“I've never heard of something happening like this before,” muttered Blu in a worried tone. “Not even during the war.” She was in a private room of the infirmary along with Pegasus, Till, Grimhawk, and Stonetoe. The five of them were discussing the incident while Chickadee worked on his project.
Pegasus glanced up from the group. “Ensure that Compton will not be able to remove those restraints. Are you certain they will work?”
“Everything is fine,” replied Chickadee.
He was adjusting a set of bracers on Chester's wrists. They were adorned with blood iron coins designed to weaken mana flow and safely discharge excess magic. Chickadee had been messing with the design for years now as a way of managing his flaws. Despite it being a sudden rush job, he was confident that this would be enough to control Chester's outbursts. His only complaint was that he didn’t want to be using tainted blood iron for such a task but he had no choice but to use the best materials.
Chester was still unconscious. He was being kept that way until precautions could be put into place. Chickadee could understand why they had wanted him to make restraints but didn't agree to the fact that Chester hadn't given his permission. It felt wrong. Having to bind his own magic had never felt right, but at least he chose to do this to himself.
Stonetoe spoke up next. “It happened occasionally during the war. On our side, that is, Sarya. Sorry, you were stuck on the wrong team for most of it... Grand Temple mages are the strongest in Lustro, but the other side played mind games. None of them were used to it. They'd over channel their spells and a lot of good men and women fell prey to their allies. Even so, I’ve never heard of anyone having a fit as big as the one Compton had today.”
“It can occur in mages who are best described as overly talented,” explained Pegasus. “Grand Temple is prepared for such quality and they train them for their lunar units. With the exception of Kindrick, Braytons rarely sees such raw talent. We are fortunate that Cully is experienced in creating binding tools.”
Till shook her head. “Even so, I will state that such an event should have never happened in the first place. Compton may be lacking in magical talent, but he applied to Braytons because he wanted to be trained to work with a rescue unit. Hence his assignment to Macestar squad.”
“I will agree that Compton’s talents are lacking,” replied Pegasus. “Such power should not have been his to develop. Not even if he spent a lifetime cultivating it.”
“I'll talk with Tish and Evan about it when I can,” said Blu. “No doubt they're in a mess over what happened. I believe Chester is safe enough to keep in the infirmary for the time being. I will also be keeping Basil and Ivy here until morning.” Millie had left the moment she had woken up, but both Basil and Ivy needed time to mend their broken bones.
Grimhawk's face was stiff as he absorbed the conversation. “Doubt that boy was up to anything that would cause this on purpose. You all kept mentioning the lights in the sky at night. A bad omen like that was probably the signal for trouble like this to appear.”
Pegasus tossed his bangs away from his eyes with a flick of his head. “The only bad omen to have come this way are whatever drugs he smuggled into our establishment. Dalkirk is searching his room as we speak. He will no doubt find evidence of Compton’s misgivings. This is precisely why we need to rid ourselves of that horrid rating system. He likely overdosed himself after Stonetoe told him that he had a low score.”
“Aye,” agreed Stonetoe. “Not for that reason though. All those kids may be fools, but none of them would try a stunt like that. We let kids in here for a lot of dumb reasons but no one who tries to cheat at being stronger ever succeeds here.”
Narrowing his eyes, Pegasus disagreed. “Inform me when he's coherent enough for interrogation. I'll get the truth out of him one way or another.”
“You forget that I am his squad knight, Sir Pegasus,” hissed Blu in an unusually cold manner. “And I am the resident doctor of these barracks. I would have located any substances he could have used during his examination and I will remind you that the reason I have this position, granted by King Howell himself, is because I am the best damn doctor in this country.”
“A doctor who was disgraced while she was still a fresh face out of Grand Temple if I recall correctly. What was the reason for that again?" Pegasus gave her a coy smile while Blu’s face flushed red with rage. “Something to do with being traumatized so badly that she was deemed unfit to continue her post within Fogbloom? Must be a pain to have such mental deficiencies, dear Sarya.”
