Koresh soaked in the beautiful morning rays feeling closer to his crops as though he absorbed nutrients from the sun too. The breeze blew over his sweat covered head where his hair once had grown as if reminding him to continue plowing his fields. Unlike other farmers Koresh prided himself on not needing a horse or ox to plough for him. He was as strong and big as any ox. Mostly muscle Koresh towered over all men or those of other races he had met in the travels of his youth. He reminisced about those times all while ploughing his fields with ease.
Just when Koresh was about to stop for lunch he saw something unusual: a man and a boy came out of a trail that had long been out of use and overgrown to the point it was a part of the forest. This trail led to another village along the borderlands, but no one had used it in ages after a battle had been fought in that area and the mana overflow caused the plants and wildlife to become unstable.
Upon closer inspection the man only had one arm with dirty blond overgrown hair and a beard covering the remnants of a noble visage that had been worn with the scars of war. His eyes were softer than Koresh expected, having a hazel tent. The boy had black hair and looked of a different noble lineage than the man’s with sharper features and dark blue eyes. They both carried themselves like veteran warriors, the boy especially surprised Koresh being around the age of his youngest son; he hoped the child never faced the turmoil of war and the pain it causes.
At some point while Koresh was observing them the duo decided to start heading in his direction. He didn’t sense any hostility from either and the man even was laughing with genuine mirth while the boy looked slightly annoyed. Reaching ear shot, Koresh heard the man say. “Next time I’ll go easier on you. So you might stand a slime chance.” The man seemed to be waiting for a response but when none came from the boy he shrugged and kept walking.
Koresh, seeing an opening so he didn’t interrupt, said “Good day, my friends, my name is Koresh, how may I assist you?”
The man turning his grin to Koresh responded. “I’m happy to hear we’re already friends. I’m Cassius and this is my son Cyrus, we were hoping to stay in y’all’s village for a time if there’s an open house. In exchange I can be a farm hand and help with the village in any way you need.”
Koresh looked appraisingly at Cassius wondering how much help a man with one arm would be even if he was in the military at some point, but Koresh also felt sympathy for them if they were refugees of war. “There should be plenty of open houses for y’all to stay in. After some skirmishes came too close to the village many fled. My youngest, Khalil, can show y’all to a house and I will talk to some of the neighbors about y’all staying. So they can come introduce themselves.” Koresh turned, putting his index and thumb to his mouth blowing to make a whistle loud enough that Cyrus had to cover his ears.
Not long after, a boy who looked like a child-sized Koresh with a full head of hair came running in their direction. “You’ll have to teach me how to get my son to listen so well.” Cassius said in a somewhat joking tone. “I’m standing right here you know. Maybe if you trusted me more and we didn’t move so much. I would be more willing to listen.” Cyrus responded, trying to give a not so subtle hint.
Koresh watched this interaction with interest not wanting to intrude on their personal discourse, but also having a feeling there’s more to their relationship than father and son that intrigued him. Before Cassius could respond to Cyrus, Khalil arrived a bit out of breath from his run over. Staring in interest at the two newcomers.
“This is Cassius and Cyrus, I want you to show them around the village and to the abandoned house you like to spend your free time in. They will be staying for a time and helping around the village. You can have the day off of your chores to help them get settled in and with anything else they need.” Koresh told Khalil.
At the thought of getting to be the first one to meet the newcomers and getting the day off his chores Khalil felt ecstatic. He excitedly waved them towards the village rapidly saying. “The village is not too far this way. The house is more on the edge of the village Pa says the people who lived there were chicken-hearted cowards for not staying to defend their home when times er’ hard. Have y’all traveled to a lot of places?”
Following not too far behind Khalil, Cassius gave Cyrus a nudge for him to respond. So hopefully they could start talking and become friends. After a few seconds of looking from Cassius to Khalil’s back Cyrus responded “We travel a lot ever since my mom died from an attack by the Crepuscular when I was a baby we haven’t stopped moving. I can’t remember most of the places we’ve been to but they were usually villages and small towns nothing like a castle or anything. Do y’all have any animals on your farm?”
Khalil looked back at the two as they approached the outermost house slowing his pace. “I’ve always wanted to travel like my Pa did. We’ve a few animals there’s Beatrice our cow and some chickens, but crops er mosly what Pa likes to focus on and trade fer anything else we need with other villagers. Ere’s the house y’all er stayin in. Someday when I’ve traveled the lands this’ll be home.”
