10. Talus
About a month later at the Manners Estate. Saturday. April 11, 2349. 6:07 AM… Capital city of the League – the Dominion of Noah.
Two days before the Noah Academy orientation.
Aoife’s blade sang through the crisp morning air, whistling a sharp tune. She moved her feet like she was dancing, purposely finding a position that would break her balance, but would still not affect the precision of her blade.
The training yard behind the Manners estate was her sanctuary, somewhere where she could channel her frustrations and not think. Somewhere to be. Just to be.
Sweat trickled down her brow, but she didn’t dare pause to wipe it away. She rotated in mid-air before striking her blade with a shout, but her blade loosened and dropped to the ground.
She knelt as she caught her breath. How does she do it?! Aoife thought. Her cousin and best friend, Fia, can use her blade even when she’s out of balance.
Do you know how hard it is to do that?
But speaking of the devil…
“Aoife! What the hell?” a familiar voice called out. “You’re going to hurt yourself.”
Aoife turned to see Fia leaning against the wooden fence, the blunt end of her sword resting casually against her shoulder.
Fia, a Manners Legacy, had always been a golden child, so swift with both guns or blades. A prodigy. An epitome of what the Manners family valued most – strength.
She hated her when they were young. She was jealous.
But Fia never stopped trying to be her friend. She’s just so goddamn adorable that Aoife’s unjustified hate for her vanished.
Fia became her best friend.
“Heya!” Aoife grinned with a nod, before picking up her fallen sword as she wiped the sweat off her forehead. “What time is it?”
“Heya, my butt. It’s time for breakfast,” Fia said with a sigh as she walked toward Aoife, briefly closing her silver eyes to emphasize the sigh.
Aoife rolled her eyes. “Okay, mom…”
“But seriously, you’re already the best in our age group. Only next to me, of course!” Fia managed to let out a grin in between her words, before her voice softened once more. “But if you keep this up, you’ll wear yourself out before the Academy even starts.”
Aoife sheathed her sword and took a deep breath. “I just…” she said but stopped.
“What?”
Aoife gritted her teeth. “I don’t know, Fia. I hate being weak,” she said, although she did not quite like how that came out. It’s like she’s being too dramatic.
“Weak? You mean Finn?” Fia’s expression softened as she placed a hand on Aoife’s shoulder–– before gripping it tight that Aoife almost squealed in pain. “He’s just jealous! So, don’t say that. Even if you are, fuck the family. You have nothing to prove. Especially to that cunt,” said Fia with a growl, obviously referring to Aoife’s father.
Aoife smiled, appreciating the gesture. Fia had always been there for her, even when the rest of the family dismissed her as a disappointment. “They’ll hear you.”
“Oh? I don’t think they did. So, why don’t I–– yell louder?” Fia took a deep breathe, charging her special technique–– ULTRA SHOUT!
Aoife giggled and stopped her. “Hey! Stop! I get it already!” she said before letting out a smile. “But seriously, thanks. Honestly, I wouldn’t know what to do without you.”
“Work yourself to death?” Fia replied with her usual grin. “Come on, let’s take a break, fast. See what I did there? Break. Fast!” she said before breaking out in a bout of laughter.
It took her a while to calm down.
“…How high are you?” said Aoife with a sigh.
“Good, thanks!”
“God, I can’t with you.”
After they sat on a picnic blanket, Fia handed Aoife her favourite sandwich. Tuna.
They ate in comfortable silence for a few moments.
“So,” Fia said between bites, “Nervous?”
Aoife shrugged. “A bit. But, I mean, it’s not like I have a choice anyway.”
Fia nodded. “I still don’t like your father sending you off like this. Besides, I’ve been hearing rumours.”
Aoife chuckled. “Anything juicy?”
Fia did not share her chuckle. Instead, her voice dropped to a whisper. “Apparently, there’s going to be more Bloodliners than usual this year.”
“First years?”
“Yeah. You’re probably familiar with some of them.”
“Like who?”
“That Niall kid,” said Fia with a click of her tongue.
“Niall Locksmith?”
“Yeah!”
“Is he that bad?”
Fia paused. “I mean… I don’t know? I just heard stuff.”
“Don’t judge a book by its cover!”
Fia played with her earring as she averted her eyes. “I meeean~”
“Oh, just stop. We’ll see.”
