Every breath felt like fire as Esmeralda pushed herself harder, trying to ignore the sharp stitch stabbing at her side. Her legs screamed in protest, each step more painful than the last, but she refused to slow down. The thought of falling behind, of showing any weakness, was unbearable.
“Are you having trouble?” the familiar voice of her fellow recruit, Paya, asked.
Esmeralda looked to her right to see the slender Grang matching her pace with ease. They were the only two females in their class, and they took a liking to one another early in their basic training.
“I am going to quit drinking until we graduate,” Esmeralda muttered, struggling for air.
“You say that every time we drink before PT. But we both know you couldn’t last six months without your wine,” Paya retorted, chuckling.
Esmeralda tried to take her mind off her hangover by focusing on what Paya had said moments ago. They only had six months of basic training remaining. In the next few days, the senior class would graduate, making her class the senior class for the next group of recruits.
“Thanks for reminding me,” Esmeralda started, leaving the unfinished thought to linger.
Paya looked at her quizzically, the light of the twin suns reflecting off of her bronze-colored scales.
“To hurry up, finish, and hit the town before the seniors buy up all the wine!”
They continued their run in silence, the rhythmic pounding of their feet on the dirt track the only sound between them. The finish line loomed ahead, a small victory in a day that promised many challenges. As they crossed it, Esmeralda stumbled, her legs finally giving in as she collapsed onto a patch of grass. She lay there for a moment, the world spinning slightly as she gulped down air, her body screaming in protest.
The intense physical exertion faded, leaving behind only the steady thrum of her heartbeat and the dull ache in her muscles. Esmeralda forced herself to sit up, cradling her head in her hands as she tried to stave off the nausea. The morning sun was warm against her skin, and for a brief moment, she allowed herself to bask in the small sense of accomplishment.
“Recruit Esmeralda.”
The sudden voice shattered her brief reprieve. Esmeralda opened her eyes, blinking away the last vestiges of exhaustion, to see Agent Wali standing over her. His presence was as commanding as ever, a figure of authority against the bright sky. He smiled with the fondness of a father and waited for Esmeralda to gather herself. As Esmeralda stood, she noticed that besides Agent Wali was Agent Franc.
Agent Wali was an Arzan like she was. Esmeralda heard rumors that the agent took a special interest in Arzans, who came through basic training. Esmeralda hadn’t seen any proof of those claims outside of the occasional greetings like now. Agent Wali was reed thin, with sharp features and a dark-blue complexion. Esmeralda was fond of his company and always eager to absorb whatever knowledge she could from him.
His companion, Agent Franc, was someone she would rather not be around. Agent Franc was an older Xandran roughly around Agent Wali’s age whose eyes leered at the few female recruits in basic training. He was short for a Xandran with pampered-soft tawny skin. He also had a soft belly that only came from overindulgence in the finer things. Esmeralda heard that the Xandran did more than leer at the women of basic training, but luckily, she also hadn’t seen any proof of those rumors as well.
“I am glad to see that you remain ever vigilant to your PT requirements,” Agent Wali commented after waiting for her to stand.
“I am just living up to the standards of the Vestigare,” Esmeralda answered, carefully avoiding looking at Agent Franc. She didn’t like the man, but he was still her superior, and drawing attention to his belly would surely make an unnecessary enemy out of him.
“Indeed,” Agent Wali started with a chuckle, addressing both Esmeralda and Paya, “but don’t forget that being a Vestigare agent is far more than physical strength or agility. The only way to be prepared for anything is to be good at everything, so never neglect your magikal studies, recruits.”
“Yes, sir,” Esmeralda and Paya answered in near unison.
“Especially you, Recruit Esmeralda. I have heard you have an affinity with aeromancy,” Agent Wali added.
Esmeralda’s father told her she had an affinity with lightning but had some trouble with general magikal theory. Some of her instructors felt that she had a mental block, and she was making progress, but it was coming along slowly.
“Thank you, Sir,” Esmeralda responded.
“Keep in mind, recruits, your training truly begins after the senior class graduates. Up until now, you have had it easy.”
Agent Wali left without another word, and Agent Franc purposely looked her up and down before joining Agent Wali.