Till’s voice tightened as she spoke. “That is enough,” she said in a deathly tone. Next to her, Stonetoe’s glove creaked as he flexed his fist.
“I'm finished!” Chickadee called out from his corner. He was tired of listening to them bicker with each other and wanted to leave.
Stonetoe was equally tired of this. “Good work, Cully. Go meet up with your squadmates and work out who is taking care of your sister tomorrow. Grimhawk should be good enough for your training tomorrow. I don't need that girl disturbing my sleep again.”
“It will be handled,” replied the blacksmith with a snarl. Chickadee needed to convince one of the women to take care of his sister. Millie would get weird ideas if he let a guy do it.
“Good. Tell the others to wear their running shoes tomorrow.”
“Yes, sir.”
Chickadee didn't hesitate to leave. There was still a mess that he needed to clear up at the forge and Ira Knut preferred to keep a clean workspace. He was surprised to see Gwyn standing outside of the forge. She didn't seem interested in it but was using it as a cover so she couldn't be seen from the courtyard.
Following her gaze, Chickadee spotted Evan standing by himself near the inner dueling field. There were random groups of the first years silently hanging out in different positions about the barracks. Moontear and Sir Oceans were sitting on the roof of the first year dorms, Bronzescale was perched on the roof of the library. Alton, Sybil, and Zaniyah were on the rampart directly overlooking the field itself. Anais was sitting with them as well.
“Is Ivy alright?” Gwyn kept her eyes on the field.
Chickadee took a moment to realize he was being spoken to. “Ah... Overnight stay.” The infirmary was off limits to everyone who wasn’t injured. Neither Ivy or Basil had access to their belongings until Blu was done with her meeting, which is why they hadn’t replied to any letter messages.
Gwyn looked down and shook her head back and forth. “I should go fetch her stuffed dog before she claims that I didn't help her out during her 'darkest time.'” She began to walk away without explaining what was happening to Chickadee. He looked around again, shrugged, then began to clean up his station.
Within the field, Evan continued to wait. He kept his eyes on the color of the sky. Once it had gotten dark enough, he knew that victory would be his.
Though she had been publicly challenged, Tish couldn’t bring herself to move. She sought refuge on the second floor of the dorms with Veximarl. Her head was buried against his chest while he kept his arms loosely wrapped around her. The room was already becoming tinted pink from the setting sun, signaling that it was time for her to duel Evan… But Tish knew she couldn't do it.
“Lady Blu would never allow for Cress to take command from you in such a manner,” reasoned Veximarl. “He should be more concerned with Compton’s wellbeing.”
“You say that, but I am allowed to be in the infirmary. They could be waking up Chester at any moment and he's going to find himself alone. His magic bound with neither myself or Evan by his side. I should be there and trying to understand why this happened in the first place, or if there was any way that I could have helped to stop it." She looked up at him with a pained expression. "How was I so blind to everything falling apart around me?"
Veximarl had the oddest thought… What would Alton do in this situation? Dealing with others was never a talent of his. Perhaps if he pretended for a moment to be someone else, he could manage? Hesitantly, he brushed some hair behind Tish’s ear and did his best to sound charming.
“Forget the duel. You may have faltered, but I will stay by your side and help you through this.” He leaned down and kissed her gently before pulling away and gazing into her eyes. “One problem at a time. We will head to the infirmary first to see how Chester is doing. Will that be suitable?”
Tish's cheeks were burning from being so red. “Is it alright if we take a few more minutes?” He gave her a nod. “Thank you.” She buried her head into Veximarl’s chest again.
The slightest of noises from the stairwell made Veximarl look up. His eye met with Gwyn’s and he inhaled sharply at the sight. She paused as well, not knowing if she was supposed to acknowledge the pair or ignore them. Instead, she shook her head and retreated back down. Ivy would have to deal without her toy for a little longer.
