RECKLESS BEHAVIOURS.

With even the sun not driving ogres away from the cities edge, the pathways remain unsafe for any solo travellers. Ares and Moonie, however, are the type not to let a bunch of murderous ogres tell them what paths to take. Moonie nudges Ares once the ogres come into view.

MOONIE: You ready, Saber?

ARES: More or less. I’m excited to see this ‘country magic’ you speak of.

MOONIE: Yeah, well… you’ll see.

What I don’t understand is why there are so many ogres around the bases of the mountain to begin with.

ARES: Well, an orc is the natural predator of an ogre, right? Let’s just say, the cousin of Saber is off in the mountains slaying orc armies as we speak.

MOONIE: I see. So, while Icarus Savor is slaying orcs, average folk are being threatened by ogres.

ARES: Not just ogres. Enough chatter. Are you ready to turn the rain red for today?

MOONIE: I’ve been waiting for an excuse. Lead the way, Sir Saber.

*✧₊ ༉✧*‧₊˚✧*

A battle with ogres is no easy task. Ogres are huge, muscly creatures, although generally slow in both mind and body. Most monsters (including ogres, orcs, dragons, poisonous rats, elves and more) are weak to human magic, but have tough hides to protect them against human weapons (such as swords or guns). Even so, Ares favours the sword to fight the beasts, leaving Moonie to clean up any messes that may arise.

It doesn’t take long walking along the path before ogres confront them. Ares springs into action while Moonie retreats and starts building up her strength. When the ogres wont falter, Ares looks around to her.

ARES: Are you helping or not, Moonie?! I thought you were meant to be a powerful witch!

MOONIE: Give me a bit longer! I’ll end it soon!

Ares goes back to fighting. Not long later, Moonie finds herself ready to attack. She rushes forward, and as she does, she warns Ares to fall back. Rather than retreat, he dodges in to help protect her.

When Moonie is close enough, she skids to a stop and raises her hands, summoning a two-dimensional magenta shape. Instead of a mandala ring of power, as is practiced at the castle, the warped shape is filled with diagrams and distorted images. Brought forth from the empty spaces, spectres rise to dance and taunt the ogres closer. As soon as the monsters are close enough, the spectres erupt with power, tearing the ogres open where they stand. When Moonie wavers from exhaustion, Ares lunges forward, taking down whatever ogres are left standing. Once the last ogre has fallen, Ares approaches Moonie.

MOONIE: …Thanks, Saber. Once upon a time, that attack would have killed them. Guess I’m out of practice.

ARES: That… that was summoning magic. I didn’t know you had powers so strong.

MOONIE: There’s a lot we have to relearn about each other, hm?

Honestly, we killed them faster than I was expecting. They used to give me a lot of trouble when I was younger.

ARES: Well, you didn’t seem to have any trouble then. Even so, this many ogres against an innocent town would be understandably catastrophic. Not to mention, they can run in groups much larger than this. We’re kind of lucky, actually.

MOONIE: It’s not like you to consider your own mortality.

ARES: Yeah, well… a married man has different priorities.

Moonie and Ares rejoin their goats and head for the mountain paths. After riding in silence for a while, Ares glances at Moonie, concerned.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

ARES: Are you feeling alright? You seemed quite fatigued before.

MOONIE: I’m fine now. Magic is draining, you know that. Not to mention, I’m out of practice. Usually, I can summon the circles without adrenaline.

ARES: It was fascinating to see. Your circle looked so different from the castle mages. I’ve never seen one move like that before.

MOONIE: Calling on different gods for power, I imagine. Or maybe it’s a difference in soul. Who knows? I was watching you mostly, waiting to see you do magic. You didn’t even attempt it. Ogres are weak against magic, but you didn’t leak any into your sword.

ARES: I know. Like I said, I have control issues. It’s dangerous for me to do magic in combat.

MOONIE: Hmm. So, you’re telling me your powers are strong, but you’re not strong enough to wield them.

ARES: You talk about magic like it’s a pet.

MOONIE: More like an old friend. Show me some of what you can do.

ARES: Now?

MOONIE: Sure. We could do a sparring match if you like.