“What a creep,” Paya muttered, spitting in the general direction of the elder agents. Esmeralda wanted to assume that her friend was talking about Agent Franc, so she nodded in agreement before saying.
“I think this calls for a drink.”
----------------------------------------
Little did Esmeralda know that Agent Wali’s warning was more than rhetoric, but the literal truth. From the day her class became the seniors, her training regiment became brutal. The days blended into weeks and weeks into months as she honed her skill with the longsword, magikal devices, poisons, and potions. Esmeralda even became more proficient with magik. She still had trouble with some spells, but the concepts made more sense, and she felt more confident casting.
Outside of an incident where Agent Franc cornered her and indecently propositioned her, her training flew by, and before she knew it, it was graduation day.
Esmeralda woke up early to prepare for the ceremony. She made sure her Vestigare recruit uniform was pressed and immaculate. After getting dressed, Esmeralda made some tea to calm her nerves. Finally, she would make her father proud and be able to help him properly. A knock at the door to her tiny room pulled her from her thoughts.
Esmeralda opened the door to see Paya standing there in her crisp uniform. Esmeralda had to admit she was jealous of how intimidating the Grang could make something like a recruit’s uniform look.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.
Esmeralda admired the bipedal reptilian Grang race because even after being enslaved, they took back their freedom by force and eventually carved out their own empire.
“Ready to become agents?” Paya asked.
“More than you could ever know,” Esmeralda replied, causing Paya to throw her head back with laughter. Her comment wasn’t that funny. Esmeralda doubted that she would even understand Grang's humor.
They arrived at the field where they’d spent countless hours training, now transformed by a stage adorned with banners and flags. The ceremony was a blur—both practical and surreal. As Esmeralda received her diploma, it finally hit her: she had made it. The weight of the parchment in her hand anchored her to the reality of her achievement, yet a strange hollowness settled in her chest. The excitement around her was infectious, but beneath her smile, doubts simmered. Was she truly ready for what lay ahead? The questions lingered, unspoken, as she gathered with the other new agents, their cheers mingling with her own mixed emotions.
“From tomorrow, you will represent justice and the future of the Five Kingdoms,” Agent Wali announced from the stage. He waited for the crowd to go silent before continuing.
“I know you are excited about what comes next, but take the day to be proud of yourselves and all you accomplished. Cherish the friendships and bonds that you forged. But most importantly, never forget the passion and determination you showed over the last year. Your grit and desire are some of your most important traits. Take the time to congratulate yourself today because soon, your life begins anew!”
The graduates erupted in a cheer, and Esmeralda found herself cheering along with them. After the excitement died down, Esmeralda found Paya.
“Thank you,” Esmeralda said as they embraced.
“We are family now. Keep in touch, OK?” Paya replied.
Esmeralda nodded, scrubbing tears from her eyes with the back of her hand.
“What are you going to do before we get our assignments?” Paya asked, politely ignoring Esmeralda’s tears.
“I am going to pamper myself, at least for tonight,” Esmeralda answered.
“Then have fun, Agent Esmeralda. Until we met again.”
Esmeralda hugged her friend again before leaving the training facility. Once outside, she found dozens of carriages. Some of them private, and some, waiting for fares.
Esmeralda found a respectable looking one and flagged the Arzan driver’s attention.
“I need to go to the Waltz. Do you know where it is?” Esmeralda asked.
“The beauty parlor outside the shopping district?”
“Yes.”
“Hop in,” the driver said, jerking his thumb over his shoulder towards the carriage.
Esmeralda boarded and got settled as the carriage pulled away. She dozed off and woke with a start as the driver opened the door to the carriage.
“Ma’am,” he said, knuckling his forehead as she alighted.
Esmeralda handed him three silver deni, and his eyes widened with surprise.
“I will double that if you return at dawn,” Esmeralda said.
“Yes, Ma’am,” the driver replied excitedly.
Esmeralda stood outside the Waltz, feeling a little sad that this might be the last time she visited for some time. The Waltz was a large two-story building that was a brilliant burnt shade of orange.
She made her way inside and found Mistress Nance waiting. Mistress Nance was a middle-aged Arzan woman and the owner of the Waltz.
