
“Was that good enough to prove I’m not an Alacryan?” he asked curiously, glancing back at us.
Darvus frowned in confusion. “Look, if you want to throw fireballs at trees, be my guest,” he said, “but that really doesn’t have anything to do with being an Alacryan. I still need you to show me your back, scars or not.”
It was my turn to intervene. “Darvus, remember what Head Tessia said a while back?” I asked, trying to remind him. “About why the captains are checking for those runes? The Alacryans, for some reason, can’t use magic like we can, and those runes are the reason. But Norgan here just formed a spell organically.”
Darvus blinked. “Oh, yeah,” he said, looking at the clearly unamused Norgan Dawn. “Thanks for reminding me, pipsqueak,” he said, flashing an arrogant smile.
I repressed a bit of anger at Darvus’ words, his constant teasing of my frail body grating at my nerves. I exhaled a breath, trying to dispel that irritation.
He’s just insecure that you figured it out first, I reminded myself. That’s what Darvus is like, Stannard. He’s covering for his own flaws by insulting you. That’s all.
Those thoughts helped. A little.
Darvus spun on his heel, stretching so that his back cracked as he began to stride back toward the camp. “Alright, Norgan,” he said. “Go check in with Captain Drogo, get a team assigned, yada, yada, yada,” he said, waving a hand. “I’ve gotta prep for this fight.”
Norgan watched him go with a raised golden brow, his hands stuffed leisurely in his pockets. The fire augmenter didn’t look like your fresh recruit. They were normally nervous and jittery in an easily-defined way, but this man held himself with a reserved confidence that was immediately noticeable.
Maybe he went to one of the military academies, I thought. That would explain why he’s so lax about his first deployment.
Norgan turned to me, those burning orange eyes piercing mine for an instant. “Is that one always like that?” he said with a snort. “He sounds like a pain to work with.”
I let out a surprised laugh. “Oh, you have no idea,” I said. “Half the time my teammates and I have to pry him away from flirting with all the noble women in camp.”
“I’ve met a few people like that. Usually noble brats.” He gave me a look that was slightly strained. “Does the Trailblazer Division have a lot of people like him?”
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I shivered slightly, a brush of cold wind setting my teeth chattering. “No, actually,” I said. “Arrogance usually doesn’t last under waves upon waves of mana beasts. Darvus is the exception.”
The young man’s brow furrowed in worry for a second, before he waved his hand. My eyes widened as a coating of fire mana swirled around me, blocking out the cold. My hands tingled from the warmth.
“Oh,” I said, in surprise. “Uh, thanks,” I added, my cheeks flushing in slight embarrassment.
“Don’t worry about it,” Norgan dismissed. “You looked cold. I couldn’t leave a man to freeze, could I?” he said, a slight smirk crossing his face.
I felt a smile stretch across my face. “I guess I’ll need to do something in return,” I said. “Come on, I’ll put a good word in for you with Drogo. You’ll get a team that’ll match your talents.”
Norgan’s eyes flashed slightly as he strolled over. “Thanks,” he said earnestly. “And it’s Stannard, isn’t it?” he added as we began to walk toward the camp.
I looked toward the young man in surprise. “Yeah, Stannard Berwick,” I said. “I don’t think I told you my name.”
Norgan kept his gaze focused on the upcoming tent. “I’ll admit, I’ve heard a bit about you,” he replied. “I was going to join the Trailblazer Division, after all. I did my research beforehand on the standout members.”
Norgan’s words made me momentarily swell with pride. I’d become a crucial part of our assault teams in these past couple of years as I developed my unique magic. The fact that my accomplishments were recognized despite my meager upbringing made warmth tingle in my chest entirely separate from the barrier of fire mana that warded off the chill.
That train of thought made my mood dip once more.
So much for being a great soldier, I thought sourly. This young mage heard about you, likely expecting someone noteworthy and proud. Instead, he had to conjure a barrier of fire mana for you so you wouldn’t freeze your nose off because of your weak constitution.