This time Cassius responded to Khalil. “I’ll get us settled in the house and unpack our stuff if you boys want to go find some mischief to get up to. Just try not to get into any trouble you can’t get out of and be back for dinner, because after we need to train.”
Cassius then grabbed the traveling pack off Cyrus’s back walking into the house and leaving the two boys standing outside. “What did your Pa mean by training after supper?” Khalil asked looking curiously at Cyrus.
“My father is scared one day we might get attacked again. So he has trained me since I could walk to fight and defend myself.” Cyrus responded nonchalantly.
As they both began to walk deeper into the village. “You thinks it would be a bother if I joined your training later? When I travel fightin seems like somethin I’ll need ta know.” Khalil fidgeted a little scared of rejection.
“I don’t see why not father always says it would be better for me to learn with someone else, but you may not want to train with us as much as you think.” Cyrus looked as though he was remembering something extra painful.
“I know I want ta!” Khalil said in child -like determination. “But while we’ve gots some free til then time let’s go steal some sweet tarts from Ms. Delilah’s.”Khalil then started sprinting towards the east side of the village.
“Wait!” Cyrus yelled, then started sprinting after Khalil to catch up. Cyrus was surprised when it was harder to catch up than he had expected. Normally from all his training he could out run most adults, but Khalil was big for his age and more muscular than most people Cyrus had seen. Closing in on the house Khalil was targeting he slowed down and started to creep towards the far side of it. Surprised by the sudden stop Cyrus tried to halt his momentum but only ended up stumbling and rolling into a summersalt. Turning around with a little alarm on his face Khalil put his finger to his lips and shushed Cyrus.
Not knowing how to respond after recovering from his catastrophic fall Cyrus crouched down and followed Khalil as stealthily as he could. “Are sure this is a good idea. How much trouble will we get in if we get caught.” Cyrus whispered.
Khalil started gesturing like something was hitting his rear and with a look of pain Cyrus hoped he didn’t recognize.
“What does that mean!?” Cyrus half whispered, half snapped in fear. Khalil just put his finger to his lips again then gestured for him to follow. They both reached the corner of the house and peaked around to make sure no one was watching. There was no one in sight, only a platter of tarts cooling on the window seal waiting to be taken. Cyrus's mouth started to water at the aroma wafting in their direction.
Khalil then started towards the tarts passing the threshold of no return. Cyrus not having to think long with how delicious they smelt followed. Reaching the window seal Khalil grabbed one and passed it back to Cyrus then grabbed another for himself and started sprinting towards the outskirts of the village. Reaching the edge of the village into the forest they passed a few trees, then Khalil started climbing a larger tree with the tart dangling from his mouth drops of jam hitting Cyrus in the face as he started to follow in the ascent.
Reaching close to the top they both sat on branches that could just barely hold their weight savoring every bit of the tart. Finishing his tart too soon Cyrus looked up and was surprised at the view over the whole village.
“Wow! You can see the whole village and all the fields past it from here.”Cyrus exclaimed.
“How often do you do this?” He asked with a devious look on his face.
“I’ve learnt once every harvest moon I can get away with it without Mrs. Delilah noticing it was me. She usually blames it on da birds.” Khalil responded look thoughtful with the wisdom he just shared.
They both played in the forest and raced up and down trees seeing who was the fastest. After multiple ties to end their races they decided to call it a draw for now.
“It’s about dinner time, let's get back or else father will make me train first and eat after.” Cyrus said from experience.
Both raced back to the house where they found Cassius talking to some of the villagers with a big smile on his face. Seeing the boys approaching he told the villagers he needed to start prepping dinner and that he could give them any news he had of the lands and war at a later time.
After the villagers dispersed he approached where the two boys stood panting a little for breath from the run.
“I see you two have been enjoying yourselves and by the looks of it getting a little pre training. Also I think you have some evidence of your devious deeds on your face Cyrus.”
Not wasting a second Cyrus quickly rubbed at his cheek to get rid of the evidence. “You’re wiping at the wrong cheek. I swear I definitely did not raise a future out you would be in the dungeons before nightfall.” Cassius said with a chuckle.
Cyrus finally got the patch of jam off his face as a mischievous grin crept across both his and Khalil’s faces.
“So does that mean you won’t be tellin Mrs.Delilah about the tarts.” Khalil asked hopefully.
“Hmm that is quite a good question my boy. I think I won’t be the one telling her.” Cassius said as Khalil hopefulness grew on his face. “You will be.” Cassius finishing his sentence seemed to get a small bit of humor from the dread that replaced the smiles on both the boys’ faces.
