The meeting with the Council went as expected and Jake was satisfied with the result. The ultimate goal of coming to the village was to earn their respect, his freedom of movement, and to develop his skill set as a Mage. He had done well so far with the latter two. The level of respect they had for him, though, was questionable. However, after learning of the trouble that the village was in, their respect was an optional thing. At this point, there was no need to worry about what the villagers thought of him, how the Scouts viewed him, or if the Warriors found him reliable as a support individual.
The Warrior teams he fought with the last two days were happy to be with him and were capable fighters. Even Captain Lin accepted his ability. The Scouts, Pharos Squad, and his friends seemed to take that differently. Yae had her fears for his safety, but he couldn't change that. Nuro's problem seemed to lie in the fact that Jake didn't stick to the mold of regular 'Scout' rules. The fact that Jake could fight and stand against the Maedra on his own, and even fight alongside the Warriors in the front, didn't seem to rub him right.
For Jake, neither of those mattered. Success against the Maedra was. If Ewana wanted to survive and continue to grow, its people needed to learn to handle the increased presence of the Maedra. They would need to become stronger and more capable in magic, and they needed better materials and gear. The Warriors were mostly worth their salt, but they lacked combat experience. Only the Red teams were effective against the Maedra. The Scouts were too stubborn and set in their ways to change their tactics. While it was smart to have something out front to sniff the Maedra out first before the Warrior team ran into the hordes, it failed to account for the lack of ability of most Scouts to actually perform that task. Not only that, most Scout fighters lacked equipment. Again, only the Red teams could perform the duties of Scouting and partially the duties of the Warrior teams. On top of that, only a few were even able to do that. Pharos Squad was an exception, not the rule.
This left Ewana in a terrible position. As the council mentioned- when the Maedra numbers increased, Ewana gambled and threw their best teams into the tunnels. The uptick in tempo likely wore that personnel down, leading to mistakes, errors, equipment failures, and ultimately death. The casualty toll rose. The number of available personnel dwindled. The council panicked. They tried to elevate the lower fighters up as a stop-gap measure, and the ever-hungry Maedra ate them up without remorse. Now that Jake had a glimpse into the scenes working behind the curtain, he understood why Mur was so harsh and why there was a forty-day time limit.
Forty days was the average life expectancy of a Scout in the tunnels. The issue was that originally, forty days was enough. With the number of Maedra increasing and the new forms evolving to be more vicious, faster, and smarter- that was no longer the case. Most Scouts would be lucky to even taste forty days.
Jake was beginning to see it. He was beginning to understand. He paused in his walk to the front entrance of the council's compound and curled his hands into fists. He looked slowly to his right, towards the distant Scout Association building. Then, he looked at the Warrior building on his left. Finally, he looked towards Ewana itself.
The bigger picture was like a giant puzzle slowly clicking in his brain. Each piece brought forth a greater view of the situation with which he could make more educated decisions with. Each new bit of knowledge helped influence his choices and Jake found himself adjusting his path as he went. Originally, his plan was simple; become stronger and fight the Maedra. Now there were more tasks along with more reasons. His 'why' at first was to simply get revenge for Chul and to prepare himself for the future. Now, his 'why' was to not only avenge Chul but to ensure those who fought with him survived. He needed to kill the Maedra to protect the people who lived in the tunnels. He needed to prevent the Maedra from spilling into the surface. He needed to kill the Maedra before they could evolve and become an uncontrollable force. He needed to kill the Maedra to ease the burden of the other fighters in the village.
On top of killing the Maedra, Jake also needed to scout the tunnels, find resources, find areas to develop into Outposts, seek out other villages, and he needed to maintain a connection with the Warrior teams. He needed to develop his skill set to provide support for the Warriors and his fellow Scout team members, and he needed to develop his physical ability to fight in close quarters. No longer was Magic the only thing he needed to learn. It was a small piece of his overall ability network he had to forge.