ARES: What, on the side of the cliff? Are you insane?

MOONIE: What, you think you’re strong enough to beat me? Come on, it’s not like we’re going to seriously hurt one another.

ARES: We might. And we might do terrible things to ourselves. We’ll spar when we get home.

MOONIE: Very well. Can we stop at my place on the way? I’ll need to gather some things if I’ll be staying with you… or maybe I should wait until you write with permission from your family.

ARES: You’ll get permission. I’ll demand it.

MOONIE: You sound certain.

ARES: …Did my father really say you weren’t good enough for Horus?

MOONIE: Yes. But it wasn’t exactly a secret. He always hated me, ever since the first time Horus took me to the castle.

ARES: Horus dated you for years. Why did father’s opinion suddenly change his mind?

MOONIE: How should I know?

ARES: …I’m sorry. Thank you for agreeing to come live with him.

MOONIE: I very much doubt I’ll see him, knowing how he is. I’m fine with never attending one of your family dinners, by the way. Those things were awful.

ARES: Oh, come on. They weren’t that bad.

MOONIE: Are you kidding? I was so relieved when Minerva went away to school. The two of you used to torture me. And Set was such a little shit! Always flicking his food at me.

ARES: He’s still a nightmare…

Primrose is going to be angry when I get home, isn’t she?

MOONIE: Not if she’s smart. You Sabers are rough around the edges… really rough. Like, the sharpest steel wrapped in barbed wire. If a rose bush never grew a single flower that’d be your family. But underneath all those rough and pointy edges… there’s a lot to admire. Stop laughing.

ARES: I’m sorry. I’m not used to people saying this stuff to my face. You’re rough around the edges, too.

MOONIE: Anyway. I was trying to tell you that if Primrose is smart, she won’t judge you based on your family. Families are complicated. There’s certain… obligations. Especially for the children of a Baron.

ARES: That’s putting it mildly, at best.

MOONIE: …Can I offer you some advice?

ARES: You’d do it even if I said no.

MOONIE: Those family dinners… the worst thing about them, far worse than any of the things you and your sister did, was that your father would make snide comments and Horus would never stand up for me. Your father would make a comment about my clothes not being up to standard or my family or my farm, and Horus would just stare at his plate and say nothing. It drove me crazy.

ARES: …what was he supposed to do, exactly?

MOONIE: I don’t know. He could’ve at least held my hand to let me know he didn’t feel the same.

*✧₊ ༉✧*‧₊˚✧*

After scaling terrifying mountains, Moonie and Ares arrive to Moonie’s farm, a small green haven nestled between the peaks. She doesn’t live too far away from the castle, within a half-day’s ride. With a setting sun in the distance, Moonie approaches Ares, who is sitting peacefully on the grass while the goats graze amongst the alpacas.

MOONIE: Ready to leave at first light. You alright?

ARES: Yes… there’s something so peaceful about being somewhere like this, compared to the grandeur of the castle.

MOONIE: It’s the comfort found in cosiness.

ARES: Makes me think of the future I’ll have with Primrose. Smaller houses, more people.

MOONIE: Still worried she’ll be angry when you get back?

ARES: A little. I can hardly blame her. She didn’t ask for me.

MOONIE: …Let me ask. You say you lose control, that you don’t want to do magic away from home. Tell me, did something happen? Why do you need me to teach you Sense Aegis?

ARES: In short, because my father doesn’t know how.

MOONIE: So why are we waiting to go home to train?

ARES: Because… it’s safe, there.

MOONIE: Safe with Lord Kur?

ARES: No, but safe with Horus.

MOONIE: …I see. So, he’ll be in training with us, will he?

ARES: Not with us, just somewhere nearby. He can stop things before they get out of hand.

MOONIE: …you’re making it sound like something really bad happened. Are you not allowed to practice magic alone?

ARES: Can we talk about it later? I want to go to sleep, make sure we’re rested for tomorrow.

MOONIE: Fine, fine, but… no talking to imaginary friends, alright?

ARES: I won’t. Promise.

MOONIE: Good. Come on, I’ll show you to your room.

Ares follows a step behind, visions of Lumos leering over his shoulder.