Fia sighed. “You’re too kind, Aoife. Too kind for your own good. But speaking of Bloodliners. Ever heard of the Twin Beasts?”
Aoife raised an eyebrow. She did. The Twin Beasts is a duo of elusive Bloodliners who’s apparently been at the frontlines and have slain numerous Ashen–– even if they haven’t unlock their soul cores yet. It’s quite odd, because Bloodliners are normally kept away from danger until they turn 15.
So, the Twin Beasts are quite famous in the younger generation, but no one has ever actually seen them, aside from the adults talking about them.
Apparently, for the Twin Beasts, the battlefield is their training ground. “Are you saying they’re enrolling too? No way! Someone as talented as them would have been recruited by SPECTRA! …Or any prestigious Awakened groups, really,” said Aoife.
“I mean. Yeah, there’s some rumours that apparently they’re already with SPECTRA. But who knows. They might not even be real.”
“Do you think they’re not real?”
“Dad said they’re real. But I think that maybe some stories about them are just a bit exaggerated, you know?” said Fia. “Like how they apparently slew a Grade II Coal by themselves. Like seriously? They haven’t even awakened yet, so how is that even possible?
“Yeah I guess. But I mean, even so, if we’ve got some really talented kids our age, that’s a good thing, right? So, what are you worried about?”
Fia frowned. “No. I’m not worried about that.”
“Then what’s wrong? Sometimes I really can’t follow your train of thoughts. You’re saying one thing, but thinking of another. It’s annoying!”
“…Dad said that the Order of Lewisia infiltrated the academy.”
Aoife’s expression grew serious. “Why?”
“I don’t know. But whatever it is––” said Fia before shaking her head.
“What is it?” Aoife asked, not liking Fia’s display.
“Forget about it. Let’s get back to training,” she said, offering a hand to Fia.
“God! You always do that!”
“HEADS UP! RAISE YOUR BLADE!”
“WAIT!”
***
City of Noah. Chocofee Shop. Sunday, April 10, 2349. 6:49 p.m. One day before the Noah Awakened Academy orientation…
Aoife tapped the edge of the table repeatedly as she sat at the red, leather bench sipping her chocolate drink.
Fia was on the other side of the corner table.
It was cozy and warm, the smell of fresh coffee and baked pastries wafting through the air.
Gentle chatter and the clinking of coffee cups created a music of its own, a chorus with the usual coffee shop music being played. Coffee shop music, they always give off that same calming feeling, even if their melodies are different – enough to calm that gnawing anxiety deep in Aoife’s chest.
When she looked out through the fogged window facing a street outside, the April rain poured against the sun already setting low.
She saw a couple holding hands walk by, the mother holding an umbrella, while the father laughed as he pushed their baby’s cart with his free hand. How peaceful.
Her grandfather always told her, that humanity has a knack of finding happiness within even the bleakest of days. Bleak. He loved to use that word. One of his catchphrases.
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But despite the serenity, her friend Fia couldn’t help but sigh in exhaustion.
Aoife chuckled. Fia has been helping her shop all day in preparation for the Academy. She must be exhausted. Verily so.
But they still have a next stop. The talus shop.
All Awakened needs a talus to use magic. While they could have gone there first, the discount rate will only apply from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., for some reason.
“Tired already, Fia?” she asked.
“Eehhh…” Fia sighed as she gently placed her hamburger down, before also looking outside.
Aoife raised a brow. “There you go again. Look alive. Is something wrong?” Fia is already level 12, a couple of levels higher than the average new second-year. She’s very strong! Confident! So, it’s not often that she sees her friend be seemingly worried about something. And she seems to have been worried a lot since yesterday.
“I just can’t shake off the feeling that something dark is brooding.”
“Brooding? Poetic.” Aoife smiled. “How come?”
“Remember what I told you yesterday? About Lewisia? We’re talking about the White Sovereign here. You’d think the Academy will take care of it first before opening up.”
“I mean, that wouldn’t make sense. Sure, she’s a Calamity-grade and a Sovereign too, but I doubt she’d dare risk attack the Academy,” Aoife said. “People are on high alert, and we still have Godframe Hera.”
“…Sure. You’re right.”
Aoife pursed her lips. Normally, Fia would argue back. But she’s not? For some reason, that rubbed Aoife wrong. ”Fia. Seriously. I think you’re worrying too much.”