“Hey, Norgan,” I said, my voice sounding strained, “I don’t know what you heard, but I couldn’t conjure a barrier of fire around myself because of an issue with my core. It’s kinda pathetic, I know,” I admitted. “But the others are certainly just as impressive as you’ve no doubt heard. Don’t let my own inadequacies dampen your expectations.”
Norgan turned to me, his face pinched slightly. He ran his tongue over his lips, his expression darkening as he visibly considered his next words. “Well, I wasn’t entirely truthful about my words earlier. Your abilities actually caught my eyes above the others here. Even if you can’t cover yourself in mana or do the things most mages can… Being able to store spells in beast cores as you do reminds me of someone I knew.”
I blinked at the seriousness in the young man’s words, absently brushing the handle of my crossbow on my back. Because of my core deficiency, I’d learned to funnel my mana into beast cores and use them instead of normal spells.
But I’d never heard of anyone doing the same as me. Hearing that someone could do the same thing I did… I wanted to ask more. But the approaching tent pushed those thoughts from my mind. “Well, thank you,” I said, feeling myself flush traitorously. “But let’s get you on a team, yeah?”
The inside of the main command tent was awash with controlled chaos as mages darted to and fro, preparing for the assault on the nearby dungeon. I was nearly bowled over by a man whose hands were stuffed with communication scrolls, then almost run over by a woman three times my size as he darted for the exit.
Norgan caught me with a sturdy hand as I stumbled. I nodded to him, then scanned over the tent. I spotted Drogo easily enough. The man wore barely any armor, opting to show off his sculpted chest. His massive sword leaned against the nearby table as he barked orders, gradually getting people in order.
I approached seriously, weaving around a few people as they rushed about. Drogo noticed my approach, then turned his hard eyes to Norgan behind me. “Stannard,” he said seriously, nodding with respect. “I’m assuming this is the last recruit that you were set to wait for?”
“That he is,” I replied. “And we’re here to get him on a preliminary squad.”
The fire augmenter stepped out from behind me, offering a hand to the behemoth of a captain. “Norgan Dawn, fire attribute augmenter,” he said. “Light yellow core.”
Drogo’s eyes raised to his hairline. “Light yellow core, eh?” he said, scrutinizing Norgan closely. “Have you had academy training, recruit?” he asked, no doubt noticing the young mage’s relaxed state as well.
Norgan shook his head slowly. “No, I haven’t,” he said honestly. “I was trained in magic and combat by my mother, but she had the best education possible. But while I haven’t been trained in standard military procedure, I spent a lot of my youth hunting mana beasts in the forests near the Sehz. I won’t hold back any of your teams.”
Drogo grunted. “That’s nice and all, but you’ll find that the dungeons we fight through are nothing like the weak mana beasts around the Sehz. You need to fight in a team and protect your comrades. But most teams are already stretched thin with numbers. Finding a place for you where you can mesh well will be difficult, and we don’t have much time to get you introduced and settled in before this next raid.”
Drogo’s eyes drifted to me. He stared at me. I stared back.
“Say, Stannard?” Drogo said, leaning over the table, “Princess Tessia should be able to manage another recruit for a single raid, correct?”
I blinked, following our captain’s train of thought. “Of course, she would,” I said, puffing out my chest. “I couldn’t ask for a better leader than her.”
Norgan looked between the two of us. “Princess Tessia?” he asked, sounding slightly amused. “As in Tessia Eralith?”
I began walking back toward the exit of the tent. “One and the same,” I said proudly. “I’m sure you heard of her.”
“Indeed I have,” Norgan said, following after me with his hands in his pockets. “I’ll admit, I’m not sure how I should act around royalty.”
I snorted. “Don’t treat Tessia like she’s some sculpture. She hates that,” I said. “And she could kick your ass all the way back to the Sehz River handily. In fact, she’s already in the initial silver stage even though she’s only eighteen years old.”
Norgan looked at me knowingly. “It sounds like you admire her,” he said, a sly smirk stretching across his face.
I felt myself blush inadvertently. “I do,” I said stiltedly. “What she’s done is praiseworthy, working her way up the ranks of the military without using her connections and status as a princess to do so.”