Gwyn left the dorms and put her hand to her mouth. That was something she wasn’t meant to see. What was troubling was that she didn't quite know how to feel about it. She glanced over to Evan, where he was still waiting. Without a word, she went to fetch one of the pendants so she could loop it about her neck. Then she walked past Evan and into the field.
“I’ve already reserved this field,” muttered Evan bitterly.
“Captain Maplehammer is fulfilling her duties at the moment. I have been sent as her representative for this match,” replied Gwyn in her usual apathetic tone. “There should not be a problem.”
Evan gritted his teeth. “Of course this will be a problem. She has chosen to send a weaker fighter to represent her in a challenge of leadership. That alone speaks volumes for the lack of respect she has for her squad.”
The faintest of laughs escaped Gwyn’s lips. “All I am seeing is a child in the midst of a tantrum. The only grievance Captain Maplehammer has shown is the fact that she has chosen Tuton over yourself. You care not about winning or losing, Mister Cress. You are focused on beating your feelings into her because you believe that is how you will get her to respect you as a man.
Take the advice of a woman and know that you should choose flowers over fists.” She drew out her sword with one hand and gestured for him to enter the field with the other. “Until then, you will have me as your opponent.”
“... And you believe that this duel will amount to anything?”
“I believe that our peers are acting as our audience. Their silence speaks volumes about their approval.”
“Kick his ass, Gwyn!” Zaniyah shouted from her perch.
Gwyn closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. “... Regardless of a single voice’s opinion, I know that I have the approval of the majority.”
Evan glanced up at his fellow squires and then back down to Gwyn. A hint of a smile appeared on his lips. “What are your terms?”
“Upon my victory, you will respect Tish’s choices and agree to discuss the situation with Lady Blu. You will voice your concerns to your knight and begin to plan a solution.”
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
“And when victory is mine, you will support my transfer to Baron Squad. I will then be promoted to captain.” Evan felt his confidence grow as Gwyn confidence wavered for the slightest of moments. “Paladin Highland will not be returning from Carapace. You and I both know this.”
Clever. He understood that Blu would intervene at some point and that he would not be promoted within Macestar. Evan’s best chance now was to take over the role of Captain for Baron Squad and use his newfound position to become the first year commander. As long as he had Gwyn’s support, it was unlikely that Moss would refuse Evan’s transfer.
“... I agree to those conditions,” replied Gwyn.
They positioned themselves in the field and Evan tossed a rock in the air. The rules were simple. Once the stone hits the ground, the match would officially begin. Evan pulled free his sword and charged forward the moment he heard a soft thud.
Runes along his sword began to glow as he shifted the grip on his sword. He stalled his forward momentum for a moment so he could swing his blade upward, releasing a blade of red energy. Digging his feet into the ground, he charged up his greaves and used them to leap high in the air. His goal was to cleave Gwyn in half while she dodged his first attack.
Gwyn had plenty of experience when it came to dueling against a large sword. The squire program at Petalmist separated men and women. Men did dueling while women practiced graceful forms. Ivy didn't appreciate such a setup, thus she and Gwyn were often left fighting against each other in secret. Evan may hit harder, but he wasn't devious like Ivy. Gwyn could easily see through his attacks and plan accordingly.
She rolled off to the side to avoid the energy blade and thrust her hand forward. Seeds hidden within her sleeve burst into vines that then coiled together, creating a long, pale tentacle that whipped around Evan's leg. Yanking her arm back, she attempted to toss him to the ground.
Evan responded by flipping himself around so he could slice himself free. He tumbled along the ground and rolled into a standing position. A moment of hesitation was given as he debated his next move.
Something was off. Gwyn was supposed to be a defensive fighter. She had always preferred to rely on traps but had difficulty whenever a fighter got too close to her. That’s why Evan had chosen to go aerial for his attack. This was supposed to be a fast match.