Fia glared, but not at Aoife. “The White Sovereign killed the Bearer of Ares, the War Sovereign. He was our strongest Awakened. Who knows what Muriel is capable of doing?”
Aoife tried to come up with a rebuttal. But Fia’s right.
While it will take a long time for the White Sovereign to recover after her battle with Beral, her Order of Lewisia is unpredictable. They even tried assassinating Aoife’s father one year ago.
But eventually, Aoife did find her rebuttal.
“But you have to remember that she only managed to do that because of the Summoners. She also baited Beral. She made sure he was weakened after killing Argus,” Aoife argued. Perhaps it’s because she’s actually scared that she’s even arguing in the first place. “And if there’s somebody as cunning, or even more cunning than the White Sovereign, that would be Lady Livia herself.”
While Aoife tried to hide it, Lady Livia has always been an inspiration to her.
“Geeze. You’re such a fan. Let’s change the topic.”
Aoife pouted. “Can you cut it out? You always do that. Say something then change the subject.”
Fia chuckled. “Right. But I mean. I’ve always been wondering. Why did you choose to become an Awakened anyway? It’s not a pretty… occupation. And don't give me that crap about your father. You know my dad would have supported you if you chose not to awaken.”
Aoife blinked with a tilt of her head. What Fia said didn’t sit right with her for some reason. It bothered her.
That question is something people often ask a stranger they just met. But she’s been with Fia since they were just a child. “Didn’t I already tell you?”
“No. I mean. Yeah, that stupid family looks down on you,” said Fia as if she didn’t belong to the same family, which made Aoife chuckle. “But you wouldn’t be this hard on yourself just because of that. I doubt Finn really even bothers you. So, seriously, why?”
Aoife grinned. “I mean. Who wouldn’t want to learn magic? I’m actually excited to find out what my Class would be. Hopefully, I’d be a Sentinel.”
“You wish,” Fia chortled. “Everyone wants to be a Senti.”
There are two Awakened Class. One are the mind-based Evokers. Fia is an Evoker.
The other are the Sentinels, who are body-based Awakened.
Apparently, Evokers outnumber the Sentinels by around 100 to 1.
In the League, with around 70,000 Awakened, only 7,000 are Sentinels. That doesn’t mean Sentinels are automatically stronger because they’re rarer.
Their spells are just different compared to most. And people always feel cooler when they’re different. That’s pretty much it.
When Aoife didn’t say anything further, Fia frowned.
“Fine. Don’t answer it then,” Fia said with an exaggerated harrumph.
Aoife flicked a nail-sized ball of paper at her friend, who snatched it easily in mid-air with a playful smile. “It’s not like I don’t trust you, Fia. You know that. It’s just… I don’t have a grand cause or anything like that,” she said.
Then she looked at her drink, swirling it with a teaspoon. “I just want to be like her.”
Fia widened her eyes before heaving a deep breathe. “Aunt Mary… I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.”
Aoife nodded her head. “It’s fine. It’s not a unique story. It’s not only me who lost people to the Ashen. All of us did.”
Fia, pressing her lips, glared at her. “Don’t say that. It’s as valid as the others,” she rebuked her, flicking the nail-sized ball of paper back, which hit Aoife’s forehead. “All lives are valid.”
Aoife smiled with a nod, before flicking away the ball of paper that fell on the coffee table. “We should go. It’s almost 7.”
***
Not even ten minutes later, Aoife and Fia found themselves at the Square of Hope on their way to the talus shop, their umbrellas opened wide to protect themselves from the pouring rain.
“Noah,” Aoife said with misty breath as she admired the surroundings, smiling at Fia whose profile reflected the flashing neon signs from the high-rise buildings.
“It’s loud,” said Fia with a frown, clicking her tongue at the loud cars going to and fro. “And no matter where I look, there’s always that.”
Aoife laughed, but she didn’t disagree. She followed Fia’s eyes at the holographic billboards breathing countless product ads; luring passerby of their dollars with promises of convenience, succour, and most of all – pleasure.
Fia must have noticed her excitement and chose not to spoil the mood. “But I guess you can’t deny it’s lively,” admitted Fia with a smile as they passed by street performers who sang or danced; while people watched, clapped, and tossed money on the performers’ jars. She tossed a coin herself.