Feeling a bit of pity Cassius spoke “Don’t worry if you two confess tomorrow morning I will make sure she doesn’t punish you with anything more than some labor.”
Rubbing his rear from where he still felt phantom pains Khalil looked pleased with that outcome over the alternative.
“Father, would it be fine if Khalil trains with us after we eat dinner?” Cyrus ask after wondering what torture Khalil went through last time he got caught eating a tart.
Smiling Cassius responded “That would be great. I was already thinking of asking Koresh if Khalil could seeing how big and muscular he is for his age. I think he’s going to be a challenge for you Cyrus. Maybe not in weapons sparring but grappling and physical training.”
Both Cyrus and Khalil looked excited at this, both of their competitive spirits rising to the challenge Cassius not so subtly placed before them. After walking Khalil back to his home, Cassius asked Koresh if it would be alright for Khalil to train with them.
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Cyrus and Cassius went back to their home for the time being and ate the last bit of dried boar they had left and some roots and other herbs Cassius foraged for them on the way to the village. Not long after finishing up they heard a knock on the door.
Opening it they found Khalil excitedly waiting with Koresh right behind him.
“I just wanted to observe the training and see what fighting you will be teaching my son if that alright with you?” Koresh said, looking curious to see what a one arm former warrior could teach.
“Of course it’s alright with me. I think they will like having an audience when they spar.” Cassius responded then followed up with. “You two will spar with these.” As he pulled out a wood training sword and a pair of wood training daggers he made earlier that day.
“Originally I made them for Cyrus and I to train with, but it will work better with you two sparring so I can see where Khalil is starting at and observe flaws in both of your fighting styles. Then after you two will do fisticuffs and grappling for three rounds. So I can do the same form of observation. That will lead into practicing techniques and form in both the sword and hand to hand combat. Finally we will end with some exercise to train your endurance.” Cassius punctuated his words by passing Cyrus the training daggers and Khalil the training sword and walking outside.
Reaching an open field that suited his need Cassius began tracing a large circle. While the other three watched.
“Cyrus, Khalil come take positions facing each other on opposite sides of the circle. Both of you fight hard but make sure not to make any head blows; those can be fatal even with training weapons. Each strike you land will count as a point.”
Cassius waited while each boy took position. He observed how Khalil held the wood sword more like an ax he was about to cut wood with. Once both boys got into positions
Cassius asked. “Are you both prepared?”
Getting confirmation nods from both of them he yelled. “Start.”
Not waiting a moment after Cassius yelled start Cyrus dashed towards Khalil one dagger raised defensively in his left hand. While the other was poised to strike like a serpent once he got close enough.
Khalil moved forward slowly, seeing his chance he brought the training sword down like an ax ready to split logs.
Instead of blocking the impact of the descending sword Cyrus diverted the sword with his defensive dagger side, stepping the rest of the blow. Then lunging forward with the free dagger he struck Khalil in the chest, but before it hit Khalil’s chest with too much force Cyrus slowed his momentum like he was taught when training. Only causing Khalil to stumble back a little and rub his chest from the stinging where the training dagger landed.
“That’s one point for Cyrus. Good timing with the swing Khalil. To already know the ideal time to swing while an enemy is rushing is good to start with. This next bout try to aim for the hand he isn’t blocking with or sweep from his side. You have a reach advantage over Cyrus so keep him at a distance and he won’t be able to touch you.” Cassius explained. While Koresh stoically observed the happenings.
“Alright let’s reset both your positions and get ready for the next bout.” Cassius announced.
Cyrus walked back to his spot on the other side of the circle. While Khalil only need take a few steps back. Taking his hand from the spot he had been hit on the chest Khalil grasped the training sword with both hands feeling as though his determination to become stronger had only been reaffirmed. Both waiting in their positions. Cassius started the next bout with a “Begin.”
Instead of rushing in like last time Cyrus calmly approached knowing that Khalil would be expecting the same thing. Khalil decided to take initiative this time by stepping in and sweeping his sword from Cyrus’s left side. Not wasting a moment Cyrus leaped forward over the sword ready to land on Khalil. Instinctively recovering Khalil used the momentum of the sword to bring it back to him pulling it over his head at an awkward angle to block Cyrus from landing on him.
Unable to change his trajectory mid air Cyrus used both his daggers as a buffer between him and the sword. On impact both boys were sent sprawling to the ground neither strong nor agile enough to land steadily.