Gwyn put away her sword and allowed for her other arm to be enveloped in vines. Rather than come forward to attack him, she folded her arms behind her back. The vines behind her momentarily appearing similar to writhing tailcoats as she waited patiently for his next move.
“What are you doing?” Evan held his sword in front of himself defensively. He studied her position, pondering if she was purposely leaving herself open to attack.
“You’re injured,” she calmly replied.
Evan glanced down at his leg, where gold light was barely staining his pants. He didn’t even feel the scrape until Gwyn had pointed it out. “... It’s nothing.”
The vines continued to sway and twist like headless snakes behind her. “This is a species of parasitic plant that lives outside of Lustro. It carries its seeds within its thorns and injects them into the flesh of anything that scrapes against it. Salt within the bloodstream breaks apart the seed casing and it immediately begins to take root within the veins and arteries of its host. Its most common medical use is for amputations.”
Evan’s eye twitched. “Weapons that have lasting effects outside the dueling field are not allowed within the barracks.” He wasn’t confident that this plant fit those conditions but he didn’t want to be the first to test it.
“The rules do appear to imply that whatever happens within the dueling field is meant to stay there,” replied Gwyn. “By extension, your terms, forcing me to assist in your takeover of Baron Squad, would also violate this rule.”
“Regardless if it is a violation of the rules or not, that does not give you the right to cause me permanent harm!”
“Then relent,” replied Gwyn apathetically. “Forfeit the fight and I will remove the parasite.”
Evan tapped his foot a few times. His leg seemed fine enough. He took a step forward before he collapsed on one knee. The pain that was suddenly coursing through his limb was unbearable. Looking down, he gasped when he saw vines curling out of his flesh.
“You’re insane!”
Gwyn remained composed. “Then you relent?”
Not even Tria could make him do so. Evan forced himself to stand and began to hobble at Gwyn. He gritted his teeth as the vines yanked themselves free of his flesh. Because of course they would. Not even Gwyn was crazy enough to get herself expelled over something as silly as this. As long as he proved himself brave, she would be the one to relent.
What he wasn’t expecting was for the vines to swing up his leg and up to his arm, where they snapped his forearm in half. They then twisted about his wrist and grabbed his sword as he dropped it. Using his shoulder and upper arms as leverage, the vines were able to whip the sword about, completely decapitating Evan in the process.
Gwyn didn’t move throughout the entire exchange. Her fingers danced this way and that, but their motions were hidden underneath her vines. All the others saw was the cold expression on her face. Completely unchanging as Evan reappeared outside the field.
He felt up his leg and then looked up to Gwyn. “Get these seeds out of me!”
Gwyn walked to the edge of the field. “My collection of bloodsuckle is kept within the infirmary and may only be removed with Lady Blu’s permission. What ails you is simply a rare variant of wisteria, which I had already removed from your flesh before I decapitated you.”
Evan wobbled to a stand. His leg still hurt. “... Bitch.”
“The duel is now concluded,” replied Gwyn. “If you have any further complaints about Captain Maplehammer, I advise you to take them directly to Lady Blu.”
Evan glared at her. He didn’t reply. He merely spat at the ground and walked away.
Having heard the shouting, Veximarl and Tish exited the dorms. The only part that they caught was Evan storming away. Tish reached out to him as he walked past.
“... Evan.” She winced as he completely ignored her.
“Let him be,” whispered Veximarl.
Veximarl left Tish's side and approached Gwyn. She still had the vines on her arms and was using them to pull off her pendant so she could hang it back up. He stammered for a moment, failing to say anything coherent. After he settled for being with Tish, he had no idea how he was supposed to talk to Gwyn anymore.
Gwyn spoke in a professional tone. “Captain Maplehammer has won her duel against Mister Cress.”
“I have?” Tish had caught up with Veximarl. She then tightly gripped onto his hand.
