Daniel successfully pushed away Jasper as he tore into the wall with new vigor. Regret threatened to weigh him down, but he pushed it away.

He didn't want that kind of favor.

He needed to win, but that irrational part of him was rearing again.

This was a part of himself he could not break.

The wall groaned and the trap inside started to shift and bulge. Black icur was flowing forward. Daniel slowed down, because the timing would be critical.

Jasper opened his mouth again. "I...I..."

Then some loud thundering steps finally came, and Daniel began prying at the wall in all seriousness. The thundering steps, the loud shouts of the guards, the bellowing orders of Surmount Butler.

Over all the noise and trouble, there was a shrill voice riding over the chaos like a horn of war over the wave of battle "You can't handle the truth!"

"Shelby?" Said Jasper. "What is she doing now?"

"You know that maid?" Said Daniel, finding conversation becoming impossible as the dinn grew louder.

"She is new. Came in from somewhere far away. She has parents waiting for her, and something about a boy named Peter, and Ryland is trying to kill her for stealing his tent...she is a nice girl." Jasper skittered away as he was beginning to realize that there was something more than chaos coming. "But she...is...not sane."

"I noticed."

"Here's Johnny!" Yelled the mad maid, her skirts hiked almost-indecently high. Behind her at last coming into view lumbered the Golem. It was even more furious.

Jasper's face paled and his mouth gaped open like a fish.

"Time for you to leave, I believe." Said Daniel. But the noise was too intense at this moment.

But Jasper did leave, jumping and hiding behind some cluttered crates.

Coward.

Probably smart. That was what a rational person would do.

Rational people. Cowards, all of them. Daniel attacked the wall with intensity, hacking away, readying.

Dust and mortar spilled into the air, as Daniel looked up, just in time for his eyes to meet the Surmount Butler's own, behind the coming Golem, behind a wall of Estate Guard.

The Surmount Butler staggered, as realization dawned. Panic sounded in his voice. "Retreat! Retreat! Call the enforcers. Someone..."

The O'Tells guards followed the orders.

Daniel grinned, despite himself.

It was not like he was opening Pandora's box.

And he knew that so long as you were not the first thing the shadow warblers line of sight, you had some time to recover.

"My mother told me, never judge a book by its cover. Yours probably told you not to eat the books!" The maid's shrill cries drew nearer as Daniel was able to see the white of her eyes.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Daniel was almost ready.

Almost ready.

The poker hit the box containing the trapped shadow warbler.

And stuck fast..

The poker did not budge.

That was not fair. It had opened to two young Lordlings not some decade and change years ago. Why would it catch now...

Daniel could not pry it loose with his hands. Some kind of glob was adhering it to the surface.

"Are you ready for the agro?"

"I..." Had the Surmount Butler caused it to stick? Was it merely poor timing?

Or was his power simply lacking.

At five years old, had he more power than now?

Stay calm.

It was just stuck against the trap and an ancient stone pillar. Just focus.

He reared up his leg, and kicked.

It groaned and the latch became looser.

"Either take my dancing partner or get off the dance floor!"

They were too close. Unable to open the sealed trap, Daniel abandoned it, leaping behind the crates, behind in such a limited space. Thankfully, he did not crash into Jasper.

The plain nosed maid ran past the spot, and then the Golem still chasing her thundered. They had missed the approach "I'm going to lead it back." she said, doubling back in the wide servant's corridor. "Line up another shot."

Why was she so faithful?

Daniel scrambled out from behind cover, eyes searching. He tried once again to pry open the trap.

Why was he so weak now? Yes, his physical body remained strong, but there was so much more to power than Blood and Bones. Without his authority...would he be strong enough to open it. He, as a small child, had had more Authority and Power than now.

He kicked the fire poker again.

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"Why are you crying?" Matheus asked the little Lordling Elswith. Little Elswith had fled the training ground of the Great Library, and was now hiding between rows and rows of bookshelves in the gloom of the left anterior reference hall. Small shafts of sunbeams drifted down lazily from the soaring domed ceiling's sky light, brightening the dust motes suspended in the air.

"I'm not crying." The small child wiped at his eyes. The Law of Fae was displeased with his lie, but little Elswith was quick to correct that. "My eyes are leaking. There's a difference." The Law of Fae agreed with him enough to dissipate its former complaint.

"You mustn't let them see you cry, child. But you can cry with me. I'm your Steward. It is my job to help you."

The little child shook his head, still denying his tears. "I hate the training."

"Ah. Pride or laziness? Or immaturity?" While the words were intense, the older Fae made a silly face with each muttering. The little Lordling giggled despite his own best efforts. Matheus nodded, pleased. Then he sat down next to little Elswith "Perhaps...we can skip today's lesson, and you can tell me what is the problem."

Young Elswith wiped his eyes, laughter fading. "This new training is different. It's...really hard."

"Training is difficult. There is a lot to memorize."

"It's not that...its...everyone is bigger than me. They are stronger than me. They don't like me. They just push me down with a single hand."

"Ah." Matheus said, polishing his monocle. "The truth is revealed at last."

Little Elswith said nothing.

"Do you understand the power of the Art being taught to you?"

"My Father says it's not magic or even anything related to the Law of Fae."

"Of course he does." Matheus muttered. "But he lacks depth to his understanding."

Little Elswith looked in shock. No one every spoke poorly of the Red Lord.

"But let me tell you. This is an ancient war art. Instead of meeting your opponent's force with equal force, you aim to redirect their energy. For example, you will learn one war art where instead of meeting strength to strength, you will use your opponent's forward momentum to throw them off balance and onto the ground."

Little Elswith blinked. "So...I could beat someone stronger than me?"

"Potentially."

"Could I defeat the Red Lord?"

Matheus pursed his lips. "One day, perhaps you will."

Little Elswith shook his head. "I...he makes the sky red and the grass into dust when he is angry. I don't...think I can.."

"Patience, little one. Use your heart. Use your instincts, your guts. But you must always use your mind. And think. There is never only two options. There are no true dead ends. There is always, always another options. And if you are able to use someone else's power against them, redirect it...I imagine that would be a most interesting moment."

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Daniel looked at the plain nosed maid, an idea forming in his mind. What had Jasper said her name was? Shelby? It was rude to use someone's name without proper introduction, but she had willing offered to "aggro" the golem here, "Shelby, you said you learned the 'attack pattern'. Do you know how to make it throw something?"

Why force it open when the Golem could open it itself?