Before either could recover Cassius came to make sure they didn’t land on any of the training weapons wrong or injure themselves. After getting both of them to their feet Cassius spoke “Both of you started well. Cyrus it’s always good to change tactics with an enemy who already thinks they know what you’re going to do. Khalil taking initiative with side sweep to his weaker side was a good move. Cyrus jumping over the blade wasn’t the worst way to dodge but you shouldn’t always go towards your opponent you couldn’t change course in air so you were left exposed. Khalil that was a decent recovery but you want impale an enemy who is in air or side step them and come from another angle. Last round of weapons sparring. Go get in your positions.”
Cyrus and Khalil walked back to their places feeling all the small achy spots from their rough landing as they went. Once they both got to their side Cassius called out.
“Are you ready?”
Both nodded in confirmation.
“Go” as Cassius announced the start Cyrus and Khalil both started moving around the circle clockwise neither approached both just observing the other.
After a minute of this. Koresh who had kept silent the whole time muttered
“Are y’all just going to stare at each other the whole time or fight?”
Both hearing this cracked a grin and started charging trying to find out what move the other would make when they got into striking distance. Khalil having the reach advantage thrust into where Cyrus would have been if he didn’t duck under but a hair’s breadth before. In the crouching position Cyrus lunged forward both daggers ready to puncture into Khalil like two fangs. Pulling back quickly Khalil struck down with pommel side his training sword landing a blow to Cyrus’s shoulder right when the two daggers hit Khalil’s stomach. Both stumbled back feeling where the bruises already started to form.
“Well a draw is one way to end this sparring session, but if you actually stumble backwards in a fight from a wound you are just making yourself an easy target to finish. Both of you need to learn to take a hit. I wish we had a mage who could heal so we could practice that.” Cassius said giving them a thoughtful look like if he just contemplated it enough he could teach them pain tolerance without permanently maiming them.
Cyrus wanting to change his father’s thought process started “shouldn’t we start fisticuffs and grappling, because it’s already getting late.” Cassius after a few more moments of thought responded in an almost mournful tone.
“Yea I just hate I can’t make y’all’s training more like the real thing, but get to the same positions and nod when you’re ready to start. Also no face shots for this either, no need to lose teeth yet.”
Making it into position both Khalil and Cyrus gave Cassius a nod instead of saying anything. Cassius likewise signaled them both to start with a chopping motion from his hand.
Khalil decided to make the first move by rushing in with a hook to Cyrus’s chest. Being smaller and with less reach Cyrus had to rely on dodging and going for small jabs to Khalil’s gut each time he rolled between a punch. This went on for a bit, Khalil only landing a few glancing blows that still took a toll on Cyrus.
Cyrus's constant barrage of jabs started making their own progressive on Khalil. After one cross Khalil over reached for Cyrus deftly spun around Khalil’s arm reaching around to his shoulder and placed one leg behind Khalil’s leg Cyrus slammed Khalil to the ground. Straddling himself over Khalil, Cyrus got into mount position trying to find any openings he could to put Khalil in a hold and make him submit.
Khalil exerting himself was stronger than Cyrus expected, throwing him off to the side Khalil quickly wrapped his arm around Cyrus’s neck to put him in a chokehold. Cyrus struggled to reverse it but Khalil’s strength overpowered any attempts to escape.
After the match Koresh looked quite pleased with himself at his son’s victory. Cassius seemed pleased about the outcome for the fact that Cyrus had met his match in someone his own age.
“That was a good fight. Each of you did well, but have a lot to improve on. Cyrus just because you feel you have the upper hand doesn’t always mean you do. Khalil this time your strength brought you the victory, but strength won’t always help you win.”
The next two matches went by quicker as both were already exhausted. Khalil won the second one again by brute strength, but the third Cyrus took advantage of both their exhaustion by catching Khalil off guard and hopping on his back to choke him out. Cassius gave them a bit of time to rest then. Started the last two parts of training by simulating a fight with them and correcting their forms and techniques in both weapons and hand to hand. Finally they ended on some endurance training that left Cyrus and Khalil lying on the ground panting for air.
“What some pushups and laps really make you two that tired?” Cassius asked innocently.
They both glared at him from their positions on the ground without even turning their heads. Getting up took a bit of effort and supporting each other up. Koresh seemed pleased with the training that Cassius was going to give his son. He also thought that Khalil may grow up one day to surpass his own strength. Koresh’s thoughts were interrupted by a question from Khalil.
“Pa, how’d the war start between us and the crepuscular? These bruises are painful enough I can’t see why they wanna fight to the death.” Koresh seemed thoughtful about this unexpected question.