At the base of it all, supporting everything he did- Jake needed to make sure his friends and those he knew were safe. Yae. Xul. Tul. Nuro. Mora. Mur, his teacher. The Warrior teams he worked with. Captain Lin, Ryx, Wur, Ryn, Tux. Hulgrox and his assistant. Deris and the young girl. Victory against the Maedra not only meant Jake could go home but each kill in the tunnels gave the people in the Village a fighting chance. Sure, he could abandon all that and focus only on himself but where would that get him? If he fought only for his own needs and cut out everyone who supported him, he might as well join the Maedra. They would become the pillars he would fight for. If nothing else, he would do his best to keep Ewana safe.
But, it would take a lot of work and a lot of effort to do that. The coming days were going to become very long, very tiring, and very stressful. The situation within the village was a lot direr than Jake had realized and with the Maedra having evolved, it was only a matter of time before things came crumbling down. If he wanted to be successful in his duty, he needed to take another leap forward in his ability level. Not as a Mage, but as a fighter in general. And there was only one person Jake knew who was capable of teaching him that.
The boy took in a long, deep breath, and left the council grounds. He turned right and returned to the Scout compound. There, he turned right again and crossed the open space. A number of Scouts lingering in the area looked at him, their expressions a mix. Jake paid them no mind as he returned to a familiar building. He stepped past three healers rushing to the side of a severely injured trainee and grabbed onto the handle of the Hall's door. With a yank, he pulled it open. The sounds of training and Mur's booming voice echoed into his skull, thunderous just as he remembered.
It hadn't been long since Jake had left this place. Barely a week but things had changed quite a bit already. After his scene earlier with Yae, Jake could only imagine the pain he was about to be in. However, even though Mur noticed him, the large demon didn't acknowledge him at first. He continued to patrol the mats, shouting and directing, correcting and assisting. The trainees dueling continued to exchange blows, vying for position and solidifying their places on the mats.
Jake slid the door closed behind him and took a seat at the edge of the mats. He glanced over to the board and saw his name. His circles and tallies were still there. It seemed Mur was still keeping track of him, which was relieving, to say the least.
The boy remained still and quiet, relaxing onto his heels, and he kept his hands neatly folded on his lap as he waited. He had placed his dagger down in front of himself, earning a few glances from some of the trainees. None said a word to him. There was no talking within the Hall unless one was spoken to by Mur or a student with a star by their name. Speaking of such- Jake glanced at the roster to check on those students. There had been two students who had lived long enough to earn stars. Last Jake checked, they were alive.
That was no longer the case. There was only one name with a star left on the active roster. The other had been moved to the 'Killed in Action' board, the Scout's final tally etched into the wood. Jake frowned at the sight, and he let out a faint sigh, but he wasn't exactly surprised. No one lived forever.
"Stop!" Mur belted out after quite some time. Mur ordered a break and sent his students away, giving them their time to grab a meal and tend to their weapons. The Hall quickly emptied, leaving Jake alone with Mur. The four-armed demon stood in the center of his Hall, his lower arms crossed as he watched his students flood out the front door. When there were none left, his eyes finally drifted over to Jake.
"You are brave to return here after your spout in the courtyard, boy," Mur's voice rumbled, and he sat down in the middle of the mats. Jake grabbed the sheath for his dagger and stood up. He approached Mur and then sat down in front of him, placing his weapon down between them.
"My apologies, Master, but I can't let my feelings get in the way of what needs to be done," Jake said. He bowed his head and lowered his eyes to show both respect and sincerity. Mur huffed.
"And you think that makes you right?" Mur spat.
"No," Jake responded, biting his tongue as he felt his emotions twist.
"Fighting the Maedra is essential to the survival of this village. These people have struggled for centuries in these tunnels. They will continue to do so long after you are dead and gone. You may have ability, Jake, but that does not make you better," Mur's arms unfolded, and he grabbed onto his knees as he leaned forward a bit. "It means you must shoulder a heavier burden."
