“I mean it, Jaden. The world’s so big and we’ve never left this little county. Don’t you wanna see any of the cool creatures out there, like the ones that Corrie showed us drawings of? Or what about the oceans and lakes, or the big cities of other kingdoms? For Lucian’s sake, I’ve never even climbed a mountain and they’re all I can see half the time. How can I do all those things if I become a guard?”
A memory surfaced in Alistar’s mind, of the day that Kaila’s father had died of exhaustion. He’d told his father that he couldn’t wait for the day that they would leave the mines together, that he and his family would climb mountains, swim in rivers and lakes, eat all sorts of fruits and other foods, and play with dogs and other animals.
Looking out at the sun-streaked waters of the Greyline, his own voice played through his mind in a melancholic manner.
You’ll teach me, right Father? You’ll teach me to swim?
It had been a long time since he’d given the day any thought, though he now understood why his father had reacted with a mixed look of disheartenment and devastation. Deep down, he must have known that such things would never come to pass.
“You really cry a lot.”
Hearing Jaden’s words, Alistar thought of his closest friend, whose face had always been stained with tear-made streaks. He wiped at his eyes and sat upright, glancing at what remained of the fish carcasses that they had cooked and then picked apart. “I’m sorry.”
“Why’re you saying sorry?” Zech also sat up. “You’re thinking of the mines again, aren’t you?”
“But you’re free now,” said Jaden. “I know it must have sucked, but now you can forget all about it, right?”
Alistar shook his head. “I can’t. Kaila and Grandpa Talon are still there. Servan’s also there, but he’ll be leaving soon when the new guard shift comes in. After that, they’ll be on their own.”
“So you still have family there?”
He nodded, a cold feeling in his stomach. “Kaila is almost twelve, so it won’t be long before she has to start mining. When that happens, I don’t know how long she’ll last.”
“Is…is it that bad, the mining?”
“If you don’t meet your quota, they beat you. It’s not only once or twice that I’ve seen someone get beaten to death.” His eyes hardened, his gaze drifting towards the ever-darkening sky. “I promised myself that no matter what, I’d return to Crystellum after my second Name Day and do my best to rescue my family. That’s why I’m trying so hard to get stronger. You can call it ‘playing swordsman’ or whatever you will, but it’s definitely not a game to me. My life depends on it. So do theirs.”
The other boys quieted down, neither seeming sure that they should speak. He knew that a certain hatred had slipped into his eyes and that it hadn’t gone unnoticed by his friends.
“Ah, I didn’t mean to bother you two with my problems. I know it’s unpleasant to hear.”
Zech was the first to speak, his voice full of passion. “You can bet that I’ll be there, too. If I can’t even help my friend save his family from some dusty old mine, then how could I ever become a frontiersman that fights danger beasts?”
Sensing the sincerity in the other’s gaze, Alistar was touched. “Thank you. But you don’t have to.”
“I know.”
He wasn’t sure if he would truthfully take the other boy up on his offer when the time finally came, for he didn’t feel right about dragging a friend into such a dangerous situation, but the sentiment was much appreciated all the same.
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“I’ll try my best to learn what you pass on from Sword Master Tramon. If we work hard, maybe we can reach the adept stratum by the time that you plan on leaving. If we do that, won’t it be a breeze to break into those mines?”
According to Tramon, most of the guards within Distan were at the second or third tiers of the apprentice stratum, boasting surprisingly low ranks in the realms of swordsmen. Apparently, so long as they had the basics of combat down and had developed an acceptable level of strength, one could become a guard in most places without any problems, as was the case in this region. If it was similar for Melsian County in the Baldor Empire—the county where Crystellum was located—and both he and Zech actually managed to reach the adept stratum, then Alistar’s vague plan of rescue would definitely become more viable. Still, one’s accomplishments in swordsmanship didn’t necessarily decide how strong they were. For instance, if Alistar were to fight an ordinary man as he was right now, he would surely lose.
Forcing down a whirlpool of negative emotions, he forced a smile. “Let’s try our best, then.”
From what he’d read, some people were capable of reaching the adept stratum of their respective sword style within as little as seven years after taking up swordsmanship. Most took at least ten years to properly master all of the techniques to the point of applying them in actual combat, but Alistar was willing to invest twice the effort as everyone else did, and he had no doubts that Zech was of the same mind.
With determination burning in Zech’s azure eyes, he clenched a fist and stared down at his hand as if it were a window into a different world. “After that, I’ll head to East Street and register to become a frontiersman. By then, I’m sure I’ll have no problem taking on tasks to make money.”
“We’re only eleven, and you guys are already thinking about all these things.” Jaden’s tone was a bit downcast, his gaze lingering on the grass. “I didn’t think we had to plan for stuff like this until we were older.”
“You’re both eleven?”
The other two looked at Alistar with raised eyebrows, Zech speaking up. “You’re not? But Anice said you were the same age as us.”
“I’m turning ten in two days.”
Jaden seemed as if his understanding of the world had been shattered. “You’re only nine?”
“Technically, he’s ten. Didn’t you hear him?”
“Technically, he’s nine!”
“Oh,” said Alistar. “That reminds me. My uncle asked me to invite my friends over to celebrate my Name Day. Would you two…like to come?”
Zech scratched at his head in a surprisingly hesitant manner. “You told me your birthday was coming up, but you didn’t say anything about a Name Day. That’s a big deal, Alistar.”
“He means yes, we’re coming.” To himself, Jaden smiled. “Another Silverkin Name Day! We’ll tell everyone else tomorrow.”
“Well, that’s… None of your cousins will be there, will they?”
“Only Anne.”
Zech sighed, visibly relieved. “Okay, great. Anne’s Name Day was last year, and it would have been perfect if that heap of dung Edmun hadn’t been there. If I had a copper lucet for every time he told us we didn’t belong in his presence, I’d be richer than his father.”
“Edmun?” Alistar hadn’t met any of his relatives on his mother’s side save for Anice and Caedmon. “How old is he?”
“Old enough to take a beating,” grumbled Jaden. “He hits Anne all the time. If he wasn’t the son of a duke, we’d have already given him a good thrashing.”
“Well, if none of your cousins will be around then me and Jaden will definitely tell the others about it. The girls loved the gardens the last time we were there, and Woods ate until he fell asleep in his chair. Even Corrie came, though he didn’t leave that room with all the books until the celebration was over. I think he took one, too.”
Perhaps he was referring to the black book that the smaller boy always carried around? Corrie had shown it to Alistar once, revealing it to be a book full of lessons on how to read and write at an advanced level.
The thought of everyone else tagging along put Alistar ill at ease, but only for a moment. Interacting with the girls might have made him uncomfortable, but he still enjoyed it on some strange, embarrassing level.
“Okay,” he said, standing up as the sun disappeared behind the westernmost mountains. “I’ll look forward to it, then.”
“Are you leaving?”
He answered Zech with a nod. “If I don’t get home soon, Uncle will be mad at me.” Even if Caedmon returned as late as he had recently made a habit of doing, Madeline and Patricia would surely tell him of Alistar’s tardiness. “I’ll meet you here tomorrow at the normal time.”
“We’ll see you then.”
“We?” He looked at Jaden with surprise. “Do you intend to train with us?”
“Why else would I say we?”
“Why the change of heart? Don’t tell me you want to be a knight now?”
“Bugger off, Zech.” The stocky, freckled boy seemed a bit flustered. “I just figured it’d be fun.”