“The crepuscular are evil they come from the darkness and want to drag us into it. It has always been this way.” Cassius waited a moment to see if Koresh had anymore to say before butting in.
“There was a time before and more details of your father doesn’t mind me sharing?” Now Koresh seemed just as interested as Khalil was.
“Go ahead I’ve never heard anything more than that throughout my life.” Taking the approval Cassius began.
“we may want to sit down, because it’s a lengthy tail.” As he ushered them into the house and to the four chairs around the table.
“This will be a good chance for you to hear about it too Cyrus. I’ve never really known how to talk about it with you. This is the history of our world as passed down through my family. In the earliest of times all races found harmony having peace in each of their territories and not seeking power over one another. Finding love in kindness, patience and truth believing, bearing and hoping in all things that it would endure forever. That is until the world was fissured humans were on the front lines of darkness, but being the weakest race in magic and years in which their lives were numbered. Forced to change as they were strengthened in the forge of war slowly being molded and shaped into beings of battle. Finding new sources of power by creating the crests that would take the strength of each generation in a family and pass it down to their descendants. Not all men were molded the same in war though as some were corrupted into darkness and as the corruption grew in their hearts they began to take attributes of that darkness’s power one of which was the formation of the mélanos heart. Turning on their own serving and worshiping the depths of the fissure and the beings that dwelt in it. Not only the humans fell to this depravity, out of fear of what would come if the humans all were conquered. The other races sent their armies to help push back the darkness not knowing some of their own soldiers would be corrupted too. Having not only an inward change but an outward change of appearance adding a grayish purple tint to their skin, changing their irises to a dark hew and their hair found a dark sheen to it. Man was the only race that did not change outwardly and some suspected it was because man was the race that caused the fissure. Soon each race was fighting their own, making the war continue to mount. Until it seemed the fissure found contentment to its growth, but it is believed the fissure accomplished what it wanted to do by sowing deceit and wickedness in all hearts no matter if they are changed or not. There is a hope of a cleansing flame that will be born as an antithesis purifying all that was corrupted. That is the history that not many know.”
Everyone stayed silent thinking on what they had just heard. Until Khalil spoke up.
“So do you know when the antithsss flame thing will be born so we can end the war?” Khalil asked.
Cassius smiled at Khalil. “I wish I did, but honestly I don’t know if that is something that will happen or just something to give people hope.”
Khalil didn’t even take a second to respond. “If it ain’t true then we’ll just have to get strong enough to close the fissure ourselves.”
Cyrus looked up from where he was contemplating and smiled at Khalil. “We will destroy it together. So we don’t have to train anymore and move so much.”
Cassius chuckled at both their outbursts. “You will have to train even more to become strong enough to do that. I think you’re being a little counterintuitive, but I’ll support you if that’s what you want to do.”
Koresh on the other hand seemed very solemn. “Why don’t you boys go wash up at the well. Khalil, I'll meet you back at the house.”
Koresh turned to Cassius after the two boys left. “This whole day has been very odd. Two former nobles, one a child and the other a man with one arm, just walk out of the woods where wildlife has become deformed from things beyond my understanding and ask to stay here. Then the one armed noble asks to train my son to fight and tells me a history I’m not sure is true or not. He calls the boy his son, but the boy is from you is he?”
Koresh’s eyes bore holes in Cassius trying to decipher the truth. Normally his stair would have a man quacking in their boots, but Cassius seemed quite calm.
“It is true from what I know that is the histories as written in my family’s library if it’s still around, but I saw it as a chance to tell my son about it. I can see how all of this is very strange. If I could raise my son in a safer environment I would, but I was never meant to be a father and I don’t even know how to be one. I don’t even deserve my son. So I’m trying my best to protect him and raise him to not make the mistakes I did. I tried to become a better person, a kinder person and someone he could look up to. He may not be of my blood, but he is my son.”
Now it was Koresh’s turn to go under Cassius’s scrutiny. “I can see you love him like he’s your own. I have ten of my own and I was never ready for any of them. Just trust they’ll become who they are supposed to be.” Koresh finally spoke.
He soon got up and walked out the door. Where soon after Cyrus came through cleaned up and looking like he could fall asleep standing up. Cassius walked over to his son and picked him up with one arm putting Cyrus over his shoulder.
Cyrus tried to mumble. “Stop I’m grown up.”
But Cassius just kept carrying to bed gently laying him down. Where Cyrus didn’t dream of his day or his new friend, but an ashen world split in two by darkness and out of the darkness came a black flame consuming all until it reached him whispering temptations of power and desire.