Jake raised his head and leaned onto his heels as he straightened up. He met Mur's eyes and grimaced. There were several implications to what he'd said and Jake didn't like any of them. However, he understood all too well the weight on his shoulders. Jake had passed it off at first and tried to shy away from it but after meeting with the council there was no hiding from it. And though Jake knew the consequences of what would happen if he failed, he couldn't piece together the proper path he should take.
He blamed it on his youth and lack of experience. Things would be different if it were Mur in his shoes. Mur would know exactly what to do. Even Nuro would do a lot better handling the cards Jake was being given. Both had life and combat experience, and both likely had led others in battle. They had lived long enough to deal with a plethora of problems, and they had overcome struggles. Having faced those problems, both were still working to achieve whatever dreams or goals they had. Jake knew they weren't perfect, but they had knowledge Jake didn't.
"I don't know what to do..." Jake muttered, his eyes dropping. Mur's eyes narrowed as he sat up.
"You know exactly what you must do, boy, but you're too scared to say it," Mur chuckled and reached forward. He grabbed the dagger on the floor and pulled it free. "You are young, brave, and bold. You fight with a level head and you learn exceptionally quickly. It was why I was so comfortable letting you go to Pharos Squad at only thirty days." Mur admired the dagger as he spoke, releasing a grunt as he finished, showing his satisfaction. He returned the dagger to its sheath and then set it down between them once more.
"Perfection is something you have striven for and I saw it in your training. You never stopped honing the basic movements. Your footwork was always your biggest peeve. Every swing was repeated until you could do it by feeling. And I could always sense your magic growing with every passing day. You were relentless in your growth, more so than the others around you. You understood that time was precious and spent every minute within the Hall carefully sharpening your skills. The result of your efforts bore fruit when you defeated Pari, and I am very proud to have watched such a duel." Mur leaned forward and placed a hand on Jake's shoulder.
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"You are blessed with things I could only dream of at your age, and you must take care not to let your doubt dull and stunt your growth. You must remain focused. Never lose sight of why you fight." Mur released Jake's shoulder and looked to the door. "Enter."
The door slid open. Jake looked over as Yae stepped into the hall. She stared at him, her lips depressed into a deep frown and her eye shook slightly. She sat down at the edge of the mat, a good distance from the two of them, and said nothing. Jake gripped at the cloth of his pants and looked away, his eyes meeting Mur's.
"Our strength comes not from our muscles. It comes not from the weapons we carry or even the magic you conjure." Mur extended his hand and placed his finger firmly against Jake's chest. The boy could feel his heart thump beneath his rib cage. "It comes from here, boy. And from there." Mur then nodded toward Yae.
"Those that stand behind us, that push us forward, that dare us to seek better versions of ourselves. Those that aid us when we stumble and those that cheer for us when we succeed. Those that we look to as leaders, as mentors, and as heroes." Mur retracted his hand, once more grabbing his knees as he smirked.
"Strength comes from within, boy. Power and ability are our own to hone and sharpen but the reason you fight will always be more powerful than anything you can ever train. A man driven by love will always best a man driven by greed. If not through might but through grit and unwavering mettle." Mur waved for Yae to approach and the girl quietly rose to her feet. Jake looked down as she walked over and sat down across from Jake, beside Mur.
"You have battled the Maedra. You have fought in the tunnels and have given the council a glimpse of hope. To perform such a feat, there is no doubt that you are stronger now than when you first arrived in this village. However, are you willing to sacrifice your friends to achieve your ends?"
"No," Jake muttered.
"Then you need to open your eyes, boy, and stop being so blind to the world around you. There is more to life than fighting and magic," Mur huffed. "When is the last time you did something for yourself?"
"I practiced magic in the tunnel," Jake said. Mur shook his head.
