The workshop, the forge, the dining room, his mother’s courtyard; images of the place called home flashed through Ryke’s mind as he raced home, his body practically moving on its own. His legs felt stiff, his extremities drained of warmth beneath the falling sun as his expression was painted with abject fear. The feeling burrowed into his heart like a seed this morning, and it had simply been biding time to bloom when he finally relaxed.
Stopping only to apologise to the occasional passerby he knocked into, the boy raced past the unending rows of Insulae and the various citizens of Jekan who were returning home. Everything around him began to blur together more and more until it was simply an unending mass of greys and browns that lined the one thing he could still see clearly: the street home.
It didn’t take long for the familiar walls of their residence to take shape. The smooth sandstone walls, the faintly shining Aurum Tree peaking through the rooftop, the sturdy iron gate, wide open, only ever shut when his father wasn’t home.
Immediately filled with joy, the sight calmed his erratic mind. Yet his heart refused to slow down. The seed of fear only kept growing, gnawing away at him like a parasite. His body, still stiff, carried him through the gates. His arms opened the way into the living room, lit by a soft candle light. His eyes found for him-
A sight he never expected.
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Leghan was a rather fair man. Blonde hair speckled with brown, limpid blue eyes that stood out from his bronze skin; only slightly less eye-catching from the behemoth of a weapon he carries on his back. Sharp features seemingly dulled only by his expression and a greatsword well over his height, made from the same dull steel the man’s plate armour seemed to be. Similarly as striking was the fact that he had been sitting at the head of the dinner table reading a book when Ryke bolted in.
“U-Uncle Leghan?” The golden-eyed boy stammered briefly, his gaze lingering on the man as his mind tried to make sense of it. “What are you doing-”
“Sit.”
“Why-”
“I said sit.”
Ryke watched Leghan snap the book shut and place it gently on the table, leading his stare towards the variety of dishes and plates scattered across the surface. Lilevas fruits, beast cuts, vegetables and fruits he didn’t recognize..
“The food is getting cold enough as is. Sit.”
With a meek nod, Ryke sat down at his usual spot. He had met the man only a few times in life, and really only knew that he was younger than his father and that he never usually wore armaments of any kind. The sudden change made things feel official. The armoured man fixed his posture, sat straight and picked up his utensils, grabbing at a few things and placing them calmly on his plate.
“Eat.”
“Yes, sir.. “
It was only after eating about half the table’s worth of food that Ryke realised how much of an appetite he worked up over the day. Food disappeared into his stomach so fast even Leghan was stunned, however briefly. It was only now, too, that either of them even noticed Fromir as it hopped up onto it’s two hind legs so as to lean against the table.He rolled the Taura a Lilevas fruit before finishing his own meal, having noticed Leghan had long since been done.
“You’ve got your beast. Rather unique one, too.”
“Yes, sir! A Taura!” Ryke beamed even whilst Leghan looked a little confused as the stone creature ate its fruit. “Sigmar didn’t give me much of a choice when I woke it up, but that’s okay.”
“Your affinity, then?” Leghan asked as he wiped his face with a small cloth. The boy perked up again, something shining in his eyes when he did so. “I got a Violet Water affinity. I think I was the only one, too..” He didn’t notice the way the armoured man froze briefly upon hearing him.
“But- Lycus got a Yellow Thunder affinity, too! And one boy seemingly got a Light affinity, but I can’t remember what grade.. And one girl got a wind one! And they got really good beasts, too!
Lycus got this..
“Enough.” Leghan sighed quietly, just loud enough to interrupt the boy. “As much as I’d like to listen, I know you’re excited, but I am here for a reason, boy.”
“Ah, sorry..”
“Your father-” Ryke perked up. “Will be gone. For a long time. He’s okay, mind you, but you will not be able to see him.”
“He’s gone?”
“Called to duty. By Falenval himself.”
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The First Praetorian, Falenval Duskfrel was the first to unite the people of the desert. Some three hundred years ago, the people still roamed as nomadic tribes; subject to the whims of the local Leviathan Beasts as well as the innate dangers of the desert. It was after Falenval created the path for Centurions that the people managed to settle down at various oasis sites hidden away within the endless sands. His continued presence in the land of the living is assumed to be a byproduct of a Centurion’s power.
The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.
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“Why would Falenval want my dad!?”
“A debt was to be paid.”
“A debt for what?! I’ve certainly never met the man and dad’s definitely never left Jekan! He’s just a blacksmith! The only thing special about him was that he married my mom-”
“Yes. He married an Elysian.”
“So!?”