“Mistress Esmeralda, I am glad you could make it.”
“Thank you. I assume my room is prepared?”
“Of course, this way if it pleases you,” Mistress Nance said, gesturing down the long, gently lit hallway.
They walked in silence, and Esmeralda admired the subtle décor before arriving at a large double door at the end of the hall.
Mistress Nance curtsied before leaving.
Esmeralda took a deep breath and entered the room. There was the faint smell of lavender and honey in the air. She locked the door behind her.
“Agent Esmeralda,” a familiar deep voice said as soon as the lock to the door engaged.
“Father,” Esmeralda said, spinning to see her father, Balrik, standing there smiling proudly.
Balrik was not her father by blood—he was Nawahl, and she was Arzan—but he had raised her with a love fiercer than any she imagined a true father could give. Esmeralda’s birth father had been a pathetic man, too weak to protect her or himself. In contrast, Balrik was strength personified, a survivor who had carved a place for them both in a world that would have swallowed her whole. She knew she was lucky that he found her, but sometimes, late at night, she wondered what kind of life she would have led if her biological father had been stronger.
Balrik was not tall, even by the shorter Nawahl standards, yet his presence loomed as if he were a giant. His broad shoulders and muscular build set him apart—a rare physicality among his people. His long, black hair, thick as an animal’s mane, only added to the aura of power he carried. He wore his usual tight red leather shirt with black leather trousers, a combination that seemed to amplify his intensity. As he approached, Esmeralda’s heart pounded from the weight of the expectations he placed on her shoulders. Balrik was her protector, her mentor, her everything. And though she would die before disappointing him, there were moments she wished the bond between them didn’t feel so suffocating.
“You did well, Lala,” Balrik said, locking his different-colored eyes on her. Esmeralda remembered when she was a child, she thought his one brown eye and one blue eye were disturbing, but now, she found the trait quite charming.
“That’s Agent Lala,” Esmeralda said, joking about her childhood nickname.
Balrik let out a deep, rich laugh.
“Unfortunately, Lala, I need to depart. My business in Tazen cannot wait, and being so close to the heart of the Vestigare makes me uneasy. I would hate to have a day that you earned go to waste because I allowed myself to be sloppy,” Balrik started, walking across the room with a brown backpack that she hadn't noticed until now. He stopped an arm’s length away from Esmeralda before rustling through the bag.
“Take these,” Balrik said, producing a rolled-up parchment and a heavy-looking coin purse.
Esmeralda was unprepared for the weight of the purse as she took it. She almost dropped it but recovered before she made a fool of herself in front of Balrik.
Balrik was gracious enough not to mention her near blunder and patiently waited for her to take the parchment.
“The parchment is a list of people I need you to take down when you get to Xandelfi. I am sorry, but I must ask you to work before you get settled. Time is of the essence.”
Esmeralda looked up at her father with surprise. How did he know where she would be stationed? Esmeralda didn’t even know where she would be stationed until now.
“Lala, I wouldn’t be able to protect you if I couldn’t get information like this,” Balrik said, reading your feelings perfectly.
“The coin should be enough to allow you to live comfortably in a private flat and allow you to operate without needing to put in a request for ducats for some time. I will supply you with enough coin to do what is needed, so there is no need to be overly thrifty.”
Balrik reached out, gently grabbing Esmeralda’s hand before standing on his tip-toes and kissing Esmeralda on the cheek.
“I know you will make your father proud. I promise you won’t have to live this life for long, and when we disappear, you will want for nothing.”
Esmeralda touched her cheek as Balrik walked past her. She heard the lock disengage.
“Lock the door behind me, Lala. Be careful, and I will be in touch.”
When Esmeralda turned around, Balrik was gone. She locked the door behind him, but the emptiness in the room felt vast and consuming. Leaning against the door, she pressed the cool wood against her back, trying to steady her racing thoughts. Balrik had given her everything—a life, a purpose, a mission. She couldn’t afford to fail him; failure wasn’t an option. However, as she clutched the heavy coin purse in one hand and the parchment in the other, a new, unsettling thought took root: What would she become if she succeeded?