ILIAS PAYNE
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When Heloise and I got home and broke the news that I had passed Heloise’s final test, Mother couldn’t help but jump around in glee before giving both of us a hug. Her ecstatic shrieks made it seem as if she was the one who passed instead of me.
A couple of weeks ago, Mother had gotten curious as to what my final test was so Heloise showed her. She must’ve deemed the difficulty high.
She continued to embrace us tightly. “Oh, I knew it! You learned jynx in six years! I am so happy! This is something to be proud of!”
“Certainly,” Heloise agreed. “Jynxists don’t start training until they’re eight and, at twelve, most would still be learning the basics of elemental jynx. At that same age, you’ve surpassed the colonel and are on my level. You are one of a kind in many lifetimes.”
“I’m on your level?” I asked. “So if we were to duel right now, would it end with a draw?”
“No, I would still beat you. We are on the same level of skill, but I’m many year levels above you in experience.” She grinned. “But who knows? In several years, you may stand a chance.”
That’s true. I’m used to casting spells when calm. It would be different if I were out in the field. Pressure, terrain, weather, allies, foes, and many more can easily change the tide of battle.
“Why don’t you invite whoever you want for dinner?” Mother suggested. “I’m sure they’ll be happy that you’ve graduated from Heloise. Why don’t you run off and tell them?”
I scratched my head. “Why are you more excited than me?”
“I’m just proud of you, Illy, that’s all.”
After making plans for the sudden dinner party, I was let loose and headed to Camaro and Jaime, who I found sparring behind the library. Their wooden swords clashed as they danced towards and away from each other. Even their footwork was in sync.
Camaro swung his sword in unison to the word he spoke. “Left. Left. Right. Left. Right. Right. Left. Right. Left. Right. Right. Right.” The colonel swung left on the last hit and knocked the sword out of Jaime’s hand. “You’re dead.”
“Ow! That’s not fair!” she complained. “You said right and you went left. Cheater!”
“There is no such thing as fair in battle. You listened to me but did not hear my intentions. You watched my movements, but you could not see what I was planning.”
“I was watching you.”
“I hit you, so clearly you were not. Watching is not seeing, Jaime. If you saw what I was planning then you wouldn’t have gotten hit.”
“See, not watch. Got it.”
Jaime had no problem arguing with anyone about anything. But if the argument was about sword lessons, she would always heed the advice.
Camaro was the first to notice me. “Hello, Ilias.”
“Hi, Colonel. Jaime, you’re getting much better.”
“Thanks. Take the colonel’s sword,” she ordered. “Let’s spar right now. We haven’t sparred in months.”
“No, thanks. Every time we spar, you just overpower me.”
Even though Camaro is basically her father, Jaime continues to call him colonel. As long as Camaro doesn’t mind, I guess it isn’t a problem.
Jaime worked out everyday because a swordsman needed a strong body. Jynx trained the mind and not the muscle which meant her body dwarfed mine. She was a quarter of a foot taller than me and had twice the stamina.
“What brings you here?” the colonel asked.
“I was told that I could invite whoever I wanted for dinner. So I’m inviting you two, Lieutenant Doria, Officer Kaiser, Sergeant Hendrik, Corporal Rudolf, and Private Gama.”
“We should be able to come, but what’s this dinner occasion for?”
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“I passed Teacher’s final test and she’s deemed me a jynxist.”
Jaime, who was chugging down water, spun around. “You destroyed the boulder?” She ran up to me, her open hands held high as she gave me a double high-five. “Finally! How did you do it?”
“It’s hard to explain.”
“Well, we're going to come later, so think of a simple explanation and tell me then.”
The colonel put a hand on my shoulder. “Six years, huh? I started learning jynx at eight and became a State Jynxist at sixteen. But even then, I was only using Marching Dolls and a couple of elemental spells. In terms of talent, you’ve outclassed me long ago.”
“But you’ve got experience, don’t you?”
“I guess so. That’s one thing I have over you.”
Once dinner arrived, Jaime had me explain to her how I was able to tweak Water Cannon into destroying the boulder. It took a while, but after using a syringe from the clinic to simplify things, she was able to understand my analogy. Mostly.