“It is,” Aoife said before removing her phone from her pocket. “And where is the shop again?” asked Aoife as she tinkered with her phone’s GPS, not paying attention to the surroundings.
Fia shrugged. “It’s just ahead. And pay attention!”
Aoife felt Fia pull her by the scruff of her collar.
“Oops,” said Aoife as they stopped at a crosswalk, filled with a sea of people also waiting for the stoplight to turn green.
“Don’t oops me.”
Aoife tapped her shoes in impatience. But it didn’t take long for it to finally turn green.
“Finally!” Aoife looked up and hurried on, passing through the many people also crossing the walk, screaming for her to watch out, while she screamed back ‘Sorry’ repeatedly.
“Aoife! Watch out!”
Aoife just grinned, until she bumped into something huge and dropped her umbrella. No, not something. Someone.
She fell on the ground and stared at that someone who looks like a bear. When he loomed over her, he looked angry! Is he going to eat her?!
“I… I–– I’m sorry!”
“Ayo. Chill. Do I look at that ugly?!” the bear laughed loudly and offered her a hand. It can talk?! But when he smiled, it was actually very gentle.
And when Aoife calmed herself a bit, he noticed there stood a very pretty blonde girl beside the bear wearing a boy's clothes. She looked about Aoife's age.
“You actually do LOOK that ugly,” said the pretty blonde... boy?!
She's a boy! Aoife thought.
The blonde boy thankfully didn't notice Aoife's surprise. “But don’t worry. He’s as gentle as a bear.”
“Bears are gentle?” the bear asked the boy.
“…Good point. Gentle as a panda then.”
The bear chuckled for a moment before he gasped in surprise as if he just remembered something. That something was Aoife, whom he immediately helped stand up. “Sorry! You good?”
Aoife was easily lifted up by the bear. “Thank you. And sorry, I didn’t mean to come off like that. You’re not ugly by any means, no!” she said and scrutinized the bear’s features. She really should stop calling him a bear in her thoughts, though.
Actually, even if the bear-like person looked about as tall as her father, he looked young. He looked more like a cub and around… her age too? “…God. You’re actually adorable,” Aoife whispered.
The bear person grinned and scratched the back of his neck. “You think so? Thanks!”
“Damn right, he is,” the blonde boy laughed.
Fia also finally caught up. “Geeze, Aoife… Oh. Hey guys, sorry about her! She’s just… too excited.”
The blonde boy beside the bear-person gestured to the sign before the building where they stood. Rose Talus Shop, it said. “I’d be too if we’re all going at the same place. You guys here for the discount as well?”
Aoife nodded. “Yeah, we are. How’d you know?”
The blonde boy looked at Fia. “Miss here is uh…”
“Fia,” said Fia.
“Miss Fia here is an Awakened, no? They’re silver,” asked the blonde boy, gesturing with his brows to Fia’s eyes. He must have figured that Fia was showing Aoife around.
Fia nodded. “Yeah. Just second year though. This is my cousin, Aoife.”
“Hi! I’m Aoife.”
“Yeah. Mark. Mark Collins,” said the blonde boy.
“Oh yeah, that was your name,” said the bear person as if he just remembered.
“Yeah, yeah…” Mark said before pointing at the bear person, parting his lips to introduce him. But when he was about to speak, he stopped mid-way. “Oh wait Bear, what was your name again?”
Aoife widened her eyes at them. Bear is actually his name?! “Hold on, you guys don’t know each other?” They seemed to be familiar with each other.
“Oh, we do. We came from the same school,” said Mark.
But you don’t know each other’s names?! Aoife thought, not even knowing why she even bothered trying to figure that out in the first place.
“Yeah. Name’s Aaron. Nice to meet you guys!” said Bear… or rather, Aaron. “Anyway. We should be going. It’s eight past seven.”
***
A background of soft music greeted the four. “Wow,” said Aoife, looking around. Surprisingly, it’s empty of people.
There were multiple glass displays, reflecting light that bounced off from the orbs of light that hung from the ceiling. Inside the displays were an array of taluses.
Taluses are designed to be worn and cover the whole of the right index finger. They look like those one-finger claw rings famous as exquisite pieces of jewelry. The only difference between those one-finger claw rings and taluses, is that taluses are magical.
The taluses in the shop had different designs and colours. Some were more straightforward like the one designed like a bird’s claw – the most common design – while others were more complex but beautiful.