"You are right in thinking training is for yourself, but is it really?" Mur raised an eyebrow as he stared down at Jake. The boy pressed his lips together, thinking both how to prove himself right or how to dodge the question. Not finding either, he just shook his head.
"The village will not collapse tomorrow. You are young. Enjoy your youth. There is no rush to fight. Trust me. The Maedra will not disappear," Mur chuckled and stood up. His massive body caused the floor to creak as he rose. "The two of you have much to discuss, I assume, and I have said my peace. You have an hour if you need it."
With that, Mur left the Hall. Leaving Jake and Yae behind the sliding door. Jake kept his eyes averted, but he could feel Yae's gaze on his face.
"You're an asshole," she spat once they were alone.
"Yea," he muttered.
"Why?" She asked. He shrugged. "Answer the question."
She wasn't going to let him run from it.
"The Beasts-"
"The Beasts have nothing to do with us, Jake," she jabbed. He closed his eyes and held his tongue for a moment.
"Yae, I..." he started, but the words were trapped in his throat.
"Say it," she spat. He squeezed the fabric between his fingers and his stomach squeezed.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I let myself become too focused on the Beasts. I lost sight of myself a little and let my power get to my head, but I never forgot about you or the others. I just wanted to do what I thought was best for you all."
"And sacrificing yourself is what's best for me?" She rumbled.
"No, that's not what I meant," Jake rushed to respond but the girl scoffed.
"Then tell me- what is it you're about to do? Rush off into the tunnels every single day non-stop for the next month, killing as many of the Beasts as possible? Are you going to run down every single tunnel in sight until there's nothing left of the Beasts or you?" She seethed, her voice booming through the Hall.
"Why do you have to make it sound so extreme?" He rumbled. She wasn't wrong- that was the plan.
"Because it is!" She belted. Jake could feel the heat of her voice, and he winced. There was a calm in her storm as she took in a few breaths, but her eye remained glued to the side of his face. "I called you an asshole not because of how you made me feel or because of you yelling at me. I called you an asshole because you're trying to cut us all off."
"No, I'm not!"
"Then why was I given this key, Jake?" Yae plucked a key from her pocket and tossed it in front of him. It was the key to the house from the council. "Why was it some other random woman that gave it to me and not you? If you wanted us to have the house, why didn't you bring it to me yourself?!"
"She works fast," He muttered. Jake had just left the council building and had come straight to Mur's Hall. That assistant lady must have left right behind him to find Yae. Maybe they met in the courtyard?
"Jake!" Yae's voice snapped.
"What do you want from me?!" Jake finally snapped back, finally meeting her eye. She blinked and gripped at her pants. "I'm doing my best!"
"Are you?!" She yelled.
"I am! Every day, every minute, I'm trying to become better so I can kill the Beasts! I'm doing everything I can to make sure you are safe! I'm trying everything I can to keep you happy!" He shouted.
"Do I look happy?!" She hissed. Jake opened his mouth to retort, but his voice failed him. He stared at her, his eyes glued to hers as she waited for an answer. Her lips were trembling and Jake felt his stomach tense up even more. He felt like he might vomit. There was a heavy weight in the air, and Jake had been ignoring it, but he couldn't anymore. She wasn't going to let him out of the room until he faced it.
"...I can't love you, Yae," he muttered. He looked away from her, his eyes drifting down to the floor. "Not now," he mumbled.
"Why not?" She said, her own voice cracking. Jake released the grip on his skirt and took in a deep, long breath.
"Because I don't know how to, and I have too much to worry about."
"That's not an excuse," she rumbled.
"It's all I have, Yae," Jake sighed and looked at his dagger. "I can't give up on fighting the Beasts. I can't stop trying to become stronger. I have to fight."
"No one has to do anything," Yae interjected. Jake shook his head and then looked at her.
"Yae, please. Listen to me."
"I am-"
"Are you?" He cut her off. She didn't seem to like that, but she didn't say anything.