She then had me teach her some basic spells, but the colonel found us and instructed me not to. He was fine with me teaching her in the future. But just like I had focused only on jynx, he wanted her to only focus on her swordsmanship. Once she had mastered that, she was free to learn any other skill she wished.
Everyone went home after dinner, except for Camaro and Jaime. The elf girl was sent outside while Mother, Camaro, and Heloise sat me down in the living room.
This is going to be a serious talk, isn’t it?
Jaime tried to get my attention by waving through the window, but the colonel covered her up with the curtains.
“Before anything happens,” Trisha said. “I’d just like to say that we are all very proud of you for achieving so much in such little time. Especially at your age. But we have to talk about what’s next.”
“Wasn’t I going to start sword training with the colonel?”
“That was the plan,” Camaro said, “but there is an alternative you can take. We’re not pushing you to take this alternative, we just want you to know all the roads available before choosing which path to take. But remember, at the end of the day, this is your decision.”
“Do you know what me and the colonel’s name have in common?” Heloise asked.
“Van?”
“Precisely. But we weren’t born with that name. We were born Ray Camaro and Heloise Astell. When you become a State Jynxist, you are granted the name Van—which goes in between your first and last name. Do you know how to become a State Jynxist?”
I shook my head.
“There is an event held every year in the Capital called the State Jynxist Exam. The minimum age to participate is twelve and it just so happens that you are that age. If you pass the exam, you become a State Jynxist and are granted the name Van.”
“Can I ask what makes State Jynxists different from normal jynxists?”
“Nothing. State Jynxists are the same as regular jynxists. In fact, there are some jynxists stronger than the average State Jynxist. State Jynxists are simply jynxists that passed the State Jynxist Exam. If you do, you are granted a licence that gives you benefits such as free healthcare, and free public services, you can stay at military bases, and you are free to enter forbidden areas. It can even boost your status and makes it easier for you to get jobs. Being a State Jynxist gives you more freedom.”
“Is there a but?”
“Yes. You live a more comfortable life, but when the government sanctions in a state of emergency, State Jynxists must temporarily enter the military and serve until said state of emergency has been lifted. Disobeying this order without a valid reason will result in the termination of your status.”
“Do you permanently serve the military?”
“No,” the colonel answered. “It’s one’s own choice if they want to join the military or not. I chose to, but Heloise did not yet we are both State Jynxists. During a state of emergency, State Jynxists automatically join as majors.”
“What if a State Jynxist joins the military regardless if there’s a state of emergency or not?”
“You will still join as a major. State Jynxists are special after all.”
“But I’m twelve. I thought the minimum age to enter the military was sixteen. Am I exempted?”
“You are. This means if you become a State Jynxist now, you have four years where you don’t have to worry about getting your license taken for not showing up during a state of emergency. But you can still show up if you want.”
“So all of you want me to take this exam?”
“No,” Mother answered. “We are not making you do anything. We are simply giving you the information needed so that you can make your own choice.”
“I see.”
“There are three phases to the exam,” Heloise continued to explain. “Pass all three and you become a State Jynxist. However, the exam is very dangerous and around ten percent of participants die. That is why we want you to think about this very carefully.”
Mother looked at me with worried eyes. “Remember, Ilias, there is no right choice here. There are many State Jynxists who don’t get their licence until they are in their fifties. If you feel like you aren’t ready, you have many years ahead of you to try.”
“Can’t you tell me what the phases are so I can pass easier?” I asked the State Jynxists.
“Unfortunately, we can’t,” Camaro said. “First, the phases and proctors change every year, so no two exams are the same. And second, when we became State Jynxists, the king makes us sign a contract that prohibits us from leaking information.”
“Remember, Ilias,” Mother whispered calmly. “We are not pressuring you into anything. This is your decision.”
Will I even be strong enough to do it? I’ve put my life on the line for less, but I don’t want to waste time.
Camaro said earlier that I was more experienced in jynx than him. Heloise no longer had any things to teach me which meant that I was somewhat on her level. If I was on their level now and they passed when they were weaker, I definitely have a high chance of passing.
“I’ve made up my mind,” I said sternly. “I want to take the exam.”