Thankfully, I was spared from any more awkward statements as I approached our section of camp. Darvus was working through his twin axe forms by the fire, already kitted out entirely in his armor. Caria, the childhood friend of Darvus and one of our squad-members, lounged on a log nearby, talking animatedly with Tessia. The elven princess tucked a lock of silver-gray hair behind her sharp ears, smiling at something her friend said.
I felt my ears burn as I hastily looked away. Out of your league, Stannard, I reminded myself. And Arthur entrusted me to protect her. Can’t do that if you’ve got moony eyes.
I felt a consoling pat on my back. I looked up, noting Norgan’s sympathetic face. I understand, that face said. It made me feel a little bit better.
I cleared my throat, drawing the attention of the three around the fire. Darvus immediately frowned as he stared at Norgan, sweat dripping from his brow. Caria looked between me and the fire mage behind me with confusion, while Tessia simply tilted her head, her hair brushing past her shoulders.
“Hey, guys,” I said. “Drogo assigned the last recruit to us to watch over for his first assault on a dungeon.”
Tessia stood up from where she lounged on a log gracefully, striding over to me. “Thank you, Stannard,” she said with a nod, before orienting on the man behind us. “My name is Tessia Eralith, head of this unit of the Trailblazer Division. And you are?”
Norgan held out a hand. “Norgan Dawn,” he said for the third time. “Fire attribute augmenter, yellow core. It appears you’ll be stuck with me for the time being,” he said with a light smile.
Tessia raised a brow in surprise, before her demure hand shook Norgan’s. “You know, most people who first hear my name either bow and scrape, or simply find themselves unable to respond,” she said, amusement clear in her tone. “But you’re one of the few who appears not to care.”
“Yeah,” Caria said, the small woman jumping up from where she sat with a visible pout. “It’s always fun to watch those who try and approach our noble and dignified princess flounder about for a response. You’re ruining our fun, Norgan,” she accused.
Norgan shrugged as if to say What can you do? “I’ve been told by many people that I’ve got a problem with ‘deferring respect to my betters,’” he said. “I grew up being told that one’s actions determine their character, not their hereditary position. It has caused some… problems in noble circles, I’ll admit,” he added sheepishly.
“You don’t have to worry about that here,” Caria said, holding out her fist to Norgan. “Caria of House Rede. I’ve been assigned to keep the lug over there out of trouble,” she said, pointing a thumb back at Darvus, who was glaring darkly at Norgan.
Norgan bumped his fist with Caria’s. “I imagine that’s a full-time job,” he said wryly. “Do you at least get a salary?”
Caria pouted, grabbing Darvus’ arm and pulling him down to her level. He yelped in surprise as he was ripped away from his dour glare. “No, I don’t!” she exclaimed. “Look at how ungrateful he is!” she said, feigning sadness as she pulled on her childhood friend’s cheeks.
Darvus swatted at her, trying to ward her off. “You evil little mouse!” he cried as she swiped something from his pocket. “Will you ever leave me alone?!”
The two devolved into squabbling as Caria taunted him. I watched the interplay fondly, feeling my nerves settle slightly.
Ever since the disastrous battle where we’d lost many of our number against the surprise attack of beasts, Darvus had been acting more and more somber and broody. It was Caria who went out of her way to pull him from that darkness, being the best source of light she could manage for her crush.
Darvus was crass, arrogant, and sometimes a downright bastard, but ultimately it was painful to see the effect his bout of weakness had had on his personality. It was moments like these that made our efforts feel worthwhile.
Norgan observed the two bickering somberly, a soft–almost sad–smile on his face. In turn, Tessia was scrutinizing the fire augmenter with narrowed eyes.
“I’ll have you know, Norgan,” she said after a moment, “that even if you don’t do the ‘noble titles’ thing, you’ll still follow my command to the letter. Are we clear?”
Norgan looked at Tessia, his burning orange eyes seeming to brighten for a moment as they locked with her turquoise ones. “Understood,” he said far more seriously. “What will I be doing in this attack?”