"If I stop fighting, if I give up on becoming stronger and if I slow down, do you know what will happen to Ewana?" Jake asked. Yae nodded.
"The Beasts will come," she whispered. She looked away from him.
"And they'll kill every single one of you," Jake added. "I can protect you and carry you away from that, Yae. I could fight out of the village and bring you and your brothers with me to the surface, but what does that leave you with?"
"Nothing," she mumbled.
"Nothing. You'll have no home. Everything you care for aside from your family will be gone, Yae. What about anyone else who maybe survives? The same can be said for them." Jake placed a hand on his dagger and gripped it firmly, but he didn't lift it. "I'm not a powerful person but I have the potential to stop that from happening. It won't be easy. I'll have to work really hard and I'll spend more time in the tunnels than I will in the village. If it means keeping the village safe- how can I say no?"
"You don't have to do it alone," she said. Jake sighed.
"I asked you before but who else can do what I do, Yae?" There was no answer.
"I've learned a lot since coming to this place, Yae and there is a lot I still have to learn. If I sit on my hands, do nothing, and let myself be blind to the threat squeezing down on this village, I'm no better than them." Jake squeezed the sheath of his dagger and finally lifted it, he placed it into his lap and held it firmly. "I can't let the Beasts win."
"...I understand," Yae muttered. Jake blinked and looked at her.
"What?" He said, a bit dumbfounded that she'd said that out loud. Yae sighed and her hands released the cloth of her clothes.
"Ever since we pulled you out of the essence flow, I knew you were different. When I watched you fight the Beasts, I knew you weren't one of us. When you told Tul you would become a Scout, I knew then that you wouldn't just become a scout. You would do that and more. When you became one of Mur's students, I knew you would join a Red team and I knew you would enter the tunnels to fight the Beasts... I knew, I always knew..." Her voice started off strong as she explained herself but it trailed off to a faint whisper.
"I just didn't want to see you hurt... So many scouts go into the tunnels and they never come back. There's never a body, either, and I was so scared that would happen to you. I still am." Her voice remained a whisper, and Jake strained his ears to listen to her.
"I don't want to see that happen to you," Yae mumbled.
Jake chuckled. The girl looked at him, confused.
"I can promise you that will never happen because I'm going to become stronger than any one of those Beasts." Jake slowly rose to his feet and returned his dagger to his hip, strapping it to his waist. "I made you a promise, and I plan to keep it." He reached out and held his hand in front of Yae.
"Just... give me time, okay?"
"I'll try," Yae reached up and grabbed his hand. Jake gave it a little tug and helped her up. However, he released it after a few moments. She seemed a bit uneasy about that but Yae didn't grumble or groan over it.
The roller coaster of emotions he was being put through was agonizing. Between having to juggle bouts with Yae, the strain of dealing with the Beasts, and now the annoyance of Ewana's council expecting results from him, Jake felt himself being pulled in several different directions. He wanted so desperately to spend more time with Yae, Tul, and Xul, and just relax. He wanted to be able to sit down for once and enjoy a meal without having to worry or rush through it because he needed to train, but there was work to be done. Yae was no longer upset with him and Mur would likely be satisfied with that result.
But, mending things with Yae was not why he had come to the Hall. Jake guided Yae to the door and slid it open. Mur was sitting on the other side, the massive Demon was gazing towards the courtyard with his eyes taking in the view of several scouts practicing. When he heard the door open, Mur looked over his shoulder.
"Finished?" He asked. Jake nodded.
"Master, I need more training," Jake said. Mur huffed.
"Obviously," Mur spat and rose to his feet, towering over Jake as he turned to face the boy. "And training you will receive. But, not by me."
"What?" Jake blinked.
"There is a warrior who is better suited to train you further. He is far more skilled in the style which suits you. However, to earn his favor, I wish you luck. He is... picky."
Jake didn't quite like the sound of that.