Gwyn looked away from the pair. “Mister Cully has already left the infirmary. This implies that he has finished affixing his bindings to Mister Compton. I do not know if they have woken him up yet.”
Veximarl nodded. “Ah. Thank you.” He hesitantly looked between Tish and Gwyn. “... What will you do now?”
“Wisteria is due to blossom in a few weeks. Rather than waste these vines, I thought I would root them near the eastern entrance. They would make for a lovely sight for anyone traveling in from Tilrey.”
From their spot on the rampart, the members of Grimstone Squad watched as Gwyn walked away. Zaniyah was still swooning with adrenaline. The way Gwyn handled Evan... It was like she was witnessing a cold-blooded murder.
“... So awesome,” she muttered.
Alton quickly pecked Sybil’s cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
“Where are you going?”
“I have to talk to Gwyn about Millie,” replied Alton. “It’s better to do it now rather than figure out where she’s hiding later.”
He jogged down the rampart stairs and caught up with Gwyn. She had already walked out the gate and had plunged the first of her vine tentacles into the ground. It was now twisting apart and spreading up the stone wall. Wisteria was never her first choice for combat, but she had used up her supply of grapevines during Chester's accident.
“I have nothing more to say on the matter,” she spat out. She then blinked a few times, realizing that it was Alton and not Veximarl who had followed her here. “... Apologies.”
“Not a problem,” replied Alton. “I was only wondering what you thought about having Millie shadow Ivy for a bit. Grimstone’s schedules are a bit hectic and Millie might benefit from being around someone she doesn’t know well.”
“Ivy would no doubt hate it,” muttered Gwyn. “... But she would appreciate having someone around who is always up for a duel.”
Not to mention that it would be nice if Ivy made a friend. It had just been herself and Ivy since they came here. Anais was mostly ignored and Ivy treated Vincent like a traitor. Gwyn’s time in Carapace had taught her that both of them needed to expand her boundaries. Her friend needed to be pushed out of her comfort zone if she was going to grow stronger.
"Another thing," Alton spoke up when Gwyn was just about to plant her second tentacle. “I think that you should take over Baron Squad.” She shook her head at the statement. “Look, we both know that Highland's chances at coming back here aren't great. Tish is right. She can’t continue to serve as the temporary commander.
Support is more her thing and being forced to lead others is something she isn't ready to do yet. She also needs time to fix her squad. You, on the other hand, would be great at it. Your smart enough to get the job done and it’ll give you a distraction. It couldn’t have been easy for you to save your rival, but you did it because it was the right thing to do.”
“Tish isn't my rival,” she quickly retorted. Alton smirked at her quick reply. “I did it because Cress wasn't focused on what was best for his squad. He needed to experience what he was attempting to force on others so that he would realize how unfair it was.”
Alton continued to smirk. “Maybe making a fool of him wasn't the best way to do that but the guy seems a little bull-headed. Tish and Vex can handle now that you’ve helped.” He took a moment to put some sternness in his voice. “I'm serious though. You should take control of Baron.
Become the new commander. You're frigid and apathetic but that means you can't make bias decisions. No one is going to object if you volunteer. Then put Luca in Macestar squad. He was already apprenticed to a doctor in Carapace so he won’t need to catch up when it comes to medical training. Plus, a new face in the squad would break up the tension and give Tish the chance to feel safe in her own squad again.
If you think it's too much for you, Tish is right about Vex being able to do the job. He understands what every single one of us is capable of and most of the class likes him. The only problem is that he hates being told he’s in charge. He’s most comfortable when he’s the second fiddle. Keep him at your side and you can’t go wrong.”
Blinking a few times, Gwyn was stunned by his reasoning. “I believe you're mistaken.”
“You and I both know that you’d enjoy the perks of that position." Alton winked at her and she stared blankly in return. He paused and then winked again, but she didn't reply. "I wasn't going to point it out, but I know the only reason you went out there to fight was that you like Vex.