Leghan raised a brow, his gaze gently trailing over the boy’s golden eyes, and then to the surroundings in the room. An empty weapon plaque, a few picture frames and some old souvenirs, the room had nothing else to remind the man of the Elysians. With a slight nod, he spoke up again. “Your father didn’t teach you. That’s fine. Sigmar will.”
“Your father left the deed of the house in your name, as well as the workshop. You will inherit his contract which dictates weapons can be sold for up to one Chrysos a month; this being to either surrounding lands, citizens of Jekan, or my military. You will also inherit the 50 Chrysos your father left for you, as a means of support for your time in the Ludus. Do you have any questions?”
“Uncle Leghan..?”
“Castellan Leghan.” The older man corrected. “But you may still call me uncle in private.”
Slightly stunned, Ryke took a moment to recollect himself while Leghan waited patiently, seemingly having expected this. He was simply admiring the handiwork of Fairrins woodcarving, finding its traces in every piece of furniture.
“Who was my dad, Uncle Leghan?”
“Fairrin Sylvera was a Praetorian. Fairrin, however, is a good man, and a good father.” Leghan remarked, checking a circular contraption he pulled from his waist. “I need to leave, I have a meeting. But, Ryke-” The man paused, stopping by the boy’s chair. “Trust me, he wouldn’t have left if he had a choice.” With another sigh, the Castellan ruffled the boy’s hair gently with a gauntleted palm and then made his way out the door; leaving the boy to stew in his own thoughts.
It didn’t take long for the boy to listlessly stand from his seat and make his way down the hall, past the pictures, the old souvenirs and the weapon plaques that showed all of Fairrins favourite creations and Ryke’s favourite memories. Dragging his legs, he stepped into the courtyard and onto the cobblestone path. The sun had long been hidden by a cascade of night, letting the Aurum Tree shine with all of its splendour.
The weight of the world on his shoulders, he felt an eternity pass with every step. Without even the slightest modicum of the usual etiquette, he stopped in front of the silent ashen cross; while Fromir still followed behind silently.
Falling to his knees, the boy ignored the pain. The light felt oddly comforting on his skin, bringing with it a gentler warmth than the heat of the desert. It made him feel comfortable. Vulnerable. Held. Ryke looked up at the crown of the shining tree while his eyes did his best not to water. Even while not knowing what the tree meant to him, he came to it for any solace he could find. When his watering eyes turned into full blown crying, the boy curled up with Fromir by his side; the stone creature emanating a strange warmth.
If he only knew.
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“Lycus!”
“Here!”
“Darriwil!”
“Here.”
Ryke yawned briefly, his eyes glancing around the main hall of the Ludus with Fromir by his side, observing all the other candidates and their own pets. He found a rather large majority were rather normal beasts or animals found in the desert, but quite a few, like Ryke’s own, were unique in their presence.
Absent-mindedly responding to the roll call, he found his gaze lingering on Sigmar more often than he’d like, knowing the older warrior would definitely notice. The man was practically a walking reminder of what happened the night before, and even the time he spent forging this morning hardly helped calm him down. With another yawn, his gaze lingered on the various tables and racks on the walls. Weapons lined the hooks and various medical supplies on the tables; all of which weren't there the day before.
“Distracted, trainee?”
With a jolt, Ryke tuned back into what Sigmar was saying, the man’s face now inches away from his own. All fatigue left him instantly as he stood straight. “N-no, sir!”
“No lying to me. Distracted, trainee?” He repeated.
“Y-yes, sir.”
“And what for, hm?”
“.. I’m thinking about Elysians, sir.”
“Elysians? The fuck are you thinking about those for, candidate?”
“Leghan said you’d tell us more.”
A moment of silence past, the few youths paying attention immediately turning away, wanting nothing to do with the subject. The rest found this a good time to mingle and gossip, with just Lycus being left alone to slowly inch his way closer to Ryke’s ‘conversation’ with the Lanista.
“Did he now? Fucking prick. I’ll tell you later, when I tell the rest of them.”
Cursing silently under his breath, Sigmar walked away and offered Ryke a moment to catch himself before the group moved forward. Even then, his silence was short lived as Lycus approached with his small cat between his arms. Ryke didn’t miss the worried expression on his face.
“What’s that look for?”
“Well, I heard you say Leghan, so..”
“Yeah, and?”
“Well, the two aren’t on the best of terms.”
“I don’t see how-
“Listen up!”
Sigmar slammed the end of his spear into the altar, silencing the crowd of youths below him; his expression a mix of ridicule and disgust as he looked down at them, mostly on a select few. He looked around at the weapons around the room like Ryke had done, before nodding to himself silently.
“Right. That’s enough. Spread around the room and find yourselves a weapon. Now”