Tessia visibly considered for a moment, looking back at me. “Considering your inexperience, we’ll have you on defense for the back line,” she said. “This is a dungeon we’ve cleared before, so there shouldn’t be any surprises in store for us. But it’ll be a good place to observe and learn more about our team dynamics.”
“Got it,” Norgan said, resting his hand on his dagger. “And when are we heading out?”
Tessia smiled slightly, her pristine lips parting. “In ten minutes or so, Norgan,” she said. “So you better prepare.”
—
I sat on a log as I sorted my inventory of beast cores. Fifteen low-power rounds, I counted, noting the swirling fire and wind mana contained in each core, And ten high-power rounds.
I inspected my crossbow, which was modified to hurl beast cores like ballista bolts. Artificer Gideon Bastius, the eminent scientist in Dicathen, had made it for me personally after getting a look at my condition. The mad inventor had been the first to see any sort of potential in me despite my deficiencies, which made me constantly strive to live up to what my potential could become.
But after walking in on that cavern full of decimated monsters and seeing Arthur Leywin looming atop that pile like some sort of king on his throne, my confidence had been… shaken. It wasn’t easy seeing the peak and not comparing oneself to such might.
I turned in surprise as Norgan plopped down beside me, staring seriously at the fire. “It seems I’ll be in charge of keeping you safe coming up,” he said sternly. “Anything I should know?”
I aimed down the sights of my crossbow, imagining a massive mana beast on the other end. “You’ve got this, Norgan,” I said encouragingly. “Mana beasts rarely make it to the back line, and when they do they’re wounded more often than not.”
Norgan nodded slowly, before his eyes flicked to the sack of loaded beast cores I carried. His eyes glazed over as he stared at the swirling mana, a sorrow I felt hard to define overcoming them.
He said he knew someone who could do the same as me with beast cores, I thought after a moment. He probably misses them. Being sent away from the comforts of home and a warm bed is never easy.
But another part of me was curious. As far as I was aware, I was the only one with this deficiency. To hear that someone else had managed to conquer it as well made my chest tighten.
“Hey, Norgan?” I said, my tongue feeling like lead in my mouth, “You said you knew someone who could imbue spells into beast cores, right? How did they discover that ability?”
Toren wrenched his eyes away from the sack of beast cores. “She didn’t do the exact same as you, Stannard,” he said quietly. “She was able to work with other mages to imbue their spells into a beast core. It was a rare, rare gift, but I suppose you could probably do something similar.”
I blinked, my mind immediately whirling with the implications. Suddenly, an entire plethora of possibilities opened up in my mind. I only used my mana for the beast core spells, which meant I was limited to my own reserves for stockpiling. But if I somehow figured out how to store the mana of others into a beast core, I wouldn’t only be limited to my fire and wind attribute spells.
My hands tingled with excitement as more and more scenarios rushed through my mind. If I could work with different mages, theoretically I could be the most versatile mage that ever existed, so long as I got the right diversity of spells.
“Norgan,” I said excitedly, “you need to tell me how that worked. Or introduce me to this woman. Please!”
Norgan’s face drained all the excitement from my bones, ripping it away like a blanket and leaving me shivering in the cold. There was an eerie intensity that plastered itself over the rigid lines of his face, a vein visibly pulsing on his forehead.
“She was murdered,” he said sharply, turning away from me. “Her name was Greahd. She was the kindest person I’ve ever met. The most selfless woman I had the blessing to grow up knowing.”
I immediately felt guilt thread through my bones. I reached a hesitant hand out, patting Norgan on the shoulder. “I’m sorry,” I said honestly. “I didn’t mean to dig up painful memories. I didn’t know.”
Norgan shook his head, his voice sorrowful. “It’s nothing, Stannard,” he said quietly. “It’s because of her I’m here now, trying to make a difference. Trying to make a change. Without her sacrifice, I’d probably still be hiding away, unwilling to take the steps I needed to for this continent.”
I swallowed. Without my parents, I probably wouldn’t be here, either. It was because of my family that I fought. “I’m glad you found purpose in that,” I said. “It’s not easy, this war.”
“Indeed it’s not,” Norgan agreed, his shoulders slumping. “Indeed it is not.”