Don’t play dumb. You know he’s crazy about you too. It’s not my place to intervene so don’t worry about me telling anyone about it. Go ahead and spend as much time with Vex as you want. Maybe he’ll shake that naive self out of his bones and realize how you feel.”
“I went out there because Tish-”
"Needed a chance to calm down and she was spending some alone time with Vex to do it." Alton rolled his eyes. "He's confused right now. Relationships are new to him and..." His hands tumbled about the air. "I'm not going to tell him that he should be with one woman over another.
In the end, forcing people together or breaking them apart doesn't let anyone settle their feelings. What matters is that this will give you the chance to figure out how you want to feel. Even if you don’t want Vex, you are more than capable of handling the job of commander. Trust me. Highland would want this. If you don’t believe me, ask him yourself.”
Gwyn plunged her vine into the ground. “I'll think about it,” she muttered.
“Good. Don't take too long. Tish is definitely going to suggest Vex again at the next meeting, and the backlash will be worse the next time she does it.” Alton gave her a wave and went back into the barracks.
He wanted to spend some time with Sybil before they had to return to the room, but he doubted that they could ditch Zaniyah at this point. Maybe he could encourage her to do some dueling practice with Millie… Oh, but there was also Chickadee to worry about. Not to mention the ghost that was literally always by his side.
“Alton. Alton!” Alton gave a glance to Lydia to show he was listening. “First, I applaud the way you handled Gwyn. Excellent job. Secondly, I'm going to wander off and investigate some troubling signs.” His head tilted to the side. “I have a theory about what happened, but I don't want you to worry until I know for certain. I'm going to follow him around for a few days and let you know later.”
As long as she wasn't pestering him, he was fine with it. “Alright.”
“Alright, what?” Sybil smiled up at him.
“Ah.” Alton grinned. “I was just thinking that I wanted to scoop you up and take you out for a ride underneath the stars, then make love to you in a place where only heaven is our witness.” He then shrugged. “... Or get some dinner. I'm starving.”
Now that he had her, Alton had become less clingy than he had been in the past. Sure he was everywhere where she was, but he wasn't as obnoxious about stealing up all of her free time. Sybil was thankful for that. Not that she minding spending alone time with him, but she hated it when he tried to put on a big show for her every time they did so.
“We were going to ask you if you wanted to eat in the mess hall with everyone or eat as a squad in the room. Vex went to the infirmary with Tish and said he'd be back late.”
“Which would you prefer?” Alton reached over and put his hands on her hips. He liked that she stopped minding the fact that he enjoyed having a hand on her whenever possible.
Sybil had a worried expression on her face, but not a serious one. The cute one she does when she's only slightly concerned. “Would you mind if we ate with Moontear? They're probably feeling terrible about everything and Basil is stuck in the infirmary... I already feel bad enough that we let Gwyn fight in Tish's place. We shouldn't have let it get that far.”
"We all agreed that letting him stand out there making an ass of himself was proof enough that he wasn't ready to be a squad captain," replied Alton. "And I spoke to Gwyn afterward. She said it was fine for us to have Millie follow Ivy. We’ll tell Stonetoe later, after we’ve hung out with Dew and Penvil to make sure that they're okay.”
“Thanks, Alton.”
“Not a problem, love. Anything for you.” His grin grew mischievous. “Want to sneak off to the library afterward and get naughty in one of the study rooms?” Her smile dropped from her face. “No one is going to be there and we don't have a curfew anymore. They can't complain as long as we stay in the barracks.” Sybil rolled her eyes. “Is that a yes?” She shook her head. “Ah, my little cave mouse… Let’s spend today with our friends and worry about all of that later.”
Maybe the pet names were a little too much... As long as he was discreet about their relationship, she could deal with it. Pulling away, she grabbed his hand and they walked together to the mess hall. As difficult as it had been with Alton, being in a relationship with him wasn’t all bad, but she would rather make sure that her friends were okay first.