Some seemed to be made of gold or silver, and others were metals of various colours that Aoife could not identify.
“I swear… it’s so hard to find a left hand talus,” Mark complained as he clicked his tongue. Aoife wondered if he’s left-handed? Left-handed taluses are pretty… niche.
“Sucks to be you,” Bear laughed.
Mark sighed and replied with his usual, “Yeah, yeah…”
Aoife giggled, before noticing maybe one of the prettiest talus she’s ever seen. “Oh, I like that one!” It was a talus with a floral design – a golden metal rose. The rose’s long stalk coiled, supposedly around the forefinger, with the tip of the stalk protruding away from the rose.
“Pretty,” Aoife said as she stopped. But when she looked at the price tag… “The… FUCK?!”
“What?” the other three asked her in unison.
When Mark and Bear looked at what she was looking at, even they paled.
“$50,000? Holy shit,” Mark said.
“Bro, we’re fucked,” said Bear.
“Yeah, yeah…”
Fia, perhaps wondering what was going on, squinted at the price tag. “Oh…” She then looked at the line of display cases running along the rose talus’ left and right. They all had the same price. “Right. We’re in the expensive section.”
“Huh? What do you mean?” Aoife asked.
“Talus shops are usually divided into multiple sections – divided by price,” explained Fia, pointing at another corner of the shop. “That corner is the cheap section. See the prices? The cheapest taluses costs $1,000 – like those bird’s claw taluses. Those ones are for the newly Awakened. What you guys’ll need.”
Indeed, as Aoife looked around, some of the sections were more expensive. There were those tagged at $10,000, and the really expensive ones reached $50,000. They were at the $50,000 section.
“I’m guessing these ones are usually for Class II Awakened or above,” said Mark. “So, we’ll have to pop 50 grand when we class up? That’s crazy.”
“Yep. Believe me. I dread that day too,” Fia replied.
“Oh look, this one is pretty too,” Aoife said as she leaned down to inspect another talus beside the rose one. This time, one with a snake design, its sharp tail the one pointing away from the base – a snake head with its tongue out. “I wonder… I’ve never seen a talus not worn on the forefinger before,” Aoife said.
A woman’s soothing voice responded. “Practicality, culture, tradition and… beliefs.” The voice came from a silver-eyed woman with a long platinum blonde air. She wore a pretty black dress. She looked... ethereal. It seemed as if she was gliding when she approached.
Fia looked like she knew the woman, offering her a nod. The woman smiled at her before shifting her attention back to the snake talus.
“Taluses are made from rare metals and gems with the ability to resonate with the aether, allowing us to cast spells without–– blowing up,” said the woman.
When the woman looked at Aoife, her eyes briefly narrowed – her inscrutable features betrayed for nigh a second. But immediately, the woman smiled again as she gestured to the snake talus. “It’s truly a wonder how we even discovered them in the first place.”
Aoife blinked, still in awe of her beauty.
Her attention broke when Mark asked a question. A question that made Aoife herself become curious. “Discovered? We didn’t create them?” Mark asked.
The woman nodded. “We did not. They’ve far existed way long before even the first Awakened appeared about 300 years ago, leaving so many questions for humanity to answer. Who created them? And what does it all mean?”
Bear’s booming voice echoed out. “Who created them, eh? Sounds like the same question we have for the Godframes, no?”
The woman smiled. “Just like the Godframes,” she repeated, before slowly placing a palm on her left chest, as if the movements were very deliberate–– from the speed to the pace.
Aoife tilted her head in curiosity, recalling the times when she accompanied her father to meet foreign delegates in the past.
Wait. That gesture..., she thought. How could she forget? That gesture. It’s a gesture so simple and common as placing a palm over one’s chest, but at the same time, it also looked so different, unique, and elegant.
It’s the customary gesture of greeting used by nobilities of the Holy Athuran Empire in Europa.
“I’m Sarah Rose. Shop owner,” said the woman.
The group then introduced themselves, except for Fia, who seemed to already know Sarah.
“I suppose you’re all enrolling at the Awakened Academy tomorrow.”
They all nodded.
Sarah placed a hand on Aoife’s shoulder. “Well then. Come,” she said, gesturing them to follow to the $1,000 section. “Let’s pick your taluses.”